Expectations for HSK Basic?

[eddietsai]

Hi,

The official HSK sites out there are a bit confusing... sometimes the most beginner exam is referred to as basic, and sometimes elementary? but anyhow, how much vocabulary am I expected to know for the HSK basic? All the vocab lists I see have divided the vocab into 4 lists... will i need to know the complete first list of vocab?

Thanks,

Eddie

[Don_Horhe]

基础级 - Basic

初级 - Elementary

中级 - Intermediate

高级 - Advanced

Elementary and Intermediate are merged into one test, known as 初，中级. Here you'll find the complete vocabulary list for the Basic. As for whether you need to know all the words or not, it's really up to you. When I took the Basic, I didn't know them all and still got a 3.

[Scoobyqueen]

The HSK lists are just an aid. Some say (I think I am quoting Imron here) that some 20 percent of the elem-interm vocab do not appear on the HSK list. The word "HSK" is a bit of a misnomer here. You are better off combining vocab study with the mock tests.

[imron]

It was for 25% and HSK Advanced. I'm not sure about Elem-Intermediate.

[Scoobyqueen]

It was for 25% and HSK Advanced. I'm not sure about Elem-Intermediate

Thanks for that. I think for the elem-intermed it might be some 15-20 percent and that is based on observations from past test papers and mock-tests.

[renzhe]

My experience from the elementary-intermediate mock tests is that most of the words in the test do actually appear in the HSK lists, though there is a number of words that are in the most difficult part (HSK-4).

I have seen extremely few words there that I didn't know, and I learn from the HSK vocabulary list primarily.

With advanced, it is a different situation, and I think that it is partly intentional, because they want to test how you deal with new things and how well you can use the context (and radicals) to get a vague idea of an unknown topic quickly.

The HSK basic should be using words from the HSK1 and HSK2. As noted, you probably won't need all of them, but it's good to know them if you want to get a really good result.

[eddietsai]

thanks for the info guys, it's really appreciated!

what's the best way to study for the exam if i can speak mandarin pretty fluently - i'm currently using the tuttle learning chinese hsk 800 vocab words now but i think i would have issues reading sentences/stories after just studying vocab

[Scoobyqueen]

My experience from the elementary-intermediate mock tests is that most of the words in the test do actually appear

I dont have that experience (based on numerous mock tests papers). I frequently come across words that do not appear on the list and even some common ones, so I have basically stopped using the socalled HSK lists as a basis for revision because as I said the "HSK" is misnomer. I previously did a post on this.

[blandmc]

I posted something similar in the HSK test report sticky, but in case anyone looks at this thread I thought I would post my experience here too since it is directly related to the HSK Basic and what your expectations should be...

OK - Just thought i would make all the beginners out there like me feel better by posting my horrid test results. *smile*

I took the HSK Basic exam in Nov 2009 after only 2.5 months in China. I got:

Listening: 25

Grammar: 44

Reading: 43

Total Score: 112 = HSK Level 1

I am actually surprised I even got Level 1 as the test was MUCH more difficult than I thought it would be.

My background -

- Fluent in Japanese as I lived there 8 years and that was my major in college

- Took 1 beginner Chinese class 16 years ago in college

- Have been traveling in China/Taiwan for work quite often the last 10 years

- Only serious started studying from Sep 2009 when I moved to Shanghai

That said, going into the test I knew about 1500 Chinese words, a good knowledge of basic grammar, plus the advantage of being quite familiar with many other Chinese characters through my knowledge of Japanese.

Knowing that did almost nothing to help me with this test. I studied out of textbooks not related to the HSK, so while I knew more words than needed, I didn't know the words for THIS test. I also had no clue what the test would be like having never even looked at a practice test and I didnt understand what I needed to do in some sections. However, I only wanted to gauge my level at the beginning of my stay in China to have something to look back on as I progress and get an idea of what the test is like.. now I know. So I am OK even with such a horrid score.

So, for any beginners out there considering taking the Basic test, my advice is definitely to study for the test (as opposed to just studying Chinese in general). Next time I will purchase HSK study materials, study the HSK vocab, and take several practice tests.

The test was really HARD in my opinion and not enough time to answer all the questions. Much of my scores were likely the result of guesses rather than a true gauge of my knowledge.

The listening had 2 sections:

1. Look at 4 drawings and listen to the tape - choose the best photos

- This was not too bad, but often there were 2 drawings that seemed fairly close to correct.

2. Listen to fairly long dialogues and answer questions

- I had no clue what to do here.

- Sometimes the questions seemed to be about what the people were speaking about but other times it seemed like it wanted me to reply to a question they asked - I was very confused.

The grammar had a couple sections... as I recall:

- One was choosing the best classifier

- One was choosing the best connecting word (eg. Chinese words for moreover, additionally, but, even though, then, etc) between 2 phrases.

- don't remember the rest

The Reading section was long:

- Very long readings sometimes with only 2-3 questions, sometimes with 6-7 questions

- The content was more difficult than I expected for the most basic level test

- One section was explaining why reptiles and mammals have different colors of blood based on what metals are in the blood. Seems like a more advanced topic to me.

- There was definitely NOT enough time to try to read and understand each section thoroughly as well as read and understand each question and also go back and try to understand the answer to the question. You will need a strategy that works for you to speed this process up.

Also, even the registration and payment process for the test was difficult and a pain at least here in Shanghai:

- Everything is in Chinese. As a beginner, one would hope for a little help but there is none. I went there alone and managed, but it was a challenge.

- You have to go to the test site 4 times - which is far from my house:

1. Register & pay money 4 weeks in advance of test (online lets you register but not pay - really shoddy site)

2. Pick up your Examination paperwork 1 week before test

3. Take the test on the day of the test

4. Pick up your test scores and certificate about 6 weeks after the test

(you can see the score online from the HSK website about 5 weeks after test)