study guides for revised HSK

[gegehuhu]

I'm planning to take the HSK for the first time in Spring 2010.

I figured I should take the revised test since its the newest and supposedly more comprehensive than the old version. Besides, I hear it includes a writing section, and writing is one of my strong suits.

I'll be taking the lowest of the three levels (初级).

Recently, I've been to several bookstores (in Kunming, where I'm living) looking for prep materials appropriate for my level.

However, so far I've found only one single book (模拟试题集， 北京语言大学出版社）

99% of the books on the shelves are apparently for the old version.

Of course they don't say "old version". But the grading system follows the old one: (基础；初•中；高）.

What's the deal?

If the new and revised version is supposed to be the new thing, why don't the books on the bookshelves reflect that?

Can anyone suggest any other books I can buy, or online resources specifically tailored to the REVISED edition (改进板)?

Thanks

[Sarevok]

Well, the problem is that nobody knows whether it (HSK改进板) is going to be actually implemented. Some trial runs have been held at some test centers when I was in China (2007) and HSK改进板 was sure to replace the old test in 2008 (both versions were to be available throughout that year). It is almost 2010 now and nothing happened as of yet...

There is also this 新HSK proposed by Hanban recently as a successor to the old exam (so anybody, who bought some of those few HSK改进板 prep materials available can probably throw them to trash, since the 新HSK will bring about more radical changes different from HSK改进板). The big change si scheduled for 2010, but that is a "schedule with chinese characteristics", so we may well be seeing the "old test" being around for a few more years...

[anonymoose]

I took the intermediate new version a couple of years ago, and really, the style is pretty similar to the old HSK, so I think you might as well just use the old test prep books. The main difference between the new and old HSKs is that the old combine all the skills in one test, whereas reading, writing, speaking are separate in the new test. So if your writing is good, then you might do well on that test, but it won't help you with the other tests.

[gegehuhu]

The problem is that the required vocabularies don't match up.

The old test has 4 levels, but levels 2 and 3 for some reason are combined.

I'm probably level 2. Level 1's too easy, but level 3's too hard.

But because levels 2 and 3 are combined together, I have no choice but to also study the level that's too hard for me.

That's why I thought the revised was better for me. With only three levels, 1 2 and 3, I thought level 1 would be more my level (roughly equivalent to the old exam's 1 and 2).

[roddy]

Where are you seeing that you can even take the the revised exam in Spring? If you can, great, but I've not seen it on any schedules. At this point I suspect you might be as well off preparing for the original exams, for which there are plenty of materials, and waiting to see what actual exam comes along. If you're developing your actual language skills rather than blindly doing mock exams it'll transfer across reasonably well whatever exam you end up taking.

[Horse]

Sorry, just wanted to bump this thread as I'm doing a re-take of the advanced HSK. Have been told by an old tutor that the next one is to be March 14th (confusingly, as this is not mentioned on the HSK website, along with the fact that a completely new exam maybe being implemented).

My tutor said that is the 'new HSK', but last time i looked the website said nowt about it and the people in my local Book City have assured me there are no new materials on the market for the 'new HSK' and they don't know when/if there will be?

This does seem to be some classic 'organization with Chinese charcteristics'.

Does anyone actually know what's going on, and if there are new books for the new exam (should it materialize)?

[mirwoji]

I'm trying to take the HSK in the U.S. and the test location I contacted to get more information responded with this:

Thanks for contacting me. You probably don't know that HSK is undergoing a substantial reform to become all new tests with entirely different standards and requirements starting this year. None of the old tests will continue to be used. At this moment we're waiting to learn m0re about the new tests so that we can make a decision whether to go on with them. It's possible that we'll no longer be an HSK site.

(from the Ann Arbor, Michigan location)

[chrix]

but you might get lucky that the Confucius Institute in Chicago might start offering them. I remember something about you being near Chicago. Since the C.I. is a part of Hanban, they would administer the Hanban HSK (and I've just forgotten, which one of the three that was, probably two of the three)...

[Sarevok]

I'll try to get some info about the New HSK, once the director of our CI is back from China... which should be next week. If they really plan to launch it this year (which I doubt... or maybe it's just my 一厢情愿 since I hope they do not), she'll know something about it...

[chinopinyin]

Hanban is quite clear about the new HSK test "From January 2010, the New HSK and New YCT test will be permanently instated, completely replacing the old test" http://english.hanban.edu.cn/content.php?id=4847[/url]

Information on the required vocabulary of each of the levels of the new test and its correspondence with the Common European Framework for Languages is provided in http://english.hanban.org/content.php?id=4846

Some materials for levels 1 and 2 -which are really basic- are provided by the Queensland Institute of Technology http://www.confuciusinstitute.qut.edu.au/study/proficiency.jsp

Hope this helps

[chrix]

well, have you seen the threads we've had on this topic so far. Nothing is clear regarding the HSK, and despite whatever Hanban say on their website, it could still be different tomorrow.

Let's see what happens and talk again like in 1-2 months or so...

[imron]

And hsk.org.cn has test dates for the old test going through to the end of the year.

[chinopinyin]

The Confucius Institute at Bratislava http://www.konfucius.sk/en/news/cultural/detail/_hsk-exams gives dates for the new HSK starting this January 23. The registration deadline is tomorrow.

The Confucius Institute at the University of Memphis has held exams for the new HSK levels 1 and 2 in 2009. From March 2010, they will hold exams for the other levels http://www.memphis.edu/cium/HSK.php

My impression is that, as announced by Hanban, Confucius Institutes wordlwide are only going to hold the new HSK. This will require major changes both for teachers and students.

Preparing for this change also seems a good business opportunity for firms that quickly adapt (Don't say I didn't tell you)

[Sarevok]

I would take these dates with a pinch of salt, you must take the "chinese characteristics" into consideration

But if they are really gonna launch it, then there is nothing I can do and I will sit for the new test, working on improving my overall level in the mean time. Preparing specifically for the test is also important, but since there aren't any prep materials and nobody knows how the levels 3-6 are gonna look like, then there isn't much more I can do (just how different can they make it?)

[swing39]

The guys at Hanban seem pretty sure they're the only who can legitimately administer the test.

See here:

http://www.hanban.org/content_dy.php?id=10411

[Q:] 在www.hsk.org.cn的网站上已经出现HSK（改进版）从初级到高级的考试要求和样卷，中国国内也已经实行了“HSK（改进版）”的考试。但是和汉办的网站上提供的关于“新HSK”信息比较起来看，似乎这是两种不同的考试。请问北京语言大学主办的“HSK（改进版）”和汉办网页上出现的“新HSK”是同一种考试吗？如果不一样，哪种考试的成绩是国际上普遍认可的呢？从明年起在韩国实行的是又将是哪种考试呢？谢谢！

[A:] 汉办是国家推广汉语教学的最权威机构，只举办了（原）HSK考试、（新）HSK考试，以及BCT和YCT考试.