Recent HSK takers - could you pass a GCSE? With papers, audio and answers

[roddy]

So all those of you who've recently taken an HSK exam - we're wondering how it compares to the UK's GCSE (which is an exam you take after two years of study, at the age of 16 or thereabouts).

There are sample exams online here. I'll suggest you do the June 2012 one, and take the 'Higher' rather than 'Foundation' options. There's listening and reading available (see further down page for the listening audio). There are speaking and writing sections, but I don't see how you can usefully do those without someone to interlocute / mark you.

Direct links if you want them...

Listening paper (45 mins)

Listening MP3

Reading paper (50 mins)

And of course the answers...

Listening marking scheme and transcript

Reading marking scheme

I haven't actually checked these documents, but should be everything you need. How does it compare to the HSK you took?

And if you haven't done an HSK recently, feel free to have a shot anyway...

[Ruben von Zwack]

I took the listening test in one go and unprepared and missed a mark (of 2) each in question 29, 30, 31, so whatever the score is, I missed 3 (I guess?) out of total.

 

I'm not sure how it would relate to a HSK test. I just took the 3 and I guess I passed, but don't know my results yet.

 

I thought the vocabulary was quite similar. But the setup is different - in the HSK you aren't allowed to turn the pages or read in advance. Here, they ask you to do so, and give you extra time for that in the beginning.

There were a few questions at the end where you have to actively answer (in English). HSK is purely multiple choice in the listening section, so even if you don't understand much of the dialogue, you still have some chance of vaguely guessing. You'll need to be able to read of course. The listening section in the GCSE was Hanzi free.

 

But the biggest difference is the speed. I would be curious if others agree. In the HSK, people in the dialogues speak much faster, and you have to fill in the answer much faster. You [edit: I ] would not have the time to go back at questions and think your answer over again, or to look at other pages in advance. HSK went through 45 questions in roughly about the time this GCSE went through 30.

 

So, if I were to sum it up, I would say the GCSE was more creative at the end, but in a very comfortable speed. The HSK is more speed-comprehension oriented, and reading is imperative even in the listening part.

[ChTTay]

To add to the above, I'm pretty sure I read that when you take the GCSE test, you have control of the listening audio. You can pause, rewind etc

[Gymnosopher]

For what it's worth, having taken HSK 4 almost 2 years ago and stalled in my Chinese learning shortly after that, I didn't have much trouble with this paper - though perhaps a little rusty on job terms (or never came across pc engineer before) ;)

 

From my recollection the HSK had much more writing and was generally more challanging - so perhaps the level is HSK 2 - 3