HQ Society
Chinese Continuers · Practice Resource
Set 2 · Listening · Reading · Writing
Aligned to the NSW HSC Chinese Continuers syllabus. All listening and reading texts are original to HQ Society.
Practice resourceNot an examination paper80 marks
80marks
3sections
~3 hworking time
Section I

Listening & Responding

25 marks8 texts · approx. 30 min

Each recording is played twice in the exam. Try the question first, then open its transcript to check.

Familiarisation — listen first to get used to the voices
0:00 / 0:00
Female请问图书馆在哪里？
Male一直往前走，过了体育馆就是。
Female走路要多久？
Male大概五分钟。

Question 1

2 marks

Fill in the table with the relevant information in ENGLISH.

0:00 / 0:00
Sports centre booking:
Booking detailAnswer
Day
Time
Male你好，我想订一个乒乓球台。请问星期五晚上还有空位吗？
Female不好意思，星期五晚上已经订满了。星期六上午十点可以。
Male星期六上午我有事。星期天呢？
Female星期天下午三点到四点有一个空位。
Male太好了，那就订星期天下午三点吧。
✓ What scores marks
  • Pin down the specific details — who / what / why (time, place, activity, reason)
  • Give as many points as the table or lines suggest — match the mark value
✗ What loses marks
  • Writing only the gist and missing a detail (e.g. only Day 1)
  • Translating the text literally, or answering in Chinese
How to structure your answerTopic sentence answering the question, then one specific detail per point drawn from the text — cover every part.

Question 2

1 mark

What is the purpose of this announcement?

0:00 / 0:00
Female各位旅客请注意：原本在三号登机口起飞的去北京的航班，因为刚刚更换了飞机，登机口已经改到了五号。请大家尽快到五号登机口准备登机。
✓ What scores marks
  • Listen for the overall purpose; use elimination — is it inviting, announcing, reminding, asking to register?
✗ What loses marks
  • Being misled by one familiar word (e.g. hearing the word for 'library' and picking the library option)
How to structure your answerRule out the options that don't match the purpose, then choose the one that does.
Model answer

B

Question 3

3 marks

What have the speakers decided to do?

0:00 / 0:00
Female下星期一，从上海来的交换老师就要到我们学校了，我们给她办一个欢迎会吧！
Male好主意！就放学以后在中文教室办，怎么样？
Female行。我来负责布置教室，再做一张大大的欢迎海报。
Male那我去买一些点心和水果，再准备一个小蛋糕。
Female我们还可以请每个同学用中文写一张欢迎卡片。
Male太好了！老师看到一定会很高兴的。
✓ What scores marks
  • Pin down the specific details — who / what / why (time, place, activity, reason)
  • Give as many points as the table or lines suggest — match the mark value
✗ What loses marks
  • Writing only the gist and missing a detail (e.g. only Day 1)
  • Translating the text literally, or answering in Chinese
How to structure your answerTopic sentence answering the question, then one specific detail per point drawn from the text — cover every part.
For this question
Top band: Lead with the overall situation, then give every specific detail the question asks for (what, who, when, where).
Common slip: Giving only the gist and missing a detail; translating the dialogue line-by-line.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
The speakers are organising a welcome party for the exchange teacher arriving from Shanghai next Monday. It will be held in the Chinese classroom after school. The female speaker will decorate the classroom and make a big welcome poster, while the male speaker will buy snacks and fruit and prepare a small cake. They will also ask every student to write a welcome card in Chinese for the teacher.

Question 4

3 marks

Why is the speaker in favour of school uniforms?

0:00 / 0:00
Male我觉得学生应该穿校服上学。为什么呢？第一，穿校服可以让同学们看起来都一样，没有人因为衣服不好被别人笑话。第二，每天早上不用花时间想穿什么，可以多睡半小时。第三，校服是学校的象征。穿着校服参加校外活动的时候，别人一看就知道你代表学校，同学们都会更注意自己的行为。所以我支持学校规定穿校服。
✓ What scores marks
  • State your point or judgement, then back it with specific detail from the text (support with reference to the text)
  • Answer every part the question asks; for a yes/no question, decide yes/no first, then give reasons
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating the text sentence-by-sentence as your answer — markers explicitly reject direct translation
  • Giving a conclusion with no textual evidence; missing one part of the question
How to structure your answerState your point / judgement → back each with a specific detail from the text → address every part the question asks.
For this question
Top band: State the position, then give all three distinct reasons in your own words (Firstly… Secondly… Thirdly…).
Common slip: Merging two reasons into one, or giving only one or two; copying the speaker's words.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
The speaker believes students should wear school uniforms, for three reasons. Firstly, uniforms make all students look the same, so no one is laughed at for what they wear. Secondly, students don't waste time each morning deciding what to wear, gaining an extra half hour of sleep. Thirdly, the uniform is a symbol of the school, so when students wear it outside school they feel they represent the school and pay more attention to their behaviour.

Question 5

3 marks

Would the female speaker's mother now be happy with her decision? Justify your answer with reference to the text.

0:00 / 0:00
Male听说你高中毕业以后不上大学，要去学修车？
Female对，我想当汽车技师。我从小就喜欢跟爸爸一起修东西。
Male你妈妈同意吗？
Female她一开始很生气，说女孩子应该上大学，坐办公室。
Male那现在呢？
Female上个月我带她去看了我实习的车行，老板说我学得比谁都快。妈妈看到我是真的喜欢这个工作，就说只要我不后悔，她就支持我。
✓ What scores marks
  • State your point or judgement, then back it with specific detail from the text (support with reference to the text)
  • Answer every part the question asks; for a yes/no question, decide yes/no first, then give reasons
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating the text sentence-by-sentence as your answer — markers explicitly reject direct translation
  • Giving a conclusion with no textual evidence; missing one part of the question
How to structure your answerState your point / judgement → back each with a specific detail from the text → address every part the question asks.
For this question
Top band: State Yes/No first, then justify with the specific detail that changed her view (and any condition she attaches).
Common slip: Giving a yes/no with no evidence, or missing the condition.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
Yes, the mother would now be happy, though with some reservations. She was initially angry that her daughter was training as a car mechanic instead of going to university, believing girls should go to university and work in an office. But after visiting the garage and hearing the boss say she learns faster than anyone, she saw that her daughter genuinely loves the work. She now supports the decision, on the condition that her daughter will not regret it.
Answers could also include
  • No — the mother supports the decision only on the condition that her daughter will not regret it, so her approval is still qualified rather than wholehearted.

Question 6

4 marks

Summarise Mr Wang's advice.

0:00 / 0:00
Female王老师，听说您在家很喜欢做中国菜。能给我们一些建议吗？
Male当然可以。第一，做中国菜最重要的是用新鲜的食材，要常常去市场买。
Female那怎么开始呢？
Male第二，可以从简单的菜开始学，比如蛋炒饭、青菜豆腐汤，这些菜很好做。
Female还有别的建议吗？
Male第三，看一些中国的烹饪视频可以学很多。最后，别怕做错，多试几次就会做了。
✓ What scores marks
  • A summary SYNTHESISES in your own words and lists points — number of points = marks − 1 (synthesis itself earns 1 mark)
  • One distinct point per line, concise, no repetition
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating or copying the text verbatim — that is not a summary
  • Giving only one or two points
How to structure your answerOne synthesised point per line, in your own words (marks − 1 points) — no copying, no repetition.
For this question
Top band: Summarise in your own words — 3 distinct points (marks − 1), one per line, no detail-dumping.
Common slip: Translating or copying the advice; giving only one or two points.
Model answer
Summarise — one synthesised point per line, in your own words.
  • Use fresh ingredients and shop at the market often
  • Start with simple dishes such as egg fried rice or vegetable tofu soup
  • Learn techniques from Chinese cooking videos, and keep trying without fear of mistakes

Question 7

4 marks

Explain the changes in the female speaker's attitude throughout the conversation. Support your answer with reference to the text.

0:00 / 0:00
Male学校的中文辩论队在招新队员，你要不要跟我一起去？
Female辩论队？算了吧。站在那么多人面前吵架，多紧张啊！
Male辩论不是吵架，是用道理说服别人。每次准备辩论，我都要查很多资料，学到的东西比上课还多。
Female可是我说话总是说不清楚，肯定会给队里丢脸。
Male我刚加入的时候也一样。教练会教我们怎么组织自己的想法，练习几次就好多了。现在我在班上发言，一点都不紧张了。
Female真的吗？我确实想变得更敢说话……
Male而且队里的同学都特别好，每次比赛以后，我们都一起去吃饭，特别开心。
Female好吧，那我这个星期五跟你去看看！
✓ What scores marks
  • For a CHANGE: track the stages — at first… then… finally… — with evidence at each stage
  • For a COMPARISON: place both views side by side and name the similarities / differences
✗ What loses marks
  • Sequential retelling (describe A, then B, never comparing)
  • Covering only one side; never naming the shift or contrast
How to structure your answerCHANGE → at first… then… finally…, with evidence at each stage. COMPARE → place both people side by side and name what they share / where they differ.
For this question
Top band: Name at least 4 distinct attitudes she moves through (dismissive, doubtful, intrigued, then won over), not passing emotions, each with the specific evidence that shifts her; sequence them with 'at first… then… finally…'.
Common slip: Listing emotions instead of attitudes, or describing the talk without naming how her attitude moves.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
The female speaker's attitude towards joining the debate team changes completely during the conversation. At first she dismisses it, calling debating 'arguing in front of a crowd' and far too nerve-racking. When the male speaker explains that debating is persuading people with reasoning, and that preparing for debates teaches him more than class does, she still doubts herself, worrying she speaks unclearly and would embarrass the team. She is drawn in when he describes how the coach teaches members to organise their thoughts, and that he no longer feels nervous speaking in class. Finally, hearing that the team is friendly and celebrates together after each competition, she agrees to come along and see for herself on Friday.

Question 8

5 marks

How does the speaker try to convince her classmates? Support your answer with reference to the content and language techniques of the text.

0:00 / 0:00
Female同学们，上个星期在操场上，有一位同学突然倒在了地上。当时站在旁边的人很多，可是没有一个人知道该怎么办。幸好张老师及时赶到，那位同学才没有出事。这件事让我明白：学会急救，比我们想象的重要得多。数字不会说谎：意外发生以后的头四分钟最重要。如果身边有人会急救，受伤的人就多了一次机会。也许你会想：急救太难了，学不会。其实，学校这次请来的是医院的专业老师，只要两个下午，你就能学会最基本的方法。今天学一点急救知识，明天也许就能救一个人的生命。一个会急救的人，保护的不只是自己，还有身边的每一个人。同学们，星期三下午，医务室见！
✓ What scores marks
  • Five steps: ① name the technique → ② quote the line in your English translation → ③ explain its EFFECT → ④ tie back to the question (how it persuades / achieves the effect)
  • Cover 2–3 techniques: rhetorical question, parallelism, simile, inclusive pronouns ('we / our'), high-modality words ('must', 'definitely')
✗ What loses marks
  • Naming a technique without explaining its effect (the label-only trap)
  • Quoting Chinese characters in an English answer instead of translating; quoting only the extract without addressing the question
How to structure your answerThesis (overall strategy) → for each of 3–4 techniques: Identify (name it) → Quote it in your English translation → Explain its effect on the audience → tie back to the question.
For this question
Top band: Cover BOTH content and language: name 2–3 techniques, give the evidence, and explain how each persuades.
Common slip: Just retelling what she says (caps at mid-band); naming a technique with no effect; quoting Chinese instead of translating.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
The speaker uses a range of content and language techniques to convince her classmates to learn first aid. She opens with a real, recent anecdote ('last week on the playground, a classmate suddenly collapsed'), sharpened by the contrast that 'many people were standing nearby, but not one of them knew what to do', making the need feel immediate rather than hypothetical. She appeals to evidence ('numbers don't lie'), noting that the first four minutes after an accident matter most, then anticipates the objection ('perhaps you're thinking: first aid is too hard to learn') and rebuts it: the school has invited hospital professionals and 'just two afternoons' is enough. A parallel time frame ('learn a little first aid today, and tomorrow you might save a life') converts a small cost into a profound benefit, and the aphoristic close ('someone who knows first aid protects not only themselves but everyone around them') widens the appeal from self-interest to community, before the concrete call to action ('Wednesday afternoon, see you at the medical room!').
— End of Section I —
Section II

Reading & Responding

40 marksapprox. 1 h 20 min
Part A · 25 marks · Questions 9–10

Read each text, then answer the questions below.

Blog

五十岁学游泳的李阿姨

社区生活报 · 2025年9月20日

每个星期六的早上，社区游泳馆里都有一个特别的班：学生都是大人，有的已经六十多岁了。他们的老师，是今年五十五岁的李阿姨。

很多人不知道，李阿姨自己五十岁才学会游泳。小时候在乡下，河边出过事故以后，家里人就不让她靠近水。“我怕了水四十多年，”她笑着说，“连游泳池都没进过。”

五年前，李阿姨的小孙子总是想让奶奶陪他去游泳，她下了决心去报名上课。第一节课，她在浅水区站了半个小时，都不敢蹲下去。可是她没有放弃，每个星期都去练习。半年以后，她终于游出了人生的第一个二十五米。

现在，李阿姨专门教那些像她一样怕水的大人游泳。“我知道他们在怕什么，因为我也怕过。”她说。学生们最喜欢她的一句话是：“水不会问你多大年纪，它只问你今天来了没有。”

Glossary
浅水区the shallow end (of a pool)
事故accident
蹲to crouch; to squat
Question 9 (10 marks)

(a)

2 marks

Why was Ms Li unable to learn to swim as a child?

✓ What scores marks
  • State your point or judgement, then back it with specific detail from the text (support with reference to the text)
  • Answer every part the question asks; for a yes/no question, decide yes/no first, then give reasons
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating the text sentence-by-sentence as your answer — markers explicitly reject direct translation
  • Giving a conclusion with no textual evidence; missing one part of the question
How to structure your answerState your point / judgement → back each with a specific detail from the text → address every part the question asks.
For this question
Top band: Give the reason directly with the specific detail — don't overthink it.
Common slip: Over-writing, or translating the passage instead of answering.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
When Ms Li was a child in the countryside there was an accident at the river, after which her family would not let her near the water. As a result she feared water for more than forty years and never even entered a swimming pool.

(b)

3 marks

Describe how Ms Li eventually learned to swim.

✓ What scores marks
  • State your point or judgement, then back it with specific detail from the text (support with reference to the text)
  • Answer every part the question asks; for a yes/no question, decide yes/no first, then give reasons
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating the text sentence-by-sentence as your answer — markers explicitly reject direct translation
  • Giving a conclusion with no textual evidence; missing one part of the question
How to structure your answerState your point / judgement → back each with a specific detail from the text → address every part the question asks.
For this question
Top band: Explain with the concrete details from the paragraph (why she started, the slow first steps, the breakthrough).
Common slip: A vague 'she practised' with no textual detail; literal translation.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
Five years ago her little grandson kept asking her to swim with him, so she made up her mind and enrolled. In her first lesson she stood in the shallow end for half an hour without daring to crouch down. But she did not give up and practised every week; after six months she finally swam the first twenty-five metres of her life.

(c)

5 marks

Assess how effectively the writer conveys the message of the article. Support your answer with reference to the text.

✓ What scores marks
  • Five steps: ① name the technique → ② quote the line in your English translation → ③ explain its EFFECT → ④ tie back to the question (how it persuades / achieves the effect)
  • Cover 2–3 techniques: rhetorical question, parallelism, simile, inclusive pronouns ('we / our'), high-modality words ('must', 'definitely')
✗ What loses marks
  • Naming a technique without explaining its effect (the label-only trap)
  • Quoting Chinese characters in an English answer instead of translating; quoting only the extract without addressing the question
How to structure your answerThesis (overall strategy) → for each of 3–4 techniques: Identify (name it) → Quote it in your English translation → Explain its effect on the audience → tie back to the question.
For this question
Top band: Name several techniques; give the evidence and explain the effect, tying each back to 'it's never too late to learn'.
Common slip: Listing techniques with no effect; quoting Chinese without translating; retelling the plot.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
The writer conveys that it is never too late to learn through several techniques. The opening scene is built on surprise ('the students are all adults, some in their sixties'), which overturns the assumption that learning belongs to the young. Ms Li's own words make her fear concrete and long-lived ('I was afraid of water for more than forty years'), so her later success feels earned rather than easy. Precise physical details chart the journey (standing in the shallow end without daring to crouch, then, six months later, 'the first twenty-five metres of her life'), a small distance made monumental, and her empathy ('I know what they fear, because I feared it too') turns her late start into her strength as a teacher. The closing personification ('the water never asks how old you are; it only asks whether you came today') distils the message into a single memorable line.
⇦⇨🔒 www.qingnianluntan.cn

毕业旅行：跟团还是自由行？

X
Xiaolinoriginal poster
我们今年十二年级毕业，我和几个好朋友想十二月去毕业旅行。爸妈让我们跟旅行团，说这样安全；可是朋友们都想自由行。两边我都不想让他们失望，所以想听听大家的意见。
D
Daweireply
我建议你们跟团。第一次没有大人的旅行，最重要的就是安全。跟团什么都不用操心：酒店、车票、门票，旅行社都安排好了，出了问题还有导游帮忙。我表哥去年自由行，到了机场才发现酒店订错了日期，三个人在机场坐了一个晚上！毕业旅行是为了开心，不是为了练习解决麻烦。
X
Xuemeireply
我不同意。毕业旅行就是我们学习独立的第一课，什么都让别人安排好，那跟坐在教室里有什么两样？跟团每天早上六点起床，景点只看二十分钟，连吃饭都要听导游的。自由行虽然要自己做功课，可是你可以在喜欢的海滩待一个下午，可以在小店里慢慢逛。订错酒店又怎么样？解决问题的本事，就是这样学会的。我们已经不是小孩子了。
X
Xiaolinposter's reply
谢谢你们！大伟说的安全问题确实重要，雪梅说的独立我也很想要。我打算这样：第一次先选一个近一点的城市自由行，把计划做得详细一点，也让爸妈看看我们能照顾好自己。
Glossary
跟团to travel with a tour group
自由行independent travel
导游tour guide
本事ability; skill
Question 10 (15 marks)

(a)

2 marks

What has prompted Xiaolin to post on this forum?

✓ What scores marks
  • State your point or judgement, then back it with specific detail from the text (support with reference to the text)
  • Answer every part the question asks; for a yes/no question, decide yes/no first, then give reasons
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating the text sentence-by-sentence as your answer — markers explicitly reject direct translation
  • Giving a conclusion with no textual evidence; missing one part of the question
How to structure your answerState your point / judgement → back each with a specific detail from the text → address every part the question asks.

(b)

3 marks

Summarise Dawei's views.

✓ What scores marks
  • A summary SYNTHESISES in your own words and lists points — number of points = marks − 1 (synthesis itself earns 1 mark)
  • One distinct point per line, concise, no repetition
✗ What loses marks
  • Translating or copying the text verbatim — that is not a summary
  • Giving only one or two points
How to structure your answerOne synthesised point per line, in your own words (marks − 1 points) — no copying, no repetition.
For this question
Top band: Summarise his stance in your own words — 2 points (marks − 1): what he recommends, and why.
Common slip: Copying his lines, or missing his reasoning.
Model answer
Summarise — one synthesised point per line, in your own words.
  • Take a package tour: for a first trip without adults, safety matters most, and the agency arranges hotels, tickets and a guide if problems arise
  • His cousin's independent trip went wrong (hotel booked for the wrong dates, a night at the airport): a graduation trip is for enjoyment, not for practising problem-solving

(c)

4 marks

Compare Dawei's and Xuemei's views on the trip. Support your answer with reference to the text.

✓ What scores marks
  • For a CHANGE: track the stages — at first… then… finally… — with evidence at each stage
  • For a COMPARISON: place both views side by side and name the similarities / differences
✗ What loses marks
  • Sequential retelling (describe A, then B, never comparing)
  • Covering only one side; never naming the shift or contrast
How to structure your answerCHANGE → at first… then… finally…, with evidence at each stage. COMPARE → place both people side by side and name what they share / where they differ.
For this question
Top band: Put the two side by side and name the disagreement (trip = safe enjoyment vs trip = first lesson in independence), with a detail for each.
Common slip: Describing one then the other with no explicit comparison; covering only one person.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
Dawei and Xuemei disagree about what the trip is for. Dawei prioritises safety and convenience: a tour group removes all worry because everything is arranged and a guide handles problems, so for him the trip is simply for enjoyment. Xuemei sees it as the first lesson in independence: having everything arranged is no different from sitting in a classroom, and rigid tour schedules destroy the freedom that makes travel valuable. Where Dawei treats problems as something to avoid, Xuemei treats them as the very experience that teaches young people to cope: 'we are not children any more'.

(d)

6 marks

How effective is Xuemei's argument? Support your answer with reference to the content and language techniques of the text.

✓ What scores marks
  • Five steps: ① name the technique → ② quote the line in your English translation → ③ explain its EFFECT → ④ tie back to the question (how it persuades / achieves the effect)
  • Cover 2–3 techniques: rhetorical question, parallelism, simile, inclusive pronouns ('we / our'), high-modality words ('must', 'definitely')
✗ What loses marks
  • Naming a technique without explaining its effect (the label-only trap)
  • Quoting Chinese characters in an English answer instead of translating; quoting only the extract without addressing the question
How to structure your answerThesis (overall strategy) → for each of 3–4 techniques: Identify (name it) → Quote it in your English translation → Explain its effect on the audience → tie back to the question.
For this question
Top band: Name 3+ techniques (reframing definition, rhetorical question, concrete listing, turning the opponent's evidence around), give the evidence and effect, and add one limitation for the top band.
Common slip: Label-only techniques; Chinese without translation; no balancing limitation.
Model answer
your pointevidence from the textwhat it shows
Xuemei's argument is highly effective through both its content and its language techniques. She reframes the debate with a definition (the graduation trip is 'our first lesson in independence'), then drives it home with a rhetorical question ('how is that any different from sitting in a classroom?'), turning Dawei's safety into a continuation of school. Mocking, concrete listing ('up at six every morning, twenty minutes per sight, even meals decided by the guide') makes tour travel feel like imprisonment, while the contrasting freedom image ('a whole afternoon on a beach you love') makes independence sensory and desirable. Most skilfully, she turns Dawei's own evidence against him ('so what if the hotel was booked wrong? that is exactly how you learn to solve problems'), and her assertive close ('we are not children any more') appeals to her audience's self-image. One limitation: she never engages with the genuine safety concern for a first unsupervised trip, but the reframing, vivid contrast and rebuttal make hers the more powerful post.
Part B · 15 marks · Question 11
Your response will be assessed on how well you:
  • respond to the stimulus text with relevant information and ideas
  • write text appropriate to context, purpose and audience
  • structure and sequence information and ideas
  • demonstrate control of a range of language structures and vocabulary in Chinese
安娜：

你好！最近我有一个烦恼，想听听你的想法。我和小敏从七年级开始就是最好的朋友，我们说好了以后要考同一所大学。上个星期，她已经把我们两个人要选的大学和专业都列好了，开心得不得了。

可是说实话，她想学的是法律，我真正喜欢的是护理，我从小就想当护士。这两个专业在不同的大学。我怕告诉她真话，她会伤心，也怕我们的友谊就这样变了。可是不说的话，难道我要学四年自己不喜欢的专业吗？你以前和好朋友去了不同的学校，你们现在还是好朋友吗？你觉得我应该怎么跟她说？

小婷
三月八日

Question 11

15 marks

Imagine you are Wenjie. Write an email to Siqi in response.

approx. 250 characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Full text-type structure: salutation → greeting → body (respond to EVERY point in the letter) → closing wish → signature → date; ~250 characters
  • 3–5 complex sentences (e.g. 'not only… but also…', 'although… still…') + 1–2 idioms or sayings; warm, appropriate register
✗ What loses marks
  • Signing your REAL name — you must use the name given in the prompt; a real name loses marks
  • Not answering the letter's questions; monotonous sentences; English-style word order or aspect-particle errors carried over from English
How to structure your answerSalutation + greeting → reason for writing + body (linking words: first… next…) → closing wish → sign off with the name GIVEN in the prompt + date.
For this question
Top band: Reply to EVERY point in Xiaoting's email (fear of hurting her friend, not wanting to give up nursing) in a warm, authentic register, with idioms and varied sentence patterns.
Common slip: Treating it as free writing and missing some of her points; flat, repetitive language; signing your real name instead of the given name.
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / complex patterns
Salutation小婷：
Opening · empathy你的电邮我收到了，谢谢你这么信任我。我特别理解你的心情：又怕伤害朋友，又不想放弃自己喜欢的专业，这确实很难。
Own experience我想先告诉你：真正的朋友，不会因为不同的选择就离开你。我和小华高中毕业以后去了不同的城市，刚开始我们都很难过，可是现在我们每个星期都视频聊天，假期还一起去旅行，我们的友谊一点都没有变。
Advice俗话说：“真金不怕火炼。”我建议你找一个安静的时间，诚实地告诉小敏你的想法，也告诉她，选不同的专业不等于失去对方。如果她是真正的朋友，她一定会为你高兴的。护理是你的梦想，别为了别人放弃它！
Closing · wishes祝你们的友谊天长地久！
Signature安娜
Date三月十日
Answers could also include
  • Empathy for Xiaoting's dilemma between honesty and protecting the friendship
  • Personal experience of staying close friends after going to different schools
  • Reassurance that true friendship survives different choices
  • Advice to tell Xiaomin the truth honestly, gently and soon
  • Encouragement not to give up nursing, the course she truly loves
  • Positive outlook for both the friendship and her studies
— End of Section II —
Section III

Writing in Chinese

15 marksapprox. 1 hour
Your responses will be assessed on how well you:
  • demonstrate the relevance of information, opinions and ideas
  • write text appropriate to context, purpose and audience
  • structure and sequence information, opinions and ideas
  • demonstrate control of a range of language structures and vocabulary in Chinese

Question 12

5 marks

You have lost your school bag at the school library. Write a notice for the school noticeboard.

approx. 90 characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Open appropriately (a greeting, or a title for a notice), then give the key facts the reader needs: what · when · where · how to respond; ~90 characters
  • Keep it concise and polite; sign off with the name GIVEN in the prompt
✗ What loses marks
  • Leaving out a key detail the reader needs (the time, place, or contact)
  • Going over length, or signing your real name
How to structure your answerOpen (greeting or notice title) → the key facts (what · when · where · how to respond) → brief close → the name given in the prompt.
For this question
Top band: Use the lost-notice format: a title, then what was lost, when and where, the key contents, and how to contact you — concise (~90 characters) and polite.
Common slip: Missing a key detail (when / where / contact); going over length; signing your real name.
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / complex patterns
Title寻物启事
Body · details我昨天下午三点左右在学校图书馆二楼丢了一个黑色的书包，上面有学校的标志。书包里有几本中文课本、一支蓝色的笔和我的水瓶。这个书包对我非常重要，里面有我下个星期考试要用的笔记。如果你看到了，请打电话联系我（电话：0412 345 678），我会非常感谢你！
Closing谢谢！
Signature小明
Question 13 (10 marks) — answer ONE of the following

(a)

10 marks

Your school team recently won an important sports championship. Write a diary entry reflecting on what this victory means to you.

OR

(b)

10 marks

You have just given your first speech in front of a large audience. Write a diary entry reflecting on this experience.

Question attempted:
approx. 250 characters, in Chinese
0 chars
✓ What scores marks
  • Open with the date header — date, day of the week, weather
  • Recount THEN reflect — focus on feelings, gains and evaluation ('what struck me most…', 'this experience taught me…'), not a flat account; ~250 characters
  • Complex sentences + 1–2 idioms or sayings
✗ What loses marks
  • Recounting with too little reflection
  • Translating 'Dear Diary'; missing the date / weather header; signing your real name
How to structure your answerDate header (date · day · weather) → recount (first… then…) → shift to reflection: feelings + evaluation → reflective closing line → NO sign-off or name.
For this question
Top band: Date header, then recount AND reflect — focus on what you felt and learned, not a flat account; 1–2 idioms, complex sentences, and a range of tenses.
Common slip: Too much recount and too little reflection; missing the date/weather header; adding a greeting or sign-off (a diary is private).
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / complex patterns
Date十月十五日　星期六　天气：晴
Opening今天是我一辈子都不会忘记的日子！我们学校的篮球队在比赛中终于赢得了冠军！回想这一年，我们每个星期都要训练四个晚上，有时候很累，有时候很想放弃。可是教练一直鼓励我们，他常常说：“只要我们一起努力，就一定能成功。”
Body · reflection今天的决赛非常紧张，最后五分钟我们还输两分。可是大家没有放弃，互相鼓励，最后用一个三分球反败为胜！当哨声响起的时候，所有同学都跳了起来，我感动得流下了眼泪。古人说“众志成城”，这次胜利让我明白了，团队合作和坚持的力量比什么都重要。
Closing我希望明年还能为学校争光，也想把今天的感动告诉每一个支持过我们的朋友，因为这次胜利不是我一个人的，而是我们大家一起努力的结果。
Model answer
Grey labels show the structure · highlighted = key idioms / complex patterns
Date四月二十日　星期五　多云
Opening今天是我一辈子都难忘的一天：我第一次在全校师生面前演讲！其实从我接受这个任务开始，我就一直很害怕。我不敢看人多的地方，怕自己忘词，怕大家笑我。
Body · recount我妈妈一直鼓励我说：“你已经准备得很好了，相信自己！”为了准备这次演讲，我每天晚上都对着镜子练习，请爸爸帮我录音，再听一听有什么地方需要改进。今天早上我紧张得手都在发抖。可是当我站在台上的时候，我看到了爸妈和好朋友们鼓励的眼神，慢慢就不那么紧张了。我用心地讲完了整场演讲，最后全场都给了我热烈的掌声。
Body · reflection通过这次经验，我学到了：古人说“千里之行，始于足下”，很多事情，我们以为做不到，其实只要勇敢迈出第一步，就一定能成功！
— End of paper —
END OF PAPER

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