User Comments - xiaoanolga

Posted on: 成语俗语

 请问这是俗话吗? 愁一愁白了头, 笑一笑十年少

有人知道总成这个俗话 吗?(我不记得了): 饭后百步走,...

我觉得成语不一定有四个字: 五十步笑百步, 更上一层楼 都是成语。

我很喜欢这个成语: 缘木求鱼, 觉得很好玩儿。

晓安

Posted on: Sneezing

鲁: according to Karlgen (I know, I know...not up to date) means "fish unable to speak , therefore stupid, unable, simple, vulgar "...I see the "fish", and the "speak", but where on earth did he find the "not able to"? seems fishy to me!

Xiaoan

Posted on: Taking the HSK

Well, I think that really the "core" question is just: What is the goal of HSK? If, it is, as is claimed, a proficiency test aimed to know if non-mandarin locutors are able to get into University in the PRC (remember, ethnic minorities in China have to take the test to get in), then it is clear that they have to check also the ability to write and express oneself orally. So, the introduction of a new HSK where active language knowledge is required was sorely needed. In that context, one may rather wonder what will the HSK for "european languages locutors" be...a second class exam, not opening the same doors as the reglar HSK?

For all of you who are on the road to this exam: 加油!

Xiaoan

Posted on: Taking the HSK

martian2,

How true...about writing characters I will always remember my first ever chinese teacher (at the Uni, in a  newbie course) who calmly announced to the bemused class that we were all illiterate  as we were only able to read AND write less than 500 characters !

HSK is supposed to be about a general grasp of the chinese language. In fact, it was one of the weak point of the old (actual) system, that it tested above all passive 本领!

And how on earth, benson, are you supposed to cram all of those hanzi in your head for a long period (hopefully permanently) in your head if you do not how to write them? Chinese characters are much more than just unicode or GB5 encoding: they have a life of their own and it's no wonder they gave rise to that stupendous art form : calligraphy.

Well, perhaps, some people can learn just from looking, and others do need the physical feel, the hand's and arm's movements to be able to memorise things...

Anyway, there's a life outside HSK

Xiaoan

Posted on: 成语俗语

Hi Sophie!

”百花齐放百家争鸣" "Let different views be expressed"

or more litterally: "let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools contend"

你在学毛主席的哲学吗? 晓安

Posted on: Taking the HSK

Another comment for all of you who intend to take the HSK (and are preparing alone, otherwise your tutor will tell you)

The test is a multiple choice formular, 1 question, 4 choices. And they assess your results in this way: 1 correct answer = 1 point, 1 incorrect answer: 0 point.

Consequence: even if you have no clue which answer to give, just tick one (you have 1/4 probability of getting the mark)...don't loose time thinking, but start reading the possible answers to the next question (if you are in the tingli sections, it will get you clued about what the dialog is about! and about which details you should paid attention).

HSK: it is also about beating the system!

Xiaoan

PS: for whose of you who were wondering if it is worth their while professionnally to take the HSK, they should consider their (potential) employer: job/studies in the PRC, then it is clear that an american/european test is little or no use for them . In Taiwan...I think that they have their own proficiency test (which of course include the use of 繁體字)

Posted on: 垃圾回收

中国人都常常谈论环境的问题、污染, 什么时候都说他们非常非常欣赏山水、纯纯的空气等等; 但好像他们是世界上第一乱仍垃圾的冠军!

晓安

Posted on: Taking the HSK

helenhelen, to gauge from chinesepod which HSK level to prepare for, one should more  less know the extend of the vocabulary covered in the pods. Does somebody have any idea?   For the grammar bit 'though, I think that one should prepare much more specifically. And the writing...well, they do not ask much at the elementary-intermediate levels (levels 3-8 which come into the form of one unique test) they don't ask you to write essays but just to fill in some characters. However you have to be able to write them.

Specific difficulties you do not encounter on chinesepod:

- more formal language

- speed: in the listening tests, you listen once and that's it. (no time to take notes,for instance)

- grammar: the vocab is usually quite easy in this part, but after reading distorded sentences after distorded sentences can make your head spin

- reading: here the voc can be much more difficult. You have to read quickly through texts and be able to answer to (sometimes) tricky questions

Take care about their wording: the elementary HSK test (Grade C of the Elementary certificate, level 3) is the minimum level required to be able to enter a chinese university in a science/ technology faculty. As such, it is reckoned to be equivalent of 800 hours of teaching at least in a modern chinese course (for 西方人)  !

There are books to help the preparation and they come usually with recordings for training the 听力, here are 2 of them:

Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi Dagang

Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi Moni Shiti Ji

but I think it is nearly impossible to do it alone (at least for those of us who dont live in China): if you are able to, you're a real  冠军. Most (all?) people need tutoring for these tests, not only because of the chinese involved, but to be able to developp efficient strategies...and to drill.

And, last but not least, a HSK has a "sell by "date: after 2 years it is no more valid...so I better get on and revise again!

Posted on: Taking the HSK

 "想想我门考英语四六级的时候吧, 考了半天还不是哑巴英语, 连个全整的句子都说不好!"

Ahah! if you study uniquely the HSK-way, for 英语 read 汉语...it is the reason why we need chinesepod!

But chinesepod will not prepare you for HSK (no equivalence there!)

Posted on: Taking the HSK

HSK, HSK....what a nightmare! But the preparation is a good way to cram in some more words. For those of you who are interested the University of Geneva (Switzerland) has published a list of characters/words/liangci you are supposed to master at 甲, 乙 et 丙 levels (http://www.unige.ch/lettres/meslo/chinois/general/HSK.html) with french translation (sorry friends!)

From the same University, Dr. Honghua Poizat-Xie has also published a book: "Préparation aux HSK: niveau de base, niveau élémentaire intermédiaire"

I'm sure there is some english publications on the subject too...

Courage!

Xiaoan