Ask and Answer——HSK

[Jingjing-N]

Introduction to HSK Revised (Intermediate)

The HSK Revised (Intermediate) fits the candidates who have learned Chinese over 800 hours with more than 1600 characters and about 3000 phrases. If you can get 5 or 6 in the current HSK (Elementary-Intermediate), you can pass the HSK Revised (Intermediate). To get A in HSK Revised (Intermediate), you at least can get 7 in the current HSK.

The revised HSK separates writing and speaking test from the HSK Revised(Intermediate) which is held in the morning. That is to say, candidates can choose any one or two or all of the three tests. The fee is paid separately. Candidates can get individual certificate for each test.

Test Schedule

Test Administration: 2007.6.23 HSK Revised (Intermediate) in the morning

2007.6.23 Writing; Speaking (Intermediate) in the afternoon

Registration Time: 2007.5.21——5.30

Test Fee:

HSK Revised (Intermediate):250 RMB

Writing (Intermediate): 100RMB

Speaking (Intermediate): 150RMB

[Pravit]

Hi Jingjing,

The HSK website needs a lot of work. For one, it doesn't work very well on Firefox(which a lot of people use now) - the pop up menus occasionally don't appear or appear so far away they disappear by the time I move my mouse to click on them. But browser issues aside, some of the information is outdated. For example, if you click on "考点信息", you are given the information for 2006, although the information for 2007 can be found by going to "考试安排". I think I'd feel a bit better about the HSK if the site was more professionally maintained.

Also, I had no idea they revised the HSK(some more info about that on the website might have helped). I'm going to take the HSK (初，中等) for the first time in June. Will we still have the option of taking the old-style test, or does everyone have to take the new revised test now?

[Pravit]

Also, the schedule on 考试安排 only mentions a (初，中等) exam on 6/24 and no mention of a revised exam on the 23rd. Which one are we supposed to register for and when?!

[Jingjing-N]

To Pravit

You can choose the old-style test according to the schedule. What I mentioned above is the revised one. This year, the two kinds of examinations are all available. Either of them is open to all candidates this year. If you care the result and never took the mock test of revised HSK, choose the old one. If you are interested in revised edition and find it suitable for you, choose the revised one. Both of them are official tests. But next year, we plan to adopt the revised one if it goes well. As for our network, we are always hoping to provide good service to candidates. However, given the frequency of online registration and to ensure it's working well, it is not possible for us to change or improve our network completely. But still I will tell candidates' suggestions to our technology supervisor and try our best to get it better. If you fail to log on our website, put your questions here, I will check everyday and answer.

[Jingjing-N]

Recently, I heard some candidates tell me that they thought HSK scores based on a curve. Do you mean that we try to score approriately that ensure it is a normal curve? And before we scoring, the curve already exits? I am afraid you've misunderstood. HSK scoring is done by every professional staff carefully and fairly. They don't have the preconception that there must be how-many pass, how-many Bs and how-many Cs. Because they don't do it together and how could they arrange it elaborately? The reason why HSK has been so successful and accepted by most Chinese learners is that we have numbers of experts and professors in language testing. After the scoring and data analysis, we finally get the curve which mostly is normal.

[gato]

And before we scoring, the curve already exits? I am afraid you've misunderstood. HSK scoring... don't have the preconception that there must be how-many pass, how-many Bs and how-many Cs.

Are you sure? The curve is given on the HSK web page below. According to the chart on the site, getting an A on listening, for example, requires a 82-100 scaled score. On each test date, approximately only the highest 5% earn a high enough scaled score to get an A. The scale score is statistically determined based on the performance of all student on each test date, with 50 as the average and 15 as the standard deviation.

http://www.hsk.org.cn/Intro_hsk3.aspx

1. HSK 分数的说明

HSK 单项分数是一个以 50 为平均数， 15 为标准差的量表分。这些分数反映出应试者在 HSK 标准样组中的相对位置。

[Jingjing-N]

I am not denying its scoring standard. But what my foreign friend told me is that he thought although he had done a good job enough on HSK, because of the curve the score supervisor had to still control or even worse, gave him a relatively low score. In that way, where is the fairness?Maybe what we are saying is a little bit different.

[woliveri]

Hello Jingjing-N, Thank you for starting this question and answer thread.

I am preparing to take the HSK as a prerequsite for studying in the Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine university. The requirements for the classes I want to take is an HSK Level 3 or higher. Can I ask,

How do the new HSK levels equate to the old HSK Levels (e.g. HSK 4 (old) = HSK Intermedite (new)???). When I complete the test and receive the results are there only 3 levels now (beginning, intermediate, advanced) or are still sub-levels for each main section?

thanks,

Bill

[Jingjing-N]

If you want to take the revised HSK , intermediate is suitable. HSK(old)4 to 8 fits revised HSK (intermediate).

[Jingjing-N]

Attention!!

The result of HSK(advanced level) administered in 21 April will be on www.hsk.org.cn on 10 June.

[heifeng]

Hi,isn't that around the same time our actual certificate is coming out? if the web results are that late, then when can we pick up our actual certificate then?

p.s.

I called the office before and they said the online results would be out the end of THIS month and the 13th of June or so for the certificate...

Thanks!

[Jingjing-N]

This is the correct information:

HSK(advanced): 10 June for results online

mid of June for getting the certificate

[heifeng]

soooo slooooooooooooooow.

But thanks for the 'correct' information.

[heifeng]

Is there information on how the advanced exam will be scored in the future, i.e. what qualifies as 合格 and 优秀...I made a half-hearted attempt to find it, but didn't...

Also, about the C.Test, is there an actual cut off for the "A" score, or is it based on each actual exam.

Secondly,what's going on with the C.Test and the BCT? Are these the same things or are they competing exams...

I have been successfully confused.

[Jingjing-N]

The scoring method for revised HSK will be availbale to candidates sooner. You can find it both on internet and boookstore, maybe a booklet, I think. So, don't worry!

C.TEST has its own scoring policy, see attachment.

C.TEST is short for Test of Practical Chinese, researched and developed by HSK center of BLCU. BCT is short for Business Chinese Test, created by 国家汉办。You can see that C.TEST is "sister exam" of HSK, both created by HSK center of BLCU.

[Laska]

Thanks to Jingjing for being willing to provide all this information. It's really very kind and a great service, and she/he is being very professional IMO.

Anyone who has dealt with ETS in the States may find the HSK office compares quite favorably in many respects.

Also, I really prefer online registration. It's much more convenient.

I think for some people it would help if there was an English/Japanese/Korean help file clearly labled on the front page of the website. Maybe some people didn't follow the Chinese links to find the English help file.

I found the help files with screenshots very useful and I really like being able to register online. It would be great if we could print out our Zhengkaozheng online as well.

Finally, is there any way you could make the reading on the advanced test just a little bit easier? :lol: Just kidding.

One note: Exam proctoring. IMO It's not acceptable for a proctor to wait over a student while he/she finishes a section, but I saw this happen and heard others reporting it happen. Next time I will do the same -- a couple more points and I could have passed the exam.

[heifeng]

Hi Jingjing-N

I just picked up my certificate at my school and discovered my name is misspelled. I told the test proctors during the exam about the mistake and wrote it correctly on my exam, but it's incorrect on my actual certificate. How do I fix it now? Do I have to go in person or mail something to the BLCU HSK office?

Thanks....

[heifeng]

And another thing....

if you look CAREFULLY on the HSK成绩单，on the HSK(高等)分数的说明, in the HSK 单项分column, the number sequence seems to have a mistake:

100

69

63

58

54

50

16

42

37

31

Somehow, I don't think that "16" is correct. I have noticed this before, which means 1) somehow it's actually correct or 2) no one has bothered to point this out OR 3) no one cares to fix it..unless of course ya'll just ordered too much of this preprinted paper!...in any case, mistakes on documents are not a good thing:mrgreen:

[Jingjing-N]

About the name mistake, you must call 01082303672 to inform HSK. Checking the information of admission ticket just after your registration is very important. If you have doubt in the certificate ,call 01082303500.

[muyongshi]

Hey Jingjing,

(every time I read your name I think of the little girl in 门徒)

Anyway...First thank you for taking the time for answering these posts, I'm sure it is not a part of your job description.

I just took the HSK and was appalled at the sounds quality of the listening. The people speaking were recorded at different levels, one was clear (and without compression) and then the male was so much quieter with a ton of fuzz and had to have been run through a few different compression sequences. No offense but I know teenagers that could do better recordings in their garage.

I don't know how many questions I got wrong just because I couldn't hear them. It wasn't like I could just turn it up and then it was all fine. Turning it up resulted in the lady's voice screeching (and I do mean peaking with distortion) and even the guy was still muffled and would peak out.

For such a high quality, international, and as far as I have seen professional organization this was WAY below the standards I expected and frankly it just isn't fair to those of us who have to take it. What is going on with that? Do you know anything about this?