Should I go for a HSK Basic in nov. 2008??

[Jikolp]

Hi!

I have heard about the HSK exam and I would be really interested to try it even if I knew I wouldn´t pass, but since I think the Treshold/Basic level is not such a horror, I would also like to pass it!

I would really like to know what do you, People More Advanced in Chinese think about it! :help:help

I started Chinese six weeks ago, on a weekend course, that means I have 1x3 lessons a week. We study from the book Hanyu Jiaocheng 1/1 and we´re advancing in the book nicely and we also go through things that may not be included in Book 1 yet. We may finish Book 1/1 by July or so and I think we may be at the end of book 1/2 by October. However, I have decided to do some self-study to be able to take HSK this October (November??). I have the book Rapid Literacy in Chinese 1 where I can get to know important and not so basic grammar points, as well as become able to read 750 fluently. I also have the book New practical Chinese Reader 1 which I´´m planning to go through in the summer and I also have four Hungarian Chinese textbooks which I think include material that would be enough even for an Elementary-Intermediate HSK. Also, I have started the CHINESEPOD Newbie series, and I plan to go through at least all the Newbie and Elementary dialogues, touching some Lower-Intermediate ones. As to Hanzi, I have a good memory for them and I´m also studying Japanese which helps me a lot in remebering readings in both languages.

So, what do you think, would this be enough for a Level 1 or Level 2 this year??

PS: A question about applying for the exam. I have seen you have to write your name in Chinese. I was wondering how if I don´t have a Chinese name, never been to China and what if later I get officially a Chinese name that is a different one from the one on the certificate? Or you can leave that field empty???

[imron]

Personally, I think the Threshold/Basic exam is pretty meaningless, and says nothing more than that you've studied some Chinese. Unless you're in a hurry to sit the exam for some reason, I would say you're probably better of waiting until you can at least sit the intermediate. By that time, you'll quite probably also have a Chinese name that you like, or be in a position to choose one that you'd be happy to stick with. There's not really such a thing as an "official" Chinese name for foreigners. You're pretty much free to take and change your Chinese name as you like.

[Jikolp]

Hi Imron!

Yes, to be honest I think the same, since later I would like to study at Uni in China, so I´ll need to sit the exam again and get a higher certificate anyway. This is why I did not go for a JLPT 4 last year, but rather for a JLPT 3 this year.

But I would like to try it for the sake of challenge and plus motivation. Of course, I would not go for it if it would be sure that I fail.... This is why I would be curious whether all these studies would enough for a level ONE (higher is Ok, though! ). Also, for some personal reasons there is somebody I would like to impress a little... (Not a boyfriend!) Oh, and maybe knowing the exam and having done it already once may result in getting a nicer score later when it will be about entering a Chinese university. And since I live far from China, I like the idea of this little challenge, to prove myself I already know a little and that I should continue, It´s a little bit a question of confidence-boosting, I think.. :S

So, not taking into account how unsignificant and meaningless that level is , do you think I could give it a try?

[renzhe]

If you search around the forum, you'll find some links to mockup tests and such. There is at least a complete test (with audio) to download somewhere on the net.

You could consider doing that one and seeing how you do.

Here is some interesting information about the scoring of the tests: http://www.chinaembassy.org.in/eng/jy/t172990.htm

With 750 words, and corresponding grammar, it should be possible to pass the Basic test. For elementary, you'll need more than 2000 words, though.