How Do I study for Chinese HSK 5 Exam?

Once you reach a comparatively higher level of Mandarin Chinese, the HSK 5 will definitely be an important examination, either as a job requirement or personal proof of achievement. Test takers who are able to pass the HSK 5 (C1) can read Chinese newspapers and magazines, enjoy Chinese films and plays, give a full-length speech in Chinese, and will acquire a vocabulary of at least 2500 words.

Preparation for the HSK 5 Exam

Generally speaking, if you are not that familiar with HSK 5 Exam, you must take the time to read the Syllabus for the HSK 5 test. Then you can find some HSK mock papers or online sample tests. It will help you know more about the test structure and your weakness. If you still don’t feel confident studying by yourself, you`d better hire a professional HSK tutor to guide you.
Now, let’s talk about the specifics to build a good foundation. First, you need to know the meaning of words to take this exam. If you just study the passage, this isn’t going to be enough. You will need some background knowledge of the book such as thе year it was published and the author. Get to know the differences between similar words, as this is at the core of this exam. You will also need good reading and writing skills to take the exam. If you have a good vocabulary you’ll do well in the HSK exam to go along with your writing skills. You can develop these sills as you prepare for the exam.

Tips for Preparing for Your HSK 5 Exam

You need to prepare properly –to know the content and the structure of the exam to get ready for it. You may feel like you’re ready for this exam, but it will pay off if you prepare as much as possible.
Know what you want to achieve and set a study goal.The exam helps you further your understanding of language. Just because you pass the HSK exam doesn’t mean you should stop learning; it’s just an assessment of your current level.

Books to Help You with the HSK Exam

You need good books to help you with the HSK exam. You might want to look at the following: HSK Essentials, Chinese Learning Cards for HSK, HSK Growing Training, Say it in Chinese, HSK Listening Key Words, Express Way to HSK, HSK Dictionary, An Intensive Course of HSK, and other similar books.

Mock Tests

Once you finish the vocabulary list, you can set your first step towards the online mock test that includes the reading section and the first part of the writing section. You can do the test on chinesetesting.cn. After you finish the online mock test, you can try the Official Examination Papers of HSK 5. The book contains 5 mock tests and I believe that it gets gradually more difficult from the beginning, which is usually the case with these kinds of books.

Time Control

The trickiest part is time control. Most test takers find it difficult to finish all the questions in time, especially for the reading section, which provides only 40 minutes to finish all 45 questions. So you have to read fast and choose the answer even faster. So I suggest you first read the first question and then start reading the article. When you find the answer keep reading the second question and continue reading. In almost every case the answers can be found in order from the beginning till the end. In the writing section you also have only 40 minutes. The strategy is to use about 5 to 10 minutes with the eight sentences in the first part and then 15 to 17 minutes with each of the essays.

Video Tutorial about Listening Preparation & Practice for HSK Level 5

You can get more videos about how to prepare HSK 5 test here: HSK 5 Test Preparation Skills
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