This set mixes the five skills from Mandarin listening and speaking: corrected numbers, tracking who acts, comparing, extending answers and checking pronunciation. Questions run from easier to harder. All passages and people are invented.
Use it this way: cover the answer, have the transcript read to you once (or read it aloud yourself), write your answer, then open the explanation. For speaking questions, record yourself with the private speaking recorder. A listening player such as the original listening practice player can add real audio when you have it.
Part A: Listening
1. 我想买票。大人三张，不对，是四张，小孩两张。 How many adult tickets?
Show answer
The signal 不对，是 replaces 三张 with 四张. The children’s tickets (两张) are a separate item. Four adult tickets.
2. 比赛在下午两点开始，哦，说错了，是三点，我们两点半在门口见。 When does the match start, and when do they meet?
Show answer
说错了 replaces 两点 with 三点 for the start. The meeting time 两点半 is a different item and is not corrected. Starts at 3 p.m.; meet at 2:30 p.m.
3. 小明请小英帮他拿书，小英说她没有空，所以她的哥哥帮小明拿了书。 Who carried the books?
Show answer
小明 asks (请), 小英 is busy (没有空), 所以 gives the result. 小英’s older brother carried the books.
4. 蛋糕是妈妈买的，可是蜡烛被弟弟吹灭了。 Who bought the cake, and who blew out the candle?
Show answer
买的 belongs to 妈妈. The person after 被 does the action, so 弟弟 blew it out. 妈妈 bought the cake; 弟弟 blew out the candle.
5. 经理说周一开会，不对，是周二。小李通知大家，可是小李病了，所以小王通知了大家。 Which day is the meeting, and who informed everyone?
Show answer
不对，是 changes the day to 周二. 可是 and 所以 change who informs. Tuesday; 小王 informed everyone.
Part B: Speaking
6. 小华身高一百六十厘米，小明身高一百六十五厘米。 Compare them in one sentence with the amount.
Show answer
165 minus 160 is 5. 小明比小华高五厘米。 Also correct: 小华没有小明高。
7. Fix: 他比我很聪明。
Show answer
Remove 很 after 比. 他比我聪明 or 他比我聪明得多.
8. The train takes two hours and the plane takes one hour. Make one 比 sentence and one 没有 sentence.
Show answer
2 minus 1 is 1. 飞机比火车快一个小时。 火车没有飞机快。
9. Follow-up (unprepared): 你觉得学生应该带手机去学校吗? Give a four-part answer.
Show answer
Sample: 我觉得可以带，但是不能在上课的时候用。主要是因为有事的时候可以联系家人。比如说，下雨的时候我可以告诉妈妈来接我。不过，如果同学一直玩手机，就会影响学习。
Any answer with a view, reason, example and balance is fine.
10. You forget the word 冰箱. Describe it in simple Chinese.
Show answer
Sample: 就是放在厨房里，可以让食物保持冷的大机器。This keeps you speaking and lets the listener supply the word.
Part C: Pronunciation
11. Which has the rising second tone, 问 or 文?
Show answer
文 (wén) is second tone, rising. 问 (wèn) is fourth tone, falling. Record both and check that your pitch goes up for 文 and down for 问.
If you got these wrong
| What went wrong | Go to |
|---|---|
| Wrote the first number, or mixed up two items (1, 2, 5) | Corrected numbers |
| Gave the action to the wrong person (3, 4, 5) | Who is doing the action |
| Wrong word order or 很 after 比 (6, 7, 8) | Expressing a comparison |
| Stopped after one sentence, or lost a word (9, 10) | Extending a response |
| Tones or sounds unclear (11) | Reviewing pronunciation locally |
Log repeated errors in the mistake log and retest in a few days. For help from a teacher who listens to your own recordings, see online one-to-one Chinese tuition.