Study Guide

World Languages: Chinese—Mandarin
Sample Questions

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Competency 0001
Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of formal and informal oral messages in the target language from across the target-language-speaking world.

The dialogue shown below represents the recorded text you would hear on the actual test. It is shown here for study purposes only; on the actual test you will not see printed scripts accompanying the recordings.

1. Listen carefully to the following dialogue; then answer the question. You will hear the dialogue twice.

(PAUSE 20 seconds)

(one male speaker and one female speaker)

[Simplified]


[Traditional]

You will now hear the dialogue again.

(Dialogue is repeated)

Now answer the question.

According to the dialogue, Xitang is the best choice to visit due to its:

  1. active nightlife.
  2. many tourist attractions.
  3. good weather and food.
  4. proximity to big cities.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. In this dialogue, the two individuals are discussing where to go for the weekend. The main focus of the discussion is on why the city of Xitang is a good location to visit due to its nice weather, good food, and interesting history.

Competency 0002
Demonstrate inferential and analytical comprehension of a variety of formal and informal oral messages in the target language from across the target-language-speaking world.

2. Listen carefully to the following dialogue; then answer the question. You will hear the dialogue twice.

(PAUSE 20 seconds)

(one male speaker and one female speaker)

[Simplified]


[Traditional]

You will now hear the dialogue again.

(Dialogue is repeated)

Now answer the question.

The speakers most likely have which of the following relationships?

  1. teacher and student
  2. husband and wife
  3. tour guide and tourist
  4. hotel owner and customer
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. This dialogue takes place between two people who clearly have a history of traveling together. Of the options given, the most likely relationship between the speakers is that of husband and wife.

Competency 0003
Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of authentic materials written in the target language from across the target-language-speaking world.

3. Read the passage presented below in either Simplified characters or Traditional characters; then answer the question that follows.

[Simplified]


[Traditional]

According to the passage, Ang Lee had which of the following setbacks in his career?

  1. His lack of academic ambition during high school kept him from further study.
  2. His first films received negative reviews by movie critics.
  3. He initially focused too much on traditional Chinese culture.
  4. It took him several years to get his first opportunity to direct a film.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D. The author of this passage describes how Ang Lee had a six-year gap between graduating from New York University and making his first film.

Competency 0004
Demonstrate inferential and analytical comprehension of a variety of authentic materials written in the target language from across the target-language-speaking world.

4. Read the passage presented below in either Simplified characters or Traditional characters; then answer the question that follows.

[Simplified]


[Traditional]

The author of this passage would most likely agree with the statement that Ang Lee's success is due to his:

  1. ability to make films with broad appeal.
  2. focus on one genre of films.
  3. humor and wit that are evident in his films.
  4. novel and unusual filmmaking techniques.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A. The author of this passage describes how Lee's movies address contemporary life and are popular among both audiences and critics. It is clear that the author feels that Lee's success comes primarily from the fact that his movies appeal to such a broad range of viewers.

Competency 0005
Understand the language structures of the target language.

5. When writing an address in English, the house number and street name appear before the city, state, and country. In Chinese, which of the following elements traditionally appears first?

  1. district
  2. city
  3. province
  4. country
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D. The custom in Chinese for ordering information in something like an address or date is to progress from largest scale to smallest scale. Thus, in the case of a mailing address, the country is the first element given.

Competency 0006
Apply knowledge of the language structures of the target language.

6. Which of the following measure words correctly completes the phrase below?

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. The only appropriate measure word to use in a phrase involving the noun is the measure word . This is equivalent to the use of the word pair in the English phrase a pair of socks.

Competency 0007
Understand the geography and major developments in the history of the target-language-speaking world and their cultural impact.

7. Which of the following occupations was most highly valued in traditional Confucian China?

  1. merchant
  2. scholar
  3. farmer
  4. artisan
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. In ancient China, there were four occupations that were ranked in a hierarchy according to social status. Of the four occupations, the gentry/scholars were the most highly ranked in the hierarchy.

Competency 0008
Understand the practices, products, and perspectives of target-language-speaking cultures and how they relate to each other.

8. Which of the following animals symbolizes long life in Chinese culture?

  1. tiger
  2. horse
  3. goldfish
  4. crane
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D. In Chinese culture, many objects, foods, and animals are considered symbols of more abstract concepts, such as luck, long life, fortune, or health. The crane is considered to be a symbol of long life due to the long life span of the bird itself. It is often seen in works of art and is incorporated into the myths and legends of Chinese culture.