HSC Chinese and Literature flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

First-pass listening purpose

The first playing of a listening text is used to establish gist, text type and speaker relationships, so notes should record topic and structure rather than every detail.

Discourse markers in listening

Words such as 首先, 然而, 因此 and 总之 signal sequence, contrast, cause and summary, and answers are frequently located immediately after them.

Number qualifiers as distractors

Expressions like 大约, 左右, 不到 and 超过 modify figures in recordings; the correct answer depends on the qualifier rather than the bare number heard.

Register cues in spoken Chinese

Use of 您 and 请 indicates formal distance, while 你 with particles such as 吧, 嘛 and 呗 indicates informal intimacy between speakers.

Inference items in listening

These ask what is implied rather than stated, so options that merely repeat heard wording without answering the question should be rejected.

Tone and attitude questions

Answering these requires attention to intonation and evaluative vocabulary such as 遗憾, 值得 and 无奈, not only to the propositional content of the recording.

Skimming versus scanning

Skimming establishes text type, purpose and audience; scanning then locates specific details such as names, figures and dates needed for short-answer items.

Notice text structure

A 通知 typically specifies what action is required, who must act, and the time and place, usually in that order near the start of the text.

Logical connectives in reading

Patterns such as 不但…而且, 虽然…但是 and 因为…所以 make relations explicit, and comprehension questions often test the relation rather than the content.

Pronoun and ellipsis tracking

Characters such as 这, 那 and 其, and omitted subjects, refer back to earlier nouns; misidentifying the referent is a common cause of wrong answers.

Semantic radicals for inference

Radicals indicate meaning categories: 氵 relates to water, 讠 to speech, 忄 to emotion, allowing unfamiliar characters to be guessed from context.

Purpose questions in reading

These require an intention verb such as to inform, persuade, warn or request, supported by textual evidence, rather than a summary of the content.

Letter format in Chinese

A Chinese letter requires a 称呼 at the start, body paragraphs, a closing such as 此致/敬礼, and a signature with date at the end.

Diary entry conventions

A 日记 conventionally opens with date and weather, uses first person, and records events together with personal reflection rather than mere report.

Speech text conventions

A 演讲稿 opens with an address to the audience, establishes a hook, develops an argument with support, and closes with a call to action.

Register consistency in writing

Formal Chinese writing uses 您, 贵校 and 敬请 and avoids 儿化 and slang, while informal writing may use 咱们 and sentence-final particles.

Cohesion through connectives

Connectives such as 首先, 其次, 此外 and 综上所述 link paragraphs logically, and cohesion is assessed separately from grammatical accuracy in production tasks.

Aspect markers 了, 过, 着

了 marks completion, 过 marks past experience, and 着 marks ongoing state; controlling these distinctions raises accuracy in narrative and reflective writing.

把 and 被 constructions

The 把 construction foregrounds disposal of an object, while 被 marks passive; accurate use of both is a marker of advanced grammatical control in writing.

Measure words accuracy

Each noun selects a specific 量词, such as 一位老师, 一封书信, 一场比赛; wrong measure words are conspicuous errors in production tasks.

Answering the proposition

Literary responses must address the exact terms of the question; retelling plot without engaging the proposition earns limited credit however long the answer.

Evidence plus explanation

Strong literary answers quote a short phrase or cite a specific incident, then explain how that evidence supports the stated thesis.

Character change analysis

Character questions require attention to motivation, development across the text, and the author's techniques of presentation, not simply personality description.

Theme through technique

Themes should be shown developing through structure, imagery, dialogue and contrast, rather than asserted once and left unsupported by textual detail.

Technique terminology in Chinese

Useful terms include 比喻 (metaphor), 象征 (symbolism), 对比 (contrast), 讽刺 (satire), 伏笔 (foreshadowing) and 第一人称叙述 (first-person narration).

Context tied to text

Knowledge of the author's period, social setting or literary movement strengthens interpretation only when explicitly linked to evidence in the prescribed text.

Evaluative prompts require judgement

Questions asking for evaluation demand a stated position and consistent criteria; sustained hedging without a judgement weakens the critical response.

Anchoring personal response

A personal response states the reaction and then identifies the specific passage or feature that produced it, rather than offering opinion without textual support.

Cultural concepts in texts

Concepts such as 孝 (filial piety), 面子 (face) and 关系 networks explain character behaviour, but earn credit only when used to interpret specific moments.

Indirectness in Chinese discourse

Indirect refusal, 客气 formulae and 含蓄 understatement are culturally patterned strategies; reading them literally can distort interpretation of character and situation.

Key historical reference points

Frequently relevant contexts include the May Fourth movement of 1919, the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, and urbanisation after the 1978 reforms.

Author, narrator, character

Questions about values require distinguishing what the author endorses, what the narrator reports and what a character believes, since these positions may diverge.