Kaoyan English cheat sheet

First read the whole passage without filling blanks to grasp topic, argument direction, and tone; this prevents local-fit errors.

Lexical cohesion: a blank often collocates with a word outside its own sentence (e.g., 'play a vital ___' → 'role'); scan the surrounding clause for the partner word.

Logical connectors decide direction: contrast (however, whereas, notwithstanding), cause (consequently, hence), addition (moreover, likewise), concession (albeit, while).

Grammatical clues: subject-verb agreement, singular/plural, and parallel structure often eliminate two or three options before meaning is considered.

Pronoun and determiner blanks (it, they, this, such, other, another) are resolved by locating the noun phrase they refer to in the previous clause.

Preposition and particle blanks are fixed by idiom: 'depend on', 'result in/from', 'account for', 'subject to', 'in light of'; memorize the whole phrase, not the single word.

When two options are semantically close, test register and transitivity: a verb needing an object cannot fill an intransitive slot, and formal academic prose rejects colloquial options.

Time budget: about 15–18 minutes for 20 blanks; mark uncertain items and return after the passage's main idea is confirmed.

Question types map to strategies: detail (locate and paraphrase), inference (combine two stated facts), main idea (thesis in first/last paragraph), attitude (adjective choice), vocabulary (context, not dictionary).

Answers are paraphrases, not verbatim copies; an option that repeats passage wording exactly is often a trap.

Distractor patterns: true-but-irrelevant, overgeneralized (all/always/never), reversed causation, and half-right/half-wrong; check every clause of an option.

For inference items, the correct answer must be necessarily true given the text; if it requires outside knowledge, reject it.

Attitude questions: distinguish author from quoted scholars; watch hedges (may, seem, arguably) versus absolutes (clearly, undoubtedly).

Order of work: read the first and last paragraphs closely, skim middle paragraphs, then answer detail questions by scanning for keywords and their synonyms.

Negative questions ('which is NOT true') require checking all four options against the text; mark the three that are supported.

Time budget: about 18 minutes per 400–500 word passage with five questions; never leave a blank-eliminate and guess.

Three task formats appear: heading matching (choose a heading per paragraph), paragraph ordering (reconstruct a coherent text), and statement-to-paragraph matching.

For heading matching, identify the paragraph's topic sentence and its function (definition, example, contrast, conclusion); reject headings that capture only a detail.

For ordering tasks, find discourse markers: pronouns referring backward (this, such, these), definite articles (the + previously mentioned noun), and connectors (first, however, therefore, finally).

Chronology and cause-effect chains constrain order: a result cannot precede its cause, and a rebuttal follows the claim it attacks.

For statement matching, keywords in the statement rarely appear verbatim; look for synonym clusters and paraphrased claims in one specific paragraph.

Distractor headings often use the same vocabulary as a paragraph but misstate its function; verify that the heading covers the whole paragraph, not one sentence.

Elimination strategy: assign the most distinctive headings first, then place remaining ones by function and discourse flow.

Time budget: about 15–18 minutes; check the final sequence by rereading transitions between adjacent paragraphs.

Scoring rewards accurate meaning and fluent Chinese; literal word-for-word rendering that is ungrammatical loses points.

Restructure long English sentences: split at relative clauses, participial phrases, and appositives; convert passive voice to active or subjectless Chinese where natural.

Translate technical terms consistently; keep established loanwords or English terms in parentheses when no standard Chinese equivalent exists.

Handle modifiers by moving them before the noun in Chinese or converting them into separate clauses; avoid stacked '的' constructions.

Logical connectors (however, therefore, while) must be rendered explicitly in Chinese (然而, 因此, 而) to preserve argument structure.

Proper nouns, numbers, and dates must be exact; do not omit or invent information.

Draft in the margin, then write the final version; reread for omitted clauses and for Chinese collocations (e.g., '发挥作用' not '做作用').

Time budget: about 20 minutes for five sentences or one paragraph; leave no sentence untranslated.

Formats: letter (formal/informal), email, notice, memo; each has fixed layout-salutation, body paragraphs, closing, signature.

Formal letters open with 'Dear Sir or Madam' or 'Dear Mr./Ms. X' and close with 'Yours sincerely' (named recipient) or 'Yours faithfully' (unnamed).

State purpose in the first sentence ('I am writing to apply for…', 'I am writing to inform you that…'); do not bury it.

Cover all content points in the prompt; each point typically earns its own sentence or two.

Use formulaic but correct phrases: 'I would be grateful if you could…', 'Please find attached…', 'I look forward to hearing from you.'

Register: no contractions or slang in formal writing; keep sentences short and unambiguous.

Word count is about 100 words; exceeding 130 or falling below 80 risks penalty-count roughly by lines.

Time budget: about 15 minutes; reserve two minutes to check spelling, tense consistency, and the signature block.

Structure: three paragraphs-description of the picture/chart, interpretation of its meaning, and comment/conclusion with a recommendation.

Description paragraph: state only what is visible (figures, labels, trends); do not interpret yet.

Interpretation paragraph: name the phenomenon (e.g., environmental awareness, online learning) and explain its causes or significance.

Comment paragraph: give a personal stance with one concrete example or suggestion; avoid empty moralizing.

Chart essays require data citation: 'rose from 20% to 45%', 'accounted for nearly half'; compare rather than list every number.

Use cohesive devices (firstly, moreover, in contrast, consequently) but avoid mechanical repetition.

Word count is about 160–200 words; a 3-paragraph, 12–15 sentence essay meets the requirement safely.

Time budget: about 30 minutes-5 minutes planning, 20 minutes writing, 5 minutes proofreading for agreement, articles, and spelling.