Kaoyan English study guide
Kaoyan English · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Kaoyan English (考研英语) is the English component of China's National Postgraduate Entrance Examination, the standardized test taken by candidates applying to master's programs at Chinese universities. It is administered in two versions: English I (201), generally required for academic master's degrees, and English II (204), generally used for professional master's degrees and some programs. The Kaoyan English study guide has 6 sections and about 2,404 words.
01Use of English (Cloze): Meaning, Grammar and Cohesion in 20 Blanks
Use of English is the 20-item multiple-choice cloze that opens the paper: one passage of roughly 240–280 words, four options per blank, 10 points. It is not a pure vocabulary test.
417 words, about 2 min02Reading Comprehension Part A: Locating Evidence and Testing Options
Reading Comprehension Part A carries 40 of the 100 points: four passages of about 400 words, five four-option questions each. It rewards locating and paraphrasing evidence, not outside knowledge.
409 words, about 2 min03Reading Comprehension Part B: Matching, Ordering and Headings
Part B is the new question type: five items worth 10 points, set in one of three formats. In the 7-choose-5 matching task you place five sentences or paragraphs into gaps in a text, with two distractors left over.
413 words, about 2 min04Reading Comprehension Part C: English-to-Chinese Translation
Part C is worth 10 points and asks for English-to-Chinese translation: in English 1, five underlined sentences embedded in a passage; in English 2, a short paragraph. Marking rewards accurate comprehension plus acceptable Chinese, so a faithful but unreadable version and a fluent but inaccurate version both lose marks.
366 words, about 2 min05Writing Part A: Short Applied Writing (Letter, Notice, Email)
Writing Part A is worth 10 points and asks for about 100 words in an applied genre: a letter, a notice or an email. Marks come from format, content coverage and language.
407 words, about 2 min06Writing Part B: Picture and Chart Essay
Writing Part B is worth 20 points and asks for 160–200 words based on a picture (typically English 1) or a chart (typically English 2). The scoring rewards a clear three-part structure, accurate description, genuine interpretation and a brief reasoned comment.
392 words, about 2 min