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HKDSE Chinese study materials
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HKDSE Chinese practice questions

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Question 1Chinese language and usage

The idiom 守株待兔 (jyutping: sau2 zyu1 doi6 tou3; 'guarding a tree-stump waiting for a hare') warns against which kind of behaviour?

  1. Foolishly relying on luck or a one-off windfall instead of effort Correct answer.
  2. Working diligently and never giving up
  3. Planning carefully for the future
  4. Helping others without expecting reward

Explanation

守株待兔 comes from a Han Feizi 韓非子 story: a farmer saw a hare die by running into a tree stump, then abandoned farming to wait for more hares. It mocks people who cling to a chance success and refuse to work, expecting luck to repeat itself.

Question 2Chinese language and usage

Identify the 病句 (beng6 geoi3, defective sentence) error type in: 「為了避免交通意外不再發生，政府加強了宣傳。」 ('In order to avoid traffic accidents not happening again, the government stepped up publicity.')

  1. 搭配不當 (improper word collocation)
  2. 成分殘缺 (missing sentence element)
  3. 邏輯矛盾／否定不當 (logical contradiction / wrong negation) Correct answer.
  4. 語序顛倒 (wrong word order)

Explanation

避免 (avoid) already carries a negative sense, so adding 不再 (no longer) creates a double negative that reverses the intended meaning - logically the sentence says they want accidents to keep happening. The fix is 「避免交通意外再發生」, removing 不.

Question 3Chinese language and usage

The idiom 畫蛇添足 (waak6 se4 tim1 zuk1, 'drawing a snake and adding feet') means to:

  1. Ruin something by adding what is superfluous and unnecessary Correct answer.
  2. Add a finishing touch that perfects a work
  3. Work quickly and efficiently
  4. Copy someone else's idea

Explanation

From a Warring States story, a man who finished drawing a snake first kept showing off by adding feet, and so lost a wine-drinking wager. The idiom means spoiling something by adding unnecessary, superfluous detail.

Question 4Chinese language and usage

The 成語 (sing4 jyu5, idiom) 「破釜沉舟」 (po3 fu2 cam4 zau1, 'break the cauldrons and sink the boats') means to:

  1. Retreat and preserve one's strength
  2. Cut off all means of retreat and fight with total resolve Correct answer.
  3. Cook a lavish feast before battle
  4. Sail away to avoid conflict

Explanation

The idiom derives from 項羽's order to smash cooking pots and sink the boats after crossing a river, leaving his soldiers no way back and forcing them to win or die. It means committing fully with no retreat possible.

Question 5Chinese language and usage

Choose the sentence with CORRECT modern Chinese 語法 (grammar) and no 病句 error:

  1. 通過這次活動，使我明白了團隊合作的重要。
  2. 這次活動讓我明白了團隊合作的重要。 Correct answer.
  3. 經過這次活動的舉辦，令我們大家所有人都得到了成長。
  4. 由於這次活動，所以我懂得了道理的重要性的問題。

Explanation

Option 1 is grammatically complete: subject (這次活動) + 讓 + object (我) + predicate. The others all show 病句 errors - chiefly 主語殘缺 (the 'through...causes...' pattern 「通過…使…」 deletes the subject) and redundant wording (大家所有人, 的問題).

Question 6Chinese reading and evidence

Read this short passage and infer the writer's attitude: 「他口口聲聲說關心環保，卻天天駕著大排量房車上班，對公共交通嗤之以鼻。」 ('He keeps saying he cares about the environment, yet drives a big-engine car to work daily and sneers at public transport.') The writer's tone is best described as:

  1. Ironic / critical of hypocrisy Correct answer.
  2. Admiring and supportive
  3. Neutral and purely factual
  4. Nostalgic and sentimental

Explanation

The contrast between what the man SAYS (口口聲聲說關心環保) and what he DOES (drives a gas-guzzler, sneers at public transport) signals 諷刺 (irony). 嗤之以鼻 ('sneers at') is dismissive, and the juxtaposition exposes hypocrisy, so the tone is ironic and critical.

Question 7Chinese reading and evidence

The phrase 「弦外之音」 (jin4 ngoi6 zi1 jam1, literally 'the sound beyond the strings') in literary analysis refers to:

  1. Implied meaning beneath the surface; the unstated message Correct answer.
  2. A musical instrument
  3. A grammatical error
  4. A loud, obvious statement

Explanation

弦外之音 means the implied, unstated meaning a writer leaves 'between the lines' - like overtones lingering after the strings stop. Recognising it is key to 閱讀理解 inference questions in Paper 1.

Question 8Chinese reading and evidence

Read this excerpt and infer the main idea: 「許多人以為成功靠運氣，其實，運氣只青睞有準備的人。沒有日積月累的努力，機會來臨時也只能眼睜睜看它溜走。」 The author argues that:

  1. Success depends entirely on luck
  2. One should wait passively for chances
  3. Effort is pointless without luck
  4. Opportunity favours the prepared; sustained effort is what lets one seize luck Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage states that luck favours 'those who are prepared' and that without 日積月累 (steady accumulated effort) one watches opportunity slip away. The main idea is that preparation and sustained effort allow a person to capitalise on chances when they come.

Question 9Chinese writing and communication

In a 記敘文 (gei3 zeoi6 man4, narrative essay), which technique creates suspense by hinting at something before it fully unfolds?

  1. 倒敘 (flashback) only
  2. 伏筆 (fuk6 bat1, foreshadowing) Correct answer.
  3. 說明 (exposition)
  4. 議論 (argumentation)

Explanation

伏筆 (foreshadowing) plants an earlier hint or detail that pays off later in the narrative, creating coherence and suspense. It is a key 寫作手法 rewarded in narrative composition and tested when analysing reading passages.

Question 10Chinese writing and communication

Read the passage opening: 「夕陽把天邊染成一片橘紅，老榕樹下，祖母的身影漸漸模糊。」 What writing mode (表達方式) dominates here?

  1. 議論 (argumentation)
  2. 應用 (functional/practical)
  3. 說明 (exposition)
  4. 描寫 (description, especially scene/atmosphere) Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence paints a vivid sensory scene - the sunset dyeing the sky orange-red, the grandmother's silhouette blurring under the banyan - which is 描寫 (descriptive writing) used to set mood and atmosphere, common in narrative and lyrical essays.

Question 11Chinese writing and communication

In an HKDSE 議論文, the argument method 「舉例論證」 (geoi2 lai6 leon6 zing3) refers to:

  1. Using analogies and metaphors to argue
  2. Citing concrete examples or facts to support the thesis Correct answer.
  3. Quoting famous sayings only
  4. Comparing two opposing things

Explanation

舉例論證 supports a claim with concrete examples, real cases, or facts (擺事實). It is one of several argument methods alongside 比喻論證 (analogy), 引用論證 (citing authorities/quotations), and 對比論證 (contrast). Markers reward relevant, well-chosen examples.

Question 12Chinese writing and communication

Read: 「這本小說的結局留白，引人深思。」 The term 「留白」 (lau4 baak6) as a writing/artistic technique means:

  1. Leaving deliberate gaps or open-endedness for the reader to fill in Correct answer.
  2. Writing in white ink
  3. Leaving the page physically blank by mistake
  4. Using only simple words

Explanation

留白 (literally 'leaving white space'), borrowed from Chinese painting, refers to deliberately leaving something unstated or open-ended so the reader/viewer imagines and reflects. An open-ended ending (結局留白) invites the reader to ponder, enriching the work.

Question 13Chinese writing and communication

The 修辭手法 in the slogan-like line 「為中華之崛起而讀書」 attributed to 周恩來, where reading is tied to a grand national aim, primarily relies on which appeal in 議論 writing?

  1. 訴諸權威 grounded in 引用論證 (citing an authoritative figure/quotation) Correct answer.
  2. 純粹描寫 (pure description)
  3. 說明文的下定義 (definition in exposition)
  4. 記敘的順敘 (chronological narration)

Explanation

Quoting a respected figure's words to lend weight to an argument is 引用論證 (citing authority). In essays, invoking 周恩來's 「為中華之崛起而讀書」 strengthens a point about purpose in study by drawing on an authoritative voice.

Question 14Classical Chinese reading

In 孟子《魚我所欲也》(Mencius, 'Fish is What I Desire'), the author uses 魚 (jyu4, fish) and 熊掌 (hung4 zoeng2, bear's paw) as a 比喻 (bei2 jyu6, metaphor/analogy) for which pair of concepts?

  1. Wealth (富) and poverty (貧)
  2. Life (生) and righteousness (義) Correct answer.
  3. Knowledge (學) and ignorance (愚)
  4. Loyalty (忠) and filial piety (孝)

Explanation

Mencius opens by saying he desires both fish and bear's paw but, if forced to choose, takes the bear's paw. This is an analogy (比喻論證) for 生 (life) and 義 (righteousness): both are desirable, but when they conflict one should 捨生取義 - give up life to keep righteousness.

Question 15Classical Chinese reading

In 韓愈《師說》(Han Yu, 'On the Teacher'), the famous opening 「師者，所以傳道、受業、解惑也。」 defines a teacher's three functions. Which is NOT one of them?

  1. 傳道 (transmit the Way / moral truth)
  2. 受業 (impart knowledge / studies)
  3. 解惑 (resolve doubts)
  4. 賺錢 (earn money) Correct answer.

Explanation

Han Yu defines a teacher by three duties: 傳道 (transmit the Way), 受業 (impart academic learning), and 解惑 (resolve students' doubts). 賺錢 (earning money) is unrelated and never part of the definition; the essay actually criticises the social shame attached to seeking teachers.

Question 16Classical Chinese reading

The 虛詞 (heoi1 ci4, function word) 「之」 in the classical sentence 「水陸草木之花」 (the flowers of water, land, grass and trees) functions as which part of speech here?

  1. A verb meaning 'to go'
  2. A possessive/attributive particle equivalent to modern 「的」 Correct answer.
  3. A first-person pronoun
  4. A sentence-final exclamatory particle

Explanation

Among the many uses of 之, here it is the structural/attributive particle linking a modifier to a noun, equivalent to modern 的 - so 水陸草木之花 means 'flowers of water, land, grass and trees'. This 虛詞 usage is heavily tested in Paper 1.

Question 17Classical Chinese reading

In 范仲淹《岳陽樓記》(Fan Zhongyan, 'Record of Yueyang Tower'), the celebrated maxim 「先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂」 expresses which ideal?

  1. A scholar-official should worry before all others and rejoice only after them, putting the people first Correct answer.
  2. Withdrawing from society to enjoy nature in solitude
  3. Pursuing personal wealth and pleasure above all
  4. Avoiding all political responsibility

Explanation

Fan Zhongyan's line means 'be the first under heaven to worry about its troubles, and the last to enjoy its pleasures'. It expresses the Confucian ideal of the 士大夫 (scholar-official) prioritising the welfare of the people and state above personal interest.

Question 18Classical Chinese reading

In classical Chinese, the 實詞 (sat6 ci4, content word) 「兵」 in 「收天下之兵，聚之咸陽」 (gather the weapons of the realm and collect them at Xianyang) most likely means:

  1. Weapons / arms Correct answer.
  2. Soldiers
  3. Strategy
  4. Borders

Explanation

兵 is a classic 一詞多義 (polysemous) content word: it can mean soldiers, weapons, or warfare depending on context. Here 收...兵 + 聚之 (gather and collect) shows physical objects, so 兵 means 'weapons/arms', as in 賈誼《過秦論》.

Question 19Chinese literature and interpretation

The 修辭手法 (sau1 ci4 sau2 faat3, rhetorical device) in the line 「問君能有幾多愁？恰似一江春水向東流。」 (How much sorrow can you have? Just like a river of spring water flowing east) is best described as which device?

  1. 比喻 (bei2 jyu6, metaphor/simile) Correct answer.
  2. 排比 (paai4 bei2, parallelism)
  3. 對偶 (deoi3 ngau5, antithesis/couplet)
  4. 誇張 (kwaa1 zoeng1, hyperbole)

Explanation

李煜's line compares abstract 愁 (sorrow) to a concrete 一江春水 (a river of spring water) using 恰似 ('just like'), making it a 比喻 (simile/metaphor). The vivid image conveys sorrow that is endless and unstoppable.

Question 20Chinese literature and interpretation

Which 修辭手法 is illustrated by 「桃花潭水深千尺，不及汪倫送我情。」 (The Peach Blossom Pool is a thousand feet deep, yet it cannot match Wang Lun's feeling in seeing me off)?

  1. 反問 (rhetorical question)
  2. 誇張兼襯托 (hyperbole with foil/contrast) Correct answer.
  3. 頂真 (anadiplosis)
  4. 雙關 (pun)

Explanation

李白 exaggerates the pool's depth to 'a thousand feet' (誇張, hyperbole) and then uses that depth as a 襯托 (foil) to magnify Wang Lun's friendship, which is said to be deeper still. The combination intensifies the emotion of parting.

Question 21Chinese literature and interpretation

The 修辭手法 in 「綠樹村邊合，青山郭外斜。」 (Green trees enclose the village's edge; blue hills slant beyond the outer wall) - two lines balanced in structure and meaning - is:

  1. 設問 (rhetorical self-question)
  2. 對偶 (antithesis / parallel couplet) Correct answer.
  3. 借代 (metonymy)
  4. 反復 (repetition)

Explanation

孟浩然's couplet shows 對偶: 綠樹 matches 青山 (colour + noun), 村邊 matches 郭外 (place words), and 合 matches 斜 (verbs). Word classes and structure align line-for-line, the hallmark of 對偶.

Question 22Chinese literature and interpretation

The 修辭手法 in 「春天像剛落地的娃娃，從頭到腳都是新的，它生長著。」 (Spring is like a newborn baby just come into the world, new from head to toe, and growing) is:

  1. 反問 (rhetorical question)
  2. 對偶 (antithesis)
  3. 比喻兼擬人 (metaphor combined with personification) Correct answer.
  4. 借代 (metonymy)

Explanation

朱自清's line both compares spring to a 娃娃 (baby) - a 比喻 (simile, marked by 像) - and gives spring the human ability to 生長 (grow) - 擬人 (personification). Combining devices intensifies the freshness and vitality of spring.

Question 23Chinese literature and interpretation

Which 修辭手法 appears in 「沉默呀，沉默呀！不在沉默中爆發，就在沉默中滅亡。」 (Silence, oh silence! If not erupting in silence, then perishing in silence) by 魯迅?

  1. 雙關 (pun)
  2. 借代 (metonymy)
  3. 反復兼對比 (repetition combined with contrast) Correct answer.
  4. 誇張 (hyperbole)

Explanation

鲁迅 repeats 沉默 (反復, repetition) for emphasis and pits two outcomes against each other - 爆發 (erupt) versus 滅亡 (perish) - a sharp 對比 (contrast). The combination drives home the urgency to act.

Question 24Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「杞人憂天」 (gei2 jan4 jau1 tin1, 'the man of Qi worrying about the sky') describes:

  1. Needless, groundless worry about things unlikely to happen Correct answer.
  2. Genuine concern for real dangers
  3. Careful long-term planning
  4. Worrying on behalf of others selflessly

Explanation

The idiom comes from a tale of a man in the state of Qi who feared the sky would collapse and could not eat or sleep. It mocks baseless, excessive anxiety over improbable disasters - what English calls 'crying that the sky is falling'.

Question 25Chinese language and usage

What does the 量詞 (loeng6 ci4, measure word/classifier) error in 「我買了三個書」 reveal, and what is the correct classifier for 書 (books)?

  1. No error; 個 is correct for books
  2. 個 is wrong; the correct classifier is 本 (三本書) Correct answer.
  3. 個 is wrong; the correct classifier is 張 (三張書)
  4. 個 is wrong; the correct classifier is 條 (三條書)

Explanation

Books take the classifier 本 (bun2), so the correct form is 三本書. 個 is a generic classifier but is incorrect for bound volumes; misusing classifiers is a common 病句/用詞 error tested in HKDSE.

Question 26Chinese language and usage

The idiom 「亡羊補牢」 (mong4 joeng4 bou2 lou4, 'mend the pen after a sheep is lost') conveys that:

  1. Taking remedial action after a loss can still prevent further damage; better late than never Correct answer.
  2. It is always too late to fix a problem
  3. One should never own livestock
  4. Prevention is impossible

Explanation

The full saying is 「亡羊補牢，未為晚也」 - after losing a sheep, mending the fence still saves the rest. It teaches that correcting a mistake, even after some loss, is worthwhile and prevents worse outcomes.

Question 27Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「井底之蛙」 (zeng2 dai2 zi1 waa1, 'a frog at the bottom of a well') describes a person who is:

  1. Wise and far-seeing
  2. Brave and adventurous
  3. Narrow-minded with limited experience and a restricted view of the world Correct answer.
  4. Generous and open-hearted

Explanation

From 莊子, the frog in a well thinks the small patch of sky it sees is the whole sky. The idiom mocks a person of narrow outlook and limited experience who mistakes their tiny world for the whole.

Question 28Chinese language and usage

Read: 「他不但沒有責怪我，反而安慰我說不要緊。」 The connective pattern 「不但…反而…」 expresses what kind of relationship between the two clauses?

  1. 並列 (coordinate, equal items)
  2. 因果 (cause and effect)
  3. 遞進與轉折 (progression contrary to expectation) Correct answer.
  4. 假設 (hypothetical condition)

Explanation

「不但…反而…」 signals that, contrary to what one might expect (blame), the opposite happened (comfort). It combines negation of the expected with a reversal, conveying 出乎意料 (against expectation). Recognising such 關聯詞 (connectives) is tested in grammar and comprehension.

Question 29Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「畫龍點睛」 (waak6 lung4 dim2 zing1, 'paint the dragon, dot the eyes') means to:

  1. Spoil a work with needless additions
  2. Add a crucial finishing touch that brings the whole to life Correct answer.
  3. Draw realistic animals
  4. Waste time on trivial details

Explanation

Legend says a painter who added eyes to his dragons made them fly off the wall. The idiom means adding the vital final stroke - a key word, sentence or detail - that makes the whole work come alive. It is the positive counterpart of 畫蛇添足.

Question 30Chinese language and usage

Which word correctly fills the blank to form a standard idiom describing extreme diligence: 「廢___忘食」 (so absorbed one forgets to sleep and eat)?

  1. 寢 (cam2, sleep) Correct answer.
  2. 話 (waa6, speech)
  3. 話 repeated
  4. 錢 (cin4, money)

Explanation

The idiom is 廢寢忘食 - 'neglect sleep (廢寢) and forget meals (忘食)' - describing total devotion to work or study. 寢 means to sleep/rest.

Question 31Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「一鳴驚人」 (jat1 ming4 ging1 jan4) describes someone who:

  1. Makes noise constantly
  2. Frightens others on purpose
  3. Stays quiet/unremarkable for a long time then suddenly achieves a stunning success Correct answer.
  4. Fails repeatedly in public

Explanation

From the story of King Zhuang of Chu (a bird that 'does not cry, but once it cries, it startles everyone'), 一鳴驚人 describes a person who is obscure for a while and then accomplishes something astonishing in one stroke.

Question 32Chinese language and usage

Which sentence correctly uses 「的、地、得」 - the three structural particles distinguished in modern Chinese grammar?

  1. 他高興得跳起來，臉上露出燦爛的笑容，慢慢地走過來。 Correct answer.
  2. 他高興的跳起來，臉上露出燦爛地笑容，慢慢得走過來。
  3. 他高興地跳起來，臉上露出燦爛得笑容，慢慢的走過來。
  4. 他高興得跳起來，臉上露出燦爛地笑容，慢慢得走過來。

Explanation

得 follows a verb to introduce a complement (高興得跳起來 = so happy he jumped); 的 links a modifier to a noun (燦爛的笑容); 地 links a modifier to a verb as an adverbial (慢慢地走). Option 0 applies all three correctly.

Question 33Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「南轅北轍」 (naam4 jyun4 bak1 cit3, 'shafts south, tracks north') means:

  1. Travelling efficiently to a destination
  2. Going on a long journey for pleasure
  3. Acting in a way that is directly contrary to one's stated goal Correct answer.
  4. Following others blindly

Explanation

The idiom tells of a man heading to the southern state of Chu but driving his cart north. It means one's actions run completely opposite to one's intended aim - the harder you try the wrong way, the further you get from your goal.

Question 34Chinese language and usage

Read: 「李教授的演講深入淺出，連門外漢也聽得明白。」 The phrase 「深入淺出」 (sam1 jap6 cin2 ceot1) means the speaker:

  1. Spoke in a confusing, complicated way
  2. Stayed only on shallow topics
  3. Explained profound ideas in a simple, accessible way Correct answer.
  4. Spoke too quietly to be heard

Explanation

深入淺出 means to grasp a subject deeply (深入) yet express it simply and clearly (淺出), so that even a 門外漢 (layperson) can understand. It is high praise for a teacher or writer.

Question 35Chinese language and usage

Which connective correctly completes a conditional sentence: 「___ 你努力溫習，___ 一定能取得好成績。」?

  1. 雖然…但是…
  2. 因為…所以…
  3. 只要…就… Correct answer.
  4. 不但…而且…

Explanation

「只要…就…」 expresses a sufficient condition: 'as long as you study hard, you will surely get good results.' It correctly links the condition (努力溫習) to the guaranteed outcome (取得好成績).

Question 36Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「對牛彈琴」 (deoi3 ngau4 taan4 kam4, 'playing the lute to a cow') means to:

  1. Perform music skilfully
  2. Speak to / explain something to someone who cannot understand or appreciate it Correct answer.
  3. Train animals patiently
  4. Waste money on instruments

Explanation

The idiom mocks the futility of addressing fine words or reasoning to someone incapable of appreciating them - 'like playing the lute to a cow'. It can also gently criticise the speaker for misjudging the audience.

Question 37Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「水落石出」 (seoi2 lok6 sek6 ceot1, 'water recedes and rocks emerge') means:

  1. A flood is coming
  2. Rocks are being mined
  3. A drought has occurred
  4. The truth comes fully to light once obscuring factors are removed Correct answer.

Explanation

When the water level drops, the rocks beneath become visible. The idiom means that the full truth of a matter eventually becomes clear once the things hiding it are gone - the facts 'surface'.

Question 38Chinese language and usage

Which sentence shows a 用詞不當 (improper word choice) error?

  1. 經過三年努力，他終於實現了當醫生的理想。
  2. 我們應該珍惜光陰。
  3. 他改正了自己的缺點。
  4. 這次比賽，他發揮了優異的水平。 Correct answer.

Explanation

水平 (level) is not something one 發揮 (brings into play); the correct collocation is 發揮…實力/水準, or one would say 表現出優異的水平. 發揮了優異的水平 is a 搭配不當 (improper collocation), a type of 用詞不當. The other three sentences pair their verbs and objects correctly.

Question 39Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「胸有成竹」 (hung1 jau5 sing4 zuk1, 'having a complete bamboo in one's chest') means to:

  1. Be anxious and unprepared
  2. Grow plants indoors
  3. Eat bamboo shoots
  4. Have a well-formed plan and full confidence before acting Correct answer.

Explanation

The idiom comes from a painter who, before drawing bamboo, already had its complete image in mind. It means having a clear, ready plan and confidence in advance - being fully prepared to handle a task.

Question 40Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「飲水思源」 (jam2 seoi2 si1 jyun4, 'when drinking water, think of its source') teaches that one should:

  1. Conserve water carefully
  2. Explore rivers and springs
  3. Drink only clean water
  4. Remember and be grateful to those who helped you or the origin of your good fortune Correct answer.

Explanation

飲水思源 means that when enjoying a benefit (drinking water) one should remember where it came from (the source) - i.e. be grateful to those who made one's success or comfort possible. It is a common theme in 品德情意 (moral/affective) writing.

Question 41Chinese language and usage

Which sentence contains a 語序不當 (improper word order) error?

  1. 他把功課做完了。
  2. 我們討論並通過了這項建議。
  3. 這個問題我們研究了反覆多次。 Correct answer.
  4. 她仔細地檢查了試卷。

Explanation

In 「研究了反覆多次」 the adverbial 反覆 (repeatedly) is misplaced after the verb; correct order is 「反覆研究了多次」. This 語序不當 (word-order) error places the manner adverb wrongly. The other sentences have correct, natural ordering.

Question 42Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「鍥而不舍」 (kit3 ji4 bat1 se2) - which appears in 荀子《勸學》- describes:

  1. Giving up easily
  2. Resting frequently
  3. Acting carelessly
  4. Persevering without stopping; carving on without giving up Correct answer.

Explanation

From 勸學 (「鍥而不舍，金石可鏤」), 鍥而不舍 means to keep carving without ever stopping - i.e. to persevere with unflagging effort. Xunzi uses it to argue that sustained effort can engrave even metal and stone.

Question 43Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「精益求精」 (zing1 jik1 kau4 zing1) means to:

  1. Be satisfied with mediocrity
  2. Imitate others closely
  3. Work less to save energy
  4. Strive for ever greater excellence even when already good Correct answer.

Explanation

精益求精 means that when something is already excellent (精), one still seeks to make it even better (益求精). It expresses a pursuit of continuous improvement and the highest standards.

Question 44Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「事半功倍」 (si6 bun3 gung1 pui5) means:

  1. Doubling the effort for half the result
  2. Getting twice the result with half the effort (high efficiency) Correct answer.
  3. Working all day with no rest
  4. Failing despite great effort

Explanation

事半功倍 means achieving double the effect (功倍) with half the effort (事半) - i.e. great efficiency, usually thanks to a good method. Its opposite is 事倍功半 (twice the effort, half the result).

Question 45Chinese language and usage

Which pair of words are 近義詞 (jan6 ji6 ci4, near-synonyms) but differ in 褒貶 (positive vs negative connotation)?

  1. 美麗 (beautiful) and 漂亮 (pretty)
  2. 巨大 (huge) and 龐大 (enormous)
  3. 高興 (happy) and 快樂 (joyful)
  4. 果斷 (decisive, positive) and 武斷 (arbitrary, negative) Correct answer.

Explanation

果斷 and 武斷 both relate to making quick decisions, but 果斷 (decisive) is praise (褒義) while 武斷 (arbitrary, dogmatic) is criticism (貶義). Choosing the right connotation is a common 辨析近義詞 task. The other pairs are similar in connotation.

Question 46Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「不恥下問」 (bat1 ci2 haa6 man6) - alluded to in 韓愈《師說》- means:

  1. Feeling ashamed to ask questions
  2. Not being ashamed to ask those of lower status or learning Correct answer.
  3. Refusing to answer questions
  4. Asking only superiors for help

Explanation

不恥下問 means feeling no shame in asking those below oneself in rank or knowledge. It praises humility in learning, a value reinforced by 師說's argument that 「道之所存，師之所存也」 - wherever the Way is, there is one's teacher.

Question 47Chinese language and usage

Read: 「他做事一向小心翼翼。」 The reduplicated phrase 「小心翼翼」 (siu2 sam1 jik6 jik6) describes acting:

  1. Recklessly and carelessly
  2. Lazily and slowly
  3. Quickly and impatiently
  4. With great caution and care Correct answer.

Explanation

小心翼翼 means to act with extreme caution and care, attentive to every detail. The 翼翼 reduplication intensifies the sense of carefulness. It is a common descriptive idiom in narrative and descriptive writing.

Question 48Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「雪中送炭」 (syut3 zung1 sung3 taan3, 'sending charcoal in the snow') means:

  1. Giving a luxurious gift to a rich friend
  2. Showing off one's wealth
  3. Making things worse for someone in trouble
  4. Offering timely help to someone in urgent need Correct answer.

Explanation

Sending charcoal (for warmth) during snowy cold means giving help exactly when it is most needed. The idiom praises timely aid to someone in difficulty. Its opposite, adding to another's trouble, is 落井下石.

Question 49Chinese language and usage

Which sentence contains a 成分殘缺 (missing-element) error?

  1. 經過老師耐心的講解，使我終於明白了這道題。 Correct answer.
  2. 老師耐心的講解讓我終於明白了這道題。
  3. 我終於明白了這道題。
  4. 這道題我終於明白了。

Explanation

「經過…講解，使我明白」 has no subject for 使 - the prepositional phrase 經過… cannot serve as the subject, so the sentence lacks a 主語 (subject), a 成分殘缺 error. Removing 經過 or 使 fixes it (e.g. option 1).

Question 50Chinese language and usage

The 成語 「捨本逐末」 (se2 bun2 zuk6 mut6) means to:

  1. Focus on the fundamentals first
  2. Save the best for last
  3. Finish a task from start to end
  4. Neglect the essential and chase the trivial; get priorities backwards Correct answer.

Explanation

捨本逐末 means abandoning the root/essential (本) and pursuing the branch/trivial (末) - getting one's priorities inverted by focusing on minor matters while ignoring what truly counts.