Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) - Mandarin "TOEFL"

[opulant]

HSK is going to be the de facto Mandarin proficiency certification of the future. It will supersede all the other school exam based exactly just like what TOEFL had done for English.

Whether we agree or not with its depth and scope, like it or not ... this is what the world will "recognise" if certification is important.

Went to one of the exam venue where HSK exam is conducted in Malaysia. I spoke with the HSK examiners about the standard of HSK vs SPM Mandarin.

1. HSK is different with SPM Mandarin. Mandarin subjects in Malaysia Chinese school cover the Chinese literature and classical Chinese.

2. There is zero literature content in HSK syllabus. HSK primary focus is on the application and usage. It is like the " second language subject " for people whose mother tongue is not Mandarin.

3. The standard of SPM Mandarin is on par with the highest level of HSK (HSK level 6), if not beyond.


and yes, it is getting more and more popular as an assessment for Mandarin proficiency for foreigners who wish to demonstrate that they have learned Mandarin.

[tupai]

If the student studied in Chinese primary school before and still reading mandarin papers/magazine/books in secondary level, he/she will ace the HSK level 5 or 6 without any problem..

For kwai loh school like the international school, a primary 6 SJKC student who get an A in UPSR will ace the IGCSE Mandarin exam (equivalent of O level), I am not kidding..

Many of my child's classmates and even her mandarin speaking cousins kind of influenced her NOT to take the Mandarin 'O' level. They thought it will be tough* and want to spend time concentrating on the 4?5? other Os. Not been given a choice by her financial, she took it and Lo & Behold! she Ace+'d it ...

38 Cina provincial cities' GDP are bigger than many developed angmo countries, if u take the delta regions, they will swallowed even that of Oz & Korean.
Bolehland GDP is that of a rural village sprouting somewhere along the silk road.

* I told her the Cambridge board is NOT to set it so tough that thousands of angmos around the world will fail it...QED.