Advanced Chinese
HSK 5–6 (HSK 3.0): building an argument, strong feelings, the classical elements of written Chinese (之, 其, 所, 以…为), law and public notices, Chinese at work, money, the news, society, health, science and the arts -- the HSK 5 and 6 word lists.
0 of 378 required lessons completed · 18 units
- writingI can build an argument step by step: take a position, set out my points in order, concede a point, weigh one option against another and sum up.
- writingI can explain causes and results in formal style: give the reason something is so, what it leads to and what it shows.
- speakingI can stress how strongly I feel, say "let alone" and "even", and react in the right tone to surprises, setbacks and things I don't mind about.
- interactionI can handle cooking and repairs at home, and talk about relationships, love and family, and giving and losing face.
- readingI can read the classical elements still used in written Chinese: the old possessive and pronoun words, "that which" structures, formal negatives and frames such as "take A as B".
- readingI can follow reports of crimes and court cases, and understand rules, warnings and what to do in an emergency.
- interactionI can take part in meetings and negotiations, write formal business emails and handle a job interview.
- speakingI can talk about banking, shares and the economy, using approximate figures and multiples.
- readingI can follow news reports, headlines and data, and discuss social issues and change.
- interactionI can describe symptoms and get treatment, and discuss science, technology and the environment.
- writingI can tell a story with vivid timing and sudden turns, and write a review of a film, a show or a work of art.
Advanced Chinese short stories · graded reading practice with audio and English
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However and Whereas: 然而 and 而
Turn an argument with the written 然而 ('however') and set two things side by side with 而 ('whereas'), and know which one a sentence needs.
Pattern Practice: 然而 and 而
Drill the two patterns until they're automatic: 'A。然而，B' for an unexpected turn and 'A，而 B' for two sides compared, from recognition to full sentences.
Drill: However and Whereas: 然而 and 而
Choose and produce 然而 (however, in writing) and 而 (whereas) without hesitating, from single gaps to two-sentence arguments.
Spaced review
Back again, just as you might be forgetting: Choices: 选择, 面临, 作出决定, Challenges: 挑战, 奋斗, 承受, Failure and luck: 失败, 运气, 收获, The future: 未来, 前途, 期待 and more.
Admittedly … But: 固然…但…
Grant the other side's point with 固然 and counter it with 但 or 可是, tell 固然 apart from 虽然 and 尽管, and talk about positions and controversies with 立场, 争议 and 认同.
Reading: An Opinion Column
Read a short newspaper column on working from home, find every concession and counter-argument, and translate its key sentences.
Drill: Admittedly … But: 固然…但…
Grant a point with 固然 and counter it with 但, 可是 or 却, say 'A is fine, and so is B' with 固然…也, and argue with 立场, 争议 and 认同, from short gaps to full debate sentences.
Rather Than … Better To: 与其…不如…
Weigh two courses of action and recommend the second with 与其 A，不如 B, compare two things with A 不如 B, and say 'it's not so much A as B' with 与其说…不如说….
Rewrite: 与其…不如…
Turn plain advice into 与其 A，不如 B and plain comparisons into A 不如 B, working from English situations.
Drill: Rather Than … Better To: 与其…不如…
Give advice with 与其 A，不如 B, compare with A 不如 B, and reframe a description with 与其说 A，不如说 B, from single gaps to full sentences.
Would Rather … Than: 宁可…也不…
Make a determined choice between two unappealing options with 宁可…也不…, accept a cost to reach a goal with 宁可…也要…, and tell 宁可 apart from the calmer 与其…不如….
Contrast: 宁可…也不… vs 与其…不如…
Both patterns choose between two options, but the speaker's choice sits in a different place and the tone is different. Practise telling them apart and producing both.
Drill: Would Rather … Than: 宁可…也不…
State firm choices with 宁可 (宁愿) A，也不 B and 宁可 A，也要 B, and tell them apart from the calmer 与其…不如, from single gaps to full sentences.
Even Supposing: 就算 and 即便
Make a hypothetical concession in speech with 就算 and in writing with 即便, keep them apart from 即使 and 哪怕, and refuse outright with 决不 and 无论如何也不.
Drill: Even Supposing: 就算 and 即便
Say 'even if' in the right register with 就算, 即使 and 即便, refuse outright with 决不 and 无论如何也不, and drop a matter with 那就算了, from single gaps to long sentences.
Taking a Position
State an opinion and adjust how strongly you hold it: 在我看来, 我倾向于, 说实话, 估计, 不可否认 and 无疑; weigh a question with 是否 and 无论…都; and describe views as 主观, 公认, 对立 or 极端.
Speed Round: Agree, Disagree, Hedge
Answer fast, from English into Chinese: agree, partly agree or disagree, in a neutral register you could use with colleagues.
Drill: Taking a Position
State, hedge and strengthen an opinion in the right register: 在我看来, 我倾向于, 说实话, 估计, 猜测, 不可否认, 无疑, 是否, 公认, 主观 and 对立, from short gaps to full argument sentences.
If It Weren't For: 要不是
Say what would have happened without someone or something with 要不是…就/早就…了, and keep it apart from 如果, 幸亏…不然, forward-looking 要不然 and 否则, and 除非…否则.
Drill: If It Weren't For: 要不是
Say what would have happened with 要不是…就/早就…了, tell it apart from 如果没, 幸亏…不然, 要不然 and 除非…否则, from single gaps to long sentences.
Unit 1 review
A quiz, listening and speaking on 然而 and 而, 固然…但…, 与其…不如…, 宁可…也不… and more.
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