Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?

Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 25

准备考试 Preparing for an exam

Zhǔnbèi kǎoshì

Xiao Hong prepping for an exam alone. Teaches V + 了 + duration and 离 + event + 还有 + duration (counting down).

Dialogue

我复习了三个小时 — I've studied for three hours

小红我wǒ已yǐ经jīng复fù习xí了le三sān个gè小xiǎo时shí了le. I've already been studying for three hours.
同学背bèi了le多duō少shǎo生shēng词cí? How many new words have you memorised?
小红我wǒ背bèi了le五wǔ十shí个gè, 还hái差chà不bù多duō三sān十shí个gè. I've done fifty — about thirty to go.
同学语yǔ法fǎ的de题tí做zuò了le几jǐ页yè? How many pages of grammar questions did you do?
小红做zuò了le十shí页yè, 还hái有yǒu十shí页yè. Done ten — ten pages left.
同学你nǐ坚jiān持chí一yí下xià, 我wǒ去qù给gěi你nǐ买mǎi一yì杯bēi咖kā啡fēi. Hang in there — I'll get you a coffee.
小红谢xiè谢xiè! 我wǒ也yě要yào看kàn一yí下xià笔bǐ记jì, 想xiǎng想xiǎng自zì己jǐ的de看kàn法fǎ. Thanks! I'll review the notes too, and think over my own views.

Dialogue

离考试还有两天 — Two days until the exam

同学离lí考kǎo试shì还hái有yǒu几jǐ天tiān? How many days until the exam?
小红还hái有yǒu两liǎng天tiān. 恐kǒng怕pà时shí间jiān不bú够gòu了le. Two more days. I'm afraid there isn't enough time.
同学你nǐ今jīn天tiān夜yè里lǐ还hái要yào看kàn书shū吗ma? Are you reading tonight too?
小红是shì. 这zhè次cì考kǎo试shì大dà概gài很hěn难nán, 离lí考kǎo试shì这zhè么me近jìn, 我wǒ得dé坚jiān持chí. Yes. This exam is probably hard, and with it this close I have to keep going.
同学离lí学xué校xiào的de图tú书shū馆guǎn远yuǎn吗ma? 在zài那nà里lǐ看kàn可kě能néng更gèng清qīng楚chǔ. Is the library far? It might be clearer there.
小红不bù远yuǎn. 复fù习xí完wán这zhè一yí页yè我wǒ就jiù去qù. Not far. Once I finish this page I'll head over.

Vocabulary

考kǎo试shì: noun exam; test (recall Bk2)
复fù习xí: verb review (recall ch21)
背bèi: verb memorise; recite
生shēng词cí: noun new vocabulary
语yǔ法fǎ: noun grammar
题tí: noun question; problem
离lí: preposition away from; until (in time/space)
还hái有yǒu: adverb still have; X left (recall Bk1)
页yè: m. measure word for pages
夜yè里lǐ: noun at night; late night
困kùn: adjective sleepy
咖kā啡fēi: noun coffee (recall Bk1)
差chà不bù多duō: adverb almost; nearly
坚jiān持chí: verb persist; keep going
笔bǐ记jì: noun notes; lecture notes
小xiǎo红hóng: pn. Xiao Hong (persona — recall ch21)

New characters

背bèi: memorise; back
词: word (recall Bk2)
生词 shēngcí — new vocabulary
页yè: page
坚: (in 坚持 = persist; keep going)
坚持 jiānchí — persist; keep going
持: (in 坚持 = persist; keep going)
坚持 jiānchí — persist; keep going保持 bǎochí — keep; maintain
恐

Hanzi — writing & recognition

考

kǎo test; examine (in 考试) Writing

6 strokes top-bottom

复

fù review; repeat (in 复习) Writing

9 strokes top-bottom

背

bèi memorise; back Recognition

9 strokes top-bottom

题

tí question; problem Recognition

15 strokes left-right

页

yè page Recognition

6 strokes top-bottom

离

lí away from; gap Recognition

10 strokes top-bottom

Grammar

Quantity complement: V + 了 + duration (how long) (三51)

Explanation

How long an action LASTED: "verb + 了 + duration". 我学中文学了两年 / 我等了他半个小时. With an object, two patterns: (1) copy the verb: 我学中文学了两年. (2) 的 after duration: 我学了两年的中文. This is the action's duration — different from the "elapsed gap" of 三52.

Examples

我学中文学了两年. I've studied Chinese for two years.
我等了他半个小时. I waited half an hour for him.
我看书看了一上午. I read for a whole morning.
他复习了三个小时. He revised for three hours.

Grammar

Modal adverbs: 大概 / 恐怕 (三18)

Explanation

Grammar-01 was duration. Two adverbs of conjecture: 大概 = probably / about (大概要下雨 / 大概三十岁). 恐怕 = a worried guess, usually for bad things (恐怕来不了 / 恐怕是病了). Both before the predicate. 大概 is neutral; 恐怕 carries worry.

Examples

这次考试大概很难. This exam is probably hard.
天这么黑, 大概要下雨. The sky's so dark — it'll probably rain.
我头疼, 恐怕是病了. My head hurts — I'm afraid I'm ill.
他恐怕来不了了. I'm afraid he can't make it.

Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?

Study in the app →