Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?
Study in the app →Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 26
考试当天 Exam day
Exam day for 小红 — nerves and pacing. Teaches 越 X 越 Y (the more X, the more Y) and 怎么也 + V (no matter how, V).
Dialogue
越紧张越错 — The more nervous, the more mistakes
- 小红 我刚走进考场就开始紧张. I started feeling nervous the moment I walked into the test room.
- 同学 越紧张越回答不好, 你慢慢来. The more nervous, the worse you answer — take it slow.
- 小红 我心跳得很快, 越想生词越想不起来. My heart's racing — the more I try to recall the new words the less I can.
- 同学 考生都一样. 越是大考越紧张. All test takers feel that. The bigger the exam, the more nervous.
- 小红 我得冷静一下, 坚持把题做完. I need to calm down and push through to finish the questions.
- 同学 深呼吸, 越深呼吸越好. Take deep breaths — the deeper the better.
Dialogue
怎么也想不起来 — Can't recall it no matter how
- 小红 这个生词我怎么也想不起来. I can't recall this word no matter how I try.
- 同学 昨天还背得很好, 怎么也忘了一个. You knew it yesterday — somehow you've forgotten one.
- 小红 考场太安静, 我怎么也冷静不下来. The room is so quiet — I just can't calm down.
- 同学 别想了, 越想越紧张. Stop thinking about it — the more you think the more nervous.
- 小红 好. 我先看别的题, 这个怎么也回答不好就跳过去. OK. I'll do other questions first — if I can't answer this one I'll skip.
- 同学 对. 后面想起来再回来. Right. Come back if it comes to you later.
Vocabulary
- 考场
-
noun exam venue; test room
- 紧张
-
adjective nervous; tense (recall ch03)
- 越
-
adverb the more (parallel marker)
- 怎么也
-
adverb no matter how; in no way
- 开始
-
verb begin; start (recall Bk1)
- 回答
-
verb answer; respond
- 想起
-
verb recall; come to mind
- 忘
-
verb forget (recall Bk1)
- 心
-
noun heart (recall Bk1)
- 跳
-
verb jump; beat (heart)
- 深呼吸
-
verb take a deep breath
- 考生
-
noun test taker; candidate
- 安静
-
adjective quiet (recall ch04)
- 慢慢
-
adverb slowly (recall Bk1)
- 冷静
-
adjective calm; cool-headed
- 小红
-
pn. Xiao Hong (persona — recall ch21)
New characters
- 呼
-
(in 深呼吸 = take a deep breath)
深呼吸 shēn hūxī — take a deep breath打招呼 dǎ zhāohu — greet; say hello - 吸
-
(in 深呼吸 = take a deep breath)
深呼吸 shēn hūxī — take a deep breath
Hanzi — writing & recognition
yuè exceed; the more (parallel marker) Writing
xīn heart (recall Bk1) Writing
dá answer Recognition
tiào jump; beat Recognition
wàng forget (recall Bk1) Recognition
Grammar
越 X 越 Y — parallel intensification
Explanation
`越 X 越 Y` = "as X grows, so does Y". Both 越 take an adjective or verb. 越紧张越错 / 越想越累 / 越走越远. Same subject on both sides. Not to be confused with 越来越 X (= "more and more X", a different shape). Negation often inside: 越 + 不 + V (越想越不知道). Adds rhythmic intensity to a story line.
Examples
- 越紧张越回答不好. The more nervous, the worse you answer.
- 越想生词越想不起来. The more I try to recall the words, the less I can.
- 越走越远. The further you walk, the further away.
- 越是安静的地方越好复习. The quieter the place, the better for studying.
Grammar
怎么也 + V — no matter how, can't / does V
Explanation
Grammar-01 stressed degree growing. `怎么也 + V` stresses "no matter how (I try), V". Most often negative + resultative: 怎么也想不起来 / 怎么也冷静不下来 / 怎么也找不到. Affirmative is rare. Close cousin of 不管 X 都 Y, but 怎么也 keeps the speaker as the trier — emphasises personal effort.
Examples
- 这个生词我怎么也想不起来. I can't recall this word no matter how I try.
- 我怎么也冷静不下来. I just can't calm down.
- 钥匙怎么也找不到. I can't find the key anywhere.
- 他怎么也不同意. He won't agree no matter what.
Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?
Study in the app →