STAMP 4S Chinese Practice Test: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking

By the end you can

• Know how the four sections work. Reading and listening adapt to your answers and ask their questions in English. Writing and speaking are typed and recorded answers rated by people, so answer every part of each prompt in full sentences.
  我想说两件事。 · Wǒ xiǎng shuō liǎng jiàn shì. · I want to talk about two things.
• Move an answer up from level 4 to level 6. Add one detail (when, where, with whom), join ideas with 因为, 所以 and 但是, and move between 以前, 现在 and 以后.
  以前我不太喜欢运动，现在我每个星期打三次篮球。 · Yǐqián wǒ bú tài xǐhuan yùndòng, xiànzài wǒ měi ge xīngqī dǎ sān cì lánqiú. · I didn't use to like sports much; now I play basketball three times a week.
• Type with pinyin input without homophone slips. Check every character you pick, above all 在 and 再, 的 and 得, 做 and 作, and fix sentences that each have one wrong character.
  我明天再来。 · Wǒ míngtiān zài lái. · I'll come again tomorrow.
• Read signs, text messages and a post, answering in English. A library sign, a team notice, a message asking a friend to pick up homework, a cinema plan and Lin Hao's post about ordering in Chinese at a restaurant.
• Catch details in a voice message and a short talk. A teacher's message about a class in the park and Lin Hao on two weeks in Shanghai, both on the free audio, with questions in English.
• Type a message and two posts at two levels. Your school day for a new student from Shanghai, a healthy-lunch post and a post about a trip. Plan each part, practise linking words, then compare with the level 4 and level 6 model answers.
• Answer three recorded speaking prompts. Your Saturdays, eating well and a favourite place near your home. Compare a level 4 and a level 6 answer, find the words that lift the second, then answer for yourself.
  下个周六我打算去图书馆，因为下个星期有考试。 · Xià ge zhōuliù wǒ dǎsuàn qù túshūguǎn, yīnwèi xià ge xīngqī yǒu kǎoshì. · Next Saturday I plan to go to the library because I have a test next week.

What’s inside

• The test: STAMP 4S in One Page · Moving Up from Level 4 to 6
• Reading: Reading: Notes to Posts
• Listening: Listening: Messages to Talks
• Topic 1: Writing: Daily Life and School: Writing · Speaking: Daily Life and School: Speaking
• Topic 2: Writing: Food and Health: Writing · Speaking: Food and Health: Speaking
• Topic 3: Writing: Travel and Community: Writing · Speaking: Travel and Community: Speaking
• Plan: Four Weeks to Test Day

How to use this book

Two pages on how the test works, reading and listening practice, then three topics with a writing page and a speaking page each. Type every answer with pinyin input and answer each speaking prompt aloud against a clock.

1. Week 1: Reading, listening and a first prompt. Do pages 5 and 6 with the free audio, then type one writing prompt against the clock.
2. Week 2: Daily life and school. Do the Topic 1 writing and speaking pages. Record your spoken answer and listen back once.
3. Week 3: Food and health, travel and community. Do Topics 2 and 3. Type every answer with pinyin input and check each character for 在 and 再, 的 and 得, 做 and 作.
4. Week 4: One of each a day. Redo one writing and one speaking prompt a day with a phone timer, then tick the level checklist on page 13.
5. Before test day: Check your setup. Ask your teacher which keyboard and character set the test computer uses and practise on the same setup. Find out the level your state's Seal asks for in each skill.

Who it’s for

Middle and high school students taking a Chinese test in the STAMP 4S format, including those working towards their state's Seal of Biliteracy, and teachers who want four-skill practice with audio.

Before you start: Chinese at about HSK 2 to 3, aiming for levels 4 to 6. The book uses Simplified characters; ask your teacher whether your test also offers Traditional. Answers and SayMei model answers are in the key.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cover all four sections?

Yes: reading, listening, typed writing and recorded speaking, in the STAMP 4S format. SayMei wrote every task. On test day reading and listening adapt to your answers, so the book's reading and listening pages are for practice and can't predict a level.

Which level should I aim for?

Ask your teacher, and check what your state's Seal asks for, since the rules differ by state. The checklist on page 13 describes habits at levels 4, 5 and 6, so you can see what to add next: a reason, a detail, then a second time frame.

Should I practise typing?

Yes. Writing is typed with pinyin input, so practise on a computer and check each pick for sound-alikes like 在 and 再. Ask your teacher which keyboard and character set the test computer uses.

Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 18-page PDF is free, and you can look through its pages here before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

Can I print copies for my class?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

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