Texas Credit by Exam Chinese I Practice: Words, Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking

By the end you can

• Know what a Chinese I credit-by-exam test covers. Each district and UT High School sets its own format. Page 3 sums up UT High School's study guide as an example: multiple choice, then writing and speaking prompts.
  我学了一年中文。 · Wǒ xuéle yì nián Zhōngwén. · I have studied Chinese for one year.
• Learn the core Chinese I words in ten groups. Greetings, family, school, food and time, each row with pinyin and English, plus tips like 没有 (never 不有) and putting the time before the verb.
  我家有四口人。 · Wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén. · There are four people in my family.
• Answer listening questions on dialogues, a message and a lunch order. Choose the best reply to a spoken question, catch class times and days, mark true or false about a family, and answer in English about a teacher's voice message.
  我不想吃米饭，我要面条。我也想喝茶，不想喝水。 · Wǒ bù xiǎng chī mǐfàn, wǒ yào miàntiáo. Wǒ yě xiǎng hē chá, bù xiǎng hē shuǐ. · I don't want rice; I'll have noodles. And I'd like tea, not water.
• Read a text message and choose the right words. Find the plan, the time and the meeting place in a message, pick the measure word 个 or 本, choose 没 before 有, and match questions to answers.
  我有两本中文书。 · Wǒ yǒu liǎng běn Zhōngwén shū. · I have two Chinese books.
• Read about Spring Festival and answer culture questions. Read a short text about Spring Festival in Houston, then answer a culture quiz on mooncakes, red envelopes, the lucky number eight and signs like 出口 and 洗手间.
  新年快乐 · xīnnián kuàilè · Happy New Year
• Write sentences and three short paragraphs about yourself. Put words in order, fix one mistake in each sentence, then answer three prompts in 3 to 5 sentences: introduce yourself, invite a friend and describe your school day. Each has a model answer.
  我叫安娜，今年十四岁。 · Wǒ jiào Ānnà, jīnnián shísì suì. · My name is Anna, and I'm fourteen.
• Answer ten speaking questions out loud. Hear four questions answered on the audio, then answer six more yourself in 30 seconds each: your age, where you live, your favourite class, your weekend, the weather and why you study Chinese.
  你家有几口人？ · Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén? · How many people are in your family?

What’s inside

• The exam: Credit by Exam for Chinese I
• Words: Core Chinese I Words
• Listening: Listening 1: Short Dialogues · Listening 2: Message, Days, Lunch
• Reading: Reading 1: A Message and Grammar · Reading 2: A Festival and Culture
• Writing: Writing: Sentences and Prompts
• Speaking: Speaking: Ten Questions
• Plan: Four Weeks to Exam Day

How to use this book

Page 11 is a four-week plan. Start by asking your school counselor for the Chinese I credit by exam date, the study guide and the score you need, and choose Simplified or Traditional if your test offers both.

1. Week 1: Words and three grammar traps. Learn the ten word groups on page 4 and say each row with the audio twice a day. Learn three traps: measure words (两本书), 没有 (never 不有) and time before the verb.
2. Week 2: Listening. Do Listening 1 and 2. Play each track twice, then read the script in the key. Replay one track a day and say every line in the pause.
3. Week 3: Reading and writing. Do Reading 1 and 2 and learn the festivals and greetings in the culture quiz. Write the three writing prompts from memory and compare them with the models in the key.
4. Week 4: Speaking and a timed run. Answer the ten speaking questions out loud with the timer and record yourself. Then redo every page in one timed sitting and mark it with the key.
5. The day before: Get ready. Sleep well, and check the time, the place and what to bring.

Who it’s for

Texas students in grades 6 to 12 preparing a credit-by-exam test for Chinese I with their school district or UT High School, and the parents helping them get ready.

Before you start: Some Chinese I study, at about HSK 1. Everything is in Simplified characters with pinyin. Get your own test's study guide first, since each district sets its own format.

Frequently asked questions

Will it match my district's Chinese I exam?

Each district and UT High School sets its own format, so ask your school counselor for the test date, the study guide and the score you need. The book practises the four skills most Chinese I exams share: listening, reading with grammar and culture, writing prompts and speaking questions.

Simplified or Traditional characters?

The book uses Simplified characters with pinyin. Some tests let you choose Simplified or Traditional, so check your study guide and pick one before you start.

How can a parent help?

The key at the back has every answer and model answer, so you can mark a page together. The book's own tip: parents help most by listening. Ask your student the ten speaking questions at dinner, in any order.

Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 15-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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