This part tests whether you understand short sentences well enough to picture them. 5 questions — answer format: choose a picture (A–F) for each sentence.
A set of pictures, labelled A to F, and five sentences. You choose the picture each sentence describes. There are more pictures than sentences.
The sentences describe an action or situation — someone sleeping, reading, running for a bus — so you need the verb as well as the nouns. Several pictures may contain the same object, and the action is what tells them apart.
The instruction on the paper
为每个句子选择相应的图片。
wèi měi gè jù zi xuǎn zé xiāng yìng de tú piàn 。
Match each sentence with a picture.
HSK 2 Reading Part 1 sample questions with answers
5 questions from our practice bank, in the format of the real paper. Try each one before opening the answer.
Label each picture in Chinese before reading the sentences.
Read each sentence for the action and the time or place.
Match the easy ones first, then work out the rest.
Remember at least one picture is left over.
Common mistakes
Matching on a noun that appears in two pictures.
Forcing the last sentence onto the last picture by elimination.
Skipping the verb.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in HSK 2 Reading Part 1?
5. It is part 1 of 4 in the HSK 2 Reading section, which has 25 questions and lasts about 22 minutes, for 100 points.
How is HSK 2 Reading Part 1 marked?
Automatically. Every question has one correct answer and all carry the same weight. A wrong answer costs nothing more than a blank one, so never leave a question empty.
Is pinyin printed at HSK 2?
Yes. At HSK 2 the printed words and sentences carry pinyin, so you can read the paper before you know every character. It is still worth learning the characters — the pinyin is gone from HSK 3.
Is every picture used?
No — at least one is left over, so check each match on its own merits.
Do the sentences have pinyin?
At HSK 1 and 2, yes.
Can I practise HSK 2 Reading Part 1 online?
Yes. HSK Test has practice sets for this part, built like the real paper. Create a free account to start; your answers and scores are saved, so you can see how you are improving.
