HSK 3 Reading Part 1: Match the Question to Its Answer
This part tests whether you understand how everyday questions and replies fit together. 10 questions — answer format: choose the reply (A–F) for each sentence.
Five sentences on one side and a bank of replies on the other, labelled A to F. You pair each sentence with the reply that answers it or follows it naturally.
The link is usually a question word and its answer: 谁 with a person, 哪儿 with a place, 几点 with a time, 多少钱 with a price. Further up, the pairing is about the logic of a conversation — an apology and its reply, a suggestion and its response.
The instruction on the paper
为每个句子选择正确的答句。
Choose the sentence that goes with each one.
HSK 3 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.
Sample 15 questions
A 我也觉得这个颜色更适合你。
B 他去参加同学的婚礼了。
C 别担心，还有半个小时呢。
D 因为我对这个城市的历史很感兴趣。
E 当然可以，你什么时候要？
小王今天怎么没来上班？
xiǎo wáng jīn tiān zěn me méi lái shàng bān ？
Why is Xiao Wang absent today?
Show the answer
B 他去参加同学的婚礼了。
你觉得这件衬衫怎么样？
nǐ jué de zhè jiàn chèn shān zěn me yàng ？
What do you think of this shirt?
Show the answer
A 我也觉得这个颜色更适合你。
来不及了吧？飞机快起飞了。
lái bù jí le ba ？ fēi jī kuài qǐ fēi le 。
Will we make it? The plane leaves soon.
Show the answer
C 别担心，还有半个小时呢。
你为什么选择来这里学习？
nǐ wèi shén me xuǎn zé lái zhè lǐ xué xí ？
Why did you choose to study here?
Show the answer
D 因为我对这个城市的历史很感兴趣。
能把你的笔记借我看看吗？
néng bǎ nǐ de bǐ jì jiè wǒ kàn kàn ma ？
May I borrow your notes?
Show the answer
E 当然可以，你什么时候要？
How to approach it
Find the question word in each sentence: 谁, 什么, 哪儿, 几, 怎么, 为什么.
Scan the replies for the matching kind of answer — a person, a place, a number.
Do the obvious pairs first and cross those replies off.
Read each final pair together as a mini-dialogue to check it sounds natural.
Common mistakes
Matching on a shared word rather than on meaning.
Ignoring the question word.
Using a reply twice — each is used once.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in HSK 3 Reading Part 1?
10. It is part 1 of 3 in the HSK 3 Reading section, which has 30 questions and lasts about 30 minutes, for 100 points.
How is HSK 3 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 3?
No. At HSK 3 the paper is printed in characters only, so you need to recognise the characters themselves.
Is one reply left over?
The bank usually has one more reply than there are sentences, so the last pair still needs checking.
Is it always a question and an answer?
Mostly at HSK 1 and 2. From HSK 3 the pairs include remarks and responses that follow on naturally.
Can I practise HSK 3 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.