Read a passage and answer questions on it, choosing from printed options. At HSK 3 the passages are two or three sentences with one question; higher up they are full paragraphs or longer texts with several questions each.
Questions cover the main idea (这段话主要说什么), details, the meaning of a phrase in context and the writer’s attitude. Wrong options typically go too far, reverse a detail or say something the text never claims.
The instruction on the paper
读短文，选出正确的答案。
Read the passage and choose the correct answer.
HSK 6 Reading Part 4 sample questions with answers
4 questions from our practice bank, in the format of the real paper. Try each one before opening the answer.
yī zuò qiáo jiàn chéng zhī hòu ， zuì róng yì bèi hū lüè de shì tā de wéi hù 。 shè jì shòu mìng yì bǎi nián de qiáo ， rú guǒ èr shí nián bù jiǎn chá ， kě néng sì shí nián jiù chū wèn tí 。 wéi hù de kùn nán bù zài jì shù ， ér zài yú tā méi yǒu kāi gōng diǎn lǐ ， yě méi yǒu jiǎn cǎi ， huā diào de qián kàn bù chū chéng jì 。 yú shì zài hěn duō dì fāng ， xīn jiàn zǒng shì bǐ wéi xiū gèng róng yì huò dé pī zhǔn 。 zhè zhǒng piān hǎo zài duǎn qī nèi kàn bù chū dài jià ， jǐ shí nián hòu què yào yóu hòu lái de rén yī cì fù qīng 。
Maintenance is invisible and unglamorous, so new builds get funded over repairs, and the bill falls on a later generation.
Question
桥建成之后最容易被忽略的是什么？
qiáo jiàn chéng zhī hòu zuì róng yì bèi hū lüè de shì shén me ？
A 维护
B 外观
C 位置
D 造价
Show the answer
A 维护
Question
维护的困难主要在哪里？
wéi hù de kùn nán zhǔ yào zài nǎ lǐ ？
A 没有工人
B 技术太难
C 材料太贵
D 看不出成绩，难获批准
Show the answer
D 看不出成绩，难获批准
Question
作者认为这种偏好的后果是什么？
zuò zhě rèn wéi zhè zhǒng piān hǎo de hòu guǒ shì shén me ？
A 让桥更结实
B 没有任何影响
C 由后来的人付出代价
D 短期内就会显现
Show the answer
C 由后来的人付出代价
Question
最适合这段话的标题是什么？
zuì shì hé zhè duàn huà de biāo tí shì shén me ？
A 看不见的账单
B 桥梁的设计
C 施工的技术
D 典礼的意义
Show the answer
A 看不见的账单
How to approach it
Read the question before the passage so you know what you are looking for.
For main-idea questions, look closely at the first and last sentences.
For detail questions, find the sentence and compare it with each option.
Rule out options that are true but unstated, or that overstate the text with 总是, 一定 or 都.
Common mistakes
Choosing an option that repeats words from the text but changes their meaning.
Reading in an interpretation the text does not support.
Spending too long on one passage — reading time is tight at every level.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in HSK 6 Reading Part 4?
20. It is part 4 of 4 in the HSK 6 Reading section, which has 50 questions and lasts about 50 minutes, for 100 points.
How is HSK 6 Reading Part 4 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 6?
No. At HSK 6 the paper is printed in characters only, so you need to recognise the characters themselves.
How many options are there?
Three at HSK 3 and four from HSK 4 up.
Should I read the whole passage first?
For short passages, yes. For long ones, read the questions first and then read the passage with them in mind.
Can I practise HSK 6 Reading Part 4 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.