HSK 3.0 · HSK 9 · Speaking · Part 1

HSK 9 Speaking Part 1: Read the Passage Aloud

This part tests your pronunciation, tones and fluency when reading. 1 questions — answer format: read the text aloud, which is recorded.

1Questions in this part
Part 1 of 3Speaking section
~24 minWhole Speaking section
By an examinerMarking
Not printedPinyin

How HSK 9 Speaking Part 1 works

You read a printed passage aloud after a short preparation. Your reading is recorded.

Markers listen for accurate pronunciation and tones, characters read correctly, natural pausing and fluency.

The instruction on the paper

朗读。

Read the passage aloud.

HSK 7, 8 and 9 are one exam. Everyone sits the same paper and the score decides which of the three levels is awarded, so this part is the same whichever of them you are aiming for.

HSK 9 Speaking Part 1 sample questions with answers

3 questions from our practice bank, in the format of the real paper. Try each one before opening the answer.

Sample 1
  1. 在讨论任何一项技术的影响时,我们容易陷入两种简化:一种把它当作解决一切问题的钥匙,另一种把它当作所有麻烦的根源。这两种说法之所以流行,是因为它们都不需要具体的知识。而真正有意义的讨论往往从一个更笨的问题开始:在什么条件下、对谁、这项技术会带来什么样的改变。

    zài tǎo lùn rèn hé yī xiàng jì shù de yǐng xiǎng shí , wǒ men róng yì xiàn rù liǎng zhǒng jiǎn huà : yī zhǒng bǎ tā dàng zuò jiě jué yī qiè wèn tí de yào shi , lìng yī zhǒng bǎ tā dàng zuò suǒ yǒu má fán de gēn yuán 。 zhè liǎng zhǒng shuō fǎ zhī suǒ yǐ liú xíng , shì yīn wèi tā men dōu bù xū yào jù tǐ de zhī shí 。 ér zhēn zhèng yǒu yì yì de tǎo lùn wǎng wǎng cóng yí gè gèng bèn de wèn tí kāi shǐ : zài shén me tiáo jiàn xià 、 duì shuí 、 zhè xiàng jì shù huì dài lái shén me yàng de gǎi biàn 。

    Read aloud: two simplifications about technology.

    Preparation 3 min · Answer time 3 min

Sample 2From the HSK 6 paper
  1. 一座城市的性格,往往不在它最著名的建筑里,而在清晨六点的菜市场、傍晚的公园长椅和深夜还亮着灯的小店里。这些地方没有被写进旅游手册,却决定了一个人住在这里是否感到踏实。

    yī zuò chéng shì de xìng gé , wǎng wǎng bù zài tā zuì zhù míng de jiàn zhù lǐ , ér zài qīng chén liù diǎn de cài shì chǎng 、 bàng wǎn de gōng yuán zhǎng yǐ hé shēn yè hái liàng zhe dēng de xiǎo diàn lǐ 。 zhè xiē dì fāng méi yǒu bèi xiě jìn lǚ yóu shǒu cè , què jué dìng le yí gè rén zhù zài zhè lǐ shì fǒu gǎn dào tà shí 。

    A city's character lives in its markets and late-night shops.

    Answer time 2 min

Sample 3From the HSK 5 paper
  1. 每个人都有自己的节奏。有的人早上头脑最清楚,有的人到了晚上才进入状态。重要的不是跟着别人的时间表走,而是找到属于自己的那段最好的时间,并且把最重要的事情安排在那时候。

    měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de jié zòu 。 yǒu de rén zǎo shàng tóu nǎo zuì qīng chǔ , yǒu de rén dào le wǎn shàng cái jìn rù zhuàng tài 。 zhòng yào de bú shì gēn zhe bié rén de shí jiān biǎo zǒu , ér shì zhǎo dào shǔ yú zì jǐ de nà duàn zuì hǎo de shí jiān , bìng qiě bǎ zuì zhòng yào de shì qíng ān pái zài nà shí hòu 。

    Everyone has their own rhythm; protect your best hours.

    Answer time 2 min

How to approach it

  1. Use the preparation time to check characters you are unsure of and any tone changes.
  2. Mark natural pauses at punctuation and between meaning groups.
  3. Read at a steady, natural pace.
  4. If you misread, correct once and move on.

Common mistakes

  • Reading character by character with no phrasing.
  • Misreading characters with more than one reading, such as 行, 长 and 了.
  • Rushing.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in HSK 9 Speaking Part 1?

1. It is part 1 of 3 in the HSK 9 Speaking section, which has 5 questions and lasts about 24 minutes, for 100 points.

How is HSK 9 Speaking Part 1 marked?

By trained examiners, not automatically. Your answer is marked against set criteria: whether the task is done, how accurate and varied the language is, and how well it is organised.

Is pinyin printed at HSK 9?

No. At HSK 9 the paper is printed in characters only, so you need to recognise the characters themselves.

Is there preparation time?

Yes, a short preparation time before recording.

How long is the passage?

A paragraph of a few sentences.

Can I practise HSK 9 Speaking 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.

Every part of HSK 9

Read the Passage Aloud at other levels

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