We speak Chinese at home and I can understand Pinyin, but reading Simplified Characters is quite challenging for me.  I understand a lot of kids like me with Chinese parents have the situation as I do.  We can listen and speak it but it's not as easy as everyone else thinks, since we're working just as hard as everyone else with our Characters.


What do you think, should I take the Chinese SAT 2?


-  Name withheld upon Request


Thanks for dropping us a line. 

You are lucky, you have been exposed to speaking and listening Chinese ever since.   But to really know the language you should be very comfortable with the writing and reading system. 

Ah, and since you have Chinese parents, there's the pressure you SHOULD get a score of 800 since you speak it at home.

If you take the Chinese SAT 2, there are 3 parts:  listening comprehension, grammar and reading comprehension.  I'm sure you will have no problem with the listening comprehension. 

For grammar, do review.  Sometimes, the conversations we hear are so familiar we ignore whether grammar is correct or not.  But then, if you do remember the Chinese you hear in formal language like news reports, or grammar used in books, then you will have an easier time.  So do practice.

As for reading comprehension,  again, practice is what's needed.  You mentioned you have been working at it like everyone else.  Just practice for Chinese SAT 2, and I think you'll be okay.  There are a lot of practice tests for Chinese SAT 2, so I'm sure you will get a perfect score if you refresh and practice a lot.

Good luck!  Your hard work will surely pay off.  Please write us again after the test how you did.

Labels: Chinese SAT II