HSK Standard Course 3 - Exhaustive Study Notes and Study Guide

HSK Standard Course 3 Development and Publishing Credits

The HSK Standard Course 3 is officially certified by the Confucius Institute Headquarters, also known as Hanban. The textbook was published by the Beijing Language and Culture University Press. The lead author of the series is Jiang Liping, and the authors of this specific volume are Yu Miao and Li Lin. The production of the series was a collaborative effort between Han考国际 (CTI) and the Beijing Language and Culture University Press, authorized by the Headquarters of the Confucius Institute.

Educational Philsophy and Material Design

The preface, authored by Xu Lin, Director of the National Hanban and Director-General of the Confucius Institute Headquarters, outlines the transition of the HSK exam in 2009. The focus shifted from primarily testing linguistic knowledge to evaluating the communicative competence of Chinese language learners. The HSK Standard Course was designed to integrate the exam with actual teaching practices, following the philosophy of "combining testing and teaching" and "promoting learning through testing."

The foreword by Jiang Liping notes the rapid growth of HSK examinees, reaching $310,000$ in $2012$ and $70,000$ in just the first quarter of $2013$ . The curriculum follows the Post-Method Era of second language teaching, emphasizing student-centered learning, group collaboration, and task-based teaching. The textbook aims to improve comprehensive language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) rather than just being a test-prep tool. For levels 1 and 2, which only test listening and reading, the materials include pronunciation and character training to build a complete foundation.

Curricular Structure and HSK Levels

The series follows the HSK curriculum syllabus and is divided into six levels corresponding to the exam levels. The specific breakdown for the HSK levels is as follows:

HSK Level 1: Course 1, Vocabulary goal of $150$ words, requiring $30-34$ instructional hours.
HSK Level 2: Course 2, Vocabulary goal of $300$ words, requiring $30-36$ instructional hours.
HSK Level 3: Course 3, Vocabulary goal of $600$ words, requiring $35-40$ instructional hours.
HSK Level 4: Course 4 (Part 1 and 2), Vocabulary goal of $1200$ words, requiring $75-80$ instructional hours.
HSK Level 5: Course 5 (Part 1 and 2), Vocabulary goal of $2500$ words, requiring $170-180$ instructional hours.
HSK Level 6: Course 6 (Part 1 and 2), Vocabulary goal of $5000$ + words, requiring $170-180$ instructional hours.

In total, the 9-volume series covers over $5000$ words across $510-550$ instructional hours. Every textbook includes a corresponding workbook where exercise formats match those found in the actual HSK exams.

HSK Standard Course 3 Instructional Manual

This specific volume is designed for learners who have completed approximately $70$ instructional hours and mastered roughly $300$ words. The book covers all vocabulary items and grammar points required for the HSK 3 syllabus. It consists of $20$ lessons; each lesson comprises four scenarios, with two to three grammar (language) points and $12\text{ to }21$ new words. Each lesson typically requires $2\text{ to }4$ instructional hours to complete.

The lesson structure is organized as follows:

Warm-up: Uses images and word-matching to activate prior knowledge.
Texts: Scenarios with dialogues. Lessons 1–10 feature three dialogue turns per scenario, while Lessons 11–20 introduce longer texts and short essays to prepare students for the paragraph-length content of Level 4.
Notes: Simple and concise grammar explanations with examples from the texts. Each note is followed by a "Practise" exercise.
Exercises: Covers expansion, blanks, and dialogues.
Characters: Information on character construction (associative compounds, pictophonetic characters) and "Word Games" using old characters to form new words.
Application: Interaction through pair works and group tasks.
Common Sayings: Introduction of Chinese proverbs and idioms ( $20$ total).
Culture: Every five lessons, a cultural section introduces topics like traditional sports, wedding attire, birthday traditions, and gift-giving taboos.

Syllabus Summary for Lessons 1–5

Lesson 1: What’s your plan for the weekend? (周末你有什么打算) Vocabulary includes: 周末 ( $zhōumò$ , weekend), 打算 ( $dǎsuàn$ , plan), 愿意 ( $yuànyì$ , to be willing), 一直 ( $yìzhí$ , all the time). Language points focus on the resultative complement “好 ( $hǎo$ )" used to indicate satisfaction, and the negative structure “一 + Measure Word + Noun + 也/都 + 不/没 + Verb.” The common saying is “不到长城非好汉” (He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man).

Lesson 2: When will he come back? (他什么时候回来) Vocabulary includes: 办公室 ( $bàngōngshì$ , office), 经理 ( $jīnglǐ$ , manager), 拿 ( $ná$ , to take). Grammar covers simple directional complements ( $V + 来/去$ ) and the successive occurrence of two actions using the construction ( $V_1 + 了 … … 就 + V_2$ ). The common saying is “饭后百步走, 活到九十九” (A walk after dinner makes one live to 99).

Lesson 3: There are plenty of drinks on the table (桌子上放着很多饮料) Vocabulary includes: 还是 ( $háishi$ , or), 新鲜 ( $xīnxiān$ , fresh), 饮料 ( $yǐnliào$ , drink). Grammar focuses on the difference between “还是 ( $háishi$ )" (for questions) and “或者 ( $huòzhě$ )" (for statements). It also introduces the existential sentence structure: Location Word + Verb + 着 ( $zhe$ ) + Numeral + Measure Word + Noun. The proverb is “茶好客常来” (Good tea attracts frequenters).

Lesson 4: She always smiles when talking to customers (她总是笑着跟客人说话) Vocabulary includes: 聪明 ( $cōngming$ , smart), 努力 ( $nǔlì$ , hardworking), 认真 ( $rènzhēn$ , serious). Grammar focuses on the structure “又 … … 又 … …” ( $yòu … yòu …$ ) to describe dual qualities, and the use of “着 ( $zhe$ )" to indicate accompanying actions ( $V_1 ext{着} + V_2$ ). The proverb is “五十步笑百步” (The one who retreated 50 steps laughs at the one who retreated 100).

Lesson 5: I am getting fatter and fatter lately (我最近越来越胖了) Vocabulary includes: 照顾 ( $zhàogù$ , to take care), 季节 ( $jìjié$ , season), 最近 ( $zuìjìn$ , recently). Grammar covers “了 ( $le$ )" as an indicator of change and the structure “越来越 + Adj/Mental Verb” ( $yuè lái yuè …$ ) for incremental change. The proverb is “药到病除” (The minute the medicine is used, the disease is cured).

Syllabus Summary for Lessons 6–10

Lesson 6: Why are they suddenly missing? (怎么突然找不到了) Covers potential complements ( $V + 得/不 + ext{Complement}$ ) and asks for location using “Noun + 呢 ( $ne$ )." It also compares “刚 ( $gāng$ )" (adverb) and “刚才 ( $gāngcái$ )" (noun).

Lesson 7: I’ve known her for five years (我跟她都认识五年了) Focuses on the duration of time and expressing interest using “对 … … 感兴趣” ( $duì … gǎn xìngqù$ ). It also explains time notation using “半 ( $bàn$ )," “刻 ( $kè$ )," and “差 ( $chà$ )."

Lesson 8: I’ll go wherever you go (你去哪儿我就去哪儿) Features the comparison of “又 ( $yòu$ )" and “再 ( $zài$ )" as indicators of repetition, and the flexible use of interrogative pronouns through the “疑问代词 + 就 + 疑问代词” structure.

Lesson 9: She speaks Chinese like a native (她的汉语说得跟中国人一样好) Covers the structure “越 A 越 B" ( $yuè A yuè B$ ) and comparative sentences using “A 跟 B 一样 (+ Adj)" ( $A gēn B yíyàng …$ ).

Lesson 10: Maths is much harder than history (数学比历史难多了) Focuses on the comparative structure “A 比 B + Adj + 一点儿/一些/得多/多了" and the expression of approximate numbers by using adjacent numerals like “一两个" ( $yī liǎng ge$ ) or “三四个" ( $sān sì ge$ ).

Syllabus Summary for Lessons 11–15

Lesson 11: Don’t forget to turn off the air conditioner (别忘了把空调关了) Introduces the “把 ( $bǎ$ )" sentence structure for disposal of objects and approximate numbers using “左右 ( $zuǒyòu$ )" after numerals.

Lesson 12: Leave the important items with me (把重要的东西放在我这儿吧) Compares “才 ( $cái$ )" and “就 ( $jiù$ )" regarding the timing of actions and expands the “把 ( $bǎ$ )" sentence to include location (A 把 B + V + 在/到 + Location).

Lesson 13: I walked back (我是走回来的) Introduces compound complements of direction and actions happening simultaneously with the “一边 … … 一边 … …" ( $yìbiān … yìbiān …$ ) structure.

Lesson 14: Please bring the fruit here (你把水果拿过来) Further expands “把 ( $bǎ$ )" sentences with result or direction complements and explains sequential actions using “先 … …, 再/又 … …, 然后 … …."

Lesson 15: The rest of them are all OK (其他都没什么问题) Covers the inclusive or exclusive structure “除了 … … 以外, 都/还/也 … …" ( $chúle … yǐwài, dōu/hái/yě …$ ), the polite demonstrative use of “什么 ( $shénme$ )", and degree indication using “极了 ( $jí le$ )".

Syllabus Summary for Lessons 16–20

Lesson 16: I am so tired that I want to do nothing but sleep (我现在累得下了班就想睡觉) Covers hypothetical sentences using “如果 … … (的话), (S) 就 … …" ( $rúguǒ … jiù …$ ), complex state complements, and the reduplication of monosyllabic adjectives (AA).

Lesson 17: Everybody is able to cure your “disease” (谁都有办法看好你的“病”) Features the reduplication of disyllabic verbs (ABAB) and the universal use of interrogative pronouns as collective placeholders for "anyone," "anything," or "anywhere."

Lesson 18: I believe they’ll agree (我相信他们会同意的) Focuses on the conditional structure “只要 … … 就 … …" ( $zhǐyào … jiù …$ ), the correlative “不但 … … 而且 … …" ( $búdàn … érqiě …$ ), and the preposition “关于 ( $guānyú$ )" (regarding).

Lesson 19: Didn’t you recognize him? (你没看出来吗) Discusses the extended meanings of directional complements (e.g., “出来" for recognition or emergence) and the causative verbs “使 ( $shǐ$ )," “叫 ( $jiào$ )," and “让 ( $ràng$ )."

Lesson 20: I’ve been influenced by him (我被他影响了) Introduces the passive “被 ( $bèi$ )" sentence and the structure “只有 … … 才 … …" ( $zhǐyǒu … cái …$ ) which denotes the one and only condition for a result.

Character Construction and Structural Patterns

The text introduces several methods of character formation to aid memory. These include self-explanatory characters such as 一 ( $yī$ ), 二 ( $èr$ ), 三 ( $sān$ ), and 上/下 ( $shàng/xià$ ). Associative compounds combine two components to create meaning, such as 明 ( $míng$ , sun + moon = bright) and 休息 ( $xiūxi$ , person + tree = rest).

Pictophonetic characters, which make up about $70\%$ of modern Chinese characters, consist of a semantic component (meaning) and a phonetic component (sound). The book categorizes them by structure:

Left-Right: Examples include 妈 ( $mā$ , semantic: woman, phonetic: horse) and 放 ( $fàng$ , phonetic: side, semantic: wrap).
Top-Bottom: Examples include 爸 ( $bà$ , semantic: father, phonetic: ba) and 想 ( $xiǎng$ , phonetic: xiang, semantic: heart).
Inside-Outside: Examples include 园 ( $yuán$ , phonetic: yuan, semantic: enclosure) and 问 ( $wèn$ , phonetic: men, semantic: mouth).

Cultural Insights and Taboos in China

The curriculum features cultural notes to bridge linguistic and social divides. Traditional sports mentioned include kite flying, kicking shuttlecocks, diabolos, and Taijiquan. Regarding wedding attire, modern Chinese brides often blend cultures by wearing both traditional red cheongsams (旗袍 $qípáo$ ) and white wedding gowns. For birthdays, the custom is eating "Longevity Noodles" (长寿面 $chángshòumiàn$ ) rather than cake, as long strands symbolize a long life.

Gift-giving taboos are also highlighted. Umbrellas (伞 $sǎn$ ) are avoided because the word sounds like the character for "separation" (散 $sàn$ ). Shoes (鞋 $xié$ ) are avoided as the word sounds like "evil" (邪 $xié$ ). Most critically, giving a clock (送钟 $sòng zhōng$ ) is a severe taboo as it is homophonous with the phrase for attending a funeral or seeing someone off on their deathbed (送终 $sòngzhōng$ ).