This set covers the five lessons in Second-language comprehension: viewpoint, support, phrases, points versus examples, and inference. Every passage and person is invented. Chinese text stays in Simplified Chinese, with pinyin where it helps.
Read each passage twice, write your answer in Chinese, then open the explanation. Questions rise from easy to harder.
Practice questions
1. 我以前觉得数学很难，常常不想上课。后来老师教我画图，我慢慢看懂了。现在我反而期待数学课。How did the writer’s attitude to maths change?
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作者以前觉得数学很难，不想上课，现在期待数学课。The signals 以前 and 现在 mark the two views, and 后来 explains the turn: drawing diagrams helped.
2. 姐姐起初不想搬家，但是到了新社区，认识了很多朋友，就喜欢上了新家。What is her final attitude?
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她最后喜欢上了新家。起初 marks the old view and 但是 the turn, so the ending decides the answer. The clue is 认识了很多朋友.
3. 学生应该每天阅读。阅读可以增加词汇，也可以帮助我们了解别人的想法。图书馆里有很多漂亮的书架。Give two pieces of support for the first sentence.
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一，阅读可以增加词汇；二，阅读可以帮助我们了解别人的想法。The last sentence is a detail about the library, not a reason to read.
4. 这个夜市很受欢迎。价钱便宜，食物种类多，而且每天晚上都很热闹。Give two reasons the market is popular.
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Any two of: 价钱便宜 (cheap), 食物种类多 (many kinds of food), 每天晚上都很热闹 (lively every night). Each answers “why is it popular?”.
5. 他在班上是个“万事通”，什么问题都能回答。What does 万事通 (wànshìtōng) mean here?
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A person who knows a little about everything, or seems to know the answer to anything. The clue is 什么问题都能回答. The literal characters (ten-thousand-things expert) point the same way.
6. 这次比赛我们输了，大家都垂头丧气，谁也不想说话。What does 垂头丧气 (chuí tóu sàng qì) describe?
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Feeling very disappointed and low. The clues are 输了 (lost) and 谁也不想说话 (nobody wanted to talk). The literal image is a drooping head.
7. 保护眼睛很重要。比如，看书时要有足够的光线。又如，每隔半小时看看远处。Write one summary point for this passage.
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保护眼睛很重要。The two sentences after 比如 and 又如 are examples. They do not need their own line in a summary.
8. Label each as point (P) or example (E): (a) 小李每天骑车上学。(b) 绿色交通对城市有好处。
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(a) E: it names one person and one habit. (b) P: it states a general benefit with no named case.
9. 弟弟的鞋沾满了泥巴，衣服也湿了，一进门就说：“我先去洗澡。”What can you infer, and what is your evidence?
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我认为弟弟刚才在外面玩得很脏，因为文中说他的鞋沾满泥巴，衣服也湿了。The clues are 沾满泥巴 and 衣服也湿了, and his wish to bathe fits.
10. 小林的书桌上放着三本旅游书和一张地图，墙上贴着日本的照片。What might Xiaolin be planning?
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我认为小林在计划去日本旅行，因为文中说他的书桌上有旅游书和地图，墙上还贴着日本的照片。Two clues, one conclusion.
If you got these wrong
| Question | Skill missed | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| 1, 2 | Answered with only one stage of the writer’s view | Track a viewpoint across a passage |
| 3, 4 | Picked a detail instead of a reason | Identify support for a main idea |
| 5, 6 | Read the phrase literally | Interpret a phrase in context |
| 7, 8 | Wrote an example as a point | Distinguish a summary point from an example |
| 9, 10 | Gave a guess with no clue, or a clue with no conclusion | Explain an inference using evidence |
How should you review your answers?
Mark each answer on two things: did you choose the right evidence, and did you write it in a form the question asked for? A correct idea with the wrong evidence still needs repair. Write the corrected answer out in full before moving on.
Keep the corrected versions together. Reading them a week later shows which habit has settled and which still slips.
What should you do next?
Retest the missed skill in a few days with a fresh passage. The summary selection and paraphrase studio, the writing revision compare view and the mistake log and retest queue support this routine.
When your answers look right but still lose marks, our team offers online one-to-one Chinese tuition to read them with you.