I did the third 2018 practice test for HSK level 3. I only got one answer wrong! I should be happy about this, but I’m not. I didn’t understand most of the listening – I got the answers right by picking out keywords that I knew. It was only when I looked at the scripts that I actually understood what most of the conversations were about. I really need to work more on my listening.

After I did the test, I listened to Mimi ga Yorokobu Chugokugo, which is a listening resource aimed at Japanese speakers. It basically translates as “Chinese that will make your ears happy”. It has short listening passages and the Japanese translation alongside. Most of the passages are still too difficult for me, but it helps me to get used to the sounds of the language.