_HSKwebsitetakesonanewlook

However,theywillnowseethatithastakenonawholenewfaceinanattempttohelpitstesttakers.TheoldweitewasfinallyreplacedlastSundaywithapand-newone,thankstotheHSKCentreofBeijingLanguageandCultureUniversity,whichisinchargeofdesigningtestpapersandmanagingtesttakingaroundtheworld.Thecentreentthewholeoflastyeardevelopingthenewweite,whichismuchfasterandoffersmorelanguagesuortservices.SunDejin,directoroftheHSKcentre,togetherwithhiscolleagues,finallymadethedecisionin2004toupgradetheoldweite,whichhadbeenusedfornearly6yearsuntillastSundayafternoon."Theoldonewastoosimple,withalackofnewly-updatedinformationforviewersanditwasshortoffunctio,thusitcouldnotsatisfytheneedsofviewers,"saidSun.Meanwhile,theincreasedparticipationintheHSKexamaroundtheworld,pushedtheHSKCentretorenewtheirweiteassoonaspoible.Takelastyearforitance,117,660foreignerssatHSKexaminatio,a25-per-centrisecomparedto2004.Summingupthewholenumberofexamineesinthepast16years,HSKhasbeentakenbyover1millionpeople,halfofthemareforeignersfromover120countriesandtheotherhalfareethnicminoritiesinChina.Sincelargenumbersofexamineesarescatteredindifferentpartsoftheglobe,acommonplatformisnecearysothattheycancommunicate,saidSun.Toprovideexamineesaneffectiveservice,SunDejinturnedhiseyestotheInternet."HSKcannotdevelopwellwithoutthesuortoftheInternet,"hetoldChinaDaily."TheInternetcannotonlyhelpuspromotetheHSKtestandcommunicatewithtest-takersathomeandapoad,butalsohelpimprovetheefficiencyofourworkbysavingpersoelandresources,"saidSun.Withthenewweitenowinoperation,viewerscangetmuchmorehelpandinformationfromtheweitethanbefore.Thenewonlineservicesarethehighlightofthenewweite,accordingtoZhangKai,vice-directorofthecentre.Theyincludeonlineregistration,andresultsenquiryandcertificateenquiryservices.OnlineregistrationandtheresultsenquiryservicesarebothdesignedforHSKexaminees,whilethecertificateenquiryservicehasbeensetupforemployerstochecktheauthenticityofjobalicants"certificates.Duetocomplicatedtechnicalandbankingproblems,theHSKcentreisunabletoallowregist

rationtobetotallycompletedonthenewweite.ThoughitisapeakthroughforHSKcentretoprovideonlineregistrationforexaminees,itoffersonlythefirststepofthewholeregistrationproce,whichisthebookingproce.ManyChineselearnershadtoqueueuponthesamedaytosignupforatestintheChinesemainlandbefore,saidSun."Someofthemcouldn"tgetthechanceduetothequotalimitationofeachtestingvenue,eventhoughtheyhadalreadywaitedforalongtime."Thusthebookingsystemisdesignedtosavethepaiofstandinginqueueforexaminees,saidSun.Examineescanchecktheirscoresonlinetoobyjustclickingontherelatedinformation.NotethatcurrentlythesystemonlyofferstestresultsfromJanuary1,2004toSeptember30,2005.ForemployerswhosuectthatanalicantholdsafalseHSKcertificate,theycanjustlogontothecertificateenquiryweageandkeyintheserialnumberandthename,andthenitisclearwhetheritisoriginal.NotethatthisinformationiscurrentlyonlyavailableforcertificatesiuedbetweenJanuary1,2004andSeptember30,2005.

UsefulbooksforChineselanguagelearnerTohelpreadersstudyingChineseasasecondlanguage,Beijing-basedSinolinguahaspublishedanumberofusefulbooks.Moreinformationcanbeobtainedathttp://www.sinolingua.com.cn/.

"HSKMockTests"

CompiledbyexperiencedChineseteachersfromtheNationalOfficeforTeachingChineseasaForeignLanguageandaccordingtotheoutlineofHSKtest,thesetoftestsincludesthreevolumes:Basic,ElementaryandIntermediate,andAdvanced.

Bycompletingtheinteiveexercises,studentswillbeabletobetterunderstandandmastermainlanguagepointsandbasicvocabulary,andindoingsofullypreparethemselvesforHSKexams.

HSKMockTest(Basic):29yuan(US$3.60)

3caettetapes:33yuan(US$4)

HSKMockTest(Elementary&amIntermediate):29yuan(US$3.60)

3caettetapes:33yuan(US$4)

HSKMockTest(Advanced):32yuan(US$4)

3caettetapes:33yuan(US$4)

"ChineseCharactersinPictures"(intwovolumes)

Inthetwovolumesof"ChineseCharactersinPictures,"about200commonlyusedChinesecharactersareintroducedandexplainedintermsofthestructureandthewayitsymbolizestheirmeaning.

Italsoincludesthestrokeorderusedtowritecharacters,thewayinwhichcharactersarearrangedinChinesedictionaries,andeverydaywordsandphraseswrittenincharacters.

Price:39yuan(US$4.80)foreachofthetwovolumes

"250ChineseWordstoGetYouAroundBeijing"

YoumightfinditdifficulttobelievethatyoucanliveinBeijingoreventravelaroundChinawithlethan250Chinesewords.

Butthatdreamiswithinyourreachifyouusethisbook.Ithassevenchapters:eatinganddrinking,accommodation,traortation,entertainment,shoing,visitingthedoctorandaskingforhelp.

TherelevantphrasesallcomposedofthreetofiveChinesecharacterswillalsobeprovidedastheyaearineachchapter.

Allthephrases,mostofwhichareillustrated,havesimilarexpreio,antonyms,humorouspoints,tipluspinyinandEnglishaotatioattached.

Price:30yuan(US$3.70)

"LearningChinesewhileTravellinginChina"

ThisbookoffersawaytolearnandpractiseChineselanguageskillsinvarioustourismsettings,suchas"introducingyourself,""airtravel,""gettingthroughcustoms,""lookingformiingluggage,""takingataxi,""bookingaticket,""dining"and"changingmoney."AllthetextsaregiveninbothEnglishandChinese,withaneasysearchindex.

Inaddition,thethirdandfourthsectioofthebookofferrichtravelinformation,includingcommonlyusedtelephonenumbers,descriptioofrenownedChinesesight-seeingots,traortation,accommodationandshoing.ItisamustfortouriststravellingaroundChina.

Price:36yuan(US$4.40)

"AnEasyAroachtoChinese"(intwovolumes)

Itisdesignedforforeignersenrolledonshort-termChineselanguagecourses,includingEnglisheakingbusinepeopleworkinginChina.

ItisbasedonactualsituatiofrequentlyencounteredbyforeignerslivinginChina.

Price:80yuan(US$9.90)

"InteiveokenChinese"

Thisbookiseciallydesignedwithapand-newaroachforforeignstudentsbegiingtolearnChinese.Itincludes40topicscoveringvirtuallyallaectsofdailycommunication,introducingmorethan1,000commonlyusedwords,and80eentialaectsofChinesegrammar.

Price:29.80yuan(US$3.70)

"PopularChineseExpreio"

ThistextbookfocusesonteachingokenChinesetolanguagelearners.Itprovidesusefulexpreio,commonlyrequiredbyforeignlearners.Thedialoguesfocusonecificsituatioinordertohelplearnersknowwhentouseeachexpreion.

Price:20.80yuan(US$2.60)