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Study Guide

Field 127: Mandarin CST
Interpretive Reading

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Directions for Interpretive Reading Selected-Response Questions

For the Interpretive Reading section of the test, you will read passages written in the target language and answer selected-response questions written in the target language based on each passage.

Select the start bold Next end bold button to continue.

Sample Interpretive Reading Selected-Response Questions

Competency 0002 
Interpretive Reading

start bold Read the passage below from a short story by ?? (Xiao Hong); then answer the five questions that follow. end bold

[Simplified]

???????,???????

?????,??????

?????????????,???????????????????????????????,????????,????????????????,??????????

????,??????,???????????????????????

???????,???,????????

????????,????????

???????,?????,?????,????,???????,????,????,?????????????????,???,??????????

??????,????????????????????????,???????????,????????????????????:"????",???????????

?,?????????,?????????????,???????,??????,???????,?????,????????????????,????????????????,??????????

???????????,?????????????,???????????????,???????????????

???????,???????????

??????,??????,????,???????,?????????

?????????,????,??????????????,?????????,?????????

[Traditional]

???????,???????

?????,??????

?????????????,???????????????????????????????,????????,????????????????,??????????

????,??????,???????????????????????

???????,???,????????

????????,????????

???????,?????,?????,????,???????,????,????,?????????????????,???,??????????

??????,????????????????????????,???????????,????????????????????:"????",???????????

?,?????????,?????????????,???????,??????,???????,?????,????????????????,????????????????,??????????

???????????,?????????????,???????????????,???????????????

???????,???????????

??????,??????,????,???????,?????????

?????????,????,??????????????,?????????,?????????

1.
????????????
????????????

  1. ?????
    ?????
  2. ??
    ??
  3. ???
    ???
  4. ?????
    ?????
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A. This question requires examinees to identify explicit and relevant information in a text. In the third paragraph, the author states that street vendors sell dandelions and garlic: "?????????????,?????????/ ?????????????,?????????"

2.
???"?????,????,???????,????,????,?????????????",????????????
???"?????,????,???????,????,????,?????????????",????????????

  1. ??
    ??
  2. ??
    ??
  3. ??
    ??
  4. ??
    ??
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. This question requires examinees to draw logical inferences or conclusions based on the context, situation, and information given in a text and identify evidence to support inferences drawn from the text. In this excerpt, the author uses a series of short phrases to illustrate spring's stealthy arrival and the speed with which it changes the landscape. (After staying in the house for five days, people come out to find that trees have all sprouted. Five days later, leaves are growing. Five days after that, the trees are all green, and people wonder if these are the same trees they saw a few days before). The rapid-fire phrases and seemingly exaggerated description create a humorous, lighthearted tone.

3.
‘???????????,????????????????????:"????",???????????’?????????????
‘???????????,????????????????????:"????",???????????’?????????????

  1. ??
    ??
  2. ??
    ??
  3. ??
    ??
  4. ??
    ??
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D. This question requires examinees to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in texts, including distinguishing between nuances of meaning, understanding idiomatic expressions and commonly used figurative language, and understanding key terms and domain-specific words and phrases within the context of the text. In this excerpt, the author uses personification, a figure of speech in which human actions (whispering, running away) are attributed to an abstract concept (spring). The author's use of personification highlights the transience of the season ("The spring came from a faraway place and stopped by here only to whisper in people's ears, 'I am here,' before it quickly ran away.")

4.
??????,????:
??????,????:

  1. ????????
    ????????
  2. ???????
    ???????
  3. ?????????
    ?????????
  4. ????????
    ????????
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. This question requires examinees to analyze the structure of an argument. The author's main claim is that spring is too short. When spring arrives, the streets of the author's hometown suddenly become lively, and people enthusiastically embrace the season, but the excitement lasts only a very short time (????,??????,??????????????????????? / ????,??????,??????????????????????? ???????,???,????????) The author offers examples of spring's brevity in her hometown, such as: "???????,?????,?????,????,???????,????,????,?????????????????,???,?????????? / ???????,?????,?????,????,???????,????,????,?????????????????,???,??????????" In addition, the author conveys the idea that the spring should last longer by stating: "???????????,?????????????,???????????????,??????????????? / ???????????,?????????????,???????????????,???????????????"

5.
????????????
????????????

  1. ??????
    ??????
  2. ?????
    ?????
  3. ??????
    ??????
  4. ?????
    ?????
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: A. This question requires examinees to identify explicit and relevant information in a text. The main focus of the passage is spring in a small town. This becomes evident from the beginning of the passage, when the author writes, "???????,?????? / ???????,???????" The author then goes on to describe the effects of spring on the small town and its people.