8.1 Use of Chinese: Article Reading (文章閱讀)

8.1 Use of Chinese: Article Reading (文章閱讀)

Quick Answer: The Use of Chinese (UC) paper has 45 questions in 45 minutes. Reading comprehension (閱讀理解) accounts for 14 of them: 8 questions on one article (文章閱讀) and 6 on short extracts (片段╱語段閱讀). According to the CSB, the article is on a topic related to daily life or work (與日常生活或工作有關). The questions test whether you can grasp the main idea (文章意旨), the deeper meaning (深層意義), the difference between fact and opinion (辨別事實與意見), and how to interpret information (詮釋資料).

What the CSB says about this part

The CSB's sample-question page for the UC paper describes the article reading part as follows:

在這部分，考生須閱讀一篇題材與日常生活或工作有關的文章，然後回答問題。題目在於測試考生在理解和掌握文章意旨、深層意義、辨別事實與意見、詮釋資料等方面的能力。

Two practical points follow:

• The text is modern written Chinese. The CSB describes a practical article about daily life or work. It does not list classical Chinese (文言文) for this paper, so spend your time on fast, accurate reading of modern prose rather than on classical function words.
• The four abilities define the question types. Most article questions map to one of them, so you can recognise the task from the question stem.

The four tested abilities and their question stems

Main idea

In a practical Chinese article, the author's main point is usually found in one of three places:

1. After a turning word such as 然而, 但是, 不過, 其實 or 事實上. The text before the turn often presents a common view that the author goes on to qualify.
2. In the closing sentences (卒章顯志), often introduced by 總之, 可見, 由此看來 or 因此.
3. In a contrast frame such as 與其……不如……, 不是……而是…… or 固然……但……, where the second half carries the author's position.

An option that describes only the opening example or one supporting detail is too narrow. An option that adds a stronger claim than the author makes, such as 全面取代 (completely replace) when the author only proposes improvements, overstates it.

Deeper meaning

Questions on deeper meaning ask what an expression does in context. Idioms and metaphors are common: 本末倒置 (putting the incidental before the fundamental), 門檻 (a barrier to entry), 雙刃劍 (a double-edged sword). Replace the expression with a plain paraphrase, then check which option matches the paraphrase in this article, not the expression's general dictionary meaning.

Fact versus opinion

Be careful with reported opinions. A sentence like 有人認為長者只要多加練習便能跟上潮流 reports that some people hold a view. That someone holds the view is a fact, but the content of their view is an opinion, and it may be one the author rejects.

Interpreting information

When an article cites figures, the question usually tests their scope. "About 40 percent of surveyed elderly people aged 65 or above" is not "40 percent of all elderly people in Hong Kong", and "said they had given up an online application" is not "cannot use the internet". Match the subject, the scope and the verb exactly.

Wrong-option patterns to recognise

A timed method for the article

1. Skim the structure (about 90 seconds): read the first sentence of each paragraph, every turning word and the last two sentences. Note the author's position in a few characters.
2. Read the questions: circle negative words such as 不正確, 不符合 or 不能推斷, since a negative stem reverses the task.
3. Locate, then compare: for detail and fact questions, find the exact sentence before reading the options closely.
4. Eliminate by pattern: label each wrong option with one of the patterns above. If you cannot name the flaw, reread the source sentence.

At 60 seconds per question across the paper, about 9 minutes for the 8 article questions leaves time for the extracts in Section 8.2.

Practice article: 《網上服務與長者》

The three practice questions below use this original article, written in the style the CSB describes:

近年不少公共服務轉為網上辦理，市民足不出戶便能預約、繳費和查詢進度。對熟悉科技的年輕人而言，這無疑省時省力；然而，對部分長者來說，網上表格反而成了新的門檻。一項地區調查顯示，受訪的六十五歲以上長者中，約四成表示曾因不懂操作而放棄網上申請。有人認為，長者只要多加練習，自然能跟上潮流；筆者卻認為，問題不全在長者身上。不少網頁字體細小、步驟繁複，連年輕人也要摸索一番。與其要求使用者遷就系統，不如讓系統遷就使用者：簡化步驟、加大字體，並保留櫃位服務作後備。數碼化的目的是方便市民，若有人因此被拒於門外，便是本末倒置了。