Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese -
Second Language (0523)

Students aiming to sit the Second Language Mandarin exam will learn about 1600 characters and be able to write essays of around 300 words.

Skills Covered :

Reading

Students will be able to read and understand a range of texts. They will learn to select and organize relevant information from different text types, identify ideas, opinions and attitudes displayed, pinpoint important points and themes, draw their own conclusions and then recognize connections between different texts.

Writing

Students will be able to use a range of grammatical structures, punctuation and vocabulary to communicate factual information, ideas and arguments in short and extended writing tasks in appropriate and accurate Chinese.
Students will learn to respond to a written stimulus and use appropriate register and style/format to express opinions for the given purpose and audience, such as an informal letter/email, an article, a report or review.

Listening

Students will be able to understand and identify relevant information, ideas, opinions and attitudes from a range of sources and understand the connections between them, and also show some awareness of what is implied but not directly stated, such as a speaker’s intention or feelings.

Speaking

Students will be able to use a range of appropriate vocabulary and grammatical structures using suitable pronunciation and intonation to communicate factual information, ideas and arguments.
Students will learn basic public speaking skills to be present and speak about any topic of choice clearly for a short period of time.
Students will be able to take part in a conversation and demonstrate flexibility in dealing with new ideas and other speakers’ responses .