babak = mu (幕)

Empat tempat kosong pertama datang daripada babak satu dan dua. Ingat bagaimana wira itu lahir daripada sesuatu yang ditinggalkan oleh burung phoenix emas, apa yang dibunuhnya di depan gua, siapa tuan kuda sakti itu, dan nama puteri raja naga yang datang untuk berkahwin dengannya di tepi tasik.

Contoh: Kuda sakti itu berkata tuannya dibunuh ketika mencari herba ajaib.

Awas: Nama watak mesti ditulis tepat seperti dalam teks.

act of a play = mu (幕)

The first four gaps come from acts one and two. Remember how the hero was born from something left by the golden phoenix, what he killed in front of the cave, who the magic horse’s master was, and the name of the dragon king’s daughter who came to marry him by the lake.

Example: The magic horse said its master was killed while looking for a magic herb.

Watch out: Write each name exactly as it appears in the play.

cukai = jiao shui (缴税)

Tiga tempat kosong terakhir datang daripada babak tiga. Wira dan isterinya mendapat seorang anak lelaki. Kemudian pegawai daerah menampal notis yang memaksa rakyat membayar cukai mengikut bilangan orang. Untuk mengelakkan masalah, wira menghantar seratus ekor haiwan gemuk, tetapi pegawai itu masih tidak berpuas hati.

Contoh: Pegawai tamak itu tetap marah walaupun menerima seratus ekor kambing.

Awas: Tempat kosong cukai memerlukan dua aksara.

pay tax = jiao shui (缴税)

The last three gaps come from act three. The hero and his wife have a son. Then the county official posts a notice forcing people to hand over grain and pay tax for every person. To avoid trouble the hero sends a hundred fat animals, but the official is still not satisfied.

Example: The greedy official was angry even after receiving a hundred goats.

Watch out: The tax gap needs a two-character word.

nasib buruk = zi qu mie wang (自取灭亡)

Soalan ini meminta anda menilai pegawai daerah dalam drama. Fikirkan perbuatannya: dia memaksa rakyat membayar cukai, tidak puas hati dengan hadiah seratus ekor kambing dan membawa orang suruhan ke gunung. Kemudian kaitkan dengan pengakhirannya, iaitu dihanyutkan air dan lari dalam keadaan malu.

Contoh: Dia tamak, jadi akhirnya dia sendiri yang menanggung akibatnya.

Awas: Beri contoh daripada drama untuk menyokong pendapat anda.

self-inflicted ruin = zi qu mie wang (自取灭亡)

This question asks you to judge the county official in the play. Think about what he did: he forced people to pay taxes, was unhappy with a gift of a hundred goats and led his servants up the mountain. Then connect it with his ending, when the water swept over them and they fled in shame.

Example: He was greedy, so in the end he brought the trouble upon himself.

Watch out: Support your view with an example from the play.

perkataan betul = zheng que gou ci (正确构词)

Setiap aksara diberi dua perkataan, tetapi satu daripadanya ditulis dengan aksara yang sama bunyi tetapi salah. Contohnya, bilik mandi memerlukan aksara berradikal air, bukan aksara kaya. Fikirkan maksud setiap perkataan dan pilih yang benar-benar menggunakan aksara yang diberi, seperti lubang lumpur, kaya-raya dan hamis.

Contoh: xing wei (bau hamis): aksara xing berradikal daging.

Awas: Bunyi yang sama tidak bermakna aksaranya sama.

correct word = zheng que gou ci (正确构词)

Each character comes with two words, but one of them borrows the character wrongly because the sounds are similar. For example, a bathroom needs the water-radical character, not the one meaning wealthy. Think about each meaning and pick the word that truly uses the given character, such as a mud pit, being well-off and a fishy smell.

Example: xing wei (fishy smell): this xing has the flesh radical.

Watch out: Same sound does not mean same character.

kesalahan ejaan = bie zi (别字)

Tiga ayat pertama: lubang di tanah memerlukan radikal tanah, bukan radikal api yang bermaksud katil batu. Hidup mewah memerlukan aksara berradikal pakaian, bukan aksara mandi. Cukai pula memerlukan aksara berradikal padi kerana dahulu cukai dibayar dengan bijirin, bukan aksara tajam berradikal logam.

Contoh: ni keng (lubang lumpur) menggunakan radikal tanah.

Awas: Tulis aksara yang betul sahaja, bukan seluruh perkataan.

wrongly written character = bie zi (别字)

The first three sentences: a hole in the ground needs the earth radical, not the fire radical used for a heated bed. A comfortable life needs the clothing radical, not the bathing character. Tax needs the grain radical because taxes were once paid in grain, not the sharp metal character.

Example: ni keng (mud pit) uses the earth radical.

Watch out: Write only the corrected character, not the whole word.

radikal air = san dian shui (三点水)

Tiga ayat terakhir: lemas di dalam air memerlukan radikal air, bukan aksara lemah. Perniagaan maju memerlukan radikal matahari yang membawa maksud bersinar terang, bukan radikal kayu yang bermaksud sia-sia. Hakim membicarakan kes memerlukan aksara dengan bumbung di atas, bukan aksara yang bermaksud memohon.

Contoh: xing wang (makmur) menggunakan radikal matahari.

Awas: Cari aksara yang salah dahulu, kemudian fikirkan radikal yang sesuai.

water radical = san dian shui (三点水)

The last three sentences: drowning in water needs the water radical, not the character meaning weak. A booming business needs the sun radical, which suggests shining brightly, not the wood radical meaning in vain. A judge hearing a case needs the character with a roof on top, not the one meaning to apply.

Example: xing wang (prosperous) uses the sun radical.

Watch out: Find the wrong character first, then think of the right radical.

simpulan bahasa empat aksara = si zi cheng yu (四字成语)

Empat simpulan bahasa ini muncul dalam drama tentang gunung phoenix. Satu menggambarkan mulut binatang buas yang terbuka luas. Satu lagi ialah ucapan sopan apabila berasa sangat bertuah bertemu seseorang. Satu menggambarkan ternakan yang membiak dengan banyak, dan satu lagi ialah kata-kata marah apabila sesuatu tidak masuk akal.

Contoh: Harimau itu membuka mulutnya yang besar lalu menerkam mangsanya.

Awas: Ayat yang menunjukkan kemarahan memerlukan ungkapan marah.

four-character idiom = si zi cheng yu (四字成语)

These four idioms all appear in the phoenix mountain play. One describes the wide-open jaws of a fierce beast. One is a polite phrase used when you feel very lucky to meet someone. One describes farm animals multiplying and thriving, and one is an angry cry when something is outrageous.

Example: The tiger opened its huge jaws and pounced on its prey.

Watch out: An angry speaker needs the angry expression.

ulangan = fan fu (反复)

Hiperbola sengaja membesar-besarkan keadaan, contohnya suara yang boleh didengar dari kampung sebelah. Petikan pula menggunakan peribahasa, puisi atau kata-kata orang terkenal, biasanya dengan tanda petikan dan perkataan seperti pepatah berkata. Ulangan menyebut perkataan atau ayat yang sama beberapa kali untuk menegaskan perasaan.

Contoh: Cepat lari! Cepat lari! Hujan sudah turun!

Awas: Tanda petikan bukan sahaja untuk petikan; dialog yang berulang ialah ulangan.

repetition = fan fu (反复)

Exaggeration stretches a situation beyond reality, such as a voice heard in the next village. Quotation borrows a proverb, a poem or a famous saying, usually in quotation marks and introduced by words like as the saying goes. Repetition says the same word or sentence several times to stress a feeling.

Example: Run! Run! The rain is coming!

Watch out: Quotation marks alone do not make a quotation; repeated shouting is repetition.