kemahiran tinggi = shou yi gao chao (手艺高超)

Dalam cerita, Qiao Er menyiapkan sulaman naga dalam sekelip mata dan naga itu kelihatan sangat gagah. Sulaman udang dan ikannya pula seolah-olah boleh bergerak. Semua ini menunjukkan kemahirannya jauh lebih hebat daripada orang biasa, jadi pilih perkataan yang bermaksud sangat mahir.

Contoh: Tukang jahit itu sangat mahir; bajunya kemas dan cantik.

Awas: Perkataan biasa bermaksud tidak istimewa.

superb skill = shou yi gao chao (手艺高超)

In the story Qiao Er finishes embroidering the dragon in an instant, and it looks magnificent. Her embroidered shrimps and fish even seem able to move. All this shows that her skill is far beyond ordinary, so choose the word that means extremely skilful.

Example: The tailor was very skilful; her clothes were neat and beautiful.

Watch out: The word for ordinary means nothing special.

urutan peristiwa = qing jie shun xu (情节顺序)

Susun peristiwa mengikut perjalanan cerita. Mula-mula pulau dilanda kemarau, lalu Qiao Er ingin menyulam naga yang boleh menurunkan hujan. Ibunya menyuruh dia bertanya kepada sami tua. Dia masuk ke gua dengan obor, hampir jatuh tetapi diselamatkan seorang tua, kemudian menyulam naga mengikut rupa naga putih.

Contoh: Sungai yang mengalir semula ialah peristiwa terakhir.

Awas: Setiap nombor dari dua hingga tujuh digunakan sekali sahaja.

sequence of events = qing jie shun xu (情节顺序)

Put the events in story order. First the island suffers a drought, then Qiao Er wishes to embroider a dragon that can bring rain. Her mother sends her to ask the old monk. She enters the cave with a torch, nearly falls but is saved by an old man, then embroiders a dragon copying the white dragon.

Example: The stream flowing again is the very last event.

Watch out: Use each number from two to seven only once.

membantu = bang zhu (帮助)

Naga putih tua pada mulanya dilarang menunjukkan kuasanya di depan manusia, tetapi akhirnya dia membantu juga. Fikirkan apa yang dilihatnya pada Qiao Er: dia tidak berputus asa walaupun sungai sudah kering, dia bersopan walaupun hampir jatuh, dan dia mahu menyelamatkan pulau, bukan untuk dirinya sendiri.

Contoh: Naga itu terharu dengan keikhlasan dan kesungguhan Qiao Er.

Awas: Berikan bukti daripada cerita, bukan pendapat kosong.

to help = bang zhu (帮助)

The old white dragon was forbidden to use its powers in front of people, yet in the end it helped. Think about what it saw in Qiao Er: she did not give up even when the stream had dried, she stayed polite after nearly falling, and she wanted to save the island rather than help herself.

Example: The dragon was moved by Qiao Er’s sincerity and determination.

Watch out: Back up your view with evidence from the story.

gambaran = tu yi (图意)

Baca penerangan gambar dahulu, kemudian pilih aksara yang sesuai dengan maksudnya. Air terjun ialah air yang mengalir, jadi aksaranya mempunyai radikal air, bukan api. Lagu rakyat berkaitan dengan percakapan, menenun berkaitan dengan benang sutera, tanah terbiar berkaitan dengan rumput, dan membajak sawah berkaitan dengan lembu.

Contoh: pu bu (air terjun) menggunakan radikal air.

Awas: Aksara yang bunyinya sama mungkin bermaksud berlainan.

picture meaning = tu yi (图意)

Read the picture description first, then choose the character that matches its meaning. A waterfall is flowing water, so the character takes the water radical, not fire. A folk song relates to speech, weaving relates to silk thread, an abandoned field relates to grass, and ploughing relates to an ox.

Example: pu bu (waterfall) uses the water radical.

Watch out: Characters with the same sound can have different meanings.

perkataan baharu = sheng ci (生词)

Setiap perkataan digunakan sekali. Pakaian ialah perkataan lama untuk baju, menenun ialah kerja membuat kain, layu bermaksud bunga gugur, sami tua tinggal di kuil, obor ialah kayu yang menyala untuk menerangi jalan, dan tongkat membantu warga emas berjalan. Cari petunjuk dalam setiap ayat.

Contoh: Datuk berjalan perlahan sambil memegang tongkat.

Awas: Bunga yang layu biasanya disebabkan cuaca panas atau angin.

new words = sheng ci (生词)

Each word is used once. One is an old word for clothes, one is the work of making cloth, one means flowers withering, one is an elderly monk living in a temple, one is a burning stick that lights the way, and one is a walking stick that helps the elderly. Look for clues in each sentence.

Example: Grandpa walked slowly with his walking stick.

Watch out: Flowers usually wither because of hot weather or wind.

perubahan bunyi = yin bian (音变)

Partikel di hujung ayat berubah bunyi mengikut suku kata sebelumnya. Jika suku kata sebelumnya berakhir dengan zi, ci atau si, partikel itu dibaca za. Jika suku kata sebelumnya ialah zhi, chi, shi atau ri, partikel itu dibaca ra. Tulisan aksara tetap sama walaupun bunyinya berubah.

Contoh: Topi ini milik siapa? Bunyi zi diikuti za.

Awas: Bunyi ri untuk hari juga diikuti ra.

sound change = yin bian (音变)

The particle at the end of a sentence changes its sound according to the syllable before it. After a syllable ending in zi, ci or si, it is read za. After zhi, chi, shi or ri, it is read ra. The written character stays the same even though the sound changes.

Example: Whose hat is this? The zi sound is followed by za.

Watch out: The ri sound for day is also followed by ra.

menggambarkan pemandangan = xie jing (写景)

Pilih satu tempat yang pernah anda lawati dan tulis satu perenggan. Gunakan urutan yang jelas, contohnya dari jauh ke dekat, dari atas ke bawah atau dari pagi ke malam. Gambarkan keseluruhan tempat dahulu, kemudian butiran yang paling menarik seperti warna, bunyi dan bau, dan akhiri dengan perasaan anda.

Contoh: Dari jauh, gunung itu diselubungi awan putih.

Awas: Tulis tentang pemandangan, bukan hanya aktiviti yang dilakukan.

describing scenery = xie jing (写景)

Choose one place you have visited and write a single paragraph. Follow a clear order, such as far to near, top to bottom or morning to night. Describe the whole scene first, then the most striking details such as colours, sounds and smells, and finish with your feelings.

Example: From far away, the mountain was wrapped in white clouds.

Watch out: Write about the scenery, not just the activities you did.