Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination - The Chinese Language and Culture Examination

The Chinese Language and Culture Examination

This AS-level examination is also usually taken along with other examinations. It assesses the ability of students in using the Chinese language and their understanding of Chinese culture. Introduced in 1993, the examination comprises tests in:

• Paper 1A - Practical writing (實用文類寫作);
• Paper 1B - Reading Comprehension (閱讀理解測驗);
• Paper 2 - Cultural issues (文化問題);
• Paper 3 - Listening (聆聽理解)
• Paper 4 - Oral Skills Assessment (說話能力測試); and
• Paper 5 - Extra Readings (課外閱讀) (School-based Assessment).

Like Use of English, as being a required-pass subject for degrees in JUPAS, almost all of the student will be sitting in this subject. However, unlike the English Language, students (particularly non-Chinese students or international school students) who did not take the Chinese Language in HKCEE are usually not sitting with this examination either, as a sub-system, JUPAS institutes usually accept an extra AS-level equivalent subject (or similar qualification of Chinese Language pass) to replace the HKALE Chinese Language pass for students who never take part in Chinese Language in both HKCEE and HKALE and studied Chinese for less than 6 years. However, the Chinese University of Hong Kong did not recognise such sub-system, and they need those students to take an internal Chinese Language test set up by them.

Since there are many dialects of spoken Chinese, Paper 3 and Paper 4 can be taken either in Cantonese or in Putonghua, which needs to be declared upon registration. Like other papers with Chinese and English versions, the choice of language is not printed on the certificate.