FRQs 1-2 – Written Response

Overview

• This guide covers both written free-response questions: Story Narration (FRQ 1) and Email Response (FRQ 2)
• Story Narration: 15 minutes, 15% of total exam score
• Email Response: 15 minutes, 10% of total exam score
• Both require typing in Chinese characters (using pinyin input method or other IME)
• No dictionary or reference materials allowed
• Character writing accuracy matters - incorrect characters affect your score

The written section tests two distinct skills. Story Narration assesses presentational writing - can you create a coherent narrative for an audience? Email Response tests interpersonal writing - can you engage appropriately in written correspondence? Understanding this distinction shapes how you approach each task.

Strategy Deep Dive

Story Narration: Visual Storytelling in Chinese

The Story Narration presents four pictures that suggest a narrative sequence. Your task isn't just describing what you see - it's crafting a complete story with beginning, middle, and end that a friend would enjoy reading. This seemingly simple task has layers of complexity.

The images are deliberately ambiguous in certain ways. The test makers want to see if you can create logical connections between scenes, infer missing information, and construct a culturally appropriate narrative. A picture showing someone looking at a clock might represent being late, waiting for someone, or counting down to an event. Your interpretation should be reasonable but doesn't need to match what the test makers imagined.

Cultural elements often appear in the images. A scene in a Chinese restaurant, people exchanging red envelopes, or students in uniforms tells you the expected cultural context. Your narrative should reflect appropriate cultural knowledge. If the scene shows 红包 (red envelopes), your story should understand this as a gift-giving tradition, not just "red packets."

The presentational mode means you're writing for an audience who isn't present to ask clarifying questions. This requires different skills than interactive communication. You must anticipate what information your reader needs and provide context proactively. Unlike a conversation where you can clarify misunderstandings, your story must stand alone as a complete, comprehensible text.

Paragraph-level discourse is explicitly required for higher scores. This means connecting sentences with appropriate transitions (然后、但是、因此、虽然...但是), using time markers to show progression (首先、接着、最后、第二天), and maintaining consistent verb tenses and perspectives throughout. A series of disconnected sentences describing each picture won't score well even if each sentence is grammatically perfect.

Email Response: Digital Age Etiquette

The Email Response simulates real-world digital correspondence in Chinese. You receive an email from a Chinese friend asking questions or seeking advice, and you must craft an appropriate response. This isn't just about answering questions - it's about maintaining the social relationship through culturally appropriate communication.

Chinese email etiquette differs from English in subtle but important ways. The level of formality, even between friends, tends to be slightly higher. Opening and closing formulas matter. Starting directly with answers, without a greeting or acknowledgment of their email, appears abrupt. Similarly, ending without appropriate wishes or regards seems cold.

The interpersonal nature means you're not just transmitting information but maintaining a relationship. If your friend shares good news, congratulate them before addressing their questions. If they mention difficulties, express sympathy. These social elements aren't optional extras - they're core to successful interpersonal communication in Chinese culture.

Address every question posed in the original email. The rubric specifically requires thoroughness. Missing even one minor question significantly impacts your score. As you read the prompt email, mentally or physically mark each question or request. Before submitting, verify you've addressed each one. This systematic approach prevents oversight under time pressure.

Register consistency throughout your response demonstrates linguistic sophistication. If the original email uses informal language between friends, matching that register shows cultural awareness. Suddenly switching to formal language mid-email suggests uncertainty about appropriate social dynamics. However, err on the side of being slightly more formal rather than too casual - it's safer to be overly polite than inadvertently rude.

Rubric Breakdown

Understanding the scoring criteria transforms vague goals into concrete targets. Let's decode what the rubrics actually mean for your writing.

Story Narration Rubric Insights

Task Completion focuses on narrative completeness and logic. A score of 6 requires a "thorough and detailed" story. This doesn't mean excessive length but rather rich description that brings the story to life. Instead of "他去了商店" (He went to the store), write "他急忙跑到街角的便利店" (He hurriedly ran to the convenience store on the corner). The added details create vivid imagery and show vocabulary range.

Delivery examines organization and cohesion. The key phrase is "well-connected discourse of paragraph length." This means your sentences must flow naturally from one to the next. Use cohesive devices beyond simple time markers:

• Cause and effect: 因为...所以, 由于, 因此
• Contrast: 虽然...但是, 然而, 不过
• Addition: 而且, 另外, 除了...以外
• Sequence: 首先...其次...最后, 接着, 随后

Language Use evaluates vocabulary and grammar range. "Rich and appropriate vocabulary" means using precise words for specific contexts. Instead of repeatedly using 说 for "say," vary with 问, 回答, 建议, 解释, 抱怨, depending on the type of speech. Idiomatic expressions earn points but must be used correctly - misused idioms hurt more than help.

Email Response Rubric Insights

Task Completion for emails demands addressing "all aspects of stimulus with thoroughness and detail." This means not just answering questions but elaborating appropriately. If asked for restaurant recommendations, don't just list names. Include why you recommend each, what dishes to try, price ranges, and how to get there. This thoroughness demonstrates real communicative competence.

Delivery in emails particularly values appropriate register. The rubric's emphasis on "consistent use of register appropriate to situation" reflects real-world email challenges. Register errors jar readers more in writing than speech because they're preserved in text. Master the balance between friendly warmth and respectful distance appropriate to Chinese correspondence.

Language Use expectations parallel the story narration but apply to interpersonal contexts. Vary your sentence structures to maintain reader interest. Mix simple statements with complex sentences using 不但...而且, 要是...就, 一边...一边 constructions. This variety demonstrates control over the language beyond basic communication.

Time Management Reality

Fifteen minutes feels different when you're typing Chinese characters. The cognitive load is higher than writing in your native language - you're simultaneously thinking about content, selecting correct characters, and maintaining grammatical accuracy.

For Story Narration, allocate your time strategically:

• Minutes 1-2: Analyze pictures, brainstorm story arc
• Minutes 3-4: Create mental outline with key vocabulary
• Minutes 5-12: Write your story
• Minutes 13-15: Review and correct errors

The planning phase is crucial. Decide your story's trajectory before typing. Who is the main character? What's the conflict or challenge? How does it resolve? Having this framework prevents mid-story panic when you realize your narrative lacks direction.

For Email Response:

• Minute 1: Read email carefully, identify all questions
• Minute 2: Plan response structure and key points
• Minutes 3-11: Write your response
• Minutes 12-15: Review for completeness and errors

The danger with emails is getting caught up in elaborate responses to early questions, then rushing through later ones. Budget your response mentally - if there are four questions, each should receive roughly equal attention unless one clearly requires more detail.

Character input speed impacts everything. If you type 20 characters per minute versus 40, you have half the thinking time. Practice common character combinations until they're automatic. Phrases like 的时候, 因为所以, 已经了 should flow from your fingers without conscious thought.

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

Learning from typical mistakes accelerates improvement. These aren't just errors - they're systematic challenges that the test design exposes.

Literal Translation Syndrome

Students often compose in English mentally, then translate to Chinese. This produces grammatically correct but unnatural Chinese. Chinese information structure differs from English. Where English might say "I gave him the book yesterday," Chinese prefers "我昨天把书给他了," fronting the time expression. Train yourself to think in Chinese sentence patterns.

Character Selection Errors

Pinyin input methods present multiple character choices for each sound. Under time pressure, selecting the wrong homophone is easy. Common errors include 在/再, 以/已, 的/地/得. These mistakes mark you as a non-native writer immediately. Develop muscle memory for common words to reduce selection errors.

Overambitious Vocabulary

Attempting complex expressions you're not certain about often backfires. A slightly simple but correct sentence scores higher than an ambitious but flawed one. Build confidence with structures you know well, then add complexity gradually. The rubric rewards appropriate use more than attempted sophistication.

Cultural Incongruence

Writing scenarios that don't fit Chinese cultural contexts weakens your response. A story about high school students driving cars to school reflects American, not Chinese, educational culture. Email responses that ignore gift-giving etiquette or face-saving conventions seem foreign. Immerse yourself in authentic Chinese content to internalize cultural norms.

Advanced Writing Techniques

Moving from good to excellent requires mastering subtleties that distinguish native-like writing.

Discourse Markers Mastery

Beyond basic transitions, sophisticated discourse markers elevate your writing:

• 话说回来 (then again)
• 总的来说 (generally speaking)
• 换句话说 (in other words)
• 从另一个角度看 (from another perspective)

These phrases show mature thought organization and reader awareness.

Register Flexibility

Excellent responses show register awareness through lexical choices. For informal contexts:

• 吃饭 → 吃东西
• 学习 → 念书
• 非常 → 特别/超级

For formal contexts:

• 买 → 购买
• 看 → 观看
• 想 → 认为

Idiomatic Excellence

Well-used idioms (成语) and colloquial expressions show cultural integration:

• 马马虎虎 (so-so)
• 说曹操曹操到 (speak of the devil)
• 班门弄斧 (showing off before an expert)

But only use idioms you fully understand - misuse is worse than avoidance.

Final Thoughts

The written responses test whether you can use Chinese for real communicative purposes, not just academic exercises. Story Narration asks if you can entertain and inform an audience through narrative. Email Response asks if you can maintain relationships through appropriate correspondence.

Success requires balancing multiple demands: character accuracy, grammatical correctness, cultural appropriateness, and time management. No single element determines your score - it's the synthesis that matters. A response with perfect grammar but cultural tone-deafness won't score well. Neither will a culturally perfect response riddled with character errors.

Practice with authentic materials. Read Chinese blogs to internalize narrative structures. Exchange emails with Chinese friends to develop appropriate correspondence style. The exam tests real-world communication skills that develop through use, not just study.

Approach these tasks as opportunities to show your Chinese proficiency holistically. Show the graders not just that you know Chinese, but that you can use Chinese to accomplish meaningful communication tasks. That's what scoring a 5 really means - functional fluency that goes beyond academic knowledge.