B80523 · Section B: Area B: Society 社会

Social networking 社交网络

Key learnings

Social-media action verbs + purpose
Use specific ACTION verbs, not a vague 常常用社交媒体 (chángcháng yòng shèjiāo méitǐ, often use social media). Learn: 发帖子 (fā tiězi, post), 分享照片 (fēnxiǎng zhàopiàn, share photos), 点赞 (diǎnzàn, like), 评论 (pínglùn, comment), 关注 (guānzhù, follow). Add a purpose with 通过……，我可以…… (tōngguò…, wǒ kěyǐ…): 通过社交媒体，我可以跟国外的朋友保持联系。(Tōngguò shèjiāo méitǐ, wǒ kěyǐ gēn guówài de péngyou bǎochí liánxì.) — through social media I stay in touch with friends abroad.
Benefits vs risks: 虽然…但是…, 不但…而且…
B8 is a both-sides theme: staying connected is convenient, but privacy and screen-time risks are real. 虽然……，但是…… (suīrán…, dànshì…): 虽然社交媒体很方便，但是也带来了隐私风险。(Suīrán shèjiāo méitǐ hěn fāngbiàn, dànshì yě dàilái le yǐnsī fēngxiǎn.) — convenient, but brings privacy risks. 不但……，而且…… (búdàn…, érqiě…): 网络欺凌不但会伤害别人，而且可能造成心理问题。(Wǎngluò qīlíng búdàn huì shānghài biéren, érqiě kěnéng zàochéng xīnlǐ wèntí.) — cyberbullying hurts others and can cause psychological problems.
Responsible-use language + 把
Responsible use has its own phrases: 设置隐私权限 (shèzhì yǐnsī quánxiàn, set privacy permissions), 谨慎添加好友 (jǐnshèn tiānjiā hǎoyǒu, add friends cautiously), 负责任地使用 (fùzérèn de shǐyòng, use responsibly). The 把 construction says what happens to a specific thing — 把 + object + verb + complement: 我们不应该把个人信息随便透露给陌生人。(Wǒmen bù yīnggāi bǎ gèrén xìnxī suíbiàn tòulù gěi mòshēngrén.) — do not casually disclose personal information to strangers.

Common mistakes

Drawn from real examiner reports.

Networking answered superficially

Weaker candidates give only basic facts: which apps, how often. The General Conversation expects social networking MATURELY — opinions and both sides. Add a view: 我觉得社交媒体没有好坏之分，关键在于怎样使用它。(Wǒ juéde shèjiāo méitǐ méiyǒu hǎo huài zhī fēn, guānjiàn zàiyú zěnyàng shǐyòng tā.) — it is neither good nor bad; what matters is how you use it.

Digest: social networking must be discussed maturely, with opinions and both sides (s22 & s23 Speaking).

Reason vs result (原因 not 结果)

你为什么喜欢用社交媒体？(Nǐ wèishénme xǐhuan yòng shèjiāo méitǐ?) asks for a REASON (原因), not a RESULT (结果). ✗ Giving only 社交媒体让我认识了很多新朋友 (a result). ✓ 因为我平时很忙，很难常常见面，所以我喜欢用社交媒体保持联系。(Yīnwèi wǒ píngshí hěn máng, hěn nán chángcháng jiànmiàn, suǒyǐ wǒ xǐhuan yòng shèjiāo méitǐ bǎochí liánxì.) — because I am busy and rarely meet up. Reason first, benefit after.

Digest: candidates gave the result/consequence when the reason was asked (s23 Q13; s22 Q11).

Wrong measure word (个 not 条)

Social-media nouns bring their own measure words (量词); defaulting to 个 (gè) loses marks. 帖子 (tiězi, a post) takes 条 (tiáo): 一条帖子; 消息 (xiāoxi, a message) also takes 条: 一条消息. ✗ 发了一个帖子 ✓ 发了一条帖子，收到了很多点赞 (fā le yì tiáo tiězi, shōu dào le hěn duō diǎnzàn) — posted and got many likes. Match the measure word to the noun.

Digest: marks lost through imprecise use of simple structures, e.g. measure words (s22 Q10; s23 Q10).

No pinyin in the writing paper

In the writing paper (Ex4 and Ex5) write characters only — pinyin is not credited. Do not fall back on pinyin like fā tiězi for a character you cannot write; choose a word you know, e.g. 分享 (fēnxiǎng, share) or 聊天 (liáotiān, chat). Pinyin is accepted only in the Listening answers, never in Paper 1 writing.

Digest: candidates are reminded not to use pinyin in the writing paper (s22 & s23 Ex4).

Lifting instead of re-expressing

In reading short-answer questions, do not copy a whole passage sentence — lifting is not credited, and extra material copied with it can cancel a correct point. Select the point and re-express it in your own words: if a text says a student 上课总是没精神, answer with your own 他上课的时候很难集中精神, not the copied clause. Keep answers short and on-target.

Digest: copying a whole passage sentence is not credited; select and re-express (s22 Q9/Q13/Q14; s23 Q9/Q12).

Near-synonym loses the key-word mark

Reading and form-completion marks need the EXACT key word; a near-synonym or broad category loses the mark. ✗ The sub-category 微信 when the question wants 社交媒体 (shèjiāo méitǐ, social media), or a vague 上网 when it wants 发帖子 (fā tiězi, post). ✓ Reproduce the precise word exactly — 视频通话 (shìpín tōnghuà, video call), not just 打电话. Learn the high-frequency term.

Digest: a near-synonym or sub-category instead of the exact key word lost the mark (s23 Ex1 Q3/Q5; s22 Ex1 Q1/Q4).

Deleting a post does not erase the risk

Learners assume 删除 (shānchú, delete) ends the risk. In fact, shared information may already have been seen, saved or forwarded before deletion: 就算帖子被删除了，信息也可能已经被别人转发或保存了。(Jiùsuàn tiězi bèi shānchú le, xìnxī yě kěnéng yǐjīng bèi biéren zhuǎnfā huò bǎocún le.) — even if deleted, it may already be forwarded or saved. So think carefully BEFORE sharing, not clean-up after.

Exam tips

Functional writing: cover every bullet
For a functional note, email or diary about a social-media incident (Ex4, ~8 marks, 100-120 characters): say what happened using precise action verbs (加好友, 收到消息, 分享照片); give one feeling or lesson; cover every other bullet exactly; write in characters only — no pinyin.
Value questions: plan both sides
For an article or speaking answer on the value of social networking (more good than harm?), plan both sides (好处 vs 风险), develop each with a connective (虽然……但是……, 不但……而且……), then give a justified opinion with a concrete recommendation such as 设置隐私权限 or 控制屏幕时间.
Treat social networking maturely
In the General Conversation, treat social networking maturely — weigh convenience against privacy and screen time, discussing both sides not just apps. Opener: 社交媒体对青少年好处多还是坏处多？(Shèjiāo méitǐ duì qīngshàonián hǎochù duō háishi huàichù duō?) — more good or harm for teenagers?

Revision notes