Presentation: culture link, title, opinions
Part 1 is a short prepared talk (~2 min). Four things decide the mark: (1) the topic must relate to Chinese culture or a Chinese-speaking community — a festival, custom, daily-life aspect — not a generic topic. (2) State the title first: 今天我演讲的题目是《中国的茶文化》。(Jīntiān wǒ yǎnjiǎng de tímù shì "Zhōngguó de chá wénhuà".) — my title is "Chinese Tea Culture". (3) Go beyond facts to your own ideas and opinions. (4) Use your OWN words — a source read out unchanged is marked down.
Topic Conversation: new, justified language
Part 2 continues your presentation theme but is a live, spontaneous conversation, not your script. Bring NEW language, and develop and justify opinions on the spot — move from a bare 我觉得喝茶很重要 (wǒ juéde hē chá hěn zhòngyào — tea is important) to a justified 我觉得喝茶很重要，因为它也是一种跟家人朋友交流感情的方式。(…yīnwèi tā yě shì yì zhǒng gēn jiārén péngyou jiāoliú gǎnqíng de fāngshì) — because it also connects you with family and friends.
General Conversation: two areas, both sides
Part 3 moves to two new areas chosen by the examiner — one from Areas A-B (young people, education, society), one from C-D (the world, cultural diversity) — not overlapping your presentation. Unlike a basic Foreign-Language chat ("where / with whom / how long"), go deeper: give reasons, compare viewpoints, discuss BOTH sides of an issue. On social media, weigh benefits (一方面, staying in touch) against drawbacks (另一方面, less study time, loneliness), not just your own habits.
Drawn from real examiner reports.
Repeating presentation content
Some candidates recycle memorised presentation sentences in the Topic Conversation. This does not reach the higher marks — the conversation tests SPONTANEOUS language, not rehearsed recall. If the presentation said 中国人喝茶的时候很注重礼貌 (…hěn zhùzhòng lǐmào — value politeness when drinking tea), don't repeat it; bring a genuinely NEW point instead.
Examiner digest S5: do not repeat presentation content -- new, spontaneous language accesses the higher vocabulary/structure marks (s22 & s23 Speaking).
Rehearsed monologue, ignoring the question
Even a fluent, accurate answer loses marks if it sounds like a memorised paragraph delivered regardless of the question. ✗ asked 你周末通常做什么？(what do you do at the weekend?), the candidate launches into a pre-learned speech on the environment. ✓ answer the actual question, then extend naturally with a justified opinion.
Examiner digest S5: over-rehearsed, monologue-like answers are marked down for lack of naturalness and spontaneity (s22 & s23 Application of the mark scheme).
Copying source material unchanged
Reading out a source text (a website, a book) almost unchanged sounds stilted and is NOT credited as your own work. Take facts from your research, but re-express them in your own words and build your own opinions around them. A talk that is clearly your own work scores far above one that echoes a copied passage, however accurate.
Examiner digest S5: the presentation must be the candidate's own work and must not copy large amounts of source material unchanged (s22 & s23 Speaking).
Not stating the title first
Plunging straight into the topic without clearly stating the title loses easy, guaranteed marks. Open with the fixed formula and the title in 《》: 大家好，我今天演讲的题目是《中国的茶文化》。(Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ jīntiān yǎnjiǎng de tímù shì "Zhōngguó de chá wénhuà".) — hello everyone, my title is "Chinese Tea Culture". Say the title at the very start, before any content, then move into your talk.
Examiner digest S5: state the title of the presentation clearly at the start (s22 & s23 Speaking).
Facts only, no personal opinion
A presentation that lists facts with no personal view stays low — the exam rewards ideas and opinions, not just information. For every fact, add what you THINK and why: 我觉得……，因为…… (wǒ juéde…, yīnwèi… — I think…, because…). Weave a justified opinion through the talk rather than reciting dates, names and customs — engage with the topic, don't catalogue it.
Examiner digest S5: the presentation must include ideas and opinions, not only facts (s22 & s23 Speaking).
One-sided General Conversation
In Part 3, only describing your own habits or facts ("I play basketball twice a week") is a Foreign-Language-level answer, below the depth expected. Treat the topic maturely: give reasons, and where an issue has two sides, show BOTH — 一方面……另一方面…… (yì fāngmiàn…lìng yì fāngmiàn…) — before reaching a conclusion. Depth and balance, not fluent description, lift the mark.
Examiner digest S5: treat General Conversation topics maturely and in depth, exploring both sides of an issue (s22 & s23 Speaking).
Reusing a memorised script is the safe play
Learners assume their polished, memorised language is their SAFEST material, so they reuse it on any similar question. Wrong: examiners mark down responses that sound rehearsed or repeat presentation content, because Parts 2 and 3 test spontaneous, live communication. A less polished but genuinely new answer scores HIGHER than fluent redeployment of the script.
Prepare a title-first, opinion-led talk
Open the presentation with the title statement (今天我演讲的题目是《…》), then build the talk around 2-3 personal ideas or opinions about the cultural topic, not just facts — and practise delivering it fluently WITHOUT reading word for word from notes.
Bank flexible opinion language, not a script
Before the exam, prepare a flexible bank of opinion-and-justification phrases — 我觉得……因为……, 一方面……另一方面……, 虽然……但是…… (suīrán…dànshì…) — that apply to MANY topics, rather than a second fixed script. This lets you sound spontaneous whatever question comes up.
Answer the question, then extend and balance
In the Topic Conversation, answer each question directly before extending with a NEW idea — do not redirect to presentation material. In the General Conversation, once you recognise the two areas, look to show BOTH sides of at least one issue, to demonstrate maturity.
Component 3 Speaking assesses AO4 (present and communicate clearly; develop and link responses; range of structures and vocabulary; pronunciation and intonation; sustain a conversation) across three parts:
What is the standard Chinese phrase for opening a presentation by stating its title, and how do you use it?
你的演讲题目是《中国的功夫》。请把下面的开场白空格填上正确的题目引导语和题目：
大家好，《》。
Level-of-response questions with model answers and mark scheme rubrics.
Component 3 Part 1: Individual Presentation (about 2 minutes). Choose a topic that links clearly to Chinese culture or life in a Chinese-speaking community (for example, a festival, a custom, an art form, or an aspect of daily life). Prepare and deliver a short presentation that: states the title of your presentation at the very start, goes beyond describing facts to include your own ideas and opinions about the topic, and is delivered in your own words rather than a source text read out unchanged.
Component 3 Parts 2 and 3: Topic Conversation and General Conversation. In the Topic Conversation, sustain a spontaneous discussion that follows on from your presentations general theme WITHOUT repeating what you already said -- bring new vocabulary and structures, and develop and justify your opinions. In the General Conversation, discuss two further areas chosen by the examiner (one from Areas A-B, one from Areas C-D, neither overlapping your presentation), treating the topics maturely and in depth, and exploring both sides of at least one issue.
