Band 7 Example
Topic: Describe a foreigner who speaks Chinese well
Example
I'm going to describe my English teacher at university, who came to China about 15 years ago and speaks excellent Chinese. His name is Mr. Harris, and he's from the USA. I first met him during my first year of university, in a compulsory English writing course that everyone in my department had to take. To be honest, I wasn't too enthusiastic about taking that course, as my English was very poor at the time and I hated studying it. However, right from the start, I really enjoyed Mr. Harris's class. He's a great teacher and has a talent for explaining things in a fun and engaging way. Moreover, even though he made a point of never speaking Chinese during the lessons, he was always available to help us after class if we had questions about the course content. He helped me a lot throughout my time at university, and we quickly became good friends. Although he studied Chinese and English literature at university in the USA years ago, I believe that the main reason Mr. Harris speaks Chinese so well is that he makes a point of practicing every day, with his students and others, any time he isn't teaching. He's very extroverted, and is always inviting former students, colleagues, and others over to his apartment in the evening. In addition, he loves to discuss literature and has some very interesting opinions about English and Chinese literature and the differences between them. I really admire how well he speaks Chinese, and I hope my English will be that good someday.
Vocabulary
  • have a talent for
  • make a point of
  • be enthusiastic about
  • throughout
  • speaks excellent Chinese
  • compulsory English writing course
  • fun and engaging way
  • available to help us
  • extroverted
  • literature
Example
I'd like to talk about my friend Alex, who is originally from Canada. We met at a local language exchange event in Shanghai, where I was immediately taken aback by his fluency in Mandarin. Alex comes from Vancouver and moved to China about five years ago for work. What sets Alex apart in terms of language acquisition is his unique approach to learning. Rather than sticking solely to textbooks or online tutorials, Alex adopted an immersive method. He actually spent the first year of his Chinese journey living in a rural village where hardly anyone spoke English. He told me this experience was instrumental in forcing him to adapt and learn quickly. Moreover, Alex is an avid fan of Chinese movies and literature, which has not only expanded his vocabulary but also honed his understanding of cultural nuances. It's intriguing to see how he incorporates idiomatic expressions effortlessly into conversations, much like a native speaker would. The cornerstone of his proficiency, however, lies in his insatiable curiosity and relentless practice. He engages with local communities, frequents Mandarin-speaking social events, and never misses an opportunity to practice. Alex told me that he even thinks in Chinese now, which is probably why his language skills are so ingrained. In a nutshell, Alex speaks Chinese well because he has blended traditional learning methods with real-world experiences, showing a deep commitment and genuine love for the language and culture.
Grammar Analysis
Combining complex and simple sentences: The answer uses both complex and compound sentences. For example, "Rather than sticking solely to textbooks or online tutorials, Alex adopted an immersive method." This sentence introduces a contrast using "Rather than," while using "adopted" to show an action. Appropriate use of tenses: The answer mainly uses the present simple and past tenses to describe general views and historical experiences. For example, "He actually spent the first year of his Chinese journey living in a rural village where hardly anyone spoke English." Expressing a sense of hierarchy: By using phrases like "in a nutshell," "Moreover," and "However," the answer shows the depth and hierarchy of expression. This not only increases the complexity of the sentence but also improves the accuracy and richness of the expression. Logical coherence and timeline: By using "where," "when," "which is probably why," the answer ensures the coherence of time and logic. This makes the whole description more smooth and logically rigorous.
Vocabulary
  • taken aback
  • immersive
  • instrumental
  • avid fan
  • honed
  • cultural nuances
  • idiomatic expressions
  • cornerstone
  • insatiable curiosity
  • ingrained