Study Guide

Field 054: World Languages—Chinese (Mandarin)
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Objective 0004
Cultural Understanding (Standard 5)

1. During the early era of its development from the first through the seventh century, the Silk Road most contributed to the:

  1. strengthening of economic ties between northern and southern China.
  2. establishment of trade relations between China and the West.
  3. expansion of Chinese agricultural production from coastal to inland regions.
  4. development of Daoist practices and perspectives in China.
Answer
Correct Response: B. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate understanding of major historical events and important geographical sites related to the target cultures and their influence on the development of the target cultures. The primary purpose of the Silk Road was as a network of trade routes that connected China to locations such as India, Persia, Arabia, and Europe. The Silk Road was named for the lucrative silk trade that was a major factor in establishing these trade routes.

Objective 0004
Cultural Understanding (Standard 5)

2. Which of the following situations best illustrates the social concept of guanxi in Chinese culture?

  1. A customer does not return a defective item of clothing to avoid shaming the store owner.
  2. A person accepts an invitation to attend an event when directly asked despite having conflicting plans that prevent attendance.
  3. A grandparent gives a red envelope to a grandchild during Chinese New Year.
  4. A storekeeper gives lower prices to known customers than to new customers.
Answer
Correct Response: D. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate understanding of significant practices of the target cultures, such as practices of daily life and social customs, and how they reflect the perspectives of the target cultures. The term guanxi describes a kind of expectation of benefit (favors or services) that exists between individuals who have a social connection. This concept illustrates the importance of personalized networks of influence. In Chinese society, personal connections and relationships are extremely important. A storekeeper is more likely to charge a higher price to new customers than existing customers due to the social obligation and expectations engendered by the concept of guanxi.

Objective 0005
Language Acquisition (Standard 1)

3. According to Stephen Krashen's Input Hypothesis, a world language teacher would best promote the development of students' vocabulary in the target language by:

  1. having students look up new words in a dictionary.
  2. posting lists of frequently used words in the classroom.
  3. emphasizing accurate pronunciation of new words.
  4. using new words along with words that students know.
Answer
Correct Response: D. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate understanding of major theories of first- and second-language acquisition. Stephen Krashen's Input Hypothesis stresses the importance of having language input that is slightly more advanced than the level of the learner's current competence. When a teacher uses new words that students may not know in addition to words that they already know, students have the opportunity to learn new vocabulary through the process of determining meaning through context.

Objective 0006
Instruction and Assessment (Standard 6)

4. At the beginning of the semester, a high school world language teacher divides the class into small groups and has each group pick a different country or geographical area where the target language is spoken. Throughout the semester, the students present news of events that have happened in that area. This approach improves students' understanding of the relationship between language and culture by:

  1. demonstrating to students the geographical and demographic expansion of the target culture along a period of time.
  2. providing opportunities for students to practice culturally appropriate interpersonal communication in the target language.
  3. allowing students to better understand and identify with the target language in a cultural context.
  4. encouraging students to do research on a relevant cultural topic for an academic presentation.
Answer
Correct Response: C. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for promoting students' understanding of the target cultures, ability to make comparisons between the target cultures and their own culture, ability to make connections between the target language and cultures and other disciplines, and participation in target-language communities within and beyond the school setting. Providing students with the opportunity to do their own research and present news and current events in a particular area would best help students to have a deeper, richer understanding of the culture within the unique regional contexts that languages exist.

Objective 0006
Instruction and Assessment (Standard 6)

5. In a beginning-level world language class, the teacher can best facilitate an immersion experience for the students by:

  1. responding to all students' questions in the target language.
  2. having speakers of the target language visit frequently.
  3. penalizing students for using their primary language.
  4. providing dictionaries for use during class.
Answer
Correct Response: A. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of major methods, approaches, and tools used in world language instruction and assessment. Language immersion is a method in which as much classroom instruction and interaction as possible takes place in the target language. The focus of a language immersion experience should be to emphasize the use of the target language in all possible contexts. The best way to provide that experience in a beginning-level world language class would be to use the target language whenever possible, such as by providing responses to students' questions in the target language.