Theme 3: Current and Future Study and Employment

Topic 3: Education Post-16 (高中和大学生活)

Welcome to your study notes for Education post-16! In this topic, you will learn how to discuss your future plans, sixth form or college life, university choices, and compare the UK and Chinese education systems. Talking about the future is a major requirement for your AQA GCSE Chinese (8673) speaking and writing exams. Don't worry if talking about the future in Mandarin seems tricky at first—once you master a few handy sentence patterns and core vocabulary, you will be able to express your ambitions clearly and score high marks!

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1. Core Vocabulary for Post-16 Education

Here are the essential words specified by AQA that you must recognize in your Listening and Reading papers, and be able to use in your Speaking and Writing papers.

A. Education Landmarks and Institutions

  • 大学 (dàxué): University / College
  • 大学生 (dàxuésheng): University student
  • 高考 (gāokǎo): National College Entrance Examination (Chinese equivalent of A-levels/university entrance exams)
  • 毕业 (bìyè): To graduate / graduation
  • 学期 (xuéqī): School term / semester

B. Future Plans and Activities

  • 打算 (dǎsuàn): To plan / intention
  • 申请 (shēnqǐng): To apply for (e.g., applying to university)
  • 实习 (shíxí): Internship / work placement
  • 义工 (yìgōng): Voluntary work / volunteer
  • 兼职 (jiānzhí): Part-time job
  • 压力 (yālì): Pressure / stress

C. Academic Subjects & The Essential Measure Word

When you talk about school subjects in Chinese, you must use the correct measure word: 门 (mén).

  • 数学 (shùxué): Mathematics
  • 物理 (wùlǐ): Physics
  • 经济 (jīngjì): Economics

Example: 我打算选三门课：数学、物理和经济。
(Wǒ dǎsuàn xuǎn sān mén kè: shùxué, wùlǐ hé jīngjì. - I plan to choose three subjects: maths, physics, and economics.)

Quick Memory Tip: Think of 门 (mén) as a "doorway" to knowledge. Each subject you take opens a new door!

Key Takeaway: Always remember to use 门 (mén) when counting subjects (e.g., 三门课 - three subjects), and pair future actions with words like 打算 (dǎsuàn) and 申请 (shēnqǐng).

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2. Cultural Context: Chinese vs. UK Education Systems

AQA tests your cultural understanding of life in Chinese-speaking communities. Understanding how students in China progress through school helps you understand reading texts and gives you great material for speaking and writing.

A. The Chinese "6-3-3" System

  • Primary School: 6 years (compulsory)
  • Junior Secondary (初中 chūzhōng): 3 years (compulsory)
  • Senior Secondary / High School (高中 gāozhōng): 3 years

B. Two Big Exams: 中考 (Zhōngkǎo) vs. 高考 (Gāokǎo)

  • 中考 (Zhōngkǎo): Taken at age 15–16 at the end of junior secondary school (Grade 9). Similar to GCSEs in timing, this exam decides whether a student goes to an academic high school or a vocational high school.
  • 高考 (Gāokǎo): Taken at age 18 at the end of senior secondary school (Grade 12). Like A-levels, it determines university entry. However, the Gāokǎo is a single, national exam that creates immense academic pressure (压力 yālì) because a student's entire university admission depends on this one result.

C. Quick Comparison Table

  • Age 15–16: UK students take GCSEs \(\leftrightarrow\) Chinese students take 中考 (Zhōngkǎo)
  • Age 17–18: UK students take A-levels \(\leftrightarrow\) Chinese students take 高考 (Gāokǎo)
  • Post-18: Both systems lead to 大学 (dàxué) graduation (毕业 bìyè)

Key Takeaway: The 高考 (gāokǎo) is China's university entrance exam. When writing or speaking about it, you can contrast its high pressure (压力 yālì) with your own post-16 study experiences in the UK.

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3. Key Grammar: Talking About Future Plans

To score top marks in your Writing and Speaking exams, you must demonstrate a range of time frames. In Mandarin, you don't conjugate verbs; instead, you use modal verbs and time words to show that an action will happen in the future.

A. Future Markers and Modal Verbs

  • 打算 (dǎsuàn) + Verb: Plan to do something
    Example: 中学毕业以后，我打算上大学。(After graduating from secondary school, I plan to go to university.)
  • 想 (xiǎng) + Verb: Would like to / want to
    Example: 我想申请英国的大学。(I would like to apply to a UK university.)
  • 要 (yào) + Verb: Want to / going to
    Example: 我明年要去中国做实习。(Next year I am going to do an internship in China.)
  • 会 (huì) + Verb: Will (shows certainty or likelihood)
    Example: 高考的压力会很大。(The Gaokao pressure will be very big.)

B. Structuring Timelines: 以后 (yǐhòu) vs. 以前 (yǐqián)

Put the time phrase or event before 以后 or 以前:

  • [Event] + 以后 (yǐhòu) = After [event]
    Example: 考试以后，我想做兼职。(After exams, I want to do a part-time job.)
  • [Event] + 以前 (yǐqián) = Before [event]
    Example: 上大学以前，我打算做义工。(Before going to university, I plan to do voluntary work.)

Key Takeaway: Never write sentences in only the present tense! Use 打算 (dǎsuàn), 想 (xiǎng), 要 (yào), or 会 (huì) along with ...以后 (yǐhòu) to clearly signal future plans.

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4. Ready-to-Use Sentence Builders

Use these high-scoring templates in your speaking and writing exams:

Describing Post-16 Subject Choices:

Pattern: 中学毕业以后，我打算学 [Subject 1]、[Subject 2] 和 [Subject 3]。(Zhōngxué bìyè yǐhòu, wǒ dǎsuàn xué...)
Example: 中学毕业以后，我打算学数学、物理和经济。(After graduating secondary school, I plan to study maths, physics, and economics.)

Describing University and Career Plans:

Pattern: 我想申请 [Place/Country] 的大学，因为我想当 [Job]。(Wǒ xiǎng shēnqǐng... de dàxué, yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng dāng...)
Example: 我想申请大学，因为我想当老师。(I would like to apply for university because I want to become a teacher.)

Discussing Work Experience or Volunteering:

Pattern: 在假期，我打算做 [兼职 / 实习 / 义工]。(Zài jiàqī, wǒ dǎsuàn zuò [jiānzhí / shíxí / yìgōng].)
Example: 在暑假，我打算去医院做义工。(During the summer holiday, I plan to go to a hospital to do voluntary work.)

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5. Examiner Pitfalls & Exam Technique

Examiners note several common traps that cost students marks in Theme 3. Keep these rules in mind:

1. The "以前" vs. "以后" Confusion

  • 以后 (yǐhòu) means after / in the future (look for the component with lines pointing forward).
  • 以前 (yǐqián) means before / in the past.
  • Trap: Writing "中学毕业以前我打算上大学" means "Before graduating secondary school I plan to go to university", which does not make sense! Use 毕业以后 (after graduating).

2. Handwriting Rule for Paper 4 (Writing)

In AQA GCSE Chinese, you must write your answers by hand using Chinese characters (Simplified or Traditional). Typing on a computer is not permitted unless you have an official access arrangement. Practice writing your core characters (like 学, 业, 算, 试, 课) regularly so you feel confident under exam conditions.

3. The Mandatory Speaking Question Rule (Paper 2)

In the Speaking Exam General Conversation section, you must ask the examiner at least one question. If you forget to ask a question, you will receive an automatic penalty mark deduction!

Top tip: Memorize a reliable question related to education post-16:

  • 你以前在大学学了什么？ (Nǐ yǐqián zài dàxué xué le shénme? - What did you study at university before?)
  • 你打算去中国吗？ (Nǐ dǎsuàn qù zhōngguó ma? - Do you plan to go to China?)

4. Avoid Sounding Robotic in the Speaking Exam

While preparation is important, examiners award higher marks for spontaneity. When the examiner asks a follow-up question (such as Why you chose a subject or What pressure you feel), answer naturally using connecting words like 因为 (yīnwèi - because) and 虽然...但是... (suīrán... dànshì... - although... but...).

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Quick Revision Checklist

  • Do I know how to say university (大学 dàxué), graduate (毕业 bìyè), and the entrance exam (高考 gāokǎo)?
  • Can I use the measure word 门 (mén) for subjects (e.g., 三门课)?
  • Can I express my future intentions using 打算 (dǎsuàn) or 想 (xiǎng)?
  • Do I remember to ask the examiner a question during the General Conversation?
  • Can I explain the difference between 中考 (Zhōngkǎo) and 高考 (Gāokǎo)?