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IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523: Paper 1 Reading and Writing Mock with Answers
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL MOCK · CAMBRIDGE IGCSE CHINESE (SECOND LANGUAGE) 0523 · PAPER 1 READING AND WRITING
Written to the Cambridge IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 Paper 1 format for the 2026 and 2027 examinations: 2 hours, 60 marks, 60% of the qualification, all questions and responses in Mandarin Chinese, passages printed in both traditional and simplified characters (candidates answer in either), no dictionaries. Five exercises: (1) information transfer (15), (2) short answer (15), (3) matching (10), (4) functional writing (8), (5) extended writing (12). Original passages, questions and answers for all five.
What is in IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 Paper 1?
Direct answer: Paper 1 is the reading and writing paper: 2 hours, 60 marks, 60% of the qualification, in five exercises – (1) information transfer 15, (2) short answer 15, (3) matching 10, (4) functional writing 8, (5) extended writing 12. Everything is in Mandarin Chinese, passages print both character sets, and no dictionaries.
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Reading and Writing (five exercises) | 2 hours, 60 marks, 60%; information transfer, short answer, matching, functional writing, extended writing; all questions and responses in Mandarin Chinese | 60% | 2 hours |
| Paper 2: Listening | About 35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40%; all audio and questions in Mandarin | 40% | 35-45 min |
Two hours in total: Ex1 12 min, Ex2 25, Ex3 12, Ex4 20, Ex5 35, leaving 16 to check.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original mock paper: all five exercises, their passages, answers and models were written by our team – not Cambridge past papers, marking references or published texts.
The design follows the Cambridge IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 syllabus for 2026 and 2027: Paper 1 is the reading and writing paper, 2 hours, 60 marks, 60% of the qualification; all questions and responses are in Mandarin Chinese, passages are printed in both character sets and candidates may answer in either; no dictionaries are allowed.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Reading and Writing (five exercises) | 60% | Ex1 12 min, Ex2 25, Ex3 12, Ex4 20, Ex5 35, with 16 left to check | Information transfer: check every cell against the text; matching: read the sentences before scanning; writing: keep purpose and format |
| Paper 2: Listening | 40% | The invigilator controls the audio and each extract is normally played twice: gist first, detail second | Read the questions first; write dates, times, prices and places as you hear them |
How do 0523 and 0509 differ, and which should I take?
Direct answer: 0509 is First Language (for near-native speakers: reading, directed writing, classical Chinese and extended writing); 0523 is Second Language (information transfer, short answer, matching, functional and extended writing, plus a listening paper). Which one you sit is decided by your school’s course, not by choice – international schools usually set by Chinese background and the class determines the paper.
Exercise 1: Information transfer (15 marks)
Read the notice and complete the form (1-2 marks per cell).
Question 1
青少年社區服務計劃 2027（義工招募）
主辦：沙田區青少年發展中心 合辦：香港義工學院
服務期：2027 年 3 月 6 日至 2027 年 5 月 29 日，逢星期六上午 9 時 30 分至中午 12 時（共 12 節）。3 月 20 日及 4 月 17 日暫停，改為 5 月 1 日及 5 月 8 日補課。
地點：沙田瀝源邨社區會堂二樓（港鐵沙田站 B 出口，步行 8 分鐘）。
對象：中三至中六學生，16 至 19 歲。每節名額 24 人，額滿即止。
服務內容：①為長者維修小家電；②為小一至小三學生功課輔導；③協助社區回收日。
參加者須出席不少於 10 節，方可獲發證書。全程免費，惟須自備水樽及穿密頭鞋。
報名：2027 年 2 月 1 日前，於網上表格遞交。查詢：2428 6XXX（陳姑娘）。
惡劣天氣安排：如天文台於活動開始前兩小時發出八號風球或黑色暴雨警告，該節取消，不設補課。
Question 2 (1 mark)
Name of the programme: __________
Question 3 (1 mark)
Date the service period ends: __________
Question 4 (2 marks)
Each session runs from __________ to __________
Question 5 (2 marks)
The two suspended dates: __________ and __________
Question 6 (1 mark)
Venue: __________
Question 7 (2 marks)
Eligible year groups and ages: Secondary __________ to Secondary __________, aged __________ to __________
Question 8 (1 mark)
Places per session: __________
Question 9 (2 marks)
Certificate requires attendance at __________ sessions; the fee is __________
Question 10 (1 mark)
Application deadline: __________
Question 11 (2 marks)
What happens to a session under typhoon signal 8 or a black rainstorm warning?
Exercise 2: Short answer (15 marks)
Read the passage and answer. Keep answers short; do not copy whole sentences.
Question 1
校園「共用雪櫃」試驗計劃
去年九月，本校學生會在一樓飯堂外設置了一個共用雪櫃，讓同學把未吃完的包裝食物放進去，有需要的同學可以自行取用。計劃由四位中五學生發起，最初只有一個雪櫃、兩塊告示板。
負責同學陳嘉俊說，最初最大的困難不是食物不足，而是同學不敢取用：「大家怕被人見到，覺得好像承認自己沒錢。」於是他們改動做法——不再寫「免費食物」，改寫「今天多出來的」；也不記錄取用者的姓名，只記錄數量。
三個月後，平均每天有 18 至 25 份食物被取走，同時每天收到約 30 份捐贈。最大的浪費來源是麵包店當日未售出的麵包，其次是家長會活動後剩下的飲品。
不過，計劃也遇到衛生問題。有一次，一盒沒有標明日期的壽司被放進雪櫃，兩天後才被發現。學生會其後加入三條規則：只接受有原包裝及清晰日期的食物、每日放學前由值日生清理、雪櫃內只可存放 48 小時。校方同時要求，計劃須每學期向校務處提交一次報告。
校長黃太表示，學校不會把計劃擴大到其他樓層，除非學生會能證明清潔與記錄可以持續。她說：「出發點很好，但要先證明做得住。」
Question 2 (2 marks)
Where is the shared fridge and how many students started the scheme?
Question 3 (2 marks)
According to Chan Ka-chun, what was the biggest difficulty at first?
Question 4 (2 marks)
Which two changes made students more willing to take food?
Question 5 (2 marks)
After three months, roughly how much food was taken and donated each day?
Question 6 (1 mark)
What was the largest source of the food?
Question 7 (2 marks)
What hygiene problem occurred?
Question 8 (2 marks)
Which rule did the student union add about storage time?
Question 9 (2 marks)
Under what condition would the principal consider expanding the scheme?
Exercise 3: Matching (10 marks)
Eight sentences to six paragraphs; two sentences have no match.
Question 1 (2 marks)
Matching (eight sentences to six paragraphs; two sentences have no match).
Paragraphs: A library hours extended B pool maintenance C parents’ day rescheduled D uniform supplier changed E S6 mock timetable F extracurricular sign-up
Sentence 1: ‘On Saturdays you may now stay until 8 pm.’ Sentence 2: ‘The new uniform can be ordered online.’ Sentence 3: ‘S6 students must confirm subject choices by next Wednesday.’
State which paragraph sentences 1-3 match.
Question 2 (4 marks)
Sentence 4: ‘All S4 students must join at least one activity.’ Sentence 5: ‘During the works, PE moves to the hall.’ Sentence 6: ‘Parents may switch to an online meeting.’ Sentence 7: ‘Sign-up forms are available at the general office.’ Sentence 8: ‘The change does not affect the examination schedule.’
Match sentences 4-8 (write ‘none’ where there is no match).
Exercise 4: Functional writing (8 marks)
About 80-100 characters with a salutation and a sign-off.
Question 1 (8 marks)
Exercise 4: functional writing (about 80-100 characters).
You are Li Mei-yan, an S4 student. You signed up for the school’s elderly home visit, but the date has changed and you now have an inter-school competition that day. Write an email to the teacher in charge, Mr Chan, explaining: (1) you had signed up; (2) you cannot attend the new date and why; (3) ask whether you may join another session.
The email needs a salutation and a sign-off, with your name and class.
Exercise 5: Extended writing (12 marks)
About 150-200 characters; cover all three points.
Question 1 (12 marks)
Exercise 5: extended writing (about 150-200 characters).
Title: There is a place near my school that I often visit.
Write a piece that includes: (1) where the place is and what it looks like; (2) why you go there often; (3) one memorable experience there.
How should the two hours be split across the five exercises?
Direct answer: 12 / 25 / 12 / 20 / 35 minutes, with 16 left to check. The rule is not to overspend on the reading exercises: Ex1-Ex3 are 49 minutes between them, and if Ex2 takes more than 30 the two writing tasks (20 marks, a third of the paper) lose their time.
Exercise 1 answers
Question 1
Question 2
Youth Community Service Programme 2027 (volunteer recruitment)
Question 3
29 May 2027
Question 4
9:30 am; 12:00 noon
Question 5
20 March; 17 April
Question 6
2/F, Lek Yuen Estate Community Hall, Sha Tin
Question 7
S3 to S6; 16 to 19
Question 8
24
Question 9
10 sessions; free of charge
Question 10
1 February 2027
Question 11
The session is cancelled and is not replaced
Exercise 2 answers
Question 1
Question 2
Outside the first-floor canteen; four S5 students
Question 3
Not a shortage of food but students’ reluctance to take it – they feared being seen as admitting they had no money
Question 4
(1) relabelling ‘free food’ as ‘today’s leftovers’; (2) recording quantities instead of names
Question 5
18 to 25 items taken; about 30 items donated
Question 6
Bread unsold by a bakery on the day
Question 7
A box of sushi with no date was left in the fridge and found two days later
Question 8
Food may stay in the fridge for 48 hours at most
Question 9
The student union must first show that cleaning and record-keeping can be sustained
Exercise 3 answers and traps
Question 1
Sentence 1 → A (library hours extended); sentence 2 → D (uniform supplier changed); sentence 3 → E (S6 mock timetable).
How marks are earned: read the sentences first and circle the time words (Saturday, 8 pm) and the action words (order, confirm), then scan the paragraphs for those words. Do not guess from overall meaning – two of the six paragraphs are distractors.
Question 2
Sentence 4 → F (extracurricular sign-up); sentence 5 → B (pool maintenance); sentence 6 → C (parents’ day rescheduled); sentence 7 → F (extracurricular sign-up); sentence 8 → none (no paragraph says the exam schedule is unaffected).
Trap: sentences 4 and 7 both match F, because one paragraph may answer more than one sentence; sentence 8 is a negative distractor that no paragraph supports – forcing a match loses the mark.
Exercise 4 marking notes and model
Question 1
How the 8 marks split: format 2 (salutation, sign-off, name and class), content 4 (one mark each for the three points, deducting for a missing one), language 2 (polite register, fluent sentences).
Model (about 95 characters): Dear Mr Chan, I am Li Mei-yan of class 4B. I had signed up for the elderly home visit, but I understand it has been moved to 15 March. I am representing the school in an inter-school volleyball match that day and cannot attend; I am very sorry. May I join the session on 22 March instead? I would arrive on time. Thank you. Yours sincerely, Li Mei-yan, 4B
Exercise 5 marking notes and model
Question 1
How the 12 marks split: content 6 (all three points with concrete detail), structure 3 (paragraphing, transitions), language 3 (accurate vocabulary, varied sentences).
Model (about 175 characters): Turn left out of the school’s back gate and walk three minutes: there is a very small bookshop. It has two panes of glass at the front and a hand-written sign, and in the afternoon the sun lights up a whole row of books. I go almost every Wednesday after school, because the owner never hurries anyone and never asks what you want to buy. The day before last term’s examinations I sat there until half past six. Seeing me stuck on the same page, the owner put a glass of hot water beside me and said, ‘No rush, take your time.’ I still remember that glass next to the book. I go because it is quiet enough to think, not because there are many books.
Two sentences have no matching paragraph – how do I avoid forcing a match?
Direct answer: read the eight sentences first, circle time and action words, then scan the paragraphs, writing the sentence number beside each match. At the end check which paragraph went unused – usually the distractor. If a sentence has no match, write ‘none’ rather than forcing one; a forced match is always wrong.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matching on keywords | Seeing ‘Saturday’ and picking A | Distractor paragraphs ruin the set | Read the sentences first, circle time and action words, then scan; finally check which paragraph was unused |
| Copying whole sentences | Lifting the text into short answers | Wastes time and misses the question | Write the key words and only the necessary detail |
| Missing format | No salutation, no paragraphs | Format marks lost outright | Salutation, body, sign-off, name and class |
| Short writing | 80 characters in Ex5 | Content band capped | About 50 characters on each of the three points |
How to use this paper
First sit: no references, 120 minutes, all five exercises in order.
Mark it: for matching, justify every answer against the paragraph; for short answers, check you did not copy whole sentences.
Second sit: redo it three to seven days later, taking 10 minutes off Ex1-Ex3 and giving them to the two writing tasks.
What should I do after finishing this paper?
Direct answer: three things: write out, sentence by sentence, why each wrong matching option is wrong – that is where second-language papers separate candidates; rewrite each writing task once, fixing only format or length; then drill Paper 2 listening (35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40%) using the read-first, listen-second method.
FAQ
Is this a Cambridge paper?
No. All five exercises, their passages and answers are TutorZone originals; the framework figures (2 hours, 60 marks, 60%, and the exercise marks) come from the Cambridge 0523 syllabus for 2026 and 2027.
May I answer in simplified characters?
Yes. Paper 1 prints every passage in both character sets and candidates may answer in either without penalty.
How should Paper 2 listening be prepared?
Paper 2 is about 35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40%, entirely in Mandarin. Read the questions before the audio starts and write dates, times, prices and places as you hear them.
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 | Confirm Paper 1’s 2 hours, 60 marks, 60% and the five exercises |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-chinese-first-language-0509-paper-2-mock-2027/ | 0509 First Language Paper 2 writing mock |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-chinese-first-language-0509-past-paper-drill-guide/ | 0509 drilling guide |
Related: practice area · 0509 Paper 2 writing mock
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