中文（繁體）
中文（简体）
English
IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523: Paper 2 Listening Mock with Read-Aloud Transcripts
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL MOCK · CAMBRIDGE IGCSE CHINESE (SECOND LANGUAGE) 0523 · PAPER 2 LISTENING
Written to the Cambridge IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 Paper 2 format for the 2026 and 2027 examinations: about 35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40% of the qualification, all audio and questions in Mandarin, no dictionaries. Four exercises: (1) short answer (6), (2) gap fill (8), (3) information correction (8), (4) multiple choice (8). Because of copyright, this page supplies a read-aloud transcript instead of an audio file: a teacher or a text-to-speech voice reads it twice at natural speed while the candidate only listens, then answers.
What is in IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 Paper 2?
Direct answer: Paper 2 is the listening paper: about 35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40% of the qualification, all in Mandarin. Four exercises – short answer, gap fill, information correction, multiple choice – and no dictionaries. The invigilator controls the audio and each extract normally plays twice.
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 | 60% | 2 hours |
| Paper 2: Listening (four exercises) | About 35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40%; all in Mandarin; short answer, gap fill, information correction, multiple choice | 40% | 35-45 min |
About 40 minutes in total: Ex1 about 8, Ex2 about 10, Ex3 about 10, Ex4 about 10, including two readings and answering time.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original mock paper: all six transcripts, the questions and the answers were written by our team – not Cambridge past papers, marking references or published material.
The design follows the Cambridge IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 syllabus for 2026 and 2027: Paper 2 is the listening paper, about 35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40% of the qualification; all audio and questions are in Mandarin, in four exercises (short answer, gap fill, information correction, multiple choice), with no dictionaries.
No audio file is supplied (copyright and production limits); a read-aloud transcript replaces it – a teacher or a text-to-speech voice reads it twice at natural speed while the candidate only listens.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Reading and Writing (five exercises) | 60% | 12 / 25 / 12 / 20 / 35 minutes, 16 left to check | Read the sentences before scanning; keep the writing format |
| Paper 2: Listening (four exercises) | 40% | Each extract is normally played twice: gist first, detail second; always read the questions first | Write dates, times, prices and places as you hear them; in the correction task hear what the original wrongly said |
How do I practise without an audio file?
Direct answer: this page supplies a read-aloud transcript. Have a teacher, parent or speech tool read it twice at normal conversational speed with no pauses; the candidate listens only and writes as they hear; answers are checked afterwards. That mirrors the real paper and trains the same skill: hearing and note-taking in real time.
Exercise 1: Short answer (6 marks)
Three short extracts, two questions each. Read twice; listen only.
Question 1 (2 marks)
Recording 1 (MTR announcement)
‘Attention passengers: because of a signal fault, train service on the East Rail Line towards Lo Wu is disrupted, with delays of about fifteen minutes expected. Passengers travelling towards Lok Ma Chau should change at Sheung Shui for the shuttle bus. We apologise for the inconvenience.’
Questions: (a) Which direction is disrupted? (b) How long is the expected delay?
Question 2 (2 marks)
Recording 2 (phone message)
‘Hello, this is Mrs Chan. I’d like to change my appointment on Thursday at 3 pm to Friday at 10.30 am. Please call me back. My number is 9238 5671.’
Questions: (a) What was the original appointment? (b) What time does she want instead?
Question 3 (2 marks)
Recording 3 (shop assistant)
‘Sir, this jacket is $680 at full price. It’s 30% off today, so $476. With a membership card you can take another $30 off.’
Questions: (a) What is the discounted price? (b) How much more comes off with a membership card?
Exercise 2: Gap fill (8 marks)
Read the sentences first, then fill as you listen.
Question 1
錄音 4（訪問：社區單車租借計劃負責人）
記者：你們的單車租借計劃今年三月開始，對嗎？
負責人：對，三月十五日正式開始，不過試運期其實是二月。
記者：一共有幾個租借點？
負責人：原本設計是五個，但因為大埔那個位置未傾好，所以暫時只有四個。年底應該會加兩個，之後總數六個。
記者：收費怎樣？
負責人：首小時免費，之後每小時二十元，全日最多八十元。學生有半價，但要出示學生證。
記者：最多可以租多久？
負責人：一次最多租八小時，不可以過夜。還車一定要回到原本的租借點，不可以隨便泊。
記者：如果用壞了或者不見了？
負責人：壞車我們負責，但如果整架車不見了，要賠五百元。所以我們建議每次取車前先拍照。
Question 2 (1 mark)
Official start date: ______ March
Question 3 (1 mark)
Current number of rental points: ______
Question 4 (2 marks)
Total by the end of the year: ______; the location still unresolved is ______
Question 5 (2 marks)
Charges: first ______ hour(s) free, then ______ per hour, capped at ______ per day
Question 6 (1 mark)
Student discount: ______ price, on showing ______
Question 7 (1 mark)
Maximum rental: ______ hours; overnight use ______ (allowed / not allowed)
Exercise 3: Information correction (8 marks)
The notes contain six inaccuracies; correct each one.
Question 1
錄音 5（學校旅行通告朗讀）——以下筆記有 6 處與錄音不符，請改正。
① 旅行日期：11 月 18 日（星期五）
② 集合時間：上午 7 時 45 分
③ 集合地點：學校正門
④ 目的地：西貢麥理浩夫人度假村
⑤ 費用：每位 120 元（包括午餐）
⑥ 必須攜帶：學生證及水樽
⑦ 回程時間：下午 4 時 30 分
⑧ 如遇下雨：活動取消
Question 2
錄音原文
「各位同學請注意，中四級旅行定於十一月十九日，星期四举行。當日請於上午八時正在學校後門集合，不是正門，因為正門有工程。我們會去西貢麥理浩夫人度假村，車程約四十分鐘。
費用每位一百五十元，已經包括午餐同活動費。請記得帶學生證同水樽，另外建議帶帽。
回程預計下午四時，如果交通順利，五時前會回到學校。
如果當日下雨，活動不會取消，會改為在學校禮堂進行，所以大家都要照樣上學。」
Question 3 (1 mark)
(1) Correct date: ______
Question 4 (1 mark)
(2) Correct meeting time: ______
Question 5 (1 mark)
(3) Correct meeting point: ______
Question 6 (2 marks)
(5) Correct fee: ______ and what does it include?
Question 7 (2 marks)
(7) Correct return time: ______; (8) Correct rain arrangement: ______
Question 8 (1 mark)
(6) Which recommended item is missing from the note?
Exercise 4: Multiple choice (8 marks)
Listen to the discussion and choose the best answer.
Question 1
錄音 6（兩位同學討論應否參加課外活動）
家明：我媽叫我停了合唱團，話中四要專心讀書。
詠恩：你自己想不想停？
家明：其實我不想。每星期兩小時，我覺得不算多，而且唱歌真是可以減壓。不過上次測驗成績跌了，我媽就覺得是合唱團累事。
詠恩：但你上次測驗之前病了一個星期呢。
家明：是呀，我同佢講過，但佢不信。佢覺得所有課外活動都是浪費時間。
詠恩：那你想怎么办？
家明：我想同佢講，如果我下次測驗考返好，就繼續；如果真是跌，我自己停。但我要先有數據——所以我會記錄每個星期用幾多時間練習同做功課，做一個月先傾。
詠恩：這個方法好，有數據就不是講感覺。不過你要寫得清楚，不要到时候自己都不记得。
Question 2 (2 marks)
Why does Ka-ming’s mother want him to quit the choir?
A. The choir charges a fee
B. She thinks S4 should be spent on study
C. He failed the last test
D. Choir rehearsals are too long
Question 3 (2 marks)
What is Ka-ming’s own view of the choir?
A. A waste of time
B. It relieves stress and he does not want to quit
C. He should stop for a year
D. He does not mind either way
Question 4 (2 marks)
What other cause does Wing-yan point to for the drop in Ka-ming’s last test?
A. He was ill for a week
B. He did not practise
C. The paper was too hard
D. He had other activities on
Question 5 (2 marks)
How does Ka-ming plan to persuade his mother?
A. Argue with her directly
B. Ask a teacher to help
C. Record his time use for a month and talk with data
D. Quit the choir for a month first
Which of the four exercises loses the most marks?
Direct answer: Exercise 3 (information correction) – it asks you to state what the note wrongly said and the correct version, and most candidates write only the correction, losing half. Next is Exercise 4’s distractors: the audio mentions the words of the wrong options, but in a different context.
Exercise 1 answers and traps
Question 1
(a) Towards Lo Wu (1 mark); (b) about fifteen minutes (1 mark).
Trap: Lok Ma Chau and Sheung Shui are both mentioned, but Lok Ma Chau is where affected passengers are going and Sheung Shui is the workaround – not the disrupted direction. When two place names appear, ask which one is the problem and which one is the solution.
Question 2
(a) Thursday at 3 pm (1 mark); (b) Friday at 10.30 am (1 mark).
Trap: afternoon and morning are the two slots most easily confused; the phone number is not asked for, so do not spend time copying it.
Question 3
(a) $476 (1 mark); (b) $30 (1 mark).
Trap: ‘sevenfold’ in Chinese retail means 70% of the price, not 70% off. The recording states the answer ($476), so no arithmetic is needed – but if only the discount is given you must compute it on the spot.
Extension: 680 x 0.7 = 476; with the card, 446.
Exercise 2 answers
Question 1
Question 2
15
Question 3
4 (five were planned; Tai Po fell through)
Question 4
6; Tai Po
Question 5
1 hour; $20; $80
Question 6
half price; a student card
Question 7
8 hours; not allowed
Exercise 3 answers
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
19 November (Thursday) – the note had both the date and the weekday wrong
Question 4
8.00 am exactly
Question 5
The school’s back gate (works at the main gate)
Question 6
$150 each; lunch and activity fees
Question 7
About 4 pm (back at school before 5); rain does not cancel it – it moves to the school hall
Question 8
A hat – the recording recommends one; the note lists only the student card and water bottle
Exercise 4 answers and traps
Question 1
Question 2
B – she says S4 should be for study.
Trap: A is never mentioned; C says marks dropped, not that he failed; D is Ka-ming’s counter-argument, not his mother’s reason.
Question 3
B – he says he does not want to stop and that singing relieves stress.
Trap: A is his mother’s view, not his; D is plainly wrong because he says he does not want to stop.
Question 4
A – she says he was ill for a week before the test.
Trap: B, C and D are never mentioned. This question tests whether you hear the other speaker’s challenge, not Ka-ming’s position.
Question 5
C – he will log his weekly practice and homework time for a month before talking.
Trap: A is the opposite of his approach (he wants data, not feeling); D is his mother’s demand, not his plan.
Should I read the options before or after listening?
Direct answer: before. While reading, circle the key difference between options (ill versus did not practise), so that listening becomes a single judgement. If you read afterwards you will remember plenty of detail but not which option it belongs to.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waiting to write | Only reading the questions while listening | Every detail is lost | Write key words as you hear them, especially numbers and place names |
| Correction task answered with the right answer only | Writing ‘8 am’ without amending the note | The task asks for a corrected version; half marks at best | Write ‘wrong → right’ as a full item |
| MC by impression | Looking at the options after the audio | Similar options mislead | Read the options first and tick as you hear key words |
| Missing recommended versus required | Treating ‘a hat is recommended’ as compulsory | Gap-fill marked wrong | Flag anything introduced by ‘recommended’ as optional |
How to use this paper
First sit: have someone read it aloud (or use a speech tool), twice only, no pausing and no transcript.
Mark it: especially Exercise 3 – check whether you recorded what the note wrongly said.
Second sit: redo it three to seven days later; the real divider in a listening paper is how fast you write while listening.
What should I do after finishing this paper?
Direct answer: three things: note which exercise cost you the most writing time – writing speed is the real bottleneck in a listening paper; re-read (re-play) the same extract targeting only the numbers and places you missed; then work on Paper 1 (reading and writing, 2 hours, 60 marks, 60%), since the two papers together set the grade.
FAQ
Why is there no audio file?
Copyright and production limits. A read-aloud transcript replaces it: a teacher, parent or speech tool reads it twice at natural speed while the candidate only listens. The skill trained is identical – hearing and note-taking in real time.
How fast should it be read?
Normal conversational speed, not slowed down. Real 0523 audio runs close to news-reading pace; slow reading leaves you unable to keep up in the exam.
How should Exercise 3 be answered?
State what the note wrongly said and what the correct version is. The right answer alone is incomplete, because the task asks you to correct the note.
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Chinese (Second Language) 0523 | Confirm Paper 2’s 35-45 minutes, 30 marks, 40% and the four exercises |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-chinese-second-language-0523-paper-1-mock-2027/ | 0523 Paper 1 reading and writing mock (five exercises) |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-chinese-first-language-0509-paper-2-mock-2027/ | 0509 First Language Paper 2 writing mock |
Related: practice area · 0523 Paper 1 mock
Next step: find a tutor / register as a tutor
After drilling, the hard part is telling a conceptual error from a writing error. Tell us the year group, the school and your available times, and TutorZone will match you with a tutor who knows the HKEAA assessment requirements.
Demand for tutors in this subject is steady, and those who can explain the marking scheme and where marks are won are especially sought after. Register free; you pay only when a match succeeds.