Melinda had approached the upcoming HSK test with the precision of a Swiss timepiece. Six months ago, her department head had given her the choice between unemployment or a posting in southern China. "My hands are tied," he had said sympathetically, "but the Pearl Delta region is killing us and either we internationalize or we're out of business." The entire department was being gutted and the top talents reassigned to supervisory roles worldwide. "It's a good opportunity to lead our fastest growing division... but you'll simply have to learn Chinese."

HSK Tip #712: studies show that cramming is a much less effective test preparation strategy than long-term and less frantic exposure. If you're planning to take the HSK test, the best way to do it is building a custom study schedule using our lesson calendar. Check it out!