The faculty committee at Beijing University was onto its second hour of deliberation. "Kelly's thesis is excellent," Karen Brugher brushed her hair back, "but I'm concerned about her level of Chinese fluency. What exactly is basic communication skills supposed to mean? Can she handle working with our Chinese colleagues?" As grumblings of agreement shifted through the meeting, department chair Stephen Li shifted in his chair, "it means she hasn't taken the HSK," he added, "and for all we know, she knows how to say hello and that's about it."