HSK 3 ≈ CEFR B1 186 characters 12 sentences

The Job Interview （面试）

Twenty minutes of prepared answers, and one question she hadn't prepared for.

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面试

昨天zuótiān我wǒ去qù参加cānjiā了le / liǎo / liào一个yīgè面miàn试shì。
Yesterday I went to a job interview.
那nà / nèi家jiā公司gōngsī在zài市shì中心zhōngxīn，坐zuò地铁dìtiě要yào四十sìshí分钟fēnzhōng。
The company is in the city centre, forty minutes by underground.
为了wèile这次zhècì面miàn试shì，我wǒ准备zhǔnbèi了le / liǎo / liào整整zhěngzhěng一个yīgè星期xīngqī。
I'd prepared for a full week for it.
我wǒ把bǎ可能kěnéng被bèi问wèn到dào的de / dì问题wèntí都dōu写了xiěle下来xialai。
I'd written down every question I might be asked.
到了dàole那里nàli以后yǐhòu，我wǒ还是háishì很hěn紧张jǐnzhāng。
Even so, I was nervous when I got there.
面miàn试shì我wǒ的de(possessive)一共yīgòng有yǒu两liǎng个人gèrén。
Two people interviewed me.
前面qiánmian的de / dì问题wèntí我wǒ都dōu回答huídá得dé / děi / de不错búcuò。
I answered the first questions well enough.
可是kěshì最后zuìhòu一个yīgè问题wèntí让ràng我wǒ愣lèng住了zhùle：“你nǐ觉得juéde自己zìjǐ最大zuìdà的de / dì缺点quēdiǎn是shì什么shénme？”
But the last question stopped me: "What do you think your biggest weakness is?"
我wǒ想xiǎng了le / liǎo / liào几jǐ / jī秒miǎo钟zhōng，然后ránhòu老lǎo老实lǎoshí实shí地dì / de说shuō：“我wǒ做事zuòshì太tài慢màn，因为yīnwèi我wǒ怕pà做错zuòcuò。”
I thought for a few seconds and then said honestly, "I work too slowly, because I'm afraid of making mistakes."
那个nèigè人rén点diǎn了le / liǎo / liào点头diǎntóu，没méi说shuō什么shénme。
The interviewer nodded and said nothing.
走zǒu出chū大dà楼lóu的de / dì时候shíhou，我wǒ以为yǐwéi自己zìjǐ肯定kěndìng没有méiyǒu机会jīhuì了le / liǎo / liào。
Walking out of the building, I was sure I'd blown it.
可是kěshì今天jīntiān早上zǎoshang，他们tāmen打电话dǎdiànhuà来lái了le / liǎo / liào。
But this morning they rang.

Words to notice

面miàn
Face (surface - aspect - flour - noodles)
试shì
Test (exam - to try - experiment)
紧张jǐnzhāng
Tension (nervous - intense)
准备zhǔnbèi
Prepare (get ready - plan)
经验jīngyàn
Experiences
回答huídá
Answer (reply)
机会jīhuì
Opportunity
Drill this level's full word list on the HSK 3 vocabulary page or with HSK 3 flashcards.

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