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HSK guide Levels Words Grammar Practice Open WordSwing

Graded stories

Short stories written for each HSK level. Every story uses words from its level’s list in the 2025 syllabus (from HSK 5, with a few from the level above), so you can read it without a dictionary once you know the list. Each one has recorded audio, pinyin and English you can switch on, the key words, and a few questions to check you understood.

HSK 1

HSK 2

HSK 3

HSK 4

HSK 5

HSK 6

How to use the stories

  1. Read the story once without pinyin or English, and don’t stop for words you don’t know.
  2. Answer the questions. Then check the word list under the story and read it again.
  3. Listen to the audio while you follow the text, then listen once without looking.
  4. Read it aloud with the recording, a paragraph at a time. This is good practice for the speaking test.
  5. Come back a week later and read it again quickly. Rereading a story you know is one of the best ways to build speed.

Which level to start at

Start one level below the test you are preparing for. If you are working towards HSK 3, read the HSK 2 stories first: they should feel easy, and easy reading is how you build speed. Move up when you can read a story at normal speed and answer the questions without the English.

To check other texts, paste them into the text level checker. For how reading is tested and how much to read each week, see the reading guide.