The official Topik webpage has just released the audio sample for the new Topik format. However, because of the research purpose, they do not publicize the listening questions. Therefore, we can only listen to the audio samples WITHOUT ANY QUESTIONS OR SCRIPTS. You can download two audios for TOPIK I (Beginner) and TOPIK II(Intermediate-advanced) on these links.
Audio sample for Topik I(Beginner)
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/nagiqr5ocs1a14a/TOPIK_I_Beginner_audio.mp3
Audio sample for TOPIK II(Intermediate-advanced)
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The topik web also uploaded the sample papers for the new Topik format (with answer keys, script, BUT NO AUDIOS). I cannot understand why they don’t upload the audios for these sample papers. You can also download the sample papers from this link:
Sample of TOPIK I (Beginner) with answer keys, script, no audio
http://www.mediafire.com/view/s4sk3qh4a6zq5ta/(New_Topik)_Sample_I_Beginner.pdf
Sample of TOPIK II(Intermediate-Advanced) with answer keys, script, no audio
http://www.mediafire.com/view/oo843sly7iq8g08/(New_Topik)_Sample_II_Intermediate-Advanced.pdf
OK, and now let’s talk about the sample audios. Because I have to listen to the audios without any questions or scripts, it becomes more challenging. Anyway, I still listen to these audios to test my listening comprehension and check the new features of the new topic.
I will review the TOPIK II (INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED) sample audio first.
1)In the old Topik format, we can listen to the audio TWICE for the intermediate listening part and only ONCE for the advanced listening part. And now, in the new topik, we can only listen to the audio ONCE in easy questions and TWICE in difficult questions.
I’m really shocked when finding about this. It seems that when they combine the intermediate and advanced exams into one exam, they want to challenge the intermediate learners by only letting us listen ONCE in the intermediate-level questions. This new format seems to challenge the intermediate learners and make it easier for the advanced learners.
2) In the old topik exam, the speed of the speakers in the intermediate topik exam is very slow while the speed of the speakers in the advanced topik exam is very fast and natural. In the new topik format, the speed of the speakers in the TOPIK II(intermediate-advanced) is very fast like the ones in the old advanced topik exam. I was shocked again. How can they let us listen only ONCE with that fast speed? This new topik format looks like the extended advanced exam, not the combination of intermediate and advanced topik.
3)In the old topik exam, the intermediate exam or the advanced exam had 30 listening questions in 45 minutes. In the new topik exam, we have to listen to 50 questions in 60 minutes. This point is easy to understand because in the new topik format, they combine intermediate and advanced exams, so the number of questions increases.
4) I will discuss the new format here
| The new format structure(Intermediate-advanced) | Comments |
| Part 1: (question 1-3) Listen to the audio and choose the correct pictures | This is the original part in the intermediate exam. The first two listening conversations are about daily activities. However, the conversation is LONGER AND FASTER and of course we can only listen ONCE. The third question is about analyzing the diagrams or graphs. This is NOT in the old intermediate exam. What on earth do they take this part from? When I listened for the first time, I couldn’t get what the man said. |
| Part 2 (4~8): Listen to the conversation and choose what the next speaker is going to say. | This is the original part in the intermediate exam but longer and faster (listen only ONCE.) |
| Part 3: (9~12) Listen to the conversation and choose what the girl is going to do next. | This is the original part in the intermediate and advanced exam but faster (listen only ONCE.) |
| Part 4 (13~16) Listen to the conversation and choose the sentence that matches the content. | This is the original part in the intermediate exam but longer and faster (listen only ONCE.) |
| Part 5 (17~20) Listen to the conversation and choose the man’s main idea. | This is the original part in the intermediate exam but longer and faster (listen only ONCE.) |
| Part 6(21-36): Listen to the conversation or the speech and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the intermediate and advanced exam and it has many difficult vocabularies. The difficult level and the length of each conversation or speech are increasing. In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
| Part 7(37-38) Listen to a program and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the advanced exam. In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
| Part 8(39-40) Listen to the conversation and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the advanced exam. In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
| Part 9(41-42) Listen to the lecture and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the advanced exam. In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
| Part 10(43-44) Listen to the documentary and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the advanced exam. In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
| Part 11(45-46) Listen to the lecture and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the advanced exam.In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
| Part 12(47-48)Listen to the conversation and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the advanced exam.In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
| Part 13(49-50)Listen to the lecture and choose the correct answer | This is the original part in the advanced exam. In this part, we can listen to the audio TWICE!!! |
Nice! I wonder how I would do. Reading your post, I want to try it.
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Thanks for your comment. I am eager to take the new Topik exam too ^^
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I’m soooo glad I took the Topik 34th. I actually would have probably taken it later hate they format not changed.
Some people I’d talked to when first hearing about the changes thought it was done to make it easier. I never believed that for a second. A part of me thinks the reason for this change was to not make it harder, but to make it so that people had to strive to harder to pass it. Still think the combining 4 levels was stupid though.
—Charm
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Thank you very much for your comment. I guess the change of the topik format is aimed to attract more beginner learners. The new beginner topik now only has the listening and reading part, which is too easy!!
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Yes. Definitely too easy. Were they hoping to lure people with the allure of it being easy and then slap them with the intermediate/advanced? That part seems VERY strange to me. “Look how easy Korean is” to ” KOREAN IS SOOOOOOO HARD muhahahahaha”.
I don’t know. I’d be a little pissed off if I got all studied and prepared for the beginner exam and passed it with a high score (due to it being very easy) and then got to the second one. It would feel like walking up an ant hill vs scaling a mountain.
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