Practice dialogues › Mandarin › Education
Falling Behind After Illness: Asking for an Extension
Student adviser (speaking English) and University student (speaking Mandarin) talk through “Falling Behind After Illness: Asking for an Extension”. You interpret both ways — English into Mandarin, and Mandarin into English — one segment at a time, exactly as in the CCL test.
Practise this dialogue with AI marking →Read it first if you like, then practise it cold: the recording plays one segment, you interpret, the next segment plays. Marking shows, segment by segment, what you kept, left out or changed.
Full transcript with model answers
Under each segment: a model interpretation, the information points an examiner checks, and the easiest thing to miss. Try the segment yourself first, then open it. The model is one good way to say it; other wordings that keep every point score just as well.
Mr Fang, thanks for coming in. Your lecturer at Macquarie University says two statistics assignments are overdue. What's been going on?
Model answer and marking points
方先生，谢谢你过来。你在麦考瑞大学的讲师说，你有两份统计学作业已经逾期了。最近是怎么回事？
What an examiner checks here:
- Mr Fang thanked for coming in
- lecturer at Macquarie University reported it
- two assignments, subject is statistics
- assignments are overdue
- question: what has been going on
Easy to miss: Keep both the number (two) and the subject (statistics); candidates often drop one or the university name.
不好意思，老师。我上个月得了肺炎，在家躺了差不多三个星期，所以两份作业都落下了。我现在特别着急。
Model answer and marking points
I'm sorry. Last month I got pneumonia and was laid up at home for almost three weeks, so I fell behind on both assignments. I'm really anxious now.
What an examiner checks here:
- apology to the advisor
- pneumonia last month
- about three weeks at home in bed
- both assignments fell behind as a result
- feeling very anxious now
Easy to miss: 差不多三个星期 is 'about/almost three weeks', not exactly three; 肺炎 is pneumonia, not flu or a cold.
I'm sorry to hear that. Did you see a doctor? You can apply for special consideration, but you'll need a medical certificate covering the dates you were unwell.
Model answer and marking points
听到这个我很遗憾。你看过医生吗？你可以申请特殊考虑，但需要一份医生证明，而且要涵盖你生病的那段日期。
What an examiner checks here:
- expresses sympathy
- question: did you see a doctor
- can apply for special consideration
- needs a medical certificate
- certificate must cover the dates unwell
Easy to miss: 'Special consideration' is a fixed university term (特殊考虑); the certificate must cover the dates, not merely exist.
我在查茨伍德的诊所看过病，医生给我开了病假证明，我带来了。可是如果这门课没通过，我的学生签证会不会受影响？
Model answer and marking points
I saw a doctor at a clinic in Chatswood. The doctor gave me a medical certificate and I've brought it with me. But if I fail this unit, will my student visa be affected?
What an examiner checks here:
- saw a doctor at a clinic in Chatswood
- doctor issued a medical certificate
- has brought it today
- condition: if this unit is failed
- question: will student visa be affected
Easy to miss: 会不会受影响 is a yes/no question; don't turn it into a statement that the visa will be affected.
Possibly, if you fail repeatedly. That's why we act early. Apply online, and I'll check the late-application requirements with your faculty. I'll also refer you to the academic skills service.
Model answer and marking points
有可能，如果你多次不及格的话。所以我们才要早点行动。你先在网上提交申请，我去跟你们学院核实一下逾期申请的要求。我还会把你转介到学术技能服务。
What an examiner checks here:
- possibly, only if fails repeatedly
- that's why act early
- apply online
- will check late-application requirements with the faculty
- will refer to academic skills service
Easy to miss: 'Possibly, if you fail repeatedly' is hedged and conditional; don't render it as a flat yes or a flat no.
好的，麻烦您帮我确认一下截止时间，我一得到消息就马上提交。还有一个问题，我的海外学生健康保险，能报销这次看病的费用吗？
Model answer and marking points
OK. Could you please confirm the deadline for me? As soon as I hear back, I'll submit it straight away. One more question: can my Overseas Student Health Cover reimburse the cost of this doctor's visit?
What an examiner checks here:
- asks advisor to confirm the deadline
- will submit immediately once informed
- one more question
- question: will Overseas Student Health Cover reimburse this visit
- cost of the doctor's visit
Easy to miss: 海外学生健康保险 is Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), not Medicare or generic 'health insurance'.
Check with your health fund. Cover usually applies to doctor visits, but I can't confirm details for you. Also, our counselling service is available if stress is affecting your study.
Model answer and marking points
你去问一下你的保险公司。一般来说看医生是在保障范围内的，但具体细节我没办法替你确认。另外，如果压力影响到你的学习，我们也有心理咨询服务可以用。
What an examiner checks here:
- check with the health fund
- cover usually applies to doctor visits
- cannot confirm details
- counselling service is available
- condition: if stress is affecting study
Easy to miss: 'I can't confirm details' is a negation; don't let it slip into 'I'll confirm that for you'.
谢谢您。这段时间我压力确实很大，晚上睡不好，我会去预约咨询的。那延期批下来以后，我大概有多长时间补交？
Model answer and marking points
Thank you. I really have been under a lot of stress lately and I'm not sleeping well at night, so I'll book a counselling appointment. Once the extension is approved, roughly how long will I have to submit the work?
What an examiner checks here:
- thanks
- a lot of stress recently
- not sleeping well at night
- will book a counselling appointment
- question: after approval, roughly how long to submit
Easy to miss: 睡不好 is 'not sleeping well', not 'can't sleep at all'; keep 大概 (roughly) in the question.
That depends on the unit coordinator. If approved, you'll get a new due date in writing. Please don't wait for that; start the easier tasks now.
Model answer and marking points
这要看课程负责人。如果批准了，你会收到书面的新截止日期。请不要等到那时候，现在就先开始做比较容易的部分。
What an examiner checks here:
- depends on the unit coordinator
- condition: if approved
- new due date given in writing
- don't wait for that
- start the easier tasks now
Easy to miss: 'In writing' is easy to drop, and 'don't wait' is an instruction, not reassurance.
明白了。我今天回去就先做作业里比较简单的部分，再把申请表和病假证明一起上传。
Model answer and marking points
Understood. When I get home today, I'll start with the easier parts of the assignments first, and then upload the application form together with the medical certificate.
What an examiner checks here:
- understood
- today, after going home
- start with the easier parts of the assignments first
- then upload the application form
- together with the medical certificate
Easy to miss: Keep the sequence: easy parts first, then upload both documents together.
Good plan. Before you leave, here's my card. If the system rejects the file, call me straight away and we'll sort it together.
Model answer and marking points
好计划。走之前，这是我的名片。如果系统不接受你上传的文件，马上给我打电话，我们一起解决。
What an examiner checks here:
- good plan
- before leaving, gives business card
- condition: if the system rejects the file
- call straight away
- will sort it out together
Easy to miss: 'Card' is a business card (名片), not an ID card; 'straight away' and 'together' must both survive.
太感谢您了，我心里踏实多了。要是上传出问题，我一定马上给您打电话。
Model answer and marking points
Thank you so much. I feel a lot more at ease now. If anything goes wrong with the upload, I'll definitely call you right away.
What an examiner checks here:
- thanks very much
- feels much more at ease
- condition: if the upload goes wrong
- will definitely call
- right away
Easy to miss: 心里踏实多了 means feeling reassured, not 'relaxed about the deadline'; keep 一定 (definitely) and 马上 (right away).
Terms in this dialogue that cost marks
CCL is marked on information transferred. These Australian terms have no direct word in most test languages — get one wrong and the segment's information is gone.
- Medical certificate说“病假证明”或“医生证明”。
Practise it
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How the test works
Practice dialogue written to the CCL specification (two speakers, segments of 35 words or fewer, about 300 words). It is a practice text, not a NAATI test paper, and the AI score is this site's estimate, not a NAATI result. All Mandarin dialogues · All languages