I have a good news to tell you. I passed an exam I told you about.

Incorrect
I have good news to tell you. I passed the exam I told you about.

‘News’ is uncountable
‘the exam’ is specific.	Would you like a cake
or a sandwich?

Correct
Some food words like ‘cake’ can be countable or uncountable depending on whether a whole one or part of one is meant.	I’ll have a Coke and an orange juice please, and we’d better have some ice too.

Correct
Uncountable liquids can be countable when talking about drinks in a restaurant, pub etc.	My sister’s going into the hospital tomorrow to have the baby.

Incorrect
My sister’s going into hospital tomorrow to have a baby. 

No article for hospitals, schools etc. as institutions, but as buildings they take an article.	
Would you like to come for a dinner on Friday?
We’re going to a new Italian restaurant.

Incorrect
Would you like to come for dinner on Friday?
We’re going to a new Italian restaurant.

Meals have no article
in invitations if there is no adjective or noun phrase.	Chinese eat a lot of rice; English eat a lot of potatoes.

Incorrect
The Chinese eat a lot of rice; The English eat a lot of potatoes.

Nationalities have a definite article when used like this: the Chinese, the Germans, the English etc.  	My car has broken down so I’m taking a bus to work this week.

Incorrect
My car has broken down so I’m taking the bus to work this week.

Public transport with ‘take’ has an article; public transport with ‘go by’ doesn’t. e.g.
I take the bus to work.
I go to work by bus.	I’m having a party the day after tomorrow. Do come if you have a time.

Incorrect
I’m having a party the day after tomorrow. Do come if you have time.

‘Time’ is uncountable here	
An ice-cream that my mother made was best I have ever tasted.

Incorrect
The Ice-cream that my mother made was the best I have ever tasted.

The ice-cream is specific; definite articles are used with superlative adjectives.	Did you go to the university when you left a school?

Incorrect
Did you go to university when you left school?

No article for hospitals, schools etc. as institutions, but as buildings they take an article.	We’re going to Philippines on the next Saturday.

Incorrect
We’re going to the Philippines next Saturday.

The Philippines is a group of islands so it has an article. ‘Next’ has no article with day, week etc. when it means the next from now.	What do you usually do at the Chinese New Year?

Incorrect
What do you usually do at Chinese New Year?

Festivals do not take an article: Christmas, Chinese New Year, Easter, Ching Ming, Ramadan etc.	
Do all the Chinese people speak same language?

Incorrect
Do all Chinese people speak the same language?
‘Nationality adjective + people’ normally takes no article. Same and different:
The same characters.
The same character.
Different characters.
A different character.	Turn right by the church and you’ll see the bus station right in front of you.

Correct
No article for hospitals, schools etc. as institutions, but as buildings they take an article.	What do you usually have for the lunch?

Incorrect
What do you usually have for lunch?

Meals have no article
when we are talking about them as part of a routine.	We had a slap-up dinner in the Chinese restaurant last week.

Correct /incorrect
Correct if there is only one Chinese restaurant.
Meals with an adjective have an article.
We’re having a big dinner on Saturday.	
Could you turn off lights before you lock up office.

Incorrect
Could you turn off the lights before you lock up the office.

When it is clear to the listener which thing is being referred to, use a definite article.	I would like an advice about English courses.

Incorrect
I would like some advice about English courses.

‘Advice’ is an uncountable noun. ‘English courses’ is general.	She has a good experience of the China market.

Incorrect
She has good experience of the China market.

‘Experience’ such as work experience, is uncountable. ‘The China market’ is a specific market.	The last time I went to Japan was about three years ago.

Correct
Use an article with ‘the first, the last, the second’ etc.
Common country names have no article; longer titles take ‘the’:
America / The United States.	
Hong Kong is on the coast of the Southern China.

Incorrect
Hong Kong is on the coast of Southern China.

Cities usually have no article.
Noun-of-noun phrases have an article.
Southern, Eastern etc. have no article, but we say ‘the north, the south’ etc.	In sixties, the steam trains were still common in many countries.

Incorrect
In the sixties, steam trains were still common in many countries.

Decades – the sixties, the 1990s etc. have an article.
‘Steam trains’ is general here.	Do have another chocolate. They’re the best I’ve ever tasted.

Correct
Some food words like ‘cake’ can be countable or uncountable depending on whether a whole one or part of one is meant.
Superlative adjectives take an article.	I went to a bank after I left the office. Then I went straight to a restaurant where I’d arranged to meet my boyfriend.

Incorrect
I went to the bank after I left the office. Then I went straight to the restaurant….

Some common shops etc. take an article, even if there are many of them.
In this example, the restaurant is specific.