Author: Olle Linge
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781530334889
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
Learning Chinese can be frustrating and difficult, partly because it's very different from European languages. Following a teacher, textbook or language course is not enough. They show you the characters, words and grammar you need to become proficient in Chinese, but they don't teach you how to learn them! Regardless of what program you're in (if any), you need to take responsibility for your own learning. If you don't, you will miss many important things that aren't included in the course you're taking. If you study on your own, you need to be even more aware of what you need to do, what you're doing at the moment and the difference between them. Here are some of the questions I have asked and have since been asked many times by students: How do I learn characters efficiently? How do I get the most out of my course or teacher? Which are the best learning tools and resources? How can I become fluent in Mandarin? How can I improve my pronunciation? How do I learn successfully on my own? How can I motivate myself to study more? How can I fit learning Chinese into a busy schedule? The answers I've found to these questions and many others form the core of this book. It took eight years of learning, researching, teaching and writing to figure these things out. Not everybody has the time to do that! I can't go back in time and help myself learn in a better way, but I can help you! This book is meant for normal students and independent language learners alike. While it covers all major areas of learning, you won't learn Chinese just by reading this book. It's like when someone on TV teaches you how to cook: you won't get to eat the delicious dish just by watching the program; you have to do the cooking yourself. That's true for this book as well. When you apply what you learn, it will boost your learning, making every hour you spend count for more, but you still have to do the learning yourself. This is what a few readers have said about the book: "The book had me nodding at a heap of things I'd learnt the hard way, wishing I knew them when I started, as well as highlighting areas that I'm currently missing in my study." - Geoff van der Meer, VP engineering "This publication is like a bible for anyone serious about Chinese proficiency. It's easy for anyone to read and written with scientific precision." - Zachary Danz, foreign teacher, children's theatre artist About me I started learning Chinese when I was 23 (that's more than eight years ago now) and have since studied in many different situations, including serious immersion programs abroad, high-intensity programs in Sweden, online courses, as well as on the side while working or studying other things. I have also successfully used my Chinese in a graduate program for teaching Chinese as a second language, taught entirely in Chinese mostly for native speakers (the Graduate Institute for Teaching Chinese as a Second Language at National Taiwan Normal University). All these parts have contributed to my website, Hacking Chinese, where I write regularly about how to learn Mandarin.
Hacking Chinese
Author: Olle Linge
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781530334889
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
Learning Chinese can be frustrating and difficult, partly because it's very different from European languages. Following a teacher, textbook or language course is not enough. They show you the characters, words and grammar you need to become proficient in Chinese, but they don't teach you how to learn them! Regardless of what program you're in (if any), you need to take responsibility for your own learning. If you don't, you will miss many important things that aren't included in the course you're taking. If you study on your own, you need to be even more aware of what you need to do, what you're doing at the moment and the difference between them. Here are some of the questions I have asked and have since been asked many times by students: How do I learn characters efficiently? How do I get the most out of my course or teacher? Which are the best learning tools and resources? How can I become fluent in Mandarin? How can I improve my pronunciation? How do I learn successfully on my own? How can I motivate myself to study more? How can I fit learning Chinese into a busy schedule? The answers I've found to these questions and many others form the core of this book. It took eight years of learning, researching, teaching and writing to figure these things out. Not everybody has the time to do that! I can't go back in time and help myself learn in a better way, but I can help you! This book is meant for normal students and independent language learners alike. While it covers all major areas of learning, you won't learn Chinese just by reading this book. It's like when someone on TV teaches you how to cook: you won't get to eat the delicious dish just by watching the program; you have to do the cooking yourself. That's true for this book as well. When you apply what you learn, it will boost your learning, making every hour you spend count for more, but you still have to do the learning yourself. This is what a few readers have said about the book: "The book had me nodding at a heap of things I'd learnt the hard way, wishing I knew them when I started, as well as highlighting areas that I'm currently missing in my study." - Geoff van der Meer, VP engineering "This publication is like a bible for anyone serious about Chinese proficiency. It's easy for anyone to read and written with scientific precision." - Zachary Danz, foreign teacher, children's theatre artist About me I started learning Chinese when I was 23 (that's more than eight years ago now) and have since studied in many different situations, including serious immersion programs abroad, high-intensity programs in Sweden, online courses, as well as on the side while working or studying other things. I have also successfully used my Chinese in a graduate program for teaching Chinese as a second language, taught entirely in Chinese mostly for native speakers (the Graduate Institute for Teaching Chinese as a Second Language at National Taiwan Normal University). All these parts have contributed to my website, Hacking Chinese, where I write regularly about how to learn Mandarin.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781530334889
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 246
Book Description
Learning Chinese can be frustrating and difficult, partly because it's very different from European languages. Following a teacher, textbook or language course is not enough. They show you the characters, words and grammar you need to become proficient in Chinese, but they don't teach you how to learn them! Regardless of what program you're in (if any), you need to take responsibility for your own learning. If you don't, you will miss many important things that aren't included in the course you're taking. If you study on your own, you need to be even more aware of what you need to do, what you're doing at the moment and the difference between them. Here are some of the questions I have asked and have since been asked many times by students: How do I learn characters efficiently? How do I get the most out of my course or teacher? Which are the best learning tools and resources? How can I become fluent in Mandarin? How can I improve my pronunciation? How do I learn successfully on my own? How can I motivate myself to study more? How can I fit learning Chinese into a busy schedule? The answers I've found to these questions and many others form the core of this book. It took eight years of learning, researching, teaching and writing to figure these things out. Not everybody has the time to do that! I can't go back in time and help myself learn in a better way, but I can help you! This book is meant for normal students and independent language learners alike. While it covers all major areas of learning, you won't learn Chinese just by reading this book. It's like when someone on TV teaches you how to cook: you won't get to eat the delicious dish just by watching the program; you have to do the cooking yourself. That's true for this book as well. When you apply what you learn, it will boost your learning, making every hour you spend count for more, but you still have to do the learning yourself. This is what a few readers have said about the book: "The book had me nodding at a heap of things I'd learnt the hard way, wishing I knew them when I started, as well as highlighting areas that I'm currently missing in my study." - Geoff van der Meer, VP engineering "This publication is like a bible for anyone serious about Chinese proficiency. It's easy for anyone to read and written with scientific precision." - Zachary Danz, foreign teacher, children's theatre artist About me I started learning Chinese when I was 23 (that's more than eight years ago now) and have since studied in many different situations, including serious immersion programs abroad, high-intensity programs in Sweden, online courses, as well as on the side while working or studying other things. I have also successfully used my Chinese in a graduate program for teaching Chinese as a second language, taught entirely in Chinese mostly for native speakers (the Graduate Institute for Teaching Chinese as a Second Language at National Taiwan Normal University). All these parts have contributed to my website, Hacking Chinese, where I write regularly about how to learn Mandarin.
中文听说读写
Author: Yuehua Liu
Publisher: Cheng & Tsui
ISBN: 9780887276446
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 335
Book Description
Cheng & Tsui's best-loved Chinese textbook series is new, revised, and better than ever!
Publisher: Cheng & Tsui
ISBN: 9780887276446
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 335
Book Description
Cheng & Tsui's best-loved Chinese textbook series is new, revised, and better than ever!
Learning Mandarin Chinese Characters Volume 1
Author: Yi Ren
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462919138
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 286
Book Description
Reinforce your written Chinese with this practice book for the best-selling Tuttle Learning Chinese Characters. Learning Mandarin Chinese Characters helps students quickly learn the essential Chinese characters that are fundamental to the language. This character workbook presents 178 Chinese characters and over 534 standard words using these characters. It is intended for self-study and classroom use and includes the characters and words students need to know if they plan to take the official Chinese government HSK Level 1 Exam or the Advanced Placement (AP) Chinese Language and Culture Exam. Each character is presented plainly and transparently. A step-by-step diagram shows how to write the character, and boxes are provided for freehand writing practice. The meaning and pronunciation are given along with the critical vocabulary compounds and an example sentence. Review exercises reinforce the learning process, and an index at the back allows you to look up the characters according to their English meanings or romanized Hanyu Pinyin pronunciation. Key features of this Chinese workbook include: Designed for HSK Level 1 and AP exam prep Learn the 178 most essential Chinese characters Example sentences and over 534 vocabulary items Step-by-step writing diagrams and practice boxes
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462919138
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 286
Book Description
Reinforce your written Chinese with this practice book for the best-selling Tuttle Learning Chinese Characters. Learning Mandarin Chinese Characters helps students quickly learn the essential Chinese characters that are fundamental to the language. This character workbook presents 178 Chinese characters and over 534 standard words using these characters. It is intended for self-study and classroom use and includes the characters and words students need to know if they plan to take the official Chinese government HSK Level 1 Exam or the Advanced Placement (AP) Chinese Language and Culture Exam. Each character is presented plainly and transparently. A step-by-step diagram shows how to write the character, and boxes are provided for freehand writing practice. The meaning and pronunciation are given along with the critical vocabulary compounds and an example sentence. Review exercises reinforce the learning process, and an index at the back allows you to look up the characters according to their English meanings or romanized Hanyu Pinyin pronunciation. Key features of this Chinese workbook include: Designed for HSK Level 1 and AP exam prep Learn the 178 most essential Chinese characters Example sentences and over 534 vocabulary items Step-by-step writing diagrams and practice boxes
Mandarin Chinese for Beginners
Author: Yi Ren
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462914764
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 203
Book Description
…well-written and helps you speak Chinese in no time. --FluentU.com
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462914764
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 203
Book Description
…well-written and helps you speak Chinese in no time. --FluentU.com
Chinese Stories for Language Learners
Author: Vivian Ling
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462922279
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
The highly anticipated next book in Tuttle's Stories for Language Learners series is here! This book presents 22 classic Chinese proverbs and the traditional tales behind them. The stories are bilingual, with the Chinese and English versions presented on facing pages. Each includes an explanation of how the proverb is used today, cultural notes, vocabulary and discussion questions. Online audio recordings of the tales by native speakers give students a chance to improve their pronunciation and comprehension. Some of the proverbs featured in this collection include: "Painting the Eyes on the Dragon" Based on the story of a famous court painter in 6th century China who painted dragons, this proverb refers to the finishing touches needed to bring a work of art or literature to life. In a discussion, it refers to the final statements used to clinch the argument. "Waiting for Rabbits by a Tree Stump" Based on an ancient folktale about a foolish farmer who sees a rabbit kill itself in front of him by running into a tree stump, then gives up tilling his field to wait for more rabbits by the stump. This saying is applied to people who wait passively for luck to strike again. It also refers to impractical people who stick to one way of doing things only because it has worked for them once in the past. "Pure Water Has No Fish; Perfect People Have No Friends" Many versions of this historical tale exist. The one told here is about a 2nd century AD official sent to govern a far-flung outpost on the Silk Road who is fastidious in applying strict rules and thereby causes the local people to rebel against him. In the professional world, it is used to refer to people who do not like to work with an overly strict supervisor or colleague. Whether being used in a classroom or for self-study, Chinese Stories for Language Learners provides an educational and entertaining way for intermediate Mandarin learners to expand their vocabulary and understanding of the language.
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462922279
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
The highly anticipated next book in Tuttle's Stories for Language Learners series is here! This book presents 22 classic Chinese proverbs and the traditional tales behind them. The stories are bilingual, with the Chinese and English versions presented on facing pages. Each includes an explanation of how the proverb is used today, cultural notes, vocabulary and discussion questions. Online audio recordings of the tales by native speakers give students a chance to improve their pronunciation and comprehension. Some of the proverbs featured in this collection include: "Painting the Eyes on the Dragon" Based on the story of a famous court painter in 6th century China who painted dragons, this proverb refers to the finishing touches needed to bring a work of art or literature to life. In a discussion, it refers to the final statements used to clinch the argument. "Waiting for Rabbits by a Tree Stump" Based on an ancient folktale about a foolish farmer who sees a rabbit kill itself in front of him by running into a tree stump, then gives up tilling his field to wait for more rabbits by the stump. This saying is applied to people who wait passively for luck to strike again. It also refers to impractical people who stick to one way of doing things only because it has worked for them once in the past. "Pure Water Has No Fish; Perfect People Have No Friends" Many versions of this historical tale exist. The one told here is about a 2nd century AD official sent to govern a far-flung outpost on the Silk Road who is fastidious in applying strict rules and thereby causes the local people to rebel against him. In the professional world, it is used to refer to people who do not like to work with an overly strict supervisor or colleague. Whether being used in a classroom or for self-study, Chinese Stories for Language Learners provides an educational and entertaining way for intermediate Mandarin learners to expand their vocabulary and understanding of the language.
Cherished Chinese Proverbs
Author: Hongchen Wang
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781499793093
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 142
Book Description
Cherished Chinese Proverbs is a bilingual collection of classic stories that have been passed down to generations of Chinese speakers. This work was originally designed as a supplement for students of Chinese as a Second Language, but in this publication we have broadened the focus. In offering these classic stories in both Chinese and English, it is hoped that native Chinese speakers might also benefit. By reading familiar Chinese stories in English, a Chinese student of English may begin to expand his English vocabulary and develop more fluent reading skills.
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781499793093
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 142
Book Description
Cherished Chinese Proverbs is a bilingual collection of classic stories that have been passed down to generations of Chinese speakers. This work was originally designed as a supplement for students of Chinese as a Second Language, but in this publication we have broadened the focus. In offering these classic stories in both Chinese and English, it is hoped that native Chinese speakers might also benefit. By reading familiar Chinese stories in English, a Chinese student of English may begin to expand his English vocabulary and develop more fluent reading skills.
Remembering Simplified Hanzi 1
Author: James W. Heisig
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824875931
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 432
Book Description
At long last the approach that has helped thousands of learners memorize Japanese kanji has been adapted to help students with Chinese characters. Book 1 of Remembering Simplified Hanzi covers the writing and meaning of the 1,000 most commonly used characters in the simplified Chinese writing system, plus another 500 that are best learned at an early stage. (Book 2 adds another 1,500 characters for a total of 3,000.) Of critical importance to the approach found in these pages is the systematic arranging of characters in an order best suited to memorization. In the Chinese writing system, strokes and simple components are nested within relatively simple characters, which can, in turn, serve as parts of more complicated characters and so on. Taking advantage of this allows a logical ordering, making it possible for students to approach most new characters with prior knowledge that can greatly facilitate the learning process. Guidance and detailed instructions are provided along the way. Students are taught to employ "imaginative memory" to associate each character’s component parts, or "primitive elements," with one another and with a key word that has been carefully selected to represent an important meaning of the character. This is accomplished through the creation of a "story" that engagingly ties the primitive elements and key word together. In this way, the collections of dots, strokes, and components that make up the characters are associated in memorable fashion, dramatically shortening the time required for learning and helping to prevent characters from slipping out of memory.
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824875931
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 432
Book Description
At long last the approach that has helped thousands of learners memorize Japanese kanji has been adapted to help students with Chinese characters. Book 1 of Remembering Simplified Hanzi covers the writing and meaning of the 1,000 most commonly used characters in the simplified Chinese writing system, plus another 500 that are best learned at an early stage. (Book 2 adds another 1,500 characters for a total of 3,000.) Of critical importance to the approach found in these pages is the systematic arranging of characters in an order best suited to memorization. In the Chinese writing system, strokes and simple components are nested within relatively simple characters, which can, in turn, serve as parts of more complicated characters and so on. Taking advantage of this allows a logical ordering, making it possible for students to approach most new characters with prior knowledge that can greatly facilitate the learning process. Guidance and detailed instructions are provided along the way. Students are taught to employ "imaginative memory" to associate each character’s component parts, or "primitive elements," with one another and with a key word that has been carefully selected to represent an important meaning of the character. This is accomplished through the creation of a "story" that engagingly ties the primitive elements and key word together. In this way, the collections of dots, strokes, and components that make up the characters are associated in memorable fashion, dramatically shortening the time required for learning and helping to prevent characters from slipping out of memory.
Easy Peasy Chinese
Author: DK
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd
ISBN: 0241560187
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 130
Book Description
Do you want to learn the world's most spoken language? This easy-to-use beginner's e-guide and audio app will get you speaking basic Mandarin in no time. With useful tips, practice exercises, and fascinating insights into Chinese culture, Easy Peasy Chinese teaches you how to read, write, and speak Mandarin Chinese step by step. The accompanying audio app covers all the vocabulary in the book, helping you perfect your pronunciation and quickly get to grips with the Mandarin tones. Aimed at children aged 8+, but of appeal to beginners of all ages, it will teach you all the words and phrases you'll need to get by in China, so you can introduce yourself, read and write numbers, and chat about the weather, food, and interests. What's more, you can give yourself a Chinese name, haggle over shop prices, and learn all about the national culture. The ebook covers Pinyin, the system used to spell out Chinese characters using Roman letters, and introduces the Chinese writing system, identifying more than 200 of the most frequently used Chinese characters. Bold illustrations and photographs, and a compact, super-stylish design help make the process of learning fun and accessible. There is no Great Wall stopping you from learning now.
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd
ISBN: 0241560187
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 130
Book Description
Do you want to learn the world's most spoken language? This easy-to-use beginner's e-guide and audio app will get you speaking basic Mandarin in no time. With useful tips, practice exercises, and fascinating insights into Chinese culture, Easy Peasy Chinese teaches you how to read, write, and speak Mandarin Chinese step by step. The accompanying audio app covers all the vocabulary in the book, helping you perfect your pronunciation and quickly get to grips with the Mandarin tones. Aimed at children aged 8+, but of appeal to beginners of all ages, it will teach you all the words and phrases you'll need to get by in China, so you can introduce yourself, read and write numbers, and chat about the weather, food, and interests. What's more, you can give yourself a Chinese name, haggle over shop prices, and learn all about the national culture. The ebook covers Pinyin, the system used to spell out Chinese characters using Roman letters, and introduces the Chinese writing system, identifying more than 200 of the most frequently used Chinese characters. Bold illustrations and photographs, and a compact, super-stylish design help make the process of learning fun and accessible. There is no Great Wall stopping you from learning now.
Modern Mandarin Chinese
Author: Claudia Ross
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317327373
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 206
Book Description
Modern Mandarin Chinese is a two-year undergraduate course for students with no prior background in Chinese study. Designed to build a strong foundation in both the spoken and written language, it develops all the basic skills such as pronunciation, character writing, word use, and structures, while placing a strong emphasis on the development of communicative skills. Each level of the course consists of a textbook and workbook in simplified Chinese. A free companion website provides all the audio for the course with a broad range of interactive exercises and additional resources for students’ self-study, along with a comprehensive instructor’s guide with teaching tips, assessment and homework material, and a full answer key. Key changes to this new edition: An increased number of vocabulary and characters introduced. 255 characters are introduced in this second edition for active production. Dialogues and example sentences are also presented in full-character format for passive recognition, and to provide additional challenge for more advanced students. Additional exercises in the workbooks and online to support the expanded number of words and characters incorporated into the textbooks. New cross-references between the textbooks, workbooks and companion website facilitate using all the resources in an integrated manner. Greatly enhanced and re-designed website. Retaining its focus on communicative skills and the long-term retention of characters, the text is now presented in simplified characters and pinyin from the outset with a gradual and phased removal of pinyin as specific characters are introduced and learnt. This unique approach allows students to benefit from the support of pinyin in the initial stages as they begin speaking while ensuring they are guided and supported towards reading only in characters.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317327373
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 206
Book Description
Modern Mandarin Chinese is a two-year undergraduate course for students with no prior background in Chinese study. Designed to build a strong foundation in both the spoken and written language, it develops all the basic skills such as pronunciation, character writing, word use, and structures, while placing a strong emphasis on the development of communicative skills. Each level of the course consists of a textbook and workbook in simplified Chinese. A free companion website provides all the audio for the course with a broad range of interactive exercises and additional resources for students’ self-study, along with a comprehensive instructor’s guide with teaching tips, assessment and homework material, and a full answer key. Key changes to this new edition: An increased number of vocabulary and characters introduced. 255 characters are introduced in this second edition for active production. Dialogues and example sentences are also presented in full-character format for passive recognition, and to provide additional challenge for more advanced students. Additional exercises in the workbooks and online to support the expanded number of words and characters incorporated into the textbooks. New cross-references between the textbooks, workbooks and companion website facilitate using all the resources in an integrated manner. Greatly enhanced and re-designed website. Retaining its focus on communicative skills and the long-term retention of characters, the text is now presented in simplified characters and pinyin from the outset with a gradual and phased removal of pinyin as specific characters are introduced and learnt. This unique approach allows students to benefit from the support of pinyin in the initial stages as they begin speaking while ensuring they are guided and supported towards reading only in characters.
The Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese
Author: Claudia Ross
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135870993
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 343
Book Description
The Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese is a two-year undergraduate course for students with no prior background in Chinese study which takes students from complete beginner to post-intermediate level. Designed to build a strong foundation in both the spoken and written language it develops all the basic skills such as pronunciation, character writing, word use and structures, while placing strong emphasis on the development of communicative skills. Each level of the course consists of a textbook and workbook, available separately in simplified or traditional character editions. Both workbooks include a free CD with all the dialogues from the textbooks and the necessary audio for the listening for information exercises. A companion website will provide expanded listening files and a broad range of resources for students and teachers. The benefits of this course include: -focus on the long-term retention of vocabulary, characters and structures by reiterating structures and vocabulary throughout the book series -carefully selected and staged introduction of characters with staged removal of pinyin to ensure recognition and use of characters -clear and jargon-free explanations of use and structures, that are easy for students and teachers to understand -extensive workbook exercises for homework, independent study, and classroom use focusing on all language skills and modalities including a vast inventory of carefully structured exercises focusing on listening comprehension, reading for information, and writing for communication - an extensive inventory of classroom activities that guide students to develop communication-based speaking and listening skills. -a list of communication goals and key structures for each lesson allowing the student to assess progress -cultural notes explaining the context of the dialogues - language FAQs explaining aspects of Chinese language as they relate to the content and vocabulary in the lesson -storyline following a group of students studying in China from Europe, North America and East Asia, making the book attractive to a variety of students and facilitating the introduction of Chinese culture. -full-color text design for the textbook and carefully matched designs for the traditional and simplified books, allowing for easy cross-reference The course is also fully supported by an interactive companion website. The website contains a wealth of additional resources for both teachers and students. Teachers will find lesson plans in both English and Mandarin, providing a weekly schedule and overall syllabus for fall and spring, as well as activities for each lesson and answer keys. Students will be able to access downloadable character practice worksheets along with interactive pronunciation, vocabulary and character practice exercises. All the audio material necessary for the course is also available online and conveniently linked on screen to the relevant exercises for ease-of-use. For further details please visit http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415472517/ For bundle discounts please visit http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415596824/
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135870993
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 343
Book Description
The Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese is a two-year undergraduate course for students with no prior background in Chinese study which takes students from complete beginner to post-intermediate level. Designed to build a strong foundation in both the spoken and written language it develops all the basic skills such as pronunciation, character writing, word use and structures, while placing strong emphasis on the development of communicative skills. Each level of the course consists of a textbook and workbook, available separately in simplified or traditional character editions. Both workbooks include a free CD with all the dialogues from the textbooks and the necessary audio for the listening for information exercises. A companion website will provide expanded listening files and a broad range of resources for students and teachers. The benefits of this course include: -focus on the long-term retention of vocabulary, characters and structures by reiterating structures and vocabulary throughout the book series -carefully selected and staged introduction of characters with staged removal of pinyin to ensure recognition and use of characters -clear and jargon-free explanations of use and structures, that are easy for students and teachers to understand -extensive workbook exercises for homework, independent study, and classroom use focusing on all language skills and modalities including a vast inventory of carefully structured exercises focusing on listening comprehension, reading for information, and writing for communication - an extensive inventory of classroom activities that guide students to develop communication-based speaking and listening skills. -a list of communication goals and key structures for each lesson allowing the student to assess progress -cultural notes explaining the context of the dialogues - language FAQs explaining aspects of Chinese language as they relate to the content and vocabulary in the lesson -storyline following a group of students studying in China from Europe, North America and East Asia, making the book attractive to a variety of students and facilitating the introduction of Chinese culture. -full-color text design for the textbook and carefully matched designs for the traditional and simplified books, allowing for easy cross-reference The course is also fully supported by an interactive companion website. The website contains a wealth of additional resources for both teachers and students. Teachers will find lesson plans in both English and Mandarin, providing a weekly schedule and overall syllabus for fall and spring, as well as activities for each lesson and answer keys. Students will be able to access downloadable character practice worksheets along with interactive pronunciation, vocabulary and character practice exercises. All the audio material necessary for the course is also available online and conveniently linked on screen to the relevant exercises for ease-of-use. For further details please visit http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415472517/ For bundle discounts please visit http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415596824/