A Primer for Advanced Beginners of Chinese: Simplified Character Version

by Duanduan Li

Overview

As the teaching of Chinese increasingly uses simplified characters, this new version of the popular A Primer for Advanced Beginners of Chinese fills an important gap in Chinese-language instruction.

The two-volume primer is addressed to meet the needs of the rapidly growing number of Chinese language students who were raised in the United States in Chinese-speaking homes and speak the language but cannot read or write it. This text develops lessons around readings on Chinese history, culture, geography, literature, folktales and mythology, customs, and cuisine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780231135672
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	09/15/2004
Series:	Asian Studies Series , #1
Edition description:	Volume 1
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	10.84(w) x 8.40(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Duanduan Li is director of the Chinese Language Program at the University of British Columbia; Irene Liu was the previous director of the Chinese Language Program at Columbia University, and Lening Liu is the present director; Yanping Xie, a speech and language pathologist, was a lecturer of Chinese in the Columbia program; Hailong Wang and Zhirong Wang are lecturers of Chinese in the Columbia program.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Introduction: The Basics of Pronunciation and Characters
Lesson 1 Chinese Names
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
Topic-Comment Sentence
Fixed Adverbs
Question Particles
Modifier Particle
Sentence Patterns and WOrld Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation
Chinese Characters
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Expressions Used in Class
Lesson 2 Chinese Families
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
Numbers
Measure Words
Noun Phrases
Coverbs
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation
Chinese Characters
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar
Comprehensive Exercises
Oral Exercise
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Money
Lesson 3 China: The North and the South
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
Place Words
Type of Place Words
Use of Place Words
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation
Chinese Characters
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar
Oral Exercise
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Locations
Lesson 4 The Ten Suns
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
The Functions of le
Sentence-Final le (Sentence-le)
Verb Suffix le (Verb-le)
Combination of Verb-le and Sentence-le
Time Elapsed Without Doing Something
Situations When V-le is Not Used
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation and Characters
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar
Comprehensive Exercises
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Time
Lesson 5 Heaven and Earth
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
The Use of le in Discourse
Action Verb and Complements of Result
Actual Type
Potential Type
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation and Characters
Vocabulary and Grammar
Comprehensive Exercises
Oral Exercise
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Weather
Lesson 6 The Story of Chinese Idioms
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
The Particle
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation
Chinese Characters
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Commonly Used Measure Words
Lesson 7 The Great Wall
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
Directional Complements (DC)
Actual Type of DC
Potential Type of DC
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation
Chinese Characters
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar
Comprehensive Exercises
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Travel
Lesson 8 Li Bai Learns a Lesson
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
Sentence Patterns Using "ba"
When and Why a Speaker Uses the "ba" Construction
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation
Chinese Characters
Vocabulary and Grammar
Comprehensive Exercises
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Oral Exercise
Word and Expressions on Specific Topics
Campus Life
Lesson 9 Shen Nong and Chinese Medicine
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
Sequencing in Chinese Narrative Discourse
Succession of Events and Situations
Simultaneity
Overlap
Aspect Marker "guo"
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation and Characters
Grammar and Vocabulary
Oral Exercises
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Asking for Directions
Lesson 10 Chinese Food
Vocabulary
Text
Reading Skills
Dialogue
Grammatical Points
The "shi...de" construction
Sentence Patterns and Word Usage
Exercises
Pronunciation
Chinese Characters
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar
Oral Exercises
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Words and Expressions on Specific Topics
Shopping
Appendix I. A Brief History of the Creation of Chinese Characters and the Evolution of the Chinese Writing System
Appendix II. Comprehensive Vocabulary List
English-Chinese
Chinese-English
Appendix III. Character Stroke Order

What People are Saying About This

Agnes Weiyun He

It is rare to find a Chinese language textbook that is linguistically accurate, culturally rich, and pedagogically sound.... The ample opportunities for reading and writing and the varied and flexible exercises make teaching and learning a truly productive and creative experience."

— Agnes Weiyun He, SUNY, Stony Brook