Basic Chinese 40 Lessons (Volume 1)

Author: Chen Suining, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-02-01
Features: With the increasing international status of China, the number of foreigners learning Chinese has been growing year by year, and the field of Chinese language teaching for foreigners has also made significant progress. Our previously compiled textbook, "25 Lessons in Basic Chinese," has become less suitable for the needs of the times. Therefore, with strong support from all sides, we have revised and expanded "40 Lessons in Basic Chinese" based on the framework of "25 Lessons in Basic Chinese." The new textbook focuses on scenarios and structures while also incorporating cultural and functional elements, further expanding the vocabulary. The entire series is divided into two volumes, each containing 20 lessons. The first five lessons of the first volume are dedicated to pronunciation, primarily covering Chinese pinyin, while also including some simple daily conversations and classroom language, with a total of 128 words. The remaining 15 lessons each include short passages and dialogues. Through the study of passages, students will grasp some basic Chinese grammar, covering approximately 56 grammar points. The dialogue sections mainly reinforce basic conversational patterns and language functions without introducing new grammar points. Vocabulary learning goes beyond the vocabulary list to include phrase reading and writing, with a total of 791 words across 15 lessons. Additionally, each lesson includes an appendix that categorizes and introduces common objects with accompanying pictures to enhance engagement. The second volume focuses on reading, with two short passages per lesson: one for intensive reading and one for extensive reading. The intensive reading section introduces new grammar points, while the extensive reading section primarily covers cultural knowledge of China. The second volume contains 1,270 words and 38 grammar points. To help students master vocabulary and grammar and strengthen their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, each lesson includes a variety of exercises. These exercises cover content comprehension, word and sentence pattern practice, and comprehensive training to encourage students' initiative and creativity. Annotations are provided at the end for some more challenging grammar points and vocabulary to aid understanding.