_Book 1

Author: Hu Wenzhong, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: "Mass English" consists of 60 lessons, divided into two volumes. It is estimated that each lesson will take 6 hours, with a total of 360 hours for the entire book. Upon completing the book, students should be able to master basic English pronunciation, grammar, and approximately 3,000 core vocabulary words, as well as develop preliminary skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Although the idea of publishing such a series of popular English textbooks has been for several years, the direct impetus was a speech by Vice Premier Li Lanqing. On October 26, 1994, Vice Premier Li visited Beijing Foreign Studies University, met with school leaders and some professors, and stated that one of the major obstacles to reform and opening up is language. Despite the fact that many people have been learning English in recent years, very few have truly mastered it. It is essential to promote English education vigorously, and Beijing Foreign Studies University should take on this task. After hearing Vice Premier Li's speech, we decided to immediately begin compiling a textbook series aimed at enabling students to grasp English more quickly. In addition to English professors from Beijing Foreign Studies University, two associate professors from Guangzhou Normal University were also invited to participate in the compilation. Over the past decade and a half, numerous English textbooks have been published, but most are tailored to specific types of learners. For example, there are no fewer than six or seven textbooks designed for university English majors, as well as several sets of English textbooks for liberal arts and science/engineering students. Additionally, there are textbooks for middle and primary schools, as well as English teaching materials for professionals working in specialized fields (such as tourism, foreign trade, and healthcare). However, textbooks specifically designed for part-time learners and aimed at popularizing English are extremely rare. When designing this textbook series, we took into account the needs and characteristics of part-time learners, striving to help them master English in a shorter period of time. Many of these learners are engaged in busy work, making it impossible to dedicate significant time to English study. In other words, using this new textbook to learn English requires less time and faster results. This is certainly not an easy task, but by fully leveraging years of accumulated experience in foreign language teaching, it is possible to learn English more quickly and effectively.