Elementary Chinese Conversation (Lower)

Author: Dai Guifu, Liu Lixin, Li Haiyan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-04-01
Features: This textbook is designed for students with no prior knowledge of Chinese. The book is divided into two volumes. The content is selected based on topics that are of interest to international students. The language follows standardized principles, with vocabulary selection based on the "Outline for Chinese Proficiency Vocabulary and Character Grades," primarily using Level 1 vocabulary. Following the principles of language learning and the methodology of elementary spoken Chinese, the textbook adopts two writing principles: First, shifting from a word-centric approach (semantic to pragmatic) to a sentence-centric approach (pragmatic to semantic); second, while teaching common sentence patterns and simple dialogues for elementary spoken Chinese, students begin training in extended expression exercises. To implement these two principles, the textbook starts with direct speaking practice from the very beginning of each lesson, focusing on learning and correcting pronunciation within the context of natural speech flow. Pronunciation and intonation remain key teaching points throughout, with specific exercises designed for these aspects. Each lesson consists of dialogues and short narrative passages. The dialogues and passages are presented alongside Chinese characters and Pinyin. All dialogues and passages are accompanied by English translations, compiled as an appendix at the end of the book. Notes provide explanations of linguistic and cultural points in the text. Each lesson includes a variety of lively and diverse exercises, featuring both text and images, with communicative value. "Did You Know?" sections are supplementary language and cultural knowledge tailored to the text and students' interests and needs, serving as references for teaching. Both volumes of this textbook are accompanied by audio cassettes published by Peking University Audiovisual Press.