Chinese Step-by-Step Fast Reading: Level 5 (5000 Word Level)

Author: Li Luxing, edited by Yao Shujun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The Chinese Step-by-Step Fast Reading is a series of fast-reading textbooks designed for foreign students with intermediate Chinese proficiency or higher. Its purpose is to provide reading materials for students of different Chinese proficiency levels and to improve their reading skills and interest in reading within a relatively short period. Therefore, the selection and composition of the texts are based on the vocabulary levels that students should master at different stages. This series consists of five levels, each with a vocabulary limit of 1,000 words for the first level, 1,750 words for the second level, 2,500 words for the third level, 3,500 words for the fourth level, and 5,000 words for the fifth level. The vocabulary standards for different levels are comprehensively revised based on the Outline of Chinese Language Proficiency Vocabulary and Character Grades, the Outline for Intermediate and Advanced Chinese Language Teaching for Foreign Students, the Teaching Outline for Chinese Language Majors in Higher Education for Foreign Students, and the Teaching Outline for Chinese Language Teaching in Higher Education for Long-Term Advanced Study. The reading materials for each level are suitable for second-semester undergraduate students of Chinese language majors, the second level for second-semester second-year students, and so on, with the fifth level suitable for second-semester third-year students. Students of Chinese language short-term and long-term advanced studies can also refer to this grading system to use this series of reading materials. Each level of the textbook contains 14 lessons, including two sets of HSK reading simulation tests at the beginning and end of the book for midterm and final exams. Each lesson includes three texts, with varying lengths for each level: 400 words for the first level, 500 words for the second level, 600 words for the third level, 800 words for the fourth level, and 1,000 words for the fifth level. Most texts have a vocabulary volume of about 5% of the total text length, and corresponding exercises are provided at the end of each text, typically ranging from 4 to 8 questions. Due to the strict grading control over vocabulary difficulty and text length, this fast-reading textbook is universally adaptable to existing other textbooks and can be used in conjunction with most of them. This series of reading materials is spiral-bound and comes with answer sheets. It is recommended that teachers distribute them in class and allow students to complete reading and exercises within the specified time, usually taking 10–15 minutes per lesson. This approach avoids the issue of students previewing the material before class and achieves the goal of training and authentically assessing students' reading skills. After completing the exercises, students only need to hand in the answer sheets to the teacher for grading. Students can keep the spiral-bound texts for reference and use them to consult dictionaries outside class, preparing for teacher-led explanations after grading. The textbook strives to evaluate and select content from the perspective of the learner, considering structural design, content selection, exercise composition, and text length. The organization and arrangement of each part of the textbook take into account its connections and differences from previous materials, fully absorbing the successful experiences of previous textbook writing, and carefully considering the innovations in the overall or partial design of the new textbook, aiming to enhance its uniqueness and novelty.