Module 2 (Sessions 11-16)

Required Textbooks

[LC] = Wheatley, Julian. Learning Chinese: A Foundation Course in Mandarin Yale University Press, 2014. ISBN: 9780300141184. (The Character Text / 漢語基礎教材 / 汉语基础教材).

[PC] = The simiplified character version: Li, Duanduan. A Primer for Advanced Beginners of Chinese - Simplified Character Version Vol. 1. (Daxue Yuwen). Columbia University Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780231135672; or the traditional character version: Li, Duanduan. A Primer for Advanced Beginners of Chinese Vol. 1. (Daxue Yuwen). Columbia University Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780231125550.

Each assignment referenced in the table, if available, is provided in the Study Materials section, except the audio files. Some files are not be provided here due to copyright restrictions.

Special instructions for accomplishing your writing assignments:
Please write on every other line and leave 1.25-inch margins for each piece of paper you use if you do not use the calligraphy grid.

SES # BEFORE CLASS IN CLASS
11
  • Preview of [PC] Lesson 1:
    1. Read "Grammatical Points" and "Sentence Patterns and Word Usage." on pp. 10–14.
    2. Study the Vocabulary on pp. 2–4 (listen to the audio file). Learn the Lesson 1 required characters by heart (check Appendix III on pp. 249–79 for character stroke order). Make sure you know the other Lesson 1 characters by sight.
    3. Read the text on p. 6 (listen to the audio file). Write on your book the answers to the questions in the exercises on pp. 6–7.
    4. Read Dialogues 1–2 on pp. 8–9 (listen to the audio file), and study "Expressions Used in Class." on p. 20 (listen to the audio file).
  • Complete Lingt Speaking Assignment One before the class.
  • Quiz: Vocabulary of Lesson 1 characters.
  • [PC] Lesson 1 text.
  • [PC] Dialogue 1 and Dialogue 2.
12
  • Writing assignments:
    1. Handwrite a sentence for each of the entries in "Sentence Patterns and Word Usage." on pp. 13–14 in [PC] on a piece paper and hand them in in class.
    2. Using the Lesson 1 text structure as a model, handwrite an article on "The Names of people" in *Country* (i. e. *Country* rén de xìngmíng) of no less than 120 characters. It can be any country of your own choice.

If you want to use a word you know how to say but not how to write, try Appendices I, II on pp. 209–48, or use a dictionary. If you don't have a dictionary, type in Pinyin for the "Search Dictionary" section on the website of Zhongwen Zipu (Learning Chinese Characters 中文字譜.)

  • Hand in your writing assignments.
  • [PC] Lesson 1 grammar.
  • [PC] Lesson 1 exercises on pp. 15–19.
13
  • Preview of [PC] Lesson 2:
    1. Read "Grammatical Points" and "Sentence Patterns and Word Usage." on pp. 30–32.
    2. Study the Vocabulary on pp. 22–24 (listen to the audio file). Make sure you know the other Lesson 2 characters by sight.
    3. Read the text on p. 26 (listen to the audio file). Write on your book the answers to the questions in the exercises on pp. 26–27.
    4. Read Dialogues 1–2 on pp. 28–29 (listen to the audio file), and study "Expressions on Money." on p. 38 (listen to the audio file).
  • Complete Lingt Speaking Assignment Two before the class.
  • Study [PC] Lesson 1 Required Characters.
  • Quiz: Dictation of [PC] Lesson 1 required characters.
  • Vocabulary quiz on [PC] Lesson 2 characters.
  • [PC] Lesson 2 text.
  • [PC] Dialogues 1 and 2.
14
  • Writing assignments:
    1. Handwrite a sentence for each of the entries in "Sentence Patterns and Word Usage." on p. 32 in [PC] Lesson 2 on a piece of paper and hand them in class.
    2. Using the [PC] Lesson 2 text structure as a model, handwrite an article on "The Family" in *Country* (i. e., *Country* rén de jiātíng) of no less than 120 characters. It can be any country of your own choice.
  • Hand in your writing assignments.
  • [PC] Lesson 2 grammar.
  • [PC] Lesson 2 exercise on pp. 33–37.
15
  • Prepare a 2–3 minute talk for the following topics. Your presentation will be graded.
    1. My name
      1. Find out the origin of your family name and meaning of each character in your name (you may find this website helpful.) Or Check with your parents, and other online dictionaries. (In order for Chinese characters on a webpage to display properly, go to View of your browser, and choose Traditional Chinese Big5 (in this case) or Simplified Chinese GB for Character Set or Encoding.)
      2. Do you have more than one name? Why?
      3. Any fun stories about your name, etc.
    2. Group discussion:

      My Family

      1. Do you have a big family (parents, siblings, and grandparents) living together?
      2. Do your relatives live close by or far away?
      3. What is the significance of family to you?
  • Study Lesson 2 Required Characters
  • Quiz: Dictation of [PC] Lesson 2 required characters.
  • Talks: My Name.
  • Group Discussion: My Family.
  • Further discussion.
16
  • Review [PC] Lessons 1–2. Make sure you can reproduce the required characters in [PC] Lessons 1–2 from memory and recognize the other characters by sight. Also, review the "Grammatical Points", "Sentences Patterns and Word Usage", and "Exercises."
  • Test format of Test 3 will be announced.
Test 3 (50 minutes; on [PC] Lessons 1–2).