CHI4210

Intermediate Chinese, part 1

Robert Irving

6 points
* 5 hours per week
* First semester
* Clayton
* Prerequisites: A pass in CHI4120 or equivalent; recognition of characters in Practical Chinese reader I assumed

Objectives Students of CHI4210 (Intermediate Chinese) will develope an understanding of the basic syntax of modern standard Chinese and of the similarities and differences bewteen it and English; knowledge of a grammatical framework with which to analyse and describe the vernacular Chinese under study facilitating progression to later study of formal written Chinese; the ability to read simple modern vernacular texts; oral/aural skills necessary to communicate quantitatively and qualitatively in a range of everyday, practical situations; cultural (socio-political) knowledge to enhance understanding of the texts under study and the cultural sensitivity to communicate using appropriate levels of formality with Chinese from mainland China, Taiwan and various parts of the Chinese diaspora.

Synopsis Intermediate spoken and written standard Chinese. In addition to regular classroom activities, listening and reading skills will be further developed through the use of audio/visual and computer-assisted language learning materials.

Assessment Weekly homework exercises: 20%
* Examination (3 hours): 50%
* Oral/aural test and class performance: 30%

Prescribed texts

Liu Xun and others Practical Chinese reader II Commercial Press
Ling-hsia Yeh Practical Chinese reader II: Patterns and excercises (simplified character edn) Cheng and Tsui
Zhang Yajun and others Spoken Chinese 900 Shanghai Education Press

Recommended texts

Beijing Language Institute (ed.) Concise Chinese Chinese-English dictionary OUP/Commercial Press