Preface
Academic Committee
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Introductory Unit: "You'll pick it up fast"
Introduction to Chinese
1: Tones and numbers
FYI The neutral tone
FYI Tonal shifts (sandhi) on yi (the number one)
More on numbers
2: Chinese syllables
FYI About Chinese sounds
The initial consonants + y and w
The final vowels + n and ng
3: Poems from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE)
"Thoughts on a Quiet Night"
"Climbing Stork Tower"
4: Introduction to Chinese characters
Recognizing radicals
Recognizing numbers
Reading real-life texts
Radicals and numbers on signs
Unit Rap
5: Writing
Learning to write characters
一,二,三,四,五,六,七,八,九,十,火,口,木,人,山,水
CULTURAL BITS What is culture?
RECAP
Checklist of "can do" statements
Unit One:"We're all one family"
Introducing yourself by nationality and background
1: Greeting people and introducing yourself
Greeting people
FYI Greetings in Chinese
FYI Other common greetings
Introducing yourself
FYI Introductions
Grammar: Personal pronouns
2: Leave-taking and more introductions
Saying goodbye
FYI Saving goodbye
GRAMMAR BITS Stative verbs · Equative verbs
Grammar: Negation
FYI More on tone sandhi: The negative adverb bu
Formal and informal speech
FYI Levels of formality
3: Talking about where you come from
GRAMMAR BITS The particle mo
Recognizing tones
Grammar: Question words nar, shenme,shei
4: Asking for and giving phone numbers
GRAMMAR BITS Review of question words
5: Expressing thanks, apologizing, and asking for clarification
Thanking and apologizing
Asking for clarification
Putting it all together
6: Reading and writing
Recognizing traditional vs. simplified characters
FYI Development of simplified characters
Recognizing radicals
Reading real-life texts
Familiar terms in signs and handwritten notes
Learning to write characters
我,你,他,们/們,好,吗/嗎,是,姓,叫,什/甚,么/麽,名,字,请/請,谢/謝,再,见/見,对/對,不,起
Writing a note
Exchanging names with a classmate
CULTURAL BITS Introductions, greetings, and goodbyes
RECAP
Grammar
Stative verbs · Equative verbs · Question words · Plurals · Particles ma and ne
Adverbs · Possessive marker de · Negation with bu
Checklist of "can do" statements
Unit Two:"Friends from the start"
Unit Three: "Don't leave before I arrive"
Unit Four:"If only we had met sooner"
Unit Five:"Family and friends"
Unit Six:"Happy at home and work"
Unit Seven: "Meeting our needs"
Unit Eight:"Early to bed, early to rise..."
Unit Nine: "You get what you pay for"
Unit Ten:"Good quality at a low price"
REFERENCE SECTION
Chinese-English Glossary
English-Chinese Glossary
Credits
Chinese Place Names