Unit 1 Talking About China ..................................................................................................... 1
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................... 1
Text 1 General Survey ....................................................................................................... 1
Text 2 Geographic Overview ............................................................................................ 3
Section B Listening and Speaking .......................................................................................... 7
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Chinese History ................................................................... 7
Text 4 Cities to See in China ........................................................................................... 10
Unit 2 Chinese People ............................................................................................................. 18
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................. 18
Text 1 Han People ........................................................................................................... 18
Text 2 A Glimpse of Chinese 55 Ethnic Minorities ......................................................... 20
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................ 25
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Modern Chinese Youth ...................................................... 25
Text 4 Mosuo People—A Matriarchal Society ............................................................... 27
Unit 3 Chinese Language and Literature ............................................................................. 36
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................. 36
Text 1 Jin Yong, a Literary Swordsman .......................................................................... 36
Text 2 White Deer Plain .................................................................................................. 38
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................ 42
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: An Interview of Liu Cixin .................................................. 42
Text 4 A Talk on Chinese Literature in the 20th Century .................................................. 44
Unit 4 Chinese Education ....................................................................................................... 52
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................. 52
Text 1 Reforming Chinese Education ............................................................................. 52
Text 2 Online Education: Ushering in a New Era of China’s Education ......................... 54
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................ 58
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: China’s Education .............................................................. 58
Text 4 Tao Xingzhi ........................................................................................................... 60
Unit 5 Economy, Science and Technology ............................................................................. 71
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................. 71
Text 1 A New Legend for an Ancient City ....................................................................... 71
Text 2 China Is Pushing Ahead in New Fronts of Science and Technology Development ........................................................................................................ 73
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................ 79
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: China’s Manned Submersible ........................................... 79
Text 4 A Tour Guide Commentary on Qinghai-Tibet Railway ........................................ 81
Unit 6 Chinese Holidays and Folk Customs ......................................................................... 89
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................. 89
Text 1 Chinese New Year in the Modern World: A Traditional Chinese Holiday Today ...................................................................................................... 89
Text 2 Dragon Boat Festival ............................................................................................ 91
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................ 95
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Our Traditional Holidays―Still Meaningful? ................... 95
Text 4 A Speech on Double Seventh Festival ................................................................... 97
Unit 7 Land of Splendor ....................................................................................................... 107
Section A Reading and Writing ........................................................................................... 107
Text 1 The Yellow River ................................................................................................ 107
Text 2 The Great Wall .................................................................................................... 110
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 114
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: The Summer Palace ......................................................... 114
Text 4 Sacred Mountains of China: Four Great Mountains of Buddhism ..................... 116
Unit 8 Chinese Food Culture ............................................................................................... 126
Section A Reading and Writing ........................................................................................... 126
Text 1 The Principles of Chinese Cuisine ..................................................................... 126
Text 2 Regional Cuisines ............................................................................................... 128
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 132
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Beijing Roast Duck ......................................................... 132
Text 4 A Tour Guide Commentary on Beijing Snacks .................................................. 134
Unit 9 Chinese Medicine ....................................................................................................... 142
Section A Reading and Writing ........................................................................................... 142
Text 1 An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine .............................................. 142
Text 2 An Introduction to Acupuncture ......................................................................... 145
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 149
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: About Qi-gong Therapy .................................................. 149
Text 4 A Lecture on Beijing Tongrentang ..................................................................... 150
Unit 10 National Treasures ................................................................................................... 158
Section A Reading and Writing ........................................................................................... 158
Text 1 Wushu and Tai Ji Quan ....................................................................................... 158
Text 2 Chinese Handicrafts ........................................................................................... 160
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 163
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Beijing Opera .................................................................. 163
Text 4 A Tour Guide Commentary on Dashilar ............................................................. 165