This book is part of the series of Chinese for English-Speakers, which include three textbooks (Primary, Intermediate, Advanced), companioned by three workbooks (Primary, Intermediate, Advanced) and a primary character book.
Advanced Textbook can be divided into three parts: Lessons 1 to 4; Lessons 5 to 19; and Lessons 20 to 22. The first part mainly introduces Chinese culture in a historical way. The second part covers various aspects from China and abroad. In introducing Chinese and global celebrities, for example, we choose topics about Sun Yat-sen, Mei Lanfang, Marco Polo and Bill Gates to profile their life or personality. And even in other common stories, the characters also show a profound personality or a traditional moral attitude towards life and culture. The learner can sense out something typical in the common Chinese of all walks of life, young or old, male or female. The third part explains some focused issues of present China, introducing some topics about China's peasants, population control, education, economical development and environmental protection, etc., which are mainly concerned by many curious foreigners.
Adavanced Workbook continues some exercises on Word-building, Phrase, New Words and Grammar within a more difficult sense. The new exercise "Fill in the blanks with the words in the text" is designed to improve the learner's comprehension of the text. If the learner cannot understand the text, he/she will not remember and know how to use the words and expressions properly. "Topic Exercise" and "Dialogue Exercise", of course, require the learner to express him/herself in Chinese in a more proper way.
Advanced Textbook is designed for about 4 to 6 hours' study per week for about one year's teaching.
--The author
