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Chinese (Standard)
 FSI Language Courses Forum : Learning Languages : Chinese (Standard)
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rathpy
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Quote rathpy Replybullet Posted: 07 March 2007 at 7:30pm
Originally posted by Simon8

The second site is done by Chinese professors working at the Oxford University in the UK.  It seems to be written by Chinese as you have to learn the vocabulary before you read the texts. This means you need patience to learn the words first or a basic level to read some of the words. The Grammar exercises with multiple choice are decent too.
This also demonstrates stroke order, which is important at the beginning but not so much later on.
http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Chinese/lessons.htm

Thanks for that link. I prefer FSI's approach, but the content on that site is a nice supplement.
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TheBigZaboon
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Quote TheBigZaboon Replybullet Posted: 19 March 2007 at 1:18am
Speaking of multimedia/video-based courses, I have recently come across a very, very nice set of study materials for intermediate to advanced students. This stuff is accessible to those who are able to handle the Society module, and after. To be safe, maybe one should finish the Society module first.
 
In any case the title of the material is Learn Chinese from Modern Writers: An Interactive Multimedia Language Program, written by Chung-wen Shih, and published by Columbia University Press. It consists of a truly multimedia CD-ROM (videos and interactive exercises), and a workbook. It is generally sold in two pieces, so it is a bit confusing when you order it, and only the workbook shows up. The workbook costs about USD29.95, so if that's all you're paying, you are only going to get half (or much, much less) of the course. The CD-ROM is often sold separately, and you can expect to pay between 60 and 100 USD, depending on where you find it. (It is available in Australia, but the exchange rate may mess the numbers up a bit.) The ISBN for the workbook is 0-231-12843-6. I don't know if there is a MAC version, but the ISBN of the PC version of the CD-ROM is 0-231-50236-2.
 
The course consists of a series of interviews (and background information) made with the old warhorses of the literary wing of the communist movement (Ba Jin, Mao Dun, Ding Ling, Cao Yu, and Ai Qing). These are terrific. There are vocabulary lists and randomly generated exercises for each author-based segment. In a first, the interviews are available in either the heavily accented putonghua of the individual writers, or in a standard putonghua pronunciation for the faint of heart (or the tin of ear).
 
This material works well even on my computer in Zaboonistan (which is not an English-language operating system), But those who are not in the US should first verify if their computers will run English language materials before buying this stuff. It is available from Columbia University Press, but even there, it is sold in two parts, so beware. Both parts are really necessary for the full effect, although the more advanced among us are free to enjoy the interviews by themselves.
 
Again, this is a knockout. If you can handle this (and the FSI materials will certainly put you at this level), you can begin to enjoy more than just the study of the language. 
 
TBZ
 
 
 
Dead Edit:  I feel like an awful bonehead, I just realized that although the text is fully glossed, and there are ample pinyin-based exercises, the interviews have only an English and a Chinese version, but no complete pinyin  text.  However, about one third of the interview has the new words for intermediate students highlighted with a roll-over feature providing pinyin and recorded pronunciation.
 
It might be a little more challenging than I originally thought. I'm afraid I didn't take the Intermediate-Advanced label seriously enough.  But I still think the challenge would do beginners good, and for those with some characters, this is a wonderful next step. If anyone can get a hold of a copy, please let others know what you think. I know there are many on this site who can benefit from this text, both beginners and more advanced students.
 
An embarrassed TBZ


Edited by TheBigZaboon - 20 March 2007 at 4:19pm
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