大考！学习！ Exam! Study!

第一学期的生词卡片。

Flashcard collections from the first semester, to help you prepare for the exam.

Lessons 25-27

Lessons 28-30

Lessons 31-32

For a recording of the speaking section of the exam: listen and practice!

Lesson 32: 我用眼睛看。

For flashcards of lesson vocabulary, click 这里。

For a recording of the lesson text:

Lesson 31: 你今天上了什么课？

For flashcards of lesson vocabulary, click 这里。

For extra school vocab, click 这里。

For a recording of the lesson text:

Culture: a new Chinese president

As the American people picked its new president last week, China also prepared for a new president.  November 8th was the first day of the 18th Party Congress. What does that mean?  I'm anxious for you to find out...

These reading and listening activities provide a lot of neat background information on the subject.

Please read this article on the logistics of the 18th Party Congress.  To get to the article, click HERE.

Here is a BBC radio report about the likely new president Xi Jin Ping.  Click HERE.

Another fascinating report about China's government, policies, and future aired on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" last Thursday.  To get to the report, click HERE.

Finally, on Saturday this article printed in the New York Times: "Google is Blocked in China as Party Congress Begins."

Please take good notes as you go through these different sources.  You should turn in your notes with your packets this week.  ALSO, there will be a cultural component to this week's quiz.  I hope you enjoy the learning!

Lesson 30: 打电话

For flashcards of lesson vocabulary, click 这里。

For a recording of the lesson text:

Lesson 29: 他们在做什么？

For flashcards of lesson vocabulary, click 这里。

For a recording of the lesson text:

Lesson 28: 这是谁的房间？

For flashcards of lesson vocabulary, click 这里。

For a recording of the lesson text:

Lesson 27: 我的一天。

For flashcards of lesson vocabulary, click 这里。

For a recording of the lesson text:

Lesson 26: 你的爷爷做什么工作？

For flashcards of the lesson vocabulary, click 这里。

For a recording of the lesson text:

中秋快乐！

Mid Autumn Festival (Moon Festival) takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. That's today, September 30th, 2012!

for an overview of Mid Autumn Festival, follow the links here below. they'll take you to some helpful articles on the subject:

http://taoism.about.com/od/holidays/a/MidAutumn_Festival.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_Festival

Important Festival Vocabulary:

中  zhōng - center, middle
秋 qiū - autumn, fall
节 - jié festival
中秋节 zhōng qiū jié - mid autumn festival
快乐 kuài lè - happy, joyous
中秋快乐 zhōng qiū kuài lè - happy mid autumn festival
月亮 yuè liàng - the moon
光亮 guāng liàng - bright
赏月 shǎng yuè - to admire the moon
月饼 yuè bǐng - moon cake
红豆 hóng dòu - red bean
莲子 lián zi - lotus seed

Q1, W2: Recap of Chinese Characters - Stroke Order

Stroke Order for Chinese Characters:

Writing characters in the correct order is essential for the character to look correct. Two basic rules are followed:


Stroke Order

1. Top before bottom


2. Left before right


These rules conflict whenever one stroke is to the bottom and left of another. Several additional rules resolve many of these conflicts.

3. Left vertical stroke (usually) before top horizontal stroke


4. Bottom horizontal stroke last



5. Center stroke before wings



6. Horizontal strokes before intersecting vertical strokes


7. Left-falling strokes before right-falling srokes


A final rule can contradict the others:

8. Minor strokes (often) last
 

Despite these conflicts between rules most students quickly acquire a natural feel for the proper stroke order.

Radical Order  -  Most Chinese characters are combinations of simpler, radical components. 

Usually the two parts are written at top and bottom

or left and right

so that the main two stroke order rules readily apply. Occasionally these rules also conflict with respect to components. 

When one component is at the bottom-left, and the other at the top-right, the top-right component is sometimes written first.


When there are several components, top components are written first.


These rules usually imply each component is written in its entirety before another component is written. 

Exceptions may arise when one component divides another,

encompasses another,

or the individual components are no longer discernible in modern writing.

(source: www.zhongwen.com)

Remember! most online dictionaries offer stroke order animations, so check there when you're not sure how to write a character.  

----

Visual Aid: here

A Calligrapher's Stroke Order: video

The Most Complicated Character: video

新年快乐！

Here we begin a brand new school year!

Subsequent posts belong to the 2012-2013 Chinese 2 cohort!

考试复习：卡片 Kǎo Shì Fù Xí: Kǎ Piàn (Exam Review: Flashcards)

To access the Chinese 1 flashcards (Lessons 1-24), click 这里

Lessons 25-28, click 这里

Lessons 29-31, click 这里

Lessons 32-33, click 这里

Lessons 34-35, click 这里

Lessons 36-37, click 这里

Lessons 38-39, click 这里

Lessons 40-41, click 这里

Lessons 42-43, click 这里

Lessons 44-45, click 这里

中国诗歌：Zhōng Guó Shī Gē (Chinese Poetry)

This page provides a brief introduction to Chinese classical poetry: click 这里。

Poems from revered Tang dynasty poet, 李白。 Click 这里

In order to create your teaching handout, you might like using this PinYin Converter!

生词卡片：Shēng Cí Kǎ Piàn

Survival Chinese?

check out this guide, HERE.

第三十七课的录音：Lesson 37 Recording

China Visa Application Form

Dear students and parents,

This form should be completed online.  It's a big form!  Please tackle it in a thorough manner.  If any blank is irrelevant to you, enter N/A.

When you have completed the form, please print to D-Hallway printer.  Do not close the form until you have the printout successfully in-hand.

To access the VISA application form, please click HERE.

第三十六课的录音：Lesson 16 Recording

生词卡片：Shēng Cí Kǎ Piàn

请用这些卡片学习生词.
 Please use these flashcards to study vocab!

Lessons 32-33, click 这里

Lesson 34-35, click 这里

第三十五课的录音：Lesson 35 Recording

To hear a model of the spoken lesson text, click below!

第三十四课的录音：Lesson 34 Recording

To hear a model of the spoken lesson text, click below!

第三十三课的录音：Lesson 33 Recording

sample recording:

我的房子，口试例子：My House, Oral Exam Sample