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MANDARIN FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS

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Mandarin 1 (Beginner 1)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 1 (Lessons 1-4)

Pre-requisites:

No prior knowledge

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Introduction to Mandarin
  • Mandarin pronunciation and the Pinyin phonetic alphabet
  • Numbers
  • Formal, informal greetings and leave-takings
  • Name, country and nationality
  • Introducing yourself and others
  • Asking the time
  • Daily activities
  • Day and date
  • Shopping
  • Monetary units
  • Colours, clothes and measure words
  • Family, age and jobs

Grammar:

  • Yes/no questions
  • ‘ji’ and ‘duoshao’ questions
  • Have/not have
  • This is/that is
  • Question words: ‘shenme’, ‘shei’, ‘nar’
  • Topic + comment structure
  • ‘… xing ma?’
  • ‘duo+adj’ questions
  • Characters of number 0-10

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Greet people formally and informally
  • Introduce yourself and others
  • Discuss and gather personal information about jobs, nationalities and age
  • Discuss family members
  • Ask the time and date
  • Describe daily activities
  • Do shopping for food and clothes
  • Talk about clothes, sizes, colour and prices
  • Bargain
  • Read first 10 characters
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Mandarin 2 (Beginner 2)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 1 (Lessons 5-8)

Pre-requisites:

No prior knowledge

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Revision of Mandarin pronunciation and the Pinyin phonetic alphabet
  • Revision of numbers
  • Revision of other key topics from Mandarin 1
  • Eating in a Chinese restaurant
  • Giving directions
  • Describing distances
  • Catching a taxi
  • Sports
  • Socialising
  • Weather
  • Making suggestions
  • Making phone calls

Grammar:

  • Asking and making comments
  • More measure words
  • More question words ‘how’, ‘which’, ‘when’
  • More ‘duo+adj’ questions
  • Present, past and future tenses
  • ‘shenme shihou’ question
  • Modal verbs ‘xiang’, ‘yao’, ‘keyi’
  • Reduplicate of adjectives
  • 10 new characters

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Order food in a Chinese restaurant
  • Ask and give directions
  • Describe distances
  • Arrange to go out for various activities
  • Describe weather
  • Travel by means of transportation
  • Make phone calls
  • Read 20 characters
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Mandarin 3 (Elementary 1)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 1 (Lessons 9-12)

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin 1 & 2 or 30-40 hours of prior study

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Reinforcing Mandarin pronunciation and the Pinyin phonetic alphabet
  • Revision of measure words
  • Revision of money, prices, sizes and colours
  • Locations and facilities
  • Body parts and ailments
  • Seeing a doctor
  • Borrowing books at the library
  • Registering for a library card
  • Money exchange
  • Applying for a bank card

Grammar:

  • Modal particle ‘le’
  • ‘ne’ and ‘nar’ question
  • There is, there are…
  • Compass directions
  • Affirmative-negative question ‘shi bu shi’
  • Frequency ‘ci’
  • Adverb ‘jiu’
  • ‘xiang’ and ‘yao’
  • ‘keyi’, ‘hui’ and ‘neng’
  • ‘ji’ as several
  • Verb+result complement ‘hao’
  • Verb+measure words ‘ci’,’bian’ and ‘tang’
  • Duration of time
  • 20 characters

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Ask and describe locations
  • Describe your body parts and ailments
  • Understand simple medicine instructions
  • Borrow books at the library
  • Express different concepts of ‘can’
  • Apply for a bank card at the bank
  • Read 40-50 characters
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Mandarin 4 (Elementary 2)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 1 (Lessons 13-15)

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin 3 or 50-60 hours of prior study

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Character revision
  • Review present, past and future tenses
  • Revision of all question words
  • Housework
  • Arranging a birthday party
  • Holidays and travelling
  • Means of transportation
  • Making tour plans
  • Talking about past experiences
  • Booking air tickets
  • Checking in at the airport
  • More character study

Grammar:

  • ‘Ba’ sentences
  • Don’t… ‘bu yao’ and ‘bie’
  • Exclamation sentences
  • Verb+ guo
  • More on affirmative-negative questions
  • Make a strong suggestion using ‘haishi’
  • Choice questions with ‘haishi’
  • ‘gai…le’
  • ‘jiuyao…le’
  • Past and perfect tenses
  • More character study

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Express likes and dislikes
  • Instruct people to do house chores
  • Arrange a birthday party
  • Talk about past experiences
  • Talk about travel experiences
  • Arrange tour plans
  • Buy air tickets
  • Check in at the airport
  • Read 60-80 characters
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Mandarin 5 (Intermediate 1)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 2 (Lessons 16-19)

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin 4 or 60-80 hours of prior study. Knowledge of 50-60 characters

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Character revision
  • Revision of expressing past experiences
  • Revision of ‘ba’ sentences
  • Sports and leisure
  • Entertainment
  • Describing daily life
  • Weather and climate
  • Discussing takeaway food
  • Talking about lost properties
  • Describing a car accident

Grammar:

  • More and most+adj
  • Complex sentences with ‘danshi’ and ‘buguo’
  • Complex sentences with ‘chule…hai’
  • More adverbs
  • Verb+duration complement
  • Verb+degree complement
  • More on present tense
  • Verb+zhe
  • Comparison sentences with ‘bi’
  • Negative comparison sentences
  • Passive voice
  • ‘Shi…de’ sentences
  • When sentences
  • Verb+result complement
  • More character study

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Talk about sports and leisure
  • Discuss someone’s hobbies
  • Describe daily life
  • Make comparisons
  • Talk more on weather and climate
  • Describe accidents
  • Use complex sentences
  • Read 90-120 characters
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Mandarin 6 (Intermediate 2)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 2 (Lessons 20-23)

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin 5 or 100 hours of prior study.

Knowledge of 100-150 characters

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Revision of comparison
  • Revision of complex sentences
  • Revision of passive voice
  • Job interview
  • Teaching English in China
  • Talking about work experiences
  • Online shopping
  • Renting an apartment
  • Talking about hair dressing
  • Going to the gym

Grammar:

  • Verb + object + verb + ‘de’ (得) + complement
  • Verb+result complement
  • More complex sentences with ‘erqie’
  • ‘Hui’+verb
  • If sentences with ‘ruguo’ and ‘yaoshi’
  • Ordinal numbers
  • Complex sentences ‘bushi…ershi…’
  • ‘Shenme’ as ‘whatever’
  • Verbs+de change into nouns
  • Both with ‘you…you…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘yinwei…suoyi…’
  • Sentences with ‘zhenghao’
  • Verb +zhe
  • Verb+potential complement
  • Frequency with ‘ci’
  • Verb+duration complement+object
  • Read 120-150 characters

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Discuss your language learning experience
  • Describe job interview experience
  • Discuss online shopping
  • Describe house facilities
  • Rent an apartment or house
  • Talk about hair dressing
  • Talk about your gym experiences and fitness plans
  • Read 150-200 characters
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Mandarin 7 (Upper Intermediate 1)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 2 (Lessons 24-27)

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin 6 or 120 hours of prior study

Knowledge of 150-200 characters

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Revision of complex sentences
  • Revision of Verb+potential complement
  • Discussing job interview
  • Job recruitment
  • Giving presents
  • Describing a birthday party
  • Sending and receiving express delivery
  • Requesting for a refund
  • Dragon Boat Festival
  • Chinese culture and traditions

Grammar:

  • Passive voice with ‘bei’ II
  • More of complex sentences with ‘suiran…danshi…’
  • Hao+verb
  • Future tense with ‘jiang’
  • Complex sentences with ‘budan…erqie…’
  • A shi A, keshi…
  • Adverb ‘jiu’ and ‘cai’
  • ‘Rang’ sentences
  • Verb+directional complement
  • Complex sentences with ‘jiran…jiu…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘zhihao…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘bushi…jiushi…’
  • A he B yiyang/bu yiyang
  • Read 200-250 characters

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Understand job recruitment requirements
  • Attend job interview
  • Arrange a party and presents
  • Send and receive express delivery
  • Request for a refund
  • Describe Dragon Boat Festival activities
  • Understand Chinese traditional festivals
  • Read 200-250 characters
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Mandarin 8 (Upper Intermediate 2)

Text Book:

Hello Chinese, Book 2 (Lessons 28-30)

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin 7 or 120-150 hours of prior study

Knowledge of 250 characters

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Revision of complex sentences
  • Revision of verb+directional complement
  • Talk about dating experiences
  • Describe personal appearances
  • Marriage and wedding
  • Taking a job overseas
  • Talking about business plans
  • Character study

Grammar:

  • Verb+directional complement with ‘qilai’, ‘chulai’,’xialai’ and ‘xiaqu’
  • Adjectives+’si le’, ‘ji le’ and ‘huai le’
  • Complex sentences with ‘budan… erqie/hai…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘zhiyao…jiu/dou…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘wulun…dou…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘zhiyou… cai…’
  • Even, ‘lian…ye…’ sentences
  • However ‘er’
  • Complex sentences with ‘ningke…ye bu…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘zhiyou…cai…’
  • Complex sentences with ‘yi Vi…jiu V2…’
  • Even if, ‘jishi… ye…’ sentences
  • Adverb ‘shenzhi’
  • Read 300 characters

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Talk about dating experiences and romance
  • Describe personal appearances
  • Talk about Chinese and Western style weddings
  • Discuss plans of studying and working overseas
  • Discuss business plans
  • Read 300 characters
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Mandarin Advanced 1

Text Book:

Material provided by Macquarie Mandarin

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin 8 or 150 hours of prior study

Knowledge of 300 characters

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Reading about and discussing recent events and other topical issues
  • Giving an oral presentation
  • Social issues
  • Business issues
  • Chinese culture
  • Slang, proverbs, idioms
  • Character study

Grammar:

  • Grammar points from the reading material provided
  • Complex sentences
  • Useful expressions
  • Written and colloquial expression
  • Formal and informal styles

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Discuss social life in China
  • Discuss social issues in China
  • Use more slang, proverbs and idioms
  • Give a speech at a social occasion or present a report at a business event
  • Communicate at a higher level in a variety of contexts
  • Understand spoken and written Mandarin in a variety of contexts
  • Read approximately 800 characters
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Mandarin Advanced 2

Text Book:

Material provided by Macquarie Mandarin

Pre-requisites:

Mandarin Advanced 1 or 180 hours of prior study

Knowledge of 800 characters

Learning Outcomes:

Topics:

  • Cultural/social topics
  • The changing world
  • Global issues
  • Youth culture
  • Individuals and the community
  • China’s economic growth (2)
  • Cross-cultural issues
  • Further news studies

Grammar:

  • Grammar points from the reading material provided
  • Complex sentences
  • Useful expressions
  • More slang terms
  • Written and colloquial expression
  • Formal and informal styles

Outcomes:

You will be able to:

  • Express your ideas, opinions and thoughts on various topics
  • Discuss attitudes, opinions and ideas
  • Better understand written and spoken language
  • Argue and debate various topics
  • Use a wider range of vocabulary
  • Understand different Mandarin genres