Customer Reviews

Intermediate Reader of Modern Chinese: Volume I: Text: Volume II: Vocabulary, Sentence Patterns, Exercises

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I used this book for a Chinese class that I took recently. This is the worst Chinese textbook I've used.

The early lessons are an exchange of letters between a Chinese college student and her parents. The topics are a bit strange for parent-child letters (freshman daughter writes home casually about her roommate's date rape, same daughter writes to her parents to defend her younger brother's plan to live with his girlfriend, etc.). I cannot imagine any of the Chinese students I've worked with writing letters like this. The author, perhaps sensing this, concocts a lesson where students discuss the topics in the book and come to the conclusion that the topics are great since they reflect what is happening in American culture.

My objection to the topics is not that they offend me, they don't. I object to lessons that make no cultural sense and waste my time on vocabulary for abortion and dorm crime. Why does the author focus a Chinese textbook on American cultural themes? I don't know. I'm familiar with American culture. I'd rather have some more meaningful insights into Chinese culture.

I really enjoyed the New Practical Chinese Reader series.New Practical Chinese Reader, Textbook Vol. 1 Some will complain that these cover anti-septic topics and gloss over harder hitting issues. That is a legitimate complaint. However, that series offers much better explanations of grammar, offers many more activities for various levels, and come with great workbooks and CDs of the lessons.

This topic line says Volume I and Volume II but most sellers will only ship one.
Argh. I need both volumes and paid for "both" but only one was shipped to me.
It was "bargain quality books."
I accidentally left positive feedback so I wanted to write a comment about it since I cant erase feedback.