Mastering Chinese - (MacMillan Master Series (Languages)) by Catherine Hua Xiang (Paperback)

About the Book

This new course teaches Mandarin Chinese to a broad range of learners in a modern, structured and engaging way. Its focus is on acquiring basic conversational skills. It also introduces the fascinating script and includes essential grammar, along with interesting cultural insights. Two CDs are also available.

Book Synopsis

With free-to-access audio online! This lively course teaches Mandarin Chinese to a broad range of learners in a modern, structured and engaging way.

The focus is on acquiring basic conversational skills, and the text has a friendly, non-formal style, building up gently with a wealth of lively, imaginative exercises. The text places some emphasis on correct pronunciation, as this is so important in Mandarin. It introduces right from the start the fascinating Chinese script and includes essential grammar, along with interesting cultural insights. Pinyin, the standard system of spelling using the Roman alphabet to transliterate Chinese, is also included to help build confidence.

The course is aimed at beginners with little or no previous knowledge of the language who want to begin to understand, speak, read and write Mandarin Chinese confidently. This is all you would expect from a modern Mandarin Chinese language course but can't find!

From the Back Cover

Mastering Chinese is a modern, engaging, highly illustrated course in Mandarin Chinese, teaching conversational skills, good pronunciation and the beginnings of reading and writing the intriguing Chinese script. Based on the author's 10 years of experience teaching Chinese in the UK and in China, this carefully structured and well-paced course will soon give you the confidence to communicate well in Chinese in both social and business settings.

- Designed for complete beginners, with a wealth of interactive practice to build your confidence.
- Teaches Mandarin Chinese which is spoken by over one billion people, and is the official language of mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore.
- Suitable for study at home or in the classroom - learn at your own pace with this friendly, fun and fascinating introduction.
- Covers a variety of everyday situations you will encounter in China, on holiday or travelling for business.
- Full of cultural insights to help you understand the customs and practices of modern China.

Additional material is available to accompany this book at www.palgrave.com/modernlanguages/xiang

About the Author

CATHERINE HUA XIANG is East Asian Languages Coordinator at the LSE Language Centre, London where she is also Programme Director for the BSc International Relations and Chinese. She is also UK Director of the LSE Confucius Institute for Business London. She was previously Mandarin Chinese Coordinator, Language Centre, University of Bristol, UK.
CATHERINE HUA XIANG is East Asian Languages Coordinator at the LSE Language Centre, London where she is also Programme Director for the BSc International Relations and Chinese. She is also UK Director of the LSE Confucius Institute for Business London. She was previously Mandarin Chinese Coordinator, Language Centre, University of Bristol, UK.