​Chapter 1: "Gentle Into That Good Night"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER
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天气    (tiān qì) weather

冷    (lěng) cold

热    (rè) hot

下雨    (xià yǔ) to rain [VO]

下雪    (xià xuě) to snow [VO]

​风    (fēng) wind [noun]

Sentences:
  • 今天天气比昨天好，不下雪了。
  • 这个周末这儿天气很好，你快一点儿回来吧。
  • 加州冬天不冷，夏天不热，春天和秋天更舒服。
  • 昨天下大雨，今天又下雨了。
  • 今天风大，又下雨。天气不好。
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Click: Chapter 1 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 1 LEARNING SLIDES
Practice
SPEAK: discuss today's weather. Do you like it? What other kinds of weather do you like/dislike?

WRITE: write a description of the ideal weather, according to you.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 天气，冷，热，下雨，下雪，风
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 今天天气好，不下雪了。
  • 这个周末这儿天气很好，你快一点儿回来吧。
  • 这儿不冷，不热。
  • 昨天下大雨。
  • 今天风大，下雨。天气不好。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about the weather in general.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 2: "Rise of the Planet"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT TERRIBLE WEATHER
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糟糕    (zāo gāo) in a terrible mess; how terrible [adj]

非常    (fēi cháng) extremely [adv]

那么    (nà me) so; such (indicating degree) [pronoun]

不但...，而且...    (bú dàn..., ér qiě..) not only A, but also B [conjunction]

Sentences:
  • 这儿的天气非常糟糕。
  • 英爱，纽约那么好玩儿，你怎么在网上，没出去？
  • 不但不会下雪，而且会暖和一点儿。
Lesson
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Click: Chapter 2 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 2 LEARNING SLIDES
Practice
SPEAK: talk about the worst day of weather you ever experienced. Why was it so horrible?

WRITE: write a short story based on the following image:
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 糟糕，非常，那么，不但...而且...
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Translate: New York is such fun!
  • Translate: Not only [will] it not snow, it'll be a bit warmer, too.
  • TARGET: no more than 1 grammar mistake.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 这儿的天气非常糟糕。
  • 英爱，纽约那么好，为什么你不喜欢？
  • 明天不但不会下雪，而且会热一点儿。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about terrible weather.
  • State how you feel about different kinds of weather.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 3: "Beneath the Planet"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT GREAT WEATHER
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舒服    (shū fu) comfortable

凉快    (liáng kuài) [pleasantly] cool

暖和    (nuǎn huo) [pleasantly] warm

好玩儿    (hǎo wánr) fun; amusing; interesting [adj]

滑冰    (huá bīng) to ice skate [VO]

冰    (bīng) ice

Sentences:
  • 加州冬天不冷，夏天不热，春天和秋天更舒服。
  • 这个周末纽约也会暖和一点儿。
  • 不但不会下雪，而且会暖和一点儿。
  • 英爱，纽约那么好玩儿，你怎么在网上，没出去？
  • 我约了朋友明天去公园滑冰，不知道天气会怎么样？
  • 夏天找到凉快的地方睡午觉很舒服。
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Click: Chapter 3 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 3 LEARNING SLIDES
Practice
​​SPEAK: talk about your favorite kinds of weather, and why.

WRITE: write a story based on the following image:
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 舒服，凉快，暖和，好玩儿，滑冰
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 这儿不冷，不热，非常舒服。
  • 这个周末纽约也会暖和一点儿。
  • 英爱，纽约那么好玩儿，你怎么不喜欢？
  • 我和朋友明天去滑冰，不知道天气会怎么样？
  • 找到凉快的地方(dì fāng=place)睡觉很舒服。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about great weather.
  • Talk about things that are fun to do.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 4: "Dawn of the Planet"

HOW TO MAKE PLANS FOR DIFFERENT WEATHER CONDITIONS
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加州    (jiā zhōu) California

公园    (gōng yuán) park

看碟    (kàn dié) to watch a DVD [VO]

碟    (dié) DVD [disc]; small plate; dish

​云    (yún) cloud; clouds

太阳    (tài yang) [the] sun

Sentences:
  • 加州好是好，可是我更喜欢纽约。
  • 加州冬天不冷，夏天不热，春天和秋天更舒服。
  • 我约了朋友明天去公园滑冰，不知道天气会怎么样？
  • 你还是在家看碟吧。
  • 蓝天白云，有太阳的天气最舒服。​
Lesson
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Click: Chapter 4 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 4 LEARNING SLIDES
Practice
SPEAK: brainstorm activity options for different weather conditions. Which do you prefer, and why?

​​SKIT: in a group, write a dialogue about two friends making weekend plans. Memorize your skit and perform in front of the class!
  • One person wants to go ice skating, and wants to go again.
  • One person doesn't like the weather outside, and wants to stay indoors.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 加州，公园，看跌，云，太阳
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 加州不冷，不热，很舒服。
  • 我和了朋友明天去公园滑冰，不知道天气会怎么样？
  • 你还是在家看碟吧。
  • 蓝天白云，有太阳的天气最舒服。​
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about California's weather.
  • Make plans for different weather conditions.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

​Chapter 5: "Dying of the Light"

HOW TO COMPARE THE WEATHER OF TWO PLACES OR TIMES
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比    (bǐ) comparison marker "than"
  • A＋比＋B＋adj＋一点儿/得多/多了
  • A is [a bit/very much/much] more ADJ than B
  • NOTE 1: A and B are both nouns.
  • NOTE 2: this structure is used to EXPRESS the degree of difference between A and B. It is the ONLY way to do so. The modifier "一点儿／得多／多了" must always come AFTER the adjective.
  • NOTE 3: you cannot use "不," "很," or any other random modifier in this structure. See Level 13 for the proper way to negate a 比 structure.​

A＋比＋B＋adj

A＋比＋B＋adj＋一点儿／得多／多了

A＋比＋B＋更／还＋adj

更 (gèng) even more

​怎么办?    (zěn me bàn) what to do?

Sentences:
  • 今天天气比昨天好，不下雪了。
  • 我刚才看了网上的天气预报，明天天气比今天更好。
  • 学中文比学英文容易多了。
  • ​真的啊？那我明天怎么办？
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Click: Chapter 5 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 5 LEARNING SLIDES
Practice
TRAIN: write 3 sentences each using the following grammar structures:​
  • A＋比＋B＋adj＋一点儿／得多／多了
  • A＋比＋B＋更／还＋adj

SPEAK: compare today's weather with yesterday's weather, using the "A＋比＋B＋adj" and/or "A＋比＋B＋adj＋一点儿／得多／多了" and/or "A＋比＋B＋更／还＋adj" structure(s). 

WRITE: write a paragraph comparing the weather of two cities.
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 比，更，怎么办？
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Translate: Today is a bit colder than yesterday.
  • Translate: Today is a lot colder than yesterday.
  • Translate: Tomorrow's weather will be even better than today.
  • TARGET: no mistakes.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 今天天气比昨天好，不下雪了。
  • 明天天气比今天更好。
  • 学中文比学英文容易多了。
  • 今天比昨天冷一点。
  • ​真的啊？那我明天怎么办？
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Compare the weather of two places or times.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

 MINIBOSS #1: ACT 1 REVIEW

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Pika, Pika! Can you beat me?
Mastery Challenge 1 (Vocabulary and Grammar): ​
​Mastery Challenge 2 (Speaking):
  • Perform the following role-play:
    • Describe current weather conditions.
    • State how you feel about different kinds of weather.
    • Make plans for different weather conditions.
    • Compare the weather of two places or times.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 in ALL categories.

BONUS CHALLENGES:
  • ​GODLIKE: Achieve a 100% score on all mastery challenges—zero mistakes!