Chapter 1: "Purgatory"
HOW TO TALK ABOUT STARTING SCHOOL
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监狱 (jiān yù) prison
逃跑 (táo pǎo) to escape 开学 (kāi xué) to begin a new semester; to start school [VO] 新生 (xīn shēng) new student 生活 (shēng huó) life [n]; to live [v] Sentences:
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Lesson
Click: Chapter 1 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 1 LEARNING SLIDES
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Practice
SPEAK: role-play two students talking about the start of the new semester. There's a new student. Rumor has it s/he escaped from prison! Discuss if you think s/he can adjust to life at your school.
WRITE: write a letter of distress to your parents. You just started at a new school, but you hate it. You want to escape...
WRITE: write a letter of distress to your parents. You just started at a new school, but you hate it. You want to escape...
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- 监狱，逃跑，开学，新生，生活
- TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
- 昨天几十个人从监狱逃跑出来。
- 快开学了, 他家离大学很远, 得坐飞机去学校。
- 张天明是大学一年级的新生。
- 不, 这是新生宿舍。
- 你刚来, 在学校住好， 可以试一下学校的生活。
- TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- Ask about somebody’s student status.
- Talk about starting school; talk about life at school.
- TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.
Chapter 2: "The Zhang Tianming Redemption"
HOW TO EXPLAIN HOW TO WRITE CHINESE NAMES
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张天明 (zhāng tiān míng) [name]
柯林 (kē lín) [name] 弓 (gōng) bow 长 (cháng) long “弓长张” = "Gong + Chang = Zhang." 研究生 (yán jiū shēng) graduate student Sentences:
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Lesson
Click: Chapter 2 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 2 LEARNING SLIDES
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Practice
SPEAK: explain to each other how to write your Chinese name, character by character. Then actually write it!
WRITE: write an explanation for how to write at least three different Chinese names.
WRITE: write an explanation for how to write at least three different Chinese names.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- 张天明，柯林，"弓长长"，研究生
- TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
- Culture: Explain how to handwrite your Chinese name, including each individual character.
- Culture: Actually handwrite your Chinese name. Explain the meaning of each individual character in Chinese.
- TARGET: no grammar mistakes.
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
- A: 我叫张天明。
- B: 我正在学中文, 我的中文名字是柯林。
- A：你的名字是哪三个字?
- B：张是弓长张，就是一张纸的张, 天是天气的天， 明是明天的明。
- A: 我是研究生。在这儿帮新生搬东西。
- TARGET: no more than 2 mistakes, including tones.
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- Explain how to write your Chinese name.
- TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.
Chapter 3: "Behind the Walls"
HOW TO ADJUST TO NEW PLACES
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适应 (shì yìng) to adapt; to become accustomed to
帮忙 (bāng máng) to help [VO] 除了A以外，还B (chú le... yǐ wài, hái...) In addition to A, also B 除了A以外，都B (chú le... yǐ wài, dōu...) Except for A, all B Sentences:
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Lesson
Click: Chapter 3 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 3 LEARNING SLIDES
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Practice
TRAIN: write 3 sentences each using the following grammar structures:
WRITE: write an article listing 10 tips for new students to adjust to life at your school.
SKIT: in a group, write a dialogue on the following prompt. Memorize your skit and perform in front of the class!
- 除了A以外，还B
- 除了A以外，都B
WRITE: write an article listing 10 tips for new students to adjust to life at your school.
SKIT: in a group, write a dialogue on the following prompt. Memorize your skit and perform in front of the class!
- A is a new student, and is not fitting in well...
- B wants to help A adjust to life at a new school.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- 适应，帮忙，[除了A以外，还B]，[除了A以外，都B]
- TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
- RULE (in English): Explain the differences between "除了A以外，还B" vs. "除了A以外，都B". Give examples of each structure.
- Translate: I live off campus. Besides wanting to save some money, I also want my freedom.
- Translate: Except for Little Ke, every student in our class has been to China.
- TARGET: no more than 1 major grammar mistake.
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
- 你刚来, 在学校住好， 可以适应一下学校的生活。
- 好吧， 我以后一定请你帮忙。
- 除了小柯以外，我们班的同学都去过中国。
- 我住在学校，除了舒服以外， 还很安静。
- TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- Talk about adjusting to new places, situations, or events.
- Talk about helping other people adjust, or about the people who have helped you adjust.
- TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.
Chapter 4: "The Message"
HOW TO ASK ABOUT THE DETAILS OF AN EVENT
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是...的 (shì...de) "The situation is that..." [structure to ask for details about the past]
出生 (chū shēng) to be born
长大 (zhǎng dà) to grow up
Sentences:
- structure: "Subject＋是＋Information to be Emphasized＋Verb＋的"
- This is a very complex structure used to emphasize the time, place, manner, purpose, or agent of an action that we know already happened. When it is a known fact that an action has taken place, in order to ask or explain the particulars of the action, use "是... 的" instead of 了.
- NOTE 1: "是... 的" is often used to ask questions that seek specific information, or to explain a situation by emphasizing a particular detail. It is not generally used for reporting new information.
- NOTE 2: "是... 的" MUST be used to ask for details about the past or to explain details about the past (such as time, manner, or place). This is the natural way to ask such questions in Chinese. The "是...的" cannot be omitted.
- NOTE 3: Do not use "了" in a "是...的" structure. The "是...的" structure already implies a completed action.
- NOTE 4: The 是 is nearly always optional (except when the structure is being negated). You will often hear this structure with 是 omitted, so be aware.
- NOTE 5: "是... 的" sentences are negated with 不 ["不是...的"]. This negation creates the implication that the action in the sentence was carried out, and only the detail emphasized by "是... 的" is being denied. Imagine a detective drama where the mystery hinges on a single detail.
- For more details, see the Chinese Grammar Wiki.
出生 (chū shēng) to be born
- 张天明(是)在美国出生的。= Zhang Tianming was born in America.
- NOTE: That Zhang Tianming was already born is a given. The point of the statement is to identify WHERE he was born. You must use the 是...的 structure.
长大 (zhǎng dà) to grow up
- 张天明(是)在美国长大的。= Zhang Tianming grew up in America.
- NOTE: That Zhang Tianming grew up is a given. The point of the statement is to identify WHERE he grew up. You must use the 是...的 structure.
Sentences:
- 是在[X place]出生的
- 是在[X place]长大的
- 对, 我爸爸妈妈是从中国来的。
- 可是我是在美国出生, 在美国长大的。
Lesson
Click: Chapter 4 STORY QUEST
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Click: Chapter 4 LEARNING SLIDES
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Practice
SPEAK: ask each other for more details about your past. (Where were you born? Where did you grow up? etc.)
WRITE: write a story about a detective investigating a crime. Summarize the details of the crime (who, what, when, where, why?) using "是...的".
WRITE: write a self-introduction introducing your background, using the "是...的" structure. Use the following picture for reference.
WRITE: write a story about a detective investigating a crime. Summarize the details of the crime (who, what, when, where, why?) using "是...的".
WRITE: write a self-introduction introducing your background, using the "是...的" structure. Use the following picture for reference.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- 是...的，出生，长大
- TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
- Rule (in English): Explain the "是...的" structure. Talk about how and when to use it, and why it's important. Give specific examples.
- Translate: I was born and grew up in America.
- Scenario: You meet a new person at Peking University. Ask him details about his background, including where he was born and where he grew up.
- Scenario: You know Zhang Tian Ming went to a Chinese restaurant yesterday. Ask Zhang Tian Ming about the details.
- TARGET: no more than 2 major grammar mistakes.
READING: read aloud the following sentences:
- 张天明是在美国出生的。
- 柯林在北京长大的。
- 对, 我爸爸妈妈是从中国来的。
- 可是我是在美国出生, 在美国长大的。
- TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
- Talk about where you were born and grew up.
- TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.
MINIBOSS #1: ACT 1 REVIEW
Pika, Pika! Can you beat me?
Mastery Challenge 1 (Vocabulary and Grammar):
Mastery Challenge 2 (Speaking):
BONUS CHALLENGES:
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