​Chapter 1: "Invitation to Hogwarts"

HOW TO TALK ABOUT MAKING DECISIONS
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其他+noun    (qí tā) other; else [pronoun]
  • NOTE: 其他 is sometimes also written as "其它", in which case it always refers only to things and objects only (not people)
  • 除了中文课以外，其他几门课都得花很多时间准备，还经常要写文章，所以他觉得有点儿受不了。

另外＋noun    (lìng wài) other... [pronoun]
  • 另外 can be an adverb, pronoun, or conjunction. We've previously learned "另外" as a conjunction (to connect two statements) meaning "in addition to." 
  • Here we're using 另外 as an pronoun. As pronouns meaning "other", 其他 and 另外 are similar and often interchangeable. However, there are differences.
    • 另外 should be followed with a “的” if used directly before a noun. 
    • The expression “另外一个" (meaning "the other one") is unique; you cannot use “其他” in this situation. 
    • See this blog post for more details.
  • 这里有两个大学，一个男校，另外一个是女校，都很不错。= There are two colleges here. One is a men’s college and the other one is a women’s college. Both are quite good.
  • 另外两门课。= The other two classes.

世界    (shì jiè) world
  • 这是另外的世界！= This is another world!
  • 世界历史课 = World History class

​应该    (yīng gāi) should [adv]
  • 你应该选这门课！​

决定    (jué dìng) to decide; decision
  • 对，我决定了！也选经济和电脑课！​
Lesson
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SPEAK: tell each other about a decision you have to make. Discuss the different options. Finally, make the decision one way or another.

WRITE: write a short story about a young person who has decided to travel the world instead of going to college.
Mastery
DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 其他，另外，世界，应该，决定
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Rule (in English): compare and contrast the uses of "其他" vs. "另外." Give examples of each usage.
  • Detective (find and fix the mistakes): 这里有两个大学，一个男校，其他一个是女校，都很不错。
  • Detective (find and fix the mistakes): 除了张文，你还有另外中国朋友吗？
  • TARGET: no grammar mistakes.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 除了中文课以外，其他几门课都得花很多时间准备，还常常要写文章，所以他觉得有点儿受不了。
  • 这里有两个大学，一个男校，另外一个是女校，都很不错。
  • 这是另外的世界！
  • 对，我决定了！也选电脑课！​
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about making decisions.
  • Talk about things you should and shouldn't do.
  • Talk about the world.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 2: "The Hogwarts Express"

HOW TO MEET PEOPLE
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李哲    (lǐ zhé) Li Zhe [name]

谈    (tán) to talk; to discuss
  • most often used in this structure: sub A + 跟 + sub B + 谈。(sub A talks with sub B)
  • 我还没跟指导教授谈。

跟...打交道    (gēn... dǎ jiāo dào) to deal with​
  • structure：sub A + 跟 + sub B + 打交道。(sub A deals with/comes into contact with sub B)
  • This phrase usually means to come in contact with certain people or objects because of necessity or the nature of one’s work or study.
  • 我现在在小学教英文，每天跟小孩儿打交道，很高兴。= I now teach English at an elementary school. I deal with children every day. I’m very happy.
  • 我对金融没有兴趣，整天跟数字打交道，多没意思。

碰见    (pèng jiàn) to bump into; to run into
  • 这一天下午，他在篮球场上正好碰见大四的李哲，就一边和李哲打球，一边聊了起来。​
Lesson
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SPEAK: discuss the prospect of a 5-year or 10-year reunion after graduation. Who do you want to run into again? What do you think about it? Good idea or bad idea? Would you attend? Why/why not?

WRITE: write a diary entry: you bumped into an old friend on the street and caught up on each other's lives.
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 跟...打交道，碰见，李哲，谈
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 我还没跟老师谈。
  • 我对金融没有兴趣，整天跟数字打交道，多没意思。
  • 这一天下午，他在篮球场上正好碰见大四的李哲，就一边和李哲打球，一边聊了起来。​
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about how to meet people.​
  • Talk about who or what you interact with due to your job or studies.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

Chapter 3: "First Day of Class"

HOW TO PICK COURSES
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学期    (xué qī) school term; semester
  • 这个学期已经过了一半，马上又得选下个学期的课了。

选    (xuǎn) to choose
  • 这几门课都很有意思，他也学到了不少东西。
  • 下学期的课你选好了吗？
  • 你想选什么专业 (zhuān yè = major)?​

门    (mén) mw for class subject
  • 这几门课都很有意思，他也学到了不少东西。

教授    (jiào shòu) professor​
  • 我后天就去见我的教授，听听他的建议。I’ll tell my professor the day after tomorrow when I see him, and get some suggestions from him.
  • 我想念研究生，要么上工学院，要么上管理学院，我还没跟我的教授谈。= I'd like to go to graduate school, either engineering or business school. I haven't discussed it yet with my professor.

好 (hǎo) [complement] "successfully or properly finished"
  • "好" here is a result complement with the structure: sub + verb + 好 (+ object)"
  • 下学期的课你选好了吗？(the result 好 [properly finished] refers to the action 选)

​Result Complements
  • A "result complement" is a complement that's used to describe or clarify the result of a verb's action.
    • ​> SUB + VERB + RESULT COMPLEMENT (+ OBJECT)
  • The use of result complements is an essential feature of the Chinese language. Generally speaking, result complements are necessary as long as an action produces a certain result.
  • In English, we have separate verbs to describe actions depending on their outcome. You can look, but not see, or listen, but not hear. In Chinese, verbs tend to be of the 'look' and 'listen' variety - the result isn't included like it is in 'see' and 'hear'. So if you want to indicate the result, you have to use a result complement.
  • There are endless examples of these 'attempt' or 'procedure' verbs in Chinese which don't include an outcome. The majority of Chinese verbs are like this, in fact. For example: 
    • > 看 means 'to look' but doesn't include the result 'to see'. 
    • > 写 is similar to the English verb 'to write', in that it doesn't specify what the result of writing was (e.g. whether it was correct or not).
    • All of these verbs need a result complement to describe a complete action with its result.
  • ​Whether a verb can or should be combined with a result complement is not random, but rather follows certain set patterns. It's best to memorize each "verb + result complement" as a set phrase.

NOTE 1: 了 very often appears with result complements, as 了 marks completed actions, and as you'd expect a result complement is usually about a completed action. 了 comes after the result complement, as the verb+result compound can't be separated.

NOTE 2: The negative form of a result complement is usually formed with "没有" [because it's negating a completed result]. Do NOT use "不."

RESULT COMPLEMENTS can be classified into one of three CATEGORIES:
  1. result complements related to the verb that provides additional information about the action itself
  2. result complements related to the subject that indicate an impact on or a change in the person who has carried out the action
  3. result complements related to the object that describe an impact on or a change in the person affected by the action 

Examples:
1. 下学期的课你选好了吗？(the result 好 [properly finished] refers directly to the action 选)
2. 我搬完家就去购物中心买日用品。(the result 完 [finished] refers directly to the action 搬)
3. 老师说的话我听懂了。(result 懂 [understand] of action 听 refers to the subject "我“)
4. 张教授写文章累了。(result 累 [tired] of action 写 refers to the subject ”张老师“)
5. 你怎么把没妹妹打哭了？(result 哭 [tired] of action 打 [to hit] refers to the object "妹妹"; "why did you hit your sister and make her cry?")
6. 你搬走了一把椅子。(result 走 [away] of action 搬 refers to to the object “椅子”)
7. 你要把衣服洗干净才能去看电影。(result 干净 [clean] of action 洗 refers to the object "衣服")
Lesson
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SPEAK: give each other advice on which courses to pick for the next school term.

WRITE: write a text conversation between two classmates who are trying to pick courses for the next school term. Maybe your professor can help!
Mastery
​DICTATION: write the Chinese characters, English definition, and pinyin (including tones):
  • 学期，选，门，教授，选好了
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.

​GRAMMAR: complete the following exercises:
  • Rule (in English): Explain what a "result complement" is. Describe its specific structure and when it should be used.
  • Rule: Give examples of "result complements."
  • Translate: Have you successfully finished selecting classes for next semester? [好 as result complement]
  • Detective (find and fix the mistakes): 我还不做好功课了。
  • Detective (find and fix the mistakes): 文章很快就写了完！
  • TARGET: no grammar mistakes.

READING: read aloud the following sentences:
  • 这个学期已经过了一半，马上又得选下个学期的课了。
  • 这几门课都很有意思，他也学到了不少东西。
  • 下学期的课你选好了吗？
  • 你想选什么专业?​
  • 我还没跟我的教授谈。
  • TARGET: no more than 1 mistake, including tones.
​
​SPEAKING: perform the following conversation tasks:
  • Talk about choosing courses for the semester.
  • Talk about choosing majors.
  • Talk about professors.
  • 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 conversation tasks:
    • Talk about making decisions.
    • Talk about things you should and shouldn't do.
    • Talk about how to meet and interact with people, including professors.
    • Talk about choosing different classes for the semester.
  • TARGET: at least a 3 on ALL tasks.

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