Unit 1 Talking about China ....................................................................................................... 1
Section A Reading and Writing ................................................................................................ 1
Text 1 General Survey ........................................................................................................ 1
Text 2 Geographic Overview ............................................................................................. 4
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................... 7
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Chinese History .................................................................... 7
Text 4 Cities to See in China ............................................................................................ 10
Unit 2 Chinese People .............................................................................................................. 18
Section A Reading and Writing .............................................................................................. 18
Text 1 Han People ............................................................................................................ 18
Text 2 A Glimpse of Chinese 55 Ethnic Minorities .......................................................... 20
Section B Listening and Speaking ......................................................................................... 25
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Modern Chinese Youth ....................................................... 25
Text 4 An Introduction to Mosuo People—A Matriarchal Society ................................. 27
Unit 3 Chinese Language and Literature .............................................................................. 35
Section A Reading and Writing .............................................................................................. 35
Text 1 Jin Yong, a Literary Swordsman ........................................................................... 35
Text 2 Liu Zhenyun .......................................................................................................... 37
Section B Listening and Speaking ......................................................................................... 39
Text 3 Dialogue: About Han Han ..................................................................................... 39
Text 4 A Talk on Chinese Literature in the 20th Century ................................................. 41
Unit 4 Chinese Education ........................................................................................................ 47
Section A Reading and Writing .............................................................................................. 47
Text 1 Reforming Chinese Education .............................................................................. 47
Text 2 Confucius Institute ................................................................................................ 49
Section B Listening and Speaking ......................................................................................... 53
Text 3 Situational Dialogue .............................................................................................. 53
Text 4 Project Hope: Bringing Education to China’s Rural Poor ..................................... 55
Unit 5 Economy, Science and Technology .............................................................................. 63
Section A Reading and Writing .............................................................................................. 63
Text 1 A New Legend for an Ancient City ....................................................................... 63
Text 2 China Is Pushing Ahead in New Fronts of Science and
Technology Development ..................................................................................... 65
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................ 70
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: China’s Manned Submersible ........................................... 70
Text 4 A Tour Guide Commentary on Qinghai-Tibet Railway ....................................... 71
Unit 6 Chinese Holidays and Folk Customs ......................................................................... 80
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................. 80
Text 1 Chinese New Year in the Modern World:
A Traditional Chinese Holiday Today .................................................................. 80
Text 2 Dragon Boat Festival ............................................................................................ 82
Section B Listening and Speaking ........................................................................................ 86
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Our Traditional Holidays―Still Meaningful? .................. 86
Text 4 A Speech on Double Seventh Festival .................................................................. 88
Unit 7 Land of Splendor ......................................................................................................... 97
Section A Reading and Writing ............................................................................................. 97
Text 1 The Yellow River .................................................................................................. 97
Text 2 Historical Evidence to Support China’s Sovereignty over Nansha Islands ....... 100
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 104
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: The Summer Palace ......................................................... 104
Text 4 Sacred Mountains of China: Four Great Mountains of Buddhism ..................... 105
Unit 8 Chinese Food Culture ............................................................................................... 113
Section A Reading and Writing ........................................................................................... 113
Text 1 The Principles of Chinese Cuisine ..................................................................... 113
Text 2 Regional Cuisines ............................................................................................... 115
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 119
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Beijing Roast Duck ......................................................... 119
Text 4 A Tour Guide Commentary on Beijing Snacks .................................................. 121
Unit 9 Chinese Medicine ....................................................................................................... 128
Section A Reading and Writing ........................................................................................... 128
Text 1 An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine .............................................. 128
Text 2 An Introduction to Acupuncture ......................................................................... 131
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 135
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: About Qi-gong Therapy .................................................. 135
Text 4 A Lecture on Beijing Tongrentang ..................................................................... 136
Unit 10 National Treasures ................................................................................................... 143
Section A Reading and Writing ........................................................................................... 143
Text 1 Wushu and Tai Ji Quan ....................................................................................... 143
Text 2 Chinese Handicrafts ........................................................................................... 145
Section B Listening and Speaking ...................................................................................... 148
Text 3 Situational Dialogue: Beijing Opera .................................................................. 148
Text 4 A Tour Guide Commentary on Dashilar ............................................................. 150