Mandarin level 3

Prerequisite for entry

Successful completion of Mandarin syllabus level 2+ at UCL Centre for Languages & International Education or a high GCSE/ low O level grade (or equivalent).

Term duration

10 x 2-hour classes.

Aims and objectives

The course aims to help students become more confident speakers of Mandarin using good basic knowledge of Chinese to develop all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) to an intermediate level. Students should be able to have a good command of the language in most common situations. Cultural awareness will be developed.

Functions

• Asking for information and showing concern
• Asking for and giving opinions about books and libraries
• Giving clarification through repetition, starting and ending a conversation politely
• Ask for and giving opinions through reasoning, agreeing and disagreeing
• Checking information and expressing regret
• Understanding hospitality, cultural difference

Course content

Main topics/themes to be covered:

• College course and requirement
• Books, libraries and book review
• Assignment, quizzes and deadlines
• Life stories
• Air travel and extreme weather
• Meeting a host family

Linguistic structures/ Phonetics

• Confidence with the 4 tones
• Pinyin pronunciation

Grammar

• Talking about result by using resultative complement
• Talking about future using 会，将
• Giving extra information using 再说/而且
• ‘even’甚至 ‘be worth’值得
• Expressing preferences using 还是……吧
• Making recommendations using 给……推荐
• Limiting the range of statement对……来说
• Purpose 为了 cause 由于 unbearable 受不了
• Noun phrases with 以
• Expressing influences using 受……影响

Learning resources

Books

Course book: <<Discover China - 3>> (From Unit 1 to Unit 6) Macmillan Education   

Bilingual Dictionaries

• Langenscheidt dictionary
• Oxford Beginners’ dictionary
• Macmillan-FLTRP Chinese Character Dictionary

Websites

Dictionary

In addition there are supplementary materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre.