Mandarin level 5 plus

Revised November 2024

Prerequisite for entry

Successful completion of Mandarin syllabus level 5 at UCL Centre for Languages & International Education, or B1/B2 CEFR or equivalent.

Term duration

10 x 2-hour classes.

Aims and objectives

The aim of the course is to enable students with a solid knowledge of Mandarin to become as fluent as possible. Students will be able to follow discussions and express their opinions in any given situation using linguistically complex and accurate structures. Cultural awareness will be further developed.

Functions

• Expressing feelings and concerns
• Giving encouragement
• Talking about difficulties living abroad
• Asking for and giving opinions about a job interview
• Providing detailed explanations
• Expressing approximations
• Asking for and giving clarification
• Giving an opening speech
• Providing rules and regulations
• Writing an application letter, itinerary and notice

Course content

Main topics/themes to be covered:

• Jobs and Internships
• CVs and job interviews
• Planning a trip
• Summer camp

Linguistic structures/ Phonetics

• Using 一……都/也……不/没
• Emphasising details of a past action using 是……的
• Introducing an extreme case using 连……都/也……
• Using 就 orally
• Tones and Intonations

Grammar

• Showing direction of movement with 回/进/上/下 + 来/去
• Indicating a high degree with 不得了
• Repeated actions with 再 vs. 又
• Expressing ‘a little bit’ using 一下 or 一点儿
• Indicating the beginning of an action or the start of a new state with 起来
• Introducing a new subject using 至于
• Comparative structures using 不如
• Expressing fractions and percentages with ……分之……
• Moderating positive adjectives with 还
• Using 通过 as a preposition
• Introducing the agent or performer of an action using 由
• Disyllabic words vs monosyllabic words

Learning resources

Books

Qi, Shaoyan, Tan, Qiuyu. 2014. Discover China: Student's Book Four (Units 1-4), London: Macmillan. ISBN 9780230406438

Tan, Qiuyu. 2014. Discover China Workbook Four (Unit 1-4), London: Macmillan. ISBN 9780230406445

Bilingual Dictionaries

Oxford Concise English Chinese/Chinese English Dictionary

Websites

Dictionary

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