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Practical Chinese Reader - is it good?
Thread poster: Csaba Ban
Csaba Ban
Csaba Ban  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 19:23
Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
Jul 14, 2002

As a beginner in Chinese, I am looking for a good comprehensive studying material, complete with audio tapes. After some web search Practical Chinese Reader seems to be a good option (6 volumes, many audio tapes).



Question 1. Does anyone in the ProZ community have practical experience with these books?

Question 2. Does any one of you know the price of the whole set in China? I found several online bookstores where this is available, but all of these are U.S. based,... See more
As a beginner in Chinese, I am looking for a good comprehensive studying material, complete with audio tapes. After some web search Practical Chinese Reader seems to be a good option (6 volumes, many audio tapes).



Question 1. Does anyone in the ProZ community have practical experience with these books?

Question 2. Does any one of you know the price of the whole set in China? I found several online bookstores where this is available, but all of these are U.S. based, with inflated prices and mostly deliver only to U.S. addresses. In China itself the books must be much cheaper. I may ask a friend to buy the whole set for me in Shanghai and bring it home. Any idea on the price?



Question 3: Any other comments on this choice?



Thank you in advance,

Csaba Ban, Hungary ▲ Collapse
 
Li-chuan Yen
Li-chuan Yen  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:23
English to Chinese
A bit to share Jul 15, 2002

Well, the thing is I don\'t know much about books about learning Chinese. My friend tried \"Teach Yourself\" and learned a few sentences and pinyin. The good (or bad, depending on your needs) thing with the TY book is that it doesn\'t teach writing, so you don\'t have to bother with the characters. Buying books in China is definitely cheaper and better. Don\'t buy it through the Internet. The shipping fee will be more expensive than the books.
 
Csaba Ban
Csaba Ban  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 19:23
Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
TY Jul 15, 2002

Thank you for your comment. I do have a copy of Teach Yourself, and several other single volume beginners\' course books as well. The point is I don\'t want to learn just a few sentences, but I have the ambition of learning Chinese properly.

I have been to China several times and I have actually bought some books in the Foreign Languages bookstore in Beijing, but at this time I was no so much serious about this.

So the question remains: what is the price of Practical Chines... See more
Thank you for your comment. I do have a copy of Teach Yourself, and several other single volume beginners\' course books as well. The point is I don\'t want to learn just a few sentences, but I have the ambition of learning Chinese properly.

I have been to China several times and I have actually bought some books in the Foreign Languages bookstore in Beijing, but at this time I was no so much serious about this.

So the question remains: what is the price of Practical Chinese Reader in China? (with all the casettes) ▲ Collapse
 
Li-chuan Yen
Li-chuan Yen  Identity Verified
Local time: 01:23
English to Chinese
I see. Jul 15, 2002

I did a bit of search, but the confusing thing is I saw sets with 3 volumes and 4 volumes. The former was found in Taiwan, costing 1440 NTD (about 43 EURO), without cassettes. The latter one is from Shanghai, about 33 renminbi per volume, nothing about the cassettes either. Mmm... Is it possible you find the Chinese transliteration for this book?
 
Kevin Yang
Kevin Yang  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:23
Member (2003)
English to Chinese
+ ...
I have good news for you! Jul 17, 2002

Hello, Csaba Ban and Li-chuan,



I have good news for you! I found something FrEE! This will get you started.



I think this textbook is called . I found this website that offers Volume 1-2 Free:



http://www.uvm.edu/~chinese/characte.htm



The audio file is also FREE on-line, just click the hypertext, it will play on-line. I tested it,... See more
Hello, Csaba Ban and Li-chuan,



I have good news for you! I found something FrEE! This will get you started.



I think this textbook is called . I found this website that offers Volume 1-2 Free:



http://www.uvm.edu/~chinese/characte.htm



The audio file is also FREE on-line, just click the hypertext, it will play on-line. I tested it, it sounds OK. The URL is as follows:



http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/khsu2/audio.html



You also can find more info in following two sites:



http://www.ploug.dk/chinesewordlist.htm



http://www.brown.edu/Departments/East_Asian_Studies/hess/pcr.htm



http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/PCRopen/selftest.htm



Now, you have it, Csaba! I will expect you to talk to me in Chinese next time I see you.



Kevin ▲ Collapse
 
Csaba Ban
Csaba Ban  Identity Verified
Hungary
Local time: 19:23
Member (2002)
English to Hungarian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
xiexie Jul 18, 2002

Thank you all for the effort. I am afraid it will still take a while before I will be fluent in Chinese ...
 


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Practical Chinese Reader - is it good?






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