Chinese
Coordinator of Chinese Language Instruction:
Dr. Licheng Gu
Office address: 4-374 Kresge, 1880 Campus Dr., Evanston
Campus 2209
Office phone: (847) 491-2760
E-mail: l-gu3@northwestern.edu
Faculty Instructors
African and Asian Languages
AAL 111 - 1/2/3 - 20, 23-27: Elementary Chinese: Chinese I
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course
introduces grammar, 600 single characters and 1600
compound words of modern standard Mandarin Chinese.
It emphasizes speaking and reading as well as
writing. We use texbooks compiled by Beijing Language
Institute and Peggy Wang.
PREREQUISITES: None
TEACHING METHOD: Four regular class hours and one
language lab hour are for pronunciation drills,
analysis of sentence structure, sentence buildup,
etymology of Chinese words, translation, conversation
and dictation. In class, after explaining grammar and
characters in English, the instructor will use
Chinese for oral drills, sentence buildup, and
conversation. Outside of class, the students should
use the language lab regularly.
EVALUATION METHOD: Classroom performance, language
lab attendance, written assignments, oral reports,
quizzes, a midterm exam and a final exam.
African and Asian Languages
AAL 111 - 1/2/3 - 21, 22, 28: Elementary Chinese - Accelerated Chinese
I
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is
designed for students who have acquired some oral
proficiency from home, but lack formal training and
literacy. It introduces grammar, 900 single
characters and 2000 compound words of modern standard
Mandarin Chinese, i.e. vernacular Chinese. It
emphasizes reading as well as writing. Students will
learn to read essays and short stories. They will
learn to write notes, letters, and essays. They will
also learn to make speeches in public in Chinese. The
textbooks that we use are compiled by Beijing
Language Institute, Princeton University and Beijing
University.
PREREQUISITES: 1 year of Chinese in high school or
consent of instructor.
TEACHING METHOD: Four regular class hours are for
analysis of sentence structure, sentence buildup,
etymology of Chinese words, translation, conversation
and dictation. In class, after explaining grammar and
characters in English/Chinese, the instructor will
use Chinese for discussion. After class student
should spend 30 minutes doing writing assignments
regularly.
EVALUATION METHOD: Classroom performance, written
assignments, oral reports, quizzes, a midterm exam
and a final exam.
African and Asian Languages
AAL 112 - 1/2/3 - 20, 23, 24, 25: Chinese II - Second-Year Chinese
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course is
designed to build up a basic vocabulary for
conversation, reading and writing, and improve
students' comprehension in speaking, listening,
reading and writing.
PREREQUISITES: --successful completion of the Chinese
I sequence, or placement by the coordinator of
language instruction.. P/N is allowed (but may not be
used if the course is to count toward satisfaction of
the WCAS foreign language proficiency requirement).
TEACHING METHOD: Five regular class hours for the
etymology of Chinese words, analysis of sentence
structure and conversation. Students are expected to
participate actively in classroom discussions.
EVALUATION METHOD: Class attendance, written
assignments, three written quizzes, mid-term and
final.
READINGS: Practical Chinese Reader II; Laughing
in Chinese
African and Asian Languages
AAL 112 - 1/2/3 - 21, 22: Chinese II - Accelerated Second-Year
Chinese
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course
emphasizes speaking, listening comprehension, reading
as well as writing. Students will learn to read and
write essays. The texbooks used are compiled by
Princeton University. For students who had some
proficiency in the language before joining
Northwestern's Chinese program.
PREREQUISITES: Successful completion of the
Accelerated First-Year Chinese I sequence, or
placement by the coordinator of language instruction.
P/N is allowed (but may not be used if the course is
to count toward satisfaction of the WCAS foreign
language proficiency requirement).
TEACHING METHOD: Four regular class hours for the
etymology of Chinese words, analysis of sentence
structure, and conversation. In class, Chinese will
be mainly the means for instruction and discussion.
EVALUATION METHOD: Classroom performance and written
assignments, oral quizzes, written quizzes, a
mid-term exam and a final exam.
READING: Intermediate Reader of Modern Chinese
African and Asian Languages
AAL 213 - 1/2/3 - 20: Chinese III - Third-Year Chinese
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course is
designed to enhance students' abilities in speaking,
reading, and writing Chinese. Students read modern
Chinese novels, stories, and essays. An introduction
to the literature in the language.
PREREQUISITES: Chinese II or placement; P/N is
allowed.
TEACHING METHOD: We use Chinese to discuss our
readings. Students are also expected to write short
essays based on Chinese literary works.
EVALUATION METHOD: Classroom performance and essay
assignments (30%), weekly quizzes (20%), two exams
(20%) and a final (30%)
READINGS: Ba Jin, Jia; Cao Yu, Lei-yu; and other
Chinese writers
African and Asian Languages
AAL 213 - 1/2/3 - 21: Chinese III - Accelerated Third-Year Chinese
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Sections 21, 22 and 24 of Chinese II are accelerated. This course emphasizes speaking, listening comprehension, reading as well as writing. Students will learn to read and write essays. The textbook used are compiled by Princeton University.
PREREQUISITES: Accelerated Chinese I or consent of instructor. P/N is allowed.
TEACHING METHOD: Four regular class hours for the etymology of Chinese words, analysis of sentence structure and conversation. In class, Chinese will be mainly the means for instruction and discussion.
EVALUATION METHOD: Classroom performance and written assignments, oral reports, written quizzes, a midterm exam and a final exam.
READING: Chih-p’ing Chou and Der-lin Chao. (1992) Intermediate Reader of Modern Chinese. Text & Vocabulary Sentence Patterns Exercises. NJ: Princeton University Press.
African and Asian Languages
AAL 319 - 1/2/3 - 20, 21: Chinese IV
Fourth-Year Chinese Literature
in the Language
Instructor: Licheng Gu
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is
designed to further improve students' reading and
writing abilities in Chinese language and Chinese
literature. Students will be exposed to essays,
prose, movies, short novels, and poems in their
original forms either in classical Chinese or modern
Chinese. In terms of authors, students will be
introduced to Gao Xingjian, Lu Xun, Ba Jin, Hu Shi,
Jian Menglin, Xiao Qjan, Long Yingtai, Mao Dun, Wu
Jingzi, Cao Xue Qjin, and the Three Sus; ranging from
novelists to playwrights to poets, covering from the
period of 1000 AD to today. Students will discuss
these readings in class and then write their
argumentation papers either in Chinese or in English.
PREREQUISITES: 3rd year Chinese, or placement test,
or the consent of instructor.
EVALUATION METHOD: Grading: Attendance 10%, Paper One
30%, Paper Two 30%, Paper Three 30%.
READINGS: China's Peril and Promise: An Advanced
Reader, Princeton University Press; Advanced
Chinese Course, Peking University Press.
Supplementary materials (to be purchased at a later
date).
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