Tales and Traditions, Vol. 1 Fables, Myths, and Historical Figures (e-book)
The Tales and Traditions Volume 1 e-Book is an identical, digital alternative to the print edition. This subscription is valid for 12 months, starting from the date of purchase. Please note that this title is not available for download and an Internet connection is required to access it.
Foreign language acquisition research shows that reading large quantities of level-appropriate material is essential to attaining fluency in a foreign language. Tales and Traditions was specially created to meet the need for interesting and informative pleasure reading materials for Chinese language learners. The series presents stories and anecdotes from the Chinese literary canon that are essential for cultural fluency: sayings of classical philosophers, folk tales, legends, excerpts from great works of literature, and more.
Volume 1 is designed for students with novice-high levels of proficiency in Chinese. Its three units, organized by theme, include ten Chinese literary quotations and fables, seven anecdotes from well-known figures such as Confucius and Sima Guang, and six mythological stories and fantasies. Each text includes an interesting story line, a vocabulary list, and post-text questions. The texts within each unit increase in difficulty, but can still be comfortably read in any order.
Each text in the series can be used for independent reading or for instructor-facilitated classroom reading. Using the stimulating discussion questions that follow each text, teachers can engage students in comprehension checks, cross-cultural comparisons, real-life reflections, and extended research. With a focus on reading comprehension and cultural knowledge, Tales and Traditions is an excellent companion for students who are preparing for the AP®* Chinese Language and Culture Exam or other standardized tests.
*AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.
Specs
- Preface to the Second Edition
- Teaching Note
- Abbreviations of Parts of Speech
- Part I: Fables and Literary Quotations
- Pulling Seedlings Up to Help Them Grow
- Sitting by a Stump to Wait for a Careless Hare
- Drawing a Snake and Adding Feet
- Mistaking the Reflection of a Bow for a Snake
- Six Blind Men and an Elephant
- Self-Contradiction
- A Frog in a Well
- Three in the Morning and Four in the Evening
- Carving a Mark on a Boat to Look for a Lost Sword
- An Old Man on the Frontier Loses His Horse
- Part II: Sayings of Important Historical Figures
- One Out of Every Three Must Be My Mentor
- Mencius' Mother Moved Three Times
- Kong Rong Offers the Best Pears to His Brothers
- Grinding Down an Iron Pestle to a Needle
- Bringing a Birch and Begging for a Flogging
- Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant
- Breaking the Water Vat to Save a Life
- Part III: Myths and Fantasies
- Bird Jingwei Fills Up the Sea
- Goddess Nuwa Mends the Sky
- Pangu Creates the Universe
- Da Yu Controls the Great Flood
- Kua Fu Chases the Sun
- The Magic Lotus Lamp
- Appendix 1: Simplified Characters with Pinyin
- Appendix 2: Story Abstracts in English
- Vocabulary Index
- Answer Key (Reading Comprehension)
- About the Authors
- Related Titles
Foreign language acquisition research shows that reading large quantities of level-appropriate material is essential to attaining fluency in a foreign language. Tales and Traditions was specially created to meet the need for interesting and informative pleasure reading materials for Chinese language learners. The series presents stories and anecdotes from the Chinese literary canon that are essential for cultural fluency: sayings of classical philosophers, folk tales, legends, excerpts from great works of literature, and more.
Each text in the series can be used for independent reading or for instructor-facilitated classroom reading. Using the stimulating discussion questions that follow each text, teachers can engage students in comprehension checks, cross-cultural comparisons, real-life reflections, and extended research. With a focus on reading comprehension and cultural knowledge, Tales and Traditions is an excellent companion for students who are preparing for the AP®* Chinese Language and Culture Exam or other standardized tests.
*AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.