Brandeis University

Fall 2014

Syllabus forReading in Contemporary Chinese Literature

DESCRIPTION:

Despite of the course title, it is a comprehensive course of high advanced Chinese to help students develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing Chinese to or close to the level of a well educated native speaker. Prerequisite of this course is completion of Chinese 105B or the equivalent. Students are expected to make speech or composition not only correctly in terms of grammar structure but also with abundant vocabulary and proper style. Most of the reading materials are unabridged authentic, including short stories by famous authors, political/social comments, movie critiques, journalist interviews, prose, short academic papers, etc. While there are still structure/pattern drills, intensive class discussions, presentations, and writing assignments are more emphasized.

OBJECTIVE:

This course aims at further developing the students' ability to use Chinese in a more formal and advanced way. The priority of the course is given to in-depth reading of authentic writings in Chinese, with an emphasis on accurate comprehension, expansion of vocabulary, and development of the ability to process sentences with complex structures used mainly in formal speech and writing.

REQUIRMENTS:

1. Attendance: Students are required to attend all classes on time. University activities, illness and emergencies are acceptable excuses, but adequate documentation must be presented. More than 2 unexcused class absences will affect the course grade.

2. Preparation: It is essential that students come to classes well prepared, as you are expected to ask and respond to questions and take part in class activities incorporating new materials learned. Your class performance, which includes attendance, preparation, and class participation, will be part of your course grade.

3. Home work: Assignments turned in late will be marked down 0.5 for each day until submission, except with prior arrangement. Assignments more than three days late will not be accepted for grading.

4. Dictation: At the beginning of each class, students will be given a short quiz that may focus on new vocabulary or contents of the assigned reading to check your preparation.

5. Tests

There will be two period tests, middle term and final exams throughout the semester. These tests are used to check students’ knowledge of: (a) new structures and vocabulary; (b) reading comprehension; and (c) writing.

6. Writing

There will be an essay after each lesson and the theme depends on the lesson you have learned. The use of the new vocabulary and grammar, the depth of the theme, the formal sentences you used will be the standards.

COURSE GRADE:

Dictation:10%

Homework:10%

Writing: 15%

Class attendance and performance: 10%

Oral Presentation 10%

2 Tests: 15%

Middle term Exam:15%

Final Exam:15%

Instructor: Jian Wei

Tel:7813634170

Email:

Office: Shiffman 111

Office hours: M.W.Th 3:30—4:30PM

Textbook:

Title: On the Present and Past Comprehensive Chinese Advanced Reading I

说古道今汉语综合教程中高级上