MIT OpenCourseWare
  • OCW home
  • Course List
  • about OCW
  • Help
  • Feedback
  • Support MIT OCW

Assignments

Assignments

21F.101 meets four times a week for 13 weeks, for a total of 51 class-hours (of 50 minutes each). In the following schedule, assignments are listed in sequence, one for each day of class (with intervening days ignored). Reference is to lesson and section rather than to page number (because the latter may vary slightly according to file-format). As given, the schedule is for a syllabus that covers lessons 1- 5 (core) and A – D (characters); it can, of course, be adjusted (e.g., in cases when consecutive classes are separated by several days) by marking time (not advancing a day) or doubling up (assigning two days at once).

In general, topics, or even whole lessons, are introduced first in class, then studied piecemeal outside of class (using lesson material, working with the flashCube program and checking progress with the exercises) to the point that they can form the basis of future class practice and further review.

Abbreviations

Lessons are abbreviated L-1, L-A, etc. Major sections are written §I, §II, etc., and subsections are written #1, #2, etc. Exercises are written ex-1 (exercise 1) or exs-1,2 (exercises 1 and 2). Until students are familiar with the organization of the textbook and the conventions for indicating sections, teachers are advised to take a few minutes at the end of each class to walk them through coming assignments. Teachers should indicate whether assigned exercises are to be written (or not), collected (or not), but in either case, a small amount of class time will be devoted to questions about them.

ses # TOPICS
1 In class, in addition to curricular and administrative matters (calendar, syllabus, flashCube, etc.), you will encounter your first conversational material 'sight unseen' - topics such as names and titles, simple questions and responses (from L-1). In addition, you will be introduced to the tones and initials of Chinese and the pinyin system of transcription used to write them (from the chapter on Sounds and Symbols).

At home: read the Preface and then skip to Sounds and Symbols §I (overview) and §II (details), up to (but not including) #3 (rhymes).
2 In class, you will continue to work with the conversational material from day 1 (extending it a little, if feasible, with more 'unseen' material from L-1, including the nursery rhymes at the end).

At home: Read Background §I (names) and §2 (Chinese speech). Reread the earlier sections of Sounds and Symbols, focusing on the four tones and the initial consonants, and doing exs-1,2. Skip ahead to the beginning of L-1 and read §I (conventions), §II (numbering) and §III (verbs); the last is long, but it will be reassigned on subsequent days. The L-1 material will help you consolidate some of what you have been practicing sight unseen, in class.
3 Background: Read §III (the written language), which takes you to the end of the chapter. Sounds and Symbols: review (redoing exs-1,2) and continue with #3 (rhymes), focusing on those issues covered in exs-3,4,5. L-1:  consolidate §I (conventions), §II (numbering) and §III (verbs). [Note, in error, the text has two §IIIs; the first will be labeled ‘verbs’ and the second ‘pronouns’.] Skip to §VI (tones) and learn to recite from memory the first six ‘tone combos’.
4 Review Background and Sounds and Symbols (redoing exs-1,2,3,4,5); then continue with Sounds and Symbols #4 (returning to the chart of initials), §III (tonal shifts) and §IV (culminating exercises), doing ex-6 (both parts). L-1: Consolidate through §III (verbs) and continue with §III <sic> (pronouns) with ex-3; skip to §VI (tones) and review tones, doing ex-4.
5 Complete Sounds and Symbols (ie, though  §VI) and review it well, studying, especially, the starred (*) rhymes (in #3). You should be able to recite the table of initials, know your tone descriptions and concepts, the tone-shift examples, and be aware of pinyin problems (eg o/ou/uo, chi/qi). Continue to review Sounds and Symbols frequently. L-1: review so far, then continue with §IV (greetings and taking leave); practice the scenario (§V) and review §VI (tones), redoing ex-4 (all parts); preview §VII (rhymes).
6 L-1: Practice §V (scenario) and review for test-1 (which covers everything so far) on day 7.
7 In class: test 1 (oral/written) on Sounds and Symbols and L-1.

At home, read L-A §I, practicing strokes and stroke order, and naming the strokes as you write. Preview L-2, §I (expanding SV material), as well as ex-1.
8 In class, you will first review the L-1 scenario, as well as tone combos, select exs, pinyin rhymes and preview L-2. Then, shifting to L-A, you practice writing (and naming) the strokes and basic stroke order (L-A §I).

At home: L-A, §II, characters for numbers, dates, days, doing exs-2,3. Review the L-1 scenario and difficult areas of pinyin. Review L-2 §I and ex-1.
9 Complete L-A (surnames, ex-4, observations and ex-5). L-2: review §I and continue with §II (new subjects) and §III (identity), through to and including ex-3. Review L-A and practice writing (and continue to do so regularly up to the start of L-B, and then periodically, beyond).
10 L-2: review §I, §II and §III (identity) then continue with IV (location). Preview §VI, the first dialogue.
11 L-2: review through §IV (location) and continue with §V (miscellany). Continue to preview §VI, the first dialogue.
12 L-2: Learn §VI (first dialogue), breaking it up into sections, visualizing the scenario as you go, and using the flashCube dialogue function (if available) to help you internalize the Chinese.
13 L-2: Complete (through §IX, the rhymes) and practice the dialogue until fluent, doing ex-4. Preview L-B §1, characters set 1, with practice phrases and ex-1.
14 Review L-1,2 as well as Sounds and Symbols as much as needed; continue to practice the dialogue and do ex-5 (both parts). Review L-B §I, set 1 characters, with practice phrases and ex-1 (all parts).
15 L-B: review set 1 and continue with set 2 and ex-2 (all parts) Continue to review L-2 material and especially, the dialogue.
16 L-B, complete §I (through simplified characters), and read §II (on types of characters). L-3: §I (nationality), #1,2,3, doing ex-1; preview the three dialogues under #4.
17 L-B, ex-3 (writing characters), and review §II, especially names of radicals. L-3: §I #4 (the three dialogues) and #5 (when in doubt).
18 Review L-A and L-B (complete). L-3, review #4 (dialogues), and continue with §II (thanks and sorry) and §III (cause and effect).
19 Review Sounds and Symbols, and L-1,2,3 (to end of §III) for test #2 on day 20.
20 Test #2 on L-1,2 and L-3 so far; L-A,B, plus sounds and pinyin. Preview L-3 §IV (existence).
21 L-3, continue with §IV (existence).
22 L-3, review through §IV and continue with §V (amounts), #1,2,3,4.
23 L-3, review through §V(amounts) #4 and continue to #8 (yigong), doing ex-3.
24 L-3 §VI, doing ex-4; preview §VII (dialogue), which recaps much of L-3 so far.
25 L-3, consolidate §VII (dialogue) and do ex-5, then continue with §VIII (sounds and pinyin), doing ex-6.
26 Complete L-3 (§IX #2, §X and appendix on countries and nationalities). L-C: §I, set 1, and read the phrase and comment-responses. Practice the names of radicals where possible.
27 L-C: review §I set 1, and redo the readings. Review selections from L-3, especially the main dialogue.
28 L-C: continue with §I set 2, reading the phrases and sentences, plus the two parts of ex-1. Continue to review L-3,2,1 and pinyin. Prepare for test #3 on day 30.
29 L-C: Complete §I (through the section on simplified characters, and do ex-2.
Continue to review L-3,2,1 and pinyin. Prepare for test #2 on day 30.
30 In class: test #3 on L-1,2,3; L-A,B,C (for C, reading only, not writing).
Read §II to the end of the lesson.
31 L-4: §I (time phrases), doing ex-1. Keep reading and writing characters, and start to collect examples of (short) signs in Chinese off the street, or from pictures, internet sites, etc.
32 L-4: Review §I, and continue with §II (DE), doing ex-2.
33 L-4: continue with §III (names in detail), doing ex-4, and §IV (years).
34 L-4: continue with §V (subjects of study), doing ex-5, and VI (forms of address), doing ex-6.
35 L-4: continue with §VII (introductions), doing ex-7. Preview L-D, §I, first set, phrases, dialogues and simplified.
36 Complete L-4 (through §VIII, §IX, §X), and consolidate. L-D, §I, review set 1 and do ex-1.
37 Consolidate L-4 material. L-D: §I, review set 1 and continue with set 2, doing exs-3,4 (hold off on ex-2). Read §II.
38 Review L-D, doing ex-2 (at the end of the first set), then redo ex-4 and review.
39 Review of material so far. Practice talking about characters, naming radicals, naming strokes etc.
40 Prepare for test #4 on day 41.
41 Test #4 on L-1 to 4 and A to D. Preview L-5.
42 L-5 §I (one thing or another) and ex-1; §II (at the beginning of class) and §III (expanding the V+DE construction), and ex-2.
43 L-5 §IV (music and musicians) and ex-3.
44 L-5 §V (cognition) and ex-4.
45 L-5 §VI (destination) and §VII (purpose).
46 Review L-5 so far, and review scenarios for oral interview on day 47.
47 Oral interview (on everything so far) – this is the last day available for a major test.
48 L-5 §VIII (in the past) and ex-5.
49 L-5 §IX (and) and §X (sports), with ex-6.
50 L-5 §XI (dialogue), plus ex-7.
51 L-5 to end.