This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Study Materials

Audio Files

The following audio files correspond with the exercises assigned in the unit, character, and sounds and symbols sections.

Unit 5

  • Unit 5.1 Tone contrasts (MP3)
  • Unit 5.4.1 In a restaurant (MP3)
  • Unit 5.6 Talking to a child  (MP3)
  • Unit 5.7.2 Three dialogues on music (MP3)
  • Unit 5.14 Dialogue: Who won? (MP3)
  • Unit 5.15 Pronunciation: erhua (MP3)

    Units 6 and 7

  • Unit 6.3.5 Dialogues (MP3)
  • Unit 6.9 Dialogue (MP3)
  • Unit 7.2.4 Dialogue (MP3)
  • Unit 7.4 Dialogue (MP3)
  • Unit 7.5 Dialogue (MP3)
  • Unit 7.9.2 Dialogue (MP3)
  • Unit 7.11 Dialogue (MP3)
  • Unit 7.13 Letter (MP3)
  • Unit 7.14 Pronounciation (MP3)

Sample Exams

Calligraphy Grid

  • Blank squared character writing paper. (PDF)

Songs and Rhymes

  • The East is Red (PDF)
  • Words in praise of Chairman Mao, put to a traditional Chinese folk tune. Lyrics in pinyin and characters, with word-for-word English translation.
  • Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman (PDF)
  • More praise of Mao and the Communist Party. Lyrics in pinyin and characters, with word-for-word English translation.
  • A Kangding Love Song (PDF)
  • A well-known folk song; Kangding is a town at the eastern reaches of Tibet, in Sichuan. Lyrics and word-for-word translation.
  • The Descendants of the Dragon (PDF)
  • Lyrics and word-for-word translation of a popular song.
  • Small Town Story (PDF)
  • Lyrics in pinyin and characters, and a word-for-word translation of a song by Teresa Teng (whose Chinese name, in pinyin, is Teng Lijun).
  • Socialism's good! (PDF)
  • Lyrics in characters and pinyin, with rough English translation.
  • Four Tang Poems (PDF)
  • Poems by Li Po (Li Bei), Wang Wei, Du Fu, and Meng Haoran, in pinyin and characters; with word-for-word English translation.