Four experienced teachers of beginning Chinese have developed this introductory textbook. A pilot edition has
been tested widely in classrooms and refined over a period of years. Among its salient features are lessons that
are lively, amusing, and relevant to everyday life: concentrated training of ear and tongue in the sound system
of Chinese; extensive grammar notes, clearly presented, with attention to mistakes English-speakers are likely
to make; a carefully sequenced character workbook embodying a new and effective approach to the learning of Chinese
characters; and audiovisual reinforcement via a complete set of audiotapes and two videotapes, one of which offers
entertaining dramatizations of the lesson dialogues.