Since the publication of the New Practical Chinese Reader in 2002, it has been well-received by teachers and learners. For user’s convenience, in this new edition, we have revised those points we found improper. In contrast to its first edition, the notes of the texts are designed next to each text to facilitate students. We have not revised the framework, especially the texts and the main language points of the textbook. All the reading materials and illustrations in the workbook are updated.

This is Textbook 4 of New Practical Chinese Reader (2nd Edition). The 12 lessons in it center around a few international students, telling interesting stories about their life and friendship in China and introducing some real-life conventions concerning Chinese expression and comprehension. An MP3 disk goes with the book, including the recording of texts, new words, key sentences and conversation practices in it.

About the Author

Liu Xun is a professor at Beijing Language and Culture University, part-time professor at China People’s University and Beijing University of Foreign Languages, member of the Hanban Expert Advisory Committee for Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, board member of World Chinese Teaching Association and consultant of Chinese teaching for the New York State Department of Education. His research focuses on Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Second Language Acquisition, teaching material development, teachers’ training, etc. He once assumed the main responsibility in the design of the first set of HSK. He has compiled and co-compiled TCFL textbooks such as Practical Chinese Reader (1-4), Chinese Textbook for Children, Elementary Chinese, One Hundred Lessons on Communicative Chinese, etc, and has published monographs such as Introduction to Chinese as a Foreign Language Pedagogy, Introduction to Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Brief Introduction to Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, An Overall View of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language and a number of academic papers.