Lesson 1: First Day

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Target Audio

Listen to the full dialogue once. Don’t worry about understanding everything yet.

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Vocabulary

• nǐhǎo = hello
• wǒ = I, me
• nǐ = you
• TĀ = he, him
• Shì = is, am, are
• Jiào = to be called
• shéNme = what
• mínGzi = name

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Pattern Practice

Statements

1. wǒ Shì réN. = I am a person.

2. nǐ Shì réN. = You are a person.

3. TĀ Shì réN. = He is a person.

4. wǒ Jiào Kevin. = I am called Kevin.

5. TĀ Jiào wánG zǒng. = He is called Boss Wang.

6. wǒ Shì XĪNréN. = I am a new person.

7. wǒ de mínGzi Shì Kevin. = My name is Kevin.

Question-Answer Pairs

Question 8.

Q: nǐ Shì XĪNréN ma? = Are you a new person?

A: Shì, wǒ Shì XĪNréN. = Yes, I am a new person.

Question 9.

Q: nǐ Jiào shéNme mínGzi? = What is your name?

A: wǒ Jiào lǐLì. = I am called Li Li.

Question 10.

Q: TĀ Shì shéI? = Who is he?

A: TĀ Shì wánG zǒng. = He is Boss Wang.

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Pinyin Target Story (click for audio)

Zhè Shì Kevin. = This is Kevin.

Kevin Shì XĪNréN. = Kevin is a new person.

Lily: nǐhǎo! nǐ Shì XĪNréN ma? = Hello! Are you the new person?

Kevin: Shì, wǒ Shì XĪNréN. wǒ Jiào Kevin. = Yes, I am the new person. I am called Kevin.

Lily: wǒ Jiào lǐLì. = I am called Li Li.

Zhè Shì wánG zǒng. = This is Boss Wang.

Lily: TĀ Shì wánG zǒng. = He is Boss Wang.

Boss Wang: nǐhǎo! nǐ Jiào shéNme mínGzi? = Hello! What is your name?

Kevin: wǒ Jiào Kevin. = I am called Kevin.

Boss Wang: Kevin! hǎo, hǎo! = Kevin! Good, good!

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Comprehension Check

1. Kevin Shì shéI? = Who is Kevin?

A) Kevin Shì XĪNréN. B) Kevin Shì wánG zǒng. C) Kevin Shì lǐLì.

2. Lily Jiào shéNme mínGzi? = What is Lily called?

A) TĀ Jiào Kevin. B) TĀ Jiào lǐLì. C) TĀ Jiào wánG zǒng.

3. shéI SHUŌ “hǎo, hǎo”? = Who says “good, good”?

A) Kevin B) Lily C) wánG zǒng

4. wánG zǒng Shì XĪNréN ma? = Is Boss Wang a new person?

A) Shì, TĀ Shì XĪNréN. B) Bù Shì, TĀ Bù Shì XĪNréN. C) TĀ Shì lǐLì.

5. shéI Jiào lǐLì? = Who is called Li Li?

A) Kevin B) wánG zǒng C) Lily

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Pinyin Production

Multiple Choice

1. I am Kevin.

A) wǒ Jiào Kevin B) nǐ Shì Kevin C) TĀ Jiào Kevin

2. What is your name?

A) wǒ Jiào shéNme? B) nǐ Jiào shéNme mínGzi? C) TĀ Shì shéI?

3. He is Boss Wang.

A) wǒ Shì wánG zǒng B) nǐ Jiào wánG zǒng C) TĀ Shì wánG zǒng

4. Are you a new person?

A) nǐ Shì XĪNréN ma? B) wǒ Shì XĪNréN C) TĀ Shì shéI?

5. She is called Li Li.

A) wǒ Jiào lǐLì B) TĀ Jiào lǐLì C) nǐ Jiào lǐLì

Typing

Type the pinyin. Don’t worry about tones.

6. Hello!→

7. I am a new person.→

8. Who is he?→

9. My name is Kevin.→

10. This is Boss Wang.→

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Character Reader

First, read along with the characters and pinyin — make an association between each word and its character. Do this 2 or 3 times staying focused on the character and its unique shapes. Then read the characters without any pinyin. Repeat until it flows naturally.

Character Introduction (click for audio)

這(Zhèzhè)是(Shìshì) Kevin。

Kevin 是(Shìshì)新(XĪNxīn)人(réNrén)。

Lily: 你(nǐnǐ)好(hǎohǎo)！你(nǐnǐ)是(Shìshì)新(XĪNxīn)人(réNrén)嗎(mama)？

Kevin: 是(Shìshì)，我(wǒwǒ)是(Shìshì)新(XĪNxīn)人(réNrén)。我(wǒwǒ)叫(Jiàojiào) Kevin。

Lily: 我(wǒwǒ)叫(Jiàojiào)李(lǐlǐ)麗(lÍlí)。

這(Zhèzhè)是(Shìshì)王(wánGwáng)總(zǒngzǒng)。

Lily: 他(TĀtā)是(Shìshì)王(wánGwáng)總(zǒngzǒng)。

Boss Wang: 你(nǐnǐ)好(hǎohǎo)！你(nǐnǐ)叫(Jiàojiào)什(shéNshén)麼(meme)名(mínGmíng)字(zizi)？

Kevin: 我(wǒwǒ)叫(Jiàojiào) Kevin。

Boss Wang: Kevin！好(hǎohǎo)，好(hǎohǎo)！

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With Translation (click for audio)

這是 Kevin。 = This is Kevin.

Kevin 是新人。 = Kevin is a new person.

Lily: 你好！你是新人嗎？ = Hello! Are you the new person?

Kevin: 是，我是新人。我叫 Kevin。 = Yes, I am the new person. I am called Kevin.

Lily: 我叫李麗。 = I am called Li Li.

這是王總。 = This is Boss Wang.

Lily: 他是王總。 = He is Boss Wang.

Boss Wang: 你好！你叫什麼名字？ = Hello! What is your name?

Kevin: 我叫 Kevin。 = I am called Kevin.

Boss Wang: Kevin！好，好！ = Kevin! Good, good!

Character Production

Multiple Choice

1. I am Kevin.

A) 我叫 Kevin B) 你是 Kevin C) 他叫 Kevin

2. What is your name?

A) 我叫什麼？ B) 你叫什麼名字？ C) 他是誰？

3. He is Boss Wang.

A) 我是王總 B) 你叫王總 C) 他是王總

4. Are you a new person?

A) 你是新人嗎？ B) 我是新人 C) 他是誰？

5. She is called Li Li.

A) 我叫李麗 B) 她叫李麗 C) 你叫李麗

Typing

Type the characters.

6. Hello!→

7. I am a new person.→

8. Who is he?→

9. My name is Kevin.→

10. This is Boss Wang.→

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Listen Again

Play the dialogue three more times. Listen 1: Just listen. Listen 2: Follow along mentally. Listen 3: Try to anticipate the next word.

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Answers

1. A

2. B

3. C

4. B

5. C

6. A

7. B

8. C

9. A

10. B

11. A

12. B

13. C

14. A

15. B

Typing:

• 1: nǐhǎo
• 2: wǒ shì xīnrén
• 3: tā shì shéi
• 4: wǒ de míngzi shì Kevin
• 5: zhè shì wáng zǒng
• 6: 你好
• 7: 我是新人
• 8: 他是誰
• 9: 我的名字是 Kevin
• 10: 這是王總

Click to reveal answers

Comprehension Check

1. A) Kevin Shì XĪNréN
2. B) TĀ Jiào lǐLì
3. C) wánG zǒng
4. B) Bù Shì, TĀ Bù Shì XĪNréN
5. C) Lily

Pinyin Production

MC: 1-A, 2-B, 3-C, 4-A, 5-B

Typing: 6. nǐhǎo 7. wǒ shì xīnrén 8. tā shì shéi 9. wǒ de míngzi shì Kevin 10. zhè shì wáng zǒng

Character Production

MC: 1-A, 2-B, 3-C, 4-A, 5-B

Typing: 6. 你好 7. 我是新人 8. 他是誰 9. 我的名字是 Kevin 10. 這是王總