Compiled under the sponsorship of the China National Office
for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (NOTCFL) and in consultation
with the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Guidelines, the
New Practical
Chinese Reader (NPCR) series is designed to help native English
speakers easily learn Chinese. Based on the time-tested
Practical
Chinese Reader (PCR), the revised and updated
NPCR combines the
grammatical strengths of the old
PCR with contemporary material and
more emphasis on learning to use Chinese in everyday conversation.
NPCR consists of 70 lessons in six volumes, covering beginning to
intermediate levels, for three years of instruction. Features include
balanced training in speaking, pronounciation, grammar, and vocabulary;
gradual increases in difficulty, and a cyclical approach to learning with
constant review of language structures, functions, and cultural knowledge;
an abundance of practice material suitable for students to use inside and
outside the classroom; and a new, systematic approach to the teaching of
Chinese characters.