Foreign language acquisition research shows that reading large quantities of level-appropriate material is essential to attaining fluency in a foreign language. Tales and Traditions was specially created to meet the need for interesting and informative pleasure reading materials for Chinese language learners. The series presents stories and anecdotes from the Chinese literary canon that are essential for cultural fluency: sayings of classical philosophers, folk tales, legends, excerpts from great works of literature, and more.

Volume 4 is designed for students with advanced-low levels of proficiency in Chinese. Each of the four units in this volume features an adapted excerpt from a well-known work of Chinese literature, including Lu Xun’s The True Story of Ah Q, Li Ruzhen’s Flowers in the Mirror, Wu Cheng’en’s Journey to the West, and Shi Nai’an’s Water Margin. The excerpts have been adapted into modern Chinese to be accessible to students without any previous exposure to literary or classical Chinese. Each text in the series has an interesting plotline, a vocabulary list, and post-text questions. The texts within each unit increase in difficulty, but can still be comfortably read in any order.

Each text in the series can be used for independent reading or for instructor-facilitated classroom reading. Using the stimulating discussion questions that follow each text, teachers can engage students in comprehension checks, cross-cultural comparisons, real-life reflections, and extended research. With a focus on reading comprehension and cultural knowledge, Tales and Traditions is an excellent companion for students who are preparing for the AP®* Chinese Language and Culture Exam or other standardized tests.

*AP® is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.