Mandarin Chinese

Why study Chinese?

1. China is the factory of the world. Since the opening of the Chinese economy in the 1980s under the then leader, Deng Xiao Ping, China has become a manufacturing hub and powerhouse with many household names and goods produced there.

2. China has one of the richest and longest histories on earth. The Chinese have long been the explorers, the inventors, the thinkers and poets to counter the achievements of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians and Islam.

3. In order truly to understand the people, traditions and culture of China, it is necessary to understand the characters and concepts of the

Chinese language. With its ever-growing economy and industrial intellect, there will be many job opportunities for Chinese speakers in future.

Course Content

A Level Chinese builds on the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing that pupils acquire at GCSE or equivalent. Through the study of the topic areas, they develop language skills and their understanding of the people, concepts and culture in Chinese-speaking countries. Effective language learning skills are crucial and there is a strong emphasis on the daily learning of new vocabulary and practising various grammar structures.

Regular listening and reading are also vital in the language learning process: the more pupils are exposed to authentic texts and audio sources, the better the command of the language will become.

Pupils study a film in the first year of A Level (Beijing Bicycle, Wang Xiao Shuai) and read and analyse a literary text in the second year (A Pigeon Called Feng, Cao Wen Xian). Both are fantastic works full of interesting ideas to unpick and discuss. The oral examination includes a discussion of an individual research project, providing an opportunity to identify and research an area of particular interest.

Assessment

Examination board: EDEXCEL

Assessment is by external examinations in the second year: • Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Translation 40% • Paper 2: Written Response to Works and

Translation 30% • Paper 3: Speaking 30%

Who can give me more information? Mrs Liu-Plant

y.liuplant@sherborne.com

Please note that this is Mandarin and not a Cantonese course.