A Course in Contemporary Chinese Books 5 and 6

[gwr71]

Hi,

Has anyone bought volumes 5 and volumes 6 of A Course in Contemporary Chinese?  If so can you tell me where I can buy them on the net.

[roddy]

The NTNU Mandarin Training Centre links to this site, but it only lists the first four. Were the next two ever published, or were they just used at NTNU?

[gwr71]

Thanks for the site.  I can only speculate that Books 5 ans 6 are used only at NTNU until they decide to make it available to the public.  I am looking for someone who actually has the books.

[Boredomer]

they've been publishing them twice yearly; one in June, one in December, for the past two years.   If they're sticking to that schedule, book 5 should have been published two months ago, and book six remains for the end of the year.   I haven't seen book 5 myself yet, but I'll be looking for it in a few weeks when I head up to Taipei.

 

the University does not hold them for any period of exclusivity- they go on sale as soon as they're published.  At least in Taiwan they do.

[sekkar]

I have book 5, but they are not available online. They are still working on the books, but a temporary edition (very simple layout, no colors etc) can be bought at the bookstore near NTNU/Shida/MTC but only if you prove that you are taking Chinese classes there. 

 

 

[gwr71]

they've been publishing them twice yearly; one in June, one in December, for the past two years.   If they're sticking to that schedule, book 5 should have been published two months ago, and book six remains for the end of the year.   I haven't seen book 5 myself yet, but I'll be looking for it in a few weeks when I head up to Taipei.

 

the University does not hold them for any period of exclusivity- they go on sale as soon as they're published.  At least in Taiwan they do.

 

Dear All,

Thanks for the update.

 

[roddy]

Just a reminder, please don't offer or request copyrighted learning materials. If something's freely available, I'm sure someone will post a link to the publisher's website where it can be obtained. 

[gwr71]

10 hours ago, Boredomer said:

thank you for the clarification.

[Mona]

Can anyone please buy and send me the first 4 volumes of a course in Contemporary Chinese along with workbook and character workbook for volume 1? I live in USA and have no way to purchase these textbooks also the prices start at $80 so  if you can get them for please let me know and I’ll pay you back

[roddy]

If you have trouble getting hold of those books, Mona, you're welcome to make a new topic explaining what you're looking for and maybe someone will recommend a more easily available alternative. And you might also want to post in our Why Chinese and Aims and Objectives topics .

[gwr71]

Quote

Can anyone please buy and send me the first 4 volumes of a course in Contemporary Chinese along with workbook and character workbook for volume 1? I live in USA and have no way to purchase these textbooks also the prices start at $80 so  if you can get them for please let me know and I’ll pay you back

 

Yes I can. As a novice learner of chinese I was in the same boat as you.  I am at A1-A2 or HSK 1.  I joined this forum for advise and help from those who I knew are more fluent in chinese mandarin than I.  I will now direct you how to get A Course in Contemporary Chinese books 1-4 text books and workbooks delivered from Taiwan to your door.  The best part is that the price you will have to pay is only half of what the web sellers charge in the US.

[gwr71]

I wanted to buy that series of books and discovered that the costs of the books were over US$70.00 each.  Then when I was ready to buy volume one there was none available.  I frantically searched the web for these books but to no avail. I spent months searching until I got fed up and decided to wait until a new shipment of the book became available from US sellers.  Eventually I stumbled across a website from Taiwan.  I was so desperate I even ventured there.  Mind you I cant read chinese mandarin to save my life but I had to take that plunge.  I looked at the website and said to myself, A year from now I will be able to read it with no problems.  I then posted a thread on this website and got a few replies.  I was given help by two members.  One directed me to the right books I could not find and the other assisted me in buying a book online from a chinese store.  I live in Nevis in the Caribbean.  I then bought my first book online.  I successfully bought it however the book was never shipped. unknown to me they sent me an email in chinese (of course) telling me to log in and complete my address.  I didn't know this and as a result my book did not shipped and my moneys were promptly refunded.  However, what I got from the experience is the confidence I needed to go to websites from Taiwan to buy books.

Then I found the next website I will now recommend to you.  it is  www.books.com.tw  .  This website has all four volumes, workbooks and character books for books 1 and 2.  

With my new found confidence I ventured into this website easily registered an account there and found these books for sale.  I was at first slightly thrown off by the prices NTD,  which is New Taiwanese Dollar.  until I found out that US$1 = NTD $30.00, give or take, it depends on the currency value at the time of purchase. I use $30.00 as a good guide.  I then did the calculations I was under the mistaken  belief that shipping from Taiwan would be more expensive and it would be easier to buy from US based websites.  I found out that it was not true and just the opposite.  

I still had the problem with translation but I overcame it by using google translation on the website.  Piece by piece I studied the site and the translation and  found that I could do it with more confidence than the last time.

I then bought A Course in Contemporary Chinese Book 1 (Textbook) it was for NTD $710.00 or US$23.76.  so far so good.Then I went to shipping.  I discovered to my amazement why my first purchase went bad.  For some reasons unknown to me some sellers in Taiwan can only ship to the US.  In my previous purchase I asked for the book to be shipped to my home address in Nevis. The result was that the address given was incomplete.  I then used a US PO Box address that I had signed up for and had books that I bought set there. 

The cost of shipping was about US$20.00. So I bought the book and had it shipped to my US po box in Miami for about US$43.00. Mindblowing.  What was even better is that the books arrived within 7 days.  The books arrived during the passages of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.  They were at the Miami warehouse when Miami was evacuated and still feeling the effects of the first hurricane. Mission accomplished.  I was very proud of myself, however my problems did not end there.

You must note that this seller do not send a complete copy of the invoice with the book only a packing order. you get an email confiring the dhl tracking number and you can track the book.  But for me here in Nevis there is a further requirement that a copy of the invoice is needed to be uploaded with the agent in miami before the book can be sent to Nevis.  For you in the US there is no problem. The seller sends the invoice directly to the IRS on your behalf.  I had to translate the emails and go into my account and translate the invoice stubs and the save them and upload them.  I eventually got Book 1 and another book to the Nevis PO.  The customs officer looked at the paper work and said that she could not read chinese and allowed me to get my books with no problems.  I was elated.

My advise to new members of this forum keep in touch and ask questions even if it seems trivia, believe me it is not.  That is what this foum is for the help learners of both Mandarin and Catonese to improve.  Don't be afraid to start new threads.  

Further for those learners of Mandarin outside of the US it is possible to get the books to your home country but it may require a USPO Box address. Join one asap.  It is usually free.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

[roddy]

Here's a link to one of the books on books.com.tw

 

Note that if you click the little 'globe' icon at top right you can change the language into English - not everything changes, but enough to make it a lot easier. If there's anything you can't work out just ask - a new topic might be best. 

 

Thanks for that write-up, gwr. Hope the study is going well.

[gwr71]

It is coming on very slowly.  I am taking my time as I want to get it right.  Thanks to this forum my learning and confidence in Mandarin is growing.  I am still feeling growing pains but that it to be expected.

[roddy]

Well, a very wise person once said:

Quote

My advise to new members of this forum keep in touch and ask questions even if it seems trivia, believe me it is not.  That is what this foum is for the help learners of both Mandarin and Catonese to improve.  Don't be afraid to start new threads.  

You've only started two threads! Start more!

[gwr71]

I will take such wise advise.  A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Thank you very much.