Time Schedule:
John C. Hamm
CHIN 496
Seattle Campus
Topics vary.
Class description
The purpose of this course is to develop advanced Chinese reading skills by working through modern Chinese literary texts that have not been modified or supplemented in any way. This quarter we will read a range of short fiction and essays published during the last 100 years. In our reading we will emphasize accuracy of understanding, grammatical precision, and appreciation of style and tone, as reflected in English translation. Through this course you will acquire the tools and develop the skills to enable you to confidently approach unfamiliar Chinese texts. The course is appropriate for beginning graduate students who wish to improve their reading skills, and for advanced undergraduates at the fourth-year level or higher (i.e. who have completed third-year Chinese). The course will be conducted in English.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Students will be asked to prepare careful line-by-line translations, which will be reivewed in class.
Recommended preparation
Completion of third-year Chinese (CHIN 213 or CHIN 303) or equivalent, and a willingness to "dive in" to authentic readings without the aid of a textbook or vocabulary list.
Class assignments and grading
Aside from regular course preparation, there will be translation-based quizzes and exams, and also some homework assignments that will help students understand the context of the pieces they read.
Grading will be based on class performance, quizzes, tests, and homework.
