Introduction
The exercises are designed to help the
learner become familiar with and recognize simple Chinese characters. The
content relates to what is covered on the first two years of Chinese (Second
Language
Option) at the
How to do the exercises
Most of the exercises are matching exercises. Simply hold down the left-hand side of your mouse and drag the Chinese characters on the right-hand side of the screen over to match the English meaning, or the pinyinisation on the left-hand side. When you think your answer is correct, click on "Check" to check your answer.
Go on to the next exercise by clicking the 
arrow at the top of the screen:
Some of the exercises are mixed-up sentences. Put the parts in order to form a sentence. When you think all your answers are correct, click on "Check" to check your answer. If you get stuck, click on "Hint" to find out the next correct part.
There are occasional crosswords. Click on the numbers in the grid to see the clue and the answer box, where you type the word. When you have completed the crossword, click on "Check" to check your answer. If you are stuck, you can click on "Hint" to get a free letter. Click on a number in the grid to see the clue or clues for that number.
In the Examinations units there are broken up reading passages. Build the passage by choosing one of three phrases (A, B or C). If your choice is correct, the phrase will be added to the passage.
Learning with the exercises
The exercises are designed to draw attention to the sound, the shape, the meaning, the context of the characters and to help the learner form associations to assist recognition.
When you begin to do the exercises, use the ‘Exercises with pinyin’. Later go on to the ‘Exercises with no pinyin’. In this way you can learn to stop relying on the pinyin in order to complete the exercises.
If you do not score 100%, then try the exercise again the next time you use the programme. You will learn more and learn to recognise the characters more quickly if you repeat the exercises.
There are links to other websites which give help with pronunciation, conversational Chinese and character drawing. To help you recognise a character it is also useful to learn how to write it. Keep a pen and paper handy and copy the strokes that you see on screen.
It is also a good idea to learn to input
Chinese using Microsoft Word, or
another word-processing package. If you are using a computer in the
Go to
Start,
Control Panel,
Regional and Language Options
Click the ‘Languages’ tab
Click ‘Details’
Click ‘Add’
Under ‘Input language’ find ‘Chinese PRC’
Click the checkbox underneath and enter ‘Chinese QuanPin’
When you next use Microsoft Word you should find a languages icon either at the bottom or at the top of your screen.
Change the language from English:
to:
Links
For more help with learning Chinese on the web see:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/salc/chinese.htm
A good site for Character recognition on the web:
(HSK examination preparation
http://nacrp.cic.sfu.ca/nacrp/HSK/NetHSK11.html
This website offers 272 exercises of increasing difficulty. You can identify the character using pinyin or the English translation, or vice versa.
You can see past examination papers at the following address:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/library/exampapers/
Type in "beginners chinese" in the Search Box.
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Song Dexu, Tao Jianjun and Tim Francis took part in the compiling of these exercises. If you have any comments or corrections, please email Tim Francis