To understand why this course is so valuable, one must first understand why newspaper Chinese is so difficult. Unlike conversational Mandarin, journalistic Chinese operates on a different linguistic frequency:
The "Times Newspaper Reading Course" was specifically engineered to dismantle these barriers.
An unedited piece from Caixin magazine about supply chain disruptions. The repack highlights low-frequency characters in red, with footnotes explaining classical allusions.
One downside of text-based PDFs is the lack of audio. To mitigate this, use the "Times Newspaper" text as a script. If you have the audio files (often included in comprehensive packs), listen first, read second. If you lack audio, copy the text To understand why this course is so valuable,
The Times Newspaper Reading Course of Advanced Chinese (时代: 高级汉语报刊阅读教程) is a highly regarded two-volume series from Beijing Language and Culture University Press (BLCUP) designed for advanced learners. It focuses on bridging the gap between classroom Chinese and the sophisticated, often formulaic language found in modern journalistic writing. Where to Find the Course (Digital & Physical)
While finding a "repack" can be difficult through official channels, you can find the individual components as follows: Digital PDF Versions:
Individual volumes are often available on specialty digital textbook sites like DigitalShu for roughly $2.00–$3.00 USD each. Transforms the reading course into an audio course
Large academic document repositories like Scribd and Twirpx often host user-uploaded PDF versions of both Volume 1 and Volume 2. Physical Textbooks:
Major retailers like Amazon carry the paperback editions, which typically include a separate answer key booklet.
Chinese language specialty stores like Purple Culture provide detailed breakdowns of the contents and often have stock of both volumes. Course Highlights & Content Newspaper Reading Course of Intermediated Chinese 1 | PDF it teaches "newspaper chunks":
Transforms the reading course into an audio course for commutes.
The course is famous for three things:
To understand the value, let’s dissect Unit 7 from Volume 2 (often titled "The Anatomy of a Trade Dispute"). The PDF repack typically presents:
The course rejects single-word memorization. Instead, it teaches "newspaper chunks":