Graded Chinese Reader: HSK 2 (300 Words Level): The Sports Boys And Other Stories

by Edmund Chua

This bilingual book contains three sports-themed stories designed to help Chinese language learners build up vocabulary through reading. Each story is written in Simplified Chinese and English, with pinyin provided to help you pronounce words correctly as used in the context of the story. A similar theme is used, so that learners find it easier to remember the vocabulary they have read. The stories use words taken from the HSK Exam Level 2 word list (additional vocabulary kept to a minimum). Candidates preparing for the exam can revise their required vocabulary without being overloaded with new ones. Learners not preparing for the HSK exam can use this book to build up their vocabulary in an interesting manner. Make friends with the sports boys. Read about what happens when their friend's mother wanted to start doing exercises. Then, join the sports boys as they take part in competitions. Enjoy reading these stories in both Chinese and English, and build up your Chinese fluency at the same time!

45 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2018

Reviews

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's OK to practise reading, but it isn't great compared to other graded readers on the market.
It's very repetitive and quite boring. There isn't actually that much Chinese text in between the pages of English translation and Pinyin.
I would recommend the Rainbow Road readers by Sinolingua or Mandarin Companion readers rather than this.

[Janine R. Lutchman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid graded reader series that I'll be sharing with my students. One suggestion I have is to organize the text into three separate sections: one with Chinese characters, one with Pinyin, and one with the English translation. This format would better support learners by encouraging them to read fully in characters while still having access to pronunciation and meaning as needed.

[Elena Zhelezina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short, just 3 stories in 4 paragraphs. The vocalubrary is very repetitive.

[Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

great for my level

I felt like I understood most of the stories. I think the combinations of words were logical and at a base enough level that I could figure them out.

[Bex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Useful for cementing and repeating grammar, but the gender stereotypes (especially the negative ones of women, compared with the sporty male characters) were pretty awful!!