This intensive course is designed to further improve the students’ oral proficiency and expand on vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. Students will acquire more advanced linguistic skills while systematically reviewing previously studied materials. In addition to the basic textbook, students will also read more extensively on a variety of cultural and social topics adapted from authentic texts. Students are introduced to the written Chinese (shumianyu) and taught how to make the transition from reading pedagogically prepared materials to more authentic materials. By the end of the year, students are expected to be able to understand and sustain more complex conversations in Mandarin, write short compositions with coherence and correct grammatical application, and develop an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture through projects and presentations.