Intermediate courses

Ready to take your Mandarin to the next level in 2012? 

Join Meridian on “A Trip to China” (published by Princeton University Press) where your language skills will progress from basic conversation to debate and discussion.

What will I learn?

The course book is “A Trip to China” by Princeton University Press and examines the people and issues of modern China.

How is the course taught?

Taken from the viewpoint of an American student in China, the course explores the complexity and diversity of Chinese society through everyday experiences. Politically neutral though sometimes provocative, the course evolves from daily life to the discussion of issues.

This course is taught by a senior level native-speaking teacher in classes of 5-10 students.

How long is the course?

Intermediate courses are divided into 6 terms in 72 weeks for 144 hours

The full course runs for 6 terms of 12 weeks-each weekly session last 2 hours and is held on weekday evenings.

NB: This course is for those who have already studied Mandarin and have reached the elementary level. (It assumes a current vocabulary of around 500 Chinese characters and an understanding of basic grammar).

Can I join the course at any time?

Yes. Mecs always has a wide range of classes from beginners to high advance, so, you can definitely choose and join the level, which suits you at any time during the academic term. The tuition fee depends on the portion of the class you've taken.

Intermediate term 1 (Lesson 1 to 6)

The topics for this term

L1: Delayed landing at Beijing Airport; L2: Using public conveniences in China; L3: The registration day; L4: School canteen; L5 I am a poor student; L6: Food likes and dislikes.

For 12 weeks

Fee: 299

Dates start:

A: 11th Jan on Wed evenings 2012;              

B: 21st Feb on Tue evenings 2012.

Term 2 (L7 to L12)

L7: “California noodles” in Beijing; L8: We are little different; L9:  Complaining about the school dormitory and arguing with the manager; L10: Why don’t people queue in China?; L11: What is meant by “Privacy” in China? L12: The culture of Back Door.

For 12 weeks

Fee: £299

Dates start: A:25th Apr on Wed evenings 2012

Note: after this term, students are able to take HSK level III Exam, which is the lower intermediate level, equating to European Foreign Language B1.  

Term 3 (L13 to L18)

L13: Attitudes of Chinese toward foreigners; L14: Beijing in the early morning; L15: Summer in Beijing; L16: Beijing traffic; L17: Taxis in Beijing; L18: Saying “no” politely.

For 12 weeks

Fee: £299

Dates start: A: 26th Sep on Wed evenings 2012

Term 4 (L19 to L24)

L19: MacDonalds in China; L20: “Looking for  fortune ”; L21: The comparison between businessmen and intellectuals; L22: The self employed man; L23: Do you like this textbook A Trip to China? L24:  The work unit.

For 12 weeks

Fee: £299

Dates start: 11th Jan on Wed evenings 2012

Term 5 (L25 to L30)

L25: Women in China; L26: Divorce; L27: Little emperors; L28: Study and Exams; L29: China’s landscapes and historical sites; L30: China is not a museum.

For 12 weeks

Fee: £299

Dates start: 12th Jan on Thu evenings 2012

Term 6 (L31 to L36)

L31: The Three Gorges on the Yangzi River; L32: Suzhou and Hangzhou; L33: The opinions about the old China versus the new; L34: Taiwan and the Mainland of China; L35: China’s languages; L36: Reforming the writing of Chinese characters.

For 12 weeks

Fee: £340

Dates start: 14th Jan Sat 2 pm to 4 pm 2012

Note: by the end of term 6, students are able to take HSK level 4 test which is the higher intermediate level, equating to European Foreign Language B2