Zhu Yongping, Liu Yuening, Yan Ling (eds.). Approaching China. Elementary Chinese. 朱永平，劉樂寧，閻玲. 走近中國 初級中文教程

Beijing: Peking University Press, 2015. — ii, 370 p.: ill. — ISBN 9787301250211.This series is a three-level Mandarin Chinese course designed for beginners to advanced level students. Each unit is made up of four sections: text, vocabulary, grammar and exercises. In terms of the text, the beginner level focuses on daily life conversations; the intermediate level includes both dialogues and narratives; the advanced level mainly consists of essays discussing hot topics about modern China. Within the specific communicative contexts created through the texts and exercises, the series aims at presenting Chinese language structures as well as functions, introducing cultural elements, and helping the students experience and understand a changing China.哥伦比亚大学汉语系列教材的初级部分，是为北美地区零起点汉语学习者而编，既适用于北美本土的大学汉语课程，又可供北美来华暑期班使用。全书由哥伦比亚大学东亚系中文部组织骨干力量编写而成，以美国大学的课程体系和学制为基础，以美国大学生的日常生活为主线，通过与学生日常生活密切相关的话题，让学生掌握学了即可使用的汉语语法结构及词汇，为其提供相互交流沟通的必要场景，目的是为学习者进一步提高汉语水平打下坚实的基础主题。全套教材由哥伦比亚大学东亚系中文部组织骨干力量编写而成，又历经多年的试用和打磨，框架设计上以美国大学的课程体系和学制为基础，主题选择上兼顾了美国大学生的学习兴趣和特点，语法结构简易实用，语言生动有趣，文化意蕴丰富。