Recommend Chinese Language CDs?

linda_b
May 04, 2009, 08:43 PM posted in General Discussion

I am a newbie...listening to podcasts and taking a course in Mandarin at the local junior college. I would like to buy some CDs to listen to while commuting to work. What I'm thinking of are stories read aloud in Chinese. I'd like to develop my ear for the language. Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Linda

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antony73
May 04, 2009, 08:52 PM

Apart from chinesepod podcasts, LingQ have some nice dialogue downloads to put on CD if you want CD.

Also, try this: http://www.jw.org/index.html?option=QrYQZRQVNlBBX. Select a book, then select Chinese Mandarin Traditional or Simplified. The English and German languages among others are also available here if you would like to cross reference.

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linda_b
May 05, 2009, 01:02 AM

Thank you! I will check those out!

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inland
May 05, 2009, 03:19 AM

I can recommend Pimsleurs Mandarin cds, having used them to achieve a decent Elementary level speaking ability.  I didn't buy them: my local library had a set for lending.

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linda_b
May 05, 2009, 03:59 AM

Yes, inland, I have enjoyed the Pimsleur CDs also. I worked my way through the first 16 lessons. I think I'll repeat them one more time until I can get hold of something else.

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antony73
May 05, 2009, 08:06 AM

linda_b

Like you, I studied Pimsleur, all ninety lessons over the three sets. Definitely the first thirty are really good, but I think the faster you get into chinesepod the better.

As for developing your ear, if the above links aren't suitable for you, listening to the advanced or intermediate lessons are good for that.

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lechuan
May 06, 2009, 12:20 AM

I would personally buy some blank CDs and burn chinesepod podcasts on them. Or get an MP3 player and FM transmitter :)

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eupnea63355
May 06, 2009, 01:54 AM

linda, whatever you use to make those CDs, I would like to suggest what I did when I had a two hour commute to my community college Chinese class. I made CD's of my lesson material (Integrated Chinese) and used software to slow it down a bit, somewhere between 10 and 20 percent, but retaining the pitch. On some, I added silence between phrases, so I could repeat them while listening behind the wheel of my car. I use Cool Edit Pro, but Adobe bought it and it is now under another name. The slight learning curve was so worth it.

If I ever have another commute like that I'll use the CPod material. It's so clear, and just plain excellent!

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lechuan
May 06, 2009, 02:09 PM

I especially like to use the Chinesepod "Audio Review" (aka. "The Fix") to reinforce the lesson vocab and structures. Similar in principle to Pimsleur, the recall helps you to retain what you have learned.

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lechuan
May 06, 2009, 02:19 PM

Ack! I just re-read your original post and realized you are looking for listening material.

One great resource is youtube. There is some software at http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/dvd/Free-YouTube-to-MP3-Converter.htm that converts youtube videos to mp3 (audio only). You just have to cut-and-paste the URL's for the videos that you want from your web browser to the program.

For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_ev5rTI7Lw