Standard Chinese, a modular approach, resource module on numbers, tape 1.
This is the first tape in a series teaching the numbers. This tape covers only the numbers from 1 to 6.
For a preview, turn to display number 1 in your workbook and listen to the speaker count to 6.
Don't repeat and don't try to memorize, just listen.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Again, slightly faster.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Now turn the page to put display number 1 out of sight.
You may stop the tape and refer back to it later if you feel like it.
Also at any time, you may rewind to the beginning of the tape to listen to the speaker count to 6.
We'll take up the numbers from 1 to 6 in pairs. Listen to the speaker count to 2.
1 2 3 4
Listen to the difference in tone.
1 2 3 4
Listen again and try to identify the tones.
1 2 3 4
1 has the high tone. It seems to hang in the air.
2 has the falling tone. It sounds emphatic.
Try repeating after the speaker.
1 2 3 4
Again.
1 2 3 4
Again.
1 2 3 4
In class, you may come up against the fact that 1 is perverse enough to change its tone in combination with other words.
But it's too soon to worry about that.
Set alone, as in this unit, 1 is always in the high tone.
If you turn back to display number 1, you will see that the romanization has an initial Y.
Most speakers don't pronounce it.
Repeat after the speaker.
E
The romanization of 2 is written with an E, but most speakers say it with a broad A sound as in father.
Repeat after the speaker.
R
The tone curls back strongly for the final R sound.
Repeat.
R
Try saying 1, then repeat after the speaker.
E
Try saying 2, and then repeat.
R
Listen to me count to 2 ahead of the speaker, number by number.
E
R
Now you try it.
Try counting to 2 ahead of the speaker, number by number.
E
R
Again
E
R
Again
E
R
Try counting to 2 alone, then repeat.
E
R
E
R
It may help you remember the pronunciations of the first two numbers and even the high tone falling tone pattern.
If you imagine yourself spelling the end of the word number.
E
R
Try counting to 2 again.
E
R
E
R
Now try counting backwards from 2, keeping the correct tones.
R
E
Listen to the speaker count to 4.
E
Again, pay attention to the tones.
E
Now repeat after the speaker, number by number, as she counts to 4.
Notice that 三 has the high tone and 四 has the falling tone.
E
R
三
四
What is 3?
三
It has a relatively broad R sound.
Count to 4 again after the speaker.
E
R
三
四
What is 4?
四
Try counting to 4 ahead of the speaker, number by number.
E
R
三
四
Again
E
R
三
四
What are the two odd numbers?
E
三
Notice that both have the high tone.What are the two even numbers?
R
Notice that both have the falling tone. Try counting to 4 alone, remembering that the tones alternate.
E
R
三
四
E
R
四
Try counting backwards from 4 ahead of the speaker.
四
三
R
E
Try counting backwards from 4 alone.
四
三
R
E
四
三
R
E
Now straighten out and count forwards to 4 again.
E
R
三
四
E
R
三
四
If you're still not satisfied with the vowel sound, you're pronouncing for 四.
Remember that the lips are spread as if for the E sound, but the tongue is pulled slightly back.
Listen then, repeat.
四
You might glance back to display number one to remind yourself of the tricky romanization for this vowel.
Exercise one in your workbook is a dictation exercise.
The speaker will dictate each number digit by digit.
Numbers such as telephone numbers and serial numbers are often read off digit by digit in Chinese as they are in English.
So are your dates, which we say in pairs, 1492 and so forth.
The answer to each dictation problem is given underneath the corresponding blank.
You would learn nothing by copying the answer, so cover it up with your file card while you're taking down the dictation.
Then slide the card down to reveal the answer and check your work while the speaker repeats.
Let's begin.
A
一
三
R
四
一三二四
B
四
一
三
二
四一三二
四
二
一
四
三
二一四三
D
四
一
二
四三一二
一
三
二
一
四
三
R
一
四
Now let's reverse the process.
Exercise 2 is a list of numbers.
Read each one off ahead of the speaker digit by digit.
Then try reading the whole number digit by digit and repeat after the speaker.
Listen to me do the first one as a model.
A
一
二
四
三
一
二
四
三
一
二
四
三
一
二
四
三
Now do A yourself.
A
一
二
四
三
一
二
四
三
B
三
四
二
一
三
四
二
一
四
一
三
二
一
三
二
四
B
四
一
三
二
四
一
三
一
二
四
三
一
二
四
三
一
Now listen to the speaker count to six.
一
二
三
四
五
六
Repeat after the speaker, number by number.
一
二
三
四
五
六
What is five?
五
Count to six after the speaker again.
一
二
三
四
五
六
What is six?
六
Repeat after the speaker say five six and try to identify the tones.
五
六
Again
五
六
Five has the low tone. Be sure to take it down as low as you can go. Six has the falling tone, the same as two and four. Try saying five six and repeat after the speaker.
五
六
五
六
Turn back to displaying number one. Notice that five is romanized with an initial w. This w may be weak or silent like the y in e. Repeat after the speaker.
五
六
One way to sneak up on it is to say the yo, as in Leo the lion, then shift the stress over onto the O, Leo, and then speed it up and say it as one syllable with only a trace of the E sound, Leo, like this.
Leo, Leo, Leo. Try it.
Now try repeating after the speaker. Leo, Leo, again. Leo, Leo.
Turn the page so that you are no longer looking at the display. Try saying five six ahead of the speaker.
五, Leo. Try counting to six ahead of the speaker, number by number.
一,二,三,四,五,六. Try counting to six alone and repeat.
一,二,三,四,五,六. Try giving the odd numbers we've had so far and repeat.
一,三,五. Try giving the even numbers and repeat.
二,四,六.
Notice that two four six all have the same tone. This gives a sort of rhythm to the first three pairs of numbers. Try counting to six and then repeat, paying attention to the tone pattern.
一,二,三,四,五,六.
Now try counting backwards from six, number by number, ahead of the speaker.六,五,四,三,二,一.
Now count to six forwards again and repeat.
一,二,三,四,五,六.
Exercise three in your workbook is another dictation exercise. Be sure to cover your answers while you're taking down dictation.
Let's begin.
五,四,六,三,五,四,六,四,一,六,五,
一,六,五,三,
五,四,六,五,二,四,六,
三,五,六,
二,五,六,
二,五,
Exercise four is another reading exercise. Read off each number digit by digit ahead of the speaker. Then read off the whole number and repeat after the speaker.
二,五,三,一,五,
五,三,六,
二,五,三,六,
二,四,
一,六,四,五,
二,五,六,
四,
二,五,六,
一,六,一,三,五,
This is the end of Numbers Tape 1.