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Where to purchase audio for textbook "thought and society" (used at IUP, ICLP, MTC...)


bobbadeer

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Hello all,

 

Bit of a long shot but am trying to track down where to purchase the audio for the textbook "thought and society". I managed to track down a copy of the book but am finding it next to impossible to find the audio. If anyone is able to provide any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

cheers!

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  • 5 months later...
  • 3 years later...

Bumping this issue again, in the maybe vain hope someone can help.

A few years ago,

@Shelleyprovided a URL about textbooks that now just defaults to the current Tsinghua program site, but includes no information on textbooks at all. But I am desperately trying to find decent audio, wherever I have to look.

My understanding is that that there are a couple of versions floating around, and I am willing to make do with any version anyone may be willing to sell.

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  • 4 months later...

Looked  at the website  for ICLP at TaiDa, and the version of Thought and Society they seem to be using is said to have been produced in the very late 1980's. It has a different  cover than my copy, but the same publishing date. Maybe the version used on the mainland has been  updated if they control newer copyright  rights.

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Thanks for adding another piece to the puzzle. It seems to indicate that there are various versions or editions of the Thought and Society text floating around. My copy is the 1997 version of the original from 1987 or so, with a foreword by Vivian Ling. This is the version currently available on Amazon US.

 

Your mp3 is labeled chapter one, but in my text it's chapter two. Otherwise, it seems to be pretty much the same. Chapter one in my version is a discussion of characters in everyday conversation and language.

 

Regardless, I would think the bulk of the chapters would be the same, with the substitution of topics like the Internet and social media for some older, less currently relevant topics.

 

The next most obvious question is how does an interested (and probably salivating) student of Chinese find these files?

TBZ

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That''s interesting indeed.     TheBigZaboon, it seems the 1997 edition that you and I have is the last edition that was ever published.     According to the ICLP site, it's the only textbook "so far" that ICLP outsourced to a publisher (SMC Books aka 南天書局 ).  It seems like ICLP is aware that their internally developed textbooks are aging, but don't want to get into in-house publishing or even keeping up with revisions. Recently they seem to be adopting other books more than developing new ones.  

 

And since SMC is more of a literary publisher, it doesn't really deal with CFL textbook market. So they only sell the book and not the audio.

   SMC still does sell this title, btw.  Who knows if they'll ever do another revision.  One thing for sure:   the  "tapes" referred to are LONG out of print.  And since it's been 22 years since the last edition of the the book so the book may no longer get any updates. Maybe just reprinting.


Lucky Books used to have cassettes for the 1987 edition back when they were in the same building as the MTC at NTNU.   The tapes weren't exactly flying off the shelf, so it's kind of no surprise nobody sells them. 

 

Realmayo, which edition (year) of the textbook do you have,   ? ??     Based on that Mp3 labeled as Chapter 1 I wonder if they even bothered to re-redo the audio when they revised the book.    If you would not mind sharing the other Mp3's in the series you'd be a hero.    We can also figure out which other chapters you're missing.     My wife (NTU grad and professor of Chinese) said she 'd be willing record Mp3 of the missing chapters. Since the audios are apparently no longer sold this may be an option.

 Since you already own the book I think some other fans of the book can help scan the missing chapters for you too.  Perhaps as a PDF.

 

THank you Realmayo for posting that and  TheBigZaboon for figuring out it is indeed chapter 2 in the newer book.


 

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I don't have the book to hand so I don't know what edition. I think I remember someone at ICLP saying they switched chapters one and two so that students got a slightly easier text in their first week (people catching colds rather than technical details about characters).

 

TMZ there are no more 'modern' or updated chapters, and I think ICLP's focus is on making sure their experienced teachers can return to texts that they know inside out - with the teaching of syntax deemed more important than up-to-date vocabulary. 

 

6 hours ago, TheBigZaboon said:

The next most obvious question is how does an interested (and probably salivating) student of Chinese find these files?

 

I have the full set of audio files, as appeared on the CD that accompanied the book when sold by ICLP a few years ago. As I'm sure you're aware, these forums frown on wholescale sharing/pirating of learning material but these audio files aren't particularly commercial and I don't believe anyone will be too grumpy if I posted a download link, assuming I can work out how to create one.

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I should add that eight weeks' intensive study of this book resulted in massive improvements to my reading ability. Highly highly recommended. The audio was a key part of that study - the ICLP method is for students to turn up to class having effectively memorised a chunk of text (around 1/4 of each chapter every day) and then discuss the text without having it or the textbook in front of you. Preparation involved going through sentence by sentence with the audio, again and again. Of course the teacher was important too - knew the textbook inside out, knew how to check whether the students had understood each bit of grammar or word usage, had countless illustrative examples on tap if required.

 

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Not a stupid questionat all...

The book, as descibed above (1997 version), is available new and used, at widely differing prices, on Amazon US.

The audio is harder to find than the Holy Grail...

 

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