Putonghua and Other Study Programs

PRC Study offers a variety of programs specifically tailored for students from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Targeted students would be people whose mother tongues are English or Portuguese and with great knowledge of Cantonese, Kejia or southern Fujian dialects; or people from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan whose principal means of oral communication are one or more of the above dialects.

The programs for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan students are tactically designed to provide complete immersion, offering the most comprehensive and balanced curriculum. The various programs offered focus on conversation and pronunciation correction. The aim is to help compatriots from these areas to become proficient in their Mandarin skills and abilities.

Four different study programs are offered for students from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. All of these programs incorporate all aspects of the Chinese language, including phonetics, listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, and colloquial speech which will enable participants to improve their Mandarin pronunciation, intonation, and oral communication abilities.

Each of the programs offered vary by course content studied, length of study period, and number of program hours studied each week. Students who successfully complete any of these programs will receive a certificate.

1) Putonghua Programs
2) Business Putonghua Programs
3) PSC Test Preparation Training Programs
4) Teaching Putonghua Methodology Programs

Please read below for a description of each of the programs offered

• Putonghua Programs (Preliminary and Advanced Levels)

The aim is to enable participants to improve their pronunciation, intonation, and spoken communication abilities using standard Putonghua. Some or all of the following courses will be arranged for participants according to the intended length of study, learning goals, and level of Chinese language ability:

• Phonetics
• Listening Comprehension
• Conversation
• Intensive Reading
• Grammar

Topics covered in the Putonghua Language Classes could include everyday lifestyle situations, current affairs, as well as Chinese history, culture, society.

Chinese Language Proficiency and Placement Test

Students will be placed according to the Chinese language proficiency level they indicate on the application form. During the first day of class, students will be tested in three areas: grammar, comprehension, and fluency. Based on the test results, each student will be place d in a class best suited to his/her current comprehension and fluency level. The class will be both comfortable and challenging.

Putonghua Programs Hours and Duration

This program is available at the PRC Study Academy or at the Beijing Language and Culture University. 

• Business Putonghua Programs

The aim is to enable participants to improve their Mandarin business language pronunciation, intonation, and spoken communication abilities. The following areas will be covered during the course of the program:

• Phonetic Principles and Drilling in Standard Spoken Chinese
• Advanced Conversation on business and trade related topics
• Business Writing Composition  

Topics covered in the Business Putonghua Language Classes could include everyday business situations, economy, banking and finance, current affairs, Chinese history, culture and society, and much more. The purpose is to improve students' spoken and listening proficiency in business Putonghua, as well as their Chinese business writing and newspaper reading skills.

Business Putonghua Program Hours and Duration

This program is available at the PRC Study Academy or at the Beijing Language and Culture University.

• PSC Test Preparation Training Programs

The aim is to help participants prepare for the PSC Test (Putonghua Shuiping Ceshi). This is a National standardized test which accesses the Putonghua ability level for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan individuals and is used as a tool by employers to determine the prospective employee's Chinese language proficiency level. The following areas will be covered during the course of the program:

• Phonetic Principles and Drilling in Standard Spoken Chinese
• Reading Comprehension
• Advanced Conversation
• Preparation tips for taking the PSC test  

PSC Test Preparation Training Program Hours and Duration

This program is available at the Beijing Language and Culture University only.

• Teaching Putonghua Methodology Training Programs

The aim is to enable participants to learn how to teach Putonghua based on methodology so that they become proficient in teaching standard spoken Mandarin. Some or all of the following courses will be arranged according to the participant's intended length of study, learning goals and level of Chinese language ability:

• Phonetic Principles and Drilling in Standard Spoken Chinese
• Advanced Conversation
• Listening Comprehension
• Recitation Practice
• Comparative Studies of Mandarin and Cantonese
• Approaches to Teaching Chinese Phonetics
• Chinese Culture Lecture Series

Teaching Putonghua Methodology Training Program Hours and Duration

This program is available at the Beijing Language and Culture University only.

Most meals tend to be washed down with either Chang (local barley beer) or endless bowls of yak butter tea (worth trying at least once for the experience!). A tastier alternative to butter tea is the sweet milk tea. Tibet does produce a few surprisingly good lager type beers, as well as imported beers from other provinces. Traditional Chinese rice wines are also available, but tend to be extremely high in alcohol levels.

The Salted Butter Tea

The tea is an indispensable Tsampa pal. Boiled tea is poured into a long cylindrical churn along with salt and yak butter. Vigorous churning makes the ingredients well blended and ready to serve. Tibetan people drink it throughout the whole day.

Sweet Milk Tea

Tibetans like drinking tea. Besides salted butter tea, sweet milk tea is another popular alternative. Hot boiling filtered black tea is decanted into a churn, and then fresh milk and sugar are added. Vigorous churning turns out a light reddish white drink. There are many teashops in Lhasa serving the sweet milk tea.

Tibetan Barley Beer

This bear called Chang in Tibetan is popular among all Tibetans. The beer is mild, slightly sweet and sour and contains little alcohol. The beverage is worth trying. Soft drinks and beer are also available in Lhasa.

Yogurt

It is important daily dairy for Tibetan people. The creamy milk produced by yak cow is superb. Tibetan nomads in the eastern Tibet manufacture their yogurt in a special process. The milk is boiled first, after removed from stove, some old yogurt is added in. Yogurt will form in a few hours. Yogurt has been a Tibetan food for more than 1,000 years.

Crazy Yak Saloon

It lies next door to Kirey Hotel on Beijing East Road in Lhasa, Tibet. It has uniquely Tibetan decor and furnishings. Tibetan food has a good reputation here and the yak meat is recommended. The other highlight is the Tibetan song and dance show from 19:30 to 20:30 every evening.

Ethnic Restaurant

It lies opposite the Kirey Hotel, on East Beijing Road, Lhasa, Tibet; and it is one of the largest Tibetan restaurants in Lhasa. The restaurant serves Aweto chicken and Aweto beef as well as some common dishes.

Snow-Deity Palace Tibetan Style Restaurant

This restaurant is located just west of the Potala Palace Plaza in Lhasa, Tibet. It is one of the only slap-up Tibetan Style restaurants in Lhasa. There is authentic Tibetan food on offer such as freshly fried mutton chops and Tibetan steamed stuffed buns.

Snowland Restaurant

Snowland Restaurant next to Snowland Hotel on Mentsikhang Road in Lhasa has a range of western food, Tibetan food and Nepalese food. Its Nepalese food and pizza are delicious. The price is moderate when compared with the excellent quality of the food.

Tashi Restaurant

Tashi Restaurant is close to the Penthoc Guesthouse and Tashi 2 in the Kirey Hotel in Lhasa and is a favorite of many travelers. It is clean, quiet and the staffs speak good English. They offer Tibetan food including Tibetan momos, tsampa, thukpa and fried yak meat as well as spaghetti, mashed potatoes and fries.

Kailash Restaurant

Kailash Restaurant on the rooftop of Banak Shol Hotel on Beijing East Road in Lhasa is also a great place to dine. With pleasant and friendly service, the restaurant serves food including a nice breakfast, yak burgers and many vegetarian options too.

Makye Ame Restaurant

The restaurant on the southeastern corner of Barkhor Street in Lhasa is often busy with western travelers. It serves tasty dishes with pasta and pesto and makes good coffee. A few computer terminals make emails possible too.

Xinfeng Restaurant

Xinfeng Restaurant is located at the East Beijing Road in Lhasa and it provides all kinds of European food, especially the grilled burgers.

Beimei Fast Food

The Beimei Fast Food offers North America Fast Food, on Beijing East Road in Lhasa and it serves hamburgers, hotdogs, soups, and etc.

Curried Potato Restaurant

The restaurant is located at the first crossing on the right of Jokhang Temple in Lhasa and offers delicious but cheap food such as curried potato, curried barbecue and yogurt.

Aloo Gang

This caf¨¦ is located on Duosengge Road in Lhasa. It serves veggie food, yak butter tea and soup.

Hard Yak Caf¨¦

The cafe in Lhasa Hotel has a range of expensive western food and a good ambience. Lhasa Hotel also has a fast food stall on Mentsikhang Road serving hamburgers and fried tomatoes.

The Night Market

The night market on Duosenge Road in Lhasa is an interesting place where people can get street food and drink at very reasonable prices.

Tibetan Cafeteria

The Tibetan Cafeteria is located west of Middle Beijing Road in Lhasa. It offers Tibetan food such as fried mutton chops, radish stew, yak meat and potato buns.

Barkhor Cafe

The Barkhor Caf¨¦ has various drinks and foods and a few PCs with internet access available. Its rooftop terrace is popular among travelers since they can enjoy drinks watching the sunset over the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.

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