Synopsis "Contemporary Vietnamese Readings (in English)"
This textbook is intended for advanced intermediate students preparing for work or research in Vietnam or with materials written in Vietnamese. It acquaints them with a range of written styles, expands their lexical range in a variety of topics, develops reading comprehension skills, and expands their awareness of Vietnamese culture and values. Contemporary Vietnamese Readings incorporates authentic reading materials such as street signs, banners, advertisements, news articles from north and south Vietnamese newspapers and magazines, and excerpts from novels and short stories. The materials are categorized under such themes as the Vietnamese land and its people, society and culture, current affairs, the environment, health and safety, demography and family planning, politics, diplomacy and law, economics and finance, literature, and Vietnamese women. The wide variety of different readings and genres represented in this textbook assume prior mastery of basic Vietnamese vocabulary and sentence structures at a level equivalent to completing a beginning and intermediate textbook series. Language professors and their students, or anyone seeking a more advanced understanding of Vietnamese--or more nuanced understanding of Vietnamese culture--will appreciate the instructional value of Contemporary Vietnamese Readings.
