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You may notice the addition of “input” resources in this course being added, such as Chinese music and videos. At first glance you may be tempted to stay away from material that is “above your level”; however, these resources are being added for a reason. It’s to get your mind used to the flow of the Chinese language. So even if you just decide to listen to the music and do nothing else, your mind is unconsciously piecing together what Chinese sounds like. This means that down the road, when you are in a conversation with someone in Chinese and need to blurt out a response, your mind will choose what sounds right to it, based on all the input you gave it during your learning! So embrace Chinese input in all forms, even if it seems like you don’t understand it, since you can still learn at this “higher” level.

It is important to learn your own rhythm for maximum learning efficiency. We purposely try to limit how much new vocabulary is introduced in each lesson to allow your mind enough time to absorb it. Cramming too much in a short period of time can be hazardous to your language learning health. Use the breaks we give you in the course to take your mind away from learning Chinese. This tends to clear the mind of confusion and should result in your being more receptive to learning when you resume your studies.