The texts are arranged mostly in the following order: text in Chinese and pinyin, text notes in English and Chinese, drills and practice, reading comprehension and paraphrasing, phonetics, grammar, knowledge and practice in Chinese characters, and cultural notes. Series Introduction:This 6-volume textbook series takes the readers from a beginner to an intermediate level. The series is designed for foreign students to learn about Chinese culture and society as they learn Mandarin. The book aims to improve their basic skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening with supplementary exercises, many illustrations, and charts. Each lesson includes text, new words, notes, conversation practice, reading comprehension, phonetics, grammar, characters and cultural notes. The entire series includes textbooks, student workbooks, instructor"s manuals, with audio cassettes or CDs. Some even with DVDs.