About the Authors

Joanne Shang, B.S. teaches Mandarin Chinese at Rye Country Day School in New York and is professionally focused in student-centered pedagogy and technology integration in world language teaching and learning. She is a master teacher in Startalk programs, presents regularly at national and global conferences, and has been a reader for the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam.

Yan Shen, M.A. has been a lecturer in Asian Languages and Cultures at University of California, Los Angeles since 2005, taught Chinese as a second language for more than a decade at the International Chinese Language and Culture Center at Tsinghua University, and has been a certified Oral Proficiency Tester for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages since 2012. She has also published articles in journals (such as The Journal of Tsinghua University), presented at national and global conferences (including ACTFL and CLTA), and served as a reader for the AP Chinese Language and Culture exam.

About the Publisher

Many great things begin with a tiny spark, and for Manuel H. Barron that spark came from a mimeograph machine in the basement of his Brooklyn, NY, bookstore in the late 1930s. People from the community asked Mr. Barron for books to help their children study for the New York State Regents exams. After realizing there wasn't anything available, Mr. Barron created his own study guides.

Now, more than 80 years later, Barron's continues to help millions of learners worldwide prepare for their next steps. With offerings from pre-college prep to world language guides and professional certification exams, Barron's wants to be part of your success story no matter what learning path you're on. You can trust Barron's to provide exceptional products created only by top experts with years of experience in education. From generation to generation, our mission remains the same: Learn, grow, and succeed with Barron's throughout your life-long learning journey.