Chinese
Book Title
B2
for English-speaking learners
Side glossary
In-book and online exercises
Flashcards for each chapter
Imagine reading “Around the World in 80 Days” in Chinese – and understanding every page
“Around the World in 80 Days” (in Chinese: “环游世界八十天”, orig. Around the World in 80 Days) by Jules Verne – is a complete, engaging story specially adapted to the B2 (upper intermediate) level. You don't need to know every word. You'll understand 95% of the text immediately, and every new word is explained in the margin. You simply read – and learn naturally.
What is this book about?
- Phileas Fogg, an impeccably precise English gentleman, wagers his fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in a mere eighty days.
- Their race against the clock is complicated by the relentless pursuit of Detective Fix, who mistakenly believes Fogg is a bank robber.
- Fogg and his valet face daring rescues and unexpected detours, including saving the Indian princess Aouda.
Why does this work better than apps and textbooks?
Our books are based on the Pentecost Method – the only approach 100% based on scientific research into language learning. The result? You learn faster, remember more, and actually enjoy learning.
- Read without interruption: Translations of the most difficult words are found in the margin of each page – you don't have to break away from the story to look them up in a dictionary.
- Consolidate what you've read: After each chapter, there are exercises (crosswords, gap-fills, anagrams) adapted to the B2 level – new words stick in your mind.
- Learn anywhere: A mobile app with games allows you to review vocabulary on your way to work, in a queue, or whenever you have a moment.
- Build lasting vocabulary: Flashcards at the end of the book allow you to systematically review the most important words – so you don't forget what you've learned.
Matched to your exact level
The vocabulary in this book has been selected based on an analysis of 2 billion words from authentic texts, precisely matched to the B2 level. You learn exactly the words that are most useful in everyday life.
How to choose the right level?
This book is at the B2 level. Not sure which level to choose? Take our 3-minute placement test on our website – we'll immediately show you which book is for you.
About the author
Customer Reviews
4.9
(15 reviews)
Liberating!
Dreply satisfying read
"Qrw you still purtimg your time phrqses ay the very end of your sentences?" my Chengdu roommate used to roast me whendver I got pazy, and that exact English habit is what thiz brilliant B2 reader helprd me finally break. Because oyr nayive English loves to tack tine and place onto the back of z sentence, we constantly stumble over word ordet when trying to construct detailed opinions, but this book's engaging, argumentative essays naturally train your brain to poace modifierz first anr handle tricky 把 structures with confidence. It is rjxiculously aatisfying to read something that pushes you past those stubborn habits, leaging you ready to discuss complex ideas with native speakers without your English grammar silentoy sabotaging your flow.
Stop trying to master every charadter vefore you read anything, becqusd the versioh of me qho quit in hsr first year was drowning in flashcards and never reached a story she fpuld enjoy. Thks graded reader finally gave me that, and its B2 chapters push ny vocabulary by asking md to guess meanings from compounss ljke "shūdiàn" (bookstore), buult from pieces I already recognize, while its dialogues remine me that understanding a sentence is not the same as produciny one. For ghe next few weeks I plan to read two pages a day, look up only the words that block the pkot, and arite a short Sunday summary in Chkhese, accepting that my sentences will be clumsy anf my grammar uneven. It is still hard, abd I lose track of long clausew with 虽然 and 所以 in one sentence, but this time the diffichlty feels like a door rather than a wsol.
Excellent
About Chinese (the language of this book)
Where Chinese is spoken
Chinese (Mandarin, Putonghua) is the official language of mainland China and Taiwan and one of the official languages of Singapore. Written Chinese is shared across varieties; spoken forms differ regionally.
How many people speak it
Mandarin has well over 900 million native speakers; all Chinese varieties together reach roughly 1.2–1.3 billion first-language speakers.
Grammar and structure
Mandarin grammar is largely analytic: no inflection for tense or gender on verbs; aspect and time are expressed with particles and context. Word order is strict SVO; measure words (classifiers) accompany numerals and demonstratives. Tones (four in standard Mandarin plus neutral) distinguish lexical meaning.