Language

There are a ton of Chinese language resources on the Web but few as engaging as ChinesePod (www.chinesepod.com). Founded in 2005 by a group of language training and technology experts in Shanghai, ChinesePod offers daily podcasts, featuring pick-your-own lessons for beginner to advanced. The site has 614 lessons so far, ranging from "Asking for a phone number" at the Newbie level, to "Abducted by aliens" at the Upper Intermediate level, and "Counterfeit iPhone" at the Advanced level.

Another good hanyu site is eChineseLearning (www.echineselearning.com). The service allows students to communicate live with a professional Chinese teacher through instant messaging services like Skype, MSN or Google Talk. Private lessons cost as little as $4.50 and are available for children to adults, with topics ranging from Chinese culture to business etiquette.

(China Daily 08/24/2007 page19)