Kunming Medical University Foreign Expert Michael
Krigline's new English Writing book was released on April 2, and 20
university leaders, foreign experts and students joined him to celebrate.
The textbook is the result of a six-year process involving input from
around the globe.
The advanced English writing textbook, Successful
Writing for the Real World (高级实用英语写作),
is available from China's leading English textbook publisher: Foreign
Language Teaching and Research Press (外语教学与研究出版社).
Focused on producing authentic English for the "real world" outside campus
walls, the book's three sections (Writing Skills, Types of Writing, and
the Better Writing Study Guide) teach learners to communicate through
clear and simple English.
Mr. Krigline hosted the party at nearby Chuangyi
Yingguo. Honored guests included Dr. Liu Hong, head of the KMU Foreign
Affairs Office, and Vice-Dean Shang Li from the university Graduate
Department, along with several foreign experts who work in Kunming and
representatives from the Hong-Kong based Jian Hua Foundation. Some of Mr.
Krigline's students also participated, and particularly enjoyed the
chocolate cake from Dobos and cheesecake from Jiahua bakery.
Technically, the project started in 2002 when Mr.
Krigline was helping Prof. Zheng Shu Tang (郑树棠
- 上海交通大学)
proofread New Horizon College English Book 2 (新视野大学英语).
Prof. Zheng, highly respected among China's English teachers, wrote the
preface for Successful Writing, as well as the introduction on the
back cover.
After moving from
Shanghai to Xi'an in 2002, Mr. Krigline developed advanced writing
materials while teaching at NPU (西北工业大学).
First, he adapted the
basic writing skills advice in Secrets of Successful Writing into a
textbook. The late DeWitt Scott poured 40 years of experience as a writer,
editor and instructor into Secrets, showing writers that "simple,
conversational language results in clear writing."
From there, the book
grew as chapters were created to take students past "classroom" writing to
practical English writing that they can use after graduation.
Since 2003, Chinese
English-learners, Chinese teachers, and foreign teachers here and abroad
have tested and proofread the book, adding suggestions which have resulted
in a thick (477 pages), practical resource and study-guide for advanced
learners.
You can order the book from your favorite bookstore
using this reference information: ISBN 978-7-5600-7264-7;
外语教学与研究出版社; Chinese
title: 高级实用英语写作.
List price: 43.90 RMB.
Unlike most Chinese
writing textbooks, this book does not present a pure step-by-step
introduction to writing. Instead, it was designed to give students an
interesting variety of lessons while building important skills and
expanding their understanding of English writing.
Real World is
actually three books in one, interwoven to fill an academic year for
third-year English majors (or those at a similar English level).
Writing Skills lessons
cover the writing process, from pre-writing organization to final editing.
Types of Writing
lessons introduce eight practical styles, including academic essays,
journalistic writing, product reviews and basic business correspondence.
The Better Writing
Study Guide (four lessons) shows how to overcome common problems
experienced by Chinese English-learners.
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Seven boxes like
the one in this photo arrived from the publisher on March 31, 2008.
Opening the boxes gave the Kriglines a good excuse to order a cake and and
celebrate with colleagues, students and friends.

Students helped
distribute the cake, and enjoyed eating it too!