This may be slightly off topic here, but I'm hoping the answer I'm looking for is lurking in this community.

I own the entire Practical Chinese Reader series of textbooks, and being quite happy with it I went ahead and ordered volume 1 of the New Practical Chinese Reader. However, it turns out that the NPCR has traditional characters (with simplified equivalents in parenthesis).

I've looked for it again online thinking if I have the traditional version simplified one exists somewhere. But checking the back cover in many places it always seems identical to the edition I have. Is there only one version of this textbook which includes both character sets, or did I inadvertently buy the traditional one?

To add to the mystery, I also bought the workbook, which on the back says 'simplified writings provided', but then uses traditional characters!

I thought being from Beijing Language and Culture University, they would only use simplified characters...

I use the simplified version of NPCR. At the end of each volume there are the texts in the traditional version. There is also a column in the “Vocabulary Index” with the traditional character.

I live in Wuhan, and I had to check a number of bookstores to find the simplified versions of the first couple books. They print the series in both traditional and simplified - the easiest way, in my experience, to tell the difference on the store shelf is to look at the radical on 语 and 课.

I have never seen the traditional variation of that book. That is curious to say the least. I used the simplified version. Where are you buying them at? I bought mine in Beijing. In Beijing bookstores, I only saw the simplified.

Maybe type in the ISBN number on a site like Amazon or something to see what comes up to see whether it is a traditional version etc.

I have NCPR vols 1-3 and all are simpilified with trad texts at the back like already mentioned

Cheers,
Donna

Hi all, thanks for those replies!
I bought mine on amazon.co.uk, totally confident that the NPCR, like the PCR, would be wholly in simplified characters.

I also found NPCR here: http://www.childbook.com/New-Practical-Chinese-Reader-Simplified-Level-1-p/lnpcr1.htm If you check the description it says 'simplified characters', but if you look on the back cover, it is just like my copy and says 'text in traditional characters provided.'

FatDragon seems to have the solution. I think the thing to do is to look at the characters on the cover.