WU, Xia
Professor of Linguistics
Education
1989-1993 Hunan Normal University, BA
1993-1996 Beijing Normal University, MA
2005-2009 Tsinghua University, PhD
2002-2003 Indiana University at Bloomington, visiting scholar
2009-2010 University of California at Berkeley, visiting scholar
Work Experience
1996-1998 Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Foreign Languages, Tsinghua University
1998-2005 Lecturer, Dept. of Foreign Languages, Tsinghua University
2005-2012 Associate Professor, Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Tsinghua University
2012-Present Professor, Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Tsinghua University
Research Interests
Humor study, gender study, EFL teaching
Courses Taught
Reading and Critical Thinking, Classics, Art of Communication
Publications
Representative Publications
1. “Vocabulary learning strategies of non-English majors”. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 1998, 1: 53-57.
2. “Strategy use and reading comprehension in CET-4”. Proceedings of the ’98 International Conference on Teaching English at Tertiary Level in the Chinese Context, 2000, 337-350. Beijing: Tsinghua University Press.
3. “Dictionary strategies and vocabulary Learning”. Proceedings of the 2001 International Conference on Teaching English in China，2003, 798-812. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
4. “An action research project on exercise classes”. Selected Papers from the 4th International Conference on ELT in China, 2007, 485-500. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
5. “Motivation and learning achievement: a study based on two EFL classes”. Selected Papers from The 3rd International Symposium on Teaching English at Tertiary Level, 2009, 75-85. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
6. “Incongruity-resolution theory and comprehension of English jokes”. Foreign Language Teaching, 2009, 30(4): 21-24.
7. “Chinese EFL students’ interpretation of English jokes”. Foreign Languages and Their Teaching, 2009, 246(9): 1-6.
8. “Gender and joke interpretation—a study of Chinese EFL learners’ appreciation of English jokes”. Issues in English Language Teaching and Learning at Tertiary Level , 2011, 300-311. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
9. Towards a Model of Chinese Students’ Interpretation of English Jokes. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2012.
10. “Humor comprehension and appreciation in a foreign language context”. Tertiary Education: Issues and Perspectives from Asian Contexts, 2015, 167-178. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
11. “How do joke structure and joke content influence joke interpretation”. Foreign Languages in China, 2016, 6:79-84.
Textbooks (Co-authored)
1. New English Course (3rd ed, Book 1). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 1999.
2. English Listening (Book 1). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2000.
3. English Listening (Book 2). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2001.
4. English Listening (Book 3). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2001.
5. English Listening (Book 4). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2002.
6. New Horizon College English (Book 5). Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2004.
7. New English Course (4th ed, Book 3). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2005.
8. English Listening and Speaking. Beijing: People’s University Press, 2007.
Translation Works
1. The X Files—Squeeze (Chinese version), 1998. Shanghai: Children’s Press.
2. Star Wars—Shattering Peace (Chinese version), 2002. Beijing: People’s Literature Press.
Research Grants
Reading Strategies and Performance on CET-4 Reading Test, 1998-1999, the National CET-4 and CET-6 Committee Project. (Participant)
English Listening, 2001-2002, Tsinghua University “985” Program.
Humor Study: A Cross Cultural Perspective, Tsinghua University Humanity Project, 2009-2011.
College English Teaching and Cultural Education—A case Study of Humor, Tsinghua University Innovation Project, 2011-2014.
A Cognitive Linguistic Approach to Verbal Humor—A Comparative Study, Humanity and Social Science project, the Ministry of Education, 2012-2014.
Cross-Cultural Communication—How Chinese EFL Learners Joke with Their Native Speaker Teachers，Tsinghua-Nottingham Research Project, 2013-2014.
Honors & Awards
Champion of “21st Cup” National English Speaking Competition (Beijing District), Coach, 2010 & 2016.
National Champion of “21st Cup” National English Speaking Competition, Coach, 2011.
Finalist in the International Public Speaking Competition, English Speaking Union (London), Coach, 2011 & 2015.
Champion of CCTV “Star of Outlook” English Talent Competition (Beijing District), Coach, 2012.
National Champion of CCTV “Star of Outlook” English Talent Competition, Coach, 2012.
Runner-up of “21st Cup” National English Speaking Competition (Beijing-Tianjin District), Coach, 2014 & 2015.
National Champion of IET “Global English Speaking Competition” (China), Coach, 2012.
Tsinghua University Outstanding Class Teacher (2nd Prize), 2004.
National Model Course—English writing, 2006. (Participant)
Tsinghua University Outstanding Class Teacher (2nd Prize), 2008.
Tsinghua University Recruitment Awards, 2009.
Tsinghua University Outstanding Class Teacher (1st Prize), 2012.
Tsinghua University Excellent Teacher Prize, 2013
Beijing Excellent Teacher Prize, 2013
Baogang Excellent Teacher Prize (national), 2014
Tsinghua University Outstanding Class Teacher (1st Prize), 2016.
