Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Research Orientation 1.2 The Status of Age Effects in Second Language Acquisition 1.3 Second Language Environment and Foreign Language ItructionEnvironment 1.4 Rationale for the Study 1.5 Key Research Questio 1.6 Organization of the BookChapter 2 Previous Studies on Age Effects in Second LanguageAcquisition 2.1 Introduction 2.2 General Views of the Age Effects in Second LanguageAcquisition 2.3 Critical Period Hypothesis in Language Acquisition 2.3.1 The Concept of Critical Period 2.3.2 Critical Period Hypothesis in Language Acquisition 2.4 Behavioral Studies of CPH in Second Language Acquisition 2.4.1 Introduction 2.4.2 Proponent of CPH in Second Language Achievements 2.4.3 Opponent of CPH in Second Language Achievements 2.5 Neurological Studies of CPH in Second Language Acquisition 2.5.1 Introduction 2.5.2 Supportive Evidences of CPH in Second LanguageAchievements 2.5.3 Opposing Evidences of CPH in Second Language Achievements 2.6 Comments on the Ongoing Controvey About Age Effects in SLAResearch 2.6.1 Introduction 2.6.2 Major Problems in Previous Studies of Age Effects in SLA 2.7 SummaryChapter 3 Connection Between Previous Researches and This Book 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Definition of Age Effects in This Book 3.3 Environment Issue of Age Effects Study in Second LanguageAcquisition 3.3.1 Environment Differences 3.3.2. Previous Studies of Age Effects in Foreign Language Environment 3.3.3 Research Findings of Age Effects Studies Between SL andFL Environment 3.4 Foreign Language Education in Primary Schools 3.4.1 Foreign Language Education in Primary Schools During1960s-1970s 3.4.2 Foreign Language Education in Primary Schools Since 1990s 3.4.3 Primary English Education in China 3.5 Necessity of the Present Study 3.6 SummaryChapter 4 Research Design of the Book 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Basic Principles for Age Effects Study in FL Enviroment 4.3 Research Design for Age Effects Study in FL Environment 4.3.1 Participant Issue 4.3.2 Achievement Issue 4.3.3 Research Method Issue 4.3.4 Statistic Measures 4.4 SummaryChapter 5 Study One:Relatiohip Between Ages of Oet and theShort-Term English Achievements by Chinese EFL Learne 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Participants 5.3 Data Description and Collection 5.4 Data Analysis 5.4.1 Statistics for Junior-3 English Scores 5.4.2 Statistics for Junior-1, Junior-2 English Scores 5.5 SummaryChapter 6 Study Two:Relatiohip Between Ages of Oet andMid-/Long-Term English Achievements and Achievements of English Skills by Chinese EFL Learne 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Participants 6.2.1 Selection of Senior School Participants 6.2.2 Selection of College Participants 6.3 Data Description and Collection 6.4 Data Analysis 6.4.1 Statistics of English Scores in CEE and Scores of CET-4 6.4.2 Statistics for Scores of Listening, Speaking,Reading,Writing in CET-4 6.5 SummaryChapter 7 Study Three:Multi-Factor Study of the Differences inSpeaking Scores in CET-4 Among Distinct Groups of Ages of Oet 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Data Collection and Analysis 7.2.1 Results of ANCOVA 7.2.2 Correlation Analysis 7.2.3 Multiple Regression Analysis 7.3 SummaryChapter 8 Discussion and Conclusion 8.1 Summary of Major Findings 8.2 General Discussion 8.2.1 Findings Concerning the "Earlier-Is-Better" Notion 8.2.2 Findings Compared to Prior Studies on "Earlier-Is-Better"Notion 8.2.3 Explanatio for the Study Findings 8.2.4 Issue of Itructed Time in Age Effects Study 8.3 ConclusionChapter 9 Implicatio,Limitatio,Suggestio for Future Research 9.1 Educational Implicatio 9.2 Limitatio of the Present Study 9.3 Suggestio for Future ResearchAppendix 1 Survey ItrumentAppendix 2 Questionnaire for College StudentsAppendix 3 Sample Oral Test for CET-4Appendix 4 Criteria for Oral Test ScoringAppendix 5 Sampling Figure TableReferences后记