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Chinese (Mandarin) III (Compr.) [CD]

Chinese (Mandarin) III (Compr.) [CD]
Average Customer Rating: Average rating of 4.0/5Average rating of 4.0/5Average rating of 4.0/5Average rating of 4.0/5Average rating of 4.0/5

List Price: $345.00
Asia Trips Trips Price: $345.00
Subject To Change Without Notice
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours


Manufacturer: Pimsleur

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Binding: Audio CD
Dewey Decimal Number: 401
EAN: 9780743525466
Format: Audiobook
ISBN: 0743525469
Label: Pimsleur
Manufacturer: Pimsleur
Number Of Items: 16
Publication Date: 2003-02-01
Publisher: Pimsleur
Studio: Pimsleur

Accessories
English for Mandarin Speakers

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Editorial Reviews:

Comprehensive Chinese (Mandarin) III includes 30 additional lessons (16 hrs.), which build upon the language skills acquired in Levels I and II. Increased spoken language ability. Also includes a Culture Booklet.

Level III will increase your vocabulary and grammatical structures and triple your spoken proficiency. Upon completion of a level III, you will be able to:

* participate in most informal and some formal discussions on practical, social, and some semi-professional topics,

* form longer sentences while maintaining the target language syntax,

* be understood even by native speakers unused to dealing with foreigners,

* handle increasingly difficult grammatical structures,

* enjoy fluent conversations with a variety of strangers,

* have a near-native accent, and the subtleties of the language will be apparent in your speech,

Note: In order for the Pimsleur Method to work correctly, you must first complete the Level I + II language programs before proceeding to the Level III language program.


Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
Summary: Very good, but don't expect to be fluent
Comment: I did all 3 Pimsleur Mandarin levels and I really liked the format, compared to other self-learn systems. It's very easy, almost effortless, and a lot of fun. I was always looking forward to the next lesson. You always feel like you're learning a lot.
However, it took me much longer than what they claim to go through the complete program: at least 6 months (vs. the 3 months advertised). I should mention that I'm 48 years old so my memory is not what it used to be.
I found that one thing that really helped me was to take notes of my scores on paper and to redo a lesson if I scored less that 75%.
Another thing is that I tend to be more visual than auditory so I remember things better (and much longer) if I see them in writing. This system being 100% audio, I eventually forgot some of what I learned. I therefore found that supplementing with flash cards really helped me. I used VTrain, the best electronic flashcard freeware I could find on the web.
And, of course, don't expect to be fluent after 3-6 months of 30-minute daily lessons. Nonetheless, I do feel confident that I could go to China and be able to get around without much of a problem.


Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
Summary: Great Platform...
Comment: I ended up finishing level three the day before my first trip to Beijing. It was amazingly useful in talking to some of the taxi drivers (not one spoke English) and in a couple of conversations I had with guides and other people I ran into that didn't speak English. I got quite a few compliments on my Mandarin...just be warned...if your pronunciation is too clean, people start speaking at normal speed.

I'm now a lot more confident in my studies of Mandarin and have moved on to more advanced grammar and vocab books. Having been through Pimsleur, I find the grammar exercises much easier and of course, pronunciation is close to effortless (but not quite). It gives you a very good feel for the various tone combinations.

The only drawback is the amount of time spent on directions...but that's a problem in almost every language program. Communicating directions takes a pretty high level of comprehension. Being able to ask directions to a place really doesn't do much if the person doesn't speak VERY slowly when giving them to you. All in all though, definitely worth it. I just wish there were a level four.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
Summary: Good, but where next??
Comment: The programme is useful - and I would like to continue in an audio-only format (I do not know how to pronounce pinyin, and less Chinese characters) - any suggestions for continuing to a level IV and or improving vocabulary in an audio-only way?
Thanks

Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
Summary: As Good as Volume I and II
Comment: Now that I have reached the end of the Pimsleur Chinese courses, I am very aware of its strength and its relative weakness. Fortunately, Pimsleur is very complementary with Rosetta Stone. So now, I will redo the Rosetta Stone program, while keeping Pimsleur alive by going over one or two lessons a week.

As I said before: Rosetta Stone is stronger on vocabulary (a frog, an umbrella, West, an egg, a keyboard, November, Brazil, lipstick...) and Pimsleur on grammar and sentence structure (Did you take many pictures while you were in Nanjing? Yes, I did, but the museum was closed.)

As you may know, Volume I was much about drinking tea or beer.

In Volume II, there was a lot of business and tennis going on.

Volume III is a mix of travel (I have heard that the Peonies in Luo Yang are very famous. My room is on the fifth floor but it is not ready yet), business (I didn't have much time. I met many new clients. I needed a microphone. I dialed the wrong area code), and sheer misery (I have a sore throat. Go on my behalf to the pharmacy, buy some medicine and come back. This is my key).

I wish there had been a bit more vocabulary built into the Pimsleur (after 48 CDs and $600, one would expect to know more than one color - green). But the basis is very good indeed.

I am eager to go to China again. And I am also contemplating puchasing Pimsleur Spanish. Once you're used to such compelling company in your car and on your iPod, you can't imagine life without it.

Customer Rating: Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5
Summary: Pimsleur Chinese Mandarin Quick and Simple
Comment: This method would be perfect if it had a text book attached to it. Babies can learn without reading, but as soon as they master the sounds of communication they need to learn how to read and write to improve their skills. I find incredible that Pimsleur refuses to give access to a text book as soon as the learner has mastered basic sounds. I am a University Professor and can testify that a language method without a text book is a fake


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