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Mandarin II | 
 enlarge | Author: Pimsleur Language Programs
Publisher: Pimsleur
Category: Book
List Price: $345.00
Buy New: $125.00
You Save: $220.00 (64%)
New (8) Used (7) from $125.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 407926
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 16
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.6
Dimensions (in): 13.2 x 11.6 x 2
ISBN: 0743506618
Dewey Decimal Number: 495
EAN: 9780743506618
ASIN: 0743506618
Publication Date: January 1, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW - FACTORY SEALED - SHIPS WITHIN 24 HOURS - EXPEDITED SHIPPING AVAILABLE!
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Product Description
Comprehensive Chinese (Mandarin) II includes 30 additional lessons (16 hrs.), which build upon the language skills acquired in Level I. Increased spoken language ability. Also includes a Culture BookletLevel II will double your vocabulary and grammatical structures while increasing your spoken proficiency exponentially. Upon completion of a Level II, you will be able to: * engage in fuller conversations involving yourself, your family, daily activities, interests and personal preferences, * combine known elements into increasingly longer sentences and strings of sentences, * create with language and function in informal situations, * deal with concrete topics in the past, present, and future, * meet social demands and limited job requirements. Note: In order for the Pimsleur Method to work correctly, you must first complete the Level I language program before proceeding to the Level II language program.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 Fairly slow January 16, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was hoping level II would pick up the pace a bit, but it doesn't really. Each 30-minute lesson introduces about 3-5 new vocabulary words. I definitely learned by using this series, and got good practice. But the most common reason I turned it off was that I was bored being asked to repeat an identical phrase for the 10th time.
It's also annoying that new words are very often only used in a single phrase. For example, when they introduce the word "just" it is only used in the phrase "just staying a few days." There are many other phrases that could be made using the new word combined with other words the series has taught that would both make the series more interesting and useful.
 An important part of Language learning September 18, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Language acquisition is not likely to come through a single method. Stories of learning English by "watching American television" are typically rather exaggerated. The same is true of the Pimsleur program. This is not to discount the value of this program, which contains some amazing sentence structure practice for anyone who wants to learn Chinese.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer in China, I have often wondered how to most efficiently learn Chinese and how to retain the information forever (the key here has been daily use of the newly learned language). Acquiring language is something that I am forced to think about daily as I confront a myriad of obstacles and challenges related to language.
So far I have created a list to meet my own needs as a learner, not all of which I thoroughly enjoy. This last point is particularly important because balance between fun and hard work is important (so one never gives up and still continually learns). If you speak English and you are studying Chinese in the United States, your list may be modified as needed.
Each day I commit to studying Chinese for 2 hours no matter what. I try to study mostly in the morning so that I do not give up on it later in the day. In addition to my studying I try to have several interactions each day using the language. These are generally friendly inquiries about directions to places I already know or prices of vegetables.
My study program includes Pimsleur; it is my "warm up" for working with a language tutor (I work with a tutor for 1 hour in addition to my study time). Actually, Pimsleur II contains a lot of the words, phrases and sentence structures I was introduced to during my initial intensive language training. I believe anyone who masters (80% or better) Pimsleur I and II can consider themselves at least an "Intermediate-Low" level speaker. Generally, I still use Pimsleur because it is excellent pronunciation practice. By mimicking the sounds I have been very successful in sounding more native-like (many people specifically praise my pronunciation rather than my Chinese ability).
I have begun an immense stack of flash cards, which serve to help me with words or phrases that are difficult. I use the `add-a-card' method, which is quite behavioral but it WORKS. These are all written in Pinyin, but I am moving toward a system of Hanzi. I use the series New Practical Chinese Reader, which has a workbook, textbook and teacher text. I listen to one lesson daily. I also read Chinese Grammar, which is published by Schaum's Outlines. I allot times each day so that I am studying for 2 hours. It's easier for me in China because every good conversation motivates me more, and every poor conversation does the same!
Pimsluer November 3, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This product is excellent
for auditory learners.
A person can do chores,
go for a walk and be
learning.
Delivery was fast and excellent
spoken and written pimsleur mandarin III July 16, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I'm enjoying this method every day, I'm at the end of volume III by now. I also have ended the 3th year of the China Academy in Brussels and volume III has certainly helped me to be the first of my class.
I still think that a list of the Chinese characters should be included in the box, listed by radicals. This could not disturbe your accent, since spoken and written language are not closely related, or even "not at all'.
Here you have transcripts and a "learn how to write" Pimsleur mandarin III. Everything has been verified by a qualified Chinese teacher.
The texts are in Simplified and traditional Chinese.
Good look and let me know about the site!
[...]
Addictive, and great results to boot June 21, 2006
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
I wrote a good review of volume I. Now I'm on the last lesson of volume II (and I treated myself to volume III for Father's Day). Pimsleur Mandarin is wonderful in the way it teaches you sentence structure. You will need another source to accumulate vocabulary (perhaps Rosetta Stone, which I completed and is strong on vocab but weak on grammar).
For instance, after 59 lessons with Pimsleur, I have been told only one color: green. (From Rosetta Stone, I know many colors). But I can ask "At what time did you drink GREEN tea with Mr. Chen's wife in Beihai Park?" and keep it straight. (In Rosetta, I could say green car, blue car, red car, yellow car. See the difference?)
As far as the plot is concerned, whereas volume I seemed focused on the effort of a man to drink beer with a reticent woman at his place, volume II is set in the world of business. They work hard, and they play hard: The speakers keep trying to invite each other to play tennis or drink green tea. But the timing is always wrong:"I have to excuse myself, I have a meeting at two o'clock. Tomorrow's impossible: I'm taking a business trip to Nanjing."
I haven't been to China since I started Pimsleur. But when I do little experiments in Chinese restaurants, I feel much more comfortable that with Rosetta alone under my belt (although the Rosetta vocabulary is valuable).
A great adjunct (and free too): chinesepod.com available at their website and at iTunes. Measuring myself on chinesepod.com, I am now better than elementary, and not quite intermediate (there is also newbie and advanced).
One last thought: Simon and Shuster recommend moving on to the next lesson when you feel 80% proficient with the present one. I wait until I'm 100% proficient and the answers come almost automatically to me. It takes about 3 to 4 repeats of each lesson. At that price, I don't feel like rushing through it!
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