Ultimate Chinese (Mandarin): Basic-Intermediate: Cassette/Book Package [With Book]

By Jennifer Humphries

Learn Mandarin Chinese at home or on the go with the most complete, up-to-date program available! Developed by the experts at Living Language, this deluxe course has everything you need to speak and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Audio Cassette
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517708779
• ISBN13: 9780517708774
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Living Language
• Weight: 2.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.4" x 9.2" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Very Good Program

Perhaps the greatest strength of this program is that it provides a solid explanation of essential Chinese grammar. It really helps with the learning process.For absolute beginner who'd like to develop conversational proficiency, I'd recommend Pimsleur's Chinese. It will help you to step into the waters of learning Chinese joyfully and effortlessly. Yes, Ultimate Chinese Mandarin does have cassettes, but it's much more challenging to master speaking Chinese with those cassettes than with Pimsleur's program.While this program does teach you how to read and write few Chinese characters, you may find learning to read and write Chinese easier and more enjoyable with Easy Chinese Tutor CDs, which also provides practice sheets. You can take colorful pens and have hours of fun learning to write Chinese characters, easily and effortlessly.Rosetta Stone program is very helpful as far as memorizing new words through visual associations.While no single program is all-encompassing and perfect in and of itself - the above selection of programs can turn learning Chinese from difficult or even impossible task, into enjoyable process that requires much less effort and strugle.

Supurb.

This instruction set is supurb!It consists of two sets of tapes. The first set follows the included text book and is to be used in conjunction. The second set is for driving, or anywhere the book isn't or can't be used. Unlike other instruction sets, the tapes are mirrors of each other and use different constructions, phrases, and/or speakers. This gives you some variability, so you don't just pick up a pattern of the tape.The book walks you through serveral practical chapters, "at the office" or "eating dumplings", etc. The focus of each chapter is used in some context to introduce not only vocabulary, but also struture notes and grammar. So much better than simply providing catch phrases. In little time (by the third lesson), a user can construct simple sentances and understand speakers. At the end of each chapter, it introduces some hanzi (characters) but focuses more so on pin-ing romanization. Learning to speak and learing to read are really two seperate tasks, but its good of this set not to completely ignore reading.The book is available without the tapes, but would not be recommended as Chinese tonal pronunciation is near impossible without them.Living Language claims the college equivilant of two years of study...which seems about right given the depth of excellent coverage this set provides.

great introduction to mandarin

Humphries effectively introduces mandarin chinese to new and experienced students of the language. Humphries appropriately relates the material to excellent examples through repetition of learned vocabulary and verbal reinforcement. The Ultimate Mandarin Chinese uses over 40 lessons, english translations, writing of chinese characters, proper sentence construction, and a great glossary to convey the chinese language to the reader. It is definitely a necessary book for anyone wanting to learn and/or improve their knowledge of mandarin.

Excellent Journey through Mandarin

Humphries effectively introduces mandarin chinese to new and experienced students of the language. Humphries appropriately relates the material to excellent examples through repetition of learned vocabulary and verbal reinforcement. The Ultimate Mandarin Chinese uses over 40 lessons, english translations, writing of chinese characters, proper sentence construction, and a great glossary to convey the chinese language to the reader. It is definitely a necessary book for anyone wanting to learn and/or improve their knowledge of mandarin.

Mandarin Fun

The lively format of Ultimate Mandarin Chinese provides a useful and easy to understand introduction to the basics of Mandarin Chinese. It presents a wide range of useful vocabulary, model phrases and short dialogues which will help the learner get started communicating in China, Taiwan, or Singapore. A really great package for those who don't have the money to spend two years in a foreign country.