I can understand why the other reviewer gave the book 1 star. It's true that the book is mostly in Pinyin. I can't say I know the "proper way" to learn a language. Should one learn to read, write and speak all that the same time? Or is it OK to learn to speak a language first? In my case, I work in a firm where I needed to converse in Mandarin to customers who could't converse in English. I was not required to read or write in Mandarin. Given the circumstances, my priority is to build up my vocabulary fast and be able to converse in Mandarin as quickly as possible. Any effort in learning to write Chinese characters has taken a back seat at least for now! Having said that, I have already learned to recognise some common recurring Chinese characters. I do look forward to learning to write and read Chinese characters sometime soon. Overall,I am quite happy with this book and the accompanying CD. The vocabulary is rich and I learned many helpful phrases. Below are the lessons found in this book:-
Lesson 1 - Learn how to ask for what you want in a store, and make a purchase.
Lesson 2 - Learn how to describe what you want when buying things.
Lesson 3 - Learn how to make comparisons and give your opnion about things.
Lesson 4 - Learn how to make phone calls and leave a message for someone.
Lesson 5 - Learn how to handle phone calls, make appointments, and talk about using cell phones.
Lesson 6 - Learn how to talk abouut using the internet.
Lesson 7 - Learn how to make reservations over the phone and ask for a table in person.
Lesson 8 - Learn how to order food and say what you would like to eat.
Lesson 9 - Learn how to invite someone to go out or have a meal together.
Lesson 10 - Learn how to ask for sightseeing-related information.
Lesson 11 - Learn how to describe past experiences and give suggestions.
Lesson 12 - Learn how to talk about the past as well as things that are going to happen in the future.
Lesson 13 - Learn how to talk about hte weather, and the four seasons.
Lesson 14 - Learn the basic terms used in weather forecasts.
Lesson 15 - Learn how to talk about events or activities which take place around a specific time, and compare the quality of two objects or items.
Lesson 16 - Learn how to say how you fees and describe your moods.
Lesson 17 - Learn how to give comments on events and discuss them with others.
Lesson 18 - Learn how to use some common social expressions.
I hope the above information will be of help to those who are curious about the contents of this book.
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