Quick & Simple Brazilian Portuguese

Book Review

Title:	Pimsleur Quick & Simple Brazilian  Portuguese
Publisher:	Simon and Schuster Audio, New  York, NY
ISBN:	0-7435-1769-5
Reviewed By:	Frank Fogg
Review Date:	January, 2001
Rating:

Pimsleur Quick & Simple Brazilian  Portuguese is the newest version of the popular Pimsleur series of language products. The course is designed as an introduction to Brazilian Portuguese  for a beginning student.

This course is for those wishing to learn to speak Portuguese and there is no transcript of the contents or any other written lessons. The course consists of four compact discs containing eight ½ hour lessons.

Each lesson begins with a dialog at normal conversational speed. The dialog is then repeated a little slower. During the rest of the lesson, each element of the conversation is broken into component parts. The student repeats each element along with the speaker. Additional learning is accomplished by substituting other known words into the sentences being studied. Previous vocabulary is also refreshed at times as the lesson progresses. Finally, the initial conversation is repeated at the end to test mastery.

This program is not designed to teach a large target vocabulary. It focuses instead on building a core proficiency in a small portion of the language. The smaller vocabulary and level of repetition ensures that the listener will retain the material longer. Some of the material covered includes basic greetings, asking simple directions, and explaining basic needs.

This package seems functionally equivalent to previous introductory versions of the Pimsleur program, but it is priced attractively at about half of the previous version cost. A coupon is inside the box for a discount on the advanced version of this course. The coupon may be redeemed with the publisher for those wishing to continue their studies.

This course is ideal for beginning students of Brazilian Portuguese wanting to develop a core proficiency in the language. The all-audio format of the lessons is ideal for those with a hectic schedule. The new low price of this introductory course makes it a better value without sacrificing quality.

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