Books : Conversational Mandarin Chinese: Learn to Speak and Understand Mandarin with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's)
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Type of bind: Audio CD
Dewey Decimal Number: 495
EAN num: 9780743550499
Format: Audiobook
ISBN number: 0743550498
Label: Pimsleur
Manufacturer: Pimsleur
Quantity: 8
Printing Date: November 01, 2005
Publishing house: Pimsleur
Sale Popularity Level: 20089
Studio: Pimsleur
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
This Conversational program contains 8 hours of interactive audio-only instruction, effective language learning with real-life spoken practice sessions.
HEAR IT, LEARN IT, SPEAK IT®
What is the Pimsleur® difference?
The Pimsleur Method provides the most effective language-learning program ever developed. The Pimsleur Method gives you quick command of Mandarin Chinese structure without tedious drills. Learning to speak Mandarin Chinese can actually be enjoyable and rewarding.
The key reason most people struggle with new languages is that they aren't given proper instruction, only bits and pieces of a language. Other language programs sell only these pieces -- dictionaries; grammar books and instructions; lists of hundreds or thousands words and definitions; audios containing useless drills. They leave it to you to assemble these pieces as you try to speak. Pimsleur enables you to spend your time learning to speak the language rather than just studying its parts.
When you were learning English, could you speak before you knew how to conjugate verbs? Of course you could. That learning process is what Pimsleur replicates. Pimsleur presents the whole language as one integrated piece so you can succeed.
With Pimsleur you get:
- Grammar and vocabulary taught together in everyday conversation,
- Interactive audio-only instruction that teaches spoken language organically,
- The flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere,
- 30-minute lessons designed to optimize the amount of language you can learn in one sitting.
Millions of people have used Pimsleur to gain real conversational skills in new languages quickly and easily, wherever and whenever -- without textbooks, written exercises, or drills.
Conversational Mandarin Chinese includes the 10 lessons from Pimsleur's Basic Mandarin Chinese plus an additional 6 lessons.
The 16 lessons in Conversational Mandarin Chinese are the same very first 16 lessons in the Pimsleur Comprehensive Mandarin Chinese Level 1.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I think this is a good way to start learning Chinese, but I wish that this product had also had a written text with it, so that I could have also used visual learning. This would have made it a stronger product for me.
However, I am making progress with this strictly audio approach, and expect to be able to say a few basics when I visit China at the end of this month. I have heard other people who have praised the Rosetta Stone products. I have no knowledge of those products, but perhaps those considering this product should compare Pimsleur with Rosetta Stones. That being said, I am not sorry I bought this one.
Rated by buyers -
Good product because it is easy for the beginner to learn. It will have you speaking a little Mandarin after a few sessions but you do need to have some sense of the sounds. You have no visual so some words may be difficult to follow despite hearing it many times. I had my son who is also a beginner but with some college coursework in Mandarin under his belt help me with the listening. He says for him, the lessons rate 5 stars. For me, once I got the hang of it, it's the best I've heard so far in my attempts to find learning material that is reasonably priced. Since the lessons are short and build on one another it is not difficult to practice, but like anything you do have to practice.
Sheila Sidney Bender, PhD co-author The Energy of Belief: Psychology's Power Tools to Focus Intention and Release Blocking Beliefs
Rated by buyers 
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I've used Pimsleur materials before for German. As a foreign language teacher (French, Japanese, English) I value the thoroughness of the method with regard to pronunciation as well as to the methodology which drills/reviews vocab. and phrases while incorporating new structures & vocab. Especially for a language which a learner may find difficult to pronounce, this is in my opinion the best available short of a native speaker. Pimsleur will likely not be useful for someone who seeks a quick review or overview of a language.
Rated by buyers -
Even decades after its creation, the Pimsleur system for learning a spoken language continues to be a quick and effective way to attain basic spoken fluency. Using a system of graduated intervals that reminds you of a previously-learned term just as you are about to forget it, Pimsleur's Chinese program will have you speaking and understanding at a basic conversational level in less than 30 hours of study. While the lack of written instruction may be difficult for more visual learners, this CD set remains an extremely effective, albeit somewhat expensive, introduction to the language.
Nathan Dummitt
author of Chinese Through Tone & Color
Rated by buyers -
I love Pimsleur's method, but NOT FOR STARTING Mandarin. Needs more explanation, not "listen and repeat".
For an English speaker, Mandarin requires more up-front explanation of how the pitched syllables work.
I've used Pimsleur's audio CDs for learning basic Japanese and Spanish and *LOVED* it.
But when I bought Pimsleur's Mandarin, I was stumped. I couldn't even imitate the very very first sentence, no matter how many times I went back and tried again. My mouth just didn't know how to make that sound. And there was no explanation, just "listen and repeat".
After an hour of trying one sentence of this Pimsleur Mandarin, I had to give up. Knowing there must be a better way, I was about to take private lessons.
Instead, the brand new "Michel Thomas Method" to Mandarin has just been released by Dr. Harold Goodman and it made all the difference in the world. A completely different approach that I feel needs to come FIRST, BEFORE you get into the Pimsleur method.
In the Michel Thomas method, someone really takes the time to explain the sounds and grammar. No memorization, just explanation then experience. It gets you really understanding the basic building blocks of Mandarin first, so that when you're done with its 10-hour audio CD program, THEN you can come back here to Pimsleur's Mandarin and it'll all make sense.
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