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141 of 142 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Full-on Russian Experience, 18 Jul 2001
By A Customer
Having studied French and German for 'O' Level many years ago, I decided to go for something a bit more challenging so decided I would like to study Russian.This particular course is ideal for anyone who has had no previous experience of the Russian Language. It starts off by introducing the Cyrillic Alphabet, which is essential to the understanding of the language. This is probably the hardest part but will come naturally with practice. The course is split into 14 sections which take the learner from beginner to intermediate level, which should be enough to survive a trip to Moscow. The sections are carefully graded and the learning curve is not too steep. Sections are further subdivided and you are encouraged to make sure you are comfortable with each section and subsection before continuing. Each main section has a test at the end to enable you to gauge whether you are ready to progress to the next section. In addition, there are many activities within the sections to enable you to practice both reading and speaking Russian. The handwritten forms of the alphabet are also given so you can also practice writing if you wish. Grammar is introduced gradually throughout the sections which allows you to pick up grammar usage and rules without detracting from the more interesting learning of words and phrases. This makes for a more enjoyable learning experience than having to learn a load of grammar all at once. For reference, however, a full summary is shown at the back of the book. There is about 5 hours of audio on the CDs or cassettes, all spoken by native Russian speakers. Although the book is available on its own, the audio and printed materials are closely integrated. It is essential to hear the pronounciation of words and phrases. I would not advise beginners to buy the book alone without the audio material. I have found this a pleasant and easy way to learn Russian (as easy as it can be to learn a foreign language) and would recommend it to anyone wishing to learn.
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