Filoco Lourdes. Living Language. Ultimate Portuguese Beginner-Intermediate

• Leaves: 187
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Living Language; large type edition edition, 2004. — 400 p. — ISBN-10: 1400021146, ISBN-13: 978-1400021147.
Language: English

Living Language imposes a standard format on its Ultimate series, so the layout of this course is similar to other Ultimate language courses: a dialogue, grammar, vocabulary list, exercises, cultural note, answers to exercises.
The dialogues fit the chapter topics – each one covers a snippet of mock real-life conversation, using progressively more difficult grammar, vocabulary and phrases as the units go on. The grammar notes that follow treat big-picture grammar topics (like how to use the verb ter) and conversation-driven ones (like sending letters, faxes and telegrams). Grammar, though, is presented in a one-off fashion, through individual words. You’ll learn all the imperfect forms of pagar, then all the forms of gostar, without being told that you’re learning the same endings for both. The sample usage sentences almost make up for this extra mental work.
Vocabulary lists mainly deal with terms introduced in the dialogue and related to the topic at hand. They can become long and cumbersome for your memory, though. These are followed by multiple-choice, matching or fill-in-the-blank exercises that mostly serve to tease your learning skills. The Notas Culturais (Cultural Notes) that end each lesson read similar to asides in travel books, and distract you from the course’s goals. Besides, how much do you care that Barcelos, Portugal is famous for its pottery?
The end of the book houses a short reference overview of Portuguese grammar, with thorough tables of pronouns, adjectives, regular verbs and conjugations of common irregular verbs. This is followed by sample written letters (ranging from business to friendly), short Portuguese-English and English-Portuguese vocabulary lists and an index.

✦ Subjects

Языки и языкознание;Португальский язык