Customer Reviews

Elite Word Power + Memory Course

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For me the best way to improve my vocabulary was through a combination of audio and visual references, which was provided with these CDs. If you looking to improve your SAT score, or just trying to build your vocabulary, then these CDs are for you! These CDs include clear and easily understandable definitions of 5000 collegiate vocabulary words. With these CDs, listening for only a few minutes a day has dramatically improved my mastery of the English language.

This vocabulary builder is the best because:

1. The Audio Format - Students use it because it's easy.

2. Comprehensive Selection of Words - This is the only vocabulary builder where a computer frequency analysis in combination with professors' expert opinions was used to identify collegiate words. Other vocabulary builders rely on author's arbitrary choices or just copy past SAT words.

3. Useful Mnemonics-Memory Course - Helps with vocabulary building and other subjects.

4. Price - Not cheap, but less than that $...infomercial vocabulary program.

I have listened to Elite Word Power for the past couple of days and have been disappointed. I found it to be unstimulating and lacking a few basics which I think would turn it into a better program. Mainly, it gives you only the word and it's definition. I believe this is not enough and think that it should have included examples of word sentence application, synonyms, common mistakes and misinterpretations, etc. (Especially for us aural learners who are most apt to purchase a product like this.) There should be enough information for you to pause the CD and make up your own sentences (maybe 5 or 6) Just hearing a word and a short definition for me does nothing.
I also think this program should be condensed from 5,000 words to possibly 500 - 1000 of the least common words that should be known by the average college educated adult, as much of what is taught here should have been learned by the 8th grade. You would then have a very powerful program. I have also purchased Word Smart and may try out their CD, which I have not tried. They seem to include sentence usage, based upon a review that I had read earlier.

You can't have it both ways. Either you get many words with brief definitions or on other CDs you get few words with long examples, repetitive quizzes, and boring spellings. But brief definitions may be too fast for beginners.

Blows away all other audio vocabulary builders combined on number of words. Brief definitions are easy to learn. Speaks with great clarity in an unaccented manner. Does not rush, although is brief. Can listen and read words online at same time to see spelling. Any other audio program that costs more and only gives a few hundred words can't be that good. Would be a good course to supplement people learning English as a second language. Well packaged in clear and lined CD sleeves.

I tried to buy it directly from Steve Baba yesterday and I hope I will receive it soon. In Steve Baba's homepage, he allowed us to hear to some sample track, they are awesome. It just simply read the words and read the definition, this is what I exactly want! I love to use audio CD to bombar myself in order to learn! I learn one word immediatly in 2 minutes. Wonderful, right?

I think these CDs are not bad at all.

I listen one track of the CD everyday, and that helps me to learn a few words everyday. While I am driving long distance, I would listen the whole CD.

I found many of the words are used in www.nytimes.com. So, these words are indeed Ivy league graduate's vocabulary.

I agree with some of the reviewers that the memory bonus was a joke.

Overall, I think this is a decent word power program.

Thanks.

This CD set was terrible. You could get the equivalent by reading from a dictionary and recording yourself. Save your money or buy a higher quality product. (...)

CDs make me say words that my redneck friends don't understand. I'm completely satisfied. These CDs are a must in self-improvement. The memory course helps with studying and remembering girlfriend's birthday. Highly recommended.

The narrrator should spell out each word before telling definition.