Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese 2 CD-ROM Set (Jewel Case)

by TOPICS Entertainment

Product Features

• You'll learn by being completely immersed in Chinese, experiencing it directly and learning more quickly
• In no time, you'll be ordering food, conducting business and asking in-depth questions
• Start out simply, with the calendar, numbers, asking directions, and other topics
• Dictation feature helps you compare your pronunciation with native-speakers
• Teaches through fun quizzes and games that help you remember your new language skills

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005RIQ2
• Item model number: CS-057
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 16, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,122 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #99 in Software > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Asian
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Learn to speak Mandarin Chinese through complete immersion. The Euro Method is an easy and simple way to learn to speak a second language. Based on the same techniques that allow a 4-year-old child to speak a language long before that same child can read or write, the Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese CDs teach users to speak Mandarin Chinese quickly. The software provides interactive lessons that truly immerse users in the language. The two CD-ROMs enclosed are from EuroTalk, a European publisher of language-learning software. Talk Now! and World Talk will take users from beginning to intermediate levels using fun and easy-to-follow methods.

Talk Now! Mandarin Chinese is designed for beginners who want to start learning a new language as soon as possible. Whether on a business or vacation trip, or even when meeting a foreign visitor, Talk Now! is the CD to use. By hearing and practicing authentic everyday speech, the user's natural ability for language will develop. The EuroTalk CDs are designed to be fun. The program uses quizzes, games, and stories to help reinforce the lessons learned.

The second CD-ROM, World Talk Mandarin Chinese, is the next level up from Talk Now!, and goes on to the next stage with new activities, added dictation, and a new recording section. Topics covered include the calendar, building sentences, asking directions, and using numbers. With the recording feature, users can hear and compare their voices with those of a variety of native speakers.

Product Description

Instant Immersion Chinese is people who need to learn Chinese as quickly as possible. If you need to hold a basic conversation in Chinese right away, this is the software for you! Jewel case

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

92 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Warning to beginners, July 27, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese 2 CD-ROM Set (Jewel Case) (CD-ROM)

I know three phrases in Mandarin; I am a true beginner. These CDs are a complete waste of money and time for the beginner. The two CDs are not marked as to which is disk 1 or 2. No instuctions are given. I found the first disk and tried to begin, but there was no clear instruction on where the beginning was. Games are started and all words and sentences on the audio are in full speed Mandarin. The English Help section only told me to click certain buttons to respond, but gave no clue as to what the speaker was instructing me to do. I tried both CDs. Even tried game after game trying to understand what I was to do and how I was suppose to learn, but to no success. I spend everyday on a computer interacting with computer interfaces. The CDs are poorly designed and had no place on the CD on how to properly pronouce the language. I read the reviews on Amazon and bought these CDs. I looked up another Instant Immersion product on Amazon - Italian - and found other users had the same experience that I had. There was no warning on the Mandarin Chinese CDs. Now there is.

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If want to learn 5 words..., October 15, 2003

By 

Jacob L Purdom (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese 2 CD-ROM Set (Jewel Case) (CD-ROM)

I was a complete beginner, and wanted to learn Mandarin. I said LEARN, not acquire four or five phrases or words. I mistakenly bought this cheap software (like said in other review, get what you pay for) to begin my learning process. The CD's proved to be better frisbees than tutorials and are gathering dust on my computer desk. If you really wish to learn a language DO NOT buy this software. Translations are sketchy, explanations non-existant, and pronunciations deceptive. You don't know what words of a phrase mean what, that tones are vitally important to Chinese, and they don't even bother with pinyin. I recommend other means of learning language than this piece of software...

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A bargain, but you get what you pay for., November 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Instant Immersion Mandarin Chinese 2 CD-ROM Set (Jewel Case) (CD-ROM)

This is an affordable language set for learning very basic Mandarin. I have not studied Mandarin before, so pronunciation is somewhat unclear on the CD. There is no pinyin which makes it difficult to know the correct pronunciation. The male voice on the first CD seems to pronounce the words too quickly and make the tones unclear for an untrained ear. Since the tones are of uttmost importance in Chinese, this is a serious drawback.
That said, there is much helpful on these CDs. The games do help the student to learn to link the concept or object with a particular Chinese word. The immersion approach is helpful in learning basic phrases and the meaning of phrases that are not immediately evident (like the "hosts" of the games telling you in Chinese whether the answer was right or wrong). It stresses listening skills (maybe to the detriment of speaking skills). If one were unfamiliar with Chinese (the importance of tones and the correct pronunciation of consonantal sounds) it would be very difficult to learn to speak Chinese well.
But the set very inexpensive. You get what you pay for.