Speak English Like an American: for Native Russian Speakers (Book & Audio CD set) [Paperback]

Amy Gillett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 24, 2003

This book and CD set is designed to help Russians achieve greater fluency in American English. The set contains over 300 of today’s most commonly used idioms and phrases. Idioms are presented in 25 lively dialogues which tell the entertaining story of an American family. The set is appropriate for intermediate to advanced students of English of all ages. The book comes with an audio CD of all of the dialogues. Contains dozens of helpful exercises to reinforce the material, with convenient answer key for self-study.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I must admit that even after 15 years living in America, I found this book useful and relevant..." -- Vadim Yarmolinets, Novoye Russkoye Slovo Newspaper, March 18, 2003

This book will serve as a great support for those who want to master contemporary conversational English. -- Dr. Vladimir Mylnikov, ESL instructor, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA

About the Author

Amy Gillett has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in Prague, Czech Republic, and in Stamford, Connecticut. Her articles and humorous essays have appeared in many American publications, including MAD Magazine, Family Circle, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Ms. Gillett holds a Bachelor’s degree in Slavic Languages and Literature and a Master’s in Russian and East European Studies, both from Stanford University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Language Success Pr (January 24, 2003)
• Language: Russian
• ISBN-10: 0972530002
• ISBN-13: 978-0972530002
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #342,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > Russian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite useful, but still needs some editing, June 5, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Speak English Like an American: for Native Russian Speakers (Book & Audio CD set) (Paperback)

****

This is a fine book for classroom use with intermediate-to-advanced level Russian speakers who are acquiring English. A good selection of idiomatic American expressions is presented and illustrated through an engaging 25-chapter story involving a single family (the Johnsons); the specific situations used-- from the family's daily life, work, school and recreation-- are generally clearly delineated and are often instructive for the students in both linguistic and cultural contexts. The various exercises which accompany the texts are varied and competently assembled, and their completion probably gives the students an important sense an accomplishment (however ephemeral) that rote memorization does not by itself provide.

Some editing still needs to be done: there are too many instances of everyday expressions (which most students already understand) being offered up as "idioms"; conversely, there are also several occasions in which odd/unusual constructions go unglossed. While these are not great impediments, the CD which accompanies the book has several more serious problems: the voice of one principal character (Bob, the father) is poorly enunciated throughout [and also happens to bear an unnerving resemblance to that of Vladimir Pozner...]; and several other characters simply miss the appropriate stresses in a number of words and phrases-- as though they were reading the texts aloud for the first time. The instructor is left to explain that, well, what he/she would *actually* say in this situation sounds more like this: "..." One gets the impression that the roles were voiced by a convenient selection of local volunteers-- whereas hiring real actors for the roles could have made a significant difference.

That said, I recommend this book-- and look forward to a second volume (as well as to the remedial tinkering with the first). My students enjoyed it for the most part, and no doubt learned a great deal from the adventures of the Johnson family.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh and also learn English, April 26, 2003

By 

Beth Monte (Montvale, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speak English Like an American: for Native Russian Speakers (Book & Audio CD set) (Paperback)

Easy to understand and written with a great sense of humor, this book is an essential aid to improving English understanding and speech. Learn how to correctly use language of daily life (at an interview, on the job or at the store). The additional CD teaches proper pronunciation. A great help for new immigrants and also for those who want to increase their knowledge of English idioms.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enrich your knowledge of English !!!!!, April 17, 2003

By 

Lena Kleyn (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Speak English Like an American: for Native Russian Speakers (Book & Audio CD set) (Paperback)

I found this book very useful and helpful; great CD too. One can learn new phrases and listen to the correct prononciation at the same time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve his/her English skills.