TUNE UP YOUR SPANISH

Readers can tune up their conversation skills with Tune Up guides--the next best thing to a year abroad!

Getting beyond sounding like a beginner is more than just a matter of learning more vocabulary and grammar. It's also about understanding the culture and developing the right mind set for thinking, listening, and talking like a native.

The next best thing to a year abroad, the books in this exciting new series offer language learners an entertaining and practical way to hone their foreign-language conversation skills. Tune Up books are structured around 10 key areas for improvement, covering everything from tricky grammatical structures to gestures, slang, and humor. In each area, key phrases are presented in "Top Ten" lists, including everyday expressions for filling pauses, icebreakers, and more. An excellent brushup for learners returning to a language they studied in high school or college, Tune Up books feature:

• Practical advice on improving conversation skills
• Valuable insights into how difficult verbs and structures work
• Tips on how to avoid taboos and common faux pas
• A 60-minute audio CD with key phrase lists and exercises

Mary McVey Gill and Brenda Wegmann are experienced authors of ESL and Spanish-language textbooks and materials for self-study.