Wanderlust USA (New Edition) (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: (American) Bakerman
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Authentic and vivid American atmosphere, a unique learning experience, all in Family Album U.S.A! A classic English listening and speaking textbook that immerses you in authentic cultural, showcasing exciting American English life. Enjoy high-quality, stylishly packaged materials that comprehensively improve learning efficiency. Family Album U.S.A is a living American English textbook that has sold millions of copies domestically and is used simultaneously in 35 countries worldwide. It is sponsored by the U.S. Information Agency and produced by Macmillan Education in the United States. The "television series" format adopted by this textbook was determined after extensive consultations with English educators from 105 countries worldwide. All surveyed participants agreed that the TV series plot is touching and highly engaging for learners. Family Album U.S.A represents the highest international production standards. Its writer and director, William Greeves, and the animation team, Dovetail Group, have repeatedly won the highest honor in the U.S. television industry—the Emmy Award. All actors are outstanding professional performers with clear American English pronunciation and rich body language, making their performance far exceed the effects of ordinary "situational dialogues" textbooks. Fully sponsored by the U.S. Information Agency, the design took eight years to complete, and it was developed as a standard textbook for promoting American English worldwide, with a total investment exceeding $7 million—a groundbreaking move in English textbook production.
All scenes are shot on location, introducing the life stories of the Stewart family in America in a serial format. The plot is touching, the dialogue is witty, and it truly makes learning fun. Coordinated with provincial and municipal TV stations across the country for comprehensive broadcast, and synchronized learning of American English in 35 countries worldwide, Family Album U.S.A is a lifelike American English textbook that presents pure contemporary American spoken language. Within six months, it can elevate your English proficiency to an international level.
Family Album U.S.A tells the life stories of the Stewart family living in New York, with three generations. Through the outstanding performances of the actors in the teaching programs, it offers an engaging and entertaining learning experience, vividly showcasing the customs, culture, and various aspects of social life in America. The book adopts the "communicative teaching method," enabling learners to study English in real-life scenarios and develop listening and speaking skills. Carefully designed exercises also help improve reading and writing abilities, making it an invaluable American English learning textbook. Since its introduction to China in 1993, Family Album U.S.A has been deeply loved by English learners and widely praised.
The updated Family Album U.S.A features a two-color print, with clear emphasis and organization, making it easy to follow. The book is still structured around the storyline. The two volumes contain 26 lessons, each divided into three acts. The structure is clear and convenient for learning. Learners can preview key sentence patterns for each act through the "Useful Language" section before studying the text. During the lesson, annotations help better understand the content. The "American Life Bits" provide relevant cultural background introductions, addressing learners' questions beyond language. Additionally, the "Focus In" section summarizes key sentences for each lesson, aiding further consolidation of learned material. The rich and diverse post-lesson exercises (with answers) offer more practice opportunities. With such meticulous planning, even learners without the VCD can study independently.
Moreover, a supplementary workbook is included with the two main textbooks, offering text translations, lesson summaries, and vocabulary lists, complementing the main textbooks for ease of use. Separating the translation from the text helps learners better understand the context without Chinese hints, thereby better exercising their personal skills.