<p>in my opinion, the best way to improve spanish vocabulary is just to watch a telenovela and listen to some music. it definitely helps a lot more than just memorizing random words from some kind of a list. but then again...learning vocabulary is a long-term process and can't be done over night. what can be done over night, on the other hand, is reviewing stuff like por/para, ser/estar, el/la cura etc..</p>
<p>well, i must say that alot of the mexican telenovelas use some colloquial spanish that you will definitly not find in the test. i disagree. read a book like don quixote. that book is probably the mastery of the spanish language to the core. read it in spanish. it is hard to read, but you will learn so much vocabulary.</p>
<p>dear sergio, it seems that we have some disagreements:)
mmkay..the colloquial forms will not show up on the test, but neither will the numerous archaic forms used in Don Quixote. i'm not saying that Don Quixote isn't the mastery of the spanish language (as you put it so nicely), cuz it definitely is...BUT c'mon the language in that book is definitely way BEYOND anything one would encounter on the SAT. besides, do you honestly think that a person who can't handel the SAT, is able to handle Don Quixote?
watching telenovelas and listenig to music is pretty useful and definitely much more fun than reading a book where one can't understand half of the words.</p>
<p>i agree with you. however, i wouldnt say the forms are archaic. all the words in the book are still in the dictionary. they are just a little upper level and fancy. i wasnt saying to do well on the sat to read it. i was suggesting in general to learn alot of vocabulary. also, you could read the thousand and one nights in spanish for lots of useful vocabulary.</p>
<p>Yes, books are useful when it comes to learning languages...i agree with you. it's so nice that we made peace and all..:)
but then again..the thing is that reading books written in very elaborate complicated language makes me frustrated. it is somewhat impossible for me to focus on the actual story, if I need to look up the new words in the dictionary half of the time.
anyhow, to sum this up...what i'm trying to say is that there are easier ways to increase one's vocabulary (and learn words people actually use nowadays) than reading a bit TOO complicated books, e.g., Don Quixote, anything by Shakespeare etc.</p>
<p>however, if you want to major in spanish you will have to read those books unfortunately</p>
<p>umm..daaa..
But why unfortunately?!? i thought you said they were good and all.
actually, i don't plan to major in spanish. do you?</p>
<p>well i said unfortunatly if it bothers you to look up words and things like that. im actually reading that book right now again, the whole unabridged spanish version, and it has the modern day spanish translation of some idioms, and words and things like that, which makes the book enjoyable. na i dont plan to major in spanish, i will be a biochemistry major in Rice next fall.</p>
<p>for anyone needing a quick boost for the SAT spanish or French, or the AP, check out Rassias Groups 7 day immerson at Greenwich Academy in Greenwich CT. March 11-17 I think.</p>
<p>It is totally fun, really intensive, and it made a huge difference in my score. call them now at 603-643-7674. Or <a href="http://www.rassiasgroup.com%5B/url%5D">www.rassiasgroup.com</a></p>
<p>They began at Dartmouth College and now do programs all over. They cost but are really worth it!</p>
<p>advertisers are getting crafty ^^^</p>
<p>well, i wish i could also read it, but i can't...i've only read the version for children in spanish..
anyhow, congratulations on your acceptance to Rice..you must be really smart:)</p>
<p>ah...im just committed. everybody can get in if they do their best.</p>
<p>yeah...i guess everybody does his/her best, but still..most of them are rejected..</p>
<p>well, its a competitive school, which means that a person that wants to go there must begin planing early in high school by building up their resume and making good grades. also, preparing for the sat's and sat2's. its like a game.</p>
<p>yeah..you're right..it's a game. unfortunately, i played it pretty poorly according to your rules, and most probably will end up losing.
everything is quite different out here in europe you know..</p>
<p>europe wow. thats far from the US. well not that much. oxford and cambridge in england are good</p>
<p>yeah, they are pretty famous...lots of friends plan to go to the UK..
in my country there are like two decent universities..not much of a choice here:(
btw, have you ever been to europe?</p>
<p>na, i lived in south america for 13 years though. where are you from?</p>
<p>i'm from estonia. most people don't know where it is...but anyhow it's in eastern europe..former soviet republic. we are not russians, though.
in which south american country did you live?</p>
<p>yea i know where estonia is. yea, you dont like to be called russians right. i have a teacher from kazakstan and she speaks russian but she hates being called russian. i lived in colombia for 13 years</p>