Nuovo Magari: NUOVO Magari B2 CD Audio (1) Product Bundle – 4 April 2013

So so good! The listening exercises are especially well done, with actually natural-sounding dialogue, so far a slightly funny sting in the tail, and very well structured questions that build up with each listen of the text - starting very general, becoming more specific, and then only finally working on specific idioms and forms of grammar. Oh, and with speaking exercises mixed in - I do this out loud to myself since I'm studying on my own. The first video I watched wasn't as interesting or as well done as the audio, but I love that it has video as well! I really need structured help on my listening skills and this is perfect.This is just the right level for me - it describes itself as a series for people who already know some Italian (it suggests to BI) but want to refresh and deepen their skills. I have studied a good amount of Italian grammar (using the excellent Ultimate Italian Review and Practice) and done Duolingo several times over, as well as Michel Thomas, and reading things while looking up the words I don't know, but felt like I was missing out on structured help with Italian in context. I think language in context is the best way to learn vocabulary, and also have a language become more natural for you, but it's sometimes a bit stalling to have the ENTIRE internet at your disposal but not be sure what to follow up next - and when you (often) come across things that are beyond you, how to structure your work on them. So I went about looking for a good intermediate/advanced textbooks, and I really feel I hit the jackpot here!I'm mostly already familiar with the grammar concepts presented, but only comfortable to the point of doing written exercises, not comfortable enough to use them in my own speech (except when copying) - there is a grammar section at the back, but if you are anything like me, you will want to have done some more grammar-only exercises, from another source, before (or alongside) this. If you are unsure of whether the level is right for you, google Nuovo Magari B2, and the Alma Edizione website should come up, complete with the free pdf chapter and audio to try!There are a few parts I would re-write with more awareness, eg. the jokey pictures of different mental illnesses, which get some of them quite wrong in ways that are detrimental to people with those illnesses. I had thought that the exercise on insults hurled at immigrants was a big much too, though having read the whole chapter, I think it is contextualised by talk of insults that have been hurled at Italian immigrants to the USA, so hopefully it is clear that those aren't ok in current conditions either?But honestly the best structured language textbook I have yet read - I wish that my school language textbooks had been anything like this! The content is all very interesting, which makes such a big difference - I am actually interested to read it for the content as well as the language learning, which I think is as it should be! Personally I'm most excited about the chapter on detective fiction! But the stuff on modern art and geography (I'm weird!) are close seconds!

Beware - there are s e v e r a l books with this title and the key is the level, which is only displayed in a small circle on the front… e.g. B2, as here - check which your teacher wants you to read, as the delivery is very very slow and the book is expensive!

The book is great but the CD arrived covered in glue. It can't be used. Very disappointing.