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Japanese for Busy People (Kana version) Vol. II Editorial Review:
How can the Japanese for Busy People series help you learn Japanese?
Japanese for Busy People is, as the title suggests, a concise course for 'busy' students who want to learn natural, spoken Japanese as effectively as possible in a limited amount of time. Three main texts-Japanese for Busy People I, Japanese for Busy People II, and Japanese for Busy People Ill-with related workbooks, cassette tapes, ODs, teacher's manuals, and videos make up this fully integrated three-level series. At each level, enough vocabulary and grammar has been provided to enable the learner to communicate in uncomplicated adult language without having to memorize excessive amounts of vocabulary and language patterns that are not immediately useful. All components of the Japanese for Busy People series have been prepared under the guidance of a working group of experienced Japanese language instructors who reviewed and tested the material in an authentic classroom environment.
Japanese for Busy People II: The Workbook is the ideal resource for any student who wishes to improve speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in Japanese. This collection of exercises and activities has been developed to provide practice for sentence patterns presented in both the Revised Edition and Kana Version of Japanese for Busy People Il. The workbook can be used both in the classroom as a supplement for introducing or reviewing lessons, and outside the classroom for homework and review. When coordinated with the exercises and quizzes in the main textbook, this workbook should enable learners to improve their command of basic Japanese in a relatively short time.'
This fully illustrated Workbook includes:
'Structure Practice' -To understand the meaning and structure of sentence patterns.
'Receptive Practice' -To understand how a structure is used in context.
'Productive Practice' -To form spoken and written sentences based on the sentence patterns.
Japanese for Busy People II: Workbook Tapes (available separately) has been specially designed to support this workbook.
Customer Reviews:
Challenging
I have the Kana version. Romaji is not used. All words are defined in English. Naratives are in Kana and Kanji. Kanji the first few times are explained in Kana. Many proper nouns, if not all, are in Kanji. The Exercises often use vocabulary from the first book, so if you haven't memorized this earlier Vocabulary, one can waste time looking for definitions. This takes away from the learning process. I would prefer the glossery include the prior Book(s) vocabulary (that is, book II including both glosseries I and II, combined. The subject matter is sufficiently diverse. At times in the exercises they include a word that is simular to one in the story but may not unrelated to the story. A learning plus. It is quite a challenge to read 3 foreign sylabets, learn new vocabulary, and new grammar. A good teacher can make the difference.
Useful but more effort required compared to JfBP I
I personally enoyed learning from this book. It demands a lot more hard work compared to the level I textbook since not only new vocabulary, new grammars but also lots of kanjis come up at the same time. I find it doable because Chinese is my first language but my classmates found it rather difficult. Of course, working harder is always the best way to cope with it. ;P
Lot better than Japanese for Busy People Vol. I
As seen in the title, I really liked this book a lot better than the first. Though I'm still not really fond of it. Grammar sections improved a lot, but the vocabulary learned is not always usefull.
Also the way they teach the Kanji isn't great. They start to hard, there is no information about the Kanji supplied and there is no room for practice or reinforcement.
Best Way to learn to speak and read Japanese.
I started with this book in the series and now I'm on the third book about half way finished. I've noticed my speaking, reading, and comprehension has improved immeasurably. It's the most effective grammar book I've found to date. In response to the complaint about not enough Kanji and the other of no information about Japanese History, one if you want to learn kanji I recommend Tuttle Kanji Cards politely speaking and for the second person It's not a HISTORY BOOK!!!
Used at UMUC Maryland in Japan
Okay, so this book is used at on of the colleges that the military has in Japan. I know a lot of people complain that it is incomplete, but if they read the intro, they would notice that it is intended for use with instruction. Also, I hate to say it, but a lot of people learning Japanese have no reason to be. Sorry, but I live in Japan, and honestly, for the people out there who are learning this language just so they can understand their cartoons, this isn't the book for you. You need something that teaches less formal Japanese. Not to mention the fact that the cartoons aren't as heavily edited as you think they are. Trust me, I know. Additionally, for the people that want to complain about the lack of Kanji in this book, I must remind you that this is Japanese for Busy People is supposed to be used in conjugation with a Kana book. Now, I'm not saying that you'll find the Kanji you want in there, but as a jumping off point for learning Japanese, well, you're only supposed to have a small grasp on the language. You can't expect on book to teach it all. You didn't expect that in high school, and just because you're older isn't a good reason to expect that now. If you do want to learn Kanji, may I suggest A Guide to Reading and Writing Japanese (ISBN 0-8048-0226-2). The thing is this: no one in Japan is born knowing all the Kanji signs or all of the words. They had to go through and learn how to say them and how to write them in Hiragana and Katakana before they could learn Kanji, and that wasn't until school. Before that, people learned what they learned, and hopefully it was enough. Expecting to be as literate in Japanese as a Japanese person the same age you are is is ludicous. That's like thinking you can go to Mexico for five minutes and know all the Spanish you need to. Before anyone goes off complaining, though, it should be noted that you only need half of the book to just barely get by in Japan. No, this is not because a lot of people speak English. As a matter of fact, you're really lucky to find someone who can outside of Tokyo. This book teaches so much in the first 14 or so chapters that you could actually go out and buy a cell phone and a calling plan if you wanted to. So, before anyone complains about this book, ask yourself how much you actually remember from it. I'm telling you now, honestly, this is a good book. Most people's complaints I feel to be unfounded simply due to the fact that they haven't had any exposure to instruction or to Japan itself. Therein lies your difference. Japanese for Busy People does in fact teach enough for someone who lives in Japan (but prior to moving here had no exposure to Japanese) to be able to do the things they need to do. There's no reason for an elementary Japanese book to cover Kanji or slang. That should not, and does not, come until later, when you've actually picked up enough to get by.
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