Work Unit One: ¡La televisión es muy importante!
Finally! We are finished with the preparatory lessons and are beginning the more challenging "real" lessons in the textbook. These studies will seem more difficult at first, but you will find that the more you study the easier it becomes.| Read, listen and learn in the About.com
virtual Spanish classroom:
1. You're free to join the class at any time and study on your own schedule. For textbook and other organizational information, see the class introduction.
4. Feel free to email the instructor, although answers to questions of interest to others in the class will probably be posted on the bulletin board rather than be sent individually. |
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Don't attempt to do this and the upcoming lessons at one sitting! There are too many new words to learn, and there are a number of new concepts in each lesson.
Assignment
Still again, review the pronunciation guide beginning on page xi. Although we won't be emphasizing any one particular letter in this week's lesson, note the similarities and differences between the pronunciations of English and Spanish.Next, spend a few days doing the exercises on pages 3-11. When you read
the conversation at the top of page 3, see how much you can read without
looking at the vocabulary list below. Then go back and make sure you understand
each sentence before going on. You also can listen to the conversation. 
It is important in lessons such as these to make certain that you understand the concepts before you go on to the future lessons. If you have a question, do not hesitate to ask on the bulletin board.
Background
One of the most noticeable differences between English and Spanish grammar is the existence of gender in Spanish. If you've studied other Indo-European languages such as French or German, you're already familiar with the concept. If not, the important thing to remember is that in Spanish all nouns are either masculine or feminine (and a few can be either). If the noun is masculine, it is used with the masculine forms of adjectives and articles; if a noun is feminine, it is used with feminine adjectives and articles.In most cases, male creatures are masculine, and female ones are feminine — but there are exceptions. But, of course, the vast majority of nouns are for objects that don't have a natural gender to them. Thus it is important when learning Spanish nouns to learn the gender along with them.
Although most words that end in o are masculine and ones that end in a are feminine, there are some exceptions. It isn't necessary to learn them all now, but look over the list in the linked page to help you recognize exceptions when you see them.
Coming up:
Next week we will start studying the plural articles, los and las.
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