language　cassettes　starring　you　in　the　language　you　are　trying　to　learn。　Orthodox
  language　teachers　are　likely　to　consider　that　something　akin　to　doing　your　own　eye
  surgery。
  I’ve　found　it　extremely　helpful。　At　some　point　you　will　have　gotten　the　hang　of
  pronunciation　sufficiently　to　push　the　record　button　of　your　cassette　player　and　recite
  your　own　words　and　phrases　onto　a　blank　cassette。　Your　pronunciation　will　not　be　good。
  It　may　be　bad。　But　the　value　of　being　able　to　listen　to　a　cassette　with　the　words　you　need
  and　want　at　the　moment　–　rather　than　a　cassette　prepared　by　somebody　with　no
  knowledge　of　you；　your　desires；　or　your　needs　–　much　more　than　outweighs　the
  disadvantage　of　your　imperfections。
  So；　get　blank　cassettes　–　the　shortest　possible　–　so　you　can　start　building　a　cassette
  library　of　the　words　and　phrases　you　want　to　know　to　supplement　those　the　educators
  who　produced　all　the　standard　cassettes　decided　to　teach　you　first。
  It’s　better　to　know　the　word　–　its　meaning；　its　spelling；　its　use　in　sentences　–　even　if
  you　have　to　listen　to　it　in　your　unskilled　accent；　than　not　to　know　the　word　at　all。
  FLASH　CARDS
  Printed　flash　cards　are　available　in　the　major　languages。　They’re　about　the　size　of
  business　cards　and　usually　provide　a　vocabulary　of　a　thousand　words。　Flash　cards　are　the
  most　underrated　language　learning　tool　of　all。　They’ve　been　around　for　decades　and　go
  widely　unused；　even　by　those　who　own　them。
  Flash　cards　commonly　list　the　English　word　（plus　related　words）　on　one　side　of　the
  card　and　their　foreign　equivalents　on　the　other。　Some　sets　of　flash　cards　give　you　a　little
  grammar　at　no　extra　cost；　adding　to　the　word　itself　the　forms　of　that　word　a　student　of　the
  language　should　know。
  The　language　student　should　reach　for　a　fresh　stack　of　flash　cards　before　he　leaves
  home　in　the　morning　as　instinctively　as　a　policeman　reaches　for　his　badge。　The　flash
  cards；　more　than　any　other　tool；　can　help　the　student　take　advantage　of　the　day’s　“hidden
  moments；”　the　secret　weapon　upon　which　the　promise　and　the　premise　of　this　method　is
  based。
  Learn　how　to　keep　your　flash　cards　handy。　Whip　them　out　and　flash　test　yourself
  the　instant　you　find　yourself　with　the　time。　（The　person　you’re　walking　with　stops　to　look
  at　a　shop　window。　You’ve　read　the　menu；　finished　the　newspaper；　and　the　waiter　hasn’t
  come　yet。　The　clerk　has　to　validate　your　credit　card。　There’s　a　line　at　the　bank　or　at　the
  ticket　counter。　The　elevator　seems　to　be　stopping　at　all　floors。）　Learn　how　to　draw　those
  cards　out　and　start　flashing　even　if　all　you’ll　have　is　five　seconds。　If　the　person　you’re
  telephoning　doesn’t　answer　until　the　fifth　ring；　he’s　given　you　time　to　go　through　two　or
  three　entries。　Learn　to　be　quick。　I’ve　learned　how　to　master　a　whole　new　Chinese
  character　between　the　time　I　dial　the　last　digit　and　the　time　my　party　says　hello。
  BLANK　FLASH　CARDS
  Whether　you　can　locate　prepared　flash　cards　in　your　target　language　or　not；　go　to　your
  nearest　stationery　store　and　get　a　hefty　supply　of　blanks。　As　you　travel　through　the
  language　you’ll　constantly　come　across　new　words；　modern　slang；　special　phrases　you’d
  like　to　know；　cute　sayings　a　native　speaker　teaches　you　at　a　party；　and　the　like。　Capture
  them　immediately　on　your　blank　flash　cards　and　carry　a　stack　with　you　at　all　times。　In
  later　chapters　when　we　learn　how　all　these　tools　interrelate；　you’ll　realise　the　importance
  of　your　own　homemade　flash　cards。　Purists　may　quarrel　about　recording　your　own
  foreign　language　vocabulary　building　cassettes。　Nobody　can　quarrel　with　you　preparing
  your　own　flash　cards。
  STURDIKLEERS
  Sturdikleers　are　the　handy　celluloid　or　plastic　packets　that　protect　passports；　driver’s
  licenses；　etc。　Find　the　size　that　best　accommodates　a　stack　of　flash　cards　and　pick　up　as
  many　as　you　need；　or　more。
  FELT　HIGHLIGHTER　PEN
  You’ll　need　a　felt　pen　to　mark　all　the　words　in　your　newspaper　or　magazine　that　you
  don’t　know。　Choose　a　colour　that　highlights　but　doesn’t　obscure　the　word　when　you　mark
  it。
  Those　are　the　tools。　Now　let’s　go　do　the　job！
  The　Multiple　Track
  Attack
  So　is　there　really　a　magic　way　to　make　learning　a　foreign　language　painless？
  Yes　and　no。　We　have　some　magic；　all　right；　tricks　and　tactics　that　literally　shovel
  the　language　into　your　head；　as　opposed　to　your　high　school　Spanish　class　that
  teaspooned　it　in　or　didn’t　bother　getting　it　in　at　all。　The　system；　however；　won’t　work
  unless　you　do。　There’s　going　to　be　pain；　but　you　will　have　something　–　plenty　–　to　show
  for　it。
  The　promise　here　is　not　gain　without　pain。　It’s　the　most　gain　for　the　least　pain。
  If　you　suddenly　decide　to　get　physically　fit　（just　as　you’ve　decided　to　learn　another
  language）　you　wouldn’t　sit　around　and　wonder；　“Let’s　see。　We’ve　got　aerobic　exercises；
  free　weights；　stretching；　high　tech　gym　machines；　jogging；　swimming；　vitamins；　and
  sensible　nutrition。　Which　one　shall　I　use？”
  Obviously；　you’re　going　to　use　a　mix　of　some　or　all　of　the　above。　And　that’s　the
  way　to　approach　learning　another　language。　The　multiple　track　attack　simply　parts　from
  the　absurd　notion　that　you　should　choose　a　grammar　book　or　a　cassette　course　or　a　reader
  or　a　phrase　book；　instead；　it　sets　you　up　with　all　of　the　above　–　and　more　–
  simultaneously。
  You　will　fail　or　you　will　succeed。　If　you　fail；　your　books；　cassettes；　dictionaries；
  and　scattered　flash　cards　will　litter　your　drawers　and　closets　like　so　many　unlifted
  barbells；　unswallowed　vitamins；　unsoiled　workout　suits；　and　unused　jogging　shoes。　They
  will　mock　you　every　time　your　embarrassed　eye　falls　upon　them。
  Succeed；　and　you’ll　be　the　proud　owner　of　another　language。
  Charles　Berlitz　says　that　saying　a　word　or　phrase　aloud　ten　to　twenty　times　is　more
  effective　a　learning　technique　than　merely　reading　the　same　item　fifty　to　one　hundred
  times。　Likewise；　seeing　a　word　or　phrase　in　your　grammar　book　fifty　times　does　not
  secure　it　in　your　memory　as　effectively　as　seeing　it　two　or　three　times　and　them　coming
  across　that　same　word　or　phrase　by　surprise　in　a　newspaper　or　magazine　or　hearing　it　on
  a　cassette　or　in　a　radio　broadcast　or　a　movie　or　in　conversation　with　a　native　speaker。
  It　may　be　hard　to　explain　why　the　multiple　track　attack　works；　but　it’s　easy　to　prove
  that　it　does。　It’s　somehow　related　to　the　excitement　of　running　into　someone　from　your
  hometown　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。　You　might　have　ignored　him　back　home　or
  dismissed　him　with　a　“howdy；”　but　you’ll　be　flung　into　each　other’s　arms　by　the　power　of
  meeting　unexpectedly　far　from　home。
  The　rub　off　effect　kicks　in　nicely　almost　from　the　beginning　of　your　effort　as　words
  you　learned　from　a　flash　card　or　cassette　pop　up　in　your　workbook　or　newspaper。　Sure；
  you　will　eventually　conquer　the　word　even　if　it　occurs　only　in　your　grammar　book　or
  your　phrase　book　or　on　your　cassette；　but　that　learning　involves　repeated　frontal　assault
  on　a　highly　resistant　unknown。　Let　that　same　word　come　at　you；　however；　in　a　real　life
  newspaper　article　and　your　mind　embraces　it　as　an　old　friend。
  Attempting　to　master　a　language　with　a　grammar　book　alone　is　too　boring；　with
  phrase　books　alone；　too　superficial；　with　cassettes　alone；　too　fruitless　（except　with
  Pimsleur！）；　and　with　dictionary　and　newspaper　alone；　impossible。　The　multiple　track
  attack　makes　your　work　pay　off。
  Getting　Started
  Open　your　grammar　to　the　first　lesson。　Do　you　understand　the　first　paragraph？　If　so；
  proceed　to　paragraph　two。　If　not；　reread　paragraph　one。　Can　you　determine　precisely
  what　it　is　that’s　blocking　you　from　comprehension？　If　so；　take　a　pencil　（not　pen）　and
  underline　the　word　or　words　that　are　tripping　you　up。　Run　a　wavy　pencil　line　down　the
  left　hand　margin　of　whatever　confuses　you。　That　paragraph　will　never　change。　The
  grammatical　point　that　the　confusing　paragraph　seeks　to　make　will　remain　as　immutable
  as　Gibraltar　until　your　mind　decides　to　open　up　to　it。　Comprehension　frequently　clicks　on
  like　a　light　switch。　No　rush。
  Try　to　summarise　what　you　don’t　understand。　Pretend　you’re　writing　a　letter　to　your
  aunt　complaining　about　this　ridiculous　new　language　you’re　trying　to　learn　and；　using　as
  few　words　as　possible；　encapsulate　your　confusion　in　writing。　Take　that　note　and　put　it　in
  a　Sturdikleer　holder　and　carry　it　with　you　in　your　pocket　or　bag。　Get　into　the　habit　of
  writing　down　everything　that　confuses　with　you　and　carrying　it　with　you。　You　will　try　to
  find　informants　or　mentors　–　either　native　speakers　or　others　who’ve　learned　your　target
  language　well　enough　to　answer　your　questions。　Befriend　the　Korean　grocer；　the　Italian
  waiter；　the　Albanian　at　the　pizzaria；　your　dentist’s　Romanian　secretary。　You　don’t　need
  such　people；　but　they’re　extremely　helpful　and　easier　to　locate　than　you　might　think；　and
  getti