Hebrew, a Semitic language, is the official language of Israel. It was once considered a dead language with no native speakers, although it remained in use for liturgical purposes. Hebrew was revived as a spoken language in the mid 19th century and today is spoken by over 5 million in Israel.<P><B>Can learning another language be as easy as speaking your own? Yes with Pimsleur it's that easy. Learn on your own time, at your own pace, and wherever you choose.</B> <I>Hebrew II, Comprehensive</I> includes 15 hours of spoken language practice and one additional hour of reading instruction, and is designed to be used after completing Level I. <P><UL><LI>In the first 10 lessons, you begin to use the past tense. Structures become more complex and informal speech is introduced. Conversations become fuller, and learners are able to discuss business and social activities, manage shopping situations, and express their interests. As you progress, vocabulary is expanded and fluency increases. <LI>The next 10 lessons allow you to further combine and build upon known elements, and produce longer and more complex sentences. You learn to bargain with shopkeepers, deal with business situation, get and give medical information, and discuss the weather. <LI>In the final 10 lessons, you've doubled your vocabulary and have several hundred structures to draw upon. You'll gain experience asking for assistance, finding a location that is some distance away, and using relative structures – faster, slower, etc. Sports and leisure activities are explored, as well as shopping, changing money, and future travel plans. By the end of Level II, you're speaking at a midintermediate level with nearnative pronunciation, and you are comfortable meeting most social demands and limited job requirements. </LI></UL><P>Reading Lessons are included at the end of Unit 30. These lessons, which total about one hour, are designed to give you practice reading Hebrew, and to provide you with some insight into Hebrew culture with proverbs, common expressions, and a broad look at some of the things you'll see when visiting Israel. A Reading Booklet to be used with the audio lessons is also included in PDF format.<P>