Gesprochenes Deutsch: The Dynamic, Uncensored Vocabulary Learning Book

I picked this up a few years ago, but never really looked at until this past fall when I was studying for the ZMP (the Intermediate level test given at the Goethe Institut). The format is very easy to use, so easy that at the end of only about 5 hours use, I could recognize most of the words (not including those in the phrases section). The next day on the test, I noticed that there were 20-30 words on the test that I would not have known if it hadn't been for my "cramming" using the book the day before. Passing the ZMP (which I did) means that one has passed level 4 of a 5 level system. This book then, seems to me to be most suited for high intermediate and advanced students, although most intermediate students should also benefit from its use. Beginning students should start with a more basic book first (say "Teach yourself German Vocabulary" from the Teach Yourself series) before embarking on this one.

The gimmick series provides an excelent sources for the German "Redewendungen". Mastering German means mastering these tough idioms. Also, many Germans have this book to learn English. This is a great book for anyone serious about German.