[The book] is a complete, flexible program designed for beginning college and university students. It presents the basic grammar of Spanish using a balanced, eclectic approach that stresses all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Because the program emphasizes the active, practical use of Spanish for communication in high-frequency situations, a special effort has been made to provide up-to-date, practical insights into the cultural diversity of the contemporary Spanish-speaking world. The program's goal is to help learners achieve linguistic proficiency and cultural awareness, and to motivate them to continue their study of the Spanish language and the many cultures in which it is spoken. -Pref.