One of the best ways to learn vocabulary is to read words and phrases in context. Enjoy learning with the traditional Japanese story of a kind old man, a not so kind old woman, and a sparrow. This is for upper beginner level students of Japanese. Listen to two versions of the story (one read at normal speed and one read slowly for easy comprehension). Even if you are a beginner, we recommend trying to listen to either the normal or slow reading first. Tune your ears to the sounds of Japanese and pick out words you already know. The next few tracks have the story read line by line with English after the Japanese. Following that, key vocabulary words are presented with the Japanese first, a pause for repetition, the English meaning, and then the Japanese one more time. 67 minutes; 11 tracks; recorded by a native Japanese speech actress