This book is the first in a series of seven books focused on improving your listening ability. It is appropriate for those who have already studied English for a few years. While some of the vocabulary may be basic, I have included some more challenging vocabulary for your further growth. Another important difference between this book and others is that this book emphasizes modern English as it is spoken in the United States. You will find that there are significant differences between spoken and written English. These differences are one of the primary reasons that students with little experience in listening to English will find understanding native speakers difficult. This book is divided into eight chapters on important issues that will provide a foundation for later study. Each chapter is divided into vocabulary and conversations. I have provided three example sentences for each vocabulary word or phrase. The vocabulary and sentence patterns then reappear in the typical conversations between native speakers that appear at the end of each chapter.