The video will give you a general introduction on how to read any (!) text efficiently, including this course's texts. Whenever I say "book" in any of the videos in this course, I mean the texts that you will find in every single lesson of this course. There is no real or downloadable book that comes with this course.

Don't worry if all the instructions seem like too much. I will guide you through the process step by step, and soon everything will be very intuitive for you.

Vocabulary is best learned and used in context. Written stories provide us with context. Many situations in literature are predictably familiar and rely on our experience. Written stories are patient, mobile, and can be used almost infinitely. Words can be understood more easily due to the given context and their probable similarity to English. The written word is also a visual aid that should not be underestimated. Very often, when I try to remember a word, I imagine how it is spelled/written and I have met many others who do this.

How to read efficiently

1. Don't even bother trying to retain all the information in this overview. In the very next step you'll be guided through your first real text step by step.
2. Browse through the text, listen to the audio and note any word that you don't understand. Do not try to understand what you are reading; just look for unfamiliar words. This is purely a technical task.
3. Do not look up definitions of the words yet. It will break your workflow and make your reading far more frustrating than necessary. You will get a chance to learn the meanings of these words.

I'll guide you step by step through every single text in this course.

Disclaimer: The texts in this course are meant to be an inspiration and do not claim to be 100% accurate in their information. Neither is their content reason for any discussion in this course. We tried to keep the tone and vocabulary of the texts as natural as possible. They are not simplified but rather difficult to master so you might at times have to invest some serious time in order to crack them. After all level B2 is quite a steep upgrade to your German level. But don't despair, you will be able to master B2 eventually. Remember: it is all about enjoying the journey and not about being the best at something here.