This best-selling intermediate Spanish conversational reader encourages student discussions and presents a broad variety of thought-provoking Hispanic themes. Lively readings from a number of original cultural and literary sources complement a wealth of activities that stimulate conversation and the development of critical thinking in Spanish. The reader includes authentic essays, stories, poems, autobiographies, legends, magazine articles, science fiction, jokes, and cartoons from ancient times to the present and from all regions of the Spanish-speaking world....

Intermediate through advanced Streetwise Spanish presents the colloquial and slang expressions that students need and want to know but usually do not learn in their Spanish classes. The 15 chapters contain short dialogues, translations of the dialogues, explanations of the colloquial and slang expressions, authentic jokes, cartoons from Spanish publications, and exercises. Note: This text includes "earthy" and vulgar expressions! Each dialogue presents universal Spanish idioms and also includes slang from a particular country or city that is identified in the introductory line of the dialogue. Alternate forms used in other areas are explained in the vocabulary notes....