Reviewing Spanish--Some New Twists with Favorite Authors

For the last few days I have been reviewing my Spanish and preparing to do some translation from English to Spanish as part of a battery of tests I will be taking.  I visited the St Charles Public Library and picked-up a lot of good material to use in my review.

What I have experienced very good results with are two novels,  The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and Zorro, a Novel by Isabel Allende.  I have been listening to the unabridged audiobook on CD in English and reading the unabridged companion book in Spanish as I listen to English.  In addition, for The Da Vinci Code, I have been listening to the unabridged audiobook on CD in Spanish in my car.

The combination is easy to follow though I'm not sure if my approach by listening to the English and reading the Spanish may be to passive.  I know that the key to working any language is to use it--a lot.  I also know that the best writers in English read--a lot.  By reading Spanish I hope to improve my Spanish writing.  By listening to English and reading the translation into Spanish (or, in the case of Isabel Allende, the original was in Spanish and it has been translated into English), I am becoming more familiar with how to use phrases and idioms in Spanish to replace those in English.

This is certainly a challenging way to review.  I am also watching DVD movies in Spanish (often with Spanish subtitles).  This, too, keeps me involved and engaged in my participation in my review of Spanish.  I am delighted I have had several days to prepare before I have to face any Spanish-language tests.