XI. Workbook/Laboratory Manual to Accompany Puntos de partida
A. Introduction
The Workbook / Laboratory Manual for Puntos de partida consists of two volumes of integrated activities. The first
volume corresponds to material covered in Capítulos 1–9 and the second corresponds to Capítulos 10–18, with
Capítulo 9 offered as an appendix. The aural, speaking, and writing activities for each grammar and vocabulary
point in the text appear together and are meant to enrich and enhance the students’ learning.
Each Vocabulario and Gramática subsection contains a progression of carefully structured and organized
activities. For example, in Capítulo 4: De compras, the La ropa vocabulary subsection starts with written exercises,
progresses to listening and speaking activities, and then to a final audio activity. This culminating audio activity, as
well as other audio activities throughout this supplement, feature different characters, some of whom are recurring,
and expose students to language in a natural and authentic context in the form of interviews and conversations.
Audio activities in the Workbook/Laboratory Manual are easily identified by a headphones icon. Students will
hear a variety of native speakers in the audio activities, allowing them to become accustomed to some of the
B. Chapter Structure
Each chapter of this Workbook/Laboratory Manual is based on the corresponding chapter of the textbook so that
students may practice and review on their own what they are learning in class. For ease of identification, most
exercises appear under the same headings as in the main text. Once a section from the textbook has been introduced,
students can complete the same section in the Workbook/Laboratory Manual with the assurance that any new
1. Vocabulario: Preparación
The Vocabulario: Preparación section allows students to practice the thematic vocabulary in both written and
aural/oral forms in a variety of contexts.
2. Pronunciación
The expanded Pronunciación section contains activities that are almost entirely based on auditory cues, with,
3. Gramática
This section presents a variety of written, listening, and speaking exercises on each grammar point in the
4. Un poco de todo
This section starts with a cloze activity—a narrative with blanks to be filled in by the student—and provides a
good opportunity for review of structures and vocabulary of the current chapter as well as previous chapters.
This section also contains a culturally based Listening Passage activity. Most Listening Passage activities begin
with a pre-listening activity (Antes de escuchar) and conclude with a post-listening activity (Después de
escuchar). The final activity in Un poco de todo is an audio activity in the form of an authentic conversation,
narration, or interview that features the use of language in a natural context and provides students with
additional listening and comprehension practice. This activity is frequently followed by one that gives students
the opportunity to create and participate in a similar conversation based on the theme or topic of the primary
audio activity.
5. Cultura
The Cultura section consists of two activities: a map activity and a reading comprehension activity. The map
activity, based on the country or countries of focus of a given chapter, provides the students with another
6. Póngase a prueba
7. Prueba corta
8. Puntos personales
The final section, Puntos personales, consists of personalized activities. In most cases, no answers are given for
these activities due to their nature. The Guided Composition includes questions and/or suggested vocabulary to
to use in a meaningful way what they have learned in both the current and previous chapters.
C. Additional Features
Beginning in Capítulos 1–4, direction lines for many activities are in Spanish. The direction lines appear entirely in
Spanish starting with Capítulo 5; the only exception to this is some Listening Passage activities in which the
complexity of the direction lines for this activity dictates that they remain in English.
On Connect, new Salu2 video-based activities appear for each chapter.
An Answer Key for written activities is provided in the Appendix, at the back of the Workbook/ Laboratory
Manual. In general, answers to audio activities are on the Audio Program immediately after each item or at the end of
a series of items. When not given on the Audio Program, answers to audio activities can be found in the Answer Key.
Activities marked with this symbol (❖) are activities for which no answers are provided in the Answer Key, largely
due to the fact that they are personalized in nature. Most activities marked with this symbol (❖) appear in the
Puntos personales section.