Use your PC to Master Japanese and Chinese
Managing the Vocabulary Lessons
Vocabulary lessons are always loaded into a document window. You can print the
vocabulary lesson using the Vocabulary
Print(3-
39)
command to invoke the
Page Setup(3-
39)
dialog to sort and list a lesson in a new document window for printing, or
print the lesson in its original document window.
The Smart Characters
vocabulary lesson format(6-
3)
was designed to allow for lesson consolidation through sorting, cutting and
pasting. For example, assume that you have several
vocabulary lesson(D-
-
8)
files in which you have some uncertain words. These words can be combined into
one file by first sorting the files using the DOS Sort program, then by
cutting and combining using Smart Characters or any text editor. Of course, any
new vocabulary lesson should be saved under a different name, so as to not
destroy the original lesson.
Making Vocabulary Lessons
Creating lessons is an easy task. The most useful lessons are closely keyed to
a textbook, and entered in order by chapter, page, and line. This way, the
lesson can be used for retrieving a reference at a later time, or easily
corrected by your instructor.
To create a lesson, it is easiest to start with a vocabulary list. A vocabulary
list is just a list of words, one per line (paragraph). You can make this list
by typing interesting words from some meaningful source (such as a newspaper
article or a textbook). Then select the Learn
Vocabulary(3-
36)
command. If you are starting with a new lesson, or fewer than three vocabulary
entries exist in the document, the
Nothing Opened or Selected(3-
38)
dialog will present a choice to convert the file into a lesson. Otherwise,
select the File
Convert to Lesson(3-
38)
command to make each new word into a new vocabulary entry and clean up the
existing entries.
- Tip: always keep a window open to contain a list of the words you
find by
radical and stroke(4-
8)
lookup. You will find it handy for later reference and drill. You never need
to close a document window in Smart Characters.
The tutorial section titled
Break Time with Instant Vocabulary (Chinese)(2C-
43)
and
(Japanese)(2J-
43)
illustrates converting of a list of words, one per line or paragraph, into a
vocabulary lesson(D-
-
8).
It demonstrates instant vocabulary learning by first querying an interesting
Chinese character for usage, then turning the results (the contents of the
list(4-
4)
window) into an instant vocabulary lesson.
User's Group Vocabulary Lessons
The example
vocabulary lesson(D-
-
8)
from the
User's Group(D-
-
8)
contain omissions and outright mistakes. Please feel free to correct or add to
them as you wish. Other Smart Characters users greatly desire these additions
and corrections, so please submit them to the User's Group. Contact
Apropos Customer Service(F-
-
1).
Vocabulary Lesson Format
A Smart Characters
vocabulary lesson(D-
-
8)
is a document consisting of lines of vocabulary entries in the following
format:
<Lesson Numbers> <Forward Drill Word or Phrase>
<Translation>
You can also include other text such as headers, comments, and blank lines.
Smart Characters recognizes a vocabulary entry by the lesson numbers at the
start of each line.
Lesson Numbers
The lesson numbers must be English objects without a preceding
English code(5-
8)
at the very start of each line, and they should be aligned by column. This
allows for easy identification by Smart Characters, and by sorting by programs
such as DOS Sort. Use
Show Codes(3-
8)
or set the
display mode(3-
7)
to ASCII Only and eliminate superfluous
object type codes(D-
-
5).
See
Working with Codes(5-
7).
Lesson number format: 11 2222 33 444
- 11 is the number of times the word has been asked. Set this number
to zero for new entries.
- 2222 is the score for this word in hundredths of a second. We
recommend an initial value of 0400 (four seconds), which is twice the
expert time(6-
2).
- 33 is the chapter reference number, which can be zero.
- 444 is an optional page number.
- Tip: it is easiest to allow Smart Characters to insert the numbers
automatically for you by selecting
Convert to Lesson(3-
38).
- Tip: otherwise, speed up hand entry of numbers by creating a
dynamic glossary(4-
6)
entry (call it 00, or so) to write ".0..400.00.000." (each small dot is a
space), replacing the chapter and page number zeros with meaningful numbers.
Forward Drill Word or Phrase
The forward drill word or phrase is displayed as the unknown in the
forward drill, and consists of Chinese and alphabetic characters.
Translation
The translation is preceded by a
Notes Code(5-
8)
code. If you keep translations short, so that the Vocabulary | File
Print(3-
39)
command works satisfactorily, you must remember that you will be training
yourself to associate this English word or phrase with the corresponding Asian
one, so choose carefully.
The First Lines are the Document Header
When sorting lessons for consolidation, remember that header lines and other
comments will sort to the beginning or end of the file and must be manually
restored. Also remember that Smart Characters inserts a
document header(12-
8)
before the first line of a document. If the document header does not stay at
the top of the file, the next time you open the file into Smart Characters, the
File Format(3-
2)
dialog will appear. Select Plain Text to open it as a Smart Characters
file without conversion.
Capacity
Smart Characters can keep track of a maximum of 1200 entries per
vocabulary lesson(D-
-
8),
up to the maximum byte capacity of a document window. However, we recommended
that in any drill session you select chapters so that the total number of new
words for drill is not larger than about 100-150 words. A larger number
requires too long a time for all the words to be learned in one session. Review
sessions can profitably use all 1200 entries.
Apropos Customer Service home
page 617-648-2041
Last Modified: March 23, 1996
Copyright © 1996 Apropos, Inc.