program's title points both to the contrast between the Hispanic and American cultures as well as to the diversity within the Hispanic world. More than expanding students' vocabulary, grammar, and cultural awareness beyond the basic survival level, the text offers the meaningful input, structured output, and communicative activities that are essential to the development of solid language skills. Conforming to the National Foreign Language Standards, Nuestras culturas takes into account the three communicative modes--interpretive, interactive, and presentational--as well as the 3Ps of culture--perspectives, practices, and products. Cultural themes are incorporated throughout each chapter, treating culture from both a social science as well as humanistic perspective.

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