This reader provides an array of cultural and literary material for students in their first year of German. The first five sections were written or edited specifically for the text, while authentic material is presented in a concluding short story by Doris Dörrie. Features include frequent use of cognates and basic vocabulary; exercises in reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and word-building techniques; graded readings; and footnotes throughout the text along with a verb appendix and index of exercises.