The course aims at enabling students to grasp the fundamental structure of italian grammar and the development of the more elementary forms of communication so that they can converse in Italian.  By the end of the course the student must be able to talk and write about simple subjects in a sufficiently clear and understandable way and to describe situations in which a knowledge of specialized terms is not required.  Basic grammatical structures will be examined in greater detail, with particular reference to italian verbs and especially the subjunctive and conditional moods.  The students will be expected to write short essay or synopses and to take dictation.  Importance is given to the reading of simple extracts from anthologies.  Particular attention is given to conversation on topical subjects or matters of cultural interest.