A first semester course in French, originally developed for executives of a major international company, is presented here. As its objective is to provide the "survival skills" useful in everyday situations in France, primary attention is given to the intelligibility and comprehensibility of communication. The context of the dialogues, vocabulary, grammar, and the informal conversational style all serve this purpose. The program assumes sixty contact hours in addition to work with taped material. Each of the fifteen units contains the following sections: a dialogue based on a real-life situation; lists of useful and supplementary vocabulary; instruction and exercises on pronunciation and spelling; analysis of the grammar, as well as oral exercises and pattern drills; reproductions of authentic documents, such as ads, maps and photos; and cultural insights geared toward the necessities and amenities of everyday life in a French city. The vocabulary list at the end gives the English equivalents and the units in which the words can be found. (AMH)