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Eiffel Tower is a program designed to help tourists in France or people studying the French language. The basic idea is that you are given a French word and you have to type in its English equivalent.

If you get the correct answer, a small piece of well-known Paris landmark is constructed on your screen. If you're wrong the correct answer is given and you are asked the same question again. The program ends when you have built the Eiffel Tower, which requires 21 correct responses.

Before the program starts you can choose which of twenty different topics you wish to translate. There are ten on each side of the cassette.

One of the options is to put in your own set of words. It's a pity no documentation tells you what the topics are before you load them.

This program is really a disappointment. The graphics are of a fairly mediocre standard. And, as is often the case in educational programs, the noise annoys. Fortunately, there is a silent option.

The words - 420 in all - cover a fair vocabulary in basic French and the arrangement of words in groups should aid revision. The graphic reward of the Eiffel Tower would only keep young children happy. It doesn't really tie up with the questions.

There is nothing wrong with the structure of the program. It runs smoothly without any hitches. However it is not up to Chalksoft's normal high standards. Unless you are really addicted to computer learning, a good phrase book might do just as well.

Rog Frost