Most Common Words

So, the other day, I was talking to my uncle about our little language experiment we're currently running at dealnews.

Being rather of the egg-head, book-reading set, he immediately had a suggestion for me. Apparently, 90% of all conversations rely upon the same set of words. He suggested that I should find the top 500 commonly-used words in English - then translate them into Italian. It would boost my vocabulary, and enable me to muddle my way through almost any conversation.

Will it help me take a standardized test? Maybe, maybe not. But, since it's FREE, it's something I can try.

A quick googling turned up this list of the 500 Most Commonly Used English Words.

Now to translate them and make flash cards. Anyone know where I can get 500 index cards for cheap?