《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》11 Tips for English Learning

　　Unit11
Tips for English Learning
Q: I have been learning English for six years, but I still can't understand a film in English. What's the wrong with my learning process?
A: The secret of learning anything, whether it be maths or engineering or English, is to give yourself manageable learning steps. You are trying to run before you can walk! By watching an English film, you are throw yourself in the deep end, and drowning, rather than entering the shallows, and gently going deeper! Give yourself easier tasks: Do not think that you are thereby¹ not learning -- you are learning by gradually building up confidence and fluency².
Q: I cannot read books originally written in English because of my poor vocabulary. I once decided³ to recite 20 words a day, but I forgot all of them after a few days. I feel frustrated⁴.
A: I found my students often choose books that are far too difficult, hoping that the deeper the hill, the higher they could climb. Not true! Recite vocabulary may be helpful, particularly to get your tongue round the pronunciation. But you need to use it to penetrate⁵ deeply into your memory bank. So reciting 20 words a day is not nearly as effective as consciously using them in sentences.
Q: I have accumulated more than 4,000 vocabularies, and passed CET-4, but I still cannot talk fluently in English. Could you give me some advice?
A: Language is a peculiar⁶ thing: you can study till the cows come home, yet still be unable to communicate. The main thing is to get the balance between study and practice right. Make sure that what you think you have studied and learned, is applied⁷, or used, both in speech and writing. That way, what you have learned also becomes part of your active repertoire⁸.
Q: When I connect to Internet, is it better to explore the English Websites?
A: Exploring the Web may be a good idea, but it can take a lot of time and what one finds is of uneven⁹ quality. Using search engines to wander around the Web can easily become addictive¹⁰. And it is very easy to forget the original purpose. I suggest you find one or two sites that seem helpful and stay with them.
Q: It might be a silly question to ask, but is there any shortcut¹¹ for English learning?
A: Sorry, but there's no shortcut. It just takes time, patience and persistence¹². Each person's brain is different, meaning someone may take 5 years to master what another can manage in one. (And the slower learner may master geometry or chemistry 5 times faster than the speedy English learner.) Learners should know about the limits and abilities of their brains, and map out a personal study schedule. The schedule should include reading and reviewing texts, plus other books consistent with the skill level of the learner. Besides, you should also set aside time for peaking English with anyone who speaks it. English is not like any other subject. You have to practice instead of merely accumulating knowledge about it.

1 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

2 fluency   

n.流畅，雄辩，善辩

参考例句：

• More practice will make you speak with greater fluency.多练习就可以使你的口语更流利。
• Some young children achieve great fluency in their reading.一些孩子小小年纪阅读已经非常流畅。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

6 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

7 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

8 repertoire   

n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表

参考例句：

• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
• He has added considerably to his piano repertoire.他的钢琴演奏曲目大大增加了。

9 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

10 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

11 shortcut   

n.近路，捷径

参考例句：

• He was always looking for a shortcut to fame and fortune.他总是在找成名发财的捷径。
• If you take the shortcut,it will be two li closer.走抄道去要近2里路。

12 persistence   

n.坚持，持续，存留

参考例句：

• The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。
• He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。