英语博客(A cup of English):Mango languages

Beginners.

Mango languages is an internet language learning program(me) that we get for free through our local library. I want my children to learn Spanish very well, so the program will be a useful tool to use at home on our computer. My three boys are in a bilingual program at school. They have about three hours of classes in Spanish. Their knowledge of the language has really grown. At home, I try to speak to them in Spanish at least 50% of the time. I am proud to say that they understand everything that I say. What needs to happen now is the 'speaking' part of it. I decided¹ at the beginning of the year to not only speak to them in Spanish, but also to help them respond in Spanish. They can do it themselves about half the time, but they need help to do it consistently³. I am so excited to see their progress. My mother is also delighted whenever she hears them speak her native language. We will go to Spain this year for a month, so I think it is a good idea to prepare the kids. The more they can communicate with their family the more comfortable they will feel. I remember learning different languages in school, all those centuries ago, and, though we had lots of oral practice, it was very time consuming. Nowadays, with computers, we can practice at any time of day or night, listen, read, repeat, and even hear ourselves speak the foreign language. What an advantage!

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: a tool, not only....but also, time consuming.

1. To build the shelves you will need to buy some tools from the hardware store.

2. Tomatoes are so healthy; not only are they full of vitamins, but also they have fibre.

3. This job is really time consuming; I hope it is worth it.

Advanced.

So, how does this Mango Languages system work? Well, in a similar fashion to other language programs, you log on, choosing a password. Then, you select your prefered level: beginners, intermediate⁴, or advanced. You make sure that you are comfortable, because each session will last for about 15 to 20 minutes. Head phones are a good idea so you don't get distracted⁵ by surrounding noises. Then, the program takes you stage by stage, word by word, through a series of practices. You start at the easy stuff: letters, numbers, introductions etc. Then you move into slightly more complex practices of common sentences and dialogues, including questions and answers. It's all good stuff. I'm going to attach some kind of weekly reward for doing it. If they use the program consistently, we should see lots of progress within a few months. There are lots of these types of programs on the market, but because the local library is offering this for free, we will try it first and see how it works out. As, I'm sure you know, the key to language learning is being consistent². Let's see if my New Year's resolution of being more consistent pays off.

Grammar notes.

Practice of the subjunctive with related vocabulary.

1. If he was more consistent, he could complete his projects.

2. If the team practiced more, we would see progress in their performance.

3. If you finished your homework, you could go out and play.

4. If they advertised the program, the public would hear about it.

 

1 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。

2 consistent   

adj.坚持的，一贯的，一致的，符合的

参考例句：

• He has been a consistent friend to the Chinese people.他是中国人民始终如一的朋友。
• His action is always consistent with his words.他始终言行一致。

3 consistently   

ad.一贯地，一直

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。
• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law. 部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。

4 intermediate   

adj.中间的，居间的，中级的；n.中间体，媒介物

参考例句：

• This country is now at an intermediate stage of development.这个国家目前正处于发展的中间阶段。
• Gray is intermediate between black and white.灰色介于黑色和白色之间。

5 distracted   

a.注意力分散的，思想不集中的

参考例句：

• When working, one should concentrate and not allow oneself to be distracted. 工作时要集中精力，不要分心。
• Noise outside distracted her mind from her studies. 门外的噪音使她心神不宁，无法集中注意力学习。