Sometimes, I think it depends on personality. For some people, they are very shy and quiet. Even they are very reluctant to talk with others in chinese. In addition, for other people, they have "double sides". One side is they are very talktive with familiar friends/families, the other side is they are silent to strange people. In other words, they are not good at communication either. (Tell the truth, I feel I am like the latter one.. ) I think this is the biggest obstruction to learn language. If you r one of them, u will go into poor circles: reluctant to talk with people in english -> ur english is not improved -> u r not confident for your english,even life and abilities -> reluctant to talk...-> english is worse>.......... finally, just two results: u r used to ur poor english with "peaceful" mind or ur feeling is very terrible coz of lonely and non-confident.

Sorry, seems my points are out of topic. I just want to say: To learn english, we must be very active and lively. For some people, this is not just about learning sth. It is the progress to change personality. of coz, it's very long and not easy, particular for those people r not young again.I am still in this progress...and hope it's not very far...

(pls don't forward this article to other boards, thanks.)

[This message has been edited by Lcu (edited 10 April 2002).]

Some experience I had, would like to share.

1. Get an English girlfriend or boyfriend (Typical Japanese approach, but it requires willingness and a lot of ground work)

2. Make some English friends who share the same interest with you (drinking is the most common one, yet, you need to have money, time and the ability to drink)

3. Find a job where no other Chinese works, it will force you to listen and to speak (a telesale job is the best, but you will need some guts and if you can get one)

4. Watch TV or listen to the Radio (Darkblue approach) make sure you watch something you enjoy, otherwise it will make you asleep. (Simpsons is great, a good place to pick up some attitude and childish jokes)

5. By having a pen-pal on-line will help your writing skills (not encouraging you to date online, a chat room is a good place to "pick up" someone to write with).

6. Sounds not socialable, but try not to hang out with other Chinese All The Time (I stress ALL THE TIME). Also don't try to speak English with your Chinese friends, it will only become negative influence and make you sound like HongKies.

7. Must have guts! Practice is the only way out and you know it. That's why the kiddies learn faster than adults, they are fear-free!

8. When you are having a conversation in English, make sure you understand what people are saying to you. Ask again if you didn't catch what they are saying, DON'T ASSUME, to avoid embarrassment and the habit of assuming.

9. Read newspapers usually helps. If you want to learn the day-to-day English, best paper to buy is the Sun (certainly not only for the page 3). FT or the Time is a good place to learn the writing style if you are doing finance or law.

10. A combination of above nine really, adapt which ever one suit you the most. (if you are married or attached, the No. 1 will certainly be out of the window) If you give a bit of guts and willingness, before you know it, your English would have improved so much that you could surprise yourself.

Good Luck!

Lcu, I think your point is an extremely valid one. Also, can I just say, the native speakers are never going to laugh at your English. They'll honestly admire your courage because they think at least your English is better than their Chinese. Same as when we hear a foreigner speak Chinese.

yep, I agree totally, that's the best ways to learn English. However, to get an English boyfriend/girlfriend solely for the purpose of 练口语 is a bit immoral. 尤其总是那些单纯的孩子受骗，不要忍心吧，hehe. 有感情那另当别论。
Another method is to stay with an English family for some time. Then you learn the culture as well as the language. Only this is not always possible.

How should I improve my English in China? Listen to CRI? Watch VCD? Read English Novel? Study New Comscpt? Oh, I cannot figure out an effective way.

郁闷

郁闷。。。

Quote (amnesia @ Sep. 22 2002,23:03)

郁闷

take a long time to  practise

慌啊~~~~~  

多长呢，总不能都考完试了还不行吧， 还有是不是学过的东西上手快一些呢？

It definitely helps if it's something you have certain knowledge of.
But don't worry too much. Take it this way - You are not the only one who has to go through it. Everybody does.
Just take you time. You'll get there.

谢谢楼上朋友的鼓励，真棒！让我有了很多信心哦。。。

一个大（像大象一样大的）问题！    

I'd better do some preparation before attending the class.

Quote (water @ Sep. 24 2002,04:48)

一个大（像大象一样大的）问题！    

我决定从小做起,把每天遇到的生词记载纸上,上学路上背

DEL

Quote (CPM @ Sep. 25 2002,19:23)

I'd better do some preparation before attending the class.

it's very important
thank u

请教各位，如要在英国考雅思如何准备呢？我在国内还有三个月时间，应该提前做那些准备呢？

我认识的人都是回国来考。如果还有三个月的时间，还不如在国内上个培训班，考完再出国。虽然考试难度一样，可是国内的培训班会讲一些考试的技巧，对于提高分数作用挺大。

如果你本身英文水平很好，有把握拿7分左右，以上内容可当废话。

明天开始正式上课，就我一个中国人

担心听不懂

而且我的PERSONAL TUTOR是俄罗斯人，但人很好

另一个问题，前几天听LECTURE，发现老师讲的能听懂大半，但同学聊的就听不懂了

还有就是不知如何表达

学生有口音是一个原因，而且讲话快

Quote (CPM @ Sep. 25 2002,19:23)

If you fail to prepare, you'll prepare to fail.

So preparing to fail doesn't count as having prepared? !!!!!

I used to think that I was always well prepared... now it seems that I was very wrong..

Quote (amnesia @ Sep. 22 2002,23:03)

郁闷

We have  the same problem .  I have finished my first study week already.  I prepared before every lecture. But i found to pass the quizs is not easy within the limit time.  The answers are not directly related the lecture.  The quizs will be cauculated to my overall score of this subject...
     

Quote (top_hard @ Oct. 11 2002,17:30)

What should i do.  I worry a lottt!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Quote (top_hard @ Oct. 11 2002,17:31)

[quote=top_hard,Oct. 11 2002,17:30][/quote] What should i do. 營 worry a lottt!!!!!!!!!!!!

take it easy,

怕什么啊，天塌了有个高的人顶这，我都不会考虑这个问题的拉，我去年上的可是能数过来的，可以简单地说，如果不是我和英国人狂聊了一个月，都不知道自己的英语差到什么程度，而且也发现了practice很重要，lecture听不懂也正常，听重点的词自己看，我去年的老师有印度的，尼日利亚的，今年还有西班牙的，跟恐怖的是我的法律的老师是个lawyer说话就像打架似的，习惯吧，还有不管怎么样看书就是比不看的强。

没错，在英国考IELTS的欧洲人比较多，你和他们一起考占不到便宜，口语考官听他们流利的口语之后，再听你的，好象也不容易给你高分。

Quote (dcam @ Oct. 07 2002,23:31)

明天开始正式上课，就我一个中国人 担心听不懂 而且我的PERSONAL TUTOR是俄罗斯人，但人很好 另一个问题，前几天听LECTURE，发现老师讲的能听懂大半，但同学聊的就听不懂了 还有就是不知如何表达

The same to me.I can understand what the teachers said,but can not understand some classmates'.I am also the only one Chinese student in my course.After three weeks I will have class test.I worry about it so much!!

Quote (amnesia @ Sep. 22 2002,23:03)

郁闷

Two weeks for understanding lectures.
Longer time for chatting with classmates.

Quote (saiyuki @ Oct. 14 2002,15:38)

The same to me.I can understand what the teachers said,but can not understand some classmates'.I am also the only one Chinese student in my course.After three weeks I will have class test.I worry about it so much!!

We all have the same pressure.
Do not worry.  As i know, other English students are worrying about the quizs and tests a lot as well.
Just let's hard work and try!
   

Thank you for your encouraging.
I will work hard.Are you also studying in Engineering?

Quote (saiyuki @ Oct. 18 2002,14:08)

Thank you for your encouraging. I will work hard.Are you also studying in Engineering?

My course is Geographic Information Science.
If you do not know about this course, I can tell you it is simler like Information Science.

同感，同感！！！！！
还有关于考试，望着这张简单的纸，那么简单的数学符号，就是不知道它希望我该怎样算才是正确的。
good luck to you and me.

有时候因为听不懂而感到很不开心。很多时候都是这样的。  

Quote (top_hard @ Oct. 25 2002,13:19)

有时候因为听不懂而感到很不开心。很多时候都是这样的。  

Let's think it in another way.
When you understand some part of lecture, you should feel happy by now. And working hard, try to catch all the phrases your lectruer have told to you. Every lecture you will have kind of feeling of improvement. And you will be happy all the time towards your goal.
   

要学会take it easy，没有人天生什么都懂呢，都是后天在读中，有的英国人成绩比中国人差，你就能说那个中国人什么都听懂了嘛，不能。你只能说她一定努力了。所以只要坚持，坚持你的学习方针，有目标，就会pass 拉

对于具有高中英语水平的同志，除了新概念英语之外，有没有比较好的英语教材，难度和新概念第三、四册相当的

谢谢

没有吗？

大家帮帮忙

Kangyi, why don't u like New Concept English? I think it's good enough.

Quote (hola @ Aug. 22 2002,12:41)

Kangyi, why don't u like New Concept English? I think it's good enough.

I haven't said that, in fact I like them very much and even now I still read them.

I just want some auxiliary textbooks to provide more reading materials, and somebody tells me "循序渐进英语教程" is a good one,

but don't u think they are a little difficult for high school students

Kangyi, your English will only come natually, so don't think you should worry too much at the current stage.

btw, Yoda's 熟读唐诗三千首， 不会作诗也会吟 isn't as original, therefore don't let his 三千首 scare you away.

Quote (yoda @ Aug. 22 2002,20:31)

Do you think babies who try to walk think to themselves : hmmmm, maybe I haven't crawled around enough!? Cape diem! Otherwise you just end up buying lots of useless books.

what's "Cape diem!"


en, maybe u r right, perhaps when I was a baby I really thought that I hadn't crawled enough

I think the learning resouce must be English version, not chinese edited version.  

Quote (kangyi @ Aug. 22 2002,19:35)

Quote (hola @ Aug. 22 2002,12:41) Kangyi, why don't u like New Concept English? I think it's good enough. I haven't said that, in fact I like them very much and even now I still read them. I just want some auxiliary textbooks to provide more reading materials, and somebody tells me "循序渐进英语教程" is a good one,

Sorry, i misunderstood your meanings.

May I know what subject would u like to focus on? Business? art? literature? or science?

In general sense, I don't think the more the better, one textbook is enough. If you can recite the articles in NCE, no need to worry about your english level. the wording and sentence in NCE are deliberate and beautiful, which are worth reciting.

Personal opinion.

Quote (hola @ Aug. 23 2002,14:45)

Sorry, i misunderstood your meanings. May I know what subject would u like to focus on? Business? art? literature? or science? In general sense, I don't think the more the better, one textbook is enough. If you can recite the articles in NCE, no need to worry about your english level. the wording and sentence in NCE are deliberate and beautiful, which are worth reciting. Personal opinion.

thank you very much,

in fact, I ask that question for my brother, I also told him after learning every lesson of new concept english, he should try to recite it. but I think reciting is helpful only for writing and speaking, and to improve his reading skills, he should do more reading excercise.  reading those classical novels is a good idea, I decided to read them myself and have already read parts of tales of two cities, but for him, it's really too tough, it need too much patience for him.  it's said that most articles of "循序渐进英语教程" are selected from readers' digist, so I think it's acceptable.

Seems you are a responsible brother. Is your blood type O?

Quote (hola @ Aug. 23 2002,20:15)

Seems you are a responsible brother. Is your blood type O?

yeah, my blood type is O.

I like people with O blood type - high sense of responsibility and somehow leadership.