文章連結:How to Improve English Skills by Kenneth Beare, English as 2nd Language Expert
http://esl.about.com/od/englishlistening/a/listen_tips.htm
作者一開始先安撫我們的情緒:
First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening comprehension is probably the most difficult task (noun=exercise, job) for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. So, now you know you are not alone....! OK. The most important thing is to listen, and that means as often as possible. (首先，記住你並不是一個人。聽力理解可能是對所有學英文的人來說是最難的任務。最重要的是去聽，也就是說盡可能多聽。)
再來介紹聽力材料來源:
The next step is to find listening resources. This is where the Internet really comes in handy (idiom = to be useful) as a tool for English students. Here are some suggestions for interesting listening selections:(下一步就是去找聽力的來源。對英文學習者網路真的是非常好用的工具。這裡提供一些有趣的聽力網站。)
- CBC Podcasts
- Listen to All Things Considered news stories on NPR
- Listen to the BBC.
學習策略
Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated (adjective=upset) by limited understanding. What should you do?(一旦你已經經常性的開始聽英文，你也許仍然因為有限的理解而沮喪。這時你該怎麼做呢？)
Here is some of the advice I give my students:(以下是我給我學生的一些建議：)
- Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.(接受你不會了解每個所聽到的東西的這個事實)
- Keep cool (idiom=stay relaxed) when you do not understand - even if you continue to not understand for a long time.(當你不了解的時候，請鎮靜，即使你接下來很長的一段時間也不會理解。)
- Do not translate into your native language (synonym=mother tongue) (不要翻譯)
- Listen for the gist (noun=general idea) of the conversation. Don't concentrate on detail until you have understood the main ideas.(聽會話的大意。直到你已經了解重點之前，別著重在細節上。)
為什麼不要翻譯呢？作者分享了自己學德文的經驗和最後他恍然大悟的兩個大道理。
In the beginning, when I didn't understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This approach (synonym=method) usually resulted in confusion. Then, after the first six months, I discovered two extremely important facts; Firstly, translating creates a barrier (noun=wall, separation) between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly . By remaining calm (adjective=relaxed), I noticed that - even if I spaced out (idiom=to not pay attention) I could usually understand what the speaker had said. I had discovered some of the most important things about listening comprehension:
Translating creates a barrier between yourself and the person who is speaking.(當我不了解一個字時，我堅持在我腦中翻譯它。這個方法造成了迷惑。然後在最初的六個月之後，我發現兩個極重要的事實。第一，翻譯會在聽者和講者之間產生一道牆。第二，藉由著維持鎮靜，我發現即使失神，我常能夠理解剛剛說話的人說了什麼。)
While you are listening to another person speaking a foreign language (English in this case), the temptation is to immediately translate into your native language. This temptation becomes much stronger when you hear a word you don't understand. This is only natural as we want to understand everything that is said. However, when you translate into your native language, you are taking the focusof your attention away from the speaker and concentrating on the translation process taking place in your brain.(當你聽著對方講英語時，會想立刻把它翻成你自己的語言。當你一個字也聽不懂時，這個意念變得更加強烈。這是很理所當然的，因為我們想要知道我們聽到的每個字。然而，當你翻譯時，你正把大腦的注意力從說話的人移到翻譯這件事上面。)
每個說話的人會把重點重複說
Think for a moment about your friends, family and colleagues. When they speak in your native tongue, do they repeat themselves? I don't mean literally (adverb=word for word), I mean the general idea. If they are like most people I have met, they probably do. That means that whenever you listen to someone speaking, it is very likely (adjective=probable) that he/she will repeat the information, giving you a second, third or even fourth chance to understand what has been said.(當你的朋友、家人和同事講話時，他們是不是會一直重複他們的重點呢？也就是說無論何時你聽別人說話時，很有可能他們會重複他們的訊息，給你第二次、第三次甚至第四次的機會去了解他們在說什麼。)
結論：用英文去理解
By remaining calm, allowing yourself to not understand, and not translating while listening, your brain is free to concentrate on the most important thing: Understanding English in English.(保持冷靜和允許自己不去了解和邊聽邊翻譯，你的大腦便更能去注意最重要的事情：用英文了解英文。)
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