The Study of English
It is over 3 years now since I began learning English. I am glad to say that I am getting on well with it. A year ago, although I was interested in the language, but I wasn’t quite sure of it’s usefulness. I think I have a better idea of that now. To know what is going on outside our country, to communicate with foreigners or to carry out international trade. A good command of English is necessary.
So the problem now is not what I study English for, but how to get the best result in the shortest possible time. We all know the importance of lying a solid foundation in everything we do; in language study is perhaps more than in anything else. A good beginning is half of the battle.
Three years of study has taught me that we cannot learn English well without watch out for it’s idiomatic ways of saying things. When I began learning English, I thought all I had to do was to memorize every individual word, English word, it seems to me had exact equivalents in Chinese, and so, to express one’s ideas in English, it was just a matter of putting the words together according to the rules of Grammar. When I was taught to say, “I see a book on the desk”, I thought I learned everything about the word see. I did not realize we do not see but read a book or a newspaper until one day my teacher caught me out. My interest was aroused and since then I have been on my guard against such blunders.
I have learned to “ring a bell” but to “beat a bell”: to attend a meeting” but to “join a conversation”; to “take a walk” but to make a trip”. I have also learned to absorb whole sentence without trying to translate them word to word into Chinese. All this makes me see that besides a good training in pronunciation spelling, handwriting and basic Grammar, one has to pay close attention to English idioms in order to learn the language faster and use it better.
However, this is just a beginning, and there is still a long, long way to go. I am fully prepared for more hard work. One day I shall read <Macbath>, <Romeo and Juliet>, all in the original. I shall also read books in Maths, Science, Geography and History to help me learn more about Men’s present and past.
My name is seiya, I am very happy to make friend with you. So we can both share our feelings and thoughts. My e-mail is mohen50@start.com.auAnd my OICQ is 19263527
