How to Learna a Foreign Language 如何学习一门外语

Steve Kaufmann 侯冬意

Spend the Time！

By far the most important factor is how much time you spend. The more time you spend on the language， the faster you will learn. This means listening， reading， writing， speaking， and studying words and phrases. This does not mean sitting in class looking out the window， nor listening to other students who do not speak well， nor getting explanations in your own language about how the language works. This means spending time enjoyably connected to the language you are learning.

花时间，下功夫

显然，最重要的因素就是你花了多少时间。你花的时间越多，就学的越快。这意味着你要听、读、写、说，以及学习单词和短语，而不是坐在课堂上看着窗外，不是听其他的同学说蹩脚的语言，也不是用自己的语言来解释你所学语言。你要愉快地花时间与你所学的语言联系起来。

Listen and Read Every Day！

Listen wherever you are on your MP3 player. Read what you are listening to. Listen to and read things that you like， things that you can mostly understand， or even partly understand. If you keep listening and reading， you will get used to the language. One hour of listening or reading is more effective than many hours of class time.

每天听和读

带上你的MP3随时听，读你听到的内容。去听、读那些你喜欢的、你绝大部分能理解的或者仅部分能理解的内容。如果你坚持听与读，你就能熟悉这门语言。听或读一个小时比课堂上学好几个小时更有效。

Focus on Words and Phrases！

Build up your vocabulary， youll need lots. Start to notice words and the way they come together as phrases. Learn these words and phrases through your listening and reading. Read online， using online dictionaries， and make your own vocabulary lists for review. Soon you will run into your new words and phrases elsewhere. Gradually you will be able to use them. Do not worry about how accurately you speak until you have accumulated a plenty of words through listening and reading.

注意单词与短语

积累你的词汇量，你需要很大的词汇量。从留意单词以及短语搭配方式开始。在听与读中学习词汇与短语。进行在线阅读，使用在线的词典并制作自己的词汇表以便复习。不久你就会在其他地方碰到这些生词和短语。渐渐地，你就能使用它们。不要担心你说的是否准确，除非你已经通过听和读积累了大量的词语。

Take Responsibility for Your Own Learning！

If you do want to learn the language， take control. Choose content of interest， that you want to listen to and read. Seek out the words and phrases that you need to understand your listening and reading. Do not wait for someone else to show you the language， nor to tell you what to do. Discover the language by yourself， like a child growing up. Talk when you feel like it. Write when you feel like it. A teacher cannot teach you to become fluent， but you can learn to become fluent if you want to.

对自己的学习负责

如果你想学一门语言，就要主动。选择那些你感兴趣的、你愿意去听与读的内容。找出那些你在听与读的过程中需要理解的单词与短语。不要等着别人来向你展示这门语言，也不要等着别人来教你怎么做。自己去探索它，就像孩子的成长过程一样。想说的时候就说，想写的时候就写。老师不能教你如何说得流利，但是如果你想的话，你可以学着做到。

Relax and Enjoy Yourself！

Do not worry about what you cannot remember， or cannot yet understand， or cannot yet say. It does not matter. You are learning and improving. The language will gradually become clearer in your brain， but this will happen on a schedule that you cannot control. So sit back and enjoy. Just make sure you spend enough time with the language. That is the greatest guarantee of success.

放轻松、享受学习的乐趣

不要担心你记不住的、还不理解的或者还说不出来的内容。这些都不重要。你在学并且在进步。语言将在你的脑海里逐渐变得清晰，但是这个过程不受你的时间表控制。所以放轻松并享受其中的乐趣。只要保证你在这门语言中投入了足够的时间，这就是成功的最大保障。