How to Remember Words 如何记单词

苗淑华选译

At the beginning of the class one day， one student says， “I started to read more. I feel that it is good for me. I can see how my grammar is better， but I have a problem. When I read， I look at a new word in a dictionary. Then I go on reading. Sometimes when I see the same word again only 10 minutes later， I dont remember the word and I have to look at it again. Can you help me to remember the words better？”

一天，在开始上课时，一个学生说：“我开始大量阅读了。我觉得这对我有好处。我能看出来我的语法变好了，但我有一个问题。当我阅读时，我在字典里查完一个生词，然后继续阅读。有时，当我10分钟后又看到同一个单词时，却不记得这个单词了，我不得不再查一遍。你能帮助我更好地记住这些单词吗？”

Our teacher says that it is an interesting question and she gives this explanation1， “It is normal2 that you dont remember the new word at once. Usually3， you will have to look up the word 5 times before you remember it. There will be also words which you will have to look up 10 or 15 times. These words are usually verbs4.

我们老师说这是一个有趣的问题，她给出了这样的解释：“你不能马上记住这个生词是很正常的。通常，在你记住这个单词之前，你得查5遍。还有一些单词，你要查10到15遍。这些词通常是动词。

When we learn a new word， the word goes through phases5. Only when you get to the last phase， you remember the word very well.

当我们学习一个新词时，这个词经过了几个阶段。只有到了最后一个阶段，你才能把这个词记牢。

There are five of these phases. Lets have a look at them.

其中有五个阶段。让我们看看。

The first phase is when you see the word for the first time and you dont know the word. You look it up in the dictionary.

第一个阶段是你第一次看到这个词，却不知道这个词的那一刻。你要在字典里查一下。

The second phase is when you see the word which you already looked up in the dictionary or heard or saw it in the past. You know that you saw this word before， but you still dont remember its meaning6. You look at the word again.

第二个阶段是当你看到这个词的时候，你已经在字典里查过了，以前听过或者看过它。你知道以前见过这个词，但还是不记得它的意思。你再来看这个词。

The third phase is when you see the word again and you feel what it could mean but you are not sure. For example7， you know that the word is some kind of object8 or some animal or a verb.

第三個阶段是当你再看到这个词时，会觉得它可能是某个意思，但你不确定。例如，你知道这个词是某种宾语、某种动物或一个动词。

The fourth phase is when you already know what the word means when you see it， but you cant remember the word when you want to say it. When this phase happens， the word is in your passive vocabulary9.

第四个阶段是当你看到这个词的时候已经知道它的意思，但是当你想说这个词的时候却记不起来。到了这个阶段时，这个词就在你的被动词汇表中。

The fifth phase is when you are able to use the word when you speak.

第五个阶段是你说英语时能够使用这个词。

Do you understand now why you cant remember a new word when you see it for the first time？ You would have to jump across all the phases when you first see the word. You have to see or hear every word several times and let it go through all the phases until10 you get to phase number five.

你现在明白了吗？为什么当你第一次看到一个新单词时就记不住它？当你第一次遇到这个词时，你必须跨越所有的阶段。你必须多次看到或听到每个单词，并让它通过所有的阶段，直到达到第五阶段。

You can be happy not only when you learn a new word well， but also when you get from one phase to the other. When it happens11， you are closer to using the word without problems in everyday communication12.”

当你学好一个新词，并从一个阶段走到另一个阶段的时候，你会很快乐。当它发生时，你离在日常交流中毫无问题地使用这个词更近一步。”

（英语原文选自：howtolearnenglishinlevel. com）

【Notes】

1. explanation  n. 说明，解释;辩解

2. normal adj. 正常的

3. usually  adv. 通常，经常

4. verb  n. 动词

5. phase  n. 时期，阶段

6. meaning  n. 意义;含义;意思

7. for example 例如

8. object n. 物体;客体;宾语

9. passive vocabulary 被动词汇

10. until  conj. 到……时，直到……为止

11. happen  vi. 发生;碰巧;偶然遇到

12. communication  n. 交流