【分　 类】 教育科学
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【收　 录】 中文学术期刊网

正文：
Air Force Engineering University   Hu Maokai
 
 
If there is only one thing that ignited my real interest in learning English well, it is the magazine English Knowledge which has been a helpful and faithful friend to me for nearly ten years. I can clearly remember the day when I came to know it for the first time. It was in 2003 when we were busily preparing for the college entrance examinations. One of my classmates brought a copy of English Knowledge to school when we returned school after May Day. Other classmates just leafed through the book inattentively and put it aside disdainfully. I was actually very swift-footed in borrowing that copy immediately.
To be honest, although at that time English was already highly emphasized by teachers, parents and students, a great majority of students in our isolated mountainous area were extremely poor at this terribly difficult language. We pronounce English with the help of Chinese phonetic methods and learn words and sentences quite mechanically and awkwardly. Lacking proper learning materials and more qualified English teachers, we students were just drifting with the tide with no one was superior to the others in English.
Without knowing why, I was greatly amazed by the extensive knowledge and beautiful languages contained in the articles despite my poor English ability at that time. Impressed by my strong attachment to the book, that student declared with an incredible and lofty poise: this magazine belongs to you if you want. Out of gratification, I sent him a precious pen that I had kept for many years as a priceless treasure. My love for English was aroused and intensified because of that magazine. The very next day, I learnt off heart the very article about Alfred Nobel in it to show my determination to study English well and even wished to be an English major in the future.
College life was both colorful and full of challenges. As soon as we began our English lessons at the university, I realized my great disparity of English proficiency with my classmates. I come from a remote mountainous area. I was astonished by their fluent oral English abilities, and especially by their great command of English vocabulary. I had had neither the chance to hear authentic English nor the access to touch any English extracurricular reading materials before I became a college student. I was really ignorant and at a loss that time.
My teacher told me in order to be good at English language, we must practice listening, reading, speaking and writing constantly. I followed suit as an obedient sheep. To tell the truth, I lost no chance in those golden years to acquire as much this wonderful language as possible. I practiced English orally and in written form; I communicated with others as well as with myself; I learned it in class and out of class… I did not expect that for all the subjects, each improved by association with the other. The success in English learning helped me to make great progress in other courses. I achieved many things at one stroke. In introspection, I attribute all this to making acquaintance with English Knowledge, being self-depending, hard working, and perseverant.
At present, I am studying at a key university again majoring in computer science as a postgraduate. English language learning still appeals to me and I do fine in other courses just as several years ago. I want to give some personal tips to those who are mired in English learning. To crack English pronunciation is a prerequisite to crack English language. Only when you can speak English as it is, can you yield twofold results with half the effort. Accurate pronunciation can help you remember words conveniently and can greatly increase your self-confidence, which is also very essential in language learning. The ability to pronounce English words and sentences correctly can be acquired by listening to authentic materials frequently, imitating (even mechanically) the native speakers constantly and practicing speaking actively. Thanks to the fact that audio materials are available for each edition of English Knowledge, this desirable nutritious material in English is nurturing me consistently.
Secondly, try to enlarge your vocabulary in every possible way. Sometimes you may even resort to rote as I do frequently. You can express yourself more freely only when you have mastered enough basic words, phrases and sentence patterns. Combining extensive and intensive reading is extremely beneficial to us apart from learning vocabulary. On the one hand, it facilitates us to accumulate language points. One the other hand, it can widen our outlook and make us knowledgeable in various fields. Both language experts and successful language learners recommend learning words from context. English Knowledge won’t fail us in providing us information in all walks of life.
Writing is also indispensable in improving our overall language ability. Brilliant paragraphs and classic articles can be modeled on. Writing diaries, letters, as well as compositions regularly by following appropriate examples is also advisable. Sooner or later, you will be surprised by your ability to write freely and involuntarily. I attribute much to English Knowledge for the improvement of my writing ability. 
The inalienability of the four language skills makes it necessary for us to give consideration to all of them. To highlight them all will make you enlightened unexpectedly and to focus on one side will make you benighted miserably, such as the phenomena of dumb and deaf English commonly exist among all levels of language learners. These learners are often referred to high-mark and low-ability students.
My enthusiastic in English was ignited by a chancy yet miraculous gift --- English Knowledge at the junior middle school. Cooperative peers and instructive teachers made me excel at college. Many years of learning experiences have been urging me to share with you the lessons I have got so far. That is: rely on yourself and struggle strenuously, you are sure to be a success.