Does this situation seem familiar to you? Your English is progressing well, the grammar is now familiar, the reading comprehension is no problem, you are communicating quite fluently, but: Listening is STILL a problem! First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening comprehension is probably the most difficult job for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. The most important thing is to listen as often as possible. The first step is to find listening resources. The Internet is really a useful tool for English students. You can download The RealPlayer from RealMedia.com. The RealPlayer allows you to use the Internet like a radio station.
Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated (懊恼) by limited understanding. What should you do?
Here is some of the advice I give my students:
●Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.
●Stay relaxed when you do not understand — even if you continue not to understand for a long time.
●Do not translate what you hear into your native language.
●Listen for the general idea of the conversation. Don’t concentrate on detail until you have understood the main ideas.
I remember the problems I had in understanding spoken German when I first went to Germany. In the beginning, when I didn’t understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This method usually resulted in confusion. Then, after the first six months, I discovered two very important facts. Firstly, translating creates a wall between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm, I noticed that — even if I didn’t pay much attention, I could usually understand what the speaker had said.The best way to improve our listening is to _____.
| A.practise as much as possible |
| B.find as many listening resources as possible |
| C.use the Internet like a radio station |
| D.speak naturally and read as much as possible |
Which of the following is a good habit when listening?
| A.Try to understand everything. |
| B.Try to get the main ideas. |
| C.Pay much attention to details. |
| D.Translate each word in your mind. |
Why did the writer mention his / her experience in Germany?
| A.To prove the importance of translating. |
| B.To show the problems of speaking a foreign language. |
| C.To tell us the importance of staying calm. |
| D.To point out an ineffective method of listening. |
The underlined part “a wall” in the last paragraph refers to “_____”.
| A.a communication barrier (障碍) |
| B.culture shock |
| C.language understanding |
| D.a little misunderstanding |