如何三个月内学好英语-1

You’ve seen how I was able to dramatically improve my Chinese-language skills in just three months. It is possible, even easier, for Chinese immigrants to achieve similar results in the English language.

Here is a simple and practical road map of how you, too, can accomplish those results.

First, one must start with the correct attitude and mindset.

During this period, you must resist the impulse to use Chinese, except when Chinese is required. If your job requires it, obviously you must use it. Otherwise, for the next three months, you must function entirely in English.

The only exception you allow yourself is when you visit 万维网。(Otherwise you will not be able to read my blogs, right?) Even if you are at a Chinese supermarket, or a Chinese restaurant, you MUST use English.

There are five key aspects to acquiring language skills:

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

Thinking and reasoning

For each of these five areas, these are my suggestions:

READING

1. Buy a good set of Chinese-English dictionaries. One of the best is 商务新时代汉英大词典 and 英汉大词典。They are expensive in America. Get them in China if you can. Be forewarned, they are heavy. They will use up you airline luggage weight allowance. You can also get them on Amazon.cn for a very reasonable shipping charge.

It is very important that you do not rely on Google for your language translations. Google translations simply do not capture the nuances of a language.

2. Subscribe to an English-language newspaper, or visit their online sites, for your source of daily information.  Try

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/?cmpid=rss2

http://www.thestar.com/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/?ref=rss

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

http://edition.cnn.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/

Make it your habit to browse ALL these papers, and read at least ONE of these sites in some detail, every day.

3. Start a reading program. Readers Digest Condensed Books are an excellent place to begin. (See picture.) They are inexpensive. You can buy them online or at the flea market.

4. Write a 100-word précis (that means summary) of what you've read. You may use a dictionary for this exercise.

5. Get a notebook. Every time you see an expression, such as an idiom, put it in the notebook with its meaning. Re-visit these expressions regularly.

KEEP AT IT FOR THREE MONTHS. DO NOT WAVER.

To be continued...

相关连接：如何三个月内学好英语？(中译)（一）(图)