|
|
JOYCE
2007.07.24
|
Weak in Listening
|
| Q |
Hi,John Doe:
I am glad to know you .Well ,I like studying english very much but just like to speak,I don't like to remember many words and I am bad at listening...What can I do?
|
| A |
Hi, JOYCE,
It's great that you like to study English. Since you like to speak it, look for opportunities to say English, such as reading an English story out loud or talking with English speakers. Practicing this way can indirectly improve your vocabulary and listening skill. Also, to help your listening, there are stories on abc111.net with audio so you can listen while you look at the words until you can listen and understand without needing the words in front of you. If you don't like to memorize vocabulary, just try to remember a few words in short chunks of time such as when you're waiting. Every little bit helps! - Sophie
[]
|
Suney
2007.07.21
|
Understanding Things in the Context of Culture
|
| Q |
Hi,John 老师
我不明白以下这句话中引号内的话是什么意思，Can you help me ? Thank you very much!
The author S***** R**** once described the Nehru–Gandhi family as a ‘dynasty to beat Dynasty in a Delhi to rival Dallas’.
|
| A |
Hi, Suney,
You need to know some American pop culture to understand what the author meant. Dynasty was a well-known American television show in the 1980s about a wealthy family in the oil business. Dallas was also a highly popular, long-running American show that aired the same time as Dynasty did. Like Dynasty, It's about a wealthy family. The author probably brought them up as a colorful way of saying that the Nehru-Gandhi family of India, with its huge political power in the city of Delhi, has far greater glamour and wealth than either of these two famed families. - Sophie
[]
|
小丽
2007.07.17
|
Listening Difficulties 听的问题
|
| Q |
老师，你好。
我看一般的文章没问题，就是听的时候，逻辑跟不上，简单句可以，但如果有一个从句的话，我要听10多遍才能听得懂。请问，我怎样提高听力呢？
|
| A |
Hi, 小丽,
Well done on your hard work so far. Sometimes it simply takes more time and plain repetition to improve. Maybe it will help you to practice listening to more English conversations. They can be easier to listen to because of natural breaks in speech. Our website will eventually add casual English conversations. Every listening opportunity can help with greater comprehension overall in the long run. - Sophie
[]
|
猫
2007.07.10
|
Will or Do
|
| Q |
Please give an answer to this question.''If he dose not go,neither ____I.我应填will还是do?
|
| A |
Hi, Cat,
While both "will" and "do" are grammatically correct, we usually say "will". "If..." makes the first part of this sentence something that affects the future of the second part. Therefore, the second part of this sentence is something that "will" happen based on what the "if" is. It sounds more natural to say "If he does not go, (then) neither will I." - Sophie
[]
|
zhao
2007.07.01
|
Rephrasing 同义句
|
| Q |
I'm going to practise my English 怎样变成同义句
|
| A |
Hi, zhao,
Break the sentence down into parts and think of another way to each part. For instance, people who say "I'm going to" could also say "I will soon" or "I plan to". What are some other phrases for "practice* my English"? For more variety, you might also specify what exactly about the English subject you're going to practice so that you might say "I plan to exercise my English" or "I will study some English grammar" in place of "I'm going to practice my English." *In the United Kingdom, "practise" is the verb form of the noun "practice". In the U.S., the spelling "practice" is commonly used for both the verb and noun form. - Sophie
[]
|
June
2006.06.19
|
Study of Rhetoric 修辞学
|
| Q |
请问老师：
修辞学是一门什么学科？我在阅读一本历史书时，上面写着在十三世纪人们通常先学习语法学，然后是修辞学，最后学神学？现在还有没有修辞学这门课程？
|
| A |
Hi, June,
That's interesting. I suspect that when one studies a language in a university, it would be one of the subjects.- John
[]
|
cunrui
2006.06.20
|
Temperature
|
| Q |
Hi,John,
what't the meaning of " The temperature has only been in the 60s for the past
couple of days".especially,the"60s".Ican't catch it.
thank you
|
| A |
Hi, cunrui,
It is a way to describe a range of temperatures - from 60 to 69 degrees F.- John
[]
|
2006.06.17
|
Thinking in English?
|
| Q |
actually when you have a english thinking, you will got a different mid
John Doe老师你好，我想请教上面这句话，是什么意思．
|
| A |
The sentence does not make sense. Maybe it is supposed to say: "Actually when you think in English, you will have a different mind." Even then it does not totally make sense. - John
[]
|
Mee
2006.06.17
|
Infinitive
|
| Q |
Hello,John Doe 老师,
I read a piece of news on the website:"An estate company, hoping to cashing in on the World Cup fever" . I don't undestand why is here not "cash" but "cashing" behind "to"?
I am looking forward to getting your reply.
thank you!
Mee
|
| A |
Hi, Mee,
It would seem to me that "to cash in" will be the proper way of saying it, just as you suggested. - John
[]
|
jane liao
2006.06.19
|
Learning English through Songs 听歌学英语
|
| Q |
can listen to english songs help to learn english
|
| A |
Hi, jane liao,
I think it helps to some extent especially if the song has a catchy tune.- John
[]
|
zjun
2006.06.16
|
Can vs Be Able To
|
| Q |
what is the difference between can and be able to
|
| A |
Hi, zjun,
They are very similar and often interchangeable.- John
[]
|
Kevin
2006.06.16
|
Learning English = Learning Phrases? 学英语=学词组?
|
| Q |
Is learning English like learning phrases ?
请问老师：学习英语的过程是不是基本上在学习词组啊？
好象以前听别人都这样讲过
|
| A |
Hi, Kevin,
That is definitely a big part of it. That is exactly why learning a lot of words is not the same as knowing English.- John
[]
|
brenda@*****
2006.06.13
|
Grammar Check
|
| Q |
I want to check the grammar of this sentance
"Our company shall not be responsible for parts failure after installation
|
| A |
Hi, brenda,
Sorry, it is our policy not to become editors for people.- John
[]
|
Bin
2006.06.13
|
DIY
|
| Q |
I cannot hold thee close enough!Thy winds, thy wide grey skies!Thy mists, that roll and rise!
Thy woods, this autumn day, that ache and sag
And all but cry with colour! That gaunt crag
To crush! To lift the lean of that black bluff!
World, World, I cannot get thee close enough!Long have I known a glory in it all,But never knew I this;Here such a passion is
As stretcheth me apart,-Lord, I do fear
Thou'st made the world too beautiful this year;
My soul is all but out of me,-let fall
No burning leaf; prithee, let no bird call.
translate
|
| A |
Bin,
Do it yourself. In case you don't know, it is rude for you to list a passage and then put one word there saying, 'translate'. - John
[]
|
Cathy
2006.06.12
|
Huh?
|
| Q |
They are having fun here.[同意句]
|
| A |
Hi, Cathy,
What was your question? - John
[]
|
nina
2006.06.12
|
Hating to Study English 厌恶学英语
|
| Q |
i am a university student.My english is very poor .the main cause i hated study english,but english is common skll work in company.so i am very sad.can you tell me how to study now
|
| A |
Hi, nina,
Perhaps you hated studying English because you could not do well in it? Or was it because of the negative remarks of a teacher? Your English is not that bad, and you have the courage to use it. That is important.My advice to you is to listen more. Read a story aloud. Listen to our stories as you read it. - John
[]
|
2006.06.11
|
Practicing
|
| Q |
what do you like doing in learning english 什么意思/
|
| A |
When I asked that, I wanted to know what someone liked to do to practice English. - John
[]
|
kachy
2006.06.11
|
As Easy as Pie 易如反掌
|
| Q |
It's easy as a pie means a easy thing. Is the word "pie" a special cultural background in America ?
|
| A |
Hi, kachy,
Probably, since people in the U.S. love pies, but it could have started in the U.K. too. - John
[]
|
horse
2006.06.11
|
Listening: Missing Words
|
| Q |
I can't hear clearly ervery word from the speaker. but mostly,I can understand what he said.When listenning,is it necessary to have every word understood?Compared to Chinese,when taking conversation,I can hear every Chinese word.I hope my English-listenning level can reach that of Chinese.
|
| A |
Hi, horse,
That is an interesting question. I would say that for a learner, it will be good if you can hear every single word someone says, but sometimes in a conversation you can get the general meaning and that's enough. But of course if you were a diplomat, then every single word could become important. Just keep at it. You will be good at it. By the way, the key to listening is not listening to the words, but to the phrases. - John
[]
|
Joyce
2006.06.10
|
Learning English as an Adult 成人英语
|
| Q |
Morning Mr John Doe
This is my first time to here. I want to learn Englist on edge, now i do want to now how to learn it well. maybe you know that most of us are adult, we have to work on daytime and haven't enough time on it, the most helpful for us is to have a good guide, also means with definitude method. For example, if remember word is the basic to learn english, what is the right time to practice listening. and how to do in different level with listening, reading or something.
|
| A |
Hi, Joyce,
Time may be the problem for adults in learning English, but it is a matter of priorities. We all make time for things that are most important to us.It is most important to listen when one wants to learn English. It is much easier than trying to memorize. Remembering words is only important up to a certain extent. For example, once you know 2000 words, it is more important to learn the grammar well - which can come naturally if you listen to English a lot. It will become automatic. - John
[]
|
nancy
2006.06.10
|
Meaning of Idioms 成语解释
|
| Q |
您好:
我想问一下在哪能查到关于Idiom 的权威解释.
|
| A |
Hi, nancy,
Unfortunately I don't know of any on line, but perhaps you can find idiom dictionaries at some bookstores.- John
[]
|
Statue of Liberty
2006.06.08
|
Reader's English 哑巴英语
|
| Q |
我能阅读很多英语，但我真的不会写也不会读，令同事很费解.这个就是所谓的哑巴英语吧？我工作也忙，没有什么时间学习英语，我要怎么样才能轻松地掌握和应用这门外语呢？
|
| A |
Hi, Statue of Liberty,
One thing you need to start doing: start reading English out loud. You can practice privately first, but later on read someone a story.- John
[]
|
eric li
2006.06.07
|
Good Job
|
| Q |
wonderful jobs you do and english learners appreciate your generosity.
|
| A |
Hi, eric li,
Thank you, Eric, for the encouragement.- John
[]
|
Joanna
2006.06.06
|
Teaching Children 教小孩英语
|
| Q |
Dear John,
I am a English Major and now working in a Foreign Trading company. But now I want to find a Part-time job as a kids-teacher,I just want you to give me some advice ofwhat are the best ways to get along with
little children and how to teach them English?I heard the children I will teach are 3-7 years old.
|
| A |
Hi, Joanna,
Teaching English to little children can be very much fun, and that is the main point: make it fun for them! Play games with them. Encourage them for trying. Encourage them for doing well. Give them little rewards.- John
[]
|
Eva
2006.06.05
|
Topics for Discussion 讨论的话题
|
| Q |
Hello,John:
please give me some advice about how to organize oral English practice in the class,I mean, can you offer me some topics for discussion?
|
| A |
Hi, Eva,
Sorry, at present we cannot supply you with a list of topics, but it is best to have topics that are interesting to your students. Discussing a story is also something good to do. Another way to have your student practice oral English is to have a 'role play': ask each student to become someone and interact with each other. For example, one can be a shopkeeper and the other can be a shopper.- John
[]
|
2006.06.05
|
Expressing Oneself 表达能力
|
| Q |
Hello!
John Doe teacher,My english name is Judy,I like study english,but my vocabulary is not very more,sometimes i don't konw how to express what i want to say. could you give me some suggestion.may be others asked you same question,but hope you don't mind ...and today i fall across a problem is that i don't know "there is more than one way to skin a cat" could you tell me what that sentence meaning? thanks a lot!
|
| A |
Hi, ,
Not being able to express oneself is a common problem. In fact even those who are native English speakers face the same problem. But as you build your vocabulary, read more, and listen more, you will find that it becomes more natural. "There is more than one way to skin a cat" means that there are many ways to solve a problem or accomplish something.- John
[]
|
Man
2006.06.05
|
Conversing with Foreigners 跟外国人交谈
|
| Q |
Dear John Doe,
Please tell me how to improve my listening and oral English,when I speak to a foreign,I alway feel nervious,and just understand 60% of what he said,when I speak to him ,I find that I alway make many mistakes.
|
| A |
Hi, Man,
The best way is to keep doing it. Listen more, and speak more. And don't be afraid of making mistakes.- John
[]
|
嘉仪
2006.06.05
|
Rebuilding the Foundation 重建基础
|
| Q |
我是一个高中生,觉得老师讲课不好,想自学!不知道要怎么学?我应该从基础补起,因为我的基础很差,但不知从何入手?
|
| A |
Hi, 嘉仪,
If you want to rebuild your foundation, I suggest that you start with listening to simple sentences. When you do that you are automatically learning some grammar. How can 4-year-old children in western countries know how to speak in English? They start with listening first! Reading picture books for little children will be a good start.The next thing to do is to learn those verbs with 'strange' past tense (e.g. go, went, gone). - John
[]
|
wwei
2006.06.05
|
Stories Too Short 故事太短
|
| Q |
why the stories here are so short !
i think long story is better for listening !
|
| A |
Hi, wwei,
For most learners, if the story is too long, there will be too many words they don't know. - John
[]
|
冰
2006.06.04
|
Conversational English 学用英语沟通
|
| Q |
John Doe：
我是个在读的高一学生，我一直对英语都感兴趣，可就是读不好它，本来以为有兴趣的话我一定可以学得一口好英语的，可是到现在我的英语成绩还是没能跟上去，我都有复习和练习，有写单词，看语法，可是就是到了要讲或是和别人用英语沟通时就怕了，也忘了！ 我该怎么办！John Doe老师您能帮帮我吗？
需要帮忙的冰
|
| A |
Hi, 冰,
Perhaps fear is the problem and not your level of English. Try this: just concentrate on listening. It's not too hard to just ask simple questions and let the other person answer. But you must concentrate on listening and be interested in finding out more about what the person is talking about. Asking questions becomes easier as you pay attention to what people say. Then you will forget that you are scared of speaking in English.- John
[]
|
YY
2006.06.02
|
What is the difference?
|
| Q |
What is different between the "It is Cicada."
and "It is a Cicada.". Is it both are no grammatical mistake?
|
| A |
Hi, YY,
Cicada is an insect and is usually a common noun, so "It is a cicada" would be correct. But since it could be the name of a place or a person, so in such cases "It is Cicada" will be correct as well.- John
[]
|
Jody
2006.03.25
|
No More vs No Longer 兩者的分別
|
| Q |
Hi,John
I'm courious about "no more" and "no longer".Can u tell me how to use them?
Yours Jody
|
| A |
Hi, Jody,
The main difference is that "no longer" deals with time. e.g. He no longer goes to school here."No more" is usually used to describe quantity. e.g. No more rice can be found. But it can also be used like "no longer". e.g. He likes you no more. (Note: this usage is somewhat of colloquial or conversational English.) "No longer" is usually used before the verb-to-be and the verb that it modifies. e.g. Your service is no longer needed. - John
[mp3]
|
Jenny
2006.03.25
|
English and Foreign Customs 英语及风俗
|
| Q |
why english let me understand the more foreign custom and lift style?
|
| A |
Hi, Jenny,
One of the reasons: they don't speak Chinese! Another reason: customs and lifestyles often show up in the langage. For example: He is a screwball. A "screwball" is a baseball term - it is a way to pitch a ball so that it has a special spin that makes it behave stargely and hard to hit. Calling someone a screwball means that he is a bit strange.- John
[mp3]
|
Julia
2006.03.25
|
Creating an English Corner 英语角
|
| Q |
my spoken english teacher wants me to make a english corner, i don't know what should I do . who can help me!
|
| A |
Hi, Julia,
You should ask your teacher for suggestions.- John
[]
|
Melody
2006.03.25
|
Throw Cold Water On
|
| Q |
Throw cold water on 癸尖Τ玱煎憾荐薄ノ┮硂Θ粂琌ボ苯砍ゴ├繷種
ㄥㄒ:
》 I'm sorry to throw cold water on the subject; but excuse me.
》 Concerns about bird flu threw cold water on Ruth's plans to visit Thailand.
》 A: When are you leaving for your business trip to Las Vegas?
B: I'm not. My boss threw cold water on the trip when he found out how much it would cost.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
и好拜
疭眏秸猔種 throw cold water on 琌钡ㄆ薄┪璸礶ぃ钡
琌ぐ或 Dr.eye ㄒ琌 Don't allow them to throw cold water on you.
|
| A |
Hi, Melody,
Sometimes some things cannot be explained!
- John
[]
|
Queenie
2006.03.24
|
Learning English in High School 中学生英语
|
| Q |
I am g hight school student all of my subjects are well ,but I have some problems about how to improve my English ?Can you help me ?
|
| A |
Hi, Queenie,
You have one advantage: you still have time. One very important thing you must do: listen to English a lot.- John
[mp3]
|
Tom q.tian
2006.03.22
|
Oral English 英语口语
|
| Q |
I eager to improve my oral English ,but I did't have this chance .I have worked in a company which create PC and our coustom come from all over the world ,in my work ,I write English e-mail .but I didn't speak english to my coustom .how I can improve my oral English? thanks a lot
|
| A |
Hi, Tom q.tian,
Do you do as we suggest - listen to the stories and read along aloud?- John
[mp3]
|
youbabanan
2006.03.22
|
Differences 不同之处
|
| Q |
中外学生学习英语的不同之处在哪?
|
| A |
Hi, youbabanan,
One main difference: students living in English-speaking countries are immersed in English all day long. Another difference: they read a lot.- John
[mp3]
|
2006.03.21
|
Primary School English Teacher 小学英语老师
|
| Q |
Hello:John Doe
I'm a English teacher in the 小学
|
| A |
You have a noble profession of educating tomorrow's leaders! - John
[mp3]
|
363601
2006.03.21
|
Building Vocabulary 记单词
|
| Q |
我都不知道从哪学起 啊,单词都记不住,怎么办啊??
|
| A |
Hi, 363601,
How do you learn new words?- John
[]
|
rachael
2006.03.21
|
Listening and Oral English 英语口语
|
| Q |
my name is rachael and i am a freshmen. now i have some trouble in listening and oral english. by the way i am a english major. can you give some suggestion to me ?
|
| A |
Hi, rachael,
What do you do to practice?- John
[]
|
flx
2006.03.21
|
How
|
| Q |
how to improve english listening
|
| A |
Hi, flx,
Practice, practice, practice!- John
[]
|
听众
2006.03.20
|
Method 英语学习方法
|
| Q |
你好，我有各愿望就是出国学好英语，可是怎么也学不好，老师说是学习方法不好，可我怎么也想不出好的方法，请你帮助我，谢谢了
|
| A |
Hi, 听众,
What is the method that you are using? What do you do to practice?- John
[mp3]
|
Wutianle
2006.03.20
|
Sayings
|
| Q |
Dear John,
On Jan. 18, I asked you about the meaning of "to do is to be & to be is to do".I found the sentence printed on a T-shirt in a TV serial. There is no context at all. Sometimes it is harder to understand sentences made up of simple words.
|
| A |
Hi, Wutianle,
Sometimes sayings like that are not easy to interpret / explain.- John
[mp3]
|
Jessica
2006.03.20
|
Practice Through Chatting 网上聊天学英语
|
| Q |
您好：
哪里可以找到一个母语是英语的外国朋友书信，或是网上聊天呢？我觉得这样可以交流得更多，也可以提高各方面的英语能力。谢谢！
|
| A |
Hi, Jessica,
Yes, it is a good way to practice. We hope to offer that some day.- John
[mp3]
|
lv
2006.03.18
|
New Friend
|
| Q |
i find this web today!i think it very well! thanks for John Doe teather!
|
| A |
Hi, lv,
Welcome! Come visit us often and tell your friends about this website.- John
[]
|
LILY
2006.03.17
|
Make the Most of It 好好把握机会
|
| Q |
你好,我现在是一名大学生,我的学校是的全英文教学,可是我的口语一直提不上来,该该怎么办
|
| A |
Hi, LILY,
You have a wonderful opportunity to become totally fluent in English! Do you speak in English with other students? Keep practicing. Keep at it and don't give up! The first six months are the hardest.- John
[mp3]
|
lily
2006.03.17
|
Can Hear, Can't Speak 听的懂说不出
|
| Q |
你好,我现在要参加英语比赛,可是我的口语不好,我基本上能听的懂,但说不出来,怎么办
|
| A |
Hi, lily,
Try this: read one of our stories and read along aloud three times everyday for two months.- John
[mp3]
|
cc
2006.03.16
|
Pen Friend 笔友
|
| Q |
hi,my name is cc ,now i want to have a penfriend (a foreigner)who can use e-mail ,because i hope he or she can communicate with me on line.I believe you can help me solve this problem.thanks!my e-mail address is *****@163.com
|
| A |
Hi, cc,
We also would like to introduce pen friends to our visitors so that you practice English. However, we are not ready to do so yet.- John
[mp3]
|
自由风
2006.03.16
|
DIY Study 自学英语
|
| Q |
现在我在自学英语,所以感觉特别吃力,语音掌握不好,读起来特别不顺畅,老师您能指点一下么
|
| A |
Hi, 自由风,
It is more difficult to study English on your own. It takes a lot more self-discipline. Also, without a teacher, it is harder. But it is not impossible. Listening is very important in learning a language; so listen a lot, and if you can, watch English programs as well. Practicing is also very important.- John
[mp3]
|
help
2006.03.15
|
Overcoming Fear of Speaking English 克服不敢开口说英语
|
| Q |
你好，我是一名在校大学生，感觉每天都在学英语，读英语读物，可是总感觉没有进步，这次有幸可以参加四级口语考试，却没有信心，不敢开口说，我应该怎样练习口语阿
|
| A |
Hi, help,
Not having the courage to speak is a common problem. One good way of overcoming it is to learn an English drama with others. That way you will have a chance to practice and also become familiar with some of the common phrases.- John
[mp3]
|
read
2006.03.13
|
Improving Written English 英语书写
|
| Q |
HI I am a colleage .but I my writing english is too bad.can you give me some real advice? thank you
|
| A |
Hi, read,
Congratulations! You asked your question in English! That is a good first step.Here are two pieces of advice: 1. Listen to English more.
2. When you learn an English word, don't just learn the meaning in Chinese. Learn how it is used in a sentence. - John
[mp3]
|
Alenxadra
2006.03.13
|
Crash Course on Listening 饿补听力
|
| Q |
Dear John Doe:
您好！我是一个大学一年级的学生。现在正在准备今年六月分的英语四级考试。但因时间有限，希望您能给我提一些复习的建议。另外，我的听力不是很好，想在这段时间能够饿补听力，不知在网上该如何下载英语听力，望您能给予指导！
|
| A |
Hi, Alenxadra,
This is probably a little late for you, but for anyone who really wants to improve his listening in a very short time, here is the way: listen to English non-stop for a few hours everyday.- John
[mp3]
|
2006.03.13
|
Energy Saver
|
| Q |
ENERGY SAVER是什么意思
|
| A |
Energy saver is anything that saves energy. - John
[]
|
Rose
2006.03.12
|
To Speak Fluent English 说一口流利英语
|
| Q |
我的英语考的还不错，但是口语不好句子读的不标准，语法不太牢固，我想说一口流利的英语，What should l do ?
|
| A |
Hi, Rose,
Listening is very important if you want to be fluent, so you should listen a lot, and speak a lot.- John
[mp3]
|
山
2006.03.11
|
Bilingual Answers 中英对照回答问题
|
| Q |
有问有答在用英语回答问题时,能同时提供中文对照吗?
|
| A |
Hi, 山,
This is one more opportunity for English learners to practice English. If there were Chinese translations, they are what you would read first and you would depend on that.- John
[mp3]
|
魏霞
2006.03.10
|
Where to Start 从何学起
|
| Q |
你好,我是一个毫不懂英语的人,现在想重新学英语,但不知从何学起,请指点迷津!
|
| A |
Hi, 魏霞,
You should start with the alphabets - ABCD... Then you should learn some basic tenses and words. Reading children English books will be good because they have pictures.- John
[]
|
Sarah
2006.03.10
|
Oral English a Problem
|
| Q |
Hi, John
I came Canada about eight months ago. At the beginning, I feel my listening is my big problem. However, recently,I found my oral english becomes my big problem. Do you know the reason?
|
| A |
Hi,Sarah,
It is hard to say exactly what the reason is. Perhaps you did not have a chance to know that you had a problem in oral English because you did not understand others well enough to converse with them before. Now that you can understand them better and want to express yourself, you realize the problem.
- John
[mp3]
|
娟
2006.03.08
|
Learning English as a Junior High Graduate 初中毕业学英语
|
| Q |
我不知道怎么说我是一个想学的人我初中毕业就打工了现在好想学英语但我不知道怎么开始能告诉我吗
|
| A |
Hi, 娟,
It is good to want to improve your English. 1. Set yourself a schedule. For example, decide that you will study English everyday for an hour after dinner.
2. Use material that is suitable for your level.
3. Practice listening and speaking.
4. Find friends who also want to improve their English. Help and encourage one another. - John
[mp3]
|
Charity
2006.03.08
|
Improving Listening Skills 加强听力
|
| Q |
你好，我的听力不行，6级考试这里失分，我准备加强，买MP3但我不知道那些网站有供下载的好内容？哪些适合我？恳请你的帮助！谢谢！
|
| A |
Hi, Charity,
We have many mp3 files for download. If you don't think they are enough, I'm sure you can find more through search engines. Start with those that you can follow. When you have listened to them enough and feel that they are not difficult, then get something harder.- John
[mp3]
|
xilei
2006.03.07
|
Learning English On Business Trips 出差学英语
|
| Q |
您好老师！我现在参加工作了。可是非常渴望学好英语能说能写。但是我的工作性质是经常在出差。很高兴一是很有缘分在这里认识您！所以向您请教，我该怎么去做， 我想您懂汉语的吧！好羡慕你啊，能精通几过语言！
|
| A |
Hi, xilei,
Since you are working already, perhaps you can afford investing in an mp3 player. If you can read and listen and also follow along reading aloud, it will help you improve your English. Almost all of our columns and stories have both the text and the audio for that purpose.- John
[mp3]
|
2006.03.07
|
Children's English Books
|
| Q |
Do we have any Children's English Book (about 3 years old)?
|
| A |
Sorry, we don't. - John
[]
|
大老虎
2006.03.06
|
英语基础 Foundation
|
| Q |
John 老师：你好！
我就读于一所体育大学，每天会去训练，我很想提高我的英语，但是不知道有什么方法？我的基础很差很差！能提几点建议吗？谢谢！！！
|
| A |
Hi, 大老虎,
Since you know that you don't have a good foundation, that is a good place to start. For Chinese students, perhaps the tenses are the basics to get a good grasp of first. e.g. I am. She is. He is. They are. We are. I know. He knows. She knows. They know. We know. It is easier to do that if you involve three of your senses: hearing, speaking, and seeing.- John
[mp3]
|
moon
2006.03.06
|
Phonetics 单词音标
|
| Q |
你好！
我是一个很喜欢英语的人因为很久没有学也没有说对于单词音标很莫生
|
| A |
Hi, moon,
Phonetics is useful but one does not have to know it to learn English especially since you can find the pronunciations in audio on the internet. Nevertheless, it is good to have it for reference.- John
[mp3]
|
czhui
2006.03.04
|
"In That" & "Now That"
|
| Q |
请问在引导状语从句时"in that" "now that"有什么区别!Thanks!
|
| A |
Hi, czhui,
"In that" and "now that" are quite different. "Now that" has a time element. It is usually used when something has changed. For example, a mother can say to her son who has started going to high school, "Now that you are in high school, you need to be more responsible." Another example: "Now that you have money, you should pay me back what you borrowed.""In that" is usually used to explain something further. For example: "The two countries are different in that one allows you to own guns, and the other doesn't." - John
[mp3]
|
Ellie
2006.03.04
|
Oral English 英语囗语
|
| Q |
My oral Englisn is very poor,and as an Englisn major that is very terrible!So I want to change everything.
But I am a shy girl and sometimes I don't know what to
say.Please help me!
|
| A |
Hi, Ellie,
Your written English is good! I would suggest that you get together with some friends in your class to practice together. You can find some ideas for practicing on our website.One comment: you should always put at least one space after the period (full stop) or at the end of a sentence when you write in English. Let me know how it goes with your oral English. I think you will do well. - John
[mp3]
|
叶子
2006.03.03
|
Learning New Words 背单词
|
| Q |
我背单词很慢，而且还很容易忘，请问有什么好方法吗？谢谢！
|
| A |
Hi, 叶子,
To effectively learn new words, you should always learn them in context and use them in sentences.- John
[mp3]
|
Paul
2006.03.01
|
Reference Book
|
| Q |
Hi,John.
would you like to give me some way to practise listening English and spoken English?
(reference book)
|
| A |
Hi, Paul,
Sorry, I cannot help you with that.- John
[]
|
Chui King
2006.03.01
|
No Answer to Questions 回答问题
|
| Q |
Hi John,
My name is chui. How do you do? I have send a question for few year months ago, but I didn't find the answer here.
May God bless you and a nice day.
|
| A |
Hi, Chui King,
I'm very sorry. There are so many questions but there is not enough time to answer. Please pray that God will send us more people to help.- John
[mp3]
|
Baron
2006.03.01
|
Cloud?
|
| Q |
Hello,John doe teacher,I am very luck I can ask you about my questions,as follows:
I read about others,In the reading I got to know about myself,this is what cloud clears up,what appears on the surface unfold its depth.
What does the word "cloud" mean? Is it a verb or noum?thank you very much.
|
| A |
Hi, Baron,
"Cloud" is used as a noun here. However the sentence is not very English.- John
[mp3]
|
霞霞
2006.02.28
|
Improving in English 学好英语
|
| Q |
你好,我还是听不懂,感怎么办呢?英语水平还不如一个小学生呢?听的头还疼呢,我很想学好英语,我该怎么办呢?
|
| A |
Hi, 霞霞,
What are you listening to in our website? The mini-stories? On the average, how many words do you not know in each story? Do you understand the stories when you read them?- John
[mp3]
|
雪人
2006.02.28
|
Speaking in English 下意识说英语
|
| Q |
为什么我在想说英语的时候总是下意识的挨个嘣单词，根本想不想语法的问题，如何能在说英语时下意识的在说时自然的用到语法呢。谢谢
|
| A |
Hi, 雪人,
I think you need to learn more phrases so that you can speak in English more "naturally".- John
[mp3]
|
smiley
2006.02.26
|
Reciting Articles 背诵文章
|
| Q |
hello, John Doe, what do you think about reciting article as a means of learning enlish? some people advise me to dictate the tape record,but i have no much time on it. so i want to recite native enlish articles. if you think good, what better materials will you recommend?thanks a lot!
|
| A |
Hi, smiley,
Generally I don't advise people to recite because it takes a lot of time to memorize an article verbatim. You can use the same time to listen more and read more. I think it is useful to read articles aloud especially if you read each many times. Try this: read a short story aloud and read it like telling the story to little children. In fact read it to children. You can use the mini-stories we have on this website.- John
[mp3]
|
sha sha
2006.02.25
|
Translation 翻译
|
| Q |
翻译let me inside make me stay right beside you
|
| A |
Hi, sha sha,
Is it from a song? Can you try translating it first?- John
[mp3]
|
xiaomei
2006.02.25
|
Improvement in English 英语强化班
|
| Q |
我是成教学校的一名学生，我的英语底子弱，我想学好英语并能很好的说出，想上英语强化班会有效果吗？
|
| A |
Hi, xiaomei,
Since I don't know what is taught in that course, I cannot comment on how effective it will be. One thing I know: you need to practice a lot, including writing, listening, and speaking. So if you have to do a lot of those things in the course, it will be helpful to you.- John
[mp3]
|
关于听力材料的选择
2006.02.24
|
Preparing for CET4 选择英语四级考试练习材料
|
| Q |
我想通过英语四级考试，可我的听力水平不太好，我想练习，可又不知道什么材料适合我。是不是只要不管什么材料，多听就行啊？
|
| A |
Hi,
You need to start with listening material that is at your level. Hence start with something that does not have too many words you don't know and at a speed that you can follow. After you have mastered that, you can go to something more advanced. This way you can build up your listening skill and also your vocabulary.- John
[mp3]
|
LaoLuo
2006.02.23
|
Interview in English 求职面谈英语
|
| Q |
hi,John
I want to apply for a foreign joint company ,but i always fail in the interview,because my oral english is poor,Do you tell me how i can suceed in a interview?
and how to improve my english listen and speak in a short time ? i could have two hours to learn english every day,but i am 38 years old ,Do you think it possible?
|
| A |
Hi, LaoLuo,
When you are under stress in an interview situation, it is even harder to do well. So you need to be used to speaking in English in order to do well in an interview. I think if you spend two hours everyday to learn English, even if you are 38 years old, you can improve. What do you do to practice English?- John
[mp3]
|
欧阳鑫/kitty
2006.02.21
|
Preparing for CET4 英语4级备战
|
| Q |
Jone Doe老师:你好!我是大学校园的一名学生,正准备要考英语4级,感觉在大学虽然过了一年多了，但是感觉好象并没有怎么认真学习过.所以现在感觉很迷茫,不知道该怎么备战考试,所以诚恳的希望老师能给点指导,在下不胜感激.
|
| A |
Hi, 欧阳鑫/kitty,
Self-discipline is important in learning. I think the first thing you need to do is to set a schedule for yourself so that you always spend time learning and practicing English everyday. The second thing will be to decide on what to do to practice. Do you have any idea what you should do? Get some advice from your English teacher. - John
[mp3]
|
Annie
2006.02.21
|
Business English 商务英語
|
| Q |
Hi,John:
How are you doing? I knew you from your program. I like your voice which you speak English. Let me tell you something about myself. I am Annie and working at the WFOE in Beijing, I am an accountant. My boss is a foreigner, so I have to speak English when I discuss something with him. But it is difficult for me to express my mind correctly as you know. Though I can speak a little bit English, my hearing is poor. Could you give me some advice about how to improve my hearing? I like your program very much, but why not is download your dialog in mp3? I am looking forward to your answer.
Additional: How to improve my english level ASAP? I frequently feel some stress in my work process. Thanks for your help.
|
| A |
Hi, Annie,
You have a wonderful environment for improving your English. Make every opportunity to listen to English. If you have access to English TV drama, it will be good to watch that as well - as long as the content is healthy. It will be good to learn more terms often used in business also so that when you listen, you don't have to try to remember the meaning of a word but know it already.We do hope to offer our program in mp3 soon when we get more resources. Does your boss speak American English or is he from some other region? - John
[mp3]
|
Naisy
2006.02.21
|
CET6 英语六级
|
| Q |
I am a university student,and I have past CET6,but my oral English is still poor,I don't why ?
|
| A |
Hi, Naisy,
It is common that someone who has passed the CET4 or CET6 and still has difficulties with oral English. When you studied for the test, you studied to pass, and probably focused on that rather than learning English! But you have a good foundation to build on and improve on.- John
[mp3]
|
Xiao Diao
2006.02.19
|
Improving Spoken English 英語口语
|
| Q |
Dear Mr Doe:
My spoken english is very poor. Could you tell me how to do it. Please accept my thanks.
|
| A |
Hi, Xiao Diao,
Listen a lot and speak a lot! Read English books aloud. Practice with a friend.- John
[mp3]
|
Angel
2006.02.17
|
Building Up Vocabulary 扩大词汇
|
| Q |
Hi,I am the gread one student in university.I like to learn english but i find it is hard to study it well .I have many difficulty in remember new words and listening.I have try to spend more time in them,but after few days i forggot them at all!What can I do~~???
|
| A |
Hi, Angel,
To remember the new words, the best way is to use them yourself in writing or speaking.- John
[mp3]
|
alice
2006.02.15
|
Greeting 问候
|
| Q |
how are you?
|
| A |
I'm fine. Thank you! - John
[]
|
rena
2006.02.13
|
Improving in English 提高英文水平
|
| Q |
John Doe老师你好！
我想现在学好英语，但我不知道如何开始，现在我有每天记一些日常用语，且高中也有一点单词基础。但现在想加深提高英文水平，我不知道如何下手。
|
| A |
Hi, rena,
Start with listening to English at a speed that you can understand, and reading English material that is at your level, and also writing a diary.- John
[mp3]
|
tingting
2006.02.13
|
Listening 听力
|
| Q |
dear teacher:i am a self-taught student.i have spent five years on finishing my english,but my listening level isnot very good,i have failed twice since i started to learning.so it is the biggest problem for me.this year i will have a listening exam in Xi'an in June,so i am afraid of that i will fail again.could you suggest me? every day i listen to the radio,mp3 and other methods to practise my listening level,but while i am listening to the passage,i will nervous so that some of words i have ever known aren't reminded.
there is three months be remained,what can i do for it?
|
| A |
Hi, tinging,
Sorry for my late reply. Listening is always the hardest. That's why I always encourage students to listen a lot and also read aloud when reading in English so that you will hear it yourself as well.- John
[mp3]
|
nannan
2006.02.11
|
Learning English in Middle School 中学生学英语
|
| Q |
i'm a middle school student.My english is so so.i want to learn it well,but what should i do.
|
| A |
Hi, nannan,
You must have worked hard in learning English. Your English is quite good. To learn more, you should read more and read it aloud.- John
[mp3]
|
2006.02.11
|
Bilingual Mini-Stories 中英对照小故事
|
| Q |
能不能把小故事做成中英对照的,然后加上MP3,这样最好了,谢谢老师!
|
| A |
Actually you can learn best if you don't use bilingual material. - John
[mp3]
|
燕子
2006.02.09
|
Learning On the Job 实践
|
| Q |
JOHN老师，我想学英语！虽然我是外贸中专毕业的，但总是按课本学英语，很少实践过！如今，我三年毕业了，面临工作——与外商交易，我都说不出来~我该怎么办呢？？我真的很想学好，毕竟我是中专毕业的，比不上大学或大专的人，所以我更应该加倍学习~你可以帮帮我吗？
一个伤心苦恼的女孩
|
| A |
Hi, 燕子,
You have great incentive to learn and you want to learn. And you have an environment to let you know what you should learn first - talking with foreign business clients. So start with the most common and basic things that they would say - like meeting them, general "chitchat". One does not have to be a university graduate to learn English. Just think about all the little kids in foreign countries who know English! You can do it!
- John
[mp3]
|
SL
2006.02.09
|
Knight in Shining Armor 白马
|
| Q |
what is the meaning of "ride a white horse" ,such as:
'I welcome the premier to ride in on his white horse and save us,' Moscoe says (from :http://www.thestar.com/NASApp /cs/ContentServer? pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article &cid=1139396515672&call_pageid=968332188492 &col=968793972154 )
thanks.
|
| A |
Hi, SL,
There is a common saying (that probably came from a fairly tale) that a knight in shining armor riding on a white horse rescues a beautiful girl / princess. So the author is using this to imply that it is just a fairy tale that the permier can save the people.- John
[mp3]
|
吴明
2006.02.08
|
How to say - 想你怎么说
|
| Q |
我想知道.想你.怎么说?
|
| A |
Hi, 吴明,
You can either say, "I miss you" or "I have been thinking about you."- John
[mp3]
|
何金芳
2006.02.07
|
Building Vocabulary 增大词汇
|
| Q |
你好,John Doe老师
我非常喜欢英语，可是我的词汇量少，单词记不住。更不用说语法了。但是也跟试着跟外国人交流过，也只会讲一点日常上常用的语句，但自我感觉对语言很敏感。你觉得用什么方法能比较轻松的记好单词，我现在只希望自己会说就很好啦。
|
| A |
Hi, 何金芳,
It is good that you talk with English speakers. That is the best way to learn and improve. It is usually easier to learn words when you can associate them with something. It also helps if you use the word as you are learning it. - John
[mp3]
|
louisa
2006.02.07
|
Reading 阅读
|
| Q |
Dear John Doe,i'm a senior high school student,and always don't have much time to learn English.Having English class is not enough for me ,and I want to learn more.I like reading .However,I have to save time.If I read them carefully ,I can only read a little.And when I want to read more,I don't have time to read them carefully.Well,this problem troubles me a lot.Can you help me?
|
| A |
Hi, louisa,
I can see your point. I think that you should read carefully. In fact I would suggest that you read it aloud so that you hear it which reinforces your learning the language.- John
[mp3]
|
smiley
2006.02.04
|
CET6 大學英語六級考試
|
| Q |
what do you think of CET6 examination? i can understand to some exent the most idea of the listening part of the exam but unforunately i can not choose the answer correctly, i feel frustrated by that.how to further improve listening comprehnsion?( i have passed cet6)
|
| A |
Hi, smiley,
The CET6 exam is not an easy one. I think what makes it more difficult is that you have to know what is implied by the conversations. To do well in it, you have to know the vocabulary and also what the speakers mean. But just like learning English in general, it requires a lot of practice. If you get some answers wrong when you practice, you should find out why your answer is wrong so that you can learn from your mistakes.- John
[mp3]
|
unlucky
2006.02.03
|
Learning English
|
| Q |
你以后回答问题可不可以用中文呢？我只是一个15岁的小男孩，根本就看不懂
|
| A |
Hi, unlucky,
Sorry, the best way to learn English is to use it a lot - this is a chance to do that.- John
[mp3]
|
冥
2006.02.02
|
How to learn to talk like native speakers
|
| Q |
怎样练地道英式英语
|
| A |
Hi,冥,
To speak like native speakers, you have to listen to them a lot and practice a lot.- John
[mp3]
|
2006.02.01
|
Much Too vs Too Much
|
| Q |
JohnDoe老师,我想问一问much too与too much的区别．
|
| A |
Good Question! "Too much" means more than enough.
e.g. 1. We have too much homework.
2. We are spending too much time on this.
3. We ate too much and got sick."Much too" is used when you want to add emphasis to the "too xxxx".
e.g. NORMAL: He is too sleepy to study.
EMPHASIZED: He is much too sleepy to study.
NORMAL: She is too busy to take a vacation.
EMPHASIZED: She is much too busy to take a vacation.
NORMAL: Chinese is too hard to learn in one month.
EMPHASIZED: Chinese is much too hard to learn in one month. - John
[mp3]
|
2006.02.01
|
Don't Need and Needn't
|
| Q |
Dear John Doe 老师,
Could you tell me something differenz between "don't need" and "needn't"? for example,I don't know the differenz between "I don't need to say who I am" and "I needn't say who I am". Are they identic?
regards
Mee
|
| A |
Hi, Mee,
Yes, they are generally the same. However, in some countries, most people don't say "needn't". They just say "don't need" or "need not".- John
[mp3]
|
john
2006.01.28
|
Learn Together
|
| Q |
I think it's a good place for every who likes study english,I am so glad when I know it ,let's go together to help others to study english
|
| A |
Hi, John,
Yes, learning together is a great way to do it!- John
[mp3]
|
Felicia
2006.01.31
|
Things to Talk About
|
| Q |
Hello ,John Doe
I am a univercity student,and I am a English major.I like English very much,but when i was in class,I don't have enough confidence to stand up and impress myself.When in oral English class,I don't know what to talk with our foreign English teacher,but one of my good friend in class often speaks with him,make me feel unconfidence,I am afraid,how to change it?Can you help me? Thank you .
|
| A |
Hi, Felicia,
It will be good for you to think of a list of questions that you can ask your foreign English teacher. Come back and share with the others here. Asking questions is also good for boosting your confidence because you just need to ask questions and then listen.- John
[mp3]
|
Dei Huai
2006.01.31
|
Speaking to Westerners
|
| Q |
dear John Doe;
My english is very poor,I am nevous espeous when speak to forinrer.
How to inprove Enlish?
|
| A |
Hi, Dei Huai,
There are a few basic topics to talk about when you speak with someone who is not from your city or country. Can you think of them?- John
[mp3]
|
Jane
2006.01.27
|
Material for a Paper
|
| Q |
My name is Jane.I would like some material on how to improve the aural ability. Because I'm writing a paper on it.Could you kind enough to give me a hand?
|
| A |
Hi, Jane,
I am sorry, Jane. We don't have much of that. The best place to look will be on the internet.- John
[]
|
Sand
2006.01.26
|
Learning New Words
|
| Q |
Dear,
I am Sand,I learn English for a long time.And when I try to learning a new English word,I always can not remmenber the meaning.What can I do?
Yours,
Sand
|
| A |
Hi, Sand,
Do you try to use the words you are learning - for instance: composing a sentense with it? If you don't use it, you lose it!- John
[mp3]
|
Unique
2006.01.25
|
Understanding
|
| Q |
hello John:
I'm a high school student,in my spear time ,I'd like to listen to some English songs.But I feel it hard to understand,eventhough I have learned the words.It is the liaison that made me puzzled i think! I know that i must listen more ,besides, what to do ?
I'm looking forward to you reply!!!
|
| A |
Hi, Unique,
I am not quite sure what you meant by liaison. Nevertheless, some songs are hard to understand because they may have poetic lyrics. So listening to songs to learn English may not be the best way to do it unless the song is written in plain, everyday English.- John
[mp3]
|
Angela
2006.01.25
|
Improving Oral English
|
| Q |
hello John:i am grade 1 in college.My major is ENGLISH.but my oral englishi are not very good for befor i went to university i have been studying in our hometown,oral english isnot point in our school.can you tell me hao to improve my oral english .thank you !
|
| A |
Hi, Angela,
To improve your oral English, the most effective way is to listen to native English speakers more.- John
[mp3]
|
dog
2006.01.21
|
How to Improve
|
| Q |
dear john :我的英语一向不太好，从初中一直到高中，现在我是高一的学生，面临着英语的危机－次次都不合格，我的高考很成问题。我尝试很多方法，但是都很难提高。我真不知道我该怎么办？你能帮帮我吗？谢谢！
|
| A |
Hi, dog,
In order to help you, I need to know how much time you spend everyday in practicing English and also what you do to practice. I also need to see something you have written in English.- John
[mp3]
|
龚润京
2006.01.21
|
Download mp3
|
| Q |
你们的这种节目可以用MP3下载吗?
我很想学好英语但是今天记的单词明天就会忘记了?
你们的这种的这种让人们练习口语非常有用,可不可以让我们用MP3下载且随身听,这样我们可以利用很有限的时间来学习英语
|
| A |
Hi,龚润京,
Most of the audio files here on this website are in mp3 format that you can download. The link is usually at the bottom of the text.- John
[mp3]
|
Miranda
2006.01.21
|
Improving Spelling
|
| Q |
Hi,John
I'm a new graduate and only starting my career in a multinational company for several monthes.I'm totally a green hand.You known English is absolutly critical in such a company,communicating with foreign colleges,senting emails,making reports......we have to use english every day.But my poor english spelling always make me embarrased.Would you give me some tips to memorize the spelling of words?
Sincerely
Yours Miranda
|
| A |
Hi, Miranda,
There are a few ways to improve your spelling. One of them you probably know: memorizing. Another method which is probably more effective: phonics. You can either find some books on the topic or do a search on line for information on it.- John
[mp3]
|
sturgeon
2006.01.20
|
Face the Music
|
| Q |
Hi John Doe.What does the phrase"push the buttons"and " face the music" mean?I really want to know it.Thank you.
|
| A |
Hi, sturgeon,
"Push the buttons" does not have any special meaning that I know of. In other words, the phrase is not an idiom. To "face the music" can mean facing the consequences. e.g. Having been caught cheating in the examination, he had to go to the headmaster's office to face the music.- John
[mp3]
|
cindy
2006.01.20
|
Penfriend
|
| Q |
hi,john
I want to find a friend,he must be a foreigner,can you help me .thank you very much!
E-mail:*****@sina.com
|
| A |
Hi, cindy,
I assume that you were asking about getting a penfriend. Unfortunately we cannot help you yet. Maybe later.- John
[mp3]
|
Chen
2006.01.20
|
How Long Should One Practice
|
| Q |
Question...How long should I spend to improve my speech in English everyday?
|
| A |
Hi, Chen,
That is hard to say. The longer you spend each day, the faster you will improve.- John
[mp3]
|
紫水晶
2006.01.20
|
Grammar or Speaking
|
| Q |
nice to meet you Mr jone,i am a learner of English ,so i can not improve my english fast ,allow me to ask you a question please,how could i improve my english speaking,snd listenning well? if i want to pass the public exam ,which is more important,grammar or speaking
|
| A |
Hi,紫水晶,
It is hard to say which is more important for passing the public exam, but since grammar is probably more important in more sections of the exam, so perhaps grammar is more important.- John
[mp3]
|
售貨員
2006.01.20
|
English Phrases for Shopkeeper
|
| Q |
請問推銷貨品或食品時的 "請隨便看","要不要嚐一嚐"英文怎說,另外"咸魚""肉鬆""椰絲"英文又怎說??
~多謝解答~
|
| A |
Hi, 售貨員,
1. 請隨便看 - Usually shopkeepers or sales people at a store don't tell people to look around. So instead of saying that, you can say, "Is there anything I can help you find?" If the customer says no, then you can say, "Just let me know if you need any help."2. 要不要嚐一嚐 - You can say, "Would you like to try it?" For the English translation of the rest of the items, you can find them in a dictionary. - John
[mp3]
|
Irene
2006.01.19
|
Thank You
|
| Q |
Have you got cold,Mr John? Have you got better now？Abby spoke Chinese is too more than English,I hope what she spoke in Chinese also speak again in English.I like this program,like both John and Abby's voice,that is very nice.Thanks for your teaching.
|
| A |
Hi, Irene,
Thank you so much for your concern. Yes, I am much better now. Thank you for your suggestions. I hope our program is beneficial to you.- John
[mp3]
|
Chen
2006.01.18
|
Living In English Environment
|
| Q |
Hey, John Doe.I have been in US one year ago, though my speech is really low... I'v try to put extra effort in it..but doesn't make it better, how can I get better in the speech and writing ..
|
| A |
Hi, Chen,
Do you mean that you have been in US for one year and are still there? If you are, then my question is: how often do you speak with Americans? What have you done in your effort to learn English?- John
[mp3]
|
中学生
2006.01.16
|
Middle School English
|
| Q |
我是一名中学生，我的基础很差如何才能提高？请您结合中学生谈一下。
|
| A |
Hi,中学生,
The topic you asked about is quite broad. So I can only make some general comments.If in primary school you did not build a good foundation in English (e.g. grammar and basic vocabulary), middle school is the time that you must get those things accomplished. Otherwise, it is quite difficult to make significant progress in university. So my advice to you is to get a good handle on those two things. - John
[]
|
Candy
2006.01.16
|
Meaning of "give me another reason"
|
| Q |
请问：give me another reason 是谚语吗？是什么意思啊？
|
| A |
Hi, Candy,
No, it is not a proverb. It is usually said after someone has given a reason for something, but the hearer is not satisfied, and hence asks for another reason. So it has the implied meaning that the previous reason(s) is not good enough.- John
[]
|
Lang
2006.01.12
|
Little Steps in Communicating in English
|
| Q |
im an undergraduate student ,but how to communicate with others in English is still a big problem .There are many foreignors in my campus .
i found it difficult to courage myself to speak to them when we walk face to face although i really desire to do this .Do u have some good ideas to help me ?Thank u.
|
| A |
Hi, Lang,
I can see your difficulty. Here are some suggestions:1. Make it your goal to ask 10 foreign guests the following: "Can you tell me what time it is?" 2. After you have done number 1, make up a survey containing 3 questions and conduct the survey with 30 foreign guests you see. The survey can be on their favorite Chinese food, their favorite foreign food, and the food they miss the most. Be sure to let me know how it goes. When you do, I will tell you other things to do to give you more opportunities to speak with foreign guests you see on campus. - John
[]
|
tigerwong
2006.01.12
|
Preparing for IELTS
|
| Q |
can you tell me how to train myself a good writer to pass IELTS ? thax!
|
| A |
Hi, tigerwong,
According to the official website of IELTS,
there are two types of writing tests - general and academic.
I assume that you are talking about the academic one.
There are two tasks involved in the academic writing test.
The first one requires you to write about some data given to you in graphic
form (e.g. chart or graph).
Here is what I think you need to do to train yourself:
Firstly, since the graphic information could be in one of five forms (line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts, tables, or process digrams),
you first need to be familiar with how to read and interpret them yourself.
Otherwise, you will not be able to describe it, or will waste too much time
trying to understand it, since 20 minutes is quite short for this task.
Secondly, you should learn and get familiar with terms for describing these kinds of graphs and charts,
and ways to describe what you see.
Thirdly, find some charts and practice writing.
For the second task in the writing test, you need to write a short essay on a topic based on your own knowledge,
experience and ideas. Here you will need to present your argument. It requires
a logical presentation supported with examples and evidence.
Since it is a test of your English more than a test of what you know,
you should first learn the different ways and common phrases used in writing an argument,
and also the different ways to agree with or refute a statement. However,
before you can write about a statement, you first have to understand it.
For example, the following words are used in the example given in the IELTS website:
incompatible, and inevitable. Do you know them without looking in a dictionary? - John
[mp3]
|
沙诺
2006.01.11
|
Instant Messaging
|
| Q |
我希望通过MSN 聊天来提高水平，你认为呢？
|
| A |
Hi,沙诺,
I think that can help. However, you need to do it with people who have good English and know that you are practicing. Otherwise sometimes people are not very careful with grammar when they chat on line.
- John
[]
|
天
2006.01.12
|
Reading Story Books
|
| Q |
老師,你好!我的英文不好,尤其在听力方面,有什么方法是最好的提高听力水平.我很喜愛看故事書,有什麼方法看書会有效率!
|
| A |
Hi,天,
In our stories section, we have made a suggestion on how to use the material. So read that and follow the directions. Listening to our stories while reading along will help you. Start with simple stories - our "mini-stories". When you are reading a story on your own, don't just read with your eyes, read aloud with your mouth as well so that you can hear it yourself. Look up in a dictionary important words that you don't know. Write them down in a notebook including how it is used in the story you are reading. Review regularly. - John
[mp3]
|
Chris
2006.01.10
|
Oral Comprehension
|
| Q |
Dear John,
I met a problem that I couldn't fully understand what my colleague(he is a foreigner) talking about. I am annoying about this. Also, I am hard to consist a good sentense when I talk to him. Is it any method that could improve my oral, listening & grammer skills? Pls advise. Thanks!
Best Regards,
Chris
|
| A |
Hi, Chris,
I think you need to first analyse which is more of the problem: the speed, the vocabulary, or the accent. Nevertheless, it is important to practice and practice and practice. Since you have a colleague to practice with, take advantage of the opportunity.
This will help you both in listening and speaking. As for improving your grammar, you need to learn how to properly express what you want to say. For example, you should say: "it is hard for me to..." instead of "I am hard to..." And instead of saying "Is it any method that could imporve my oral, listening & grammar skills?", here are some ways to say it:
1. Is there any method that could help me improve my grammar, oral, and listening skills?
2. How can I improve my grammar, oral, and listening skills? - John
[mp3]
|
wang yu hai
2006.01.10
|
Listening Like a Native
|
| Q |
according your teaching experience,how long can one listin to english as a native lanuage,a friend of mine perhaps it need 4000 houres at least ,it's true
|
| A |
Hi, wang yu hai,
I actually don't have enough experience to know. One thing I know however, if you already have a good English foundation, it takes about 6 months to be fluent if you are in an English environment all the time. I believe the intensity of the exposure makes a difference. In other words, spending four hours a day to converse in English for 6 months gives you better progress than spending 1 hour a day for 2 years. - John
[mp3]
|
柠檬草
2006.01.09
|
Building a Better Foundation
|
| Q |
HI,Dear John Doe teacher
今天是我第一次进这个网站,我找老好久哟,终于找到了适合我的一个学习天地,我真的好高兴哟!!!我这段时间都在学英语,我的基础低,现在一直都在跟着初中教科书记单词,然后翻译每篇课文,平时听一下英语新闻(完全处于盲然状态),但是我总觉得这种学习方法还是不能让我的口语和听力有所提高,请老师帮我指点一下,谢谢!!!!
|
| A |
Hi,柠檬草,
A good foundation is important. But to be able to remember new words, you need to associate them with something. If it is an object, associate it with a picture of the object (draw it if you don't have one). If it is a concept, associate it with a picture that reminds you of the word. You need to listen to material that is suitable for your level at the right speed (not too fast). So listen to our stories. What words are you learning from the text books? - John
[mp3]
|
choy
2006.01.08
|
TEM-4 Listening
|
| Q |
Dear Jhon,
I'm a student.I'll have the TEM-4 exam in Mar.2006.
I really afraid of the listening,what will you suggest?
Thank you!
|
| A |
Hi, choy,
All I can tell you is this: between now and the exam, listen to as much English as possible. If you have a way to record a few hours of English and listen to it everyday, do it! Just watch out for cars when you cross the roads while listening!- John
[mp3]
|
wutianle
2006.01.08
|
Meaning of a Quote
|
| Q |
Plz tell me what is the meaning of "To be is to do & to do is to be." Tks very much
|
| A |
Hi, wutianle,
Sorry, I am not very good at decrypting philosophical quotes like that. What is the context?- John
[]
|
someone
2006.01.08
|
Improving One's English
|
| Q |
I always forgotten the grammers~in my Exam. i only got 49 over 100, this is a big problem.
And i did the open cloze ,tranformation and comperhension badly too~
In the comperhension, i got 11 over 40~my god~I can't read the passage~there are many words i didn't know the meaning~although i study it in my primary sch.~
what can i do? i read one English book a day~i try my best already~
but i got high mark of chinese lang. Exam~Are these two events have any relation?
One more thing is, i know that my English is so bad~if i made a mistake don't laugh at me~
|
| A |
Hi, someone,
There seem to be many areas to improve. When you said you did not remember some words even though you learned them in primary school. Do you know the reason? You said you read one English book everyday. Did you mean the same book? How many pages? Do you read it aloud?I think people good in one language can be good in another one as well. It is okay to make mistakes here. If you make no mistakes, you don't need to visit our website! - John
[mp3]
|
Lee Mee
2006.01.06
|
Thank You for the Encouragement
|
| Q |
Hello,John Doe 老师，
I am studying abroad but not in a English-speaking country.Even though I studied English very hard,but I didn't think I had made a progress.Since I found this website,especially your English learning program,my English has been improved a lot.Besides,I also joined in a English bible study group recently, that has also given me a great help in imroving my oral English.
l'd like to say,thank you Gold,our holy father,for sending us excellent English teachers just like John Doe 老师 and his colleague.thank you very much!
regards
Lee Mee
|
| A |
Hi, Lee Mee,
Thank you so much for your message and the encouragement! Please pray for us often because we need God to provide more resources to make this a better and better website to reach people.May God encourage you whenever you feel down. - John
[mp3]
|
Happying
2006.01.06
|
Level of Listening
|
| Q |
There are a lot of word that I did not learn in listening.What can I do when I face to these word .可能有语法错误。大概是在听力中有很多单词不认识面对它们应该整么办
|
| A |
Hi, Happying,
I think you meant to say that there were a lot of words that you did not understand when you were listening. There are two possible reasons you did not understand: 1) you did not know the words, 2) you knew the words but did not recognize them when you were listening.If there are too many words you don't know at all (even when you see them spelled out), then you should listen to something easier. If you actually know the words when you see them written down, then listen a few more times so that you can recognize the words. - John
[]
|
Amy
2006.01.06
|
Making Progress
|
| Q |
Dear John Doe,
My name is Amy. This is my first time for visiting your website.I am now working in a foreign trading company, i can respone emails in English, but i fear of speaking English..I have a MP4 player,i have spent more than 2 hours per day to listening,but i feel my English did not improved at all...Could you please kindly give me a suggestion?? Thanks sooo much!!!
|
| A |
Hi, Amy,
It is great that you are spending 2 hours daily to listen to English. How long have you been doing that? Why do you feel that your English has not improved? Also, have you also practiced speaking English? And when you listen, do you follow along by saying what you are hearing?- John
[mp3]
|
hejing
2006.01.05
|
... is to ... as/what ... is to
|
| Q |
我以前曾经学过这样的句型：
1. A is to B what C is to D. = A is to B as C is to D.
但是今天看到一则单选：
Air is to us ____ water is to fish.
A. as B. that C. what D. like
那么A 和C 都对。（可是只能选一个）
这道题的解释是：
同学对这句话的意思一目了然，即：正如水对鱼意味着什么，空气对我们也意味着什么。所以许多同学选了A或B。但是错了。这是因为同学从翻译成中文入手，思维被汉语意思套死了。如果从英语的逻辑思维出发，分析其成分，不难看出 “water is” 和 “to us”之间少了表语，而能充当表语的应当是疑问代词 what所引导的从句，即“what water is to fish”，因此答案应当是C。
可是我在别处看到，what 在这里应是相当于as, 做“如”解，而不是在引导一个表语从句。
那么到底哪种解释对呢？
|
| A |
Hi, hejing,
You are correct. Either "as" or "what" can be the answer.- John
[mp3]
|
jessie
2006.01.05
|
English for Business
|
| Q |
Hi John,
This is jessie, I have one English learning question. Now my job is connected with air conditioning, our company have many oversea business, but my major is not English, business or airconditioning, how can I begin to learn English effectively.
|
| A |
Hi, jessie,
First of all, I must say that your English is quite good. Having been working for some years, I can tell you that often times what we need to know for doing our job is not learned in school! I am still learning now! For you to learn English effectively, it will be good to start with something that you can make use of right away. So if you have to correspond with overseas companies often, then get some material in how to write letters. It will also be good to learn all the terms in air-conditioning (e.g. compressor, hoses, voltage, ...) so that you are familiar with those. If you need to talk with overseas clients on the phone, then it will be good to familiarize yourself with air-conditioning terms - or words that you need to use or your clients would use. And listen to English as much as you can - listen to all our mp3 audio clips here. - John
[mp3]
|
阮梦怡
2006.01.03
|
Trouble with English Grammar
|
| Q |
我特别喜欢英语.可是我每次总是半途而废,那些语法我怎么都看不懂,我到底该怎么办呢?我希望自己以后的发展是向语言这方面发展我现在可以做些什么才能改变现在的状况呢?希望您能帮助我~
|
| A |
Hi,阮梦怡,
I think in order to help you, the first thing I need to know is your English level. The second thing is: don't try to understand the grammar terms (e.g. present tense, past perfect continuous tense ...). Just try to understand the basics and know when to use what and start from there.- John
[mp3]
|
丁冬
2006.01.03
|
DIY English
|
| Q |
怎样自主学习外语
|
| A |
Hi,丁冬,
Start from the beginning: ABCDEFG... Then learn how to say some simple things: I am Ding Dong.- John
[]
|
huongliqiu
2006.01.03
|
Remember What to Translate
|
| Q |
Hi John Doe!
I have a problem with translator.It is that I understand what people say,but when I translate I forgot what they say, I only remember something in it.So how can I remember what they said to translate?
|
| A |
Hi,huongliqiu,
I have not any training in translation, but my guess is to remember just the key words or points.- John
[]
|
Paily
2006.01.01
|
Practicing English
|
| Q |
Dear John ,Iam a freshman of English maijor,Iprictice my oral English every day .After class I practice with my confidant ,but I made no progress and when I talk with others in English they can not understand me .what should I do ?
|
| A |
Hi, Paily,
In addition to practicing with your friend, you should also listen to our stories and read aloud at the same time. Try the mini-story about "My Dog" first.- John
[mp3]
|
英语故事 >
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(短篇故事)
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My Dog
|
我叫Buster (即将推出)
接下来呢?-- 因信成为他的孩子
This is the first Christmas that Andrea is spending in Hong Kong.
It is very different from what she is used to in Boston. Listen to
how she and her family celebrates Christmas... 
边看边听, 练习英语听力
Read and listen to short stories to parctice English.
