[4]

successful language learners

some people seem to have talents for learning languages. they can pick up new vocabulary, master roles of grammar, and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others. now lets take a close look at these successful language learners to see what we can get from them.

first of all, successful language learners are independent learners. instead of waiting for the teacher to explain, they try to find the patterns and the roles for themselves. they are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions. when they guess wrongly, they try again. they attempt to learn from their mistakes.//ks.examda.com

successful language learning is active learning. therefore, successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language; they look for such a chance. they are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things; they are willing to make mistakes and try again. when communication is difficult, they can accept information that is inexact or incomplete. it is more important for them to think in the language than to know the meaning for every word.

finally, successful language learners are learners with a purpose. they want to learn the language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it. it is necessary for them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them.

what kind of language learners are you? if you are successful, you have probably been learning independently, actively, and purposefully. on the other hand, if your language learning has been less than successful, you might do well to try some of the techniques outlined above.

[5]

life in the university

life in the university is not as satisfactory as what we had expected. first of all, we are tightly bound by continual classes, excessive homework and exams; some students complain that we are becoming exam machines. secondly, the teaching method is boring; instead of lecturing. some teachers just read lessons. finally, living conditions need to be improved; and food in the dininghall is far from being attractive and tasteful.

in spite of all these adversities we still enjoy our life in the university. during the fouryear university study, we cannot only acquire a lot of book learning, but also various activities, such as speech contests. different social gatherings and dancing parties can provide opportunities to make friends; many of these friendships may last a long time.

in short, we should value our life in the university. four years is only a short period when compared with our whole lifetime. in the university we become mature, and we prepare ourselves for the real world, although there is something unsatisfying, the four years in the university is a worthwhile period in our whole lifetime.

[6]

a true, good student

what is meant by a true, good student ? a true, good student is one who possesses good morality, sound health, perfect knowledge and various abilities. to attain this, i shall give a few suggestions as follows:

first, cultivate good morality. one of the best qualities of a student is good behavior. bad character is easily scorned and disdained. polite manners and noble ideas make up a true man. such evil habits as smoking, drinking, gambling, etc. should be got rid of. whenever you find something wrong, correct it quickly. you should be sincere to your friends, respectful to your teachers and the elder. in short, you should do everything right.

second, study diligently and put your knowledge to practical use. knowledge is power, said francis bacon. one will not reach the rich storehouse of knowledge unless he studies carefully: no diligence, no accomplishment. to apply knowledge to practical use is, however, more important. students ought to apply their learning to something practical to benefit the people.

third, make your body strong and healthy. health is the key to success. broken in health, one can do nothing. a sound mind is found only in a sound body. the healthier your body is, the brighter your mind will be, and the higher learning you can attain. so you should never neglect your health. work while you work; play while you play is a good way for everybody to observe.

with the foregoing three points in mind, you may be a truly good student.

[7]

our english teacher

our english teacher, miss liang is the best teacher i have so far. she has not only treated us as her younger sisters and brothers, but is also enthusiastic and conscientious in her teaching.

she is thirty six, but she does not look her age for she is attractive and delicate. in class she is dignified and reserved and after class she plays and jokes with us. she is our friend as well as our teacher.

she is never tired of helping us in our work. she patiently answers our questions all in english. also, we are required to prepare our lessons before coming to class. furthermore, no matter how many new words there are in the texts, we are told to look up their meanings in the dictionary. she knows how to help her students to achieve the best result in the limited time.

with miss liang as our teacher, all of us have made amazing progress in our english study. she is both our best friend and best teacher. we all like her very much.

[8]

studying abroad

attending schools abroad has many advantages. in the first place, by looking at our own country from the outside,we can clearly see the strong points and weak points of our nation and therefore widen our vision and broaden our minds. second, while studying in a foreign country, we can travel widely, visiting famous scenic spots and making friends with the local people. thirdly, we can use the foreign language in our daily life so that our ability in the second language may be improved quickly. but the most important thing in attending a foreign university is to get acquainted with the latest knowledge in science and technology and make use of the firstrate facilities available. for all these advantages, it is really worthwhile to go abroad for education.

however, as everything has two sides, there are also some disadvantages in attending a foreign university. the most serious problem is the language barrier. most of the students who are ready to go abroad do not have adequate proficiency in the language spoken there. furthermore, the cost of living is much higher than that in our country, so most students have to find parttime jobs in order to support themselves. faced with these difficulties, many students find themselves unable to pay full attention to their studies and some students may even fail in their courses and learn little.