If you don’t speak the language, you are unlikely to learn it well and keep it in your memory. If you want to speak a language     1     (fluency), you must try your best to be surrounded by the language environment. There are programs that link people     2     (learn) a language and native speakers via Skype. If you can’t do that, look around your city or town. Chances are someone will be able to direct you to a person     3    can help you practice. A language school is a good place     4    (start).

Learn some idioms, proverbs and expressions. As your level     5     (advance), learn about some of the     6     (idiom) and even slang in the language. Even if you don’t end     7     . using them much, they will help you recognize and understand these elements when you hear or read     8    (they).

Don’t be     9    (embarrass) if you aren’t speaking the language properly yet. It takes time to learn.

This step cannot be stressed enough.     10    you don’t practice speaking the language you won’t be fluent in it. Talk to native speakers, get a friend to learn the language with you and practice with them.

A strong vocabulary is essential for effective communication. Not only does it help students express their     1     (thought) and ideas more clearly, but it also makes them a more persuasive speaker or writer in the future, thus     2     (increase) their confidence in social and     3     (profession) situations.

Research shows that general vocabulary knowledge is a good predictor of an academic     4     (achieve). Between kindergarten and Grade 12, students with     5     average of over30-minute reading per day may encounter about 13. 7 million words in total.     6     (brief), the more students read, the more words they know, and the more success they see at school.

Building a strong vocabulary     7     (require) consistent effort and practice. Reading is the best way     8     (build) vocabulary. Read books, magazines, and newspapers     9     cover a wide range of topics, and pay attention to unfamiliar words. Look up their meanings and try using them in context as often as possible, because the key     10     building a strong vocabulary is to use it regularly. Actually, the more students use them, the more they will become a part of their everyday vocabulary.

Language is naturally acquired when children are able to use it pleasurably, and language acquisition by children     1     (them) saves both time and labor, said English-language education expert Chen Yaping.

Based     2     observation and study, the professor at the School of English and International Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University and director of its Child Language Research Centre, said Chinese children     3     (common) lack access to genuine English dialogues for learning and using     4     language.

Chen     5     (suggest) that children make use of dialogues that meet actual daily needs and read     6     (grade) materials or picture books that match their cognitive (认知) level and interest and which are of practical use.

She said that reading is a shortcut to learning English in a foreign language environment, as quality reading materials introduce children to genuine dialogue they can reproduce in real-life     7     (conversation).

“Children read because they love to read, not because they are told that reading is important for learning English. We should allow them     8     (give) up reading a book halfway through and pick up another one     9     they are more interested in,” said Chen.

She added that relieving anxiety, making children feel safe, and allowing them to experience a sense of     10     (achieve) are vital to learning English.