【推荐1】In many situations, the quality of your travel experience is directly affected by your ability to understand the local language. For some travelers, the challenge of learning a new tongue is one of the joys of travel, and as a result, they spend much of their time in conversations with local citizens. Others will find that just learning to read the most common signs and use every-day greetings is enough.

No matter which view you agree with, it’s necessary to take some time to learn some of the simple phrases of the new language before you go. One way of finishing this task is by listening to the new language. A phrase book can help expand your vocabulary, but hearing the sounds of the different spoken words is an excellent activity that can be done right in the comfort of your home. You can see movies in the new language or listen to the tapes or CDs. You can also download some listening material from the Internet. Just spending 15 minutes a night will improve your language skills.

When you arrive in the new land, begin by greeting new friends in their own tongue. This may come easy or it could take some time to learn, but it’s interesting. If you can’t do this, then it means that you will need more practice and patience to learn these very important words. You can go out during the day and begin one-on-one conversations with shop owners, business-men and taxi drivers. This should not be done until you have learned some of the most common phrases, but once you begin to go shopping in a second language your communication skills will start to improve rapidly.        You can also watch the local TV or listen to the local radio. For example, the advertisements will help you recognize the correct pronunciation of local street names.

1. What’s the text mainly about?

A．How important it is to learn a new language.

B．How to enjoy oneself during travel.

C．How to learn a new language during travel.

D．How to prepare for travel.

2. One should start one-on-one conversations with the local people _____.

A．as soon as he arrives in the place he is visiting

B．after he has seen many movies in the local tongue

C．after he has mastered enough vocabulary to go shopping

D．when he has learned some of the most common phrases

3. According to the author, the local advertisements can help travelers _____.

A．learn more about local business

B．know the right pronunciation of the street names

C．improve communication skills more rapidly

D．understand the local people’s dialogues

【推荐2】What good language learners do

There’s no such thing as being born “good at languages.” However, there are people who learn languages well, but that has nothing to do with them being naturally good at it.     1    

Good Language Learners Aren’t Afraid to Take risks

A Dutch friend of mine speaks English, Spanish, German, French, and, of course, Dutch. I asked her what she thought was most important in learning a language. She answered immediately: “Courage.”

Good language learners face the fear of making mistakes.     2     For example, trying out different ways of learning vocabulary until finding a way that suits them best. They are not afraid of making mistakes because they know that with every mistake, they gain a small victory toward improving their language.

    3    

You may already have heard or read about learning styles. The idea is that everyone has a style of learning that suits them best. You want to figure out how you learn most easily and apply your preferred learning styles to your language learning.

When you learn something new, do you like to talk about it or think about it? Or do you get new information in pictures or words? Do you find it easier to learn facts or concepts? These are just a few of the questions that help you discover how you best learn.

Good Language Learners Are Actively Involved in Their Learning Process.

Good language learners take responsibility for their own learning. Besides regular language classes, they create opportunities to use the language.     4    

Good language learners are independent. They do not expect to learn English only by sitting in the classroom, and they do not rely on the teacher for all of the learning. They are organized and active. They look for creative ways both inside and outside the classroom to try out what they have learned.

Good Language Learners Try to Think in the Language.

It may not be easy at first, but thinking in English is worth cultivating as a vital skill that will improve all areas of your language learning. To help you think in English, carry on a dialogue with yourself in English when walking along, sitting on a bus, or taking a break from other studies.     5    

A．They experiment and take risks.

B．Use English whenever and wherever you can.

C．They push themselves to speak and try to become fluent.

D．Good language learners find a style of learning that suits them.

E．Good language learners try to figure out how the language works.

F．It has to do with their attitude and the way they approach learning.

G．They know practice is very important and are willing to devote their time to it.

【推荐3】Some people seem to have a skill for learning languages. They can pick up new vocabulary, master rules of grammar, and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others.     1     First of all, successful language learners are independent learners. They do not depend on the book or teacher.     2    They try to find the patterns and rules by themselves. They are good guessers who look for clues and form their own conclusions. When they guess wrong, they guess again. They try to learn from their mistakes.

    3    Therefore, successful learners do not wait for a chance to use the language. They look for such a chance. They find people who speak the language and ask these people to correct them when they make a mistake.     4    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 learn to think in the language than to know the meaning of every word.

    5    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.

A．Successful language learning is active learning.

B．They will try their best to communicate with others.

C．They discover their own way to learn the language.

D．Here’s a study of the way children learn to speak.

E．What makes language learning so much easier for them?

F．They find it easy to practice using the language regularly.

G．Finally, successful language learners are learners with a purpose.