Ｕｎｉｔ３　学好英语有经验

来源：时间：2008-01-31 16:42:56

　　Student: Patrick, I've been learning English for a long long time, and I still can't speak good English. I am really disheartened.
　　Patrick，我学英语好久了，可我还是说不好英语，我都灰心了。
　　Patrick: Take your time. Anyway, Rome wasn't built in a day.
　　别急。毕竟冰冻三尺非一日之寒。
　　Student: Can you make some suggestions？
　　你能给我点儿建议吗？
　　Patrick: Sure. English is becoming an international language. It's really important. But like anything else, you really need to practice and practice before you can do it well.
　　好的。英语日渐成为一种国际语言，它非常重要。可就像任何事情一样，你真的需要做大量的练习才能学好。
　　Student: How？
　　怎么练？
　　Patrick: Well, let me give you an example. You know, when people first learn to drive a car, they can't do it well. They make lots of mistakes. They may step on the gas when it's time to stop the car. But that's natural. That happens to everyone.
　　嗯，给你举个例子吧。你知道，当人们学开车的时候，他们会犯很多错误。在该刹车的时候他们可能会踩油门。可那很正常，每个人都犯这种错误。
　　Student: I know what you mean.
　　我懂你的意思。
　　Patrick: Learning English is just like driving a car. All you have to do is practice and don't be afraid of making mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the quicker you can speak good English.
　　学英语就像学开车一样，你需要做的就是练习，别怕犯错。你犯的错误越多，说英语的水平就提高得越快。
　　Student: It's easy to say, but hard to do.
　　说起来容易做起来难啊。
　　Patrick: Just take your time. I'm always glad to help and don't forget, language is not just about words or grammar rules. Cultural background plays a vital role as well.
　　别着急啊，我会帮你的。语言不仅仅是单词加语法，文化背景也很重要。
　　Student: Jesus. What can I do before I can speak good English?
　　老天，我该怎么办哪？
　　Patrick: Just pick up the phone and practice with me. I'm not God, but I'm sure I can better your English.
　　拿起电话和我练习就行了。我不是上帝，可我肯定能帮你学好英语。
　　
　　Attention Please...特别提醒
　　[1] I am really disheartened.
　　disheartened是灰心的意思。当人们没能做成事情的时候，他们会说：I'm really frustrated. 我真的绝望了。口语中的另一个类似高频词是upset，它表示担心，外加一点儿忧伤。
　　[2] Rome wasn't built in a day. 直译是:罗马并非一日建成，对应的中译只有：“冰冻三尺非一日之寒”最得该意境。用这句话来比喻学习英语的艰辛可谓再恰当不过，不过还要记住熟能生巧——Practice makes perfect，这才是学习英语的办法。
　　Useful Tools...实用句式
　　A: Hello, may I speak to John (or sb.), please? （你好，John在吗？）
　　B: You are speaking to him / Speaking. （我就是。）