More about Reading

A.Improving Your English

A lot of people are always asking, "How do I improve my English?" There are many possible answers, but here are just a few pieces of advice.

Be responsible for your own learning

Sure you have teachers, reading materials, and websites to help you with your English, but who is really responsible for making sure you learn English well? Nobody but you. Make sure you are the one who is taking charge of your own learning.

Immerse yourself in English as much as possible

Immerse means to be surrounded by something. If you are immersed in English, it is all around you. Of course this isn't always possible, but you can do some things to surround yourself in English from time to time.

Listen to the radio in English. If there are no English radio stations where you live, listen to one on the internet.

Watch TV and movies in English. If you have English channels on your TV, watch them. If they have subtitles (the words written in your language) underneath the picture, see if they can be turned off. Some people even tape paper across the bottom of the screen so they can't see the words. Most DVD's are great because you can choose the language you want to hear.

Speak English to your friends. Get a conversation buddy (friend) and speak in English as much as possible. If it is a person whose native language is the same as your own, you may feel silly speaking in English at first. But don't worry. Continue to do it and it will become more natural to you. Finding friends whose native language is English is even better. Ask your friend to correct you when needed.

Study or travel to an English-speaking country. Of course the best way to immerse yourself in the English language is to live in an all English environment. You'll find yourself surrounded with the language everywhere you turn. It can be a more difficult and expensive choice, but you may find it to be a very valuable and helpful experience.

Other ideas. Take an English class, join an English group, find a tutor, read English magazines. Do whatever you can to immerse yourself in the language.

Monitor yourself

This means to pay attention to how you use English. Think (a little) about how you are going to say something before it comes out of your mouth. But don't think about all of the problems you have in English at the same time. Just choose something your know you are having difficulty with and work on using it correctly. For example, if you know that you have problems remembering to use a, an, and the, spend a few days trying to put them into sentences as you speak. Don't worry about anything else. Concentrate on that. When you feel that you are improving, choose something else to work on. Just keep trying and little by little, your English will get better everyday.

B.English Around the World

Vocabulary
-travel bug (idiom)- strong desire to travel
-to be bitten by the travel bug (idiom)- kind of a cute way to say when someone
begins to want to travel. After the "bug" bites you, you will really want
to travel.
-to wander- to go from one place to another without any definite plans
-to be in the comfort of (one's) own home- to be at home, in a familiar or
comfortable place
-to explore- to look around and find out new things
-exotic (adjective)- strange, mysterious, exciting, unknown
-mystery- something unknown, something that needs to be found out
-to flock- large amounts of people go to the same place at the same time
-vast (adjective)- very large
-perspective- view, way of seeing things
-accomplishment- feeling like you have done something important and good

Reading

Have you ever had the desire to wander the world and see what was out there? While some people prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home, others have been bitten by the travel bug and can't wait to explore the world. Exotic places call to them. "Come visit me and I will show you my mysteries," they say.

Every year millions of people pack their suitcases or put on backpacks and flock to visit the seven continents of the world. They wander through the castles and museums of Europe, and the cities and natural wonders of North and South America. Some visit the vast exotic cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The great outback of Australia is a wonderland for those who go there. And a few lucky people even make to the most mysterious continent on the earth- Antarctica.

Why do people want to explore the world? It gives them a better perspective about the earth and the people living on it. It opens their minds, it gives them a feeling of accomplishment, and it makes them feel alive. So save some money, get your passport ready, and see the world. It will change your life forever.

C.Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have you heard of Martin Luther King, Jr.? Every year on the third Monday of January, we have a holiday. It's called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a famous man. Learn more about him.

Vocabulary

races/ racial- groups of people based on looks (skin color) and background, for example- white people, Asian people, black people, etc.

to segregate/ segregation- dividing into groups, usually talking about race, for example- black people and white people didn't go to the same schools and lived in different neighborhoods

minister- leader of a church

rights- freedoms, what you are allowed to do

violence- hurting other people

to assassinate- to kill

Reading

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States in 1929. At that time in America, black people didn't have equal rights with white people. Black people had to sit in the back of busses. The schools were segregated and there were even separate public restrooms for black people and white people. Black people's lives were not very good.Martin Luther King Jr. Leads March for Civil Rights

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a minister in the Baptist Church. He fought against racial segregation. He wanted equal rights for all people. But he didn't use violence in his fight. He asked people to fight peacefully. For example, he asked black people to ride in the front of the bus. More than 200,000 people went to Washington D.C. to listen to him speak and ask the government to change unfair laws.

Because of Martin Luther King, Jr., many laws began to change in the United States. But many white people disagreed with him and his ways. In 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by a white man.

Every year on the third Monday of January, Americans remember Martin Luther King, Jr. They try to remember how much America has changed. And they think about how much more America should change in the future.

D.Using an English/English Dictionary

Vocabulary
-wide choice- lots of different ones to choose from
-bilingual- two languages
-to be against- disagree with
-to look up- to search for something in a book

Reading

Today's English learner has a wide choice of dictionaries in which to choose from. There are dictionaries with American English, with British English, with idioms or slang, and even with pictures. One of the most popular dictionaries I have seen among many students are talking electronic dictionaries. All you have to do is type in a word in your language and you can see it and hear it in English. That's great, right? Well, I think it's great, too... but only sometimes.

Bilingual electronic dictionaries are fast and easy. They can be great when you are traveling and need information quickly. But I am against electronic dictionaries and even bilingual paper dictionaries in many cases. Let me explain...

When you reach an intermediate level of English (about the level of 5 Minute English) you know enough of the language to ask the meaning of certain things while using English. Translating between languages in your head takes time. You should be translating as little as possible and you should be thinking in English as much as possible. I strongly recommend that intermediate and advanced students use an English-English dictionary made especially for your understanding. For example, Longman has a good dictionary for students. Other companies do, too.

I also feel that paper (book) dictionaries are better for studying than electronic dictionaries. True, they take longer to use. But, for some reason, the information you look up seems to stay in your head longer. It may be because you were forced to spell the word in your head and therefore "see it" more clearly in your mind.

So what do you do if you have checked an English-English dictionary and still don't understand something? Go to your bilingual dictionary. It is useful sometimes. Just remember to try to stay in English as much as possible.

E.English as an International Language

Vocabulary
-to spread- to go everywhere
-in common- the same
-communicate- talk
-complicated- difficult
-artificial- not real


Reading

About one hundred years ago many educated people learned and spoke French when they met people from other countries. Today most people speak English when they meet foreigners. It has become the new international language. There are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak English as a first language. Why is this?

There are many reasons why English has become so popular. One of them is that English has become the language of business. Another important reason is that popular American culture (like movies, music, and McDonald's) has quickly spread throughout the world. It has brought its language with it.

Is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly? I don't know. It's important to have a language that the people of the earth have in common. Our world has become very global and we need to communicate with one another. On the other hand, English is a fairly complicated language to learn and it brings its culture with it. Do we really need that?

Scientists have already tried to create an artificial language that isn't too difficult and doesn't include any one group's culture. It is called Esperanto. But it hasn't become popular. But maybe the popularity of English won't last that long either. Who knows? There are more people in the world who speak Chinese than any other language. Maybe someday Chinese will be the new international language.