大学英语四六级听力考前集训
Listen and choose the correct answers.
1. According to the passage, what is the common problem that English learners think
too much about?
A. Communication.
B. Errors.
C. Practical terms.
D. Grammar.
2. Which of the following is not recommended by Poole when English learners write
something?
A. The main idea.
B. How to put your ideas in order.
C. The big picture you are writing about.
D. Grammar.
Words in This Story
error – n. an action or situation in which a language learner does not follow the general patterns or rules of a language误差；错误；过失
practical – adj. appropriate or suited for actual use; logical and reasonable in a particular situation实际的；实用性的
breakdown – n. a failure that prevents something from working properly; the failure of a relationship or of an effort to discuss something故障；崩溃；分解；分类；衰弱；跺脚曳步舞
response – n. something that is said or written as a reply to something响应；反应；回答
philosophy –n. a set of general ideas about how to do something哲学；哲理；人生观
big picture -- n. everything that relates to or is involved in a situation or issue大图像；重点；（事情的）主要部分；特种宽银幕电影
monitor – v. : to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time监视器；监听器；监控器；显示屏；班长
bother – v. to cause (someone) to feel troubled, worried, or concerned 烦扰，打扰；使……不安；使……恼怒
negatively –adv. acting in a way to show a lack of agreement or displeasure消极地；否定地
In Language Learning, Mistakes Are Not Bad
English learners should not think that mistakes, or errors, are bad.
One American language expert advises that language learners should instead see errors as
signs of progress. Alex Poole is a professor of English and interim department head of modern
languages at Western Kentucky University. Poole recently spoke with VOA Learning English
about errors and language learning.
One common problem is that English learners think too much about errors instead of communication. "The goal is to be able to communicate in practical terms. If you have an error, the only time you should worry about it is if it causes communication breakdown," Poole said.
Errors in speaking
Poole has some useful ideas about ways English learners can use errors. When you are speaking with a native English speaker, there are two kinds of things you can do to look for errors, Poole said.
The first is to look for misunderstanding or other signs of confusion. For example, perhaps a person gives an unusual response to something you said. You can then ask them directly what the
problem is.
The second works if you know a native speaker well. You can ask them about the kinds of things that you say that could cause communication problems with other native speakers.
Errors in writing
When it comes to writing, Poole recommends thinking about errors in a different way. He
suggests keeping a list of common errors. These might include mistakes with subject-verb agreement,
prepositions or articles.
When English learners write something, Poole recommends that they think about the main
ideas first. Then, he recommends thinking about how to put those ideas in order. Instead of thinking about grammar, he suggests you should think about the big picture of what you
are writing about. After you write something, you can go back and use your list to look for
errors.
In earlier education stories, we explored some ways that you can connect ideas. One of those
ways is called concept mapping.
A philosophy of errors
One of the big ideas that came from VOA's talk with Poole was the importance of being realistic.
If you find out what is realistic, Poole said, you can create your own "philosophy of errors." In
other words, you can decide how errors will play a part in your own learning process.
Poole described his philosophy of errors:
"My philosophy as a language learner has always been look... I'm going to monitor* my errors
and mistakes, but I know that I'm never going to be perfect, and so that shouldn't bother me. But I should look for things which cause communication problems, and I just have to live with that. I
can't say, ‘Ok, if I don't make it to this level, it's going to be a failure' ...There will be people who
will react negatively – and this is one thing that learners have to be aware of. There are many
native speakers of a language who you will be in touch with who will not be very nice, who, no
matter
what, will say ‘I can't understand you'.... But you can't let them be your guide."
Closing thoughts
You can read more about errors in Poole's new book. It is called Learning a Foreign Language - Understanding the Fundamentals of Linguistics. In the book, he also writes about long-term
plans, progress and other issues in language learning.
Reference Answers.
1. B
2. D
（图片源自网络）
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