懂一門第二外語會使你更有資格任職,而且會使你成為一名更好的旅行者,更不用說,當你的腦袋不慎撞到櫥柜門的時候,還能為你提供一整套新創(chuàng)(且難以理解的)臟話來使用。
But hanging on to your high school or college Spanish—or French, or German, etc—is a challenge once you're no longer enrolled in classes. Fortunately, with a little effort, you can stay literate in your language of choice—or even learn a new one.
然而,一旦你不再上課,保留你在高中或大學學習的西班牙語、法語或德語等語言就會是一個挑戰(zhàn)。幸運的是,只需要努力一點,你就依然可以讀寫你選擇的語言,甚至是學會一門新的語言。
1. GO MOBILE.
1、使用移動工具。
They're not quite as addictive as Candy Crush, but language learning apps are a perfect, productive way to kill time. And because there are so many of them, you can shop around to find one that jives best with your preferred learning style.
他們不像糖果大爆險那樣容易上癮,但是語言學習應(yīng)用軟件是一種用來消磨時間的完美又富有成效的方式。因為有那么多同類軟件,你可以貨比三家,去找最貼合你首選學習方式的那一款。
If you're not sure where to start, consider one of these highly rated standouts: Memrise was founded by an expert in mnemonic techniques, and is designed to not just teach a language, but to cement it in your memory. This makes it a great choice if you need to improve your vocabulary.
如果你不確定從哪里開始,那就考慮一下這些評分較高的軟件中的一個:Memrise是一位專家用記憶術(shù)創(chuàng)建而成的,它的目的不只是用來教授一門語言,而且還會加強你的記憶。如果你需要擴大詞匯量,它會是一個不錯的選擇。
Or try Duolingo, which takes an entertaining and holistic approach to learning a language; it teaches not only reading and writing but listening and speaking (i.e. it's a perfect travel tool).
或者試一下Duolingo,它是用一種有趣又全面的方式來學習一門語言,不僅教授閱讀和寫作,而且還教授聽力和口語(也就是說它是一個理想的出行工具)。
2. FIND A CONVERSATION PARTNER, OR SEVERAL.
2、找一個或幾個會話伙伴。
Join a local group to connect and chat with fellow students of your desired language, and get in some regular conversational practice. Or, find a virtual convo partner on a site like Conversation Exchange; native speakers of other languages who want to practice their English will be happy to trade small talk with you over Skype.
加入一個當?shù)匦〗M,去和那些正在學習你渴望的那門語言的同學聯(lián)系、交談,并參加一些常規(guī)會話練習。或者,在交流對話一類的網(wǎng)站上找一個虛擬的會話伙伴;以其他語言為母語的人想要練習英語,他們會樂于和你在Skype上聊天的。
3. READ, WATCH, LISTEN.
3、讀、看、聽。
If you're reasonably literate in your language of choice, consider picking up a favorite children's book (or audio book) in translation. Harry Potter, for example, is available in 68 different languages. And next time you're Netflix-binging, browse for foreign films that you can watch with English subtitles, or re-watch a favorite show with overdubbed audio.
如果你選擇的語言,你已經(jīng)掌握到一定的程度,那就考慮選擇一本你最喜愛的兒童讀物(或有聲讀物)譯本來讀。例如《哈利波特》,它已經(jīng)被翻譯成68種不同的語言。下次你在網(wǎng)飛公司挑選影片時,瀏覽一下那些你可以觀看的有英文副標題的外國影片,或者重新觀看你最喜歡的一部有配音的演出。
4. TAKE THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH.
4、采用傳統(tǒng)的方式。
Language classes are an investment in terms of both time and money, but they remain an effective way to learn, and especially to practice speaking, a language with some expert guidance. Community colleges or continuing education programs offer a variety of language classes, including ones with a fun focus on literature, film, or even food. And depending on where you live and what you want to study, you may be able to link up with a center like the French Institute Alliance Francaise, which offers not just classes but community and cultural events where you can practice chatting.
從時間和金錢的方面來考慮,語言班都是一項投資,但是它們依然是一種有效的學習方式,尤其是在一些專家的指導下來練習口語。社區(qū)大學或繼續(xù)教育項目提供了多種語言班,包括以文學、電影,甚至是食物為重點的有趣課程。這取決于你住在哪兒,你想學什么,你也許能與一個像法國文化協(xié)會一樣的組織聯(lián)系起來,它不僅能為你提供課程,而且能為你提供練習交流的社區(qū)和文化動態(tài)。