Today's question is all about learning English. If you have any questions, please send me a message and I will try my best to answer them! Laura
這次有朋友問我關於英語聽力和學習英語的問題，下面是我的回覆。如果你有什麼想問我的，給我發個消息，我儘量回答你的問題！Laura
為什麼我學英語這麼久，確聽不懂老外講的英語，有沒有好的學習英語的建議?
I have been studying English for a long time, but I still do not understand foreigners when they speak English. Why is this? Do you have suggestions on how to learn English? (Scroll down to read the English response)
你好， 謝謝你給我發這個問題，我會把我個人的思想和經驗跟你分享一下。
1. 口音
其實，如果你學了英語很長時間可是還是不懂老外的講話，一個很大的原因肯定是口音。我學了中文好幾年，在中國呆的時間有不少，可是有些口音我還是覺得很困難，大部分聽不懂。這是很正常的，尤其因為你所說的《老外》可能也有很多來自不同國家的，他們的母語有可能不是英語，所以他們有很多不同的發音。聽一個人的口音時間長，你慢慢會開始了解ta的口音，然後更容易聽得懂。你需要做的是經常跟那些人接觸，而且不要感覺太失望，你看, 我到今天大部分的時候聽不懂我老公奶奶講的話。這是挺正常的！
2. 中國學語言方式
在中國學語言的方式有兩個重點，一個是《背詞》，另一個是《為了考試而學習》。這兩個學習方式對實際上的語言能力其實很無用，因為語言不像數學，不是一個很有邏輯的東西，它反而很靈活的。最開始肯定需要背詞，可是不能完全依靠這個方法去好好學一個語言。此外，考試的內容經常不是日常生活的對話內容。
3. 語言環境
學一個語言，尤其是聽力，最最最重要的是一個語言環境。這環境怎麼能實現呢？最有效，可是可能比較難得就是生活在這個語言的國家，說到英語就是英國，每個，加拿大，澳大利亞，等等。這樣你每天看到的，聽到都是這個語言，你的學習進步會非常快。可是我們都知道，想去國外說起來簡單，做起來很難，你的生活中可能存在很多妨礙你去國外的原因。
那還有什麼方法呢？其實你可以給自己創造一個語言環境。有很多不同的方法，比如
看電影：我在大學學中文的時候，我經常看中國的各種各樣的電影，這樣你會學到很地道的話同時練你的聽力。
看新聞：如果你的語言能力比較強，每天看新聞是練習語言的一個非常有效的方式。 聽音樂：我當時學習的時候把周杰倫，王力宏，和一些其他的歌手的所有音樂都聽了一遍。我每天在去大學或者上班的路上都會帶著mp3聽他們的歌，晚上有空在網上搜索他們的歌詞，從歌詞學了不少的詞彙與常用說法。選聽音樂的時候，最好選說話比較清楚一點的，饒舌經常特別快，而且很咕噥，可能會讓你覺得失望。我可以推薦Ed Sheeran和 Carly Rae Jepsen給你，他們唱歌算比較清楚。
我開始學中文的時候，我聽的聽力是最差的，可是通過半年每天聽中國歌，一個星期最起碼看兩個中國電影，我的聽力變了比我閱讀和寫作能力強。
語言夥伴: 你可以專門找一個語言夥伴，ta像學中文，你想學英文，這樣很公平，你們可以見面的時候先說一個語言，後來說另外一個語言，這是一個互惠互利的交換。
老外朋友：如果你的語言能力夠強的話，你可以去一些老外多的活動或者地方認識一些老外朋友，最好不會說中文的老外，這樣你們必須得用英語交流。可是一定要小心一點，不要讓阿門感覺到你跟他們做朋友是為了學語言的目的，老外對此很敏感，會感覺被利用，而且可能以後不太想跟你做朋友。因此，最好找一些跟你愛好是同樣的人保證你們有一些有意思的話題可以討論。
最重要的是每天都要有語言環境，無論是聽幾首歌，看視頻或者跟老外交流， 你每天都必須接觸這個語言才會有效的提高你的語言能力！
加油！我相信你可以再提高你的水平！
Laura
Hello there, Thank you very much for sending in your question, I will share my own thoughts and experiences with you in this reply.
1. Accents and Dialects
One reason you do not understand what people are saying might very simply just be because they have a strong accent. After studying Chinese for many years and even living in China for a long time there are still some local accents and dialects I cannot understand at all. This is quite normal; especially since you say you have trouble understanding 「foreigners」. This includes people from many different countries, and a lot of them don’t speak English as their mother tongue, so they all have a very different pronunciation that can be hard to understand for learners. When it comes to understanding accents and dialects, the one thing you need is time. After a while you will begin to understand this person’s way of pronouncing certain words and you will find it easier to understand their speech. Most importantly, don’t be too hard on yourself. Until this day, I have huge problems understanding my husband’s grandmother’s dialect.
2. China’s Approach to Language Learning
One reason you might not be seeing the results you want could be the Chinese approach to language learning, which is usually focused on memorising vocabulary and 「studying for exams」. The problem with this approach is that it does not consider that language is flexible, instead treating it as if it were a mathematical formula. Furthermore, the content of the exams that students study for is rarely the content of day-to-day conversations.
3. Language Environment
In order to successfully learn a foreign language it is vital to have a language environment. Ideally, you would live in the country whose language you are learning to surround yourself with it daily and completely immerse yourself. This is however not always possible, so here are a few suggestions of how to create a language environment for yourself.
Watch movies: I watched so many movies while studying Chinese at uni, I have lost count. They teach you many colloquialisms, daily language and phrases.
Watch the news: If your language level is advanced, then watch national news on a daily basis. They offer lots of high-level vocabulary. Listen to music: On the way to work or before you go to sleep, listening to music can do wonders for your listening skills. Especially if you use some of your free time to look up the lyrics of the songs you are listening to. Make sure to choose singers who have quite a clear pronunciation such as Edward Sheeran or Carly Rae Jepsen.
Language partners: They are great because you can take part in a focused and fair language exchange, speak exclusively one language first and switch to the other later on. You both win!
Foreign friends: If your English is at an advanced level you can go out and try to make foreign friends. If they don’t speak Chinese even better, this way you will be forced to speak English. Make sure though not to let them know that you are just making friends to practice your English, as this will make them feel like you are using them and they could react negatively to that. They might not even want to be friends in this case. The best way is to find people with similar interests as you so you can share a passion and a conversation topic.
The most important thing is to remember is to create a language environment for yourself every day, no matter if it is listening to a few songs, watching a clip on the internet or talking a few sentences with some foreigners, you need practice EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Good luck!
Laura
Got questions? Send them in and I will try my best to answer!
你有想問我的問題? 給我發個消息，我儘量回答你的問題！