| By chris eberhardt,
on 14-08-2010 12:09
|
Views : 268  |
Favoured : 12 |
You could speak English with him你可以跟他说英语。 (English below)
chris eberhardt/汪哲伟
我常常听见父母这样跟他们的孩子说。你可以跟他说英语。目前中国人都上 小学或中学就开始学英语。在美国不一样。很多学生也学外语，但是我不能说每个美国学生都必须学汉语或者德语。也许大部分学外语的学生都学西班牙语。学生了解墨西哥和 南美文化。对美国人来说墨西哥和南美不太远，用不了六个小时。你可以开汽车或坐飞机。中国人呢？你坐飞机到美国，英国或澳组至少要十个小时。当然你一看到母语是英语的人你就要你的孩子跟他们说话，当然这样做又省钱又方便。 那你可能跟一个中国人说英语。你一听她说mum,flat或rubbish就知道她学了英试英语。上个月我跟小学生在上东农村练习英语。看起来他们的书是从英国来得。他们漫漫地了解英国文化和历史。中国人无论学美试英语还是英试英语，也许他们都越来越有一个世界观。如果毕业以后人想出中国旅游，他们得选择一个地方。我要问,那他们学英语跟他们的决定有关系吗？
在北语图书馆我跟一个中国人交朋友。她想要去美国学习。有时候她练习听力。以前我听一下了一次录音说一天越来越短，比如1960年一天是24小时,目前23.5小时。一天变短是因为人类从1960年建设10000水库左右。但是我听另一个录音，这个录音说说了一天变比校长，1000000000年以前一天十九个小时。对气候变化辨论来说我觉得这个事实有意义。最近几个人说他们希望他们能让气候变成只两度。但是我一听这种话就让我不舒服。听起来他们以为大地就是空调。那，也许我跟这人同意，人类对气候变化有影响，但是气候变化还是那么复杂。说英语呢。。。
You could speak English with him. Often I hear parents say this to their children. Today in China all students in grade school or middle school begin to study English. In the United States its not the same. A lot of students study foreign languages, but you cant say that all Americans are required to study Chinese or German. Its likely the majority of students who study foreign languages, study Spanish. Students learn about Mexican and South American culture. For Americans Mexico and South America are not very far away, requiring less than six hours. You could drive or fly. What about Chinese? If you fly to the U.S., England or Australia its at least ten hours. Off course if you see someone whose mother tongue is English you want your child to speak with him or her, its inexpensive and convenient.
Maybe you have spoken English with people from China. When you hear mum, flat or rubbish you instantly know they have studied the Queens English. Last month I reviewed English with middle school students in a village. It seems that there book is from England. They slowly became familiar with English culture and history. No matter if Chinese study American English or the Queens English, likely with time they increasingly develop a worldview. If after graduation someone wants to tour abroad, they have to pick where to go. I would like to ask, does studying English and their selection of a location have a connection?
In the Beijing Language and Culture University I made friends with someone who wants to study in the U.S. Sometimes she practices listening comprehension. Once I listened to a recording of hers that said the day is increasingly becoming shorter, for example in 1960 it was 24hrs, now its 23.5hrs. A day has become shorter because since 1960 society has built about 10,000 reservoirs. Although another recording said that the day is becoming gradually longer, 1,000,000,000 years before a day was 19 hours. For climate change debates I think this fact has significance. Recently a few people have said they hope to allow the climate to only change by two degrees. Yet when I hear them talk I immediately become uncomfortable. It sounds as if they think the Earth is an air conditioner. Likely I agree with them, humans have played a role in shaping the climate, is quite complex. Yes, back to speaking English.
Last update: 17-08-2010 09:08
|
|
