高考英语外刊时事命题阅读理解：想学好英语并没那么难 Aiming for fluency.docxVIP

Aimingforfluency

想学好英语并没那么难

GrowingupinVenezuela,therewasneverreallymuchcausetolearnEnglish.

ForyearsIknewnothingpast“hello,”untilIstartedhighschool.Forfiveyears,Ispenttwohoursaweekimmersedinunderstandingtheverb“tobe”,numbers,colors,andthedifferencebetweensaying“goodevening”and“goodnight”.

Ithoughttwohoursaweekwasenoughtimetoinvestinlearningaforeignlanguage.Iwouldalwaysgettopmarks,andmyteacherswouldregularlypraiseme.

Evenasanadult,IstillthoughtIspokethelanguage,justbyunderstandingEnglishmenusortranslatingcommonphrases.

Yep,thatusedtobeme,walkinglikeaqueenamongeverydaySpanishspeakers.

“Bringiton,life,”Isaid.

“Icanhandlewhateveryou’vegot;I’marockstar.”ButwhenImovedtoCanada,lifehitmesohardthatitknockedmedown.Yearslater,Iamstillrecovering.

Livinginanewland,withdifferentpeople,newrules,newweather,anewcultureandlanguage,Iwasnolongeraqueen.

DidIspeakEnglish?

No,notatall.

So,Iwentbacktoschool,thinkingthatitwasachallengeIwouldconquerinrecordtime.Buttherealitywasdifferent.Englishwasmorelikeasolidwallinmypath.

Evenaftergettingajob,ittookallmycouragetostopmyselffromhidinginthewashroomduringmylunchbreak,crying,completelyoverwhelmed(不知所措的)andscared.

LearningEnglish,speaking,listening–ithurtme.Notthelanguage.Nottheunkindpeople,ithurtbecauseIwasn’tgood,despitemyefforts.

Now,afteralmostsevenyearsinCanada,I’vedecidednottoapologizeformyaccent,grammarmistakes,orpronunciation.I’mgoingtochasemydreamsandenjoyabeautiful,rich,andfascinatinglanguagewithoutbeingashamed.

Don’tgetmewrong,mybrainstillscreams“Givemeabreak!”fromtimetotime,butthat’scompletelynatural.

Iknowit’sgoingtotakeawhile,butatleastnowIacceptthepersonIam–nottheperfectpersonIthoughtIwas.