VOA慢速：用更多的词汇来提高英语水平

Raise Your English Level with More Vocabulary

刘立军 供稿

TRANSCRIPT

Let’s look at two English learners. One knows about 500 words and understands how they are used in a sentence. The other knows about 1,000 words but has some problems with grammar.

Which person can understand and communicate more in English?

Clearly, it is the person who knows 1,000 words.

Some studies have shown that for learners to fully understand a written work, they need to know 95 percent or more of the words in it. That means that if there are only five or more words you do not know in a 100-word text, you might not really understand it!

In today’s program, we will give you some advice for building up your vocabulary. “Vocabulary” can mean a single word, two words such as phrasal verbs, or many words together, such as an expression.

l  Two important things

There are two important things to keep in mind when trying to learn new vocabulary.

First, connect new words to a story or a situation. This makes it easier to remember vocabulary than studying words from lists.

Second, be active, not passive. Make yourself use the new words.

Here are some ways to do that:

When you find a new word or expression in a story, repeat the sentence and think of the situation connected to the new vocabulary. Write down then repeat in your head three to five more sentences that use the new vocabulary.

Make your own short story and include several new words you want to remember. Each time you retell the story, you will review the new vocabulary in your mind.

Make yourself explain the new word like you are a teacher. This is a great way to test how well you understand and can use the vocabulary. And if you have a study partner, you can explain the new vocabulary like you are a teacher!

l  More learning tips

It is better to learn just a few words in a group of related items instead of all the words in the group. For example, if you try to learn the names of 12 different birds, you will certainly mix up which name goes with which bird. But if you simply learn the names of two or three birds, and then learn a few more at another time, you will remember more easily.

Learn how a word can be used as different parts of speech, such as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb. Here are examples of the word hope used in four different ways:

Noun: There is no hope of success.

Verb: I hope we win the game.

Adjective: The situation is hopeless.

Adverb: Hopefully, we will win the game.

Be sure to learn which suffixes, or endings, are used for different parts of speech. For example, -ous, -ic, -ful, and -less, make adjectives, while -ion and -ness make nouns.

Prepositions are among the hardest things for English learners to remember. For example, we say, “amused by” and “happy with.” But we cannot say “happy by”. So, you should memorize the word and its preposition together as one unit instead of two separate words.

Music often makes it easier to remember words or phrases. Sing along with a song. But make sure that you can remember the new vocabulary without the music, too. After all, you do not want to sing every time you try to remember something!

Learn the tone of the vocabulary. Tone means the feeling the word carries with it. Tone can be positive or negative, and formal or informal. For example, the word “idiotic” means “very stupid.” It has a strong negative feeling and can be used as an insult. And “Howdy” is a very informal use of “Hello.” It is hard to learn about tone by yourself. The best way to learn the tone of vocabulary is to ask native speakers about it.

There are many apps to help you learn vocabulary. They use a way of learning called spaced repetition. For example, an app might show you a new word seven times in one day when the word is new, but then show you the word only once a week after you know it better.

English in a Minute, News Words, and Words and Their Stories are three programs that center on vocabulary on VOA Learning English. But you can learn vocabulary from any VOA Learning English program.

Most of all, remember to be active instead of passive. Make yourself think and use new words. And you will see your vocabulary grow day by day!

I’m Andrew Smith. And I’m Dorothy Gundy.

u  VOCABULARY

1. parts of speech: (grammar 语法) one of the classes into which words are divided according to their grammar, such as noun, verb, adjective, etc. 词类；词性

2. insult v. to say or do sth. that offends sb. 辱骂；侮辱；冒犯。例如：I have never been so insulted in my life! 我一生中从未被如此侮辱过！

3. howdy (North American English, informal) used to say hello（招呼语）你好

QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

1. According to the passage, which condition is necessary for a learner to fully understand a written work?

A. Knowing how to use words in a sentence.

B. Having no problems with grammar.

C. Knowing at least 1,000 words.

D. Understanding 95% or more of the words in that work.

2. According to the passage, what are the two important things to keep in mind when learning new vocabulary?

A. Connecting new words to a story and being passive.

B. Connecting new words to a list and being active.

C. Connecting new words to a story and being active.

D. Connecting new words to a situation and being passive.

3. What is suggested as one of the ways to practice new vocabulary in the passage?

A. Memorizing new words from lists.

B. Avoiding using new words.

C. Explaining the new word like you are a teacher.

D. Studying alone without a partner.

4. According to the passage, what is a suggested method for learning new vocabulary effectively?

A. Learning all words in a group at once.

B. Learning only a few words in a group of related items at a time.

C. Focusing on prepositions before other parts of speech.

D. Avoiding using music as a learning aid.

5. What does the passage advise about learning the tone of vocabulary?

A. It is unnecessary to learn the tone of vocabulary.

B. Tone should be learned independently without asking native speakers.

C. Tone can always be positive and formal.

D. The best way to learn the tone is to ask native speakers about it.

KEY 

1. According to the passage, which condition is necessary for a learner to fully understand a written work?

A. Knowing how to use words in a sentence.

B. Having no problems with grammar.

C. Knowing at least 1,000 words.

D. Understanding 95% or more of the words in that work.

【答案】D

【解析】细节题。根据文章中的“Some studies have shown that for learners to fully understand a written work, they need to know 95 percent or more of the words in it.”可以知道，要完全理解一个书面作品，学习者需要理解其中95%或更多的单词，所以选D。

2. According to the passage, what are the two important things to keep in mind when learning new vocabulary?

A. Connecting new words to a story and being passive.

B. Connecting new words to a list and being active.

C. Connecting new words to a story and being active.

D. Connecting new words to a situation and being passive.

【答案】C

【解析】细节题。文章提到“First, connect new words to a story or a situation”和“Second, be active, not passive.”，所以正确答案为C，即把新单词与一个故事或情境连接起来，并且要积极主动。

3. What is suggested as one of the ways to practice new vocabulary in the passage?

A. Memorizing new words from lists.

B. Avoiding using new words.

C. Explaining the new word like you are a teacher.

D. Studying alone without a partner.

【答案】C

【解析】细节题。根据文章中的“Make yourself explain the new word like you are a teacher.”可以知道，像老师一样解释新单词是练习新词汇的建议之一，所以选择C。

4. According to the passage, what is a suggested method for learning new vocabulary effectively?

A. Learning all words in a group at once.

B. Learning only a few words in a group of related items at a time.

C. Focusing on prepositions before other parts of speech.

D. Avoiding using music as a learning aid.

【答案】B

【解析】细节题。根据文章中的“It is better to learn just a few words in a group of related items instead of all the words in the group.”可以知道，比较有效的学习新词汇的方法是每次在一组相关项目中只学习几个单词，所以选择B。

5. What does the passage advise about learning the tone of vocabulary?

A. It is unnecessary to learn the tone of vocabulary.

B. Tone should be learned independently without asking native speakers.

C. Tone can always be positive and formal.

D. The best way to learn the tone is to ask native speakers about it.

【答案】D

【解析】细节题。根据文章中的“The best way to learn the tone of vocabulary is to ask native speakers about it.”可以知道，学习词汇语调的最好方法是向母语为英语的人询问，所以选择D。

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