Wang Qiang reads an English story (3)

Author: Bao Fanyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: English thinking, authentic pronunciation, an irresistible spoken English learning method! Wang Qiang, Bachelor of Arts in English from Peking University, Master of Science in Computer Science from the State University of New York, founder of the English Thinking Spoken English Learning Method, and a renowned English teaching expert. He has previously served as a lecturer at the English Department of Peking University, a software engineer at the U.S. Bell Communications Research Institute, Executive Vice Principal of Beijing New Oriental School, Vice President and Chairman of New Oriental Education Group. His major works include: Love of Books, Discovering the Charm of English—Listening to Wang Qiang’s Stories, English—On the Nose, and Fast Reading in English (co-authored); he has hosted the Beijing TV program Study Abroad ABC: From Word to the World. As a representative of New Oriental’s "," Wang Qiang possesses rigorous logical thinking, profound academic foundations, and a humorous speaking style. His narration exudes convincing authority while radiating passion and delivering witty remarks. Learning a language is an extremely effective way to acquire a way of thinking, if not the only one. Any language learner who fails to adopt the mindset of those who use the language will find it an alien tool, something that does not belong to them. English has three levels. The first is textual English, such as magazines, films, and broadcasts. This form of English is external to you—it is the most basic. If Chinese students, following traditional methods, devote all their energy to mastering textual English, they may acquire a lot of knowledge, but it will belong to others, not to themselves. At most, they will become mere storage devices. Although the saying "Reading 300 Tang poems will make you a poet without studying" is correct, you will only be able to "recite" at best, but I doubt you can become a Li Bai or Du Fu. The second level, which I call "thinking English," means that since it is a tool, you must think about what you want to achieve, how to use it, and what effect it will have. You need to mentally construct your thoughts. For native speakers, this process has been replaced by habits and thus overlooked, but for us, if we break it down carefully, it exists. It is essentially a training in mental response, imitation practice, and familiarity with creation—what is often said as "practice makes perfect," turning the impossible into the possible. If you do not organize your thoughts from the perspective of thinking methods and ensure that those with such thinking methods fully understand your expression, then your foreign language will forever remain "foreign" to you, failing to become a tool that serves your expression. The third level of English, which I call "action English," refers to the actual expression of English, involving aspects such as rhetoric, tone, and intonation, all of which must align with the other person’s way of thinking. Only when these three levels of English are combined in a three-dimensional manner and mutually support and permeate each other can you truly see the level of your English.