对于学生而言，英语是一门实践性很强的学科。真正意义上的语言学习是不能速成的，你要有足够的耐心、坚韧的毅力，加之科学合理的方法。

　　Sorry,but there's a secret.

　　There's no expressway.No back door.

　　There's no magic pill,no drug;no tonic(补药),no lotion(药剂),no potion(药剂).

　　And more annoyingly(讨厌地；恼人地),there's no single textbook or set of cassettes,no one radio programme or conversation drill that can guarantee(保证)rapid success in learning English.

　　It just takes time.

　　Language is not just a tool or science.It's also an art-a complicated, shifting and imprecise(不精确的) art.In spite of the typical"cramming" approach(典型的填鸭式教学方法)students take too many of China's most chilling(扫兴的；沮丧的)exams.Learning English for everyday use calls for more than memorizing words and sentence patterns.

　　As an art as well as a tool,the language requires of its students a variety of learning techniques resting on two philosophies：patience and persistence(毅力).

　　A few words about patience：Each person's brain is different,meaning someone may take five years to master what another can learn in one.(And the slower learner may ace(有妙计；有法宝)geometry(几何)or chemistry five times faster than the speedy English student.)

　　Students should respect the abilities and limits of their own brains,in most cases preparing for several years of study rather than several months.And even after those few years,there will be a lot of English left to learn.Studying a language is simply that way.

　　Knowing one's own abilities and limits,a student can map out(制订出) a personal study schedule.

　　The schedule should include reading and reviewing texts,plus other books consistent with the skill level of the learner.

　　One should set aside time for speaking English with anyone else who speaks it,including other Chinese students.To improve speaking skills,students should listen to instructional tapes,privately recite words and at higher skill levels,take in occasional radio or TV shows.

　　A few words about persistence：Students must stick to the routine(常规),alternating(交替；轮换)text study with listening and speaking practice.If one's work or class schedule allows two hours of study per evening one should regularly study two hours a night-but not over-study.Studying while tired is as good as not studying at all.

　　Why talk about all this?It's just because many English students are too hard on themselves.They often say that after half a year of hard work they see no improvement in their English.They wonder what they're missing and how to get it.

　　Someone studying for a specific test may worry,of course,because test dates are fixed and test results may guide one's future.Other students who have taken the test before may be able to help here.But those studying English in order to use it working for an import-export(进出口)company,guiding foreigners around Beijing,or teaching the language in a high should sit back and let the study of English move into their lives for the long term.

　　(文/河北乐亭刘耀辉；英语辅导报高二版03~04学年第19期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)