How Do I Improve My Listening Skills, Part 2?

 

By Jill Robbins

31 January 2020

This week we continue our answer to a question from Nga, a university student in Vietnam¹.

Question:

How can I improve my English listening skill?

Answer:

Dear Nga,

Last time, we talked about face-to-face listening and listening to get information. This week, we talk about listening to lectures or speeches.

Intensive² listening

At many universities, for example, teachers talk for long periods of time in English. You also may listen to recordings³ in English. Here are some things you can try before, during and after this kind of intensive listening.

Before listening

Imagine that you will hear a lecture about rainforests. Before you listen, think of what you already know. What kind of plants, animals or people live in rainforests? Are they in danger? Are there any related⁴ English words that you know? These questions can help you get ready to listen.

During listening

As you listen, keep your brain active by asking yourself other questions like: "Am I following the main points? What do I need to remember?" Be sure to take notes or record the lecture so you can listen later. You will probably hear new words you do not understand. Write them down. Then listen more carefully – does the speaker explain them? Is there a picture in the classroom or in your textbook that shows their meanings? If not, use the other words around them to guess. You can find the definitions⁵ later.

After listening

Afterward⁶, think about how much you understood. If you can, ask your teacher a question about whatever you did not understand. React⁷ to the lecture with your own ideas, even if you only do this in your notes or with a classmate. Your reaction could be: "I think people should work harder to protect rainforests."

Increase your listening time

You should listen to VOA news, our American Stories series⁸, songs, movies, and other things in English every day. In time, you will understand better and better.

Next week, we'll talk about improving pronunciation.

And that's Ask a Teacher.

Words in This Story

lecture – n. a talk or speech given to a group of people to teach them about a particular subject

pronunciation – n. the correct way in which a word is said

1 Vietnam   

n.越南

参考例句：

• Vietnam is suffering from food shortage.越南正遭受食物短缺之苦。
• Laos is on the west of Vietnam.老挝在越南西面。

2 intensive   

adj.加强的，密集的；精工细作的，集约的

参考例句：

• I'll make an intensive study of a subject.我将集中学一门课程。
• There we received several weeks of intensive training.在那里我们受了几星期的集中训练.

3 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

4 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

5 definitions   

定义( definition的名词复数 )； 规定； 清晰（度）； 解释

参考例句：

• Write clear definitions in order to avoid ambiguity. 释义要写清楚以免产生歧义。
• Definitions in this dictionary are printed in roman type. 这本词典里的释义是用罗马体印刷的。

6 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

7 react   

vi.起反应，起作用；反抗，起反作用

参考例句：

• She didn't look up or react in any way.她既不抬头，也没有任何反应。
• How did he react to your suggestion?他如何对待你的建议？

8 series   

n.连续；系列

参考例句：

• The students have put forward a series of questions.学生们提出了一系列问题。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。