首页
登录
职称英语
The Web Way to Learn a Language The young woman seated ne
The Web Way to Learn a Language The young woman seated ne
游客
2023-07-18
25
管理
问题
The Web Way to Learn a Language
The young woman seated next to us at a bar revealed a vaguely exotic(异国的) air; her looks and style, we thought, made it likely that she was not American born. But then she spoke in perfect American English, even ending her declarative sentences in that rising questioning tone of many young Californians. As it turns out, however, she wasn’t from these parts after all; she was born in Iran and spoke only Farsi(波斯语) until her arrival here two years ago. What classes, we wondered, had she attended to learn the language so well?
"I didn’t," she said. "I used RosettaStone." Those yellow boxes sold at shopping-mall may be the most recognizable example of PC-based language learning, but it certainly isn’t the only one. With the growth of Internet connectivity and social networks, companies have introduced a wide range of Internet-based language learning products, both free and fee-based, that allow students to interact in real time with instructors in other countries, gain access to their lesson plans wherever they are in the world, and communicate with like-minded virtual pen pals who are also trying to remember if bambino means baby.
Learning a language sometimes seems as difficult as dieting. The solution is to figure out how to stay interested after the novelty wears off. To counter boredom, online language programs have introduced crossword puzzles, interactive videos and other games to reward users for making progress.
Online courses are either fee-based, free or a combination. Starter packages of fee-based programs may cost just a few hundred dollars, but the cost to reach higher levels of comprehension and speaking can easily be $1,000. While that may sound expensive, language company executives say it isn’t; college courses often cost many thousands of dollars to reach the same level. So, cost aside, how do you choose which program to use? The answer is that one size doesn’t fit all.
"The quality of feedback is important," according to Mike Levy, head of the school of languages and linguistics at Griffith University. "Sites with human contact work best," he said. "This shows the advantage of humans compared to computers. A computer is never as subtle or intelligent."
Pay and learn
RosettaStone, the best-known language program, now offers a $1,000 product that includes RosettaCourse, a traditional lesson-based module; RosettaStudio, a place where a user can talk to a native speaker via video chat; and RosettaWorld, an online community where you can play language-related games.
"We offer modern-day pen pals facilitated with voice," said Tom Adams, the company’s chief executive.
RosettaStone uses things like colorful flash cards to help students first learn basic words, and then connect those words to concepts and sentences. The idea, according to Mr. Adams, is for the user to let go of the adult "technical questions and just get into a comfort zone, learning new sounds and trying to make sense of them."
One of RosettaStone’s main competitors, TellMeMore, believes it has an advantage because its software not only teaches words and phrases, but includes a speech recognition component that analyzes pronunciation, presents a graph of speech, and suggests how to perfect it. Other videos show students how to shape their mouths to create sounds difficult for native English speakers, like the rolling R in Spanish. With 10 levels of content, a 10,000-word vocabulary, videos of native speakers and more than 40 practice activities, TellMeMore believes it has enough material to keep a user motivated.
TellMeMore charges $390 for a year’s access to its resources for six languages; those looking for a quick refresher can buy a $10 daily pass. Weekly, monthly and half-year passes are also available.
The company’s product is currently available only on CD-ROM, but online versions for both Mac and Windows that will include real-time coaching are coming later this year.
Free now, pay later
Livemocha, a two-year-old Web start-up, offers free basic lessons in 30 languages. Users can apply for advanced courses with additional features on a monthly or six-month basis. For $20 a month, students can submit up to eight voice recordings to a native-speaking tutor, who will then review and make recommendations for improvement within 24 hours. For $70 every six months, students can submit up to two examples a lesson.
All students, whether using the pay or free model, can join social networking groups and speak live to people around the world who are native speakers interested in learning English. As with all social networking sites, this feature is open to misuse. Within hours of signing up for Livemocha, I received a note from a young woman, ostensibly (假装的) from Poland, "wanting to meet me."
The company says it has "the world’s largest community of people learning languages," with five million registered users in 200 countries.
Financed in part by the European Union, Babbel offers paid instruction (and a free trial lesson) in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish for $12 a month, or $6.62 a month for a six-month commitment. In addition to extended grammar and vocabulary, users can communicate with others in their desired language via private or public chats, or arrange to get in touch via voice.
Free language learning
If money is truly an object, a variety of free language learning is available from a number of sites. The British Broadcasting Corporation offers varying levels of instruction for 36 languages, with features including audio and video playback and translation. Looking to visit Deutschland? The German television network, Deutsche Welle, can help you make yourself understood. And for those who not only want to learn another language but another alphabet as well, try japanese-online.corn, or learn-korean.net.
Applications for a smartphone
No program would be complete without an accompanying smartphone application, and many exist for the iPhone and other devices. Several are simple providers of useful phrases, including the Lonely Planet Phrasebooks, the Oxford Translator Travel Pro, and World Nomads. The Ultralingua Translation Dictionary offers simultaneous translation of English and six languages. Both RosettaStone and TellMeMore say that they are developing smartphone applications as supplements to their online programs, but neither has announced a release date.
Livemocha expects to have an application later this year for both the Android and iPhone operating systems. The company plans on integrating text with a native speaker pronouncing the language, and providing the option for voice recording and live video feeds. [br] As a smartphone application, Lonely Planet Phrasebooks simply______useful phrases.
选项
答案
provide
解析
此处需填入动词,作句子的谓语动词。该句用including一词举例,表明Lonely Planet Phrasebooks是有用短语的几个提供者之一,对比题干和原文可发现,原文的simple一词对应题干中的simply,故只需把providers转换成其动词形式即可,结合原文的时态可知provide为本题答案。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/2847637.html
相关试题推荐
IsForeignLanguageLearningNecessary?1.目前各种翻译软件应有尽有2.有人认为没有必要再学外语3.我的看法
Gesturesarethesilentlanguageofeveryculture.Itisimportanttoknowt
Gesturesarethesilentlanguageofeveryculture.Itisimportanttoknowt
Gesturesarethesilentlanguageofeveryculture.Itisimportanttoknowt
Gesturesarethesilentlanguageofeveryculture.Itisimportanttoknowt
Gesturesarethesilentlanguageofeveryculture.Itisimportanttoknowt
Gesturesarethesilentlanguageofeveryculture.Itisimportanttoknowt
[originaltext]M:EnglishLanguageCenter.HowmayIhelpyou?W:Yes.I’mcalli
[originaltext]M:EnglishLanguageCenter.HowmayIhelpyou?W:Yes.I’mcalli
Australia’sforeignlanguageskillsareindecline,VoiceofAmericahasrep
随机试题
[originaltext]Listentothefollowingpassage.Altogetherthepassagewill
Iwasstandinginmykitchenwonderingwhattohaveforlunchwhenmyfriend
在软件项目开发过程中,进行软件测试的目的是__(请作答此空)__,若对软件项目进
通常,商业银行主要根据全行资本总量和资本充足率水平来确定资产负债总量计划。(
以下哪一种期权不是根据协定价格与标的物市场价格的关系划分的?()A:实值期权B
风险治理是( )之间在风险管理职责方面的监督和制衡机制。A.董事会 B.业
下列关于其他项目清单的编制说法正确的是()。A.暂估价包括用于施工合同签订时尚
早期食管癌的病变范围,是A.限于黏膜层 B.侵入或侵透肌层 C.远处淋巴能够
法洛四联症最早出现的临床表现是 A.活动耐力下降 B.蹲踞现象 C.阵发性
患者男,重体力劳动工人。腰腿痛,并向左下肢放射,咳嗽、喷嚏时加重。检查腰部活动明
最新回复
(
0
)