How to Improve Your English Reading Skills - 4 Steps to Improve Now!

英文閱讀 - 四步提昇閱讀能力

Hi, I’m Stephanie.

嗨，我是Stephanie。

Welcome to Oxford Online English!

歡迎來到Oxford Online English！

In this lesson, you can learn how to improve your reading skills in English.

在本節課裡，您可以學到怎樣提昇您的 英文閱讀技能。

We’ll show you the number one mistake English learners make when they try to practice their

我們會告訴您英文學習者在練習 他們的英文閱讀時所犯的

reading in English, and how to avoid it.

頭號錯誤，以及怎樣去防止它再發生。

You’ll see a step-by-step plan that you can use to improve your English reading skills,

您會看到一個可以提昇英文閱讀 技能的步步為營的計畫，

and we’ll give you several suggestions to improve your English reading level more quickly

我們會給您幾個建議來更快、 更有效地提昇您的

and efficiently.

英文閱讀等級。

You heard just now that there’s one big mistake that many English learners make when

您剛聽到很多英文學習者 在試著去練習閱讀時

trying to practice reading.

犯有一個大錯誤。

So, what is it, and how can you avoid it?

那麼，那是什麼，您要怎樣避免它？

Here’s a situation.

這是一種情況。

Think about whether you’ve been here before.

考慮之前您是否這樣。

You start reading something in English.

您開始閱讀某些英文的東西。

You can’t understand a lot of it, and there are many unknown words.

其中的很多您都不理解， 有很多不知道的單字。

You start looking up every word you don’t know in a dictionary.

您開始在一本辭典裡找您 不知道的每一個單字。

Thirty minutes later, you’re either asleep, or you’ve read about two paragraphs.

30分鐘之後，您或許睡著了， 或許您僅讀了兩個段落。

Of course, this makes you feel bad, and you start feeling that you can’t read in English,

當然，這會讓您感覺糟糕，您開始認為 您不能讀不了英文的東西，

that it’s too difficult, and so on.

那太難了，諸如此類的。

But, this isn’t true!

但是，這不是事實！

You can read in English and you can improve, whatever your English level now.

您可以讀英文，您能提昇，無論 現在您的英文程度是什麼。

What’s the key?

鑰匙是什麼？

You need to select materials at the right level.

您要選擇正確等級的讀物。

Often, people try to read the same things they would read in their native language.

通常，人們想閱讀與他們在母語裡 必須讀的相同的東西。

But, if your English level is intermediate, like many of the learners we meet, then you

但是，如果您的英文等級是中階， 像是我們遇到的很多學習者，

need to accept that you can’t read all the same things in English that you would read

那麼，您要接受您不能閱讀所有 與您在母語裡

in your own language.

必須讀的相同的東西的事實。

If you try, you’ll probably feel frustrated, and maybe give up.

如果您試了，您可能會感到沮喪， 也許會放棄。

So, it’s essential to select reading materials that are the right level for your English

所以，選擇與您的英文能力對應 等級的讀物是

abilities now.

必不可少的。

But, how can you do that?

但是，您要怎樣做那個呢？

Here are some tests you can use:

這有一些您可以做的測試：

One: can you understand the general meaning of the text without using a dictionary?

一：您不用一本辭典就能理解 文字的一般意思嗎？

Two: can you understand the general meaning of most sentences without using a dictionary?

二：您不用一本辭典就能理解大部分 句子的一般意思嗎？

Three: can you read the text at a reasonable speed?

三：您可以用一個合理的速度 閱讀文字內容嗎？

This is subjective, but it shouldn’t take an hour to read a few paragraphs.

這是主觀的，但是不必花一個小時 來閱讀幾個段落。

If you can’t answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then the text is probably too hard.

在這些問題上，如果您不能回答“是”，那麼 內容有可能是太難了。

Of course, you don’t want it to be too easy, either!

當然，您也不想它是太簡單的！

If you can understand everything first time, it’s probably too easy.

如果您能在首次就理解每一件事， 那有可能是太容易了。

There should be some words and ideas which aren’t easy to understand.

必須有一些不是很容易去理解的 單字和想法。

You’re probably thinking: so where can I find suitable reading materials?

您有可能在想：那麼在哪裡可以找到 合適的讀物？

That’s a hard question to answer, because this depends on your level, your study goals,

那是一個很難回答的問題，因為 這取決於您的等級、您的學習目標、

and your personal tastes.

以及您的個人品味。

Here’s one suggestion: look for Graded readers.

這有一個建議：找Graded readers。

Graded readers are books adapted specially for English learners.

Graded readers是特別適合英文學習者的。

They take famous stories, or even things like Shakespeare plays, and adapt them for different

他們取材於著名的故事，甚至像是莎翁 戲劇之類的東西，並將其

levels.

改編成不同的等級。

Naturally, there are many other sources of English reading materials: news websites,

當然，還有很多其他的英文讀物 資料來源：新聞網站、

magazines, blogs, forums, books, journals, and so on.

雜誌、部落格、論壇、 書籍、傳記等等。

However, whatever you read, it should pass these tests.

然而，無論您讀什麼，都要 通過這些測試。

You should be able to read and understand most of the general ideas without using a

您必須不用辭典就能讀和理解 大部分的一般內容

dictionary or spending hours reading a short text.

或不會花幾個小時讀一段簡短文字。

If you can get this right, then you’ve done the most important work.

如果您可以正確的做到，那麼 您做了最重要的工作。

Remember that you don’t have to finish reading everything you start.

記住您不必讀完任何 您剛開始讀的內容。

For this lesson, we’re talking about reading in order to improve your English level.

在本節課裡，我們為了提昇您的 英文等級來談閱讀。

To do this, you need to find the right materials at the right level.

為此，您需要找到正確等級的正確讀物。

Don’t waste your time trying to read things which are much too difficult.

不要浪費時間去試著讀 太難的東西。

So, what’s the next step?

那麼，下一步是什麼？

Let’s get one thing clear: improving your reading skills in English is going to take

我們要清楚一件事：提昇您的英文 閱讀技能要花

a lot of time.

大量的時間。

It’s not something you can do in days or weeks.

那不是您能在幾天或 幾周內做到的事情。

There aren’t any tricks which can help you to improve faster.

沒有任何捷徑能幫您去快速提昇。

So, the best thing you can do is very simple: read as much as possible.

所以，您能做的最好的事情非常 簡單：盡可能地讀更多。

Spend as much time reading in English as you can.

盡可能地花更多時間 在英文閱讀上。

Also, variety is important in your reading practice.

同樣，在閱讀練習中的多樣性 是重要的。

If you read the same kind of texts again and again, you’ll get good at reading that kind

如果您一次又一次地重複相同類型 的內容，您會在閱讀那種類型

of text.

的內容上更好。

For example, if you only ever read news articles about economics, you’ll get very good at

例如，如果您只讀關於經濟的新聞文章， 您會在閱讀關於經濟的

reading news articles about economics, but you might find it difficult to read other

新聞文章方面很好，但是也許 您在閱讀其他主題

styles of text on other topics.

的其他內容上有困難。

If you’ve seen our video about how to improve your listening, then you might recognise these

如果您看過我們的關於怎樣提昇聽力 的影片，那麼您也許會讚同

ideas.

這些看法。

That’s because improving your reading and improving your listening need a similar approach.

那是因為提昇您的閱讀和提昇您的 聽力需要相似的方式。

Let’s make an example reading study plan together, but first, we want you to think

我們一起來擬定一個閱讀學習計畫， 但是首先，我們想要您去想

about something: how many different things could you read in English?

某些事：您可以閱讀多少不同的英文內容？

Pause the video, and try to think of five different things you could read.

暫停影片，來想一下您能閱讀 的不同內容。

Make them as different as possible.

要盡可能地不同。

Ready?

準備好了嗎？

Let’s make a reading study plan together.

我們一起擬定一個閱讀學習計畫。

There are two rules:

這有兩個規則：

1.

1.

Do something every day.

每天做某些事。

If you’re very busy, try to do five minutes a day.

如果您非常忙， 試著每天做五分鐘。

Five minutes is better than nothing.

五分鐘比什麼都不做要好。

If you can do ten minutes a day, do ten minutes.

如果您每天可以做十分鐘，就做十分鐘。

If you can do more, do more.

如果您可以做更多，就做多一點。

But, do something, even if it’s just a little bit!

但是，要做，即使是只有一點點！

2.

2.

Do something different every day.

每天做不同的事情。

If you read part of a novel one day, read something different the next day.

如果您一天讀一小段小說，第二天 就讀不一樣的東西。

Also, try to find things you’re interested in, and that you really want to read.

同樣，試著找您感興趣的事情， 和您真的想讀的東西。

That way, it won’t feel so much like studying, which will make it easier to do regularly.

那樣，那就不太會像學習一樣， 有規律地做某事會變得更容易。

Anyway, here’s a possible plan for one week:

無論如何，這有一個可能的一周計畫：

Monday: read 1-2 pages of a short story Tuesday: read a blog post

週一：讀1-2頁短故事 週二：讀一個部落格貼文

Wednesday: read a BBC news article Thursday: do a reading exercise from an English

週三：讀一則BBC新聞文章 週四：做一個英文教科書上的

textbook Friday: read a film review online

閱讀練習 週五：讀一個線上影評

Saturday: read the comments on an online news article

週六：讀一篇網路新聞 文章的評論

Sunday: read the lyrics to a song

週日：讀一首歌的歌詞

Of course, you should make your own plan to suit your own interests and level.

當然，您必須擬定自己的計畫來 適合您自己的興趣和等級。

When you’ve made your plan, write it down and stick it on a wall, or on your bathroom

當您擬定了自己的計畫，寫下並貼在 墻上，或者您的浴室的

mirror, or somewhere where you’ll see it every day.

鏡子上，或某個您每天 會看到的地方。

When you finish each thing, cross it off your plan.

當您完成每一件 事，劃掉您的計畫。

That way, you can track what you’ve done, and feel good about finishing your plan.

那樣，您可以追蹤您做了什麼， 對完成您的計畫感覺很好。

On the one hand, it’s good to challenge yourself, so give yourself one or two harder

在一方面，可以很好地自我挑戰，所以 給自己安排較辛苦的

days, where you’re reading more, or reading something more difficult.

一天或兩天，您讀更多或讀更難的。

On the other hand, be realistic and don’t try to do too much.

在另一方面，現實點，不要試著做太多。

It’s more important to make reading in English a long-term habit, so make a plan which you

養成一個閱讀英文的長期習慣更重要， 所以擬定一個您能堅持的

can stick to regularly!

有規律的計畫！

Next, keep doing this, every day, every week, every month.

接下來，繼續做這個， 每天、每週、每月。

You might not feel that you’re getting better, but over time, you will improve.

您也許感覺不到您會變得更好，但是 隨著時間流逝，您會提昇。

Now, you’ve seen the most important ideas you need to improve your English reading.

現在，您看到了提昇您的英文 閱讀的最重要意見。

There are a couple more points to think about.

有更多的意見要考慮的。

Let’s look.

我們來看看。

Here’s a situation: you’re taking an English exam, maybe an IELTS exam.

這是一個情形：您正在英文測驗， 也許是一個雅思測驗。

You have a reading text which is difficult for you.

您有一個對您來說 很難的閱讀內容。

There are many words you haven’t seen before, and many sentences which you don’t understand

有很多單字您之前沒看過， 很多您無法清楚

clearly.

理解的句子。

The clock is ticking.

時鐘在滴答走。

What can you do?

您能做什麼？

Are there any tricks to make it easier to understand the text in this situation?

在這個情形下，有任何捷徑會讓 理解內容更容易嗎？

Surely there must be some special techniques which make it easier, right?

當然，必須有一些特別的 技巧讓它更容易，對嗎？

Not really.

並不是這樣的！

If you’re reading a text and you don’t know many of the words, that’s a bad situation.

如果您在讀一段文字，您不知道 多少字，那是一個糟糕的情形。

If your grammar knowledge isn’t enough to understand complex sentence structures, then

如果您的語法知識仍不足夠去理解 複雜句結構，那麼

that’s a bad situation.

那是一個糟糕的情形。

At that moment, when you’re in your exam and you’re faced with this difficult text,

在那時，當您正在測驗， 您面對這段難的文字，

there’s really no good solution.

真的沒有好的解決辦法。

There are many videos and lessons giving you ‘reading tips and tricks’, including some

有很多課程和影片給您“閱讀 的技巧和捷徑”，包括一些

of our own!

我們自己的。

However, these are only necessary if your reading level isn’t high enough for a specific

如果您的閱讀能力等級對於一個特定的 任務不夠高，例如一個雅思

task, like an IELTS reading exam.

閱讀測驗， 而這些才是必要的。

These tips and tricks are ways to deal with having a lower reading level than you need.

這些訣竅和捷徑是應對擁有低於 您所需的閱讀等級的方法。

Like everything in this lesson, there’s no quick fix here.

像本課程裡的所有東西一樣， 這沒有快速解決辦法。

To improve your English reading level, you also need to improve your vocabulary and grammar

要提昇您的英文閱讀等級， 您也需要提昇您的字彙和語法

knowledge, and that’s a long, slow process.

知識，那是一個漫長、緩慢的過程。

But, it’s necessary.

但是，那是必要的。

Remember in part one, we said that you should choose reading materials which you could understand

還記得在第一部分，我們說您必須 選擇不用辭典您就能

most of without a dictionary?

理解大部分的讀物嗎？

Now, we need to look at this from the other side.

現在，我們要從另一面 看一下這個。

Often in life, you can’t choose the things you need to read.

通常在生活中，您不能選擇 您要讀的東西。

If you’re at work, or taking an English exam, you’ll be given a text.

如果您在工作，或在談一個英文 測驗，您會拿到一段文字。

You can’t choose to read something easier.

您不能選擇讀更簡單的東西。

In that situation, you need to know most of the words in the text already.

在那個情形之下，您需要已經 知道文字中的大部分單字。

If you don’t, it will take you a long time and a lot of work to read and understand the

如果您不知道，那會花您很長時間和 大量的工作來讀和理解文字，

text, and there’s a high chance that you’ll misunderstand parts of it.

您很有可能會理解錯文字 的部分意思。

So, what should you do?

那麼，您必須做什麼？

Firstly, your reading practice needs to be supported by regular grammar and vocabulary

首先，您的閱讀練習需要以有規律的 語法和字彙

work.

工作來支持。

We won’t go into details about this here, because it’s too big as a topic, but if

在這，我們不想細節化這方面， 因為那是一個太大的主題，但是如果

you need advice, there are many free materials and videos on our channel and our website

您需要建議，在我們的網站裡有很多 免費的資料和影片來

to help you learn vocabulary and grammar effectively.

幫您有效率地學習字彙和語法。

Secondly, when you read something in English, don’t just read it once.

其次，當您閱讀某些英文的東西， 不要只讀一次。

Read it two, three, four or more times, especially if it’s difficult to understand the first

要讀兩次、三次、四次或更多次， 特別是如果首次很難

time.

理解時。

Vocabulary learning depends on repetition, so by reading a text many times, you give

字彙學習取決於重複，所以通過閱讀 一段文字很多次，您給

yourself more chances to see new words and phrases in context, which makes it easier

自己更多機會去根據上下文 看新的單字和片語，

to remember them.

那會更容易記住它們。

Thirdly, as you practice and as your reading level improves, increase the difficulty of

再次，您練習以及您的閱讀等級 提昇了，增加您的讀物

your reading materials.

的難度。

This way, you’ll continuously see new words, new phrases, new sentence structures, and

這樣，您會不斷看到新單字、新 片語、新句型結構，以及

so on.

類似這樣的東西。

Okay, let’s look at one more useful point you can use to practice your English reading.

好，我們再看一個有用的、您可以用來 練習您的英文閱讀的建議。

Okay, you’re probably bored of hearing that improving your English

好吧，您有可能因為聽到提昇英文閱讀 等級是一個漫長、緩慢的

reading is a long, slow, pro…

過程而感到煩惱。

Okay, okay, you get it.

不錯，很好，您懂了。

We’ve told you many times.

我們告訴您很多次了。

The problem with long, slow processes is that they’re often boring.

有漫長、緩慢過程的問題它們 通常是煩人的。

And, when something’s boring, it can be hard to motivate yourself to do it.

並且，當某事有點煩人時，就很難 激勵您自己去做那件事。

So, how can you deal with this?

那麼，您要怎樣應付這種情況？

The most important point is something you’ve already heard: read things you’re interested

最重要的建議是那些您已經 聽到的事情：讀那些您

in.

感興趣的東西。

However, there are a few other things you can do.

然而，有幾件您可以做的其他事情。

One idea is to set yourself challenges.

一個建議是設定自我挑戰。

For example, use a timer when reading something and set yourself a time limit.

例如，在您閱讀某些東西時用一個 定時器，自我設定一個時間限制。

Try to read the whole text within that time.

試著在那個時間內閱讀整篇內容。

Or, get a speed reading app.

或者，下載一個閱讀速度應用程式。

There are many available in the Apple Store or Play Store, including many free apps.

在Apple商店或Play Store有很多可以提供， 包括很多免費的應用程式。

These apps display text at a specific speed, so you have to read at the same speed.

這些應用程式用特定速度顯示文字 內容，所以您必須用相同速度讀它。

As you get better, you can challenge yourself by increasing the speed.

如果您有提昇時，您可以 加速做自我挑戰。

Another good challenge is to read texts without a dictionary or any help.

另一個好的挑戰是不用一本辭典 或任何幫助來讀文字內容。

You shouldn’t do this all the time, because it’s useful to learn new vocabulary when

但您不必一直都這樣做，因為辭典 對您學習讀到的新單字是

you read, and you need a dictionary for this.

有用的，為此，您需要一本辭典。

However, sometimes it’s good to practice without any help.

然而，有時沒有任何幫助來 練習是好的。

It’s also useful because this is often closer to real-life situations, where you might be

那也是有用的，因為這通常更 接近於現實生活的情形，此時，

under pressure and unable to look up every word you don’t know.

您可能會承受壓力並無法 查找每個您不認識的單字。

Follow these tips and your English reading level will improve.

遵循這些提示，您的英文閱讀 等級會提昇。

Remember that you need to be patient!

記住，您要有耐心。

Do you have any good tips to help others improve their English reading level?

您有任何好的提示來幫助其他人 提昇他們的英文閱讀等級嗎？

Please share your ideas in the comments!

請在留言板裡分享您的建議。

Thanks for watching!

感謝觀看！

See you next time!

下次見！