Plus Chinese in my life can double problems that I have because of English. So I definitely felt afraid of starting to study a new language. So until I decided to learn Chinese, I truly concerned about starting it. Because it takes a lot of time maybe two years or more and it takes great amounts of energy to memorize vocabulary words and to practice grammars or speaking. Also, actually learning a language costs a lot to buy books and to register for the language course. I already knew these problems from studying English. That's why I felt kind of fear of starting to learn Chinese.
However, when I considered merits of learning Chinese, they swept away my concerns. Since I was a high school student, I wanted to be an English interpreter. Or I wished to have a job to help people having a trouble in communication with different languages speakers. Furthermore, I hoped to learn various languages as much as I can. So, studying Chinese itself was quite attractive for me. Additionally, Chinese is becoming more influential language as Chinese economy is growing fast and even some predict China will be the most powerful country in the future. So I thought if I can speak Chinese, it will be my strength!
Then, why did I have to still feel hesitant to learn Chinese? I looked for a good Chinese course and registered for one. While going to the class, I had butterflies in my stomach because learning new languages was always my dream. Because I only have learned English, I was very curious what learning Chinese would be like. When I got into the class, my teacher gave me a warm smile saying "Ni hao!" I felt everything would go well. I also said "Ni hao!" to her, which was the only word that I knew at that time. I just stepped into the world of Chinese.
I am still on the way studying Chinese and I am getting immersed in it. It becomes evident that studying a new language gives me lots of fun. Even though I am very beginner and I can just introduce myself and say just a few sentences, I am dreaming to travel China someday and to meet people there. It motivates me to study hard. Also, I finally realized that in order to improve language skills, I should study not to be perfect but to have fun.
To: Hyeji Kwon
ReplyDeleteFrom: Jihoon Yoo
Assignment #2
What I like about this piece of writing is how you felt about studying Chinese before you made up your mind, because I am currently learning Chinese and I felt just the same before I decided to study it. Also, you have the same thought with me on the point of why you decided to study Chinese at the beginning, despite the complexity of the language. Your main point seems to be how starting a new language is very difficult and scary, and despite those difficulties studying a new language can give a lot of merits. The sentences or words that really struck powerfully are first, “Chinese is becoming more influential language as Chinese economy is growing fast and even some predict China will be the most powerful country in the future.” It is because before I started studying Chinese, those facts that you have mentioned are the reasons why I started learning it too. Therefore it reminded me of when I first started it. Secondly, I loved your last sentence where you said that you should have fun studying instead of trying to be perfect. At first as I studied Chinese, I was so into just memorizing words and also phrases, and therefore it was very stressful with nothing to gain. So, I realized that in learning a new language, you should approach differently. Therefore I tried to understand the sentences instead of memorizing, and also made a chant that would stimulate my memorization. Therefore I was able to sympathize with your point. However, some phrases were unclear, and therefore needs improving. The first one was at the beginning when you said "cannot escape from the swamp of English because it is crucial to enter a university or to get a job." I think you were trying to say English is crucial in entering the university, and so I think it should be "because it is crucial for entering a university or getting a job." The second one was when you said "when I think that my English never be better and I will not be fluent like a native speaker." It was an unclear sentence; therefore it should be changed to "when I think that my English will never improve." In my opinion, the one change you could make that would make the biggest improvement in this piece of writing is to write more about the actual studying you have done, and how you felt during that process. I believe that will make your writing more interesting!
To Hyeji from NamhyeKim
ReplyDelete1.What I like about this piece of writing is you wrote your own experience and your feelings about it honestly and chronorically.
It was your personal thing so,I was interested and it was easy to understand and follow your writing as it was organized in time order.
2. Your main point seems to be like this: You were hesitant to learn it, and afraid of it for some reasons. But , you made a decision to learn chinese and now you want to learn it with having fun.
3. These particular words or lines struck me as powerful!
"While going to the class, I had butterflies in my stomach"
I like this sentence, because I can imagine how you felt. You describe it well, so that reader can understand your feeling. Actually,I had similar experiences as well.
4.This line could be improved
: - I also totally understand their feeling and sometimes feel in the same way because I deal English as my major.
-->As I study English as a major, I also understand how they feel.
In my opinion, this looks more accurate and simple.
- So until I decided to learn Chinese, I truly concerned about starting
--> So, before I decided to learn Chinese, I thought about it seriously.
In my opinion, if you change the sentence in this way, the content seems more clear ,and understandable. At first, I had kind of trouble understand the meaning.
5. The one change that would make the biggest improvement in this piece of writing is to make first paragraph more fascinating so that you can make readers wonder about your whole writing. It would be better to shorten the length of your 1st paragraph.
I
What I like about this piece of writing is that you wrote about your personal story honestly. Also, your topic(learning language) was very familiar one , and I had experience of similar thinking. So, while reading your writing I could understand your circumstances,
ReplyDeleteThe sentence that struck me powerfully is " I had butterflies in my stomach "
This sentence looked nice ,because you didn't use common expressions and make it creative.
Also the sentence, " I should study not to be perfect but to have fun." struck me powerfully. Though this is a short, and simple sentence, it was very impressive expression. It gave strong impression to me.
Besides this sentence" I just stepped into the world of Chinese." was good.
This sentence looks metaphorical, so very impressive.
But, some sentences are unclear, so need to be improved.
"So until I decided to learn Chinese, I truly concerned about starting it."
--> So before I decided to learn Chinese, I thought deeply about it.
In my opinion, it looks more clear and understandable.
"Then, why did I have to still feel hesitant to learn Chinese?"
-> Then, why wasn't I sure of learning Chinese?
I'm not sure I understand what you want to say , but based on what I understood , I'd like to change it in this way.
the one change you could make that would make the biggest improvement in this piece of writing is to make introductory paragraph more shorter. I think it's a bit long as an introduction paragraph. Also, how about adding more things of your learning chinese? That would make your writing more organized.
Kwon Hye-ji
ReplyDeleteSecond draft
"New World of Learning Chinese"
Learning a new language is always hard. Since I study English, I am always struggling to improve my English skills. Even I sometimes get frustrated with worry my English may not improve. However what if I learn even one more language in this situation? It was the very hard choice for me to decide to study Chinese at first.
Since I was a high school student, I wished to have a job dealing several languages in the future. Also, I hoped to help people having a trouble in communication with different languages speakers like an interpreter. In addition, I wanted to learn various languages as much as I could. Chinese was one of the languages I wanted to learn the most.
Three months ago, I thought of learning Chinese but I felt afraid of starting. I thought plus Chinese in my life could double difficulties I have in learning English. For examples, if I learn Chinese, it would take a lot of time maybe two years or more to be fluent and it also would need great amounts of energy to memorize vocabulary words and to practice grammars or speaking. Actually, learning a language would cost a lot to buy books and to register for the language course. So I felt kind of fear of starting to learn Chinese.
One month later, I finally decided to learn Chinese. When I considered about advantages of learning Chinese, they swept away my concerns. I have had interests in learning languages since I was young, so studying Chinese itself was quite attractive for me. Obviously, Chinese is becoming more influential language as Chinese economy is growing fast and even some predict China will be the most powerful country in the future. So I thought if I can speak Chinese, it would be my strength!
One day, I looked for a good Chinese course and registered for one. While going to the class, I had butterflies in my stomach because learning new languages was always my dream. Because I only have learned English, I was very curious what learning Chinese would be like. When I got into the class, my teacher gave me a warm smile saying "Ni hao!" I felt everything would go well. I also said "Ni hao!" to her, which was the only word that I knew at that time. I just stepped into the world of Chinese.
Since I stared learning Chinese in the academy, I have been working on studying hard. In the class, I practice conversation with the teacher or classmates as we study in a textbook. Also we practice Chinese pronunciation by repeating words loudly after the teacher read them. She sometimes tells us her stories when she was an university student in China. Also, she gives us some tips to enjoy living in China. Her stories are always interesting and make me want to learn more about China. After I come back home, I practice pronunciation while listening audio tapes and how to write chinese characters. I also memorize words I learned in the class.
I am still on the way studying Chinese and I am getting immersed in it. It becomes evident that studying a new language gives me lots of fun. Even though I am very beginner and I can just introduce myself and say just a few sentences, I am dreaming to travel China someday and to meet people there. It motivates me to study hard. Also, I finally realized that in order to improve language skills, I should study not to be perfect but to have fun.