Describe something that helped you learn another language

You should say:

• what it was ①
• how you used it ②
• why you chose to learn that language ③

and explain how this thing helped you. ④

注：对这个话题卡的描述，取材时还可以选择外国电影，DVD机，录音机，书，MP4等等。有的学生想说学校，但学校不是Thing，而是地点。还有学生想说老师，老师是人，也不是Thing。

王冬: 雅思口语新话题解析(4) - Sth that helped U learn another language

① The thing that helps me learn another language is an Electronic English-Chinese Dictionary. This gadget was given by my granny on my 18^th birthday. It’s handy, glossy, and super thin.

② It has a PDA style interface, where I could write an unknown character, then have the dictionary magically tell me what it was.

③ Why learn English? English is not only the most useful language in the world but also one of the easiest languages to learn and to use. And of course, if you want a good job, get out of the armchair and start learning English now! If you already have a good job, start learning before you lose it!

④ The dictionary includes not only definitions, but plenty of usage examples and sentences. It contains great idiomatic and colloquial phrases, both for US and UK English -- in addition to the more "standardly" used meanings. Also, the word search history list makes it very easy to jump back to a word you looked up earlier, making it a very valuable study tool.

I personally think my electronic dictionary is the single best investment I've made in my own English.

Lexical Resource:

• gadget: 小东西 小物件
• handy: 小巧的
• glossy: 光滑的
• interface: 界面
• idiomatic: 习语
• colloquial: 口语的
• search history list: 历史查询表
• best investment: 最好的投资

More about "how this thing helped you" (更多关于它如何帮助你学习外语的资源):

1. It is the most powerful tool for overcoming the communication barrier between people. 这是克服语言交流障碍最强大的工具。

2. It provides an easy and direct way to access the resources of a foreign language, both in written and spoken form. 它提供了一种简便直接的方法掌握外语资源，无论是书面和口语形式。

3. It contains great idiomatic and colloquial phrases (although it also has a few phrases I've never heard of, and some that would make you blush) 它包含了大量的习语和口语。

4. Yes... my electronic dictionary is quite superb in terms of the quality and quantity of its entries. However, it's not "updatable" and entry numbers are of course limited, compared to Web-based ones. 我的电子辞典中的词条无论质量还是数量都是一流的。当然，相比于网络辞典，它不是可即时更新的，且词条的数量是有限的。

5. It reduces the stress level of translation by giving you more control, independence, and self-confidence. 它给你提供了更多的的控制，自主，以及自信。减少了翻译难度。

• For a tourist: an indispensable guide and aid on trips around the world
• For a student: a reliable and confidential assistant during a language class
• For the kids: fun while studying a foreign language

6. It has:

• Advanced voice function in English & Chinese 高级的英语+中文发音
• Exclusive word-for-word full sentence translation system 独特的词对词完整句翻译系统
• Electronic English and Chinese grammar book with topic search function按项的中英语法功能
• New words recording function for dictionary expansion 为扩充辞典而设置的新词录入功能
• PC Link for data exchange with your PC 电脑连接功能以便数据交换