How to develop the ability of understanding English news.doc

How to develop the ability of understanding English news I. Beginning Preparations for the Listening Listening To A Foreign Broadcast Listening to a radio broadcast in a foreign language is difficult for many of us. We may have studied the language for several years, and are able to read it, perhaps even write in it. But listening and understanding the spoken language requires special skills. Some people have a natural ability that helps them to learn language quickly. Others must study for a long time. Everyone however, can improve his or her listening skills with practice. We are good listeners in our won language because we have had years of practice. We understand the grammar and the words. We also understand the cultural style of our language. We know what to expect a person to say to us in almost any situation. We have been in similar situations many times, and we have heard it all before. We can understand, even if we do not listen carefully. But this is not true with a foreign language. We must listen with our full attention. And we must try not to let the cultural style of our own language affect our understanding of the foreign language. Listening to a foreign broadcast is easier if we know something about it. There are clues that can help us. One clue is the time of day. Morning programs usually contain many short items of news, information or entertainment. The items are short because most of us are getting ready to go to work in the morning. Often we do not have time to listen to long programs. Evening programs are different. There is time for more detail about the subjects discussed. We can get a clue about the program from the music at the beginning, but we must be familiar with the music of the foreign culture, the kind of musicserious and slow, or fast and light can tell us what kind of program to expect. The name of the program, can five us good information about what it will contain. Another good clue is the broadcaster. The more we lis