点点卓尔悦读029 利用免费软件提升英语的口语能力

利用免费软件提升英语的口语能力

In this age of global integration, English is essential to everyone for the purpose of effective communication, especially students who are the future of the world. Unfortunately, a vast majority of students at school are only taught writing, listening, and reading, but, on a rare basis, speaking. Indeed, their speaking skills are assessed on neither mid-term nor final exams because the school is lacking in facilities. This shortcoming of English education at school makes it impossible for students to practice communicating in English, leading to their puzzlement when they are in a dialogue with foreigners.

For example, when they are asked by tourists to show the way to the nearest cinema, they find themselves at a loss for words or the visitors cannot understand their instructions.

You see a lot of your friends going to English centers and have their speaking skills considerably improved as a result of their increasing chances to talk with teachers from English speaking countries. However, you can also stand a chance of enhancing your speaking skills not at your expense by taking advantage of the intelligent voice assistants on your phone. They are search engines with which users can look up information with their voices. They were founded and developed by Apple, Huawei or Xiaomi, so in order to search what you want, you have to pronounce correctly. It means that you have to read the ending sound, stress the syllables, and have the right intonation. So if the results are not relevantto what you want, it is the same as your mistakes in pronunciation and the need for practice. You can look up the words you mispronounce and copy the sounds until yours and the example are similar. The intelligent voice assistant must be able to understand you without your bothering to use the keyboard. Besides, you can still practice by talking to your phone and demand it to set the alarm, call your friends, find an interesting game for you to play, etc. This helps you to “kill two birds with one stone”, improving your pronunciation while relaxing yourself after a long day with your study.

【词汇拓展】

1. integration/ˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃ(ə)n/n.融合，整合，一体化

Racial integration in schools has been a significant step towards equality.

学校中的种族融合是迈向平等的重要一步。

【拓展】

⊙【课标★★】integratev. （使）合并，成为一体；integrate into 融入；integrated with将某物与某物结合

①It took her some time to integrate into the new community.

她花了一些时间才融入新社区。

② The new students quickly integrated with the rest of the class.

新生们很快就和班上的其他同学融为一体了。

⊙integrity/ɪnˈteɡrəti/n.诚实，正直；

① Maintaining the integrity of the data is crucial for the research.

保持数据的完整性对研究至关重要。

② Maintaining the integrity of the data is crucial for the research.

保持数据的完整性对研究至关重要。

2.【课标★★】essential/ɪˈsenʃ(ə)l/adj.至关重要的

【拓展】

⊙be essential to/for 不可或缺的，必要的

Teamwork is essential to the success of the project.

团队合作对于项目的成功是必不可少的。

Sleep is essential for maintaining physical and mental health.

睡眠对于保持身体健康和心理健康至关重要。

⊙essentiallyadv.基本上，大体上

He is essentially a kind person.

他本质上是个善良的人。

3. majority/məˈdʒɒrəti/n.大多数

4. on a rare basis在极少数情况下

5. 【课标★★】assess/əˈses/ v.评估，评定；估算，估定，核定；

① We are trying to assess how well the system works.

我们正设法评估这个系统运行得是否顺畅。

② Ask them to send you information on how to assess the value of your belongings.

叫他们把如何估算你的财产价值的资料寄给你。

【拓展】

⊙assessment n 确定，评定；评价; 看法

What is your assessment of the situation?

你对这一情况有什么看法?

6. at a loss迷惑不解，不知所措的

She is at a loss whether going out with them or staying at home alone．

是同他们一道出去还是一个人留在家里，她拿不定主意。

7. 【常用】intonation/ˌɪntəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/n. 语调

In English, some questions have a rising intonation.

英语中有些疑问句使用升调。

8. 【课标★★】relevant/ˈreləvənt/adj. 紧密相关的，切题的

Do you have the relevant experience?

你有相关的经历吗？

【拓展】

⊙relevancen.相关性，实用性，意义

The relevance of the book to the course was questioned by some students.

有些学生质疑这本书与课程的关联性。

⊙relevantlyadv.有关联地

He answered the question relevantly and accurately.

他回答这个问题时既切中要害又十分准确。

9. kill two birds with one stone一石二鸟，一箭双雕

You’ll save both time and material, and kill two birds with one stone.

您将把时间和材料都节省下来了，就一举两得了。