In order to know a foreign language thoroughly, four things are necessary. Firstly, we must understand the language when we hear {#blank#}1{#/blank#} spoken.. Secondly, we must be able to speak it correctly with confidence and without hesitation. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} ,we must be able to read the language , and fourthly, we must be able to write it. We must be able to make sentences that are grammatically correct.

    There is no easy way to success {#blank#}3{#/blank#} language learning. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} good memory is of great help, but it is not enough only {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(memorize) rules from a grammar book. It is not much use learning by heart long list of words and {#blank#}6{#/blank#}meanings , studying the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language. {#blank#}7{#/blank#}we are satisfied with only a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning the language. “Learn through use” is a good piece of {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(advise) for those {#blank#}9{#/blank#}are studying a new language. Practice is important. We must practise speaking and {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(write) the language whenever we can.

    Like many new graduates, I left university full of hope for the future but with no real idea of what I wanted to do. My degree, with honors, in English literature had not {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(real) prepared me for anything practical. I knew I felt like {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) a difference in the world somehow, but I had no idea{#blank#}3{#/blank#} to do that. That's when I learned about the Lighthouse Project.

    I started my journey {#blank#}4{#/blank#} a Lighthouse Project volunteer by reading as much as I could about the experiences of previous volunteers. I knew it would be a lot of hard work,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}that I would be away from my family and friends for a very long time. In short, I did not take my {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(decide) to apply for the Lighthouse Project lightly. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} did my family.

    Eventually, however, I {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(win) the support of my family, and I sent in all the paperwork needed for the application. After countless interviews and presentations, I managed to stand out among {#blank#}9{#/blank#} candidates and survive the test alone. Several months later, I finally received a call{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(ask) me to report for the duty. I would be going to a small village near Abuja, Nigeria. Where? What? Nigeria? I had no idea. But I was about to find out.

    The biggest house of cards, the longest tongue, and of course, the tallest man: these are among the thousands of records logged in the famous Guinness Book of Records. Created in 1955 after a debate {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (concern) Europe's fastest game bird, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} began as a marketing tool sold to pub landlords {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (promote) Guinness, an Irish drink, became the bestselling copyright title of all time (a category that excludes books such as the Bible and the Koran). In time, the book would sell 120 million copies in over 100 countries— quite a leap from its humble beginnings.

    In its early years, the book set its sights on {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (satisfy) man's inborn curiosity about the natural world around him. Its two principal fact finders, twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, moved wildly around the globe to collect facts. It was their task to find and document aspects of life that can be sensed or observed, things that can be quantified or measured. But not just any things. They were only interested in superlatives: the biggest and the best. It was during this period {#blank#}5{#/blank#} some of the remarkable Guinness Records were documented, answering such questions as "What is the brightest star?" and "What is the biggest spider?"

    Once aware of the public's thirst for such knowledge, the book's authors began to branch out to cover increasingly doubtful, little-known facts. They started documenting human achievements as well. A forerunner for reality television, the Guinness Book gave people {#blank#}6{#/blank#} chance to become famous for accomplishing odd, often pointless tasks. Records were set in 1955 for consuming 24 raw eggs in 14 minutes and in 1981 for the fastest solving of a Rubik's Cube (which took a mere 38 seconds). In 1979 a man yodeled(用真假嗓音交替唱) non-stop for ten and a quarter hours.

    In its latest appearance, the book has found a new home on the internet. No longer {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (restrict) to the limits of physical paper, the Guinness World Records website contains seemingly innumerable facts concerning such topics as the most powerful combustion(燃烧) engine, or the world's longest train. What is striking, however, is that such facts are found sharing a page with the record of the heaviest train to be pulled {#blank#}8{#/blank#} a beard.

    Originating as a simple bar book, the Guinness Book of Records {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (evolve) over decades to provide insight into the full range of modern life. And although one may be {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (likely) now to learn about the widest human mouth than the highest number of casualties in a single battle of the Civil War, the Guinness World Records website offers a telling glimpse into the future of fact-finding and record-recording.

    It is a great{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(true) that life is difficult. Once we really understand and accept it, then life is no longer difficult. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, most of us do not fully see it. They just complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a really painful one. Problems, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(base) on their nature, cause sadness or regret or anger or fear. These are {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(comfort) feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. It is in the whole process of solving problems {#blank#}6{#/blank#} life has its meaning. Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we want to strengthen the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(solve) problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to deal with. {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(learn) from the pain of meeting and working out problems is{#blank#}9{#/blank#}great benefit. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” For this reason, wise people learn not to fear but to welcome{#blank#}10{#/blank#} pain of problems.

    English perfectly shows the "network effects" of a global tongue: the more people use it, the more useful it is. Parents expect their children {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(master)English, which is encouraging the {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(grow)of private schooling. Education authorities are switching to English medium, in part to control the outflow(外流) of children into the private sector.

Teaching children in English is fine if that is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} they speak at home and their parents are fluent {#blank#}4{#/blank#} it. But that is not {#blank#}5{#/blank#} case in most public and low-cost private schools. Children are taught in a language they don't understand by teachers {#blank#}6{#/blank#} English is poor. The children learn neither English nor anything else.

    Research shows that children learn {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(much)when they are taught in their mother tongue than they do when they are taught in any other language. In a study of children in 12 schools in Cameroon last month, those taught in Kom {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(do)better than those taught in English in all subjects.

    English should be an important subject at school, but not {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(necessary)the language of instruction. Rather than switching to English-medium teaching, governments fearful of {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(lose) custom (光顾) to the private sector should look at the many possible ways of improving public schools.