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赫杰 -

Okay, in hopes of improving my speaking I have been doing lots of 自言自语 lately. Usually
while walking to places and classes I quietly talk to myself, which I am sure makes me appear a
little crazy, haha o well. I created a bunch of common questions that, in my experience, is often
asked, you know, questions relating to government, law, society, weather, food, stuff like that.
So this where I meet a problem:

After I answer the basic question, and say a couple of sentences I just don’t know what to say,
which is understandable because there is no one there to ask questions to initiate a response. So
I am like, well I will start thinking of what to say in English, that should help...not at all, I
just can't think of anything more to say on the topics. And a couple of sentences is not enough, I
need an initiator, a spark, to create that feeling of the need to express something, so this is
what I was thinking:

Doing some translating from English to Chinese. I was thinking about reading some English articles
on the topics and searching for some expressions that I don’t know that I don’t know how to
say in Chinese, this way, when those feeling come up in English, I will be prepared to use Chinese
to convey the meaning?

Anyone tried this? What do u guys think?

Thanks

HJ



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赫杰 -

yeah...so...im back, still working on speaking here, haha, as expected, ok just wanted to add
something real quick for those who are still having the problem, like myself. Personally, just to
reiterate what Roddy said on the subject three years ago, no matter how much you think about it,
or how many different ways you think of to improve your speaking, I think it all comes done to
putting yourself in situations that forces you to speak and doing this as much as freaking
possible (like many many hours a day in many people's case). But I just wanted to add something,

If you are a kind of naturally quiet introvert person like myself that does not like to keep many
friends and usually just likes to listen, then getting better will definitely be a big
challenge...on any level. But whatever the case I just wanted to say, be yourself, try to act like
your usual self as much as possible.

In comparison to me being with my friends while in America, I have recently realized I act really
differently around my Chinese friends in one aspect, I don't make a lot of jokes. It is naturally
for me to be quiet, but with my good friends I will often say random things and act like a retard
just to get a laugh out of them. But here, perhaps because of the culture difference, it was only
until recently that I have started to make jokes, and have realized something, I think all
countries like a good retard, haha. Anyway, just be yourself and don’t let the culture change
you into something you actually not. If you like to make jokes, than do that, I have also found
they will make similar jokes (but of course will seem more funny to them) which is good for you to
mimic later when you want to get a rise out of them or something.

Just some quick random thoughts

HJ










heifeng -



Quote:

Okay, in hopes of improving my speaking I have been doing lots of 自言自语 lately. Usually
while walking to places and classes I quietly talk to myself, which I am sure makes me appear a
little crazy, haha o well.

Are you in Beijing b/c I know I saw some foreigner talking to himself last week! hahah

Well other than just talking to people as much as possible, maybe take a class just on speaking.
Even something like a class aimed at the advanced HSK speaking portion of the exam may help....










赫杰 -

Thanks Heifeng and no I am still here in lovely Wuhan actually. It's interesting actually to look
at those post as they were written around six months ago...somewhere amid all that studying the
time just slips away, you know? Since then I am happy to say I had made signifcant progress in all
aspects of my chinese, maybe it was from all that 自言自语, I still do that a lot by the way,
haha~~

But now I usually listen to talk shows and news reports while walking the roads, wheras last year
i would 朗读课文or自言自语 while walking, that takes a lot concentration to do in place
like wuhan, lol.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Peace,
HJ












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