LOVIN' ENGLISH    Speak like a native!
 NO CHINGLISH!
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  • Eng Resources 资料
    • Resources
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  • Culture 文化
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    • Preparing to go abroad
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    • Holidays >
      • MERRY CHRISTMAS
      • Coffee Shop Christmas
    • "Foreigners" in China
    • Communication X-Culture 跨文化交流
  • Fixing English Mistakes
    • English Mistakes
    • Strange English Signs!
  • Improving English 提高
    • Reading 阅读
    • Writing
    • Improve English Listening
    • Understanding English Signs
    • Grammar Resources 语法
  • Civilization and Development 文明
  • Kids & Parents 孩
  • Grammar Focus
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For more about Christmas, and opportunities to improve English reading and listening through learning about the holiday, click here for our Christmas page.
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This Christmas, enjoy a free Christmas cartoon in English: Click here to enjoy!
BUSINESS ENGLISH TIPS
Click the following links for useful tips:
35 Important Business Words
​
Basic Business English Video
​English for Business & Management
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Cabin: a small one-story simple building, usually built with wood and simple (a small house)
Stir-crazy (adj.): A feeling that, after being in just one place for a long time, we want to go out and move around. We can’t stand staying in one place, we feel we must go somewhere.  
Restless (adj): Similar to stir-crazy. A desire to move around when we have not or cannot
Claustrophobic: (幽闭恐惧症) An actual psychological condition when we cannot stand being in a close or tight place. It can be a serious medical condition, but in everyday life, it usually just refers to an uncomfortable feeling when in a small place.

                  CABIN FEVER IN CHINA
        Most of us in China are wisely staying at home during this challenging time of the corona virus.  We must do our part to keep the virus from spreading. As much as possible, we stay inside, and when we do need to go out, we wear a mask. But staying inside for a long time may cause another condition: Cabin fever.
        Cabin fever, although it can describe an actual serious condition, usually simply refers to the feeling we have when we are inside one place for too long. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines cabin fever as extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time. We have all been inside for a long time. We can’t go see our friends (except on WeChat), we cannot go to the shopping mall, our favorite restaurant, or the cinema, and for most of us, we cannot go to work or school. We are restless. I know I am. The longer this thing lasts, the more stir-crazy I feel. Some people even feel claustrophobic. How can we deal with cabin fever?
Being confined to our homes is not really such a bad thing. First, most people are spending more time than usual with their families. Secondly, we have technology to not only keep up with the latest information about coronavirus, but also to connect with each other and to go places online (like when you opened this site). Imagine if this happened 30 or 40 years ago? We would really be stir-crazy! Now, we can stay connected, and you can improve your English by just looking around this website. This is a great time to do this.
        So, Cabin Fever has a cure: View your time of isolation, not as a struggle, but as an opportunity; a chance to enjoy your family, and an opportunity to improve your English, even more than you would if you were attending classes. Look around this website, Lovin’ English, and find all kinds of sources to help you improve your English. After the coronavirus is over, you will leave your cabin with much better English skills than when you went in. No excuses, start now, improve your English!       
             
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Easy to find on Taobao and in bookstores. Give one to all of your friends who love English

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Do you know the English names for all of the animals pictured above? If not, then you must look at the Animal English Names book pictured on the far right, even if you are not a child! Click here for this free book. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Welcome to
LOVIN' ENGLISH/NO CHINGLISH: HELPING CHINESE LEARNERS IMPROVE ENGLISH AND CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS - FAST! EFFECTIVE!
So, relax and browse the pages of this site to find all kinds of helpful resources!

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 LOVIN' ENGLISH is not an English class and it is not a site trying to get your money. Lovin' English (AKA Nochinglish) is a free website devoted to providing you with the best resources for improving your English communication skills. So, relax and explore these articles, links, and other resources! Find the resources that best meet your English needs and expect your English skills to improve!

WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH LISTENING SKILLS BEFORE THE END OF 2017?
Listen to K-LOVE free English radio
(click here to listen)

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     Watching English movies is a popular way to practice English listening, and two of the most popular movies are Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Star Wars VII. You can also practice English reading by checking out the Batman vs. Superman official website and the official website for Star Wars.
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How many of these Star Wars characters do you know, in English?
  • BB-8
  • Chewbacca
  • Captain Phasma
  • Admiral Ackbar
  • Finn
  • Han Solo
  • C-3PO
  • Kylo Ren
  • Luke Skywalker
       Find these, and other Star Wars characters, with pictures, at the Star Wars Data Bank.

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The official English website of the Beijing government is eBeijing. You can practice your English reading by enjoying articles in Michael's blog on this website. To find these English articles, click here.
 KIDS
        If you look up at the top right corer of this page you will find that Lovin' English has a new page for parents and kids.
    If you are a parent wanting your child to improve his or her English, or if you are a child, be sure to check out this page. Or, if you are not a kid, but you would like to practice kid's level English, this page will be a benefit to you too. Click here to go directly to the Parents & Kids page.


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Hi, I'm Michael, your host here at Lovin' English. Welcome to this site. Sit down, make yourself comfortable, and enjoy the articles, links, and other resources for improving your English. Explore all of the pages until you find the resources that are just right for your English needs. New resources are always being added, so after you finish exploring everything that is here today, don't forget to check back in a few weeks, or days, for something new.
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Ice skating fun in Beijing attracts people from all over the world. If you are looking for a chance to communicate with international people, go skating or enjoy other outdoor activities in China that attract people from around the world.
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Most of China's cities have international schools where classes are taught in English. Even if you cannot afford to study in these schools, most of them have performances that are open to the public, like the one at Hope International School in Beijing (pictured above).

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How is your English?
Too many Chinese friends say, "my English is poor,
 but they are not doing anything to change the situation. So, answer the following questions:

1. How many people did you speak to in English today?

2. How much time did you spend reading English today?

3. Did you write anything in English today?

4. How much time did you spend listening to English today?

  IF YOU ARE PRACTICING, LISTENING TO, AND READING ENGLISH
EVERY DAY,
THEN YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT ROAD. STAY ON THAT ROAD DON'T
GIVE UP.
   IF YOU ARE NOT PRACTICING, LISTENING TO, AND READING ENGLISH
EVERY DAY,
YOU ARE ON THE WRONG ROAD.
CHANGE ROADS,
TODAY!
People are saying 2020 is a bad year.
I do not agree.
Even though there have been challenges in 2020, you can end the year by improving your English. Check all the stuff in this site, and keep improving. And then you can say, "2020 was a good year!"
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Lovin' English
Your home for finding English resources.
Search all of the pages on this site.
Start improving your English now!
It's free!
It's yours!

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WHAT'S WITH THE APPLE?
      When my Chinese friends gave me apples for my first Christmas in China, 1998, I was puzzled. Don't get me wrong; I thought it was really nice, but I didn't understand what apples had to do with Christmas. My friends were equally surprised to learn that outside of China, apples are not part of the Christmas tradition. When someone finally explained the meaning of the Christmas apples in China, was was delighted.
           First, I was delighted just to know China had its own Christmas tradition. This is not a copy of something in western countries. Christmas apples are uniquely Chinese. I was also happy to learn the meaning of 平安 on the apples. Chinese friends explained that Christmas eve is called Ping'an Ye, and it is related to the popular Christmas song, "Silent Night, Holy Night." Holy, because it is a celebration of the birth of Christ. And, of course, "ping" in Ping;An Ye sounds like the ping in the Chinese word for apple.
           Since understanding the unique 

GO TO CHRISTMAS PAGE CLICK HERE
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       We in China were the first to experience the awful coronavirus epidemic. We have been through it together (well, actually separated from each other), we know what it feels like, we have stayed inside, worn facemasks, and encouraged each other. We are experienced. For the rest of the world, this is something new. They are shocked and they do not always know how to handle it well. If you have friend in other countries, this is a great opportunity for you to help them and practice your English. Send them an email, text, or WeChat message and encourage them, just like we have been encouraging each other here in China. Use your English to help them through the difficult time and offer advice on staying safe and healthy.  
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PRACTICE ENGLISH READING
Interesting Articles about Kobe

          NBA legend Kobe Bryant was so popular in China that some even called the basketball legend the best ambassador to China. I have had some Chinese students who even gave themselves the English name Kobe because of their love for the NBA hero. Lovin' English suggests a great way to practice English and remember Kobe at the same time is to read about him in English. Here are some great Kobe reads for you:
1. Before you start reading, enjoy this picture of Kobe and Yao Ming.     
2. Read articles about Kobe in the China Daily.
3. Kobe Bryant and NBA popular among so many Chinese fans! 
4. Kobe Bryant, (this one may require a VPN to open in some areas) the best US ambassador to China!
​5. Kobe said he was extremely blessed!
6. Kobe Bryant quotes, including his famous quote about lazy people.      

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CLICK FOR RECOMMENDED ENGLISH MOVIES FOR YOUR HOLIDAY ENJOYMENT
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2020 RAT !

2020 is the year of the rat, a good time to learn a few English phrases where this word rat is commonly used.

Rats! This is often used as a single word, not in a sentence, to express disappointment. To hear an example, watch the movie Charlie Brown Christmas (see English movies above). Charlie brown looks into his mailbox, hoping to receive a Christmas card. When there is no card, he says, Rats!  

Rat (v.) on somebody. To rat on somebody means to tell someone in authority about someone doing something wrong. For example, someone cheated on an exam, and their classmate told the teacher. The cheater is angry and says, my classmate ratted on me.   
To rat on someone can also be expressed as to rat out. 

I smell a rat. This means I suspect something is wrong. This is often used when we suspect someone is disloyal or something feels wrong with the situation. Click here to see example sentences with I smell a rat.  


AVOID WEIRD GREETINGS! 

      Greetings, or ways we say hello, are extremely important for English communication because they create a first impression and because they open a conversation.  Greetings are like a gate that can open the way in to a meaningful conversation, or close the way when done incorrectly. In my years in China, I have heard some excellent greetings that led to good conversations, and I have heard some that closed the gate. Here are some Chinglish greetings that you must avoid, unless you intend to close the gate:
1. I wish (hope) you happy every day. What could be nicer than to have someone wish us daily happiness?  In Chinese, this sound really nice, but in English it sounds really strange. Why? No reason, except that we never say it, so it just sounds weird.  Don’t say this. Just say, have a nice day, or good luck, or, take care.
2. Have a nice life. The literal meaning of this greeting (or goodbye) is nice, but because it has another use, do not use it.  Have a nice life implies I never want to see you again in this life. It may be used when an angry girlfriend breaks up with her boyfriend.   
3. Have a happy forever. Or, I wish you happy forever.  Besides the fact that this is just weird in English, it is also a sign of bad English. The word happy is an adjective, not a noun. You cannot have an adjective, you can only have a noun. If you replace happy with happiness, at least your English is better, but this is still weird. Don’t use it.
4. Tell your family hello for me. If my family has met you and they actually know you, this is good, and very appropriate. However, if they do not know you, it is way too personal, even strange. 
So, if you want your English to sound natural, avoid these weird greetings. It is better to just stick with hello or hi. If it is a first time introduction you can say, nice to meet you. There are lots of great ways to greet people, but simple is always better than weird.

THE LONGEST HOLIDAY SEASON!
Christmas is a popular holiday, even in China. This means China has the longest holiday season in the world, from December, when we see Christmas trees everywhere, through New Years Day, and all the way to Chinese New Year/Spring Festival!
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If you don't know the English words for the yummy food below, click here for the answer key.
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To view the PAIRS article, click the image above.
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A great way to learn English words for animals is to practice in a zoo. This is a great activity for spring and fall, but some days are not suitable for outdoor activities. Another way to practice English animal names  is to visit a Zoo Coffee shop, located in most of China's major cities. Zoo Coffee's environment is a great escape from whatever is outside, and a chance to practice reading a bilingual menu! Animals are sitting and standing all over the coffee shop (don't worry, they aren't real). Next time you visit Zoo Coffee, see if you know the English words for all of the animals you see.

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Click the things you want to do
I want to improve English listening.
I want to learn about culture.
I want to practice English reading.
I want to improve English speaking.
I want to fix my mistakes.
I want more resources.

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        One of the things I love about Chinese people is their love for celebrations. They always find a reason to celebrate. They even made a “holiday” out of November 11, Singles Day, a record shopping day. But everybody knows the biggest holiday in China is Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival. The Chinese New Year holiday season has always been long, but now it seems to be getting even longer.
           Back in the United States our holiday season typically begins on Thanksgiving Day, near the end of November, and extends through New Year’s Day, January 1. During most of this time people work as usual. Most companies shut down for a day, or maybe two, for Christmas and another day for the New Year. Schools normally have a break around Christmas and the New Year, but it’s only about 2 weeks, very short compared to the long Chinese holiday.  
Now that Christmas is joyously celebrated in China, the holiday season here extends from December all the way through Spring Festival. In some places Chinese red lanterns and Christmas trees are even displayed together. China has the longest holiday season in the world!
       Of course, every joyous occasion has critics. There may be people in the world who do not like Chinese New Year, and there are some in China who object to Christmas. But today we have become a globalized world where we happily share each others' celebrations.  Chinese New Year is celebrated in some international schools, even though a few may protest, “I’m not Chinese.”  And those who think Christmas is a western holiday have forgotten the “reason for the season.” The one whose birth we celebrate on this holiday was born in the Mideast, not in the West. It’s a holiday for people everywhere to enjoy!
     I would love to see Spring Festival celebrated by more people back in my home country, the USA. Can you imagine it? Our holiday season would run from Thanksgiving Day all the way through Chinese New Yearl! But, until that happens, China holds the record for the longest holiday celebration!
Another Christmas and New Years Day are coming, but in China, the holiday season will continue through Spring Festival. We l see Christmas decorations in many of China's stores and coffee shops, so we know its holiday time. One of my kids' favorite songs is, Let it be Christmas every day. If you would like to keep celebrating and learning about Christmas, you can go directly to our Christmas page here.
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  Enjoy this free (click here) Christmas video to learn more about the holiday and at the same time, practice English listening.The video is in English, but it is also available with Chinese subtitles.
        Lots of Christmas resources are available on our holiday page.
        Christmas trees, gifts, and so many other images of Christmas? What are they all about? What do they mean? Get all of your answers from a brand new free PDF article, Images of Christmas. Click here to find your answers.


        Would you like to learn more about other holidays? Click here to go to the Lovin' English Holidays page.
question:

​HAVE YOU

PRACTICED

ENGLISH  YET

TODAY?

If not, why not

start now?


Don't wait!
​
This is your opportunity!

​Begin now!


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Christmas 2020 or Christmas 2021?Christmas banners all over China say, "Christmas 2021," but in most western countries, this is still Christmas 2020. One week after Christmas is New Years Day, and we will all say "Happy New Year 2021!" So, the Chinese way of connecting Christmas with New Year makes sense. Just don't be surprised when your western friends say "Christmas 2020." Maybe this year, they prefer 2021 because we all know 2020 has been a difficult year, but, I want to say... 
...2020 is a great year!
Humans are not just passive "things" with no control of our attitudes and actions. We choose our own attitudes and we even choose some of the things that happen. IF your English improved in 2020, you had a great year! If your English did not improve yet this year, you are not hopeless. You still have a few days left of 2020, so go ahead, explore this site, find the resources that will help you quickly improve your English, and finish 2020 happy with your English improvement. You can do it!
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LEARN TO COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH ABOUT CORONAVIRUS

       These are challenging times in China. This is also a time when clear communication is very important, especially when talking to your English-speaking friends. Poor English communication skills may lead some people to panic or even to dislike China, or on the other hand, it may lead some people to being careless and not protecting themselves and others from the deadly disease.  One of the best ways to learn how to correctly communicate, in English, is to read about it in English. Here are some recent pieces you can read to improve your ability to communicate about this in English (some may require a VPN to  open):
1. Here is a good English article for explaining how to protect yourself from the virus. click here
2.  Someone very creatively put Fight the Virus into an English song. Click. (If it will not open, try here click)
​3. Worried About Coronavirus? An interesting perspective on having peace of mind during the corona crisis. Click here. 
4. China Daily; 5 questions about coronavirus. Click here. 
5. China Daily: Trump offers to help. Click here.
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AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH english.chat is a WeChat based group where you can enjoy English articles and join conversations. Join this group, which even includes native English speakers, by scanning the QR code above.

IMPROVE  CREATIVE WRITING  PRACTICE READING

​          Maybe you  already know the idiom, kill two birds with one stone, which means to accomplish two things with one action. The idiom can be applied to improving both English reading and English writing improvement.
        Students ask me for advice for improving their English creative writing skills.   Although I could list many techniques, the most effective way to improve your English creative writing skills is very simple: Read good stuff!  As they say, what goes in, comes out.  In other words, what we feed into our brain is what we will produce. If we fill our brains with garbage, garbage will come out. And frankly, a lot of English writing, especially in the media, is garbage.  On the other hand, there are some excellent writings out there. I want to recommend my favorite, C.S. Lewis.
          To be an excellent English creative writer, fill your brain with books by authors like C.S. Lewis. His best known writings are a fantasy fiction series called The Chronicles of Narnia (納尼亞傳奇).  He was an amazingly intelligent creative writer. My favorite book in the series is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but the whole series is excellent.  One of the things that makes Lewis a unique author is that he successfully wrote both fiction and non-fiction, a rare skill. I recommend anything written by him. 
            You want to improve your skills for English creative writing this winter. First, search online sources for The Chronicles of Narnia. And then find a comfortable place to relax and read. You will be amazed at how quickly your writing skills improve!              
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HOW DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH TODAY? CLICK YOUR CHOICE
I want to improve my English listening
I want to improve my English speaking
I want to improve my English grammar
I want to practice my English reading
I want to learn about culture
I want to know which movies to watch
I want to learn about holidays
I want to learn how to pass exams
I want to learn giving directions
I want resources for going abroad

A FREE CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU FROM LOVIN' ENGLISH! Our newest book, Learning Animal English Names, is suitable for all ages and English levels. You can read it on your computer, or print it as a gift to your friends. To receive this free book in PDF format, click here.

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You want to practice speaking English and you have a friend who is willing to practice together with you, but you don't know what to talk about. Right?
Help is here. We have ideas that will work for you!

Click for Dynamic English Conversations Practice
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             RESOURCES
Do you ever make English mistakes? What a silly question! Of course, everybody makes mistakes. The real question is this: Do you want to correct your English mistakes? If your answer is "yes," go to our English Mistakes page. 
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美国老师Are you looking for a fun  gift for your friends and family members who want to improve their skills for communicating with other cultures? Give them a book they will love: 美国老师教你跨文化交流!
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Do your friends want to improve their English writing skills? Then you can give them a copy of 美国老师教你写出好英文.
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BILINGUAL READING
One of the most practical ways to improve English skills is to read bilingual articles. Of course, you have to read both languages, not just the Chinese. Here are some free samples you may like to try:

Bilingual Bikes in Paris click here

Bilingual Fast food & Exercise click here

Bilingual Spiritual Laws click here

Bilingual iPhone apps click here



What scientists say about Evolution:
To read this one bilingually, download both the Chinese and English editions.
For the English book, click here
For the Chinese book, click here



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BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW  OVER BEIJING SKY
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EVERY DAY, EVEN IF YOU ARE BUSY: READ SOMETHING IN ENGLISH. LISTEN TO SOMETHING IN ENGLISH. SAY SOMETHING IN ENGLISH.
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Did you say something today in English? Did you write something in English today?
If not, what are you waiting for? If you really want to improve, you must say and write something in English every day.
Start right now.

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If you have a conversation in English with someone from another country, can you effectively use English to describe your favorite places in China?
If not, make sure you can, then it will be easier to make international friends! The more international friends you have, the more chances you have to practice and improve your English!
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Do you really want to improve your English communication skills? Have you ever considered learning online with a real native English-speaker? A truly effective online lesson is not cheap, but if you can afford it, the time and money spent are very much worth it. If you are thinking about making this investment, check out www.englishnotchinglish.weebly.com.
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Working to help Chinese people communicate cross-culturally in English

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To learn to speak like a native English speaker, to quickly improve your spoken English, to overcome Chinglish...
READ:
美国老师教你说出好英文
Michael Knapp
中国机械工业出版社
ISBN: 978-7-11-32954-1

Click here to read articles written by the author, published on eBeijing, the Beijing government's official English website.



    DON'T LOOK AT THIS WEB SITE unless you really want to become an excellent communicator in English with international people!

    Lots of people in China are "good" at English but have difficulty communicating cross-culturally. They can pass exams and memorize thousands of English words, but their English oral communication skills are not so good.

   
Communication is not just learning words. Effective communication, especially cross-cultural communication, consists of both language and culture.
Are you satisfied with your present level of spoken English?
Do you really want to improve?
Are you willing to radically change your methods of learning English? If you are willing, this book is for you.
To order these books online or find them in your local bookstore, you'll need to use the Chinese title.
NOW, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR ENGLISH?
If you want to practice reading English, click here
If you want to prepare to go abroad, click here
If you want to correct English mistakes, click here
If you want to
improve your English listening, click here
If you want to learn more about holidays, click here

If you want to improve your oral English skills, read 美国老师教你说出好英文

Contact Lovin' English at: nochinglish@outlook.com

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