The challenge of academic writing for Chinese students within ...

Again I was especially weak in listening. All English teachers spoke English in class and
often I could not catch what they said. My listening ranked one of the lowest in my class.
Even special English, I could still not get the meaning. I was miserable because I was an
English major yet I could not understand English. I tried to improve my listening by listening
to English when I was in bed at night before I went to sleep. It turned out to be working, for I
could feel my improvement. Compared with other classmates, I was still behind. Even though
I was exposed to English speaking surroundings, listening is always a big stone for me. My
goal is that I can understand English movies without subtitles. Obviously, I cannot reach
that.
Why did I come to UK instead of studying in Sun Yat-Sen University My reasons are very
simple. First, I wanted to open my eyes. UK for me is a fresh new world. I prefer touching
new things, learning different things and having different experiences. Second, I want to
improve my English. As an English major, I cannot completely understand standard-speed
English. I think it is shameful. So based on those considerations, I came to UK without a
second thought.
When I was in UK in the early days, I could not catch 40% of what the teachers were saying.
I think there were also two reasons. First, the teachers have their accents. I did not adapt at
the beginning. Second, my listening was so poor that their standard-speed English was
beyond my ability. So listening is the most challenging issue in my study. Now I am still
fighting for it. Every day I listen to the radio. Actually, I do not really try hard to get the
meaning. When I switch on the radio, I am busy with other things. But I think now I am
familiar with the speed and accent of British English. By the way, British English is harder
than American English to ‗listen‘ to. What‘s more, I listen to English songs when I am in bed
at night and I try my best to catch the words. I can say I have made progress in listening but I
am not at the level which I want to reach.
I wish I could have the days when I was in my dreaming state. Anyway, I will never give up
improving my English. And also, I will keep up my study. Only that can study push us forward
and further.
Holly
Age Gender Degree subject(s) Length of
study in UK
to date
22 Female BA Business and Three years
Psychology
Hometown (on Fig
5.1)
No.4
Notes
I come from Chengdu, Sichuan province, which is located in South West China. The hot pot is
the famous food in my hometown. It is quite a big city. My parents were so busy with their
business and had no time to take care of me, and then they sent me to the countryside to stay
with my grandfather and grandmother, when I was six years old. The village was a very poor
place, I was studying primary school there, and our subjects were Chinese and mathematics
only. In Grade Five, my parents took me to the city, but they were still very busy every day, so
they chose a private full-time boarding school for me. I had to stay at the school from
Monday to Friday every week. It was a very good primary school, and also it was the first
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