h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For us, foreign people, it is taught that it is necessary for learning a language to pay attention to four things: to write, to speak, to read and to hear. All these are very important, but to one we must have the most attention. We must be strong and dominate it with all seriousness. It is to hear, to listen. With our own language, we are always hearing, since the day we were born. Our parents speak to us. A lot of people speak to us. And after several months, we begin to speak and talk. In school, we learn to write and read. The fundamental had already happened to us: to hear,listen. There is no doubt that since the beginning of our springing out and during all the time of our life, we are always hearing. Yes, I can talk, but I need to increase my vocabulary and have people to speak to me in English. So I need, because I live in Brazil, CDs and other helping things to be always hearing in English. I desire strongly to conquer the English language because it is a very important one. I know that music can help very much. I am going to get a lot of lyrics and hear the respective musics. FIGHTINGMAN

Hello Fightingman!

You have a very good point here about "hearing" the language you're trying to learn. And there's a new product out that I think will help you tremendously! It's a program called "Skype" (I think I've spelled that correctly) and it allows you to hook a microphone up to your computer and talk over the internet to anyone else that has the same program and a microphone. So if you have Skype installed on your computer, along with a microphone, and you have a friend in England who has the same - you could talk to each other if you were both online at the same time! I know a lot of people who play computer games over the internet use it to talk to people from all over the world who are also playing the same game. I don't believe there is any "airtime" charge as long as you're talking over the microphone on your computer.

I'm sure there are other software programs of this type out, but Skype is the only one I've actually used before. You might want to check your nearest computer software store.

Hope this helps!

Hello Michele!

I have liked very much what you have written to me. Your suggestion is very good. I am going to look for a software seller in oder to buy a microphone to use through Internet.
Now, I have to go out but I will come back in order
to get in touch with you.
Best Regards

Hello Michele!

It is very good when somebody replies to what we have written. I am going to think about the SKYPE and a MICROPHONE. We, foreign people, learn a language, but there is a big limitation in our vocabulary. I am seeing that through the writing of yours that belong to the BBC's programs my English will improve. Besides English I have much interest in other languages as Italian, Spanish, French, and German, as well as my own language, which is Portuguese, but that spoken by Brazilians. I said the Portuguese language because one needs to increase his knowledge of this language. It has an enormous vocabulary and a lot of rules about grammar. I have appreciated very much your comments. Thank you very much for your kind attention. BEST REGARDS.

Always happy to help where I can. +

Hope it works out for you!