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

Hi everyone who reads this...

I am studying British English because I want to succeed in the Cambridge 'English as a second Language' exams.
I would use some tips on studying English. How do you maximize your vocabulary, for example? I could use all tips and tricks that you know!

Bye, Jacqueline

Hi Jacqueline,

How are you?

I think the most obvious way to learn any language, is to use it as often as you can. So read books in English, listen to the BBC World Service radio, watch British telly (BBC is on the cable almosty everywhere in Holland), subscribe to as many conversations on H2G2 as you can!
I'll tell you a little secret about me: I talk to myself in English (aloud!) When I am on my bicycle on my way to work, I pretend to talk to a Brit visiting our country and tell him (or sometimes her) about my everyday life. I know this is a bit crazy, but it makes me stumble upon words I don't know. (What's a "kaasschaaf" in English or how do you explain the way the gears on a bike work?)

Sometimes when I go out in the evening I pretend to be a British tourist myself and try to fool Dutch waiters or barmen .
Being an anglophile can lead to very strange behaviour indeed!

These days I am lucky to have a job that involves a lot of talking and writing in English.

Sometimes TV programs are full of slang words or someone speaks with a very strong accent. In those cases I use the Ceefax ("teletext") suntitles for the deaf (page 888) so I can read along with what is being said.

Can you tell me some more about these exams? Do you have to go over there to take them or is it something you can do in Holland? Is there a website?

Terry

Hi Terry,

a lot of the tips you have given me I already use. We do have BBC on the cable here, so luckily I don't have to listen to just BBC world service on the radio. On the cable we get (radiowise): BBC world service, BBC radio 2, BBC radio 3 and BBC radio 4. On telly we get: BBC one, BBC two and BBC world.

So yes, I listen to as much British English as I can. And for reading books and magazines...to tell you the truth: if I read them I only read English ones! As I already told you: I have been living in the UK for 10 months so that also helped big time with improving my language. But I have got the feeling I have hit a 'dead end' so to speak, somehow I can't get myself to the next level.

That's why I bought some British English study books (Longman and Oxford)to actually learn the rules instead of just using the language. There are a lot of grammar rules that I need to learn from the start and my vocabulary is definitely not up to speed!
Also: I am quite good at writing English, but am lousy at conversational English and reading English out loud, so trying to improve that too.

What I want to do with it. Well, the exams I am talking about are Cambridge 'English as a second Language' exams. You can sit them at the British Council in Amsterdam. There are 3 different grades, the lowest being: First Certificate; the middle grade being: Certificate in Advanced English; the highest grade being: Certificate of Proficiency in English.
All of these exams will take you about 7 hours to complete and you will be tested on all parts of the English language which are: writing, speaking, reading, and listening.

Basically: to take these exams with a good chance of succeeding you have to speak, read, and write better English than your average Brit. As you might well realize: these exams are pretty tough! But if you pass you will have an Internationally accepted certificate, which comes in handy as it is from Cambridge. Not just any old institution...

Well, I wanted to go for the Proficiency exam, but have lowered my expectations to the First Certificate, because I am really not even close to the Proficiency level yet!

Yes, at home we try to talk English together as much as we possibly can, but I still have the feeling I hit the dead end. It might just be me not being happy with slow progress, I guess...

Bye, Jacqueline

Hi Jacqueline,

How are you? With the weather this good, I hope you are not spending much time at your computer, it is simply too lovely to be indoors.

I found the information on the Language Exams at the Britsh Council website. Looks quite impressive. My first reaction was: "Hey, that's cool, I would like to go for one of those". But then, as a typical Dutchman, I looked at the prices and, although very reasonable for this type of thing, I started to wonder why I would want such a certificate.
One of the problems with being an anglophile (I became one when I first set a foot on the British Isles in 1978, a mere lad of 16) is that you keep trying to become a Brit or to be very much like one, but you will never know what it is like to be born in the UK.
So for me taking these exams would only be a sort of vanity act, to prove (to myself?) that my English is good. I don't really need it for my job or for any career plan (never had one!).

Do you have any plans with this Certificate? Mind you, if you feel that this is none of my business, please say so ! I am just being curious.

Have you decided on the Dutch Researchers Meet yet? I will definitely be there on Friday evening.

Gotta go now, I am supposed to be working here...

Terry