四点建议，记住单词不再难

 　How can we avoid forgetting what we have learned¹? Now I would like to give you four suggestions. Then I'll give you a bit explanation on each of them.

　　Suggestions

　　First, we need to learn words repeatedly² with increasing intervals⁴ between learning⁵ sessions⁶. Here, the most important term “increasing” intervals, 就是说这个间隔的时间要恰当。I will explain it later. (按照适当的时间间隔来温习新学的单词。)

　　The second we should have the words. We have the words we want to learn with us whenever we go. So if we want to learn these words, we should have these words with us. So we can make full use of our time learning these words. (时时刻刻，利用边边角角的时间去复习生词。)

　　The third is set aside a regular time for vocabulary learning. (留出专门的时间用于单词学习。)

　　The last one, spend more time on the words you find difficult. All these suggestions are not new to you, I guess. But you might find something new later. (对疑难词汇进行重点攻关。)

　　Suggestion One

　　Ok. The first one. Increasing intervals. Now research in psychology⁷ shows that we do not forget things gradually. You see a psychologist did research. Most of our forgetting occurs within 20 minutes after we have first learned something. More is forgotten with one hour. Still more within 8 hours. After 8 hours, the rate of forgetting stays surprisingly steady. You see, we do not forget things gradually, bit by bit. Bit by bit. It’s not the case. So we forget more in the first 8 hours. (心理学研究者做过一个测试：我们最易遗忘的时间段是我们接触新知识后的头20分钟。之后的1个小时我们又会忘记一些，然后8小时内又忘记一些。过了8小时，我们的遗忘速度就会趋于稳定。也就是说，遗忘是一点一点发生的，前8个小时忘得最快。)

　　So what should we do? What should we do? And actually, I will suggest you should do revision everyday when you first learn the new words. And then you may spend some time review the words once in a week. Then later on, once in a month. So increasing intervals, I mean you learn frequently at the very beginning. Then gradually, you can delay a little bit. The interval³ is longer and longer. But still you have to review them. Now this is the first suggestion. Increasing intervals. (针对这种遗忘规律，文教授提议：接触新单词之后，起初反复记忆，然后逐步拉长复习的时间间隔。)

　　Suggestion Two

　　The second suggestion is make full use of “dead” time. Dead. Why I use the word in the quotation⁸ marks? The “dead” time. Now when I say “dead” time, I mean those time is not useful any more. You know, when you are walking on the way, when you are in a bus, when you are, let me see, when you are lying on the bed before you sleep. All these time can’t be used for very important things. But you can make full use of “dead” time to learn some words. And you can use your vocabulary notebook, you can use your electronic dictionary, just very small, learn few words every day. Every day. Try to use this kind of time learning words, eventually your vocabulary will be expanding quickly. (利用一切可以利用的时间。行走中，公车上，睡觉前......这些相对来说不能做重要事情的时间段，你就可以分心用来背单词。一天记几个，积少成多，你就会发现自己的单词量突飞猛进。)

　　You do not need whole day learning vocabulary. Don’t do in this way. And you may use just small amount of time every day. Let’s say, in the morning, 20 minutes, in the afternoon, 20 minutes, in the evening, 20 minutes. Suppose you want to spend one hour, you’d better separate it into three sessions, 20 minutes each. Suppose you want to learn vocabulary half an hour a day, maybe you’d better divide them into two sections, 15 minutes a section. Don’t put them together. (不要成天成宿地背单词，花费大段大段的时间记单词会降低学习效率。如果你每天计划利用1个小时背单词，那么就把这1个小时拆分成早、中、晚三部分，每次安排20分钟背单词。)

　　And then every day you learn a little bit. Then eventually, at the end of the week, you have spent about half an hour putting all these words together, go over them. Later I will mention, don’t go over all the words. You have to select some of them to focus your attention. Now electronic dictionary also is a good way to learn words, because there is a sort of file for you to put those difficult words, right? Just put in your pocket. You can learn them anytime you can do it. (一天记一点，周末抽出半小时有侧重点地巩固一周的学习成果。可以利用电子辞典的归档功能筛选出疑难词汇，然后放在身边随时翻阅。)

1 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

2 repeatedly   

adv.重复地，再三地

参考例句：

• The loudspeakers blared the speech repeatedly.扬声器里反复大声地播送那篇演讲。
• He repeatedly beat his foot upon the floor.他反复用脚敲着地板。

3 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

4 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

5 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

6 sessions   

n.（尤指法庭、议会等）开庭( session的名词复数 )；（自发或俱乐部的）聚会；会期；（进行某活动连续的）一段时间

参考例句：

• A few sessions talking to a counsellor should straighten him out. 跟辅道员谈几次就会使他改正过来的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sessions will enable you to discuss problems with fellow asthma sufferers. 这些环节让你和其他哮喘病患者一起讨论问题。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

8 quotation   

n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情

参考例句：

• He finished his speech with a quotation from Shakespeare.他讲话结束时引用了莎士比亚的语录。
• The quotation is omitted here.此处引文从略。