books

Don't afraid! I don't want to know which coursebook is the best.
I want to know what do you think about reading. Do you read a lot? What kind of books? Who is your favorite writers? Do you prefer reading in Polish or in English? Do you think that nowadays people read less? If yes what are the reasons? Do we choose other form of entertainment?
Accually I read not many, only about two or three books per month, aprat from coursebooks and other which I have to read becuase of studies. I know people who read more and those who read less.
So, what do you think?

I used to read a lot but for the time being I'm fed up with it. I just don't feel like reading about other people's feelings, thoughts etc. All the same, reading may be a very enjoyable and enriching experience.

I used to read only in Polish, but recently I found reading in English enormously helpful and useful when it comes about mastering this beautiful language. Especially because I used to have many problems with Writing Part, when I was doing the FCE course. My English teacher once told me that reading may improve my own writing style as well as it enriches vocabulary. Now as I'm preparing for CAE exam I know he couldn't have been further from the truth.
My favourite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ernest Hemingway and Jonathan Carroll.

My English teacher told me the same thing and now I agree with her. But sometimes reading in English seems to be tiring for me. But the reason for it is that I know English only a little.

hmmm... moze sie myle... ale czy:
"couldn't be further from the truth" ~ "odchodzic od prawdy".
?????

:o)

If I hadn't started reading in English about two years ago, I'd still be on pre-intermediate level, I suppose. Reading is probably one of the most effective "natural" methods of mastering foreign language. And it's often very entertaining as well.

So do you think that there is no point in reading to improve English? I agree with my teacher that this is one of the best methods.

>So do you think that there is no point in reading to improve English?

I think you didn't get what I meant. There IS point in reading in English, of course! I said that it was reading in English that improved my command of this language A LOT! I say it again: I DO recommed reading in English!:)

me? It's Khalija who wrote:
..."My English teacher once told me that reading may improve my own writing style as well as it enriches vocabulary. [...] I know he couldn't have been further from the truth." - hence my previous post (I am assuming you you are replying to my post).; I got a bit confused as it seems that Khalia is contradicting herself.
:o)

I'm afraid I don't know what it's all about...

Below I am quoting the entire Kahlija's post:
"I used to read only in Polish, but recently I found reading in English enormously helpful and useful when it comes about mastering this beautiful language. Especially because I used to have many problems with Writing Part, when I was doing the FCE course. My English teacher once told me that reading may improve my own writing style as well as it enriches vocabulary. Now as I'm preparing for CAE exam I know he couldn't have been further from the truth.
My favourite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Ernest Hemingway and Jonathan Carroll."

Now, in the first sentence she states that reading helps mastering English (her own experience). From the third sentence, we know that her teacher encouraged her to read more English literature (in English). In the fourth one, she then states that, basically, the tutor was mistaken when it comes to enriching one's vocabulary by reading English books (the part "he couldn't have been further from the truth" tells us that she thinks he was wrong).
My point is that this second part of her fourth sentence does not match what she wrote before.

I could say: "I am taking vitamins to stay healthy. My doctor encouraged me to take more vitamins to stay healthy. I am healthy now due to taking lots of vitamins, I know now that he (the doctor) could not have been further from the truth."

Can you see that it does not make sense when I wrap up my statement with "he couldn't have been further from the truth"? -> I followed my doctor's advice, I am healthier now, yet I keep saying that he was wrong.

This is what I gathered from Kahiljia's statement: her vocabulary greatly improved because she read lots of English books, she then admits that it was her teacher's suggestion/opinion and then she says that he was wrong.

Please do not feel offended Kahljia, I am just confused. I read your post a few times and still do not know if you are pro- or against.

:o)

I think she is pro. She made a mistake using this idiom but it is not the point in my post. I agree with you that reading improves your English. Yet, improving your English only by reading is not enough. I try to write a lot (for example here responding to some posts etc.), listen to BBC etc. It helps you to learn the real English. Moreover, using the language you don`t need to think about what you are speaking. It`s a great felling. I don`t consider myself as a person who speaks English very good but last month I was abroad for 2 weeks and a had a lot of opportunityies to speak English. It was great. Of course in the begining it was very hard to express oneself but after a while it was great. When you speak without thinking about what you want to tell (I hope you understand what I want to tell) you fell great and you want to learn this language better.

You're right, Cebulka. "the teacher couldn't have been further from the truth" actually means "what he said was not true"
Which is not to say that Khalija's English is poor.

I find it a bit difficult to learn new vocabulary by reading books. I tried once to highlight all unknown words or write on a margin their meanings but I could not follow the plot. It irritated me that as I was just getting into it I had to grab a marker. However, I am sure that, in general, if one reads a lot their command of English is greater than that of somebody who never grabs a book. This applies to any language, including Polish.
:o)

Hello! I'm here for the first time and I know that my writing skills aren't very good, so if you find any mistake let mi know :)
I can see that you are talking about reading books. I'm the person who read a lot and I enjoy it very much. Recently I decided to read a book in original version and I have to say that it was amazing experience. The fact, that I was reading book and the book in foreign language made me feel proud of myself and it gave me a lot of satisfaction. Above all these things I have known a lot of new words and what is more important I remember great part of them. So I think that reading books in English is very useful not only to improve our english but also to make ourselves feel better. That's my opinion :)

keep reading:)))

hello,
I think that reading books in English not only developes one's knowledge of vocabulary but also improves general 'understanding' in variety of topics. I fancy reading comedies so as to have a lot of fun ( e.g recently I have read "About a boy" which I found very interesting and hilarious; I also read "Memoirs of a geisha" that was absolutely amazing, really!).
I am also keen on watching TV in English (however I don't have English channels), like "Father Ted", "Black Adder", "Friends", "About a boy", and many others which totles I don't even remember.
Unfortunately I have less and less time to read books but in my free time I really enjoy it- some books are written in such way that I can't (oderwać się :-) ) from reading :-)
cheers .

I read 'Memoirs of a geisha' as well. True, it was only a simplified version but apart from that I like that. Today I listen to 'The Hitchheikers guide to the galaxy' and I must say that it`s fun. Of course a didn`t understand everything but I am going to listen to this program more frequently (on http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?hitchhikers) I recommend it.

would be so kind as to tell us all what the authors of these books are?

>if you find any mistake let mi know :)

OK. Dajemy you znać :-)

"Memoirs of a geisha" ("Wyznania Geiszy")- Arthur Golden

senks

i love japanesse stuff, and this book was very interesting with one 'small' exception... the ending - completely disappointing:( but I'm not going to write what is it like, mind everybody who is reading it now or is going to read

i have been learning English for a few years and my language skills are still very poor. Resently i started to read English book during the reading I try to write down all new words but it takes too much time. How long a day do you learn english? how much time do you devote to reading?

I completely agree:)
What I liked most in that book was ..japanese culture. I found it really fascinating; while reading it for the first time, I was waiting for a happy end but it turned out that the end wasn't at all happy..
I must also say that I fonud the beginning of the book (especially first three or four pages) extremely boring..that's why I (zabierałam się) to reading it for about ..one year..
Hatsumomo, Nobu, Chairman, Mameha... all of them vere exceptional and unforgettable (especially Hatsumomo) :)

Now I'm reading "The horse whisperer" by Nicholas Evans. And you now what? It is incredible. Although I don't understand many words I just keep reading because I can guess the meaning from the context. And it is incredible. This is realy very interesting book. In fact, even if I read very boring article or book I like it because awareness that it is in english and that I can understand it makes it interesting. :)

Try "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, I loved that! It's a great English lesson for all.

I agree - Brave New World is truly amazing;) But there are many other books I'd suggest as well: the Adrian Mole books (Sue Townsend), Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis), The Picture of Dorian Grey (Oscar Wilde), High Fidelity (Nick Hornby)... I personally love the good old classics by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, sir Arthur Conan Doyle;) And I've recently fallen in love with Isabella Lucy Bird's works.

I love reading in English - the first book I read (after a year of learning English) consisted mostly of colourful pictures and only a few easy sentences. I still have it;) Now, after many years I read unabridged books and I feel like I've come a long way...;)