To David - My Story

Jeannie, your written English is flawless!

How did you learn it so well? - David

Dear David,

Are you kidding? Or are you teasing me by your unique way of encouraging? I know my written English is nowhere near my heart’s content. Anyway I take your cheerful words as your encouragement and thank you very much!

Dear David, if you are old enough or you have a good grip of modern Chinese history you will understand what I am going to tell and I hope you will not feel bored by my story.

A couple of decades ago when I was in your age, most young people of my generation were sent to countryside to be reeducated and they had nothing to read, no hope, not to mention having college education. What we had to read, since I was a

Navy officer at that time, were works written by Marx, Engels, Lenin and Chairman Mao. However, their original works are very difficult to understand for a young girl, then I found out one day that there were so many interesting Bible stories in a series of annotations and explanations attached in Marx and Engels works

because both of them liked very much to quote from the Bible. I enjoyed so much

reading the Bible stories this way and it had greatly satisfied my anxiety for

knowledge. Gradually I know how important a role the Bible plays in western literature and how it influences the western people in thinking.

In short, little by little, like a hungry animal I just wolf down whatever reading materials I could happen to find … and my interest in English learning has grown out many years later in the same way.

I joined this forum at the end of May this year by pure chance when I was surfing on the net one day and happened to find Mary’s article to new comers. I was

attracted almost immediately to this forum because, as a self-taught English learner, I am eager to learn standard English not chat group English. Then I read

quite a lot of Pan’ articles (others as well) and respect him so much for his natural, beautiful writing style and, of course, for his profound insight, witty

remarks reflected from his articles. I respect him even more when I got to know

that all his English knowledge has gained by self-study!

Now you understand how much I wish my English knowledge and writing skill would

be improved some day just in this way. I posted a number of articles and replies within first two months and was pleased to have joined interesting discussions with others. Unfortunately my writing inspiration seems to have faded away gradually … I feel as if I have written myself out! I’m just reading all kinds

of good articles presented here for the time being, sucking up nourishment from

them now that my brain seems drying up ...

As it is known to all of us, English studying is a life-long journey; there is no end actually. To me, the greatest attraction of this forum is that we have a

number of native English speakers around, who are not only warmhearted but also

sharp-eyed for understanding characters. I will keep trying writing practice and will never leave this forum.

My best regards,

Jeannie