老干部回忆：一年级英语

First lesson on English pronunciation

It was in the early 1960s when a group of retired cadres formed a study group to learn English. I was one of the members as I had always wanted to learn a foreign language. Back then, the political situation in China was tense and the English language was considered to be a tool of the enemy. But when a retired professor from a prestigious university agreed to teach us for free, we jumped at the opportunity.

The first lesson was on pronunciation and it was quite challenging. We were all teachers ourselves, but we found ourselves struggling to make the right sounds. It felt like our mouths were not used to the shapes required to make the sounds of English. The professor, a kindly man in his 70s, did his best to show us how to position our lips, tongue, and teeth to make the sounds of English. We followed his every move, feeling a bit foolish but also excited to be learning something new.

Memorizing the alphabet

The next lesson involved memorizing the letters of the English alphabet. This may sound easy, but for us it was quite a challenge. We were all used to the Chinese characters and the way they sounded. But the English alphabet was entirely new to us, and some of the letters looked very similar. We spent hours and hours practicing how to write them, how to say them, and how to recognize them.

But we were determined to learn, and so we worked hard. Every week we would meet, ask questions, and practice together. We also started listening to the radio and reading newspapers and magazines to get a feel for how English was used in real life.

Progress and pride

Over time, we began to make progress. At first, we could barely say a few words in English, but then we could string together basic sentences. We learned how to greet people, introduce ourselves, and order food in a restaurant. We were even able to sing a few English songs!

We were all very proud of ourselves for having come so far in our studies. Some of us even went on to study English at a university level. But what I remember most is the sense of camaraderie we had in that study group. We were all retired, but we had a common goal – to learn something new and challenging – and it brought us closer together.

Looking back on those days, I realize how lucky we were to have had that opportunity to learn something new. It was not easy, but it was rewarding, and it gave us all a sense of pride and accomplishment. And even now, many years later, I still feel a sense of joy when I think of those first lessons in English pronunciation.