Memories of English Learning

When I think of English learning，I will never forget my first Englsih teacher Mr．Qiu at junior middle school．He was a grey-haired，tall man wearing spectacles for long sight and an old suit of western-style clothes all the year round．He gave us lessons in a gentlemanly and earnest manner though most of his students did not care about their studies．It was only natural that he became well disposed towards me when he found me working harder at English than any of the others．He used to make me answer questions or read texts in class and I would somehow feelquite inspired each time I saw the old man nodding with satisfaction．

I joined the army not long after Shanghai was liberated．When I was anticipating not without some pity saying good bye to school life for good and all，itturned out as a surprise that I was luckily sent to a foreign languages institute run by the army．The war in Korea was being waged fiercely at that time．Seething with great hatred for the imperialists，all of us worked very hard at English．We usually had to be driven from our classroom by our teacher every afternoon when sports time began，and if anyone of us happened to get a three in atest，he would be too sad to swallow his meals．Our old devoted professors took a lot of trouble to cram into our heads“Advanced English”introduced from the USSR， which contained plenty of abstruse（难解的，深奥的）classic works．Meanwhile，we were encouraged to read as many as possible varied and interesting easy English readers imported from Hongkong．We had so little listening and speaking training that spoken English was almost athing unknown to us．Through four years of hard work，I made good progress in reading skillas the institute required．In the graduation exam，my comprehension came out in front，but when I spoke English with a strong Shanghai accent，the chiefexaminer did get a little puzzled．

It was not long before I became an English translator at the Academy of Military Sciences．Striving to do my job well，I became absorbed in learning military knowledge， translation technique，Chinese as well as English day and night in my office and after only a few months I had filled five loose-leaf note-books with information．But happy days were soon over when one after another unaccountable political movements occurred．Then followed the retrogressive cultural revolution．I was compelled to be transferred from the army and in fact did manual labour for nearly twelve years as a down-transferred cadre．In spite of allthese painful twists and turns，I insisted that a man should live an honest life．I whiled away the time by reading a great number of long winter nights diving into old English novels in the great northern wilderness．I usually lay in bed studying English usage or just going through a dictionary after torturing work in a hot brickkiln（砖窑）in Xinjiang's summer heat．I was developing more and more liking for English，though I realized that I was practising a skillno more usefulthan that of slaughtering adragon，and lamented by singing a mournful English song I had learned at middle school“My bonny lies over the ocean．．．”

After the down fall of the gang of four，things were restored to normality．In the past few years I have done my utmostto teach middle-school students and help to train new English teachers．At one time，I had to answer endless questions at school and even at home everyday．I felt deeply that there was ample scope for my abilities but that my English was too limited．I made up my mind to start all over again．Now I have devoted a lot of time to pronunciation and spoken English．I have tried to close the wide gap between modern English and the English I had learned a dozen years before．Nowadays，a wide variety of English text books are emerging in an endless stream and English broadcasting programmes transmitted one after another may be listened to．It is only a pity that there is a limit to my time and energy．However，when Igotto know awhile ago that some of my old classmates had achieved considerable successes in English and that quite a few of my former teachers were stillwriting new books，I was unable to sleep
in peace．English is a high mountain without a peak，I shall keep on climbing till my last breath．

英语学习之路
谈起学英语，我终身难忘念初中时的第一位英语老师邱先生。邱先生高高的个子，一头白发，鼻梁上架一副老花镜，一年四季穿一身旧西服。他教书温文尔雅，严肃认真，尽管当时多数学生对学习抱满不在乎的态度。他发现我学习英语比别人用功，自然对我有了好感。他总是让我在课堂上回答问题，朗读课文，而我一看到这位老先生满意点头时，不知怎么地就会受到很大鼓舞。

上海解放不久我参军了。当我正在不无遗憾地以为将要跟学校生活永远告别的时候，没想到竟有幸被送进一所军队办的外语学院。当时朝鲜战争正在激烈进行。我们个个怀着对帝国主义者的深仇大恨努力学习英语。每天下午开始体育锻炼的时候，我们常常还得让班主任撵着才放下书本。有谁考试偶而得了三分，他准会难受得连饭都咽不下去。我们忠于职守的老教授煞费苦心地把苏联出版的《高级英语》填进我们的脑子里。这套书选入大量深奥的经典作品。同时，我们也被鼓励多看从香港进口的丰富多彩的英语简易读物。我们极少进行听说训练，几乎不知道什么是口语。经过四年努力学习，我的阅读能力一如学院要求的那样有了很大提高。毕业考试时我的理解能力比较突出。不过，当我用浓重的上海口音说英语时，主考老师却大惑不解。

不久，我在军事科学院当了英语翻译。为了做好工作，我没日没夜地在办公室里埋头学习军事知识、翻译技术、汉语和英语；几个月功夫，就在五个活页笔记本上记满了各种学习心得。可是好景不长，莫名其妙的政治运动接踵而来。随后是倒行逆施的“文化大革命”。我被迫转业，实际上成为下放干部劳动将近十二年。尽管经受了种种折磨，我坚信人还是应当正直地生活。我在北大荒一本又一本地啃着英语旧小说，送走许多个漫长寒冷的冬夜。我在新疆夏天酷热的砖窑里艰辛劳动之余，常常躺在床上研究英语惯用法，或者干脆通读词典。我觉得跟英语已结下不解之缘；虽然，有时意识到自己所练的本领跟“屠龙术”一样无用。于是我就唱起一首在中学学会的英语哀歌：我的青春葬送在东洋大海……
“四人帮”垮台后，一切逐步恢复正常。近几年我竭尽全力给中学生讲英语，并帮助培养英语师资。有一个时期，每天都得在学校，甚至在家里解答没完没了的问题。我深深感到自己有了用武之地而自己的英语太不够用了。我下决心从头开始。我在语音和口语方面下了不少功夫。我设法弥合现代英语跟我学过的英语之间的差距。眼下各种英语课本层出不穷，英语广播节目充耳可闻。只可惜我的时间和精力十分有限。不过，前些时候当我得悉我的有些老同学已在英语方面取得不少成就，我当年的老师还在挥笔著书的时候，我不由得坐卧不宁，精神大为振奋。英语是一座没有顶点的高山，只要一息尚存，我就要不停地攀登。

［编后语］“老骥伏枥，志在千里”。读罢毛老先生的文章，不禁汉颜。毛老先生为我国西部地区的英语教育事业呕心沥血，鞠躬尽瘁，但仍不断进取，这种敬业精神可歌可泣。时代呼唤、人民需要的正是具有这种敬业精神的人。