Before I entered university, Chinese was the language that I used the most.
Almost all subjects were taught in Chinese in my primary school. Even when I
was in secondary school and college, I spoke in Chinese all the time except
with my teachers. Besides, I was not the kind of student that like to speak in
classes during those times, thus the chances of me using English was even lesser.
On top of that, I have a relatively greater interest in Chinese as well. Apart
from reading Chinese newspapers regularly, I also read quite a number of
Chinese books. In contrast, I do not read that much English material. As a
result, my command of English is pretty weak. I often face difficulties in
expressing my thoughts accurately. Due to a lack of vocabulary, I also tend to have
problems in finding the right words to use when I communicate in English.
As time
passes by, especially after I entered university, I started to be aware that
English is a very important language in my life. It is a language that I will
use now for the most of my time. I have many assignments in the forms of reports
and essays. Also, being a student under the Environmental Studies programme, I am
required to engage in discussions regarding different environmental issues
during my tutorials. It was while doing these assignments and activities that I
realised my language skills are insufficient. In order to do well in these
works, I need to be proficient in English. Apart from that, English will also
be a crucial element in my future career. A lot of communication has to be done
either through conversations or writings, and a good command of the language
will definitely help me to communicate effectively with other people.
Therefore, I
will do my best to improve my language skills. Since last semester, I have
started to read more English articles. Whenever I see an unknown vocabulary, I
will look for its meaning either through dictionary or internet. At the same
time, I will try to speak more in English. Although it may be a bit slow, I
believe that it is never too late to start. As long as I am willing to put in
the effort, I will gradually improve and finally be able to write and speak
fluently in English.
