I often pick up some new words while reading. But I easily forget them. How can I remember them clearly?
阅读时我常学到一些生词，但很容易忘。我怎样才能把它们记牢?
Remember, there are two kinds of vocabulary: receptive and productive. Receptive vocabulary refers to the words you can recognize and understand but can’t necessarily use. Productive vocabulary refers to the words you know and can use with confidence. Your receptive vocabulary is always far larger than your productive vocabulary. This refers to your command of your native language, as well as to English. So when you say you can’t remember new words easily, this doesn’t matter. They may have entered your receptive command. In other words, when you encounter them again you will recognize and understand them, but you might not know how to use them. This means you don’t have to try to remember every new word you encounter. One way words cross from our receptive vocabulary to our productive use is through sufficient exposure to the word in a wide variety of contexts. Reading as much as you can will help you to consolidate what you know and increase your vocabulary. But a new lexical item only becomes ‘entirely yours’ when you know how to use it. Using words in speech and in writing will enable you to develop your productive command of English.
要记住，有两种词汇：接受型词汇和表达型词汇。接受型词汇是指你能认识和理解但不一定会应用的词汇。表达型词汇是指那些你知道并能自如应用的词汇。你的接受型词汇比表达型词汇要大得多，母语如此，英语也如此。所以你说不能轻松地记住生词，这没有关系。这些生词可能已被你接受型地掌握了。也就是说，你再碰到它们的时候，能认识和理解，但你也许不知道如何使用。这说明你用不着去记你所见到的每一个生词。从接受型词汇向表达型词汇转化的一个途径是通过在不同的语境下的多次接触来实现的。尽量多地阅读能有助于你巩固已掌握的词汇，并能增加你的词汇量。但一个新的单词，你只有掌握了如何使用，才能算“完全是你的”。在讲话和写作中应用词汇将使你增进对英语的有效掌握。
文：路易亚历山大 新概念英语作者