VOA慢速英语2018--Study or Learn?
时间：2018-12-16 作者：英语课 分类：2018年VOA慢速英语(十)月
English language learners use the verbs 1 “study” and “learn” all the time. Yet, they often are unsure which to choose in a situation. Our subject today comes from Salah of Yemen. The writer asks:
Question:
I would like to know the difference between “study” and “learn.” Thanks! – Salah, Yemen
Answer:
Hello, Salah, and thanks for your note!
Let’s begin with the dictionary meaning of each word. These are from the Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary:
To study means 2 to read, memorize facts or attend school in order to learn about a subject.
To learn means to gain knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught or experiencing something.
So, studying is just one way of learning 3. But, it is not the only way.
Learn
Sometimes, we learn through experience. For example, if you travel to Thailand, you can visit a lot of sights, try the traditional foods and talk to the local people. By the time you leave, you will have gained a lot of knowledge about the country. So, you can say, "I learned 4 so much about Thailand!"
You could not say, “I studied so much about Thailand!” because your actions did not mainly involve reading, memorizing facts, taking a course, attending school or something similar.
Study
In addition, when you study something, you have not learned it yet.
And, sometimes, you can even study something without learning it. For example, if you say, “I studied English,” it may mean you took English classes. Or maybe you tried to teach yourself through an app or language website.
But maybe you had difficulty 5 with this and still do not know how to speak the language. In that situation, you could not say, “I learned English,” because that would mean you had gained enough knowledge to use it.
Examples
If the difference between “learn” and “study” is not clear yet, here are a few sentences that compare them:
He learned so much about Thailand on his trip.
He studied Thai history and culture in college.
They learned how to write stories in the new writing class.
They spent time studying the techniques of story-writing.
Where did you learn how to bake so well?
Did you study baking in school?
And one last tip for remembering the difference is this expression:
“I studied but I did not learn anything.”
And that’s Ask a Teacher.
I’m Alice Bryant.
Words in This Story
dictionary – n. a book that contains words listed in alphabetical 6 order and gives information about their meanings, forms and pronunciations
sight – n. a famous or interesting place in an area
app – n. a computer program that performs a special function
bake – v. to make food, such as bread and cake, by preparing a dough 7 or batter 8 and cooking it in an oven 9 using dry heat
tip – n. a piece of advice or useful information
- I have to swot up on phrasal verbs for a test tomorrow. 我不得不为明天的测验努力温习短语动词。
- Verbs that do not take object are called intransitive verbs. 不带宾语的动词称为不及物动词。
- That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
- We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。
- When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
- Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。
- He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
- In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。
- If there is any difficulty,please let us know promptly.倘有困难，请迅速通知我们。
- A little difficulty like this is nothing to us.这点困难算不了什么。
- Please arrange these books in alphabetical order.请把这些书按字母顺序整理一下。
- There is no need to maintain a strict alphabetical sequence.不必保持严格的字顺。
- She formed the dough into squares.她把生面团捏成四方块。
- The baker is kneading dough.那位面包师在揉面。