Немедленно после того, как вы познакомились с основами грамматики (это можно и нужно сделать быстро) и начали учить наиболее распространенные слова, необходимо переходить к практике. Одной из важнейших целей, которые должны преследоваться при изучении языка, является привыкание к его фонетическому строю. Посмотрим на предложение: «афтар нашол патхот к серцам фсех сваих паклоникаф». В русском языке мы с детства привыкли к тому, что слова читаются не совсем так, как пишутся (буква «о» может читаться и как [о] и как [а], «в» - как [в] и как [ф] и т.п.). Конечно, в русском языке есть довольно твердые правила чтения (хотя и не во всех случаях: например, «что» в московском диалекте читается как [што], но никаких правил на этот счет нет), в то время как в английском расхождения между написанием и произношением слов гораздо значительнее, но это не меняет сути дела – ни в каком языке написание слова не передает «один в один» его звучания и к этому нужно постепенно привыкать. Целью является выработка такого навыка, когда письменный английский текст и его правильное звучание идут, как бы говоря, «параллельно» - так же как в русском языке мы без всякого напряжения воспринимаем письмо и соответствующее ему звучание: «автор нашёл подход к сердцам…» - «афтар нашол патхот к серцам…».

Очень полезным упражнением на пути к этому является слушание медленных эстрадных песен. Многих эстрадных певцов (например, Фрэнка Синатру или Энгельберта Хампердинка) отличает прекрасная дикция, а при пении звуки, естественно, произносятся протяжно, что позволяет хорошо услышать их правильное звучание. При работе с каждой песней нужно сначала слушать ее, одновременно глядя в текст, а затем стараться добиться полного восприятия слов только на слух. Уже через две-три недели такого слушания вы почувствуете, что английский язык стал для вас гораздо больше «своим». Послушав песни, которые мы выбрали для вас на сайте, вы можете перейти к своим любимым исполнителям (тексты песен в большинстве случаев легко найти в Интернете).

Знаки пунктуации в текстах песен специально расставлены так, чтобы можно было лучше видеть в предложениях смысловые части (это далеко не всегда соответствует пунктуации, принятой в английском языке, но на первых этапах обучения существенно облегчит понимание).

Let's all get up and dance to a song
That was a hit before your mother was born.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know,
Sing it again.

Let's all get up and dance to a song
That was a hit before your mother was born.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know.

Lift up your hearts and sing me a song
That was a hit before your mother was born.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know.

Sing it again.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know.

Blue Spanish eyes, teardrops are falling from your Spanish eyes.
Please, please don't cry, this is just adios and not good-bye.
Soon I'll return, bringing you all the love your heart can hold.
Please say "Si Si", say, you, and your Spanish eyes will wait for me.

Blue Spanish Eyes, prettiest eyes in all of Mexico.
True Spanish Eyes, please smile for me once more before I go.
Soon I'll return, bringing you all the love your heart can hold.
Please say "Si Si", say, you, and your Spanish eyes will wait for me.

Walk through this world with me, go where I go.
Share all my dreams with me, I need you so.
In life we search and some of us find. I've looked for you, my love, a long long time.
And now that I found you, new horizons I see.
Come take my hand and walk through this world with me.

Walk through this world with me, go where I go.
Share all my dreams with me, I need you so.
Now that I found you, new horizons I see.
Come take my hand and walk through this world with me.
Come take my hand and walk through this world with me.

If you're all alone,
Just get on the phone and call on me.
If you're feeling blue,
All you have to do is call on me.

If you feel you want somebody around,
Someone to laugh with or cry,
Call on me, call one me, woh, woh, woh
You can call on me.

You will understand
When I touch your hand so tenderly
I don't want to have to tell you
When to call on me.

If you feel you want somebody around,
Someone to laugh with or cry
Call on me, call one me, woh, woh, woh
You can call on me.

You'll never know how much I really love you,
You'll never know how much I really care.

Listen, do you want to know a secret,
Do you promise not to tell, whoa...
Closer, let me whisper in your ear,
Say the words you long to hear.

I'm in love with you-oo-oo...

Listen, do you want to know a secret,
Do you promise not to tell, whoa...
Closer, let me whisper in your ear
Say the words you long to hear.

I'm in love with you-oo-oo...

I've known the secret for a week or two
Nobody knows, just we two.

Listen, do you want to know a secret,
Do you promise not to tell, whoa...
Closer, let me whisper in your ear
Say the words you long to hear.

I'm in love with you-oo-oo...

Close your eyes and I'll kiss you,
Tomorrow I'll miss you,
Remember I'll always be true.

And then while I'm away,
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you.

I'll pretend that I'm kissing the lips
I am missing and hope that my dreams
Will come true.

And then while I'm away,
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you.

All my loving I will send to you
All my loving darling, I'll be true.

Let's all get up and dance to a song
That was a hit before your mother was born.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know,
Sing it again.

Let's all get up and dance to a song
That was a hit before your mother was born.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know.

Lift up your hearts and sing me a song
That was a hit before your mother was born.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know.

Sing it again.
Though she was born a long long time ago,
Your mother should know.

Little child, little child,
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely,
Baby, take a chance with me.
Little child, little child,
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely;
Baby, take a chance with me.

If you want someone to make you feel so fine,
Then we'll have some fun when you're mine, all mine.
So come on, come on, come on.

Little child, little child,
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely;
Baby, take a chance with me.

When you're by my side you're the only one;
Don't you run and hide, just come on, come on.
So come on, come on, come on.

Little child, little child,
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely;
Baby, take a chance with me.
Oh, yeah! Baby, take a chance with me.

Oh, how I miss you tonight, miss you while lights are low,
Oh, how I need you tonight, more than you'll ever know.
Each moment, though we're apart, you're never out of my heart.
But I'd rather be lonely, and wait for you only,
My dear, how I miss you tonight.

Each moment, though we're apart, you're never out of my heart.
But I'd rather be lonely, and wait for you only,
My dear, how I miss you tonight.

miss – скучать.
while – в то время как, когда.
lights – огни, фонари.
be apart – быть порознь.
rather – довольно-таки.
lonely – одинокий.