NOTE: This site is written in Chinese.
Hujiang is a Web site which centers on learning English step by step. It provides a wide range of English learning materials for learners of all proficiency levels from brand-newer learners to learners who already have jobs. While Taisha (another Web site about English for Chinese speakers) focuses on the preparation of tests, Hujiang devotes most of its attention to providing various interesting materials for developing English proficiency. The reason I recommend the Web site is that the design and contents of the Web site comply with the purpose it claims.
Some of the articles are English versions of Chinese traditional culture. The Web site also invites learners to evaluate the expression editors used and encourages learners to think about more suitable expressions. In my viewpoint, it’s a good way to engage learners in reading and writing as well as in building a relationship between the Web site and learners.
Using English to describe Chinese is easy and interesting for Chinese learners to understand and pay most of their attention to the language points instead of being distracted by the effect being used to understand the background knowledge. Since it was Chinese New Year when the site was reviewed, the Web site updates its reading materials with the English version of Chinese New Year’s description.
I have also found some other extensive reading materials on this Web site. Some articles are about historical issues, some are cited from famous books, and some are lyrics of popular English songs. As we learned, extensive reading plays an important role in learning reading and helps learners accomplish English fluency by making the best use of known knowledge. It also lets learners practice their reading skills and increase their reading speed. In these articles, only a few new words occur, which have been highlighted with translation and pronunciation markers below the article. Moreover, there is one function that hides the meaning of the words until you click the button. So students can try to guess the meanings of each word first.
The listening materials are somewhat similar to those on Taisha. Hujiang also provides VOA and some speeches of celebrities in America and Britain for learners.
The entries to materials are in accordance with the grades learners should attend at Chinese schools and are according to the purpose of English. On the top of the main page of the Web site, there is a row of buttons ranging from “kindergarten” on the left to “English for learners with high proficiency” on the right. On the left of the main page, the entries are divided by the purpose of English in line, such as Practical English, English for entertainment, and Fundamental English. That means most of these materials are tailored for particular learners.
All in all, I recommend the Web site. I really like the Web site because it’s interesting and most of the resources are useful.