If your reading in English is not confined to things written by Chinese about Chinese life – I hope it is not – you must often meet with difficulties quite apart from the meaning of words and phrases. These difficulties arise from what I call for want of a better term the background of English, which I believe deserves the attention of all learners of English – all but those who do not care to read anything in English that is not written by Chinese writers on Chinese subjects.
By the background of English I mean the sum total of all points other than linguistic that are quite natural to those born to the language and brought up on it. For example, the name Grub Street – a London street (now called Milton Street) formerly much inhabited by writers of small histories, dictionaries, and temporary poems and so giving rise to its use as an epithet referring to literary hackwork.
The subject is indeed a very large one. It includes history, geography, mythology, the Bible, characters and facts in fiction, proverbs, customs, games and sports, superstitions, and other things. And in order to understand fully the works of any author, one needs to possess as much knowledge of these things as he does. This is practically impossible with the average Chinese learner of English.
What I think must be considered carefully is what parts of the background of English are more important and how they may be made available to Chinese learners so as to enable them to read general literature in English. Would you like to acquire such a knowledge?
NOTES
1. is not confined to 并不限于
2.not=not confined to things written by Chinese about Chinese life
3.apart from 与...无关的
4. for want of a better term 因为没有更好的名臣
5. background 这是"call"的补语
6. deserves the attention of 值得...的注意
7. all=all students of English
8. do not care to... 不想...，不喜欢...、
9. By the background of English I mean... 我所说的英语背景就是...
10. sum total 总量
11. other than 不是
12. those born to the language and brought up on it 那些生来就用英语并在成长过程中使用英语的人们
13. inhabited by 被...居住的
14. giving rise to 致成
15. referring to 关于
16. practically impossible 几乎不可能的
17. What I think must be considered carefully 我认为必须仔细考虑的
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