[originaltext] Picture this: You want to apply for a dream assignment abroad

Picture this: You want to apply for a dream assignment abroad. There’s just one problem. You need foreign language skills—and time is not on your side.
    It might sound like an impossible task, but according to language experts, you can learn basic communication skills in weeks and master the basics of a foreign language in several months.
    Sometimes travelling the globe for work will force you to come up with ways to master conversation in many languages. Benny Lewis, an engineer, learned enough of seven languages—including Spanish, French and German—to work easily.
    Learning Spanish, Lewis’s first non-native language, took over a year but subsequent languages were quicker.
    Phrasebooks and online tutorials can prove useful in this early stage, experts say, as they can give you the vocabulary and the confidence to have basic conversations with native speakers, the crucial first step in learning a language.
    Indeed, simply having the courage to speak is necessary if you are going to make progress in a foreign language, language experts say. This means not being afraid to take risks or make mistakes.
    Experts believe that total immersion is key to mastering a foreign language quickly. The more you immerse yourself in the foreign language the more rapid your progress will be.
    Getting to basic conversational proficiency can be achieved in much less time, just several weeks according to experts, particularly if you can speak regularly. James North, associate director for instruction at the Foreign Service Institute, said students are encouraged to get to know native speakers.
    By conversing regularly with language experts or native speakers you also have someone to check and correct your progress.
    You’ll need to ask those you speak with for feedback and make sure they can correct your pronunciations and grammar, although experts say you need not worry too much about grammar in the early stages.
    Use the language first and focus on the grammar later, Lewis said. When you are ready to pick up the grammar, he recommended using podcasts at sites such as radiolingua. com.
    As you learn, be sure to consume media in the foreign language. If you are starting out, read illustrated children’s books in a foreign language, experts advise.
    But beware of lofty ambitions. If you say you want to be fluent in two months, you will likely be disappointed. But if your goal is to reach some level of conversational proficiency, that’s entirely possible.
    Questions 19 to 22 are based on the recording you have just heard.
    19. What seems to be an impossible task concerning learning a foreign language?
    20. What have been proved useful in the early stage of learning a foreign language?
    21. What is the key to quickly mastering a foreign language according to experts?
    22. What is Lewis’ advice on learning a foreign language?