The textbook English published by the Commercial Press in the 1960s, was edited by Professor Xu Guozhang from Beijing Foreign Languages Institute (now Beijing Foreign Studies University). It consists of four volumes. This set of textbooks has been popular throughout the country for more than 30 years, benefiting countless English students, and can be regarded as a milestone in China's foreign language teaching.
I am also a beneficiary of this set of textbooks and have owned such a set of textbooks before, but I do not know where this set of textbooks went later. After several house movings, I may have lost them. It is more likely that they were given to a friend like me who is obsessed with English.
The printing paper of this textbook is not exquisite, and even a bit rough. Light yellow that looks moldy, the cover is simple and plain, without any decorative patterns.
The first volume should start with the International Phonetic Alphabet, followed by new words and expressions at the end of each lesson, and then the explanation of grammar knowledge that appears in the text. By understanding the International Phonetic Alphabet, one can read unfamiliar words, and if one comprehend the grammar, he can understand the composition of sentences, which can deepen memory. And I have always adhered to this learning method, firmly believing that it is the most reasonable and solid approach. But today's English textbooks for students are really confusing.
1.Today, even elementary school students' English textbooks are in large format 16, while in the past, almost all textbooks were in 32 format, which not only has low cost, but also is easy to carry.
2.In the past, English textbooks were plain and unadorned, with no extra content throughout the book. But nowadays, English textbooks have rich covers and content, and even different contents are marked with different colors and accompanied by different illustrations, which is really colorful and dazzling.
3.The current English textbooks do not include learning content on International Phonetic Alphabet, teachers do not teach it, and there is no learning of grammar knowledge points. Just making you constantly read, repeat, and memorize, in my opinion, it is just a repetition without seeking a deep understanding, swallowing the date whole. Just like the children in the old school who read the Three Character Classic loudly, but they don't understand the meaning of each character. Without understanding phonetics, students find it difficult to remember words and sentences. Without understanding grammar, they cannot analyze sentence structure, know how without knowing why, and therefore cannot create sentences.
Why did this situation occur? It is said that experts responsible for compiling English textbooks in China went to countries like the UK and the US for inspection and found that their students did not learn the International Phonetic Alphabet at all and relied solely on their language sense to read. After their returning to their home country, the experts changed the textbooks to what they are today.
Alas, it's really unimaginable. Learning English without learning the International Phonetic Alphabet is like learning Chinese without learning Pinyin for foreigners. English and American people can learn English well by language sense without learning the International Phonetic Alphabet. You should know that English is their mother tongue, but can we Chinese people be the same? Can a foreigner learn Chinese well if he doesn't learn Pinyin or study Chinese grammar and just read and repeat with his sense of language every day?
出版于上世纪六十年代的《许国璋英语》，由北京外国语学院（现北京外国语大学）教授许国璋主编，商务印书馆出版，共四册。这套教材风靡全国三十余年，不知让多少英语学子受益，可谓是中国外语教学上一个里程碑。
我也是这套教材的受益者，也曾拥有这样的一套教材，只是不知后来这套教材的下落了。几经搬家周折，许是弄丢了；更大的可能是送给了像我一样痴迷英语的伙伴了。
这套教材的印刷纸张算不上精致，甚至有点粗糙；封面是一种淡淡的黄色，似发霉的样子，封面简单、朴素，一点装饰的花样也没有。
第一册应该是先讲的国际音标，每一课的后面就是生词和短语，再往后就是课文中出现的语法知识的讲解。认识了国际音标，自己就能去读不认识的单词，理解了语法，就能懂的句子的组成，这样就能加深记忆。而我一直坚持这样的学习方法，也深信这是一种最为合理的、扎实的方法。可当今学生的英语教材真的令人疑惑不解。
1.当今，就连小学生的英语教材也是大16开本，而以前的课本几乎都是32开本的，不仅成本低，而且也携带方便。
2.以前的英语课本，不只是封面，内容也朴实无华，整本书中没有多余的内容。可现在的英语教材，封面和内容都丰富的很，甚至不同的内容用不同的颜色标注着，还配有不同的插图，真的是五颜六色、眼花缭乱。
3.现在的英语教材没有国际音标的学习内容，老师也不教，也没有语法知识点的学习。只是让你不断地朗读、跟读、记忆，在我看来就是不求甚解的重复，囫囵吞枣。如同旧时学堂里的孩子们，大声读着《三字经》一样，可他们并不理解文字的意义。不懂音标，学生们很难记忆单词和句子，不懂语法，就不会分析句子结构，知其然不知其所以然，就不会造句子。
为何会出现这样的状况呢？据说，国内负责编纂英语教材的专家们去了英美这样的国家考察，发现人家的学生根本不学国际音标，完全是靠着语感来读。专家回国后，便把教材改成了今天这个样子。
呜呼，真的是无法可想。学习英语不学国际音标，如同外国人学习汉语不学汉语拼音一样。英美人不学国际音标，靠语感就能学习好英语，要知道英语是人家的母语，而我们中国人就能一样吗？一个外国人倘若不学习汉语拼音，也不研究汉语语法，每天只是靠着语感在那里大吼汉语，他能学好汉语吗？
