Abstract and Key Words

Abstract: The study aims to probe into the phonetic factors influencing English listening comprehension and methods to improve English listening comprehension. Data were collected from 5 students who study English as the foreign language. Results show that several phonetic factors are positively related to students’ listening comprehension.
These phonetic factors are sound changes and stress, of which the first one contains liaison, assimilation, loss of explosion and elision. On the basis of theories, some methods are provided for students to improve their listening comprehension, namely reinforcement of students’ phonetic knowledge and necessary practices.

Key words: English listening comprehension；phonetic factors; methods to improve English listening comprehension

摘要：本文旨在研究影响学生英语听力的语音因素以及提出应对措施。通过个案调查发现：音变（连读、同化、弱读与强读、不完全爆破与失去爆破、元音省音），重音与节奏以及语调等语音因素影响学生的英语听力效果。笔者根据调查结果提出了建议：重视语音知识和基础理论的学习和加强以语音知识和基础理论为基础的听力能力训练。

关键词：英语听力理解; 语音因素; 提高英语听力的措施

1. Introduction
As we all know, the four basic elements of English study are listening, speaking, reading and writing, each of which is different from others, but related with others. Only mastering them together can students improve their English proficiency.
 The ultimate goal of learning English is to use this language as a communicative tool in order to acquire whatever information one needs. Therefore, listening becomes a very important part and it is not only one of the most basic forms of communication, but also the most original perception process of English learning. Whether in kindergarten, primary school, or secondary school, people pay great attention to students listening ability. However, students, especially those from rural areas, have much difficulty in listening comprehension owing to lack of certain consciousness and certain foreign language context .On most occasions their listening ability is relatively poor.
Numerous students regarding English as their first foreign language in China complain about the difficulty of listening comprehension. Even though they may devote great effort and large amount of time to listening to English, their gains in listening comprehension are often far from satisfactory (Brown 1990: 144). This phenomenon is reflected by students poor marks of the listening part of CET4 and 6.After these examinations, a great number of students said they do not understand listening. " The speaker's pronunciation of certain words is different from their own pronunciation. When the speaker reads with only a little liaison or weak form, we cannot understand." This is what I heard the most when I communicate with students.