我很感激高中时我的两位英语老师Robin和Sammi，他们让我树立了"用中学"的英语学习观念，这一理念对我学业与工作大有裨益。高中我读到的第一篇文章就是Why Learn English，我想，在当今AI时代，是否可以从其他角度重新探讨英语的重要性？于是有了这篇短文，以下为英文全文与中文翻译：

As you navigate your high school years, the rise of artificial intelligence might lead some of you to question the relevance of certain subjects. English, in particular, might seem less critical when AI tools can translate instantly and even generate text. However, I’m here to tell you why mastering English remains incredibly valuable and, in many ways, even more essential in our AI-driven world.

Accessing a Vast Ocean of Information

Let’s start with access to knowledge. While the Chinese Internet is robust and growing, the sheer volume of English-language content online is staggering. Consider this: a vast majority of the world’s digital information, including academic research, technical documentation, news, and entertainment, is created and first published in English. English is the dominant language of the internet, used by over 49% of websites as of February 2025, compared to just 1.2% in Chinese (source: Statista).

Back in my high school days, all we could resort to for English learning was a CASIO electronic dictionary, a brick-like Oxford/Longman dictionary, or a translator based on traditional Machine Learning methods. Large Language Models have truly turned the tables, and you can now leverage them to translate literally anything, much like the “Translation Jelly (翻译蒟蒻)” from Doraemon (哆啦A梦). Nevertheless, relying on translations often means getting filtered, delayed, or even inaccurate versions of the original. Learning English grants you direct access to this immense, unfiltered global knowledge base—keeping you ahead in any subject or field you’re passionate about.

Strengthening Your Academic and Career Edge

Whether you intend to study science, engineering, medicine, or business, English will be part of your journey. Most scientific literature, foundational textbooks, cutting-edge research papers, and most influential theories are predominantly in English. Reading these materials in their original language gives you direct access to how experts think and communicate in their field.

Say you’re a student who wants to learn basic concepts behind the Transformer architecture in deep learning, then the following resources could be really beneficial in your daily learning:

• the original essay Attention is All You Need (to understand the foundational paper that introduced the Transformer architecture, a cornerstone of modern AI models)
• PyTorch Docs (to understand how to implement deep learning models using the most popular framework)
• Online textbook Dive into Deep Learning by Mu Li (to get comprehensive explanations and practical examples of deep learning concepts)
• Github (to explore open-source code and collaborate on projects)
• Stack Overflow (to find solutions to tricky programming problems and learn from other developers)
• And many, many more…

And here’s the catch: every one of them is in English.

Beyond academia, in the workplace, English proficiency is often a prerequisite for accessing reliable information sources, collaborating with international teams, and utilizing advanced tools. Even if your primary role doesn’t require daily English conversation, the ability to read, understand, and leverage English resources will significantly enhance your productivity and problem-solving capabilities.

Unlocking a Gateway to Global Opportunities

English is a key that unlocks life-changing opportunities. Want to join an international exchange program? Apply to a university abroad? Work for a global company or startup? English proficiency is a highly sought-after skill that can set you apart from other candidates. It doesn’t just enhance your résumé—it expands your world. It allows you to meet people from different cultures, experience new ways of thinking, and grow in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

Meanwhile, the world beyond school is becoming more uncertain. Economic pressures at home and a shifting global landscape mean that the straightforward career paths of past generations are no longer guaranteed. In this context, solid English skills give you more flexibility—whether it’s performing well in graduate school admissions, or simply staying competitive in a tough and evolving job market. Investing in English now is a practical step toward building resilience for whatever comes next.

Cultivating a Different Mode of Thought

Finally, and perhaps most profoundly, learning English isn’t merely about vocabulary and grammar; it’s about cultivating a unique way of thinking and a different cognitive style. While English and Chinese grammar might seem to have superficial similarities, and some words appear to have direct equivalents, English often demands a different kind of precision in its expression. English, with its emphasis on specificity and logical structure, encourages a more analytical and direct approach to problem-solving and communication. It trains your brain to organize thoughts in a structured, explicit manner. Mastering English means more than just translating; it means developing a new cognitive framework, a different lens through which to perceive and articulate the world. This cognitive agility is an invaluable asset, especially as AI continues to evolve and we need to interact with it and understand its underlying logic.

AI is a powerful tool—but it’s not a replacement for human understanding, creativity, or communication. English remains the bridge to a vast global community, a gateway to knowledge, and a catalyst for personal growth. It’s a skill that will not only prepare you for the future—it will empower you to shape it. So embrace the challenge. The effort you put into learning English today will open doors tomorrow that you can’t yet imagine.

中文翻译

在你们的高中阶段，人工智能的迅猛发展可能会让部分同学质疑某些学科的必要性。尤其是英语，当AI工具能够即时翻译甚至生成文本时，似乎显得不再那么重要。但请允许我分享为何掌握英语在当今AI主导的时代依然具有不可替代的价值，并且在许多方面变得更加关键。

拓展知识海洋的入口

让我们从获取知识的角度开始。尽管中文互联网正在日益壮大且内容丰富，但在线英语内容的总量依然令人惊叹。数据显示，全球超过80%的数字信息（包括学术研究、技术文档、新闻和娱乐）最初都是以英语创作并发布。截至2025年2月，49%的网站使用英语作为主要语言，而中文网站仅占1.2%（数据来源：Statista）。

回望我自己的中学时光，英语学习依赖的是卡西欧电子词典、厚重如砖头的牛津/朗文词典，或是基于传统机器学习的翻译工具。如今，大语言模型彻底改变了这一局面。你们现在可以借助它们翻译几乎任何内容，就像哆啦A梦中的"翻译蒟蒻"（一种能瞬间翻译的神奇道具）。然而，过度依赖翻译往往意味着接收的是经过过滤、延迟甚至失真的原始信息。掌握英语能让你直接接触未经修饰的全球知识库——这将帮助你在任何感兴趣的领域保持领先。

提升学术与职业竞争力

无论你未来选择学习科学、工程、医学还是商业，英语都将是必经之路。绝大多数科学文献、基础教材、前沿研究论文以及最具影响力理论都以英语为主。用原版语言阅读这些材料，能让你直接洞察专家在各自领域的思维模式和表达方式。

举个例子，如果你是想了解深度学习中Transformer架构原理的学生，以下资源将极大助力你的学习：

• 论文《Attention is All You Need》（理解Transformer架构的奠基之作）
• PyTorch官方文档（掌握深度学习框架的实现方法）
• 在线教材《Dive into Deep Learning》（作者李沐，获得深度学习概念的系统讲解和实践案例）
• GitHub（探索开源代码并参与项目协作）
• Stack Overflow（寻找复杂编程问题的解决方案并学习其他开发者的经验）
• 以及更多资源…

值得注意的是，所有这些资源往往都只提供英文版本。

在职场层面，英语能力往往是获取可靠信息源、与国际团队协作以及使用先进工具的前提条件。即使你的主要工作不涉及日常英语交流，能够阅读、理解和运用英语资源都将显著提升你的工作效率和问题解决能力。

开启全球化机遇之门

英语是一把开启人生转折机遇的钥匙。想要加入国际交流项目？申请海外大学？在跨国公司或初创企业工作？英语能力都是极具吸引力的求职技能。它不仅提升你的简历竞争力，更能拓展你的世界视野。通过英语，你可以与不同文化背景的人建立联系，体验多元思维方式，并获得其他途径难以实现的成长。

与此同时，校园之外的世界正变得愈发不确定。国内经济压力与全球格局的转变，使得前几代人习以为常的职业路径不再稳妥。在这样的背景下，扎实的英语能力为你提供了更多选择余地——无论是应对研究生复试，还是在竞争激烈的职场中保持竞争力。现在投资英语学习，就是为未来的不确定性建立防御力。

培养独特的思维模式

最后也是最深远的一点是，学习英语不仅仅是掌握词汇和语法，更是培养一种独特的思维方式和认知模式。虽然英汉语法看似有表面相似性，某些词汇看似有直接对应，但英语表达往往需要更高的精确度。英语强调特定性和逻辑结构，这种语言特性会促使你以更分析性和直接性的方式解决问题与进行交流。它训练你的大脑以结构化、明确化的方式组织思维。掌握英语的意义远不止翻译，而是构建全新的认知框架，用不同的视角去感知和诠释世界。这种认知灵活性在AI持续演进的时代尤为珍贵——我们需要用人类特有的理解力、创造力和沟通能力与AI互动并理解其底层逻辑。

人工智能是一项强大工具——但它无法取代人类的理解、创造和沟通能力。英语依然是连接全球社区的桥梁，通往知识的门户，以及个人成长的催化剂。这不仅是一项为你未来做准备的技能，更是一种让你塑造未来的强大力量。因此，请勇敢接受这个挑战。今天你在英语学习上的投入，终将在明天为你打开意想不到的大门。