除了學生是英語學習的主力軍外，越來越多的職場人士爲了提高自己的職場競爭力也學起了英語。作爲已經參加工作的成人，除了工作時間就沒有太多富於時間去學習了，更何況，精力難以集中、記憶力下降，都成爲學習上的障礙。成人學習英語最大的用處就是交流，交流最重要的就是口語的練習，如果把學習英語的精力主要集中在背誦和朗讀文章上，就可以很快的提高口語，那麼有哪些適合練習英語口語的短文呢?
首先，在選擇教材的時候，一定要選擇正版的原文教材。
市面上英語教材衆多，有很多都是國內出版社出品，不是說內容上會有什麼錯誤，而是說學習方法和學習思維上的不同。原文教材是西方人按自己的思維模式編纂的，更能代表英語的表達方式，所以在學習的`時候，儘量選擇那些原文教材，可以更容易學習到接近西方的表達方式。在學習之初，可以選擇一些較爲簡單的，適合英語口語鍛鍊的短文進行朗讀背誦，用以提高口語的表達水平。
其次，選擇知名演講資料。
有很多的著名演講稿都是練習英語口語的最佳短文，由於演講稿比較口語化，而且句式都比較簡短，更適合於口語表達。演講稿的另一個優點就是：涉及了當下的新聞和時事內容，能更容易瞭解西方的社會動態，提高學習英語的興趣。演講也是一種藝術活動，演講內容中的詞彙音節都講究搭配，還會用到一些習語、諺語等，可以增加演講的生動性。演講的口音是最值得學習的，表達語氣和表達方式都很重要，語氣都很自然，更容易縮短與聽衆之間交流的距離，所以，在練習口語的時候，演講稿不失爲最佳的練習材料。
再次，閱讀名著簡版。
很多的世界名著都有精簡版，選擇一些自己喜歡的著作，可以當做英語口語練習的短文來背誦。可以先對照漢語翻譯熟悉一下著作內容，然後進行大聲朗讀，之後可以分析每個句子的意思，進行英漢互譯，可以很快速的提高英語口語的水平。剛開始的時候，要選擇比較簡單的文章，大量去練習，最初的時候可能耗時比較多，堅持下去，就會發現這是一個提速的過程，最後會發現口語和聽力的反應速度都快了很多。
練習英語口語的短文資料很多，在選擇的時候要選擇適合自己能力之內的，一些幽默的小故事或者小小說都可以促使我們提起興趣堅持下去。利用英語短文來鍛鍊英語口語還可以幫助我們複習單詞，熟悉語法，還能提高翻譯水平，可以說朗讀和背誦是學習英語最好的方法。
範例：時間機器Time Machine
The Time Machine is a novel by H. G. Wells, first published in 1895 and later directly adapted into at least two theatrical films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It indirectly inspired many more works of fiction in all media. This 38,000 word novella is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel using a vehicle that allows an operator to travel purposefully and selectively. The term "time machine", coined by Wells, is now universally used to refer to such a vehicle. It was also inspired by Charles Darwin and On the Origin of Species, showing us humans that have evolved into different species. Wells introduces an early example of the Dying Earth subgenre as well.
The book's protagonist is an amateur inventor or scientist living in London who is never named; he is identified simply as The Time Traveller. Having demonstrated to friends using a miniature model that time is a fourth dimension, and that a suitable apparatus can move back and forth in this fourth dimension, he builds a full-scale model capable of carrying himself. He sets off on a journey into the future.
The Time Traveller details the experience of time travel and the evolution of his surroundings as he moves through time. While travelling through time, his machine allows him to observe the changes of the outside world in fast motion. He observes the sun and moon traversing the sky and the changes to the buildings and landscape around him as he travels through time. His machine produces a sense of disorientation to its occupant, and a blurring or faintness of the surroundings outside the machine.
His journey takes him to the year A.D. 802,701, where he finds an apparently peaceful, pastoral, communist,[1] future filled with happy, simple humans who call themselves the Eloi. The Eloi are about four feet tall (~122 cm), pink-skinned and frail-looking, with curly hair, small ears and mouths and large eyes. Males and females seem to be quite similar in build and appearance. They have high-pitched, soft voices and speak an unknown language. They appear to be quite unintelligent and child-like and live without quarrels or conflict.
Soon after his arrival he rescues Weena, a female Eloi he finds drowning in a river. Much to his surprise she is grateful to him and insists on following him.
