A diet of English tapes, tailbacks and roadworks is not sitting well with some of Beijing's taxi drivers.

Compelled to learn English ahead of the Beijing Games using audio cassettes played on their car stereos, and with little opportunity to practice what they learn, many soon find themselves hitting a motivational wall.

"I just can't remember the words, because I have so little chance to practice," said Zhang Guozhen, 31, of Beifang taxi company.

"Perhaps I'm too tired to learn after a day's work. I don't think I can finish the company's quota of remembering two new words a day," said Su Wenkai, 51.

Since 2005, aspiring taxi drivers in Beijing have had to pass a course on English language, etiquette and the city's geography in order to receive their license. Some drivers told China Daily that they have to pay 3,000 yuan ($393.73) for a collection of courses.

The drivers are then tested by being given a set of questions on everyday English through earphones that they must answer by speaking into a computer. There are two dialogue questions and five vocabulary questions for each driver.

While some enjoy the experience, others find it a major drag. For the vast majority, the answer lies in rote learning a few stock phrases and hoping for the best.

Nie Manguo is one of the lucky ones who has developed a real appetite for the language.

"Where are you going? China World Hotel," says Nie to himself, repeating the phrase and trying to erase all traces of his suburban Beijing accent. "How long should I wait for you?"

He says he enjoys recycling the phrases to his empty back seat after going through the tape-assisted dialogues that local authorities hope will give visitors a better impression of Beijing next summer.

But many of his colleagues find it is not worth the effort. They admit to dumping the cassettes in the trunk after getting their licenses.

Zhang Yanxi, 42, has a better grounding in Engilsh than many of his colleagues. He scored highly in his college entrance exam when he was 19, but stresses that this was over two decades ago.

"I still remember some of the things I learned at high school, but when it comes to specifics, I usually misunderstand what the person is saying," he said, adding that he picks up at least one non-Chinese customer a day.

He said international visitors often carry Chinese-language directional notes written by a friend, and suggested that English flash cards in cabs could help bridge the language barrier.

"The cards would be very useful, but most of us need regular English sessions too," he said.

Taxi companies like Beifang and Yinjian offer such classes, with more fluent drivers also pitching in to help, said Su.

Other drivers complain that their mandatory English test is flawed because Beijing's transport authorities use different versions of textbooks, thus giving them an extra hurdle to clear.