Introduction As one of three basis language elements, vocabulary plays an important role in second language learning, like phonetics and grammar do. The importance of vocabulary could be noted by all of us. However, it is difficult for EFL learners to remember so many different words. So far, much research has done on meta-cognitive strategy(Carrell,1989; Nunan,1997) and affective strategies(Yan Chuanhai,2005; Zhang Zhimei,2005). But little has done on whether college students know cognitive strategies or how much do they master cognitive strategies. Since the 1970s, researchers shifted their attention from teachers#8217; teaching to students learning in the field of second-language acquisition and learning. So people paid more and more attention on language learning strategies. A number of research on learning strategies have done about the influence on reading skills, and little is about vocabulary acquisition.This research is aimed to discover college students#8217; awareness of cognitive strategies and find that which strategy is useful for EFL learners. The situation that a large quantity of students are not good at reciting words, which leads to their weakness in reading and oral speaking. EFL learners feel awkward at this problem, especially English Major students, who need to pass TEM-4 and TEM-8. During the past decades, many investigator discovered that learning strategies affect the ability of English learning and proper learning strategies could strengthen students#8217; learning initiative to achieve better grade. Cognitive strategies have been concerned since 1990s. The direct purpose of vocabulary learning strategies is to help EFL learners memorize words in an easy way. Cognitive strategies include a series of learning skills and methods, such as:repetition, usage of target language resource, paraphrase, translation, classification, takingnotes, usage of the key words, speculation and so on. Nevertheless, the only strategy may not be suitable for everyone, all of us need to choose the most appropriate one. Therefore, this study is conducted to further explore the correlation between learning strategies and vocabulary acquisition in order to help EFL learners and teachers improve the efficiency of vocabulary learning. The research is directed on the correlation between cognitive strategies and vocabulary acquisition.among EFL learners of the similar level. Therefore, the research could be divided into two parts. First of all, a survey on the degree they use different cognitive strategies, and the Three Level Scale is used in it. Different numbers represent different degree that EFL learners master, and the biggest the number is, the best the learner master. Then, a vocabulary test will be done to show the ability. Hence some facts about whether the cognitive strategies affect the ability of vocabulary acquisition. Literature review With the development of foreign language learning, people began to realize the importance of mastering the related learning strategies on learning since the 1970s. Many foreign scholars found that learning strategy is an important factor influencing English learning. Wen Qiufang(1996)said,”a series of research results about foreign language teaching shows that, when the other conditions are the same, the differences in English learning strategies has a decisive influence on the performance.” Vocabulary is divided into simple words and complicated words. As to simple ones, it is easy to understand and keep in mind for a long time. However, for difficult ones, memorizing and understanding are all tough things. In the process of vocabulary acquisition, some characteristics of the word are shifted to concrete form. That is the form of expression, naming cognitive theory, which is closely bound to cognitive strategies. Chinese researchers began to study learning strategies since the 1980s. Wen Qiufang put forward English learning strategy first, and then, massive researchers are devoted to studying learning strategies. She emphasized two main points: first, the purpose of using learning strategies is to improve the learning efficiency; second, the substance of strategies is action, rather than thoughts. Shu Zhifang and Zhuang Zhixiang(1994)summarized that learning strategies, in fact, are some methods to deal with problems in the process of obtaining and consolidating learning outcomes. Zhang Jianzhong and Yu Hongzhen(1998) considered that learning strategies are not casual responding, but the lasting action. What#8217;s more, Zhang Wenpeng thought that language learning strategies ought to be procedures and methods for EFL learner to advance English learning consciously. Among that, some are dominant action, as well as some are invisible brain work. According to different viewpoints from different researchers, the classification of cognitive strategies is not quite similar. Danserean divided cognitive strategies into basic strategy and assisted strategy. J.W Rigneg considered that cognitive strategies cover independent and comprehensive ones. Mayer and Weinstein#8217;s classification is regarded as themost influential one. They divided cognitive strategies into five parts: repeating strategy, fine processing strategy, organizing strategy, understanding and controlling strategy and affective strategy through researches on children. In addition to this, Demboo thought problem solving strategy should be added into Mayer and Weinstein#8217;s classification. Luo Qingxu, Chinese scholar does not think so. He divided cognitive strategies into big, middle and small three parts, on the basis of cognitive strategies differ in general level, teach ability, requirments on memory and degree of automation. Learning strategies are studied from two fields: second language acquisition and cognitive psychology. Cognitive strategies were put forward by Bruner(1965). Certainly, these strategies are some skills and methods for learners to process information and helpful extract valid information from memory. Bruner pointed out that there are three courses existing at the same time in learning process. First, new information acquisition, which is substitution to something has been in mind. Second, transformation,which is a process to adapt new tasks by dealing with previous knowledge. Knowledge may be changed into another form through extrapolation, interpolation and conversion. Wenden and Rubin(1987)defined cognitive strategies ”the steps or operations used in learning or problem solving that involves in direct analysis, transformation, or synthesis of learning materials. Rubin#8217;s report brought the studies on language strategies to a beginning. It is”the movement from a predominantly teaching oriented perspective to one which included interest in how the actions of learners might affect their acquisition of language.”(Schmitt,2002) Later, reseraches have been done in learning strategies. Although many previous researchers defined the cognitive strategy, O#8217;Malley and Chamot(1990)further classified it into the most specific aspects.O#8217;Malley and Chamot(1990) illustrate that learning strategies are mental and affective processes, underling learners interaction with the language. The classifications were mainly based on information-processing cognitive theory and also known as its taxonomies of language learning strategies. Meta-cognitive strategies, Cognitive strategies and Sicioaffective strategies are included in it. At the same time, Oxford published Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. His classification is similar to O#8217;Malley and Chamot#8217;s. Howver, O#8217;Malley and Chamot#8217;s classification seems morereasonable than Oxford#8217;s because it reveals the hierarchic relationship of the three learning strategies. Until now, researchers used O#8217;Malley and Chamot standard scale for vocabulary strategies investigation. A large number of people mix the cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies are something familiar. O#8217;Malley and Chamot think meta-cognitive strategies are advanced than cognitive strategies, that meta-cognitive strategies function as estimator, administrator, and supervisor. Otherwise, Oxford(1990) indicated that there is no hierarchy between cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies and they react at the same level. As a matter of fact, cognitive strategies are what learner use to deal with the specific task according to the knowledge they have learned. The main difference between cognitive and meta-cognitive is that cognitive strategy is only suited to one aspect, and meta-cognitive strategy is propitious to various fields. As the cognitive strategies develop, Wen Qiufang and Wang Lifei(2004, p6) questioned the recent assumption that the relationship between strategies and study is linear structure, which means that the more frequently use strategies, the better grades learner gain. The two researchers have done lots of experiments and point out that some learning strategies are double-edged swore. Proper use brings about positive effect and excessive use results in negative effects. Generally speaking, learning strategy is of great importance for EFL learners. As one kind of learning strategies, cognitive strategy ought to function as an assistant tool. EFL should apply one or two negative strategies masterly and strategy courses could be taught in schools. After long lime practicing, EFL learners may keep there strategies in mind. Moreover, such lessons are beneficial to learners in the process of foreign language study. Methodology The object of the study is the vocabulary learning strategies and English vocabularyacquisition among EFL learners at different proficiency levels. By studying this, the research is aimed to solve the following question: Are there any differences in the use of individual vocabulary strategies between EFL learners across proficiency level? The survey was administered to 30 freshmen who do not major in English and have passed CET-4 are from Nanjing Tech University. Before filling in the questionnaire, they are asked to write down their English final examination grades. The questionnaire does not require the participants#8217; names, in order to decrease the possibility that some ones may give false responses. It is also stressed that there#8217;s no standard option to each strategy, they only need to respond truthfully. The questionnaire included different kinds of vocabulary learning strategies, and all the students needed to choose how often they used each kind of vocabulary learning strategy in the process of English vocabulary acquisition. In the questionnaire, the researcher adopted O#8217;Malley and Chamot#8217;s classification of learning strategies in accordance with function. Their classification is more comprehensive and has been taken as an example for many times because it derived from empirical research. Adopted from Gu and Johnson#8217;s, this questionnaire divided learning strategies into specific vocabulary learning strategies. Meta-cognitive strategies cover plan making and selective attention. Cognitive strategies include repetition, exercise, dictionary use, guessing, context information, morphology and key word. Because of the little use of affective strategies, this questionnaire does not contain it. The options in this questionnaire were in accordance with a three-point scale. The freshmen ought to choose from ”3=I always use this strategy”, ”2=I sometimes use this strategy”, and”1=I never use this strategy”. The questionnaire would be collected and the result would be analyzed by the researcher through SPSS 19.0.Conclusion In the process of English learning, vocabulary learning strategies play a major role in processing information. Vocabulary learning strategy is obbligato tactic for EFL learners. The findings of the statistical analyses in Chapter Four can be summarized as follows: Firstly, freshmen are familiar with mostly vocabulary learning strategies. However, most of them are used to using cognitive strategies. Meta-cognitive strategies are used less frequently. EFL learners tend to combine cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies in the process of vocabulary acquisition. Secondly, there exists a difference between students at different proficiency levels in vocabulary learning strategy. High-proficiency students are good at applying different kinds of learning strategies that may be suitable for them. Low-proficiency students are week in vocabulary acquisition, and the strategy for study is single. In conclusion, vocabulary learning strategies affect the ability of English vocabulary acquisition. EFL learner should seek for more suitable strategies for better grade. The present study sheds some light on the Chinese methods of teaching and learning English, especially vocabulary acquisition. Vocabulary is the basic of learning foreign language, and it is one of the most difficult part in the process of language learning. However, in class, teachers are contributed to tutoring grammar and ignore the vocabulary memory. This study indicates that learning strategies are useful and should be utilized in classroom. While EFL learner come into contact with vocabulary learning strategies at the beginning of memorizing words, they would know how to recite vocabulary correctly and easily. All educators in China know this ancient Chinese proverb:”give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Vocabulary learning strategies are not casual responding, but lasting action, so teachers ought to enlighten and guide EFL students to apply vocabulary learning strategies to strengthen the memory other than memorize mechanically. Letting them know how to learn and how to use reasonable vocabulary learning strategies do not only improve EFL learners#8217; ability, but also could stimulate the internal learning motivation to promote language acquisition.The use of vocabulary learning strategies vary from students to students who are at different language levels. Thus, in the process of education, teachers could combine different learning characteristics, and make training programs in different ways. As a student, planning learning progress consciously is responsible for himself. Being good at learning vocabulary by taking advantage of vocabulary learning strategies represents the beginning of success. As the saying goes;”any applied proper learning strategies are more likely to get the success of learning”(Wen amp; Johnson, 1997)