For our weekly English Corner, we would prepare questions that would provoke and encourage conversation among the students. At one particular session, we asked, “Do you believe you will learn to speak English very well?”
Yu Yi, a confident young man, shared his interpretation with the rest of the group.
“First, I like English very much because I think it sounds well. So, I think and I believe I can learn it very well. More important, English is useful to my life. I can use it to make friends and I can use it to chat with foreign friends so that I can understand other countries’ cultures. With this aim, I must learn it well. I learn English by doing listening, reading, writing and speaking. I always watch the English program on the television or on the radio in order to practice my listening. I also read some English newspapers and magazine so that I can speak well and have a nice voice. I’ll remember some sentences when I’m watching a movie or reading. This can also help my writing so it is necessary and interesting. When I want to relax myself, or when I am in a good mood, I’ll read some English. This is the most interesting thing to me. Learning English is a hobby rather than a responsibility to me. I am interested in it, so I believe I can learn it well.”
Yu Yi went on to be a welcome volunteer at the 2008 Olympics held in China.
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| Frank presenting a question at English Corner |
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| Our friend, Steve, leads the English Corner group |
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| Frank's sketch of the Chairman Mao statue and Cultural Centre (Guiyang) |
