Edward Wong, a final-year student of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of the Chinese University, recently came fourth place in the Tenth 21st Century English/Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press Cup National English Speaking Competition in Beijing.
Held from 8th to 11th April 2005 in Beijing, the two-round competition was organized by 21st Century, the English language supplement of China Daily, and sponsored by China Daily and the Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. It featured 60 contestants from universities all over China. Representatives from Hong Kong came from the Chinese University, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, and the University of Science and Technology. The mainland contestants were selected through four regional competitions, while CUHK representative Edward Wong was the champion of the English Section of the Second CUHK Speech Contest.
The competition comprised semi-finals and finals. In the former, contestants had to give a five-minute prepared speech on the topic of globalization and traditional Chinese values, and answer two questions from the adjudicators. Finalists had to deliver an impromptu speech and answer two more questions. Edward's final speech topic was 'The Impact of Divorce on Children'.
Although a Chinese major, Edward is good at giving speeches in English. Edward's prize in the Beijing contest was a study visit to Australia, sponsored by Macquarie University. The first and second places went respectively to representatives from Nanjing University and China Foreign Affairs University, while an English major from Hong Kong Polytechnic University came third.
The adjudicators consisted of internationally known scholars in English language teaching/applied linguistics, including Profs. Diane Larsen-Freeman, Claire Kramsch, Tom Scovel, and Denise Murray, as well as leading mainland professors. Dr. Rosanna Wong and Dr. Verner Bickely were also among the adjudicators, representing the English-Speaking Union (Hong Kong) which was a co-sponsor of the contest.
Accompanying Edward to Beijing were Mr. Hardy Tsoi, arts administrator and chairman of the CUHK Speech Contest, and Dr. Arthur McNeill, director of the English Language Teaching Unit. 21st Century has approached the Chinese University about hosting the event in Hong Kong in 2007. The organizers are keen to invite international participation in the contest and believe that by holding the event at CUHK, other countries from South-east Asia would be interested in taking part.