June 14 - Under the slogan "I come, I conquer!" the final of the Eighth GDUFS English Proficiency Contest (EPC) was revealed in glory this morning in the auditorium of the Sixth Academic Building. Six teams from various colleges, after fierce competition in the semifinals, gained access to this exciting occasion, with Team E from the Faculty of English Language and Culture taking the biggest prize. Guests of honor included Vice CPC Secretary Xu Guobin and Vice President Zhong Weihe.
As a university that emphasizes the English language, GDUFS organizes numerous English contests in various forms each year. The English Proficiency Contest is one of the longest running competitions at GDUFS and is the only opportunity for English majors and non-English majors to compete on the same stage. This year, the EPC attracted an audience not only from the GDUFS community but also from Guangzhou and surrounding cities because it was scheduled during the annual Open House which provides information for senior middle school graduates interested in applying to GDUFS. The panel of judges, led by Associate Professor Xu Luomai, consisted of specialists and teachers invited from different colleges.
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The debate session, which was focused on the recent "Running Fan" incident, held the audience spellbound. Fan Meizhong, a middle school teacher in the quake-stricken city of Dujiangyan, fled his classroom without providing his students with proper guidance when the catastrophe hit the city. Contentious debate sprung up on the Internet over whether his deed was in accordance with basic moral principles. Team D and Team E were notified of this topic 15 minutes prior to the debate, with Team E holding that it was moral for Fan to escape, while Team D took the position that Fan's deed was unethical. Using English language, contestants from both teams demonstrated clear logic and witty language.
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Team E from FELC awarded Special Prize
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Vice President Zhong presenting the prize to Team D
At the completion of the competition, Mr. Xu Luomai was invited to the stage to comment on the contestants' performances. He highly praised their good pronunciation and eloquence, but reminded them that special heed should be paid to their manner and presentation.
Prizes
Special prize:Team E (Faculty of English Language and Culture)
First prize:Team D (Institute for English Language Education)
Second prizes:Team F (Faculty of English Language and Culture)
Team B (School of English for International Business)
Team A (School of Interpreting and Translation Studies)
Team C (School of English for International Business)
Photos provided by Yang Shuchao
The top two teams during the keen debate session
The contest consisted of two sessions: a mock press conference and a debate. During the press conference, each team delivered a three-minute prepared speech on a given topic and then interpreted the speech of another team. The contestants' speeches covered a wide range of recent issues, including the Sichuan Earthquake, the Olympic Torch Relay and the Jack Cafferty Incident. The fluency and poise with which all teams delivered their speeches impressed the audience, but some expressions containing deep cultural references or complex data were very challenging to interpret. Most of the teams, nevertheless, performed well while interpreting. The composure and quick wit of Team D and Team E won them boisterous applause, and also a place in the next session.i
