RENMIN UNIVERSITY, 14 Dec. 2014 (Via RUC English News): On December 14th, 2014, the Beijing Postgraduate English Speech Contest drew to a perfect close at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The final competition witnessed the Outstanding Grand Prize and first Prize went to Li Tianqi and Gu Yuwen respectively, both being postgraduates from Renmin University of China (RUC). This marked an even more remarkable achievement ever since a number of first Prizes won by RUC postgraduates in the same contest in recent years. Organized by Beijing Higher Education Association, and its Postgraduate English Teaching Division, 2014 Beijing Postgraduate English Speech Contest themed on “Make a difference”. Li Tianqi, in his personal story at the Wenchuan earthquake with 8.0 magnitude scale and the death toll of about 90,000, the severest one since 1949, interpreted the theme of Making a difference via the contrast between a big success and a small difference. Gu Yuwen elaborated the theme from the perspective of Farewell to indifference. In the fierce final contest, as far as the aspects of public speaking are concerned, namely content, language, presentation, impromptu answering questions, both contestants from RUC excelled and won over judges from various universities in Beijing. Li Tianqi as the top award winner, gained the Outstanding Grand Prize and Gu Yuwen the first Prize. In the subsequent talent show of the contestants, Gu Yuwen demonstrated her versatility by singing the English song Innocence, and performing an impressive dance while Li Tianqi recited “Song of Myself” by American poet Walt Whitman. The two programs from RUC student orators, occupying 1/3 of the total number in the show, were hailed by honorable guests and audience while they displayed the all-round development of RUC students. Prof. Li Guirong and Dr. Long Yan from the School of Foreign Languages have guided the speech training of the contestants, the English teachers of the two winners, namely Prof. Cao Xiaowei and Bi Yuling, have offered enduring help. The laudable accomplishments of RUC postgraduates in the contest, showcase the bumper harvest of postgraduate English teaching in our school, and highlight RUC student profiles with the kickoff of RUC’s strategy, "comprehensively upgrade the internationalization " of the school. "Language reins the thought, and the thought reins the future". RUC postgraduates have actively participated in this year’s English Speech Contest, over 20 applicants vying for the preliminary selection on campus on November 22^nd. The first round winners, are Li Tianqi, Gu Yuwen, Liu Shuhao from the School of International Studies, and Mi Ao’lan from the School of Humanities. The four entered semi-final, held at the level of the city of Beijing.In succession, Liu Shuhao and Mi Ao’lan got the recognition award. Li Tianqi and Gu Yuwen won through, got the ticket to the final and crowned with laurel, the grandest prize ever won by RUC contestants. If things look good today, they may look better tomorrow. It is believed that the outstanding achievements of the RUCconstants will truly make a difference in the English learning of postgraduates in RUC, and further upgrade the internationalization of the school.

(Transwritten by Long Yan)