honorablejudges,distinguishedguests,ladiesandgentlemen:
itisagreathonorandpleasuretobehereonthisbeautifulsaturdaymorningtosharewithyoumysentimentsaboutlifeandpassionfortheenglishlanguage.
aboutayearandahalfago,itookpartinmyveryfirstenglishspeechcontest.whenistoodbeforethemicrophonewithalleyesstarringdirectlyatme,icouldhardlyspeak.istoodthere,embarrassedandhelpless,strugglinginvainfortherightthingtosay.myfearshadparalyzedme.
whilemypassionforenglishhasneverchanged,ilostmycouragetospeakinpublic.whenmyprofessoragainencouragedmetotakepartinthiscompetition,isaid“no.”icouldn’tendureyetanotherpainfulexperience.helookedmestraightintheeyeandsaidsomethingthatpiercedmyheart.iwillneverforgethiswords.“look,”hesaid,“weallhaveourfears,andyouhaveyours.youcouldtwistyourankleinabasketballgame,butthenbeafraidtoeverplayagain.runningawaycanneverdispelyourfears,butactionwill.awinnerisnotonewhoneverfails，butonewhoneverquits.”
ispentawholedaywithhiswordstwistingandturninginmymind.thenimadethebravestandwisestdecisionofmylife:iwouldfacemyfears–andtakepartinthecompetition!
asitturnedout,mydearoldprofessorwasright.now,hereiam,onceagainstandingbeforeamicrophone.myheartisbeatingfast,andmymouthisdry,butmostimportantly,ihavefacedmyfears--andthatmakesallthedifference!
thankyou.
ladiesandgentlemen,honorablejudges,
goodafternoon.icomefromoneofthemostlovelyandattractiveareasofchina,thepearlriverdeltaofguangdongprovinceandi'dlovetosayafewwordsaboutthisareathatissodeartomyheart.
guangdongprovinceisamagicallybeautifulwonderland,withendlessnaturaltreasures.thelushandgreenmountainsareinhabitedbysongbirdsandexoticanimals;thefarmlandisfertileandproductive,providingallofitspeoplewithwonderfullynutritiousgrainsandallthefruitstheyneedtobehealthyandh2.thepearlrivermeandersthroughtheprovinceandeventuallycomestoourbeautifulseashorewithcrystalclearbluewater,flourishingwithallkindsofdifferentfishandseacreatures.allthesenaturaladvantageshelptoboosttheever-expandingeconomyofguangdongandincreasethewelfareofitspeople.
guangdongisprivilegedtohavesuchabeautifullandscape,withhundredsofhistoricalsitesandplacesofgreatinteresttolocalpeopleandforeignersalike.ourcapitalcity,guangzhou,isalsoknownas"thecityofflowers".everywhereyoulookyouwillseeflourishingplantsandblossomingflowersoverflowingwithvigor.
thepeopleofguagdongareveryfriendlytovisitorsfromanywhere.whoeveryouareandwhereveryoucomefrom,guangdongpeoplewillgreetyouwiththeonlylanguage---guangdongdialect.
guangdongisalsoknownasthechinesecapitalofdeliciousfood.thereisanoldsayingthat"theonlybestdelicaciesareinguangdong.”foodfromthisprovinceisinternationallyfamous.itsvarietyoftastes,shapesandcolorscansatisfyeventhemostrefinedpalette.i'msure,themomentyouseatyourselfatacantonesebanquet,yourappetitewillnaturallybecomekeenandeagertotasteallthenumerousdelicaciesoftheregion.
herearebutafewiwillmentioninpassing:steamedfishingingersauce,seasonedchicken,drunkenshrimp,dancefishballs,friedjellyfish,roastsucklingpigorduck,braisedcrispychickenorsquab,sharkfinsoup,mooncakes,refreshmentsanddesert,andsomanymore.mymouthiswateringjustatthesoundofthesewonderfuldishes.
iwouldlikeyoualltoknowthatthereistrulynowhereintheworldiwouldratherliveandiinviteyoualltocomediscoverthehiddentreasuresofmyhometown.iwouldbegladtoserveasyourpersonalguide.
thankyouall.
