Shanghai Ready for Talks with World in EnglishMore than 300,000 volumes of an English training brochure, "learn English 100 to welcome APEC", have been snapped-up by Shanghai citizens, who are trying to create an English-friendly environment for the arrival of ministerial-level officials from members of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in June.Shanghai will host a series of important APEC conferences, including the APEC informal leadership meeting in October, the meeting of APEC trade ministers in June, and the meeting of APEC ministers of small and medium enterprises in August. All foreign guests will feel at home during their stay in Shanghai as local people are now able to communicate in English and are always ready to give help. Local media reported that 90 percent of more than 100,000 local participants have passed the "English 100" oral test since last June, thanks to some 3,500 volunteer teachers, screened out from 20,000 student candidates from Shanghai-based universities. The students were trained to teach Practical English 100 to people in "showcase" trades, including taxi-drivers, shop assistants and airport workers, and promote APEC-related knowledge among the public. Sources from Shanghai taxi management bureaus revealed that more than 20,000 taxi-drivers have learnt to speak simple English, with a slight local accent. The metropolis in east China exhibits a strong depth of English language speakers ready for APEC, and the forthcoming APEC meetings have kicked off a new wave of English fever in Shanghai. |
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