Training to Enhance Officials' English LevelSome 20,000 civil servants at various government institutions have taken part in an English speaking training program, aiming to improve their English language level, according to the municipal bureau of personnel.The campaign is one of Beijing's efforts to build a good English-speaking environment to support the 2008 Olympic Games. Statistics from the bureau, which is in charge of the program, indicate that Beijing has nearly 100,000 civil servants at present, according to Thursday's Beijing Daily. Civil servants with bachelor's degrees or higher education backgrounds should be able to speak at least 300 English sentences, while other officials with lower educational degrees have to master over 100 English sentences, according to related regulations of the program. Beijing will finally adopt a 3-month intensive training program for some 600 outstanding officials selected from all the trainees. It is expected that, by the time the program is finished these people may be equipped with enough language skills to meet the demands of international communication, the newspaper said. |
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