English Language (Sunday, July 18, 2010 / 2:09 AM)
To be able for others to understand us, one of the ways is through communication. English language is commonly used in the world. With almost half the world speaking English, we cannot neglect the importance of its presence.
Countries like Japan and South Korea are encouraging their citizens to pick up English likewise for China. There are campaigns held to promote the usefulness of the language and the government makes it compulsory for certain group of people to take the tests.
In order to stay competitive, China hopes they can be a ‘world city”. The most important thing is to be able to express yourself to the rest of the world through a common language. Even most of the world’s influential newspapers are also in English. Therefore, there is no reason anyone should not learn English.
Taking a step closer to becoming the “world city”, China not only held campaigns but also have tests for its people. For example, at least 60% of the frontline customer service officers who are under the age of 40 must pass the English test given by 2015. This is to ensure that when tourists come to China, there is no communication breakdown.
Yan Yi
