From Walls to Bridges
第十届―21世纪杯‖全国英语演讲比赛冠军——夏鹏 南京大学
夏鹏原系贵州省平坝县黎阳厂子校学生，小学五年级开始进入贵阳百年英语学校系统学习英语。2003年,夏鹏以600分的高分考入南京大学法学院,后转入英语系。2004年获得CCTV全国英语演讲比赛第二名，同年获得代表国内最高水平的第十届―21世纪杯‖全国英语演讲比赛冠军，同时获得比赛―最具潜力奖‖，并代表中国参加2005年国际英语演讲比赛，荣获获得冠军和―最受观众欢迎奖‖。 演讲稿：From Walls to Bridges
I\'m studying in a city famous for its walls.All visitors to my city are amazed by the imposing sight of the city walls, silhouetted by the setting sun with gold and shining lines.With old, cracked bricks patched with lichen, the walls are weather-beaten guards, standing still for centuries in protecting the city.
Our ancestors liked to build walls.They built walls in Beijing, Xi\'an, Nanjing and many other cities, and they built the Great Wall, which snakes through half of our country.They built walls to ward off enemies and evil spirits.This tradition has been maintained to this day as we still have many parks and schools walled off from the public.I grew up at the foot of the city walls, and I\'ve loved them since my childhood.For a long time, walls were one of the most natural things in the world.
My perception, however, changed after a hiking trip to the Eastern Suburbs, a scenic area of my city.My clamates and I were walking with some international students.As we walked out of the city, we found ourselves flanked by taller and taller trees, which formed a huge canopy above our heads.Suddenly an international student asked me, \"Where is the entrance to the Eastern Suburbs?\"
\"We\'re already in the Eastern Suburbs,\" I replied.
He seemed taken aback, \"I thought you Chinese have walls for everything.\" His remark set off a heated debate.At one point, he likened our walled cities to \"jails,\" while I insisted that the Eastern Suburbs were one of the many places in China that had no walls.
That debate had no winners, but I did learn a lot from this international student.For instance, he told me that universities like Oxford and Cambridge were not surrounded by walls; the campuses were just part of the cities.I have to admit that we do have many walls in China, and as we are developing our country, we must carefully examine them, whether they are physical or intangible.We will keep some walls but tear down those that impede China\'s development.
Let me give you an example.
A year ago, when I was working on a term paper, I needed a book on busine law and found a copy in the law school library.However, the librarian turned down my request with a cold shoulder, saying, \"You can\'t borrow this book, you are not a student here.\" In the end, I had to spend 200 yuan buying a copy; meanwhile, the copy in law school was gathering dust on the shelf.
At the beginning of this semester, I heard that my university has started not only to unify its libraries but also link them up with libraries of other universities, so my experience will not be repeated.Barriers will be replaced by bridges.Through an inter-library loan system, we will have acce to books from any library.With globalization, with China integrated into the world, I believe many of these intangible walls will be knocked down.
I know globalization is a controversial iue, and it is hard to say whether it is good or bad.But one thing is for sure: it draws our attention to China\'s tangible and intangible walls and forces us to examine their roles in the modern world.
And how about the ancient walls in my city and other cities? Should we tear them down? Just the opposite.My city, like Beijing and other cities, is actually making a great effort to preserve the walls.These walls attract not only historians and archeologists but also many schoolchildren trying to study our history and cultural heritage.Walls have turned into bridges to our past and to the rest of the world.If the ancient builders of these walls were still alive today, they would be proud to see such great change in the role of their walls.They are now bridges that link East and West, South and North, and all countries of the world.Our cultural heritage will survive globalization.
Our Future: the Garden of One Flower or Many Flowers
第十一届―21世纪杯‖全国英语演讲比赛亚军——吴相臣 天津师范大学 演讲稿：Our Future: the Garden of One Flower or Many Flowers
I have a friend who just started his career as a teacher in a primary school.Weeks ago, he asked me to raise a topic for his mid-term composition test.I was curious why he chose me to give a topic, because he is a teacher himself.He said that he wanted something the students can really show their different ideas.Without thinking, I told him to let his students write about what they would do if they were given one million US dollars.My friend left with satisfaction, and I fell into my old memories.
It reminded me of my old days in primary school.We were learning to do narration in the fifth grade\'s Chinese cla.Our teacher required us to write a composition with the topic \"My Most Unforgettable Day\" with our real experience.
When papers came back, half of the students wrote about the first day they came to school.The rest of the compositions were all about picking money on the streets and giving it to policemen, or helping a blind man cro the street.Of course I was among them.But I remember very clearly, that one student, only one student gave something different.He wrote about the day that he first kied a girl.I read his composition.After all these years, I can\'t recite every word, but I dare to say, that even Shakespeare, may not be able to write as equally good when he was 11 years old.The composition was written out of real experience and genuine emotions.Contrary to those fake stories, it sounds real and natural.But the kid was scored zero.Our teacher thought the content was unhealthy, I\'m sure you know the meaning of this Chinglish word \"unhealthy\".
That was 15 years ago.When you read those compositions, and you feel that half of our population is blind, so all those kids could have a chance to help a blind man cro the street, and every one of us has a hole in our pocket, so all those kids could have a chance to pick up the lost money and give it to policemen.
A few days ago, my friend sent me an e-mail of all the copies of his students\' compositions.I have to say, I was sadly disillusioned.
Among those papers 40% said that they wanted to donate the money to people in poverty, so their children can go to school.The rest compositions are much more alike.Some wanted to support the panda protection project, some wanted to buy books to enlarge their knowledge.One student even said that he would like to spend his one million dollars on the effort to cure AIDS.I was more astonished to find that a ten- year-old child knew what AIDS really is.
We all have been kids, and we knew what we had once wanted.But, there was no composition about spending the money on video games, nice clothes, chocolates, ice-creams and expensive toys.Like 15 years ago, students won\'t tell the truth of their hearts.
It has always been our dream to open our children\'s hearts.We encourage them to describe their dreams, and acted as if we are ready to accept their thoughts.But the fact is that, children are scared by the zero marked on their papers.They are trained to say what we want to hear.
People compare children to flowers of tomorrow.And parents dream about the scenery that roses, tulips, daffodils flourish in the future.But down the road we are going on, in the future, or the future of future, only one kind of flower can be found.And that\'s the flower we like most. Our Future: A Battle between Dreams and Reality
第十一届―21世纪·澳门之星杯‖全国英语演讲比赛冠军——曹丰 清华大学
演讲稿：Our Future: A Battle between Dreams and Reality
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen:
When I was in the primary school, I have a dream.I want to invent a device which could bring you from one place to another in no time at all.When I was in the secondary school, my dream was to study in my ideal university.And when eventually I got into the university, my dream was to graduate.
How pathetic! When we grow up, we dream le and become more realistic.Why? Why do we have to change our dreams, so, so in order to let it be \"fulfilled\"? Why do we have to surrender to the so-called \"reality\"? What IS the reality actually?
Ladies and gentlemen, the reality is not real.It is a barrier keeping us from all the poible fantasies.Flying, for example, had been a dream to mankind for thousands of years.A hundred years ago, \"man could not fly\" was still regarded as the \"reality\".Now if that was really the reality, what did the Wright brothers do? How did some of you get to Macau? Only when we believe that the reality is not real can we soar with our dreams.
People say that our future is a battle between the reality and our dreams.And if, unfortunately, Mr.Reality wins this war, then I see no future of mankind at all.AIDS will never be curable as this IS the reality; People living in the undeveloped countries will suffer from starvation forever as this IS the reality; 4)Disputes among different countries would never be settled as this misunderstandings and intolerance IS the reality.
Ladies and gentlemen, how many of you have a dream of being able to make a lot of money? Please raise your hands.Oh, quite a number of you! Actually, ladies and gentlemen, this is not a dream, but a task.Every one of us has to make a living, right? Anyway I hope your task will be accomplished.How many of you think that you have already fulfilled your dream and that you don\'t dream anymore? Dear 5)adjudicators, what do you think? C.S.Lewis once said, \"You are never too old to dream a new dream.\" So for our future, please dream and be unrealistic.
Now that I am a university student, my goal is to graduate with excellences.But at the same time, I have a dream deeply rooted in our future.One day, people living in the areas now 6)sweltering with the horror of wars will be able to sit with their families and enjoy their every moment.One day, people from the rich countries are willing to share what they have with those from the poor countries and those from the poor countries will eventually be able to make their own happy living themselves.One day, different cultures in this age of globalization will coexist with tolerance and the unfriendly confrontations among them will be 7)eliminated.One day, the globe will share the dream with me and we will all contribute to making our dream come true.One day, our dream will defeat the reality! Thank you very much.
Breathing with Dreams
日期: 2010-08-27
童话：第十五届―21世纪杯‖全国英语演讲比赛亚军 Breathing with Dreams
I have a question for you.‗Do you know how to breathe?‘ Okay, I know what you are thinking now, ―Girl, are you kidding me? Everybody knows how to breathe.‖ Actually, if I were you sitting down in there one year ago, I would think, ―How did she make it to the final?‖
Alright, seriously speaking, what I am talking about is ―the art of breathing‖, and it‘s about breathing in a Yoga way: peacefully and always under control.What it reveals is the real eence of perseverance, ―In order to achieve, sometimes, you need to wait.‖ And when it comes to things you really want in life, it is as hard as it could poibly be.
For me, singing is a life thing.When I am singing on the stage, I feel whole-heartedly involved, and the self-fulfillment it renders is inexplicably thrilling.But with all the realistic problems I need to face in life, all those I want seem too far to be true– so far that I am terrified that I will never ever be able to get there and that gradually I will be carried away by the currents and torrents of life.I‘ve been drowned into this ambivalence for so long.Now, with a refined perspective towards self-realization, I am waiting, in a graceful posture, and knowing that I am going to get there.And on this, I should say, I owe Yoga a thank-you.
I still remember, about one year ago, I attended a Yoga course for the very first time.And to tell you the truth, I went there for a nice figure.However, after practicing for some time, I discovered that there was an ineffable inner-strength burgeoning sneakily in me while I totally focused.In order not to let go this significant power, I started to picture all I wanted in my mind while I was fully concentrating, for I believe the wings of imagination could make things poible.I learned to breathe with my dreams, shaping the eagerne into this elegant gesture of persisting.
And now, if you ask me what exactly is ―the art of breathing‖, I would say it is indeed ―the art of living‖.It combines the search of balance, the grace of patience, and the awarene of appreciation.
So even though feelings are tied up with life routines, I could still hold onto that free EGO which I have always adored: the girl who is singing under the spotlight, with all her heart and soul; the girl who is persevering with all she believes in and always feels grateful for what has been bestowed on her.
That girl is now standing right here in front of you, hoping that you are all as lucky as she is, living with dreams and love.No matter how tough things get, I tell myself, I tell myself that, every single thing I am doing now is every step closer to that very moment of my trajectory, just like every Yoga breath to every bloom moment of my life.Sports brings us together
日期: 2010-08-27
潘勐：第15届―21世纪杯‖全国英语演讲比赛季军
Sports brings us together
Sports are more than competitions.To me, they mean growth under the care of others.I learned this the hard way.
I used to be very shy and often felt lonely.Although I did well in all the academic subjects, I was afraid of physical education.My clamates often laughed at me.
―Look at that girl,‖ they said.―Her feet don‘t leave the ground when she runs!‖
Their words embarraed me.Moreover, whenever the teacher organized some competitive games, no one in the cla liked to have me as their partner or team member.As a result, I often ended up looking at others enjoy their games.
Things would go on like that if not for a sports meet in my high school.By mistake, my name was put on the list of those who would compete in the women‘s 1500 meters race.By the time people found the mistake, it was too late to change.
My desk-mate was a natural athlete.She said to me, ―I couldn‘t run that race in your place, because I‘ve signed up for three items already.‖ Other athletic girls of the cla said the same.
I was utterly dumbfounded.1500 meters! Running against the best runners from other claes! And in front of students of the entire school! It would be the worst nightmare I‘d ever have!
―You still have time to catch up because there is still one month before the sports meet,‖ they all said this to me, including my teacher.
My desk-mate patted me on the shoulder, ―Cool! You will run for our cla! And we will do training together.‖ Yes, this is not just for myself, but for my cla too, I said to myself.But still, 1500 meters to me was like Mount Everest to a beginning climber.I had no idea even how to start my preparation.
Fortunately, my desk-mate gave me a hand.Every afternoon after cla, several of us ran together.When the fear of being laughed at struck me, I saw others running right beside me.They gave me strengths.While we were running, some others would stand by the tracks cheering for us.
One month certainly couldn‘t make me a good runner.But when I was standing behind the start line, I no longer felt lonely or afraid.I saw my clamates standing by the tracks waving at me as if about to run beside me.
With the shot of the starting gun, I dashed out and ran as fast as I could, as if it were a 200-meter race.Soon I was out of breath and slowed down.Other runners paed me one by one, and gradually I had no idea how many of them were still behind me.My legs were getting heavier and heavier, and I might fall down at any moment.However, I suddenly heard my clamates chanting my name.My desk-mate even ran along the tracks beside me and cheered for me at the same time, just like the month-long training we did together.
As expected, I was almost the last to cro the finish line.Immediately, my clamates held my arms and urged me to walk on my feet and not to sit down.I was surrounded, with all kinds of drinks handed to me.I felt a kind of warmth I had never felt before.Even though I was almost the last to finish the race, I was full of confidence that I would improve in the future.
That sports meet was an unforgettable experience.The memory of my clamates cheering for me, holding my arms and handing me drinks stays fresh on my mind.Sports are no longer about winning or losing.They give me a lot of confidence, both confidence in my fellow students and confidence in my own potential.I am no longer lonely, no longer afraid.Sports have brought me close to my clamates and helped us grow together.
Now, I participate in the sports meet every year.Even if I am not competing, I would help my clamates with their practice, just like the way my desk-mate and others ran with me.
