| 薄熙来部长在商务部首届青年英语风采大赛（决赛）上的英文即席讲话 |
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| 2004-06-02 13:57 |
Spontaneous Speech by Minister Bo Xilai
April 28th, 2004
Boys and girls,
I haven’t made any preparation before coming. I just wanted to present the winners with souvenirs and congratulate you. However, your speeches made me think of something to say.
This competition reminds me of my childhood. 40 years ago I began to learn my English, so you may think your Minister is not that good at learning English. But you see , the last forty years are different from the present time, you are very lucky to have enough time and very good circumstances to learn your English. On learning English, during the time when I studied in the Middle school, my mother suggested that English is very useful. But in just several years, the Cultural Revolution happened. So I lost the time. So for ten years I had no time to study English systematically. I just learned English in factory. And for the last 20 years, you see, my job has been a local official. So I just worked in the Dalian City and in Liaoning Province, serving as mayor for 8 years and then 3 years as Liaoning province governor. Now my work, my job has changed, I have to learn how to improve my English together with you.
Present here, I have the feeling of just turning back to my childhood like a student, and I would like to say to be a student is very happy and is an enjoyment. I may feel my age is smaller and I may feel I am younger than my age. So I truly hope to join your party and I truly enjoy your performance and your speeches. To be honest, I should say your English should be envied. Of course, today’s science is not that advanced yet. Otherwise I would suggest scientists to produce a lead and put an end of the lead in your ears and the other in mine. With a push on button, English knowledge in your brains would be transmitted into my brain.
You see today I like to join your party to speak English with you just hope to encourage you and to help you cultivate and establish confidence in your life. Whatever you English standard is doesn’t matter, after returning to your home you may murmur in your heart, anyway my English is better than my Minister’s. So in future years, perhaps you can try your best to improve your English. Talking about my feeling as for how to study English, first of all, you must have confidence and you should never be ashamed to speak. I just encourage you to exchange opinions with your colleagues in English and English is very useful.
The times for me and my colleagues have passed, we are old enough. The Ministry’s future belongs to all of you, belongs to the young generation. You are the sunshine of the Ministry and you are the future of the motherland. We just hope to create a wonderful condition and a perfect environment for all of you.
So today I just said the several words to you and I see a lot of people here as my teachers. Just now a young colleague quoted the words of Ostrovsky. We often heard that quotation when we were young and liked it very much. So I hope this quotation can make all of you, my young friends, know that time is most precious. Time is flying. In the twinkling of an eye, I’m already over 50 years old. We must make use of every minute to study hard. Only by doing so, will I not regret wasting time or feel guilty of having done nothing when I look back at the end of my life. I will feel unashamed to say that I have devoted all my energy, passion and talent to my country.
Thank you.
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