Join Common Talk Club, brush your English up!
By Jessie Wang

My first purpose for joining Common Talk Club is very simple - to improve my oral English in order to create a better language environment for my students. I have been a part-time English tutor for more than two years and all of my students, including my child, have done a good job in their English studies. But as time goes by, more and more strongly I feel that my oral English is not good enough to teach them well. This spurs me to make up my mind to brush my English up to a new level and finally I chose to join the Common Talk Club in July this year.
It's really a great club! -Not only a very efficient way of practicing English, but also a very good place to taste western culture, to widen your vision, to make friends, and especially to improve your interest and confidence in English.
Firstly, I think it's a high-grade club and well organized by Common Talk. We have some talented hosts, John (English), Jack and Lily (Chinese), who are quick-minded, kind-hearted, humorous, and very good at motivating us to speak English. We also have several nice foreign teachers such as Norman and Mike who are friendly, professional and enthusiastic about teaching. Most of the times we had foreign guests separated into small groups to chat with us, it's really helpful. It's especially worth mentioning that some beautiful girls who are just the editors of the newspaper are always with us from beginning to end, giving us a helping hand. I really appreciate their hard work. Each time we have a hot and instructive topic to discuss, all of us actively take part in the conversation or the debate, building an exciting and open atmosphere. You may feel it is not easy to be a silent listener there. Besides this, we have had a wonderful location, which is spacious, bright and comfortable to enjoy our gatherings since Oct. this year. Thank you, Common Talk!
Secondly, the members of the club are of high quality. Most of them are young, smart and active, while some of them are very open-minded and humorous, often speaking out some unique points. Because they are from different walks of life, undoubtedly they can enlighten our thoughts and widen our vision by exchanging ideas with us. I feel that I have benefited a lot from that. On the other hand, they are all very friendly and generous; you need not worry about making mistakes or losing face or something like that. Practising English there is not just study but also a kind of fun and enjoyment. I feel that both my oral English and listening have been improving quickly.
Sometimes if the topic was also suitable for children, I would take my students there and encouraged them to speak out in public. They were shy at first, but now their interest and courage is getting stronger. They especially like watching the original movies arranged by Common Talk Club. Through this way, I develop their interest in English at the very beginning of their school life, which will be very beneficial for their future.
In such a busy life I feel it is difficult to spare the time to study English by myself everyday, but joining the English Club gets me into a good study habit and "forces" me to maintain my English at an appropriate level. That is good for both my work and social life. Needless to say how happy I am after getting my articles continuously printed in Common Talk!
So, come join us and brush your English up. Let's simply enjoy speaking English together!

加入英语沙龙, 让你的英语"亮"起来

双语周刊英语沙龙确实是一个非常棒的俱乐部! 不仅提供了高效率磨炼口语的途径, 同时也是让大家体验西方文化的平台. 这些都能让我们开阔眼界, 广交朋友, 更重要的是提高了我们对英语的兴趣和自信.
首先, 我认为这是双语周刊创办的高质量的俱乐部. 这里有出色的主持人, John(英国人)和Jack, Lily(中国人), 他们反应灵敏, 热心幽默, 擅长鼓励我们多开口. 这里还有一些很好的外籍老师, 如Norman和Mike, 他们友好且专业, 对教育也很有热情. 时常有外国朋友会被安排在各个小组和我们一起聊天, 这真的很有帮助. 特别值得一提的是, 就连双语周刊那些编辑都会从始至终陪伴在那里, 帮助我们学习. 我真的很感谢她们. 每一次, 我们都会围绕一个热门话题讨论, 所有的人都很主动地参与交流或辩论, 气氛开放热烈. 你会感到坐在那里就很难只做安静的听众. 除此之外, 我们拥有很棒的环境, 空间宽敞, 明亮而且舒适, 让我们感到在这里聚会很舒服. 谢谢你, 双语周刊!
其次,俱乐部的会员素质很高. 大多数是年轻人, 聪慧, 开朗；还有一些思维活跃, 幽默风趣, 经常会说出一些独特的想法. 因为他们来自各行各业, 毫无疑问, 和他们交流思想能够启发我们, 扩展视野. 我觉得自己受益匪浅. 另一方面, 他们都友好大方, 你绝对不用担心自己犯错丢脸, 或是其他类似的事情. 在这里练习英语不仅是学习, 还是一种乐趣和享受. 我感觉自己的口语和听力都提高很快.
有时, 如果话题适合孩子, 我会带着学生参加, 并鼓励他们在公共场合多讲英语. 起初, 他们很害羞, 但现在他们的兴趣和勇气越来越大. 他们特别喜欢俱乐部安排的原声电影. 通过这种方式, 激发了他们对英语的学习热情, 这对他们的将来很有意义.
忙碌的生活里, 我们自己很难在每天的业余时间学习英语, 但是参加英语俱乐部使我养成了一种良好的学习习惯, 并且"迫使"我的英语保持在固定的水准. 这对我的工作和社交都有益. 更不必说当我看到自己的文章陆续在双语周刊上发表有多开心了.
真心希望俱乐部越办越好, 因为这样确实可以培养一批铁杆读者, 再让他们在各个领域做报纸的义务宣传员. 可以说会员是报纸的一项宝贵资源.

王宏英
tjsha@sina.com


又到年终岁首, 双语周刊的全体工作人员借此机会预祝亲爱的读者新年快乐! 谢谢大家伴随双语走过了充实的一年. 你们对双语周刊的关注与支持是我们工作的不竭动力! Thanks a lot and Happy New Year
双语周刊读者俱乐部创办近一年了, 我们的队伍逐渐壮大, 已经将近200名会员了. 希望通过这个平台, 让爱好英语的读者在这里认识更多志同道合的朋友. 2005年我们将提供更多服务, 让大家享受更多乐趣!
"岁末大盘点", 在此我们选登部分读者来信, 让大家一起分享他们对双语的感受与看法；同时也希望广大读者继续关注双语的成长, 共同进步!

我很喜欢双语周刊,也是你们的忠实读者,我会一如既往地支持你们!
Lynn(海沧法院立案庭)

谢谢你们办了这么好的一个刊物,我们公司有很多外籍在厦员工都喜欢你们的刊物. 这是他们接触厦门新闻不多的途径之一.
George Huang (柯达)
luxiang.huang@kodak.com

Today I joined the English Salon of Common Talk. I know a little English now but I believe it will be better two years from now. I believe that I will be able to speak English freely in the future. Thanks a lot for your activity. It is good for my English learning . I have a suggestion that you have two groups; one for children and the other for adults. Maybe it would be better.
张鹭 (俱乐部会员)

Those films lead me to see much of the world, those debates intrigue me to think more about life. Thanks to Common Talk, I meet new friends and get new ideas. Many sparks of wisdom appear for our talking. That's the point of joining the English Club.
Zhang Chun (厦航Xiamen Airlines)

I always appreciate Common Talk's role as an international exchange coordinator. It not only gives the local information to foreigners living in Xiamen but also offers a place to share feelings and opinions with each other. After living in Shenzhen, Common Talk became one of my strongest links with Xiamen. I really thank Common Talk and hope for its further expansion & success!
Kako (日本人Japanese)

CT provides vast possibilities
By Happy Hong

At the beginning, when I got to know Common Talk one and a half years ago, I just tried to learn some new words from the newspaper. But not long after, I lost myself in some of its imaginative columns and began to write and contribute. In order to do better than I could, I studied harder than ever in my English. Some of my articles had been changed before they were published; mistakes in these articles had been corrected by the editors. This was a great help for both my English knowledge and my writing skill.
As I began to love Common Talk more, I spent more time reading it. I used to be attracted by the wonderful articles in it, written by either foreigners or Chinese, editors or readers. Whenever I met one of such articles, I'd like to go over it again and again until my heart had been filled with joy. I've learned much from these great writers and adore them; and it's always a delight to meet and talk with them and become acquaintances. Now some of them are thousands of miles away from Xiamen, but I often think of them when thinking of their articles.
Now I've learned to make progress in English in a happy way.

双语提供无限可能

一年半前, 在认识双语周刊之初, 我只想从中多识单词. 然而, 过不了多久, 我就为该报的一些颇具想像力的栏目而深深着迷, 并试笔投稿. 为了能超水平发挥, 我在英语学习上空前用功. 我在该报发表的文章, 都或多或少地有这样那样的错误在付印之前由编辑发现并更正. 这对提高我的英语水平和写作技巧是莫大的帮助.
随着我喜爱双语周刊之愈甚, 我也花更多时间而读之. 该报时常有或出自外籍人士或出自本土作者, 或编辑或读者所写的精彩文章深深吸引我. 每当阅读这些佳作, 我会反复诵读, 读到满心欢喜, 方肯作罢. 我从这些了不起的作者笔下所学甚多, 也对他们仰慕有加, 有机会与他们谋面, 交谈并相识总是乐事一桩. 如今, 虽然他们当中有人远在千里之外, 我还能经常因思及其文而想起其人.
如今, 受双语周刊的种种启发, 我学会了以快乐的方式来促进英语学习.

Inquiry about manuscript submission

I am a new foreign teacher, and I am currently teaching writing at Xiamen University. I myself am interested in sending manuscripts for your review, and I want to encourage and inspire my writing students to try publishing. I teach academic writing; however, I attempt to encourage creative writing as well through a weekly Writing Corner. I tire of the "chaos" of the common English Corner, so I provide a forum for students to discuss, evaluate and practice writing. I feel most successful as a teacher after the class.

Nancy Kelly-Martin, Ph.D (厦大外籍教师)