Who are the Most ‘Harrovian’ Speakers?

A bilingual speech contest, as the name implies, means that all participants must complete two single speeches in two separate languages in order to compete. This was a big challenge for the participants. Not only did this mean that the contestants had to demonstrate their fluency in Chinese as well as their accuracy in English, but it also meant that they had to prepare two speeches at the same time in completely different languages and on different topics.

Mr. Constantine Yu, Head of Marketing and Admissions of Harrow Zhuhai who has worked as a spokesperson for many international companies, and a member of the ToastMasters International, said：

“Although Chinese speeches and English speeches are both forms of presentation, the criteria for language styles and content creation varies significantly. A Chinese speech can be refined through the use of idioms and optimized language structure using prose. It requires the speaker to master the Chinese language and its history. In contrast, English speeches will avoid the use of colloquialisms, but rely on clear logic and accurate choice of words. The speaker’s personal style, and occasionally humour, will add a lot of points to the English speech. This will require the speaker to have an in-depth understanding of English vocabulary and cultural traits.”

Such a seemingly tough challenge was not difficult for Harrow students. After the registration was opened, students from all grades enthusiastically applied and finally 60 students registered for the competition. With the two fixed themes – “My Chinese Dream” and “I am Harrovian”, our young contestants made full and thorough preparations for their speeches. They presented brilliantly on the spot, either calmly or passionately. Many of the contestants were humorous and expressive through their thorough speeches in both English and Chinese.

After a total of 4 stages of fierce competition in Chinese and English, the winners of this speech contest were finally born!