王萌：解放军外国语学院选手，第16届21世纪杯全国英语演讲比赛二等奖获奖者。

个人简介：河南郑州人。现就读于中国人民解放军外国语学院。

演讲稿：

Several days ago, I tried to talk to my friend about the title of today’s speech. He took no trouble to hide his doubt and disdain, “Faith? Come on, nobody talk about it today, it’s out and it’s no fun.” He turned his back on me and picked up the heated gossip with his girlfriend about some pop star. Rebuffed, but refusing to admit defeat, I began to ask myself “is it really so?” and plunged into deep muse.

At first sight, my friend does make a point: many young people, including me, seldom talk about faith; more would never give it a thought, and most of us seem pretty ok with out faith. But on second though, something deeper is revealed, and can not be taken for granted. Without faith, would young people volunteer to serve the Beijing Olympics, the Shanghai Expo and the Guangzhou Asian Games? Without faith, would young paratroopers take the leap and dive towards the earthquake-shattered Wenchuan? Without faith, would Guo Mingyi save every penny for the poor and desperate, though perfect strangers they may be? Without faith, would Socrates take the poison and accept death rather than beg or flee?

Yes, the faith matters, faith makes the difference out of common lives. Faith guides our young souls onto solid and promising grounds. Now is the time for us to build faith. We are quick and eager to learn, but rarely know what to learn. We run fast and light, but hardly know where to go.

More often than not we got carried away by waves of desire and fear. Too easily, we got drowned by sound and fury from without, and by anxiety and panic within. From time to time, we fall prey to loneliness, forever groping in the darkness.

Now, it is our chance to build faith. Faith is a bedrock against which we may stand up and face the landslide of lust. Faith is a whisper of conscience that guides us into tranquility and peace of mind from the heat of chaos. Faith is the cherrybird that feels dawn breaking and sings in the darkest and lonliest moments.

 Now I woke up from my contemplation and gazed upon my friend. He looked serious, for he was engaging enemy on his game-box. Now, to him, and myself as well, I smiled and wrote down the title of my speech, youth and faith.