WHAT’S your opinion about the national college entrance examination? It’s easy to use clichés  to criticize it or laud it in a broad way. However, Fu Shuning from Nanchang Foreign Language School won the hearts of audiences with her more subtle  analysis of the testing system. She focused on her personal difficulties choosing between studying science and liberal arts.

　　The 16-year-old Senior 2 student won the first place in the senior high category of the 11th China Daily “21st Century Cup” National High School and Primary School English Speaking Competition, which was held in Xiamen, Fujian, on March 22-23. Fu opened her well-supported argument by quoting American poet Robert Frost’s famous line, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both,” pointing out one specific weakness of the tough exam.

　　“Teenagers have so many possibilities and options yet to realize. Do we really know what our passions are?” she asked, noting that students have to choose to learn science or liberal arts at the end of the first year of high school.

　　Her fluent and relaxed expression came from practice, Fu said.

　　She began to attend various kinds of English speaking competitions when she was 9. She admitted that at the beginning she did this just to get a better score.

　　“Friends around me were studying English very hard, and I did not want to fall behind. So I had to find a way out,” she said.

　　Thus, the girl began to attend English Corner meetings every week. She said she read any English books she could find in her hometown, and had finished all the seven Harry Potter book before she graduated from primary school. Another of her favorite pastimes is watching English movies and TV series, including High School Musical, Camp Rock, Friends and The Big Bang Theory.

　　“I am shy in real life. But when I enter the English world, I always find humor and fun,” she said.

　　Fu said she can feel her English improving, because “my ranking in speaking competitions has been climbing”.

　　However, it is not only her English that is improving. Her pursuit has also helped her gain a wide scope  of knowledge and a sense of humor, of which she made good use during the competition.

　　When asked what made her win, she said: “Maybe I made them laugh,” referring to the interactions she had with the question masters.

　　It’s true – her humor won her extra points.

　　“Humor and depth are both important for a successful speech. A good speech should have something that enlightens  audience members and makes them laugh heartily,” said contest host Rui Chenggang, anchorman for CCTV.