On May 25th, the second "Excellence Cup" National French Speech Contest for college and university students concluded at Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Minhang Campus. Contestants discussed technology in French on stage, showcasing a spirit of openness, dialogue, and mutual respect. After the competition, we had the pleasure of inviting some award-winning contestants to share their experiences, insights into learning French, and public speaking skills. Let's uncover the stories behind their victories!

Grand Prize Winner in the University Category: Feng Ziye

From Chongqing, Feng Ziye entered SPEIT at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2022 after graduating from Chongqing Foreign Language School. He is currently a sophomore, majoring in French and minoring in Energy and Power Engineering.

An Atypical Engineering Student: "Let the World Know My Thoughts"

During my middle and high school years, I participated in various speech competitions, winning the national first prize in the "FLTRP Cup" English Proficiency Competition and placing in the "21st Century Cup" National English-Speaking Competition for three consecutive years. However, this was my first time delivering a speech in French, a newly learned language, on stage.

Often, I am not a typical engineering student. Last year, as a member of the winning team in the APRU Sustainable Development Goals Project, I had the opportunity to participate as a youth observer in the 79th United Nations ESCAP. This year, as a core member of the Organizing Committee of the SJTU Model United Nations Association, I successfully organized the SJTU Model United Nations Conference. These experiences have taught me that, besides studying hard from textbooks, I should often look up, step out of the classroom, and into the world, to see its diversity, hear others' opinions, appreciate different cultures, and sometimes, speak out to describe the "scenery" I see, letting the world know my thoughts.

I love to speak and learn languages because language gives me the essential ability for interpersonal communication, allowing me to step out of myself and explore the unknown.

Starting from Scratch, Learning French in Daily Life

I began systematically learning French during the vacation after the foreign language entrance exam, exactly two years ago. My classmates and I formed a small class, starting from the basics of pronunciation and spelling, with the teaching plan running from late March to early June, from A1 to entry-level B2. Honestly, although the knowledge was taught up to B2, I was far from truly reaching that level. At the time, I couldn’t grasp every difficult point like a seasoned French learner, but I gained a basic understanding of the French knowledge system. In subsequent learning, I could then fill in the details: when to use which tense, in what situation to use which mood, which words express emotions, and which expressions are related to language habits. In this way, I gradually filled out this language in my mind.

After enriching my understanding of this language, I faced the big questions of how to use it and when to use it. In my learning environment, especially after entering university, the language atmosphere was favorable because 80% of my classes, from 8 AM to 6 PM, were in French. I actively adapted to this environment. Initially, I resisted learning mathematics and physics in French because it was too abstract. I needed to find corresponding Chinese translations for each point, which was not conducive to learning French.

In fact, the French in textbooks is very authentic, and the French spoken by French teachers is invaluable, original linguistic material. Listening closely to them, I found that even the complex grammatical structures, like conditional and subjunctive moods, naturally came out of their mouths, matching their emotions and thoughts perfectly.

For example, my physics teacher often uses a deep, earnest tone to say, "Il faut que vous compreniez." When I want to express a strong directive emotion, I use "Il faut que" in the subjunctive. So, don't overlook any opportunity to learn a language in daily life and studies. Over time, I also realized that learning math and physics in an immersive French environment is excellent because the understanding is more direct and thorough.

Accumulating Material, Refining Themes, Crafting a Unique Speech Process

Participating in competitions like the "Excellence Cup" is also a way to hone my French skills. Regardless of winning, I always prepare meticulously as a way to test my learning. I have my own speech preparation process. Usually, I don't start writing the speech immediately upon receiving the topic. I consider what I want to say, what material to use, and what main theme I want to elevate. For example, in preparing for this competition, with topics like "technology," "Belt and Road," and "global competence," I first thought about the connections between keywords, then related them to movies I've watched, stories I've learned, and activities I've participated in, finally summarizing the points I wanted to emphasize.

For the three speeches in the "Excellence Cup," I was happy to find a logical thread that connected the themes: "Technology is neither good nor bad; it is how humans use it that defines its nature" - "Global competence also contains Chinese traditional wisdom: universal love" - "We should use technology with a heart of universal love, so that it benefits not only ordinary people but also those with disabilities. The future shaped by technology should leave no one behind." During the speech, I designed unique elements based on my experience and style to attract the audience's attention and make my speech more engaging.

Participating in this competition, I received a lot of help. I thank my family for providing ideas and support; I thank teachers Huiling and Flora for their guidance in learning French, giving me the confidence to participate in a French competition; I thank teachers Caroline and Nick, who guided my public speaking skills long ago, which have benefited me greatly; finally, I thank the institute for providing such a platform, bringing French learners from across the country together for a French feast. I hope the "Excellence Cup" continues to grow and become a leader in French competitions in China!