Everyone Speaks English: Beginner

Author: Hou Yiling
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-07-01
Features: With China's entry into the WTO, the acceleration of expanding opening-up and participating in global competition, and especially the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing, Beijing urgently needs a large number of professionals proficient in foreign languages and capable of direct communication with foreigners, as well as high-quality service providers. To build a first-class modern international metropolis by 2010, Beijing also urgently needs to create a language environment and atmosphere for international exchanges. However, the current English proficiency of Beijing residents, particularly their oral communication skills, falls far short of the requirements for building an international metropolis and the demands of international exchanges. To this end, the Beijing Municipal Committee and the Beijing Municipal Government have proposed that, based on the capital's status and functions, the English proficiency of Beijing residents, especially their oral communication skills, should be comprehensively improved, along with enhancing the overall quality of the citizens to create a better humanistic environment, investment environment, tourism environment, and high-quality service environment. Jointly initiated and launched by 11 municipal departments and offices, including the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, the Beijing Municipal Committee for Spiritual Civilization Construction, the Beijing Municipal Economic Commission, the Beijing Municipal Commerce Commission, the Beijing Municipal Rural Work Commission, the Beijing Municipal Construction Commission, the Beijing Municipal Commission for Foreign Economic and Trade, the Beijing Municipal Municipal Administration and Management Committee, the Beijing Municipal Transport Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, and the Beijing Municipal Local Taxation Bureau, the Beijing English Oral Proficiency Certificate Examination has been introduced. This examination is standardized, focused, highly targeted, and tailored to the needs of Beijing residents in improving their English oral and listening skills, as well as meeting the requirements of the 2008 Olympics.
The target audience for the English Oral Proficiency Certificate Examination primarily includes professionals, full-time employees, and the general public from various industries, departments, and enterprises; it also serves students from all levels of education systems in Beijing, including primary schools, junior and senior high schools, vocational schools, private schools, adult colleges, and regular universities. Organizing the English Oral Proficiency Certificate Examination to improve oral communication skills and proficiency is not only an image project for the enhancement of Beijing residents' quality but also a major reform in English teaching within the education system. To support the launch of this examination, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission has organized renowned domestic experts and scholars in Beijing to compile the book Everyone Speaks English as the designated training and examination textbook for the Beijing English Oral Proficiency Certificate Examination. This textbook series consists of three volumes, covering beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of the examination requirements.
The key features of this textbook series are their departure from the traditional model of English teaching, which emphasizes grammar and the perfection of disciplinary systems. Instead, the series adopts a step-by-step approach, focusing on oral training and addressing the difficulties Chinese learners face in learning foreign languages. It boldly employs innovative teaching methods such as project-based learning and situational teaching, making the content engaging, memorable, and highly practical for oral training. This book can serve as a training textbook for English oral proficiency across various industries, as well as a textbook for English oral proficiency in regular primary and secondary schools, vocational schools, regular universities, and adult colleges. The content of this book has been reviewed and approved by renowned domestic and international experts and professors. During the compilation and publication of this textbook, strong support was provided by relevant departments of the municipal government. Special thanks are also extended to Liu Yang, Shao Heping, Tan Deshen, Shi Wenlong, Yi Rong, Rong Yanning, and Feng Jia-sheng, among others, for their significant contributions to this book.
This textbook is suitable for full-time employees from various industries who have studied English for about two years, as well as students from all levels of schools and the general public for self-study or training purposes. The book is divided into 35 units, covering topics such as business, catering, tourism, transportation, and the service industry, essentially encompassing all aspects of daily life. Each unit includes three dialogues that explore the topic from different perspectives, with natural and practical language, making it easy for learners to imitate. Additionally, the book provides key vocabulary explanations, usage notes, selected common phrases, and supplementary vocabulary. The entire book is printed in full color and is accompanied by audio cassettes recorded by foreign experts, with readings in both standard and slow speeds, making it ideal for learners to practice shadowing.