Change and Beyond. High School Group: Special Edition of CCTV's 5th "Hope Star" English Talent Competition

Author: Organizing Committee of the 5th CCTV "Hope Star" English Talent Show
Publisher:
Publishing Date: July 1, 2004
Features: Dear readers, thank you for choosing this book. The CCTV "Hope Star" English Talent Show is a high-level English competition for students across the country. By this year, it has successfully been held for five editions. Anyone who has watched the competition will sincerely admire the contestants' quick responses, authentic pronunciation, and fluent language. Last year, at the conclusion of the fourth edition, our China Renmin University Press edited and published the series "Change and Beyond: Stories Behind the CCTV 4th 'Hope Star' English Talent Show," divided into three volumes for primary, secondary, and university/adult groups. The content includes introductions to all contestants who entered the national finals, articles by parents or teachers on how the contestants learned English, live recordings of the competition, rules of the competition, and behind-the-scenes highlights. This series was well-received by students and parents, and "Change and Beyond" became a catchy slogan. Indeed, from the growth stories of these contestants, we deeply feel that learning English well can change lives and even personalities; mastering English not only helps overcome circumstances but also transcends oneself. Now, the larger-scale, more widely covering fifth edition has concluded. Building on last year's experience, we have edited and published this new series, "Change and Beyond: Special Edition of the CCTV 5th 'Hope Star' English Talent Show," divided into four volumes for primary, junior high, high school, and university/adult groups, with a stronger focus on introducing contestants and their English learning methods. In addition to articles by parents or teachers on how the contestants learned English, there are also first-person accounts by the contestants themselves, making the content more personal, engaging, and persuasive. To give you a more intuitive and clear understanding of the entire competition, we have also compiled and published VCD series, "CCTV 5th 'Hope Star' English Talent Show," which includes live recordings of all semi-finals and finals of the national finals. This allows you to thoroughly understand the competition rules, content, procedures, and on-site performances of all contestants, serving as the best guide for participation and an essential reference material. At the same time, watching the contestants' performances will undoubtedly greatly inspire your interest in learning English and boost your confidence in mastering it. In summary, if you find inspiration and gain something from reading this series or watching the VCDs, it will be our greatest comfort and encouragement. The CCTV "Hope Star" English Talent Show is a major television English competition organized by the Education and Science Program Center of CCTV. The competition follows the principle of "cultivating interest, boosting confidence, and setting role models," providing a stage for English enthusiasts to improve themselves, showcase their talents, and seize opportunities, and has been widely welcomed by the audience. Since 2000, the competition has been held annually for five editions. Contestants come from various industries, primarily students, representing all administrative regions of mainland China. It has influenced over 20 million people. The competition process consists of two stages: the national selection and the national finals. The national selection is conducted through regional sub-competitions, with three rounds—preliminary, semi-final, and final—selecting contestants. Participants register according to their regions and compete in the corresponding sub-competition. Those from regions without sub-competitions are selected by the organizing committee. The national finals are held at CCTV, with champions from different groups across sub-competitions gathering in Beijing to compete. The national finals include semi-finals and finals, with judges composed of authoritative experts in English studies and foreign teaching experts. CCTV provides live recordings of the national finals and award ceremony. The organizing committee welcomes enterprises and institutions in education, culture, publishing, and other industries across mainland China to host sub-competition activities under the unified leadership of the organizing committee, responsible for promotion, sponsorship, registration, and competition organization in their respective regions. By focusing on education and collaborating with CCTV, they can develop together with "Hope Star."
The first edition was held from February to July 2000, with the country divided into seven sub-competitions. Twenty contestants, ungrouped, participated in the national finals. In the end, Zhan Ying from Shanghai International Studies University won the first prize, while Han Jiang from Beijing Foreign Studies University and Shao Wei from Shanghai International Studies University won the second and third prizes, respectively. The broadcast of the first edition added fuel to the fervent wave of English learning across the country. Its flexible and diverse competition format, stunning visual effects, relaxed and enjoyable style, as well as the contestants' youthful charm and high English proficiency, left a lasting impression on the audience.
The second edition was held from February to August 2001, with 54 contestants from 19 administrative regions participating in the national finals. Sun Zheng from Peking University won the adult group, while Zhong Yurou from Hangzhou Xuejun High School won the junior group. The contestants not only gained experience but also formed deep friendships. This edition sparked significant public interest, with enthusiastic registrations. Statistics show that the oldest participant was an 86-year-old, while the youngest was a 3.5-year-old toddler.
The third edition took place from February to July 2002, with 36 contestants emerging from 16 administrative regions to compete in the national finals. Yang Jin from Qingdao De County Road Primary School, Liu Hongyue from Changchun Foreign Languages School, and Ding Yuanyuan from Beijing Language and Culture University won the primary, secondary, and university groups, respectively. The registration phase of this edition was even more intense, with long queues and traffic congestion at registration points in Hubei. The competition also drew attention from leaders, with the Assistant Minister of Education and the Deputy Director of CCTV observing the event and presenting awards to the winners.
The fourth edition was held from January to May 2003, with 45 contestants from 21 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions competing for the title of "Hope Star." Zhao Wei from Wuhan University, Li Laiyin from Shenzhen Donghu Middle School, and Jia Ruixin from Shijiazhuang Beixin Street Primary School won the university/adult, secondary, and primary groups, respectively. The fourth edition coincided with the nation's united fight against the SARS epidemic. All contestants, judges, and staff persevered and achieved success, composing a song of resilience in the face of adversity.
The fifth edition's finals were held from April 22 to April 29, 2004, with 90 contestants from 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions gathering in Beijing to compete for the title of the 5th CCTV "Hope Star."