The annual English speech competition of Maple Leaf International School-Wuhan finally came as expected. This year’s event continues last year’s theme that is “Be the change you wish to see in the world - Chinese Dream, Mapleleafers’ Dream”. The difference is that students could choose one from three given topics to prepare and talk instead of deciding one by themselves. What’s more, an unprecedented large scare of all students from Grade 10 and 11 participating for preliminary election in their own homerooms highlighted the importance of the event which promoted students’ enthusiasm for English and helped them to better get into the state of “battle”. Through the election, approximately two hundred competitors stood out for the first round. They proved with their own actions that they have the potentials to be an extraordinary English speaker. Following the homeroom election, High School ESL organized the first round for these competitors with a total of twelve classrooms being used, and each classroom had one international teacher as the judge. It was owing to the careful preparation of ESL Center and the support of counselors and international teachers that the first round came to a successful closure.

武汉枫叶国际学校年度大赛——英语演讲比赛终于如期而至！今年的演讲主题继承去年的“融入世界，改变世界——中国梦，枫叶梦”，不同的是，学生不用自拟话题，而是根据所给三个话题，任选其中一个进行命题演讲。另外，今年的比赛增加了班级海选环节，高一和高二全体学生以行政班为单位进行评选。通过全员参与，激发了学生对英语的空前热情，学生能够更快更好地进入备赛状态。经过海选，近两百名学生崭露头角、入围初赛，足以说明他们都是深藏不漏的英语演讲潜力股！随后，高中英语中心分别组织了高一和高二专场初赛，共有12个教室用作赛场，每个赛场都由一位外教担任评委。在英语中心的精心准备和策划下，以及高一高二年级领事与外教的鼎力支持与配合下，初赛进行得有条不紊，选手们都各尽其能、各显风采。

Life is insightful in its advance, and years are fragrant in its accumulation. From the interesting messages they delivered in the limelight and their relaxed expressions, one could easily find their large accumulation of English learning and profound thinking about life, without what they could definitely not be able to touch every judge’s heart. The judges from each classroom were attentively listening to their fluent and thoughtful speeches, while smiling or frowning along with the speakers empathizing with their feelings. Each of the competitors’ performance was carefully recorded, such as the time they used, the fluency of delivery, body language, whether they used notes or not in order to score their performance fairly.

不积跬步，无以至千里；不积小流,无以成江海。从初赛现场学生们精彩纷呈的演讲内容和轻松自如的演讲状态来看，绝对少不了他们平时英语学习的大量积累，以及对生活和周围环境的深刻思考，如此才能如行云流水般娓娓道来、打动人心。各个赛场的评委们皆神情专注，时而嘴角微扬、时而眉头紧锁，时刻与选手们感同身受，并详细记录每个选手的演讲时长、是否脱稿、语言流畅度以及手势的运用等等来综合评分。

As soon as the first round finished, a more thrilling second round will be held for these who distinguished themselves. Let’s wait and see what happens next!

经过了热血澎湃的初赛，接下来就面临着扣人心弦的复赛，让我们拭目以待选手们更加激烈的角逐吧！