“Three, Two, One, Start”, with the light on, the final test in the Shanghai area of the English Contest in East China began.

 

　　I‘m the contestant①“F”. Fortunately, during the first three items, my scores were lower only than the first one. But in the last item----quick response②, things changed. I knew that if only I could answer one question correctly, I would have the chance to go to Nanjing for the final contest. So no sooner had Miss Zhang, the hostess, given the question “name three of the novels written by Charles Dickens”, than I pressed the button. Though I know many of the novels written by him very well, such as Hard Times, Oliver Twist③, A Tale of Two Cities, Old Curiosity shop④, David Copperfield⑤, I was so nervous at that time that I could only remember two of them. So ten points were taken away.At last I only got the third prize. But from taking part in the contest, I have learned a lot.

 

　　When I learned of the holding of the English Contest on“English Pictorial”⑥ in April, I was so confident that I entered my name for it immediately. And I managed to pass the“written test”and the“oral test”,which were held in the middle of July. But my nervousness resulted in my failure in the following test.|Also I found that success in an English Contest depends on not only knowledge of English itself but also knowledge at large. For example, in the last item there was such a question:“Tell the full name of Great Britain and what do people call her flag.”Though I know the answer of the first part of the question, I did not know the name of the flag. Now I know it‘s called Union Jack⑦.

 

　　So, you see, confidence and knowledge are two very important things which lead to success. Do you think so?