中壢英語國際演講會 Chungli Toastmasters Club

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is James Lee.  It’s wonderful to be here.  I’m glad to deliver my C1 speech tonight and share my life with you.

        In 1984, I was born in the middle of Taiwan, 南投.  I have one father and one mother just like you.  I also have a younger sister.  She is a reporter of ERA news.  When I was an 8-year-old boy, something happened.  Can you image that I was a skinny boy?  Don’t tell me the answer, thanks.  Because I fell in love with the fried rice, I became fatter.  Now, I am going to use some pictures and document to share my story with you.

        After graduating from elementary school, I enter the Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School and Chinese Air Force Academy.  Yes, I was a cadet.  Do you know what military life is?  Every day, I get up at 5:30, early roll call, eat breakfast, study, lunch, study, exercise, take a shower, dinner, study , night roll call and go to bed at 10 0’clock.  The most important thing is “No girl in school.”  What a boring life!  I really envy the same generation who study in normal school.  But I still have to say that military life taught me a lot.  I did learn something special during these 9 years.  I know how to have a regular and disciplined life.  I know how to show your respect to your teacher, superior and classmates.  I also became a muscleman.  I know I am not in a good shape now.  I’ve already quit from there for 4 years.

        When I was a junior student in air force academy, I found that I’m not interested in electronic engineering anymore.  I believed that if you want to be rich, you have to learn something about business.  At that time, everyone thought I was crazy.  I just need to stay there for one more year; I would become a second lieutenant of air force with $40,000 month salary.  But I still insist on quitting.  I participated in the College Entrance Examination in 2005 and enrolled the Business College of Chung Yuan Christian University.

        OK.  It’s my history.  Now I am going say why I am here.  As you know, English is so important for everyone.  We have to learn English.  But the question is “How?”  Read English news paper?  Make me sleepy.  Try to memorize all the vocabulary in dictionary?  It’s mission impossible.  In my opinion, there are 2 ways to improve the English skills.  The first way is to live in an English environment.  I went to Yellowstone National Park last summer.  After the trip, my TOEIC score increase 150 points.  And I also got the 3^rd prize in English speech contest.  In fact, it was my third time join the contest.  I failed twice in final round in past 2 years, in the part of impromptu speech.  It really helped a lot.  The second way, of course, join the toastmaster club.  These are my record: speech marathon, evaluation speaker and speech contest.  I know I am a lazy guy in studying English.  But I don’t want to bring shame on myself.  All I have to do is to sign up the activity first and I will prepare for it.  So, if you want to improve your English, just tell our EVP that you want to deliver a speech.        The last but not the least, I like music and I am a French horn player.  I care about the public welfare and I joined the 30 Hour Famine.  I want to be your friend and I am here.  I hope the Chung Li toastmaster club will become better and better.