Introduction

Rick O'shea: Welcome to the third annual 21st Century Cup National English Speaking Competition.
Liu Xin: This competition is organized by China Daily and the 21stCentury it is coordinated by China University English Speaking Association and cosponsored by the English Speaking Union in London, University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, Times Publishing Group of Singapore, British Airway, Kepinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center. 
Rick: We're very pleased to be invited to be the hosts of today's competition. I'm Rick O'Shea from a radio program called Joy FM which is heard throughout China on China Radio International Network. Thank you.
Liu Xin: Definitely.
Rick: Let me introduce you to our co-host for today. Somebody who is no stranger to the 21st Century cup, she is Liu Xin.
Liu Xin: Hi, I'm Liu Xin from China Central Television. Two years ago as a student from Nanjing University, I was very lucky to win the very first 21st Century Cup, and later I won the International Speaking Competition held the same year in London. So i'm very honored to be involved in this competition again. This time not as a contestant though.
Rick: Well let's move forward to introduce you to the participants in today's competition. Altogether there are 21 contestants from as many universities from across China.
Liu Xin: Yeah,21 contestants for the 21st Century Cup.
They are from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Foreign Affairs College, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing Broadcasting Institute, Shanghai International Studies University, Hanzhong University of Science and Technology, East China Normal University, Nankai University, Nanjing University, Wuhan university, Hangzhou University, Shandong University, Shenzhen University, Xiamen University, PLA Foreign languages Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, Hunan University, Sichuan union University, Sichuan International Studies University, West China University of Medical Sciences and Zhejiang University.
Liu Xin: OK ladies and gentlemen this competition will be mediated by a panel of eight judges. Now let's introduce the judges.
They are Zhu Yinghuang, Editor-in-Chief of the China Daily; ChenMusheng professor, from Qing hua University; Zhu Yongsheng, professor at Fudan University; Fang Jianzhuang, professor from Guangdong Foreign Studies University; Norman A Pritchard British, ELT Expert of China Central Radio and TV university; cheryl Moen, English teaching expert of Beijing Teacher's University; Shen Shuhong, ELT Specialist and China representative of University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate; Lim Mui Cheng, Director of Education and Training from Times Publishing Group of Singapore. Welcome.
Rick: Now we'll give you a brief introduction to the rules of the competition.
Liu Xin: Each contestant will speak on a prepared speech for about six, six full minutes actually. Um, there will be three minutes unprepared speech, and another three minutes for answering questions raised by the judges. There will be approximately two questions raised by a Chinese judge and a foreign judge each. During the prepared speech section at the five minutes time, a staff member will raise a yellow paperboard to let the contestants know that there is only one minute left , and if the six minutes end, a bell will ring and the contestants must stop the speech.
Rick: The topic for the prepared speech today--
Liu Xin:--is "The East and the West: Can we live in two cultures?"
Rick: The topic for the offhand speech will be read out just before the speech.
Liu Xin:Before the prepared speech.
Rick:That's right. And then there will be a questions period from our panel of judges who will question the contestant.
Liu Xin: I have a question for you actually.
Rick: OK.
Liu Xin: Um, do you like coffee or do you like tea?
Rick: Coffee or tea? You know I lived in Hong Kong for a long time and in Hong Kong my favorite drink was coffee-tea.
Liu Xin: Well I guess there is such a thing but explain it a little bit. Yeah, it's kind of confusing.
Rick: Yeah it's a very good drink, it's a ,one of these days maybe that drink will make it up to northern China. But if you go to Hong Kong or Guangzhou, you'll find coffee-tea everywhere, and i think the blend of the east and west really says it's best.
Liu Xin: Wow. Good. I would like to try it sometime. Ok well let's welcome contestant number 14.
Rick: That's right.

译文：
Rick O'Shea：欢迎各位亲临第三届“21世纪杯”全国英语演讲比赛现场。
刘欣:本次比赛由《中国日报》和《21世纪报》主办， 全国大学英语演讲协会协助，并得到了伦敦国际英语联合会、剑桥大学考试委员会、新加坡时代出版集团、英国航空公司、北京燕莎中心凯宾斯基饭店的赞助支持。
Rick:我们很高兴地被邀请来主持今天的大赛。我叫Rick O'Shea，是中国国际广播电台对全国播音的“欢乐调频”节目主持人。谢谢。开办“欢迎调频”节目的一个原因就是希望提高国内的英语水准。这和《中国日报》及《21世纪报》是同一个目标。自然，我们亲密合作了好些年。这些年里，我们认识到了英语在中国的重要性。
刘欣：大家好，我是刘欣，来自中央电视台。两年前还在南京大学读书时，我很幸运地捧走了第一届“21世纪杯”的奖杯。同年在伦敦，我赢得国际英语演讲比赛冠军。今天我又再次荣幸地被邀到会。不过这一次不是作为参赛选手。
Rick：好，下面要介绍今天的参赛选手。我们从全国众多大学中选拔出21位参赛选手。
刘欣：是的，21位选手角逐“21世纪杯”。
他们分别来自：北京外国语大学、外交学院、对外经济贸易大学、北京广播学院、上海外国语大学、华中理工大学、华东师范大学、南开大学、南京大学、武汉大学、杭州大学、山东大学、深圳大学、厦门大学、洛阳解放军外国语大学、中国科技大学、湖南大学、四川联合大学、四川外国语学院、华西医科大学、浙江大学。
刘欣：女士们先生们，本次大赛将由八位评判员组成评委会。现在，让我们来介绍评委。
他们是：《中国日报》总编朱英璜、清华大学的陈慕胜教授、复旦大学的朱永生教授、 广东外语外贸大学的方健壮教授、 中国广播电视大学的英国教学专家Norman A Printchard、北京师范大学的英语教学专家Chery1 Moen、剑桥考试委员会的ELT 专家及中国代表沈树红、 新加坡时代出版集团教育培训部主任Lim MuiCheng. 欢迎他们。
Rick：现在，我们来简短地说明一下比赛的规则。
刘欣：每一位选手首先演讲六分种，整六分种。然后是三分钟的即兴演讲，接着再有三分钟回答评委的提问。大约共有两个问题，中国评委和外国评委各提问一个。在第一部分的演讲中，到了五分钟的时间，将由一位工作人员举起黄色纸板提示选手时间仅剩有一分种。如果到了六分钟，铃声响起，选手必须停止演讲。
Rick:今天第一部分演讲的主题是──
刘欣：──“东方和西方：我们是否能在两种文化中生活？”
Rick：即兴演讲部分的题目将在演讲前告知。
刘欣：在第一部分的演讲前。
Rick：对。然后会有一部分时间由评判员向选手提问。
刘欣：我有个问题要问你。
Rick：行。
刘欣：你是喜欢咖啡还是喜欢茶？
Rick：咖啡还是茶？你知道我在香港住了挺长时间。在香港，我最喜欢的钦料是咖啡茶。
刘欣：我想也许还真有这种东西。再解释一下。都搅在一块了。
Rick:是的，这种钦料挺好喝。说不准哪天，这种饮料就会在北方风行。但 是现在你去香港或广州，到处都能见到咖啡茶，我觉得这种东、西的混合太好了。 刘欣：真的呀。太好了。什么时候我倒是很想尝一尝。好了，下面有请第14号选手。
Rick：有请。

Speech 1
Champion: Liang Li min, Beijing Foreign Studies University
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. The title of my speech today is "Crossing the Sea."
An English poet by the name of Rudyard Kipling once wrote in this poem " We and They":
"All the people like us are We
and everyone else is They
we live over the sea
While They live over the way
We eat pork and beef with cow horn-handled knives
They who gobble their rice off a leaf
Are horrified out of their lives."
When these lines first caught my eyes, I was shocked- - how could two people remain so isolated and ignorant of each other in the past? Today's society, of course ,is an entirely different picture. Those people who used to eat with gobble their rice might be as well have taken to fish and chips.
Indeed, just take China as example: Our modern life has been influenced by Western style of living in so many ways that it's no longer surprising to see teenagers going crazy about rock- and- roll, whole families dining out at McDonald's and even rather elderly people dressed in Apple Jeans.
However, these are only some expressions of the cultural changes taking place in our society today. What is really going on is a subtle but significant restructuring of the nation's mentality. Just look around.
How many college graduates are ready to compete aggressively for every job opportunity, whereas not long ago they were asked just to sit idle and wait for whatever was to be assigned to them by the government?
How many young people are now eager to seek for an independent life whereas only two decades ago they would rely totally on their parents to arrange for their future? Ask anyone who participates in today's speech contest. Who has not come with a will to fight and who has not come determined to achieve self-fulfillment in winning the game? And I'm quite certain that if Confucius had lived to see today's China, he would have been horrified to see young lovers kissing each other in public places in an unreserved expression of their passion.
It is therefore evident that we as descendants of an ancient Eastern civilization are already living under strong influence of the Western culture. But it is not only in China that we find the incorporation of the two cultures.
Take the United States as an example: During the 1980s,in face of the overwhelming competition from Japan, many American companies such as the Ford began to adopt a teamwork management from their rivals, the essence of which, lay at the very core of Eastern culture.
Take the Chinese acupuncture as another example: This traditional treatment of diseases is finally finding its way to the West and hence the underlying notion that illness is resulted from the imbalance between yin and yang within the body--an idea which would strike any Westerner as incredible in the past!
Ladies and Gentlemen, we live in a great epoch when the global integration of economy and the information revolution have brought cultures of the world closer than ever before. We live in a particular era when countries, East and West, find themselves in need of readjusting their traditional values. We live, at the same time, at a critical juncture of our evolution because such problems as ethnic conflicts and regional unrest are increasingly posing a threat to the peace and happiness of the whole human race. To cope with such an era and to embrace an even brighter future, we need to learn to live more harmoniously in a world community which is becoming smaller and smaller.
My dear fellow students, our command of the English language render sit possible for us to gain an insight into Western culture while retaining our own cultural identity.
Therefore, it is our sacred responsibility to promote the cultural exchanges and hence the mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world.
It is my happiest dream that new generation of Chinese will not only grow up drinking Coca-cola and watching Hollywood, but also be blessed with the far-reaching benefits of multiple cultures; benefits that our forefathers had never, ever dreamed of .
To end my speech, I would like to quote Rudyard Kipling again:
"All the people like us are We
And everyone else is They
But once you cross over the sea
You will end by looking on We
As only a sort of They"
Thank you.
演 讲 1 
女士们、先生们，晚上好。今天，我演讲的题目是：《穿洋越海》。
英国诗人罗得雅德.吉卜林曾写过一首诗，名叫《我们与他们》，其中写道：
“象我们的人是我们
其余的人是他们
我们生活在海这边
他们生活在路那边
我们用牛角柄的刀叉吃猪牛肉
吞吃粽叶包饭的他们
吓得要死。”
第一次读到这首诗，我很震惊──过去两个民族何以如此疏离、彼此陌生？当然今日的社会呈现出完全不同的情景：用牛角柄刀叉吃饭的人们也可能会熟练使用筷子，而过去吃米饭的人们也开始喜欢吃鱼和薯条。
的确如此，就拿中国来说，西方的生活方式已经广泛地影响了我们的现代生活，以至对于年轻人对摇滚乐着迷，全家去吃麦当劳，老年人穿苹果牌牛仔裤，大家都已习以为常。
的确如此，就拿中国来说，西方的生活方式已经广泛地影响了我们的现代生活，以至对于年轻人对摇滚乐着迷，全家去吃麦当劳，老年人穿苹果牌牛仔裤，大家都已习以为常。
然而，这不过是我们当今社会中所发生的文化变迁的表面现象而已，真正发生的却是我们的民族心理开始了微妙而又有重大意义的重建，大家只要看看身边就会清楚。
不久以前，大学生还只是束手空坐，等待政府给他们分配工作；如今，又有多少大学生正在做充分准备，为争取任何工作机会而激烈角逐？
二十年前年轻人还完全依靠父母为他们安排未来，今天又有多少年轻人在急切地寻求一种独立的生活？试问今天参加演讲比赛的诸位，谁不是带着志在一搏的心情来到这里？谁不是铁下心来赢得这场比赛以实现自我？如今年轻人毫无顾忌地宣泄情感当众亲吻，我确信，倘若孔子在世，他必被吓坏。
很明显，我们这些东方古老文明的后裔们早已生活在西方文件的强烈影响之下，然而出现这种异质文化合流的现象不止是在中国。
以美国为例，本世纪八十年代，面对来自日本的强大竞争压力，许多美国公司如福特开始采用对手的集体合作管理方式，而这种方式正是东方文化核心之精华。
再以中华针灸为例，这种传统的医疗方法以及这种疗法的依据──即人体阴阳失调导致疾病最终得到西方社会的承认，而在过去，西方人还认为是无稽之谈。
女士们，先生们，我们恰逢一个伟大的时代：全球经济一体化、信息革命使得世界各种文化联系比以往更加紧密 ；我们恰逢一个特殊的年代：无论是东方国家还是西方国家都意识到自身急需调整传统价值。与此同时，我们正生活在发展的关键时刻：种族冲突，地区动荡正越来越威胁着整个人类的和平与幸福。如何对待这一时代，拥抱更加灿烂的未来，我们需要学会在越来越小的世界大家庭中更加和睦地生活。
亲爱的同学们，我们掌握英语，得以了解西方文化，与此同时，又不失于本民族的文化特征。
我有一个美好的梦想，我梦想中国的年轻一代不仅仅在喝可口可乐，看好莱坞影片中成长，而且还受益于多元文化所带来和深远影响。
最后，再次以罗得雅德.吉卜林的诗作为我此次演讲的结尾：
“象我们的人是我们
其余的人是他们
然而一旦你们穿洋越海
就不会再把我们
看做仅仅是他们。”
谢谢。
Liu Xin: Thank you very much. Now could you speak shortly on what you think:Are buses better than cars?
刘欣：非常感谢。现在，请简短说明：你是否认为，公共汽车要比小汽车更好？
Liang li min:
Alright, now what that little piece of paper says is , "Are buses better than cars?" Now throw this question to any Chinese and I think you will probably have the same answer. Of course cars are better than buses.
Is not owning a private car a dream that is deeply rooted in any Chinese for years time? Isn't it true that in developed countries, cars have already become an indispensable part of everyone's life? I thinkwe are all very familiar with the scene in the western movies when thewhole family go out on a car trip. When the parents sit at the front and the children sit at the back. And isn't that indeed a very harmonious picture? It is true that cars, as a very dear child of modern civilization,is noted for its comfort, it's speed and convenience.
And on the other hand, when you refer to buses, I think more often than not the picture than instantly leaves to a Chinese mind is one that you have to join a long queue just in order to a Chinese mind is one that you have to join a long queue just in order to squeeze into a car which is already packed. And there is almost no elbow space . And just imagine that odor, that smell. So the conclusion that we come to is that probably cars are better than buses.
However ,I think if we can probe deeper into this question, we will have quite a different answer, and I mean we can see the other side of the coin. That is to say, when we build more cars ,inevitably, this will give rise to more problems. And firstly we come to the problems of building roads. As we all know as more cars are being built we have to build more roads. But the space, the land that we can put into building roads. As we all know as more cars are being built we have to building the road is always limited. And firstly we come to the problems of building roads. As we all know as more cars are being built we have to build more roads. But the space, the land that we can put into building the road is always limited. And imagine that if Chinese households, on average, possesses a car ,we will not have enough built. And then imagine the traffic jam. I think that if every Chinese family owns a car, then the traffic jam during the rush hour would be horrible. Probably it would take half an hour just starting from here to Yansha.
And then there is the problem of pollution and energy. As we all know cars is a major contributor in every country, of pollution. And also cars take a great deal of nature resources, steel, oil and so on. And probably if every Chinese family can possess a car than within an overnight time, the world will be facing an energy crisis.
And so we have to think twice, when this problem of natural resources, when this problem of the happiness of the whole human beings is at stake. And on the other hand, if we can take a look at the buses, it is very easy to reach the conclusion that the capacity for holding passengers of a bus is immeasurable greater than that of a car. Probably the volume can be equal to ten or even more cars. And i think it is even the practice in the developed countries nowadays that they are trying to reduce the number of the cars that are being put to use but they would adopt a much more advanced public transportation system.
As i know that in a city in Germany and probably in other countries in Europe, actually cars are forbidden, are not allowed to be driven in the city, actually in the center of the city. But they would rather prefer to use more buses. And I think that although cars are noted for its advantage of being speedy, of being comfort, of being convenient, as the situation of China now is rendered, the only way out and the sound approach is for us to develop a more advanced public transportation system. That is to say that we have to use buses more often than cars. And I think that is my understanding of this problem that "Are cars better than buses?" Thank you.
梁励敏：
好的。在那张小纸片上的问题是“公共汽车是否比小汽车好？”如果拿这个问题去问任何一个中国人，我想回答可能是同样的：当然是小汽车比公共汽车要好。
难产多年来不是每一个中国人的心中都深植着能拥有一辆私人小汽车的梦想吗？难道在发达国家中，小汽车不是已经成为人们生活中不可或缺的一部分吗？我想，对于西方电影中全家人驾车外出的一幕我们都已是非常熟悉的了。父母坐在前座，孩子坐在后座，这不是非常和谐的一幕吗？小汽车作为现代文明的产物，不是正以舒适、快捷、便利作为它的标志吗？
另一方面，一说到公共汽车，我的脑海里浮现出的是每个中国人都会想到的情景：排着长队，等待挤入塞得满满的、回肘无处的车厢里。想一想那种气味、那种味道吧。因此我们得出的结论很可能就是小汽车要好过公共汽车。
然而，如果我们还能深入这个问题，就有可能得到一个不相同的答案。我的意思是会看到问题的另一面。那就是说，如果我们制造出更多的汽车，也会出现更多的问题。首先是道路问题。众所周知，汽车增多了，道路也要扩建。但是我们能付于道路建设的空间和土地却是有限的。再设想一下，或平均每个中国家庭都拥有一辆汽车，我们可无法建造足够多的道路。想一想交通堵塞吧。每个中国家庭拥一辆小汽车，那么上班时间的交通状况真也太可怕了。说不定从这儿到燕莎去也要花上半个小时的时间呢。
还有污染和能源的问题。我们知道，在各国，汽车都是污染的主要制造者 。汽车消耗大量的自然资源，如：钢铁、汽油等。如果每个中国家庭拥有一辆小汽车的话，兴许不出一日，世界就要面临一场能源危机。
所以我们得认真想想，何时会面临这个自然资源的危机，这个危及全人类幸福的危机。从另一方面说，打量公共汽车，明眼人都能看到公共汽车的载客量比小汽车要大得多，大出十倍甚至十倍以上。现在各发达国家都在尽量削减小汽车的使用数量，他们反而希望能使用一个更为先进的公共运输系统。
据我所知，在德国还是在欧洲的其他国家里，小汽车实际上是被禁止在城市的闹市区行驶的。相比之下他们更愿使用公共汽车。我想，虽然小汽车的优势是快速、舒适、便利，但鉴于中国目前的国情，我们唯一的出路就是要尝试和发展一种更加适合我们的公共运输系统。此即为我们使用公共汽车仍得多于使用小汽车。以上是我对一“小汽车是否好于公共汽车”这个问题的一些理解。谢谢诸位。
Judge: Excuse me. I would like to ask a question on your first speech. You mentioned that , nowadays in China you can see perhaps middle aged people wearing jeans and you can see people in the United States adopting strategies from Japan are very superficial, but adapting the teamwork strategies is a bit deeper. Do you think that means that we are really increasing our understanding of each other's cultures?
评委：请允许我就你的第一个演讲提问。你曾提到过在现代，看到中国的中年人穿牛仔裤，也看到美国人在汽车制造上借鉴和采用日本的策略。我想，牛仔裤是比较表面化的东西，但集体合作策略要更深一层。你是否认为那意味着我们对彼此文化的了解是真的在加深？
Liang Limin:
I think so, Because when we refer to the concept of culture, of course, it covers a wide range of concepts. At the superficial layer we can refer to cultural phenomenon, such as the Easterners wearing jeans and the Westerners using chopsticks. But like what i had just mentioned, when the Americans adopted this teamwork cooperation from Japan, they had very well combined the eastern culture and western culture concerning this very core of this culture. That is the eastern society is more collectivism oriented. And so the American society tends to aimat bringing out the foreplay of being the individual's potentiality, whereas the eastern society emphasizes more on group work. And so one is more or less identified as one of the group. And if we can combine these two cores of the cultures together, I think we can benefit a lot from each other.
I think as for the Chinese, just now I mentioned in my speech that the sense of competition, the sense of being independent, the sense of self-fulfillment are actually very much cherished by the Chinese teenagers and also cherished by me. Or else I would not be standing here to compete in this nation-wide speech competition. And so i do believe that peoples, East and West, we can live in two cultures. Thank you.
我认为是的。当我们说到“文化”时，这个要领包括的范畴当然是很广的。 在表层上它体现为文化现象，如：东方人穿牛仔裤及西方人拿筷子。 但正如我刚才提到的，当美国人采用了集体合作的方式时，他们已经是很好地将东方文化核心与西方文化结合在了一起。东方社会比较集体形式化，而西方社会则比较个人化。所以美国社会总是试图展现个人的潜能，东方社会则注重群体合作，一个人或多或少地被当作是集体中的一分子。假如我们能把两种文化的精髓结合在一起，我想我们彼此都会极大受益。
至于中国人，刚才在演讲中我过的竞争意识、独立意识和自我实现的意识其实很被中国的青年们所重视，也被我所重视。不然的话，我也不会站在这儿和国内其他选手演讲竞赛了。因此我确信，无论是东方人还是西方人都能在两种文化中生活。谢谢！
Rick: Thank you. I'm wondering from all these people speaking English, I'm wondering if possibly my future partner on Joy FM might come here from this group here today.
Liu Xin: very possible.
Rick: It is possible. What about yourself?
Liu Xin: Actually not. But I don't listen to radio that much actually. if you provide better programs, i probably would listen to it.
Rick: She's telling me she doesn't listen to radio? Ummm?
Liu Xin: Sorry.
Rick: it's OK. it's quite alright. We'll get you there anyway.
Liu Xin: OK.
Rick : OK. We would now like to bright out our next contestant. She'll be contestant number ten.
Liu Xin: Yes.

Speech 2

runner-up: Rui Cheng gang, Foreign Affair College
Honorable judges, ladies and gentlemen:
Kipling said:" East is east, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet!" But now, a century later, they have met.
They have met in business. They have met in education. They have met in the arts.
Some would argue that these meetings leave us with a choice between East and West ,but I believe the best future lies in the creative combination of both worlds. We can make Western ideas, customs and technology our own, and adapt them to our own use. We can enjoy the best of all worlds, because our tradition is, above all, one of selecting the best and making it our own.
But, do Western styles and values threaten our identity?
History makes it easy for us to think so-perhaps too easy.
Some people seem to think that adopting Western customs, such as a bride wearing white-which has long been a color of mourning in China, instead of the traditional Chinese red for her wedding, is another submission to foreign intervention,--a betrayal of our heritage, they say.
They fear that as we become "globalized", we will no longer be Chinese.
I do not agree.
History teachers that a strong and confident nation is at ease in hearing from the outside world.
The wedding of Eastern and Western cultures, whether in white gowns or red, brings us variety.
It is a rich banquet of special foods from all over the world.
As an amateur gourmet of Chinese cuisine, our superb flavours delight me.
But my Chinese taste appreciates food from any land.
I even allow the convenience of McDonald's a place in my life without giving up my good taste.
My grandfather taught me to hum tunes of Beijing opera from the time I was very young; they are deep in my spirit, part of my soul.
I love Beijing opera, because it always reminds me of who I am.
But I am also a fan of modern pop music, the No.1 fan of Spice Girls on campus.
of course, it goes far beyond food, music and dance. It goes into values and ways of thinking about the world.
Once upon a time, or so my teacher told me, a Chinese boy and an American girl had a squabble.
Both wanted to keep a bunny rabbit they had found in the garden.
Surely you've seen a rabbit sunning himself in the grass.
Nothing is more lovable, nothing more natural. No wonder they wanted him.
The Chinese boy played his er-hu. Happiness and joy, longing and passion, filled the air. The little rabbit swayed gently and began to move his ears in the direction of the music. He liked what he heard.
The girl then took out her violin and played it to produce beautiful melodies of her own. 
The rabbit began to bounce in her direction.
So intent were the children on their own music that neither paid the other any attention.
The competing melodies confused the little rabbit and he did not know which way to turn .Unable to attract the little creature, both children gave up ;they walked away, in different directions, leaving the rabbit. . .alone.
But, what if they listened ,what if they really heard each other's music, instead of always playing their own tunes?
When I hear the music of a violin ,rich with the joys of men and women who came together and sang and danced.. . I hear echoes of the music of the grass lands, of the hills, of the rivers...of my own native land.
Is music mine and yours, or is it ours?
What I want to hear is the er-hu and the violin played together, in rhythm and in tune.
Together, we can produce new and beautiful music, rich with textures and sounds that can only be made in harmony.
The rabbit sits in the grass in the ever-warming sun. Waiting for us to play, waiting for the symphony to begin.
Will he have to wait forever? The choice is ours . Thank you.
演 讲 2
尊敬的评委、女士们、先生们：吉卜林说过，“东方是东方，西方是西方，两者永不聚！”然而如今，在一个世纪之后，东西方相聚了。
它们在贸易中相聚，在教育中相聚，在艺术中相聚。
有人争论说这种东西方之聚,使得我们能够在东西方中作出选择.然而我相信最美好的未来在于东西方世界的创造性的结合，我们可以变西方的观念、习俗、技术为己所有，为己所用；我们可以享受两上不同世界之精华，总之，我们的传统之一就是择其精华，为己所用。
然而，西方的生活方式和价值会威胁到我们的民族特色吗？
历史让我们轻易相信──也许是太轻易地让我们相信此说了。
有人似乎认为彩西方习俗，比如新娘结婚穿白色婚纱，是对外国介入的屈服，是对传统遗产的背叛，因为按中国传统，结婚新娘要穿红色，而白色长期以来代表的是哀悼。
这些人担心一量我们变得全球化，我们也就不在是中国人了。
我不这样认为。
历史告诉我们：一个强大自信的民族学起外面的世界易如反掌 。
无论是穿白衣还是黑衣，还是东西方异质文化的联姻，都给我们带来多姿多采的生活。
东西方异质文化的联姻是一席来自世界各地佳肴的盛宴。
身为中国菜的业余美食家，我喜欢民族的佳肴。
然而我的中国口味也欣赏异国的风味。
生活中我为简便吃麦当劳，却不会放弃自己的良好口味。
从小祖父就教我哼唱京剧，京剧深入我的精神之中，成为我灵魂的一部分。
我热爱京剧，因为京剧让我总想起自己是谁。
但是我也迷恋现代流行音乐，在学校里还是“辣味女孩”的头号歌迷。
当然，异质文化的交流远不止于食物、音乐和舞蹈，它深入到价值观和世界观。
有一次老师给我讲了一个中国男孩和一个美国女孩发生争执的故事。
在花园里他们俩发现了一只小兔，两人都想要。
你肯定见过草丛中晒太阳的小兔。
没什么东西比小兔子更可爱的，更富有自然情趣了，难怪他们两人都想要它。
男孩拉起了二胡，愉快喜悦的琴声，充满了渴望和激情，回荡在空中，小兔子听着这音乐轻轻摇摆，耳朵转向音乐，它喜爱男孩的琴声。
女孩也取出小提琴，拉出悠扬的旋律。
小兔子听了朝她跑去。
两人都全神贯注于自己的音乐，丝毫没注意对方演奏的音乐。
交杂在一块的音乐困惑了小兔子，它不知该朝哪走。男孩和女孩都不能将小兔子吸引过来，只好放弃，各自走开了，扔下小兔子独自一人。
然而倘若他们倾听对方的音乐，而不是各自为歌，那么结果会如何呢？
当我听到小提琴声响起，男男女女走道一起又唱又跳，乐声中充满了欢乐， 此时我也听见了草原上、山谷间、小河旁传来得我们本民族的音乐的回声。
音乐分你我，还是属于我们大家？
我想听的是二胡与小提琴的合奏，旋律与节奏和谐一致。
大家一起才能创造出新颖动听音乐， 只有在和谐中大家才能创造出富有神韵的乐声。
在温暖的阳光中，小兔子在等待着我们一起演奏，等待着交响乐开始。
他有必要再永远的等下去吗？决择在于我们自己。谢谢。
Liu Xin: Thank you, contestant number 10. Now you're going to compare street markets and supermarkets.
刘欣：谢谢十号选手。现在请你对街市和超级市场做一个比较。
Rui Cheng gang:
Well, thank you very much. Um as a man who suffered from male chauvinism, I used to think that shopping is a privilege of women. I seldom do shopping until I have to . But three years ago, something happened and it changed my view. I remember it was the first day I went to college. After I had put down my luggage, I went out of the school to have a look around. It was a romantic rainy day. And guess what, I found the street market, right beside the school.
And I saw lots of middle-aged men and women talking with the sellers of fruit, clothes and soft drinks and it seems to me that they were intimate friends. And then I said to myself, why not have a try.
So I walked to the seller of pineapple and talked to him. And then i bought a pineapple and bargain with him and then i will eat the pineapple while wandering around the street market and enjoy the simple things of life. Thank you.
芮成钢：
谢谢你。唔，以前由于深受男权主义影响，我向来把购物当作是女性的特权。 不到万不得已决不得已决不上街购物。但在三年前发生的一件事改变了我的观点。 记得那是我进大学的第一天，放置好行李后我走出学校四处看一看。 那是个浪漫的雨天。你猜怎样？就在学校附近我发现了一条街市。
我看到许多中年男女正在与卖水果、服装、饮料的摊主议价，似乎是很熟的朋友。我对自己说，何不一试呢？
于是我走到一个卖菠萝的小贩前同他说起价来，最后买下一个菠萝。忽然间我意识到这十分有意思。回到学校后我想了一想，总结出这所以会钟情于街市的两点原因。首先，它带给了我乐趣。其次，我喜欢讲价。实际上我认为讲价是提高口才的极端有效的办法。没有这几年讲价经验的积累，我想我也不会有现在的机会站在这儿用流利的英语向你们做演讲。三年过去了，我一周还至少上街一次。我会去卖菠萝的小贩那儿和讲价，然后一边吃菠萝一边在街市上慢步，享受生命中一些小乐趣。谢谢。
Judge: You mentioned in your first speech the importance of variety even though the east and west are converging. But many people think that one of the problems of modern life is the lack of variety. This hotel looks like every other hotel in the world and the whole world is becoming an airport. Hong Kong looks like Singapore and so on. Do you think that we may be in danger of losing the very variety that you think is so important?
评委：在你的第一个演讲中你提到，尽管东、西方文化存在共性，多样性仍有其重要性。可是许多人觉得现代生活中存在的问题之一就是缺少多样性。这家饭店看似世界上其他饭店，整个世界成了一个机场。香港看似新加坡，诸如此类。既然人认为多样性很重要，你是否认为我们正濒临丧失这种多样性的危机的边缘？
Rui Cheng gang:
The variety. Of course I do not think so. I don't think we are losing variety. Instead ,we are, I think we are getting more varieties.
Well nowadays, as i had mentioned in my speech, we have a combination of eastern and western music, food and lifestyles. Actually I, I think I read an article in Vienna and many western critic and composers feel that a western music which has traditionally emphasized on the harmony between different instruments now is becoming increasingly, it increasingly reflects eastern music style. However, the eastern music style brought them a completely new sense of music.
So I don't think we are losing variety. I think we are having more varieties. And also in our daily life, I think we have more choice. It's not actually a choice between the east and west. Actually I think the choice is a combination of the two. And this doesn't necessarily mean we are losing our variety. We are updating what variety is .Thank you.
芮成钢：
说到多样性，我并不认为我们正濒临丧失这种多样性的危机，与此相反，我认为我们正取得越来越多的多样性。
正如我刚才说过的，在现代社会中，我们在音乐、饮食和生活方式方面都有东西方的结合。几年前，我曾在《中国日报》上看到一篇文章，说中国音乐在维也纳受到热烈的欢迎。许多西方评论家和作曲家认为，西方音乐传统上将重点放在各种乐器的配合上，现在刚更多地反映东方音乐的风格。东方音乐的风格给他们带了全新的意识。
因此，我认为我们并没有丧失多样性，而是在取得更多的多样性。在日常生活中，我们也拥有更多的选择。并不是说是选择东方还是选择西方，百是在东西方的结合中进行选择。这不一定就意味着我们正在丧失多样性。我们正在不断地高速这种多样性。谢谢。
Judge: In your second speech just now about street markets. You said that you enjoyed going to the street markets. It's a peaceful life and eating pineapples. Could you say something more comparing street markets and supermarkets as regards prices and quality and choice of products, things like that.
Rui Cheng gang:
Yes. Of course I prefer street market to super market. And actually I think ,nowadays the prices in the supermarket are becoming lower and lower to meet the demands of the people. But somehow I think people, not only Chinese people, but people from all over the world, will enjoy street markets much better. Because even though going to the supermarket will help you to get rid of a lot of the trouble of bargaining ,but somehow you lose the fun of talking with people and communicating with each other, and i think the super market just reflects one of the problems of modern society. I mean the alienation of people and their fellow man. And so I think that street market is secure to these disease or illnesses in modern society. Thank you.
芮成钢：
好。我当然是喜欢街甚于超级市场。我认为，现在超级市场的物价为了迎合大众的需要在逐渐调低。但我总觉得不仅是中国人，所有的人都会喜欢街市更多一些。因为尽管上超市可以省去讲价的麻烦，你多少也损失了和人聊天和交往的乐趣。超市反映了现代生活的众多问题。在此我指的是人与人之间的疏离。而街市则可避免现代社会的这些毛病。谢谢。
Rick: East ,West, cultures together? Ni how are you?
Liu Xin :What is it?
Rick: Ni how are you?
Liu Xin: yeah, quite a mixture of east and west.
Rick: That's right, I love it when things come together I love the blending of the cultures and I think the topic of today eliminates so many aspects of the east and the west and how they come together and how they still maintain their individuality.
Liu Xin: Yeah, such as our existence on the stage right?
Rick: That's right. I'm pretty used to this though. Pretty used to working with Chinese. I'm pretty used to announcing with Chinese and i find there's no problem at all when it comes to doing a program or working with Chinese in an atmosphere like this ,no problem at all.
Liu Xin: I'd just like to ask you what do you think about shopping? do you shop?
Rick: No, I hate shopping. I will avoid it, if I can avoid it I will avoid it.
Liu Xin: You probably need to find a wife.
Rick: I'm not a good person to ask that question. Now ladies and gentlemen will we please welcome contestant number.
Rick:东方、西方，文化的结合？你"how are you?"
刘欣 ：你说什么？
Rick:你" how are you"?
刘欣：还真是东西结合．
Rick:对。我已经很习惯这样了。习惯了和中国人一起播音， 现在要我在象今天这样的场合中做节目或者和中国人合作毫无问题，一点问题都没有。
刘欣：我想问问你对于购物的观点。你上街购物吗？
Rick:不，我讨厌购物。如果能不去我就不去。
刘欣：也许你需要找个内助了。
Rick:这个问题可不好说。各位，现在我们有请4号选手。