The semi-final of the 2017 Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press National English Writing and Reading Contests “FLTRP CUP” in Tianjin division were held at the Tianjin University Pei Yang Campus Recently. 200 students from more than 20 colleges and universities in Tianjin participated in the contest. Students who win the special prize in the semi-final contests will be qualified for the national finals on behalf of Tianjin, presenting their excellent skills in a national arena. 

Students in colleges or universities of Tianjin who won the special and first prizes in preliminary contests are entitled to participate in the semi-final. The Writing contest and the reading contest were held from 9:00-11:00 and 14:00-16:10 respectively. The themes for the contest are topics that college students are familiar with and interested in and are rich in content, close to academic research, daily life and work. The writing contest requires students to write an argumentative essay which contains around 500 words and a 300-500 words practical writing. The topics are designed to test students’ critical thinking ability and creativity. Formed by several sections, including “Reading for self-examination, for observing the world, for opening minds and for pursuing dreams,” the reading contest aims to comprehensively examine students’ skills in reading comprehension and independent thinking. During the contest, contestants were absorbed in their creation, sometimes thinking with heads lowered, sometimes typing quickly. They displayed their language application ability, thinking ability and cultural attainment in such a limited time, presenting the depth of thought of contemporary college students in English.  

During the contest, leaders including Li Xu, Director of the Foreign Languages Teaching Advisory Board in Tianjin and Dean of the School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Sun Fenglan, Vice Editor of the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press of the Beijing Foreign Studies University, and Chen Dazhong, Deputy Dean of the School of Foreign Languages and Literature in Tianjin University, and Wang Lisong, Secretary General of the Foreign Languages Teaching Advisory Board in Tianjin and Deputy Dean of the School of Foreign Languages and Literature, toured and made comments.  

After the contest, students’ performances were evaluated both by computer and manual grading. Outstanding teachers from several universities in Tianjin served as judges to evaluate and grade students’ papers through the online Contest Examination System, and then the Organizing Committee synthesized the two results as the final score of contestants. This evaluation method not only improves the efficiency of contest paper grading and the fairness of competition, but also provides new ideas for the development of teaching and evaluation of English writing and reading in colleges and universities.  

The Tianjin Division of the 2017 "FLTRP CUP" National English Writing and Reading Contests, held by Tianjin University, provides a forum for students to display their English proficiency and helps to improve the college students ' English writing and reading ability. Additionally, it strengthens the exchanges between students and teachers in Tianjin and contributes to the in-depth development of college English teaching reform. 

By: School of Foreign Languages and Literature

Editors: Qin Mian and Keith Harrington