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A Chinese girl won first prize in an international
English writing contest, which will enable her to have a two-week
free trip to Canada.
In her article, the 15-year-old, Cai Lixin, called for control of
emissions of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide and other pollutants.
She said that with the melting of glaciers resulting from global
warming, the earth may run the risk of becoming a "water globe"
that will inundate human beings.
While attending the prize awarding ceremony Tuesday in Beijing,
Canadian ambassador to China, Howard Balloch, said he is glad to
see young people are growing environmentally conscious.
Cai, who is a student at the Beijing No. 4 High School, was surprised
to learn that she was the first prizewinner. She said, "I am
very excited. You can hear my voice trembling."
Cai's mother is an environment worker in Beijing while her father
works in finance. The girl said she likes to read articles on science
since childhood and she started learning English when she was a
pupil.
The contest is part of cultural activities for celebrating the 30th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between
China and Canada.
The contest is sponsored by Cai's school and Ottawa-based Ile Hull
secondary school. English is also a second language for French speaking
students at the Ottawa school.
This is the first time for the two schools to hold such a contest.
Students were required to write articles in English with the theme
of environmental protection.
In each school, 100 students took part in the contest and 30 of
them won prizes, ranging from the first to the seventh place.
Prizewinners in the Ottawa school will not be known until next week.
The first prizewinner in the school will have a free trip to China.
Two-way air tickets for the two top prizewinners will be offered
by Air China and they will live with the family of the first place
winner of the opposite country. The trips for them are arranged
in the first half of next year, Canadian embassy officials said.
(Xinhua 11/22/2000)
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