The best choice
"Good afternoon, dear teachers Liu. My name is Jinbao, a junior student from College of Civil and Commercial Law. To Professor Liu, I am amazed at your studying experience and I am desperately looking forward to learning from you. To Miss Liu, we just had a short conversation several weeks ago, I said that I want to study further in Legal English but I don't know how to do it. Here just comes the opportunity. I feel so lucky."
That was what I said in the interview for taking part in the international courses in CUPL. As we know, CUPL, short for China University of Political Science and Law, is generally regarded as the best law school in China. No wonder it is the ideal university of students who major in law.
On June 4th, Cherry sent me a message saying that our university will pick out sixteen students to study in CUPL for four weeks among all of the students. There would be professors from world-renowned universities such as Harvard and Yale teach students in American education ways. Only students who grasp a high level of English listening and speaking skills can satisfy the requirements.
Reading this message, I was totally excited. I am a law major student. My future job must be related to law. My listening skill is excellent and I can speak in English. I practiced my oral English here, every week in Toastmasters. I have you guys, who give me constant support and encouragement. I have nothing to say to you but thanks. This opportunity, which combines my major and my speciality is extremely suitable for me. However, after a few minutes, I fell in a dilemma. There is no more than one hundred days before the Judicial Examination, which is the qualification exam for people who work in the legal industry. It is widely acknowledged as the most difficult examination in China and perhaps in the world. It is held only once a year, which means if I failed this year, I need to spend a whole year waiting for next time. To make matters worse, if I went to Beijing, my final exam would be postponed to September. Even if I pass the final exam, my GPA would be zero. While the opportunity to CUPL is valuable and rare. Learning in CUPL, I would have access to a larger range of resources and materials. I would be entitled to experience the keen atmosphere and consult with prestigious professors. An angel and a devil was debating in my mind. "Betty, seize the chance and go to Beijing, your horizon will be broadened ." " Betty, just stay in Jinan and prepare for your exams." To go or not to go, that is a question. Finally, angel won. The next day, I handed in the application form and academic reports.
Three days later, came the interview. Two teachers came into the classroom. I knew both of them. Professors Liu, my super idol, had the experience of learning in Columbia university. Miss Liu is proficient in legal English. I attended her optional courses. They gave a brief introduction of WTO and American Federalism respectively. Then they would ask questions according to the introduction, which aimed to test students' listening and comprehensive skills. Professor Liu asked me about the Doha round, which is an ambitious effort to make globalization more inclusive and help the world’s poor, particularly by slashing barriers and subsidies in farming. Miss Liu asked me the main function of the American Supreme Court. Supreme Court typically functions as appellate court, hearing appeals from decisions of lower trial courts, or from intermediate-level appellate courts. These are the topics that I am familiar with and I performed well in the interview. Fortunately, I got the opportunity.
Tomorrow, I will head for Beijing, starting my journey in CUPL. I will be back in four weeks. Please wait for me here and listen to my CC7 speech. I will share with you what I learned in CUPL.
2018.06.30
