奇速英语

49-year-old Zhang Jianna is from a rural village in North China’s Hebei province. Recently, videos of her directing foreigners have gone viral (爆红) online. Her fluent English has deeply impressed the viewers. Zhang had previously worked as a restaurant server and a store seller. In 2012, she took on the role of a cleaner in the embassy area of Sanlitun in Beijing’s Chaoyang district.

One morning, a foreigner approached her, gently tapped her shoulder, and spoke a long string of unfamiliar words to her. Standing there, her mind going bewildered, Zhang didn’t know how to react. The foreigner seemed to recognize her awkwardness and gestured for her to look ahead, giving a thumbs-up while repeatedly saying, “Good, good!” Zhang suddenly realized that the foreigner was appreciating her work in keeping the streets clean. It deeply moved Zhang and she made up her mind to learn English. “My goal is quite simple. I just want to help whenever someone is in need,” said Zhang.

Thus, at the age of 40, Zhang has started a personal challenge. Without a teacher, she began learning English from her children’s textbooks, starting with basic words and phrases commonly used for giving directions. While others rested, she memorized vocabulary and practiced speaking. Upon arriving home after work, she would note down new knowledge points and review them until thoroughly understood. Over the years, she filled over a dozen notebooks with her notes. She reviewed words at night and then repeated them one more time the next day morning. She also downloaded over a dozen English learning apps on her computer and phone, spending any possible moment learning and practicing.

“Growing up in a rural area without a college education, I sometimes feared being looked down upon. But every time I help a stranger in English, I feel incredibly confident,” said Zhang. “To serve others makes me happy and it’s where I prove my self-worth. After retirement, I also want to introduce my hometown in English and promote local tourism.”