On the 12th of February, the district round of the English speaking competition took place at our school. Children from middle schools and grammar schools gathered here, each school with one representative. There were 5 categories – I.A was for children from 6th to 7th grade from middle schools and category I.B was filled with kids the same age, except they were from grammar schools. Then there was category II.A, which consisted of students from 8th and 9th grade from middle schools and II.B was made by students from the classes tercie-kvarta from grammar schools. Then we had students in the age group of 15-18, the senior category.
After organisational issues were sorted out, each group of people had a listening exercise. For example, category II.B (which I was in) listened to a dialogue and then you would write if the statements on the paper were true or false. Then there was another dialogue when you had to complete the blank space and write what was missing. After the listening, we were asked to leave the room and the three judges would call us individually to complete the second part of the competition – speaking. They gave you 5 minutes to prepare a monologue that had to be related to the theme you chose. You were also given a picture that was somehow related to the theme and you had to describe it. Our judges were very kind, and when you kind of stopped, and didn't know what to say, they would ask you questions or help you out in some way.
And when everyone was done, we all waited for the results. It was very close; all of us are great English speakers. From our school, I placed second (I can't hear the applause…) and the representative from the senior category, Renáta Chalupská also placed second. Getting through the district round isn't very easy, but come to think of the fact that I am the second best English speaker between the ages of 13-15 makes me quite satisfied. I wish good luck to our future contestants and I hope that next year at least someone from our school will get through the district round and get into the regional round.
Martina Nguyenová, kvarta A
