How are you?

Today is Chinese New Year's Day -- The Spring Festival. So, now, I would like to say Happy New Year to you.

Since it is the most important Chinese festival, I got up at 4:30 a.m. I have written and edited something to introduce Chinese Festival, put 3 of my new paintings on the web site; right now, I am writing this letter to you with a big smile.

Maybe you are surprised and would like to know why I got up so early?

First of all, I made a funny mistake: I did not realize yesterday was the eve of Chinese New Year until I found most of the stores had closed and there were few people on the streets just at 6:30p.m.but usually they opened at least until 10:00p.m. With so much surprise, I went into a McDonald’s to ask what had happened. Then I just knew it had been the eve of Chinese New Year already. Wow! In a hurry, I went back home to call my family members who are in China and in Australia to say Happy New Year to them. :-)

Since I did not update my articles related to Chinese New Year last year for I was in the USA Sep, 2013 to March, 2014, I must do the job in time this year.

Secondly, I was confused about the time because I had focused on my English study and painting. Since I wrote to you 8 days ago, except painting 3 little pictures, having 6 English lessons, I have completed all of the assignments and reviewed all of the handouts. Yesterday, I did 5 big assignments and answered 603 questions ( I did 3 of them times) and I assorted every new word into different groups according to their sorts and tried to keep them in my mind by listening, speaking, reading and writing...

There are only 100 days before I go into the National English Examination room and I have also the other jobs need to do, such as book writing, painting creating and web site updating and so on. I must concentrate myself on something most important.

Therefore, since I came back home, I have not met anyone other than my work partner and his wife.

After balancing my jobs, I realized: I would be able to write book, paint picture and update web site for lifetime but I have only one opportunity to take part in the National English Examination one year. Since my book is written in English and the poems on my paintings is translated into English; since I can do every things ( paint, compose music, sing, play music, write articles and combine them to be a works) by myself other than checking and correcting my text by myself, why should I catch the good opportunity to improve myself at the first?

Besides, the English Examination in May is a graduation examination instead of entrance exam. It will decide whether I can enter the next study phase in Chinese National Academy of Arts to write dissertation and to get the degree of Master of Fine Arts, which will help the publications and painting job to be done on an advanced flat roof.

With this idea, English study has become the priority of my current jobs; painting is the second; book is the third and web site is the fourth. I adjusted my work order also because I have not had a stable English support when my English Tutor is sick yet.

Thirdly, the short time study in the English school has helped me realize: it is not enough to work hard only. Examination has its own characters and techniques. To help examinees to know these and to do the examination efficiently is just the value of those English schools. I am lucky enough for I have found one of the best English schools.

Can you imagine? It is just in the middle of the English training now, we have been given 78 lessons, 42 daily tests, 17 class tests, 30 vocabulary tests, 1 mid-term examination and 1 placement test; just on the vocabulary part, there are 1,443 questions and incalculably random questions, each question relates to 5 or 7 or more synonyms or phrases or the words have similar shapes... Until April 28, 2015 we will give 54 new lessons and maybe similar tests?

Compare the 75 questions in the Exam in May, the quantity of the questions we have been given at this time has been 19 to 20 times of the true questions. I myself required myself to answer each question at least 3 times, then my workload is much more.

Now I have really understood why the English school had the courage to sign a guarantee contract with its students and one of the reasons I did not pass the exam last year. This day of last year, I was still in the USA and I did not met any Examination Syllabus and reference book until March 17, 2014, let alone any tutor.

Do you know what my feeling is now?

I do not think time is enough even if I use whole of my time on English for it is really some great and profound knowledge, skills and tool. :- )

Since I have not felt my memory failing yet and I can still remember English vocabulary and grammar quickly and efficiently, I am confident with myself to make a big progress via preparing and taking part in the English Examination.

For supporting my study, work and dream for another 30 years, I must recover my health. So, in the past 8 days, I have kept jogging 3,500 meters, using for 140 minutes. This distance needed only for 23 minutes when I was health, it is really a good beginning to challenge something impossible. Right?

I know the future is bright but the road is winding. I would really like to be an early bird with a beautiful dream from the first day of the new year, to go / fly through the upcoming 365 days with hard work down to earth.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share? Are you an early bird?
Sincerely,


Shirley Yiping Zhang
Feb 19, 2015 (Beijing Time)