Yu Minhong, president of New Oriental Education, shared his ideas with the young after the English speech competition of the 14th China Daily. Here is some of his advice to young people:

    “One suggestion I'd like to give you is that it's important to do what you like without fear of failure. And the process（过程）of working toward your dreams matters more than the results. Young people should take chances to show off talents. Take competitions like this one as an example: If you are afraid to fail, you'll never get the chance to stand on the stage and make a speech. Above all, it's most important to take part.

    Another suggestion I want to give you is to read books. It is not easy to keep reading every day. For me, it is much more difficult and challenging to keep reading and taking notes every day than it is to walk 10,000 steps.”

    In his speech, Yu also shared his view on life. He chose a different life rather than a more successful one. He uses the famous lines of American poet Robert Frost (1874–1963) to make his point:“Two roads diverged (分叉) in a wood, and I … took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”Yu pointed out, “Your happiness should not be what others think you should run after, but instead you should decide what it is. It is you who should make choices for your own life.”

    Yu Minhong's speech to young people

    I'm Simon from America. I am twelve and I'm at Wllize junior School(初中). This month We have two school events(事件). One is an English party and one is a school trip. Next month, there will be five events.

    Here is a list.   

    I'm in the school volleyball club. 1 also like singing. 1 want to play in the volleyball game and sing at the music party. 1'm very happy.

How to be a better student

    Maybe you are a common student. You probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessary so, however. Anyone can become a better student if he or she wants to. Here's how:

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    When you plan your week, you should make a list of things that you have to do. After making this list, you should make a schedule of your time. First set your time for eating, sleeping, dressing, etc. Then decide a good, regular time for studying. Don't forget to set aside enough time for entertainment. A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will force you to realize what is happening to your time.

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    Look around the house for a good study area. Keep this space, which may be a desk or simply a corner of your room, free of everything but study materials. No games, radios, or televisions! When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.

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    Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teachers say. Really listening in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teacher says.

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    When you get home from school, go over your notes, review the important points that your teacher is going to discuss the next day, read that material. This will help you understand the next class. If you do these things regularly, the materials will become more meaningful, and you will remember it longer.

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    The purpose of tests is to show what you have learned about a subject. They help you remember your new knowledge. The world won't end if you don't pass a test, so don't be too worried.

There are other methods that might help you with your studying. You will probably discover them after you have tried these,