又到了开学典礼，讲些什么，你们才真正感兴趣呢，那就谈谈我和你们现在年纪差不多时的一些经历吧：

We are all here for another new semester opening ceremony. I had kept wondering what to talk about to make you interested until I decided to share with you some of my experiences when I was about your age.

一、阅读Reading

阅读真的能影响你的一生。有关阅读的好处你们可以通过网上查到很多，这里就不多讲了。我在中学的时候，阅读到了一本小说《三家巷》，描述的是上世纪初年轻人努力为社会变革做贡献的故事。我至今仍然记得小说中有这样一个情景：年轻人在湖里划船，他们在兴高采烈地谈论中。这个（场景）可能大家认为很一般，你们也经常兴奋地交谈，但他们是用英语在做交流，这是一百年前左右的时候。这让我留下了深刻的印象，让我对学习英语产生了浓厚的兴趣。我的中学时期是在文革中度过的, 这就是为什么像我这样年龄的人，很少能够讲英语，但我可以，虽然没有你们说得好。

First, reading. Reading can really have a lifelong influence on you. As you can find a lot of benefits of reading on the Internet, I am not going to talk much about them.

When I was in high school, I read a novel, named San Jia Xiang, which describes how young people in the early 1900s devoted themselves to making social change. I still remember a scene in the novel where the young people were rowing in the lake while talking to each other cheerfully. You may find it nothing special because you often talk to each other excitedly, but they were communicating in English and that was about 100 years ago, so I was deeply impressed by this scene and it was this scene that made me strongly interested in learning English. My high school years were spent in the midst of the Cultural Revolution. That's why few people of my age can speak English, but I can, though not as well as you do. 

二、内核 Your Core‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

就是你自己真正具备的能力，不管环境如何变化，你总能找到出路，活出你的精彩。我的英语还可以，除了受那小说的影响，还有一个因素，就是像你们一样准备去美国读研究生，因此花了不少时间去学习英语，并且只要有机会就找老外交流。那时，上海人民公园有个英语角，当时在上海是非常有名的，问问你们爸爸妈妈，或者爷爷奶奶，他们都知道，那里每个周末都有不少老外，非常乐于与我们中国人交流。当然更多的是中国人，往往一个老外身边有好多中国人。如果你胆大，那交流的机会就多，这个你们都知道，如果你在上课时胆大，你的交流机会就多。而且那时是不用花钱的。后来由于种种原因，没有去美国，但英语基础打下了。其中有一个原因让我没去美国，你们想知道吗？因为我碰到了一个人，让我改变了想法。但因为具备了英语能力，当然我的物理也是很好的，我在上海中学本部做了十年物理竞赛指导老师，学生年年获大奖。英语加专业，这就是内核。因此，上中国际部成立时，我理所当然地成为了创史团队成员，成为可能是第一个教IB物理的中国人。国际教育让我开拓了眼界，让我对教育哲学，教育理念，教育课程，教育方法等等都有了最新的理解，使我的人生又迈出了一大步。这叫东方不亮西方亮，机会总是留给已经有准备的人的。

Second, the core, which is the core competitiveness you have.  No matter how the environment changes, equipped with your true abilities, you can always find a way out and live a successful life.

One reason why my English is okay is that I was influenced by reading that novel. Another is that I was preparing to further my study in graduate school in the United States. I spent a lot of time learning English and seized every opportunity to communicate with foreigners. At that time, there was a very famous English corner in Shanghai People’s Park. Try asking your parents, or grandparents, and they all know that. At every weekend, many foreigners who were very happy to talk to Chinese people gathered there. Of course, they were surrounded by many more Chinese. As you all know, if you were brave enough, you would have more chances to talk.  If you are brave enough in class, you will have more chances to interact with your teachers. At that time, we could talk with foreigners in People’s park for free.  Later, for various reasons, I did not go to the United States, but I laid some English foundation. One of the reasons why I didn't go to the U.S., you know, was that I met someone who made me change my mind. However, having been an instructor for physics competitions in Shanghai High School for ten years, I became a very experienced physics teacher who helped many students win prizes every year. So my English and my physics professionalism made up my core abilities. Therefore, when the International Division of Shanghai High School was established, I rightfully became a member of the founding team and the first teacher to teach IB physics, perhaps, nationwide. International education broadened my horizon, and enabled me to have an updated understanding of educational philosophy, educational curriculum, educational methods, etc. so that I took a big step forward in my life.  To sum up, every cloud has a silver lining and opportunities always await those who are prepared.

三、切换 adaptation‍‍‍‍

实际上，我已讲了我个人的切换，我们每个人都可以从阅读中不知不觉受到影响，然后在实践中不断增强自身的内核，进而在今后的生活道路上，不管发生任何情况，都能成功地切换，做最好的自己。

Third, adaptation. In fact, I have already talked about my personal adaptation. Each of us can be unconsciously influenced by reading, continuously strengthens our own core abilities in practice, and then will successfully adapt and do our best in the future, no matter what happens.