English for Chinese Speakers · Student Interviews
Shanghai Students Speak English—and Impress Their Interviewer
Teacher Mike interviews Shanghai middle school students about their English, learning habits, school life, and future plans. Hear natural ways to describe skills, compare strengths, and talk about study and career goals.
麦克老师采访上海的中学生，聊英语能力、学习习惯、校园生活和未来规划。通过学生们的回答，学习如何描述自己的能力、比较优势，并谈论学习与职业目标。
麥克老師訪問上海的中學生，聊英語能力、學習習慣、校園生活和未來規劃。透過學生們的回答，學習如何描述自己的能力、比較優勢，並談論學習與職涯目標。
Read the full lesson summary
Shanghai Students Speak English—and Impress Their Interviewer is a guided english for chinese speakers · student interviews lesson for English learners who want to understand and use language in this real-life situation. The short description introduces the lesson; this expanded guide draws its details from the transcript and its phrase notes, so it focuses on what this particular video actually covers rather than a generic channel overview.
What the lesson covers
The lesson moves through Introducing the student interviews; Rating English and identifying a growth area; Speaking skills and oral English; Talking about grammar and vocabulary; Choosing which language to study; A brief exchange with a visitor; How one student built English fluency; and further related moments. Following that sequence helps learners connect each expression to what the speakers are doing, asking, or responding to, instead of memorizing vocabulary as a disconnected list. Listen for how the meaning changes with the situation and how the speaker's wording keeps the exchange moving.
Language to take away
- rate your own English — Give your own assessment of your English ability. Direct but neutral; the interviewer asks for a personal estimate, not an official score.Use it when: Ask someone to assess their own skill or performance.Example: “How would you rate your own progress this month?”
- pay a little bit more attention to grammar — Focus on or give care to something. Common neutral expression; followed by a noun or an -ing form.Use it when: Point out an area that needs focus.Example: “I need to pay more attention to pronunciation.”
- speaking skills — The abilities involved in speaking effectively. Neutral and common in education and professional contexts.Use it when: Describe a specific communication ability you want to develop.Example: “The course helped me build my speaking skills.”
A way to use this lesson
Listen for the host’s casual opening and how he explains the purpose of the interviews. Replay the relevant moment, then adapt the language to a real conversation you expect to have. Keep the original situation in mind: the goal is not simply to repeat a sentence, but to choose wording that suits the people, purpose, and tone of the exchange.
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Transcript
Select an expression for its meaning · 0:00
Introducing the student interviews
What's going on, everyone? You're watching Michael. Today I'm at one of Shanghai's best and most famous middle schools, where I've heard they have amazing English. We're going to check it out. Before that, don't forget to subscribe to my channel, leave this video a like, and keep those recommendations coming. A friend of mine recommended this school. Hello! We're out here interviewing students after class, and we're going to see how good their English really is.
Try it: Listen for the host’s casual opening and how he explains the purpose of the interviews.
Phrase cheat sheet
All phrases at a glance
Review each expression, hear it, save it, or jump to where it appears in the video.
Showing 20 of 20 phrases
rate your own English
Rating English and identifying a growth area · expression
Give your own assessment of your English ability.
Tone and use: Direct but neutral; the interviewer asks for a personal estimate, not an official score. Ask someone to assess their own skill or performance.
Example“How would you rate your own progress this month?”
pay a little bit more attention to grammar
Rating English and identifying a growth area · expression
Focus on or give care to something.
Tone and use: Common neutral expression; followed by a noun or an -ing form. Point out an area that needs focus.
Example“I need to pay more attention to pronunciation.”
speaking skills
Speaking skills and oral English · collocation
The abilities involved in speaking effectively.
Tone and use: Neutral and common in education and professional contexts. Describe a specific communication ability you want to develop.
Example“The course helped me build my speaking skills.”
in terms of
Talking about grammar and vocabulary · expression
When considering one particular aspect of something.
Tone and use: Useful for narrowing a comparison or evaluation to one dimension. Separate one criterion from a broader overall judgment.
Example“In terms of cost, this option is more practical.”
master the one that I'm already learning
Choosing which language to study · expression
Become highly skilled in the language you have already begun studying.
Tone and use: Ambitious but natural; master is stronger than simply learn. Describe focusing deeply on a current skill before adding another.
Example“I want to master the basics before I move on to advanced grammar.”
move on to another one
Choosing which language to study · phrasal verb
Leave one stage or subject and begin the next.
Tone and use: Neutral; it can suggest progress or a change of focus. Describe the next step after finishing or learning something.
Example“After this chapter, we’ll move on to the next topic.”
limited time
Choosing which language to study · collocation
A small or restricted amount of time.
Tone and use: Neutral; often explains why something must be done quickly. Explain a time constraint.
Example“We had limited time, so we focused on the main questions.”
from a very young age
How one student built English fluency · expression
Starting when someone was quite young and continuing from that point.
Tone and use: Neutral; often introduces a long-term habit or experience. Describe when a skill or interest began.
Example“He has played the piano from a very young age.”
without even remembering the grammar rules
Learning through fiction · expression
While not consciously recalling or thinking about something.
Tone and use: Even adds emphasis: the result happens despite not deliberately doing the action. Explain that something became familiar without deliberate memorization.
Example“I learned the chorus without even remembering the lyrics on purpose.”
indispensable
Reading broadly and following English news · expression
So important or useful that it is difficult to do without it.
Tone and use: Formal compared with important; useful when emphasizing necessity. Describe something essential to a routine or role.
Example“Reliable internet access is indispensable in my work.”
formulate your ideas yourself
Reading broadly and following English news · collocation
Organize your thoughts and express them clearly.
Tone and use: Somewhat formal; suitable for academic, work, or thoughtful discussion. Describe preparing or shaping what you want to say.
Example“Take a moment to formulate your ideas before the meeting.”
look forward to going there
Forming ideas and future opportunities · phrasal verb
Feel pleased or excited about something that will happen.
Tone and use: Often followed by a noun or an -ing verb, not an infinitive. Talk about an anticipated event or future experience.
Example“I look forward to meeting the new team.”
translated properly
Language careers and translation · expression
Translated accurately and appropriately for the meaning and context.
Tone and use: Neutral; properly can mean correctly or in the suitable way. Discuss the quality or accuracy of a translation.
Example“The joke was translated properly, so it still made sense.”
sort of a pity
Language careers and translation · expression
A somewhat softened way to say something is unfortunate.
Tone and use: Conversational and less emphatic than “what a pity.” Express mild regret without sounding overly dramatic.
Example“It’s sort of a pity that the museum is closed today.”
specifically in
Language careers and translation · expression
More precisely within a particular area or subject.
Tone and use: Neutral; narrows a broad idea to a specific example. Clarify the particular field or area you mean.
Example“I’m interested in research, specifically in public health.”
relatively easy compared with other schools
Combining languages and technology · expression
Easy when judged against another thing, though not necessarily easy in absolute terms.
Tone and use: Relatively softens the claim; compared to names the point of comparison. Make a careful comparison without saying something is simply easy.
Example“The commute is relatively easy compared to my old route.”
pursue their own interests
Discussing school pressure · collocation
Spend time developing activities or subjects that personally interest them.
Tone and use: Neutral; pursue can sound purposeful and sustained. Talk about having room to explore personal hobbies or goals.
Example“The program lets students pursue their own interests outside class.”
moderate the pressure
Discussing school pressure · collocation
Keep pressure at a manageable level or reduce its intensity.
Tone and use: Formal; moderate means regulate, not eliminate. Discuss managing demands or stress so they remain manageable.
Example“We adjusted the schedule to moderate the pressure on the team.”
taking the time
Discussing school pressure · expression
Spend some of your time doing something, often as a considerate effort.
Tone and use: Polite and appreciative in phrases such as “thanks for taking the time.” Thank someone for making time to help or participate.
Example“Thank you for taking the time to explain the process.”
native level speakers
The host reflects on the interviews · expression
People whose ability in a language is comparable to that of highly fluent native speakers.
Tone and use: A strong comparison, not a formal proficiency rating; use carefully rather than as a precise test result. Give an informal compliment about someone’s fluency, not an official assessment.
May not fit: This is an informal impression, not a certified proficiency score.
Example“After years of practice, her pronunciation sounds close to a native level.”
Knowledge check
Practice the phrases you heard
Use it in a sentence · “pay a little bit more attention to grammar”