A steady queue of people has been building around the Beijing Foreign Language Bookstore seeking the chance to practice their English and improve their linguistic skills.

"I arrived here at half past seven, but I am only the 117th person in line," said a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

The crowd offered a cross-section of Beijing society, from gray-haired pensioners to teenagers. All had gathered to attend free lecture series for the Beijingers Speak Foreign Languages, a drive promoted by the municipal government encouraging English learning throughout the city. The series have been held every weekend at 10 am since January.

However, these free lectures are but one symptom of "English fever" since Beijing won the right to host the 2008 Olympics on July 13 last year.

Chinese viewers had been surprised to see Vice-Premier Li Lanqing and Beijing Mayor Liu Qi speaking in fluent English to the International Olympic Committee in Moscow.

And following that momentous day, Beijing municipal government has launched a program entitled Beijingers Speak English, aiming to promote foreign language learning among ordinary citizens.

"The program is meant to develop Beijing into an internationally-oriented metropolis," said Zhang Mao, deputy mayor, who is also in charge of the special committee for this program.

Zhao Di, a high school student who has frequented the free lectures in the bookstore, said: "It might be possible for me to work as a volunteer for the Games if I could speak fluent English. I will graduate from college at that time."

As a franchised bookstore distributing books in foreign languages, the managers of the Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore volunteered to host the lectures.

Focusing on pronunciation, communication and examination as well as lectures on Western culture, the free lectures not only cover English, but other foreign languages such as Italian, Japanese and French.

They are widely acclaimed by ordinary residents and an estimated 400-500 people attend every weekend.

"Although some of the lectures are too simple for me I feel inspired when I attend these lectures as the teachers here introduce very effective methods to improve communication skills which I ignored in college," said Chen, who declined to give his first name.

Elderly people also constitute a great proportion of listeners. "Studying foreign languages enriches my life," said a 74-year-old man surnamed Zhang. "Maybe my English will be useful one day...who knows?"

Despite living alone in Tongzhou, 40 kilometers east of Wangfujing, the old man perseveres in attending lectures.

The course currently has 28 lecturers from a wide range of backgrounds and scholarship.

"When seeing people benefit from my help, I feel duly rewarded, whether I am paid or not," said Zhang Bingzi, 73, a professor of business English.

Zhang is in poor health but she persisted in giving a two-hour lecture and then answered questions for another half an hour.

The lecturers also include famous linguistics scholars and veteran and popular lecturers who advocate inventive methods.

The lectures will last until 2008 when the Olympic Games is held in Beijing.

(China Daily October 9, 2002)