Name in English: Jonathan

Name in Chinese: 刘俊辰

Programme/Major: BBA in Accounting

Cohort: 2013

Academic Achievement: Master Degree of the University of Melbourne

Career Development: Finance and economic research

Courses Learned and / or activities participated: English Enhancement Program, English I, English II, Academic Reading and Writing, Project Presentation.

(Picture taken by Jonathan LIU at the University of Melbourne)

In general, one of the most rewarding parts of my study at UIC is that English became a logical foundation based on cognition of native language instead of serving as intermediary for simple and direct translation. This not only deepens my ability of comprehension to distinguish the minor differences behind words, but also enhances my ability of expression to accurately convey information. It is obvious that English is not anymore the huge obstacle of studying major curriculum or achieving smooth business communication for me in my academic research and career development. Instead, it contributes to the improvement of efficiency and effectiveness in reading textbooks or other papers. The most impressive course I took at UIC is Academic Reading and Writing, which clearly introduced the general academic writing criteria in detail; for instance, methods to paraphrase arguments from literature as well as choosing between active voice and passive voice. These practical skills did make my postgraduate study and current research work easier. Speaking of the English learning methods, there is no shortcut but placing yourself in an English-speaking environment. As an old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”. The only thing that you could do, which is also the best path that you should stick to, is to practice more in your life and study, such as trying to read all the textbooks and recommended readings covered in course syllabus instead of lecture slides, and getting rid of translation software during your English writing. I believe each freshman can make exponential progress in English ability within a four-year campus life, and finally you will find that English has already become one of your admirable talents when you graduate from UIC.