It appears that China is facing challenges in terms of English proficiency. According to the EF EPI 2022 (English Proficiency Index, which primarily focuses on non-English-native countries), China is ranked 62nd out of 111 countries and regions, placing it in the "Low Proficiency" category. In contrast, the country I currently reside in, the Netherlands, ranks at the top. So, why is there such a stark contrast?

Let's delve into my first-hand experiences of living in both countries and explore the surprising factors behind this discrepancy!

The five words we will cover in this episode are: “有意思”, “绝大部分”, “诸如”, “国际化“, and ”有钱人”.

To get the most out of this podcast, we recommend using our free curated transcripts (in Chinese characters, characters with Pinyin, and English translations) and YouTube video with bilingual subtitles (and a city-walk video!).

Transcript download

YouTube Video

Where to find the EF EPI 2022 report

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0:00 Introduction

0:20 Can Chinese people speak English well?

1:55 Why China's English ability is lagging behind?

6:49 Why are Dutch people's English skills good?

9:05 Did a Chinese politician suggest not studying English?

10:42 The five words we will cover in this episode.