In Shanghai, more than 73 percent of those working in the public service often use a foreign language in their workplaces, the highest among all cities, according to research by the Institute Linguistics of Shanghai International Studies University that analyzed 2,821 public service workers in 12 cities. English is the most commonly used foreign language in China.

Approximately 40 percent of subjects from Shanghai use a foreign language to acquire information, while nearly 50 percent use it for international exchanges, said Professor Zhao Ronghui, who led the research team.

Due to Shanghai’s position as the epicenter of China’s international exchanges, the municipal education department has been eager to promote mastery of the English language. According to Cai Jigang, a professor at Fudan University and director of the Shanghai Advisory Committee on College English Teaching, Shanghai’s high school graduates are expected to master at least 5,000 words while college graduates have a quota of more than 8,000, a notable difference compared to other parts of China where college students only need to master 4,500 words.

Also, starting in 2017, Shanghai’s college entrance examinations will include oral tests so as to help improve students’ practical use of the language, reported Jiefang Daily.

“Before college, my biggest motivation to learn English was to get good grades. Now I think one’s English proficiency level is very crucial for his work. This is especially true for those who work for a foreign company,” said Yao Yankun, 22, a Shanghai resident who graduated from the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing.

Yao is currently doing a summer internship at an American investment bank’s branch in Beijing before heading to Hong Kong in September for graduate studies. She had started learning English since her third year in primary school and has been taking part in English contests and reading extensively as well.

Tang Kaihua, a 22-year-old IT graduate from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said that while 30 percent of his classmates take tests such as the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) before they further their studies abroad, about 20 percent of them actually take these tests just to maintain their language skills after their college English courses were over after the second year. This also helps them to better comprehend papers written in English and browse forums.

Tang said that entertainment is another motivation for him and his fellow classmates to continue learning the language.

“We want to watch YouTube and play foreign games. Understanding English helps a lot,” he said.

Wang Qifan contributed to this story.

lixueqing@chinadaily.com.cn