WHEN Gordon Kerr, a TESL (Teaching of English as a Second Language) specialist from the UK, finished his speech at the Shenzhen Daily Holiday English Salon during the spring Festival, he found himself unable to get off the stage due to an avalanche of questions.

"I like to see the eagerness of participants at the salon to learn English. It will be an advantage to be able to speak good English and the spring Festival holiday season is just the right time to brush up on one's English," Kerr said.

Many participants agreed. Mr Li, an engineer by profession, said that he liked spending his holiday at the salon because his job requires that he improve his English.

Some parents accompanied their teenage children to the salon during the holiday. "It was difficult to find something interesting and meaningful for my son to do during the long vacation. The English Salon has given me a solution," one parent said.

According to organizers, the English Salon offered five lectures over five days during the Spring Festival holiday. Topics of the lectures covered language learning, cultural differences, English journalism and life in other countries.

Organizers say that these lectures are intended to provide an opportunity for people to learn English and to share useful information about a wide range of subjects.

The five-day program attracted over 500 Shenzheners and also local and national media. China's national television network described the salon program as "a way to spend a traditional holiday in a novel way."

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