Song Xi directly picked up a copy of todays Reference News from the table, pointing to an article of about 300 words and said: "First translate this, Ill listen to your level."
The government is struggling to respond, as it believes that behind Chinas backlash are not only territorial claims but also strong domestic public opinion resistant to showing a soft stance on this issue towards Japan, making it difficult for the Japanese side to immediately come up with specific conciliatory measures.
Moyang picked up the newspaper and started translating directly without reading it through, reciting a large section of news in standard Tokyo dialect Japanese with a tone that was clearly imitating the tone of CCTV news anchors.
Song Xian was shocked, shocked at how high the level of Japanese spoken by Mu Yang was. Then he felt a bit annoyed, this guy actually used the announcers tone when translating, which was clearly showing off.
"Alright, alright, I didnt think you actually understood Japanese." Song Xi stopped Mu Yangs reading.
Grandfather and Big Aunt both showed delighted expressions. Although Grandfathers major languages were Arabic and Spanish, as an old diplomat, he still knew some conversational phrases in other countries languages. He could tell that Mu Yangs Japanese pronunciation was very accurate. "I didnt expect you to have this hidden talent," Grandfather asked, "when did you learn Japanese?"
"Ive been studying on my own for quite some time now, I just havent told you guys about it." Mu Yang scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed, not because he was being praised, but because he felt guilty for lying to the people closest to him, and could only gloss over it like this.
Fortunately, his family members did not pursue these matters. They were only happy and relieved that Mu Yang was diligent and studious.
"How about it, Xi Jie? Can I take the professional level 8 exam with this level?" Mu Yang looked a bit complacent, of course, he only showed such an expression in front of his relatives.
"I dont know if I can pass the Special Grade 8 exam, because I just passed N2 myself. However, it is widely recognized that the Japanese language proficiency levels are from N5 to N1, with N1 being the highest level. If you want to further your studies at a Japanese university or work for a Japanese company, you still need to look at the N1 certificate. Now, N1 is the most important one." Zhang Xi said.
"Older sister, tell me about this Japanese proficiency test. I plan to take it next and get the certificate directly, which will also increase my capital for entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," said Mu Yang.
"Generally, the Professional Level 8 is considered the highest level in domestic exams. Its still very useful domestically and includes literary knowledge, classical grammar, and essay questions. The exam is extremely difficult and requires a large vocabulary, including many obscure words. N1 is an international Japanese language proficiency test recognized by Japan, requiring at least 20,000 Japanese words. However, the entire exam consists of multiple-choice questions. Either way, its not easy to take. As I mentioned earlier, when entering a Japanese university for further studies or working in a Japanese company, they look at the N1 level certificate, not the Professional Level 8 certificate. However, if you work in government departments, the Professional Level 8 is also very useful."
Muyang thought for a moment and felt that the gap was actually not big, mainly because he wanted to enter the government department, both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged him, so he could choose one to take the exam later.
Aunt Xue shouted from outside, "The dishes are ready, lets eat!"
"Alright, lets eat first and talk later." Grandpa said with a smile.
The dishes were sumptuous, and the whole family sat together to enjoy their meal in harmony. It was here that Mu Yang finally found a sense of home, especially with the two children who were no longer kids, bickering while eating, which made the atmosphere at the dinner table even more warm and cozy.
After dinner, the eldest uncle left first because of something, and the cousin and the eldest uncle left together, saying that there was something in school. The aunt stayed behind, saying to accompany the elderly more.
Three people were drinking tea and chatting in the courtyard, Beijing in April still had some coolness, just right to bask in the spring sunshine in the courtyard. The hawthorn tree in the courtyard had already revealed pink flower buds, foreshadowing that it would release its most beautiful moment of the year in a few days.
"Xiao Yang, I know whats on your mind. You becoming a diplomat is more than half for the sake of your mother. However, you need to think it through clearly. You have your own life now and its still not too late to make a choice. If you really like this job or the diplomatic career, Grandfather wont stop you. But if its all because of your mother, I think its better for you not to make any decisions yet. After all, even your mother would want you to live a life that you enjoy. You shouldnt live for anyone else."
Grandfather spoke with a heavy heart, without preaching or comforting, only telling Muyang that he needed his own choice.
"Grandfather, Ive made up my mind. Being a diplomat is my calling. When I was little, mom would hold me and say that when our Xiao Yang grows up, he must become a diplomat, the most handsome and wisest diplomat. From then on, I became interested in this word diplomat." As Mu Yang said these words, there was no sadness, only thoughts of his mother and nostalgia for past events.
"After my mom passed away, I made a vow to fulfill her wish because it was the greatest expectation she had for me. However, gradually this mindset affected me, influencing my attitude and choices about the future. Slowly but surely, becoming a diplomat became my own desire, a conviction. I dont know what else I would do if I werent a diplomat; what other career I would enjoy. Anyway, being a diplomat is now what I want, and I will strive to achieve it, not just for mom, but also for myself."
He started working hard from junior high school, then worked hard to get into the English department of BeiWai, where his mother used to study, and then worked hard to become a diplomat, which had already become his faith. Ten years of persistence is not easy to change.
"Its your own choice, so work hard to achieve it and do your best. I think your mother in heaven will be delighted with your efforts." Grandfather nodded in approval of Muyangs decision.
However, being a diplomat is not that simple. What is a diplomat? What kind of qualities are required? Its not just about speaking a few foreign languages to be a good diplomat.
"There is an extremely strong language learning ability, which is a prerequisite for being a diplomat. Foreign languages are a must for every diplomat to master. Modern diplomats should be proficient in English and French at the very least, and also try to learn as many other languages as possible, as well as various customs and habits of these countries and nations."
"Secondly, they must have a strong political awareness and ideological quality as well as a clean family background. It can be said that at present, China is still strict in the selection of diplomatic personnel through political examination, after all, it is related to national interests, security and honor."
"Again, one needs to have a higher level of knowledge. Currently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recruits civil servants who are mostly masters and doctoral students in various fields, with very few undergraduates. Not only should they have high academic qualifications, but also broad knowledge. A good diplomat cannot lack rational thinking when faced with unexpected situations at any time, which requires a wide range of knowledge. Therefore, studying economics, law, and international politics has become a compulsory course for diplomats."
"Finally, a diplomat must have eloquence and interpersonal skills. It would be a pity if one has extensive knowledge but cannot express their views accurately. So a diplomat needs to have more eloquence than a lawyer, to make unreasonable arguments sound reasonable; at the same time, an excellent diplomat often gives people a sense of affinity, with the ability to make especially enemies relax their vigilance against him."
"In fact, to be a diplomat, there are many conditions that need to be met. If you want to become a diplomat, you must have sufficient mental preparation. This seemingly glorious profession requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice!"
"Dad, have a sip of tea first." Auntie poured two cups of freshly brewed tea and smiled as she watched the old man educate his child.
Muyang thinks that there are still many things he needs to learn, and in the future, he will need to work even harder. However, he is not afraid of these difficulties. He believes that he can do it and do it well. He will make his mother in heaven proud of him.
He had a system that allowed him to traverse the world, an incredibly powerful ability. As long as he utilized it well and worked hard to complete the systems tasks, he would gain more skills. With his own diligent learning added on top, he was confident that he could do better than others.