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0Harvard Chinese grad speech draws praise and ire
A Chinese Harvard graduate's speech calling for unity in a divided world, delivered days after the US vowed to "aggressively" revoke Chinese students' visas, has sparked mixed reactions in the US and her home country.
"We don't rise by proving each other wrong. We rise by refusing to let one another go," Jiang Yurong said on Thursday, the same day a US federal judge blocked the Trump administration's ban on foreign students at Harvard.
Her speech went viral on the Chinese internet, with some saying it moved them to tears. However, others said her elite background is not representative of Chinese students.
Ms Jiang, who studied international development, was the first Chinese woman to speak at a Harvard graduation ceremony.
In her address, Ms Jiang emphasised the value of Harvard's international classrooms, noting how that taught her and her classmates to "dance through each other's traditions" and "carry the weight of each other's worlds".
"If we still believe in a shared future, let us not forget: those we label as enemies - they, too, are human. In seeing their humanity, we find our own," said Ms Jiang, who spent her final two years of school at Cardiff Sixth Form College in Wales before going to Duke University in the US for her undergraduate degree.
Some Chinese social media users allege that the organisation Ms Jiang's father works for is backed by prominent American companies and foundations.
The BBC has not independently verified these allegations.
"This is why she could get a scholarship to go to the UK for high school, and later also to Harvard," wrote a user on China's X-like platform, Weibo.
Others called for her to stay on in the US, with comments that reeked with sarcasm. "Such talent should be left to the United States," one wrote. "I hope she will continue to glow abroad and stay away from us!" read another.
But Ms Jiang's vision of a "shared humanity" also struck a chord.
"That she is able to stand on an international stage and speak the heart of Chinese students has moved me to tears," wrote a user on Red Note, another Chinese social media platform.
Another user defended Jiang by hitting back at those who criticised her: "You may not have changed them, but they've heard you... As more and more people speak out like you, you will eventually move and change others."
There are around 6,800 international students at Harvard, who make up more than 27% of its enrolments in the past academic year.
About a third of these foreign students are from China, and more than 700 are Indian.
revoke /rɪˈvoʊk/ v. 撤销
🔸例句：The bar revoked his license for serving minors.（酒吧因向未成年人售酒被吊销执照）
🔍搭配：revoke a visa 撤销签证
spark /spɑːrk/ v. 引发
🔸例句：The celebrity divorce sparked wild rumors online.（明星离婚引爆网络谣言）
🔍搭配：spark debate 引发争论
go viral /ɡoʊ ˈvaɪrəl/ v. 爆火
🔸例句：The grandma's hip-hop video went viral overnight.（奶奶的嘻哈视频一夜爆红）
🔍搭配：make sth go viral 助推走红
elite /eɪˈliːt/ adj. 精英的
🔸例句：She attended an elite prep school in Switzerland.（她就读瑞士精英预科学校）
🔍对比：elitist 精英主义的（含贬义）
allege /əˈledʒ/ v. 指控（未证实）
🔸例句：Netizens alleged the influencer faked her poverty.（网友指控网红伪造贫困人设）
🔍法律用语：alleged offender 嫌疑犯
verify /ˈverɪfaɪ/ v. 核实
🔸例句：Always verify news before reposting!（转发前务必核实新闻！）
🔍近义：confirm 确认
reek /riːk/ v. 散发（气味）
🔸例句：His apology reeked of insincerity.（他的道歉透着虚伪）
🔍搭配：reek of hypocrisy 充满伪善
sarcasm /ˈsɑːrkæzəm/ n. 讽刺
🔸例句："Great job!" she said with heavy sarcasm.（"干得漂亮！"她讽刺道）
🔍表情符号版：🙃（代表阴阳怪气）
strike a chord /straɪk ə kɔːrd/ v. 引起共鸣
🔸例句：The documentary struck a chord with working moms.（纪录片引发职场妈妈共鸣）
🔍类比：resonate 共振 → 共鸣
