Teachers in Nanning of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were given a big surprise when a 9-year-old girl passed the State's public English test over the weekend.

The English proficiency test was designed by the Ministry of Education and is supported by British linguistic experts.

The examination took place in September.

Huang Linzhi, a fourth-grader from a local primary school, started learning foreign languages at the age of 4. She was required to watch English TV programmes and videotapes and speak English everyday, despite the fact that her parents do not know the language.