Introduction The Sino-British Friendship Scholarship Scheme (SBFSS) is co-sponsored by the Chinese and British governments and Sir Yue-gang Pao in Hong Kong to send Chinese scholars to study in Britain. Each year a large number of candidates are selected by the State Education Commission and dispatched to three intensive language training centres attached to Beijing Languages Institute, Shanghai Foreign Studies University and Chengdu University of Science and Technology for pre-departure ELT training. At the end of the training period, the trainees are required to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test administered by the British side. Here at CUST, we focus on an interactive approach to training, particularly for reading.