CET—a Growing Child
The issue about CET has recently turned to be as controversial as controversy can be with increasing scandals and complains. The exam itself, however, is actually as innocent as a naughty but simple child, a child belonging to the generation of one-child-policy period. Children brought up in such environment naturally receive excessive care from parents and relatives, so does he. The excessive care usually generates bad personalities and bad habits for young person. Thus, problems emerging today are engendered, to a great degree, by our exaggeration, overanxiety, and overprotection. And the crux relates much more to the overwhelming status of English than to the exam itself.
English has prevailed over any other courses in college, high school, and even primary school. Every morning, the robberies who rob the school yards of serenity are always the students who dive themselves to the endless career of memorizing words. Many scholars worry that the language invasion is taking place, and an era that Chinese serves English is looming. Glancing at the numerous exams existing, you will be stunned by the fact that English and politic rule everywhere and bar nearly all the path to a life, casting off the aged cold word “no pay, no pass.” From such emphasis CET was born; by such emphasis, CET took over throne in campus; with such emphasis, CET encountered immense pressure; and for such emphasis, CET now suffers much from complains and doubts.
It would be ridiculous to expect all varieties of animals, such as mammals, crawling, fish, and birds to require superior swimming skills. Setting English as a barrier for every college student to leap over before graduation shares the same principal. First, the significance of the language fluctuates sharply while considering different domains. On some, such as economics and international trade, English exerts a crucial effect. Career will be hindered if those engaged in such professions fail to read academic essays or commercial documents in English. But on some, such as Chinese philosophy and traditional Chinese medicine, hardly can English help. Second, even for students majoring at the same discipline, whether to adopt the test or not yields to the individual’s life-long blueprint. Those who intending to go abroad or keep close contact with the exterior would, the language undoubtedly serves as an indispensable tool. Whereas, for those who endeavor to take root in their cute hometowns and shy away from any English letters, immerging themselves in the formidable exam is absolutely an affliction, both physically and psychologically.
Since English has long been compared to a tool or an assistant, and since all the tools or assistants are chosen by their masters subjectively, the compulsory exam is nothing different from an arranged-marriage. You may argue that a course is not established solely for utilitarian consideration, but also for spiritual fulfillment, such as enriching one’s life and broadening one’s view. The course of English indeed serves so. But the exams of English do not. No doubt is there that exams are designed mainly for utilitarian function: testing learners and grading them. Moreover, nearly every discipline existing can function as a whole new window to see the world no less effectively than does English. And from which window to see the world should depend on individual’s own preference and demand.
Just as a child learning to battle bravely in the world will inescapably commit some mistakes, so the exam unavoidably runs into troubles while striving to perfect itself. Does that necessarily mean that we should protect it more? Scientists questioned: “since God created human beings, why does he sit back and let homicide, slaughter, plague, draught and all disasters of such kind descend.” Priest answered: “overprotection will prevent a child from learning to walk. God loves us and so places his finger far away from our pie.” It is high time for us to steer our passionate eyesight from the course and the exam. Set them free and set us free.
The issue about CET has recently turned to be as controversial as controversy can be with increasing scandals and complains. The exam itself, however, is actually as innocent as a naughty but simple child, a child belonging to the generation of one-child-policy period. Children brought up in such environment naturally receive excessive care from parents and relatives, so does he. The excessive care usually generates bad personalities and bad habits for young person. Thus, problems emerging today are engendered, to a great degree, by our exaggeration, overanxiety, and overprotection. And the crux relates much more to the overwhelming status of English than to the exam itself.
English has prevailed over any other courses in college, high school, and even primary school. Every morning, the robberies who rob the school yards of serenity are always the students who dive themselves to the endless career of memorizing words. Many scholars worry that the language invasion is taking place, and an era that Chinese serves English is looming. Glancing at the numerous exams existing, you will be stunned by the fact that English and politic rule everywhere and bar nearly all the path to a life, casting off the aged cold word “no pay, no pass.” From such emphasis CET was born; by such emphasis, CET took over throne in campus; with such emphasis, CET encountered immense pressure; and for such emphasis, CET now suffers much from complains and doubts.
It would be ridiculous to expect all varieties of animals, such as mammals, crawling, fish, and birds to require superior swimming skills. Setting English as a barrier for every college student to leap over before graduation shares the same principal. First, the significance of the language fluctuates sharply while considering different domains. On some, such as economics and international trade, English exerts a crucial effect. Career will be hindered if those engaged in such professions fail to read academic essays or commercial documents in English. But on some, such as Chinese philosophy and traditional Chinese medicine, hardly can English help. Second, even for students majoring at the same discipline, whether to adopt the test or not yields to the individual’s life-long blueprint. Those who intending to go abroad or keep close contact with the exterior would, the language undoubtedly serves as an indispensable tool. Whereas, for those who endeavor to take root in their cute hometowns and shy away from any English letters, immerging themselves in the formidable exam is absolutely an affliction, both physically and psychologically.
Since English has long been compared to a tool or an assistant, and since all the tools or assistants are chosen by their masters subjectively, the compulsory exam is nothing different from an arranged-marriage. You may argue that a course is not established solely for utilitarian consideration, but also for spiritual fulfillment, such as enriching one’s life and broadening one’s view. The course of English indeed serves so. But the exams of English do not. No doubt is there that exams are designed mainly for utilitarian function: testing learners and grading them. Moreover, nearly every discipline existing can function as a whole new window to see the world no less effectively than does English. And from which window to see the world should depend on individual’s own preference and demand.
Just as a child learning to battle bravely in the world will inescapably commit some mistakes, so the exam unavoidably runs into troubles while striving to perfect itself. Does that necessarily mean that we should protect it more? Scientists questioned: “since God created human beings, why does he sit back and let homicide, slaughter, plague, draught and all disasters of such kind descend.” Priest answered: “overprotection will prevent a child from learning to walk. God loves us and so places his finger far away from our pie.” It is high time for us to steer our passionate eyesight from the course and the exam. Set them free and set us free.
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