Examinations

We might marvel at the progress made in every field of study, but the methods of testing a person's knowledge and ability remain as primitive as ever they were. It really is extraordinary that after all these years, educationists have still failed to devise anything more efficient and reliable 5 than examinations. For all the pious claim that examinations test what you know, it is common knowledge that they more often do the exact opposite. They may be a good means of testing memory, or the knack of working rapidly under extreme pressure, but they can tell you nothing about a person's true ability and aptitude.

As anxiety-makers, examinations are second to none. That is because so much depends on them. They are the mark of success or failure in our society, Your whole future may be decided in one fateful day. It doesn't matter that you weren't feeling very well, or that your mother died. Little things like that don't count: the exam goes on. No one can give of his best when he is in mortal terror, or after a sleepless night, yet this is precisely what the examination system expects him to do. The moment a child begins school, he enters a world of vicious competition where success and failure are clearly defined and measured. Can we wonder at the increasing number of 'drop-outs': young people who are written off as utter failures before they have even embarked on a career? Can we be surprised at the suicide rate among students?

A good education should, among other things, train you to think for yourself. The examination system does anything but that. What has to be learnt is rigidly laid down by a syllabus, so the student is encouraged to memorise. Examinations do not motivate a student to read widely, but to restrict his reading; they do not enable him to seek more and more knowledge, but induce cramming. They lower the standards of teaching, for they deprive the teacher of all freedom. Teachers themselves are often judged by examination results and instead of teaching their subjects, they are reduced to training their students in exam techniques which they despise. The most successful candidates are not always the best educated; they are the best trained in the technique of working under duress.

The results on which so much depends are often nothing more than a subjective assessment by some anonymous examiner. Examiners are only human. They get tired and hungry; they make mistakes. Yet they have to mark stacks of hastily scrawled scripts in a limited amount of time. They work under the same sort of pressure as the candidates. And their word carries weight After a judge's decision you have the right of appeal, but not after an examiner's. There must surely be many simpler and more effective ways of assessing a person's true abilities. Is it cynical to suggest that examinations are merely a profitable business for the institutions that ran them? This is what it boils down to in the last analysis. The best comment on the system is this illiterate message recently scrawled on a wall: 'I were a teenage drop-out and now I are a teenage millionaire.

19. Переведите слова и словосочетания на русский язык:

Marvel at the progress; every field of studying; failed to devise; efficient and reliable; common knowledge; means of testing; tell nothing; so much depends on; success or failure; give of his best: a sleepless night; clearly defined and measured; to be surprised at; among other things; to restrict reading; enable to seek more and more knowledge; to lower the standards; judged by examination results; get tired and hungry; to work under pressure; the right of appeal; a person’s true abilities; a profitable business.

20. Переведите слова и словосочетания на английский язык:

Так много зависит от; точно определено и измерено; понизить стандарты; успех или провал; ограничивать чтение; право опротестовать; способны получать больше и больше знаний; средства проверки; эффективный и надёжный; каждая область изучения; действительные способности человека; бессонная ночь; ни о чём не говорит; показать себя наилучшим образом; устать и проголодаться; прибыльный бизнес; общеизвестный; не смогли изобрести; удивляться прогрессу; прямо противоположный; роковой день; кроме прочих вещей; лучше всех образованный; безграмотное сообщение.

21. Найдите в тексте предложения с данными словосочетаниями:

Methods of testing; second to none; it doesn't matter; your whole future; be surprised at the suicide rate; do not motivate a student; deprive the teacher; the most successful candidates; a subjective assessment; make mistakes; a limited amount of time; more effective ways.

22. Объясните по-английски значение данных слов и выражений:

Person’s ability; common knowledge; to work under pressure; a fateful day; “drop-outs’; exam techniques; a subjective assessment; their word carries weight; the right of appeal; to assess abilities.

23. Заполните пропуски подходящими по смыслу словами:

А) to remain – to stay

1. The economy ….. fragile.

2. Her answer ….. “no” even after we begged her to reconsider.

3. He wanted her to ….. at home and look after the children

4. My financial problems …… even after I had found a job.

5. I have to ….. late at work every Tuesday.

6. Dad said Chris would ….. with us.

Б) precisely – exactly

1. Daniel spoke very ……..

2. He has got good mark …….. because of his being lucky.

3. The house is …… the same as it was twenty years ago.

4. She sounds …… as her mother.

5. “You mean he took the money for himself.” “……’

6. She was standing …… where you are now.

24. Заполните пропуски соответствующими предлогами, где это необходимо:

1. They may be a good means ….testing memory, or the knack ….woking rapidly ….extreme pressure.

2. They are the mark ….success or failure …our society.

3. No one can give …. his best when he is ….moral terror.

4. Can we wonder …the increasing number …”drop-outs”.

5. They lower the standards …teaching ….they deprive the teacher …all freedom.

6. Teachers themselves are often judged ….examination results.

7. They are reduced ….training their students ….exam techniques.

8. The result ….which so much depends is a subjective assessment ….some anonymous examiner.

9. They work ….the same sort ….pressure ….the candidates.

10. They have to mark stacks ….scripts ….a limited amount ….time.

11. It’s a profitable business ….the institutions.

12. He gave the best comment ….the system …. his illiterate message.

25. Задайте вопросы к выделенным словам:

1. We might marvel at the progress in every field of study.

2. It is common knowledge that they often do the exact opposite.

3. It is hard to work under extreme pressure.

4. Your whole future depends on the exams.

5. No one can give of his best when he is in moral terror.

6. The child enters a world of competition.

7. The student should read widely.

8. The exams lower the standards for they deprive the teacher of all freedom.

9. There must surely be many effective ways.

10. It is cynical to suggest that exams are merely a profitable business.

26. Задайте альтернативный и разделительный вопросы к следующим предложениям:

1. It is really extraordinary.

2. You weren’t feeling very well.

3. The exam goes on.

4. We wonder at the increasing number of “drop-outs”.

5. A good education trains you to think for yourself.

6. He taught some subjects at the university.

7. They lowered the standards of teaching.

8. You have written the scripts

9. They have to mark scripts.

10. The teachers will be surprised at the results.

27. Прочитайте данные высказывания и скажите, какие из них соответствуют тексту. Подтвердите свои высказывания фактами из текста.

1. There is great progress in every field of study.

2. The methods of testing person’s knowledge have changed..

3. Educationists have devised more efficient and reliable methods than exams.

4. Exams are a good means of training memory.

5. Exams tell you everything about a person’s true ability.

6. A person’s future depends little on the exams.

7. Success and failure are carefully measured at school.

8. It is very easy to give of your best at the examination after a sleepless night

9. The number of “drop-outs” is decreasing.

10. A good education should train young people only to think about themselves.

11. Exams motivate a student to read widely.

12. The teachers despise teaching exam techniques.

28. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What is the pious claim for all?

2. What may the exams be a good test of?

3. What can they tell you about person’s true ability and aptitude?

4. When may your whole future be decided?

5. Who can give of his best at the exam after a sleepless night?

6. What happens when a child begins school?

7. \What should a good education train you among other things?

8. How do examinations motivate the student to read?

9. Why are the students induced cramming?

10. How are the teachers judged?

11. What do they train their students instead of teaching subjects?

12. How are the most successful candidates educated?

13. What techniques are they trained in?

14. Under what conditions do the examiners work?

15. When do you have the right of appeal?

16. What is the best comment on the exam system on author’s opinion?

29. Закончите предложения в соответствие с содержанием текста:

1. Testing person's knowledge and ability remains …..

2. The educationist couldn’t devise anything …..

3. It is common knowledge that exams …..

4. The exams are probably a good means …..

5. They can’t tell you anything …..

6. Very much depends on …..

7. When it is an exam it doesn’t matter if ….

8. It is impossible to do your best if …..

9. In the world of competition the success or failure ….

10. Can you be surprised at the increasing number …..

11. The students should memorise things according to ….

12. Examinations motivate the students …..

13. The standards of teaching go down because …..

14. The best candidates are usually …..

15. The results of the exams are really …..

16. Examiners are human beings; they also …..

17. There should be some more effective …..

18. One of the failed candidates wrote …..

30. Переведите следующие предложения на английский язык:

1. Что является главной целью образования?

2. Они пичкают детей знаниями, но не учат думать самостоятельно.

3. Ты умеешь напряжённо работать?

4. Я думаю, книга точно там, где ты её оставил.

5. Твоё будущее зависит от результатов экзаменов.

6. Они устали и проголодались, поэтому делают ошибки.

7. Ему не удалось придти домой в обычное время.

8. Он провалил все свои экзамены.

9. Мы не поверили его заявлению, что он отсутствовал в офисе в это время.

10. Если ты не можешь выдержать этого напряжения, лучше уходи сразу.

11. У неё низкое давление?

12. Я почувствовал их беспокойство по поводу его приезда.

13. Он напишет эту статью именно потому, что эта проблема очень важна сейчас.

14. Многие люди в мире лишены возможности получить высшее образование.

15. Мне понравился этот дом, но пойди посмотреть и решай сам.

16. Школы оцениваются по результатам экзаменов.

31. Сформулируйте основную мысль каждого абзаца.

32. Составьте аннотацию текста.

33. Перескажите текст по ключевым словам:

Methods of testing; efficient and reliable; examinations; fateful day; to be in moral terror; a world of competition; defined and measured;

train to think; to be encouraged; motivate; standards of teaching; exam techniques; examiners; make mistakes; illiterate message.

34. Прочитайте диалог. Выучите его и разыграйте парами со своим сокурсником:

A: Have you seen the new girl in our group?

B: No. What is she?

A: I forgot her name.

B: Is she from around here?

A: No. She has lived in India with her parents for many years. She entered the university there. But then they came back to Russia.

B: Does she speak English well?

A: Yes, she does. And more important she is beautiful.

B. How old is she?

A: She is eighteen, I think. She has lovely eyes.

B: How do you know so much about her?

A: I saw her and I really wanted to get to know her. So when someone asked her about herself, I listened. She had to come here because her parents are from our town.

B: I would meet her. Could you remember her name?

A: Oh, yes. Her name is Ann. Will you do me a favour?

B: Sure. What is it? You don’t want me to ask her if she’ll go out on a date with you, do you?

A: No way. But maybe I should ask for myself.

35. Прокомментируйте следующие высказывания:

1. To know everything is to know nothing..

2. Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education.

3. Only the educated are free.

4. A little learning is dangerous thing.

5. The best education in the world is that by struggling to get a living.

6. It is only the ignorant who despise education.

36. Опишите ситуацию или разыграйте диалог с сокурсником, используя высказывания из предыдущего упражнения. Ситуация: Вы встречаете своего бывшего одноклассника, который не хочет продолжать образование. Приведите аргументы в пользу получения высшего образования.