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Blogger’s English Test Failure Sparks Debate on Language Proficiency
The article discusses the experience of Zhou, a 23-year-old university student in Beijing who created an English learning blog on Xiaohongshu. He aimed to improve his English and pass the College English Test Band 4 (CET-4), a compulsory English proficiency test for non-English major university students in China. Despite accumulating 92,000 followers and regularly uploading English learning content, Zhou was disappointed to score 411 marks on the CET-4, just below the passing threshold. Following this, he announced his decision to stop updating English content on his blog and expressed his determination to work harder and pass the test.
This story has sparked diverse reactions on social media. Some admire his independent thinking and perseverance, while others express skepticism about online English learning resources. The story’s context is set against broader educational reforms in China, including reduced emphasis on English in schools and crackdowns on private language tutoring, which have left parents concerned about their children’s English education.
Standardized tests do not accurately measure proficiency in real-world English usage. Zhou’s experience highlights the gap between theoretical knowledge, as tested in exams like the CET-4, and practical language skills. His ability to attract a large following suggests a level of proficiency and engagement with the language that the test score did not reflect. This illustrates how standardized tests, while useful in certain contexts, may not fully capture a person’s real-world language skills, including their ability to communicate effectively, adapt language to different contexts, and engage an audience.
scmp.com
China language blogger apologies to followers after failing national English exam
A 23-year-old student from Beijing, who enthusiastically started a blog to help himself and others learn English, was crushed when he did not pass China’s compulsory CET-4 exam, and shut down his online operation as a result.
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