外刊精读丨外媒是怎样评价中国的高考制度的?

原文:http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzI5MzQ0NjMyMw==&mid=2247485079&idx=1&sn=15fd16dbb0f65a11a7962e46faa98615&chksm=ec70b14bdb07385d0b7bf125290ba532d15c010ca9ec0aa5b10b9009a7a5f77d624f62a6149c#rd

今天我们了解一下西方是怎么评价中国的高考制度的。可能有人会问:高考是我们中国的东西,我们已经很熟悉了,为什么还要了解西方的评价呢?难道西方比我们更了解高考吗?其实,高考以及其他具有中国特色的事物就像一间屋子,中国人坐在屋子里面,能看清屋子的每个细节,但其视野也只局限于屋子内部,无法从更高的维度看清这间屋子所处的位置。而这个问题,只能由站在屋外往里看的人——也就是外国人提供答案。这就是我们了解西方评价中国高考制度的意义所在了。

通过本文,我们要掌握以下几点:

  1. 学会“无词阅读”;

  2. “高分低能”用英语怎么说?

  3. “受到批评”怎么说才清新脱俗?

  4. 文章用了哪些形容词来形容高考?




这篇文章节选自英国《卫报》,我们先读一遍原文,再做精讲:


原文


The gaokao is emblematic of the Chinese education system as a whole. In the west, it is often seen as monolithic and rote; in China as tough but fair. In Europe and America, there is the notion that Chinese schools produce automatons incapable of critical thought; in China, many seem to think that western classrooms are full of students standing on desks and ripping up textbooks, à la Dead Poets Society. Yet, where the Chinese model used to be roundly criticised for rewarding rote learning, now the system’s gruelling schedule and supposed high standards are increasingly admired overseas. Last year, the BBC invited two Chinese teachers to take over a sixth-form class in the documentary Are Our Kids Tough Enough? (Spoiler: they weren’t, but nor were the teachers.)




精讲


第一句话:The gaokao is emblematic of the Chinese education system as a whole.


这是对高考制度的一句话总述,高考最能体现(is emblematic of...)中国整体的教育制度。

be emblematic of 的意思是represent or be a symbol of sth; be typical of sth. ...的典型、代表。从它的英文解释中不难发现,我们可以用 represent, be a symbol of, be symbolic/typical of 来替换 be emblematic of...,比如《外交官》杂志中也有篇关于高考的文章,文中有这么一句话:

The two-day exam has become symbolic of the hyper-com petitive nature of China's education system.


回到文中,as a whole 是用来修饰 the Chinese education system 的,意为“中国整体教育制度”,也可以用 general 来替换:the Chinese general education system.


一、学会“无词阅读”:


第二句话:In the west, it is often seen as monolithic and rote; in China as tough but fair.


这是中西方对高考制度的一句话概括。在西方,高考既 monolithic 又 rote. monolithic 的前缀"mono-"表示“一,单”,比如 monologue 独白;monogamy 一夫一妻制,所以我们根据语境可以大致判断出来,monolithic 在说高考单调、枯燥、乏味之类的;而我们又可以通过"and"判断出来,monolithic 和 rote 的方向一致,所以,rote 也差不多是这个意思。这就叫“无词阅读”,如果考研阅读中问道你不认识的单词的意思,也可以根据这种方法选出正确答案。

monolithic 在词典中的解释是 large and plain,也就是说,高考既艰巨又枯燥;rote 的意思是“死记硬背”,主要强调其机械性,比如 rote learning 机械学习(n.);learn sth by rote 机械学习(v.)


福克斯新闻网有一句类似的表达:

Gaokao relies on memorization. But it doesn’t encourage kids to solve problems or think for themselves.

rely on memorization 和 doesn't encourage kids to solve problems or think for themselves 是对monolithic and rote 的同义替换。


而在中国,人们认为高考虽然 tough,但是 fair(公平)。可以通过"but"判断 tough 和 fair 的方向相反。

这一句其实是省略句,补充完整后为:in China, it is seen as tough but fair. 为了避免重复,所以把"it is seen"省略掉了。


二、“高分低能”用英语怎么说?


第三句话:In Europe and America, there is the notion that Chinese schools produce automatons incapable of critical thought; in China, many seem to think that western classrooms are full of students standing on desks and ripping up textbooks, à la Dead Poets Society.


这句话讲的是西方对中国教育的看法,以及中国对西方教育的看法。


there is the notion that...可以翻译为“人们认为...”,如果是“人们普遍认为”,可以加一个 widespread:there is a widespread notion that...,类似的表达还有很多,比如 there is a strong/widespread belief that...; there is a strong/widespread sense that...等,都可以翻译成“人们认为...”,写作中可以替换 people think/believe...,用“无灵”替换“有灵”。


automatons incapable of critical thought 指的就是“高分低能”的那些人。Automaton 是“机器人”的意思,相当于 robot, 这里用来比喻那些机械行事、不懂变通的人,incapable of critical thought 是形容词作后置定语,修饰 automaton,写成定语从句的形式是:automatons that are incapable of critical thought 不懂批判性思维的机械行事的书呆子。


produce在这里指“培养、栽培”,相当于 cultivate,比如:

He is the greatest athlete this country has ever produced. 

他是这个国家曾经栽培出来的运动员中最了不起的一个。 


而中国认为西方的教室里,都是些站在桌子上撕教科书的学生,就像电影《死亡诗社》中描述的那样。à la 是法语,相当于 in the. 欣赏一段《死亡诗社》里的片段: