【有文稿】喜大普奔：评职称可以不考外语了!

非常感谢【Jojo-杨俊华】童鞋对本文稿的贡献！ Heyang: You are listening to Round Table with myself Heyang, Luo Yu and Nick Lanigan in the studio. A recent policy changed by top authorities means that people seeking higher professional rankings and tittles or 职称 in Chinese will no longer need to pass an English language test. Why is the English test abolished from the assessment right now happening? And also why are people welcome it with overwhelming optimism? So guys, tell me more about this 英语职称考试. And why is it that the abolishment of it is welcomed by everyone? Luo Yu：Well, previously, if they want to get certain professional titles in their respective field, they have to pass a national foreign language test to get a higher rank. Yet the new policy issued by the Chinese authorities aims at breaking down barriers in evaluating and promoting talented professionals. The change was announced before the latest annual English test which was held on March the 26th. So it’s a very good sign, because a lot of people are just fed up with taking national English test. In their work, they said they don’t use English that often, for some cases they don’t use English language at all. And what’s the purpose of having it? Heyang: Then what’s the purpose of having it in the first place? Nick: This is a very good question. And it was introduced as a requirement to a kind of make people more internationally minded and promote cooperation between other countries. But in jobs, when it is not needed as you said, it’s a bit of a redundant qualification and so you can understand people are happy that it’s gone. Heyang: Yes, so it sounds like, you know, promoting international mindness and also, you know, having English is very useful to know the outside China world and all that kind of stuff. But is it necessary for everyone or professionals? That is the question. Luo Yu：It is not necessary at all. My father was a top engineer. He used to work in Petro China, and has been resitting for this national English test for three times. And it’s really pathetic. Even if he was 45 years old back then, and he still had to memorize lots of English words, using the Sony Walkman back then. It’s such a pathetic picture. And for him, English is not a must. Heyang: Right. That’s interesting, because well, If, we are, you know sharing family stories, then my aunt is a medical professor, and her English skill is certainly not up to the test, and if her English is better, then she would have the international arena, you know for her to embark on. But because her English is really just not good, so she can’t really go to international meetings and those kinds of things. But yes, I think it is a plus, but maybe not a must. What do you think, Nick? Nick: I think in any English speaking country, I can tell you for a fact, that if a foreign language exam was compulsory for a professional advancement, there will be uproar. So I don’t think Chinese people should be compelled to learn English if they don’t need it either. Heyang: Ok. Well, that is a wonderful point. And certainly at least now I think at the national level, this is not gonna happen, but at the local level, we don’t really know, but…we’ll see what’s goes on next.