Do Exams Damage Learning

Many people argue that English language examinations are a barrier preventing students from learning 'real' English, which is the English spoken by native speakers among themselves. I feel that this is an overstated argument and does not hold a lot of water. The job of exams is to provide evidence that a student has reached a certain level of understanding and communication. The language tested in exams is comprehensible to native speakers, even though it lacks the variety that they use. Therefore, they do guarantee that speakers will be understood. A lot of colloquial language is shortlived and also very culture-bound, which means that it would take a lot of time to teach and would only be of use when speaking to native speakers. Given that many students will spend a lot of their time using English with other non-native speakers, it makes little sense to focus or concentrate on this. For students who are living in an English-speaking environment, it does make more sense to look at the language being used in the streets around them, but this does not mean that it automatically makes sense for all, nor that this type of English should be tested.

آيت الكرسي

اللَّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لا تَأْخُذُهُ

 سِنَةٌ وَ لا نَوْمٌ لَهُ مافِي السَّماواتِ وَ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي

 يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ ما بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْوَ ما خَلْفَهُمْ  وَ لا

 يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِما شاءَوَسِعَ

 كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ وَ لا يَؤُدُهُ حِفْظُهُما وَ َ هُو

الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

«255» هيچ معبودى نيست جز خداوند يگانه زنده، كه قائم به ذات خويش است، و موجودات ديگر، قائم به او هستند؛ هيچگاه خواب سبك و سنگينى او را فرانمى‏گيرد؛ [و لحظه‏اى از تدبير جهان هستى، غافل نمى‏ماند؛] آنچه در آسمانها و آنچه در زمين است، از آن اوست؛ كيست كه در نزد او، جز به فرمان او شفاعت كند؟! [بنابراين، شفاعت شفاعت‏كنندگان، براى آنها كه شايسته شفاعتند، از مالكيت مطلقه او نمى‏كاهد.] آنچه را در پيش روى آنها [= بندگان] و پشت سرشان است مى‏داند؛ [و گذشته و آينده، در پيشگاه علم او، يكسان است.] و كسى از علم او آگاه نمى‏گردد؛ جز به مقدارى كه او بخواهد. [اوست كه به همه چيز آگاه است؛ و علم و دانش محدود ديگران، پرتوى از علم بى‏پايان و نامحدود اوست.] تخت [حكومت] او، آسمانها و زمين را دربرگرفته؛ و نگاهدارى آن دو [= آسمان و زمين][، او را خسته نميكند. بلندى مقام و عظمت، مخصوص اوست.

ترجمه انگليسي ‏
Allah! there is no Allah but He the living the Self-subsisting Eternal. No slumber can seize him nor sleep.  His are all things in the heavens and on earth.  Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth?  He knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures as) before or after or behind them.  Nor shall they compass aught of his knowledge except as He willeth.  His throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them.  For He is the Most High the Supreme (in glory).

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