Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
On International English Exams
Right now I am typing this text in Notepad only to be copy pasted in the blogpost; since this is the format I will be using in TOEFL exams.
While the reading and listening section of the toefl test are extremely interesting and informative (since even if you do not score well, you learn about new things), the speaking and writing sections are really funny. They expect us to write like babies and ask our opinions on frivilous issues, to the extent of suggesting things for people. All this is to understand our speaking and writing skills. Something that can be identified through our personal statements that universities ask for.
However, while thinking of some topics, I felt so bored to prepare for such an exam that I came up with my own set of sillier questions that must be posed to TOEFL organization in the speaking and writing sections, and mind you, with time limits.
Speaking section:
Do you think TOEFL is an essential test for international students?
You have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.
Should TOEFL exam be waived for students whose medium of instruction has been English in High School?
You have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.
Which is your favourite section in TOEFL: Reading, Speaking, Listening or writing?
You have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.
Writing Section:
Is TOEFL the true measure for fluency in English? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Is it enjoyable to give TOEFL test?
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Some people believe that TOEFL is a very easy exam and prepare by themselves while others take coaching for the test? Which one of these do you think is a better way of preparation? Support your answer with examples.
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
TOEFL is overrated. Do you agree or disagree?
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Some people like to read, others like to write. Does TOEFL reflect true potential of a person through its evaluation?
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Well,
One can keep on going with this silliness. But the point is often, speaking and writing are considered to be 'extempore' activities. For people applying for arts or humanities programmes, speaking and writing are serious disciplines. TOEFL makes highly subjective areas objective. This translation of subjective into objective is an obsession of the modern world where every thing needs to he put on a scale for evaluation...Unfortunately, Universities abroad chaff out the best amongst the 100s of applications that they receive in the first round on the basis of these english exam scores. How many thinking minds are neglected in this objectivity?
While the reading and listening section of the toefl test are extremely interesting and informative (since even if you do not score well, you learn about new things), the speaking and writing sections are really funny. They expect us to write like babies and ask our opinions on frivilous issues, to the extent of suggesting things for people. All this is to understand our speaking and writing skills. Something that can be identified through our personal statements that universities ask for.
However, while thinking of some topics, I felt so bored to prepare for such an exam that I came up with my own set of sillier questions that must be posed to TOEFL organization in the speaking and writing sections, and mind you, with time limits.
Speaking section:
Do you think TOEFL is an essential test for international students?
You have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.
Should TOEFL exam be waived for students whose medium of instruction has been English in High School?
You have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.
Which is your favourite section in TOEFL: Reading, Speaking, Listening or writing?
You have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.
Writing Section:
Is TOEFL the true measure for fluency in English? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Is it enjoyable to give TOEFL test?
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Some people believe that TOEFL is a very easy exam and prepare by themselves while others take coaching for the test? Which one of these do you think is a better way of preparation? Support your answer with examples.
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
TOEFL is overrated. Do you agree or disagree?
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Some people like to read, others like to write. Does TOEFL reflect true potential of a person through its evaluation?
You will get 30 minutes to write your answer.
Well,
One can keep on going with this silliness. But the point is often, speaking and writing are considered to be 'extempore' activities. For people applying for arts or humanities programmes, speaking and writing are serious disciplines. TOEFL makes highly subjective areas objective. This translation of subjective into objective is an obsession of the modern world where every thing needs to he put on a scale for evaluation...Unfortunately, Universities abroad chaff out the best amongst the 100s of applications that they receive in the first round on the basis of these english exam scores. How many thinking minds are neglected in this objectivity?
Monday, December 05, 2011
State of Mind
These days, things are a bit crazy. I am writing this though my mind tells me I must not be spending time on this.
However, I am just wanting to express what I am going through physically versus mentally. When I work, I feel sleepy and when I close my eyes, I feel insomnia. I feel warm and I switch on the fan and switch it off only to realize I am feeling cold. I eat something and realize the taste only after it's almost over. Taste doesnot matter - it's for my health that I eat perhaps! I feel tired, but when I take rest, I feel restless. I feel I have a lot of work and when I work, I feel there is nothing to do, rather, I wonder where to start!? I feel immensely negative about something that is not, while have a gut feeling of positivity in something that I am underestimating! I start to read something and only realize later that I have been only staring at it for a long time. Ideas come to head and vanish as soon as I begin to note them. I want to draw and end up reproducing old things. Articulated sentences shout in my head but dont make way to the paper!
What is this state of mind I dont know. Nothing is happening, but still it seems I am brimming with work.
What is this? I wonder!
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