China held the National College English Test last Saturday. This year's exam laid more emphasis on subjective questions rather than objective ones. The result was some very funny translations from Chinese into English.
"GPS" for compass, "Pizza Yue" for moon cake. Translations such as these were quite common in this year’s college English test. And once they were published on China’s twitter like service Weibo, they were an instant hit.
"I really don’t know how to translate our traditional cultural concepts." College student said.
"I’d rather answer objective questions because I can at least take chances."
This year’s test required students to translate a passage with 140 to 200 Chinese characters into English within 30 minutes. The passages dealt with Chinese history, culture and economy. But students were baffled. Some translated "royal family" into "the stars of VIP", and "government officials" into "government boss".
"I kept laughing when I saw the translation questions. I believe there are a lot of bizarre translations." College student said.
The new change in the format of the College English Test is part of the overall education reform efforts in China. Some teachers believe the poor translation reflects the drawbacks of China’s exam-oriented system. And there is much to improve.
"We are in dire need of training students to enhance their practical use of the English language." English teacher Ren Ruigang said.
The National College English Test, which began in the 1980s, is a biannual test that determines the English language proficiency of undergraduate students. Some universities will not allow students to graduate without obtaining the certificate, and it is a prerequisite for those entering the job market.