Notes:
EIKEN 「英検」は正式名称を「実用英語技能検定」といい、年3回実施され、年間受験者数約230万人の国内最大規模の英語検定試験です;
motivating 動機を与えた;
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Many readers said that they took the EIKEN. One reader passed the first part in high school but couldn’t take the second speaking test because it was on the day of his school trip. Now, many years later, he is looking forward to taking it again, this time with his two teenage daughters. For some people, the listening section is more difficult. For others, the reading part is harder. A couple of teachers said that they needed to take the test for their jobs. One teacher said that it keeps her studying English. However, another teacher said that just studying for a test isn’t very motivating.　(by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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One university I teach at has classes on May 3 and 4. Fortunately, I don’t teach there on Thursdays or Fridays, so I only had to work on May 1 this year. Regarding the holidays, there seem to be three types of university. Type 1 offers classes according to the calendar. Type 2 offers classes every day. Type 3 closes from the beginning to the end of Golden Week. I wish all universities would follow Type 3. Until 20 years ago, the only schools that offered classes on holidays were cram schools. I feel that universities are becoming more and more like cram schools. (Written by a reader)
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