China's English fervor under scrutiny

Though the word "promontory" may sound unfamiliar to many native English speakers, Luo Jia, a 13-year-old Chinese student, knows its meaning, spelling and the exact sentence in the textbook where it appeared.

"I know the word even better than the uncommon Chinese character with the same meaning," said Luo, as he located the synonym for "cape" while flipping through "New Concept English," a textbook widely used in China's English training programs.

Though he is more interested in biology and chemistry, the middle school student in Fujian Province attends English classes every weekend upon his mother's order. The class teaches advanced English with a rich vocabulary containing words like "bedraggled," "outlandish" and "parquet."

Luo's mother made a strong case for enrolling her son in the class. "English is very important, whether he stays in China or goes abroad, so I prefer he spend extra hours on language study, no matter whether he likes it or not."

In China, English is among three compulsory "major subjects," along with Chinese and mathematics, given equal importance in major exams. It is perhaps the most influential subject, considering the ubiquity of its exams and the gigantic market it has generated.

Every year, millions of college students take the country's many standardized English tests, hoping to boost their resumes with language certificates. College graduates applying for post-graduate programs are all required to pass an English exam, even if their subjects are Chinese literature or organic chemistry.

Those exams are usually difficult, and the ensuing demand to pass them has created a lucrative industry of test-prep schools and English training programs, which also profit from a rising middle class willing to send their children to overseas universities or invest in their early education.

The country's English fervor has aroused much controversy. Last month, Wang Xuming, former spokesman for the Ministry of Education, called for canceling English classes in primary schools to make way for Chinese classes. The Chinese zeal for learning English, he argued, was so strong that it has come at the neglect of their mother tongue.