多功能英语阅读16 Tough Lesson

Tough Lesson

Reza was very pleased to describe to me the old glories of the Buddhist 1 center,

Bihar, which was a famous place for education. He said that many scholars of Dhaka

who were held in high esteem 2 went to different parts of the world to impart their

knowledge and ideology 3. But alas 4! The standard of education had decreased so much.

Then he asked me, "Do you have any idea how nuch it costs to admit a little child

in any famous English medium school in Dhaka?"

I had no idea. But just wanted to take a chance, "Two thousand?"

"Twenty to thirty thousand takas! That is equivalent to one to two thousand

US dollars! A huge burden to most families."

"Only those who suffered knew the agony of the situation. Let me tell you the

experience of my uncle. Then you will understand." Reza added.

Reza continued...

"My uncle was working on an assembly line of audio-visual equipment in a

multi-national company. Most of his colleagues had children studying in English

medium schools and learning the alphabet and nouns in singular and plural 5 forms

as well as adjectives and verbs at a very young age. Children at such school were

able to recite verses and compose English essays and write summaries in Grade 3;

they amplify 6 matters with clarity and perception by illustration, analogy and

inference. Although he was a layman 7 of juvenile 8 education, empirically, he

calculated that the future of his son would be freferable if he could get the

oppertunity to study in an English medium school and fully 9 harness his potential.

There were different rules in Englis medium schools. They used a special

criterion to appraise 10 the qualifications of students. A child had to be admitted

in a school just at age of four. Some schools had provision that both the parents

must have obtained master degrees to be eligible 11 to fill out an admission form.

In this case my uncle faced a severe problem, as my aunt only had a Bachelor of

Arts degree. So my uncle had no alternatives but to admit her to a Master of Arts

program. After all, he wanted to avert 12 a similar situation at the time when his

son would apply for admission to a college in the future.

"My uncle started to search for best opportunity. But the job was not very

easy."

"Harvard International Islamic School, refused to accept his son in the

school, as he had no beard! Jupiter Garden School refused to accept a student

whose guardian's whose monthly income was less than 50 000 takas!!"

"My uncle was demoralized but did not abandon fighting for the welfare of

his little son. He went from school to school in search of an admission form.

"Finally he found it! The adjacent Lower Middle Class English Medium

School told him that they could admit his som if he passed the entry test.

The admission charge would be only 2000 takas and an additional charge of

10 000 takas had to be donated to the development fund. The monthly tuition

fee would be 2200 takas, including food.

"There was nothing in this world that could stop my uncle from taking

this opportunity. He sold his fertile land in the frontier village to collect

the money. He got his son admitted to three different kindergartens and

coaching centers. The preparation did not stop there. My aunt and uncle took

personal slots to teach the minor 13 child. There was a 16-hour long curriculum.

"Just think about the poor child of four! He had gotten thinner. Even

some of his hair had turned gray! Obviously, studying all day without any

recreation had drained his energy; furthermore, his psychological condition

had deteriorated 14 and his physical growth was constraind. But nobody had the

time to notice. Everybody was shouting, 'read, read!'

Finally the crucial deadline came. My uncle went with his son to the

school for the interview.

The principal of the school asked the little boy to sit in a chair right

beside her.

"What is the name of the president of America?" asked the principal

softly.

"Bush", said the child in a Dhaka accent.

"What is the name fo his dog?" the principal asked in a harsh voice,

looking at my uncle!

My uncle was astonished. "Are you asking me?"

"Yes, of course! We have to evaluate your qualification too!!"

My uncle started to feel like a fish out of water. He thought he knew the

name of the dog! But could not remember it properly.

"Tommy? Tony? No, no. Lora or may be Brownie?"

The principal started at him mercilessly. Then she turned towards the

little boy.

"What is the spelling of fox?"

"F-O-X", replied the child promptly 15.

"Now, you", asked the principal, looking at my helpless uncle, "What is

the spelling renaissance 16?"

My uncle was completely lost. He started scratching his head. He tried

for several times to spell it but clearly understood that he just did not

know the spelling.

"Very sorry, we cannot admit your son in our school. You can go now. We

have other parents waiting," gestured the principal.

My uncle was so shocked that he did not say a word. He took his son and

started straight back for home.

He kept silent for the whole day. But his son was not silent. He told

everybody in the cabin word by word about what had happened inside the

principal's room. He even showed others, how his father reacted to different

questions by acting 17 perfectly 18.

Now my poor aunt got her oppertunity to take revenge. She yelled at the

top of her voice and reproached our uncle for his errors.

Finishing the story Reza started laughing.

"So, your cousing did not get admitted at school?" I inquired.

"Of course he did. My uncle took him to a Government Primary School the

next week and admitted him there. He now personally looks after the education

of his son. The memory of the English medium school has left my uncle. My

cousin finished first in the half yearly examination", concluded Reza.