作為世界上最悠久的大學(xué)之一,要進(jìn)入牛津讀書可不容易。牛津有一系列措施非常嚴(yán)格的甄選過程來評(píng)估學(xué)生的能力和潛力:面試能力測(cè)試、寫作能力測(cè)試、中學(xué)預(yù)測(cè)成績(jī)、已獲成績(jī)、推薦信等。入學(xué)面試是其中的一個(gè)關(guān)鍵環(huán)節(jié)。牛津大學(xué)最近公布了部分面試樣題,題目全部來自牛津大學(xué)負(fù)責(zé)面試的考官,考官們還解釋了他們提那些“聽起來很古怪的問題”的背后理由。

關(guān)于牛津大學(xué)的面試題,外界有很多傳聞,但牛津的老師稱:“我們的開放式題目并不是捉弄人的,題目不要求任何特殊知識(shí),也沒有什么‘對(duì)’或‘錯(cuò)’的答案。那些開放式問題是為了激發(fā)學(xué)生與面試官之間的討論,觀察考生對(duì)新思想的反應(yīng)或者是否能提出有趣的論點(diǎn)?!?/p>

“我們希望看到候選人的思考過程,而不是得出具體的答案。面試問題會(huì)從熟悉的領(lǐng)域開始,然后拓展到課本以外的廣泛領(lǐng)域,看看他們?nèi)绾螒?yīng)對(duì)新的知識(shí)和思想。面試不是測(cè)試個(gè)性或愛好,不會(huì)涉及與所選主題無(wú)關(guān)的事情,例如嗜好或運(yùn)動(dòng)成績(jī)等等?!?/p>

負(fù)責(zé)英語(yǔ)學(xué)科面試的考官Lucinda Rumsey進(jìn)一步解釋說:“我們不是為了難住考生,所以沒必要猜測(cè)考官接下來要問什么,沒必要提前準(zhǔn)備好答案。開放式問題是為了激起討論,可以有很多發(fā)散思維的方向。我們希望看到候選人的批判性思維以及如何探索新的思路?!?/p>

“希望這些例子對(duì)考生入學(xué)面試準(zhǔn)備有所幫助。它也可以讓候選人提前了解牛津大學(xué)的氛圍,因?yàn)槿雽W(xué)后,這樣的面試過程在學(xué)習(xí)任何一門課程時(shí)都會(huì)遇到。”

牛津大學(xué)面試問題

問:If I were to visit the area where you live, what would I be interested in?
(如果我去你的家鄉(xiāng)旅行,我應(yīng)該看些什么有趣的東西?)

Subject 科目:地理 Geography

面試?yán)蠋烮nterviewer: Lorraine Wild, St Hilda’s College

面試官解釋:
The question gives candidates an opportunity to apply concepts from their A level geography course to their home area. They might discuss urban planning and regeneration, ethnic segregation and migration, or issues of environmental management. The question probes whether they are able to apply ‘geographical thinking’ to the everyday landscapes around them. It reveals the extent to which they have a curiosity about the world around them. By asking specifically about their home area the question eliminates any advantage gained by those who are more widely travelled and have more experience of a variety of geographical contexts.

這個(gè)問題給了學(xué)生一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)把他們中學(xué)時(shí)代的地理知識(shí)和他們的家鄉(xiāng)聯(lián)系起來。他們可以討論城市規(guī)劃和變遷、民族分類、移民情況、或者是對(duì)環(huán)境的管理。這個(gè)問題考察了學(xué)生能否用“地理式的思維”來思考他們每天都面對(duì)的環(huán)境。同時(shí)也能幫我們發(fā)現(xiàn)他們是否對(duì)世界具備好奇心。而只是問他們家鄉(xiāng)的情況,也避免了某些學(xué)生可能比其他人旅行更多帶來的優(yōu)勢(shì)。

問:What is language(什么是語(yǔ)言)?

Subject科目:現(xiàn)代語(yǔ)言Modern languages

面試?yán)蠋煟篐elen Swift, St Hilda’s學(xué)院

面試官解釋:
Although I would never launch this question at a candidate on its own, it might grow out of a discussion. Students sometimes say they like studying Spanish, for example, because they 'love the language'. In order to get a student thinking critically and analytically, the question would get them to consider what constitutes the language they enjoy – is it defined by particular features or by function (what it does)? How does form relate to meaning? And so on.

盡管我決不會(huì)單獨(dú)把這個(gè)問題拿出來問考生,但它可能會(huì)出現(xiàn)在某些討論之中。比如,學(xué)生們有的時(shí)候會(huì)表示他們“喜歡學(xué)西班牙語(yǔ)”,因?yàn)樗麄儭盁釔圻@種語(yǔ)言”。為了讓學(xué)生們能更具批判性和判斷力地思考,這個(gè)問題能幫助他們思考“究竟是什么組成了這個(gè)他們喜歡的語(yǔ)言”?是因?yàn)槟承┆?dú)有的特征、還是因?yàn)樗墓δ苄裕ㄋ茏鍪裁矗??形式是如何與內(nèi)容聯(lián)系起來的?等等。

問: Why might it be useful for an English student to read the Twilight series
(為什么英文專業(yè)的學(xué)生有必要閱讀Twilight(暮光之城)系列)?

Subject科目:英語(yǔ)English

面試?yán)蠋煟?Lucinda Rumsey, Mansfield College

面試官解釋:
There's several reasons I might ask this one. It's useful in an interview to find some texts the candidate has read recently and the Twilight books are easily accessible and popular. Also, candidates tend to concentrate on texts they have been taught in school or college and I want to get them to talk about whatever they have read independently, so I can see how they think rather than what they have been taught. A good English student engages in literary analysis of every book they read. The question has led to some interesting discussions about narrative voice, genre, and audience in the past.

我問這個(gè)問題有很多原因。在面試過程中如果能找到一些考生最近正在讀的東西是很有用的。而《慕光之城》很多人都讀、最近正流行。同時(shí),考生傾向于把焦點(diǎn)都放在他們從學(xué)校和大學(xué)讀來的東西,而我希望能激發(fā)他們談?wù)撍麄冏约哼x擇的讀物,進(jìn)而了解他們的想法、而不是老師灌輸給他們的東西。一名優(yōu)秀的英語(yǔ)系學(xué)生會(huì)樂于分析他們讀的每一本書。這個(gè)問題就曾把討論引向過“狹隘的想法”、“流派”和“過去的觀眾”等等有趣的話題上。

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