Life today has become so complex that examinations have come to play an important part in one's educational career. Examinations are considered so important that most students are afraid of them.

The ability to pass an examination is indeed a valuable quality. It shows that the student is able to express his thought and ideas to a manner others can understand. It also shows that the student has acquired a certain amount of knowledge in some branches of study. Besides, the mind of a student, even if he is dull, receives good exercise when he prepares for an examination. A student's success in an examination, therefore, helps employers and others to assess his mental or general ability.

Some people, however, argue that examinations test only a certain kind of skill. They say that many people have a good memory and a special ability to pass examinations and achieve brilliant results, though they have no capacity for original thought or imagination. But it should be realized that today the syllabuses are so extensive that a student cannot expect to pass an examination by relying entirely on his memory. The student of today must not only have a fair knowledge of the subject manner but also be able to show his intelligence and power of reasoning, especially if he is sitting for a higher examination. Therefore, a student's ability to pass an examination must indicate some of his mental powers as well as his grasp of the subjects that he has studied.

If there were no examinations, most scholars would have been less informed than they are today. Examinations compel students to read as much as they can, and as they do so, they absorb knowledge unconsciously. Further, because of examinations; teachers have to confine themselves to the syllabuses which are aimed at imparting knowledge in a systematic manner, and thus develop mental discipline. Examinations are therefore an important part of academic studies.

NEW WORDS:

1. complex (adj): phức tạp, rắc rối

2. acquire (v): thu được, đạt được

3. assess (v): đánh giá, ước định

4. argue (v): biện luận, tranh 1uận

5. achieve (v): đạt được, giành được

6. syllabus (n): chương trình học, đề cương bài giảng

7. entirely (adv): hoàn toàn

8. grasp (n): sự nắm được, sự hiểu thấu

9. scholar (n): học giả

10. compel (v): buộc phải, bắt buộc, thúc ép

11. unconsciously (adv): không tự giác, không có ý định, không có ý thức

12. impart (v): truyền đạt, kể cho hay, phổ biến

13. systematic (adj): có phương pháp