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In a surprising turn of events, a mixed-race girl who grew up speaking English in the United States found herself scoring the lowest in her class on an English exam after moving to China. The story, which took place in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, has sparked widespread discussion online.
The girl’s father, a French national, was visibly frustrated as he sat with his daughter, speaking to her in English. “You grew up in the U.S., came back to China, and still speak English every day. You shouldn’t be last,” he said, as his daughter looked at him, seemingly confused.
The girl’s mother, Mrs. Xia, explained the situation to local media. Their daughter was born in China but moved to the U.S. shortly after birth, living there for three years before returning to China at age four. In their household, they communicate using three languages - English, French, and Mandarin. While the girl can speak and understand English fluently, her familiarity with written English is minimal.
“She can hold a conversation in English and understand her father perfectly,” Xia said. “But when it comes to textbooks and exam questions, she struggles because she’s never been formally exposed to written English.”
The father, who expected his daughter to excel in English given her language background, was dismayed. “It’s hard for him to understand how someone who speaks English daily could score the lowest,” Xia added.
This incident quickly became a trending topic on Chinese social media, with many netizens sharing their perspectives.
One user humorously remarked, “My son has been speaking Mandarin since he was born, but his Chinese language exam score is 20 out of 100. Speaking and excelling in exams are two completely different things!”
Another chimed in, “Finally, I feel a bit better about my struggles with English. If a native speaker can fail an English test, then it’s no surprise that we find learning it so hard. I’ve never passed an English exam myself!”
Others pointed out the flawed assumption that fluency in speaking guarantees academic success. “Speaking a language is just the foundation,” one netizen commented. “Exams test a range of skills, including writing, comprehension, and vocabulary. Even native Mandarin speakers fail their Chinese exams.”
Some also questioned the father’s expectations. “He assumes speaking English means his daughter should ace the exam. But just like we can speak Chinese yet fail our Chinese tests, being conversational doesn’t equal mastery of academic material.”
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