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五つ目の季節
日本には四季があると言われるが、「四季」ではなく「五季」とするべきではないか、と筆者は言う。その五つ目の季節は自然ではなく、人間が作り出したもので、春の前に来る。そう、「受験シーズン」だ。
The fifth season of the year
Japanese always say they have four seasons, but I think a fifth one, different from the others and not connected to nature, should be added. In fact, the fifth season is totally unnatural: It's the entrance exam season. For those taking exams, or who have friends or family taking exams, the season is filled with the pressure of preparation and the painful wait for results.
Anyone connected with a school knows that the end of January through February is dominated not by learning but by preparing for the exams. Students stay up late, cram in the last few bits of information and psyche themselves up. It changes the feeling of the entire country before the warmer days of spring start to arrive.
Every school shifts into high gear. Campuses nationwide are converted from learning centers to testing centers. Doors are locked and all rooms are searched. Extra security guards are hired. Administrators, staff and faculty all participate in the national drama. The secrecy surrounding the exams is carried out at a level the CIA would be proud of.
All of these precautions keep the exams safe from cheating, but also crank up the pressure on young people. The test-takers' main concern is whether they can stand the pressure. They know the saying: Four hours pass, five hours fail. They believe an extra hour a day of study, not sleep, will be the key to entering their top choice of school.
Is all that healthy? Certainly not. Mothers making special nutritious food and students wearing a mask to avoid getting sick is healthy, but too much study pressure is not. For mothers, keeping their test-taking child fed and focused is almost as important a duty as giving birth. Families spend millions of yen on cram schools, but also offer prayers at shrines for what supernatural help they can get.
Sometimes, when I ask one of my students about their family, they will answer, in hushed, reverent tones, that their younger brother or sister is going to take the exam that year. That means the family is devoted to the exam, avoiding loud noises, maintaining a smooth atmosphere, and hoping all will go well. The pressure is not just on the kids. It's on everyone.
Will this system change? Not in the near future. The entire country is used to being put to the test, but one wonders if there might not be a better way to do things than create a season of exams. Observe the eyes and bodies of students on the train or in the streets and you can see the weight of exams pressing down on them. It's the season of pressure, the toughest season of the year, and the only season created by humans.
- In fact
- 実は
- totally
- 全く
- entrance exam
- 入試
- For those 〜
- 〜する人にとっては
- is filled with 〜
- 〜でいっぱいだ
- preparation
- 準備
- connected with 〜
- 〜と関係がある
- is dominated not by 〜 but by 〜
- 〜ではなく、〜に支配されている
- stay up late
- 夜遅くまで起きている
- cram in 〜
- 〜を詰め込む
- last few bits of 〜
- 最後の〜
- psyche 〜 up
- 〜に気合いを入れる
- entire
- 〜全体
- shifts into high gear
- フル回転する
- nationwide
- 全国の
- are converted from 〜
- to 〜〜
- 〜から〜〜に変わる
- are searched
- 調べられる
- are hired
- 雇われる
- Administrators
- 管理者
- faculty
- 教職員
- participate in 〜
- 参加する
- secrecy
- 秘密
- surrounding
- 〜を取り巻く
- is carried out
- 遂行される
- CIA (= Central Intelligence Agency)
- 米中央情報局
- precautions
- 事前対応
- cheating
- カンニング、不正
- crank up 〜
- 〜を上げる
- test-takers
- 受験生
- concern
- 心配
- stand
- 〜に耐える
- saying
- 言い回し
- Four hours pass, five hours fail.
- 四当五落(睡眠時間が4時間なら合格、5時間なら不合格という意味)
- nutritious
- 栄養ある
- keeping 〜 fed
- 〜に食事を与える
- (keeping) 〜 focused
- 〜に集中させる
- duty
- 義務
- giving birth
- 出産
- cram schools
- 塾
- offer prayers
- 祈る
- supernatural
- 超自然の
- hushed
- ひそひそ声の
- reverent
- かしこまった
- is devoted to 〜
- 〜一筋になる
- maintaining
- 〜を保つ
- atmosphere
- 雰囲気
- Observe
- 〜を観察してみて
- weight
- 重圧