The nationwide exam for Taiwan’s junior high school students drew to a close on Sunday. The Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students is an important determining factor in where the students will go to high school.
Day two of the two-day testing included sections on science and English. Junior high teachers say that this year’s science exam saw more questions that included a diagram or picture, and that the level of difficulty was moderate. They also said that many of the questions were topical, covering things that students were likely to encounter – like cell phone apps and carbon footprint. One question also dealt with controversial “clouding agents”, which are used to make drinks appear cloudy and thus more natural looking and visually appealing.
As for the English portion of the exam, teachers say that this year’s listening questions were slightly easier, and that there was one fewer set of questions, giving students more time to complete the test. They say that this year’s questions covered a wide range of topics, including poetry, which had not been featured in the test for some time. One of the questions also had a comic strip, a first in the test’s history.
The education ministry says that test results will be available on June 3, and that test takers will be able to find their scores on line.