[socalstanfan1]

Yeah, the entire English language section of the Chinese college entrance exam is that way.  Multiple Choice grammar questions with attention to such minute detail to which native English speakers never pay attention (and are, frankly, useless.)  But most students going abroad opt out of the college entrance exam, and instead take the SAT or ACT. 


Private cram schools here literally have books filled with old SAT exams, and will send test-takers to different parts of the exams to get a look at the particular exam for a given year, attempting to memorize certain questions to add to the test bank.  Then, a lot of students basically sit around trying to memorize nearly every question/answer in the book, knowing that the College Board draws from the same massive bank of questions.  Crazy. 


I know some of my students talk about how much reading through a full paragraph of text slows them down, making it more difficult to get through the section.  And some of the questions in the newer format require a more subtle understanding of the language.  The question I recall presented the Gettysburg Address, and asked about the different ways in which Lincoln used the word "dedicate" through the address.  I'm guessing a lot of very solid ESL students would have a hard time picking up some of the nuances.


I don't if, in the long run, the new format will have any impact on the rampant cheating and gaming the system that is going on. But in the short run its a whole new bank of questions.

[socalstanfan1]

Yeah, the entire English language section of the Chinese college entrance exam is that way.  Multiple Choice grammar questions with attention to such minute detail to which native English speakers never pay attention (and are, frankly, useless.)  But most students going abroad opt out of the college entrance exam, and instead take the SAT or ACT. 


Private cram schools here literally have books filled with old SAT exams, and will send test-takers to different parts of the exams to get a look at the particular exam for a given year, attempting to memorize certain questions to add to the test bank.  Then, a lot of students basically sit around trying to memorize nearly every question/answer in the book, knowing that the College Board draws from the same massive bank of questions.  Crazy. 


I know some of my students talk about how much reading through a full paragraph of text slows them down, making it more difficult to get through the section.  And some of the questions in the newer format require a more subtle understanding of the language.  The question I recall presented the Gettysburg Address, and asked about the different ways in which Lincoln used the word "dedicate" through the address.  I'm guessing a lot of very solid ESL students would have a hard time picking up some of the nuances.


I don't if, in the long run, the new format will have any impact on the rampant cheating and gaming the system that is going on. But in the short run its a whole new bank of questions.