Exams & Test Taking

Vocabulary

Ace: to receive the top grade of an A on a test or course     - I totally aced the test.
All-nighter: a study session that lasts all night (or most of it)
Be behind (verb): to be late or behind schedule and with a lot of work you still have to do

Burn the candle at both ends: stay up late into the night and then get up early next day to carry on working

Catch up (verb): to bring your work up to date when you were behind
Cram (verb): to study a lot at the last minute, especially for an exam

Cut/skip class, play hooky (verb): to intentionally be absent from class, usually without an excuse

Draw a blank: fail in attempts to remember something

Drop out (verb): to withdraw from a college or university
Due: expected on a certain date    - The assignment is due next Friday.  The due date is Nov. 20.

G.P.A  Grade Point Average, a scale of (usually) 0-4 on which grades are calculated

Hit the books (verb): to study very hard  

Keep grades up (verb): to maintain a good grade point average

Knuckle down: focus on a project or a task

Learn by heart: to memorize something so that you don't have to read it

Moment of truth = critical or decisive time when you find out if your efforts have succeeded

Pass with flying colors = do very well in a test or exam

Slack off -  to be lazy, not do what you need to do

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Test Taking Discussion Questions

1. Are you a ‘good’ test taker?  Do you usually stay calm or get stressed?  Do you perform well or underperform?
2. How would you describe your test prep style? slow and steady or last-minute cramming?
3. What have been your most memorable test taking experiences?  Good, Bad, Funny, Tragic, etc.
4. What do you remember about your 수능 or other entrance exam experiences?
5. What advice would you give  to students preparing for the 수능  or other entrance exams?
6. Did you (or do you still) have any test taking traditions?
   (e.g. special pre-test meal, lucky socks)
7. How important are grades to you (and your family)? Why?
8. How did your midterm exams go this semester?
9. How do you feel about BUFS grade quota system? (25% A’s, 45% B’s,  30% C’s )
10. How would you change it? What do you think is the best (fairest) way to grade students?
11. What kinds of cheating did you see in high school and university? What motivated people to cheat and how often did they 'get away with it'?  If you saw a friend cheating on an exam, what would you do?
12. Have you ever been tempted to cheat? How so?  What happened?
13. What do you think the penalties should be for cheating or plagiarism?
14. If you had carte blanche to reform the university entrance system, what would you change?How should universities determine which students are admitted?