Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect Nghe An's 10th grade Math exam

Candidates feel relieved after completing the final exam. Photo: Duc Anh

At the exam site of Le Viet Thuat High School, many students leaving the exam room said that this year's Math test was relatively easy and relaxed with questions at the level of recognition and understanding. Therefore, getting an average score is very easy. Those who are good and have a solid grasp of the knowledge can get from 8 to 8.5 points.

Math test of Nghe An's 10th grade entrance exam for the 2020-2021 school year. Photo: PV

Candidate Le Anh Quan - a student at Truong Thi Secondary School said: In the first 30 minutes, I finished questions 1, 2, 3. The remaining time was spent on question 4 geometry and question 5 solving equations. With question 4, the first idea was not difficult to prove that the quadrilateral is inscribed, but it took me 25 minutes to solve question 4b. At that time, there were still about 30 minutes left but I still could not do questions 4c and 5. As for question 5, I did not have time to read the question.

Although it was not easy to complete the entire test, with moderate questions, many students consoled themselves that they were able to do the basic exercises and get a good score. Photo: Duc Anh

Similarly, candidate Chu Manh Cuong (student of Hong Son Secondary School - Vinh City) is also confident that his test will score 7-8 points: I found this year's test easier, less stressful than last year's test, and within the students' ability. All types of exercises are in the textbook program. I found the student classification in questions 4c and 5 very difficult, the questions were at an advanced level so I couldn't do them. But I did my best.

Personally, I think the Math exam is reasonable, closely following the exam structure for 10th grade high school candidates in the 2020-2021 school year of the Department, suitable for the characteristics of this school year, which is affected by the Covid-19 epidemic.

The questions are clear, differentiate the good students, ensure the recognition and understanding part is about 50 - 60%, the application and high application part is from 40 - 50% of the total score. The difficult questions focus on question 4c and lesson 5, which is a question about shapes and a question about irrational equations. If students can do this question, they must be really capable. In my opinion, the average score this year will be from 6.5 to 7.5 points. To get a score of 9 or 10, students must be really good.

Teacher Ta Thi Thanh Lien - Math teacher - Dang Thai Mai Secondary School

Despite the hot weather, candidates still stayed to check the results. Photo: Duc Anh

In Quy Hop district,Many candidates also commented that the Math test was quite difficult and highly classified students. At the test siteAt Quy Hop 1 High School, there were no cases of leaving the exam room before the scheduled time. "This year's exam was difficult at the last question, but I did the other questions well, about 8.5 points above average" - candidate Dinh Nhat Huyen, a 9A1 student at the town's secondary school shared.

Candidates at the exam site of Quy Hop High School. Photo: Phan Giang

However, many candidates with average academic performance in particularly disadvantaged communes were quite worried because the test was not easy: "This year's test was difficult, the most difficult of which were questions 4 and 5. Personally, I was able to do about 50%" - candidate Sam Thu Kieu (Chau Loc Secondary School) said.

Vo Trong Khanh - the first candidate to leave the exam at Quy Hop 1 High School - said: "Because my academic ability is average, I found some questions difficult. The math test was a bit difficult even though there was enough time for students to do it, but question 5 was difficult, I couldn't do it so I turned in my paper and went home."

At Nghia Dan, many candidates walked out of the exam room in an excited mood and commented that the exam questions were basic, within their ability, and the geometry questions were difficult.

Candidates at the exam site of 1/5 High School - Nghia Dan. Photo: Minh Thai

At the May 1 High School exam site, candidate Le Anh Quan, a student at Quang Tien Secondary School, said: "I think this year, due to the time off from school to practice social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the exam questions are based on the curriculum that has been studied, mainly focusing on the second semester. However, if you do not focus, candidates can easily make mistakes on tricky questions. I see that the Math exam classifies students; the shape questions are strange and difficult, the remaining questions are easy and familiar, but I do not have enough time to do this exam."

Phan Dang Nhat, a student at Nghia Dan town secondary school, said: This year's math questions are spread evenly from the first semester to the second semester. If anyone reviews well and has a firm grasp of the knowledge, they can easily do the test. With question C and the key question that classify students, many students can skip it because they know their ability and do not solve that question, but focus on thinking about the basic questions to secure their score, only when they finish, do they think more to solve.

Candidates at the exam site of Anh Son 3 High School. Photo: Huy Thu

Right after the drum beat signaled the end of the Math exam, the first candidates left the exam site of Anh Son 3 High School in an excited mood. Parents gathered in large numbers in front of the school gate, anxiously waiting to welcome the candidates.

Hoang Thi Ngoc Chan, a candidate from Binh Son Secondary School, said: "The math test this morning was moderately difficult for me. Out of the 5 questions, I finished 4, but question 5 was the most difficult, so I haven't finished it yet."

After the final exam, some candidates will take the entrance exam to specialized schools on July 21. Photo: Duc Anh

Of the three subjects, Math was also the subject Chan did best. As a student who was good at Chemistry at the district level, Chan felt a little regretful about question 5 because she had not finished the test.

Like his friend from the same commune, a student at Binh Son Secondary School, Nguyen Khac Duy shared: The Math test this morning was generally close to the curriculum, especially close to the review content. However, he has not finished the test, question 5 and parts b and c of question 4 are left unfinished.

As an average student, Duy felt that he did okay in Math and expected to get around 5 points. “Of the 3 subjects, I did the best in Literature. After the exam, I felt comfortable and confident, I hope to pass the 10th grade,” Duy said.

Candidates of Con Cuong district exchange papers after completing the final exam. Photo: Ba Hau

In Con Cuong district, after 120 minutes of taking the test, candidates left the exam room worried and said that the test was relatively difficult and had clear differentiation.

After the exam, La Van Son, from Thach Ngan Secondary School, commented that the Math exam was not easy, only students with good academic performance could complete the requirements of the exam. For students with average academic performance, they could only complete about 40% of the exam. According to Son, the most difficult exam was the Geometry section. Personally, he could only complete 50%, and that was not necessarily correct.

Candidate Luu Ngoc Khue, class 9A, Tra Lan Secondary School, commented: The exam has high differentiation, this year's exam is longer but easier than last year. The content of the exam is mainly in the 9th grade program. This year, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, our review content has been shortened and focused. The exam has difficult questions to classify excellent students to get 9 and 10 points. Of which, the Geometry section is the most difficult. However, if you review carefully, you can do well in 60% of the exam.

This year's Math exam structure remains unchanged, but the way the questions are asked is somewhat innovative and creative, requiring candidates to read the practical application questions carefully to be able to answer correctly.

Teacher Nguyen Thi Kieu Oanh, Math Teacher - Tra Lan Secondary School (Con Cuong)

Many parents gathered at the exam sites of Do Luong district. Photo: Ngoc Phuong

In Do Luong district, near the end of the exam, hundreds of parents waited for the candidates in front of the school gate. After the final bell rang, the candidates left the exam room in the blazing heat.

Tran Van Huy, a student at Doi Cung Secondary School, said: "The Math test was quite difficult, but in my opinion, it was within the ability of good students. Questions 4c and 5 were very difficult. I estimate that I will get about 7 points." Tran Kim Huy said: "The whole class could not finish the test, and I only got 60 to 70% of the test."

The hot weather during the two exam days somewhat affected the candidates' test taking. Photo: Duc Anh

Although the weather was quite hot, many students still stayed at the exam site to discuss their answers with their friends. Lam My Khang said: "This year's exam questions were quite suitable for us, but only really good students could complete the entire exam."

Thus, the candidates have completed the 10th grade entrance exam for the 2020-2021 school year. After this exam, more than 2,000 students in the province will continue the exam to enter specialized schools, which will be held on July 21 in Vinh city.

According to the Department of Education and Training, at the end of the 10th grade entrance exam for the 2020-2021 school year, the whole province was absent from 99 candidates, with 3 candidates violating the regulations (1 candidate at the Examination Council of Dien Chau 4 High School; 2 candidates at the Examination Council of Dien Chau 3 High School). There were 2 candidates who arrived late past the prescribed time at the Examination Council of Anh Son 3 Secondary School and 1 candidate had a traffic accident and could not take the exam at the Examination Council of Quynh Luu 2 High School. At the end of 2 days of the exam, no invigilator violated the exam regulations, the exam took place safely and in accordance with the regulations.