Teachers from Nghe An province comment on the Literature exam.

This year's Literature exam has a familiar structure with three parts: reading comprehension, social commentary, and literary analysis.

Literature exam paper. Photo: My Ha

Commenting on this year's exam, Ms. Nguyen Khanh Ly, a Literature teacher at Vinh University High School for Gifted Students, said: The exam adheres to the structure and presentation style of a National High School Graduation Exam in Literature.

The exam questions met the requirements and difficulty level of a graduation exam while still having the ability to differentiate students – especially the literary essay question.

The exam questions revolve around core knowledge, closely following the content of the high school Literature curriculum. However, those expecting a breakthrough or something new compared to previous years may not see that immediately.

Candidates in Vinh City complete the Literature exam. Photo: Duc Anh

Going into detail about each question, teacher Nguyen Khanh Ly added:Reading Comprehension Section:The exam content is quite relevant to high school students, addressing the beauty and aspirations of youth. Questions 1 and 2 are easy, allowing students to achieve perfect scores. Questions 3 and 4 are more challenging but are still types of questions students have practiced many times. Overall, the reading comprehension section is not difficult for students. Students will be able to answer it and achieve high scores.

Social commentary essay question:The issues raised regarding the responsibilities of young people are not new; they have been discussed extensively, and students will certainly not be unfamiliar with them. However, despite the familiarity of the topic, a fresh writing style and a bolder approach are still needed to avoid falling into rhetoric, clichés, and slogans. Young people today have stronger opinions and more independent thinking, so I hope they can express practical, fresh ideas that truly reflect the concerns of their generation, without having to follow any dogmatic model.

Literature is the only subject tested in essay format. Photo: My Ha

Literary essay questionThe exam included a section on literary knowledge, which is one of the key topics for review this year. "The Boat Far Away" by Nguyen Minh Chau.This is a very good but also very difficult text. The excerpt mentioned is part of the core knowledge, but writing it coherently, systematically, and profoundly, highlighting the symbolic meaning of the image of the boat in the distance and Nguyen Minh Chau's artistic concept, is not easy. Because the excerpt is short, the analysis needs to be deeper and requires a deeper understanding of literature. Students may easily fall into the trap of simply paraphrasing and commenting on the beauty of the natural scene.

Candidates preparing to take the Literature exam. Photo: Thanh Yen

There are unread articles.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, a Literature teacher at Quynh Luu 2 High School, also assessed this year's Literature exam as closely following the textbook curriculum and guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Training. In particular, the reading comprehension question, which presented a poem by Nguyen Trong Tao about youth, wasn't entirely unfamiliar, but it still evoked emotions in students, reflecting the connection between the previous generation and the present.

The social commentary question also continues this theme: Students are encouraged to write about youth and their own responsibilities, making them more enthusiastic and inclined to express their thoughts and opinions. "In my opinion, reading comprehension and social commentary questions, in addition to testing knowledge, demonstrating writing skills, and social awareness, also have high educational value," Ms. Huong stated.

Candidates participating in the 2022 High School Graduation Examination. Photo: Duc Anh

Regarding the literary essay question, the work "The Boat Far Away" by writer Nguyen Minh Chau is not unfamiliar and is within the focus of the review, so it will not surprise candidates. However, many candidates may be surprised that the question focuses on the beginning of the work.

For average students, it's easy to get an average score and analyze the basic ideas in the excerpt. However, the second part of the question is designed to differentiate between high-achieving students. Writing a complete and insightful analysis of Nguyen Minh Chau's message in this literary essay is not easy.

Candidates check their Literature exam papers. Photo: Duc Anh

I really appreciate the way the question was phrased, because Nguyen Minh Chau's writing is excellent but also difficult to analyze in depth. If only a single excerpt were given in the question, the thematic ideas of Nguyen Minh Chau's work wouldn't be fully grasped. However, the second question, "From that, relate the image of the boat in the excerpt to the image of a boat battling the waves in the lagoon as described in the story to draw a message about the relationship between art and life," requires the candidate to connect the dots, compare the excerpt to the entire work, and clarify the depth of the text.

Between the image of the dreamy, peaceful boat in the excerpt, and the small, lonely boat struggling against the waves, the photographer is transported from romantic dreams to the realities of life. Just as art must originate from and not be detached from reality.

Overall, the exam questions are not overly difficult and clearly differentiate students' abilities, allowing them to achieve their desired scores based on their academic level and goals. However, to achieve a score of 9 or 10, students must possess strong literary skills, demonstrating the ability to appreciate, analyze, compare, and construct logical arguments. With this exam, I expect and hope to find excellent, creative, and emotionally resonant essays from the candidates.

According to the Department of Education and Training's report: In the first exam session, 23 candidates were absent without explanation for the Literature exam. There were no violations of exam regulations and no unusual incidents occurred. The exam session proceeded normally and safely.