English Examination 1961

[oggbashan]

I have just unearthed my Australian University Entrance Examination papers from December 1961.

English Expression was compulsory for all students. There were 5 questions to be completed in three hours.

Question 1 was a 400-500 word essay with a choice of 8 topics.[36 marks]
Question 2 was a 322 word passage to be précised down to 110 words. [14 marks]
Question 4 was a 500 word passage with the main arguments to be outlined in no more than half a page and 'then show where the reasoning is sound or unsound'. [20 marks]
Question 5 had two alternatives on the two set books. [12 marks] I had chosen Churchill's 'My Early Life'. The alternatives were:
a) Give a brief account of an adventure in Egypt or South Africa in which Churchill participated. What qualities did Churchill display on this occasion?
b) This book may be divided into three sections - Churchill's education, his army life in India and Egypt, and his adventures in South Africa. Which section interested you most? Why?
I chose b) and South Africa.

Here is Question 3 [18 marks] in full:
a) Give the opposites of the following words:
deft; opaque; taciturn; malign; liberate.
b) Chose any one of the following groups of words (e.g., deport, evict, evacuate) and by means of either definition or explanation show how each of the words within the group is different from the others:
kleptomaniac, plagiarist, pirate.
boycott, expel, abandon.
deport, evict, evacuate.
nomad, tourist, explorer.
c) the following words have their roots in the Greek and Latin languages. Choose any two pairs of words and identify the sources from which the words come, at the same time showing how the meaning of each of the chosen words can be made clear through a knowledge of these sources:
antipathy, sympathy
television, telegram
geology, astrology
benevolent, malevolent
monotone, monopoly
transport, export
biography, autograph
postscript, postpone

I don't think I could do this examination in three hours now. It was compulsory for everyone - arts and science - and failure in this paper meant failure to qualify for university entrance.

How would you do?

Og

PS. My other subjects were English Literature, French, Geography and Latin

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I have just unearthed my Australian University Entrance Examination papers from December 1961.

English Expression was compulsory for all students. There were 5 questions to be completed in three hours.

Question 1 was a 400-500 word essay with a choice of 8 topics.[36 marks]
Question 2 was a 322 word passage to be précised down to 110 words. [14 marks]
Question 4 was a 500 word passage with the main arguments to be outlined in no more than half a page and 'then show where the reasoning is sound or unsound'. [20 marks]
Question 5 had two alternatives on the two set books. [12 marks] I had chosen Churchill's 'My Early Life'. The alternatives were:
a) Give a brief account of an adventure in Egypt or South Africa in which Churchill participated. What qualities did Churchill display on this occasion?
b) This book may be divided into three sections - Churchill's education, his army life in India and Egypt, and his adventures in South Africa. Which section interested you most? Why?
I chose b) and South Africa.

Here is Question 3 [18 marks] in full:
a) Give the opposites of the following words:
deft; opaque; taciturn; malign; liberate.
b) Chose any one of the following groups of words (e.g., deport, evict, evacuate) and by means of either definition or explanation show how each of the words within the group is different from the others:
kleptomaniac, plagiarist, pirate.
boycott, expel, abandon.
deport, evict, evacuate.
nomad, tourist, explorer.
c) the following words have their roots in the Greek and Latin languages. Choose any two pairs of words and identify the sources from which the words come, at the same time showing how the meaning of each of the chosen words can be made clear through a knowledge of these sources:
antipathy, sympathy
television, telegram
geology, astrology
benevolent, malevolent
monotone, monopoly
transport, export
biography, autograph
postscript, postpone

I don't think I could do this examination in three hours now. It was compulsory for everyone - arts and science - and failure in this paper meant failure to qualify for university entrance.

How would you do?

Og

PS. My other subjects were English Literature, French, Geography and Latin

It's simply amazing how far the educational system has degraded. When I was taking college level Trig, my mother happened upon her nith or tenth grade mat primer. Half the questions in it were beyond the skill level I had half way through college trig (and I was passing!)

 

[BlackShanglan]

I guess I'm lucky. We did this sort of thing in my high school. In fact, my final examination question for English, if I recall, was to take Eliot's poem "The Wasteland" and, using the central symbolic figure of a wheel suspended on the axis of life and death with the ocean below and changing sky (arid and rain-giving) above, enunciate the central tensions of the poem and show how Eliot's symbolism and iconography covey the chief themes. Being me, I loved it. That was one hell of a teacher.

I like the questions on this exam, particulary the ones asking students to examine word origins and interesting gradations of meaning. I think it's good philosophical exercise to think, for example, about what precisely is different between a kleptomaniac, a plagiarist, and a pirate. Neat idea.

Assuming I'd read the Churchill selection, I think I would quite enjoy this.

Shanglan

(PS - Like the title, by the way.)

 

[carsonshepherd]

I guess I'm lucky. We did this sort of thing in my high school. In fact, my final examination question for English, if I recall, was to take Eliot's poem "The Wasteland" and, using the central symbolic figure of a wheel suspended on the axis of life and death with the ocean below and changing sky (arid and rain-giving) above, enunciate the central tensions of the poem and show how Eliot's symbolism and iconography covey the chief themes. Being me, I loved it. That was one hell of a teacher.

I like the questions on this exam, particulary the ones asking students to examine word origins and interesting gradations of meaning. I think it's good philosophical exercise to think, for example, about what precisely is different between a kleptomaniac, a plagiarist, and a pirate. Neat idea.

Assuming I'd read the Churchill selection, I think I would quite enjoy this.

Shanglan

(PS - Like the title, by the way.)

you belong in a museum.


But I love you anyway

 

[BlackShanglan]

you belong in a museum.


But I love you anyway

Well, I did rather live in the British Museum for a while. Happy days they were, too.

And I love you right back.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

You don't even want to know about my high school English experience. If I recall, it involved watching movies and then writing five paragraph essays about them. I would've been totally unprepared for an exam like that.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

It's simply amazing how far the educational system has degraded. When I was taking college level Trig, my mother happened upon her nith or tenth grade mat primer. Half the questions in it were beyond the skill level I had half way through college trig (and I was passing!)

I honestly think that a substancial part of that idea is a result of us forgetting what highschool was really like. I mean, it's been only five years ago for me, and when I take a look at my university admission exams, I don't even know what they are talking about, let alone answer the questions. But five years ago, when I was completely immersed in math and trig studies, seven or eight hours a day, I scored a 96.5%.

 

[BlackShanglan]

You don't even want to know about my high school English experience. If I recall, it involved watching movies and then writing five paragraph essays about them. I would've been totally unprepared for an exam like that.

Ah, the five-paragraph essay. Numerologists' contribution to the educational system.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Ah, the five-paragraph essay. Numerologists' contribution to the educational system.

hey, i went to the same school she did, and I actually had to read the book. No fair!

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Carson and I didn't have English together, only driver's ed. and physical education.
*snicker*

 

[Dar~]

Carson and I didn't have English together, only driver's ed. and physical education.
*snicker*

Did you beat him up alot in gym class???

Carson, was that back oin the days of everyone changing for showers in the same room?

 

[Op_Cit]

How would you do?

Winston who?

It is interesting to note that even back then political bias was being injected into unrelated subjects. (Like, for example, how present day environmental activist concepts are injected into some mathematics coursework.)

Or did I misunderstand and they didn't mean English as in language/grammar, etc.?

 

[oggbashan]

Winston who?

It is interesting to note that even back then political bias was being injected into unrelated subjects. (Like, for example, how present day environmental activist concepts are injected into some mathematics coursework.)

Or did I misunderstand and they didn't mean English as in language/grammar, etc.?

You didn't misunderstand. It was an English Expression paper. English Literature was a separate subject. There were two set books. One was a specially compiled set of essays and passages from English Literature, the other was Churchill's 'My Early Life'. The Churchill would have been replaced for the following year.

The 'themes', as they would have been termed today, were the development of the English Language, grammar, comprehension, précis, logic, rhetoric and presentation of argument.

The essay topics showed the bias even more noticeably. I chose to write on the subject 'Television is an idiot box' which was less biased than some.

This paper was compulsory for everyone who wanted to go to university, even for the sports jocks. It had to be passed or no entry.

Og

 

[Guest]

Well, I did rather live in the British Museum for a while. Happy days they were, too.

And I love you right back.

You don't want to live in this museum. While they already have a couple horses there (Trigger & Buttermilk), they're stuffed.

From the website : "You know, Trigger is one of our most popular exhibits. He is mounted like so many people remember him - rearing up on his hind legs."

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Did you beat him up alot in gym class???

Carson, was that back in the days of everyone changing for showers in the same room?

it wasn't that long ago, lol
and no, I only beat him up in private.
we both managed not to get our asses kicked.

 

[rgraham666]

I would have failed no matter how hard I studied. I can't write fast enough in cursive to write that many words in three hours.

And I wouldn't have bothered. The school system had discarded me as uneducable when I was nine years old.

 

[Guest]

I would have failed no matter how hard I studied. I can't write fast enough in cursive to write that many words in three hours.

And I wouldn't have bothered. The school system had discarded me as uneducable when I was nine years old.

At the risk of making a off the cuff diagnosis, you may have dysgraphia. As an adult, I decided I have it in some form. My schoolwork improved dramatically once I learned to type.

And you'll probably not be surprised to discover, many school districts are still more than willing to cast aside up to 30% of their students because they have the audacity to not learn like everyone else.

 

[rgraham666]

At the risk of making a off the cuff diagnosis, you may have dysgraphia. As an adult, I decided I have it in some form. My schoolwork improved dramatically once I learned to type.

And you'll probably not be surprised to discover, many school districts are still more than willing to cast aside up to 30% of their students because they have the audacity to not learn like everyone else.

I know that now. But forty years ago there were only two types of students in the school system, normal and stupid. I wasn't normal.

 

[Guest]

But forty years ago there were only two types of students in the school system, normal and stupid. I wasn't normal.

Now its normal and special. Special are taught less material, and are not then going to be ready for state mandated tests they have to pass to graduate, and instead will be given "Certificates of Completion" instead of diplomas and kicked out into the street.

At least, that's how it is going to begin working around here.

The first class that has to pass the test to graduate comes up in a year or two. Watch the fun fireworks when parents discover that their students, who have passed all their coursework, will not be graduating. Ah, the fun, the frolicks, the political upheaval.

My child is in private school, so I'm just going to pull up a lawn chair, and an iced cooler of beer and watch the fun.

 

[R. Richard]

I have just unearthed my Australian University Entrance Examination papers from December 1961.

English Expression was compulsory for all students. There were 5 questions to be completed in three hours.

Question 1 was a 400-500 word essay with a choice of 8 topics.[36 marks]
Question 2 was a 322 word passage to be précised down to 110 words. [14 marks]
Question 4 was a 500 word passage with the main arguments to be outlined in no more than half a page and 'then show where the reasoning is sound or unsound'. [20 marks]
Question 5 had two alternatives on the two set books. [12 marks] I had chosen Churchill's 'My Early Life'. The alternatives were:
a) Give a brief account of an adventure in Egypt or South Africa in which Churchill participated. What qualities did Churchill display on this occasion?
b) This book may be divided into three sections - Churchill's education, his army life in India and Egypt, and his adventures in South Africa. Which section interested you most? Why?

How would you do?

Og

PS. My other subjects were English Literature, French, Geography and Latin

Og: You have no idea how lucky you were to be educated in Oz. In the inner city schools where I sometimes attended:

Question 1: At some point in time we had to write a one page essay on how a pencil sharpener worked. I was one of three students in the school who passed.

Question 2 was a 322 word passage to be précised down to 110 words. [14 marks] You must be kidding. In my schools the immediate question would be, "Do we have to copy the drawings as well and what the hell is précis?" The next item would have been a whine that Donald Duck was difficult to précis.

Question 4 was a 500 word passage with the main arguments to be outlined in no more than half a page and 'then show where the reasoning is sound or unsound'. I wrote what might be described as a scathing attack on such an assignment, pointing out that the writer's exposition of his/her emotional state did not qualify as reasoning.

Question 5 had two alternatives on the two set books. [12 marks] I had chosen Churchill's 'My Early Life'. The alternatives were:
a) Give a brief account of an adventure in Egypt or South Africa in which Churchill participated. What qualities did Churchill display on this occasion?
b) This book may be divided into three sections - Churchill's education, his army life in India and Egypt, and his adventures in South Africa. Which section interested you most? Why?
First of all, no one in the schools I attended, with the exception of myself knew who Winston Churchill was. I suspect that a few of the other students knew, at least vaguely that Egypt and India were countries, somewhere. The idea of South Africa would have been a sort of vague idea that South Africa was the south part of Africa, Africa being a country or something.

My other subjects were: Advanced Algebra and Analytic Geometry [3 students, one teacher], Physics [4 students, 1 incompetent], US History [Almost all of the students could say, if not spell the name of the city and most could also identify the state], Varsity Football, basketball, track [If you flunk ol' R. Richard just 'cause he be calling the English teacher a fat, stupid, ugly, bitch, who gonna' play the kinda shut-down corner that he play? Now, looky here, you done flunk "White Lighning," we aint got no chance at no state championship. We can win the by-damn league title if ol' R. Richard stay and win the long jump and get points in the 400.]

 

[SeaCat]

LOLOL
And to think I was almost expelled from High School because I wrote a small paper on the Censorship of American History in High School text books using World War Two as an example. I used text books published between the years of 1965 and 1980 as reference, as well as the open records of the Red Cross and other historical works available in Libraries.

Unfortunately the paper was written for a class taught by a rabidly anti german teacher who disagreed with several of my examples based on Germanies acts in World War Two. He flunked the paper and I taking issue with this and brought it before the school commitee. (Great fun but it almost caused me to be flunked out of High School.

Cat

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

Considering how much damage high school and college writing classes did to my writing ability at the time I was taking them, I can't be all that dismayed at the "lower quality" of today's english students.

Overall I can't see myself doing poorly on that test. Question 4 might give me a stumble because knowing me I'd through in some sarcastic quip in the unsound section that'd make the reader downgrade it. English teachers hated me and I hated them back. Usually because I could write better than them. And that's not smug egotism, that's honesty. I had really stuck up english teachers.

Would have loved a question 3 or 2 on one of my tests instead of another endless stream of going over vocab words I already knew. Wished they still taught greek and latin roots in english classes, they're so useful, especially in the sciences.

And Cat, I had something similar my senior year of high school. Had a teacher obsessed with psychology and the works of Frankl and so for my final thesis, I talked about manipulation, weaknesses in psychology, and the problem of "groupthink". She flunked the paper, but passed me in the class.

 

[jfinn]

I could've passed it when I was eighteen, but not now. Part C would do me in. I took Latin and with a little Greek thrown in, in high school, but who remembers. Like Shanglan I was lucky enough to go to a really excellent schools. Didn't know that at the time of course; I thought everyone was required to learn French starting in the third grade and Chaucer at fourteen. It came as something of a shock to realize that compared to my high school, college was a breeze since so much of it covered areas I'd already studied.

Jayne

 

[oggbashan]

Question 1

Composition (400-500 words). Discuss one of the following topics:

a) With Britain in the Common Market, Australia might as well leave the British Commonwealth.

b) Australians pay only lip-service to the equality of the sexes.

c) The advance of science has harmed more than helped mankind.

d) Our society seems to be based on the belief that the fool's opinion is as good as the wise man's.

e) I see no good reason for anyone to travel to the moon.

f) Television is an idiot-box.

g) Neighbours should be rarely seen and never heard.

h) However free they may think themselves, men are still slaves to fashion.

I chose f.

Og

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I've read Churchill's My early Life. I would still have problems, but could probably muddle through. I coul dprobably pass, but I am not betting I would do particularly well.

I am willing to bet that not a single High School senior that graduated from this town, this year would have a chance in hell.