| Test | |
January 25, 2015
|
|
| In this society, computers became very small. As a result, cheating on school entrance examinations was very easy. For example, one's eye-glasses could be a wearable computer, even the buttons on one's shirt might be the newest computer; they could scan the question and project the answer onto the test paper, the only thing the examinee would need to do is to trace it. So, schools gave up examining students using normal test papers, and reformed it into like a quiz show. In this large gym, about five hundred applicants for the college's entrance examination were packed sitting in their seats. Each applicant was given a small gadget which had a push-button, a signal light, and a mic. After simple instructions (All the precise instructions were shown on the college site.), the examiner, an announcer-like person with a microphone standing behind a podium on the stage, cleared his voice. His voice was heard from the speakers. "Question one. 'This person is famous for
The examiner said in a cold voice, "I'm sorry to say this, but we already explained about the rule, we don't accept jumping the gun. You can say anything, or you are disqualified." The student murmured something and answered in a small voice, "Margaret Thatcher?" A low buzzer sound occurred showing the answer was incorrect. The student was asked to leave. He was in shock and left his seat, half sobbing. He returned his gadget-set at the door of the exit and walked out. Outside, his shouting voice could be heard, "Disgusting!" There was a big sigh from amongst the other applicants. The examiner said, "Please, please, be careful! Unless you don't want to waste all your efforts from many years of studying." He cleared his throat and proceeded to the second question, "Question: 'Who was the 18th president ...'" The chime rang. There was a big commotion among the applicants. The examiner said in an unbelievable face. "I asked you NOT to become anxiousc I suppose there are not a few countries which have a presidential systemc" The organizers at the end of the stage signaled him to hurry up, he nodded. He said, "Ok, I can't help it." He looked at the direction of the blue signal. He couldn't see the expression of the student because the room was so huge, but he was able to know the student was a boy from the monitor's information. He said, "Number WA723. What's your answer?" The student spoke in the mic, "Charles de Gaulle". The examiner was looking at the monitor in shock. "Can you say it again?" The student repeated. The examiner said, "Ycyour answer is correct." A big commotion occurred among the applicants again. After the room became silent, the examiner cleared his throat, "Ok. The next question. 'This year the rocket was launched to Mars. The jet fuels' first c'" The chime sounded. The blue light flashing was the same student. The examiner was upset. But he didn't say anything unnecessary this time and asked, "What's your answer?" The student answered in a firm voice, "'Tsiolkovsky rocket equation'." The examiner looked at the monitor. He was speechless for a while. He realized the organizer was signaling to him something. He said, "Your answer is correct. And before starting to the next question, we need some time. All applicants, please wait in silence for the time being." The examiner started to read the procedure manual for emergencies on the monitor. It read: If the organizer finds some unnatural things (e.g. Unnatural correctness of the answers before enough of the question was given two times in a row), the organizer must give up using the electric devices immediately. Electric devices could be accessed illegally even though they used the highest quality blocking systems. The questions and answers could be hacked at this moment. Use analogues. Soon, a big envelop and a small envelop were given to the examiner. He opened the big envelop, and took out a telephone-book-like thick binder. Next, he opened the small envelop and took out a paper, which had instructions and secret codes. He started to read the instructions. Then, he looked at the code for question number four, and checked the first page of the binder and got the page number. He flipped the pages of the binder and got the next question. He looked around the applicants and said, "Excuse me, please! Sorry for this interruption. Let's start again." He breathed deeply and started, "Question: 'One of the Vanadium compounds named 5Na/V204, again 5Na/V204 has a c.'" The chime rang. The examiner this time automatically looked at the student. The blue light of the student was flashing. The examiner shook his head and asked, "The answer?" The student replied, "535 degrees Celsius." The examiner sighed and raising both of his hands said, "You are right. The melting point of this compound is 535 degrees Celsius. You got it! You answered three questions. So, you are the first winner of this test. But, how? How did you get the answer? I can't believe it. I guess you might have cheated c" He talked too much. Soon some of the organizers came, and took him out to the wing. In his place, a woman came as a substitute, and grabbed the mic. She smiled and asked the student to leave his seat and do the formality of entering into the college. He followed her instruction. Actually, he didn't have any idea to enter this college. He was young and he was already an expert of computers. He had researched the information of the college and its past examinations' questions through the Internet, and then analyzed the tendency of the questions and predicted the questions this time. He didn't think the professors of this college had the skills or knowledge that could teach him. He just took the test to test his computer skills and to inspect the quality of the professors who made these tests. |
|
| |
*podium :a tall sloping desk for putting an open book, notes for a speech etc on (L)
*jump the gun :to start doing something too soon, especially without thinking about it properly (L)
*can't help :used to say that it is impossible to prevent or avoid sth (O)
*e.g. :for example (O)
*formality :something that the law or an official process says must be done (C)