5-minute listening: Authorities take drastic measures as students in South Korea sit for university entrance exam

More than (i) _____ students in South Korea took a very important national university entrance exam last month. To minimise (ii) _____, authorities took drastic measures, such as halting (iv) _____.

2. What is the purpose of the exam?
A. to select future athletes
B. to pick artistic talents
C. to evaluate physical fitness levels
D. to secure spots in top universities

3. Which word can replace “crucial” in the podcast?
A. essential
B. pointless
C. powerful
D. unique

4. According to the podcast, what do students think they will gain by doing well on the exam?
(1) a better chance of studying overseas
(2) better job opportunities
(3) higher social status

A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. all of the above

5. Which of the following measures were taken during the exam?
(1) airlines halted their services for the entire day
(2) airborne planes were kept at a certain altitude for a period of time
(3) most aircraft take-offs and landings were banned
(4) public offices and major businesses were asked to adjust their opening hours

A. (1), (2) and (3) only
B. (1), (3) and (4) only
C. (1), (2) and (4) only
D. (2), (3) and (4) only

6. How did authorities assist students running late for the exam?
A. provided vouchers for them to hire private transport
B. sent police cars and government officials to get them to exam venues
C. extended the exam duration by one hour
D. arranged for a separate exam session on the same day

7. According to the podcast, which of the following best describes “killer questions”?
A. questions that hint at topics related to death
B. questions that are taught in public schools
C. questions that cannot be answered easily
D. information not given

8. How were questions for this year’s exam selected?
A. They were selected at random.
B. They were written by university professors.
C. They were mostly based on private school curricula.
D. They were chosen according to what is taught in public schools.

9. What were the objectives behind the design of the exam questions according to the podcast?
(1) to ensure fairness in the exam
(2) to encourage students to attend cram schools
(3) to challenge students’ knowledge beyond the curriculum

A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. none of the above

10. What is a major reason for South Korea’s high teenage depression and suicide rates?
A. its education system
B. economic instability
C. internet addiction
D. lack of government support

11. How much did South Korean households spend on private education last year?
A. less than US$10 billion
B. more than US$20 billion
C. about US$100 million
D. information not given

12. Which of the following statements best summarises the podcast?
A. It talks about the detrimental effects of South Korea’s education system.
B. It highlights the impacts of the national university entrance exam on students’ mental health.
C. It shows measures taken during the national university entrance exam in South Korea.
D. It explores the relationship between private education spending and marriage prospects in South Korea.

1. (i) half a million; (ii) distraction; (iii) flights
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. D
6. B
7. C
8. D
9. D
10. A
11. B
12. C

Source: Agence France-Presse

Voice 1: More than half a million students in South Korea sat the crucial national university entrance exam last month, with authorities taking extraordinary measures, including halting flights to minimise distraction.

Voice 2: This year’s test also marks the first time test-takers took the exam without wearing masks since the pandemic began. The nine-hour exam, taken by 504,588 pupils this year, is crucial for securing spots in top universities. It is also considered key to obtaining elevated social status, lucrative careers, and even marriage prospects.

Voice 1: The importance of the test, locally known as “suneung”, is reflected in the aggressive measures that authorities take to prevent any disturbance. To reduce noise disruption during the listening portion of the English test, Seoul’s transport ministry announced a nationwide ban on all aircraft take-offs and landings outside emergency situations.

Voice 2: The ban lasted 35 minutes, from 1.05pm to 1.40pm local time. With the exception of aircraft in distress, all airborne planes had to maintain an altitude higher than 3,000 metres during the restricted time. More than 90 flights had to be rescheduled because of the exam.

Voice 1: Public offices and major businesses were asked to adjust their opening hours to 10am or later to alleviate traffic congestion and ensure students arrived on time for the nationwide exam, which commenced at 8.40am. Police cars and regional government officials were also on standby to help students running late for the exam reach their test sites in time.

Voice 2: For this year’s exam, authorities dropped “killer questions” – which cannot be answered by simply studying the curriculum taught at public schools – in a bid to reduce reliance on expensive private cram schools. According to Jeong Moon-seong, a university professor who supervised the exam’s administration this year, questions of suitable difficulty were selected evenly to ensure that students could demonstrate their understanding based solely on the content covered in the public education curriculum.

Voice 1: The enormous pressure placed on students in South Korea’s ultra-competitive education system has been blamed for teenage depression and suicide rates, which are among the highest in the world. South Korean households spent more than US$20 billion on private education for primary, middle and high school students last year, according to Statistics Korea.