Most junior-high school students would open a coffee shop if they were to run their own business, the writing test in this year’s Comprehensive Assessment Program for Junior High School Students showed.
More than 200,000 students took part in the high-school entrance exams on May 16 and 17.
The subject of this year’s writing test was if they were to open a shop, what kind would it be?
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
A coffee shop was the most popular choice, followed by a grocery store and a restaurant, Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung Normal University principal Lee Chin-yang (李金鴦), who participated in scoring the essays, told a public briefing hosted by the Ministry of Education in Taipei on Saturday.
A student at Miaoli County’s Gongguan Junior High School wrote that he would like to open an eatery selling noodles with pickled mustard, a traditional Hakka dish, Lee said.
In his essay the student wrote of the language barrier between him and his grandfather, which was eventually overcome as the grandfather passed down his craft of cooking noodles, Lee said.
A student from New Taipei Municipal Zhong-Zheng Junior High School wrote that he would like to inherit his father’s laser etching store, Lee said.
The student took a creative approach when explaining the art of laser etching, highlighting his father’s craftsmanship, she said.
The student described his parents quarreling over their livelihood, and revealed a moving familial bond, she said, adding that the essay expertly juxtaposed mundane and spiritual themes to elicit a strong emotional response.
A student at Taipei’s Chinghsin Academy Affiliated Junior High School said that they would like to set up a shop selling memories, Lee said.
The piece focused on a beautiful girl who is tormented by her memories and used the metaphor of an old castle to symbolize the memories buried deep in her mind, she said, adding that the essay’s style resembled that of Eileen Chang’s (張愛玲) Half a Lifelong Romance (半生緣).
A student from Taipei Municipal Lanya Junior High School said that they would like to open a record store, saying that the power of music can change people’s lives for the better.
A student at Taitung’s Hsin Sheng Junior School said that they would like to open a store selling fans, elaborating on the merits of the fan and giving a detailed description of their imaginary store, Lee said, adding that the piece lingered in her mind after she had finished grading it.
A moving essay for 15-year-olds is one that is genuine and allows their youth to shine through, Lee said.
It does not have to cater to the examiners, but has to be emotionally involving, well-planned and powerful, she said.
The ministry’s data showed that of the more than 200,000 test takers, 1,588 received a perfect score in the writing test, while 2,986 scored zero.
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