Table of Contents
Many people in South Korea took a big test. More than 550,000 people took the test on November 13.
This test is very important. Students need this test to go to the best universities. Many people think the test helps them have a successful life.
More students took the test this year. It was the most students in seven years. Most students were born in 2007. In 2007, many babies were born because people thought it was a very lucky year.
The test lasts for nine hours.
The country helped the students for the test. The government stopped all flights in the country during the English listening test. Planes could not land or take off for 35 minutes. This was from 1:05 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. About 140 flights had to wait.
Police helped students get to the test places on time. Many offices started work one hour later so there was less car traffic.
A total of 554,174 people signed up for the exam. 6% more than last year.
Vocabulary
- Take a test – To answer questions to see what you know; do a test
- Successful – Achieving what you wanted; having the effect or result you intended; to do correctly or finish something you wanted to do
- Born – To come out of a mother’s body as a baby
- Lucky – Having good things happen to you by chance or no reason
- Last – to continue; to continue to exist; to continue for a period of time; to keep going
- Government – the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Flight – a trip on a plane; travel by airplane; a journey/trip made by an airplane
- Listening test – A part of an exam where you listen to words/stories and answer questions
- Land – to come down from the air/sky and touch the ground;
- Take off – When a plane starts flying and goes up into the sky from the ground
- Traffic – The movement of cars, trucks, and other vehicles on the road; it can also mean too many cars and trucks on the road moving slowly
- Total – The final number when you add everything together
- Sign up – to join; to apply for; agree to do something
- Exam – test; a set of questions to check your knowledge; a set of challenges to check your skills
Discussion Questions
- Is it good that the test takes nine hours? Why or why not?
- Do you think the government should stop planes for a school test? Why is this a problem for travelers?
- Why do you think students in South Korea need this test to have a successful life?
- If your school started one hour later to help students, would you like it? Why?
- Do you think one very big test is the best way to choose who goes to a good university? What else could schools use?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Many _____ in South Korea took a big test. More than 550,000 people took the test _____ November 13.
This test is very important. Students need _____ test to go to the best universities. Many people think the _____ helps them have a successful life.
_____ students took the test this year. It was the most students in _____ years. Most students were born in 2007. In _____, many babies were born because people thought it was a _____ lucky year.
The test lasts for nine _____.
The country helped the students for the _____. The government stopped all flights in the country during the _____ listening test. Planes could not land or take off for _____ minutes. This was from 1:05 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. About _____ flights had to wait.
Police helped students get to the _____ places on time. Many offices started work one hour later so _____ was less car traffic.
A total of 554,174 _____ signed up for the exam. 6% more than last _____.
