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French students concerned they're not 'coping' with English exam question French students concerned they're not 'coping' with English exam question
(7 months later)
French students are calling on their country's education minister to cancel a tricky question in their final year English exam.French students are calling on their country's education minister to cancel a tricky question in their final year English exam.
The question that appears to have stumped students used a passage from novelist Ian McEwan's book 'Atonement'.The question that appears to have stumped students used a passage from novelist Ian McEwan's book 'Atonement'.
It asked students to list three of the central character's concerns and asked how he was "coping with the situation".It asked students to list three of the central character's concerns and asked how he was "coping with the situation".
The word "coping" appears to have been the crux of the problem.The word "coping" appears to have been the crux of the problem.
"Coping" ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? #BacAnglais
Following the exam students took to Twitter to voice their frustration using the hashtag #BacAnglais.Following the exam students took to Twitter to voice their frustration using the hashtag #BacAnglais.
Twitter user @Zahnerosky wrote (in French) that "today I passed my test of written English incomprehension", while @Tota_lement was even more emphatic, tweeting: "WHAT WAS THIS QUESTION M IN THE BAC D’ANGLAIS SERIOUSLY"Twitter user @Zahnerosky wrote (in French) that "today I passed my test of written English incomprehension", while @Tota_lement was even more emphatic, tweeting: "WHAT WAS THIS QUESTION M IN THE BAC D’ANGLAIS SERIOUSLY"
Question M2 #BacAnglais ---> ¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿ pic.twitter.com/SpPZU8H3O1
By Monday an online petition calling on Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the education minister, to 'Cancel Question M', started by one baffled baccalaureate student, had gathered more than 10,000 signatures.By Monday an online petition calling on Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the education minister, to 'Cancel Question M', started by one baffled baccalaureate student, had gathered more than 10,000 signatures.
But not everyone has been as sympathetic to the students' difficulties.But not everyone has been as sympathetic to the students' difficulties.
I have more than three concerns if French students can't cope with difficult questions without starting petitions #QuestionM #BacAnglais
The baccalaureate English exam is taken by students, typically at age 17, in their final year at school.The baccalaureate English exam is taken by students, typically at age 17, in their final year at school.