The listening test, Part 2

The uniformity of the human mind.

It’s Saturday, wet, and I’m marking next lot of listening tests. If I don’t do this lot now, I’m going to have them and the writing I gave my classes as homework piling up on me.

Don’t copy off each other, I tell them. The tests are informal, but I’d like them to do their own work. I’m not seeing that because Student B’s answers match Student A’s a little too closely.

23. What tends to affect everyone’s ability to think clearly?
Students A and B: Gender.

What are the odds? Actual answer: either Anxiety or Worry. And there we go again. Students C and D have both written “fishing” as the answer to the second question. (See also below for another answer to this question.) But then they diverge for a time before drifting back together.

15. What was her attitude if the seeds she planted failed to grow?
Student’s answer: Vegetables.

Mariella looked at the lifeless soil. “Vegetables!” she swore to herself. 

21. What lifestyle factors affect the memory according to the expert? Give two examples.

One of the student’s answers: Having flesh air.

One of another student’s answers: have absent mind.

The answer of the first student to the next question is “Brains can radiate out”. HP Lovecraft reincarnated?

Here’s a new one. Question 7. Correct answer in one gap, “microwaves operate”. Student’s answer, “micro waves offer a rate”.

2. Helga and her brother are talking about buying a birthday present for their father. What sort of present do they decide he would prefer?

Student’s answer: A book about car raising.

On the other hand, this student got 86%.

I’m getting sick of seeing “for several times” yet again, which is perhaps an analogical extension of time phrases such as “for three days”. This is a very common error, which makes me wonder whether they’ve had some blanket statement about using “for” with time/frequency phrases, but the finer details of using the construction were omitted.

This is all less bad than the sort of dull, dreary mechanical writing I’m likely to see from them next week. I also had qualms about the topic, which was about nominating a favourite teacher for an award. I’m hoping there will be variety. I’m dreading that they might all write about me in the hope that flattery improves their chances.

And the weather has just got shittier. First thunderstorm of the year.

Done. Time to play.