The Gaokao

I became interested in the gaokao when my correspondent, Severine, mentioned it in her response. When I looked it up, I was shocked to find how different China's college admission procedure is from America's. The more I found out about the gaokao, the more I became interested.

The gaokao is China's national college entrance exam. The two-day exam determines not only where the students will attend college, but also what they will study. Severine describes it as "A very important exam in China. Students like me have to pass the Gaokao and get a good grade then go to a university." (Dong) Students are under a lot of pressure to do well, and spend most of their high school years preparing for the test. According to Custer, "The final year of high school, especially, is often focused intensely on preparation for the exam, and it isn't unheard of for parents to quit their jobs to help their children study during this year. This pressure has even been linked to some case of depression and suicide among Chinese teens." (Custer)

Students taking the gaokao exam.

Extreme measures are taken to prevent cheating. Cameras are placed in every classroom, and students have to go through security scanners, like the ones in airports, as well as use finger print scanners. Wearing bras has even been banned to prevent students from sneaking in cameras and receivers. Every year around 9 million graduating seniors take the test, which takes place in June. Of the 9 million students only about 7 million will have high enough scores to be admitted to a university. (Schrock) Students who are not accepted to a college can either choose to enter the work force or repeat their last year of high school.

American teens, including myself, dread taking the ACT and SAT, but after reading about the gaokao I consider myself lucky. In China, your acceptance to college depends solely on a test score that you only get one chance to take, but in America not only can you take the ACT/SAT as many times as you want but colleges look at more than your test score. Not only that, but we also have the ultimate say in where we go to college.

Works Cited:

Dong, Severine. "Re: Autobiography Correspondence." Message to Caroline Knetzer. 7 Nov. 2014. E-mail.

Custer, Charles. "The Gaokao." About. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. <http://chineseculture.about.com/od/historyofchina/fl/The-Gaokao.htm>.

Schrock, John Richard. "The Gaokao-The Test Where Time Stands Still -University World News." RSS. 13 June 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014 <http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140612091916875>.


"China exam season: questions to make you quail." Telegraph Online 9 June 2009. Student Resources in Context. Web. 9 Nov. 2014. <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/NewsDetailsPage/NewsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=SUIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display-query=&mode=view&displayGroupName=News&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA311645754&source=Bookmark&u=spri34014&jsid=41c596ea209ad4b46cb6a6473af7434a>.

In Class Response

During class today, we looked at many things that had to with racism and discrimination. I didn't really understand the point of taking the implicit bias test. I thought it was strange and inaccurate because I received results that I don't necessarily agree with. I don't see how a simple test like that can determine which race a person prefers.

Listening to the Face-to-Face responses was eye opening for me. I realized how many people were affected by 9/11 and Pearl Harbor first hand, even though they weren't in New York City or at Pearl Harbor during the attacks The story that stuck out to me was about the Muslim guy that was harassed by his boss. Three days after 9/11 happened his boss called him into his office and said he needed to check him for bombs. I couldn't believe that someone could be so ignorant.

Another story that I found interesting was about the Japanese American who was so tired of being harassed by the FBI after Pearl Harbor that he hung himself in his barn. This particular story reminded me of the police violence that has happened recently. It's surprising to me that after more than seventy years US citizens are still being harassed because of their race, not only by the government but also by other citizens.

Reading Response #3: If I Stay

If I Stay

By Gayle Forman

Mia, an extremely gifted cellist, had always thought the hardest choice she would ever have to make was between attending her dream school, Julliard, and choosing a different path to stay with her boyfriend, Adam. When a family drive to her grandparent's house ends badly, everything is changed. As Mia lays in the hospital in a medically induced coma she must make the ultimate choice. Mia must decide whether to die, or whether to live in a world without her mother, father, and younger brother who were all killed in the crash.

While Mia is in the ICU, a nurse comes in and starts talking about how Mia "runs the show." Because of what the nurse said Mia realizes that she's the one who decides her fate. "If I stay. If I live. It's up to me. All this business about medically induced comas is just doctor talk. It's not up to the doctors. It's not up to the absentee angels. It's not even up to God who, if He exists, is nowhere around right now. It's up to me." (Page 74)

If I Stay doesn't just focus on death, though. The book is mostly flashbacks, which emphasize how hard of a choice Mia has to make. The flashbacks show Mia's relationships with her best friend, boyfriend, and her family, and her love for classical music.

Chloe Grace Moretz as Mia 

I chose to include a picture of Mia playing the cello because music seems to be the center of the novel. Mia is a musician, her parents were musicians, and even her boyfriend is a musician. Mia notices that the song playing in the car before the crash continues playing after. I think in this book music is a metaphor for life itself. Life, much like the song in Mia's car, goes on even after death and tragedy.

The plot of If I Stay has the potential to be good, but it the plot didn't really go anywhere. I felt like it was at such an easy reading level, and the writing seemed sort of amateur to me. Overall, the book was boring and I lost interest. I still haven't finished it to be honest, so I don't think I would recommend If I Stay.

Reading Response #2: Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska

By John Green

I've been a fan of John Green since I was a sophomore. I love the way he writes and how he is able to incorporate humor, love, and tragedy all into one. Looking for Alaska is my favorite John Green book, but honestly anything written by him is worth reading.  

17 year old Miles Halter is tired of his boring life at home so he decides to go to Culver Creek boarding school to seek a "Great Perhaps" which he believes will give him a better understanding of life and the world around him. Waiting for him at Culver Creek is Alaska Young. She's witty, mysterious, funny, screwed up, and the most beautiful and unattainable girl Miles has ever seen. Alaska uses her charm to draw Miles into her labyrinth and lead him to his Great Perhaps.

“When adults say, "Teenagers think they are invincible" with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don't know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are. We cannot be born, and we cannot die. Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations. They forget that when they get old. They get scared of losing and failing. But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end, and so it cannot fail.” 

Looking for Alaska is easily one of my favorite books of all times. It made me reevaluate my place in the world and my entire way of thinking. John Green writes with so much meaning and effectively captures the essence of being a teenager in such a deep way. Looking for Alaska is funny, sad, captivating, and might even leave you feeling like you've just been kicked in the heart.

Reading Response #1: Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park

By Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park is the story of two misfits trying to find their place in this chaotic world. Despite the challenges they face and the fact that they both come from extremely different home lives, they fall madly and hopelessly in love.

The story is set in Omaha, Nebraska in 1986. Eleanor, a red-head girl, meets Park, a biracial boy, on the school bus and they fall in love over comic books and cassette tapes. This book is so much more than your typical love story. Eleanor & Park deals with heavier issues like bullying, body image, domestic violence, child abuse, and racism.

"I just can’t believe that life would give us to each other,' he said, 'and then take it back.'

'I can,' she said. ‘Life’s a bastard."

I thought Rainbow Rowell did a really good job representing a realistic relationship, rather than making everything perfect. Eleanor and Park dealt with many of life's messy circumstances, and to me that it what made this book so captivating. I would say that Eleanor & Park was one of the best love stories that I have read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

 

101 Things About Me

1. My birthday is October 23, I'll be turning 18.

2. I have a younger sister named Claire, who is a freshman at Parkview.

3. I have two cats named KC and Spooky and I like them more than I like most people.

4. I get extremely happy when I see a dog with its head sticking out of a car window.

5. I plan to attend the University of Arkansas where I want to study pre-dentistry.

6. I've been a cheerleader for the past 5 years.

7. Waffles are better than pancakes and if you disagree then you're wrong.

8. I think I deserve an award for never wearing sweatpants to high school ever in my life. (Other than my cheer warm ups but that doesn't count because that's not optional, and every time I have to wear them I want to cry)

9. I feel naked when I'm not wearing earrings, or when I don't have my nails painted.

10. If I could live a different life I'd be Blair Waldorf because who doesn't want to marry Chuck Bass?

11. Koalas are my favorite animal but I've never seen one in person. I'm planning on visiting Australia and holding one at some point in my life.

12. I love big cities and tall buildings. When I was in 2nd grade I decided I was going to live in Manhattan when I grow up. I'm not sure if I'll end up in NYC but I'll definitely be living somewhere big.

13. I'm pretty much in love with One Direction, especially Niall. I probably won't love my future husband as much as I currently love One Direction, honestly.

14. My favorite food is cashew chicken. Springfield style cashew chicken is the best part about living here in my opinion.

15. I really hate when people call me Carol, or Carolyn, but especially Carol.  My name is CaroLINE.