Japan is not a country for poor test-takers

I changed classes to my math class, as you should know, and they're fine. Not perfect, but better than the last. However, because they are 3rd year students and apparently have an intolerance for the fine arts, we only take 4 classes: English, Math, Science, and Gym. And, aside from gym, each of these classes is based solely on the college entrance exams they will take either this Winter or next Spring. You may think it's bad in the US, this whole "obsession with tests" thing, but really. Japan's way worse, or at least my school is. Somebody needs to smack the school system and tell them there is more to life than exams. I don't mind taking lots of math or English or any of that, but telling me there's only one answer to EVERY QUESTION makes me cry. I can rephrase that sentence so many different ways, Sensei! Don't constrain my mind to just one!

And some food for thought:

Today, we took a practice English test, one that was used for a college entrance exam. I stumbled on a question and asked the teacher for help. The question was this (or something close)-

Mary: You look tired, John. Maybe you shouldn't go to work today.
John: I am tired, but I've got a big meeting to go to.
Mary: But you look almost ill. Are you sure?
John: ( ). I'll be back after the meeting.

What goes in the parentheses?

A: Something grammatically ridiculous
B: My boss will get mad at me if I don't go.
C: I've got a presentation to do.
D: Something else grammatically ridiculous

And what is the answer? It's C, of course! However, I was sure it was B. Both answers seemed okay, though, so I had to ask. When my teacher explained it to me, she said that "John is a man. To say something like, 'He'll get mad at me' is childish, and not something a man would say to his wife. It's also a very childish answer anyways, so it would be inappropriate to use."

I can't tell you how badly I wanted to debate that with her, but that's not what you do in Japan, not with your teachers, so I nodded and let it be. But what do you all think of it? I was thinking, "Presentation or no presentation, not wanting to make your boss angry with you is a pretty good reason to go to work. It may sound a little whiny, I guess, but not really childish. Or so I think."

And remember, this was part of a college entrance exam. Not just one test from one teacher in one classroom.

That's all. Whatchya think?

Talk to you all later!