Today, tomorrow, learn English naturally. 天天自然学英语
Gov't to drop 'killer questions' from CSAT to reduce private education spending
The Ministry of Education announced Monday that extremely difficult questions not taught in schools will be eliminated from the annual college entrance exam as part of the government's efforts to reduce private education expenses.
The ministry said it will push for a "fair College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) centered on public education" by cracking down on a suspicious collusion between public and private educators that has led to the appearance of the so-called "killer questions" on the test.
The announcement came as spending on private education for primary, middle and high school students soared to a record 26 trillion won (US$20 billion) last year, despite a 0.9 percent fall in the total number of students.
As the inclusion of killer questions in the CSAT has driven parents and students to seek private education, the government has vowed to terminate what it calls a cartel between public educators and the private education industry. Some former CSAT test-makers have been accused of selling practice killer questions, mostly based university curricula, to private cram schools or being hired by private academies as teachers.
The ministry said it will ensure the CSAT would not be advantageous to students who have been repeatedly trained in problem-solving skills by cram schools and that students who have studied diligently in public education would be fairly evaluated by the test.
To that end, an independent state committee will be established to filter out killer questions from the CSAT and examine the fairness of the test, the ministry stressed. Test-makers will be selected mainly from among high school teachers, beginning with the CSAT administered in November next year, it added.
Moreover, former test-makers will be prohibited from selling practice CSAT questions to private academies or offering CSAT-related lectures or consulting for a certain period, the ministry said, noting that false or exaggerated advertisements by cram schools will also face a crackdown.
Shedding light on the seriousness of killer questions, the ministry said it has singled out 22 extremely difficult questions from CSAT and mock CSAT tests administered over the past three years.
The ministry also unveiled a set of other measures to reduce the private education expenses, such as revamping of educational channel EBS programs and reinforcement of after-school tutoring.
The CSAT, held on the third Thursday of November every year, is one of the nation's most important academic events, as it is the culmination of years of hard work for many students anxious to enter top universities.
注释：
collusion: n
表示" 共谋；勾结"，means "agreement on a secret plot"，如：British collusion in such destruction is a scandal that will outlive any passing conflict. 英国共谋此次破坏行动，这种丑行的恶劣影响将超过任何其他短暂的冲突。
cartel: n
表示"联合企业"，means "a consortium of independent organizations formed to limit competition by controlling the production and distribution of a product or service;"，如：European bankers like to describe the US market as a cartel. 欧洲的银行家们往往把美国市场描述为一个垄断联盟。
crackdown: n
表示" 镇压；制裁"，means "severely repressive actions"，如：Last year I devoted myself to only one task: a crackdown on crime.去年我只做了一件事：打击刑事犯罪分子。The police crackdown on speeders achieved its purpose. 警察对违章超速驾驶者的制裁实现了它的目的。
revamp: v
表示" 改造；修补"，means "to patch up or renovate; repair or restore"，如：We want someone not just to cheerlead but to help us revamp our organization. 我们要的不是附和夸奖的人，而是能帮我们改进机构的人
culmination: n
表示" 顶点；最高潮"，means "a final climactic stage"，如：The show marked the culmination of months of hard work. 这场演出标志着几个月艰辛工作的最终成果。
中文简要说明：
南韩教育部26日宣布重大教育政策，每年举办的大学入学考试题库将剔除中小学在课堂不教的「杀手级」超难考题。南韩全国小学到高中学生去年花在子女补习的费用总计逾6200亿元台币，尹锡悦政府盼这项新措施能降低南韩家庭的沉重经济压力，同时要遏止命题委员透过补课业牟利的乱象。
韩联社报导，南韩教育部将推动一套「着重于国民教育且公平的大学修学能力测验（College Scholastic Ability Test，CSAT，简称修能测验）」，藉此打击公立与私立教育机构疑似勾结而衍生的「杀手级难题」现状。这类试题绝大多数根据大学课程产生，对于高中生而言难度超高。
南韩总统尹锡悦日前指示教育部要把公立学校没教的超难题目从修能测验剔除，引发各界议论，有纸媒以「让修能变简单」为标题报导此事。尹锡悦办公室回应，剔除超难题型并不等于降低难度，重点不在于试题难易，而是公平竞争。
南韩家庭为子女课后补习花费金额惊人。日前一项调查显示，去年全国从小学到高中的学生人数减少0.9%，然而学子补习费用总计26兆韩元（约新台币6203亿元）。
往年参加修能考试命题的人士曾遭指控向补习班贩卖杀手级难题练习题库，或者受雇于民营教育机构执教。尹锡悦政府宣示要终结这种公立学校教师与民间补习业者连手催生超难试题的怪象。
南韩教育部表示，剔除超难试题后，政府将确保修能测验公平，不会让参加补习反复接受解题训练的学生占尽优势，同时让在公立学校努力读书的学生也能透过修能测验获得一定程度的鉴别。
南韩修能测验每年11月第3个星期四举行，这是全国最重要的大型考试之一，南韩高中生为了考进顶尖大学往往努力备考多年，补习也成了许多家长或学子不得不采取的手段。
南韩教育部强调，政府将成立独立委员会，负责把杀手级难题从修能测验滤除，也会审查考试的公平性质。命题者选拔将以高中教师为主，自明年11月举行的修能测验开始实施。
此外，南韩政府也会禁止以往参与修能测验命题人士向民营教育机构贩卖修能测验练习题，这些人在一定年限之内也不得从事与修能测验有关的讲学或咨询。南韩教育部还说，以不实或夸张广告内容揽客的补习班也将面临处罚。
南韩教育部表示，已从过去3年的修能测验试题与模拟考题之中选出22道超难题目，新规上路后将予以剔除。教育部也提出其他相关配套措施以减轻补习费金额，例如修订教育频道节目内容、强化学校课后辅导。
留言微信公众号《自然学英语LearnNaturally》，可咨询更多！