23 replies to this topic

[DaMo]

The grand result: 50%

FAIL!!!

[General_Zhaoyun]

You can now re-take the exam (called "Xiucai Re-take Exam") if you have failed.

[Rivadavia]

Well, it looks like I won't be getting me one of those cushy jobs in the imperial bureaucracy any time soon! Like DaMo, I decided to pit my raw brainpower against the gauntlet without the aid of a Net. I emerge most deeply humbled: 2 out of 20. And both of those were guesses. What gripes me more is that while I consider myself relatively -- relatively -- familiar with the 19th-20th centuries, I didn't score any of those questions. Don't I at least get a pity point for recognizing Chou Enlai's name?

I'd like to think that the presence of 18 books about Chinese history on my shelves -- including volume 12 of the Cambridge History -- constitutes proof enough of my interest. Then again, maybe I should be posting a little more around here than I have. Anyway, congrats, GZ; you sure know how to prod us old slugs back into action. I never could resist a challenge.

[Yun]

It is not always a bad thing to be humbled.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Rivadavia is an old-time member of Simaqian Studio.. and is really knowlegeable in 19th-20th world history.

Don't worry, Riv... chinese history is kinda of special..Cambridge history of China is a good start.

[snowybeagle]

Four different people participated in the setting of the questions - each has a different particular interest in Chinese history.

Not even the question-setters themselves could have scored 100% without using some references.

[DaMo]

Got 100% in the re-test.

Found it a lot more general. Was able to answer many without referring.

[Yun]

So far we've had a 100% pass rate on the re-test, so candidates who fail the first exam need not worry too much.

[fcharton]

Not even the question-setters themselves could have scored 100% without using some references.

Quite true. I did a first run of the exam on the day before it was made online. Didn't try to look up anything, just answering what I knew, as fast as I could... My result was 60%, knowing that four of the questions had been submitted by me (and several others fell right into my centre of interest)... During a second test run, I tried to pretend I didn't know anything and looked up every question, this resulted in a 90%.

What does it prove? That the exam is feasible by anyone who takes the time to look up the questions, but very hard without external reference (at least for the western educated members). But then, this is what CHF is all about. Most of the serious subjects discussed here are just not the kind of things one already knows by heart, and I, for one, almost always have to read before I can answer anything...

Francois

[Sephodwyrm]

People that took the re-test should get the badge that says: Xiucai member only through re-test.

(MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!)

[Sephodwyrm]

Would there be a badge that says Xiucai through Retest?

[Yun]

Would there be a badge that says Xiucai through Retest?

No, the badge reads 'Learner Member', which reflects the fact that they're keen on learning Chinese history but just have a little more learning to do than the ones who passed on the first round.

Some have criticized this different badge as humiliating for Learner Members, and say they should get the same Entry Scholar Member badge. I disagree. Candidates who passed the exam on the first round deserve recognition for it, while it must also be recognized that Learner Members only passed an exam that was easier and therefore are probably weaker in history knowledge or research skills. Nothing to be ashamed of - everyone starts from somewhere, and I myself knew almost nothing about Chinese history 10 years ago.

Furthermore, we have stated (in response to a question from Thaibebop) that Learner Members can eventually be promoted to Entry Scholar Members, under certain criteria. Thaibebop, who is a Learner Member, is being very positive about this, and I would encourage all other Learner Members to do the same.

[ghostexorcist]

I was surprised to see just how many song dynasty related questions there were. I love the song dynasty.

[TwinkieDP]

I think that Exam was much more difficult than I anticipated. I constantly had to refer to sources on the INternet. Took me over 1.5 hours to complete, although I received a 90% score.

I guess it is because I've become thoroughly Americanized, lost touch with my Sinic roots. I would imagine people from Singapore, HongKong and Mainland China would have very little problem with this exam.