Postgraduate Entrance Exam English: 66 Essential Items and Selected Out-of-Curriculum Vocabulary

Author: Gong Dongfeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-02-01
Features:
Fellow students, a renowned teacher with years of experience teaching postgraduate entrance exam English, was giving a recruitment promotion lecture in Chengdu. Facing hundreds of "potential master's candidates," he immediately asked if anyone had taken this year's actual exam paper. Only a few hands rose in response. The teacher then immediately scolded with a stern expression, loud voice, and exaggerated gestures: "Don't take it! If you do, you'll be finished!!" The entire room was stunned, with only the sound of breaths colliding in the vast classroom.
"The exam this year is too difficult. At your current level, taking it would leave you bewildered and lose all confidence. What's the point of even trying?" The audience was enlightened.
"It's a good thing not many people have taken the actual exam. Everyone still has a chance!" The room was filled with murmurs of relief.
I assumed the teacher was just putting on a show to liven up the atmosphere, which was understandable. However, I disagree with the excessive exaggeration of pushing postgraduate entrance exams into mysticism and making actual exam papers seem unattainable. Today's competition for postgraduate entrance exams is a comprehensive battle of knowledge, strategy, and will—it's a war! Just without the rising smoke of battle.
Since it's a war, one must consider strategic and tactical planning, strength comparison, information symmetry, and knowing oneself and the enemy—essential war elements or methods. Mysticism and unattainability are no different from urging you to raise your hands and surrender.
I believe that to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam, one must objectively face the following issues:
First, objectively assess one's current strength and level. The actual exam paper is an excellent reference point, like a mirror to reveal oneself, helping you accurately identify gaps and understand your position.
Second, cultivate unwavering confidence and courage to win. The postgraduate entrance exam is a life experience, a real test of what one cannot bear in life. Only those with the resilience of reeds, the patience of Goujian, and the boldness of eagles can reach the peak and savor the pride and selflessness of standing atop Mount Everest.
Third, build a systematic and comprehensive knowledge supply menu and create a scientific, rigorous, and thorough study schedule. Like warfare in the mortal world, a good battle plan and ample "supplies" are indispensable tools to endure the "climbing of snow mountains" and "crossing of grasslands," as well as defeating the enemy.
Fourth, learn from others' experiences and lessons from multiple perspectives, effectively discern and choose study materials and tutoring classes in time. The postgraduate entrance exam book and training market are unique products of China's special educational industry development. In this field, people only trust renowned teachers, not famous universities; they believe in classics, not hype.
Fifth, emphasize the synchronized combination of knowledge accumulation and skill training. Although the postgraduate entrance exam is like a battlefield, the candidates are like the "stars" on a dazzling stage. Only when the brilliance on stage interacts with thunderous applause from the audience can they truly shine.
Sixth, closely unite with motivational allies like those who "burned their beds to taste bitterness," "burned their boats to show determination," "rose at the crow of the dawn," "pierced their legs to study," "shocked the world with one achievement," "demonstrated loyalty to the country," and "pursued a bright future." At the same time, mercilessly fight against enemies like "forgetfulness," "laziness," "negligence," "compromise," "surrender," "pessimism," "disappointment," "depression," and "collapse."
Fellow students, Chairman Mao Zedong taught us: "Strategically, despise the enemy; tactically, pay attention to the enemy. Unite all forces that can be united—revolution will never fail!"
Fellow students, when facing the postgraduate entrance exam, strategically, you must despise it. It's not a secret operation, nor has it reached the point of revolution—it's just a yet noble war in your brilliant life journey.
Fellow students, when facing the postgraduate entrance exam, tactically, you must pay close attention to accumulating every small piece of knowledge and mastering every exam skill, training hard every day.
Ahead, there is a subway train heading to spring.
After this year's exam, I conducted a thorough and comprehensive analysis and dissection of the actual exam paper. To describe this year's exam paper in a phrase once widely used in advertising: High, high, high—truly high!
Where and how is this year's exam high? What makes it brilliant? What information and trends does it reflect? A full explanation will be provided in the following text. I hope it will be beneficial to your 2005 postgraduate entrance exam battle.