The main period for taking the Unified State Exam (USE) is drawing to a close, with eleventh-graders across Russia currently sitting for biology and the oral portion of the foreign language exam. Today and tomorrow mark the final days of this examination phase.
In Moscow, English remains the most popular foreign language choice, with 19.4 thousand students participating. Comparatively, smaller numbers are taking exams in French (187), German (139), Spanish (128), and Chinese (83), according to the Department of Education and Science of the city of Moscow.
The oral section of the English language USE is a 17-minute assessment conducted in a computer lab, where student responses are recorded via headsets. It comprises four tasks: reading a text aloud, asking questions based on a photo, answering an interviewer’s questions, and comparing two photos while providing detailed answers. The results of the foreign language USE are expected to be released by June 24.
Exam takers have shared their experiences, with one graduate, Tikhon, noting that the oral part of the exam aligned with practice tests and felt relatively straightforward. However, he expressed concerns about the audibility of other students’ exams due to poor headphone quality. Another eleventh-grader, Sofya, mentioned that some tasks coincided with exam options from the Far East region, adding that the USE this year seemed manageable.
Comments on USE preparation channels reflect similar observations, with students reporting overlap in exam options, including reading passages on topics like precipitation and interview questions about place of residence. Common tasks also involved comparing pictures related to weekends or outdoor activities. Some students described specific tasks encountered, such as reading a text on ecology and answering questions about a veterinary clinic.
The written portion of the English language exam took place on June 5. This year, Moscow graduates have voiced concerns about the difficulty of certain subjects, particularly mathematics.