Sergey Zinin and Alexander Gutov: How to prepare for the state exam in literature. Will the exam be improved in the future? What is the Unified State Exam in Literature?
Olga Arslanova: Well, as promised, the most interesting section for graduates, for their parents, for schoolchildren and everyone who is interested Unified State Exam questions. Right now we will talk about the literature exam. As always, we look forward to recommendations from our guests and inform you about the criteria by which the student’s knowledge will be assessed. Let's talk a little about the exam itself, what kind of exam it is.
Yuri Kovalenko:Well, first of all, the literature exam is an elective exam. Typically, approximately 5% of graduates pass this subject. Literature is needed for admission to such specialties as philology, journalism or a teacher of Russian language and literature. The minimum threshold for passing the exam is 32 points. But average level last year's pass rate was just under 60 points.
Olga Arslanova: Here is some information on the procedure. The exam lasts 3 hours 55 minutes, and during this time you need to answer the questions of the test part and write an essay on one of the four proposed topics. Very often our viewers ask: “Why was the essay cancelled?” Friends, it still exists as part of the literature exam. Now we’ll tell you about everything in more detail. As always, we are waiting for your questions and your comments live. Well, you can ask our guests questions today. In our studio is Sergei Zinin, head of the Federal Commission of Developers of the KIM Unified State Examination in Literature. Hello.
Sergey Zinin: Hello.
Olga Arslanova: And Alexander Gutov, literature teacher at Moscow school No. 1443.
Yuri Kovalenko: Good evening.
Alexander Gutov: Good afternoon.
Olga Arslanova: Good evening. Let's look at the most important thing first - the exam itself. More details - what does it consist of, what questions and the actual order of answers to them?
Sergey Zinin:Well, first we need to talk about whether the exam will change this year, whether anything will change in its structure and content. The changes will be small and only positive. As you have just mentioned, graduates will be offered four essay topics.
Olga Arslanova: Was it?
Sergey Zinin:And there were three. That is, the choice has expanded- and now, so to speak, you can choose, in addition to the three, one more topic.
Olga Arslanova: Can you name some topics now, well, approximately?
Sergey Zinin:Those who will be on the exam - of course not. But in principle... Well, let’s say the fourth topic may concern such a, so to speak, wide range of literary literature - this is literature of the 20th–21st centuries, that is, the latest domestic literature. Well, let's say, which ones? I will take a neutral topic so as not to give anything away, so to speak, and not to say anything unnecessary. Well, let’s say, what motives and themes are found in the works of writers of the 20th–21st centuries? The exam itself is, so to speak, such a structural whole; it consists of two parts. In the first part of the exam, you are asked to work directly with a literary text. This is the text epic work, lyroepic or dramatic - a fragment, naturally.
Olga Arslanova: Must be included, as I understand it, in the program? Or is this not necessary?
Sergey Zinin:Only what is included in the program and is included in the so-called codifier of elements of the content being tested. Anything beyond the boundaries of the codifier is not included in the exam. For these texts, as I already said, for a fragment of a literary text, various questions are proposed different levels difficulties. These are the questions basic level difficulties that require a short answer in the form of a word, a combination of words, even numbers. When, for example, we ask: “In which stanza did you find the anaphora?” – you just need to indicate a number, so to speak, indicate the number of the stanza, nothing more. But for this you need: a) to know what anaphora is; b) where is it in the text in order to answer so simply - write “4” or “3”.
Olga Arslanova: Yura and I immediately turn to Google so as not to embarrass ourselves. The word seems familiar.
Sergey Zinin:And here, in the first part, there is another text - the text lyrical work, that is, this poem. The same questions are addressed to him - the simplest questions, basic ones, and questions associated with an increased level of complexity, and they require an already developed, short, coherent answer. And even two, so to speak, answers related to this test.
Then we move on to the second part, and there we meet these four essay topics. Naturally, we don’t write all four, we choose one – according to taste, to choose from, so to speak, which one you like best. These topics are ranked by era. That is, first Old Russian literature, XVIII century, first half of the XIX century - this is the first topic. There we can meet with “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, with “The Minor” by Fonvizin or with “Woe from Wit” by Griboyedov. Then we move on to the second topic - this is the second half of the 19th century, these are Tyutchev, Tolstoy, Turgenev and others. And finally, the third topic invites us to understand the work of writers of the 20th century, starting from the turn of the century (Chekhov, Bunin) and ending with Rasputin, the classics, modern classics, as we say. And in the fourth topic we can already choose not modern classics, and modern the latest literature, which has not yet become a classic. That is, the choice is up to the graduate, that’s what he likes.
Olga Arslanova: Alexander Gennadievich, is this a popular exam among your students? Are many people even planning to take it this year?
Alexander Gutov: This exam cannot be popular because the professions that you said are required when you take this exam are not very many. These are those who go to study philological disciplines at various pedagogical colleges or universities. But there is another type of graduates that you did not mention - those who go to creative universities. Do you play the balalaika, are you going to become an artist...
Olga Arslanova: Still need to submit.
Alexander Gutov: ...are you going to go to a university where you will do business? artistic activity, - you hand over literature. Therefore, one way or another, three or four people, for example, turn out to be parallel every year. But every year someone takes this exam, someone always passes this exam.
Olga Arslanova: Tell me, if we take these specialized future philologists, creative workers and so on and everyone else, what special things should you teach these people in order for them to pass this exam? What special thing should they be able to do that distinguishes them from other students?
Alexander Gutov: I will immediately pick up what Sergei Alexandrovich said. Sergei Alexandrovich said that the first part includes a fragment of epic, lyro-epic and dramatic work. But I understand how these words sound to a general audience. The point is that this is not a simple question at all. And as my experience shows, if in the fifth or sixth grade, or at least in the seventh grade, you did not explain what an epic, lyrical, dramatic, and even lyric epic work is, then students in subsequent grades cannot get their bearings. And the exam is structured in such a way that you have a choice of exactly one of these... This is the so-called type of literature.
The same is true for literary theory; students do not take it very seriously. They don't really understand why it is needed. Of course this is very complex issue. But when they are faced with the fact that: "Determine which direction in this text?... We roughly start with classicism; baroque never happens in literature. Classicism, sentimentalism, romanticism, realism, and then come modernist movements. But, for example, the difference between symbolism and futurism is mandatory.
As for imagism, if you see Yesenin’s work and you don’t know what he belonged to, one way or another certain period his creative activity was associated with imagism, you will not be able to reveal it figurative system. That is, simply the first thing I call for is to take seriously such literary concepts that are related to the theory of literature.
Second. It is best, as my experience shows, to start preparing for the Unified State Exam in the future eleventh grade from the eighth grade. Anyone who starts later may simply not make it in time.
Olga Arslanova: Because you need to read a lot?
Alexander Gutov: It's not that you just need to read a lot. The fact is that the questions, even these first tasks, they include the so-called creative variety, namely: “You read the text. In what other works of literature – well, let’s say, Russian literature – do you see similar themes? "Where else is the landscape revealed? Where else does the landscape have an effect on the hero? Where else are the relationships between the heroes shown? Where else is there the theme of fathers and sons?"
If you have only read the novel "Fathers and Sons", then you cannot answer. For this you need to use Griboyedov, for this you need to use Pushkin (I mean " Captain's daughter"), for this you need to use Tolstoy, because the relationship between Prince Andrei and his father is a kind of "fathers and sons" option. This exam is unusually broad.
Yuri Kovalenko:You are talking now, in this moment about creativity. So how can a literature exam, essay or explanation of all these concepts be assessed? That is, who evaluates this? Is it a computer, a machine, a person or a joint commission? Explain.
Alexander Gutov: Naturally, the question you ask me is more related to what Sergei Alexandrovich will say. I can say that questions with an exact answer... And the exact answer can be a variety of directions that I named. Sergei Alexandrovich named anaphora. You can list great amount literary terms, without which a student cannot master literature. First of all, these are concepts such as plot, epithet, composition, plot, denouement, climax. If a student does not know this terminology, for him a work, any work, is like a set of individual words in which he will swim.
A computer can probably check a single word. Sergei Alexandrovich will say for sure. But as for answers with extended tasks... You have now touched on the issue of an extended task. Well, for example, I’ll remember. A few years ago, it’s no longer a secret... “Why is moving for Oblomov to some extent a catastrophe in life?” This is a mini-task, this is not an essay. This was about six years ago.
Olga Arslanova: Freely worded.
Alexander Gutov: You must answer in approximately five sentences. Experience shows that less than five sentences - you cannot answer; more - you don’t have time. This exam is the most severe in terms of time. It teaches you how to manage time very accurately. When we have time, I will tell you how best to distribute it, from my point of view
Yuri Kovalenko:We'll definitely talk about this.
Alexander Gutov: Therefore, such assignments are checked by professional philologists, checked by teachers, and checked by experienced teachers. Of course, you can say: “Why will his verification be objective?” But we must understand that literature always retains a share of subjectivity, which will be associated with the examiner. One - like this, the other - like that. That's why conflict commissions exist. Well, let Sergei Alexandrovich explain this question better.
Olga Arslanova: At one time we took an exam, there was an essay, but...
Yuri Kovalenko:Human exam.
Olga Arslanova: ...but at the same time there were still certain criteria: no less than such and such a number of references, such and such citation rules, mandatory... Well, some formal characteristics.
Sergey Zinin:The number of words is required.
Olga Arslanova: Demonstrate lexicon, working with text and so on. That is, it would seem such a free creative form, but still it necessarily contains certain criteria. What is required in this exam in order to get this high score?
Sergey Zinin:The criteria are mandatory. I even recommend that graduates be sure to familiarize themselves with the criteria. They prefer to get acquainted with the exam materials themselves, with the questions, read demo version, but they do not always pay attention to instructions for tasks, instructions on how to complete this task, nothing less is allowed. So to speak, more is welcome, but less... This is a very important parameter.
The following are the criteria. And it seems that they are for experts who will check. That is, they need some kind of setting, some kind of template, but in no case a substantive template to which the content of the work must be adjusted, but criteria that, so to speak, are based on various aspects knowledge of the subject, starting simply with an understanding of the topic, whether the topic has been mastered in general or not.
After all, how does it happen other times? The topic is specific, completely specific, but the graduate does not write on this topic, but writes what he can. So he remembers everything he can and writes, but does not fully enter into the topic. Initially, you must read it carefully, highlight reference words themes, some central ones, on which the emphasis is placed. Then there are compositional criteria, constructing your own text. What Alexander Gennadievich spoke about is the use of theoretical literary concepts. How can you talk about a subject not in the language of the subject, but in everyday language? He has, so to speak, his own language, literary criticism, which must be mastered. These are criteria related to reliance on text. Again, you can’t reveal the topic if you’ve never looked at the test, and you can’t quote anything. I'm not saying - at some stanza level. Even at the level of a phrase, you can simply quote some epithet that the author awarded his hero.
Finally, a very important criterion is speech. So to speak, you cannot write as God wishes without relying on your native Russian language. As a result, if this criterion is lame, we then get an applicant who comes to the university, and he must write an application for admission to the university, but he writes an “application” and immediately gives himself away. These criteria, this criterion algorithm, is extremely important, and therefore it should be read not only by experts when checking work, but by children, so that they understand how their work will be checked, by what, so to speak, parameters, what the requirements will be .
Yuri Kovalenko:Where can I read this?
Sergey Zinin:A demo version of the exam with the entire set of tasks, a sample, is posted on the FIPI website. A codifier has been posted - a list of authors, works and categories of literary concepts that will be required in the exam. And the exam specification, which specifically talks about the structure and content of the exam. This is, so to speak, alpha and omega. You must definitely go to the website, look (the website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements) and study it all carefully, otherwise then it’s terra incognita, “I don’t know where I’m going, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Yuri Kovalenko:We don't have much time left. You promised to tell us how to allocate time. I think this question concerns all people.
Olga Arslanova: A very practical important point.
Alexander Gutov: I have my own developments on this matter. The exam consists of 3 hours 55 minutes. This is very little for 17 tasks. In this case, the essay is physically located at the end of the text. That is, a student, if he begins to consistently complete all tasks, he approaches the main task later than anything else. And most importantly, this is still a traditional composition. Russian school, that’s how it was traditionally. It's saved somewhere. The essay tests knowledge of literature, the ability to express one’s thoughts, the ability to understand the text and simply reality. Therefore, writing is one of the most important issues. And on this exam, I think this is the main one.
That's why my advice is like this. You have 3 hours 55 minutes. You devote the first hour to a rough draft of the essay, putting it aside. Move on to those tasks which are tasks 1-9. That is, you read a fragment of an epic, lyric, dramatic work and complete the tasks that are offered to you, but exactly according to the clock. Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, no more. Then you return to your essay, looking at what you wrote with fresh eyes. During this time, it accumulates... And very often the tasks of the first row, that is, your first questions, help you understand your own essay. After that, you go back to your essay and write.
Regarding some strict criteria. Everyone now knows this number - 250. It is impossible to write less than 250 words. I can say that 250 words is a sheet A 4 in medium handwriting with a tail like this. It is practically impossible to cover a topic in an optional exam by writing 250 words. As experience shows, 300 is still the minimum. 400–450 words. But for this you need to train. I'm saying what it really is. Otherwise, your essay will not be published.
Sergei Aleksandrovich has already spoken about some literary terms. The fact is that in the requirements for an essay, specifically for an essay, in the last part, it is necessary not just to mention, but to disclose literary terminology. Well, I have already touched on some issues. You don’t just say: “This work has a portrait, a landscape, epithets, a climax.” No. You should preferably reveal in your essay what role this or that fragment plays. I can explain for each of them, of course, what it means, just a little time.
Olga Arslanova: Well, another time. And we will end with compliments from our viewers. Firstly: “Literature teaches us to be human,” they write to us from Moscow. “The exam is important because this subject teaches you to think and critically evaluate the material being studied, and this is a very important skill for the development of every personality.” So those who are interested, take the literature exam. And we will give you advice. Thanks a lot.
Sergey Zinin: Thank you.
Olga Arslanova: Our guests were Sergei Zinin, head of the Federal Commission of Developers of the KIM Unified State Examination in Literature, and Alexander Gutov, a literature teacher at a Moscow school. Thank you very much.
Yuri Kovalenko: Thank you.
8. What feelings are struggling in the soul of Raskolnikov, who came to “make a test” before the crime?
Appearing in the old woman’s apartment with the purpose of “doing a test,” Raskolnikov experiences conflicting feelings. On the one hand, he is really angry with the old woman. She seems disgusting and greedy to him. He examines every little thing in the room so that every detail is imprinted in his memory, and it is easier for him to accomplish his plans.
But on the other hand, it is difficult for the hero to think about the upcoming crime. Despite all his hatred for the old pawnbroker, Raskolnikov understands that murder is a vile act.
9. In what works of Russian literature do the heroes seek a way out of an internal crisis, and in what ways can these heroes be compared with Raskolnikov?
Many Russian classics created difficult life path for heroes.
Evgeny Onegin, hero novel of the same name A.S. Pushkin, feels superfluous and unfulfilled. In this he is similar to Raskolnikov. In order to get out of the internal crisis, Onegin begins to care for Olga Larina, without thinking at all about the feelings of his friend. Suffering from boredom, Eugene ends up killing best friend Vladimir Lensky in a duel.
Thus, the hero dooms himself to even greater emotional experiences.
Another hero experiencing an internal crisis is Grigory Melekhov from Sholokhov’s epic novel “ Quiet Don" The hero cannot choose the right position, does not know what principles to defend. Like Raskolnikov, he is in a situation where life values change or even collapse. Melekhov loses himself and even becomes angry, but upon returning home, he again feels freedom and becomes himself.
15. How is the author’s thought about the unity of man and nature reflected in the poem “Pines”?
In B. Pasternak's poem "Pines" there is clearly unbreakable bond man and nature. The landscape painted by the poet calms and brings a sense of harmony. For lyrical hero nature is the cure for all diseases and even death:
And so, immortal for a while,
We are numbered among the pine trees
And from diseases, epidemics
And death is freed.
The mood of the poem is relaxed. Nature calms the lyrical hero, and he is half asleep: he sees the waves of the sea from behind the trees, imagining how they “bring down a hail of shrimp from the churned bottom.” Nothing can disturb the hero's peaceful rest. This is the very unity of man and nature.
Demo version of the Unified State Exam in Literature 2015
The literature demo has undergone changes. The structure of the CMM has been changed: each option consists of two parts. Parts 1 and 2 KIM 2014 merged into 1
What is the Unified State Exam in Literature?...
These words make students, parents, and, probably, teachers tremble. Indeed, how can you fit all the questions and answers on the Russian literature course into one small test task? The question arises about how to properly prepare students for the Unified State Exam in literature and whether it is necessary to do this at all. I believe that tests cannot provide comprehensive information about students' knowledge. but they can help group this knowledge and focus students' attention on individual problems raised in works of art and issues that are relevant and important at all times. All works that are presented in the tests are studied in grades 8-11 in literature lessons. Therefore, the key to success in the exam will be good knowledge works. Before you start solving tests, you need to practice on specific topics in order to evaluate, understand, and get used to the wording that you will encounter in exam questions. Unified State Exam assignments on literature.
Fiction accompanies a person with early childhood and helps him understand the meaning of life. Test tasks primarily reveal the literary erudition of schoolchildren, the level of understanding of the literary text, genre features works. In high school, literature is studied in historical terms. -literary basis, therefore, to solve the test it is necessary to recall individual facts from the history of literature, determine the connections of works with literary tradition, era, trends in literature and art.
But, of course, it is impossible to do any of this in one month; preparation is needed during the 10th-11th grade. Therefore, I advise my students to start preparing for the Unified State Exam in Literature as early as 10th grade.
Useful sites
List of works to prepare for the Unified State Exam
To write an essay you need to know at least 5-6 works in different topics. These works will help you make your choice and provide the necessary arguments.
A. Akhmatova. Requiem. (Memory. Stalin's repressions and camps.)
V. Astafiev. Lyudochka. (Moral issues)
V. Astafiev. Last bow. (Ecological problems)
V. Bykov. Sotnikov. (Theme of betrayal and sense of duty)
V. Bykov. Raid. (About collectivization and the life of collective farmers in Stalin’s time)
V. Grossman. Life and destiny. (About the Great Patriotic War)
B. Vasiliev. Didn't appear on the lists. (Heroism and perseverance during the Great Patriotic War)
V. Dudintsev. White clothes. (A novel about genetic scientists who were persecuted during Stalin's time).
A. Pristavkin. The golden cloud spent the night. (About children in Stalin's time)
V. Rasputin. Live and remember. (About the Great Patriotic War).
V. Rasputin. French lessons. (About school and teachers. Lessons of kindness).
V. Rasputin. Farewell to Matera. (Theme of the Motherland).
A. Solzhenitsyn. Matryonin's yard. (Righteous).
A. Tvardovsky. By right of memory. (Theme of memory. Stalin's repressions).
V. Tendryakov. The night after graduation. (About youth).
Video consultation: Unified State Examination in Literature
Zinin Sergey Alexandrovich -
head of the FKR for literature FIPI
Guides for preparing for the Unified State Exam
Universal materials. Author Zinin.
(This manual provides guidelines for completing assignments, sample tests, options for analyzing tasks C1 C2 C3 C4 C5, as well as sample essays).
A professor at the Department of Methods of Teaching Literature at the Moscow Pedagogical University spoke about new approaches to the state exam in literature in an interview with RIA Novosti. state university, leading researcher at the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements, head of the federal commission for developers of control measurement materials in literature Sergei Zinin.
- Sergey Alexandrovich, who develops exam tasks in literature?
Tests measuring materials in literature, as in other subjects, are created in Federal Institute pedagogical measurements. All members of the Federal Commission have an academic degree: Doctors of Pedagogical Sciences and Candidates of Sciences. These specialists cannot be called armchair scientists; they have a rich teaching practice, some teach schoolchildren, combining work at the university and at school.
Also annually for examination exam options At least 9 experts are involved, including teachers from Moscow State University, Moscow State Pedagogical University and other universities, methodologists, teachers, authors of manuals and textbooks. The developers are attentive to all constructive comments and therefore the tasks are improved every year.
The Unified State Exam in Literature has recently caused controversy both among specialists and in society. IN Lately they have calmed down, what has changed?
- First of all, the nature of the existence of the Unified State Examination in literature has changed in people’s minds. The myths about “crossword” tests are a thing of the past - they simply began to take the exam, and it turned out to be not only not “dumbing”, but, on the contrary, stimulating reading and comprehension of literature. The exam is based on tasks that require detailed written statements. It doesn’t even remotely resemble the method of guessing the answer - you have to prove your “rightness” based on knowledge of the text. Who is “disturbed” by such an exam?
Does this mean that the previous practice of reproducing “ready-made”, clichéd essays in exams is a thing of the past?
The essay itself, fortunately, has retained its position in KIMs, but now it is in the system of step-by-step knowledge testing. First, the examinee will have to work with specific literary texts, for example, analysis of a fragment of a work, analysis of a poem, and then he must choose from three proposed essay topics the one on which he wants to speak, with the involvement of certain historical, literary and cultural context. And here no “sluggish” preparations and interactive cheat sheets will help - you need creative work. So, no “test coaching” is expected during the preparation period for the exam, and certainly not encouraged. Tasks of a basic level of complexity reveal the graduate’s knowledge of the necessary concepts and literary categories, that is, the very “language” of the discipline, and questions C1-C5 are the ability to express oneself in this language. All this is taught in literature lessons.
- Will the exam be improved in the future?
Annually examination model TBC. IN latest versions the share of tasks requiring not simple “identification” of terms and facts, but an understanding of the role and place plot elements or means of artistic representation in a work.
The criteria for assessing tasks with a detailed answer are being improved. Material for reflection is provided by the graduates’ works themselves, which “suggest” in which direction one or another criterion should be adjusted.
- What does CMM look like according to literature?
The examination paper consists of three parts. The first part includes 7 tasks with a short answer, requiring the writing of a word or combination of words, and two tasks with a detailed answer of 5-10 sentences.
The tasks of the second part involve the analysis of a work, poem or fragment of a poem. This part includes five short-answer tasks and two long-answer tasks of 5-10 sentences.
The assignment of the third part is an essay on literary theme, which is formulated as problematic issue, there are three themes to choose from.
An important place in the examination work is occupied by literary texts, which are included for analysis in the first two parts. When completing the task of the third part, the graduate must rely on artistic text by memory. The graduate's level of preparation in literature is determined, first of all, by testing his ability to interpret text and create coherent monologue statements.
- What has changed in KIMs on literature in 2012?
The changes can be called significant. New tasks for establishing correspondence and multiple choice from a list have been introduced into the block of tasks at the basic level, but total number tasks remained unchanged. The system for checking and assessing the completion of tasks that require writing a detailed answer has been significantly improved.
When assessing tasks C1 and C3, the verbal format of the answer is taken into account. The names of the criteria have been clarified, and the wording of most of the criteria for tasks C1-C5 has been significantly revised. The criteria for checking and assessing the completion of tasks C2 and C4 have been fundamentally revised; instead of three, four assessment positions have been introduced. The changes resulted in an increase in the maximum score from 3 to 4. As a result, the maximum score for exam paper overall increased from 39 to 43.
- What do you think are the pros and cons of the Unified State Exam in Literature as an elective exam?
On the one hand, a specialized exam increases the graduate’s motivation and aims him at serious preparation for “his” subject. On the other hand, the “optional” nature of the Unified State Exam in literature weakens the position of the subject among educational disciplines. And these positions are more than significant: values are now in demand again, such as patriotism, citizenship, and they are formed in literature lessons. And in this sense, every graduate must pass his exam for spiritual maturity, and not just those who have it included in the set required for admission to a university. It seems that the end to the fate of the literature exam has not yet been set.
