By ALAN PERROTT
It hasn't been the easiest year for John Tamihere, but at least he has found himself alongside luminaries such as Shakespeare, D. H. Lawrence and Witi Ihimaera.
The Labour MP featured in the level-one NCEA English exam which thousands of students sat yesterday, meaning they are now rather familiar with a speech he delivered at Massey University last year.
"Well, now I know I've made it," said Mr Tamihere yesterday. "In my day, doing School Certificate was about Shakespeare and those sort of blokes, so I think that's bloody marvellous.
"I'm finally getting into the more august schools of learning.
"I know if anyone back at St Peter's had suggested anything I was ever going to say would end up being used in an English exam, they'd have been put in a straitjacket and put away for good."
The Tamihere speech appeared in the section "read and show understanding of unfamiliar texts" which also featured a transcript from an interview with actor Keisha Castle-Hughes - which may have covered familiar ground for her Penrose High schoolmates - a Vodafone ad and the home page of the Tourism NZ website.
A spokeswoman for Vodafone was unaware a free ad had been placed before such a large section of the texting generation, but was unsure if it would result in a sales boom.
Amber Lloyd, head of English at St Cuthbert's College, described the exam as fair and straightforward, if possibly a little too long.
"Last year's exam was a little bit of a surprise, with questions a bit trickier than usual, so this year's has been a reaction to that."
The exam for year 11 students (fifth form) was divided into five sections and offered the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of media ranging from poetry to interactive, online hyperfiction.
The formal writing essay provided scope for expression on 10 rather informal issues. Students were asked to write at least 250 words supporting or opposing statements such as "school assemblies are a waste of time" and "part-time work exploits school students."
Today's timetable
* Morning: Level 2 German, Level 3 English, Scholarship statistics and modelling.
* Afternoon: Level 1 German, Level 2 English, Level 3 German, Scholarship music.
Herald Feature: Education
Related information and links
Tamihere's year of examinations
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