As students are in the final sprint to the Gaokao that will come in early June, we invite three GTIIT whiz to share their learning experiences about the Science Exam (physics, chemistry and biology), hoping this will be helpful!

Huang Chenwei

Biology and Food Engineering, Class 2022

Pay attention to basic knowledge. With limited time left, it is more important to master basic knowledge than to do difficult problems for a better sprint. After all, the Gaokao is a test of basic academic knowledge in high school disciplines. For most students, the percentage of incorrect question deduction is much higher than that of non-doing question deduction due to lack of comprehensive ability. So, the most important thing is we should develop integrative thinking of different knowledge sectors, and learn to apply it freely and flexibly.

Find your rhythm. If you are accustomed to doing choice questions first and then physics calculation in your daily practice, please don't seek "innovation" in the final exam. You can't imagine how time flies during the exam. Without a systematic schedule, it's difficult to finish the exam within given time especially when you are stuck by a tough question. At this time, if the blind search for a breakthrough is fruitless and you are unwilling to give up, then the unexpected frustration may affect the follow-up parts and even lead to a big failure.

Read question papers in the first 3 minutes. Many students tend to look at multiple-choice questions once they get the question papers. Honestly, Browsing the question paper before you are allowed to answer the questions is not a waste of time, which helps you have a comprehensive understanding of its structure and quantity. For example, we can preview the type of physical calculation. This not only helps to understand the profile of the test better, but to maintain good mentality and boost self-confidence.

Keep your head clear. It's possible to improve by 20 points if you stay calm during the final exam. As long as you do your best in the daily practice, it's not difficult to get 250/300 marks in the Science Exam. Therefore, the key lies in how to keep clam. In my opinion, on the one hand, to ensure adequate sleep, you can adjust the biological clock 1-2 weeks in advance for Gaokao; on the other hand, to keep a good mood, you should find your own way of releasing pressure and anxiety.

Of course, if you have find your own way, just keep it till you succeed.

Chen Zhuonan

Chemical Engineering, Class 2021

I have always believed that high school chemistry is a subject which is more biased towards liberal art. It can be roughly divided into two parts: the physical and chemical properties of the elements, and some chemical principles and their applications.

The main difficulty with the first part is that the knowledge points are too trivial. My approach was to sort out and write down the knowledge points according to each chemical element. You could add knowledge points that are easily overlooked or confusing, like operation, phenomena, and improvement of the experiment during daily training. With enough practice, you can easily master all the Gaokao knowledge points.

The second part is mainly about concepts and calculation techniques. The principle of chemical reactions such as chemical corrosion and galvanic cells should be understood before we start to analyze and calculate. Rote learning is not recommended even though there are not many chemistry calculation question types. Only by understanding the meaning of each step of the answer can we find the "trick" or the calculating points of similar problem in Gao Kao. In addition, skills such as utilizing the difference before and after a reaction，balancing the redox reactions, deducing the derivation of organic matter, and applying the principle of protons can also be improved through practice thus to boost speed and accuracy during the exam. When you are taking the test, you could choose whether to answer the questions or not based on personal ability, scores, and complexity.

In fact, the question papers of Chemistry in Gaokao have not changed much over time, which is illuminating for exam preparation. In the case of limited time, you should focus on the basic question types, and it is meaningless to spend excess time on strange or novel questions. At the same time, due attention should be paid to new question types, which are likely to become a new trend in Gaokao. As long as you are proficient in the question types, you can find an "inspiration" to boost accuracy and speed when taking the exam.

In general, high school chemistry is not difficult to learn. Significant improvement can be easily achieved as long as you spend time on it every day. In terms of utilitarianism, it is a cost-effective subject! For students who have some troubles in Science Exam, chemistry is actually a good chance to get a high score.

Liu Jing

Biology and Food Engineering, Class 2022

I believe that most of you should have a good command of basic knowledge since the Gaokao draws near. In my opinion, we should pay attention to avoid multiple choice "trap", ensure standardized representation of answers to analytical questions, and tackle unexpected questions thus to succeed in the final exam at this point.

In order to avoid multiple choice "trap" and false expression, I think the most effective way is to understand and recite textbooks thoroughly without missing any images or annotation. Mind map is a good tool to strengthen your memory. Even though I always tell myself to read carefully and not to skip any words, I can still find "new things" every time I read the textbooks again and again. Besides, use your imagination when you are learning. For example, when you review cell cycle, try to remember it by images with colors, figures, actions and sounds in details. The more vivid, the better. I strongly recommend you to "mind map" the books, and use it to review every knowledge point. It's amazing.

I believe that all of you have done the past 3-5 years Gaokao examination papers so many times that you could almost recite them, but that's not enough. Here are some tips to make good use of them. First, find out the knowledge points. If you are not familiar with them, go back to the textbook immediately. Second, think about how to answer the questions, and modify the answers seriously. Third, spend some time on new question types and follow the latest scientific development such as the topics of the Nobel Prize.

Last but not least, manage your time wisely. Try to improve your accuracy and speed because you may not have enough time to review. If you find a specific question, don't spend excess time on it, and go ahead to the next one. 

Text/Photos by Huang Chenwei, Chen Zhuonan, Liu Jing

Edited by GTIIT News & Public Affairs