Top 7 Most Frequently Featured Literary Works in National High School and University Exams

Ranked fourth, the poem 'The Riverbank' by Huy Cận (second semester of grade 11), 'The Couple of A Phu' by Tô Hoài (second semester of grade 12), and 'The Boatman of the Da River' (first semester of grade 12) have all appeared on exams four times. 'The Riverbank' has been highlighted for its classical and modern beauty (once), analysis of the verse 'The waves ripple, the river stretches endlessly' (once), 'The towering clouds above the silver mountains' (twice), and 'The small islands whisper in the gentle breeze' (once). The most recent appearance was in 2012. 'The Couple of A Phu' focuses on the character Mị, particularly her inner strength (once), her emotional journey and actions during the spring night (once), and the night she saves A Phu (twice). The last time this work appeared was in 2013. The question on 'The Boatman of the Da River' explored the image of the Da River (twice, small questions), its poetic nature (once), and the beauty of the boatman (once). The most recent appearance was also in 2013.

'The Western Front', 'Vietnamese Highlands', and 'Waves'—three works from the first semester of grade 12—are ranked fifth with three exam appearances each. 'The Western Front' by Quang Dũng has been questioned about the perception of the opening verse 'The Ma River is far away, oh Western Front' (twice) and the depiction of soldiers (once). The most recent appearance was in 2013. The 'Vietnamese Highlands' by Tố Hữu has been examined for its artistic features (once, small question), the verse 'What do I miss? Like missing a lover' (once), and 'We leave but remember those days' (once). The last appearance was in 2012. Xuân Quỳnh’s 'Waves' has been highlighted for the wave imagery (once), the verse 'Fierce and gentle' (once), and 'The waves deep below' (once). It was last examined in 2011. Four works from grade 11 also rank fifth with three appearances each. 'The Condemned Soul' has been questioned about the plot (once), the character Huấn Cao (once), and the jailer (once). It was last examined in 2011. Questions about 'Two Children' focused on analyzing the images of nature and people in the small town at dusk (once), the melancholic, lyrical atmosphere of the town and the character Liên (once), and Liên's impression of Hanoi (once, small question). The most recent appearance of 'Two Children' was in 2013. Nam Cao’s 'Chí Phèo' has drawn attention to Chí Phèo’s mental state after meeting Thị Nở (once), the image of the bowl of porridge (once), and the story's conclusion (once). It was last featured in 2012. Hàn Mặc Tử’s poem 'This Village of Vĩ Dạ' was examined for the verses 'The wind follows the wind, the clouds follow the clouds' (twice) and 'Why don't you come and visit Vĩ Dạ?' (twice). The most recent appearance was in 2012.

Ba tác phẩm Rừng xà nu (học kì II lớp 12), Đàn ghi ta của Lorca (học kì I lớp 12) và Vội vàng (học kì II lớp 12) được ra 2 lần. Đề về Rừng xà nu yêu cầu phân tích hình tượng cây xà nu (1 lần) và nhân vật Tnú (1 lần). Đề gần đây nhất là năm 2012.Lần ra đề về Đàn ghi ta của Lorca mới nhất là năm 2014. Thí sinh cần chú ý vẻ đẹp của hình tượng Lorca nhất là qua đoạn thơ từ đầu đến hết phần miêu tả tiếng đàn (2 lần).Tác phẩm Vội vàng của Xuân Diệu lại được chú ý ở đoạn đầu Tôi muốn tắt nắng đi (2009) và cảm nhận khái quát về tâm trạng của nhân vật trữ tình (2013).

Two works by Hồ Chí Minh and two plays were each featured once in the exams. 'The Declaration of Independence' (first semester of grade 12) was highlighted for its legal foundation in the opening section (2011). 'Evening' (second semester of grade 11) was questioned about its classical and modern beauty (2014). When studying the two plays 'Vu Như To' (first semester of grade 11) and 'The Soul of Trương Ba, the Flesh of the Butcher' (second semester of grade 12), students should focus on the tragic nature of the main characters, which were key topics in exams on Nguyễn Huy Tưởng's play in 2006 and Lưu Quang Vũ's in 2014.

'The Bride' by Kim Lân (second semester of grade 12) is the most frequently featured work, appearing a total of 9 times, with the most recent in 2016. Topics most often asked include: the story situation (twice), humanistic values (twice), and the theme of compassion and hope for life. Other frequent topics cover characters like Bà Cụ Tứ, Tràng, the bride, and the story's conclusion, each of which has appeared once.

'The Boat Outside the Harbor' by Nguyễn Minh Châu (second semester of grade 12) has also captivated both exam setters and students. This work has appeared in the exams 7 times, with topics covering: the story's situation (twice), the fisherwoman (three times), Phùng (once), and the photograph detail at the end of the story (once). The most recent appearance of this work was in 2015.

The excerpt 'The Land' by Nguyễn Khoa Điềm and the essay 'Who Named the River?' by Hoàng Phủ Ngọc Tường (first semester of grade 12) are tied for third place, each appearing 5 times in the exams. The excerpts from 'The Land' that are frequently asked about include: 'The wives who remember their husbands also contribute to the Land with the Vọng Phu mountains' (twice), 'The land is where you go to school' (twice), and 'The land is the flesh and blood of its people' (once). This excerpt was last featured in 2017. Questions about 'Who Named the River?' primarily explore the beauty of the Perfume River, focusing on general impressions of its beauty (twice), its beauty in the upper reaches (once), and its beauty along the journey from the upper reaches to the city (twice).