Politically correct - was how Mr Barry Collins, who teaches at Colaiste Mhuire, Cobh, Co Cork, described yesterday's higher-level Leaving Cert Spanish paper. A comprehension piece on the domestication of Spanish men - el Espanol de los 90 - pushed all the right buttons, he said.
According to the extract, a decade ago Spanish men refused to recognise that they had a role to play in household duties. "Today the Spanish male is anti-macho and shares household work with his partner with a great sense of equality and enthusiasm," he explained.
Ms Ann Harrow, president of the Spanish Teachers' Association who teaches at St Michael's College, Ballsbridge, Dublin, noted that her students - all boys - were particularly interested in the piece.
Teachers commented favourably on both Leaving Cert Spanish papers. Students of both levels should have had no major difficulties, provided they had done the work.
The higher-level paper was well designed and laid out, Mr Collins noted. It passed all the tests - topics related to contemporary issues, they were interesting and relevant to teenage experiences. "Students found it stiff," he said, "but they were able to get through it."
Ms Harrow, though, expressed concern that a few key words on the paper may have been outside the remit of some students. The word prole (offspring), for example, was a word which had featured rarely, if ever, on the course. Otherwise, it was a fair paper which should have posed no problems.
She was positive about the ordinary-level paper, which included a good variety of different types of comprehension. These stretched students, she remarked, but were well within their range.
The listening comprehension test was very clear, she said. "It was at a nice speed and students reported that they found it easy to follow and were quite happy with it."