The 2026 Vietnamese high school exit exam surprised students with an essay question focused on analyzing Nguyễn Đình Thi’s poem, “The Leaves.” The essay portion of the exam is worth four points, making the poetry analysis a significant component of the final grade. Many test-takers expressed surprise at the selection, as it wasn’t widely anticipated. The exam assesses students’ analytical and argumentative writing skills through literary criticism. This year’s choice highlights a return to classic Vietnamese literature in the national standardized testing format. Educators suggest the prompt aims to evaluate students’ comprehension of poetic devices and their ability to articulate complex ideas. The inclusion of “The Leaves” signals a potential shift in the types of texts featured on future exams.