Comment by macspoofing

>then give them a piece of technical writing, and then ask them whether the nuts should be screwed tight before or after the wooden pieces are put in their slots.

And I'm sure they do get technical writing samples to analyze. Also poetry. Why? Why not! Why not, vary it up a bit. They could have done the same exercise with Rap lyrics.

Again, I'm not sure what the problem is?

>They want to PRETEND to be testing ability at deep literary criticism.

I think you need to manage your expectations. Kids aren't going to give you 'deep literary criticism'.