Autosync - I think you need a little more research. I've not been through the FAA system, but I have been through the Canadian one, which is similar enough to enable me to say that the hour and a half flight test actually takes most of the day and you won't get airborne until you've sat with the examiner for a few hours going through the regs, etc - it is a lot more searching than answering exam questions. At least, that's what it should be - what individual examiners do may be different.
In principle, issuing the questions is just the same as issuing a syllabus - "these are the areas we want you to know about - now go study".
I heard all that stuff about how "superior" the European system is 40 years ago, but it sure ain't practical.
As one who is currently putting a JAA CPLH course through for approval, I can say that around 35% of the syllabus is completely irrelevant for modern-day flying however useful it might have been 100 years ago in the jungle where you maybe did have to repair your own radio (170' has it dead right). In fact, many of the questions are what you would find on an engineer's exam in any other country.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle.
Phil