An interesting volume .. I have to admit to an empathy with the CAA which notes that it intends to revise the document by Autumn 2005 ... I guess those good folks have a busy schedule as well ...
So far as the exams go .. just a matter of trying to get the maximum real knowledge you can during your training and then jumping through the exam hoops to get the tick in the box at the end of the exercise. Main thing is to avoid simply training to pass the exam .. same in Oz ... all that does is perpetuate ignorance and OWT in the Industry (generously aided by those "instructors" around the traps who know precious little more than their unsuspecting students) .. I am sure that Keith and I could swap more than a few tales regarding misconceptions which show up in class .. albeit that I have been out of the theory training arena for many years now.
One point to note and that is in respect of definitions. One needs to understand the definition of whatever in the context of the particular discussion. So, for instance, TOR in this context is quite different to TORR in the heavy aircraft side of things. Just something to keep in back of the mind for when things seem to be unduly confusing .. as they can be from time to time.
Main advantage of PPRuNe in these matters is that it gives the student access to a range of knowledgeable folk (= been around a lot longer than the student) and even a few experts (= made enough errors during that longer time to have got to the point where they don't make many new ones ..) who are only too happy to lend a helping hand to the new chums on the block....
Hang in there, guys and gals ... down the track a bit you'll look back on the exam phase with bewildered bemusement ... I recall my first foray into the ATPL performance exam as an aero engineering undergraduate .. looked up the syllabus in the ANOs, got the referenced texts, did the swot, turned up to the exam .. only to discover that the exam had near naught to do with the syllabus .. I then discovered this concept called specimen and past exam papers .. hence my comment to learn the subject first and then worry about figuring out how to pass the exam ..