It seems the masters degree students in Astana were bewildered - or at least distracted - by the phrasing of the multiple-choice question, which offered variations on the ordering of the missing words "tight", "black" and "Lycra". They even asked those who set the exam to point out the right answer, according to the Nur.kz news portal.

Despite Kazakh standards of dress and behaviour generally being more conservative than in the West, Nur reports that national test centre officials were unapologetic about the nature of the question. It quotes them as stating that the word "sexy" translated as "attractive and handsome". "That is why specialists of the centre do not think that this word is inappropriate or discredits someone's dignity and honour," the statement continued.