I was born in the same year and had the same experience on the SAT. When we got to that part, everyone was audibly confused.
In my elementary school we were taught non-slanted cursive, which was billed as more readable but also slower to write. Learning it involved copying text and having it judged, there was hardly any practice in reading cursive writing, maybe 5 birthday cards worth.
Occasionally there would be an old-fashioned teacher who would write on the board in cursive, and I'd just listen to them and mostly go by what they said out loud.
In my elementary school we were taught non-slanted cursive, which was billed as more readable but also slower to write. Learning it involved copying text and having it judged, there was hardly any practice in reading cursive writing, maybe 5 birthday cards worth.
Occasionally there would be an old-fashioned teacher who would write on the board in cursive, and I'd just listen to them and mostly go by what they said out loud.