Why does Liesel insist on participating in the reading examination, and how does it end in disaster?

Liesel insists on participating in the reading examination because she wants to prove herself. Liesel is proactive when it comes to her education. Put on the spot, Liesel recites a passage from The Grave Digger's Handbook. The passage is about how to bury someone when it's snowing. She recites the passage for the class, but fails to impress Sister Maria.