The first exam, I required a drink to go in for (8)
I believe the answer is:
original
'for' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'the first exam i required a drink to go in' is the wordplay.
'the first exam' becomes 'oral' (spoken academic test. I am not sure about the 'first' bit.).
'required' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a drink' becomes 'gin' (gin is a kind of drink).
'to go in' indicates putting letters inside.
'i'+'gin'='igin'
'oral' enclosing 'igin' is 'ORIGINAL'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for original that I've seen before include "Not derived or copied form something else" , "First; (an) odd character" , "Person of marked individuality" , "Primitive, earliest" , "In first form" .)