# Recycling existing questions

Any question created, independently of the test or course to which it has been attached, feeds the questions database. This base can be very useful for teachers wanting to re-use questions that are very general or, needing questions to serve as “fillers” when you're short of a few questions in a new test.

During test creation, the database shows questions from other tests, as well as orphan questions (i.e. those questions which have belonged to a test which has been removed).

When the question database shows, it presents a list of all existing questions inside the course. This is where assigning questions to categories and adding a difficulty to tests can prove very useful for identifying individual questions: use the *Filter* and *Difficulty* drop-down lists to filter the questions accordingly.

To access the database, click on the *recycle existing questions* icon ![](/files/-MhmvMT_tsp9DHn13v7D) as it is listed on the *Create a question* page alongside the various question types:

![](/files/-MWt4F6TIiIcpBM4fUFB)

*Illustration: Tests – Questions database*

Click the *Re-use in current test* button ![](/files/-MO5x43T-PbDmavbQe_T) to include these questions in the current test. What actually happens (in Chamilo 1.9) is that a copy of the old test is included in the current test, so that it can be edited if necessary for the new test without its content or configuration being altered within the test in which it was originally created.


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.chamilo.org/1.11.x/teacher-guide/interactivity_tests/recycling_existing_questions.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.