Police to send warning letters to parents of Facebook bullies

The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from police in the first crackdown on social networking taunting which has led youngsters to commit suicide.Detectives will start sending messages to cyber bullies using the social networking site, warning them they are breaking the law and could face prosecution.Their parents will also be sent a letter alerting them to the fact that their child is an online bully and what the consequences of their actions could be.

It is hoped that informing the internet tormentors of the seriousness of their actions at an early stage will stop them from using the web to harass others and keep them from entering the criminal justice system.

"By sending a police warning notice on Facebook, students will be made aware they could be prosecuted," he said."By alerting their parents to the problem, we are aiming to nip the problem in the bud and prevent it becoming something more serious."Social networkers, whatever their age, often don't think about what they are writing in the same way they would think about what they write in a letter or an email.

"If we have to investigate Facebook messages as harassment or public order offences and the young person gets charged, it could seriously affect their future."While we want them to realise how serious the matter is, we also want to avoid that and keep young people out of the criminal justice system if possible."

Under the scheme, Pc Thomas will work with young volunteers to investigate and deal with reports of bullying or harassment on Facebook.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. Cyber bullies will receive letters from the police.
b. Some of the victims of Facebook bullying have killed themselves.
c. Only teen social networkers don´t realise how offensive their messages on social networks are.
d. Only professional policemen will investigate online bullying.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. How are the police going to try to stop online bullying?
b. What could happen to these bullies if they don´t stop their actions?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a. campaign against (par.1) b. continually annoy (par.2) c. accused (par.4)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from the police.
Letters .........................................
b. "We want them to realise how serious the matter is.“ he said.
He said that ..................................................
c. The police will investigate social networkers who send disturbing messages.
If social networkers didn´t .............................................

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

What do you think about social networks like Facebook, Twitter?

Police to send warning letters to parents of Facebook bullies

The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from police in the first crackdown on social networking taunting which has led youngsters to commit suicide.Detectives will start sending messages to cyber bullies using the social networking site, warning them they are breaking the law and could face prosecution.Their parents will also be sent a letter alerting them to the fact that their child is an online bully and what the consequences of their actions could be.

It is hoped that informing the internet tormentors of the seriousness of their actions at an early stage will stop them from using the web to harass others and keep them from entering the criminal justice system.

"By sending a police warning notice on Facebook, students will be made aware they could be prosecuted," he said."By alerting their parents to the problem, we are aiming to nip the problem in the bud and prevent it becoming something more serious."Social networkers, whatever their age, often don't think about what they are writing in the same way they would think about what they write in a letter or an email.

"If we have to investigate Facebook messages as harassment or public order offences and the young person gets charged, it could seriously affect their future."While we want them to realise how serious the matter is, we also want to avoid that and keep young people out of the criminal justice system if possible."

Under the scheme, Pc Thomas will work with young volunteers to investigate and deal with reports of bullying or harassment on Facebook.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether these sentences are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. Cyber bullies will receive letters from the police.
b. Some of the victims of Facebook bullying have killed themselves.
c. Only teen social networkers don´t realise how offensive their messages on social networks are.
d. Only professional policemen will investigate online bullying.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. How are the police going to try to stop online bullying?
b. What could happen to these bullies if they don´t stop their actions?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

a. campaign against (par.1) b. continually annoy (par.2) c. accused (par.4)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. The parents of Facebook bullies will receive letters from the police.
Letters .........................................
b. "We want them to realise how serious the matter is.“ he said.
He said that ..................................................
c. The police will investigate social networkers who send disturbing messages.
If social networkers didn´t .............................................

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

What do you think about social networks like Facebook, Twitter?

Police to send warning letters to parents of Facebook bullies

KEY

Question 1.

a. False. “ Detectives will start sending messages to cyber bullies.“
b. True. “ the first crackdown on social networking taunting which has led youngsters to commit suicide.“
c. False. “Social networkers, whatever their age, often don't think about what they are writing in the same way they would think about what they write in a letter or an email.“
d. False. “ Pc Thomas will work with young volunteers to investigate and deal with reports of bullying or harassment on Facebook.“

Question 2.

a. The police are going to inform facebook parents’ bullies by mail and they are also going to inform the bullies themeselves by sending them messages through the social network site. They want to make them aware of the seriousness of their online actions and the possible consequences these actions may have.

b. Cyber bullies might be considered criminals, get charged and taken to court, which would have bad effects on their life in the future.

Question 3

a. crackdown on b. to harass c. charged

Question 4.

a. Letters from the police will be received by the parents of Facebook bullies.
b. He said that they wanted them to realise how serious the matter was.
c. If social networkers didn´t send disturbing messages, the police wouldn´t investigate them.

Police to send warning letters to parents of Facebook bullies

KEY

Question 1.

a. False. “ Detectives will start sending messages to cyber bullies.“
b. True. “ the first crackdown on social networking taunting which has led youngsters to commit suicide.“
c. False. “Social networkers, whatever their age, often don't think about what they are writing in the same way they would think about what they write in a letter or an email.“
d. False. “ Pc Thomas will work with young volunteers to investigate and deal with reports of bullying or harassment on Facebook.“

Question 2.

a. The police are going to inform facebook parents’ bullies by mail and they are also going to inform the bullies themeselves by sending them messages through the social network site. They want to make them aware of the seriousness of their online actions and the possible consequences these actions may have.

b. Cyber bullies might be considered criminals, get charged and taken to court, which would have bad effects on their life in the future.

Question 3

a. crackdown on b. to harass c. charged

Question 4.

a. Letters from the police will be received by the parents of Facebook bullies.
b. He said that they wanted them to realise how serious the matter was.
c. If social networkers didn´t send disturbing messages, the police wouldn´t investigate them.

More students cheating on university applications

Figures show almost 30,000 candidates copied phrases directly from the internet into their personal statement – a detailed note setting out their reasons for choosing a particular course. 189 candidates attempting to study design courses started their personal statement with a quote from Coco Chanel: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”.

Almost a third of applicants failed to get on to degree courses last year. Demand for places is expected to be even more fierce in 2011, with some 583,500 people submitting applications by the end of January – a rise of more than five per cent.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) has been employing Copycatch – a system that scans personal statements and checks candidates’ work against other published writing – for several years. When it was first employed in 2007, it found cheating in five per cent of applications. 234 candidates attempting to study medicine wrote that their passion for the subject had been sparked after “burning a hole in my pyjamas at age eight” with a chemistry set.

Public awareness of the cheating crackdown saw the number of cases drop in 2008 and in 2009. But latest figures show the proportion of personal statements containing plagiarism increased by around a third to 3.85 per cent in 2010 – 29,228 cases. 275 started applications with the line “Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career”, while 166 candidates wrote “For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in…”.A Ucas spokesman told the Times Educational Supplement: “The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the online application process. It gives applicants the chance to stand out from the crowd, which is why it should be an individual, and personal, piece of work.”

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) Every year, it becomes more difficult to go to university in the UK.

b) UCAS will start using Copycat this year for the first time.

c) More people cheated in their application in 2010 than in 2007.

d) 29,228 people began their statement with the words “Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career” in 2010.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) What is a ‘personal statement’ in university applications in the UK?

b) How does UCAS check personal statements?

Question 3 (1.5 points)

Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a) a phrase (paragraph 1)

b) try (paragraph 3)

c) knowledge, understanding (paragraph 4)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) 189 candidates attempting to study design courses started their personal statement with a quote from Coco Chanel.

Personal statements for design courses from

b) Demand for places is expected to be even fiercer in 2011, with a rise of more than five per cent in people submitting applications by the end of January.

Due to

c) A Ucas spokesman said: “The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the online application process. It gives applicants the chance to stand out from the crowd, which is why it should be an individual, and personal, piece of work.”

A Ucas spokesman said that

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

How and why do people try to be “different”?

More students cheating on university applications

Figures show almost 30,000 candidates copied phrases directly from the internet into their personal statement – a detailed note setting out their reasons for choosing a particular course. 189 candidates attempting to study design courses started their personal statement with a quote from Coco Chanel: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”.

Almost a third of applicants failed to get on to degree courses last year. Demand for places is expected to be even more fierce in 2011, with some 583,500 people submitting applications by the end of January – a rise of more than five per cent.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) has been employing Copycatch – a system that scans personal statements and checks candidates’ work against other published writing – for several years. When it was first employed in 2007, it found cheating in five per cent of applications. 234 candidates attempting to study medicine wrote that their passion for the subject had been sparked after “burning a hole in my pyjamas at age eight” with a chemistry set.

Public awareness of the cheating crackdown saw the number of cases drop in 2008 and in 2009. But latest figures show the proportion of personal statements containing plagiarism increased by around a third to 3.85 per cent in 2010 – 29,228 cases. 275 started applications with the line “Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career”, while 166 candidates wrote “For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in…”.A Ucas spokesman told the Times Educational Supplement: “The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the online application process. It gives applicants the chance to stand out from the crowd, which is why it should be an individual, and personal, piece of work.”

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a) Every year, it becomes more difficult to go to university in the UK.

b) UCAS will start using Copycat this year for the first time.

c) More people cheated in their application in 2010 than in 2007.

d) 29,228 people began their statement with the words “Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career” in 2010.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.

a) What is a ‘personal statement’ in university applications in the UK?

b) How does UCAS check personal statements?

Question 3 (1.5 points)

Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a) a phrase (paragraph 1)

b) try (paragraph 3)

c) knowledge, understanding (paragraph 4)

Question 4 (1.5 points)

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) 189 candidates attempting to study design courses started their personal statement with a quote from Coco Chanel.

Personal statements for design courses from

b) Demand for places is expected to be even fiercer in 2011, with a rise of more than five per cent in people submitting applications by the end of January.

Due to

c) A Ucas spokesman said: “The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the online application process. It gives applicants the chance to stand out from the crowd, which is why it should be an individual, and personal, piece of work.”

A Ucas spokesman said that

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

How and why do people try to be “different”?

Buckinghamshire library emptied in cuts protest

Library-users emptied a town's library of books in protest against plans to close it down. People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton Keynes - clearing all 16,000 volumes from its shelves. Milton Keynes Council is considering closing the library to save £26m in 2011/12.

Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) said they were amazed at how everyone had pulled together. Emily Malleson of FOSSL added that she calculated that books had been taken out at a rate of around 378 per hour. "A local resident mentioned the idea, maybe as a joke, but we thought it was a great idea," she said. "I put it on Facebook and emailed everyone I could think of and it's just gone absolutely mad.
I think it's a very simple but clever idea and it's given something that people can act on and make their voice heard. It shows it's such an important part of the community and well-used by everyone and not just for books - for DVDs, computers, spoken work. The amount of support is just staggering."

More than 500 supporters have joined a Facebook page and there are also written and online petitions against the proposed closure. The council's final budget is due to be decided on 22 February.
In other libraries across the UK, protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Doncaster is planning to axe 14 out of 26 branches. Doncaster's mayor, Peter Davies, said he regretted having to cut funding to libraries, but said he was morally obliged to continue other vital services. More than 450 libraries and mobile services across the country are currently threatened with closure. Some councils have said keeping libraries open would put services for vulnerable and elderly people at risk.

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) There were no books left in Stony Stratford library at the end of the campaign.
b) The success of the Stony Stratford campaign was expected.
c) Emily Malleson used her computer to advertise the campaign.
d) Doncaster plans to close all of its libraries.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) In what different ways did people show their opposition to the closures of libraries?
b) Which people would suffer if these libraries remain open?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) to work hard in a group to try to do something (paragraph 2)
b) a protest when people occupy a public building (paragraph 4)
c) money given by an organization for an event or activity (paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton
Keynes.
The maximum allowance ……………….
b) Emily Malleson said “It is a very simple but clever idea and it's given
something that people can act on and make their voice heard.”
According to Emily Malleson, it
c) Protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned
branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night
sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Not only …………………………………. ….., but also

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Protests do not need to be big to be effective.” Do you agree?

Doncaster library protest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIEYP9z5QVQ

Watch the video about the protest against the closure of Doncaster libraries.
Which person (1 – 8) says these things (a – h)?

1 Simon Barron, Voices for the Library

2 David Blythe, Author

3 Lauren Smith, Librarian

4 Katie Marshall, Student

5 Older, blonde woman

6 Man in black woolen hat

7 Man in black and blue woolen hat

8 Little girl in library


a goes to the library every evening.

b thinks the council should think again about the logic of closing all these libraries.

c. is worried about people becoming isolated if libraries close.

d had two heroes when he was young: his father and Doctor Who (the hero of a lot of
books)

e thinks libraries are part of education.

f thinks that children and pensioners will miss libraries tremendously.
g thinks that if libraries close now, they will never reopen again.

h considers that libraries are particularly important for kids to do their homework and
learn.

Buckinghamshire library emptied in cuts protest

Library-users emptied a town's library of books in protest against plans to close it down. People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton Keynes - clearing all 16,000 volumes from its shelves. Milton Keynes Council is considering closing the library to save £26m in 2011/12.

Friends of Stony Stratford Library (FOSSL) said they were amazed at how everyone had pulled together. Emily Malleson of FOSSL added that she calculated that books had been taken out at a rate of around 378 per hour. "A local resident mentioned the idea, maybe as a joke, but we thought it was a great idea," she said. "I put it on Facebook and emailed everyone I could think of and it's just gone absolutely mad.
I think it's a very simple but clever idea and it's given something that people can act on and make their voice heard. It shows it's such an important part of the community and well-used by everyone and not just for books - for DVDs, computers, spoken work. The amount of support is just staggering."

More than 500 supporters have joined a Facebook page and there are also written and online petitions against the proposed closure. The council's final budget is due to be decided on 22 February.
In other libraries across the UK, protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Doncaster is planning to axe 14 out of 26 branches. Doncaster's mayor, Peter Davies, said he regretted having to cut funding to libraries, but said he was morally obliged to continue other vital services. More than 450 libraries and mobile services across the country are currently threatened with closure. Some councils have said keeping libraries open would put services for vulnerable and elderly people at risk.

Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) There were no books left in Stony Stratford library at the end of the campaign.
b) The success of the Stony Stratford campaign was expected.
c) Emily Malleson used her computer to advertise the campaign.
d) Doncaster plans to close all of its libraries.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) In what different ways did people show their opposition to the closures of libraries?
b) Which people would suffer if these libraries remain open?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) to work hard in a group to try to do something (paragraph 2)
b) a protest when people occupy a public building (paragraph 4)
c) money given by an organization for an event or activity (paragraph 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) People took their maximum allowance of books from Stony Stratford library, Milton
Keynes.
The maximum allowance ……………….
b) Emily Malleson said “It is a very simple but clever idea and it's given
something that people can act on and make their voice heard.”
According to Emily Malleson, it
c) Protesters held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions to campaign against planned
branch closures. At one library in south London the event turned into an all-night
sit-in involving about 35 protesters.
Not only …………………………………. ….., but also

Question 5 (3 points)
Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:
“Protests do not need to be big to be effective.” Do you agree?

Doncaster library protest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIEYP9z5QVQ

Watch the video about the protest against the closure of Doncaster libraries.
Which person (1 – 8) says these things (a – h)?

1 Simon Barron, Voices for the Library

2 David Blythe, Author

3 Lauren Smith, Librarian

4 Katie Marshall, Student

5 Older, blonde woman

6 Man in black woolen hat

7 Man in black and blue woolen hat

8 Little girl in library


a goes to the library every evening.

b thinks the council should think again about the logic of closing all these libraries.

c. is worried about people becoming isolated if libraries close.

d had two heroes when he was young: his father and Doctor Who (the hero of a lot of
books)

e thinks libraries are part of education.

f thinks that children and pensioners will miss libraries tremendously.
g thinks that if libraries close now, they will never reopen again.

h considers that libraries are particularly important for kids to do their homework and
learn.

Thousands of kids are calling for drivers to slow down on the roads.

A survey by the charity BRAKE found that around half of nine to 13-year-olds have had a near-miss while walking or cycling on roads.
Most children said that cars go 'too fast'. Brake wants a 20mph speed limit introduced in all areas close to houses and schools.
The survey also found one in 10 children in Scotland has been hit on the road by a car or a bike.
A spokesperson for Brake said: "One of the best ways we can do this is to slow down to 20 miles per hour or below around schools and homes."
Last year the government said there had been a 57% drop in the number of children being killed on Britain's roads since the 1990s, and it's aiming to halve that number again by 2020.

Are these sentences TRUE or FALSE?

1. Thousands of children want car drivers to drive faster.
2. The charity BRAKE has organised a survey.
3. The survey found that all nine to 13-year-olds have had near-misses while walking on roads.
4. Brake wants a 60mph speed limit around schools.
5. The survey found that one in 10 children in Scotland has been hit on the road by a car or a bike.
6. The government said there was a rise in the number of children being killed on the roads in Britain last year.
7. There has been a drop of 57% in the number of children being killed on roads in Britain since the 1990s.
8. The government wants to double the number of deaths on the roads.

Try our quiz on road safety

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4440000/newsid_4445500/4445532.stm

Match the words to the definitions

spokesperson looking at the opinions, behaviour, etc., of people by asking them questions
speed limit a situation in which something almost hits something else
halve the fastest rate at which you are allowed to drive in an area
survey to put something into use for the first time
drop someone who is chosen by a group or organisation to speak officially to the public for them
near-miss a reduction in the amount or level of something
introduced intending; wanting to
aiming reducing something by half or dividing something into two equal pieces

Thousands of kids are calling for drivers to slow down on the roads.

A survey by the charity BRAKE found that around half of nine to 13-year-olds have had a near-miss while walking or cycling on roads.
Most children said that cars go 'too fast'. Brake wants a 20mph speed limit introduced in all areas close to houses and schools.
The survey also found one in 10 children in Scotland has been hit on the road by a car or a bike.
A spokesperson for Brake said: "One of the best ways we can do this is to slow down to 20 miles per hour or below around schools and homes."
Last year the government said there had been a 57% drop in the number of children being killed on Britain's roads since the 1990s, and it's aiming to halve that number again by 2020.

Are these sentences TRUE or FALSE?

1. Thousands of children want car drivers to drive faster.
2. The charity BRAKE has organised a survey.
3. The survey found that all nine to 13-year-olds have had near-misses while walking on roads.
4. Brake wants a 60mph speed limit around schools.
5. The survey found that one in 10 children in Scotland has been hit on the road by a car or a bike.
6. The government said there was a rise in the number of children being killed on the roads in Britain last year.
7. There has been a drop of 57% in the number of children being killed on roads in Britain since the 1990s.
8. The government wants to double the number of deaths on the roads.

Try our quiz on road safety

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4440000/newsid_4445500/4445532.stm

Match the words to the definitions

spokesperson looking at the opinions, behaviour, etc., of people by asking them questions
speed limit a situation in which something almost hits something else
halve the fastest rate at which you are allowed to drive in an area
survey to put something into use for the first time
drop someone who is chosen by a group or organisation to speak officially to the public for them
near-miss a reduction in the amount or level of something
introduced intending; wanting to
aiming reducing something by half or dividing something into two equal pieces

Overexamined, undereducated

Overexamined, undereducated

Tens of thousands of schoolchildren, many of whom will have spent the Christmas break cramming and fretting over the new year exams, look likely to be given a reprieve by the snow. With about half the UK’s schools closed, there is increasing uncertainty about the GCSEs and A levels that are scheduled to begin on Monday. Should the exams be rescheduled for the summer, creating a pile-up of assessments in an already over-assessed academic year? Or should exam grades be issued on the strength of coursework that has already been submitted?

Britain’s children are simultaneously overexamined and undereducated. This problem extends across all age groups, as the Cambridge Primary Review found last year. But it is especially acute at secondary level.

Many readers will remember a time when there were two sets of major exams: GCSEs then A levels. Those days are long gone. Students now take the new AS levels between GCSEs and A levels. Moreover, instead of coming at the end of the academic year in the summer, exams are now split into modules that crop up during the year.

Examining, not education, dominates the agenda. Politicians demand never-ending “improvements” in exam results. So do many headteachers. Teachers are forced to narrow their focus towards cramming. No wonder some independent schools are switching to the International Baccalaureate, which has a Middle Years Programme free of external assessment.

Exams can be useful. But they become self-defeating when they are never-ending. Increasing assessment once had the sensible intention of making it easier to measure essential skills. But the curriculum should lead the exam, not the exam lead the curriculum.

1 Find words in the text that refer to people
Example: teachers, ...........

2 Match the expressions from the text to the correct meaning.

1 to cram a to appear suddenly
2 to fret over b It’s not surprising
3 to crop up c counterproductive
4 to be given a reprieve d To escape punishment (temporarily)
5 Those days are long gone. e to study hard just before an exam
6 No wonder f The situation today is completely different.
7 to dominate the agenda g to worry about
8 self-defeating h to control what happens

3 Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) serious (paragraph 2)
b) divide (paragraph 3)
c) change (paragraph 4)

4 Who does these things – a student or a teacher?
does homework / corrects homework
hands in homework /gives back homework
sets a test / sits a test
gets a mark / gives a mark
explains the content of a lesson / takes notes of the content of a lesson

5 Choose the right word.
I’m in the third (1) year /course of Compulsory Education. I have to study 9 (2) signatures /subjects. At the moment, I’m getting good (3) marks /notes in 8 of them but I (4) failed /suspended the Physics exam. I have to (5) make / do another exam at the end of term and I hope I (6) pass / approve!

Key
1
Schoolchildren, children, readers, students, politicians, headteachers
2
1 - e, 2 – g, 3 – a, 4 – d, 5 – f, 6 – b, 7 – h, 8 – c
3
a) acute b) split c) switch
4
a student does homework, hands in homework, sits a test, gets a mark, takes notes
a teacher corrects homework, gives back homework, sets a test, gives a mark, explains the content of a lesson
5
1 year 2 subjects 3 marks 4 failed 5 do 6 pass

Overexamined, undereducated

Overexamined, undereducated

Tens of thousands of schoolchildren, many of whom will have spent the Christmas break cramming and fretting over the new year exams, look likely to be given a reprieve by the snow. With about half the UK’s schools closed, there is increasing uncertainty about the GCSEs and A levels that are scheduled to begin on Monday. Should the exams be rescheduled for the summer, creating a pile-up of assessments in an already over-assessed academic year? Or should exam grades be issued on the strength of coursework that has already been submitted?

Britain’s children are simultaneously overexamined and undereducated. This problem extends across all age groups, as the Cambridge Primary Review found last year. But it is especially acute at secondary level.

Many readers will remember a time when there were two sets of major exams: GCSEs then A levels. Those days are long gone. Students now take the new AS levels between GCSEs and A levels. Moreover, instead of coming at the end of the academic year in the summer, exams are now split into modules that crop up during the year.

Examining, not education, dominates the agenda. Politicians demand never-ending “improvements” in exam results. So do many headteachers. Teachers are forced to narrow their focus towards cramming. No wonder some independent schools are switching to the International Baccalaureate, which has a Middle Years Programme free of external assessment.

Exams can be useful. But they become self-defeating when they are never-ending. Increasing assessment once had the sensible intention of making it easier to measure essential skills. But the curriculum should lead the exam, not the exam lead the curriculum.

1 Find words in the text that refer to people
Example: teachers, ...........

2 Match the expressions from the text to the correct meaning.

1 to cram a to appear suddenly
2 to fret over b It’s not surprising
3 to crop up c counterproductive
4 to be given a reprieve d To escape punishment (temporarily)
5 Those days are long gone. e to study hard just before an exam
6 No wonder f The situation today is completely different.
7 to dominate the agenda g to worry about
8 self-defeating h to control what happens

3 Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) serious (paragraph 2)
b) divide (paragraph 3)
c) change (paragraph 4)

4 Who does these things – a student or a teacher?
does homework / corrects homework
hands in homework /gives back homework
sets a test / sits a test
gets a mark / gives a mark
explains the content of a lesson / takes notes of the content of a lesson

5 Choose the right word.
I’m in the third (1) year /course of Compulsory Education. I have to study 9 (2) signatures /subjects. At the moment, I’m getting good (3) marks /notes in 8 of them but I (4) failed /suspended the Physics exam. I have to (5) make / do another exam at the end of term and I hope I (6) pass / approve!

Key
1
Schoolchildren, children, readers, students, politicians, headteachers
2
1 - e, 2 – g, 3 – a, 4 – d, 5 – f, 6 – b, 7 – h, 8 – c
3
a) acute b) split c) switch
4
a student does homework, hands in homework, sits a test, gets a mark, takes notes
a teacher corrects homework, gives back homework, sets a test, gives a mark, explains the content of a lesson
5
1 year 2 subjects 3 marks 4 failed 5 do 6 pass

Spain to open gastronomic university

Spain to open gastronomic university

Spain is to open the world's first "gastronomic university" complete with a research laboratory to explore the mysterious chemistry of taste. Construction began last month on the Basque Culinary Centre in San Sebastian and it will be ready to accept its first intake of students in September 2011 in a building designed to resemble a pile of stacked plates.
The university will be the first of its kind to offer a four-year undergraduate degree course in culinary arts taught in both English and Spanish and one year masters degrees as well as shorter courses for cooking enthusiasts.
The private university is located in the seaside resort of San Sebastian, which already holds a reputation for some of the best gastronomical expertise in Spain. The town is home to nine restaurants who together boast a total of 16 Michelin stars. Many of the local chefs have pledged their support to the new university and will participate in the tuition on degree courses.
But it is perhaps the promise of guest lecturers such as the top chef Ferran Adria that will have aspiring chefs applying in droves. Mr Adria who owns the famed El Bulli restaurant on Spain’s Costa Brava is considered the father of molecular gastronomy and has treated those few diners lucky enough to secure a reservation at one of his tables to such rare delights as Parmesan snow and pine cone mouse. Despite hostility from Spain’s more traditional chefs, his restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Spain’s minister of Science and Innovation said the time had come for gastronomy to be treated with the same seriousness as other academic subjects and given its own university degree. ”Not only is gastronomy an art, culture and an industry,” said Cristina Garmendia at the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the new university. “It is also a technology and a science.”
Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Courses at the university will last between 1 and 4 years.
b) 16 restaurants in San Sebastian have been given a Michelin star.
c) Ferran Adriá’s restaurant is very popular with both customers and cooks.
d) Cristina Garmendia thinks that it is right to teach gastronomy at university level.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What will the Basque Culinary Centre look like?
b) Who will teach at the university?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) the people accepted on a school or university course (Paragraph 1)
b promise (Paragraph 3)
c) large numbers (Paragraph 4)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Adria’s restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Judges ………………………..
b) Local chefs will make attractive teachers but it is Ferran Adria who will be a star guest lecturer.
Although…………………………..
c) The private university is located in San Sebastian, as it already has a reputation for the best gastronomy in Spain.
If San Sebastian ………………………………………..

Question 5 (5 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
‘Our universities and schools do not teach the things we need to know.’ Do you agree?
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander

Spain to open gastronomic university

Spain to open gastronomic university

Spain is to open the world's first "gastronomic university" complete with a research laboratory to explore the mysterious chemistry of taste. Construction began last month on the Basque Culinary Centre in San Sebastian and it will be ready to accept its first intake of students in September 2011 in a building designed to resemble a pile of stacked plates.
The university will be the first of its kind to offer a four-year undergraduate degree course in culinary arts taught in both English and Spanish and one year masters degrees as well as shorter courses for cooking enthusiasts.
The private university is located in the seaside resort of San Sebastian, which already holds a reputation for some of the best gastronomical expertise in Spain. The town is home to nine restaurants who together boast a total of 16 Michelin stars. Many of the local chefs have pledged their support to the new university and will participate in the tuition on degree courses.
But it is perhaps the promise of guest lecturers such as the top chef Ferran Adria that will have aspiring chefs applying in droves. Mr Adria who owns the famed El Bulli restaurant on Spain’s Costa Brava is considered the father of molecular gastronomy and has treated those few diners lucky enough to secure a reservation at one of his tables to such rare delights as Parmesan snow and pine cone mouse. Despite hostility from Spain’s more traditional chefs, his restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Spain’s minister of Science and Innovation said the time had come for gastronomy to be treated with the same seriousness as other academic subjects and given its own university degree. ”Not only is gastronomy an art, culture and an industry,” said Cristina Garmendia at the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the new university. “It is also a technology and a science.”
Question 1 (2 points)
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a) Courses at the university will last between 1 and 4 years.
b) 16 restaurants in San Sebastian have been given a Michelin star.
c) Ferran Adriá’s restaurant is very popular with both customers and cooks.
d) Cristina Garmendia thinks that it is right to teach gastronomy at university level.

Question 2 (2 points)
Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What will the Basque Culinary Centre look like?
b) Who will teach at the university?

Question 3 (1.5 points)
Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a) the people accepted on a school or university course (Paragraph 1)
b promise (Paragraph 3)
c) large numbers (Paragraph 4)

Question 4 (1.5 points)
Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Adria’s restaurant has been voted the best in the world for the fourth consecutive year.
Judges ………………………..
b) Local chefs will make attractive teachers but it is Ferran Adria who will be a star guest lecturer.
Although…………………………..
c) The private university is located in San Sebastian, as it already has a reputation for the best gastronomy in Spain.
If San Sebastian ………………………………………..

Question 5 (5 points)
Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:
‘Our universities and schools do not teach the things we need to know.’ Do you agree?
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander