Passage 2: second nature

PASSAGE 2: GIFTED CHILDREN AND LEARNING

QUESTIONS 14-17: READING PASSAGE 2 HAS SIX PARAGRAPHS, A-F.

14. A REFERENCE TO THE INFLUENCE OF THE DOMESTIC BACKGROUND ON THE GIFTED CHILD.
Key words: influence, domestic background, gifted child
We need to find out some information about “domestic background” in the text. In paragraph A, the author refers to the importance of “home educational provision” and “reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home etc”. “Giftedness” is related to “educational backup” at home.
– domestic=home
=>ANSWER:A

15. REFERENCE TO WHAT CAN BE LOST IF LEARNERS ARE GIVEN TOO MUCH GUIDANCE

Keywords: what lost, too much guidance
We need to find out some information about “too much guidance” provided. In paragraph D, the author indicates that “Conversely, teachers who have a tendency to “overdirect” can diminish their gifted pupils‟ learning autonomy…Too much dependence on the teacher risks loss of autonomy and motivation to discover.” This means that too much help from teachers causes students’ autonomy and motivation to be lost.
– overdirect=too much guidance
ANSWER: D

16. A REFERENCE TO THE DAMAGING EFFECTS OF ANXIETY.

Keywords: effects, anxiety
We need to find out some information about anxiety. In paragraph F, the author argues that “Fear, for example, can limit the development of curiosity, which is a strong force in scientific advance, because it motivates problem-solving behaviour. So, fear, or anxiety, has negative effects on the development of curiosity.
– anxiety=fear
=>ANSWER: F

17. EXAMPLES OF CLASSROOM TECHNIQUES WHICH FAVOUR SOCIALLY-DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN.

Keywords: techniques, socially-disadvantaged children.
We need to find out some information about disadvantaged children. At the end of paragraph D, “There are quite a number of new methods which can help, such as child-initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc. Such practices have been found to be particularly useful for, or in other words “favour”, right children from deprived areas.” So, some classroom techniques such as child-initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc are very useful for socially-disadvantaged children.
– techniques=methods=practices
– socially-disadvantaged=deprived
=>ANSWER:D

QUESTIONS 18-22: LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS (QUESTIONS 18-22) AND THE LIST OF PEOPLE BELOW.

18. LESS TIME CAN BE SPENT ON EXERCISES WITH GIFTED PUPILS WHO PRODUCE ACCURATE WORK.
Keywords: Less time, exercises
In paragraph C, Shore and Kanevsky say “If the gifted merely think more quickly, then we need only teach more quickly. If they merely make fewer errors, then we can shorten the practice.”
– produce accurate work=make fewer errors
– less time spent on exercises=shorten the practice
=>ANSWER: B

19. SELF-RELIANCE IS A VALUABLE TOOL THAT HELPS GIFTED STUDENTS REACHTHEIR GOALS.

Keywords: self-reliance, reach goals
In paragraph E, Simonton concludes that “above a certain high level, characteristics such as independence seemed to contribute more to reaching the highest levels of expertise than intellectual skills, due to the great demands of effort and time needed for learning and practice.”
– self-reliance=independence
– goals=the highest levels of expertise
=>ANSWER: D

20. GIFTED CHILDREN KNOW HOW TO CHANNEL THEIR FEELINGS TO ASSIST THEIR LEARNING.

Keywords: channel feelings, assist learning
In the last paragraph, “In Boekaerts” (1991) review of emotion in the learning of very high IQ and highly achieving children, she found emotional forces in harness. They (gifted children) were not only curious, but often had a strong desire to control their environment, improve their learning efficiency, and increase their own learning resources.”
– channel their feelings=emotional forces in harness
– assist their learning=improve their learning efficiency
=>ANSWER: E

21. THE VERY GIFTED CHILD BENEFITS FROM APPROPRIATE SUPPORT FROM CLOSE RELATIVES.

Keywords: benefits, support from relatives.
In paragraph A, “A very close relationship was found when children‟s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision. The higher the children‟s IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality of their educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home, etc” The researcher mentioned in this paragraph is Freeman.
– support from close relatives=educational backup/ home educational provision
=>ANSWER: A
22. REALLY SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS HAVE LEARNT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT ABOUT THEIR SUBJECT.
Keywords: learnt a considerable amount.
In paragraph E, “individuals who know a great deal about a specific domain will achieve at a higher level than those who do not.”
– Really successful=achieve at a higher level
– learnt a considerable amount=know a great deal
– subject =specific domain
=>ANSWER: C

QUESTIONS 23-26: COMPLETE THE SENTENCES BELOW.

23. ONE STUDY FOUND A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN CHILDREN’S IQ AND THE AVAILABILITY OF……AND…..AT HOME.
Keywords: connection, children’s IQ, at home.
In paragraph A, the writer argues that “A very close… relationship was found when children‟s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision. The higher the children‟s IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality of their educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home, etc”
– a strong connection=a very close relationship
=>ANSWER: books-activities

24. CHILDREN OF AVERAGE ABILITY SEEM TO NEED MORE DIRECTION FROM TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE…..

Keywords: average, more direction, they do not have
We need to find out some information about average-ability children. In paragraph B, the author indicates that “There appears to be a qualitative difference in the way the intellectually highly able think, compared with more average-ability or older pupils, for whom external regulation by the teachers often compensates for lack of internal regulation.”
– direction=regulation
– do not have=lack(v)
=>ANSWER: internal regulation

25. METACOGNITION INVOLVES CHILDREN UNDERSTANDING THEIR OWN LEARNING STRATEGIES, AS WELL AS DEVELOPING…..

Keywords: metacognition, developing
We need to find out the information about metacognition. In paragraph B, “To be at their most effective in their self-regulation, all children can be helped to identify their own ways of learning- metacognition-which include strategies of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and choice of what to
learn. Emotional awareness is also part of metacognition, so children should be helped to be aware of their feelings around the area to be learned.”
– understand=identify
=>ANSWER: emotional awareness

26. TEACHERS WHO RELY ON WHAT IS KNOWN AS…..OFTEN PRODUCE SETS OF IMPRESSIVE GRADES IN CLASS TESTS.

Keywords: rely on, produce impressive grades, tests.
In paragraph D, “Although ‘spoon-feeding’ can produce extremely high examination results, these are not always followed by equally impressive life successes.”
– extremely high=impressive
– grades=results
– test=examination
=>ANSWER: spoon-feeding