Words correctly? The system is letting our children down

You're soThe Prime Minister's comments yesterday on education spending miss the point, as the secondary education system also needs a major overhaul. Firstly, the system only views the weakest learners as having special ( / ) ............................The

brightest and most ( 2 ) ..........................students are not encouraged to develop to their full potential. Secondly, there’s too much testing and not enough learning. My fifteen-year-old daughter, for example, has ju s t spent the last month or so

(3 )....................for exams. These aren't even real, important exams, as her GCSEs will be next year. They're just (4 )..............exams. Is the work she’s been doing really going to make her more ( 5 ) ........................... about her subjects, or will she forget it all tomorrow? I suspect the latter.

Thirdly, the standard ( 6 ) ..........................doesn't give students any (7) ........................... in developing practical work-related, living and social skills, or in skills necessary for higher education. How many students entering university

have the first idea what the difference is between ( # ) ..........................someone else’s work and making good use of someone else’s ideas? Shouldn't they have been taught this at school? How many of them are really able to go about

( 9 ) ..........................- a skill that’s essential at university because there are no teachers to tell you what to do - in an efficient way? Indeed, how many students ( 10) ..........................from university totally unable to spell even simple €ng[[sh

words correctly? The system is letting our children down.

1 A requests

B desires

C needs

D wants

2

A inattentive

B ignorant

C intensive

D conscientious

3

A cramming

B lecturing

C reading

D practising

4

A false

B mock

C fake

D artificial

5

A knowledgeable

B intellectual

C academic

D intelligent

6

A timetable

B lecture

C seminar

D curriculum

7

A lesson

B subject

C tuition

D tutorial

8

A writing

B going over

C plagiarising

D repeating

9

A reviewing

B revision

C distance learning

D self-study

10

A qualify

B graduate

C depart

D exit

The value of friendship

Recent research into the world of teenagers

has suggested that they value friendship

above everything else. Children aged

between 12 and 15 were asked what was

important to them. Their answers included

possessions such as money and computer

gadgets but also relationships with people.

The teenagers questioned said that

friends were the most important to them,

more even than family, or boyfriends and

girlfriends.

We wanted to find out more about the results

of this research so we asked our readers what

they thought about the value of friendship.

Here are some examples of what they said

about their friends:

Ben, 15:

Every time I have a fight with

my parents, I need some time

on my own. But after that, the

first thing I do is meet up with

my friends. After playing

football for a while, or

skateboarding, I usually feel

much happier again.

Rory, 13:

When I moved to a village in

the countryside, I thought

that it would be the end of my

friendships. But my old

friends have kept in touch and

they come and visit in the

holidays. There's a lake

nearby, so we often go sailing, water-skiing or

windsurfing. And I have made some new

friends here too, at school, and since I joined

the rugby club.

Carlos, 11:

Last year, I broke my arm on a

skiing holiday. Unfortunately, it

was my left arm and I am lefthanded. My school friends all

helped and copied their notes

for me.

It seems that our readers

value their friendships very highly. From what

they told us, they spend a lot of time with

their friends, just hanging out, or sharing

hobbies and interests. They seem to need

their friends for advice, help, chats, and for

having fun. Clearly, friends make each other

feel better. Looking at what our readers told

us, the results of the recent research are not

really surprising.

Now answer these multiple-choice questions. Choose the appropriate letter a, b, c or d.

1.Why are Ben, Rory and Carlos mentioned in the article?

a not important.

c as important as relationships with people.

a They know why teenagers value

friendship.

b They gave information about

themselves.

c They read magazines,

d They are teenage boys.

2.Which of the following best describes Ben?

a He often has fights,

b He likes being alone.

c He is happier than his friends,

d He likes some sports.

3.What do we know about the lake that Rory visits?

a It is near the school,

b It is near his home.

c It is used by a lot of people who do water sports,

d It is in a village.

4.Carlos mentions that he is left-handed because ...

a it makes skiing harder.

b it makes it worse that he broke the

arm he uses most.

c it is an interesting fact about himself and he

was talking about his left arm.

d it is very unfortunate when you break your

left arm.

5.The answers to the recent research and the answers from the readers ...

a were surprising,

b were the same.

c were similar,

d were both about sports.

6.How many friends do the majority of people probably have?

a 30 real friends or fewer

b a minimum of 30 real friends

c 150 internet friends

d 400 internet friends over the course of their

7. It is difficult...

a to believe the numbers about

friendship.

b to keep your friends happy.

c to trust what you read on social networking sites.

d to give a definition of 'friendship'.

8.Friendship means ...

a different things to different people.

b dying for your friends if you need to.

8.Sometimes people worry because ...

a they think that they have too many

friends.

b they spend too much time with friends.

c they think they are too old to make friends,

d there are no guidelines about friendship.

9.Most of us...

a are dissatisfied with our friends.

b build friendships late in life.

c are frightened to talk to strangers,

d need to be with others.

10.What does 'Strangers are friends we have not met yet' mean?

a We have not met strangers before,

b Strangers are also our friends.

c We should not talk to strangers,

d Strangers may become our friends

"Ramadan"

You lift me up high

You ...................my wings

And fly me to the sky

I feel so .................

It’s like my soul thrives in your light

But how I .......... you’d be

Here with me all year around

[Chorus:]

Ramadan Ramadan,

Ramadanu ya habib

(Ramadan, Ramadan, Ramadan O beloved)

Ramadan Ramadan

Laytaka dawman qareeb

(Ramadan, Ramadan,

How I wish you were always near)

..............is everywhere

So much peace fills up the air

Ramadan ........... of the Quran

I feel it ............. of me, strengthening my Iman

But how I wish you’d be Here with me all year around

[Chorus:]

Ramadan Ramadan,

Ramadanu ya habib

(Ramadan, Ramadan, Ramadan O beloved)

Ramadan Ramadan

Laytaka dawman qareeb

(Ramadan, Ramadan,

How I wish you were always near)

I just love the way you make me feel

......... ............ you come around you

breathe life into my soul

And I promise that

I’ll try throughout the year

To keep your ................ alive In my heart it never dies

Oh Ramadan!

[Chorus: X2]

Ramadan Ramadan,

Ramadanu ya habib

(Ramadan, Ramadan, Ramadan O beloved)

Ramadan Ramadan

Laytaka dawman qareeb

(Ramadan, Ramadan,

How I wish you were always near)

Laytaka dawman qareeb

(Ramadan, Ramadan,

How I wish you were always ..........

( Every time, near, alive, month, wish, Love, inside, spread, spirit, )