British students are the most tested ones….. (1) European countries. Their assessment starts from the age of six or seven and then their progress is measured ….. (2) they are 18 when they generally finish school. Those ….. (3) are particularly academic can ….. (4) special treatment as they might be fast tracked by the exam system.
In Britain, schools and teachers are monitored, as well. There is an external body, known as OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education), which is responsible ….. (5) checking the teaching procedures in state schools. Inspectors regularly visit schools to give them scores after ….. (6) teachers and classes.
Moreover, schools are due to publish the ….. (7) exam results which are also recorded in the national newspapers so that families can consult them to find out the best schools for their children. As a consequence, although the national school system is supposed to guarantee social equality, it could ….. (8), in some cases, a different effect.
It may interest you that in some secondary British schools students often attend different classes according to their ability. This system ,….. (9)“streaming”, can have some advantages since the precence of lower students can sometimes hold up the class.
On the other hand, it could reduce the students’ motivation producing low self-esteem and even depression ….. 10) faster students usually set a good example since they help to keep the standards high.
Exercise 1- Read the text above and choose A,B or C to complete it
Tip: try to gess the missing word before you look at the options
- A) in B) of C) that
- A) for B) until C) since
- A) which B) who C) whose
- A) receiving B) received C) receive
- A) on B) that C) for
- A) observe B) observing C) observeing
- A) students B) students’ C) student’s
- A) produce B) producing C) to produce
- A) known as B) known to C) know as
- A) where B) whereas C) as
Exercise 2 – Say if the sentences are true ( T) or false (F)
- British pupils aren’t so tested as their European fellows …..
- Their assessment goes on until they leave school …..
- The best students are never given special treatment …..
- British school teachers aren’t checked at all …..
- The Ofsted inspectors are supposed to give scores to students …..
- Faster learners have a good influence on their fellows …..
- “Streaming” can affect the students’ mental stability. …..
Exercise 3 – Rewrite the sentences using between two and five words, including the one given
- British students are more tested than European ones (AS)
European students…………………………………………… British ones
- OFSTED is responsible for checking state teaching procedures (ARE)
State teaching procedures……………………………………………..OFSTED
The students’ exam results are recorded in the national newspapers ( PUBLISH)
Schools in the UK ………………………………………………………in the national newspapers
- Students are often placed in different classes according to their ability ( DEPEND ON)
The presence of a student ………………………………………………. his/her ability
GLOSSARY
Read, translate and learn the following verbs related to education
Do homework …………………………………..
Do an exam/test …………………………………..
Pass/fail an exam/test …………………………………..
Revise for an exam/test …………………………………..
Cheat …………………………………..
Get good/bad marks …………………………………..
Get detention …………………………………..
KEYS
Ex. 1 :1.A; 2)B; 3)B; 4)C; 5)C; 6)B; 7)B; 8)A; 9)A;10)B
Ex.2: 1F; 2)T; 3)F; 4)F; 5)F; 6)T; 7)T;
Ex.3: 1.European students aren’t so tested as British ones
2.State teaching procedures are checked by OFSTED
3.Schools in the UK publish the students’ exam results in the national newspapers
4.The presence of a student in a class depends on his/her ability
