Focus 1, Unit Test 5, Education

Listen to a conversation between Melissa and Simon. Complete the sentences with up to three words.

1 Melissa is surprised that Simon is                          .

2 Melissa has three               after school.

3 Simon and most of the students want to            on the school trip.

4 Simon thinks Melissa has             about the school trip.

5 Melissa wants Simon to ask her about the meeting           .

Read the text. Are the sentences 1-5 true (T) or false (F)?

IS CHOICE A GOOD THING?

Sometimes, houses in one street, which look the same as those in the next street, can cost thousands of pounds more. Why? The answer is ‘catchment area’. This is the area from which each school in Britain takes its students. According to the regulations, children should go to the school which is the closest to their home. If the school is good, parents are happy to pay extra to live in the school’s catchment area and give their children a good education.

Now, a new law gives parents more choice about which school their child can go to. Schools can say ‘No’ to children even if they live in the school’s catchment area. It doesn’t often happen, but schools can fill up and refuse to take any more students.

To decide who gets in, there is a points system. Those who live closest to the school get more points. Those who have brothers or sisters at the school also get more points. This is a good idea as it is easier for parents and nice for the children but it can cause problems.

One reason this happens is because of cheating. Some families rent a house or flat near to a good school. When their oldest child gets into the school, they can stop renting. The child already at the school has a place and any future younger brothers or sisters are more likely to get a place there because of the points system. That means fewer places for the local children.

Parents can now apply to up to six schools. Unfortunately, some children don’t get into any of them. The local education authority must then choose a school for them but these are often very bad schools and can also be a long way away from the children’s home.

Many people would like to go back to the traditional catchment area idea. Choice is great when you get what you want but not so good for those who end up with no choice at all.

1 A good school can make house prices higher.   [T, F]

2 Because of the new law, a school must take every child in its catchment area.   [T, F]

3 When parents move home, their children must move school.   [T, F]

4 Some children don’t get into any of the chools they choose.   [T, F]

5 According to the writer, the new law giving a choice of school is bad for   [T, F]

everyone.

Complete the sentences with was / wasn't, were / weren't or could / couldn't.

1 Mrs Stewart     my Art teacher last year.

2       you drive last summer?

3 The children      sad a moment ago but they're crying now. What's wrong?

4     your museum ticket very expensive?

5 We       go swimming last year but now we've got a new swimming pool.