Reading and Listening / Elementary / School days and everyday life/ Homeschooling

Read the text. Choose the correct answer.

Homeschooling - how does that work?

Oliver Kent is a thirteen-year-old student, but he doesn't go to school. He's homeschooled. His dad is his teacher and teaches Oliver at home.

" People always ask me the same questions," says Oliver, who lives in London. "Things like 'What time do you have to get up? When do you start? When do you finish? Do you like it?' They don't understand homeschooling, but for me it's normal. I love it! I can get up when I want to, and I have lessons at different times every day.

'Dad doesn't work. I study at home with him, and we sometimes go to museums and talk about what we see. I go swimming three times a week. I have a teacher because Dad can't swim. I'm in a football club too. I have internet lessons on English, maths and politics. Dad teaches me the other subjects."

Homeschooling is popular in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries. Can parents homeschool their children in every country in the world? No. Brazil, Greece, Cuba, Turkey and 24 other countries say 'no' homeschooling.

What about friends? 'People often ask me that question,' says Oliver. 'I have lots of friends. Most of them go to school and that's the right thing for them. My friend Ella is homeschooled by her mum. We can discuss things about homeschooling that other people don't understand.'

Does Oliver think he is different to other thirteen-year-olds?

'Of course not. I watch the same things on TV as other kids my age. I play the same games, I worry about the same things and I eat the same food! I learn the same things. It's just that I learn them in a different way.'

1. Oliver ...

Read the text. Choose the correct answer.

Homeschooling - how does that work?

Oliver Kent is a thirteen-year-old student, but he doesn't go to school. He's homeschooled. His dad is his teacher and teaches Oliver at home.

" People always ask me the same questions," says Oliver, who lives in London. "Things like 'What time do you have to get up? When do you start? When do you finish? Do you like it?' They don't understand homeschooling, but for me it's normal. I love it! I can get up when I want to, and I have lessons at different times every day.

'Dad doesn't work. I study at home with him, and we sometimes go to museums and talk about what we see. I go swimming three times a week. I have a teacher because Dad can't swim. I'm in a football club too. I have internet lessons on English, maths and politics. Dad teaches me the other subjects."

Homeschooling is popular in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries. Can parents homeschool their children in every country in the world? No. Brazil, Greece, Cuba, Turkey and 24 other countries say 'no' homeschooling.

What about friends? 'People often ask me that question,' says Oliver. 'I have lots of friends. Most of them go to school and that's the right thing for them. My friend Ella is homeschooled by her mum. We can discuss things about homeschooling that other people don't understand.'

Does Oliver think he is different to other thirteen-year-olds?

'Of course not. I watch the same things on TV as other kids my age. I play the same games, I worry about the same things and I eat the same food! I learn the same things. It's just that I learn them in a different way.'

2. Oliver's dad ...

Read the text. Choose the correct answer.

Homeschooling - how does that work?

Oliver Kent is a thirteen-year-old student, but he doesn't go to school. He's homeschooled. His dad is his teacher and teaches Oliver at home.

" People always ask me the same questions," says Oliver, who lives in London. "Things like 'What time do you have to get up? When do you start? When do you finish? Do you like it?' They don't understand homeschooling, but for me it's normal. I love it! I can get up when I want to, and I have lessons at different times every day.

'Dad doesn't work. I study at home with him, and we sometimes go to museums and talk about what we see. I go swimming three times a week. I have a teacher because Dad can't swim. I'm in a football club too. I have internet lessons on English, maths and politics. Dad teaches me the other subjects."

Homeschooling is popular in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries. Can parents homeschool their children in every country in the world? No. Brazil, Greece, Cuba, Turkey and 24 other countries say 'no' homeschooling.

What about friends? 'People often ask me that question,' says Oliver. 'I have lots of friends. Most of them go to school and that's the right thing for them. My friend Ella is homeschooled by her mum. We can discuss things about homeschooling that other people don't understand.'

Does Oliver think he is different to other thirteen-year-olds?

'Of course not. I watch the same things on TV as other kids my age. I play the same games, I worry about the same things and I eat the same food! I learn the same things. It's just that I learn them in a different way.'

3. According to the text, what is true about Brazil? ...

Read the text. Choose the correct answer.

Homeschooling - how does that work?

Oliver Kent is a thirteen-year-old student, but he doesn't go to school. He's homeschooled. His dad is his teacher and teaches Oliver at home.

" People always ask me the same questions," says Oliver, who lives in London. "Things like 'What time do you have to get up? When do you start? When do you finish? Do you like it?' They don't understand homeschooling, but for me it's normal. I love it! I can get up when I want to, and I have lessons at different times every day.

'Dad doesn't work. I study at home with him, and we sometimes go to museums and talk about what we see. I go swimming three times a week. I have a teacher because Dad can't swim. I'm in a football club too. I have internet lessons on English, maths and politics. Dad teaches me the other subjects."

Homeschooling is popular in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries. Can parents homeschool their children in every country in the world? No. Brazil, Greece, Cuba, Turkey and 24 other countries say 'no' homeschooling.

What about friends? 'People often ask me that question,' says Oliver. 'I have lots of friends. Most of them go to school and that's the right thing for them. My friend Ella is homeschooled by her mum. We can discuss things about homeschooling that other people don't understand.'

Does Oliver think he is different to other thirteen-year-olds?

'Of course not. I watch the same things on TV as other kids my age. I play the same games, I worry about the same things and I eat the same food! I learn the same things. It's just that I learn them in a different way.'

4. Oliver thinks ...

Complete the text with the correct answer. Choose the right option.

Emily and her sisters

Emily Mathias is a normal teenage girl. She lives with her parents and three sisters. She likes animals and she can 1)         [play, plays, to play] the cello very well. A cello is like a really big violin. But her family is different from most families. 2)       [Where, What, Why]? Because Emily and her sister Anna, Mary Claire and Grace are identical quads. They were all born 3)    [in, at, on] 16 February 2000. The four girls 4)      [have, has, are] got the same long fair wavy hair and blue eyes, but their personalities are very different. Emily loves horse-riding. Grace 5)      [is, does, has] friendly, Mary Claire likes writing and Anna's interested 6)       [in, about, at] science. 'Our house is very busy,' says Emily. 'We 7)      [can, have, got] to help with jobs at home. Every Monday I do the washing 8)        [until, during, after] school. But I'm happy with my life. People often ask me, " 9)       [Where, How, Who] are you? Are you Anna?' Sometimes the teacher 10)         [don't, isn't, doesn't] know. It's funny!'

Listen to six people talking about their everyday life.

Match speakers 1-6 to A-Є. There's one extra letter.