Think again.

People and politicians complain that school is getting easier. Damian Whitworth, a 35-year-old journalist, decided to see for himself. He spent a week as a pupil at a British secondary school, Brentwood Country High School. It's a large state school and has about 1,800 pupils, girls and boys, aged between 11 and 18.

French

My first lesson is French. I am in a class of 13 year olds. Outside the classroom some girls start interrogating me. 1)__________ . “How old are you?”

“how old do you think I am?” I reply.

“Well... you're not 13!”

First we have a listening test which I find difficult. I get 14 out of 20. Not bad.

Maths

As we wait outside the maths classroom a teacher tell me to do up the top button of my shirt. The maths teacher uses interactive whiteboard which has graphics and video, but the pupils don't look very interested in the lesson. A mobile rings and the owner hurries to switch it off. 2) __________.

Lunch

In the canteen we can choose between traditional and fast food. Burger and chips is the most popular meal. 3) _____________

History

Mr Fishleigh is the history teacher. He doesn't have any problems controlling the noise level (other teachers do). 4) ______________

He talks to them as if they were adults and gets attention in return.

Religious education

The teacher introduces us to meditation. We sit cross-legged on our desks and try to fill our minds with blackness and think positively about people who thought negatively about us. For 15 minutes the children sit, eyes closed, in total silence. 5) ______________ .

The bell goes. End of school for the day.

So...has school got easier?

It's difficult to say... All I can say is that being back to school for a week was very tiring. Being a pupil today is very, very hard work.

Задание 31. Напишите перевод следующих слов и словосочетаний и составьте свои предложения с их использованием (не менее трех предложений).

1. to interrogate -

2. to do up the top button of my shirt -

3. to use interactive whiteboard -

4. the most popular meal -

5. in return -

6. to sit cross-legged -

7. to be tiring -

Задание 32. Прочитайте предложения и поставьте T (True) после верных и F (False) после неверных.

1. Many people don't believe that school is getting easier.

2. Outside the classroom some girls starts asking me questions.

3. A mobile rings and the owner answers the call immediately.

4. Traditional food is the most popular meal.

5. History teacher is very strict that's why he has no problems controlling noise level.

6. Being a pupil today is fun.

Задание 33. Сопоставьте вопросы со школьными предметами.

Образец:

1. When did the Second World War end? - History

2. What is the capital of Colombia?

3. Who wrote Hamlet?

4. How many kilobytes are there in a megabyte?

5. Who invented the theory of relativity?

6. What's 5+6-1?

7. How many legs does an insect have?

8. What is water made of?

A. Chemistry

B. Geography

C. History

D. Information technology

E. Literature

F. Maths

G. Physics

H. Biology

Задание 34. Составьте и запишите вопросы на тему Your education (во времени Past Simple), используя данные подсказки, затем ответьте на них письменно.

1. / you like your school?

2. How many pupils / there in each class?

3. How much homework / you have?

4. / you have to wear a uniform?

5. / discipline very strict?

6. / pupils behave well?

7. Which subject / you good and bad at?

8. Which / your best and worst subject?

Задание 35. Заполните пропуски глаголами из списка.