Focus 4 Unit 1 Complex Test

Last updated about 2 years ago

Complete gaps 1–5 with sentences A–F. There is one extra sentence.


LEARNING FROM HOW OTHERS LEARN

If we want to give our children the best education possible, it is sensible to look at the most successful education systemsin the world for ideas. Different countries have different ideas about how to ensure that their children maximisetheir potential. It’s clear that no education system is perfect. (1) ___ So, what, if anything, can we learn from them and arethere any similarities between them at all?
The two countries are South Korea and Finland. Korea has a one hundred percent literacy rate. Its students achieveoutstanding grades in all kinds  of tests compared to those in other countries.  How do they do it? (2) ___ Manyare taught by private tutors after their normal lessons. Despite large class sizes, there are no problems with discipline. Teachers are respected and teach in a traditional manner with the children paying attention and obeyinginstructions unquestioningly.
Finnish children also do very well in comparison with school students in other countries. However, in Finland, schoolscombine a short school day and  extra after-school activities to develop individual interests and motivate the children.(3) ___ There is much less stress in Finnish schools than in Korean schools but that doesn’t mean that the teaching isunprofessional. Finnish teachers spend less time teaching but more time in professional development. They are highlyeducated and teaching is a well- respected and well-paid profession.
So, what can we learn from this brief look at two countries who are able to educate their children more effectively thanwe can? Firstly, children need a reason to learn. That may be pressure from parents, peers and society as a whole tosucceed. (4) ___ Too often in our schools, we find children who are uninterested in the lessons and parents who areuninterested in their progress. Politicians and journalists would rather criticise teachers than praise them and, as aresult, members of the teaching profession lack the respect they receive in other countries. (5) ___ The oppositeshould be true.
As we can see, Finland and South Korea do share one great similarity. In both societies, people look up to teachers andrecognise the importance of the job they are doing. So, let’s have more respect for teachers, students and education ingeneral and, maybe, our children can be challenging those from South Korea and Finland in the future.


A  The answer appears to be by sheer hard work. Students are under immense pressure to achieve their goals.
B  These comparisons can hide faults and ignore positive aspects of poorly performing students but, generally, they give us a good idea of which education systems work best.
C  Alternatively, it could be an interest in what they   are learning and a thirst for even more knowledge.
D  However, in most studies, two countries have a   higher standard of education than others, even though the way they educate their children   seems to be completely different.
E  The idea is that they will work hard because they   want to rather than because they are forced to.
F  The public are more aware of the length of   teachers’ holidays than the enormous   pressure they are under in the classroom.

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We suggest that ....... sunscreen during the hottest months of the year.

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Sam ....... my best friend, but we don’t get on so well now.

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My little brother was really annoying when he was younger. He .......... my things without asking me!

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My parents make me ..... my homework before I have supper.

He warned me ..... be late.

I'd like to work in the _____ of engineering as a career.

I have a really _____ memory of my fifth birthday party. I can remember everything about it.

Our Maths teacher is _____. He doesn't mind if we talk in class as long as we do our work.

Complete the text with one word in each gap.

Tidy desk, better thinker?

If you find it hard to settle 14. ......  to study, you might want to take a good look at your desk. Is it messy with stuff scattered all around? Experts are now encouraging people15 .....  tidy their desks as the clear space will enable you to think better and I'm a fan of this theory. When I was younger, I  16 .........to leave piles of books and papers on my desk in between cold cups of tea and snack wrappers, so of course I was 17 ....... losing things. Each time I sat down to study, I had to search for whatever I needed and inevitably ended up wasting a lot of time and getting frustrated. Finally, after racking my  18....... I came up with a method of organising everything. I bought some bookshelves and big files and then organised the books and put the papers in the files, each file for a separate subject. Now, after studying I   19 ........  always tidy everything away so, the next time I sit down, my desk is clear. It definitely helps me study!