Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

Children for whom school has no point

Many children do not go to school either because their parents want them at home as careers for siblings, or simply because their parents cannot be bothered to send them. Thousands more are not registered at any school at all, because of their families' unstable lives.

Underlying this dreadful situation there are two central truths. First of all, the problem of children not going to school often has more to do with their parents than with the children themselves. Secondly, once children go to school, we need to make sure that the experience is a positive one so that they want to keep on going.

In Britain, the Ministry of Education has introduced a complex package of sticks and carrots to persuade schools to bring truants' and excluded children back into the classroom. It is paying grants so that a thousand schools can set up special units to help these children.           Schools receive the grant if they bring a target number of children back to school; if they do not meet the target, the grant is withdrawn. Parents are the subject of this campaign, too: the Home Office has introduced fines for parents who fail to send their children to school, and has given the police power to pick up truants on the streets.

I. Reading comprehension: (09pts)

A) Multiple choices (03 pts)

1. According to the text, there are thousands of children who...

a) Stay at home doing the housework.

b) Live in stable families_

c) Are not registered at any school.

2. Part of the problem is...

a) That people feel very emotional.

b) That there are not enough police to pick up truants on the streets.

c) That these children think education is a waste of time.

3. The Ministry of Education will take away a school's grant if...

a) They do not reach their objectives.

b) They meet their targets.

c) Children escape from school.

B) True or false statements: say whether the following sentences are true or false. Justify by quoting from the text. (03pts)

1. The problem of truancy is mainly a matter of obedience.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. It is very hard to persuade children that if they go to school, they will be able to get a job.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. The Home Office will punish parents who refuse to send children to school.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

C) Vocabulary in context (02pts)

1. Find the synonyms of the words bellow from the given paragraphs of the text.

a) Awful= ……………………………………….. (paragraph 2)

b) Absentees= …………………………………… (paragraph 4)

2. Find the opposites of the words bellow from the given paragraphs of the text.

c) Stable= ……………………………… (paragraph 1)

d) Lies= ………………………………. (paragraph 2)

D) Referencing: what does this word refer to in the text? (01pt)

a) Them refers to ………………………………

b) They refers to ……………………………….

II. Linguistic competence: (06pts)

A/ Complete the following passage (01,5pts)

“At the moment I am speaking, several children (run) ……………………..away from school. Most of them don’t have parents because the latter (die) ……………………. And there is nobody who could take care of them. So they (end) ……………………. by becoming bandits”.

B/ Feel in the gaps in the following dialogue with the appropriate questions, answers and tags. (03pts)

BABA: I think you are fond of studying, …………………….?

LUC: No, I ……………….,

BABA: And ………………………………………………………?

LUC: I don’t like studying it because it is a waste of time, ………………….?

BABA: …….., It is not because nowadays if don’t study, you will become a slave.

LUC: Absolutely, you’re right my friend. But, ……….. should I do now?

BABA: I will help you to improve your level.

C/ Put the verbs into the right tense (01,5 pts)

Many children (sacrifice) ……………………………….. by their parents now. They sooner or later (have) ………………….. problems. Because if you (be) illiterate, you(die) …….. ………  unemployed. 

III. Essay writing (05pts) choose one topic and deal with it.(max.10 lines)

Topic1: The problem of truancy is a phenomenon that is recurrent in nowadays. Give the causes and suggest possible solutions.

Topic2: Two friends are talking about the importance of Education. Try and write their conversation.