8th Year

School Life for a 13 year old British Boy My School is a mixed 11-18 school. There about 1,150 students in my school, including 200 in the sixth form. It is called a Technology College and specialises in Computers and Maths. My school has over 1200 computers (including over 400 tablet PC's) I am in Year 8 and at the end of Key Stage 3 (a year earlier than normal). I am presently having to decide what GCSEs I would like to start working towards. I sit my GCSE exams next year instead of the year after when most other people of my age will be doing them. Some subjects are compulsory* like Maths, English, Science and a foreign language. I am not sure what other GSCEs* I will be taking. I will have to decide soon. I leave home at 6:45 and walk 20 minutes to catch a bus to school. The bus is a special one just for kids going to my school. The journey on the bus takes an hour because it has to keep stopping to pick up other students along the way. When I arrive at school, I collect my Tablet PC from the Learning Centre. Then I go to my Tutor Room for Registration at 8:30. We listen to announcements to see what special things are happening at school that day or that week. At about 8:50 we leave Tutor Room to go to our First Period. Every day I have a different lesson in the first period. Normally it is Humanities but I also have Maths, Drama and Music, and French on the other days. Each period lasts an hour. All my lessons are in different rooms and places around the school. Each Room either has a three digit number or a name. The numbers are very hard to remember! I have different teachers for each lesson. I have a locker where I can store some of my stuff but otherwise I have to carry it all around with me in my bags. Every Student carries a swipe* card. We swipe into every lesson to let the school know that we have attended that certain lesson and to know where we are in case of emergencies. On the Swipe Card there are two stripes, a black and a brown. The brown is to swipe into lessons and the black is to get into the toilets and buildings. We can put money on our Swipe cards instead of carrying cash around. When we want to pay for snacks at the Tuck Shop or canteen we just hand over our cards and they deduct the money. During break, I have a snack and play and chat with my friends. Usually we play 'IT' a chasing game. Snow ball fight when it snows is dead fun. I bring a packed lunch to school but occasionally I have school dinners in the School Canteen. Sometimes I stay after school for clubs. The Canteen is open at Lunch Time and Break Time. Most hot food is served only at lunch time. Chips are only available on Mondays and Fridays. We don't use our Tablet PCs in all lessons because some rooms do not have enough power sockets*. We use the Tablets to do our work on and to search the Internet. Our Tablet PCs are connected to a Network so we can send our work straight to our teachers and they can send them back with their comments. Written by Erik In http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/education/secsch.htm (adapted)
Vocabulary: GSCE- General Certificate of Secondary Education Compulsory - Obligatory Swipe card -magnetic card with a band of magnetic material Power sockets devices that allow electrically operated equipment to be connected to the current.

1. a) b) c) d) e) f)

Say what the following words refer to. It (line 2) ______________________ Them (line 6)___________________ It (line 10)______________________ It (line 22) ______________________ We (line 24)_____________________ They (line 39)____________________

2.

Say if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F) according to the text. Justify your choice by quoting from the text. Eriks school is only for boys. _______

a)

b)

Eriks school has 1200 computers and 400 tablets. _______

c)

Erik has already decided what CGSEs he wants to start preparing. _______

d)

Erik can choose all the subjects he wants to have. _______

e)

Erik takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to arrive school. _______

f)

Each period lasts 90 minutes. _______

g)

Eriks lessons are always in the same room. _______

h)

Erik has a specific place where he can put his books and other materials. _______

i)

Erik can buy food without having money in his pocket. _______

j)

Erik always has lunch at the school canteen. _______

k)

Its not possible for Erik to use his tablet in some lessons. _______

2.

Answer the questions using your own words, as far as possible.

a) Why is Eriks school a technological school?

b) Why does Erik take approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes to arrive school?

c) Why is it difficult for Erik to know where all the rooms are?

d) Why are swipe cards so important in Eriks school?

e) What does Erik usually do during breaks?

f) How can tablets make students lives easier?

3.

Complete the following exchanges:

A: Hi, Mary. How are things? B: Great. I have made many friends now. I made a new friend today. A: Really? __________________________________________________________________? B: Shes very nice, kind and outgoing. A: Thats very good. __________________________________________________________? B: She is tall, slim and beautiful. Her eyes are green and her hair is brown. A: ________________________________________________________________________? B: She usually wears jeans, a T-shirt and trainers.

A: ________________________________________________________________________? B: Yes, I like her very much. We are good friends.

4. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate tense of the verbs in brackets: a) A:_______________________________________ (do) tomorrow morning? B:I ________________________ (study) English because I dont understand the verb tenses. b) c) d) e) f) g) h) Next month, we ___________________ (buy) a new car because this one is too old. Look at that man! He ___________________ (fall)! He forgot to tie his shoe laces. She _______________________ (play) the piano at the moment. Its so cold! I __________________ (close) the windows. I promise I ______________________ (help) you tomorrow. My school ___________________ (start) at 8 oclock. A: What ___________________ (you/do) now? B: I ________________________ (read) a book. i) j) k) l) You ____________________ (look) tired today. I _______________________ (think) of moving house. This one is too small. If you are not quiet, I _______________________ (tell) the teacher. I think she _________________________(be) a wonderful doctor in the future.

5. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the adequate verbs: 1. Jake _____________on very well with Luke, doesnt he? 2. I __________ so fed up with her taking my things. 3. Stop shouting! Youre ___________me crazy. 4. My parents are always _____________ down my neck. 5. Harriet ___________ very close to her twin sister.

6.

Make questions on the underlined parts of the sentences. a) ______________________________________________________________? Erik goes to school at 8.30. b) ______________________________________________________________? Eriks school is in England. c) ______________________________________________________________? Erik has a locker. d) ______________________________________________________________? Erik is studying English. e) ______________________________________________________________? Yes, Erik likes his school.

7. Choose one of the following topics: a) Write a short composition about where you live and your routine. Say: Where you live What its like What you do there What you like/dislike about it b) Describe someone you really admire. Say: His/her name, age and other personal information. What he/she is like What he/she looks like What he/she usually wears What he/she likes to do Why you admire him/her, etc

Good work! 5