PAU mock exam 2

School summer holidays

It’s possible that the traditional school summer break could be reduced from six weeks to just four weeks in both primary and
secondary schools. This follows the decision of Nottingham City Council to spread out its holidays more evenly across the school
year in September 2012.
Critics of the present system argue that it is a hangover from an agrarian past when children were required to work in the fields
and help in the country. Research has also highlighted the so-called summer learning loss in which pupils struggle* to concentrate
after six weeks off. A study of American students by the RAND Corporation found they lost one month per year in both Maths and
English.
Education Secretary Michael Gove has already signalled that academies and newly established free schools would be able to
change the calendar to promote more effective learning. East Riding branch secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers
John Killeen, said there was support for the changes, which could come into effect from 2013/14.
‘We would be open to a reduction in the summer holiday and the equalisation of the teaching periods throughout the year and
the possibility of different lengths of half-term holidays. But the important message for parents is there would still be the same
number of teaching days,’ he said.
*struggle: fight
Adapted from School summer holidays may be cut, Jonathan Brown, independent.co.uk, 16th November 2011

1 Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Use the 3 Use of English
exact words from the text to justify your answers. 1 Rewrite this sentence in reported speech.
1 Secondary schools are thinking about reducing the total ‘We would be open to a reduction in the next summer holidays’,
number of school holidays in Britain. he said.
He said

2 One of the main reasons for this change is that students 2 Turn the following sentence into the active voice.
find it difficult to go back to school after such long holidays. The distribution of hours and holidays will be decided by both
professionals and parents.


3 If the changes go ahead, the number of hours at school 3 Join both sentences by means of a relative pronoun.
would remain the same.
Parents should be informed of any changes in the educational
system. Their children form part of the educational system.

Answer the following questions in your own words, relating
2
to the ideas from the passage. 4 Complete the following sentence.
1 What do critics say about the present system? If summer holidays were cut,


4 Find words or phrases in the text that mean …
2 According to the text, what is the important message for
mothers and fathers?
1 distribute (paragraph 1)

2 reason (paragraph 2)

3 help (paragraph 3)
4 during (paragraph 4)

5 Write a composition of 100–130 words on the following:

Reducing school summer holidays is a good idea. Discuss.

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