Section 2 Unit 5

SECTION 2 UNIT 5:

GROWING UP SCHOOLDAYS

PART ONE C. FACT CHECK a. Make a timetable for the Tideway Comprehensive School day similar to the one for the conventional British school.

b. What are the advantages of the Tideway system, according to the headmaster and some of the pupils of the school? Write a list.

c. What are the disadvantages of this system? What were the objections to it before it began? (Những phản đối với hệ thống nuớc này trước khi nó bắt đầu là gì?)

A. TEXT Which of the two schooldays described in the text is more like the typical school days in country? Note similarities and differences as you read the text. Bright and early does it A conventional British school timetable

9.00 9.30 - 10.45 10.45 - 11.00 11.00 - 12.15

Morning Children arrive for registration

Afternoon 1.15 - 2.15

lessons

afternoon break * morning break 2.30 - 3.30 lessons children go lessons 3.30 home * It is mainly primary schools, for children of 5-11 years, which have an afternoon break. lessons

2.15 - 2.30

For one school, Tideway Comprehensive in Sussex, the continental eight till two school day has been part of the curriculum for more than five years, and, according to parents, teachers and kids alike, it gets full marks. “When we first suggested a change in the school hours”, remembers headmaster Mr. Ken Saxby, “We had particularly everyone against us. Nobody thought it would work”. “The police predicted an increase in vandalism, and big shops in the town talked of increased shoplifting. Thankfully”, laughs Mr. Saxby, “they were wrong”. Vandalism in both the school and town decreased, cases of shoplifting fell, and in fact youngster at Tideway went on to improve their examination results. Kids keep fresh Even the parents who had been worried about children arriving home early to an empty house, had a change of heart. At the end of the first year 80 percent voted to keep the system whereby children arrive at school at 8.10am for registration, lessons begin at 8.25 and run until 12.20 with a short break of 15 minutes. Lunch lasts just 35 minutes, then it's back to class until 2.15- and home time while there are still a good few hours of daylight left. The beauty of the system, explains Mr. Saxby, is that the children stay fresh right through the day. But of course there are some disadvantages. The school has to make special arrangements if it wants to play sports matches against any neighboring schools,

and, as 11-year-old first year pupil Nina Saunders says, “I have to get up at 6.30 in the morning now-much earlier than when I went to primary school. I sometimes get a bit tired in the afternoon-but I never have to rest”. Worth traveling to Happily, by the second year the youngsters have adjusted to the early start, and the majority love the routine. “I really love the short lunch hour and afternoon. It goes so quickly. I never feel bored”, says 11- year-old Lynda Guyton. Fifteen-year-ld Tracy Arnold likes the routine so much that she travels from Brighton- nearly nine miles away-to attend Tideway. Paul Gray, a fourteen-yearold, who is taking his exams in the summer, loves the long afternoons. “I can do so much”, he says. “I can go home and get my homework out of the way before tea, or stay on and go to the music and drama clubs after school”. If this system works so well, why isn't every school adopting it permanently? “You can't just make the switch overnight”, explains Mr. Saxby. “It took us years to plan the system; and even then treated the first year as a trial. Having said that, though, a school in another part of the country has made the change after looking at our system”, he says with some pride. B. EXPLANATIONS conventional [adj] a conventional design/method register[v] You must register with the police, the embassy, etc registration [n] continental(Br) [adj] curriculum[n]: (pl curricula hoặc curriculums) work (on sb/sth)

: thông thường, dựa trên tập tục : một mẫu mã/phương pháp thông thường : đăng ký : Anh phải đăng ký với cảnh sát, với đại sứ quán, v.v. : sự đăng ký : thuộc lục địa châu Âu. (Người Anh dùng từ continent hay Continent để chỉ phần châu Âu trong đó không có nước Anh) các môn học trong một khóa học; chương trình học : có kết quả hoặc tác động mong muốn (đối với ai/cái gì)

Did the cleaning fluid work (on this stain)? predict[v] The earthquake had been predicted several months ago. vandal [n] vandalism[n] shoplift[v] shoplifter [n] shoplifting [n] arrested for shoplifting youngster keep/stay fresh change of heart vote [v] whereby[adv]

(Chất nước tẩy đó có hiệu quả (đối với vết tẩy này) không?) : dự đoán (Trận động đất đã được dự báo từ nhiều tháng trước) : kẻ phá hoại các công trình văn hóa : thái độ đặc trưng của những người phá hoại các công trình văn hóa. : ăn cắp hàng hóa trong một của hàng kẻ ăn cắp vặt (trong cưả hàng)sự, thói ăn cắp vặt : bị bắt vì tội ăn cắp ở cửa hàng : người trẻ tuổi : giữ tươi tắn, tỉnh táo : sự thay đổi lớn trong thái độ hoặc tình cảm, nhất là hướng về một sự thân ái hoặc hợp tác lớn hơn : bỏ phiếu : nhờ đó

She devised a plan whereby they might (Cô ấy đã nghĩ ra một kế hoạch mà nhờ escape đó họ đã có thể trốn thoát) home time[n] : thời gian ở nhà với gia đình daylight[n] : ánh sáng ban ngày worth [adj] : đáng; bỏ công He felt that his life was no longer worth (Nó cảm thấy rằng cuộc đời nó không living: còn đáng sống nữa) adjust [v] : làm cho thich hợp (với hoàn cảnh mới) former soldiers who have difficulties in : những cựu binh có khó khăn trong việc adjusting to civilian life thích nghi với cuộc sống dân sự Điều đáng mừng là đến năm thứ hai bọn Happily, by the second year the trẻ đã thích nghi với việc bắt đầu sớm youngsters have adjusted to the early (tức là việc dậy sớm để bắt đầu ngày start ... học) majority [n] : số đông, phần lớn routine[n] : công việc thường nhật; lệ thường

: chọn và sử dụng (cái gì) như của riêng mình adopt a name, a custom, an idea, a style : tiếp nhận một cái tên, một tập quán, of dress một ý tưởng , một kiểu quần áo. permanently[adv] : một cách lâu dài, thường xuyên switch [n] : sự thay đổi hoặc di chuyển đột ngột : một sự thay đổi đột ngột từ khí đốt a switch from gas to electric sang điện overnight [adv] : đột ngột hoặc rất nhanh She became a celebrity overnight. (Cô ta trở nên nổi tiếng rất nhanh) adopt [v]

treat [v]

: xem; coi như (Tôi quyết định coi lời nhận xét của anh I decided to treat his remark as a joke. ta như trò đùa) trial [n] : sự thử nghiệm Answer Key D. WORK IT OUT a. Why do you think the police thought there would be more vandalism and shoplifting with the new system? b. Under what circumstances would children arrive home to an empty house? (Trong nững tình huống nào bọn trẻ từ trường về và tìm thấy nhà trẻ trống không, ( tức không ai ở nhà để chào đón chúng?)

c. Why does Tideway have to make special arrangements for sports matches against nearby schools?

d. Why is it surprising that Tracy Arnold goes to Tideway School? ( Tại sao Tracy đi học tại trường Tideway là điều đáng ngạc nhiên?)

e. Why did Tideway treat the first year of the new system as a trial?

f. Why does Mr Saxby feel pride about the fact another school is going to try the Tideway system? ( Tại sao bà Saxby cảm thấy tự hào vì có một trường khác sắp thử nghiệm hệ thống của trường Tideway?)

Answer Key E. WORD CHECK 1. School words: Match these words from the text with their meanings. 1. comprehensive (noun and adjective) 2. curriculum 3. (to) get full marks 4. break 5. (to) attend 6. primary

a. for children between 5 and 11 b. to go to c. school for children of all abilities d. course of study/timetable e. to be very successful/popular f. a short rest period between lessons

Answer Key 2. Word pairs: How are these pairs of words from the text related to each other? (same meaning = SA similar in meaning = SI opposites = O unrelated = U) a. curriculum/timetable b. kids/youngsters c. decrease/fell

d. increase/improve e. system/routine f. shoplifting/vandalism g. exam/examination h. change/switch Answer Key 3. Dictionary check: Use a dictionary to check the different meanings of these words: Which of these meaning does the words have in this context? (Hãy dùng từ điển để kiểm tra các nghĩa khác nhau của từ này. Nghĩa nào của từ phù hợp với ngữ cảnh của bài khoá) a. continental b. practically c. a change of heart d. the beauty of the system e. to attend f. fresh g. primary h. a trial i. to adopt j. the switch Answer Key 4. Pre-words: The prefix 'pre-' usually adds the meaning 'before' to words. For example: "The police predict an increase in vandalism" means "they say that there will be more vandalism before it actually takes place". Guess the meanings of these 'pre-' words. Only use a dictionary after you have guessed.

a. precaution b. predecessor c. prefab (short for prefabricated) d. prehistoric e. premature f. pressure g. prevent h. preview Answer Key 5. Compound words: Write a phrase which means about the same as these compound words from the text. a. shoplifting b. daylight (noun) c. home time (noun) d. overnight (adverb) Answer key PART TWO A. TEXT Read the title of the text carefully. What do you think the text is about? "Schools are just places for learning- and learning doesn't depend on what we wear”. As you probably know, school uniform is compulsory in many British schools. Every year newspapers report cases in which children are sent home because they are not wearing the right uniform. Often they are not allowed back until they are correctly dressed. This is the story of one boy's refusal to wear uniform.

“When I was at junior school, I was the first person to wear jeans. I liked wearing jeans and thought I looked good in them. The headmistress told everyone in my class that only hooligans wore jeans, and that wearing jeans gave children a criminal mind. She then said that she could name some who had turned into criminals from wearing jeans and she looked at me. I was the only person in jeans at the time, so she was calling me a hooligan and a criminal. I was only seven and I felt really upset, but my mum* didn't half sort out and she never said anything like that to me again. After that lots of other people started wearing jeans, and they didn't turn into hooligans and criminals because of it. This didn't stop the headmistress though. Once I heard her shouting at a younger boy about his dad wearing jeans. She said, “look where wearing jeans got your dad, you little hooligan. Do you want to turn out like him? Stop wearing jeans”. He then came out crying and we all hated her. I thought she was mad, stupid and horrible. At the comprehensive school I wasn't the first person no to wear school uniform colors. I thought that nothing would happen, so I was surprised when they tried to throw me out. It all got very irritating at school. People used to ask why I wasn't in school uniform colors. They used to say “everyone else is in uniform colors but you” when there were people all around not in uniform colors. It was a nightmare at times, it just didn't make sense. They used to say things like: “The uniform smart”. When I asked what was smart about it, they would say, “Because it's black”. So I'd ask what was smart about black, and they'd reply “because it's uniform”. So I learnt what school uniform does to people. It causes brain damage, so that people can't think for themselves and have to decisions made for them. Some of the teachers were Ok and so were most of the older kids. The biggest problem though, was the headmaster. He couldn't talk to me properly and he got upset. He kept saying that he was the headmaster, but he seemed to think that that explained everything. He kept saying I had two choices: either go home, or stay in his room all day. I wish schools were less boring places. Lots of teachers think of kids as blobs

that they can do what they want with, instead of people like themselves. School uniform helps to turn people into blobs. There's no point to them, unlike a policeman's uniform, which show that someone has a special job. Schools are just places for learning, and learning doesn't depend on what people wear. * didn't half sort her out- really told her off B. EXPLANATIONS uniform [n] compulsory [ạdj] Is English a compulsory subject? dress [v] Hurry and get dressed! refuse [v] refusal[n]

: đồng phục : bắt buộc, cưỡng bách (Tiếng Anh có phải là một môn học bắt buộc không?) : mặc quần áo (cho người nào) : (Nhanh lên, mặc quần áo vào !) : từ chối, khước từ

: (Đơn xin cấp thị thực của chúng ta đã bị từ chối) sự từ chối hooligan [n] : bọn du côn criminal [adj & n] : thuộc về tội ác, người phạm tội criminal offences, damage, negligence : những sự xúc phạm, phá hoại, cẩu thả, etc v.v có tính chất phạm tội. upset [v] : làm cho đau khổ, phiền muộn Don't upset yourself - no harm has been : (Đừng lo phiền - không sao cả đâu) done sort sb out (sl) : la mắng I'll soon sort him out. Just let me get : (Khi tóm được nó, tôi sẽ cho nó một my hands on him. trận ngay cho mà xem) : nhưng mẹ tôi đã không mắng cho bà ta but my mum didn't half sort her out lấy nửa lời : làm cho (ai) tức giận, bực mình hoặc irritate [v] mất kiên nhẫn irritated at/by the delay : bị bực mình vì sự chậm trể make sense : có ý nghĩa Our application for visas was refused

blob[n] : giọt (chất lỏng thường là quánh) a blob of paint, wax, cream: : một giọt sơn, sáp, kem think of kids as blobs that they can do : (... cho rằng bọn trẻ chỉ là “hạng tép

what they want with. point [n] a story, remark, etc with a / some / no / little point (to it) There's no point to them

rêu” mà họ muốn làm gì thì làm) : ý nghĩa thiết yếu, điểm nổi bật : một truyện ngắn, nhận xét, v.v. có một / vài / không có / ít ý nghĩa. : Điều đó chẳng có ý nghĩa gì đối với họ.

C. PARAGRAPH CHECK Which paragraph? a. introduces the subject of uniform in English schools? b. summarizes the boy's general attitude to school life? c. describes the reaction of the secondary school headmaster? d. describes the primary headmaster's reaction to other children wearing jeans Answer Key D. FACT CHECK Work it out a. Why did the writer wear jeans to school?

b. Why did the headmistress object to children wearing jeans

c. Why did a lot of children think that headmistress was mad, stupid and horrible?

d. Why was the writer surprised that they tried to throw him out of secondary school?

Answer Key E. WORD CHECK 1. Opposites: Match these words from the text with their opposites From the text 1. right 2. correctly 3. compulsory 4. stupid 5. smart 6. boring 7. unlike

Opposites a. untidy/ scruffy b. like c. wrong d. interesting e. voluntary f. sensible g. incorrectly

2. Blob The dictionary definition of blob is “a drop of liquid, a small lump or globule, a spot of color” Why do you think the writer uses the word blobs?

“Lots of teachers think of children as blobs”. “School uniforms helps to turn people into blobs”. Answer Key 3. Word families: Find words in the text which are related to these words. a

Noun compulsion

Verb

Adjective

b c d e f g h i

crime stupidity irritation

to refuse x x

x

to damage to decide

x

boredom dependence

Answer Key F. LANGUAGE NOTES Prepositions: Put the correct prepositions into the gaps in these sentences. (Look back at the text to find similar sentences) a. Many British children have to go to school uniform. b. The headmistress was afraid that children who wore jeans would turn hooligans or criminals. c. When teachers or parents are angry they sometimes shout children. d. The writer thought that if he wore uniform he would not be able to think himself e. Universities are places learning. Answer Key G. EXERCISE Click here to view Exercises for Unit 5