Full name: …………………………………………. TEST N° 2 (A) ..

…
Class: 2nd Year Bac ………… – N°: ………… Teacher: ……………………. 20

Put Parents Back into Education

It’s unbelievable! Knowledge is spreading rapidly nowadays. Schools and universities are
found all over the world. Nations spend enormous sums on education. Yet, the educational level of
students has declined: young people are hardly ever able to read a daily newspaper or even write an
understandable letter. What’s happening in our schools? And who should be blamed?

Actually, the decline in the educational standards is due to the fact that parents no
longer help in their children’ s education. They send them off to school beginning at age
five or six, and then expect the government to educate them. They do not take into account
that education is a process that begins at birth. Experts agree that the first few years set the
foundation to future performance.

In his book, “STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT AMERICAN EDUCATION”, Theodore Black has
perceived the problem. He warns, “Parents, not schools or governments, are fundamentally responsible
for the education of their children.”

Parents should realize that schools are only one element in the education of their children. Infants are
taught, whether knowingly or not, by their parents from birth. They cannot just wash their hands of
responsibility for their children’s education.

Parents should contribute to the teaching of their offspring. They don’t need to be
teachers to tutor their children. What they need is the will, and some imagination, to prepare them to
function intelligently within society. Thus, we will see that educational standards and students’
achievements would no longer go downward.

* To decline: ‫ٳنحدر و هبط‬

* To blame: ‫عاتب و وبخ‬

I- Comprehension Questions: (9 pts)

A. Are these statements true or false? Justify from the text. (3 pts)
1. Nations do not spend enough money on education. (.…) ………………………..………………
…………............…………………………………………….……………………………………………
2. Education is the job the school only. (….) ………………….…………..........................................
…………………………………………………………………………………………….………………
3. Parents do not feel responsible for the education of their children. (…..) ………………………....
………………………………………………………………………………………………….………....

B. Answer these questions from the text. (3 pts)

1. What shows that the educational level of students has declined? …………………………….………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……

2. According to the text, who is responsible for this decline? ……………………….…………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
 3. What is “STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT AMERICAN EDUCATION”? ……………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………..………………………

C. What do the underlined words refer to in the text? (1.5 pts)

1. “them” (line 6): ………………………………………………………
2. “their” (line 13): ………………………………………………..……
3. “them” (line 17): ……………………………………………..…..….

D. Find in the text words or expressions that mean the same as: (1.5 pts)
1. Because of (paragraph 2): ……………………………….….
2. Just (paragraph 4): …………………………………………
3. Children (paragraph 5): …………………………………….

II- Language (10 pts)

A. Match the words in A with those in B to make correct collocations (3 pts)

A B
a. lessons
b. saving
c. illiteracy
1. Gender
d. uniform
2. School
e. access
3. private
f. institution
g. year
h. discrimination

1  …… / 2  ……. / 3  ……

B. Put the verbs in the gerund or infinitive or bare infinitive forms ( 3 pts)

1. Amal decided (persue) ………………………………………… her studies in France

2. The internet helps students (revise) ……………………………………. And prepare for exams.
3. Never cross the road without (look)…………………… right and left.

C. Put the verbs between brackets in the correct form: SIMPLE PAST or PAST PERFECT (2 pts)

1. She ………………….….. (watch) TV after she ………………………… (finish) her project.

2. Before the guests ……….………………… (come), my mother …..…………………….………
(already/prepare) dinner for them.

D. Join the two sentences using the linking word between brackets ( 2pts)

1. It was raining so heavily. They went to the park. (Although)

…………………………………………….…...…………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

2. Sara takes evening class in Mathematics. She wants to get a high mark in the national exam. (in order to)
………………………………………………...…………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………......

* 1 mark for the good handwriting