S.

1 Assignment 5 1 of 4
Reading Comprehension
Remedial reading and comprehension

Text 1

Know your schoolmates?

GUESS who they are!

25

Student X Student Y
5 ‘If a pet shop has 2 snakes, 8 kittens and 12 There was one time when she came to school
goldfish. How many paws will you see if you at the weekend dressed as her twin brother.
stop in front of the window?’ What a good joke! She is game for anything
and always ready to try out new or crazy
Who would get excited about this question? 30 things.
Student X, and he could answer it easily!
10 But he never acts proud about his knowledge. She likes to tell jokes. She’s so funny that the
He greets everyone with a big smile and is teachers often laugh with her. She likes to
always helpful. He is popular in class and all tease, but she is never mean. She laughs at
the staff love him, from teachers to the herself most of all, so she doesn’t hurt
principal. 35 anyone’s feelings.

15 He sounds perfect, right? Well, he has one School is much more fun because of her.
big weakness–small insects, especially When she smiles, everyone stops worrying
cockroaches. He goes totally crazy around about homework and exams. That is why
them. In fact, bugs are the only things that everyone wants to be around her.
bother him. Even when things are not going
20 well, he tries to stay happy. 40 Well, it’s easy to tell who she is, right?

So, who do you think he is?

S.1 Assignment 5 2 of 4
Reading Comprehension
Remedial reading and comprehension

Text 2

Schools around the world

School terms The Japanese school year starts in April. School commonly starts in September.
In Korea it usually begins in March.
Cleaning Students take turns to help with cleaning School janitors do the daily cleaning on
matters their school. They sweep the floor, wipe campus. Thank you, janitors!
5 the desks and empty the rubbish bins.

This music class is at a school This is Sports Day at school in This classroom in Nigeria has
10 in Spain. Many students here the Netherlands. There is no 60 students. Students have to
learn to play an instrument 15 school uniform, so students go share desks. Sometimes, they
when they are young. to school in casual wear. 20 have to share books too. Still,
they feel lucky they can go to
school.

CEIP Estados Unidos de América Huarte de San Juan, Madrid, Spain. Bornego College, Heerenveen, the Netherlands. Kuramo Junior College, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Year 4 – 7 Mixed Primary Class, Violin and Cello workshop. Group 1 Secondary, Sports Day. Basic 7 / Junior Secondary Level 1, Mathematics.
12 February 2008. 22 June 2006. 22 June 2009.
From the series Classroom Portraits 2005 - 2015 by Julian Germain. From the series Classroom Portraits 2005 - 2015 by Julian Germain. From the series Classroom Portraits 2005 - 2015 by Julian Germain.
S.1 Assignment 5 3 of 4
Reading Comprehension
Remedial reading and comprehension

Exercise 1 Answer the questions below using the information in Texts 1 and 2.

Text 1

1 Name the places where you can find Student X or Y.

•
•

2 What can you tell about each student from the drawings?
Student X:
Student Y:

3 If you were a schoolmate of Student X and Student Y, who would you go to for the things below? Answer
by putting ‘X’ or ‘Y’ in the spaces provided.

Student

a. catching a small insect

b. solving a difficult maths problem
c. getting a book from the top of a tall shelf
d. planning a prank for a classmate of yours

4 Complete the following box by filling in the blanks with words from the text. Use ONE word to fill in
each blank.

I think Student X is John. Firstly, his birthday is in

(1) . He also goes to the (2) a
lot and I count on him to help me with my homework. He
goes insane when he sees (3) .
Student Y has to be Deb. She is a lot of (4)
and her (5) always make me laugh.
S.1 Assignment 5 4 of 4
Reading Comprehension
Remedial reading and comprehension

Text 2

5 What is the purpose of the text?

A to help students new to school
B to show what school is like in different places
C to share information about schools in Hong Kong
D to compare the amount of schoolwork in different places

6 Complete the sentences using information from the text. You may use more than one word for
some of the blanks.

In South Korea the school year usually begins in

(1) , while (2) marks
the beginning of a new school year in Japan. In the
(3) , school begins in September.

7 Read the following descriptions about school and school duties, and identify the countries the information
is about. Write the names of the countries in the spaces provided.
Country / Countries
a. ‘The school pays me to do the cleaning on campus.’
b. ‘I share a desk with three other classmates.’
c. ‘I just wear anything I feel like to school.’

8 Which of the following statements is correct about the students in Spain?

A They have contact with music when there are little.
B They plan to become singers one day.
C They want to play in a band.
D Their parents love music.

9 Which of the schools described in the text would you like to go to? Explain your answer using information
from the text.