Pre Test
Pre Test
Pre Test
Text A
21st Century Education: Future Trends and Possibilities
Before thinking about what is happening in schools today, let’s consider for a moment the world in which
we live – a world with so much knowledge that it’s hard to grasp.
People are creating 2000 new websites every hour, uploading 35 hours of video every minute, and watching
2 billion YouTube videos every day. By the time they leave school, many teenagers may have acquired
hundreds of ‘virtual’ friends, using social media to connect with people thousands of miles away as if they
were in the same room. They truly are the children of a globalised world. And where are they heading as
they grow up? To a busy and competitive world full of uncertainties. To join a workforce that is more mobile
and better qualified than ever before. To follow careers that span multiple jobs, positions and skills, some of
which have not been invented yet!
In response, education leaders are making big changes to build 21st century skills.
• In South Korea, schools are switching to digital textbooks so students can study anytime and anywhere
with online hours recognised as school attendance.
• In Denmark, students are using the Internet while taking exams. They can access any site they like, as long
as they do not message each other or use email.
• In the USA, a personalised learning approach allows students to create their own individual schedules.
Their interests and performance are logged daily to generate playlists of learning options, meaning that
teachers’ time is freed up to mentor and supervise students.
• In Australia, some schools are pushing learning beyond school walls, making on the job training with local
organisations part of each student’s learning plan. Distance learning programmes are connecting previously
disengaged students with online learning communities.
These examples point the way towards ensuring that tomorrow’s workers, parents and citizens are more
creative problem solvers, better communicators and lifelong learners.
I. Read Text 1 and answer the questions which follow.
1. Read the opening sentence. Find the phrase that shows that the topic of schooling will come later on
in the text.
____________________________________________________________________________________
(Total for Question 1 = 1 mark)
2. According to the text, how many YouTube videos are watched every day?
____________________________________________________________________________________
(Total for Question 2 = 1 mark)
3. Explain the meaning of the underlined word in the sentence below.
They truly are the children of a globalised world.
____________________________________________________________________________________
(Total for Question 3 = 1 mark)
4. What does the writer suggest the world of the future will be like? Put a tick in a box for each
statement to show whether it is True or False.
Yes No
5. In Australia, how are educators trying to make reluctant students more interested in learning?
_________________________________________________________________________________
(Total for Question 5 = 1 mark)
6. What is the purpose of bullet points in the text?
A to make the passage shorter
B to show the writer’s opinion
C to make the points stand out
D to show the order of importance
(Total for Question 6 = 1 mark)
7. In the last paragraph. According to the writer, how will adults of the future show 21st century skills?
Give one phrase.
________________________________________________________________________________
(Total for Question 7 = 1 mark)
8. Referring to bulleted points, explain the ways to change school attendance and timetabling.
South Korea
Denmark
Australia
USA
4. Change the verbs in the following sentences into active or passive form.
(a) My phone _________________________(TAKE). I can't find it anywhere.
(b) As soon as I got home, I realized that my wallet _________________________. (STEAL)
(c) He _________________________ (TEACH) French when he spent his childhood there.
(Total for Question 4 = 3 marks)