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Amsterdam and Education Insights

The document contains various reading texts and comprehension questions aimed at students in a preparatory school. It covers topics such as Amsterdam's unique features, the role of a tour guide in London, the importance of sleep for health, and educational initiatives in Afghanistan. Additionally, it includes grammar exercises and sentence formation activities.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
9 views8 pages

Amsterdam and Education Insights

The document contains various reading texts and comprehension questions aimed at students in a preparatory school. It covers topics such as Amsterdam's unique features, the role of a tour guide in London, the importance of sleep for health, and educational initiatives in Afghanistan. Additionally, it includes grammar exercises and sentence formation activities.

Uploaded by

Funda Dörtkulak
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

2009- 2010 FALL TERM

ÇANKAYA UNIVERSITY PREPARATORY SCHOOL


STARTER GROUPS / WEEKEND HOMEWORK (WEEK 5) TEACHERS’ COPY

READING TEXT 1

Pre-Reading Activity: Discuss


Do you know anything about Amsterdam?

Read the text and answer the following questions.

I live in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Amsterdam is different from


every other city in the world because it is below sea level. There are many canals
and these divide the city into islands. That’s why there are four hundred bridges in
the city. Amsterdam also has many interesting sights. The most important ones are
two churches. They are over five hundred years old and a seventeenth century
palace. This means they were in the Netherlands even hundreds of years ago! There
are also lots of famous museums full of classical and modern paintings. Before I
came to Amsterdam, I was in Vancouver, Canada. It is a very modern city. There was
not much history to learn. Nothing was interesting for me. That’s why I like
Amsterdam very much.
In Amsterdam, the land is low and flat, so it’s the perfect place for cycling. There
are many bicycle lanes and I go cycling with my friends every day. Many tourists
also visit the city. I feel very lucky because I get the chance to meet people from
all over the world. It is a beautiful city.

1- Why is Amsterdam different from other cities?


Amsterdam is different from any other city in the world because it is
below sea level.
2- How many bridges are there in Amsterdam ? Why do they build bridges?
There are four hundred bridges in the city. Because there are many
canals and these divide the city into islands.
3- Are there any interesting sights in the city? Where?
Yes, there are. The most important ones are two churches. They are over
five hundred years old and a seventeenth century palace. This means
they were in Netherlands even hundreds years ago! There are also lots
of famous museums full of classical and modern paintings.
4- Where was the writer before? What kind of a city was it?
He was in Vancouver, Canada. It is a very modern city. There is no
history.
5- Which vehicle is the most popular in Amsterdam? Why?
The Bike is the most popular vehicle because the land is flat and low, so
it’s the perfect place for cycling. There are many bicycle lanes.
6- What does “these” refer to in line 3?
canals
7- What does “it” refer to in line 14?
Amsterdam
8- What does “sights” mean in line 4?
Places of interest, especially to visitors

READING TEXT 2
Pre- Reading Activity: Discuss: What does a tour guide do? Would you like to be
one?

I’m a guide

Matthew Roberts, 25, works as a guide on tour buses in London.


He is an actor, but it’s very difficult for young actors to find work,
so he does this for extra money. With the microphone in his
hand, Matthew gives more of a show than a tour. “They say
small people always do well”, he begins, as the bus moves slowly round Trafalgar Square.
“Lord Nelson and Napoleon, for example, were both small: Nelson was 142 cm, and
Napoleon, Emperor of France, was 137 cm. I’m 185cms- and I work on a bus!”
People don’t always understand his jokes, but everyone likes his tours, and
Matthew certainly knows lots of interesting facts. “That’s the statue of Queen Anne”,
he says. “She had 17 children. And that’s the famous Ritz Hotel. Hollywood stars
Charlie Chaplin and Gary Grant both worked there. And there’s the Pall Mall Hotel.
Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh was a chef there. Oh, and that’s Buckingham
Palace, where my ex-girl friend works. She was horrible to me. She didn’t behave
well. Let’s shout, “Clare! You were stupid to finish Matthew!” Immediately the tourists
all stand up and shout across the street, “Clare! You were stupid to finish Matthew!”
“Some people are only here for 24 hours”, says Matthew, “but I want them to leave
London happy.”

Read the text and answer the following questions.

1- What is Matthew’s job and what does he do for a living?


He is an actor but he works as a guide on tour buses in London.
2- Why does Matthew give the example of Lord Nelson and Napoleon?
Because he wants to make fun of himself. He says they are small so they
are successful and he is tall and he is not successful.
3- What do we know about Queen Ann?
She had 17 children.
4- What do the tourists do while passing Buckingham Palace? Why?
They stand up and shout across the street, “Clare! You were stupid to finish
Matthew!” Because Matthew’s ex-girl friend works there and She was
horrible to him.
5- Why does Matthew make jokes for the tourists?
Because some of them only there for 24 hours and he wants them to leave
London happy.
6- What does “this” refer to in line 3?
Being a tour guide
7- What does “horrible” mean in line14?
Terrible, bad

Post-Reading: What is your ideal job? Why?

READING TEXT 3
Pre-Reading Activity: Discuss: Do you get enough sleep everyday? How many
hours do you sleep everyday? Do you have a healthy lifestyle?

A group of doctors now give lessons in how to get a good night's sleep. They
say the right amount of sleep is just as important as eating healthily and exercising
regularly. Experts say a lack of sleep makes it hard to concentrate in class and bad
sleeping habits lead to health problems when you're older. Doctors want to introduce
lessons on the importance of sleep to everyone, especially parents.
Are sleeping lessons a good idea?

The Sleep Council says almost 2,000 parents don’t know the importance of
sleep. They don’t know the right amount of sleep for their kids. The experts
recommend 12 hours' sleep a night for three-year-olds and between eight and nine
hours' for teenagers. Edinburgh Sleep Centre expert Dr Chris Idzikowski says: "We
teach children about nutrition and regular exercise. We teach them a healthy
lifestyle."
Sleep tips
Go to bed at the same time each night and sleep in a comfortable bed. Sleep in a
dark room. Get lots of exercise and eat healthy food.
Read the text and answer the following questions.
1. What is necessary for a healthy life?
Good sleep, healthy food, and exercise
2. How many hours of sleep is necessary for teenagers?
Between 8 and 9 hours
3. What are the results of lack of sleep?
Lack of concentration and health problems
4. What does research show about parents?
It shows many parents don’t know the right amount of sleep for their
kids
5. What does “they” refer to in paragraph 2?
Parents
6. What does “them” refer to in paragraph 2?
children
7. What does “recommend” mean in paragraph 2?
Suggest

Post Reading: Write a short paragraph about your lifestyle? What do you usually
eat? Do you get enough sleep everyday? Do you have a healthy lifestyle? Do you
exercise regularly?

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READING TEXT 4:
Pre-reading: Discuss. What do you know about Afghanistan? Is it a poor or rich
country? What are the living conditions like in Afghanistan?

Many kids in Afghanistan don’t go to school because their parents need them
to work. Families need food and the kids work to support their families. World Vision
Organization wants to help these kids. It gives families food in exchange for sending
their kids to school. This is called Food for Education.
World Vision builds new schools for kids in poor countries such as
Afghanistan. These schools are especially in the poor western provinces of Badghis
and Ghor. In these places there are huge mountains and in winter it is very difficult
for kids to walk to school. Parents usually send their sons to school. Girls rarely go to
school because it is against tradition in Afghanistan. So World Vision builds safe girl-
only schools and train female teachers. The Food for Education program puts
thousands of girls in school. The program doesn't just help kids. Many students also
share the lessons with their parents.

Read the text and answer the following questions.

1. Why don’t the parents send their kids to school?


Because the children work and earn money
2. What is the purpose of World Vision?
It helps children. It gives families food and the parents send their
children to school
3. What does World Vision do to help kids?
It builds new schools in poor countries.
4. How does the program help parents?
It also educate parents. Many students share the lessons with their
parents
5. What does support mean in paragraph 1?
help
6. What does “it” refer to in paragraph 1?
World vision organization
7. What does “it” refer to in paragraph 2?
Going to school
GRAMMAR:
I-
Time passes and Angela is very old now. She is talking about her early years.“ Well, I
1- was (be) a teenager in the 1940s and it 2- was (be) very different. Something 3-
were (be) difficult to buy, like bananas or chocolate. I 4- was (be) lucky because my
mum worked in a chocolate factory!
Now everything 5- is (be) different. You can buy anything you want. I 6- go (go) to
the supermarket every weekend and 7- find ( find) everything I need easily. We need
to understand that we 8- are (be) very lucky now”.
1- a) were b) was c) is d) am
2- a) be b) am c) was d) were
3- a) was b) is c) were d) are
4- a) was b) be c) am d) are
5- a) be b) was c) is d) are
6- a) go b) goes c) is gone d) going
7- a) finds b) can find c) finding d) find
8- a) am b) be c) is d) are

II-
My name is Raquel Gonzalez. I 1- am (be)a student at the University of Texas in
Austin. I 2- wasn’t (be)in college last year. I was at school in New York. I am
studying French and German here. I 3- love (love) learning languages. I also
4- speak (speak) Spanish because my parents 5- are (be) from Puerto Rico. We all
6- speak (speak) Spanish at home.
Last summer I 7- was (be) in Europe. I 8- was (be) in France for a month. It
9- was (be) great. I 10- was (be) with a family in Paris. After that, I 11- was (be) in
Germany for six weeks. Germany 12- was (be) great, too, but the weather 13- was
(be) awful.

III-
Everybody in Brester is talking about the city’s new shopping mall. The mall 1- is (be)
outside the city, next to the Brester airport. Before they built the mall there 2- were
(be) two big apartments there. There 3- was nobody there because the buildings
4- were (be) too old. Now there 5- are (be)more than one hundred stores in the mall.
So everybody 6- comes (come) here to see and shop.
Almost all the people in Brester 7- are (be) happy that their city’s new shopping mall
is now open. But some people 8- aren’t (be) happy. The owners of the small stores
in the old center of town 9- are (be) very upset. Because many people 10- shop
(shop) at the new mall.
IV-

Mr. And Mrs. DiCarlo were in Italy 10 years ago. They 1- were very happy there but
now they 2- live in America. They live in an old Italian neighborhood in New York
City. They 3- speak a little English. They 4- read the Italian newspaper. They
5- listen to Italian radio programs. They shop at the Italian grocery 6- store around
the corner from their apartment building. And every day they 7- visit their friends and
neighbours and talk 8- about life back in “the old country”
Mr. and Mrs. DiCarlo are very 9- upset about their son Joe. Because he 10- lives in
a small suburb outside the city, and he 11- speaks very little Italian. He 12- reads
American newspapers. He 13- listens to American radio programs. But when he
14-was younger he 15- wasn’t like this.

1- A) were B) was C)be


2- A) leave B)live C) life
3- A) speak B)speaks C) speaking
4- A) reader B)reads C)read
5- A) listens B)listen C)listened
6- A) apartment B)store C)building
7- A) visits B)visiting C)visit
8- A) about B)in C)of
9- A) interesting B)upset C) happy
10- A) lives B)live C)leaves
11- A) speaks B)speeds C)sleeps
12- A) reads B) read C)reading
13-A) listen B)listened C)listens
14- A)was B)were C)wasn’t
15-A) was B)wasn’t C)weren’t

1- everyday/play/what/do/game/you/?
What game do you play everyday?
2- yesterday/sick/why/you/were/?
Why were you sick yesterday?
3-do/a living/ what/for/you/do/?
What do you do for a living?
4- Go to/restaurants/do/they/how often/?
How often do they go to restaurants?
5- at/weren’t/yesterday/you/the barbecue/why/?
Why weren’t you at the barbecue yesterday?
6- last/week/where/brother/your/was/?
Where was your brother last week?
7- Turkish/why/in/she/doesn’t/speak/?
Why doesn’t she speak in Turkish?
8- the world/come to/from/people/all over/N.Y.
People come to N.Y. from all over the world.
9- aren’t/neighborhood/in/bookstore/my/there/any.
There aren’t any bookstores in my neighborhood.
10-behaves/to/his/always/friends/Mark/kindly.
Mark always behaves kindly to his friends.
11-cakes/my/bakes/sister/always/delicious.
My sister always bakes delicious cakes.

Common questions

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Introduction of sleep education is crucial for long-term health as it emphasizes the importance of adequate sleep in maintaining concentration and preventing health issues in later life. The document highlights a lack of parental awareness about appropriate sleep durations for children, which sleeping lessons aim to address. By equating the significance of sleep with that of nutrition and physical activity, the initiative strives to embed healthy sleep habits from an early age, thereby enhancing overall well-being and cognitive functioning both in childhood and adulthood .

Poor school attendance in Afghanistan is largely due to socioeconomic factors where children work to support their families financially. This economic necessity often overrides educational pursuits, particularly affecting girls due to cultural traditions. World Vision addresses these issues by implementing the Food for Education program, which incentivizes school attendance with food provision. By constructing new schools in impoverished areas and promoting girls' education through specialized schools and female teachers, the program mitigates the economic and cultural barriers to education. This holistic approach not only raises school enrollment but also relieves familial financial pressures while fostering a change in social norms regarding gender and education .

Inadequate sleep in children and teenagers poses several health risks, including diminished concentration in educational settings and long-term health complications. The document notes that sleep deprivation can significantly impact cognitive functions, leading to poor academic performance. Furthermore, bad sleeping patterns established during childhood may predispose individuals to chronic health problems as they age, emphasizing the critical nature of good sleep hygiene. Guidance on sleep, such as recommended durations for different age groups, aims to mitigate these risks by promoting healthier lifestyles .

The Food for Education program, initiated by the World Vision Organization, addresses educational challenges in Afghanistan by offering food to families in exchange for sending their children, particularly girls, to school. This initiative aims to counteract cultural traditions that often restrict girls' access to education by constructing girl-only schools and training female teachers. It also tackles logistical issues by building schools in remote western provinces where difficult terrain impedes access. Additionally, the program indirectly educates parents as students share lessons with family members, broadening its impact beyond the children who attend .

Matthew Roberts distinguishes himself as a tour bus guide in London by infusing his tours with humor and theatrical performance, unlike traditional guides who typically focus solely on factual narration. As an actor, he uses his skills to entertain his audience, crafting a memorable experience through jokes and anecdotes. For instance, he engages his audience by inviting them to participate in a humorous shout across the street related to his personal life, a departure from the usual informative approach. His method ensures that even short visits leave tourists with a positive and lively memory of London .

Amsterdam's bike-friendly infrastructure significantly influences its cultural environment for both residents and tourists. The city's flat, low terrain makes it ideal for cycling, which is ingrained in the local lifestyle and urban planning with extensive bicycle lanes. This accessibility promotes a healthy, environmentally friendly transportation option, attracting tourists who experience the city in a leisurely, interactive manner. Cycling culture enhances communal living, reduces the city's carbon footprint, and supports local tourism by allowing visitors to explore its scenic and historical sites intimately. Thus, the infrastructure not only caters to practical transportation needs but also fosters a unique cultural identity that highlights sustainability and historical exploration .

Matthew Roberts employs several motivational strategies to enhance the tourist experience on his bus tours in London. By leveraging his background in acting, he transforms his tours into dynamic performances filled with humor and interactive elements. He shares intriguing historical facts spiced with personal anecdotes, making the tours both educational and entertaining. Roberts' approach of including the audience in playful activities, such as collectively shouting messages related to his personal stories, fosters a fun and engaging atmosphere, ensuring tourists remember their experience positively and distinctively .

The Sleep Council proposes to improve sleep education among parents by advocating for lessons that inform them about the critical role of sleep in health, comparable to the importance of nutrition and exercise. They suggest spreading awareness about the optimal sleep duration for different age groups—such as 12 hours for three-year-olds and 8-9 hours for teenagers—to ensure children develop healthy sleep patterns. Improved parental knowledge on sleep could lead to healthier lifestyle choices, better academic performance among children due to increased concentration, and decreased risk of long-term health issues. This educational initiative has the potential to enhance overall public health outcomes by prioritizing sleep in lifestyle education .

The construction of new shopping malls can detrimentally impact small businesses in surrounding areas. According to the document, in Brester, the new mall attracted a significant number of shoppers away from smaller, local stores in the town center, causing dissatisfaction among these small business owners. While the mall's opening brings convenience and modern shopping experiences to consumers, it poses a competitive threat to traditional shops, which may struggle to draw customers accustomed to the diverse offerings and amenities of large retail centers .

Amsterdam has a unique architectural landscape due to its position below sea level, which necessitates the construction of canals that divide the city into islands. This particular geographical context has led to the development of numerous bridges—around four hundred—to connect these divided parts. Historically, Amsterdam features important sites such as two churches over five hundred years old and a seventeenth-century palace, showcasing its deep past. The flat and low terrain also makes it conducive for cycling, adding to its cultural and historical charm .

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