SECTION 2 GROWING UP

UNIT 6: WHICH SCHOOL?

PART ONE

A. TEXT

Which kind of school do most of British children go to?

Public or Private?

A large number of men and women in tops in Britain went to ‘public schools’.
Three of the most famous of these schools are Eton and Harrow( for boys) and
Roedean (for girls). But these ‘public school’ are not actually public at all,
because, as a general rule, only children whose parents can afford to pay the
high fees go to these schools. More
accurately they are ‘independent’ or
‘private’ schools.

The really public schools are called

State schools, where 90% of children
go. There are no fees for parent to pay:
State schools are free.
Many of the independents are boarding
schools, where children live often for a
term at a time; but some also take day
children.
As you read these advertisements for independent schools in England, make
brief notes of the facilities which you don't (or didn't) have in your own school.

1. MANOR HALL SCHOOL 2. Stone Hall College Junior

Pound Hill, Norwich School
INDEPENDENT BOARDING SCHOOL
OF BOYS WOODSIDE, SUFFOLK
10-17 YEARS
Boys/ Girls Boarders 8-13
_ WE OFFER_
Day Boys/ Girls 7-13
• Small classes and much individual
attention from qualified staff. Stone Hall is a preparatory
• Good residential accommodation school* for boys and girls. All
• Challenging courses for the bright and children are taught in purpose built
much help and encouragement for the blocks, with a visiting specialist
not-so-bright. for music and children with
• Good facilities, including a well hearing difficulties.
equipped computer center and three
science laboratories and an art/craft Stone Hall offers a curriculum
and design complex. designed to meet the needs of all
• Courses leading to ‘O’ level and CSE children and offer in addition to
examinations. course subjects, computing craft
• A special unit for boys with dyslexia and a wide range of activities
and similar learning difficulties involving such pursuits as golf,
• A wide range of activities, enabling archery, needlecraft, ceramics, etc.
senior boys to take Duke of Edinburgh All the major sports are covered
Awards for both boys and girls and the
• A full games program including rugby, school boasts a heated swimming
soccer, hockey, swimming, athletics pool, well equipped gymnasium
and other minority sports. and a recently completed all
• A balanced education for pupils of weather surface. Prospective
discipline in a caring environment. parents are welcome to visit the
Most boys are full boarders but a few school at any time. Transfer to the
day boys are accepted. senior school at 13+.

Please write or telephone for a copy of the Enquiries to the Master

school prospectus.
 3. St. Luke's School
4 ST. CATHERINE's Independent boarding and day school for
IPSWICH boys and girls
A complete education
from 5yrs to University The Great Hall, Down market, Suffolk.
entrance
* Continuous education, 8-18 yrs.
SENIOR * Entry possible at any age
* All staff fully qualified, mainly graduates
11-18 years Days & Boarding * CSE/GSE/ O & A level courses.
Boys with Girls in 6th form* ‘O’* Maximum class size 20 pupils.
& 'A' level courses. Regular *Traditional values, firms but reasonable
flow of pupils to Oxbridge discipline
Colleges. Excellent facilities. * Good family atmosphere.
Recently built Sports Hall. * Sensible uniform, reasonable priced
Music Center, Art Rooms, * Extensive grounds, good sports facilities
Library and 6th Form Block. Boarding from £780- £ 975 per term fully
inclusive
JUNIOR Day from £ 375- £ 485 per term fully
inclusive
5-7 years (mixed) Day pupils
Apply for prospectus: Admissions Officer
only. 7-11 years (mixed) Day &
Boarding. Traditional academic * Duke of Edinburgh's Award- a national
education. Heated indoor program of organized leisure activities for
swimming pool. Sport well young people.
catered for. Excellent facilities. * preparatory school- a school which
Friendly atmosphere. School set prepares children to take the entrance exam (at
in beautiful grounds. the age of 13 usually) for public schools.
* 6th form -class for children between the
ages of 16and 18

B. EXPLANATIONS
facility [n] : thiết bị, tiện nghi
sports facilities : những tiện nghi thể thao
washing, postal, banking, etc : những tiện nghi tắm rửa, bưu
facilities vụ, ngân hàng v.v.
qualified [adj] : đủ tư cách, khả năng, điều kiện
a qualified doctor : một bác sĩ có đủ trình độ
 chuyên môn
She's extremely well qualified : (Cô ta có rất nhiều khả năng để
for the job. làm việc này)
: nhân viên, cán bộ (dùng để chỉ
staff [n]
cả nhóm người)
the hotel staff : đội ngũ nhân viên khách sạn
: (Chúng tôi cần thêm nhiều nhân
We need more staff in the office.
viên trong cơ quan)
residential[adj] : để ở
complex [n] : khu liên hợp
a sports / leisure complex : khu liên hợp thể thao, giải trí
: hạng thường (trong khoá học
'O' level = Ordinary level
hoặc kỳ thi)
CSE = Certificate of Secondary : Chứng chỉ Tốt nghiệp Phổ
Education thông Trung học
rugby [n] : bóng bầu dục
soccer [n] : môn bóng đá ( ở Mỹ)
hockey [n] : khúc côn cầu
caring [adj] : quan tâm, chăm sóc
caring parents : những bố mẹ chu đáo
full boarder [n] : học sinh nội trú
day boy [n] : nam sinh bán trú
prospectus [n] : tập sách nhỏ để quảng cáo
prospectuses from several : tập quảng cáo của nhiều trường
universities: đại học
preparatory school : trường dự bị
: được làm ra cho một mục đích
purpose-built[adj]
nhất định
visiting specialist : chuyên gia thỉnh giảng
: hoạt động, nghề nghiệp (một
pursuit pl [n]
người) theo đuổi
artistic, literary, scientific : những hoạt động theo đuổi nghệ
pursuits thuật, văn học, khoa học
archery[n] : môn bắn cung
 needlecraft[n]
ceramics [n]
boast [v]
The town boasts a world-famous
art gallery
all weather surface
day and boarding
'A' level = advanced level
mixed [adj]
heat[v]
Is it a heated swimming pool?
cater for sb/sth [v]
cater for a party, banquet etc
sport well catered for
set [v]
the house is set in fifty acres of
rolling parkland
public school
the independents
day children
C. QUESTIONS
1. In your own words, describe the main differences between State
schools and independent schools.
: công việc may vá, thêu thùa
: nghề gốm
: tự hào có
: (Thành phố tự hào có một nhà
trưng bày mỹ thuật nổi tiếng thế
giới)
: mặt sân phù hợp với mọi thời
tiết
: bán trú và nội trú
: hạng cao trong tốt nghiệp phổ
thông trung học
: (trường) có nam nữ học chung
: làm cho nóng hoặc ấm lên
: (Đây có phải là bể bơi có nước
ấm không?)
: cung cấp thực phẩm, dịch vụ
: cung cấp thực phẩm cho một
buổi liên hoan, một bữa tiệc, v.v.
: các phương tiện, dịch vụ thể
thao được cung cấp đầy đủ
: đặt (cái gì) vào chỗ xác định.
: ngôi nhà tọa lạc trong khu đất
mấp mô có trồng cây, cỏ rộng 50
mẫu Anh
: (ở Anh) trường tư thục
(independent or private schools)
: = independent schools
: học sinh bán trú
 2. Why is the word 'independent' better than 'public' to describe schools
which are not part of the State system?
(Tại sao từ ''independent" tốt hơn từ "public'' khi dùng để miêu tả những
trường học không thuộc hệ thống nhà nước?)

Answer Key

D. FACT CHECK

Look at the four advertisements for independent schools and answer

the questions by filling in this chart.

Manor Stone
St St
Hall Hall
Luke's Catherine's
School College
a Is this school
- for boys?
- for girls?
- for both ?
What age of pupils can go to
b
this school?
boys
girls
c Is this school
- for boarders?
- for day pupils?
- for both?
Which schools advertise small
d
classes?
What sports does the school
e
offer?
Which schools have swimming
f
pools?
g Which schools have special
facilities for children with
 learning problems?

Answer Key

E. WORD CHECK

1. Which words or phrases are used in the Manor Hall School

advertisement to mean?

a. trained teachers?
b. less intelligent children?
c. a wide range of sporting activities?
d. less common games?
e. an atmosphere in which children are well
looked for?

Answer Key

2. What do you understand by these words and phrases from the

adverts?

a. residential accommodation (1)

b. purpose-built blocks (2)
c. prospective parents (2)
d. Entry possible at all age (3)
e. Traditional values (3) / Traditional academic education (4)
f. extensive grounds (3) / beautiful grounds (4)
g. Oxbridge (colleges) (4)

Answer Key

3. Opposites: Match these words or phrases from the advertisements

with their opposites.

1. bright a. major
2. boarding b. minimum
 people
3. minority c. outdoor
4. maximum d. small
5. extensive e. not-so-bright
6. minor f. day pupils
7. indoor g. majority

Answer Key

4. Word fields (những từ trong cùng một nhóm nghĩa): Make a list of
words from the adverts under these headings.

Practical
Sports Facilities
activities
Example rugby ceramics computer centre

Answer Key

F. COMPARISONS

Look carefully at the advertisements for Manor Hall School or the St

Luke's School. Make a list of the features which both schools advertise.

Manor Hall St Luke’s

1
2
3

Answer Key

PART TWO

A. TEXT
Three generations at Roedean
 Roedean, on the South coast of England, is the most famous English public
school for girls. Here three generations of Roedeanians remember their
schooldays. Find out how the school's attitudes have changed since the 1930's.

The Grandmother
Elaine Goldwater, now a 65-year-old grandmother, went to Roedean from
1929 to 1936. In those days, ‘only the top quality brains went to Oxford or
Cambridge. “Play up, play up and play the game” was the first school rule, and
deportment and manners were more important than academic subjects’, says
Elaine.
“The gym mistress had lunch with us and if she caught you not sitting up
straight, you had to go to deportment classes for a week.”
“Boys didn't exist for us-or for the staff, because they were the generation that
had lost their boyfriends in the first world war Instead we were good at games,
often with practices before breakfast. When I left school, I was absolutely
tongue-tied with men.”
After school Elaine did a dress- making course, and then did unpaid social
work. Ladies didn't work for
money then. “But the war
changed all that”, say Elaine.

The Mother
Elaine's daughter, Priscilla,
now 38, went to Roedean in the
early 1960s. She watched
Panorama- a television current
affairs program- once a week as
a special treat. And secretly she
used to listen to the Beatles under the bedclothes at night. The girls hardly ever
met boys, but they talked about them most of time.
“We had this great game of trying to write to boyfriends. The staff checked all
our letters, and if they were going to boys, they just didn't get there.”
“If you wanted to go to university, they encouraged you, but they still felt it
would be better for you to leave school and be a lady.”
“At a meal times we took it in turns to sit next to staff. If we couldn't make
polite conversation, we got into trouble. So before meals I used to always have a
quick look at the day's newspapers, so that I had something to talk about. That
was a very useful lesson to learn.”
After Roedean, Priscilla went to A Swiss finishing school and then worked for
a short time before marrying and having a family.

The Daughters
Priscilla's daughters, Zoe, 15 and Frances, 11, are now also at Roedean.
Says Frances: “I'm going to be an accountant like my father. It's a good job
and like Maths. When I've enough money, I'll buy a flat and get married. I work
with a computer and when I get to the upper school, I'm going to do sailing,
judo, elocution, and play the clarinet, the piano and the saxophone”.
Says Zoe: “I've got a boyfriend, but I'm not allowed to see him during the
term. In the sixth from boyfriends can come in for coffee. I can't image life
without boys. It would be so boring. We have a lot of men teachers, but they
don't understand girls. We're not like boys, we need to be taught differently.”
Although a lot of things about the school have changed, the parents of the 400
girls still have to pay for the Roedean education- that is nearly $5000 a year in
fees. But last year the sixth-form girls built a hovercraft, and hardly anybody
mentions deportment and manners any more.

B. EXPLANATIONS
top quality brains : những bộ óc hàng đầu
deportment [n] : dáng điệu, cách đi đứng
Young ladies used to have : (Trước kia các thiếu nữ phải học cách đi
lessons in deportment. đứng)
tongue-tied with men : cứng lưỡi, ngượng ngịu trước nam giới
unpaid : không được trả tiền
: một món đặc biệt (thường rất thú vị), trò giải
a special treat
trí đặc sắc
: trường tư (thường là đắt tiền, để dạy các cô
finishing school
gái cách cư xử ở nơi sang trọng)
elocution<> : nghệ thuật diễn thuyết
: (số nhiều không đổi) tàu đệm khí (có thể đi
hovercraft [n]
trên đất liền hoặc trên nước)

C. FACT CHECK

Finish these sentences.

a. When Elaine Goldwater was at Roedean, only a few of
the girls ...
b. Academic work was much less important than ...
c. Many of the teachers were unmarried because ...
d. In the 1930s it was unusual for ladies to ...
e. Priscilla and her friends talked about boys nearly all
the time, although ...
f. If the girls wrote letters to boys, the staff ...
g. to make sure she could , make polite conversation
Priscilla used to ...
h. Priscilla went to a school in Switzerland, when ...
i. Frances wants get married when ...
j. Zoe can only see her boyfriend during ...
k. According to Zoe, the problem with men teachers is
that ...

Answer Key

D. WORD CHECK

1. Choose the correct word from the two given in these sentences.

1. Elaine Priscilla and Zoe

a. different families b. generations
belong to
2. Elaine is Zoe's a. grandmother b. mother
3. Zoe is Priscilla's a. daughter b. granddaughter
a. before the second b. after the second world
4. Elaine left Roedean
world war war
a. enjoyed watching b. hated watching
5.Priscilla
Panorama on TV. Panorama on TV.
6. Priscilla's a. husband b. father is an accountant
7. Roedean is a. an independent b. a State School

Answer Key

2. What do you think these phrases from the text mean?

 a. 'Play up and play the game' (para 2)
b. 'deportment and manners' (para 2)
c. 'I was tongue-tied with men' (para 4)
d. 'We took it in turns to sit next to staff'
(para 9)
e. 'I can't imagine life without boys.
(para 13)

Answer Key

3. Top: 'top' can mean 'most important' or ''best' (e.g. top quality).
and it can mean 'highest' (e.g. the top floor of a building). Now use your
dictionary to check the meaning of these 'top' words and phrases.

a. We sat on the top deck of the ship.

b. The top people read The Times (newspaper)
c. We put our clothes in the top drawer.
d. My best friend is in the top class at school.
e. Look! There's a light in the top window.
f. He's a top athlete.
g. I left my car on the top storey of the car park.
h. top hat
i. top-heavy
j. top-notch
k. top-secret
l. top soil

Answer Key

4. School subjects / activities

a. Which academic subject does the text mention?

 b. What other school activities are mentioned?

Answer Key

5. Opposites: Which words in the text are opposite in meaning to the

words?
a. paid
b. late
c. openly
d. (to) openly
e. rude / impolite
f. interesting
g. in the same way

Answer Key

E. DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

& Rewrite what Frances and Zoe say in indirect or reported

speech

Direct Indirect
For
Frances says she's going to be an
example: 'I'm going to be an accountant accountant like her father or
like my father' Frances said she was going to be
an accountant like her father.

a. Frances:

b. Zoe:
Answer Key

F. EXERCISE

Click here to view Exercise for Unit 6.

G. UNIT ASSIGNMENT

You are supposed to finish and submit this assignment. Click here to view
Unit Assignment 2