What Is It Like Being a Teenager in Britain?
School
British teenagers spend most of their time at school. Students in Britain can leave school at sixteen (grade 11). This is also the age when most students take their first important exams, the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Most teens take between 5-10 subjects, which means a lot of studying. They are spending more time on homework than teenagers ever before. Forget watching TV, teenagers in Britain now spend 2-3 hours on homework after school.
School uniform
Visit almost any school in Britain and the first thing you’ll notice is the school uniform. Although school uniform has its advantages, when they are 15 or 16 most teenagers are tired of wearing it. When there is more than one school in a town, school uniforms can highlight differences between schools. In London there are many cases of bullying and fighting between pupils from different schools.
Clothes and looks
In Britain, some teens judge you by the shirt or trainers you are wearing. 40% of British teenagers believe it’s important to wear designer labels. If you want to follow the crowd, you need to wear trendy labels. Teenage feet in Britain wear fashionable trainers and the more expensive, the better.
1. Most students in Britain take the GCSE when ____________.
A. They are 11 years old
B. They are 16 years old
C. They finish grade 10
D. They begin grade 11
2. What is the first thing you’ll notice when you visit almost any school in Britain?
A. The school logo
B. The school gate
C. The school playground
D. The school uniform
3. What do most teenagers in Britain prefer to wear?
A. Trendy labels
B. Expensive uniforms
C. Fashionable hats
D. Economical trainers
4. The word ‘highlight’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________ .
A. Confuse
B. Remark
C. Emphasise
D. Decrease
5. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Students in Britain can take 8 subjects at the GCSE.
B. Most British teenagers spend 2-3 hours watching TV after school.
C. Most 16-year-old students in Britain don’t like school uniforms.
D. Many British teenagers judge their friends by their shirts or trainers.
