eupeimproveenglish

TEXT 1 Part A. Reading Comprehension. Read the following text: Amphibians may soon disappear The Chinese calendar says 2008 is the year of the Rat, but according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), 2008 should be the Year of the Frog. The reason is that frogs are disappearing from our planet at an alarming rate and, in a few years, they may all be extinct. In August 2007, more than 230 delegates representing zoos and aquariums from 35 countries gathered in Hungary to sign a petition, calling on governments to help preserve amphibian life. This marks the first time that zoos and aquariums have initiated a global call to action on behalf of an endangered class of animals. Their concern is that one-third to one-half of all species of frogs are in danger of becoming extinct in the near future — which would be the largest mass extinction since the disappearance of the dinosaurs. About 4,000 species of amphibians exist worldwide and most of them are...

TEXT 2

TEXTO 1

NOW TEACHERS ARE ORDERED TO SMILE AT THEIR PUPILS A secondary school has ordered teachers to welcome children with a smile at the start of every lesson as part of a drive to hand more power to pupils. Staff have also been told to ensure they are not boring students by setting work that is too hard. The move is the latest example of a Government initiative to give pupils a major say in many aspects of their schooling, but some critics say this is putting children in charge. Yesterday the Mail revealed that 20 students at a Kent secondary school were given iPhones to provide instant feedback of teachers to senior staff. In another incident, a teacher being interviewed for a job by a student panel was asked to sing the Michael Jackson song ‘Bad’. She failed to get the job after refusing. Pupils on another interview panel voted in favour of a female candidate because she was the ‘prettiest’, although she was not hired. Schools Secretary Ed Balls admitted the approach used by s...