How could multilingualism benefit India's poorest schoolchildren?: Reading answers

The passage opens

Answers 14–26

1. 14

   I: dense population Summary completion (word list)

   “Crowded” paraphrases “dense population,” so option I completes the summary.

   “The crowded and bustling streets of Delhi teem with life.”

2. 15

   J: new immigrants Summary completion (word list)

   “Recently made India's capital their home” paraphrases “new immigrants,” so option J is correct.

   “many millions more have recently made India's capital their home”

3. 16

   H: nearby district Summary completion (word list)

   “Surrounding neighbourhoods” paraphrases “nearby district,” so option H is correct.

   “having moved from surrounding neighbourhoods, cities and states”

4. 17

   B: employment opportunities Summary completion (word list)

   “Better jobs” paraphrases “improved employment opportunities,” so option B fits.

   “often in the hope of gaining better jobs and a better life.”

5. 18

   E: primary objective Summary completion (word list)

   “Overriding aim” paraphrases “primary objective,” so option E is correct.

   “The overriding aim of the four-year project, called 'Multilingualism and Multiliteracy', is to find out why”

6. 19

   F: similar advantages Summary completion (word list)

   “Benefits” paraphrases “advantages,” and the passage contrasts these for multilingual children in India and Europe. Option F completes the summary.

   “the many benefits of speaking more than one language, observed in schools in Europe for instance, do not apply to many of India's schoolchildren.”

7. 20

   Ten-year-old Indian schoolchildren tend to perform better in literacy tests than in numeracy tests.

   NO Yes / No / Not Given

   The statement says literacy performance tends to be better than numeracy performance. The passage gives a higher percentage who cannot read fluently than who cannot solve the subtraction task, contradicting that claim.

   “over 50% of children in Standard 5 [ten-year-olds] cannot read a Standard 2 [seven-year-olds] task fluently, and just under 50% of them cannot solve a Standard 2 subtraction task”

8. 21

   Tsimpli had problems convincing some female students to take part in the study.

   NOT GIVEN Yes / No / Not Given

   The passage says that low achievement can lead to students dropping out, a problem that disproportionately affects female students. It does not say that Tsimpli had difficulty persuading female students to take part.

9. 22

   Tsimpli and her team wanted to know if there is a connection between poor academic performance and being taught in an unfamiliar language.

   YES Yes / No / Not Given

   “Low learning outcomes” paraphrases poor academic performance, and the difference between the language of instruction and the language used at home indicates an unfamiliar language may be involved. This confirms that the team was investigating a possible connection.

   “investigating whether these low learning outcomes could be caused by an Indian school system where the language that children are taught in often differs from the language used at home.”

10. 23

    The researchers have decided against investigating the impact teaching methodology may have on learning outcomes.

    NO Yes / No / Not Given

    The passage says the researchers intend to investigate teaching practices, so it contradicts the claim that they have decided against examining teaching methodology.

    “They intend to look not only at test results, but also at variables such as the standard of schooling, the environment and the teaching practices themselves.”

11. 24

    What point does the writer make about primary schools in India in the sixth paragraph?

    C: Poor children may be disadvantaged further by being instructed in English. Multiple choice

    The passage says English instruction may not be the best way for children from low socio-economic areas to learn. This supports option C: poor children may be further disadvantaged when taught in English.

    “English instruction for children from low socio-economic areas might not be the best way for them to learn, at least in the first three years of primary education.”

12. 25

    What is Tsimpli suggesting when she uses the phrase 'that ship has sailed'?

    D: It is too late to remove English completely as a language of instruction in schools. Multiple choice

    “That ship has sailed” means it is too late to withdraw English. This matches option D.

    “We are not suggesting that English be withdrawn - that ship has sailed”

13. 26

    In the eighth paragraph, what do we learn has surprised researchers?

    D: The literacy and numeracy skills of slum children are not lower than those of children from other urban poor backgrounds. Multiple choice

    “Do not seem to lag behind” in numeracy and literacy paraphrases the claim that their skills are not lower. This supports option D.

    “children from slum backgrounds do not seem to lag behind children from other urban poor backgrounds - and in some cases outperform them (e.g. in numeracy and literacy tasks).”

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