EIO - Assignment 2 - School

• Eio
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

News from England

Skirting the issue: schoolboys attend class in skirts during heatwave

Instructions

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the video and do the exercises. 

Schoolboys attend class in skirts during heatwave

It's an extremely hot summer in Britain, but one school won't let schoolboys wear shorts instead of their normal school uniform trousers. Can you guess how the boys protested?

Match the words with the definitions.

1. protest
2. to skirt an issue
3. to be allowed to do something
4. to be on board with something
5. to defy something or someone
6. irritable

Definitions

a. to refuse to obey something or someone

b. to complain about something in public

c. being easily annoyed or upset

d. to agree with or support something

e. to have permission to do something

f. to ignore an issue or avoid dealing with it

What did the boys do?

1. wear skirts to school
2. wear shorts to school
3. wear trousers to school

What rules are the boys breaking?

1. the school’s dress code
2. gender norms in society
3. both of the above

According to the mother, what problems is the hot weather causing for her son?

1. He has had to go home early from school.
2. It’s affecting his schoolwork and making him irritable.
3. both of the above

Who is supporting the boys’ protest?

1. nobody
2. the mother and schoolgirl in the video
3. the whole school

What does the boy who is interviewed point out?

1. That skirts are more comfortable than shorts.
2. That the uniform rules are fair for girls but not for boys.
3. That hairy legs should be allowed.

Schoolboys attend class in skirts during heatwave:

Fill the gaps with the correct verb phrase from the box.

be able to                let                   can't                are allowed to                        have to

1. In the school, boys _________ wear trousers all year round.

2. The school doesn't ___________ boys wear shorts, even in summer.

3. Girls ___________ wear skirts all year round.

4. The mother thinks that boys should __________ wear shorts if they want to.

5. The girl thinks that if boys _______ wear shorts, then they have to wear skirts.

In some countries boys wear completely different clothes to us, where do you think this photo may have been taken? 

Answer

The photo was taken in Bhutan, this is traditional dress worn by the men in Bhutan. The boys wear a 'mini' version to school. It is a sort of big dressing gown held up around the middle with a tight cloth belt. They do not use buttons in Bhutan. The top part can be used as the biggest pocket in the world. The boys use it to carry their school books and pencil cases. They told me they can even carry a baby goat in there!

Lesson from the British Council adapted by Susan Corrigan