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Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?

8th grade reading

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Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?

Imagine a school week that ends on Thursday afternoon. For students in a growing number of schools around the world, this is no longer a fantasy. I believe secondary schools should at least trial a four-day week. The strongest reason is wellbeing. Many teenagers report feeling exhausted by the end of the week, and a longer weekend could give them time to rest, exercise and pursue interests that school leaves no room for. Supporters also point to attendance. In one regional pilot involving twelve schools, attendance rose by three percentage points after the change. That may sound small, but across a year it adds up to thousands of extra lessons attended. Critics argue that working parents would struggle with childcare on the fifth day. This is a serious concern. However, schools could offer an optional supervised study day, run by staff and volunteers, so that no family is left without support. Others worry that students will learn less. Yet schools in the pilot lengthened each remaining day by forty minutes, so total teaching time hardly changed. A trial costs little and teaches us a lot. If it fails, we can change back. If it works, students will thank us for it.

1
Question 1
Read "Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?". What is the writer's main claim?
- A. Secondary schools should trial a four-day week.
- B. Parents need more childcare.
- C. Attendance in schools is falling.
- D. Teenagers are always exhausted.
2
Question 2
Read "Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?". Which evidence does the writer use in paragraph 3?
- A. attendance figures from a pilot in twelve schools
- B. a personal story about the writer's child
- C. a quotation from a famous scientist
- D. a description of a weekend trip
3
Question 3
Read "Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?". How does the writer respond to the concern about childcare?
- A. ignores it completely
- B. agrees that the idea should be dropped
- C. says parents should stay at home
- D. admits it is serious, then proposes an optional supervised study day
4
Question 4
Read "Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?". Is the attendance evidence relevant and sufficient on its own to prove four-day weeks work everywhere?
- A. irrelevant, because attendance has nothing to do with school
- B. relevant, but one pilot in twelve schools is not enough to prove it works everywhere
- C. completely sufficient, because twelve is a large number
- D. neither relevant nor sufficient, because pilots are always wrong
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Question 5
Read "Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?". Which persuasive technique does the writer use in the first sentence?
- A. direct address, inviting the reader to imagine
- B. expert opinion
- C. statistics
- D. an anecdote
6
Question 6
Read "Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?". How would you describe the writer's tone?
- A. uncertain and confused
- B. confident but reasonable
- C. furious and insulting
- D. sarcastic and mocking

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Answer key: Should Secondary Schools Try a Four-Day Week?

1. A. Secondary schools should trial a four-day week.
- Arguments have a claim supported by reasons and evidence.
- Stated at the end of paragraph 1.
- So the answer is: Secondary schools should trial a four-day week.
2. A. attendance figures from a pilot in twelve schools
- The best evidence directly supports the claim.
- 'In one regional pilot involving twelve schools, attendance rose by three percentage points.'
- So the answer is: attendance figures from a pilot in twelve schools
3. D. admits it is serious, then proposes an optional supervised study day
- Arguments have a claim supported by reasons and evidence.
- 'This is a serious concern. However, schools could offer…'
- So the answer is: admits it is serious, then proposes an optional supervised study day
4. B. relevant, but one pilot in twelve schools is not enough to prove it works everywhere
- Arguments have a claim supported by reasons and evidence.
- It is on topic, but a single regional pilot is a limited sample.
- So the answer is: relevant, but one pilot in twelve schools is not enough to prove it works everywhere
5. A. direct address, inviting the reader to imagine
- Writers choose words for their connotations and effects.
- 'Imagine a school week…' speaks straight to the reader.
- So the answer is: direct address, inviting the reader to imagine
6. B. confident but reasonable
- Tone is the writer's attitude; mood is the feeling created for the reader.
- The writer argues firmly, admits concerns and offers solutions.
- So the answer is: confident but reasonable