School Entrance Test Baddiel Article Vocab

"...although results are important to them, the school’s ethos is, for want of a better word, holistic."

What does the word "ethos" mean?

• One's identity

• A set of beliefs or values

• A type of dance

• A type of food

"...although results are important to them, the school’s ethos is, for want of a better word, holistic."

What does the word 'holistic' mean?

• Focused on one area only

• Focused on the whole picture

• Focused on one's individuality

• Focused on academic achievement only

"In fact, the entrance criteria used by selective schools are anything but conducive to the creation of well-rounded individuals."

What does the word 'conducive' mean?

• Harmful

• Detrimental

• Not helpful

• Helpful or supportive

"The atmosphere in the room had been so pressurised and so stiflingly competitive that she’d cracked up..."

What does the word 'stiflingly' mean?

• Unbearable or suffocating

• Comfortable

• Light or airy

• Indifferent or uncaring

"Her habit of using “like” in every sentence was just one of her idiosyncrasies."

What does the word "idiosyncrasy" mean?

• A unique characteristic or quirk

• A type of plant

• A type of animal

• A positive feature of something

What does the term "lateral thinking" mean?

• Thinking in a straight line

• Thinking outside of the box

• Critical thinking

• Being smart

"...state selective schools....are supposed to create a level playing field for bright children from less-privileged backgrounds."

What is 'a level playing field'

• A field with flat terrain for sports

• A fair an equal opportunity for all

"These exams are a double-edged sword..."

What does the phrase 'double-edged sword' mean in this context?

• A sword with two sharp edges

• Something that has both advantages and disadvantages

• Something that is violent

"....these exams are a gift to those parents who can afford to tutor their kids to become specialists at passing them, thus completely upending the whole point of state selective schools"

What does the expression "upending the whole point" mean

• Making the point clearer

• Defeating the purpose

• Supporting strongly

"...lured by amazing results and the headmaster’s inspirational speech about the emphasis on identity, creativity and non-academic achievement – we put our daughter in for the entrance exam"

What does the word 'lured' mean?

• turned away from

• attracted to (mild negative connotation e.g. 'tempted by')

• attracted to (mild positive connotation e.g. 'interested in')

• discouraged by