College sports in the USA are very popular. American football is the biggest of all, and important college games can attract as many as 150,000 spectators to stadiums, with a lot more watching on TV. Basketball is the second most popular sport, and others include wrestling, ice hockey and lacrosse.

College sports are a big business: the organisation that controls college sports in the USA, the NCAA, earned over a billion dollars in 2017. This money comes from tickets sales, merchandise, sponsorship, television rights and ​ (a)   . Despite the size and popularity of college games, the sports still have amateur status, and colleges are not allowed to pay their student athletes. Instead, students are given scholarships to study at the college based on their sporting ability, with some or all of their ​ (b)   and accommodation costs covered. Considering the fact that the average college degree easily costs $100,000, this is not a small sum of money. Athletes also see college sports as a​ (c)   to professional sports, since the best athletes get lots of ​ (d)   on TV and the

major sports teams compete to sign them up after they ​ (e)   .

Teens drinking cola while hanging out at the mall is a scene as traditional as Friday night football or the high school prom. From the late 1950s, when the first malls were constructed, they have been at the centre of American life - especially for teens. For decades, the local mall has been one of the main places where teens spend their free time.

But why did the mall become the centre of teenage life in the USA? One reason might be the lack of other suitable spaces, especially in suburban areas. For example, many American suburban areas don't have green spaces or town squares, as usually exist in Europe. Also, American parents seem to prefer their children to be in the mall rather than ​ (a)   around the neighbourhood. It's common for American parents to drop their teens off at the mall, give them a little pocket money, and pick them up a few hours later.

At the mall, parents can have peace of mind that their children are in a​ (b)   safe place patrolled by security guards. As one sociologist put it, malls are the ‘babysitters’ of American teenagers!

At the mall, American teens escape from schoolwork and chores at home, and enjoy a sense of freedom from their parents and responsibilities. Some spend their ​ (c)   on clothes or electrical goods while others go to the cinema. The most common activity for American teens in the mall, though, is to simply hang out. Most teens do little more than buy a cola and a burger at the food court and then use the mall as a

space to spend time with friends. A lot of sociologists have pointed out the importance of malls in shaping America’s teenagers. For a lot of teens, going to the mall for the first time with friends rather than family members is like a​ (d)   – their first steps towards independence. Also, the mall is often the place where teens get their first jobs. Lots of teens find part-time work in clothes shops or in restaurants in the food court.

1 A group of security guards ​ (a)   the mall looking for suspicious behaviour.

2 It was difficult for the clothes shop to​ (b)   with the prices offered online.

3 Bill’s mum agreed to​ (c)   him off at the mall later that day.

4 A lot of teens simply​ (d)   around the mall without buying anything.

5 Andy doesn’t have much time to socialise with his friends at the mall.

6 There are plans to​ (e)   a large mall just outside the town.

1 ​ (a)   recent years, more and more people have started buying their footwear online.

2 There is a lack ​ (b)   affordable clothes shops in this mall.

3 Malls across the country are ​ (c)   threat because of the rise of online shopping.

The British are often seen as a shy, ​ (a)   people whose only wish in life is to fit in and not offend anyone else. That’s the stereotype, but like all stereotypes it’s not very accurate. The UK has a rich history of ​ (b)   . These individuals might be​ (c)   against society, could desire to ​ (d)   from the crowd or may want to make a declaration of the way they want to live their life. Whatever the reasons, say a polite hello to the Great British eccentric.

William Blake was one of the

UK’s greatest poets as well as being a gifted painter. Born in London in 1757, he originally trained ​ (a)   an artist. Blake was, however, judged by people to be insane for claiming to see visions​ (b)   his life. They started at the age of four when he said that he had seen “a tree filled with angels”, and these visions carried on throughout his adult life. They often appeared in his work, which is full of strange dream-like​ (c)   . His reputation meant that his art and poetry were not highly regarded during his lifetime, ​ (d)   his audience and annoying the critics. As often happens to misunderstood geniuses, he only achieved greatness after his death at the age of 69. His art now takes pride of place in some of the most​ art galleries throughout the world, and his poetry is taught in UK schools.

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At the end of high school, students can earn the high school ​ (a)   . The diploma course lasts about three or four years and​ (b)   around ten subjects. In addition to the high school diploma, colleges in the USA have their own ​ (c)   tests, such as the SAT. These tests are administered by the ​ (d)   themselves. Students who don't gain a high school diploma can instead try for a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. This qualification covers five subjects – reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies – and is accepted by some higher ​ (e)   institutes.

Finishing secondary school

At 16, state school students take the GCSE exams, which stands for General Certificate in Secondary Education. If a student stays in education until 18, they can study for academic exams called A-Levels, or gain ​ (a)   qualifications. A job-based qualification gives a student knowledge and skills that will help them work in a specific ​ (b)   , or else to go into more advanced training, while an A-Level is aimed at entering a university. Students can take up to five A-Levels in subjects that interest them, but most people take three.