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3 Answer the questions. A different kind of

Hi, I’m Alex and I go to a boarding school in Wiltshire. They’re different from other because you live there during term- time. They’re usually private schools – parents pay fees for their kids’ lessons and accommodation.

1 What are boarding schools?

Why am I here? My parents were travelling a lot when I was younger, so a boarding school was convenient and they had the money to send me here! It’s also a family tradition. My dad went to a single-sex boarding school, but I’m at a mixed school. I prefer it that way.

2 Why is Alex at a boarding school?

We live in school houses (yes, like in !). My house is called Burnley. It’s a bit like a family. We have a house master (Mr Greaves, one of the teachers) and a house mistress (Mr Greaves’s wife). They live with us and they’re always there if we have any problems.

3 What is Burnley and why is it like a family?

Venture Level 1 . Venture into Culture, p.114 © Oxford Press PHOTOCOPIABLE We have lessons from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. We have lunch in the dining hall, where we eat all our meals. After lessons we usually do sport. Then we do our homework or we go to an after- school club.

4 What do the students do after school finishes?

In the evenings we can do what we want, but there are strict bedtimes. We sleep in , which some people think is a bit strange, but I don’t mind it.

We have lessons or sports on Saturday mornings, but we’re free for the rest of the weekend. Sometimes students’ families come to visit them on Sundays, and twice a term we have an , when we can go home on Friday afternoon for the whole weekend.

5 What is an exeat?

What are the bad things about boarding schools? The school rules here are very strict and our uniform is really old-fashioned!

6 What are the negative things about boarding schools, according to Alex?

The girls wear really long skirts and we all wear a long, blue coat and a stripy tie. It’s embarrassing when we go into town, as other teenagers look at us.

When I first arrived here, I felt homesick and lonely. Some kids hate boarding school life, but I enjoy it now because I like doing sport every day and I have some good friends. We have lots of fun.

7 What does Alex like about his school?

Venture Level 1 . Venture into Culture, p.114 © Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE