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SCREEN TEST

Part 1. Reading Comprehension

THE IRISH LANGUAGE TODAY

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Until about the seventeenth century, Irish was the normal everyday language of Ireland. At that time, though, the English who had colonised the country began to impose their own language and the Irish people gradually accepted this, mostly for economic reasons. All official business was conducted in English and the British economy dominated the country. This practical motivation to use English grew even stronger when people began to leave Ireland in vast numbers in the nineteenth century. Families thought that it would be difficult to move to an English-speaking country such as America, Australia or England if they knew nothing but Irish.

Nowadays it is estimated that little more than one per cent of the population of the country use Irish as their daily first language. Even in the areas of the country which are supposed to be Irish-speaking, the use of the language is decreasing. These areas, known officially as the ‘Gaeltacht’, are mainly in the remote far west of the country and have a total population of 83,000, of whom nearly all can speak Irish, although only about 30,000 use it as their normal language of communication.

All children in Ireland have to learn Irish. Until 1973 pupils had to gain a pass in Irish if they were to be awarded their school leaving certificate. This rule was very unpopular and was dropped. Pupils still have to take Irish for these examinations but it no longer seems to matter very much if they fail.

Most children in primary schools seem to enjoy their Irish lessons but in secondary schools the situation is often different. As examination pressure mounts, pupils often find Irish to be boring and irrelevant, as compared with French or German, which can at least be useful for getting a job.

The most surprising development of recent years has been the rapid rise in the number of state schools in towns that do all their main teaching in Irish. This is not a scheme imposed by the state but one that has grown up in response to the demands of parents. Some parents send their children to these schools for patriotic reasons, believing them to be a defence against the country being swamped with American and English culture. Many other parents choose these schools simply because they see them as being better than the English-language schools. They tend to be newer and to have smaller classes and better motivated teachers. One criticism made of these schools is that they could be distracting pupils from learning ‘more useful’ modern languages. In fact, in modem languages, as in most subjects, these schools have results which are better than the national average.

Only time will tell whether the new rise in Irish in the towns will compensate for its decline in the Irish-speaking areas of the rural west.

1. What do we learn in this passage about Ireland at the beginning of the seventeenth century?

1) Many people left for America, Australia and England.

2) English had always been the language used in business.

3) The British began to invade the country.

4) People spoke Irish as their everyday language.

2. People who left Ireland thought...

1) they needed nothing more than Irish.

2) they would find life easy in an English-speaking country.

3) they ought to know some English.

4) they should pretend not to be Irish.

3..In the ‘Gaeltacht’

1) 83,000 people use Irish as their normal language of communication.

2) almost everybody uses Irish as their first language.

3) 30,000 people do not understand Irish.

4) there is a fall in the number of people using Irish as their first language.

4. Since 1973 pupils in Irish schools have...

1) not needed to pass Irish in order to gain their school leaving certificate.

2) had to drop Irish.

3) needed to pass Irish in order to gain their school leaving certificate.

4) not had to study Irish.

5. Why are German and French more popular than Irish in secondary schools?

1) They help students in their travels.

2) They are not boring.

3) They ease examination pressure.

4) They can help pupils find work.

6. The government introduced schools where teaching was done in Irish because...

1) they may produce better results.

2) parents wanted them.

3) pupils in towns were eager to learn Irish.

4) it makes the teachers more committed.

7. Why are such schools popular among parents?

1) They are imposed by the state.

2) They teach American culture.

3) They are good for both patriotic and educational reasons.

4) They teach modem languages better man other schools.

8. Some people criticised these Irish language schools because...

1) they prevent pupils from learning modern languages.

2) they have classes which are too small.

3) their results are only a little better than average.

4) they do not pay enough attention to regular subjects.

9. The word ‘its’ in the last sentence refers to

1) the Irish language. 2) time.

3) rise. 4) towns.

10. Which of the following would make a suitable title for this passage?

1) Irish – End in Sight.

2) Irish – Signs of Hope in the Towns.

3) Irish – A Dead Language.

4) Irish – Increasingly Important in the Villages.

Part 2. Use of English