(C9T1WT2)Someexpertsbelievethatitisbetterforchildrentobeginlearningaforeignlanguageatprimaryschoolratherthansecondaryschool.Dotheadvantagesofthisoutweighthedisadvantages?Traditionally,childrenhavebegunstudyingforeignlanguagesatsecondaryschool,butintroducingthemearlierisrecommendedbysomeeducationalists.Thispolicyhasbeenadoptedbysomeeducationalauthoritiesorindividualschools,withbothpositiveandnegativeoutcomes.Theobviousargumentinitsfavoristhatyoungchildrenpickuplanguagesmuchmoreeasilythanteenagers.Theirbrainsarestillprogrammedtoacquiretheirmothertongue,whichfacilitateslearninganotherlanguage,andunlikeadolescents,theyarenotinhabitedbyself-consciousness.Thegreaterflexibilityoftheprimarytimetableallowsformorefrequent,shortersessionsandforaplay-centeredapproach,thusmaintaininglearners'enthusiasmandprogress.Theircommandofthelanguageinlaterlifewillbenefitfromthisearlyexposure,whilelearningotherlanguagessubsequentlywillbeeasierforthem.Theymayalsogainabetterunderstandingofothercultures.Theyare,however,somedisadvantages.Primaryschoolteachersaregeneralists,andmaynothavethenecessarylanguageskillsthemselves.Ifspecialistshavetobebroughtintodeliverthesesessions,theflexibilityreferredtoaboveisdiminished.ifprimarylanguageteachingisnotstandardized,secondaryschoolsintake,resultinginaclassroomexperiencewhichundoestheearliergains.Thereisnoadvantageifenthusiasticprimarypupilsbecomedemotivatedassoonastheychangeschools.However,theseissuescanbeaddressedstrategicallywithinthepolicyadopted.Anythingwhichencourageslanguagelearningbenefitssocietyculturallyandeconomically,andearlyexposuretolanguagelearningcontributestothis.Youngchildren'sinnateabilitiesshouldbeharnessedtomakethesebenefitsmoreachievable.C9T2WT1Thechartbelowshowsthetotalnumberofminutes(inbillions)oftelephonecallsintheUK,dividedintothreecategories,from1995-2002.Summarisetheinformationbyselectingandreportingthemainfeatures,andmakecomparisonswhererelevant.ThechartshowsthetimespentbyUKresidentsondifferenttypesoftelephonecallsbetween1995and2002.Localfixedlinecallswerethehighestthroughouttheperiod,risingfrom72billionminutesin1995tojustunder90billionin1998.Afterpeakingat90billionthefollowingyear,thesecallshadfallenbacktothe1995figureby2002.Nationalandinternationalfixedlinecallsgrewsteadilyfrom38billionto61billionattheendoftheperiodinquestion,thoughthegrowthslowedoverthelasttwoyears.Therewasadramaticincreaseinmobilecallsfrom2billionto46billionminutes.Thisrisewasparticularlynoticeablebetween1999and2002,duringwhichtimetheuseofmobilephonestripled.Tosumup,althoughlocalfixedlinecallswerestillthemostpopularin2002,thegapbetweenthethreecategorieshadnarrowedconsiderablyoverthesecondhalfoftheperiodinquestion.C9T3WT2Somepeoplesaythatthebestwaytoimprovepublichealthisbyincreasingthenumberofsportsfacilities.Others,however,saythatthiswouldhavelittleeffectonpublichealthandthatothermeasuresarerequired.Discussboththeseviewsandgiveyourownopinion.Aproblemofmodernsocietiesisthedeclininglevelofhealthinthegeneralpopulation,withconflictingviewsonhowtotacklethisworryingtrend.Onepossiblesolutionistoprovidemoresportsfacilitiestoencourageamoreactivelifestyle.Advocatesofthisbelievethattoday’ssedentarylifestyleandstressfulworkingconditionsmeanthatphysicalactivityisnolongerpartofeitherourworkorourleisuretime.Iftherewereeasy-toreachlocalsportscentres,wewouldbemorelikelytomak...
