The changing of the seasons
[1] In Great Britain, from four-year-olds being
bundled off to pre-school to freshers embarking on
their undergraduate studies, autumn has traditionally
[4] been the start of the academic year. But is there any
reason why it should be?
Seemingly not. Plenty of universities —
[7] though primarily the newer ones — now offer dual —
or even triple — entry start dates for undergraduate
courses, and students seem to appreciate the benefits.
[10] But first, a bit of history: what prompted the
original September/October start?
“It could well be that the start of the
[13] Michaelmas term reflected the needs of an agricultural
economy”, says a professor of history at the University
of Buckingham, which operates three undergraduate
[16] start dates and uses the traditional long summer break
as a fourth term.
“Obviously, harvest was the time when
[19] demand for labour was greatest. Without modern
machinery, it was essential to use every hand available
to get the crops in before the weather broke. This
[22] explanation is open to the objection that those going
up to Oxford or Cambridge would have been of a
social status incompatible with manual labour of any
[25] kind. This may have been true from the late 17th
Century to around World War II, but in earlier times
the proportion of undergraduates from quite humble
[28] origins was rather higher.”
The other explanation, he continues,
concerned the need to avoid contact with disease.
[31] “Most epidemics, particularly plague, tended to occur
in the summer months, and towns were especially
vulnerable.” Hence the long vacation away from
[34] centres of learning in July, August and September.
Internet: <www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted).
Based on the text, judge the following item.
The text takes into account seasons of the year in the North Hemisphere.
The changing of the seasons
[1] In Great Britain, from four-year-olds being
bundled off to pre-school to freshers embarking on
their undergraduate studies, autumn has traditionally
[4] been the start of the academic year. But is there any
reason why it should be?
Seemingly not. Plenty of universities —
[7] though primarily the newer ones — now offer dual —
or even triple — entry start dates for undergraduate
courses, and students seem to appreciate the benefits.
[10] But first, a bit of history: what prompted the
original September/October start?
“It could well be that the start of the
[13] Michaelmas term reflected the needs of an agricultural
economy”, says a professor of history at the University
of Buckingham, which operates three undergraduate
[16] start dates and uses the traditional long summer break
as a fourth term.
“Obviously, harvest was the time when
[19] demand for labour was greatest. Without modern
machinery, it was essential to use every hand available
to get the crops in before the weather broke. This
[22] explanation is open to the objection that those going
up to Oxford or Cambridge would have been of a
social status incompatible with manual labour of any
[25] kind. This may have been true from the late 17th
Century to around World War II, but in earlier times
the proportion of undergraduates from quite humble
[28] origins was rather higher.”
The other explanation, he continues,
concerned the need to avoid contact with disease.
[31] “Most epidemics, particularly plague, tended to occur
in the summer months, and towns were especially
vulnerable.” Hence the long vacation away from
[34] centres of learning in July, August and September.
Internet: <www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted).
Based on the text, judge the following item.
July, August and September were months in which the population of Great Britain generally experienced particularly good health.
The changing of the seasons
[1] In Great Britain, from four-year-olds being
bundled off to pre-school to freshers embarking on
their undergraduate studies, autumn has traditionally
[4] been the start of the academic year. But is there any
reason why it should be?
Seemingly not. Plenty of universities —
[7] though primarily the newer ones — now offer dual —
or even triple — entry start dates for undergraduate
courses, and students seem to appreciate the benefits.
[10] But first, a bit of history: what prompted the
original September/October start?
“It could well be that the start of the
[13] Michaelmas term reflected the needs of an agricultural
economy”, says a professor of history at the University
of Buckingham, which operates three undergraduate
[16] start dates and uses the traditional long summer break
as a fourth term.
“Obviously, harvest was the time when
[19] demand for labour was greatest. Without modern
machinery, it was essential to use every hand available
to get the crops in before the weather broke. This
[22] explanation is open to the objection that those going
up to Oxford or Cambridge would have been of a
social status incompatible with manual labour of any
[25] kind. This may have been true from the late 17th
Century to around World War II, but in earlier times
the proportion of undergraduates from quite humble
[28] origins was rather higher.”
The other explanation, he continues,
concerned the need to avoid contact with disease.
[31] “Most epidemics, particularly plague, tended to occur
in the summer months, and towns were especially
vulnerable.” Hence the long vacation away from
[34] centres of learning in July, August and September.
Internet: <www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted).
Based on the text, judge the following item.
In England, the academic year traditionally begins in the fall.
The changing of the seasons
[1] In Great Britain, from four-year-olds being
bundled off to pre-school to freshers embarking on
their undergraduate studies, autumn has traditionally
[4] been the start of the academic year. But is there any
reason why it should be?
Seemingly not. Plenty of universities —
[7] though primarily the newer ones — now offer dual —
or even triple — entry start dates for undergraduate
courses, and students seem to appreciate the benefits.
[10] But first, a bit of history: what prompted the
original September/October start?
“It could well be that the start of the
[13] Michaelmas term reflected the needs of an agricultural
economy”, says a professor of history at the University
of Buckingham, which operates three undergraduate
[16] start dates and uses the traditional long summer break
as a fourth term.
“Obviously, harvest was the time when
[19] demand for labour was greatest. Without modern
machinery, it was essential to use every hand available
to get the crops in before the weather broke. This
[22] explanation is open to the objection that those going
up to Oxford or Cambridge would have been of a
social status incompatible with manual labour of any
[25] kind. This may have been true from the late 17th
Century to around World War II, but in earlier times
the proportion of undergraduates from quite humble
[28] origins was rather higher.”
The other explanation, he continues,
concerned the need to avoid contact with disease.
[31] “Most epidemics, particularly plague, tended to occur
in the summer months, and towns were especially
vulnerable.” Hence the long vacation away from
[34] centres of learning in July, August and September.
Internet: <www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted).
Based on the text, judge the following item.
According to the text, undergraduates tend to prefer universities with a single entry to those with multiple entries.
The changing of the seasons
[1] In Great Britain, from four-year-olds being
bundled off to pre-school to freshers embarking on
their undergraduate studies, autumn has traditionally
[4] been the start of the academic year. But is there any
reason why it should be?
Seemingly not. Plenty of universities —
[7] though primarily the newer ones — now offer dual —
or even triple — entry start dates for undergraduate
courses, and students seem to appreciate the benefits.
[10] But first, a bit of history: what prompted the
original September/October start?
“It could well be that the start of the
[13] Michaelmas term reflected the needs of an agricultural
economy”, says a professor of history at the University
of Buckingham, which operates three undergraduate
[16] start dates and uses the traditional long summer break
as a fourth term.
“Obviously, harvest was the time when
[19] demand for labour was greatest. Without modern
machinery, it was essential to use every hand available
to get the crops in before the weather broke. This
[22] explanation is open to the objection that those going
up to Oxford or Cambridge would have been of a
social status incompatible with manual labour of any
[25] kind. This may have been true from the late 17th
Century to around World War II, but in earlier times
the proportion of undergraduates from quite humble
[28] origins was rather higher.”
The other explanation, he continues,
concerned the need to avoid contact with disease.
[31] “Most epidemics, particularly plague, tended to occur
in the summer months, and towns were especially
vulnerable.” Hence the long vacation away from
[34] centres of learning in July, August and September.
Internet: <www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted).
Based on the text, judge the following item.
Currently, many universities start their terms at two or three different times of the year.
The changing of the seasons
[1] In Great Britain, from four-year-olds being
bundled off to pre-school to freshers embarking on
their undergraduate studies, autumn has traditionally
[4] been the start of the academic year. But is there any
reason why it should be?
Seemingly not. Plenty of universities —
[7] though primarily the newer ones — now offer dual —
or even triple — entry start dates for undergraduate
courses, and students seem to appreciate the benefits.
[10] But first, a bit of history: what prompted the
original September/October start?
“It could well be that the start of the
[13] Michaelmas term reflected the needs of an agricultural
economy”, says a professor of history at the University
of Buckingham, which operates three undergraduate
[16] start dates and uses the traditional long summer break
as a fourth term.
“Obviously, harvest was the time when
[19] demand for labour was greatest. Without modern
machinery, it was essential to use every hand available
to get the crops in before the weather broke. This
[22] explanation is open to the objection that those going
up to Oxford or Cambridge would have been of a
social status incompatible with manual labour of any
[25] kind. This may have been true from the late 17th
Century to around World War II, but in earlier times
the proportion of undergraduates from quite humble
[28] origins was rather higher.”
The other explanation, he continues,
concerned the need to avoid contact with disease.
[31] “Most epidemics, particularly plague, tended to occur
in the summer months, and towns were especially
vulnerable.” Hence the long vacation away from
[34] centres of learning in July, August and September.
Internet: <www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted).
Based on the text, judge the following item.
Traditional division of academic terms was surely influenced by agricultural activities.