Date ________ First name_______________ Last name___________________
Test 10th form
Reading Comprehension
I. Read the text and choose the correct answers.
The Erasmus programme
New friends, new experiences and the chance to learn a new language- that's what one young Dutch student from Rotterdam was hoping to find when he set off around Europe to study. He was keen to learn as much as he could. He started at the Collège de Montaigu at the University of Paris before moving on to the University of Cambridge, where his work was so impressive that his professors even suggested that he should stay and teach. The Dutch student, however, was determined to continue with his journey and left for the University of Turin in Italy. Obviously, he was a student from a wealthy family, you might think. Well, no, the student in question was a poor orphan called Erasmus, travelling between the years of 1495 and 1506.
Students in the 21st century aren't in a position to spend ten years of their lives touring European centres of learning. Nonetheless, if someone really wants to fulfil their dream of studying abroad, there has never been more opportunity. One of the reasons for this is the European Union's education programme named after the Dutch student mentioned above. Erasmus is an ambitious educational programme which aims to promote cooperation 20 between European students and European institutions of higher education. Since its launch in 1987, over 5 million European students have taken advantage of it.
Students on the Erasmus programme can spend from three months to an academic year at a university in another European country. They do not have to pay any extra fees to the host university, and they can apply for a grant to help them with the cost of accommodation. The 250,000 Erasmus students that take part in the programme every year have a great time and return home not only with new skills, but also more mature, independent and confident. So if you're dreaming of going to university in the future, why don't include a year on the Erasmus programme in your plans?
1.What did one young student hope to find when he went to study?
2.The student was ...
3.The young man liked to ...
4.Where was he proposed to work?
5.The student was determined and ...
6.This student was .....
7.Young people in the 21st century .... spend ten years for studying in Europe.
8.The European Union's education programme was named after ....
9.Erasmus is a(n) ...
10.Erasmus gives young people the opportunity ...
11.Erasmus has worked ...
12.This education programme helped .....
13.Students on the Erasmus programme can study .... at a European university.
14.Students on the Erasmus programme ....
15.Every year ... students take part in the programme.
16.The Erasmus students return home .....
II. Answer the questions.
17.What three aims did the young student from Rotterdam have?
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18.What is the difference between students today and Erasmus?
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19.How does the Erasmus programme work?
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20.What benefits do students get from taking part in the Erasmus programme?
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