TASK: What’s wrong with the comprehension exercise?: Key

Problem 1

2) They were occasionally out of work.

Question 2 lifts the exact words from the text. Students can cut and paste without understanding what ‘out of work’ means.

Problem 2

3) Del Vecchio had to go and live in an orphanage when he was only seven because his mother and father had both died.

Question 3 is far too long-winded. It could be shortened to:

Del Vecchio had to go and live in an orphanage when he was seven.
or even
Del Vecchio’s parents died when he was seven.

Problem 3

6) The founder of IKEA was from Finland.

Question 6 tests world knowledge. Many students wouldn’t need to read the text to know the answer.

Problem 4

7) Kamprad started his first company when he was 21.
8) Ortega’s father worked in an office.

Questions 7 and 8 are not in  the order in which they appear in the text.

Problem 5

The text about Amancio Ortega has been underexploited.

Problem 6

All of the statements are false.