【明報專訊】A school in ?rebro, Sweden (瑞典厄勒布魯), informed its students in two classes that boys and girls would have all but science lessons separately for six weeks after the Christmas holiday. However, the practice has been heavily criticised by its students and their parents.

There have not been any single-sex schools in Sweden since the last girls' school in the country closed in 1974. The decision of the school therefore stirred up much controversy. Fifteen-year-old Beate Ejdeholt, one of the school's female students, said what the school did left many students perplexed and unhappy. Her father added that the practice was stupid and old-fashioned.

Anneli Widestrand, the school's headmistress, defended the decision, saying that there had been a misunderstanding. She cited her experience as a teacher that some girls might be too shy to speak in front of boys, and the change could "strengthen knowledge development" among certain pupils. In fact, a recent British study found that in 2016, pupils who studied in single-sex state schools generally achieved better examination results than those in mixed schools. (sources: Ming Pao, The Local, The Telegraph)

■Photo Story

A school in Sweden (pictured) put boys and girls into separate classes after the Christmas vacation.

■English highway﹕stir up

If a person or something stirs up arguments or problems, the person or thing causes them.

e.g. Eason always stirs up trouble when he is around.

■Quiz

Answer the following questions.

(Answers on next text)

1. Is the following sentence true or false?

Under the new practice, male and female students would have all lessons separately. (True / False)

2. Single-sex schools have not existed in Sweden for more than _____ decades.

a. two

b. three

c. four

d. five

3. How did most of the students affected by the change feel?

_____________________________________________

4. Choose a word from the third paragraph to fill in the blank.

The President _________ the tax-raising policy against the critics.

■Glossary

criticise (v) 批評

controversy (n) 爭議

perplexed (adj) 困惑的

cite (v) 援引