Children who grip their pens too close to the writing point are likely to be at a disadvantage in examinations,

(1) _____ to the first serious investigation into the way in which writing technique can dramatically affect educational achievement.The survey of 643 children and adults, aged from pre-school to 40-plus, also suggests

(2) _____ pen-holding techniques have deteriorated sharply over one generation, with teachers now paying far

(3) ______ attention to correct pen grip and handwriting style.Stephanie Thomas, a learning support teacher

(4) ______ findings have been published, was inspired to investigate this area

(5) _______ she noticed that those pupils who had the most trouble with spelling

(6) ______ had a poor pen grip. While Ms. Thomas could not establish a significant statistical link

(7) ______ pen-holding style and accuracy in spelling, she

(8) ______ find huge differences in technique between the young children and the mature adults, and a definite

(9) ________ between near-point gripping and slow, illegible writing.People who

(10) ______ their pens at the writing point also show other characteristics

(11) ______ inhibit learning,

(12) _______ as poor posture, leaning too

(13) ______ to the desk, using four fingers to grip the pen

(14) ______ than three, and clumsy positioning of the thumb (which can obscure

(15) ______ is being written.Ms. Thomas believes that the

(16) ______ between older and younger writers is

(17) ________ too dramatic to be accounted for simply by the possibility that people get better at writing as they grow

(18) ________. She attributes it to a failure to teach the most effective methods, pointing out that the differences between

(19) _______ groups coincides with the abandonment of formal handwriting instruction in classrooms in the sixties. "The 30-year-olds showed a huge range of grips,

(20) ________ the over 40s group all had a uniform 'tripod' grip."

SECTION III: Reading Comprehension

Part ARead the following texts and answer the questions which accompany them by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1.