Read the following passage and do the tasks below.

Southeast Asian Countries’ PISA Rankings 2012

Once every three years, 15-year-olds from around the world are tested on how well they know their reading, maths and science. This is called the Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA for short. It is run by the Organization for Economic Coopertation and Development or OEC        D. Over half a million students from 65 countries and economies took part in PISA 2012. The result of the latest PISA 2012 had been announced on 3 December 2013. Only five out of ten ASEAN countries participated in PISA 2012.

They were Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

- Singapore ranked 2nd in maths and 3rd in reading and science;

- Vietnam, entered PISA tests for the first time, ranked 8th in science, 17th in maths and 19th in reading;

- Thailand has been the participant in the PISA tests since 2000. It ranked 47 in science, 48th in reading and 50 in maths;

- Malaysia got 52th in maths, 53rd in science and 59th in reading;

- Indonesia got 61st in reading and got 64th in maths and science.

Singapore’s 15-year-old students came in the top five in every area. Vietnamese students scored very well on all three PISA subjects. Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia ranked below average for the 65 countries assessed. The next administration of PISA is in 2015 and results will be reported at the end of 2016.

ASEAN CORNER by Kru Ekachai (www.aseancorner.blogspot.com)

1. What does PISA stand for?

Choose a, b, c, or d that best completes each unfinished sentence, substitutes the underlined part, or has a close meaning to the original one.

Regular dialogue and cooperation contribute to the………….. of peace and security in the region.

Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage.

Generation gap refers to the difference in the ways of thinking and perception in the people of two different generations which results in behavioral differences, and sometimes, (26) _______ between them. In other words, it is the difference in the thinking of the people of older and younger generations that creates the (27) _______ of understanding between them. The most common example of generation gap is seen in the family between parents and their children. It is not only because of the gap in age but also because of the way parents (28) _______ to a particular situation.

Advancement technology has led to the generation gap in this modern world. Children tend to spend most of their time with their digital devices and busy with social media that they do not discuss their problems with their parents. The Internet (29) _______ solutions to most of the problems that children needn't ask their own parents for help, (30) _______ the communication and leading to a generation gap.

Generation gap occurs not only between parents and children but also between teachers and students. Students are likely to enjoy the classes of an open-minded teacher, who shows mutual (31) _______ to the students. The teachers, who tend to keep their students under unnecessary strict disciplines and practise hard ways to make them obey the orders, are usually disliked by the students. This narrows minded thinking, especially (32) _______ in the teachers of the older generation, eventually creates a gap between the students and teachers.

Another difference is the use of technology. Young teachers tend to use more digital devices is class for their lessons that has a good (33) on the students. Students take more interest and participate actively in the class discussion. An old teacher has (34) _______ - frequent use of electronic devices that makes lessons boring, which is not enjoyed by the students and it creates a gap between them.

To (35) _______ the generation gap, parents or teachers must be close to their children. They should show interest and give time to the children, have open communication, and allow the child to feel free in all the situations.

The ASEAN Security Community (ASC)aims to ensure that countries in the region live at………with one another and in a democratic and harmonious environment.

Laos and Myanmar were admitted …………ASEAN in 1997.

On July 28, 1995, Vietnam became ……….. seventh member of ASEAN.

Everyone should act ………… in order to protect our environment.

ASEAN also try to solve the problems of ethnic tensions which might lead…………..civil war.

The underlined word has the CLOSEST meaning to__________.

The population of ASEAN accounts ………… about 8.7% of the world's population.