Task 1. Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.

Education is vital for modern people. Now in most countries one can get education for free. However, it was not like that in the past. In ancient Rome people did not have any formal education. Parents but not schools provided children with knowledge and skills at that time. These could be military, domestic or agricultural skills.

Then schools appeared. They were only for boys between 9 and 12 years old who came from wealthy families. Girls could not study there. Roman schools taught writing and speaking skills and poetry. Foreign languages were also very important. Students had to learn some subjects in Greek to help them master this difficult language. Best students got books as a reward from schools. That was a very expensive present as books were rare at that time. School teachers were deeply respected by the Romans and earned a high salary.