Examples of PISA test questions
PISA contains a mixture of questions, and most students will have to answer some
science, reading and mathematics questions. The combination of questions will
depend on which test booklet you are randomly assigned – PISA has 13 different test
booklets.
Not only are the topics varied, so are the types of questions. Sometimes,
you’ll be asked to tick a box, or circle one answer from a choice of four, while
sometimes you’ll be asked to write a short answer. On the
next pages are examples
of reading, science and mathematics questions (in that order).
Reading Questions
Science Questions
Mathematics Questions
Reading Questions
FEEL GOOD IN YOUR RUNNERS
For 14 years the Sports Medicine Centre of Lyon (France) has been studying the injuries of
young sports players and sports professionals. The study has established that the best
course is prevention … and good shoes.
Knocks, falls, wear
and tear...
Eighteen
per cent of
sports players aged 8 to
12 already have heel
injuries. The cartilage of
a footballer's ankle does
not respond well to
shocks, and 25% of
professionals have
discovered for
themselves that it is an
especially weak point.
The cartilage of the
delicate knee joint can
also be irreparably
damaged
and if care is
not taken right from
childhood (10–12 years
of age), this can cause
premature osteoarthritis.
The hip does not escape
damage either and,
particularly when tired,
players run the risk of
fractures as a
result of
falls or collisions.
According to the study,
footballers who have
been playing for more
than ten years have bony
outgrowths either on the
tibia or on the heel. This
is what is known as
‘footballer’s foot’, a
deformity caused by
shoes with soles and
ankle parts that are too
flexible.
Protect, support, stabilise,
absorb
If a shoe is too rigid, it
restricts movement. If it
is too
flexible, it increases
the risk of injuries and
sprains. A good sports
shoe should meet four
criteria:
Firstly, it must
provide
exterior protection
:
resisting knocks from the
ball
or another player,
coping with unevenness
in the ground, and
keeping the foot warm
and dry even when it is
freezing cold and raining.
It must
support the
foot
, and in particular the
ankle joint, to avoid
sprains, swelling and
other problems, which
may even affect the knee.
It must also provide
players with good
stability
so that they do not slip
on a
wet ground or skid
on a surface that is too
dry.
Finally, it must
absorb
shocks
, especially those
suffered by volleyball and
basketball players who
are constantly jumping.
Dry feet
To avoid minor
but painful conditions
such as blisters or even
splits or athlete’s foot
(fungal infections), the
shoe must allow
evaporation of
perspiration and must
prevent outside
dampness from getting in.
The
ideal material for this
is leather, which can be
water-proofed to prevent
the shoe from etting
soaked the first time it
rains.