5.2 Read the text and do the tasks (1—5) after it circling one of the letters (a—d).

Religious Education

In many countries children are taught about religion in schools. In fact, the earliest schools of medieval Europe taught only religion. They were known as choir schools, and they pro­vided mainly oral instruction in the psalms and the Bible which pupils were expected to learn by heart. Only later were addition­al subjects such as grammar, mathematics, and astronomy added to the school curriculum. Today, religion may be taught in schools or outside regular school in classes provided by religious bodies, such as the church or the synagogue.

In the tradition of the Christian Church, these additional classes were usually given on Sunday, after the church service, and they became known as Sunday Schools. The early Sunday Schools in England taught reading and writing as well as reli­gion, or scripture. But once a state school system existed, Sunday Schools taught only religious subjects. Children who attend Sunday Schools today are taught about the Bible, the lives of the saints, and the services of their church.

In some countries, such as Germany, religious groups coope­rate with state schools to provide some religious education for the children. In other countries, for example, the United States, there are separate religious schools, which are funded by the churches of various denominations and by voluntary donations from their parishioners. They are called parochial schools. There are parochial schools for Catholics, Jews, and members of the various Protestant denominations.

Other countries have only one official religion, and nearly all citizens belong to that religious group. In Italy, Ireland, Spain, and parts of Canada, for example, most people are Roman Catholics; while most of the inhabitants of Pakistan are Muslim. The schools in these countries are controlled by the official reli­gion, and the basic principles of the_ religion are taught to the children during school hours.

In Britain religious education is provided in all state schools. But the emphasis has shifted to teaching about world religions, and is less on religious instruction. Britain also has parochial schools. These are partly state funded but the churches have to contribute to their running costs.

1. Early medieval schools in Europe were called choir schools as the children

1. used to sing in choir there

2. mainly sang psalms in them

3. practically never had written tasks

4. had grammar, mathematics and choir singing in the cur­riculum

2. Sunday Schools nowadays

1. help the children who attend them with basic education­al subjects

2. provide a lot of additional information about state schools

3. mainly involve pupils in studying scripture

4. give children only religious education

3. Parochial schools

1. provide religious education only for various Protestant groups

2. function on the money of various churches as well as vol­untary donations

3. are created by parishioners

4. exist in all European countries

4. is taught to children in schools during school hours.

1. In all European countries religion education

2. All over the world the official religion of a country

3. In Spain Protestantism

4. In some parts of Canada Catholicism

5. In Britain religious education

1. is not provided in state schools

2. is given only in parochial schools

3. is subsidised partly from state funds and partly from religious institutions

4. given in parochial schools is funded only by religious institutions