PART 2 READING PASSAGE 2

Read the text below and answer Questions 14-25.

TRICKY SUMS AND PSYCHOLOGY

A. In the early stages of mathematics education, children worldwide are typically required to learn the times table, also known as the multiplication table, which presents the results of multiplying numbers. Traditionally, children have memorized this table by starting with ‘1 time 1 is 1′ and progressing to ’12 times 12 is 144’.

B. The history of times tables extends far back in time. The earliest known tables using base 10 numbers, which are now standard worldwide, were discovered on bamboo strips from 305 BC in China. In contrast, many European cultures refer to the multiplication table as the Table of Pythagoras, named after the Ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras (570-495 BC), and it retains this name in languages like French and Italian.

C. In 1820, mathematician John Leslie, in his book “The Philosophy of Arithmetic,” suggested that students memorize the times table up to 25 x 25. Today, however, educators generally aim for children to memorize the table up to 9 x 9, 10 x 10, or 12 x 12.

D. In the UK, the current educational objective is for pupils to learn all times tables up to 12 x 12 by the age of nine. Nonetheless, many individuals, including adults, do not fully know them. Some politicians have faced such multiplication queries; for instance, in 1998, schools minister Stephen Byers mistakenly answered 54 instead of 56 to the question of what 7 x 8 equals, resulting in public ridicule.

E. Similarly, in 2014, UK Chancellor George Osborne was asked the same multiplication question by a young boy. Given his A-level mathematics qualifications and his role in overseeing the UK’s economic policies, one would expect him to know the answer. Yet, Osborne declined to respond, stating, ‘I’ve made it a rule in life not to answer such questions.’

F. This begs the question of why a politician would refuse to answer. Some sums are indeed more challenging than others. Research shows that sums involving the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9 are particularly difficult to learn and remember, especially when these numbers are multiplied together. Both 6 x 8 and 7 x 8 are considered difficult, with 7 x 8 being especially tricky. However, it is improbable that Osborne did not know the answer to 7 x 8, implying another reason for his refusal.

G. The reason lies in the discomfort of being ‘put on the spot,’ which Osborne likely wanted to avoid. It is well documented that intense pressure complicates tasks people usually find easy. When placed under such scrutiny, stress can elevate heart rates and adrenaline levels, leading to mistakes—a phenomenon known as ‘choking.’ This effect is common in sports, such as when a footballer takes a critical penalty kick. Similarly, the boy’s question subjected Osborne to considerable pressure, and he feared the potential consequences of answering incorrectly, leading him to avoid responding.

Questions 14-19

The text has seven paragraphs, A-G.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-G, next to questions 14-19.

14.ABCDEFG A 19th-century opinion of what children should learn

15.ABCDEFG The most difficult sums

16.ABCDEFG The effect of pressure on doing something

17.ABCDEFG How children learn the times table

18.ABCDEFG A politician who got a sum wrong

19.ABCDEFG A history of the times table

Questions 20-25

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?

For questions 20-25, write

TRUE.	if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE.	if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN.	If there is no information on this