Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

TEST 1

First English test

            From the earliest time, marriage has been an important part of man’s legal and religious system. In addition to the laws governing marriage that each nation establishes, marriage customs that have grown up widely from country to country? Let us look at just one country, the United States, to see some of the customs and the reasons for their existence. Why, for example, do people throw rice at weddings? Why does the bride always wear “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”?

            People in the U.S, once they meet certain legal age and medical requirements, are free to choose their own mates. Once a couple has decided to get married, the man customarily gives the girl a diamond ring. The use of a ring comes from the ancient custom of using a ring to seal an important agreement. On the wedding day it is supposed to be bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding. Another old superstition that many people believe will bring good luck to marriage is for the bride to wear “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”. When a couple marries, the groom gives his bride a wedding ring. The roundness of the ring symbolizes eternity and announces that the couple is united for life.

            The wedding ring is worn on the third finger of the left hand. People used to believe that a vein from that finger run directly to the heart. Near the end of the ceremony the bride throws her bouquet of flowers to the unwed bridesmaids. The luckily girl who catches it is supposed to be the next in the group to be married. As the married leave for their honey moon all the guests throw rice on them. This was a symbol of fertility among early people. Many of these customs are much the same in the rest of the English speaking world.

 

I. Comprehension: (08pts)

A. 1. Give a suitable title to the text (01pt)

………………………………………………………..

 

Multiple choices: (0,5 x3) = 1,5pts

B. Choose a, b, or c to answer or complete each sentence

2. When the couple is thrown rice, ……………………………………………………………

a) they will become rich         b) they will be very popular   c) they will have many children

 

3. “Wearing something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” will make the couple:………………………………………………………………………………

A) healthy       b) prosperous  c) lucky

 

4. The wedding ring will………………………………………………………………………

A) Strengthen the ties linking the couple      b) be a simple evidence          c) be a mere present

 

C. Say if the flowing statements are true or false, justify by quoting from the text (03pts) 

5. In the U.S people can marry whoever they like whenever they want.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. The girl who catches the bouquet of flowers will be unfortunate.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

7. On the wedding day the bride and the groom must not see each other before the wedding.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

D. Matching: (0,5x5) = 2,5pt

Find in the text words close in meaning with the following definitions

1.	Something that people always do by tradition
2.	A sexual or marriage partner
3.	Irrational religious belief
4.	Somebody who receives hospitality from somebody
5.	The quality of being fertile

 

II. Linguistic competence: (07pts)

E. Complete with words from the text. (0,25x4) = 1pt

Marriage is a legally recognized relationship between two people who intend to live together as sexual and domestic partners. The two people who are about to be married are called ……………….and…………… During the wedding day, they are not allowed to see because this is supposed to be……………luck.

During the celebration, the man gives the girl a diamond……………that symbolize eternity.

 

F. Ask or answer the following questions. (0,5x10) = 05pts

A: Hello Aicha!.................................. (you/be) married?

B: …………, I am.

A: …………………………………………..?

B: I got married last year, during the holidays.

A: …………….are you married to?

B: I am married to my cousin.

A: …………………………. (he/do) for living?

B: He is a very famous journalist in a radio.

A: So…………………… (be) that radio?

B: That radio is in Dakar: It’s Sud fm.

A: ……………………… (you/love) him too much?

B: No,……………….. but it was my parents’ decision.

A: And you have decided to obey them,……………………….?

B: ………, I have.

A: Keep on you will never regret it in your life.

 

G. Put the verbs between brackets into the right form or tense. (0,25x4) = 1pt

Today’s girls (copy) ……………………………… the white man that’s why most of them (wear) ……………………. dresses during their weddings. Before, our parents wore boubous, wrappers and necklaces.

This phenomenon is not in town only but it reaches the countryside, thus if the elders (not/sensitize) …………………….. them, they (be) ………………… lost.

 

Essay: (05pts) write about 150 words

Topic 1: Nowadays, many girls are celebrating their weddings like white people and neglect their traditions and customs. Do you share their visions?

 

Topic 2: Talk about a wedding ceremony you have once attended.

 

 

 

TEST 2

The problem of education in Africa

The history of human achievement illustrates that when an awakened intelligentsia emerges from a subject it becomes the precursor of the struggle, against alien rule. There is a direct relation between this fact and the neglect of the imperial powers to provide for the proper growth of educational facilities in their colonies. I saw this connection quite soon in my career, and it was one of the main reasons why I became a teacher for a time.

The marvelous enthusiasm for education in Africa never fails to impress visitors. A school boy once wrote: “I think the happiest event in my life was when my father told me to go to school.” Another said: “the most unfortunate thing that could happen to me would be to have no education, or to be sent away from school now, for then all my life would be wasted.” The burning desire for education among both children and adults received little encouragement from the colonial powers, and one of the worst legacies of colonialism has been the absence of a trained body of African technicians and administrators.

            The problem of education was highest in my mind and in the minds of my party… The fact that most of my colleagues had, like me, been trained as teachers reflected their faith, too, in education as the key to our liberation and advance. Little attention was given to technical training, and as a result educated Africans have acquired a bias towards clerical work and a dislike for manual labor. A significant consequence of this accent upon a literary education has been the denial to our country of a skilled labor force. This irregular state of affairs has created for us one of the biggest of our problems: that is, how to create a skilled labor force and a body of trained technicians in the many fields of modern agriculture, industry, science and economics in the quickest possible time.

We sat down on March 1957 to consider, not what we had done but what remained to be done. We needed to plan an educational system that will be more in keeping with the requirements of the economic and social progress for which our new development plans are aiming. We were trained to be inferior copies of Englishman caricatures to be laughed at… We were neither fish nor fowl. We were denied the knowledge our African past and informed that we had no present. We were taught to regard our culture and traditions as barbarous and primitive. Our text-books were English text-books, telling us about English history, English geography, English ways of living, English customs, English ideas, English weather. All this has to be changed. And it is an astonishing task.

Kwame Nkrumah, Africa must unite

 

1. Reading comprehension: (08pts)

A. Vocabulary in context: Find in the text words close in meaning with the following definitions (02pts)

Words	Definitions
	Something that comes before and leads another thing
	Extraordinarily wonderful
	A person somebody works with
	Relating to the first stages of something

 

B. Find in the synonyms or antonyms of the following words and phrases: (01, 5)

1. Foreign domination = ……………………

2. Refused = ………………………………..

 

 

C. True or false: Say whether these statements are true or false, justify by quoting from the text. (02pts)

1. The author did not have a long experience of teaching

…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. The colonizers favored technical education as much as literary education

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. The colonizer wanted to train people to look down upon their own culture

……………………………………………………………………………………………

4. The author thinks that the project changing the educational system is not important

………………………………………………………………………………………………

D. Cloze text: Fill in the gaps with words from the text. (02,5pts)

Due to the……………………………. imposed to Africa by the…………………, many Africans tempted to refuse manual……………. And worst of all they used books that has nothing to do with our tradition but…………………. that only dealt with English history, English geography, English ways of living etc…

This is the reason way the author and his………………... organized a party for the awakening of their people.

 

2. Linguistic competence: (07pts)

E. Complete the following dialogue meaningfully. (02pts)

A: What do you prefer? Public or private schools?

B: I prefer private school because its courses are…………………….. (regular).

A: Besides, the students………… are in private schools are not concerned with strikes.

B: Be it private or public I think the………..... exercises you do, the…………… (Good) your level will be.

 

F. Ask or answer the following questions. (03pts)

A: I think that you are doing your courses, ……………………………?

B: Yes,………but not so regularly.

A:………………………………………………………………………..?

B: It’s due to the teachers’ strike.

A:………………………………………………………………………..?

B: They are asking their allowances.

A: Yes, they are right but I think they should care about our future,………………………….?

B: Of course,……………………….let’s hope that everything will be alright.

 

G. Complete this story with the right forms or tenses. (02pts)

“I remember my first day at school; I……………………. (sent) to school very young. After seven years of studies I……………………… (decide) to stop because daddy was very sick.

But I sure that if he…………………………. (not/be) sick, I……………………………….. (become) a very big and respectable professor.”

 

H. Essay writing: Choose one topic and write about 150 words. (05pts)

Topic1: Make an evaluation of the Senegalese educational system including alternatives to the present situation.

Topic2: two students are discussing about the differences between private schools and public ones. Try and imagine their conversation.

 

 

 

TEST 3

In Britain, a recent Market Research society survey found that only 10% of husbands help with the washing and ironing. Two in 10 do some of the cooking and just under half manage the shopping. Anne Wicks, a director of the society, says, “It’s just not true that today’s woman is turning her back on household chores and child-rearing to find fulfillment and self-expression outside the home. Being a housewife is not a thing of the past. It’s not that women are no longer at the kitchen sink but that nowadays they are under the impression that they should not be there.”

Britain’s “Mrs. Average” is Rosalind Hines, a 33-year-old mother of two young children who lives in Islington, North London. The insurance company, Legal and General, who scoured their computers to find her, gave her this name. It was part of a publicity campaign to show how much a man would have to pay other people to do the work of his wife if she died. The total was £370.25 a week: a man’s average weekly wage is rather less – at £205.20.

“So-called equality is such a long way off,” says Rosalind. ”I don’t see myself as a housewife. I’m a full time mother. I’m not here for the chores; I’m here for the kids. This is the hardest job I’ve ever done and you’re insulted with titles like Mrs. Average – i.e. dull and ordinary. You’re treated as if you’ve lost your brains along with giving birth.  I do most of the everyday chores. But I don’t do anymore than most women – and some of them have a career as well. My husband Chris does his bit when he’s here and I’m lucky he doesn’t have expectations of what life should be like in the home like many other men.”

So, why do women still assume responsibility for the household chores? We asked our psychologist Dr David Lewis. “It’s these expectations that cause problems,” he explains. “If a man was brought up in a home where his father was waited on his hand and foot, he may come to expect the same kind of treatment. In addition, women do feel more guilt about housework than men. If a woman goes out leaving the bed unmade or brings friends home and the washing up is still in the sink, she may feel guilty – a man usually won’t.

Often housework is tied with a woman’s ideal image of the person she wants to be seen as – a good woman, a good wife, a good mother.”

 

www.myenglishpages.com

 

READING COMPREHENSION: (08pts)

A. Circle the best title for the passage (01pt)

a) Women and power.              b) Women in the past and present.         c) Housework: whose job is it anyway?

 

B. Find in the text words or expressions meaning the same as: (0,5x2=2 pts)

1. Salary (paragraph2)   ……………………………      

2. Regarded (paragraph3) ………………………

 

C. Referencing: What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (0,5x2=01pt)

1. There.  (Paragraph 1)…………………..………

2. Them (paragraph3)……………………….……

  

 

 

D. Are the following statements true or false: justify your answer by quoting from the text (03pts)

1. A recent British survey showed that men prefer managing the shopping to doing the washing or the ironing.

...................................................................................................................................................
2. Ann Wicks believes that nowadays women are more concerned with being working mothers than housewives and full-time mothers.

....................................................................................................................................................

 

E- Complete the following sentences (0,5x2=1pt)

1. .........................., .............................., .............................and........................., are some of the chores the “new man” is expected to do.

2. 90% of British men don’t…………………………………………………………………...

LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (07pts)

E. Fill in the gaps with the right form of the word in parenthesis (0,5x4=02pt)

In the (tradition)……………….society, women would stay at home but now things has…….. …………….(drastic) changed. Their………………….(emancipate) allow them to wear a new mask of………………..(rebel).

 

F. Complete the following dialogue meaningfully (0,5x2=02,5pts)

A:……………………………………………………?

B: I have been married since Mr. Wade came to power in 2000.

A:……………………………………………………?

B: My wife does the household chores by herself.

A: I hope that we should help our wives in the task,…………………………?

B: No,…………….. we only assure the expenses

A: …………………………………………………………?

B: Yes, I do love my wife.

A: Sorry but if you love your wife; you’ll help her in the household chores.

 

G. Put the verbs into the right form and tense (02,5pts)

Women………………………..…(claim) emancipation since the first day President Wade’s government adopted the law of party. Had Mr. Wade won the elections, men and women…… ……………………...(have) the same status and equal number of representatives. But with the arrival of the new President, they……………………(wait) for the law enforcement.

 

ESSAY WRITING: (05pts)

H. Choose one of the following topics and write about 150 words

Topic1: Many husband are ashamed of doing housework, they consider it as specially set for women. Do you share their point of view?

 

Topic2: Compare the role women used to play in our traditional society to the one women are claiming now.

 

 

 

 

TEST 4

While voices are rising constantly for the protection of Planet Earth- the natural habitat of the human race- from various ecological threats, these same voices seem to show an amazing tolerance for a form of pollution that is a growing problem: noise. Airplane traffic is increasing by five percent a year. Urban noise is doubling every ten years and is getting increasingly diverse as city life becomes more dependent on technology and robotics. By air, land and sea, we are facing an assault of noise that is threatening our ability to survive safely in this world.

We have granted ourselves the right to make noise. But what about our responsibilities? Have we developed a sense of acoustic responsibility? The evidence suggests that we have not. Many people seem to believe they have unlimited liberty to make noise with cars and motorbikes and with loud music at home and in the street. In some countries, measures have been taken to force people to produce less noise. In Britain, for example, a law has been passed preventing people from disturbing their neighbors with music at night. But though these measures constitute one step towards recognizing noise as a shared environmental concern, they still address the issue only partially and don’t allow for a concrete change to take place.

It is widely accepted now that we should deal with our rubbish in a responsible way; and many people have started to demonstrate awareness of this conventional form of pollution. Noise is in reality a particularly insidious form of rubbish. It destroys community life, pursues us into our homes to spoil our tranquility, keeps us from sleeping and is the cause of many stress-related illnesses, as well as hearing loss.

Our acoustic environment is property to us all. Everyone has the right to use it, but no one has the right to abuse it. Let’s start using it sensibly.

 

 

www.myenglishpages.com

 

 

 

READING COMPREHENSION: (08pts)

A. Vocabulary in context: Find in the text word close in meaning with the following words and phrases. (1x3=3pts)

1. Strong attack (paragraph 1):……………………………………

2. Dangerous (paragraph 2):………………………………………

3. To use in an improper manner (paragraph 4):……………………………….

 

B. Answer these statements with true or false, and justify your answers by quoting from the text. (1x3=3pts)

1. Nowadays, people seem to be as concerned with acoustic pollution as they are with the other conventional forms of pollution.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. British law protects people from all forms of acoustic pollution.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. All living areas are affected by the phenomenon of noise pollution.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

C. Information transfer: Complete the following sentences referring to the text. (1x2=2pts)

1. People have given themselves the right to make noise, but they have not…………… …………………………………………………………………………………

2. Although some countries have taken important measures that will make of noise a public responsibility,…………………………………………………………………..…………… …………………………………………………………………………

 

LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (07pts)

D. Complete the following dialogue. (0,5x6=3pts)

A:……………………………………………………………………………….?

B: I am listening to some rap music.

A: Students must not be allowed to play music in the school yard,…………………..?

B: No,…………………. They can disturb those who are doing courses.

A: Well, ………………………………………………………………………..?

B:  Because I am using ear-phones

A: So students can listen to music on condition they use ear-phones,…………………?

B: Yes,………………

 

E. Word-building: Use correct form of words between brackets. (0,5x2=1pt)

The rapid and……………………..(limited) development of technology causes many………. ………………..(difficult) to people. We…………….(hard) hear if we are living next to Leopold S. Senghor airport. That’s why airports must be set…………………..(complete) out of town.

 

F. Rewrite the following sentence without changing its meaning. (1pt)

If the situation remains unchanged, it will be impossible to hear in Great Britain.

Unless………………………………………………………………………………………

 

G. Put the verbs in brackets in the right tense or form. (0,5x4=2pts)

Technology………………………………(develop) in England since the first industrial revolution. Due to this increasing, people’s life…………………………..(disturb) nowadays

 

WRITING: Choose only one topic and don’t exceed 200 words. (04pts)

Topic1:

“Many people seem to believe they have unlimited liberty to make noise with cars and motorbikes and with loud music at home and in the street”. Comment on this assessment

 

Topic2:

You are tired, you want to sleep and your brother is playing music loudly in the room. Write down your conversation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 5

What the children think. . .

The generation gap is more like a chasm in Hong Kong - the territory's teenagers rarely turn to their parents or teachers for advice on anything. Whether it be sex, AIDS, school worries or family problems, adults are not considered up to the job.

Until now, no one has asked Hong Kong youth, ''What do you think?''. An inkling into the emotions of Hong Kong's adolescents, however, has come from the work of Dr. Jeffrey Day at the University of Hong Kong, where he works in the Social Sciences Research Centre. His survey of young people does not focus, for example, on how many drugs they take - but tries to answer the question why. 

A questionnaire asked young people about everything, from habits of personal hygiene to how they cope with a crisis; who they turn to in times of trouble; if they drink, smoke and if they feel good about themselves. ''We wanted to ask, for the first time, 'What are you thinking, how are you behaving?’ ''Dr. Day said.

Past research, such as a recent home-school questionnaire, has focused on parents and teachers' views but not consulted pupils. Dr. Day went to 11 local Chinese schools - single sex, co-ed and those with both high and low academic standing - and four international schools across the territory, handing out The Health Related Behavior Questionnaire to 2,000 pupils aged 11 to 18 years, 400 of them at international schools.

Questions covering home-life, family and friends revealed that adults are probably the last to hear about teenagers' problems. He noted that, in all cases, fathers in particular ''emerged very badly as sources to be contacted for help''. Whether it be school problems, health, career, friends or family matters, few turn to their father for help. It is to their mothers they are most likely to turn, but then mainly with health problems. It was only money and career matters which induced five per cent of teenagers to ask their fathers for advice. Friends are the popular confidants.

Less than 15 per cent said they would consult a teacher for help with a problem at school. And when it comes to sex, only 13 per cent said that families were a source of information - even though they believed parents should tell them about the facts of life. They want their parents' advice but feel they cannot ask, believes Dr. Day.

In the section covering smoking, one statistic stands out: the rate of smoking among girls is set to rise as their generation gets older if the trend is not reversed. Overall, 15 per cent of students under 16 spent money on alcohol and 10 per cent of those under 16 spent money on cigarettes.

 

Notes: 1. Chasm: a big gap                                        2. Inkling: a slight suggestion

            3. Induced: caused

 

COMPREHENSION: (08pts)

A. Vocabulary in context: Match the following words with their equivalence in the text

1	A set of questions used to gather information in a survey
2	To deal successfully with a difficult problem
3	A school for both sexes
4	A general tendency

 

B. Referencing: What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (01pt)

5. Those (with): refers to………………………………..

6. Few (turn): refers to………………………………….

 

C. Are the following statements true or false: justify your answer by quoting from the text (03pts)

7. The writer’s survey does not focus on the reason why young people take drugs.

………………………………………………………………………………………

8. The survey shows that teenagers hardly refer to their fathers when they have problems.

………………………………………………………………………………………

9. Fewer than twenty percent of teens talk about sex with their families.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

 

D. Cloze text: Fill in the gaps with relevant words from the text (02,5pts)

The author is conducting a………………… about how young people in Hong Kong think and find solutions to their daily problems. He had first conducted a………………….questionnaire that did not concerns…………………...but this time he decided to include them in the survey.

The result is very surprising because it shows that teens address more their……………….. than they do with their own …………………….

 

LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (07pts)

E. Fill in the gaps with the right form of the word in parenthesis (01pt)

Today’s teenagers are becoming more and more (disobey)………………………They no longer obey their parents and this is very (regret)…………………………

 

F. A daughter and her mother are talking: Complete their dialogue meaningfully (04pts)

A: Don’t go anywhere, ……………………………… ? I have to talk to you.

B: O.K Mum here am I.

A: I have noticed that you are no longer eating too much.

B: I am just suffering from a slight stomachache but nothing more.

A:…………………………………………………………………………………..?

B: Just for five days.

A: ……………………… (tell) me what happened?

B: I didn’t want to afraid you because you are fragile.

A: And you decided to refer to your friends, ………………………………………?

B: No, I haven’t talked to any friend yet; you are the first to know about it.

A: Well, put on your clothes we’re going to see Dr. Dieng.

 

G. Put the verbs into the right form and tense (02pts)

A: I hope that teenagers should (advise)……………………and (reorient)…………………

B: If we (not/do)…………………so, they may have difficulties succeeding in their lives later.

A: Well, the problem is that before teens (listen)…………………………… to their elders but now they only hear what their friends tell them.

 

ESSAY WRITING: (05pts)

H. Choose one of the following topics and write about 150 words

Topic1: Nowadays, most of the teenagers no longer refer to their parents when they have some health, social or financial problems. Try and explain this fact.

 

Topic2: Two teenagers are discussing about what parents should and shouldn’t know about their children’s lives. Imagine their conversation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 6

Dear Sir,

I was surprised to read your recent editorial on the question of student's part-time jobs. You appear to be making a lot of generalisations on the basis of just one unfortunate incident (I assure you that not all young people who deliver newspapers are as foolish and dishonest as the two youths mentioned in your article).

The first point I would like to make is that there are many jobs teenagers can do which gave them useful experience of the working world. They are brought into contact with a variety of people, often older, and are given experience of expressing themselves clearly and coherently. I am thinking here of jobs such as travel guides and shop assistants.

Another argument for schoolchildren and college students having holiday or weekend jobs is that many parents need the financial assistance. If we take, for example, a family in which the father is unemployed or perhaps a single-parent family on a low income, it seems logical and fair that a son or daughter should try to bring money into the household.

One further thing I want to say is that a lot of jobs for the young can be fun for the people who do them and also useful to the community. Youngsters who help in schools, hospitals and with the elderly often derive a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction as well as contributing something valuable to local society.

In conclusion, I would add that when I was a girl, my father said my teens were a time for books, hobbies and academic studies. Thinking back, I feel I would have learnt much more -about myself, other people and life in general- if he had allowed me to do a limited amount of real work. Certainly, when she is old enough, I shall encourage my own daughter to do so, rather than waste her time with soap operas, computer games and discotheques, like so many people today.

 

Yours faithfully,

Margaret Williams (Mrs)

 

 

READING COMPREHENSION: (08pts)

A. Vocabulary in context: Find in the text word close in meaning with the following definitions. (0,5x2=1pt)

The amount of money you receive over a period of time as a payment:………………………

A serial on television that deals with everyday lives:………………………….

 

B. Information transfer: Complete the following sentences referring to the text. (1x2=2pts)

.....................................and......................................... are the two different jobs Margaret wants to do during the holidays.

 

Many schoolchildren should do holiday jobs because…………………………………………. …………………………………………………………

 

C. True or false: Answer these statements with true or false, and justify your answers by quoting from the text. (1x3=3pts)

1. This letter was written to a newspaper.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. Children in one-parent families should not work.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. The authoress worked when she was at school.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

D. Looking for information: (0,5x4=2pts)

1. Give two the advantages of working while still at school.

a) …………………………………………………………………………………

b) ………………………………………………………………………………….

 

2. Give two cases in which financial assistance would be helpful.

a).............................................................................................................................

b).............................................................................................................................

 

LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (08pts)

E. Complete the following dialogue. (0,5x4=2pts)

A :……………………………( you/spend) your holidays?

B: I always spend my holidays in Dakar.

A: ……………………………………………….?

B: I help my farther sell groundnuts and other cereals.

A: Well, you could not enjoy your holidays, …………………………..?

B: No, ………………… but I am happy I bring more money in my family.

 

F. Finding errors: Correct the following sentences if necessary. (1x3=3pts)

1. Her father and her works during the holidays.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. If there weren’t children who work, some parents’ lives will be very tough.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. Manager, guide and trader are all good jobs but air hostess is the best.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

H. Put the verbs in brackets in the right tense or form. (1x3=3pts)

I have (study)………………… for ten years in public schools but now, I (be)………. in private school because I (fail)………………… twice in my exams.

 

WRITING: Choose only one topic and don’t exceed 200 words. (04pts)

Topic1: What is your opinion about part-time jobs? Would you like to have one? Why?

 

Topic2: Two students are talking about the coming holidays; the first wants to work during the holidays and the second wants to enjoy himself. Write down their conversation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 7

 

Can You Hear Me Now? A Study Unit on Cell Phones

 

For you, a cell phone is probably just a device that you or your friends use --to keep in touch with family and friends, take pictures, play games, or send text messages. The definition of a cell phone is more specific: it is a hand-held wireless communication device that sends and receives signals by way of small special areas called cells.

Walkie-talkies, telephones, and cell phones are duplex communication devices: they make it possible for two people to talk to each other. Cell phones and walkie-talkies are different from regular phones, because they can be used in many different locations. A walkie-talkie is sometimes called a half-duplex communication device, because only one person can talk at a time. A cell phone is a full-duplex device because it uses both frequencies at the same time. A walkie-talkie has only one channel. A cell phone has more than a thousand channels. A walkie-talkie can transmit and receive signals across a distance of about a mile. A cell phone can transmit and receive signals over hundreds of miles.

A cell phone is not as complicated as you might think. Most cell phones have only seven major parts: a circuit board, an antenna, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a keypad, a microphone, a speaker, and a battery.

They are especially useful when you are on the road traveling. If you need emergency road service or if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, a cell phone can be your best friend. Cell phones are an effective way to keep in touch with family and friends. Cell phones are small and easy to carry around, and calls can be made anytime from any place.

However, cell phones do have some disadvantages. One of the biggest disadvantages of using cell phones is that people are tempted to use them while driving. This causes a situation called “inattention blindness.” Studies have shown that drivers who use cell phones while driving were “blind” (because they did not pay attention) to roadside billboards, signs and other sources of important information around them. Cell phones can be disruptive in places such as churches, theaters, and other places where quietness is needed. It is thought that ringing cell phones cause distractions in classes. Many school districts have banned cell phones use in the schools.

Cell phones may have effects on the health of their users. It has been found that cell phones give off radiation. Radiation can damage the cells in the body. Scientists believe that this radiation can cause changes in brain cells which can cause nausea, dizziness, depression, early memory loss, and brain tumors. There is no certain connection between cell phone use and health problems. However, until further studies are done, most scientists suggest that people should limit the length of time spent talking on cell phones.

www.abcteach.com

 

 

 

 

READING COMPREHENSION: (08pts)

A. Vocabulary in context: Find in the text word close in meaning with the following definitions. (0,25x2=0,5pt)

A tool designed to perform a particular task or function =………………………………

A feeling in the stomach that accompanies the urge to vomit =…………………………

 

B. Information transfer: Complete the following sentences referring to the text. (0,5x3=1,5pt)

A cell phone is defined in the text as……………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

A circuit board, an antenna, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a keypad, a microphone, a speaker, and a battery are…………………………………………………………………

 

In some places, like……………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………, cell phones’ ringing can disturb people.

 

C. Pick out of the text three ideas justifying that a cell phone is the opposite a walkie-talkie. (1x3=3pts)

Cell phone	Walkie-talkie

 

D. Answer these statements with true or false, and justify your answers by quoting from the text. (1x3=3pts)

1. Drivers who use cell phones while driving are blind.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Cell phones are small and easy to carry around, and calls can be made anytime from any place, even in school districts.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. It’s absolutely sure that there is a link between cell phone use and health problems.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (08pts)

E. Complete the following dialogue. (0,5x6=3pts)

A :………………………………(you/have) a cell phone?

B: My parents don’t allow me to use a cell phone. They say that it’s too dangerous, …………………….?

A: Yes,………….. but………………….. without cell phones?

B: I hope we cannot but I should obey my parents.

A: Absolutely, but your parents are bit jealous.

B: No,………........ they just care about my security.

A: I think they must trust you,…………………………..?

B: Whatever they do is O.K. I don’t have to judge them.

 

 

F. Finding errors: Correct the following sentences if necessary. (1x2=2pts)

1. Cell phones have made to ease people’s life.

………………………………………………………………………………………

2.  If there weren’t cell phones, communication between people will be very difficult.

………………………………………………………………………………………

G. Rewrite the following sentence without changing its meaning. (1pt)

It is said that cell phones are invented to ease people’s means of communication.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

H. Put the verbs in brackets in the right tense or form. (0,5x4=2pts)

I……………………(study) computer science for three years but now I…………………… (follow) some courses in communication. If I……………(get) my degree, I……………… …………………(recruit) for a ten year contract.

 

WRITING: Choose only one topic and don’t exceed 200 words. (04pts)

Topic1: Two people are discussing about the advantages and disadvantages of cell phones. Write down the conversation.

 

Topic2: Suppose that an alien came to earth from another planet and it was your job to explain what a cell phone is, how it works and how to use it. Write what you would say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 8

The world is facing a 'global epidemic in need of a global effort', according to a panel of experts on tobacco control, who met at the United Nations Tuesday to commemorate World No Tobacco Day. Tobacco control cannot be left to national endeavors, said Haik Nikogosian, head of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Rather, what is needed is 'global cooperation' — the best example of which is the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which came into force in 2005.

            Although the FCTC is the first United Nations treaty on public health, it is already one of the most widely embraced international treaties in existence, having been ratified by more than 170 countries to date. The treaty calls on governments to ban tobacco advertising and promotion, create smoke-free public spaces, put prominent health warnings on tobacco packaging, combat illicit trade in tobacco products, and adopt tax and price measures to reduce tobacco consumption.

            Joseph Deiss, president of the U.N. General Assembly, noted that smoking usually kills people in their economically productive years, thus adding to poverty as families lose their breadwinners. And, he added, 'It is the poor who now smoke the most. ‘Increased tax revenue would have a particularly significant impact in the developing world, where tobacco consumption has been steadily rising. By 2030, 70-80 percent of deaths from tobacco will occur in low- and middle-income countries, according to Patricia Lambert of the Framework Convention Alliance. 'Africa fits squarely into that,' she added.

            '[Farmers] are growing tobacco out of necessity. They want to pay for school fees, they want to pay for medications against malaria and other diseases,' Justin Seruhere, a minister with the Tanzanian Mission, told IPS. The panel acknowledged that the best solution for these farmers is to transition to cultivating less harmful products. Lambert said that it would be decades before a crop shift would affect farmers, and in that time, ministries of agriculture could help them make the switch. She added that tobacco production often results in a poverty trap for individual farmers, who borrow loans and fall deeper and deeper into debt.

 

I/ READING COMPREHENSION (08pts)

A. Give a title to the text (01pt)

1)………………………………………………………………..

B. Give two consequences of smoking from the text. (01pts)

2) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

3) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

C. Give two solutions of smoking from the text. (01pts)

4) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

5) ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

D. Contextual referencing: What do the underlined words refer to in the text? (01pt)

6. It (paragraph 2): ……………………………………………..

7. He (paragraph 3): ……………………………………………..

E. Say if these statements true or false and justify by quoting from the text (02pts)

8.  Many measures are taken worldwide to reduce tobacco consumption.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

9. Farmers are growing up tobacco because they need it.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

 

 

F. Vocabulary in context: Find in the text the synonyms for the following words (01pt)

10. To celebrate (para1): ………………………

11. Publicity (para2): ……………………

 

G. Information transfer: Complete the chart with information from the text( 01pt)

 

name	function	opinion
12	a minister with the Tanzanian Mission	13
Haik Nikogosian	14	15
16	17	smoking usually kills people in their economically productive years

 

 

II/ LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (07pts)

A. Complete this girl’s story with the right form and tense. (02pts)

An old smoker said: “I (smoke) ……………………………… for more than 30 years. Last year a doctor (tell)………… me that if I (stop /smoke) ……………...……………. I will die. I (not/believe) ………………………. him but now I have realized what he was telling because I know I am a big cigarette-addict”.

 

B. Feel in the gaps with the most appropriate questions, answers and tags. (03pts)

ALY: I hope that you have once smoked, …………………….?

MAC: No, I ……………….,

ALY: ……………………………………………………………….?

MAC: Because cigarette is harmful for my health.

ALY: Yes, I know that but now I can no longer stop smoking.

MAC: ……………………………………………………..………………….?

ALY: I have been smoking for thirteen years

MAC:  …………………………………. to stop smoking?

ALY: ………… I really want to stop.

 

C. Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meanings. (02 pt)

1. Smoking cigarettes cannot be legal in public areas under any circumstances.

Under no circumstances ………………………………………………………………………

2. Tobacco control depends on both national endeavors and on global cooperation.

Not only ………………………………………………………………………………………

 

III. Essay writing (05pts) choose one topic and deal with it. (max.15 lines)

Topic1: A boy said: “Some people are smoking to please to young girls” According to you what are reasons of boys’ smoking?

Topic2: One of your friends is a big smoker, so write him a letter to tell him the dangers of cigarette and try to talk him to stop.

 

 

TEST 9

We enter the 21^st century; will Africa be ready for this momentous change? Before we even progress that far, let us look back at 1998 to find out whether the continent made great strides in tackling the political, social and economic problems affecting it. So, first thing first. African leaders of late have been complaining about the continent’s bad media image. They are unhappy that journalists report negative things about Africa rather than positive developments.

 

Journalists have a job to do. They have to report events good as well as bad as they happen. It’s that’s unfortunate that in the case of Africa there seem to be many negative things to write about. But the politicians must not complain. Journalists are not responsible for mismanaging Africa’s economy, nor are they responsible for the conflicts on the continent and the endemic corruption.

 

If politicians behaved properly, journalists would not report negative things about Africa. In countries where there are positive attempts to change the situation to reduce corruption; to allow freedom of expression and choice; to tolerate political pluralism; and to respect basic human rights – these developments have been recorded. By the same token, if negativity persists, it has to be reported.

 

It must be pointed out, though, that it was not all doom and gloom as some would have believe. We can point to countries such as Ghana and Botswana where positive things happened in 1998; as they did in Nigeria, under General Abdou salam.In Ghana, development on both economic and political fronts have been taking root. President Rawling said he would abide by constitutional requirement and step down from power-something that is rarely heard of in Africa

 

 

I. READING COMPREHENSION: (08pts)

A. Circle the best title of the text (1pt)

1. Africa’s bad media image

2. The journalists’ work

3. The role of media

 

B. Referencing: What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (01pt)

5. It (has to be reported) P.3: refers to………………………………..

6. Something (that is rarely) P.4: refers to………………………………….

 

C. Are the following statements true or false: justify your answer by quoting from the text (03pts)

7. This text was written before 2000, more exactly in 1998.

………………………………………………………………………………………

8. Even if politicians behaved properly, journalists would never report positive things.

………………………………………………………………………………………

9. Most African presidents do not respect the laws of their constitutions.

………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

D. Information transfer: (03pts)

Pick out words showing “negative things in Africa”

1……………………………………………………

2……………………………………………………

3……………………………………………………

Pick out words showing “positive things in Africa”

1……………………………………………………

2……………………………………………………

3……………………………………………………

 

II. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (07pts)

E. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning (02pt)

1. Some journalists are imprisoned because of giving false information.

If……………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. We can’t find anywhere the traces of the kidnapped journalists.

Nowhere……………………………………………………………………………………..

 

F. Complete their dialogue meaningfully (03pts)

A: I hope you’re doing well with your studies,…………………..?

B: Yes, ……………………

A: ……………………………………objective?

B: I want to finish my studies and get a decent job.

A: Great! Journalism is a good and decent job,…………………. ?

B: Of course,…………………………but I don’t like it.

A: …………………………………………………………….?

B: Journalists are threatened, kidnapped and sometime killed.

 

G. Put the verbs into the right form and tense (02pts)

A: What………………………..(do) at the moment?

B: I am reading newspapers.

A: Well, what…………………………(write) on it?

B: Look! It’s written that the worst criminal in the city……………………………………. (just/arrest).

A: Where……………………………..(they/find) him?

B: They found him in a bus.

 

ESSAY WRITING: (05pts)

H. Choose one of the following topics and write about 150 words

Topic1: Many people think that journalists should not denounce bad things; they should only inform people about the daily events. According to you, what are journalists’ roles?

 

Topic2: What do you think about Senegalese media in general? Are they really doing their jobs?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 10

Children for whom school has no point

Many children do not go to school either because their parents want them at home as careers for siblings, or simply because their parents cannot be bothered to send them. Thousands more are not registered at any school at all, because of their families' unstable lives.

Underlying this dreadful situation there are two central truths. First of all, the problem of children not going to school often has more to do with their parents than with the children themselves. Secondly, once children go to school, we need to make sure that the experience is a positive one so that they want to keep on going.

 

In Britain, the Ministry of Education has introduced a complex package of sticks and carrots to persuade schools to bring truants' and excluded children back into the classroom. It is paying grants so that a thousand schools can set up special units to help these children.           

Schools receive the grant if they bring a target number of children back to school; if they do not meet the target, the grant is withdrawn. Parents are the subject of this campaign, too: the Home Office has introduced fines for parents who fail to send their children to school, and has given the police power to pick up truants on the streets.

 

I. Reading comprehension: (08pts)

A) Multiple choices: Circle the right answer (03 pts)

1. According to the text, there are thousands of children who...

a) Stay at home doing the housework.

b) Live in stable families_

c) Are not registered at any school.

 

2. Part of the problem is...

a) That people feel very emotional.

b) That there are not enough police to pick up truants on the streets.

c) That these children think education is a waste of time.

 

3. The Ministry of Education will take away a school's grant if...

a) They do not reach their objectives.

b) They meet their targets.

c) Children escape from school.

 

B) True or false statements: Are these sentences true or false. Justify by quoting from the text. (03pts)

1. The problem of truancy is mainly a matter of obedience.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. It is very hard to persuade children that if they go to school, they will be able to get a job.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. The Home Office will punish parents who refuse to send children to school.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

C) Information transfer: Complete the sentences from the text (02pts)

1. Many parents do not send their children to school because…………………………………    … ……………………………………………………………………………………

2. The authorities are trying to solve the problem by………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………….

 

II. Linguistic competence: (07pts)

E/ Put the verbs in the right form or tense and add a modal to each verb. (02pts)

Parents……………………..(take) care of their children. All children………………… ….. (send) to school, it’s an obligation. If they go to school, they……………………..(help) their parents in the future. Thus poor families…………………………(be) assisted by the government so as they could afford their school-fees.

 

F/ Feel in the gaps in the following dialogue with the appropriate questions, answers and tags. (03pts)

A: I think you are fond of studying, …………………….?

B: No, I ……………….,

A: And ………………………………………………………?

B: I don’t like studying it because it is a waste of time, ………………….?

A: …….., It is not because nowadays if don’t study, you will become a slave.

B: Absolutely, you’re right my friend. But, ………..should I do now?

A: I will help you improve your level.

 

G/ Put the verbs into the right tense (02 pts)

Many children (sacrifice) ……………………………….. by their parents now. They sooner or later (have) …………..………..problems. Because if you (be)……………….. illiterate, you(die) …….. ………  unemployed. 

 

III. Essay writing (05pts) choose one topic and deal with it.(max.10 lines)

 

Topic1: The problem of truancy is a phenomenon that is recurrent in nowadays. Give the causes and suggest possible solutions.

 

Topic2: Two friends are talking about the importance of Education. Try and write their conversation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 11

 

I'm fat. I'm too skinny. I'd be happy if I were taller, shorter, had curly hair, straight hair, a smaller nose, longer legs. Do any of these statements sound familiar? Are you used to putting yourself down? If so, you're not alone. As a teen, you're going through a ton of changes in your body. And as your body changes, so does your image of yourself. Lots of people have trouble adjusting, and this can affect their self-esteem.

Some girls struggle with their self-esteem when they begin puberty because the body goes through many changes. These changes, combined with a natural desire to feel accepted, mean it can be tempting for girls to compare themselves with others. They may compare themselves with the people around them or with actors and celebs they see on TV, in movies, or in magazines. The changes that come with puberty can affect how girls feel about themselves. Some girls may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about their maturing bodies. Others may wish that they were developing faster. They may feel pressure to be thin.

Most teenage girls want to be fitter and lose weight, but fewer than half do any weekly exercise, according to research. A study found that fewer than half of all young people eat any fresh fruit daily despite the doctors’ recommendations. They want to exercise to improve their appearance, but many do not because they do not like the way that they look while exercising.

Helen Haste, the author of the report, My Body, My Self, said: “Work has been done before on young people’s behavior in relation to health, but we were interested in their attitudes to health, fitness and exercise. We can’t persuade young people to change their behavior just by telling them what’s good for them, but what is important to them.

She added that fewer than half her sample exercised once a week, apart from walking. Asked why they did not exercise 49 per cent of girls said that they did not feel comfortable exercising in front of other people, 35 per cent said they did not have time, 34 per cent said they did not look good in exercise clothes, 33 per cent said they did not want to look too muscular and 30 per cent said they were no good at sport.

Almost half the girls (47 per cent) said they would rather dance or do yoga than take part in traditional sports.

 

From: My Body, My Self

A novel by Helen Haste

 

I. Reading comprehension: (08pts)

A) Multiple choices:

1. Choose the best title for the text: (01pt)

a) Girls are old-fashioned

b) Girls don’t eat

c) Girls’ self-estimation

2. “They want to do exercises to improve their appearance” means they want: (01pt)

a) To do grammar exercises

b) to do homework

c) to do sports

3. Fresh fruit is eaten by: (01pt)

a) More than 50% of all teenagers.

b) more than 50% of all teenage girls.

c) Less than 50% of all teenagers.

B) True or false statements: say whether the following sentences are true or false. Justify by quoting from the text. (03pts)

1. Girls imitate people they meet or see on television.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. Most girls do not take exercise because they are already healthy.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. Doctors recommended girls not to eat any fresh fruit.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

C) Referencing: what do these words refer to in the text? (01pt)

Their (their self-esteem) ……………………………………

She (she added) ……………………………………………..

 

D) Vocabulary in context: (01pt)

1. Find the synonyms of the words bellow from the given paragraphs of the text.

a) Skeleton (paragraph 1) …………………………………

b) To fight (paragraph 2) ………………………………….

2. Find the opposites of the words bellow from the given paragraphs of the text.

a) Weak (paragraph 4) ………………………………..

b) Artificial (paragraph 2) ………………………………..

 

II. Linguistic competence: (07pts)

A/ Put the verbs between brackets into the right tense (03 pts)

An old and wise man said: “Nowadays, the world (become) ………………………. smaller thanks to internet. Many young people’s behavior (change) ………………………... since its discovery and especially girls. Most of them (imitate) …………………the top models they (see)……………. on T.V. They think that if they (stop) …………………..eating, they will be very fit and skinny. But I think if they were aware of their health, they (not / stop) ………………… eating.”

B/ Complete this text meaningfully with the appropriate answer tag or question: (02pts)

John: I notice that girls don’t want to be very fat, …………………..?

Alice: No, ……………………...

John: Well, ……………… should you do to be fit?

Alice: We should do sports to keep fit.

John: Of course, you …………………..but many girls don’t want to have strong muscles like men.

C/ Use the most appropriate pronoun: (02pts)

Doctor: Girls should take care of …………………. . Because if they don’t eat they could have some problems.

The girl: What kind of problems can …………. have?

Doctor: ………… could have anemia meaning blood deficiency.

The girl: I’m sorry but girls follow their friends’ advice and not ……………. .

 

III. Essay writing (05pts) choose one topic and deal with it. (Max.10 lines)

Topic 1: Why do nowadays girls like being fit and skinny?

 

Topic 2: Due to foreign culture imposed to us by internet many girls tend to forget their traditions and culture and imitate the white men. Discuss.

 

 

 

TEST 12

 

I, Nancy Norris, believer of nothing, order my spell kit on the Internet. I feel pretty stupid, but I have run out of more reasonable ideas. I have looked in the want ads. I have sent my resume to a million companies. I have gone to businesses up and down my block asking for work. I need a job. I need money. I need these things fast. I am desperate. I am about to lose my house. I am about to lose my car. I have been out of work for 8 months.

 

            The Internet is free at the library. This is a very good thing. I see a site that sells witch doctor spell kits. WARNING: Do not ask for something unless you truly want it to come true! There are Love Kits. These get someone to love you back. There are New Life Kits. These make you happy. There are Money Kits. These bring you money, riches and an easy life.

 

            Of course, I choose the Money Kit. This is what I need. I truly want it to come true. I have $20 left on my credit card. I use it all to order my spell kit. Don’t laugh. The kit arrives in three days, as promised. I hope the spell works more quickly. Inside the kit is a wanga doll. The doll has been blessed by an actual witch doctor and is a very important part of making my spell come true. That is what the box says, anyway.

 

            Wanga is about 6 inches tall. It has bushy black hair. It is dressed in a furry outfit that looks like a bathrobe. Hopefully, he will be my new best friend. There are three different powders in the kit. Each has its own separate bag. The kit also comes with a set of detailed instructions. I am to follow them exactly. I spread the powders out on the floor and place my wanga doll next to them. I hope for the best. My credit is expected to arrive tomorrow.

 

 

English for Everyone.Org

 

 

I. Reading comprehension: (08pts)

A) Multiple choices (02 pts)

1) Why does Nancy order a spell kit?

A. She needs a job.

B. She needs money.

C. She wants a boyfriend.

2) How does Nancy pay for her spell kit?

A. with cash

B. with a money order

C. with a credit card

 

B) Say if these statements are true or false. Justify by quoting from the text. (03pts)

1. Nancy has never had a job before that’s why she is desperate.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Nancy didn’t have an easy access to Internet.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Nancy wanted money because she feared to lose her goods.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

C) Vocabulary in context (03pts)

“I am desperate.” Means:

A. I am crazy.

B. I am willing to try anything.

C. I am not sure about anything anymore.

Give the synonyms of these words in the text

1. Equipment= ……………………………

2. Toy= ……………………………………

 

 

II. Linguistic competence: (07pts)

A/ Complete the following passage with comparative or superlative (03pts)

A: many people think that witch doctors are (good) ……………………..doctors.

B: I don’t agree, they only prefer witch doctors because their medicines are (expensive) …………………….

A: I think witch doctors are (gifted) ……………………….. because they can cure witchcraft and doctors can’t. But the problem is they’re (organized) …………………………….

B: Gifted or not, the (important) ……………………… thing is to get recovered

A: I think if they accept to collaborate, it will be (benefit) ……………………… for us.

B: Of course it will.

 

B/ Feel in the gaps with the right tense or form (02,5pts)

A: The exams (come) ……………………..up very soon then I want to see a witch doctor

B: They can’t do anything for you.

A: Are crazy? Do you know Bathie? He (visit) ……………………. a witch doctor before he got his baccalaureate.

B: I warn you against (do) ……………that.

A: O.K but I can’t help (go) ……………to them because my mother ordered me to.

B: if you (go) …………….to the witch doctor, we will no longer stay friends.

 

 

C/ choose one of the proposed words (01,5pts)

Those ………….. (which/who/whom) go to hospital only are wrong. They ………… (must/might/should) go and see witch doctors also because one never knows. Sometimes doctors ………… (should/ could) have problems to find the disease.

III. Essay writing (05pts) choose one topic and deal with it. (max.10 lines)

Topic1: Many are convinced that performing or not performing specific actions brings good or bad luck. And you do you believe on superstitions? Why or why not?

 

Topic2: Some people believe that witch doctors get supernatural powers. Do you think that a person can make your life better or worse?

 

 

 

 

TEST 13

 

Ndiarème B is a model of partnerships in action. Parents, teachers and mothers associations, a women’s collective and a network of volunteers are actively involved in managing the school. Since 1994, enrolment rates have increased by 30 points due to enrolment campaigns and have reached 80 per cent for boys and 77.3 per cent for girls. The benefits of educating girls are broadly recognized. Educated girls who later become mothers are likely to have healthier and better educated children, and they have better chances to break the cycle of poverty for themselves, their families and communities. Though getting girls to enroll is no longer an issue at Ndiarème B, keeping them in school is difficult.

 

            In Senegal, the government allocates a record 33 per cent of state budget to education and takes responsibility for the construction of school buildings and teachers’ salaries. Basic schooling is free and mandatory, and the government provides supplies for school administrators. Still, parents and communities have to pitch in and bear costs for water, electricity, telephone and repair work – expenses that force some families to withdraw their children, especially girls, from school. Girls also tend to drop out when they don’t perform well, or because their parents don’t see much relevance for daily life in the ‘Western’ education being taught at school.

 

            According to Ms. Mbow, “Girls, more so than boys, are often forced to drop out of school because they have to help with household chores, or they are married off at an early age so that their families have one less mouth to feed. Some may be driven to prostitution to supplement family income.” Ms. Mbow and the women from Ndiarème B have some clear ideas on how to keep their girls in school. “We need to serve children a meal at school so that they can learn better, especially those who are too poor to bring their own food; we need help to set up a computer workshop or some other activity to earn the money we need to pay for school supplies and repairs; a school pharmacy for first aid; and a school library.”

 

UNICEF

 

 

 

I. READING COMPREHENSION

A. Give a title to the text (01pt)

………………………………………………………………………………………………

B. Give two causes of girls’ failure in school from the text (01pt)

1.........................................................................................................................................

2………………………………………………………………………………………………

C. Give two advantages of girls’ education from the text (01pt)

1………………………………………………………………………………………………

2………………………………………………………………………………………………

D. Contextual referencing: What do the underlined words refer to in the text? (01pt)

They (paragraph 1): …………………………………………..

Some (paragraph 3): …………………………………………..

 

E. Say if these statements are true or false and justify by quoting from the text (03)

1) Enrolling girls is more difficult than maintaining them at school.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2) In Senegal, schooling is free and all the supplies are taken in charge by the government.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

3) Ndiarème B needs more help and assistance.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

F. Vocabulary in context: find in the text synonyms for the following words (01pt)

Persons who work freely and willingly (para1): …………………………………

Domestic (para3): …………………………

 

II. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

A. Complete this story with the right forms or tenses. (02pts)

“I remember my first day at school; I was looking forward to……………………. (enter) in my classroom. After three years of studies I……………………… (decide) to stop because my father could no longer……………….. (pay) my school fees. Finally it was my uncle who helped me. Today I have succeeded but I know that my daughter………………… (not/suffer) as I did when I was a little girls”.

 

B. Fill in the gaps with the most appropriate questions answers and tags. (03pts)

Aicha: I hope that you are a student,……………………………… ?

Mai: No, I………………………….

Aicha: ………………………………………………………………………….. ?

Mai: Because a place of a girl is not at school but at home next to her mother.

Aicha: You are right but you should go to school to become a leader.

Mai: For any girl, her mother must be her very school,………………………..?

Aicha: Yes…………………, but you should learn to read and write.

Mai: ……………………………………………………………………………………?

Aicha: I have been learning for fifteen years and I will study three more years.

Mai: That’s why you know nothing about household.

 

C. Report the following passage. (02pts)

“All girls should go to school. If they are sent to school, they will become leaders and help their families and relatives” an illiterate girl has said

An illiterate girl has said that…………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

III. ESSAY WRITING: (05pts) choose one topic and deal with it. (Max.15 lines)

Topic1: A man said: “I am not going to scarify myself for the education of my daughters because when they succeed they will not remember you, all their fortune will be for their husband and children”. Do you share his opinion? Why or why not? 

 

Topic 2: Write a letter to the minister of education to propose some solution about the high rate of girls’ failure in school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 14

 

Air pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. It was the industrial revolution that gave birth to environmental pollution as we know it today. The emergence of great factories and consumption of immense quantities of coal and other fossil fuels gave rise to unprecedented air pollution and the large volume of industrial chemical discharges added to the growing load of untreated human waste.

The major forms of pollution are: Air pollution, the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Light pollution includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. Noise pollution, which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar. Soil occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground leak. Water pollution, by the release of waste products and contaminants into surface run off into river drainage systems, leaching into ground water, liquid spills, and waste water discharges and littering.

Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries.

Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance. Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in children and neurologic symptoms. Older people are majorly exposed to diseases induced by air pollution. Those with heart or lung disorders are under additional risk. Children and infants are also at serious risk. Lead and other heavy metals have been shown to cause neurological problems. Chemical and radioactive substances can cause cancer and as well as birth defects.

 

From Wikipedia

 

I / COMPREHENSION. (8pts)

A: True or false statements, justify by quoting the text. (2pts)

1. Water pollution causes many deaths in developed countries

………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Diseases induced by air pollution concerned only older people

………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

B: Complete with elements from the text (2pts)

1. Among the type of pollution we have:

a………………………b………………………c……………………d……………………

2. Give four types of disease caused by pollution.

a………………………b………………………c……………………d……………………

 

C: Reference: what do the underlined words refer to? (2pts)

1Gave refers to………………………………………..

2. Those refers to………………………………………..

 

 

D: Fill the chart with words from the text (2pts)

 

words	phrases
	An indication of a disease
	Relating to astronomy
	A dramatic change in ideas or practice
	A plane

 

II/ LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE (7pts)

E: Complete the dialogue with the following words (3pts)

People……………………….. (to try) to improve their existence since the Neolithic. This endless seek of power and fortune causes the industrial revolution that…………………….. (to occur) in the middle of 19^th century and is considered as the beginning of world pollution. From the invention of the compass to the use of internet, humanity………………………… (to make) enormous progress.

 

F: Replace if by the most appropriate conjunction (2pts)

A: I think that people would be healthier if (…………………….)there was no pollution.

B: Absolutely. But if (…………………………)we close all the industries that pollute the air, what will happen then?

A: If (…………………)we close all the industries, pollution will not stop because of these old-used cars.

B: My father said that there would be an end if (…………………)the G8 wanted.

 

 

G: Complete these ideas with comparative or superlative (2pts)

A journalist said: “The……………industrialized countries in the world are the……………. (Big) pollutants. In 2007, China has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest producer of CO₂.But they seem to ignore that the………………...industrialized you are, the …………healthy your population is.”

 

H: Writing (5pts) choose one of the following topics and write a 150 words essay

Topic one: Your friend is bargaining an old-used car. Try to talk him into not buying it by informing about the dangers he runs.

 

Topic two: we are all conscience about the drawbacks of pollution so what do you propose as solutions to this phenomenon?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 15

 

Francesco Neto lives with his family in Caisara village, Northeast Brazil. The family cultivates half a hectare of land and they earn about 1.500 US S each year from selling their products in the local markets. Diaconia (a Tear fund partner) helps them avoid the use of middlemen so they can get better prices. They grow an amazing range of about 50 different species of fruit trees, vegetables, cereals and fodder plants on their farm, together with traditional plants, which they conserve.

 

It has not been easy to achieve this as they started with poor soils which had been damaged by the practices of slash and burn and single cash cropping. Neto comments: « I hear of climate change in the newspapers, but I can feel its effects on myself and my crops: The sun is hotter; the temperature is higher; and the wind is drier. I hear about the greenhouse effect, desertification and « El Nino ».I don’t understand it but the results are drought in the Amazon, floods in some parts of Northeast Brazil and more whirlwinds. »

 

Neto remembers that in the 1980s there was a stream running through their farm that flowed nearly all year. In the 1990s the water level fell gradually. This meant that three months after the rainy seasons ended the stream was dry. To help solve this problem the family built a dam in 1999. « Water from the dam is used for irrigation and livestock. We are now irrigating much more than we did five years ago, because it is hotter and drier for half the year. We used to irrigate once a day, now it’s twice, but even so the plants wither. We are concerned we may run out of water in the future as the climate is now so variable. »

 

Source: “Footsteps”, Tear fund International Learning Zone, UK, 21Feb, 2007

 

 

I. Comprehension: (08pts)

A. Circle the best title for the text (01pt)

1- Working toward Urban renewal

2- A home for the homeless

3- Living with climate change

 

B. Are these statements are true or false; justify by quoting from the text (03pts)

4- Francisco’s family does not grow different varieties of fruit and vegetables.

…………………………………………………….……………………………………

5- Francisco has learned climate change and now he can feel its effects.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

6- Francesco’s family gets water from wells to irrigate their crops.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

C. Referencing: What or who do these words in the text refer to? (0,5x2=1pt)

7- Them (avoid) =………………………………

8- Its (effects) =…………………………………

 

 

 

D. Information transfer: complete the chart with words from the text (3pts)

 

Name	Problem faced	Causes of problem	Effects of problem
Francisco	9……………………........ (1pt)	10…………………. 11…………………. (0,5x2=1pt)	12………………… 13………………… (0,5x2=1pt)

 

II. Linguistic competence: (07pts)

E. Word-building: Complete with the correct words in brackets. (0,5x4) = 2pt

In the………………(tradition) society, people would organize feasts to call the rain. And most of the time, it……………………..(automatic) rain after the prayers. But now many people do not believe in the…………………(authentic) of these rites. They think it’s a ………………(child) thought.

 

F. Ask or answer the following questions. (0,5x6) = 3pts

A: Hello Ngor!.........................................(you/finish) preparing your farms for this season?

B: No,……………………. I am waiting for the first rain.

A: …………………………………………then?

B: I am going to grow many different types of cereals.

A: Well, I hope the government has already given the fertilizers,…………………..?

B: Yes,……………………… but I have not received my part yet.

A:……………………………………………………………………?

B: The chief of the village will distribute it tomorrow.

A: Well, may God give us a lot of rain.

B: Amen.

 

G. Put the verbs between brackets in the right form or tense. (0,5x4) = 2pt

From mid may till now, farmers………………………(to wait) for the first rain. This rarity of the rain………………….(not/to know) in the 1980s. Due to climate change, the rain …… ………………….(to become) more and more rare. Let’s hope that solutions …………………….. (to take) in the future

 

H. Writing: write about 150 words (05pts)

Topic 1: According to you, what are the causes and consequences of climate change? Try and propose solutions to this alarming phenomenon.

 

Topic 2: In many societies, if it doesn’t rain people make sacrifices to call the rain. Talk about such a ceremony you have once attended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 16

 

In many countries woodland are under threat from continued house and road building, but the biggest problem is neglect. Seven thousand years ago, most of Britain, for example, was covered with trees. Since then, these forests have been systematically cleared to provide land for agriculture and housing and to use as fuel. Around 1900 only 4% of the country was woodland; measures have since been taken to enlarge forests which now make up 10% of the British landscape. Even so, this compares poorly with the European Union average of 25%.

Many of us take trees for granted, yet they make significant contributions to many areas of our daily life. They provide areas for recreation and relaxation. A US survey indicates that hospital patients recover more quickly and require less powerful medicine if they have a view of trees.

Trees can give an important insight into the history of an area. Rows of trees crossing an open field may have once marked where a hedgerow used to be, and single trees may have been used as a local landmark.

Trees also convert carbon dioxide and water in the atmosphere into oxygen. The oxygen produced from 30 to 40 square meters of leaves is sufficient for one person per day. They provide vital habitats and wood stuffs for birds, animals, insects and other plants. They supply timber for building as well as wood pulp for paper production.

Trees in towns help to reduce pollution level by moving dust, smoke and fume particles from the air and trapping them in their leaves, branches and stems. They can also reduce wind speeds by 85% and noise by 40%.

 

myenglishpages.com

 

I/ READING COMPREHENSION (08pts)

A. Find in the text words or expressions that mean the same as: (2 points)

1. Carelessness (paragraph 1) =……………………………………………

2. Understanding (paragraph 3) =………………………………………….

 

B. Are these sentences true or false? Justify by quoting from the text: (2 points)

1. Trees increase the effect of pollution.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. Patients with a view of trees spend less time in hospitals.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

 

C. Complete these sentences from the text: (2 points)

1. Housing and road building…………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………….

2. Forests in the European Union…………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

D. Answer these questions from the text: (2 points)

1. What industrial elements do trees provide?

……………………………………………………………………………………………... ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. What would happen to animals and birds if there were no trees?

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

II/ LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (07pts)

E. Word-building: Complete with the correct words in brackets. (0,5x4) = 2pt

In many areas, there used to be trees, but now they have been………………………… (complete) devastated. However there are many non-……………………..….. (government) organizations that are fighting against……….………..………(to deforest). And what is most….…………..….…....(to regret) is they are lonely in this fight.

 

F. Ask or answer the following questions. (0,5x6) = 3pts

A: ………………………………(you/to know) it is hotter and hotter these days?

B: Well, I hope it’s due to the destruction of the ozone layer,…………………?

A: Yes,………………

B: But…………………………….………………………………..?

B: It can be caused by the smoke of industries and vehicles, oil exploitation….etc.

A: So, I think the ozone layer diminishes the sunbeams,……………………..?

B: Of course,……………….

 

G. Put the verbs between brackets in the right form or tense. (0,5x4) = 2pt

From mid may till now, farmers………………………(to wait) for the first rain. This rarity of the rain………………….(to know) in the 1980s. Due to desertification caused by climate change, the rain………………………….(to become) more and more rare. Let’s hope that solutions…………………….. (to take) in the future

 

 

III. Essay writing (05pts) choose one topic and deal with it. (Max.15 lines)

 

Topic1: According to you, what are the causes and consequences of climate change? Try and propose solutions to this alarming phenomenon.

 

Topic 2: Two students are worried about the terrible heat people are living nowadays. Try and write down their conversion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST 17

 

The International Conference on Population and Development ICPD calls for four major programmatic actions.

1-The Eradication of Illiteracy: a number of demographic and health studies have provided some evidence to show that wherever a woman has achieved an eighth grade education, she has half the number of  pregnancies as her uneducated sister. There must be a concerted effort to ensure that every child in the world has an opportunity for at least a basic education. And special attention must be given to extending this opportunity to girls. For mainly it is the girl child who has been denied and deprived of the fundamental human right of a basic education.

 

2-Full Employment Opportunities for Women: studies have also shown that wherever women are empowered to participate in the paid economy of a country , they opt for a smaller family size than women who don’t have paid employment; they become a more important part of family decision making , and they achieve gender equality that matters more. There is no rational explanation or excuse for gender inequality or inequity in a world where women perform two-thirds of the world’s work, earn only ten per cent of the world’s income, and own less than one per cent of the world’s property. This problem has to be addressed.

 

3-Reduction of Infant Mortality: where parents can be reasonably assured that their children will survive beyond age five, they again opt to have fewer pregnancies. Substantial progress has been made in the area of reducing infant and child mortality and morbidity. We have seen some of the impressive declines in fertility rates in the very same countries that have made the greatest progress in lowering infant and child mortality.

 

4-Universal Access to the Knowledge and Affordable Means by which to Prevent Unintended Pregnancies: family planning options should range from natural methods, for those for whom they work, to more medically approved methods. More research is required to develop an even wider variety of safe, effective means of mobilization on the matter. As family planning methods are available, we can go a long way toward assuring that couples have only the number of children they want to have and are able to nurture and care for. The key to stabilizing our human numbers can be summed up in a single sentence “every child, a wanted child.”

Accomplishment of  these goals will see world population leveling off at around eight billion, or even less, rather than what some demographers believe could be 9.5 billion or higher. A concerted effort by national governments as well as by civil society to transform the Cairo ICPD rhetoric into reality will lead to the improvement of the quality of life on this planet. Such an effort is essential to the realization of development goals for those countries currently on course to double their populations within the next 25 to 30 years.

 

myenglishpages

 

 

 

 

 

I/ READING COMPREHENSION: (08pts)

A. Find in the text words which mean the same as: (1 pt)

1. Choose (paragraph2): …………………………………..

2. Child (paragraph 4): ……………………………………

 

B. Are these statements are true or false. Justify by quoting from the text: (3 pts)

3. The more educated women are, the less pregnancies they have.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. Nowadays, all girls are allowed to go to primary school.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. Men and women earn the same income for the same amount of work.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

C. Answer these questions according to the text: (3 pts)

6. Why should we focus mainly on providing basic education for girls?

………………………………………………………………………………….………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………

7. How does the reduction of infant mortality lead to less pregnancies?

…………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………….

8. What is the result of achieving the four development goals mentioned in the text?

…………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………

 

D. Complete the following sentences according to your understanding of the text: (1 pt)

9. Studies show that literate women have half ……………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

10. Girls have been denied …………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

II/ LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE: (07pts)

E. Fill in the gaps with the right form of the word in parenthesis (0,5x4) = 2pt

Many girls have dropped out school because they were…………………..(pregnancy). And the……………………(responsible) people who did these…………………(fair) acts are their own mates and teachers. These……………………(to want) pregnancies are obstacles to their success.

 

F. Complete this dialogue meaningfully (0,5x6) = 3pts

A: Many women die while they are giving birth,…………………………?

B: Of course,……………………but…………………….……………(the government/to take) some adequate measures?

A: Yes,……………………

B:………………………………………those measures?

A: It has built many hospitals and led awakening programs to sensitize people.

B: Well, …………………the most affected populations?

A: It’s people who are living distant and poor area. They have problems of transportation.

 

 

 

 

G. Put the verbs in the right form and tense (0,5x4) = 2pt

From the death of my parents till now, I……………………………(to suffer) from a terrible pain I……………………….(not/know) when they were alive. Due to their absence, I………. …………...(to live) hell in this house. If they were living, I…………………………(know) this suffering.

 

III/ ESSAY WRITING: (05pts)

H. Choose one of the following topics and write about 150 words

Topic1: You have read an article about gender equality in a magazine. Write a letter to the editor of the magazine giving your opinion about the importance of equality between men and women.

 

Topic2: A man said: “I am not going to sacrifice myself for the education of my daughters because when they succeed it’s not for you, all their fortune will be for their husband and children”. Do you share his opinion? Why or why not?