BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM SC JULY 2008

BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM SC JULY 2008

Thomas Edison lit up the world with his invention of the electric light. Without him, the world might still be a dark place. However, the electric light was not his only invention. He also invented the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and over 1,200 other things. About every two weeks he created something new.

The Edisons moved to Michigan when Thomas was seven. Surprisingly, he attended school for only two months. His mother, a former teacher, taught him a few things, but Thomas was mostly self-educated. His natural curiosity led him to start experimenting at a young age with electrical and mechanical things at home.

When he was 12 years old, he got his first job. He became a newsboy on a train that ran between Port Huron and Detroit. He set up a laboratory in a baggage car of the train to continue his experiments in his spare time. Unfortunately, his first work experience did not end well. Thomas lost his job when he accidentally set fire to the floor of the baggage car.

Thomas, then, worked for five years as a telegraph operator, but he continued to spend much of his time conducting experiments. He got his first patent in 1868 for a vote recorder run by electricity. In 1870, he sold another invention, a stock-ticker, for $40,000. A stock-ticker is a machine that automatically prints stock prices on a tape. He was then able to build his first shop in New Jersey.

Edison was handicapped; he was totally deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other, but he thought of his deafness as a blessing in many ways. It kept conversations short, so that he could have more time for work. He called himself a "two-shift man" because he worked 16 out of every 24 hours. Edison died at the age of84 on October 18th, 1931, New Jersey. He left numerous inventions that improved the quality of life all over the world.

I. COMPREHENSION (15 POINTS)

A. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WOULD BE THE BEST TITLE FOR THE PASSAGE?
Circle the correct number. (2 pts)

1.The story of a genius
2.The story of a lazy boy
3.The story of a train boy

B.ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE. JUSTIFY. (4 pts)

1.The only thing that Edison invented was the electric light.
2.Edison started his first experiment at the train baggage car.
3.Edison started working at an early age.
4.Edison spent most of his time working.

C. CHOOSE THE RIGHT ORDER OF EVENTS IN THE TEXT. (only 1 sentence is correct, tick it). (2 pts)

*Edison first became a telegraph operator, then became a newsboy, and finally got his patent.
*Edison first became a newsboy, then became a telegraph operator, and finally got his patent.
*Edison first became a newsboy, then got his patent, and finally became a telegraph operator.

D. COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES IN YOUR OWN WORDS. ( 2 pts)

1.Edison continued his experiments on the train by......
2.The stock-ticker is used for......

E. PICK OUT FROM THE TEXT EXPRESSIONS OR PHRASES WIDCH SHOW THAT: (3 pts)

1.Edison didn't spend a long time at school .(parag 2).......
2.His first job experience was not a success. (parag 3)......
3.Edison considered his deafness in a positive way. (parag5)......

F. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS IN THE TEXT REFER TO? (2 pts)

1.him ( paragraph 2 )=
2.that ( paragraph 5 )=

II. LANGUAGE (15 POINTS)

A. REWRITE THE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN. (3 pts)

1.The headmaster received the school champions.
The school champions.....
2."I'm not satisfied with your work," the boss told Janet.
The boss told Janet....
3.Dr Falahi didn't get a visa. He couldn't attend the conference in France.
If....

B. PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE OR FORM. (3 pts)

Leila missed the interview yesterday morning; her train (already, to leave) ........ the station when she got there. Now she wishes she(to tell)...her mother
(to wake).....her up earlier.

C. FILL IN THE GAP WITH AN APPROPRIATE PHRASAL VERB. ( 4 pts)

(stand for - write down - bring about - look up - look after - apply for - get on )

1. When students find very difficult words in a text, they can them in a dictionary.
2.John asked his wife to .....the job advertised in the newspaper.
3.The government has introduced a new plan to....important changes in education.
4.Ali: What does NGO......?
Hamid: Non Governmental Organisations.

D. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS FROM THE LIST. (2pts)
(looking forward to- combine- gifted- caring- damaged - interest- disappointed- amazing)

Reda is a……young student; he does complex mathematical calculations quickly. He also Shows……. in foreign languages. His ability to write in English is ........... He is.....publishing an English school magazine soon.

E. MATCH EACH SENTENCE WITH ITS APPRORIATE FUNCTION. (3 pts)

I. Due to his frequent absence from work, Tony was not promoted.
2.Sarah is exercising hard in order to lose weight.
3.Young people use the Internet to access information. Moreover, they use it for entertainment.

a. purpose
b. addition
c. concession
d. cause/effect

Answers : (1)...... (2)...... (3)......

III. WRITING (10 POINTS)

One of your relatives or neighbours was illiterate, but he /she benefited a lot from literacy classes organised by a local NGO. Tell the story of that person describing his /her feelings and what he / she gained as a person and as a member of the community. (Approximately 150 words) These suggestions might help you:

• Who the person is (name, age, etc.),
• What the NGO has contributed to the success of these classes;
• How has he/she known about and join the literacy classes;
• Where and when these classes were given;
• Why were these classes important for him/her;
• What he/she gained from these classes (socially, financially and personally);
• Your personal views about how to encourage literacy classes.