BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM

BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM

AFTER TWENTY YEARS

The policeman moved along the street, looking strong and

important. This was the way he always moved. He was not

thinking of how he looked. There were few people on the

street to see him. It was only about ten at night, but it

was cold. And there was a wind with a little rain in it.

When about midway of a certain block the policeman suddenly

slowed his walk. Near the door of a darkened shop a man

was standing. As the policeman walked to him, the man

spoke quickly.

"It's all right, officer," he said, "I'm waiting for

a friend. Twenty years ago we agreed to meet here tonight.

It sounds strange to you, doesn't it? I'll explain if you

want to be sure that everything's right. About twenty years

ago there was a restaurant where this shop stands. Big Joe

Brady's Re¬staurant."

"Twenty years ago tonight," said the man, "I had dinner

here with Jimmy Wells. He was my best friend and the best

fellow in the world. He and I grew up together here in

New York, like two brothers. I was eighteen and Jimmy was

twenty. The next morning I was to start out for the West

to make my fortune. You couldn't have dragged Jimmy out

of New York. He thought it was the only place on earth."

"We agreed that night that we would meet here again in

twenty years. We thought that in twenty years we would

know what kind of men we were, and what future waited

for us." "It sounds interesting," said the policeman.

"A long time between meetings, it seems to me."

"Three minutes before ten," said the man. "It was ten

that night when we said goodbye here at the restaurant

door."

The policeman took a step or two."I'll go on my way,"

he said, "I hope your friend comes all right. If he

isn't here at ten, are you going to leave?"

"I'm not!" said the other. I'll wait half an hour

at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth, he'll be here

by that time. Good night, officer."

"Good night," said the policeman, and walked away.

I. COMPREHENSION

A. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS FULLY AND IN YOUR OWN WORDS:

1. Were there many people in the street? Why, or why not?

2. Why did the policeman suddenly slow his walk?

3. How long hadn't the two friends met?

4. Why was the man waiting for Jimmy Wells?

5. Had there been any changes in the street since

they last met?

6. Do you think Jimmy and the man were very close

friends? Give your reasons.

7. Why did the man decide to leave for the West?

8. Did Jimmy leave for the West, too? Would he have been

happy to do so? Why, or why not?

9. Why had they agreed to meet after such a long time?

10. What time had the two friends agreed to meet?

11. What is the only reason that will stop Jimmy from

coming?

12. What will the man do if Jimmy Wells isn't there

at ten o'clock?

B.THE FOLLOWING WORDS OR PHRASES APPEAR IN THE TEXT. OF THE FOUR EXPLANATIONS

SUGGESTED, ONLY ONE IS CORRECT IN THE CONTEXT. COPY IT DOWN:

1. Strange

a.foreign

b.unknown

c.surprising

d.strong

2. At least

a.at last

b.less than

c.at first

d.perhaps more

3. To grow up

a.to become tall

b.to become adult

c.to live

d.to play

II. GRAMMAR

A. GIVE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERBS IN BRACKETS:

Ali (live)…. in London for five year now. I (not see)….

him since I (go)…. to England last year. I (hear)….

from him a few months ago. I (wonder)…. if I (meet)….

him when I (go)…. to England next month. I wish I (can)….

and I (be)…. happy if I (do)…..

B. JOIN THE FOLLOWING PAIRS OF SENTENCES, USING THE WORDS IN BRACKETS AND MAKING ANY

NECESSARY CHANGES:

1. Jimmy didn't follow his friend.

He didn't start out for the West. neither. .. nor

2. Jimmy found a job in the West.

He made a fortune there. not only ... but. .. as well

C. REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN:

1. "I. hope your friend will come all right."

The policeman said ...

2. "Do you think Jimmy has made a fortune?"

He asked me... .

3. The man has made a fortune in the West.

A fortune ...

4. He left for the West. He made a fortune.

If he hadn't. ..

5. The man wasn't going to leave, Jimmy wasn't there yet.


Although ...

D. OF THE FOUR EXPLANATIONS SUGGESTED, ONLY ONE IS

CORRECT. COPY IT DOWN:

1. Jimmy didn't come. He must be dead.

He is going to die.

He died some time ago.

I don't think he is dead.

I'm almost certain that he is dead.

2. If he had come, I should have been happy.

He is going to come.

He didn't'come.

He came.

He should come.

3. You should wait for Jimmy.

You must wait for him.

You had to wait for him.

I advise you to wait for him.

You mustn't wait for him.

III. COMPOSITION

You went to a party and there you met an old friend

whom you hadn't seen for a long time. Describe the

party and give some of your conversation.

Here are some ideas to help you

When did you go to the party?

Who was giving it?

Why was he or she giving it?

Who was there?

What did you eat, drink, do?

Did you expect to meet your old friend there?

Were you happy to meet him / her?

What did you talk about?

Did you make any plans for the future?



BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM

ANSWERS

I. COMPREHENSION

A. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS FULLY AND IN YOUR OWN WORDS:

1.There were not many people in the street because

it was cold.

2.He slowed his walk because he saw a man standing

in the dark near the door of a shop.

3.They hadn't met for twenty years.

4.He was waiting for him because they had agreed to

meet there twenty years ago.

5.Yes, there used to be a restaurant instead of a

shop in the place where the man was standing.

6.Jimmy and the man were very close friends because

they grew up together and were like brothers.

7.The man decided to leave for the west to make his

fortune.

8.Jimmy didn't leave for the west because he would

have been unhappy there, as he preferred New York to

any other place in the world.

9.They had agreed to meet after such a long time because

they wanted to know what each of them had done in the meantime.

10.They had agreed to meet at ten p.m.

11. Only Jimmy's death will stop him from coming.

12. He will wait for him for half an hour.

B.THE FOLLOWING WORDS OR PHRASES APPEAR IN THE TEXT.

OF THE FOUR EXPLANATIONS SUGGESTED, ONLY ONE IS CORRECT

IN THE CONTEXT. COPY IT DOWN:

1.Strange

c)surprising

2.At least

d)perhaps more

3.To grow up

b)to become adult

II. GRAMMAR

A. GIVE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERBS IN BRACKETS:

Ali has been living / has lived in

London for five years now. I have not seen him

since I went to England last year. I heard

from him a few months ago. I wonder if

I will meet him when I go to England

next month. I wish I could and I would be

happy if I did.

B. JOIN THE FOLLOWING PAIRS OF SENTENCES, USING THE WORDS

IN BRACKETS AND MAKING ANY NECESSARY CHANGES:

1. Jimmy neither followed his friend nor started out

for the west.

2. Not only did Jimmy / Jimmy did not only find a job in

the west but made a fortune there as well.

C. REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN:

1.The policeman said (that) he hoped my friend would come

all right.

2.He asked me if I thought Jimmy had made a fortune.

3.A fortune has been made in the west (by the man).

4.If he hadn't left for the west he wouldn't have made

a fortune.

5.Although Jimmy wasn't there yet, the man wasn't

going to leave.

D. OF THE FOUR EXPLANATIONS SUGGESTED, ONLY ONE IS CORRECT. COPY IT DOWN:

1.Jimmy didn 't come. He must be dead.

d) I'm almost certain that he is dead.

2.If he had come, I should have been happy.

b)He didn't come.

3.You should wait for Jimmy.

c)I advise you to wait for him.