THE MOROCCAN BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM
Taha Hussein was born on October 28, 1898, in Al-Minya province, Upper Egypt, and grew up, the seventh of thirteen children, in a lower middle-class family. At a very early age, he contracted a simple eye infection and, due to faulty treatment by an unskilled practitioner, was blinded, which caused him great anguish throughout his life.
He was placed in a ‘kuttab’ and was later sent to Al-Azhar University, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of religion and Arabic literature in the traditional manner. He felt deep discontent with the narrow thinking and conservatism of his tutors.
In 1908, he learned of the founding of a new, secular university as part of a national effort to promote education in Egypt under British occupation, and was very keen to enter it. He was blind and poor, but overcoming many obstacles, he was accepted in that university. He later stated, in his book Al-Ayyam, that the doors of knowledge were from that day open wide for him. He was the first graduate of this university to receive a doctorate with his thesis on the skeptic poet and philosopher Abu-Alalaa’ Al-Ma’ arri.
Again with much trouble, he was sent to study in France on the university’s educational mission. His blindness caused him continuing pains, aggravated by a careless brother, presumably sent to take care of him. It was in France that he met his "sweet voice", Susanne, who came to read to him since not all the references needed were available in Braille.
She later became his wife, his mentor advisor, assistant, mother to his children, great love and best friend. He states that since he first heard that "sweet voice", anguish never entered his heart. After his death, she wrote ‘Ma’ak' ; published in Arabic, a touching remembrance of their life together.
Taha Hussein died in October 1972 immediately after witnessing his country’s victory in its last war against Israel. He died in his home, alone, with his "sweet voice", Suzanne.
I- COMPREHENSION
BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT
A/ ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY:
1. Taha Hussein was an only child.
………………………………………………………………….
2. Taha Hussein was born blind.
………………………………………………………………….
3. Taha Hussein was happy to study at the new secular university.
………………………………………………………………….
B/ FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS WHICH MEAN THE SAME AS:
1. Wrong (paragraph1): ______________
2. Made worse (paragraph 4): ________________
3. Memory (paragraph 5): _________________
C/ ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS:
1. What was the political situation in Egypt is 1908?
…………………………………………………………………..
2. Why did Taha Hessein sometimes need Suzanne to read to him?
…………………………………………………………………..
3. What important event happened in Egypt just before he died?
…………………………………………………………………..
II- LANGUAGE:
A/ FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST:
1. My sister is showing her new friend _____________to make a Moroccan dish.
who what that how
2. Without the weather forecast, you _________________know what clothes to wear in winter.
didn’t haven’t wouldn’t don’t
3. We______________ get up early tomorrow. It’s a holiday.
don’t mustn’t needn’t can’t
4.Eating chocolate and sweets is bad _____________your teeth.
at on for about
B/ PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE:
1. Najib Mahfoud is famous writer. He (write) ………………’Bidaya wa nihaya’ in 1959.
He (receive) ………………….the Nobel Prize in 1993.
2. If it (rain) ………………..tomorrow, we (stay) …………………at home.
3. I (not/ write) ……………..my essay yet.
C/ REWRITE THESE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN:
1. The government is building a new motorway between Casa and El Jadida.
A new motorway ………………………………………………………….
2. "Why don’t you go to bed early?"
You’d better ………………………………
3. I want to keep fit. I practice sport.
I practise sport in order …………………….
III- WRITING
Living in a city is much better than living in a village.
Write a letter to your pen-friend telling him/her which like best: living in a city or in a village. Give some reasons for your choice.
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