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.
