Sample Baccalaureate Tests (Part 1)

Text Messages & Emails 

Letters (L) 2008

When computers first started to be used on a wide scale, some people predicted that we would spend so long staring at computer screens that we would en up forgetting how to talk to one another. But in fact, the rapid expansion of electronic communication in the 21st century has had the opposite effect. Rather than retreating into themselves, people are using new technology, in particular email and text massaging, to find more and more ways to expand their network of friends.

Jane Adams, 23, sends so many messages to her friends. She’s known as the Text Queen. ‘My friends and I take our phones out with us and send messages to other friends saying “we’re in this club and it’s really good. Come and meet us, “she said. It means we don’t have to spend ages planning an evening out. You can just send the same message to everyone;

Text messaging and email also help Jane keep in touch with old schoolmates she would probably have lost contact with otherwise. She finds that it’s easier to send a message saying ‘Hi! thinking of you, ‘rather than having to write a long letter.

It seems these forms of communication have filled a gap, offering something that face to face conversation does not. Professor Pam Briggs
, a psychologist at the University of Northumbria, believes they have become popular because they people an opportunity to present themselves in the way that they want to. ‘People seem to really enjoy sending text messages and emails, she says. ‘They can take their time planning their message. They prefer it to speaking

on the phone to each other- maybe also because this way they can choose when they want to respond to someone.’

The fact that text messages are so quick and easy is big part of the attraction. Many people also find text messaging more informal than making a phone call or writing a letter, and therefore simpler to use. Ann Rose, who teaches at a London school, uses email and text messaging to keep in touch with students. ‘I have always given my number out to students and told them to call me if they have any problems. But no one ever did. Now, they often email or text me with questions about their work. They don’t find it difficult to keep in touch that way, whereas they might feet that a phone call is more of an interruption, ‘she said.

So is all good, Ann has identified one negative result of text messaging. ‘The popularity of this way of writing among my students,’ she says ‘can cause a few difficulties as they have started using abbreviations such as ‘ruok’ for ‘are you okay? And ‘thx’ for thanks”

COMPREHENSION: 15 points

BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS IN THE TEXT

A/ ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN YOUR AWN WORDS: 4 pts

1. What effect has been caused by the expansion of electronic communication?

…………………………………………………………………………

2. Why is Jane Adams called the “Text Queen”?

…………………………………………………………………………

3. In what ways are text messaging and e-mailing different from face to face conversation according to Pr Briggs?

a.  ………………………………………………………………

b…………………………………………………………………

B/ ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY: 3 pts

1. Jane Adams and her friends find that txt messaging saves time in organising meetings.

……………………………………………………………………….

2. Jane keeps contact with her old school friends thanks to email and text messaging.

………………………………………………………………………

3. Ann Rose used to receive phone calls from her students.

C/ COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES: 3 pts

1. Some people thought that the expansion of the use of computers would stop them from ………………………………………………………………….

2. To ask questions about their work, Ann Rose’s students. …………………………………………….

3. According to Ann Rose, the negative effect of text messaging on students’ writing is …………………………………………………

D/ FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS THAT MEAN THE SAME AS: 2 pts

1. to increase (pph1) : ……………………………..

2. a chance (pph 4) : ………………………………

E/ WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO? 3 pts

1. We: ……………………………………….. 

2. They: …………………………………………..

3. This way of writing: …………………………….

LANGUAGE: 15 points

A/ FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST: 1,5 pt

who – whom  - whose  - which  - where  - when

Adil Imam, ____________ sense of humour is appreciated by many people, is an Egyptian actor ____________ has played funny roles in many plays and movies. He often acts out simple situations ____________ can make you laugh for hours.

B/ REWRITE THE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN: 3 pts

1. Swimming and fishing aren’t allowed in this lake.

People ………………………………………………………

2 “Please stop arguing and listen to me, “Mrs Williams said.

Mrs Williams told the two students ………………………………

3. I Can’t see my friends while chatting because I don’t have a webcam.

If only ………..…………………………………………………

C/ PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORECT TENSE: 1,5 pt

The Simons (to live) ……………………………..in Marrakesh for ten years when I first (to meet)……………………….. them in 1988. By the end of 2008, they (to be) ….. .…………………….in Morocco for thirty years.

D/ FILL IN THE CAP WITH AN APPROPRIATE PHRASAL VERB: 3 pts

1. I’m ……………………our trip to France. We’re leaving next month.

            a) bringing about     b) coping with       c) looking forward to

2. Bill proposed to marry Sue but she …………………………..his proposal.

            a) broke down         b) turned down         c) calmed down

3. That little boy always ………………………..excuses for being late.

             a) makes up            b) takes up              c) looks up

E/ FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST: 3 pts

   disagreement  - exclude  - pace  - empower  - status  - development

The best way to ____________ women and improve their _____________ is to educate them. It’s also useful to help them become financially independent. Thus, they can participate in the _______________ of their society.

F/ JOINS THE PAIRS OF SENTENCES WITH The LINKING WORDS.

1. Many people still use plastic bags. They are dangerous for the environment. (although)

……………………………………………………………

2. Some skilled workers emigrate. They aren’t satisfied with low salaries in their home countries. (therefore).

………………………………………………………………

3. We rarely play music at night. We don’t want to disturb our neighbours. (so as not)

………………………………………………………………

WRITING: 10 points

The editor of your school magazine is organising a competition on the importance of education in people’s lives. Write a short article about your experience as a student and the benefits you get from school in general.

                                                                                                            (Approximately 250 words)

Here are some suggestions to help you:

·        Your favourite school subjects / the skills learn

·        Your school life experience (class/schoolmates, teachers, relationships, projects, extra-curricular activities, etc.)

·        Your future projects (carry on your studies or look a job)

·        The effects of school or education on your own and your family’s life.

Teresa

Science & L O 2007

In a small town in Africa, a young hairdresser named Teresa was given an old sewing machine by her uncle, Jeremiah. She watched as her brother Joseph experimented with the sewing machine and began to design shirts for his friends. There was nothing in the shops that was similar to those shirts and more and more friends asked Joseph to make   them   a shirt.       Teresa began to see a way to make money for the family.

      As Teresa continued her work in the hairdressing shop, she began to ask people what clothes they would like to buy. She also began to study what people wore, how much they would spend on shirts, and where the most popular shops were located. When she saw that Joseph’s shirts would sell easily, she started thinking about financing her new business. She realised that she would need to borrow some money. Her uncle, Jeremiah, who had his own business, arranged for Teresa to see a friend of his. Mrs Ngechu, who worked for an organisation which helped women start small businesses. She showed Teresa how to prepare a business plan carefully.   

      Teresa’s plan to start a fashion business with her brother, Joseph, started making progress. She wrote a business plan and when she went to the bank to get a loan, she was successful. Her uncle Jeremiah was also useful in another way: he had a building that was willing to rent. So he suggested that she could set up her fashion business there. A big order to make clothes for a wedding gave the business a good start and she had to employ extra workers.

      A businesswoman in the town, Miss Sylvia, had seen Teresa’s wedding dresses and she liked them so much that she wanted to sell them in her shop. She invited her to a meeting of businesswomen who meet regularly to discuss matters. This gave her a chance to exchange views with other entrepreneurs.

COMPREHENSION (15 points)

A- Are these sentences true or false? Justify:   (3 pts)

1- Joseph’s friends didn’t like his shirts.

…………………………………………………………………………

2- The bank agreed to lend money to Teresa.

…………………………………………………………………………

3- Sylvia wasn’t interested in Teresa’s wedding dresses.

………………………………………………………………………

B- Answer these questions   (4 pts)

1- When did Teresa start thinking about financing her project?

……………………………………………………………………………

2- State two things Jeremiah did to help Teresa start her business:

…………………………………………………………………………

3- When did Teresa decide to recruit more workers?

…………………………………………………………………………

C- Complete these sentences.   (3 pts)

1- Before starting her fashion business, Teresa worked as…………………………………………………………………………..

2- Teresa’s meeting with businesswomen would………….……………………………………………………………

3- Mrs Ngechu works for an organisation which……………………………………………………………………….

D- Find in the text words or expressions that mean the same as;  (3 pts)

1- the same as  (parag 1) ………………………………

2- create           (parag 3) :………………………………

3-  opinions      (parag 4) :…………………………… …       

E- What do the underlined words refer to in the text? (2marks)

1- them  : ………………………………………

 2- there :…………………………………………

LANGUAGE (15 points)

A. match the words that go together to make an appropriate collocation.

1. Population	a. supply	b. term
2. Coastal	c. status	d. density
	e. areas

1. ____________                                    2. _________________

B- Give the correct form of the words between bracket:  (4 pts)

1- The USA has got a (heterogeneity)………………………….society; many ethnic groups live there.

2- Women have become very (action) ………………………… members in a number of NGO’s.

3- Mary is thinking of leaving her job because it is not very (interest) …………………

4- The European Union is discussing new policies to stop (legal) …………………… … immigration.

C- Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list:  (2pts)

Set up - find out - look after - set off - fall for

1- Due to bad weather conditions, the captain of the ship decided not to ……………………that day.

2- I was surprised to …………………..…..that I had left my car door unlocked for the whole day.

D- Rewrite the sentences beginning with that words given,:  ( 2pts)

1- It didn’t rain enough last year in Morocco, so fruit exports decreased considerably.

If……………………………………………………………………………

3- Parents  shouldn’t  keep medicines  within  children’s reach.

Medicines……………………………………………………….………

WRITING (15 points)

Environmentalists warn that water pollution is a real danger to humanity and nature. Write an article for your school magazine describing the causes of this phenomenon and suggesting some practical solutions. (Approximately 150 words.)

Neeta Mundhra

Letters (L) 2007 

As a young girl in India, Neeta Mundhra dreamed of leaving home someday, going to college and getting a job, She didn’t see herself in the traditional role of a married Indian woman, dressed in the simple elegance of a sari (Indian dress) and staying home to manage a household.

Then, when she was 21, an arranged marriage steeped in Indian tradition ended up giving Mundhra the untraditional Indian life she wanted – but in Chicago’s Northern suburbs. Neeta’s new life in the United States is a long way from the small Indian town called Farrkuhabad where she grew up. She met her husband, Rakesh, through relatives when he decided to return to India to find a wife in 1997.

            Rakesh mundhra, 29, has lived in the United States since he was 7 years old, when his father came to work here as an engineer. The family has long been a part of the Indian community in the Northwest suburbs, but Rakesh Mundhra wanted a wife raised with traditional Indian values, including a willingness to live with his family.

            Neeta Mundhra had the option of denying Rakesh’s marriage request, but the couple met twice and liked each other. They shared many of the same values and decided to marry. "I thought I was going to say, ‘No’, but when I saw him, everything was different," Neeta mundhra said, laughing.   "He was very handsome, and I liked his family."

            Neeta Mundhra explained that young, single people in the United States have different ideas about life and marriage than those in India. For many Indians, the constant support and cooperation of family members is important, while most Americans move away from home in their twenties.

            Mundhra carried her beliefs with her to the United States and was surprised that American youth have multiple long-term relationships before getting married. "I just believe in one," she said. "I love American people, but we have traditions, we cooperate with each other and complement each other, and I like that."  Still, the arranged marriage that brought Neeta Mundhra to the United States became a wedding of two cultures.

            Local Indians said it is different living in a country even people who aren’t rich can have such lixuries as cars, cellular phones and heat in their homes. "The Indians who come here have the education and might be richer than other immigrants, but they still have more opportunities to have things here," said Sumit Roy, whose family immigrated to the Chicago area in 1981, and who now works in the technology industry. "A lot of people come here as professionals and open a business, but it doesn't’ mean they totally give up their culture to come here."

COMPREHENSION: (15 POINTS)

(BASE ALI YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT)

A/ ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALES? JUSTIFY 3 pts

1. Neeta didn’t imagine herself as a traditional housewife in the future. ………………………………………………………………………..

2. Rakesh was born in the United States ………………………………………………………………………..

3. Neeta and Rakesh never saw each other before marriage ………………………………………………………………………..

B/ ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS: 3 pts

………………………………………………………………………..

1. Why did Rakesh go back to India?

………………………………………………………………………..

2. What made Neeta accept to marry Rakesh?

………………………………………………………………………..

3. What surprised Neeta in the United States?

………………………………………………………………………..

C/ COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES: 4 pts

1.      The difference between American young single people and Indian one is that most Americans ……………………………………..

      2. The two cultures the writer refers to in paragraph 6 are ……………….

D/ WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO? 3 pts

1.      they (pph3) ………………….  

2.      those (pph 4) : ……………………

3.      here (pph 6) : ……………..

E/ FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS THAT MEAN THE SAME AS: 2 pts

1. Brought up (paragraph 2): …………………..

2. Refusing (paragrapg 3) ……………………...

LANGUAGE (10 points)

A/ MATCH THE WORDS THAT GO TOGETHER TO MAKE APPROPRIATE COLLOCATIONS: 2 pts

1. population 2. racial	race
	growth
	abuse
	waste
	demography

1…………….                                   2……………….

B/ GIVE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE WORDS BETWEEN BRACKETS: 3 pts

1. I was not surprised at Nadia’s (refuse) _______________ to take the new post at the company. As she is very (ambition) _______________ she thinks that it doesn't match her (expect) _______________

C/ FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST: 2 pts

a. which         b. who         c. where      d. whose       e. when

The nurse took care of the soldier ___________ injuries were serious. Every day, she treated his wounds, ___________were deep and infected.

D/ REWRITE THE SENTENCES BEGINNIBG WITH THE WORDS GIVEN: 3 pts

1. We don’t do much to preserve the environment.

I wish ………………………………….

2. People don’t respect children’s rights in many countries.

Children’s rights ………………………………………..

3. Souad made many mistakes because she didn’t revise her composition.

If ………………………………………………….

WRITING  15 poits

A foreign NGO (non-governmental organisation) has a budget to support a project in your area.

Write a letter to the officials of this organisation to suggest how this money can be effectively invested (build a school, a hospital, a stadium, etc). Mention in your letter the importance of the project and its benefits for the population in your area.

Awatif Morsy

Letters (HS) 2007

Awatif Morsy will never forget the day she heard that a new school was to open in her village. “Someone came to the house asking for the names of the children who weren’t attending class,’ she recall. “My mother gave them my name. I was so excited. “Like most eight year-olds in the village of Beni shara’an, Awarif’s life until that important day was divided between back-breaking work in the nearby fields or at home. To girls like her, the new school –a single classroom on the ground floor of a converted house – was a dream come true.

      Not everyone in the village was so enthusiastic, at least initially. Some farmers complained that the school would deprive them of the cheap labour the children provided. Even Awatif’s own step-father, Abdelwadoud, was unconvinced. “What does a need to study for? He would ask. Happily, that wasn’t the view of Farouk Abdel Naim, the elderly merchant who was persuaded to donate the premises for the school use. ‘I’ve come to believe that a girl’s education is more important even than a boy’s,’ Mr Abdel Naim says. “A man can always make something out his circumstances, but a girl can’t. She needs to be educated in order to get on in life.”

      Ten years on, it’s hard to find anyone in Beni Shara’an who doesn’t share that opinion. The school –which has now expanded into three classes   - is today seen as a wise investment fro which the community is getting tangible rewards. Take the example of the shopkeeper Ahmed Abdel Jaber, himself illiterate. “Until Rawia went to school, my store accounts were in a complete mess”, he recalls. “But before long, she was taking care of all the books for me, as well as helping her elder sister to read and write.” Rawia is disabled, but her father says she’s the most capable of   his   four daughters." I can say that to me, Rawia is not longer just a girl; she’s more precious than ten sons.”

      While the drive to get more Egyptian girls into school is bringing benefits in places like Beni Shara’an, the impact has been felt nationally. From 227 community schools set by UNICEF and its partners since 1990 has emerged a campaign setting girls’ education as one of Egypt’s top development priorities.

COMPREHENSION (15 points)

(Base all your answers on the text)

A- Choose the right answer from the list given:  (2 pts)

1- This text is probably taken from:

a- an interview                  b- a play                c-a newspaper article

2- This text is about:

a- the Egyptian project for building schools in Beni Shara’an

 b- the importance of the education of girls in Beni Shara’an

 c- Daily life of girls in Ben I Shara’an

B- Are these sentences true or false? Justify   (4 pts)

1-Awatif was eight years old when the new school opened.

……………………………………………………………………………

2-All the people in Beni Shara’an were happy about the school at first.

……………………………………………………………………………

3- The Egyptian government built the new school in Beni Shara’an

……………………………………………………………………………

4- The shopkeeper didn’t hesitate to send his daughter to school.

…………………………………………………………………………

C- Answer  these questions:   (4pts)

1- How did Awatif spend her days before the school opened?

…………………………………………………………………………

2- What was Abdelwadoud’s reaction to sending girls to school?

…………………………………………………………………………

3- Why does Rawia’s father consider her more precious than 10 sons?

………………………………………………………………………

4- What was the effect of schools like Beni Shara’an’s on girl’s education in Egypt?

………………………………………………………………………

D- Find in the text words or expressions which mean almost the same as:   (3 pts)

1- convinced (parag 2): …………..…………………

2- real  (parag 3): ……………………………………

3- advantages and profits  (parag 4) : ……………………

E- What do the underlined words refer to in the text?  (2 pts)

1- them  :  ……………………………

2- his     :  ……………………………

LANGUAGE (15 points)

A-Give the correct form of the words between brackets:

1- Foreign investments are a key factor in economic (grow) ………………

2- We need some (finance)……………………… support to set up our business.

3- The business has been very (produce)…………………………. since 2004. Now it is very successful.

B- Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense:

Tom : Hi Jamal. Any news about Ibrahim? I ( not/see) ………………………     him for weeks.

Jamal: Oh yes, he finally (get)……………………. his visa and (buy) ……………………… a plane ticket to Montreal last week. I think, by the end of this month, he (start) ……………………. his new course in business management.

C- Rewrite the following sentences beginning with the words given:

1- “I am looking for ways to advertise new products”, the manager said.

The manager said……………………………………………………………………………

2- My neighbourhood is very noisy.

I wish …………………………………………………………………………

3- I didn’t phone you because it was late.

If………………………………………………………………………………

3- Students must learn their irregular verbs by heart.

Irregular verbs………………………………………………………………

WRITING (10 points)

Your English teachers are organising a writing competition on how improve your school life.

Write an essay suggesting ways to make your school a better place for learning

Rama

 Letters 2007

 

The night has been cold but Ratma and her family will sleep outside again, their belongings beside them. Last month, French police forced Rarma, her husband and two children to leave the flat they squatted in for years, but she then decided to stay on the pavement in front of the building until Paris city authorities offer them a permanent home. “All I want is dignity, a place to live,” said Ratma, whose parents came from Senegal, a former French colony.

            Dozens of families of African origin have been expelled from Paris squats in the past few weeks. Anti-racism groups say their expulsions show the difficult situation of immigrants and their descendents in France, where many live a half-life on the fringes of society, discriminated against for jobs and housing because of their origins.

            In the past five months, fires in crowded and dilapidated Paris buildings have killed almost 50 people, many of them immigrants and children. The deaths not only shocked a city best known abroad for its spacious boulevards and historic monuments, but also revealed the living conditions of immigrants and exposed a grave housing shortage. Officials say Paris had about 60 unsafe squats and around 1,500 families live in flats that are considered unhygienic. Many poor people say they have no choice. “Rather than staying outside with our children, we came in,” Ratma said. “ The walls were clamp and mouldy. There was no electricity in the bathroom; I have been washing in the dark for years”.

            In Paris, more than 100,000 families – many of whom are immigrants - are waiting for permanent social housing, officials say. For now, they live with friends or stay in shabby hotels or squats. Rene Dutrey from Paris’ Green party says it is hard to say how many of these are foreigners but a majority of those living in unhygienic flats have an immigrant background. “They are the most vulnerable,” he said. “They face discrimination on the private housing market because many landlords don’t want   black people. And they are discriminated against because they don’t have the resources”. Others say the discrimination extends to the job market. “Many immigrants are doing the work the French don’t want.” said Jean-Pierre Dubois from human rights group. “They are more likely to take on short-term contracts”.

            In 2004, unemployment was at 9.9% of France’s African population out of work, official statistics show. ‘Immigrants more often hold no-qualification jobs, and are most affected by unemployment,” it was said in a study.

            Ratma, who has live in France all her life and works in a retirement home, said it did not surprise her that the main victims of the recent fires were immigrants.

Squats:   houses or flats where people live without permission and without paying.

Dilapidated:  متلاشي               

COMPREHENSION (15 points)

A- Choose the right answer from the list:   (2 pts)

The text is about African immigrants’:

a. housing and employment problems in Paris □

b. cultural and identity problems in France      □ 

c. working conditions and schooling in Paris   □

B- Answer these questions:  (4 pts)

1- Where are Ratma’s parents originally from?

……………………………………………………………………………

2- What is one of the consequences of the fires in Paris?

……………………………………………………………………………

3- Why is it difficult fro African immigrants to find houses or flats to rent? (give two reasons)

……………………………………………………………………………

C- Are these sentences true of false? Justify:    (3 pts)

1- Ratma is spending her first night in the street.

……………………………………………………………………………

2- Because of their colour, many African immigrants find it difficult to get jobs.

……………………………………………………………………………

3- Ratma and her family used to live in a well-equipped flat.

……………………………………………………………………………

D- Complete the following sentences:

1- Ratma and her family will go on living in the street unless the French government  …………………………………………………………………………

2- Thousands of immigrants’ families in Paris want the government to  ……………………………………………………………………………..

E- What do the underlined words refer to in the text?   (2 pts)

1- their  (parag 2) : ……………………….

2- they  (parag 4) : ………………………

F- Find in the text words or phrases which mean the same as:   (2 pts)

1- Children and/or grandchildren (parag 2) : …………………………………

2- people who own and rent flats or houses (parag 4 ) : …………………….

LANGUAGE (15 points)

A- Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word from the list:     

Put up with - pick up - make up - look up

1-Don’t believe what she says. She likes to ……………………………..stories.

2-It’s difficult to …………………………….with noise in big cities.

B- Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense:

1- By the end of next month, the committee (take) ……………………… a final decision.

2- An important multinational (organize)…………………………. a seminar in our country last month.

C- Give the correct form of the words between brackets:

1- “Don’t forget to (signature)……………………… your application form before sending it.

2- this project concerns the (improve)……………………….. of life in rural areas.

3- “Moussems” are important (culture) …………………….. events in Morocco.

D- Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given:

1- Sociologists are conducting research studies about immigrants in France nowadays.

Research studies ……………………………………………………………

2- Ratma didn’t find a house because she was an immigrants

If …………………………………………………………………………

3- “I didn’t attend my philosophy class yesterday”.

I wish ……………………………………………………………………

4- We should respect blacks.

Blacks  ….………………………………………………………………

E- Complete the following sentences with the appropriate linking word:

Although - in spite of - because - owing to

1- …………………………..it was cold, we went to Ifrane.

2- ………………………….. our efforts, we lost the match.

3. I didn’t come to school last week ……………………a terrible headache I had.

F- Fill in the blanks with   “make” or  “do”:

1- I couldn’t ………….my homework because I was sick.

2- Laila is going to ……………..a party for her birthday.

3- Did you……………..any mistakes in the last test?

4-Karima often ……………the housework before coming to school.

5- I want to ………….a course in English this summer.

WRITING (10 points)

After finishing your education, would you like to live in Morocco or in a foreign country? Write an essay stating your preference and giving reasons for your choice.