Tuesday, 2 June 2009

BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM SC JUNE الامتحان الوطني الموحد للبكالوريا دورة يونيو2009

BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM SC JUNE الامتحان الوطني الموحد للبكالوريا دورة يونيو2009

الامتحان الوطني الموحد للبكالوريا دورة يونيو2009

Morocco's street children live a difficult life, often filled with harmful drugs and crime. Efforts to reintegrate them into families and schools are somewhat successful but experts say the problem is large and its root lies in poverty and difficult social circumstances.

Othmane left his home and school at the age of fourteen to live on the street He no longer wanted to see his mother fight the daily battle to get bread for his five little siblings and pay for his school expenses. "The street is not a better place to live in," Othmane says, "but at least she will not have to think about my daily living. In the meantime, I may be able to help her." Othmane carries bags of vegetables and other purchases for customers at a nearby market. In this way, he earns a few dirhams a day, enough to bring a little money back home.

Othmane is one of the growing number of street children in Morocco. These are the homeless and marginalized youths without identity or family. The sidewalks, public gardens, and the buildings doorsteps are their beds.

In Casablanca, these children's main residences are alleys in the old city, the port, the train station, and the fruits and vegetables wholesale market. The port provides them with an opportunity to emigrate illegally. The wholesale market gives them the chance to work as porters. At the train station, they can earn little money from helping passengers or by begging from tourists.

According to the most recent statistics, 7,000 street children live in Casablanca Wilaya alone. 8,800 more live in other major cities such as Marrakesh, Fez, and Meknes. The government and many non-governmental organisations have adopted a strategy of building centres to shelter some of these street children and reintegrate them into schools and families, but the challenge is enormous. The number of children usually exceeds the centres' capacities; there are not enough beds for all of them, and urgent is the need to act at once to save those children!

I. COMPREHENSION (15 POINTS)

BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT.

A. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. (3 pts)

1. Why did Othmane become one of the street children? .

2. What does he do to earn money?

3. What has been done to solve the problem of street children?

B. PICK OUT FROM THE TEXT EXPRESSIONS OR PHRASES WHICH SHOW THAT: (2 pts)

1. Othmane doesn't like living in the street. (parag 2) ………………………………………………

2. There is a need to build more centres for street children. (parag 5) ………………………………


C. FILL IN THE CHART WITH THE RIGHT INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT. (3 pts)

Place of residence for street children The opportunities it offers

1. The port==================================> …………………………………………..

2. The wholesale market========================> …………………………………………..

3. The train station ============================> ………………………………………….

D. FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS WHICH MEAN THE SAME AS: (4 pts)

1. origin (parag 1) =…………………………………….

2. clients (parag 2) =……………………………………

3. without a place to live in (parag 3) =………………..

4. a plan (parag5) =…………………………………….

E. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO ( IN ITALICS )? (3 pts)

1. Its: ( paragraph 1 )…………………………………………….

2. She: ( paragraph 2 )…………………………………………..

3. Them: ( paragraph 4 )………………………………………..

II. LANGUAGE (15 POINTS)

A. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST. (2 pts)

non-formal / cooperation / labour I non-profit I conference

UNESCO is a ……………….. organisation which contributes to peace and security by promoting international ………………through education, science and culture

B. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE PHRASAL VERBS. (2 pts)

put on / set up / turn down / write down / make up

1. How could you ………….such an interesting job offer?

2. ………………………..your coat; it's cold in here.

C. MATCH THE WORDS THAT GO TOGETHER TO MAKE APPROPRIATE COLLOCATIONS.
(2pts) ( 1 / 2 ) with ( a / b/ c/ d )



1. equal

2. problem

a. opportunities

b. diversity

c. mistake

d. solving

1:………………………………….. . 2:…………………………

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

1. The government should take measures to reintegrate street children into society.

Measures………………………….

2. "I will take her suggestions into consideration," Jack said.

Jack promised………………………………..

3. Younes said: "I regret having accepted my first cigarette."

"If only I………………………………………………………………………..," Younes said.

E. PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE. (3 pts)

"Our son (run away)………………….. from home last week. We (still /look for)........... him. His best friend says that he (not see)………………….. him for two weeks," the father said.

F. MATCH EACH SENTENCE ( 1/2/3 ) WITH ITS APPROPRIATE FUNCTION ( a/b/c/d ). (3 pts)

1. Mrs Simpson took her medication. Yet, she didn't feel better.

2. My friend Tarik is saving money so as to buy a computer.

3. Because of poverty, children's schooling is still a problem in many African countries.

a. Cause and effect
b. Concession
c. Defining
d. Purpose

1: …………………………2: ……………………………….3: …………………………………….


III. WRITING (10 POINTS)

Taking drugs is dangerous.

Write a short article to your school magazine about the consequences of drug-taking on youths' health and education. (Approximately 150 words)

These questions may help you:

- Why do you think young people take drugs?
- What effects do these drugs have on their health and education?
- What solutions do you suggest for them?

Sunday, 31 May 2009

BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES: ENGLISH TENSES

BACCALAUREATE EXAM EXERCISES: ENGLISH TENSES

THE PAST CONTINUOUS

We use the Past Continuous to talk about past actions in progress. The actions can also be interrupted by something plus there are several other uses.
I was jogging in the street when somebody stopped me and asked what time it was.

Use

1.Actions in progress in the past

At 3 p.m., I was having lunch.

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

The last time I saw him, he was driving his car to work.

The first time we met, she was working as a secretary.

Were you painting your house yesterday at 5 p.m.?

He asked me why I wasn't having dinner at the hotel.

At midnight, we were still driving through the mountains.

2.Interrupted actions in progress

I was eating my breakfast when the telephone rang.

They were talking about her when she walked into the room.

Safaa was driving back home when the car ran out of petrol.

Was she going to the theatre when it started raining?

What were you doing when the baby fell off the sofa?

we weren't playing football when he broke his leg.

I was watching TV when she called.

When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.

I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear you knocking.

You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the TV off.

While Jabir was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.

Sa’ad was waiting for us when we got off the bus.

While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.

What were you doing when you broke your leg?

I was cycling.

3.Actions in progress at the same time in the past. (parallel / simultaneous actions)

I was studying while he was making dinner.

While Hazim was reading, Talal was watching television.

Were you listening while he was talking?

I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.

What were you doing while you were waiting?

They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.

While Kawtar was cleaning the living room, Zahira was washing the dishes.

4.Irritation / complaining

She was always coming to class late.

He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.

I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

Time expressions / signal words

yesterday

last night / week / month etc.

the last time

the first time

the other day

a day ago

two weeks ago etc.

earlier today / this week etc

while

when