Engleza Bilingv - Subiectul I - Variante 001-100 - An 2008

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Variante

001-100

Ministerul Educaţiei, Cercetării şi Tineretului Centrul Naţional pentru Curriculum şi Evaluare în Învăţământul Preuniversitar

Examenul de bacalaureat 2008 Proba E/F

Proba scrisă la Limba engleză L1 - Bilingv

• Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii. Se acordă 10 puncte din oficiu. • Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 3 ore.

SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 001 Read the text below and complete the following tasks.

Few great architects have been so adamant in their belief in the integration of architecture and design as Charles Rennie Mackintosh. (1)… Now, 63 years after he died, Mackintosh has found the perfect patron, in the form of a 56-year-old structural engineer and fellow Glaswegian named Graham Roxburgh.

The story begins with a competition launched in December 1900 by Zeitschrift Für Innendekoration, an innovative design magazine published in the German city of Darmstadt. European architects were invited to design an Art Lover's House. (2)… But he was disqualified for failing to include the required number of drawings of the interior. He hastily completed the portfolio, which he then resubmitted. Delighted with the designs, the judges awarded Mackintosh a special prize (there was no outright winner). Publication of these drawings did much to establish Mackintosh's reputation abroad as an original and distinctive architect, particularly in Austria and Germany. (3)… At first glance it could be an illustration from the thirties. Artists of the avant-garde Vienna Secession described Mackintosh as “our leader who showed us the way” – an acclaim that he was never able to gain at home. (4)... But today Glaswegians hail Mackintosh as their local genius. Three years ago, the enterprising Mr Roxburgh, who has already rescued Craigie Hall, a mansion on the outskirts of Glasgow that Mackintosh helped design, hatched a plan to build the Art Lover's House – now close to completion on a site in Glasgow's Bellahouston Park. Strathclyde Council, the Scottish Development Agency and the Scottish Tourist Board have picked up a third of the hefty £3 million bill. Roxburgh has raised the rest through sponsorship and private loans.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The Art Lover's House is an important twentieth-century building because it anticipates the

abstract forms of Modernism. B. The Art Lover's House is thus a mixture between modernism and tradition. C. Clients who tried to modify his grip on every detail of the structure, interior decoration or

furniture often ended up with the architect losing his temper – and his commission. D. Rich Glasgow businessmen never quite took him seriously. E. Mackintosh sent in his entry in March 1901, his one chance to design a house unfettered by

financial constraints or a conservative client. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. innovative B. hastily C. hatched 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. Why were there sometimes problems between Mackintosh and his clients?

A. Mackintosh resented interference from his clients. B. Clients refused to pay him in full for his work. C. Mackintosh did not pay enough attention to detail. D. Clients did not like the changes Mackintosh made.

2. According to the writer, Mackintosh decided to enter the competition because: A. not many drawings had to be submitted. B. no designs were required for furniture. C. there was no need to worry about cost. D. he had designed similar buildings before.

3. What was significant about Mackintosh's entry for the competition? A. It was considered to be ahead of its time. B. It was based on architecture from Austria and Germany. C. It changed the opinion of him in his own country. D. It was the most attractive building he had designed.

5. Comment on the following text in about 100 words: Few great architects have been as adamant in their belief in the integration of architecture and design as Charles Rennie Mackintosh. 4 points






Researches suggest that there are creatures that do not know what light means at the bottom of the sea. They don't have either eyes or ears; they can only feel. (1)… It is as if a child spent its life in darkness in bed, with nothing to see or hear. How different our own life is! Sight shows us the ground beneath our feet and the heavens above us - the sun, moon, and stars, shooting stars, lightning, and the sunset. It shows us day and night. We are able to hear voices, the sound of the sea, and music. We feel, we taste, we smell. How fortunate we are!

Have you ever wondered whether fishes drink or not? (2) … A person can go without food for many days, but he or she cannot go for long without water. Fishes drink and fishes that live in salt water must drink salt water. However, when we watch them in an aquarium and see them opening and closing their mouths, we must not assume that they are drinking. Fishes need water for its oxygen. (3)… On the other hand, when a fish drinks, it swallows water, just in the way we do.

Another alarming phenomenon, erosion is regarded not merely as the physical removal of soil by water and wind, but rather as the deterioration of all the component parts of the habitat in which man and his crops and livestock have to exist. (4)… This has led to deterioration of the microclimate above and below the surface, generally in the direction of a general drying out of the soil which has exposed it to erosive action of wind and rainfall of high intensity or frequency, and to the loss of organic matter in the soil, thus reducing its capacity to resist erosion by conserving the water that falls on the surface. If everything possible is done within the total environment to conserve the naturally planted or cultivated vegetation, this will also ensure optimal conservation of soil and water. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The water that they seem to be gulping gives them oxygen, which is in the water. B. Since there is no conclusive evidence for any major climatic change in historic times to explain

this deterioration, we must conclude that the eroding of the total environment has been due primarily to thoughtless destruction of the vegetative cover.

C. There is no hope for them. D. All living things must drink, and they require a fresh supply of water often. E. There is no day or night for them. There are no winters, no summers, no sun, no moon, and no

stars. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. to resist B. sunset C. deterioration 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. Judging from the passage, we can say that the first paragraph is mainly about:

A. life of sea creatures at the bottom of the sea B. how changes in the seasons are perceived by the deep-sea creatures C. how wonderful our lives were and will be D. the superiority of human beings over some creatures in terms of senses

2. We discover that some sea creatures in the story:

A. have the same senses that we do B. have no sense of hearing as well as sight C. hear the sounds of the ocean D. live in darkness because no light reaches to the bottom

3. In the passage a child in darkness is likened to: A. someone who lives where there are no seasons B. an animal without the sense of touch C. a sea creature with no seeing or hearing ability D. a deaf child unaffected by the environment

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: It is as if a child spent its life in darkness in bed, with nothing to see or hear. How different our own life is! Sight shows us the ground beneath our feet and the heavens above us - the sun, moon, and stars, shooting stars, lightning, and the sunset. It shows us day and night. 4 points






A recent survey of crime statistics shows that we are all more likely to be burgled now than 20 years ago and the police advise everyone to take a few simple precautions to protect their homes. The first fact is that burglars and other intruders prefer easy opportunities, like a house which is very obviously empty. This is much less of a challenge than an occupied house, and one which is well-protected. A burglar will wonder if it is worth the bother.

There are some general tips on how to avoid your home becoming another crime statistic. Avoid leaving signs that your house is empty. When you have to go out, leave at least one light on as well as a radio or television, and do not leave any curtains wide open. (1)…

Never leave a spare key in a convenient hiding place. The first place a burglar will look is under the doormat or in a flower pot and even somewhere more 'imaginative' could soon be uncovered by the intruder. It is much safer to leave a key with a neighbour you can trust. But if your house is in a quiet, desolate area be aware that this will be a burglar's dream, so deter any potential criminal from approaching your house by fitting security lights to the outside of your house.

But what could happen if, in spite of the aforementioned precautions, a burglar or intruder has decided to target your home. (2)… Downstairs windows provide easy access while upstairs windows can be reached with a ladder or by climbing up the drainpipe. Before going to bed you should double-check that all windows and shutters are locked. No matter how small your windows may be, it is surprising what a narrow gap a determined burglar can manage to get through. For extra security, fit window locks to the inside of the window.

(3)… Your back door and patio doors, which are easily forced open, should have top quality security locks fitted. Even though this is expensive it will be money well spent. Install a burglar alarm if you can afford it as another line of defence against intruders.

A sobering fact is that not all intruders have to break and enter into a property. Why go to the trouble of breaking in if you can just knock and be invited in? (4)… When you do have callers never let anybody into your home unless you are absolutely sure they are genuine. Ask to see an identity card, for example. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. What about entry via doors? B. What about another escape, then? C. The sight of your latest music centre or computer is enough to tempt any burglar. D. Windows are usually the first point of entry for many intruders. E. Beware of bogus officials or workmen and, particularly if you are elderly, fit a chain and an eye

hole so you can scrutinize callers at your leisure. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points A. obviously B. defence C. genuine


3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points

4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text.

6 points 1. A well-protected house:

A. is less likely to be burgled. B. is regarded as a challenge by most criminals. C. is a lot of bother to maintain. D. is very unlikely to be burgled.

2. According to the writer, we should: A. avoid leaving our house empty. B. only go out when we have to. C. always keep the curtains closed. D. give the impression that our house is occupied when we go out.

3. The writer thinks that hiding a key under a doormat or flower pot: A. is a predictable place to hide it. B. is a useful place to hide it. C. is imaginative. D. is where you always find a spare key.

5. Comment on the following from the text in about 100 words: A recent survey of crime statistics shows that we are all more likely to be burgled now than 20 years ago and the police advise everyone to take a few simple precautions to protect their homes. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 004 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Each month we ask one of our experts to tell us what wildlife book - novel, guide or textbook - has most influenced him or her. (1)…

I’m a very keen reader, but selecting the book with a natural-history theme which has influenced me most was some challenge, until I thought back to my childhood. Then it was easy. Where the book came from is a mystery, and I have never met anyone who has heard of it. It is Rita Richie’s The Golden Hawks of Genghis Khan. I read it when I was about 10 years old and I remember to this day the effect it had on me.

(2)… He is growing up in the splendid city of Samarkand and has a fascination for hawks, those magnificent hunting birds. There is a great deal of mystery surrounding his past, but he is led to believe that a band of Mongols killed his father to steal a rare type of bird - the golden hawk. Determined to get these birds back, he runs away from Samarkand and joins a group of people travelling to the country centred on the city of Karakorum, where the great Mongol chief Genghis Khan was then based.

The book combines adventure, mystery, honour, friendship, danger, suffering - all seen through the eyes of the young hero, Jalair. I still find this fantasy a thrilling read. Jalair’s great love for the birds was enviable and inspiring. But most of all it was the sense of place that stayed with me. (3)… There are no boundaries. The emptiness of the Gobi Desert, the Tian Shan Mountains and the excitement of riding through forests and over rolling hills fascinated me. The book gave me more than hawks, horses and a desire for wild places. (4)… The Mongols in The Golden Hawks were totally uninterested in possessions, a characteristic that is absolutely essential for people who spent their lives travelling from place to place. They were never mean. Generosity, goodwill and optimism were highly valued, hard work was enjoyed and the rest was pure fun. They simply loved life. Two years ago, I fulfilled a life-long ambition and went riding in Mongolia’s mountains. I was not disappointed. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The book gives the reader an idea of the vast open spaces of central Asia and its huge skies,

without the use of the long descriptive passages that would bore a child. B. It also gave me a set of values. C. Here, Martha Holmes, marine biologist, TV presenter and film producer, reveals all.

D. The book gives the reader the feeling that it is out of time and space. E. Set in 1218, it is a story of a rich boy whose parents are dead. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points

A. keen reader B. boundaries C. mean




6 points 1. When first asked to choose a book, Martha Holmes:

A. was influenced by the experts. B. chose one she had read recently. C. had difficulty in making a decision. D. was pleased to have been approached.

2. What does ‘it’ in 'Then it was easy' refer to? A. the choice B. Martha’s childhood C. the book D. the theme

3. Martha says the book The Golden Hawks of Genghis Khan: A. was recommended by a friend. B. was very popular when she was a child. C. is known to very few people. D. is one of many mystery books she has read.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: The Mongols in “The Golden Hawks” were totally uninterested in possessions, a characteristic that is absolutely essential for people who spent their lives travelling from place to place. They were never mean. Generosity, goodwill and optimism were highly valued, hard work was enjoyed and the rest was pure fun. They simply loved life. 4 points






'A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right.' These are the

words of Mollie Hunter, a well known author of books for youngsters. Born and bred near Edinburgh, Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. (1)… In Mollie's opinion it is essential to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story, which is what every writer should be doing: 'If you aren't telling a story, you're a very dead writer indeed,' she says. With the chief function of a writer being to entertain, Molly is indeed an entertainer.

'I have this great love of not only the meaning of language but of the music of language,' she says. This love goes back to early childhood. (2)… I had a school teacher who used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up and, because my family always had dogs, and I was very good at handling them, I said I wanted to work with dogs, and the teacher always said "Nonsense Mollie dear, you'll be a writer." So eventually I thought that this woman must have something, since she was a good teacher - and I decided when I was nine that I would be a writer.’

This childhood intention is described in her novel, A Sound of Chariots, which although written in the third person is clearly autobiographical and gives a picture both of Mollie's ambition and her struggle towards its achievement.

Thoughts of her childhood inevitably brought thoughts of the time when her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields - sadly now covered with modern houses. 'I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I'll never go back,' she said. 'Never.' 'When I set one of my books in Scotland,' she said, 'I can recapture my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields, or watching the village blacksmith at work. (3)…

To this day, Mollie has a lively affection for children, which is reflected in the love she has for her writing. 'When we have visitors with children the adults always say, "If you go to visit Mollie, she'll spend more time with the children."(4)… I've heard all the adults have to say before. The children have something new.' 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. 'I've told stories all my life. B. They don't realize that children are much more interesting company. C. 'I've been reading all my life and I still have the feeling that I did not have enough. D. And that's important, because children now know so much so early that romance can't exist for

them, as it did for us.' E. She firmly believes that there is always and should always be a wider audience for any good

book whatever its main market. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. covered B. struggle C. grown up



4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What does Mollie Hunter feel about the nature of a good book?

A. It should not aim at a narrow audience. B. It should be attractive to young readers. C. It should be based on original ideas. D. It should not include too much conversation.

2. In Mollie Hunter’s opinion, one sign of a poor writer is: A. lifeless characters B. complicated ideas C. the weakness of the description D. the absence of a story

3. What do we learn about Mollie Hunter as a very young child? A. She didn’t expect to become a writer. B. She didn’t enjoy writing stories. C. She didn’t have any particular ambitions. D. She didn’t respect her teacher’s views.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: 'I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I'll never go back,' she said. 'Never.' 'When I set one of my books in Scotland,' she said, 'I can recapture my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields, or watching the village blacksmith at work.’ 4 points






'A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right.' These are the words of Mollie Hunter, a well known author of books for youngsters. (1)… She firmly believes that there is always and should always be a wider audience for any good book whatever its main market. In Mollie's opinion it is essential to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story, which is what every writer should be doing: 'If you aren't telling a story, you're a very dead writer indeed,' she says.

With the chief function of a writer being to entertain, Molly is indeed an entertainer. (2)… This love goes back to early childhood. 'I've told stories all my life. I had a school teacher who used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up and, because my family always had dogs, and I was very good at handling them, I said I wanted to work with dogs, and the teacher always said "Nonsense Mollie dear, you'll be a writer." So eventually I thought that this woman must have something, since she was a good teacher - and I decided when I was nine that I would be a writer. (3)… Thoughts of her childhood inevitably brought thoughts of the time when her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields - sadly now covered with modern houses. 'I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I'll never go back,' she said. 'Never.' 'When I set one of my books in Scotland,' she said, 'I can recapture my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields, or watching the village blacksmith at work. (4)… 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. 'I have this great love of not only the meaning of language but of the music of language,' she

says. B. And that's important, because children now know so much so early that romance can't exist for

them, as it did for us.' C. And it is extremely important to all of us. D. This childhood intention is described in her novel, A Sound of Chariots, which although written

in the third person is clearly autobiographical and gives a picture both of Mollie's ambition and her struggle towards its achievement.

E. Born and bred near Edinburgh, Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people.

2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. chief function B. inevitably C. covered 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. What does Mollie Hunter feel about the nature of a good book? A. It should not aim at a narrow audience. B. It should be attractive to young readers. C. It should be based on original ideas. D. It should not include too much conversation.

2. In Mollie Hunter’s opinion, one sign of a poor writer is:

A. lifeless characters B. complicated ideas C. the weakness of the description D. the absence of a story

3. How does Mollie feel about what has happened to her birthplace? A. Confused B. Ashamed C. Disappointed D. Surprised

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ‘A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right.' 4 points






Today we are accustomed to seeing huge SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) crowding our urban streets. Many loathe these vehicles for the environmental damage and congestion which they cause. (1)….The original off-roader was a hugely over-powered motor car which was developed by the US army to do anything from pulling light artillery to taking troops across difficult terrain. Because they could do almost anything, these vehicles were called General Purpose Vehicles, which soon became shortened to G.P. and then to 'jeep'. (2)… Because they could drive off-road and carry all sorts of loads, they became a popular utility vehicle with farmers. But the powerful engines put a huge strain on other parts of the motor, such as the gearbox. By the end of the 1940s, the world's jeeps were starting to wear out. Two British engineers saw this as an opportunity. In the post-war austerity, there was not much demand for motor cars, and workers at the Rover factory were underemployed. So in 1947 Maurice and Spencer Wilks designed the first Land Rover. This vehicle had the boxy shape which was to be associated with Landrovers for decades after, but it was built with aluminium because steel was in short supply. The steering wheel was in the centre of the vehicle to help the farmer line up his plough, since another function of the Landrover was to serve as a replacement plough-house. (3)…. But the Landrover turned out to be a great success. Only 8,000 were produced in the first year, but in the second year demand had risen three-fold, and it kept on rising. Now, almost 50 years later, the Landrover is still in production and millions of them have been built and sold all around the world. Another reason for the Landrover's success is that it replaced the jeep as a military general purpose vehicle. (4)… The Landrover was also used by explorers, emergency medical teams and peacekeepers of the United Nations, which gave it a kind of glamour which the sellers of today's SUVs still trade on.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. When the Second World War ended in 1945, jeeps were sold off in huge numbers as war

surplus material. B. Rover expected to produce about 50 vehicles a week for a few years, after which production

would be abandoned. C. When the Second World War ended, all the cars were in great demand, but jeeps were the

best. D. Yet there was a market for this type of vehicle long before they became a status symbol for the

aspiring middle classes. E. It was not long before armies and police forces all over the world adopted this rugged vehicle

which could get them into places which other motorcars just could not reach.

2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points A. loads B. put a huge strain C. accustomed




6 points

1. Which is not given as a fault of SUVs? A. They block up the roads. B. They use a lot of petrol. C. They can be unsafe. D. They are over-powered.

2. What was the main strength of the Jeep? A. It was versatile. B. It was very powerful C. It could drive off-road. D. It could pull light artillery.

3. Rover's plans for the Landrover were intially ... A. pessimistic. B. unrealistic. C. long-term. D. unambitious.

5. Explain the phrase in about 100 words: The original off-roader was a hugely over-powered motor car which was developed by the US army to do anything from pulling light artillery to taking troops across difficult terrain. 4 points






The London Times reports that a Spanish tax inspector boarded a Mediterranean cruise ship incognito. (1) … He put on his brightest holiday clothes and went aboard. Two things followed quickly. First, his disguise was found to be inadequate; he was discovered immediately. Secondly, it happened that the ship had a large number of British holiday-makers aboard. These merry jokers forced him to walk the plank. (2)… We may feel sorry for the poor fellow, who was only doing his job, but the story does show that tax collectors are as unpopular now as they were in the days of Robin Hood or George Washington.(3)… They put their little restrictions upon every aspect of ordinary life. In Britain, if you drive a friend to the station, baby-sit for the neighbours, fix a car engine in exchange for a bottle of whisky, or make a pot of jam for charity, then technically, you have become a part of the shadow economy. The estimates of the size of the shadow economy vary greatly, from two per cent to 15 per cent of the national income, the difference in Britain of between four and 54 billion pounds. (4)… One of the reasons for the difference is the definition which is used. The black economy is only the darkest side of the picture. For example, the shadow economy runs from voluntary work for charities, to barter between neighbours, to housework. But it also takes in handling stolen goods, tax evasion, and working while drawing welfare payments. One area of growth of the shadow economy in Britain has been household employment, and services to help the working mother. Clearly, no one pays their window-cleaner by cheque, not if they want to see him again. But, more importantly, in the last 25 years, as married women flooded out to work, they have begun again to do what their grandmothers did, to pay others to look after their homes and children. This area of home help has become a deep grey area as far as the tax authorities are concerned. In general, the shadow economy becomes pitch black once money changes hands, in used notes: for example, when we pay each other for child-minding rather than taking it in turns to run a playgroup.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points

A. Tax inspectors are universally unpopular, not simply because they collect money, but because they are the greatest of all bureaucrats.

B. The best estimate puts it at around five per cent. C. He sought to check whether the returns made by the cruise company, in respect of food and

drink consumed, tallied with reality. D. Tax inspectors are as they are due to the fact that they collect money. E. While he was swimming around in the water, some of the merrier girls dived in after him and

merrily removed his shorts.

2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points A. inadequate B. incognito C. charity




6 points 1. Why did the Spanish tax inspector end up in the Mediterranean?

A. He was travelling incognito. B. The passengers were British. C. His disguise was penetrated. D. He was disliked.

2. Why did the passengers force him to walk the plank? A. They were playing at being pirates. B. The ship was under construction. C. To prove he was sober. D. Because he was a tax inspector.

3. Why are tax inspectors so unpopular? A. They persecute people. B. They have no sense of humour. C. They are the greatest of all bureaucrats. D. They are petty-minded.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: …tax collectors are as unpopular now as they were in the days of Robin Hood or George Washington. 4 points






Clothing is a distinctly human artefact. Even more than the use of tools, it distinguishes humans from the other creatures on this planet. While there are other creatures which use implements to a greater or lesser degree, clothing is unique to humanity. (1)… The basic purpose of clothing was utilitarian. By putting on an artificial skin, humans were able to move into regions for which they would otherwise have been unsuited. An extreme example of this use of clothing can be seen among the Eskimos, and other people who live in extreme climates. (2)… Thus clothing also developed in countries where there is no real practical need for it, apart from the other, very human function of preserving the modesty of the wearer. Clothing tells us many things about the wearer. (3)… It tells us a lot about the importance of clothing; the clothes a person was wearing have been, literally, the difference between life and death. In war, soldiers recognize friends and enemies by their uniforms. Spies may be shot if captured, but if they go about their business in the uniform of their country, they are regarded as legitimate members of that country's armed forces. Uniforms can also be less formal. Anyone who has seen a group of teenagers walking together will have noticed that their clothing conforms to the standard set by their particular group. Nor are teens the only ones who are subject to such pressures. It is a rare businessman who does not feel the need to wear a suit and tie. (4)….People who wish to impress others often do so by the selection of their clothes - sometimes by choosing more expensive versions. This can be seen particularly in the fashion industry, where clothing by a particular designer fetches prices which are out of all proportion to the actual utilitarian value of the material.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. However, clothing was not only used for protection from the elements, but has also been a

means of displaying one's status and sense of style for as long as humans have had civilisation.

B. Most politicians also try to be neat and well-dressed. C. Clothing is popular all over the world as it enables people to express their personality. D. It can be used to indicate whether he/she is a member of a particular group or organisation,

the most extreme example of this type of clothing being a uniform. E. Clothing is also uniquely human, in that it serves more than one function.

2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points A. utilitarian B. unsuited C. legitimate members of 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. Clothes are uniquely human because they:

A. are artefacts. B. have many different functions. C. are made by tools. D. are worn when they are unnecessary.

2. The author thinks that:

A. clothing is an implement B. there is no real need for clothing in some countries C. clothes are principally for protection from the weather D. people will always wear clothes

3. Which of the following does the author NOT give as a function of clothing? A. To show how wealthy or powerful the wearer is. B. To show the wearer's taste. C. To adjust our micro-environment. D. To avoid indecency.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Clothing is a distinctly human artefact. Even more than the use of tools, it distinguishes humans from the other creatures on this planet.4 points






Catastrophes at sea and in the air make grim headlines: they represent a great deal of sorrow for the families of the dead and injured. Why do they occur? (1) … Pyromaniacs light fires, as in the case of the ferry, Scandinavian Star, sailing from Norway to Denmark.

In the immediate aftermath of such catastrophes reports of inadequate safety measures circulate. On board the Scandinavian Star, a fireman said the ferry had only one system to pump and spray water on to the flames and that pumping and spraying had to be done alternately. On a wider scale, newspapers reported once again on the world-wide system of "flagging-out" which means that ships are not registered in the countries where they operate, and where the regulations are strict and expensive, but in places like Panama and Cyprus and the Bahamas, where they are lax and cheap. (2)… One of the more outrageous cases came to light in October 1989. A general cargo ship named the Bosun set sail from Hamburg under the flag of the small Central American state of Belize. West German police arrested and charged two men, the ship's British master and its German owner. They were charged with flying a false flag, and forgery of Belize government documents. A police officer said: "Belize was not the latest entrant in the cheap flag stakes; they in fact operate no shipping whatsoever. (3)… The rules are strict, and specify that a ship must be built with heat and fire resistant bulkheads, fire doors to passenger and crew areas, sealed cable and air conditioning trunking to block smoke, non-combustible materials and/or sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and alarms, and signposted emergency exits. (4)… He explains: "The big loophole is the lack of power to test whether these rules are being enforced. The port state is entitled to carry out spot checks on ships to make sure their safety certificates are in order; the lifeboats are all there and don't have holes in them; and that there are the necessary charts, life-jackets in the racks, and fire hoses in their reels. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The Scandinavian Star, although Danish-owned, was registered in the Bahamas. B. But all these rules of ship design are meaningless according to an expert from the Nautical

Institute. C. All the attacks are due to happen as terrorism is still present nowadays. When we contacted

the Belize High Commission in London, they were astonished to learn that a ship was pretending to be registered in their country."

D. Terrorists plant bombs, as in the case of the destruction of the American airliner over Lockerbie in Scotland.

E. When we contacted the Belize High Commission in London, they were astonished to learn that a ship was pretending to be registered in their country."

2. Explain the following words. 6 points

A. occur B. spot C. reels




6 points 1. Fires sometimes occur on board ships:

A. because someone deliberately lights them. B. when there are inadequate safety measures. C. when the crew has not been trained. D. because the safety measures are inadequate.

2. Flagging-out… A. is common all over the world. B. means that ships must register. C. is a matter of flying the national flag. D. helps poor nations export.

3. The Belize High commission was surprised to have a ship registered in the country because… A. they had only just started registering shipping. B. it is a land-locked country, like Switzerland. C. no ships operate under the Belize flag. D. it was the first time forged Belize documents had been used.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Catastrophes at sea and in the air make grim headlines: they represent a great deal of sorrow for the families of the dead and injured. 4 points






Domestic waste is one thing; industrial waste is another. Industrial waste may contain such nasty things as compounds of heavy metals and dioxins and PCBs. (1) … So what do you do? According to one man in the business: "It's simple - you go to Senegal, Djibouti or somewhere like Mauritania, all poor and semi-desert countries. You contact the local authorities and they take you somewhere really crazy, out in the middle of nowhere, just scorpions and snakes. You pay well, and then you start to dig your pit, some 30 metres down, all water-proof and according to US, Swiss and EC regulations. Finally, you can start your shipments."

In Europe it costs about $500 a ton to dispose of hazardous waste; in Africa, it can cost as little as $2.50 a ton. Like the drugs rackets or the armaments business, the trade in toxic waste frequently involves a man, a telephone and a small office, registered in a country where owners do not have to be named. Payments made to African companies and individuals are sometimes bigger than the entire GNP of those countries. But those payments are not revealed. The business goes on in a sort of twilight zone between the legal and the illegal.

(2)… A typical case is that of Benin. One must suppose, possibly, that the failure of Benin to take a "proper" commercial attitude to the toxic waste business lies in the country's Marxist-Leninist political system or then, perhaps not. Also from Benin comes the story of the shipment of two shiploads of radioactive waste from France. (3)…

One of the more publicised scandals occurred in Nigeria. It was a deal arranged between government departments and an import-export company. The company was registered to "import residues of several industrial processes". Taking advantage of this broad and imprecise definition, several Italian companies started importing the waste quite legally. As a result, several Italians were arrested in Lagos. The waste was disposed of at Koko, a small port, well away from Lagos and inspection. However, the waste stank. Drums of it became so hot that dockers could not handle them. The smell of the waste affected the whole area. (4)… 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. However, a properly organized waste disposal trade could easily wipe out the country's

national debt. B. Reports that it has been buried in an area known for its opposition to the government have

been denied by Benin's president, Matthieu Kerekou. C. And in this case you really need to get the support of the consultant. D. Nobody, but nobody, wants that cancerous stuff in their own backyard. And in this case, you

really do not have to go to Africa to find it. E. It turned out that the drums contained PCB (polychlorobiphenyl).

2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points A. hazardous B. twilight zone C. shiploads


3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text.

6 points 1. The business of disposing of toxic waste requires:

A. a large organisation B. contacts in third world countries C. licensing D. a remote site

2. The organisers of the business prefer: A. limited investment B. to work on their own C. to deal with individuals rather than companies D. anonymity

3. For some countries, the amount of money involved would: A. create a positive balance of trade B. provide development capital C. allow them to limit opposition to the government D. encourage communism

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Domestic waste is one thing; industrial waste is another. 4 points






Most countries have had, and some still have, educational systems that are, in one way or another, social disasters. (1)… Most countries have some private schools for the children of the wealthy; the English have dozens of them. In fact, about 3,000. Some nine million children are educated at state schools; just under half a million are educated at private schools. What is the result of such a system? The facts seem to speak for themselves. In the state system, about eight per cent make it to university; in the private system, almost half the students go on to university. But those statistics are deceptive: middle class children do better at examinations than working class, and most of them stay on at school after 16. Private schools are entirely middle class, and so this positive attitude creates an environment of success.

Private schools are enormously expensive, as much as £18,000 a year for a boarder at somewhere like Eton or Harrow to at least £8,000 a year almost everywhere. Why are parents, many of whom are not wealthy or even comfortably off, willing to sacrifice so much in the cause of their children's schooling? (2)… You can believe him if you like, but £50,000 minimum is a lot to pay for a five per cent better chance. Most children, given the choice, would take the money. The real reason parents fork out the cash is prejudice: they don't want little Henry mixing with the workers, or getting his accent wrong. And anyway, at your next dinner party it won't sound too good if all the guests are sending their kids to St Swotting-by-the-Sea, and you say your kid is going to the state school down the road even if, as a result, you are able to serve Chateau Margaux with the filet steak.

Leaving aside the question of money, the attitudes generally to be found in the private schools are repellent. In a book published in 1988, some former Etonians were invited to talk about themselves and their old school. One of them said: "At school you could point out the freaks very easily. (3)… Yet another talked of the hunger marchers of the thirties who came through Windsor like "some sort of cloth-capped cavalcade", and went on "one was more aware of George V dying, because you were part of the same village.” (4)…You don't go and run a donkey in the Derby, do you?" 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. One father replied to this question by saying: "Everything is on the margin. If my son gets a five

per cent better chance of going to university, which may be the difference between success and failure."

B. The English educational system is unique, however, in the degree to which it has created educational institutions which perpetuate privilege and social division.

C. Another said that saving up to send a son to Eton was "the wrong thing... you're bred in terms of privilege and education to be a racehorse, and you end up having to toil in some office block somewhere in the City..., it's a waste of an expensive training.

D. The English educational system is very much alike other European ones. E. Freaks were spotty or ugly, freaks were scholars, basically people who had too many brains,

and were looked down upon because they didn't pay."


2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. wealthy B. repellent C. comfortably 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points

4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. The English educational system is different from any other because:

A. it has a balance between state and private education B. it has more private schools than anywhere else C. it contributes to creating a class system D. it has so many things wrong with it

2. More private school children go to university because:

A. they are better taught B. their parents are middle class C. the schools create success D. they stay at school longer

3. Parents most often send their children to private school:

A. for social reasons B. for a margin of success C. to show how much money they have D. to pass university entrance examinations

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Most countries have some private schools for the children of the wealthy; the English have dozens of them. In fact, about 3,000. Some nine million children are educated at state schools; just under half a million are educated at private schools. 4 points






Most people start out wanting to succeed, hoping for a bright future. Yet, how many achieve the success they seek? If knowledge is power - and I believe it is - then knowing what is expected is crucial to your success. How can you know? By observing and asking questions.

(1)... You've probably heard a number of the many clichés out there: "No pain, no gain"; "It's not what you know, it's who you know"; "If at first you don't succeed, try again"; "When the going gets tough, the tough get going"; and a host of others.

(2)... However, plenty of people who work hard are not as successful as they'd like to be. While hard work is important, success comes from much more. You can work long hours and feel exhausted at the end of each day, but chances are you won't feel successful if that is all you do.

(3)... One way to measure your success is to identify specific goals you want to achieve and then work toward meeting them. Once you are working, you will also need to understand your employer's goals and objectives and work toward meeting those as well.

(4)... Your success, or lack of it, is the result of so much more. The most successful people understand the importance of combining hard work with the right attitude, good people skills, a willingness to learn, change, and a desire to contribute. Strive to find joy and meaning in what you do. When you enjoy going to work each day you won't even realize how hard you are working!

(Sue Morem - How to Get a Job and Keep It: An Essential Guide to Landing Your Ideal Job and Making the Most of It)

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Success comes in many forms.

B. Hard work is an important component of success, but not the only one. C. Success is difficult to achieve without some hard work involved. D. In order to reach success, you must arm yourself with a great deal of patience and calm. E. People hold varying philosophies about success.

2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points

A. succeed B. crucial C. exhausted



1. What is the key factor of success? A. hard work B. understanding the requirements


C. the willingness to learn D. flexibility

2. To what extent does hard work condition success? A. it is slightly important B. it is the determinant factor of success C. it is important, but it must be combined with other factors D. it is insignificant

3. What is the secret that makes hard work more efficient? A. one must like what he/ she has to do B. long breaks C. diversity D. working in teams

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text: The most successful people understand the importance of combining hard work with the right attitude, good people skills, a willingness to learn, change, and a desire to contribute. Strive to find joy and meaning in what you do. When you enjoy going to work each day you won't even realize how hard you are working! Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 014 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Skydiving is a must for every traveller. The peril of the jump, the adrenalin rush of falling 12,000 feet and the feeling of having pushed back the boundaries, man, stoke the fire of the adventurer’s self-perception. (1)... However, having done it, I would rate it without hyperbole or self-congratulation as one of the greatest achievements of my life. (2)... As we climbed, that servant of hell inside my stomach began to crank things up a little. To my horror, I realised that we were only half-way up! (3)... The doors opened; almost too surreal, so horrifically beyond our human capacities to be terrifying. Course I’m not really going to jump, I can’t do rollercoasters and now this, man wasn’t meant to fly, I can’t make out anything on the ground, this can’t possibly work. (4)... I now understood why everyone who has been skydiving (well, apart from the one bloke whose parachute didn’t open) loves it forever. The world 12,000 feet up has a brutal power of its own, ignorant and contemptuous of civilization and time, a pocket of moments self-governed by their own, brief rules which engender a set of uniquely pure, jagged emotions, totally divorced from real life, for this isn’t real life, its almost like it’s not happening. No matter what all my mates did in life, however well they did at law school or in the city or at sport or whatever, I’d done this. And, when I’m dropping the kids off at school on a wet Monday morning in twenty years time, before heading into my dead-end job, I’ll still have done it. (Garrett Platt, Skydiving in Australia) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Given my state of increasingly morbid terror, it seemed best if I jump out first. B. Skydiving is a sport for people of all ages; all you need is a bit of courage and a strong desire for adrenalin. C. In truth, although the 45 second freefall is the terrifying bit of skydiving, for me it was the most exhilarating. D. As any theme park fanatic would tell you, the ascent is the worst bit. E. As a committed skeptic of the year-out creed, I always found the prospect of falling out of the sky absolutely terrifying. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. peril B. ascent C. brutal 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. How is skydiving generally perceived?

A. as a dangerous and challenging sport


B. as a usual thing C. as an uninteresting sport D. as a forbidden thing

2. Which was the part of skydiving that frightened the writer the most? A. the freefall B. the landing C. the climbing D. the training

3. How did the experience of skydiving remain in the mind of the author? A. as a regrettable experience that he would never repeat B. as an experience that the others would make fun of C. as a sport that exhausted him D. as an experience that increases his self-respect and his self-confidence

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text: I now understood why everyone who has been skydiving (well, apart from the one bloke whose parachute didn’t open) loves it forever. The world 12,000 feet up has a brutal power of its own, ignorant and contemptuous of civilization and time, a pocket of moments self-governed by their own, brief rules which engender a set of uniquely pure, jagged emotions, totally divorced from real life, for this isn’t real life, its almost like it’s not happening. Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 015 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. On a frigid afternoon in May, I slipped through a crack in the sea ice and dropped into the Arctic Ocean. The icy water hit my face and neoprene-clad head so hard I thought I would vomit. (1)… The water was 29 degrees (-2ºC), about as cold as seawater gets before it freezes. My teeth clenched the regulator as I tried to fight back nausea. Soon my breaths slowed, my head numbed to the shock, and I swam down into the blackness. At one point I looked back up at the ice, expecting it to appear as it most often does this early in the season—blue, featureless, lifeless. (2)…. The ice was stained green and brown. It moved. I blinked and checked my depth. I tried to make sure I wasn't suffering vertigo, which can be deadly to a diver working alone under the three-foot-thick (one meter) roof of ice. (3)… it wasn't ice at all—I was watching a massive cloud of amphipods, tiny shrimplike crustaceans, as they fed on phytoplanktons that grow on the underside of the ice in spring when the sun returns to the Arctic. I was seeing the foundation of the ecosystem, the combination of ice and minute life-forms upon which all the bigger animals—polar bears, whales, birds, and seals—depend. I've lived in the Canadian Arctic all my life and have spent most of my career photographing the edge where ice meets open sea. When I began working, sea ice seemed invulnerable: (4)…. Ice is not just a landscape. It is part of the biology of every creature that lives in this frozen vastness. Year-round, but especially in spring, polar bears roam and hunt on the ice. Seals rest and give birth on the ice. Massive bowhead whales arrive like squadrons of submarines to feed on amphipods and copepods. Beluga whales and narwhals join them and chase arctic cod, which hide as larvae in finger-thin channels of ice. An Arctic without ice is unimaginable. (Paul Nicklen, Life at the Edge, National Geographic, June 2007) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. even in the warmest months much ice remained. B. I was diving just south of Lancaster Sound, off the northern tip of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. C. Then it hit me: D. The rays of light were dancing in the water. E. But something wasn't right. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. to freeze; B. to slow; C. tiny. 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points


1. Why was the diver feeling sick?

A. Because he was not used to diving. B. Because he had a fever. C. Because of the sudden change of the environmental conditions. D. It is only natural to feel sick when diving.

2. Why did the ice seem as if it was stained green and brown?

A. Because there was a cloud of plankton between the diver and the surface. B. Because the ice had been painted. C. Because that was its real color. D. Because the water was dirty.

3. Why did he think that ice was invulnerable? A. Because not even in the warmest months did it fully melt. B. Because it is hard to break. C. Because he had a hard time finding an entry point. D. Because it had a protective layer.

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text: Ice is not just a landscape. It is part of the biology of every creature that lives in this frozen vastness. Year-round, but especially in spring, polar bears roam and hunt on the ice. Seals rest and give birth on the ice. Massive bowhead whales arrive like squadrons of submarines to feed on amphipods and copepods. Beluga whales and narwhals join them and chase arctic cod, which hide as larvae in finger-thin channels of ice. An Arctic without ice is unimaginable. Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 016 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. What's black and white and adored all over—and can cost a zoo more than three million dollars a year? He's got chubby cheeks. He naps a lot. (1)….He lives with his mother. Not exactly the kind of character you'd expect to find at the center of high finance, international diplomacy, fan frenzy, government scrutiny, and scientific fascination. But Tai Shan is a giant panda cub, and that makes him, well, not your average bear. Hosting giant pandas costs each zoo an average of 2.6 million dollars a year, and that's if no babies arrive. Add a cub, and the budget tops three million dollars. Add two cubs (nearly half of panda pregnancies produce twins), and the tab approaches four million dollars. "Nobody," says David Wildt, head of the National Zoo's reproductive sciences program, "would ever commit this kind of money to any other species." (2)…Could be sheer cuteness. Giant pandas possess the charisma that politicians and movie stars dream of—and people crave a glimpse. The National Zoo's Internet panda cams, which follow the daily activities of Tai Shan and his mom, draw an average of two million online visits a month. In the first three months that Tai Shan was on public display, visits to the zoo jumped by as much as 50 percent over prior years. Adoring fans pack the railing at the Giant Panda Habitat shoulder to shoulder. (3)… Scarcity also boosts the bears' cachet. Giant pandas are excruciatingly rare. Even other famously endangered mammals—tigers, gorillas, black rhinos, Asian elephants—outnumber them, both in the wild and in captivity. (4)... Such a precise figure is questionable, especially for a hard-to-spot species that occupies isolated and often virtually impassable mountain forests. In captivity, there were only 188 pandas worldwide at the end of 2005: the 11 U.S. residents, a handful of others in Mexico, Japan, Thailand, Germany, and Austria, and all the rest in zoos and research centers in their native China. (Lynne Warren, PANDA, Inc., National Geographic, July 2006) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Fingers point, voices coo, faces crease in blissful grins. B. China's most recent national giant panda survey reported that 1,590 of the black-and-white bears survive in the rugged hills of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu Provinces. C. He eats with his hands. D. The number of giant pandas has dropped drastically. E. What makes pandas so special? 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. scarcity; B. rare; C. jump.


3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What is one of the reasons that pandas are so popular with people?

A. They eat a lot. B. They are cute. C. They are expensive. D. They are rare.

2. What makes pandas special, financially speaking? A. Pandas cost a lot of money. B. They are expensive to keep. C. They are profitable. D. Funds are allocated to their care that no other species would obtain.

3. Why is the result of China's most recent national giant panda survey questionable? A. It was not conducted properly. B. Because pandas live in remote areas and are hard to spot. C. Because pandas migrate from area to area. D. Because the observation period was too short.

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text: Hosting giant pandas costs each zoo an average of 2.6 million dollars a year, and that's if no babies arrive. Add a cub, and the budget tops three million dollars. Add two cubs (nearly half of panda pregnancies produce twins), and the tab approaches four million dollars. "Nobody," says David Wildt, head of the National Zoo's reproductive sciences program, "would ever commit this kind of money to any other species.” Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 017 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. There once was a sheikh who dreamed big. His realm, on the shores of the Persian Gulf, was a sleepy, sun-scorched village occupied by pearl divers, fishermen, and traders who docked their ramshackle dhows and fishing boats along a narrow creek that snaked through town. (1)... One day in 1959, he borrowed many millions of dollars from his oil-rich neighbor, Kuwait, to dredge the creek until it was wide and deep enough for ships. He built wharves and warehouses and planned for roads and schools and homes. (2)... Sometimes at dawn, with his young son, Mohammed, by his side, he'd walk the empty waterfront and paint his dream in the air with words and gestures. And it was, in the end, as he said. He built it, and they came. His son, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, now rules Dubai, and around that creek has built towering dreams of his own, transforming the sunrise vision of his father into a floodlit, air-conditioned, skyscrapered fantasy world of a million people. (3)... The people of 150 nations have moved here to live and work. Dubai has even built man-made islands—some in the shape of palm trees—to accommodate the wealthiest of them. Its economic growth rate, 16 percent, is nearly double that of China. Dubai is also a rare success story in the Middle East, a region with a history of failure and stagnation. Whether Dubai represents a glitzy anomaly or a model to be copied by other Arab nations is a question worth asking these days, as the Islamic world struggles to cope with modernization. (4)... "Dubai is putting pressure on the rest of the Arab and Muslim world. People are beginning to ask their governments: If Dubai can do it, why can't we?"

(National Geographic, January 2007) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Some thought he was mad, others just mistaken, but Sheikh Rashid believed in the power of new beginnings. B. With its Manhattan-style skyline, world-class port, and colossal, duty-free shopping malls, little Dubai now attracts more tourists than the whole of India, more shipping vessels than Singapore, and more foreign capital than many European countries. C. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has led the transformation of his realm from a drowsy fishing village to a tax-free business heaven and world capital of glittering excess. D. Abdurrahman al Rashid, a Saudi journalist and director of the Al Arabia news channel, put it this way: E. But where others saw only a brackish creek, this sheikh, Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum, saw a highway to the world. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. dawn B. realm C. struggles 3. Sum up the text about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. The sheikh borrowed money from a neighbour country in order to:

A. pay his debts to an Arab nation B. make some modernization to the village C. build a city never seen before D. dredge the narrow creek

2. According to the article Dubai is now one of the most visited placed in the world because: A. the prices are very low B. it offers a variety of working places C. it can accommodate important business men D. it has the most luxurious hotels in the world

3. What does the journalist say about the other nations from Arabia? A. They think Dubai’s spectacular progress has some very obvious negative parts and therefore should not be taken as a model. B. They say that Dubai is an example worth following. C. They say that Dubai puts pressure on their governments to reach a similar level of economic development. D. The other nations from Arabia don’t have any chance to reach Dubai’s level of economical development.

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text (100 words): Dubai is also a rare success story in the Middle East, a region with a history of failure and stagnation. Whether Dubai represents a glitzy anomaly or a model to be copied by other Arab nations is a question worth asking these days, as the Islamic world struggles to cope with modernization. Abdurrahman al Rashid, a Saudi journalist and director of the Al Arabia news channel, put it this way: "Dubai is putting pressure on the rest of the Arab and Muslim world. People are beginning to ask their governments: If Dubai can do it, why can't we? Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 018 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Late one autumn day at the aquatic center in Ancenis, France, something went quietly, horribly wrong. (1)... An 18-year-old named Jean-François LeRoy was a regular, coming often in the early evenings to swim laps in the 25-meter (82-foot) pool. Drownings are often difficult to spot; they are rarely the splashy, flailing events depicted on television. Most are near-silent episodes where the victim quickly sinks out of view. On this particular day maybe the lifeguards weren't paying as close attention as they should have been. (2)... But on this evening LeRoy was practicing apnea swimming—testing how far he could swim underwater on one breath—and at some point, without making any visible or audible disturbance on the water's surface, he blacked out. (3)... With his arms crossed over his head and his feet twitching, he was unconscious and drowning. It would take him as little as four minutes to die. Although the human lifeguards watching the pool were oblivious, 12 large machine eyes deep underwater were watching the whole thing and taking notice. (4)... Poseidon covers a pool’s entire swimming area and can distinguish among blurry reflections, shadows, and actual swimmers. It can also tell when real swimmers are moving in a way they’re not supposed to. When the computer detects a possible problem, it instantly activates a beeper to alert lifeguards and displays the exact incident location on a monitor. The rest is up to the humans above the water. (National Geographic Magazine, November 2003) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The guards failed to notice as he stopped swimming and descended to the bottom of the deep end of the pool. B. With its two well-kept pools and teaching facilities, the center serves as a modern swimming hole for an entire sector of historic Brittany, attracting 150,000 French villagers a year. C. Just nine months earlier the center had installed a state-of-the-art electronic surveillance system called Poseidon, a network of cameras that feeds a computer programmed to use a set of complex mathematical algorithms to distinguish between normal and distressed swimming. D. Certainly they believed the trim, athletic LeRoy was not a high-risk swimmer. E. Poseidon—and, more precisely, the handful of French mathematicians who devised it—had saved his life. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. quietly B. visible C. oblivious 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. According to the writer how are most drownings usually?

A. They are noisy and splashy.


B. They are quiet events and that’s what makes them so hard to notice. C. They usually involve the uncontrolled movement of arms and legs. D. They are exactly how we see them in films.

2. When LeRoy blacked out the first to notice it was/were… A. the lifeguards. B. the underwater cameras from the Poseidon system. C. other swimmers. D. the paramedics.

3. What’s the main purpose of the Poseidon system installed in the aquatic center? A. to prevent any swimmers that are not members from entering the pools B. to observe the performance of each swimmer C. to notice and announce if anything goes wrong with the swimmers D. to monitor how much time the swimmers spend in the pool

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text (100 words): Poseidon covers a pool’s entire swimming area and can distinguish among blurry reflections, shadows, and actual swimmers. It can also tell when real swimmers are moving in a way they’re not supposed to. When the computer detects a possible problem, it instantly activates a beeper to alert lifeguards and displays the exact incident location on a monitor. The rest is up to the humans above the water. Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points






Future energy development, providing for the world's future energy needs, currently faces great challenges. (1)…Without energy, the world's entire industrialized infrastructure would collapse: agriculture, transportation, waste collection, information technology, communications and much of the prerequisites that a developed nation takes for granted.

(2)… Using heat exchangers, it is possible to recover some of the energy in waste warm water and air, for example to preheat incoming fresh water. Hydrocarbon fuel production from pyrolysis could also be in this category, allowing recovery of some of the energy in hydrocarbon waste. (3)… Already existing power plants often can and usually are made more efficient with minor modifications due to new technology. New power plants may become more efficient with technology like cogeneration. New designs for buildings may incorporate techniques like passive solar. Light-emitting diodes are gradually replacing the remaining uses of light bulbs. Note that none of these methods allows perpetual motion, as some energy is always lost to heat.

Mass transportation increases energy efficiency compared to widespread conventional automobile use while air travel is regarded as inefficient. (4)…Hybrid vehicles can save energy by allowing the engine to run more efficiently, regaining energy from braking, turning off the motor when idling in traffic, etc. More efficient ceramic or diesel engines can improve mileage. Electric vehicles such as Maglev, trolleybuses, and PHEVs are more efficient during use (but maybe not if doing a life cycle analysis) than similar current combustion based vehicles, reducing their energy consumption during use by ½ to ¼. Microcars or motorcycles may replace automobiles carrying only one or two people.

(National Geographic Magazine, November 2003)

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Heat production is energy inefficient compared to the production of protein sources like soybean or Quorn. B. Also, conventional automobiles are on their way to being banned from traffic. C. Conventional combustion engine automobiles have continually improved their efficiency and may continue to do so in the future, for example by reducing weight with new materials. D. New technology may make better use of already available energy through improved efficiency, such as more efficient fluorescent lamps, engines, and insulation. E. These include increasing world population, demands for higher standards of living, a need for less pollution, a need to avert global warming, and a possible end to fossil fuels. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. reduce B. widespread C. improve 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. How can we recover some of the energy that wastes in the air and water?

A. by using hybrid vehicles B. by closing all the windows and doors of the room C. by using heat exchange D. by using solar energy

2. What technology can make power plants more efficient? A. hydrocarbon fuel production from pyrolysis B. using hybrid vehicles C. cogeneration D. all of the above

3. How can people be more efficient in traffic? A. by not breaking the speed limit of 50 km/h B. by turning off the engine while waiting at a traffic light C. by using the car only once a week D. by breaking the speed limit

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text: Without energy, the world's entire industrialized infrastructure would collapse: agriculture, transportation, waste collection, information technology, communications and much of the prerequisites that a developed nation takes for granted. Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points


Examenul de bacalaureat 2008

Proba E/F Proba scrisă la Limba engleză

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(1)…Thanks, in part, to the 2002 UN Arab development report, a much-acclaimed document that cited the marginalization of women as one of three deficits crippling the region’s development, women’s rights have been propelled to a higher stage in the media and on to policymakers’ agenda.

The level of discrimination against women in the Arab world, a legacy of interpretations of Islam as well as tradition, varies from country to country. Women in North Africa and the Levant have historically fared better than in the Gulf. With very few exceptions (Tunisia, and more recently Morocco), the prejudice is embedded in family and personal status codes, in the attitudes of administrations, and in practice in the economy. (2)…

Over the past decade, several factors have combined to send more women into the business world. (3)… In several countries female university students now outnumber their male counterparts. “Women spend many years educating themselves because they don’t work – they become everlasting students,” says Lama al-Suleiman, a Saudi businesswoman. “But this means they will also excel later if they enter the business world.”

(4)… “Before the first oil boom of the 1970s and 1980s we were tribal communities and women played an important role, they managed businesses and were involved in trade. With the oil boom and the society of abundance, women became educated but without the purpose of being productive,” says Sheikha Hanadi, head of Qatar’s Amwal investment bank. This situation, however, has dramatically changed, she adds, forcing women to seek work.

Businesswomen say the new oil-fuelled development of recent years is not likely to change the trend, as governments manage finances more cautiously and the private sector continues to expand.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The Arab world has improved its view upon educating women, during the last decades. B. The empowerment of women is at the forefront of the debate over the future of the Arab world. C. Although the region has one of the highest rates of female illiteracy in the world, it has seen significant improvements in education. D. Surveys show that only 30 per cent of Arab women participate in the economy, compared with a world average of more than 55 per cent. E. Even in the Gulf, the larger participation of women in the economy has been driven by economic necessity. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. abundance B. development C. private 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. Why is the level of discrimination against women so high in the Arab world?

A. because they think that women are unable to be productive B. because of the tradition and religion C. because of the high rates of female illiteracy D. because of the politicians

2. Which was the cause that gave women the opportunity to become educated? A. the need of competitive and skilled workers B. and UN report C. the development of oil industry during the 18th century D. the level of education

3. Which is the number of women who take part in the administration of the economy? A. the majority of them, because they manage almost all the businesses B. none of them, as women are marginalized C. Third of them D. all of them

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text: Before the first oil boom of the 1970s and 1980s we were tribal communities and women played an important role, they managed businesses and were involved in trade. With the oil boom and the society of abundance, women became educated but without the purpose of being productive,” says Sheikha Hanadi, head of Qatar’s Amwal investment bank. This situation, however, has dramatically changed, she adds, forcing women to seek work. Give arguments in about 100 words. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 021 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. When E-mail Becomes E-nough The first person I came across who'd got the measure of e-mail was an American friend who was high up in a big corporation. Some years ago, when this method of communication first seeped into business life from academia, his company in New York and its satellites across the globe were among the first to get it. In the world's great seats of learning, e-mail had for some years allowed researchers to share vital new jokes. (1) … One evening in New York, he was late for a drink we'd arranged. 'Sorry,' he said, 'I've been away and had to deal with 998 e-mails in my queue.' (2) … 'It doesn't really take that long,' he explained, 'if you simply delete them all.' (3) … If any information he was sent was sufficiently vital, his lack of response would ensure the sender rang him up. If the sender wasn't important enough to have his private number, the communication couldn't be sufficiently important. My friend is now even more senior in the same company, so the strategy must work, although these days, I don't tend to send him many e-mails. Almost every week now, there seems to be another report suggesting that we are all being driven crazy by the torment of e-mail. But if this is the case, it's only because we haven't developed the same discrimination in dealing with e-mail as we do with post. Have you ever mistaken an important letter for a piece of unsolicited advertising and thrown it out? (4) … This is because of the obliging stupidity of 99 per cent of advertisers, who just can't help making their mail shots look like the junk mail that they are. Junk e-mail looks equally unnecessary to read. Handling e-mail is an art. Firstly, you junk anything with an exclamation mark or a string of capital letters, or from any address you don't recognise or feel confident about. Secondly, while I can't quite support my American friend's radical policy, e-mails don't all have to be answered. Because e-mailing is so easy, there's a tendency for correspondence to carry on for ever, but it is permissible to end a strand of discussion by simply not discussing it any longer. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Firstly, you junk anything with an exclamation mark or a string of capital letters, or from any

address you don't recognise or feel confident about. B. True to form, he had developed a strategy before most of us had even heard of e-mail. C. And if there was cutting-edge wit to be had, there was no way my friend's corporation would be

without it. D. 'Wow,' I said, 'I'm really surprised you made it before midnight'. E. Of course you haven't. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points


1. According to the writer, why did the company he mentions decide to adopt the e-mail system?

A. So that employees could contact academics more easily. B. To avoid missing out on any amusing novelty. C. Because it had been tried and tested in universities. D. To cope with the vast amount of correspondence they received. 2. The ‘strategy’ referred to in line 9 is a way of … A. ensuring that important matters are dealt with. B. prioritizing which messages to respond to. C. limiting e-mail correspondence to urgent matters. D. encouraging a more efficient use of e-mail. 3. According to the writer what is causing the ‘torment of e-mail’ (line 14) described in reports? A. The persistence of advertisers. B. Problems caused by computer viruses. C. The attitude of those receiving e-mails. D. Lessons learnt from dealing with junk mail. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: But if this is the case, it's only because we haven't developed the same discrimination in dealing with e-mail as we do with post.

4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 022 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Later in the afternoon the sun went down. Dexter watched the gentle waves in the light wind from the balcony of the golf club. Then he put on his swimming costume and swam out to the farthest raft, where he stretched out on the wood. (1) … On the dark peninsula, someone was playing the songs of the last two summers on a piano and, because the sound of a piano over a stretch of water had always seemed beautiful to Dexter, he lay perfectly quiet and listened. The tune was happy and recent. (2) … They had played it at a dance once, when he could not afford the luxury of dances, and he had stood outside the gymnasium and listened. The music produced a feeling of great happiness within him. It was a mood of appreciation, a sense that, for once, he was in tune with life and that everything was producing a brightness and glamour he might never know again. A low pale rectangle suddenly removed itself from the darkness of the island, spitting forth the sound of a racing motor-boat. (3) … Dexter, raising himself on his arms, was aware of a figure standing at the wheel. "Who's that?" she called, shutting off her motor. She was so near now that Dexter could see her bathing costume, which seemed to be pink. The nose of the boat hit the raft, and as the raft tilted he was pushed towards her and with different degrees of interest they recognized each other. (4) … He was.” Well, do you know how to drive a motor boat? Because if you do, I wish you'd drive this one so I can ride on the surf-board behind. My name is Judy Jones" - she favoured him with a silly smirk - or rather what tried to be a smirk, for, twist her mouth as she might, it was not ugly, it was merely beautiful - "and I live in a house over there on the island." 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. It reminded Dexter of five years ago, when he had been at college. B. Two white streams of water rolled themselves out behind it and almost immediately the boat

was beside him, drowning out the sound of the piano. C. There were fish jumping, a star shining and the lights around the lake were gleaming. D. "Aren't you one of those men we played golf with this afternoon?" she demanded. E. Turning, Dexter saw that she was now kneeling on the low rear of the now tilted surf-board. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text 6 points 1. Why did Dexter like the sound of the piano? A. Because it reminded him of his childhood. B. Because he had always liked that kind of music. C. Because music in that setting was beautiful. D. Because he was feeling restless.


2. What did the music remind him of? A. A time when he disliked dancing. B. A night he went to a dance. C. A moment of great happiness. D. His student days. 3. What was the effect of the arrival of the motor boat? A. It woke Dexter up. B. It suddenly disturbed the peace. C. It made him jump. D. It reminded him of where he was. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: The music produced a feeling of great happiness within him. It was a mood of appreciation, a sense that, for once, he was in tune with life and that everything was producing a brightness and glamour he might never know again.

4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 023 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The Beverly Hills Hotel is one of Hollywood's most celebrated meeting places for people in the film business. It was here that film director Orson Welles met American journalist John Rosenbaum for a long overdue interview. (1) … Rosenbaum's book, published in the late 1970's, has given us the clearest insight into a complex man. Welles was born into a respectable middle-class family and became famous when he was a child, as a piano virtuoso. In his teens, his ambition was to be a painter but while he was in Ireland he took up acting to make a living. (2) … But it was only after a successful period on the radio that Welles won a contract with RKO Pictures, beginning his career in the cinema. Rosenbaum's book suggests that all this may surprise people who think of Welles as, above all, the maker of Citizen Kane, the famous film which some critics still refer to as the best film ever made. It is the kind of film a director makes at the very end of his career. Citizen Kane looks as though it has been made by somebody with a lifetime of experience in the cinema. There is no doubt that the film is remarkable. When it was made, Welles was inexperienced in cinema and extremely young - he was only 25 when he started shooting the film. (3) … Greg Toland, perhaps Hollywood's best cameraman, volunteered to film it. Welles worked on the script with the respected writer Herman Mankiewicz. He knew the editor and all the actors, and a good relationship between them developed. He believed that the job of the director was slightly overrated and that the director must think of himself as "the servant of the actors and the story". (4) … Critics felt other projects could not match the brilliance of his first film. This lack of success led Welles to feel that he had been rejected by the American public. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. He was assisted by a skilled crew. B. Their six-hour meeting resulted in one of the finest biographies written about Welles. C. Welles' later films were never as successful as Citizen Kane. D. And actors, of course, like talking about themselves. E. He then became an impressive theatre director, making a name for himself with stage

productions such as "Julius Caesar". 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. Rosenbaum's book … A. deals only with Welles' early life. B. is critical of Welles' character. C. creates a memorable portrait of Welles. D. concentrates on Welles' time in Hollywood.


2. Why are some people surprised by the details of Orson Welles' early career? A. They are generally unaware of his various artistic achievements. B. They don't realise he made "Citizen Kane". C. They assume he made "Citizen Kane" at the age of twenty. D. They believe he came from a poor family. 3. At twenty-five, Welles … A. was an inexperienced actor. B. was extremely overweight. C. had yet to move into theatre. D. had yet to complete his first film. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Rosenbaum's book suggests that all this may surprise people who think of Welles as, above all, the maker of Citizen Kane, the famous film which some critics still refer to as the best film ever made. It is the kind of film a director makes at the very end of his career. Citizen Kane looks as though it has been made by somebody with a lifetime of experience in the cinema. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 024 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. I knew I was going to be late but there was no way of warning her. By the time I arrived, it was around ten past eight. It had been raining for the last five minutes. Sheila was still there, outside a bookshop in Charing Cross Road. (1) … I wore my biggest smile as I ran through all the old excuses: the Northern line... you wouldn't believe it... fourteen minutes at Camden for a train. I felt secure. It wasn't the first time, but the mention of the Northern line made such excuses seem more authentic. She looked at me then with a completely new look, not sweet or loyal at all. She just said, "Well, no one could ever accuse you of having good manners," looked straight at me once more and walked away. I can't quite say why, but for a while that phrase seemed to reveal all the lies I had ever told. In particular, the lies that covered up my habitual lateness. I am not talking about being fashionably late, a habit which can indicate anything from a degree of politeness to a feeling of coldness towards the host. (2) … What I'm talking about is not timing, but something bigger. (3) … To go from my apartment to Charing Cross Road takes 45 minutes. To get there by 7.45 I had to leave at 7 pm. But, washed, shaved and dressed, I knew at 6.30, as I always did, that I was going to be late.

In fact, for years I have been late for every occasion: for drinks, for meetings, for dates, for lunch and dinner, for interviews, weddings, birthdays and funerals. In the end, I finally decided to see an analyst about my habitual lateness. (4) … 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. He asked about my feelings when people were later than I was. B. She could have waited inside, but as the arrangement was outside, she had loyally waited

there for 25 minutes. C. Fashionable lateness is more about timing than about actually being late. D. Remembering it's an inexpensive compliment to be there on time is another. E. When I said I was going to be late, I meant it. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points . 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. Sheila was waiting outside the bookshop in the rain because … A. the bookshop was closed so she couldn't wait inside. B. that was where they had agreed to meet. C. she wanted to be able to see the writer approaching. D. she had only just arrived. 2. Why did the writer feel "secure" that she would believe his excuses? A. He made excuses that were quite believable.


B. It was the first time he had been late. C. He had never used those excuses before. D. He knew she would be understanding. 3. Contrary to the writer's expectations (lines 8 -10) Sheila was … A. calm and pleasant. B. well-mannered. C. cold and wet. D. sharp and sarcastic. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: She looked at me then with a completely new look, not sweet or loyal at all. She just said, "Well, no one could ever accuse you of having good manners," looked straight at me once more and walked away. I can't quite say why, but for a while that phrase seemed to reveal all the lies I had ever told. In particular, the lies that covered up my habitual lateness. I am not talking about being fashionably late, a habit which can indicate anything from a degree of politeness to a feeling of coldness towards the host. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 025 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. When I was a little boy I had a passion for maps. I would look for hours at South America or Africa or Australia and lose myself in the glories of exploration. At that time there were many blank spaces on the earth, and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map I would put my finger on it and say, "When I grow up, I will go there."(1) … Well, I haven't been there yet, and shall not try now. Other places were scattered all over the globe. I have been to some of them, and... Well, we won't speak about that. But there was one - the biggest, the most blank, so to speak - where I wanted to go. In fact, by that time it was no longer a blank space. (2) … It had ceased to be mysterious, a white patch for a boy to dream over. The map now showed a mighty big river, forests, and mountains. The river was like a snake, with its head in the sea and its body curving over a vast land. Then I remembered that a big company traded on that river, and to do this they needed lots of steamboats. Why shouldn't I try to get charge of one? So I started applying to the company, which was a new departure for me. I was not used to getting things that way. The men said, "My dear fellow ..." and left it at that. (3) … She was determined to make a lot of fuss to get me appointed captain of a river steamboat, if that was what I wanted. (4) … It appeared that the company had received news that one of their captains had been killed by natives. It was only months and months later, when I tried to recover the body, that I found out why. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. I got my appointment, of course; and I got it very quickly. B. I then wrote to my aunt who had friends high up in the company. C. It had got filled since my boyhood with rivers and lakes and names. D. The North Pole was one of these places, I remember. E. What became of the hens I don't know. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. Why did the writer like maps as a boy? A. He liked all the details on them. B. He liked to dream about exploring. C. He liked to think about the people living in the places shown. D. He liked their shapes.


2. How would you describe the writer's childhood feelings when he looked at the "blank spaces” (line 3)? A. He was fascinated. B. He was frightened. C. He was disappointed. D. He was bored. 3. How had the biggest blank space changed? A. Some of the cities had changed names. B. It had changed shape. C. New towns had been established. D. It had been explored, and details were now marked on it. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: When I was a little boy I had a passion for maps. I would look for hours at South America or Africa or Australia and lose myself in the glories of exploration. At that time there were many blank spaces on the earth, and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map I would put my finger on it and say, "When I grow up, I will go there." 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 026 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Few of us like to be told that we are average, and Americans are no exception. Far worse, however, is to be told that we, or the things we do, are typical of our nation. Generalisations about nationalities (Americans are incurable optimists, Germans are professional pessimists, and Italians are amused by both) are usually not welcomed, even when they are basically accurate. (1)… One generalisation often made about Americans is that they value their individualism quite highly. They placed great emphasis on their individual differences, on having a great number of choices, and on doing things their own way. This is perhaps why general statements about American lifestyles are frequently resented by Americans. (2) … There are other difficulties with summarising American ways of life and attitudes. Whereas, for example, Italians or Germans form a largely homogeneous society, white, Christian, and speaking one language, Americans do not. And whereas a country like Britain exhibits considerable variation in climate and landscape, the differences across the continental U.S. are extreme. (3) … Less apparent at first thought is that much of what was once said to be typically American is often no longer just American. Largely since the Second World War, more and more American social and cultural habits have taken hold in Europe, from cornflakes and the televised news for breakfast to the evening barbecue or grill party.

(4) … Today, of course, this is no longer the case. American habits have not changed that much, but European ones have, along with the increase in supermarkets and shopping centres, the number of cars, and the modernisation of housing.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Such difficulties, which stem from the enormous variety of America and Americans, should be

rather obvious. B. With Americans, this reaction may even go deeper. C. In the early 1960s, for instance, it was still possible for an American to say that ”in the U.S., we

take a shower every day and go food shopping once a week – in Europe, they do it the other way around.”

D. Part of being an American is not being, and not wanting to be, typical. E. Such concerns are now as familiar to most Europeans as are traffic jams or ”walkman” radios. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. considerable B. typically C. attitudes 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions choose the answer A, B, C or D which you think fits best according to the text: 6 points


1. Why does American individualism value a lot? A. Americans do not like to be told what to do. B. Generalisations about nationalities place the Americans as valuing. C. Individual differences and having many choices. D. Americans are an accurate people.

2. Why do the American habits are no longer typically American?

A. American lifestyle is resented by the American people. B. American habits have been changing, thus they are not customs any longer. C. Social and cultural aspects have already spread in Europe. D. Because they are not a homogeneous society.

3. What kind of people are the Italians?

A. Incurable optimists. B. They love having a great number of choices. C. They are pessimists. D. They are amused both by optimism and by pessimism.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ... difficulties stem from the enormous variety of America and Americans. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 027 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. This new intellectual coyness highlights the peculiar quality of information and ideas in a market economy. The essential problem is this: you cannot know the value of a piece of information, still less an original idea, unless you know what it is. But once gleaned, it cannot be returned to its originator intact. (1) ... . This means that ideas make bad commodities. Pricing, in the usually economic sense, is impossible because the value of the product is not physically captured – at least, not immediately. (2) ... Many of the best ideas come out of a conversation between two people. Who, then, do they belong to? And the danger of legally based approaches is that they will make us more guarded, not less so. (3) ... Isn’t the Internet democratising knowledge? Well, yes. But most of the information we receive is of limited value. How many people who have a truly innovative idea will broadcast it on the web? Some, but not many. With so much guff over the place, the value of an original idea is all the more worth guarding. (4) ... . It also elevates the role of trust. If my colleague gives me an idea, and I pass that idea on, either in print or in conversation, it’s critical that I ”tag” it as hers, rather than succumbing to the temptation pass it off as my own. Such a critical system of tagging would mean that my colleague continues to reap the rewards of her intellectual labour, making her more willing to share her ideas with others in the future, and it would also mean that our conversations would be free of the fear of theft.

(American Life and Institutions – Mary Stevens) 1.Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text . There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. On the face of it, the argument that we are becoming intellectual misers flies in the face of

current developments. B. All this means that intelllectual generosity is becoming rarer and much more precious. C. But legal and contractual approaches to the problem are of limited use. D. In other words, you cannot fell the quality of an idea before deciding whether to buy it or not. E. In most cases, the desire of workers to be recognised as talented, to win promotion and gain

greater financial rewards is sufficient incentive. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions choose the answer A,B,C or D which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. Why does the writer not agree with a legal approach to the problem of intellectual

property? A. It would tend to stifle intellectual endeavour. B. It would exacerbate existing trends.


C. It would hinder the democratisation of knowledge. D. It would be expensive for academics. 2. What does the phrase ”so much guff” refer to? A. Wide availability of copious information. B. The various over-supply of immaginative ideas. C. Ways of accessing ideas on the Internet. D. An atmosphere of distrust between academics. 3. What is the advantage of the system of ”tagging”? A. It will force employers to be more honest with their staff. B. It will foster a cooperative approach among thinkers. C. It will make pepole more productive in terms of ideas. D. It will ensure that unscrupulous academics are exposed. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: But most of the information we receive is of limited value. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 028 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The role and importance of memory have changed dramatically through time. In the Middle Ages (a period lasting from about the 400’s through the 1400’s), a powerful memory ranked as one of the most highly prized of all mental attributes, more valued than a vivid imagination or reasoning skills. (1) … Reading gave them access not only to their own individual memory - their personal experiences and knowledge - but also to an external collective memory - the collected experiences and knowledge of others. Today, collective memory is available to a much larger number of us on a much bigger scale. When we need to know about the beliefs, history, lifestyles, science, and technology of other individuals or groups – whether past or present- we can read about them. (2) … Once we learn the information, we can build on it. As a result, we need not, for example, reinvent the coffeemaker or figure out the ingredients for headache remedies. Over the centuries, the availability of collective memory and its effect on science and technology have improved the quality of life for countless people in the world. (3) … This term refers to the use of computers and computer applications to process huge amounts of information. Today, at the touch of a button or the click of a mouse, we have acess to an almost unlimited amount of information. Has this abundance decreased our dependence on our internal memory? (4) … At the same time, scientific advantages have dramatically increased our knowledge of the brain in general and memory in particular. For example, researchers have learned that we have different types of memory. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The growth in collective memory that resulted from the development of writing and, later, the

printing press laid the foundation for the development of information technology. B. If people with an excellent memory could read and had access to the handwritten books of the

time, they could accumulate knowledge to an extent that others could envy. C. Will internal memory grow increasingly less important as information technology grows? D. We can also listen to audio recordings or watch films or videos. E. Memories may last for just a short time or for a lifetime. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. vivid B. knowledge C. countless 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions choose the answer A, B, C or D which fits according to the text. 6 points


1. In the Middle Ages a powerful memory was ranked as … A. less important. B. more important than a vivid imagination. C. personal experience due to reading. D. an individual memory. 2. Collective memory stands for … A. information we can build on. B. the quality of style and technology. C. a scale according to which people reinvent things. D. the quality of life for countless people in the world. 3. What do people use the term ”information technology” for? A. The growth in collective memory. B. The development of printing and writing press. C. The use of computer applications to process info. D. The information stored in a P.C. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Over the centuries, the availability of collective memory and its effects on science and technology have improved the quality of life for countless people in the world. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 029

Read the text below and complete the following tasks.

Putting this problem aside for the moment, one can agree with the many American books and experts that it is very difficult for a foreigner to grasp the size of the U.S. and the great variety of life which goes on within it. In fact, one of the most frequent comments made by tourists who have travelled around the country is that they were surprised how big it is. (1) … Still, how can someone who lives in a country which can be driven across in a day or two be given a feeling for the immense distances of America, or for those ”wide open spaces”? If we are used to recognising the foreigner among us by his or her colour, race, name, accent, or even religion, then how does it feel to live in a nation like the United States where none of these can tell you if someone is ”an American, born and bred”? (2) … Such examples help, no doubt, but they also miss a basic point about the size and variety of America. This is that unlike Paris and Baghdad, both American cities are within, and of, the same country and culture. (3) … Imagine that we wanted to cross England, for instance from Liverpool to London, but had to pass through four time zones, go over three continental mountain ranges, cross literally hundreds of rivers, and spend days on the vast, flat prairie lands. (4) ... We would go through the world’s most productive agricultural regions, and the crowded industrial centres. We would still see enormous stretches of wilderness if we wished we could have a feeling of what separates the New World of the West Coast from the New World of the East. 1.Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentences for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. One common approach is to make comparisons, for instance, to say that ”San Francisco is

about as far away from New York City as Paris is from Baghdad.” B. And they were also surprised at the tremendous variety, when they expected to find everything

much the same all over the United States. C. We would drive past hundreds of lakes, woods, and forests, farms and ranches, the large cities

with their millions, and the small towns that are just spots in the middle of the road. D. While European tourists are so often surprised by how big America really is, most Americans

take the size of their country for granted. E. We therefore need to imagine what it would be like if Paris and Marseilles were as far apart as

San Francisco and the Big Apple.

2. Explain the underlined words from the text. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions choose the answer A, B, C or D which fits best according to the text. 6 points

1. America’s diversity is given by …

A. its immense distances. B. the heterogeneous people living on this territory.


C. the grasp of the tourists visiting it. D. the various religions people living on the American land have.

2. What does ”an American born and bred” refer to?

A. someone who lives in the U.S.A. B. someone whose colour, race, name or accent are like those of the Americans. C. a person having American ancestors. D. a person who was born and brought up in America having American ancestors.

3. What is the author’s attitude to the immense distances of America?

A. He feels irritated. B. He is overwhelmed by such cultural variety. C. He is scared of the huge distances. D. He is tired of too much travelling.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: If we are used to recognising the foreigner among us by his or her colour, race, name, accent, or even religion, then how does it feel to live in a nation like the United States where none of these can tell you if someone is “an American, born and bred”? 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 030 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The first person I came across who’s got the measure of e-mail was an American friend who was high up in a big corporation. Some years ago, when this method of communication first seeped into business life from academia, his company in New York and its satellites across the globe were among the first to get it. (1) … And if there was cutting-edge wit to be had, there was no way my friend’s corporation would be without it. Almost every week now, there seems to be another report suggesting that we are all being driven crazy by the torment of e-mail. But if this is the case, it’s only because we haven’t developed the same discrimination in dealing with e-mail as we do with post. (2) … Of course you haven’t. This is because of the obliging stupidity of 99 per cent of advertisers, who just can’t help making their mailshots look like the junk mail that they are. Junk e-mail looks equally unnecessary to read. Why anyone would feel the slightest compulsion to open the sort of thing entitled [email protected] I cannot begin to understand. Even viruses, those sneaky messages that contain a bug which can corrupt your whole computer system, come helpfully labelled with packaging that shrieks”danger, do not open!” (3) … Firstly, you junk anything with an exclamation mark or a string of capital letters, or from any address you don’t recognise or feel confident about. Secondly, while I can’t quite support my American friend’s radical policy, e-mails don’t have to be answered. (4) … , but it is permissible to end a strand of discussion by simply not discussing it any longer – or to accept a point of information sent by a colleague without acknowledging it. The charm of e-mail can lie in the simple, suspended sentence, with total disregard for the formalities of the letter sent by post. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentences for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you not need to use. 4 points A. Have you ever mistaken an important letter for a piece of unsolicited advertising and thrown it

out? B. Because e-mail is so easy, there’s a tendency for correspondence to carry on for ever C. Handling e-mail is an art. D. We all have e-mail buddies who send long, chatty e-mails, which are nice to receive. E. In the world’s great seats of learning, e-mail had for some years allowed researchers to share

vital new jokes. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. discrimintion B. obliging C. permissible 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions choose the answer A, B, C or D which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points


1. According to the writer, why did the company he mentions decide to adopt the e-mail system?

A. So that employees could contact academics more easily. B. To avoid missing out on any amusing novelty. C. Because it had been tried and tested in universities. D. To cope with the vast amount of correspondence they received. 2. According to the writer, what is causing the”torment of e-mail” described in reports? A. The persistence of advertiser. B. Problems caused by computer viruses. C. The attitude of those receiving e-mails. D. Lessons learnt from dealing with junk mail. 3. Which of the following pieces of advice is given? A. Forget about e-mails which you do not intend to acknowledge. B. Use e-mail as a way of avoiding unnecessary conversations. C. Be prepared to break off overlong e-mail communications. D. Read your e-mails even if you are not going to answer them. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ... we haven’t developed the same discrimination in dealing with e-mail as we do with post. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 031 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. They were all there; actors, musicians, writers, politicians, supermodels- anyone who was anyone, in fact, came to worship at the new altar of British cool; at the Tate Modern’s opening party. (1) …. What they’ve achieved is a gallery that rivals the Pompidou in Paris and the MOMA in New York. After decades of scandal, contemporary art has shaken off its marginalised status and become part and parcel of Britain’s new self-consciously international image. One suspects that the Tate Modern will soon feature on every tourist’s list of things to see in London. (2) … The building itself answers the imperatives of modern art; it’s big, bold and a little bit scary. The architects Herzog and de Meuton have emphasised the building’s new function whilst respecting the existing architecture. The choice of building is a fitting tribute to the original architect Scott, the man who also gave us the red telephone box. Scott’s building was an emblem of old British industrialism and Britain’s position in the world market. Now the old economy has given way to the new – Britain has turned from manufacturing to service industries, from heavy to light. The building reflects this. (3) … You can’t help but be struck by the irony of this as the original massive girders provide a backdrop to the delicate constructions of plastic on display. Such complexities are not confined to the four walls of the Tate Modern. It lies in the poverty-stricken borough of Southwark, yet is just the river from the wealthiest square mile in Europe. (4) … The area, which has historically been closed off to the buzz and energy of the capital, is definitely on the way up, with a sprinkling of cultural sites such as the Globe Theatre luring visitors over the Thames. Don’t be deceived, though. A few minutes away are the bleak streets of Southwark, with its office blocks and run-down housing estates. 1. Four statements have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Instead of being discarded, it has been transformed into the new flagship for Britain. B. The gallery is housed in the former Bankside Power Station. C. Its location on the southside of the River Thames will alter the mental geography of London. D. Instead of presenting a chronological display, the curators have opted for four themed areas. E. The Tate’s new Bankside Gallery came into being after five frantic years of planning and mini

crises which the organisers handled remarkably well. 2. Match the words in bold with their meaning. 6 points A. to keep someone or something within the limits of a particular activity or subject. B. a strong beam made of iron or steel that supports a floor, roof or bridge. C. the conditions or situation in which something happens. 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points


1. The Tate Modern’s opening party was well-attended because …

A. it had been well-planned. B. it had been highly publicised. C. it was a fashionable place to be seen in. D. the guests supported British art.

2. Contemporary art has become …

A. internationally recognised. B. more marginalised. C. more accessible for tourists. D. a symbol of British economic strength.

3. The former Bankside Power Station building …

A. provides a contrast to the art inside. B. has been completely refurnished. C. is located in a pocket of wealth. D. will open up a new area to tourism.

5. Comment upon the following in about 100 words: The area, which has historically been closed off to the buzz and energy of the capital, is definitely on the way up, with a sprinkling of cultural sites such as the Globe Theatre luring visitors over the Thames. Don’t be deceived, though. A few minutes away are the bleak streets of Southwark, with its office blocks and run-down housing estates. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 032 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. “The whale has no voice”, wrote Melville in Moby Dick, “but then again what has the whale to say? Seldom have I known any profound being that had anything to say to this world, unless to stammer out something by way of getting a living.” Not so. Whales may not sing for their suppers, but some of them certainly do sing. Melville failed to hear them because they sing underwater. (1) … If whales sing near a wooden-bottomed boat, sailors in their bunks or hammocks may hear an eerie melodious wail from they know not where. Hence, perhaps, the many sea-tales of lullabies sung by drowned colleagues. Why do they sing? First, spot the singers. There are two sorts of whales: the toothed whales-such as the sperm, killer and pilot whales- who are close relatives of the porpoise and the dolphin; and the toothless ”baleen” whales- such as the humpback, right and minke. (2) … Such creatures make sounds, but have not been known to sing. Many dolphins produce”signature” whistles- each one has a different call-sign from his neighbours. These seem to function as names: a dolphin will often produce his neighbour’s whistle when nearby. Similarly, each sperm whale produces a distinctive series of clicks – known as his coda – and will sometimes mimic a nearby whale’s coda. Killer whales have identifiable dialects that are specific to each family. It is the baleen whales, especially the humpbacks, which break into song. (3) … It gradually changes over time and each whale learns and copies the new variations. This is a formidable feat because the songs, which can last up to thirty minutes, are highly complex. It is only the males who sing, and they do so chiefly during the breeding season. The songs seem like many bird songs. (4) …The notes can swoop down from a high-pitched factory whistle to a reverberating fog-horn. Play back a recorded humpback song at fourteen times the correct speed and it sounds like a nightingale. But birdsong is shorter – and more significantly – not so structured as whale song. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Unlike birds, whales appear to have studied some of the rules of classical composition. B. At any one time, all the singing whales in a population sing the same song. C. Others have heard them without realising it. D. Singing humpbacks have a wide vocal range. E. The toothed whales usually live in stable and organised groups: a gang of killer whales may

stay together for years on end. 2. Match the words in bold with their meaning. 6 points A. to make a high or musical sound by blowing air out B. period when animals produce babies C. to speak with a lot of pauses and repeated sounds 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points


1. What did Melville believe about whales?

A. They didn’t produce vocal sounds. B. They have nothing to say. C. They couldn’t imitate the human voice. D. They couldn’t sing.

2. Which of the following seem to use personal identification signals?

A. Killer whales. B. Porpoises. C. Sperm whales. D. Baleen whales.

3. What is known about the song of a humpback whale?

A. It is identical to that of a nightingale. B. It could be taken for birdsong if it was slower. C. It mimics sounds produced by musical instruments. D. It is rather more complex than that of birds.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Hence, perhaps, the many sea – tales of lullabies sung by drowned colleagues. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 033 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. At first sight a zebra may look like a quark of nature, an unlikely survivor in an environment of fierce predators. After all, what can be more definite, as a fashion statement, than black and white stripes, so totally unlike the brown, grey or khaki of creatures that blend with their background to escape being another animal’s next meal? (1) … Although the earliest identifiable ancestor of the zebra appeared on earth about 54 million years ago, it took 52 million years for the equus genus, of which the modern zebra is a variety, to arrive. With environmental conditions changing as herds migrated, populations became separated from each other and gradually diversified into the distinct species we have today – horses, donkeys and zebras. (2) … Experts have long puzzled over the purpose of a zebra’s stripes, posing explanations such as a need to keep parasites away or the white stripes being a cooling device to absorb less heat, despite the fact that there is no known correlation between the width of the white stripes and the local climate. We must, therefore, search elsewhere for reasons why the stripes evolved. Three credible explanations present themselves: camouflage, communication and courting. Once they become aware of an impending attack, they do not make use of their markings as other camouflaged animals do – neither freezing nor attempting to blend in with their surroundings. (3) … Far from making them sitting ducks, however, this aids them in what is called disruptive coloration, where the outline of each individual animal is disrupted, bedazzling would – be predators with the combined effects of the heard’s stripes, as well as producing the illusion of greater size. (4) …The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the stripes make it difficult to judge how far away and in which direction the zebras are travelling, effectively screening them from predators. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Zebras themselves can be further subdivided into three groups: plains, mountains and Grevy’s. B. Predators therefore find it difficult to either assess the herd’s number or the size of individual

animals. C. The fact that the zebra hasn’t been wiped out means that such markings must give the animal

some sort of advantage in the wild. D. It looks as if, like the leopard with its spots, the zebra is unlikely to change its stripes. E. Instead, they stay out in the open in large, brazen groups. 2. Match the words in bold with their meaning. 6 points A. you find the situation so impressive that it surprises and confuses you B. a very small part of something which is smaller than an atom C. especially an unpleasant event or situation which is going to happen very soon 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. According to the writer, a zebra’s stripes …

A. are meant to blend in with its background. B. make a fashion statement. C. have some survival value. D. have ensured that it hasn’t been wiped out.

2. What does the writer say about zebras as a species?

A. They are exactly the same as horses. B. They comprise three subdivisions. C. They are completely unrelated to donkeys. D. They came into being 54 million years ago.

3. It would seem that a zebra’s stripes serve to …

A. cool the animal down. B. discourage parasites. C. confuse possible predators. D. make the animal larger.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ... an unlikely survivor in an environment of fierce predators. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 034 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The Celts were probably one of the most enigmatic races which spread across Europe during what is known as the Iron Age. (1) … Fortunately, the Romans never reached Ireland, and for that reason, Celtic values were still prominent there well into the fifth century. Celtic societies were based on the extended family unit or fine, and a numbered of fines grouped together to form a Tuath, a clan or tribe. The tuath was ruled by a Ri, a king who was elected by the elders and warriors of a tuath. Although detailed records which might explain how the king was chosen no longer exist, it would appear that his good character would have been taken into account when making a selection. (2) … A clan system operated within Celtic society, with the nobles and warriors at the top, who controlled the land and wealth of the clan. Craftmen and technicians, the Aes Dara, were the equivalent of the modern middle classes and they were highly respected. They had the added advantage of being free to travel between clans and know that they would be valued and accepted wherever they went. In Ireland, there is sufficient evidence on the ground to reconstruct Celtic homesteads. (3)… Furniture was sparse, apart from a few low tables and a central fire for cooking and heating. Each homestead was self-sufficient, with its own bread oven, cheesehouse, smithies, grain storage, processing areas and livestock pens. Surrounding the homestead, a palisade fence kept out raiders and wolves. We might imagine that the diet of this distant race was boring, but, although it was based on meat, this included dolphin, wild boar, octopus and a variety of fowl. (4) … The Celts were active traders, exchanging their furs, metalwork, and amber for glass, coral, precious metals and wine. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentences for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. This democratic method probably ensured loyalty from the influential members of the tuath. B. These people made a tremendous impact on the spheres of art, society, warfare and learning. C. They brewed their own beer, which was augmented by wine from the Mediterranean. D. Celts would take a dim view of our need to commit everything to paper. E. These included the main house, a circular building of wood or stone, often partly underground,

and consisting of one large room or hall. 2. Give the synonyms of the underlined words:

A. prominent; B. the elders; C. boring. 6 points

3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points


1. The Celtic culture lasted so long in Ireland because … A. they were craftmen and technicians. B. of their religion. C. the Romans never invaded Ireland. D. the nobility owned the land .

2. According to the writer, a king gained the loyalty of his clan through …

A. fighting the other noblemen. B. his personal qualities. C. being democratic. D. keeping detailed records.

3. The Aes Dara were probably the most fortunate clan because they …

A. owned and controlled the land and wealth. B. made beautiful things from metal and wood. C. were the equivalent of the modern middle calss. D. were free to travel and were highly respected.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ... it would appear that his good character would have been taken into account when making a selection. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 035 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The biggest challenge to science is to explain how the brain generates consciousness. The very concept defies formal definitions, but perhaps an informal way would be to define it as the first – person, personal world as it seems to you. (1) … If, after all, it is all about the subjective, then it could be distasteful to those of us who are trained to be impartial. Until recently, this aversion to a phenomenology that could not be measured or shared was enough to focus most scientists on the smaller, but still awesome, problems of brainfunction-how the sludgy mass between our ears actually works at the nuts and bolts level. (2) … But what has eluded us is how the brain works as a whole. Over the past few years, however, a growing band of pioneers has asked the big question of how the cells and chemicals fit together to generate mental experience. The problem has been that in our enthusiasm to be objective we have thrown the baby out with the bath water, and turned our backs on the very quality that perplexes the non-biologist: the first-hand feel of the subject of experience. (3) … Perhaps the mistake has been to liken consciousness to some kind of monolithic property that cannot be deconstructed. But suppose we could draw up a list of criteria for envisaging how conscious process might be sub-served by brain tissue: what kind of issue might feature? We usually assume consciousness is all or none: you either have it or you don’t? (4) … it is very hard to peer into the human brain and find a magic property that is either there or not there. After all, science is about measurement, quantity rather than quality-so what if consciousness was quantitative, varied in degree, rather than being there as some deux ex machina? What if consciousness grows as brains grow - can evolve, rather like a bulb that is operated by an electric dimmer switch, from humble beginnings in simple non-human animals. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. As such, consciousness is not just a tantalising enigma, but also an embarrassment to some

scientists. B. This is why the study of consciousness has proved so hard for the neuroscientists: C. First is the possibility that our consciousness varies in degree from one moment to the next. D. Perhaps a happier approach might be to ask what it is we are actually going to expect of the

brain. E. More recently, the techniques of imaging brain activity on computer have given neuroscientists

enough to think about. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. recently B. aversion C. humble 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. According to the writer, what effect has the uncertainty surrounding the nature of

consciousness had on scientists? A. They have been reluctant to admit that they do not understand it. B. They have chosen to review their theoretical perspective on it. C. They have turned to neuroscientists. D. They have opted to study more accessible phenomena.

2. “We have thrown the baby out with the bath water” means …

A. a critical issue has been ignored B. a possible solution has been rejected C. too many ideas have complicated the matter D. too many questions have remained unanswered

3. In generating an image of consciousness, the writer thinks an error has been made in … A. failing to judge the process that it deals with. B. assuming that it cannot be broken down into parts. C. analysing the brain’s role in its development. D. using human subjects for neurological research.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ... in our enthusiasm to be objective we have thrown the baby out with the bath water... 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 036 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. You may remember King Kong on the Empire State Building in the film. Ever since the Tower of Babel, man has liked to think big in terms of building. Whether it is by constructing pyramids, ziggurats or palaces, he has had an urge to reach for the sky and it is this that has led to the twentieth/twenty-first century craze for skyscrapers. (1) … In order for modern skyscrapers to be a practical possibility, however, something had to happen. That was the invention of the lift, by Elisha Graves Otis, in 1854. Three years later, it was put to commercial use in New York and buildings higher than five storeys became feasible for the first time. (2) … In 1899, however, the Park Row office block was constructed with a steel frame, and this led to new techniques where the form of the building is skeletal, with the main loading being located in the central core and the external “curtain wall” constructed of lightweight materials, for instance glass and aluminium. This substitution of lighter materials for concrete made it possible for architects to design buildings of 400 to 500m in height. (3) … Getting higher and higher with the development of relevant technology, skyscrapers are a fair indication of economic trends, going up during the boom years only to come to a standstill when recessions cut off funds. For this reason, the 1980s heralded a wave of skyscraper building while the less promising 1990s slowed it down. Furthermore, the bulk of the building work has moved from its home in the USA (Chicago being the birthplace of the skyscraper) to Asia, reflecting the new power, prestige and confidence of the growing tiger economies. (4) … The New World is, nevertheless, fighting back against this competition from the Pacific Rim, with plans for the Chicago South Dearborn project to be completed by 2003. Europe, on the other hand, seems to have opted out of the race altogether, the planned London Millennium Tower being scaled down from a projected 486m to 386m because otherwise people would consider it too tall. Europe’s current highest building, Commerzbank headquarters in Frankfurt, is, at 261m, no match for the American and Asian giants, and neither is London’s Canary Wharf. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentences for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Having said that, it should be borne in mind that the tallest building in the world is currently

Petronas Towers, above Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and that it is also the tallest concrete structure in the world.

B. Nevertheless, it is no mean feat to equip skyscrapers with renewable sources of energy. C. Indeed, thrusting aggressively into the sky these structures seem to mimic our passion for

space exploration. D. The first high-rise constructions were not skyscrapers as we would recognise them today, but

merely taller than average buildings. E. It is therefore no wonder that Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers superseded Chicago’s Sear’s

Tower.


2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. urge B. feasible C. core 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. The author states that people like to build big because … A. it compensates for their inability to travel in space. B. it is rooted in our history. C. it seems to be an innate desire. D. they like to live in pyramids and palaces. 2. The modern skyscraper was first made possible by … A. a device invented in the nineteenth century. B. buildings more than 5 storeys high. C. the steel-frame building technique. D. a commercial building in New York. 3. Skyscrapers are a mirror of … A. the tiger economies. B. Asian power. C. building trends. D. economic tendencies. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ... Ever since the Tower of Babel, man has liked to think big in terms of building. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 037 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. At first glance, why anyone would want to save California condors is not entirely clear. Unlike the closely related Andean condors with their white neck fluff or king vultures with their brilliant black-and-white colouring, California condors are not much to see. Their dull black colour - even when contrasted with white underwings - featherless head and neck, oversized feet and blunt talons are hardly signs of beauty or strength. (1) … With nine-and-a-half-foot wingspans and weights up to twenty-eight pounds, California condors are North America’s largest fully flighted birds. In the Americas, only Andean condors are bigger. California condors can soar almost effortlessly for hours, often covering hundreds of miles a day - far more than other creatures of the air. Only occasionally do they need to flap their wings - to take off, change direction or find a band of warm air known as a thermal to carry them higher. (2) …. From studying wild condors, they already knew that if a pair lost an egg, the birds would often produce another. So the first and sometimes second eggs laid by each female in captivity were removed, artificially incubated, and the chicks raised using hand-held puppets made to look like adult condors. Such techniques quickly proved effective. Despite these successes, the effort to save California condors continues to have problems, evoke criticisms and generate controversy. Captive-hatched condors released to the wild have died at what to some people are alarmingly high rates. (3) … As a result, the scientists, zookeepers and conservationists who are concerned about condors have bickered among themselves over the best ways to rear and release the birds. Some of the odd behaviour on the part of these re-released birds is hard to explain. (4)….These deaths may be due to the chicks’ parents mistaking man-made objects for bone chips eaten for their calcium content. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The real key to successful condor reintroduction, he believes, lies in properly socialising young

condors as members of a group that follow and learn from older, preferably adult birds. B. Others have had to be recaptured after they acted foolishly or became ill. C. When it was discovered that the condor population was becoming dangerously small, scientists

sought to increase condor numbers quickly to preserve species’ genetic diversity. D. Their appeal begins to become evident when they take flight. E. Most recently, some of the first chicks hatched in the wild died after their parents fed them

bottle caps, glass shards, pieces of plastic that fatally perforated or blocked their intestines. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. effortlessly B. controversy C. incubated 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. 6 points 1. According to the writer, the most impressive feature of the California condor is … A. its resemblance to the Andean condor. B. its ability to glide. C. its colourful plumage. D. its blunt talons. 2. In the first stage of the conservation programme … A. eggs were removed from the nests of wild condors. B. female condors were captured and studied carefully. C. scientists and zookeepers tried to create genetic diversity. D. condors were induced to lay more than one egg. 3. What are we told about the attempts to save these birds from extinction? A. There is disagreement about the methods employed. B. The majority of condors released into the wild have died. C. Attempts to breed condors in captivity have failed. D. Condors reintroduced into the wild are unable to hunt. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ... As a result, the scientists, zookeepers and conservationists who are concerned about condors have bickered among themselves over the best ways to rear and release the birds. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 038 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. A new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) technical report and policy statement, “Global Climate Change and Children’s Health,” outlines the specific ways global climate change impacts child health, and calls on pediatricians to understand the threats to children, anticipate the impact on children’s health, and advocate for strategies that will lessen the effects. Direct health impacts from global warming include injury and death from more frequent extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and tornados. (1) … Increased climate-sensitive infectious diseases, air pollution-related illness, and heat-related illness and fatalities also are expected. As the climate changes, the earth’s geography also will change, (2) … Disruptions in the availability of food and water and the displacement of coastal populations can cause malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies and water-borne illness, the statement said. “This is a call for us to look at how climate change may be impacted by what we do as an organization, what we do in our personal business and what we do in our home life,” said Helen J. Binns, MD, MPH, FAAP, chair of the AAP Committee on Environmental Health. (3) … by making small changes such as switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, reducing thermostat settings in the winter and increasing settings in the summer, and using cars less. Pediatricians should make sure their patients understand the air quality index, pollen counts and UV measures used in most metropolitan areas. These conversations can be opportunities to introduce the broader issue of climate change and the importance of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The statement also advises pediatricians to advocate and support policies that strengthen public transportation, (4) … It’s also crucial that children are given specific attention in emergency and disaster response planning. 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/group of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence/group of words which you do not need to use. 4 points A. expand green spaces and reward energy efficiency. B. For children, this can mean post-traumatic stress, loss of caregivers, disrupted education and

displacement. C. leading to a host of health risks for kids. D. making the air impossible to breathe. E. The statement encourages pediatricians to be role models for minimizing greenhouse gas

emissions 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. switching to B. reducing C. support 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. The report warns of the negative effect of global climate change in the case of … A. newly-born children. B. children living in costal areas. C. child health in general. 2. Scarcity of food and water will lead to … A. deaths among all life forms along with the pollution of the environment. B. unhealthy diet, disease and lack of vitamins. C. the need to take new measures as to the the quality of public transportation. 3. The last paragraph … A. offers solutions to the problem of global climate change. B. increases the awareness of pediatricians concerning the health of people. C. insists on the importance of reducing the number of cars. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: The statement also advises pediatricians to advocate and support policies that strengthen public transportation. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 039 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. “Most people seem to remember maths as their worst subject and have developed a mental block about it. So there will be a lot of areas about which they know nothing. Everyone who tries to popularise maths understands they are going to come up against this (1) … I felt it was important to address this barrier between writer and reader head on”, said Andrew Hodges, maths lecturer at Wadham College, Oxford. Which is easier said than done, (2) … Only last week, Camelot had to withdraw one of its scratchcards when loads of punters complained that they couldn't understand why - 9 was a lower number than - 8. For Hodges, the real battleground is the syllabus at key stages 3 and 4, where the ante gets upped from relatively straightforward maths to something altogether more complicated: an uneasy hybrid of the Athenian Euclidian abstract logic that was so appealing to the Victorian gentry, and the relentless grind of long calculation that has its roots in the pre-computer era (3) … "There still needs to be a syllabus that stretches the most able and provides them with a route on to A-level and university," he says. "But I think we should consider abandoning it as a compulsory subject. What's the point in a system that brands all those who don't get a maths GCSE as failures? All it does is reinforce their sense that maths is boring and difficult, which is the last thing we should be doing." He would like to see a change of approach. "We should be trying to find ways of equipping children with the basic maths they will need to function adequately in society. I'm sure there are wonderful examples of good teaching practice to be found in schools, but the curriculum is very prescriptive and most teachers don't have the time to be creative. (4) …, such as electronic music and web design, that are more relevant to most students."

(Tuesday November, 13, 2007, The Guardian) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. when bosses needed clerks to keep books and ledgers with metronomic accuracy. B. but most choose to ignore it and carry on regardless. C. when you realise just how limited many people's maths often is. D. There is no point in insisting on that. E. We should be looking at ways of teaching maths skills through other media 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. to come up against B. straightforward C. compulsory 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. A lot of people regard maths as … A. a subject easy to deal with. B. the most difficult subject ever. C. a hobby. 2. Students should be taught basic maths in school … A. to make it easier for them to get on in life. B. to help them get a GCSE. C. to reinforce their sense that maths is boring and difficult. 3. Teachers are prevented from making maths pleasant because … A. they are not creative. B. they have a compulsory syllabus to comply with. C. they lack adequate teaching materials. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: He would like to see a change of approach. 4 points




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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 040 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. In contemporary U.S. society, many adolescents spend considerable amounts of time in online interactions. The language used on the Internet demonstrates an evolution of discourse, (1)… Sometimes referred to as netspeak, the language of the Internet entails both traditional linguistic forms and adapted ones that (2) … Netspeak is an emergent discourse that is shaped entirely by the creativity of its community. The introduction of acronyms (e.g., "lol = laugh out loud," "brb = be right back"), plays or variations on words (e.g., "cya = see you", "latah = later"), graphical icons that represent emotions, called emoticons (e.g., :) ) or graphical icons that represent a real person in a virtual context, called avatars, are all examples of language produced by online communicators. This language continues to evolve and remains an important area of study when considering the ways in which Internet users interact and express who they are. Scholars have actively explored how identity and language are manifested in online interactions. Current research in computer-mediated communication (CMC) environments such as chat rooms, newsgroups, and MUDs (3) … language is used, and interactions have transpired. Yet, as new Internet applications are created and embraced, CMC studies must continue to strive toward the understanding of online identity, language, and interaction. Such is the case for weblogs or "blogs." Blogs are personal journals or reversed-chronological commentaries written by individuals and made publicly accessible on the web, and they have distinctive technological features that set them apart from other forms of CMC. These features include: 1) ease-of-use, as users do not need to know HTML or other web programming languages; 2) opportunities for others to comment or provide feedback for each blog post; and 3) links to other "bloggers" to form online communities.These features are especially important for constructing online identity. First, the lack of technical expertise needed to create or maintain blogs makes the application more accessible regardless of gender and age. Next, the ability to archive blog posts creates a way to scaffold on previous impressions and expressions; thus, constructing identity can be a continual process for adolescents, and one to which they can refer. (4) …, this can foster a sense of peer group relationships, another important aspect for the developing adolescent. 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/group of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence/group of words which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Finally, when blog software offers ways to provide feedback or link to other bloggers B. include slang and non-standard forms that are sometimes used in offline life. C. has revealed interesting trends in the way individual identity is presented, D. and there is no way to stop them. E. and adolescents are in the midst of that language evolution. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. entails B. embraced


C. foster 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. Netspeak makes it possible for adolescents to use … A. imposed linguistic forms. B. different stereotyped linguistic patterns. C. various forms of language. 2. Blogs primarily help adolescents … A. to create their own identity. B. to form strong relationships online. C. to forget about school. 3. Bloggers need to … A. have advanced computer knowledge. B. create online communities. C. have basic computer skills. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: These features are especially important for constructing online identity. 4 points




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People who are energetic, happy and relaxed are less likely to catch colds, while those who are depressed, nervous or angry are more likely to complain about cold symptoms, whether or not they get bitten by the cold bug, according to a recent study.

Study participants (1) … and experienced fewer symptoms compared to people with a negative emotional style, say Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D., of Carnegie Mellon University and colleagues, writing in the July issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.

Cohen's team interviewed 334 healthy volunteers three evenings a week for two weeks to assess their emotional states. The volunteers described how they felt that day in three positive-emotion areas: vigor, well-being and calm. (2) …

Other scientists have speculated that people who typically report experiencing negative emotions (3) … and those who report positive emotions have less risk, says Cohen.

After their assessment, each volunteer got a squirt in the nose of a rhinovirus - the germ that causes colds. The researchers kept the subjects under observation for five days to see whether or not they became infected and how they manifested symptoms.

"We found that experiencing positive emotions was associated with greater resistance to developing a common cold," Cohen reports. "Increases in positive emotional styles were linked with decreases in the rate of clinical colds, but a negative emotional style had no effect on whether or not people got sick."

A positive emotional style actually had no effect on how often volunteers were infected (as measured by replication of the virus) but produced fewer signs and symptoms of the illness, says Cohen. This suggests that inflammatory chemicals produced by the body may link the positive emotional style with colds.

Further analysis revealed that good health practices and lower levels of certain hormones did not account for the link between positive emotional style and illness. Since the average person catches two to five colds a year, developing psychological risk profiles and considering ways to enhance positive emotion (4) … - and by extension, other infectious diseases.

(Adapted from materials provided by Center for the Advancement of Health) 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/group of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence/group of words which you do not need to use. 4 points A. It reveals the effect of colds. B. who had a positive emotional style weren't infected as often C. They were also questioned about three categories of negative feelings: depression, anxiety

and hostility. D. might reduce the risk of colds E. are at greater risk for disease


2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. according to B. associated with C. assessment 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. The study has shown that ... A. happiness is closely related to smooth relationships with other people. B. happy people get angry only rarely. C. happy people are not so prone to catching colds.

2. According to the study, people who experience negative feelings ...

A. are inclined to be angrier than others. B. have the tendency to catch colds more often. C. does not influence their state of health directly.

3. The last paragraph reveals that ...

A. happy people are friendlier. B. a laid-back attitude to life may reduce the danger of getting ill. C. getting ill is the direct result of too much stress.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Since the average person catches two to five colds a year, developing psychological risk profiles and considering ways to enhance positive emotion might reduce the risk of colds -- and by extension, other infectious diseases. 4 points




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Adolescents have a reputation for being more emotionally volatile than adults: their highs are higher and their lows are lower. Although one reason for these differences is the variability of adolescent social contexts, (1) … In particular, adolescent romantic relationships are both emotionally intense and short-lived, a combination likely to produce an emotional landscape characterized by steep highs and plummeting lows. It has been argued that the intense and volatile nature of adolescent romantic relationships, combined with the immature state of adolescents’ developing social skills, may explain the differences between the emotional lives of adolescents and their parents.

When I first began to think about adolescent romantic relationships and negative emotions during adolescence, (2) … Adolescents rate breaking up with a romantic partner as highly stressful on life event inventories, adolescents break up with romantic partners more frequently than adults do. In fact, the norm for breaking up in response to dissatisfaction in a romantic relationship is so strong, that it at first didn’t occur to me to think about the association of negative emotion and adolescents’ experiences within ongoing romantic relationships. Why would a teenager stay in a relationship (3) … when there were so few barriers to termination?

And then I remembered high school, and a friend of mine who would spend months bemoaning how badly she was treated by a boyfriend who she never managed to dump. And when he finally dumped her, how she would immediately get involved in another bad relationship. And I looked at the work by Downey and others on abuse in dating relationships and rejection sensitivity and reexamined the literature on romantic attachment. There was strong evidence that at least some youths stayed in relationships that they were unhappy with, and that involvement in poor quality relationships leads to negative effect and depressive symptoms. Because adolescents who show patterns of insecure attachment are likely to be involved in less satisfactory romantic relationships and are less likely to receive effective social support when upset, (4) …

So maybe it wasn’t just breaking up with romantic partners that was responsible for the emotional volatility of adolescents: maybe it was the quality of ongoing dating relationships as well. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. another reason is the type of social relationships that adolescents engage in. B. I immediately thought of breaking up. C. with someone who they weren’t happy with D. here is no reason to worry. E. they are also likely to be more depressed. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. engage in B. managed to C. ongoing


3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. The relationships adolescents get involved in are ... A. intense.

B. consuming and ephemeral. C. immature.

2. One difference between teens and their parents as to their love management is ...

A. their immaturity. B. their prejudiced mentality. C. their incapacity to learn from mistakes.

3. Disappointing relationships in adolescence may result in ...

A. the ability to discern things better. B. pessimism and depression. C. depth of feeling.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Adolescents have a reputation for being more emotionally volatile than adults: their highs are higher and their lows are lower. 4 points




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Some adolescent boys are easy to understand. They seek approval for accomplishments. They dream of winning the big game, playing guitar in a heavy metal band, and dating the prettiest girl in the school. Some adolescent boys do not dream of dating the prettiest girl in the school. In folktales, adolescent boys go on quests for treasure. They overcome obstacles not by force of will, (1) … . In the end, they marry a princess.

Some adolescent girls are harder to understand. On the surface they seem to care only about shopping, clothes, music, science, mathematics, and movies - and talking about boys. Adolescent girls expend as much effort deciding (2) … . Some girls do not do any of these things. But what mental processes do girls use to approve something? (Contrary to popular belief, adolescent girls aren't sheep. They don't buy stuff solely because their peers bought it.)

In folktales, an old woman imprisons a young woman in a tower, castle, or kitchen (the old woman symbolizes the life stage the young woman is trying to grow out of). There the young woman passively waits for Prince Charming to recognize her beauty (3) … . This is a metaphor that women want men to see their inner beauty, that each young woman feels that something stops men from seeing her emerging true nature, and that women feel love when a man breaks through that barrier. When a man connects to a woman's inner self, she gives her approval. Similarly, women give their approval when clothes, music, or movies connect to their inner selves.

Adolescents give and receive conditional love - love for what makes an individual special.You feel passionate love when you meet an individual who reflects the hidden, contrasexual elements of your personality. Men feel passion (4) …, or hidden feminine sides. Women feel passion when they meet men who reflect their animus, or hidden masculine sides. 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/groups of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence/group of words which you do not need to use. 4 points A. when they meet women who reflect their animus B. but instead by listening to advice from seemingly unimportant creatures C. and the couple reunites D. and rescue her E. what to approve as boys spend seeking approval 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. approval B. quest for C. hidden 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points


4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. Teenage boys generally search for … A. appreciation of their successes. B. exciting adventures. C. a beautiful princess.

2. Girls are essentially …

A. skin-deep. B. not easy to pin down. C. in the pursuit of qualities to admire.

3. Intense love is felt when you … A. meet someone who completes you. B. get to know yourself better. C. receive unconditional love.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: You feel as if something's been missing all your life, and now you have it. 4 points




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Reading is a skill that, for most undergraduates, is taken as read. This is because getting to university is all about doing well in exams, and everyone knows that the most important thing to do well in an exam is to read the question. It is worth remembering, however, (1) … . Learning to read better is largely about knowing what's worth reading and what's not. Let's start with the booklist. This probably is worth reading - but only so that you can strike out most of its suggestions. Many of the others, you can probably dismiss after a quick scan through various introductions and conclusions. Gavin Fairbairn, author of “Reading at University: A Guide for Students”, says much of what academics write is pretentious nonsense. He says you need to use contents lists and indexes, (2) …

The important thing is to think about the texts and what they might contain without actually having to wade through all of them. You want to reduce the amount of ineffective reading you do (3) … Soon you may find your essential reading for an assignment consists of just a couple of paragraphs.

While you are reading, you need to think about how the text helps to answer the question you are tackling, what argument it is making, whether you agree with it, and what other people have said. For most students, keeping dozens of things in their head like this is easy. Many find they can read a whole book while plotting an evening's pub crawl and wondering whether that cute guy who usually visits the library on Wednesdays is going to turn up.

Nowadays, thanks to the web, (4) … . Make sure you remember how one works though, just in case you have to open one in front of your lecturer.

Finally, don't forget to read critically what you've written yourself. Remember, you need to be rigorous about dismissing purple prose and pretentious theories, even if you think the person who wrote them is potentially a genius. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. that no one will realise that you have read a question until you actually bother to answer it B. abstracts and footnotes to help you locate the really interesting ideas. C. so that you can focus on the bits that are really useful. D. it is possible to do all the reading you need without ever using a book at all. E. don’t forget to analyse all information first. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. nonsense B. assignment C. to turn up 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. Doing well in the exams requires … A. a careful reading of the questions. B. giving the answers to the questions. C. just reading the questions.

2. To be an efficient reader you have to … A. know what is relevant and what not. B. select readable materials. C. be a seasoned reader.

3. The Internet makes it possible for anyone to … A. use books only selectively. B. read things without having to browse a book. C. order books more easily.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Finally, don't forget to read critically what you've written yourself. 4 points




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Asking your parents for more money is very like arranging an overdraft. You start with phone calls, follow up with letters, and, if those don't work, you're going to need a face-to-face visit. Parents particularly like giving money for items essential for your course, and if they can be persuaded that you are thinking about costs. They will be impressed if you tell them the price of secondhand textbooks - less impressed if you've found the best value Happy Hour.

If you phone home to ask for money, make sure it isn't the first call you make. (1) … to let them know you have arrived safely and have gone to at least one lecture. It doesn't count if all these calls are made on the same day.

It is hard to know which are more difficult to handle: parents who believe you are only after their money, (2) … . With the first, you have to ask lots of questions about their new conservatory and other people's grandchildren to prove you genuinely care about them, as well as their cash. With the second, you have to steer the conversation away from their new conservatory and on to business.

Letters are an excellent way of persuading parents (3) … . Give lots of chatty news and the odd detail of things you can't do due to lack of funds. Do this well enough and you won't even need to enclose a pre-paid reply envelope.

Finally, you may need to arrange a visit. If they come to see you (you can't afford the fare home, remember) serve them an elaborately presented meal of Saver beans on toast and the cheapest bottle of wine you can find. (4) … . Make sure they leave hungry.

During lunch, casually mention that your flatmate's grades have really improved since his parents gave him an iPhone. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. or parents who think you really care B. to part with money because they get to keep something in return C. Be ready to take the plunge. D. You should have already called a couple of times E. This shows you are making an effort on no resources 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. persuaded B. genuinely C. improved 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. Getting money from your parents proves to be … A. rather dangerous. B. an easy job to do. C. a laborious undertaking.

2. The way you deal with your parents when it comes to money depends on …

A. your speaking skills. B. your realizing what they expect of you. C. how well you show them you know the value of money.

3. When you send letters to your parents in the hope of receiving cash in return, make sure

you … A. have convincing arguments as to the purpose of your request. B. are ready to accept any offer. C. give details about your friends’ purchases.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Asking your parents for more money is very like arranging an overdraft. 4 points




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It is wise to work out before you go to university exactly how much your parents are likely to miss you. Some will be crying themselves to sleep every night on your old pillow. (1) … . Similarly, you should understand your parents well enough to know how much detail to give in answer to the question: "Are you having a good time, then?" In most cases, "Yes, thanks" is fine. It is not necessary to tell them how exciting you find it never knowing which bed you're going to wake up in; how you were so drunk last night you can't remember why your clothes are soaking wet etc. They will worry.

But you can moan about how tough it is finding time to socialise because you are studying so hard. They will also worry - but in a good way. They may urge you not to take your studies so seriously, (2) … . This is the green light to live it up for the rest of your university career.

Certain things will reassure them, others won't. They may like to know that you have registered with a doctor. They will not want to know that you have registered with an STD clinic.

If they call and it's after 3pm, try not to sound too sleepy. And if they ask how this term's module is going, don't say, "What's a module?"

(3) … . First: "I can't speak for long; the washing machine is on spin." Second: "I can't speak for long, I'm about to cook a meal with my flatmates." The latter is a particular winner, because it reassures parents about all the things they are most anxious about. It shows you've got friends, (4) …, and, best of all, you're eating properly. Again, avoid details. "I'm about to take a pizza out of the microwave to eat with other people in the hostel, before tossing the crumbs to the rats," is less reassuring.

Do try to see your parents at least once or twice a term and keep communication channels open. After all, if they don't know what is going on in your life, how will they know when to send the cheques? 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/group of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence/group of words which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Here are two useful sentences that will ease contact with parents B. you've got somewhere to live C. Others won't want you disturbing the person to whom they've sublet your room D. to go out more and enjoy yourself E. as the effect is the opposite one. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. to moan about B. properly C. reassuring 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. Parents may worry if you tell them … A. you find excuses for getting home late. B. you have a chaotic life. C. you don’t manage to eat properly.

2. If you succeed in persuading your parents that you study too much … A. they will force you to return home. B. you will feel miserable. C. they will advise you to take it easy with your learning.

3. One thing meant to convince your parents you are ok is … A. to give them details about your love life. B. to make them deduce you’ve got a healthy social and private life. C. to avoid phoning them.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: After all, if they don't know what is going on in your life, how will they know when to send the cheques? 4 points




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It can't be easy to impress a lecturer. Attempt to say something stunningly original and you're up against not only their particular superbrain, but those of their colleagues and generations of other students, not to mention the entire subject canon. Demonstrating that you've managed all the recommended reading doesn't quite measure up to discovering DNA. (1) … .

Because what really impresses lecturers, according to Moira Peelo, coordinator of the Student Learning Development Centre at Lancaster University, are things like handing your essays in on time, (2) … , and being polite. "And it's really nice if someone asks an interesting question," she says.

In fact, questions are really all lecturers seem to ask for - offer them some relief from those awkward seminar silences, and they'll probably dedicate their next obscure journal article to you.

They'll also be pretty impressed if you read the article - but not if they only discover this when they read it all over again themselves in your essay. Specialists say that one of the things that lecturers least like to see in student essays is their own ideas regurgitated. He says: "Intelligent and well-informed dissent may be a more effective mode of flattery than anything else."

In fact, an easy way to impress lecturers is by the length of your bibliography. But remember that what really counts is what you do with it. Exaggeration will only lead to bitter disappointment, (3) … or fibbed about consulting an early version of the Dead Sea Scrolls. And never forget quite how excited lecturers can get about this kind of thing.

So excited that they're real suckers for people who seem to share their enthusiasm. Rave about the rhythmical subtleties of iambic pentameter, quoting your particular favourite examples. Splutter with the thrill of superstring theory and they'll be eating out of your hands.

However hungry you are, do try to avoid eating through a lecture. It is not the way to any academic's heart. (4) … . And texting is a definite no-no. Unless of course it's from the lecturer. "Lvd yr use of contrapuntal!" And you didn't think he cared. Must be all those intelligent questions. Or possibly the low-cut top. 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/groups of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Nor is sleeping B. A sound measure after all. C. Nor are academics likely to be impressed by the things that seem to impress everyone else

you've met so far at uni. D. brushing up on your grammar and spelling E. if they discover you never actually read any of the books 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. tempting B. to ask for C. to avoid



1. Academics usually admire … A. polite students. B. accurate written assignments, politeness and punctuality. C. politeness, punctuality, interesting essays.

2. Lecturers become enthusiastic if students … A. come to courses regularly. B. get engaged in challenging conversations with them. C. show their interest by asking questions.

3. Lying your lecturer about the length of your bibliography may …

A. dissatisfy them. B. cause disputes during the lectures. C. upset the other students.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Splutter with the thrill of superstring theory and they'll be eating out of your hands. 4 points




L1 - Bilingv



Many students can find a friend in as little time as it takes to drink eight pints even if their interests are completely different.

Unusual bonds are one of the great pleasures of university life, (1) … . Mostly, though, by a couple of weeks into term, they are really embarrassing.

And shaking off friends can be a lot harder than making them. Barricading yourself in your room, turning off all the lights, and venturing out only at the crack of dawn usually mean missing out on the full £3,070-worth of university experience.

But the pace of university life can be a great excuse for turning down yet another invitation for an afternoon à deux sharing gap-year exploits. You can even claim to be studying without worrying about seeming too swotty – (2) … . Do turn those who annoy you down. So long as you do it kindly.

Specialists say a kind way of shaking off an unwanted mate is to go on inviting them out - but to events where lots of other people will demand your time. Or you could suggest activities that you think they'd enjoy, but which you won't actually be able to make yourself.

Then you could try the "I'm really busy at the moment. I'll give you a call when I've finished this assignment/found my perfect ringtone" approach.

But wait. (3) … ? How do you manage to stay such scintillating company that you're not the one being ditched?

“For a start, stop trying to scintillate, and concentrate on how interesting the other person is”, says Stone. Remember the things going on in their lives (even take notes to remind yourself) and text or ring to check how they got on with a tricky essay or parental visit. Don't overdo it, or they might think you're stalking them, (4) … , and congratulate if things have gone well.

Stone suggests having a weekly time and place where you meet friends, so that you can invite new acquaintances to drop in. There, the more cheerful and upbeat you appear, the more popular you are likely to be. Research has shown that people unconsciously mimic the facial expressions of others, so if you are enthusiastic, others mirror your enthusiasm. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Hasn't someone just said that to you B. but do commiserate if things have gone badly C. and can lead to enriching relationships based on mutual respect D. you're at university, you're supposed to be swotty E. don’t try to imitate them. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. turning down B. shaking off C. upbeat



1. Students may befriend somebody very easily … A. even though that peson has different tastes. B. despite their parents’ discontent. C. although this is not what they really want.

2. Getting rid of annoying friends …

A. is a matter of time. B. proves not an easy job. C. may upset them.

3. One excuse to rid yourself of unwanted buddies is …

A. to tell them you are studying assiduously. B. you are sick. C. are involved in a project abroad.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: There, the more cheerful and upbeat you appear, the more popular you are likely to be. 4 points




L1 - Bilingv



One of the simplest ways to read a bank statement is to look for the biggest number on it and work out if it relates to a grant or loan. If not, you're broke.

After this financial assessment, it is common practice to go straight out and buy those jeans you've been wanting for ages, on the grounds that soon you won't be able to afford them. Next, it's traditional to take a friend out for coffee – (1) … . Such forward thinking is important, but it's not quite the same thing as budgeting. Working out your income and essential expenditure (such as bills, council tax and tuition fees) regularly is vital if you are to have a hope of paying off your university debts before you retire.

You may find that once you have estimated how much money you have coming in and going out, you have far more to spend than you'd thought. After a month or so, you will probably realise that you forgot to include your rent. Soon you will start including "overdraft" in the income section. Only by constantly reviewing your budget (2) … - and optimism.

It is important to have individual tenancy agreements and to put everyone's name on bills, so that you won't have to negotiate with companies if another housemate can't pay his or her share. It is also sensible to establish a kitty and lay down house rules (turn on the central heating only at set times when everyone will benefit; ensure that visitors leave by a certain time at night, etc). After a glut of corned beef suppers and nightly tussles over the thermostat, one or two flatmates may choose to spend their evenings elsewhere, (3) … . Make the most of two-for-one offers. Supermarkets reduce prices on fresh bread, meat, fish and vegetables just before they close, (4)…. Back home, you can put on an extra jumper and check the available student support options to make sure you are getting everything you're owed, or you could assess the relative merits of energy companies to get the best deal. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. will you be able to track how fast you are getting through your funds of cash B. which will save on communal energy bills C. so this is the time to shop D. This will mean worrying less about your pet. E. actually tea, because you can probably share one pot between two - to talk about how poor

you are 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. fees B. to track C. to reduce 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. After estimating your budget you feel like … A. complaining to you parents about your financial situation. B. going out with friends. C. shopping and taking a friend out.

2. You should be aware of your actual budget in order not to …

A. be indebted all your life. B. feel embarrassed at work. C. avoid going to prison.

3. So as to avoid humiliating financial moments, both you and your housemates should …

A. pay off bills regularly. B. respect mutual agreements related to house expenses. C. eat out less often.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: And, after all, you did heroically resist the simplest way of dealing with a bank statement - not opening it. 4 points




L1 - Bilingv



The first top tip if you want to get the most out of a lecture is to be there. If you feel you've heard it all before, (1) …, even if only because it helps with revision and gives a structure to the rest of the course. It also makes sure you're on the spot once the lecturer stops making sense and starts addressing something completely new.

The other reason to be there is that "standard" lectures were so last year. These days the cool lecturers don't just stand up and talk, (2) … in an attempt to help you remember something. OK, ideas of fun may vary, but the remembering bit is handy when it comes to exams.

But being there in body isn't enough. (3) … . The best way of doing this is to prepare beforehand. Think about where the lecture fits into the course, how it follows on from the last lecture, seminar or lab session, and try to anticipate what might come up, what questions might be addressed and what you want to get out of it.

Once the lecture starts, you have to make notes. "I don't know of any successful student who hasn't made notes," says Sandra Sinfield, coordinator for learning development at London Metropolitan University. It's a good idea to work out beforehand how you are going to do this. Start by giving the notes a title, (4) … .Then what you need to get down are the key points, people and ideas in one colour or column, and your own questions and comments in another. Don't just copy things down because everyone else is doing it, but do watch out for lecturers getting over-excited, leaving huge pauses or saying things like, "This is very important. Write it down." Chances are it's worth noting.

Phil Race, author of How to Study, says you need to make notes rather than take notes; in other words, look for what it all means and develop your own way of putting it.

But don't reject other people's input. If you find you have been assessing the lecturer's dress sense rather than his or her learning, don't attempt scribbled catch-up notes - ask friends to fill in the gap later. And discussing the lecture afterwards with a group is invaluable. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. You have to make sure your mind is somewhere in the vicinity too B. so you will be able to find them again C. it's still worth turning up D. they involve you in fun activities E. so you know it now. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. to anticipate B. don’t reject C. to go through 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. Attending a lecture may help you to … A. revise better and order your ideas more coherently. B. keep the pace with the bulk of information. C. catch up with the other students.

2. What is attractive about lectures nowadays is … A. the new technology involved. B. the entertaining activities. C. the open-minded lecturers.

3. In order to make full use of a lecture, you should … A. pay attention to the lecturer’s body language. B. consider preparing in advance. C. turn up not too late. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: It's wise to go through your notes within 48 hours of a lecture anyway, making sure they are legible, noting any queries that you need to raise and summarising the key points. 4 points






I have just come home after viewing some astonishing works of art that were recently discovered in Church Hole cave in Nottinghamshire. They are not drawings, as one would expect, but etchings, and they depict a huge range of wild animals. (1) … First of all, their sheer number is staggering: there are ninety all told. Moreover, fifty-eight of them are on the ceiling. This is extremely rare in cave art, according to a leading expert, Dr. Wilbur Samson of Central Midlands University. ‘Wall pictures are the norm’, he says. ‘But more importantly, the Church Hole etchings are an incredible artistic achievement. They can hold their own in comparison with the best found in continental Europe.’ I am not a student of the subject, so I have to take his word for it. (2) …

In fact, it is the wider significance of the etchings that is likely to attract most attention in academic circles, since thay radically alter our view of life in Britain during this epoch. It had previously been thought that ice-age hunters in this country were isolated from people in more central areas of Europe, but the Church Hole images prove that ancient Britons were part of a culture that had spread right across the continent. (3) …

News of such exciting discoveries spreads rapidly, and thanks to the Internet and mobile phones, a great many people probably knew about this discovery within hours of the initial expedition returning. As a result, some etchings may already have been damaged, albeit inadvertently, by eager visitors. (4) …

An initial survey of the site last year failed to reveal the presence of the etchings. The reason lies in the expectations of the researchers.

(Jane Howard, The Beauties of the Stone Age)

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. In a regrettably late response, the site has been cordoned off with a high, rather intimidating

fence, and warning notices have been posted. B. Dr. Samson feels that the lighting factor provides important information about the likely

function of these works of art. C. The artists who created them lived around 13,000 years ago, and the images are remarkable

on a variety of accounts. D. However, you do not have to be an expert to appreciate their beauty. E. And they were at least as sophisticated culturally as their counterparts on the mainland. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points

A. astonishing B. depict C. inadvertently 3. Sum up the text in no more than 50 words. 10 points



1. According to the text, the images in Church Hole are ... A. particularly beautiful cave paintings. B. superior in quality to other cave art in Britain. C. aesthetically exceptional. D. unique examples of ceiling art.

2. What is the cultural significance of these images? A. They reveal the existence of a single ice-age culture in Europe. B. They indicate that people from central Europe had settled in Britain. C. They prove that ancient Britons hunted over large areas. D. They suggest that people in Europe were more sophisticated than Britons.

3. What does the writer say about the discovery of the images being made public? A. Many people visited the cave within hours of its discovery. B. The images in the cave are vulnerable to damage. C. The measures taken to protect the images have proved ineffective. D. The discovery of the images should not have been made public.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: ‘…but the Church Hole images prove that ancient Britons were part of a culture that had spread right across the continent. And they were at least as sophisticated culturally as their counterparts on the mainland.’ 4 points






The other day I attempted to deceive a doctor. Yes, I told a doctor several lies. A doctor I hardly knew, at that. It happened like this. I have recently changed doctors. Nothing wrong with the old doctor, but I wanted to show that freedom of choice means something. So I changed doctors. (1) … Not if they wanted them, but if they wanted them or not.

This slightly shook me, I have to say. Once doctors start checking up on you, they are liable to find something wrong with you. Then they try to put it right, and I really don’t have the time to get involved in a full-blown doctor-patient ongoing healing relationship situation.

(2) … It was a health lecture. You know, the doctor takes your blood pressure and pretends to listen to your pulse, and then starts asking personal questions about your habits such as, do you smoke? Uh huh. Do you drink? Uh huh. How many different drugs do you habitually ingest? I see… (3) … So, it’s just the drinking question I take time to answer. Usually I say, “Oh, just a couple of glasses after sundown.” Then they stare sternly and say: “And how many before sundown, Mr Kington? “ Then I storm out saying I have never been so insulted in all my life, and change doctors again. Actually, the drinking question is quite easy to answer. (4) … They then double it to compensate for your lying. It’s the people who tell the truth who are in trouble. Nobody believes them. It was the next question that led me into the paths of untruth: “What exercise do you take?” “I cycle every day”, I said, “and go swimming now and then. I don’t play games, though. That’s it.” She was obviously also pretty pleased that I had given up competitive games, because after all things like rugby and cricket cause more ill health than any good they do.

(Miles Kington, The Independent, 31 March 1996) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. It wasn’t till I was back home that I realised I had told less than the truth. B. And the new doctor said that all new patients got free medical check-ups. C. I gave up smoking some time ago and the only drugs I take are those forced on me by

doctors. D. Luckily, it wasn’t a health check-up at all. E. You estimate your drinking at roughly half what it really is. 2. Match the words in bold with their meaning. 6 points A. seriously and strictly B. to take or to use C. likely to do something or behave in a particular way 3. Sum up the text in no more than 50 words. 10 points



1. Why did the writer change doctors in the first place? A. He wanted to have a free medical check-up. B. He was not pleased with the old one. C. He wanted to show that people are free to choose. D. He wanted to deceive him.

2. What does the writer say about the doctor’s check-up? A. It was a traditional check-up. B. It was a health lecture. C. It was a doctor-patient ongoing healing relationship. D. It was aimed at discovering a disease.

3. Which of the doctor’s questions made the writer change doctors again?

A. The question about the number of glasses drunk daily. B. The question about taking drugs. C. The question about the number of glasses drunk before sundown. D. The question about smoking.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: I have recently changed doctors. Nothing wrong with the old doctor, but I wanted to show that freedom of choice means something.

4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 053 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Sir, The Opera management at Covent Garden regulates the dress of its male patrons. When is it going to do the same to the women? One Saturday night I went to the Opera. I wore the costume imposed on me by the regulations of the house. (1) … Evening dress is cheap, simple, durable, prevents rivalry and extravagance on the part of male leaders of fashion, annihilates class distinctions, and gives men who are poor and doubtful of their social position (that is, the great majority of men) a sense of security and satisfaction that no clothes of their own choosing could confer, besides saving the trouble of considering what they should wear on state occasions. (2) … These objections are that it is colourless and characterless; that it involves a whitening process which makes the shirt troublesome, slightly uncomfortable, and seriously unclean; that it acts as a passport for undesirable persons; that it fails to guarantee sobriety, cleanliness, and order on the part of the wearer; and that it reduces to a formula a very vital human habit which should be the subject of constant experiment and active private enterprise. All such objections are thoroughly un-English… Every argument that applies to the regulation of the man’s dress applies equally to the regulation of the woman’s. Now let me describe what actually happened to me at the Opera. (3) … I was in my seat for the first chord of the overture. I did not chatter during the music nor raise my voice when the Opera was too loud for normal conversation. I did not get up and go out when the statue music began. (4) … And the respectful ignorance of the dramatic points of the score exhibited by the conductor and the stage manager. In short, my behaviour was exemplary. At 9 o’clock a lady came in and sat down very conspicuously in my line of sight. This lady, who had very black hair, had stuck over her right ear the pitiable corpse of a large white bird, which looked exactly as if someone had killed it by stamping on its breast, and then nailed it to the lady’s temple, which was presumably of sufficient solidity to bear the operation.

(George Bernard Shaw, Opera Buffa, in The Times) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. I do not complain of her coming early and going late. B. The objections to it are as dust in the balance in the eyes of the ordinary Briton. C. My language was fairly moderate considering the number and nature of the improvements on

Mozart volunteered by Signor Caruso. D. I fully recognize the advantage of those regulations. E. Not only was I in evening dress by compulsion, but I voluntarily added many graces of conduct

as to which the management made no stipulation whatever.


2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points

A. regulate B. annihilate C. confer 3. Sum up the text in no more than 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C, D) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. What does the writer say about the way a woman should dress at the opera? A. There are no strict rules. B. There is a regulation similar to that for men. C. Women can dress according to their own taste. D. The objections for the man’s regulation equally apply to the woman’s regulation.

2. According to the writer, what are the advantages of wearing an evening dress? A. It is cheap, simple, durable, produces rivalry and extravagance. B. It is colourless and characterless, slightly uncomfortable and seriously unclear. C. It is cheap, simple, durable, prevents rivalry and extravagance. D. It gives the wearer a sense of achievement.

3. What did the writer do during the performance?

A. He chattered and raised his voice. B. He got up and went out. C. He used a moderate language and behaved exemplarily. D. He admired the clothes of the people sitting next to him.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Evening dress is cheap, simple, durable, prevents rivalry and extravagance on the part of male leaders of fashion, annihilates class distinction, and gives men who are poor and doubtful of their social position a sense of security and satisfaction. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 054 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. (1) … The awkward thing about clichés is that they do contain germs of truth; black musicians do outclass and dominate the music scene, some arranged marriages do end in unhappiness and sometimes violence. But once the clichés appear in the papers, they become the whole truth and nothing but because only those of us who live in those communities know the larger picture. (2) … Take my cousin Shaila, the only Asian girl I knew when I was growing up who downed lagers and wore DocMartens. Boyfriends, she had them panting after her, all shades and sizes, she reaches twenty-nine and what does she do? Announces to my uncle and auntie she’d quite like to meet a few Asian guys with a view to settling down and could they set up a few tea parties please? (3) … What they do imagine is a brute of a father, usually a religious maniac with a fetish for floggings, dragging some helpless fourteen-year-old out of school straight to the altar, the bridegroom being a distant cousin who is a yak breeder with a hare lip, needing a British passport… In fact, arranged marriage is in some circles now called assisted marriage, because of the openness with which parents and children consult each other on marital matters. This is how it now happens round my way; young Sanjay or Shaila tell their folks they’re about ready to consider settling down; mother says, ‘Oh there’s that lovely X, so and so’s son/daughter doing accountancy, drives a Saab….’ They continue debating the pros and cons of the children of their parents’ friends until they find one that doesn’t make the other faint with horror. (4) … If they survive a couple of dates without throwing up or dying of boredom, if in fact they even find they like each other, then the parents get involved, a more formal pow-wow of the two tribes is arranged and maybe, maybe, an engagement will be announced. But at any time, the children are free to say no and walk away, that’s the bottom line.

(Meera Syall, The Guardian) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. No one imagines that free-thinking Asian women born and brought up here choose to enter

this system. B. It’s a sticky one, this whole area of how we are represented. C. Mother phones up Y’s mother, the “youngsters” are left to meet up at their own discretion and

report back. D. What most Westerners, and to be fair, some Asians, find hard to reconcile is the premeditated

nature of this arrangement. E. Therefore, the only coverage I’ve ever seen about marriage in the Asian community has

focused on when the system has gone wrong. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points


3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. Which cultural differences does Meera Skyall, an Indian born and brought up in England, speak about?

A. Religion. B. Customs and traditions. C. Clichés. D. Religion, customs and traditions.

2. What does the text say about clichés?

A. They never contain germs of truth. B. They contain some truth. C. They only apply to marriage. D. They only apply to engagement.

3. How are Asian fathers perceived to be?

A. very tolerant and religious B. brutal and violent C. calm and friendly D. distant and indifferent

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: The awkward thing about clichés is that they do contain germs of truth. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 055 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The Navajos, the biggest tribe of Indians in America, occupy a reservation that is roughly a hundred miles square. It is a sparse, dry land. (1) … The Navajos are a pastoral people, constantly moving with their sheep and cattle and horses. They do little farming; they have no towns, or even permanent homes. Wherever they go they build new houses, or hogans, which are round, one-room huts made of logs and brush and chinked with mud. (2) … When a Navajo dies in his house, it is never used again. The family smashes in the back of the house, and there it stands, sacred and taboo, till it falls down. Sometimes white men tear down the ruins and use the logs for firewood. The Indians don’t object but they won’t go into a house heated by the wood. You can build yourself a camp-fire with some logs from a deserted hogan and boil some coffee. (3) … But they won’t think of getting close enough to absorb any of the heat from that fire, and they won’t drink a cup of the coffee boiled over it. In population, the Navajo is not vanishing. But in an age of spaceflight and moonwalks, he’s vanished from the concern of most Americans. (4) … It exists in every hogan scattered throughout this park of shattered red rock columns and high buttes that resemble broken teeth. And the fall-out from the reservation-wide poverty, which many tourists who spraypaint their initials on the park rocks don’t see, is high infant mortality, drunkenness, malnutrition, pneumonia, filth and, with some Navajos, a sense of despair. The combination of all of these has bread bitterness against the white man. A Navajo ranger in Monument Valley, says the white man earned the bitterness. “During every election”, he said, “the politicians come to the reservation and promise everything. But it never comes.” (I.A. Tenson, G.A. Voitova, Habits and Ways in Great Britain and the United States) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. They need a more extensive market for the things they have to sell. B. The Indians will sit at a distance and watch you, and there will be no hard feelings. C. Most of it is in Arizona, but it extends into Utah and New Mexico. D. Poverty among the Navajos is the rule. E. The Navajos still stick to the beliefs and customs of old. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. The Navajos’ major occupation is ... A. farming.


B. raising sheep and cattle. C. constantly moving with their sheep, cattle and horses. D. building towns.

2. What do the Navajos do with a house in which a person died? A. They demolish it. B. They use it as firewood. C. They never touch it. D. They give it to white men.

3. What do Americans believe about the Navajos? A. They are proud of them. B. They don’t know about them. C. They have no concern about them. D. They want to protect them more.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: But in an age of spaceflight and moonwalks, he’s [the Navajo] vanished from the concern of most Americans. 4 points






SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 056 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The Hippies were characterised in an issue of the Guardian as “mainly white, mainly once middle-class, who have chosen poverty as one of the ways of rejecting the values of the American Way of Life.” (1) … They held no unanimous and cohesive viewpoint, and were not organised as a movement in any way. Estimates of their degree of significance vary from “fractional and transitory” to “a highly colourful manifestation of the forces of change.” (2) … If you talked to a dedicated, hardcore hippy he would tell you he believed in the dissemination of happiness and love, total permissiveness and freedom, the rejection of social customs and of the pressures of modern society. (3) … The demand for total permissiveness, particularly in the use of drugs, brought them into direct conflict with the law. Borrowing, perhaps, the passiveness adopted by the non-violent movement of the 60s the hippies offered flowers to the police instead of hurling abuse. (4) … But not all hippies withdrew entirely from political activity. In the big San Francisco demonstration against the war in Vietnam, for example, a contingent of hippies gave support. If the general happiness-dispensing, laissez faire attitude of the hippy makes one hesitate to pin an evil label on his point of view, his passionate worship of mental experience and stimulation, which has involved him in an open crusade for the freedom to use drugs, including the potentially mind-destroying LSD negates a lot of sympathy. The hippy viewpoint which abhors the violence and destructive nature of modern society and some of its possibly creative influences on the arts are perhaps its positive qualities. But the advocacy of drugs, the insistence on the dubious freedom to be able to commit what could amount to both mental and physical suicide is highly dangerous and must be deplored and actively discouraged. (I.A. Tenson, G.A. Voitova, Habits and Ways in Great Britain and the United States) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. There is no doubt that many of those youngsters genuinely believed they could solve the

problems of the world spreading a hedonistic gospel of love, flowers and music. B. Much of the hippy language was expressive of drug-taking. C. But the dominant attitude of the hippy was one of social anarchy in favour of love and total

freedom. D. This they designated as “flower power”. E. In numbers they comprised a small element of American youth. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. comprised B. dissemination C. genuinely



1. What were the “Hippies”? A. A movement with a cohesive viewpoint. B. A group of people whose dominant attitudes were love and total freedom. C. A group of poor people. D. A group of black, middle-class people.

2. What would a dedicated Hippy tell he believes in? A. The death of happiness and love. B. Modern society. C. Social customs D. The spreading of happiness and love, total freedom, rejection of customs.

3. What brought the Hippies into direct conflict with the law?

A. Their freedom. B. Their rejection of customs. C. Their use of drugs. D. Their hyperbolic language.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: The hippy viewpoint which abhors the violence and destructive nature of modern society and some of its possibly creative influences on the arts are perhaps its positive qualities. 4 points







Few great architects have been so adamant in their belief in the integration of architecture and design as Charles Rennie Mackintosh. (1) … Now, 63 years after he died, Mackintosh has found the perfect patron, in the form of a 56-year-old structural engineer and fellow Glaswegian named Graham Roxburgh.

The story begins with a competition launched in December 1900 by Zeitschrift Für Innendekoration, an innovative design magazine published in the German city of Darmstadt.

(2) … Mackintosh sent in his entry in March 1901, his one chance to design a house unfettered by financial constraints or a conservative client. But he was disqualified for failing to include the required number of drawings of the interior. He hastily completed the portfolio, which he then resubmitted. Delighted with the designs, the judges awarded Mackintosh a special prize (there was no outright winner).

Publication of these drawings did much to establish Mackintosh's reputation abroad as an original and distinctive architect, particularly in Austria and Germany. (3) … At first glance it could be an illustration from the thirties. Artists of the avant-garde Vienna Secession described Mackintosh as “our leader who showed us the way” – an acclaim that he was never able to gain at home. Rich Glasgow businessmen never quite took him seriously.

But today Glaswegians hail Mackintosh as their local genius. Three years ago, the enterprising Mr Roxburgh, who has already rescued Craigie Hall, a mansion on the outskirts of Glasgow that Mackintosh helped design, hatched a plan to build the Art Lover's House – now close to completion on a site in Glasgow's Bellahouston Park. Strathclyde Council, the Scottish Development Agency and the Scottish Tourist Board have picked up a third of the hefty £3 million bill. (4) …

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points

A. The plans have been meticulously interpreted by Andy McMillan of Glasgow’s Mackintosh

School of Architecture and the furniture made by an expert cabinet-maker. B. Clients who tried to modify his grip on every detail of the structure, interior decoration or

furniture often ended up with the architect losing his temper – and his commission. C. European architects were invited to design an Art Lover's House. D. The Art Lover's House is an important twentieth-century building because it anticipates the

abstract forms of Modernism. E. Roxburgh has raised the rest through sponsorship and private loans.

2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. unfettered B. hastily C. hefty



4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. Why were there sometimes problems between Mackintosh and his clients? A. Mackintosh resented interference from his clients.

B. Clients refused to pay him in full for his work. C. Mackintosh did not pay enough attention to detail. D. Clients did not like the changes Mackintosh made.

2. According to the writer, Mackintosh decided to enter the competition because ... A. not many drawings had to be submitted. B. no designs were required for furniture. C. there was no need to worry about cost. D. he had designed similar buildings before. 3. What was significant about Mackintosh's entry for the competition? A. It was considered to be ahead of its time. B. It was based on architecture from Austria and Germany. C. It changed the opinion of him in his own country. D. It was the most attractive building he had designed.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Few great architects have been so adamant in their belief in the integration of architecture and design as Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

4 points







The London Times reports that a Spanish tax inspector boarded a Mediterranean cruise ship incognito. (1) … He put on his brightest holiday clothes and went aboard. Two things followed quickly. First, his disguise was found to be inadequate; he was discovered immediately. Secondly, it happened that the ship had a large number of British holiday-makers aboard. These merry jokers forced him to walk the plank. While he was swimming around in the water, some of the merrier girls dived in after him and merrily removed his shorts. We may feel sorry for the poor fellow, who was only doing his job, but the story does show that tax collectors are as unpopular now as they were in the days of Robin Hood or George Washington. (2) … They put their little restrictions upon every aspect of ordinary life. In Britain, if you drive a friend to the station, babysit for the neighbours, fix a car engine in exchange for a bottle of whisky, or make a pot of jam for charity, then technically, you have become a part of the shadow economy. The estimates of the size of the shadow economy vary greatly, from two per cent to 15 per cent of the national income, the difference in Britain is between four and 54 billion pounds. The best estimate puts it at around five per cent. One of the reasons for the difference is the definition which is used. The black economy is only the darkest side of the picture. (3) … But it also takes in handling stolen goods, tax evasion, and working while drawing welfare payments.

One area of growth of the shadow economy in Britain has been household employment, and services to help the working mother. (4) … But, more importantly, in the last 25 years, as married women flooded out to work, they have begun again to do what their grandmothers did, to pay others to look after their homes and children. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Tax inspectors are universally unpopular, not simply because they collect money, but because

they are the greatest of all bureaucrats. B. For example, the shadow economy runs from voluntary work for charities, to barter between

neighbours, to housework. C. He sought to check whether the returns made by the cruise company, in respect of food and

drink consumed, tallied with reality. D. While the tax authorities have their beady eye on payment in kind, there may be another

distinction, between regular work on the one hand, and occasional, irregular favours on the other.

E. Clearly, no one pays their window-cleaner by cheque, not if they want to see him again.

2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. inadequate B. holiday-maker C. handle




1. Why did the Spanish tax inspector end up in the Mediterranean? A. He was travelling incognito. B. The passengers were British. C. His disguise was penetrated. D. He was disliked.

2. Why did the passengers force him to walk the plank?

A. They were playing at being pirates. B. The ship was under construction. C. To prove he was sober. D. Because he was a tax inspector.

3. Why are tax inspectors so unpopular?

A. They persecute people. B. They have no sense of humour. C. They send us forms to fill in. D. They are petty-minded.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Tax inspectors are universally unpopular, not simply because they collect money, but because they are the greatest of all bureaucrats.

4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 059 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Most countries have had, and some still have, educational systems that are, in one way or another, social disasters. The English educational system is unique, however, in the degree to which it has created educational institutions which perpetuate privilege and social division. Most countries have some private schools for the children of the wealthy; the English have dozens of them. In fact, about 3,000. (1) … What is the result of such a system? The facts seem to speak for themselves. In the state system, about eight per cent make it to university; in the private system, almost half the students go on to university. But those statistics are deceptive: middle class children do better at examinations than working class, and most of them stay on at school after 16. (2) … Private schools are enormously expensive, as much as £18,000 a year for a boarder at somewhere like Eton or Harrow to at least £8,000 a year almost everywhere. Why are parents, many of whom are not wealthy or even comfortably off, willing to sacrifice so much in the cause of their children's schooling? One father replied to this question by saying: "Everything is on the margin. If my son gets a five per cent better chance of going to university, that may be the difference between success and failure." (3) … Most children, given the choice, would take the money. (4) … They don't want little Henry mixing with the workers, or getting his accent wrong. And anyway, at your next dinner party it won't sound too good if all the guests are sending their kids to St Swotting-by-the-Sea, and you say your kid is going to the state school down the road even if, as a result, you are able to serve Chateau Margaux with the filet steak.

(Private Schools, The Guardian) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Some nine million children are educated at state schools; just under half a million are

educated at private schools. B. You can believe him if you like, but £50,000 minimum is a lot to pay for a five per cent better

chance. C. On investment in buildings and facilities, the private schools spend £300 per pupil; the state

system spends less than £50. D. Private schools are entirely middle class, and so this positive attitude creates an environment

of success. E. The real reason parents fork out the cash is prejudice. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. privilege B. entirely C. willing



1. The English educational system is different from any other because ... A. it has a balance between state and private education. B. has more private schools than anywhere else. C. contributes to creating a class system. D. has so many things wrong with it.

2. More private school children go to university because ...

A. they are better taught. B. their parents are middle class. C. the schools create success. D. they stay at school longer.

3. Parents most often send their children to private school ...

A. for social reasons B. for a margin of success C. to show how much money they have D. to pass university entrance examinations

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: The English educational system is unique, however, in the degree to which it has created educational institutions which perpetuate privilege and social division. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 060 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Catastrophes at sea and in the air make grim headlines: they represent a great deal of sorrow for the families of the dead and injured. Why do they occur? (1) … Pyromaniacs light fires, as in the case of the ferry, Scandinavian Star, sailing from Norway to Denmark. In the week following that tragedy, there were two other cases of fires on board ferries: on one plying between Wales and Ireland, and on another between Portsmouth and Cherbourg. In both of them, a man died. (2) … Talking after the Scandinavian Star had been towed into the small port of Lysekil, a Swedish police spokesman made it clear how awful if had been. He said: "The toll from the blaze that engulfed the ferry south of Oslo fjord is still officially 75 dead and 60 missing but about 100 bodies have already been taken off the ship and as many as 50 to 100 could still be on board. People tried to save themselves in the cabins and they are lying in big piles and it's difficult to figure out how many there are. There are a lot of children." In the immediate aftermath of such catastrophes reports of inadequate safety measures circulate. (3) … On a wider scale, newspapers reported once again on the world-wide system of "flagging-out" which means that ships are not registered in the countries where they operate, and where the regulations are strict and expensive, but in places like Panama and Cyprus and the Bahamas, where they are lax and cheap. The Scandinavian Star, although Danish-owned, was registered in the Bahamas. One of the more outrageous cases came to light in October 1989. (4) … West German police arrested and charged two men, the ship's British master and its German owner. They were charged with flying a false flag, and forgery of Belize government documents. A police officer said: "Belize was not the latest entrant in the cheap flag stakes; they in fact operate no shipping whatsoever. When we contacted the Belize High Commission in London, they were astonished to learn that a ship was pretending to be registered in their country."

(Safety at sea, The Times) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. On board the Scandinavian Star, a fireman said the ferry had only one system to pump and

spray water on to the flames and that pumping and spraying had to be done alternately. B. These would have been properly trained in fire-fighting and lifeboat drills and been able to

communicate with their officers and the passengers in the event of an emergency. C. Terrorists plant bombs, as in the case of the destruction of the American airliner over

Lockerbie in Scotland. D. Clearly, fire is a commonplace hazard, and a very dangerous one, at sea. E. A general cargo ship named the Bosun set sail from Hamburg under the flag of the small

central American state of Belize. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points



1. Fires sometimes occur on board ships … A. because someone deliberately lights them. B. when there are inadequate safety measures. C. when the crew has not been trained. D. because the safety measures are inadequate.

2. Flagging-out …

A. is common all over the world. B. means that ships must register. C. is a matter of flying the national flag. D. helps poor nations export.

3. What were the two men charged with?

A. Flying a foreign flag. B. Flying a cheap flag. C. Forgery of German government documents. D. Flying a false flag, and forgery of Belize government documents.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Catastrophes at sea and in the air make grim headlines: they represent a great deal of sorrow for the families of the dead and injured.

4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 061 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The modern, cheese-wedge buildings of Scotland’s national museum contrast sharply with its historic Edinburgh location. Sally Varlow went to visit the museum just before it opened. At first it was only the outside of the new Museum of Scotland that was unmissable, stuck on the corner of Chambers Street in Edinburgh, with its huge, yellow sandstone tower and cheese-wedge buildings, topped by a hulk of a hanging garden. Last winter the building was greeted with a mix of modernist architectural applause (‘masterpiece’, ‘stunning’), cautious approval (‘striking’) and outright hostility. (1) … Forget the does-it-tell-a-nation’s-story, is-it-chronological debate. The answers are definitely yes; it is a many-splendoured dreamcoat of stories, each hung about a precious historic object, and there is an outline timescale that helps visitors get their bearings but does not strait-jacket the displays. And no, it does not let its lovely national treasures – such as Mary Queen of Scots’ jewels and the Hollywood chapel silver – get swamped in national pride. (2) … Dr David Clarke, the head of exhibitions, insists that a visit should be a pleasurable, visual experience, and that it is designed not for specialists but for those with little prior knowledge. Despite this liberalism, Clarke is a convincing purist when it comes to what is on show. Mock-ups and scenes from the past that rely heavily on imagination are out. For Clarke, they are tantamount to ‘giving a complete statement of certainty about what the past was like, which’, he explains, ‘would be wrong. The public deserves the truth.’ The result is that, at this museum, what you see is what the experts know. (3) … Less than three days before the opening, it is still difficult to be sure. Some impressions are clear, though, and it is not just the panoramic views of Edinburgh Castle that take your breath away. Step inside and what immediately hits you is the sequence of spaces. Galleries open one into another, different sizes, different shapes, all with pale walls that are wood-panelled to look like large blocks of stone and inset with deep display cases. (4) … There is room to ponder and enjoy every item on display. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. But the question for today’s visitor is whether the objects’ stories can be told vividly enough

merely with explanation panels, captions and multi-media interpretation and using barely 30 computers in total around the museum.

B. Shafts of daylight stream through arrow-slit windows and cascade down from the roof lights C. This winter, now that the inside is almost ready for the opening, the exhibitions themselves

look set for a similar fate. D. What the group really wanted was to be able to ride through the displays, Dr Clarke admits. E. The real issue here, assuming that the collections are properly preserved, is whether people

will find the museum interesting enough to come back. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points


3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. How does the writer expect people to react to the exhibitions? A. They will be more interested in the buildings than the exhibitions. B. There will be a predominance of negative feelings. C. Their expectations are too high to be satisfied. D. There will be no consensus of opinion. 2. What does the writer say about the historical focus of the exhibitions? A. The adherence to a strict historical timescale is the most important aspect. B. The historical background of a period is characterised through particular objects. C. The displays are not always easy to place in a historical context. D. The importance of national treasures in a historical context is exaggerated. 3. How does Dr Clarke feel about the historical displays? A. There should be something for everyone with an interest in Scottish history. B. They should stimulate the visitors’ own imaginations. C. They should show only what is factually accurate. D. They should recreate history in as realistic a way as possible. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Last winter the building was greeted with a mix of modernist architectural applause (‘masterpiece’, ‘stunning’), cautious approval (‘striking’) and outright hostility. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 062 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Like people, buildings get sick. When they do, the people inside them also get sick. (1) … Management in North America and Europe have been slow to respond to the need to maintain a healthy environment for office workers, just as much as for blue collar workers. In a typical case in a large London office block, staff complained about constant lethargy and lack of natural light. Management were unwilling to admit to the problem because of the bad publicity which would result. They preferred to think that workers were malingerers or hypochondriacs. What would happen to rental values if a building were admitted to be sick? (2) … Lethargy was cited by 57 per cent, followed by stuffy nose, dry throat and headaches. These are mainly energy-efficient "tight" buildings which save money by using recycled warmed air rather than cold air from outside. They are usually open-plan or "deep" offices, where daylight has been replaced by artificial lighting. Thirdly, they are offices dominated, of course, by the data processor. What goes wrong? (3) … A four degree rise above a comfortable 20C can decrease productivity by half. It is almost certainly too dry, with a relative humidity below 40 per cent, resulting in stuffy and stale air. Equally certainly, the air is dirty: too many people still smoke, and smoke containing ammonia, formaldehyde, phenols and hydrogen cyanide circulate is breathed by nonsmokers. The lighting may be all wrong. Low-frequency fluorescent lights produce a flicker which the eye cannot see but the brain can. It causes anxiety and headaches. Medical studies have shown that headaches are less frequent on higher floors which receive more natural light. The trouble may lie less in the building itself, and more in the design of the workplace and the jobs that people are expected to do. (4) … There is something psychologically wrong with the high-tech office which makes people prefer polluted "natural" air to the air-conditioned "pure" air of the office block. In one case, absenteeism through sickness increased by 30 per cent after the workforce moved from an old naturally-ventilated office into a new air-conditioned one, without any change in the nature of the work being carried out. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. You can introduce full spectrum lighting and you can litter the office with spider plants to eat

the carbon monoxide, but the central problem remains. B. A survey in 1987 found that 80 per cent of British office workers suffered sickness related to

the buildings in which they worked. C. For a start, the whole place can be at the wrong temperature, usually too warm. D. The new technology creates a prison, and people go "prison crazy". E. Sick buildings cause a 40 per cent drop in productivity and a 30 per cent rise in absenteeism. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points


3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. Building managers ignored complaints from office workers because … A. they thought the workers were lazy. B. there was nothing really wrong. C. their companies would lose money. D. the workers were suffering from hysteria. 2. People become lethargic from stuffy conditions when … A. too many people smoke. B. air is recycled. C. photocopiers don't work properly. D. the air is too dry. 3. Office workers worry less and feel less stress … A. in an ozone-free environment. B. when there is less dust in the atmosphere. C. in natural light. D. in an open-plan office. 5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: Like people, buildings get sick. When they do, the people inside them also get sick. 4 points


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SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 063 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Adolescents like to have a place they can call their own. In the fifties, teenagers hung out at the malt shop, sipping cherry cokes and rocking' with Elvis. (1) … I was amazed to find a microcosm of life blooming on a 70 x 160-foot cement slab known as a roller skating rink. As I entered the building which housed the rink, the warm, nostalgic scent of popcorn hit that part of my brain where dusty, cobwebbed memories live, memories of my own adolescence. (2) … Skinny, hard benches, made for small butts, lined one wall. I took a seat and scanned the rink. My eyes paused to read a sign; white, block letters on a black background warned: (3) … Two young men swagger past me: confident, heads held high, eyes focused on their destination. I leaned over, looking down the long row of benches, (4) … Their confidence lagged a bit as they approached a large group of their peers, including several young ladies. All of them exhibited signs of discomfort as the girls crossed their arms over their nubile bodies and the boys tried hard not to stare. Abruptly, a silent signal sent the entire assembly to the benches. Pairs of dexterous hands laced up skates as quickly as possible, while other hands aided in conversation that only the listener was allowed to hear. I was struck by the intimacy of this scene. They all knew each other well. They had come together in the freedom of this one place to share and explore without the encumbrance of parents, teachers, or any other meddlesome adult. I sat bolt upright, feeling very much like someone who had accidentally stumbled into a room full of naked people. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. “Skate at Your Own Risk.” B. Today, in a small town in Tennessee, they're jam skating to Montell Jordan. C. curious to find out where they were going. D. I made my way past a group of exuberant teenagers at the snack bar until I reached the

skating rink. E. “Dance at Your Own Risk.” 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points A. to sip B. scent C. to swagger 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. How old were the characters described in the text?

A. Very young. B. Very old. C. Teenagers.


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2. The passage is narrated in the first person narrative. How does this affect the impact of the text?

A. It heightens the emotional intensity. B. It creates a detached atmosphere. C. It involves the reader.

3. Which senses does the description primarily appeal to?

A. Sense of hearing. B. Sense of sight. C. Sense of touch.

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text in about 100 words: They all knew each other well. They had come together in the freedom of this one place to share and explore without the encumbrance of parents, teachers, or any other meddlesome adult. I sat bolt upright, feeling very much like someone who had accidentally stumbled into a room full of naked people.

4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 064 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. I went to see the author Mark Twain’s boyhood home, a trim and tidy whitewashed house with green shutters set incongruously in the middle of the downtown. It cost $2 to get in and was a disappointment. It purported to be a faithful reproduction of the original interiors, but there were wires and water sprinklers clumsily evident in every room. I also very much doubt that young Samuel Clemens’ bedroom had vinyl on the floor or that his sister’s bedroom had a plywood partition in it. You don’t actually go in the house; you look at it through the windows. (1) … The whole thing is pretty shabby, which wouldn’t be so awful if it were owned by some under funded local literary society and they were doing the best they could with it. In fact, it draws 135,000 visitors a year. It’s a little gold mine for the town. Next door, attached to the house, was a small museum, which was better. There were cases of Twain memorabilia. (2) … There was precious little to link him to the house or the town. Next door to the Twain house and museum, it was the Mark Twain Drive-In Restaurant and Dinette, with cars parked in little bays and people grazing off trays attached to their windows. It really lent the scene a touch of class. I began to understand why Clemens didn’t just leave town but also changed his name. I strolled around the business district. The whole area was a dispiriting combination of auto parts stores, empty buildings and vacant lots. I had always thought that all river towns, even the poor ones, had something about them – a kind of faded elegance, a raffish air – that made them more interesting than other towns, that the river served as a conduit to the larger world and washed up a more interesting and sophisticated brand of detritus. (3) … Every business in town appeared to trade on Twain and his books – the Mark Twain Roofing Company, the Mark Twain Shopping Centre. (4) … The whole place was sad and awful. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. At each window there is a recorded message telling you about that room as if you were a

moron. B. But not this one! C. You could even go and be insane at the Mark Twain Mental Health Centre. D. I had planned to stay for lunch, but the thought of having to face my friends there, left me

without any appetite. E. You can see first editions, one of his typewriters, photographs, and letters. 2. Find synonyms for the following words. 6 points A. purported B. moron C. fade 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points


1. What particularly struck the writer about Mark Twain’s house? A. The fact that there was an admission charge. B. The number of recorded messages there. C. How it differed from the way it was described.

2. What had the writer thought about river towns previously?

A. The presence of the river gave them an appeal. B. The business districts in them were prosperous. C. They were clean and tidy in appearance.

3. Which of the following best describes the writer’s tone in the passage as a whole?

A. harsh B. intrigued C. light-hearted

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: I had always thought that all river towns, even the poor ones, had something about them – a kind of faded elegance, a raffish air – that made them more interesting than other towns, that the river served as a conduit to the larger world and washed up a more interesting and sophisticated brand of detritus. 6 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 065 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Booklovers’ Corner occupied two rooms – a large one filled with the second-hand books and a small one containing a lending library of novels. All types of customer frequented the place, (1) … By all accounts, Orwell did his job well, hut he was more than a little annoyed by some of the customers, especially the ones who came in looking for a book whose cover they could remember as being a certain colour but whose title and author they had completely forgotten. ‘Many of the people who came to us were of the kind who would be a nuisance anywhere but have special opportunities in a bookshop’. He was astonished at the number of people who would order special books or ask for certain volumes to be put aside for them, and then never return. (2) … He concluded that merely ordering the books was satisfaction enough for them because ‘it gave them ... the illusion that they were spending real money.’ But dealing with a wide range of customers taught him some sobering things about the book market. It gave him real insights into readers’ tastes, and reminded him that publishing was a business, not a philanthropic endeavour. Books were a commodity, a manufactured item consumed by people with diverse tastes, and though he wanted to think of books as something precious and profound, he saw how easily they could be reduced to serving the particular appetites of certain consumers, produced in quantity and devoured rapidly, like so many sausages. (3) …. One subscriber to the shop’s lending library read at least four or five detective novels each week, and appeared never to take out the same book twice. ‘Apparently the whole of that frightful torrent of trash (4) … was stored for ever in his memory.’ All authors like to imagine that their work will be treasured by their readers, but clearly some books are merely ‘bad’, tasted once and tossed aside. 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/group of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence/group of words which you do not need to use. 4 points A. ‘from baronets to bus-conductors’, to quote Orwell’s description in his essay Bookshop Memories. B. – the pages read every year would, I calculated, cover nearly three-quarters of an acre – C. Stamp collectors are a strange, silent, fish-like breed. D. He was bothered not only by the fact they caused him unnecessary trouble, but that so many of them apparently never intended to return. E. He saw this plainly in the insatiable appetite for detective fiction. 2. Find synonyms for the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which best fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What do we learn about Orwell’s time as a shop assistant in the second paragraph?

A. He would sometimes lose his temper with customers. B. It led to him changing his view of human nature. C. His employers had no reason to complain about him.


2. Orwell noticed how many people ordered books …

A. in a way that the shop’s staff found irritating. B. as a way of pretending to the staff that they were rich. C. because they enjoyed doing so.

3. Why did Orwell mention the amount of paper used for detective novels?

A. To demonstrate how popular they were. B. To show how much he could remember. C. To emphasize his dislike of them.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: All authors like to imagine that their work will be treasured by their readers, but clearly some books are merely ‘bad’, tasted once and tossed aside. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 066 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Attempting to recover from my embarrassment, I was suddenly startled by a cacophony . . . music, perhaps? (1) … As if on cue, young people from every corner of the beach flocked to the rink. The awkwardness their bodies had expressed off the dancing floor had been replaced by a grace not unlike the albatross. They were clumsy in their approach to flight, but, once airborne, they were a soaring sight to behold. I was captivated by the effortlessness of their movements, weaving in and out, endlessly dancing. Their bodies became a blur of colour: (2) … I felt the rush of wind on my face as I caught the musky scent of cologne mixed with sweat. A swirl of communication was taking place, none of it involving speech. The tactile sense had kicked in: punching and shoving of young lions trying to impress their ladies of choice, bodies brushing by each other, and the gentle touch of hand on arm. A statuesque blonde, six inches taller than her partner, slipped. “Catch me, I'm falling on purpose,” her body language seemed to say. Eye contact was prevalent. (3) … This testing of emotional waters went on for several hours; boys and girls trying on relationships of men and women like kids playing dress up in their parents’ clothes. I was worried about their health: they could catch a serious cold on the blowing wind, coming from the hostile ocean… (4) … The pain of rejection, the fear of having made fools of themselves, and the devastation they feel when they believe that they have, make life for these adolescents a risky business. Perhaps a sign should have been posted there: “Live at Your Own Risk.” 1. Four sentences/groups of words have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence/group of words for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence/group of words which you do not need to use. 4 points A. It must have been music, because I glanced down to find my foot tapping away to a beat long

forgotten. B. Most dancers continually scanned the rink, found the one they were looking for, and BAM!!

eyes quickly darted away. C. green, purple, blue, pink, red – fast and furiously jumping D. My mother always worried about my going out in town and meeting my friends. E. But as I watched the dance unfold on that dancing platform, I realized that these young people

risk so much more. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What means does the narrator use to communicate his feelings?

A. dialogue B. creation of atmosphere C. 3rd person narrative


2. How would you describe the narrator’s choice of language description? A. poetic B. colloquial C. literal

3. Is the narrator tone …

A. optimistic? B. pessimistic? C. neutral?

5. Comment on the following fragment from the text in about 100 words: The pain of rejection, the fear of having made fools of themselves, and the devastation they feel when they believe that they have, make life for these adolescents a risky business. Perhaps a sign should have been posted there: “Live at Your Own Risk”. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 067 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. I am terrified of heights. Of course, it’s not really a fear of being in a lofty place. It is rather the vision of a long way to fall, of rocks far beneath and no firm wall between me and the edge. My sense of security is screamingly absent. There are no guard rails, flimsy though I picture them, or other safety devices. Despite my fear, last summer, I somehow found myself climbing to a towering place, while quaking inside and outside. Most of my schoolmates had come along on a day trip to the Boquerón, a gorgeous, lush spot in the foothills of Peru. Its major attraction is the main waterfall, about 100 feet high, that thunders into a crystal clear pool, feeding the river behind. (1) … The shoreline is strewn with rocks. On both sides of the fall, the jungle stretches to meet it, rising parallel to it on a gentler slope. After eating our sack lunches within sight and sound of the cascade, many of us wanted to make the climb to an area above it. (2) … Along the right edge, the jungle hugged the rocks and a passage through its trees did not look feasible. Looming high to the sky, the boulders rose in a tiered manner. Peering back down toward the river, I saw a steep slope of rocks all the way to the water. All I could think about was how far it would be to fall. My tense thoughts were interrupted by the awareness that my friends were already beginning to climb! My anxiety increased as I watched them. I voiced my uncertainties to them. (3)… Querying about my own sanity, I decided at least to attempt the climb. I chose a path that seemed most accessible. My friend, Tom was ahead of me. “Come on, Lara, you can do it!” he emboldened me. Then, suddenly, he slipped and slid backward about 10 feet! (4) … My heart was hammering. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. They dismissed my fears and encouraged me to stick it out. B. I watched, paralyzed, until he stopped himself and assured us he was all right. C. All around the pool and on down to the rushing stream, large and small boulders are scattered

everywhere. D. The ascent soared steeply above us. E. Tom and Laura were waiting for a rescue helicopter. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. lofty B. flimsy C. feasible 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. How would you describe the main character? A. fearful


B. fearless C. happy

2. Lara and her friends…

A. used to climb mountains every weekend. B. were climbing a very dangerous slope. C. went on the trip with their parents.

3. What did the children do before climbing? A. They ate a copious lunch. B. They had a snack. C. They took a bath into the pool.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: I am terrified of heights. Of course, it’s not really a fear of being in a lofty place. It is rather the vision of a long way to fall, of rocks far beneath and no firm wall between me and the edge. My sense of security is screamingly absent. There are no guard rails, flimsy though I picture them, or other safety devices. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 068 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. You can’t blame the movies for having a centenary, but there’s no escaping the embarrassment or the vulgarity of the celebration. It’s too close to having to attend the birthday party of a 100-year-old person. This is a remarkable achievement, you say; yet you cringe at the absence of vitality and the agony on an ancient face trying to remember who you are. (1) … Now you’re going to suppose that I’m tongue-in-cheek or playing devil’s advocate. (2) … Just because someone spends 30 years thinking and writing about movies doesn’t mean his mind is made up. It’s thinking and writing I depend on, and movies just happen to be my most available pretext. There have been so many movies, and so many more versions of movies on TV. (3) … We all of us know, deep down (and are dispirited by), the notion that there are only seven, nine or thirteen basic story forms in fiction. The number varies, but day after day the same stale mythic outlines are served up. So myth has gone dead on us, too. The wellsprings of imaginative life have been rendered sweet and synthetic. The excess of material has become wearying and unreliable. In 30 years, movies turned the western from a resonant metaphor into a stupid distortion of the real history of America. (4) … And so, narrative tradition has been befouled. As narrative suspense breaks down, the complex involvement of a reader’s sensibility in prolonged story – a novel – is less and less likely. Films are quicker; they require less imaginative work; the ‘world’ is immediately there, a given, pretty as a picture; the seductiveness of the spied-on fantasy is so much more beguiling than the developing powers of private insight and questioning called for in reading. That’s a fancy way of reiterating the cliché: ‘no one reads any more’. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. We haven’t seen them all, but ‘story’ has become a part of our air. B. Really, I’m not. C. So many things at 100 are past their prime or grisly imitations of youth. D. Really, I cannot. E. The genres of American film have taught us to be cynical about our own legends. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What does the writer say in the first paragraph about the centenary of the movies?

A. It is not worth celebrating at all. B. It draws attention to how poor they have become. C. It is being given too much publicity.

2. What does the writer emphasise in the second paragraph?

A. That his article is meant to be light-hearted.


B. That his attitude to movies has changed over the years. C. That he has never been sure of his views on movies.

3. How does the writer use westerns as an example?

A. Films that depict actual events inaccurately. B. Films that keep repeating the same basic story. C. Films that no longer appeal to people in general.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: So myth has gone dead on us, too. The wellsprings of imaginative life have been rendered sweet and synthetic. The excess of material has become wearying and unreliable. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 069 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. I remember that afternoon and the overwhelming maleness of it all - cigar and pipe smoke, foul language and I remember looking at the crowd more than at the players. From where I was sitting I could probably have counted twenty thousand heads; only the sports fan can do that. My father told me that there were nearly as many people in the stadium as lived in my town, and I was suitably awed. It wasn’t the size of the crowd that impressed me most, however, or the way that adults were allowed to shout abuse at the players as loudly as they wanted without attracting any attention. What impressed me most was just how much most of the men around me hated, really hated, being there. (1) … Within minutes of the kick-off there was real anger (You’re a DISGRACE, Holt! ‘A hundred quid a week? They should give that to me for watching you.’); as the game went on, the anger turned into outrage, and then seemed to curdle into sullen, silent discontent. When I went to other grounds I saw the same thing: (2) … I’d been to public entertainments before, of course; I’d been to the cinema and the pantomime. (3) … The audiences I had been a part of had paid to have a good time and I hadn’t ever noticed faces contorted by rage or despair or frustration. Entertainment as pain was an idea entirely new to me. It might not he too fanciful to suggest that it was an idea which shaped my life. I have always been accused of taking the things I love - football, of course, but also books and records - much too seriously, and I do feel a kind of anger when I hear a bad record, or when someone is lukewarm about a book that means a lot to me. Perhaps it was these bitter men in the West Stand at Arsenal who taught me how to get angry in this way. (4) … Maybe it’s those voices I can hear when I write. ‘You’re NO GOOD, X. A LITERARY PRIZE? They should give one to me for having to read you.’ 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. that the natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score. B. But that was different. C. As far as I could tell, nobody seemed to enjoy anything that happened during the entire

afternoon. D. Then I realised that Monday was a chain of incomprehensible incidents for him. E. And perhaps it is why I earn some of my living as a critic. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. The writer recalls more clearly that when he went to the game …

A. he got embarrassed about coming from a small town. B. he became more confident about using bad language.


C. he wished he could be like the men in the crowd. D. he was staggered at the number of people in the crowd.

2. What struck the writer about the attitude of the crowd?

A. Their envy of the players’ earnings. B. Their constant changes of mood. C. Their unhappiness regardless of events. D. Their unfairness towards the players.

3. The writer says that at other entertainments he had attended …

A. The audience had had different expectations. B. The audience had behaved in a way he found more acceptable. C. He had not wanted to admit that he was bored. D. He had paid less attention to the reactions of the audience.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: The audiences I had been a part of had paid to have a good time and I hadn’t ever noticed faces contorted by rage or despair or frustration. Entertainment as pain was an idea entirely new to me. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 070 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Is Cinderella just a sweet, pretty tale? (1) … “This story features the stock, two-dimensional characters of most fairy tales, and little character development is attempted”. Indeed, although her comment does make one wonder why simplicity of this sort should be out of place in a story for children. Be that as it may, Ellen’s main problem is with what the story implies. “Instead of standing up to her cruel stepmother and absurd stepsisters, Cinderella just waits for a fairy godmother to appear and solve her problems. But wouldn’t you want a daughter of yours to show more spirit?” The story is enduring and doesn’t take much in the way of analytical skills to see its influence on a number of recent Hollywood productions, (2) … In these versions for the silver screen, Cinderella no longer has to clean the house and has no siblings to make her life a misery, though she persists in not showing much backbone. (3) … The role of the fairy godmother is often played by coincidence or sheer luck; we live in an enlightened age when even very young children might reject the notion of fairies. The wicked stepmother may be transformed into a villain of some sort. In the majority of film versions, the heroine has a profession and is even permitted to continue working after marrying her prince — this is the twenty-first century, after all. Doesn’t the success of these films indicate that the story has relevance to children even today? (4) … ‘Most children experience a sense of inner loneliness as they are growing up and empathise with the protagonist who faces some sort of test or challenge. She has to grow spiritually, and by maturing, she becomes attractive to the prince, thus ensuring that the ending of the story will be happy. ‘’In the later versions”, says Ellen, “the theme of the story is simply that a girl’s role in life is to be more beautiful than other little girls so that she can carry off the prize: the handsome prince. Is this really what we want girls to grow up believing?’’ 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. all aimed at girls aged five to fifteen. B. The character of the rich and handsome stranger, however, is retained, and in some cases

really is a prince. C. “No, it’s definitely not!”, not in the view of Ellen MacIntosh: D. The basic story is very old indeed and familiar to most of us. E. ‘’Yes, it does.’’ admits Ellen, who sees its message as being rooted in a fundamental childhood

desire for love and attention. 2. Explain the underlined structures. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What does the writer imply about fairy tales? A. Fully developed characters would improve them. B. The stories are very basic. C. It is unrealistic to expect character development. D. It is a mistake to consider them sweet and pretty.


2. What is Ellen’s main objection to the Cinderella story? A. The heroine is treated cruelly. B. The heroine is not assertive enough. C. The ugly stepsisters are figures of ridicule. D. The stepmother is a stereotypical character. 3. What happens in film versions of the Cinderella Story? A. The prince is invariably replaced by a rich stranger. B. Two characters from the original story are omitted. C. Luck plays a greater role than in the original story. D. The Cinderella character no longer has to work. 5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: ‘’In the later versions”, says Ellen, “the theme of the story is simply that a girl’s role in life is to be more beautiful than other little girls so that she can carry off the prize: the handsome prince. Is this really what we want girls to grow up believing?’’ 4 points






A few years ago I did my first reading. Things went pretty well until near the middle of the last paragraph where I felt that I was going to cry. Why did that image of a succession of small white shapes, more sugar packets and butter pats than I needed, and in that sense semi-decorative rather than functional, grab at my grief lapels? (1) … I’d had a slight disagreement with my editor over the phrase ‘tissue-protected muffin’. (2) … The next day I’d stopped in a bakery and spotted a box of the little squares in question and seen the words ‘bakery’ tissue’ in capital letters on the side; and, exulting, I’d called my editor the next day and said ‘It’s tissue, it’s tissue,’ and as a compromise it became a ‘tissue-wrapped muffin’. But now, reading it aloud in Scotland, I could turn it into a ‘tissue-protected muffin’ all over again. And that might have been enough to make me cry. But it wasn’t just that. (3) … I’d forgotten it, after writing it down, and now that my orating tongue forced me to pay attention to it I was amazed and moved that it had hung on in there for all those years, unrewarded but unimpaired, and it had become the tearjerker moment that would force me to dissolve in grief right in the midst of all my intended ironies. That was a big part of it. And yet, far from feeling dismissive and contemptuous before my turn came, I’d been simply and sincerely nervous, exceedingly nervous, and now I was almost finished, and I hadn’t done anything too humiliating, and the audience had innocently listened, unaware of my prior disapproval, and they had even tolerantly laughed once or twice - and all this was too much. (4) … And then, as the unthinkable almost happened, I recognized that if I did break down now, the intensity of my feeling, in this supposedly comic context, would leave the charitable listeners puzzled about my overall mental well-being. It would be this that they would take home with them, rather than any particular fragment that they had liked. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. So much that, obviously, I was going to cry. B. It was also that this tiny piece of a paragraph had never been one that I’d thought of proudly

when I thought over my book after it was published. C. There were a number of reasons. D. She’d held that it should be ‘paper-wrapped muffin’ and I’d said I didn’t think so. E. Where was the pathos? 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. What does “it” refer to in the following context: ‘It’s tissue, it’s tissue,’ and as a compromise it became a ‘tissue-wrapped muffin’?

A. The story. B. The phrase describing the muffin.


C. The sentence about the muffin. D. The muffin.

2. What does “this” refer to in the following context: ‘It would be this that they would take home with them, (…)’?

A. The writer’s mental state. B. The part that made him cries. C. Being charitable towards him. D. Being puzzled about his mental state.

3. In what sense had the audience ‘innocently listened’ in the fifth paragraph?

A. Without realizing something. B. Not having done anything wrong. C. Without being critical. D. Not carrying about something.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: And then, as the unthinkable almost happened, I recognized that if I did break down now, the intensity of my feeling, in this supposedly comic context, would leave the charitable listeners puzzled about my overall mental well-being. It would be this that they would take home with them, rather than any particular fragment that they had liked. 4 points






Most journalists hate conducting one-to-one interviews. I hate them. I’m not very good at them. People never know how to edit their own lives. They don’t understand what it is about them that makes a good story; they have no comprehension that five minutes’ talk comes out at a thousand words. They’ll go on for two hours and expect to see every sentence in print, verbatim. And they’re obsessed with minutiae. Journalists who do relish writing interviews are rare. One of them told me that the trick is to keep as much of your personality out of the talk as possible. An interview isn’t a dinner-party conversation. The most common failure for journalists is that they want their subjects to like them, and it is this that’s at the heart of the dreadful fiasco that has become the TV chat show. Now, before you skip down the page to find something you haven’t heard a million times before, this is not another slap in the face of the genre. (1) … There is in television a big divide between political current affairs interviews and social celebrity ones. It’s a self-imposed and artificial division. On the one hand, news-driven interviewers are pretty good. They consider themselves journalists and behave and ask questions like journalists. (2) … The questions are supposed to be as interesting as the answers. It’s the fame of familiarity. And it’s dull beyond screaming. The editorial supposition is that the viewers will he eternally enthralled by fame. (3) … Surely there must come a time when celebrities with new films, books, records will stop doing these shows, simply because the audience will actively hate them for it. (4) … No professional entertainer would dare offer the disengaged, low-calibre performance of these shows if their name were above the heading and the public had to buy tickets. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The viewers will just stare like children watching pandas at the zoo. B. This is more in the nature of constructive criticism. C. They will hate them for wasting their time. D. You might have been right once. E. On the other hand, chat-show hosts want to see themselves as celebrities who are allowing the

public to eavesdrop on mutual celebrity inanity and warmth. 2. Give antonyms for the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. According to the writer, why are one-to-one interviews difficult?

A. Because interviewees don’t realize what journalists need. B. Because interviewees avoid talking about what journalists want to talk about. C. Because journalists rapidly get bored when listening to most interviewees. D. Because what interviewees say sometimes doesn’t make sense.


2. The writer implies that readers might ‘skip down the page’ because …

A. his comparison between journalism and chat shows will be complicated. B. they think he is going to repeat a familiar point of view. C. he has already written many articles about chat shows. D. they are not interested in either journalism or chat shows.

3. According to the writer, what is assumed by programme makers about chat shows? A. That viewers like to feel they are entering the world of the famous. B. That political interviewers do not make good chat-show hosts. C. That their hosts will enable celebrities to seem more interesting than they are. D. That viewers prefer them to political current affairs programmes.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: No professional entertainer would dare offer the disengaged, low-calibre performance of these shows if their name were above the heading and the public had to buy tickets. 4 points






It was like love, my fascination for those huge, noisy machines that were already near the

end of their golden age. They moved with such magnificent purpose. They were alive, they had steam, smoke and the smell of minerals; they burned energy without concealment, and you could see their fire. (1) … But there was something very human about the need to keep the fire going by hand, shovelling and watching, never for a second being able to forget responsibility for the journey and the work. Their waste didn’t have to be buried in lead-lined coffins, it was exhaled as carbon, sulphur and nitrogen, or swept and scattered as ash, the unburnt particles of coal settling gently on our clothes and hair. Some instruments, some things that humans make transcend their function. (2) … That explosive, rhythmic sound we call puffing says more to us about getting under way, about departure, than a petrol-driven snarl can ever do; perhaps it has something close to the beat of our pulse. Even if we were using up and heating the earth too much, and no-one knew that at the time, it would have been worth making an exception for steam engines as they were stunning. (3) … The honest power of a steam engine is overwhelming – most of its important parts are on display. You see the great cylinder with cranks and mechanisms outside it, you see the ingenious connection of levers and rods to the enormous wheels and you have already understood that this combination of things will work, and you might even see how. Unlike a motor car or a nuclear ship, there’s no secrecy about a steam engine’s force. What engineers call the ‘motion’, the linked shafts and pistons and wheels that drive the engine, is as fascinating as the movement of a watch. And almost as jewel-like, for the couplings and connecting rods were often still chipped and filed smooth by hammer and chisel, after they came off the milling machine. Hands still made parts of these engines, and it is no surprise that drivers spoke of them as individuals. (4) … 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The idea that hordes of people and commodities could be carried. B. Last but not least, the engine was essentially a boiler held in heavy frames on a set of steel

wheels. C. Being alive, they raced against themselves, losing more heat than they used, running by

burning their own cargo of coal. D. That way instruments can be magical. E. They were beautiful machines; the most beautiful machines produced in the industrial

revolution. 2. Give synonyms for the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What is one of the attractions of steam engines mentioned in the first paragraph?

A. their connection with a previous period of history.


B. the speed at which they were capable of travelling. C. the fact they needed people to make sure they ran properly. D. the smell of the waste that they produced.

2. Why would it be wrong to criticize steam engines? A. For the way they changed people’s lives. B. For damaging the environment. C. For being less useful than cars. D. For the amount of noise they made.

3. The author thinks that drivers spoke of steam engines as individuals because … A. some of them seemed to have human characteristics. B. it was possible to see their function from their appearance. C. they were not wholly manufactured by machines. D. not all of them were constructed on the same principle.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: It was like love, my fascination for those huge, noisy machines that were already near the end of their golden age. They moved with such magnificent purpose. They were alive, they had steam, smoke and the smell of minerals; they burned energy without concealment, and you could see their fire. 4 points






With sinking heart, I stared at Saturday’s Times. (1) … Almost the whole of the front page was devoted to a single story. ‘Tears as horrific case is outlined - murder jury told of discoveries ‘more terrible than words can express’. If only. (2) … But having expressed ourselves too shocked to speak, we speak. Having judged a scene indescribable, we go on to try to describe it. Having found a case too dreadful to talk about, we talk about it. On and on. And, glancing at that front page, I should like to claim that my sinking heart was sinking under the weight of dismay at the emerging facts about the murders. But it wouldn’t be true. The murders are awful beyond comprehension, and that’s that. No, the heart sank for a more selfish reason. (3) … It sank because Saturday’s Times was signalling the imminence of weeks - perhaps months - of newspaper, magazine, television and radio news which will be of little interest to me. From now on and for a long time to come, whole reams of my own and every other newspaper will be, from this reader’s point of view, a blank. You see, I really don’t want to read about it. I can’t summon up much interest in the details, I simply skip. What sort of research is conducted, I wonder, into the influence of particular stories over customer decisions to purchase a newspaper? It is doubtful whether asking customers would he the way to learn. As any editor will tell you, people are prone to declare their disgust that a newspaper should give prominence to a story, and then eagerly buy it. (4) … In human nature, the propensity to be shocked at published or broadcast material, judging it offensive, undignified or harmful, is quite close to the propensity to be drawn towards it. I often suspect that the natural censors among us are driven by an unacknowledged fear of the ruder, more violent or perverted sides of their own natures. When it comes to the privacy of the newsagent’s, a circulation manager can put them in the same category as the openly prurient: they buy, they read, they relish. Then they complain. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Our readers are likely to devour the story - the one blithely, the other guiltily, both avidly. B. Editors, please remember us! C. It was no different from any of the other papers, broadsheet or tabloid. D. If only we really would accept that there are things more terrible than words can express. If

only the words would ever cease. E. It sank because I was bored. 2. Give antonyms for the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to the text. 6 points 1. What is the writer’s main subject in the first paragraph?

A. The language newspapers use when covering horrific court cases. B. The human habit of talking about horrific things.


C. The impossibility of finding the right words in some circumstances. D. The shocking crimes that human beings commit.

2. What does the writer emphasize in the second paragraph?

A. How much this particular case differs from others. B. That this particular case has changed his attitude. C. That media coverage of such cases is of low quality. D. How sincere his reaction to this particular case is.

3. Why is it wrong to ask readers why they buy a certain newspaper?

A. Their actions contradict their stated opinions. B. They find it hard to explain the appeal of a certain newspaper. C. They keep changing their minds about what a newspaper should cover. D. The analysis of such research is often inaccurate.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: I often suspect that the natural censors among us are driven by an unacknowledged fear of the ruder, more violent or perverted sides of their own natures. When it comes to the privacy of the newsagent’s, a circulation manager can put them in the same category as the openly prurient: they buy, they read, they relish. Then they complain. 4 points






Kanzi is quite different from all other chimpanzees that have been taught to use symbols to

express their thoughts. For one thing, he understands spoken English. Kanzi’s trainers have even tested him with words produced by a speech synthesizer, one that produces a sound for every letter of the alphabet and comes out with a very weird, flat, clipped, monotonous kind of speech, only two-thirds of which is understandable by adult humans. (1) … The emotional content, unintentional stresses on words and any of the other cues that might have tipped him to the meaning of the words spoken by his trainers cannot explain his understanding of speech. There is also evidence that he can comprehend grammatically complicated commands, as long as they’re precise. So if there’s an orange sitting in front of Kanzi, and he’s told, ‘Go to the sitting room and get the orange,’ he hesitates (is he thinking ‘Which orange’?). (2) … Even though there’s that complicated (for a chimp) phrase in the middle, ‘that’s in the.’ In fact at age eight Kanzi was better at understanding such sentences than a two-year-old girl who was being asked the same sorts of questions. However even a brilliant performance by Kanzi is going to be treated with caution by the sceptics. (3) … It has been argued that because Kanzi switches from one meaning to another for a given symbol depending on the context, the symbols cannot mean the same thing to him as a word means to a child. For instance, Kanzi will use ‘juice’ to refer to the ‘drink’, the place where he gets the drink or the act of going to that place. But when tested for his vocabulary, he links the symbol ‘juice’ with the picture of a glass of Juice. Critics use this evidence to claim that Kanzi just uses the symbol as a means of solving different problems in different circumstances and has no idea that it means ‘juice’ all the time. This sounds like a tricky argument. (4) … But the critics say that children rarely use a word for two different kinds of things, like using ‘table’ to mean both the thing in the kitchen and breakfast, whereas Kanzi does. We cannot talk with animals as we can with human beings, yet we can communicate with them on mental and emotional levels. They should, however, be accorded equality in that they should receive both compassion and respect; it is unworthy of us to exploit them in any way. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Kanzi understands about two-thirds of this kind of speech as well. B. Kanzi is a chimpanzee. C. But if the sentence is rearranged: ‘Get the orange that’s in the sitting room,’ he has no

trouble. D. There has already been some doubt cast on exactly what the symbols on the board mean to

Kanzi. E. Because children do what appears to be the same sort of thing, like pointing to the chair and

saying ‘Daddy’. 2. Give antonyms for the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. What does the experiment with the speech synthesizer suggest? A. The way words are stressed plays a vital part in the understanding of them. B. Chimpanzees are better at understanding certain types of sound than others. C. Kanzi is really capable of understanding speech in English. D. Kanzi is unable to understand speech that has an emotional content.

2. What does the example of the orange suggest, according to the writer? A. Certain tasks are more appealing to Kanzi than others. B. Kanzi is unable to make any sense of certain instructions. C. Researchers often make mistakes in this kind of research. D. Kanzi understands the meaning of sentences from their structures.

3. People who are doubtful about Kanzi’s language ability believe that …

A. he gives the same word too many meanings. B. it is wrong to compare his ability with that of a child. C. the symbols have been created to make him seem intelligent. D. children connect objects with places more accurately than he does.

5. Comment on the following fragment in about 100 words: We cannot talk with animals as we can with human beings, yet we can communicate with them on mental and emotional levels. They should, however, be accorded equality in that they should receive both compassion and respect; it is unworthy of us to exploit them in any way. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 076 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. ‘Whether we like it or not we have got it, and we are likely to go on having it.’ Thus argues Mr Walter Taplin in his book Advertising: a new approach. Whether or not his approach is new, his post is unique and his attitude to his subject is, on the whole, approving. (1) … For example, in a recent number of The Listener Mr Furneaux Jordan made some rather gratuitous and perhaps insufficiently considered remarks about advertising to the effect that ‘a fool and his money are soon parted’ and so on. It is not our habit to censor our contributors’ opinions, but naturally those who practise the profession of advertising were offended when they got round to reading this. (2) … If one has not met them in real life, one has surely seen them in films, struggling with that just word or gem-like phrase that makes all the difference between tasty copy and mere copy-tasting. They are all aware that their work is often maligned. Mr Taplin quotes a sentence from a book on economics: ‘There is a strong presumption that most competitive advertising is a social waste.’ In Mr Taplin, however, the profession has found a careful apologist. He brings his fire down on the critics of advertising from many different angles and levels. He reminds us, in a forthright way, that the newspaper industry would be ‘decimated’ and ‘whole industries collapse, and a general depression be set off’ if there were no such things as advertisements. (3) … He is not afraid of philosophical argument. ‘The public discussion of advertising is shot through with moral arguments.’ Mr Taplin reminds us that the art of persuasion is an old and noble one; people like being persuaded: indeed they like paying to be persuaded. (4) …

(Pros and Cons of ‘Ads’) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Also he emphasizes that the profession itself has its own code. B. After all, like all people who take their own business seriously, advertisers are extremely

sensitive men and women. C. Advertisement professionals have already started to come up with arguments to change this

point of view. D. But Mr Taplin is no mere pragmatist. E. Not that he is unaware that the art of advertising has from time to time met with a certain

amount of criticism. 2. Give the antonyms of the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. What is singular about Mr. Taplin’s statement? A. He believes advertising should be eternal. B. He is appreciative of advertising. C. He states that we all should like advertising.


2. The writer’s opinion about Mr. Taplin’s article is … A. Appreciative. B. Laudatory. C. Reserved.

3. In the author’s view, advertisement professionals are … A. Hard-working people. B. Treasure hunters. C. Superficial individuals.

5. Comment upon the following statement in about 100 words: There is a strong presumption that most competitive advertising is a social waste. 4 points






Robbing a bank was not a capital offence even before hanging was abolished. Robert Hart

therefore paid a higher price than either he or society can have expected for his share in the Kensington bank raid. (1) … In the circumstances the constable had to become involved and an exchange of shots was inevitable. Anything less and the policeman would have been failing in his duty- regardless of the fact that he was armed originally for a different purpose. He shouted a warning that he was armed before he and his first opponent each fired and fell wounded. To ask that he wait and see whether the gang intended to kill him is tantamount to expecting a voluntary martyrdom by the constable. (2) …

But the incident has predictably polarised opinion. One school of thought holds that the robbers got what they deserved, and that the incident shows that all policemen should be armed. (3) … In its extreme form it teeters on the verge of implying that in some way Constable Slimon’s action was unfair to armed men who should be able to go about their task without such unexpected and unpleasant shocks. The argument of those who abhor the armed policeman and are shocked by the Kensington incident is greatly coloured by a legitimate fear of a wider use of guns in Britain. (4) … But we are not as near to the American situation as it is sometimes imagined. Our firearms controls, while far from ideal, are in a different world. A majority of our police still do not want to be armed. The number of indiscriminate shootings in the pursuit of criminal gain is not notably greater than before.

(Arms and the Policeman) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. In the United States ordinary people often carry weapons for self-defence, so great is the use

of guns for attacks in the streets. B. No one has a right to expect that. C. The other, in deploring the killing, also deplores that any constable should be armed

(particularly in a busy street). D. The arming of the police must continue only in special cases. E. It was Mr. Hart’s misfortune that the gang crossed the path of an armed policeman on his way

to guard the Jordanian Embassy. 2. Explain the words in bold. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text.

6 points 1. We can infer from the text that Robert Hart was …

A. the greatest robber in the United States. B. an emigrant of Jordanian origin. C. shot after he had robbed a bank.


2. It is stated in the second paragraph that … A. the Kensington incident started to be studied in schools. B. people did not share the same opinion about the incident. C. people expected the police to treat criminals in a more humane way.

3. The last paragraph mainly presents … A. the fear the British population lived in after the accident. B. a difference in perspective between the British and the Americans. C. the lack of proper equipment of the British Police. 5. Comment on the text above giving your own opinion on the issue of street violence and the way the authorities should react to it. (100 words) 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 078 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Nowadays one has to be pretty politic over what one says about ‘Westerns’. (1) … The days of the silent movies in the twenties were a wonderful era of cowboy films - William S. Hart, Tom Mix, and Douglas Fairbanks Senior were among the ‘stars’ of those distant days and nobody thought then that they were morally debasing. (2) … When the ‘Westerns’, after suffering a temporary setback, received a new lease of life, first in ‘talking pictures’ and then upon the television screens, it was discovered that the heroes riding their horses into the purple sunsets or toting their guns in the saloon bars still necessarily had to remain fairly silent. (3) … And as G.K. Chesterton once remarked, a strong, silent man is usually silent because he has nothing to say. Many efforts have been made to ‘debunk’ the cowboy or the gunfighter, but yet he retains his eternal appeal to those of us whose lives are glued to a keyboard and who rarely become dangerous except when driving cars. (4) … Or, again, that the ‘badman’ seldom drank and rarely smoked and made a practice of killing his victims by shooting them in the back. But that is how things are: the romantic lover late divorces his wife, the professional funny man is a bore at the dinner table, the angelic philosopher loses his temper along with his collar stud. As one grows older, one discovers that the world lives upside down; but when we were young we liked it to be simple and even though that it was so.

(Wild over the West) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Their adventures were particularly suitable to the dumb actors and the tinkling pianos which

accompanied them. B. Several hundreds of westerns were produced in Hollywood between 1905 and 1909. C. A talkative cowboy somehow appeared to be a contradiction in terms. D. It is of course saddening to be informed that ‘the average cowboy was no gunman‘ and that he

carried a pistol to protect himself from snakes. E. In a talk which we publish on another page on ‘The Western Gunfighter’ Colin Richards states

that the first ‘Western’ film was made in 1903. 2. Explain the structures in bold. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. It is stated in the first paragraph that … A. The twenties were a golden era for westerns. B. There were too many actors in cowboy films. C. Actors wanted silent films to be replaced with spoken ones.

2. At the beginning of the western era, cowboys were considered …

A. Vagabonds. B. Moral heroes. C. Legendary characters.


3. G.K. Chesterton’s remark can be considered:

A. Superfluous. B. Ironical. C. Racist.

5. Comment upon the following in about 100 words: As one grows older, one discovers that the world lives upside down; but when we were young we liked it to be simple and even though that it was so. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 079 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. I recently saw one of the world’s most famous women tennis players reel with shock at a linesman’s call. She stopped play, walked over to her chair, and, as she walked off the court, she poked a forefinger up at the umpire in what the spectators applauded as an obscene gesture. She hadn’t quit. She was just biding her time, and temper, till the officials came running, or kneeling, begging her to return. Which, three minutes later, she graciously consented to do, as thousands of spectators came to their feet to pay tribute to an act of bravery in giving the umpire his come-uppance. (1) … And the crowd cheered their heroine and forgave him. Money has got to be the reason why the insulted umpire sent his officials to beg the tennis star to return and go on with the game. (2) … The fans pay to subsidize that fortune. They come not merely to see a game superlatively played, they have learned to expect high jinks and low jinks as part of the show. Any sports promoter will tell you that a sports crowd spurned is a dangerous social animal. (3) … A twenty-year-old who earns a million dollars is encouraged by the media to see himself or herself as a movie star entitled to adoration and no questions asked about behaviour on or off the course, the rink, the court or the field. The best players know that the organizers will take in many millions, so they don’t pause for long before saying, ‘Some of those millions should be mine’. And if the difference between winning a hundred thousand and fifty thousand turns on a linesman’s call, it takes considerable character not to blow up. (4) … Well, it doesn’t take a superman. It takes simply a human being who was taught when young the definition of a spoiled brat. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. She never said no to a million dollars. B. She earns a fortune. C. I heard a young fan say it would take a superman. D. The umpire seemed truly sorry. E. But there has to come a point where the impulse to take up a game is often the impulse to

earn a million dollars. 2. Match the following words with their meaning . 6 points 1. to turn on sth. a. to wait in a patient way for an opportunity to do something 2. to pay tribute to b. to depend completely on that thing 3. to bide one’s time c. to praise someone or something publicly 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. What did the player expect when she left the court? A. To be begged to return. B. To be excluded from the tournament. C. To be fined for her rude behaviour.


2. The word ‘graciously’ in the second paragraph is used … A. metaphorically. B. ironically. C. as an adjective.

3. According to the writer, what do spectators at sports events want to see?

A. Total fair-play behaviour from the part of the competitors. B. Exciting and sometimes violent behaviour. C. The undisputed victory of their favourites.

5. Comment on the following in about 100 words: How much should a sportsman be influenced by the money he gets for taking part in an event? 4 points






One of the few commercial certainties of the next decade is that Hollywood will continue to dominate the film industry. This seems strange: why should a small area of ruinously expensive property with a habit of paying its staff too much and its investors far too little remain the centre of one of the fastest-growing and most international industries? Hollywood’s most obvious advantage is that it is already there. (1) … Only they produce enough movies a year (at least a dozen) to find the one or two hits that will pay for all the duds; only they have film libraries and distribution systems big enough to cushion them against the bad times. That explains why independent studios will always struggle and why a big studio has to go to unusual lengths to kill itself. (2) … The answer is cultural. Hollywood is the only town with a record of tapping into the world’s global consciousness. (3) … Tinseltown’s founders were entrepreneurial, many of them semi-literate immigrants, bred in saloons rather than salons. Their films aimed for the widest possible market. (4) … The box office winners of the USA will pay worldwide. Yet only a small fraction – usually no more than 5% - of the films are aimed at pleasing critics, whose reviews can then be dangled in front of generous ministries of culture, rather than putting bums on seats. Canada’s film industry is no better. British movie makers are now begging the government to reintroduce subsidies: if they had never existed in the first place, Britain’s film industry might have become as successful as its music industry – which ranks near equal to America’s. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The same is true today. B. The movie industry has always needed a place from where to direct the film production

towards all places, even the remotest. C. However, it does not explain why nobody has tried to replicate the system, why should Japan

go weak at the knees when it comes to Hollywood. D. Language helps, but so does tradition. Its film industry, in contrast to Europe’s, was not built by

middle-class intellectuals and subsidies by government money. E. The entertainment industry’s economics weigh heavily in favour of the big six studios: Warner,

Columbia/TriStar, Paramount, Fox, Universal and Disney. 2. Match the words in bold with their meaning. 6 points 1. to cushion smth. against a. to put somebody or sth. into a position according to their

success, importance, etc. 2. to rank b. to protect a thing from the harmful effects of sth. 3. to struggle c. to use your strength to fight against sb. or sth. 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. The writer’s opinion in the first paragraph is that … A. It is not absolutely logical that Hollywood should be the center of the film industry. B. Actors should be paid more when acting in Hollywood. C. The film industry shouldn’t be an international one.

2. Presenting the biggest six studios the writer makes the following point:

A. Being too large can be a disadvantage for them. B. Being so numerous could be disastrous. C. They survive because they have the means to deal with failure.

3. In the third paragraph the writer states that … A. Only cultivated people had an interest in Hollywood at the very beginning. B. Hollywood was started by a group of business people without too much education. C. Hollywood should have been a place for those who liked to spend their time and

money in saloons. 5. Comment upon the general ideas of the text in about 100 words. 4 points






We are not aware of our own folklore any more than we are of the grammatical rules of our

language. (1) … Instead, we simply listen to information that others tell us and then pass it on – more or less accurately – to other listeners.

This, in broad summary, is the typical process of legend formation and transmission as it has existed from time immemorial and continues to operate today. (2) …

It might seem unlikely that legends – urban legends at that – would continue to be created in an age of widespread literacy, rapid mass communications, and restless travel. A moment’s reflection, however, reminds us of the many weird, fascinating, but unverified rumors and tales that so frequently come to our ears – killers and madmen on the loose, shocking or funny personal experiences, unsafe manufactured products, and many other unexplained mysteries of daily life. (3) … The tales have travelled far and wide, and have been told and retold from person to person in the same manner that myths, fairy tales, or ballads spread in earlier cultures, with the important difference that today’s legends are also disseminated by the mass media, groups of age-mates, especially adolescents. (4) … Some individuals make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale, and they can enliven any coffee break, party, or trip with the latest supposed ‘news’. The telling of one story inspires other people to share what they have read or heard, and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs and perhaps new variants are created.

(New Legends for Old) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Whatever the origins of urban legends, their dissemination is no mystery. B. It works about the same way whether the legendary plot concerns a dragon in a cave or a

house in a Coke bottle. C. Other paths of transmission are among office workers and club members, as well as among

religious, recreational, and regional groups. D. When we follow the ancient practice of informally transmitting ‘lore’ - wisdom, knowledge – by

word of mouth from person to person, we do not concentrate on the form or content of our folklore.

E. One of the fiercest stories to be told, and one which still haunts our daily conversations is undoubtedly Jack the Ripper’s.

2. Explain the structures in bold. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. Why are we not aware of our own folklore? A. Because we generally ignore it. B. Because it’s less difficult than grammar. C. Because it is somehow inborn in our minds.


2. What kinds of rumours and tales are current nowadays? A. Political items of general interest. B. Everyday experiences of real people. C. Exceptional and mysterious happenings.

3. Which of the following groups is not likely to disseminate urban legends? A. Teenagers. B. Priests. C. Scientists.

5. Comment upon the following in about 100 words: It might seem unlikely that legends – urban legends at that – would continue to be created in an age of widespread literacy, rapid mass communications, and restless travel. 4 points






Faith in progress is deep within our culture. We have been taught to believe that our lives are better than the lives of those who came before us. (1) … But much of our confidence about our own well being comes from the assumption that our lives are easier than those of earlier generations. I have already disputed the notion that we work less than medieval European peasants, however poor they may have been. (2) … The lives of the so-called primitive peoples are commonly thought to be harsh – their existence dominated by the ‘incessant quest for food’. In fact, primitives do little work. By contemporary standards, we’d have to judge them very lazy. If the Kapauku of Papua work one day, they do no labour on the next. !Kung Bushmen put in only two and a half days per week and six hours per day. In the Sandwich Islands of Hawaii, men work only four hours per day. (3) … The key to understanding why those ‘stone age peoples’ fail to act like us – increasing their work effort to get more things – is that they have limited desires. In the race between wanting and having, they have kept their wanting low – and, in this way, ensure their own kind of satisfaction. They are materially poor by contemporary standards, but in at least one dimension - time – we have to count them richer. I do not raise these issues to imply that we would be better off as Polynesian natives or medieval peasants. (4) … I am, instead, making a much simpler point. We have paid a price for prosperity. Capitalism has brought a dramatically increased standard of living, but at the cost of a much more demanding worklife. The conventional wisdom that economic progress has given us more things as well as more leisure is difficult to sustain.

(Juliet B. Schor - The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The field research of anthropologists gives another view of the conventional wisdom. B. The ideology of modern economics suggests that material progress has yielded enhanced

satisfaction and well-being. C. People have always been obsessed by a constant search for food. D. Nor am I arguing that ‘progress’ has made us worse off. E. And Australian aborigines have similar schedules. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. harsh B. lazy C. satisfaction 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. According to the author, we base our belief that people are generally well off today on the assumption that …

A. hard working people deserve to be prosperous. B. people generations earlier had an inferior standard of living. C. people are protected by social progress.

2. The author regards “the conventional wisdom” with …

A. resentment. B. skepticism. C. bewilderment.

3. The Kapauku and the !Kung are presented as examples of … A. lazy primitives who turn down possibilities to work. B. noble savages with little sense of time. C. people unmotivated by a desire for commercial goods.

5. Comment upon the following sentence in about 100 words: Capitalism has brought a dramatically increased standard of living, but at the cost of a much more demanding worklife.

4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 083 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Polly was looking unusually subdued, sitting big-eyed and wary out on the school steps, watched over protectively by her loyal friend, Harriet Caine. (1) … Harriet did the talking: ‘Mrs. Spencer says she would like to see you’, she repeated quietly to Jenny, standing guard in front of the guilty-looking Polly. (2) … ’What have you done now, Polly? I hope it isn’t anything naughty. ‘ ’Depends how you look at it. Not very naughty. I don’t think so anyway, but I think maybe Mrs. Spencer does. ‘ Jenny strode up the steps into the grandiose Victorian building, wishing she wasn’t wearing her oldest jeans and sweatshirt but was one of those mothers who always dressed as if they were about to go to a charity lunch. (3) … Few of the parents here had ever visited an ordinary modern primary school, but had they done so they would have realised that no state school would have tolerated the dingy corridors and lack of space that parents here were taking out second mortgages to pay for. Jenny took a deep breath and knocked on the open door of Polly’s classroom. She felt guilty herself, summoned like this to the teacher’s presence. She would have waited and got some ideas about what Polly had actually done before she rushed in, then she could have prepared an informed defence. Mrs. Spencer, a brisk young woman with neatly bobbed hair, was sitting at her desk marking the day’s maths. ‘Ah, Mrs. Collins’, she said, but didn’t continue, and Jenny thought, oh God, it’s so serious, the poor woman doesn’t know what to say. (4) … ‘Polly tells me you want to see me’, she said instead, as evenly as she could manage.’

(Judy Ashley – Pleasant Vices) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Jenny sensed trouble as she struggled to squeeze the Golf between Nissan Petrol and a

Vauxhall Frontera. B. She put on an expression that she hoped looked like deep morning. C. Jenny gently moved Harriet aside. D. ‘Ah, Mrs. Spencer’, was the most tempting reply, which Jenny wisely didn’t make. E. The building was scruffy, a large converted house forming the tacked-on junior department of

the High School. 2. Match the words in bold with their meaning 6 points A. designed to look very impressive, but really looking artificial or silly B. quick and full of energy C. a legal agreement in which you borrow money from a bank in order to buy a house 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph? A. Polly is a girl with very big eyes. B. Polly does not habitually obey her mother. C. Jenny is having trouble parking her car.

2. According to her own words Polly … A. is aware that she has done something wrong. B. doesn’t respect her teacher very much. C. doesn’t think about naughty things.

3. Jenny’s opinion about Polly’s school is … A. that parents do not think highly about the teaching staff. B. that it should accept people to dress casually. C. not very flattering.

5. Comment upon the way in which Jenny feels about her daughter’s school and the people involved in her education. Write about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 084 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Depositing my brown paper lunch bag on the grass beside me, I munched in silence, watching the trees ripple in the wind and musing over the latest in a series of ‘controversial’ symposiums I had attended that morning. The speaker, an antiquated professor in suspenders and a mismatched cardigan, had delivered an earnest diatribe against modern tools of convenience like electronic mail and instant messaging programs. I thought his speech was interesting, but altogether too romantic. My solitude was broken by two girls, deep in conversation, who approached from behind and sat down on the grass about ten feet to my left. (1) … They interrupted each other frequently, paused at the same awkward moments, and responded to one another’s statements as if neither one heard what the other said. (2) … I could tell that they were college students by their style of dress and the heavy backpacks sinking into the grass beside them. Their body language and proximity also indicated that they were friends. Instead of talking to each other, however, each one was having a separate dialogue on her cell phone. (3) … His point in the symposium was that, aside from the disastrous effects of emails and chatting on the spelling, grammar and punctuation of the English language, these modern conveniences also considerably affect our personal lives. (4) … Although writing out words by hand posed an inconvenience, it also conferred certain important advantages. The writer had time to think about his message, about how he could best phrase it in order to help his reader understand him, about how he could convey his emotions without the use of dancing and flashing smiley face icons. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Before the advent of electronic mail, people wrote letters. B. They may not recognize it, but those girls, like most of us, could use a moment of solitude. C. As I considered this scene, this morning’s bleary-eyed lecturer again intruded into my thoughts. D. Confused, I stole a glance at them out of the corner of my eye. E. I stared hard at my peanut sandwich, trying not to eavesdrop, but their stream of chatter

intrigued me. 2. Give the synonyms of the words in bold. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. Which example of the negative effects of modern technology is not mentioned by the author?

A. Two friends spend their lunch hour talking on their cell phones. B. An email writer uses icons instead of writing down his feelings. C. A student leaves class to take a cell phone call.


2. As used in the text, the word romantic most nearly means … A. charming. B. whimsical. C. impractical.

3. What is the author’s attitude towards the strange behaviour of the two girls? A. He was amused. B. He tried to keep himself to himself. C. He wanted to share his food with them.

5. Comment upon the effect cell phones and emails have upon young people’s interrelationships. Write about 100 words. 4 points






Plato – who may have understood better what forms the mind of man than do some of our contemporaries who want their children exposed only to ‘real’ people and everyday events – knew what intellectual experiences make for true humanity. (1) … Even Aristotle, master of pure reason, said: ‘The friend of wisdom is also a friend of myth.’ Modern thinkers who have studied myths and fairy tales from a philosophical or psychological viewpoint arrive at the same conclusion, regardless of their original persuasion. (2) … Drawing on anthropological parallels, he and others suggest that myths and fairy tales were derived from, or give symbolic expression to, initiation rites or other rites of passage – such as metaphoric death of an old, inadequate self in order to be reborn on a higher plane of existence. (3) … They conclude that one attraction of this literature is its expression of that which is normally prevented from coming to awareness. (4) … For example, in dreams more often than not the wish fulfillment is disguised, while in fairy tales much of it is openly expressed. To a considerable degree, dreams are the result of inner pressures that have found no relief, of problems that beset a person to which he knows no solution and to which the dream finds none. The fairy tale does the opposite: it projects the relief of all pressures and not only offers ways to solve problems but promises that a ‘happy’ solution will be found.

(Bruno Bettelheim – The Uses of Enchantment) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Paradoxically as it may seem, even very common stories such as Sleeping Beauty and Little

Red Riding Hood might tell as a lot about man’s primeval desires and dreams. B. There are, of course, very significant differences between fairy tales and dreams. C. Other investigators emphasize the similarities between the fantastic events in myths and fairy

tales and those in adult dreams and daydreams – the fulfillment of wishes, the winning out over all competitors, the destruction of enemies.

D. He suggested that the future citizens of his ideal republic begin their literary education with the telling of myths, rather than with mere facts or so called rational teachings.

E. Mircea Eliade, for one, describes these stories as ‘models for human behaviour that, by that very fact, give meaning and value to life.

2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 4 points

1. In the first paragraph, the author quotes Plato and Aristotle … A. to show that myths originated in ancient times. B. to show that myths are valuable. C. to show that they had conflicting views on the matter.


2. The comment about parents who wish their children exposed only to actual persons and events suggests that the author considers such people …

A. hardly concerned about their children welfare. B. optimistic about human nature. C. misguided in their beliefs.

3. It can be inferred from the text that Mircea Eliade is …

A. A writer of stories for children. B. A philosopher. C. A physician.

5. Comment upon the following sentence in about 100 words: The friend of wisdom is also a friend of myth. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 086 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. It should be clear that rock and roll cannot escape its role as a part of popular culture. (1) … Rock and roll is ‘big corporation business’ in America and around the globe. As David De Voss has noted: ‘Over fifty US rock artists annually earn from $2 million to $6 million. At last count, thirty-five artists and fifteen additional groups make from three to seven times more than America’s highest paid business executive.’ Perhaps the most damning argument against rock and roll as a political catalyst is suggested by John Berger in an essay on advertising. Berger argues that ‘publicity turns consumption into a substitute for democracy. (2) … To the extent that rock and roll is big business, and that it is marketed like other consumer goods, rock and roll also serves this role. (3) … This is a frustrating conclusion to reach, and it is especially frustrating for rock and roll artists who are dissatisfied with the political systems in which they live. If rock and roll’s ability to promote political change is hampered by its popularity, the factor that gives it the potential to reach significant numbers of people, to what extent can rock and roll artists act politically? Apart from charitable endeavours, with which rock and roll artists have been quite successful at raising money for various causes, the potential for significant political activity promoting change appears quite limited. (4) … But he can only take responsibility for his own intentions. Ultimately, it is the popular audience that must take responsibility for what it does with the artist’s work. The rock and roll artist cannot cause political change. But if he is very lucky, the popular audience might let him contribute to the change it makes. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The choice of what one eats (or wears or drives) takes the place of significant political choice.’ B. If his music is not doomed to obscurity by the challenge it presents to the listener, the artist is

lucky. C. Our freedom to choose the music we are sold may be distracting us from more important

concerns. D. One important part of that role is its commercial nature. E. The artist’s challenge is to try to communicate with his audience. 2. Give the synonyms of the words in bold. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. De Voss’ comparison of the salaries of rock stars and corporate executives is quoted in order to …

A. argue in favour of higher pay for musical artists. B. indicate the lack of limits on the wages of popular stars. C. support the view that rock and roll is a major business.


2. According to John Berger … A. the marketing of Rock and Roll should be improved. B. rock and Roll is just another merchandise. C. for some people Rock and Roll is the supreme mode of expression in music.

3. According to the writer the success of the politically motivated Rock and Roll artists is

restricted by … A. Lack of money. B. Their own popularity. C. Their resilience to take part in charities.

5. Comment upon the role music in general and rock and roll in particular has upon you and your friends as a group. Write about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 087 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. There is an interesting reference to the spirit of bravado among teenagers in the cautionary memorandum just issued by the Howard League of Penal Reform. The league fears that this bold, juvenile spirit would provoke an even higher rate of crime than has already been reached if those who are filled with it were submitted to the painful indignity of a whipping. (1) … The spirit of bravado, or whatever it may be called, has led to a wave of senselessly destructive hooliganism that shows no signs whatsoever of dying down. Harsh disciplinary sanctions in the past failed; kindly and unsparing efforts to reform the little thugs by kindness have, beyond question, been equally ineffective. Railways, as any passenger will know, have lately been the main sufferers. It was estimated the other day that in twelve weeks the Southern Region alone had suffered losses of more than £11,000 and 14,000 hours of skilled labour. (2) … This is not the worst of it. Signals set at safe have been altered, no doubt, in a spirit of bravado. A short circuit, leading to a general hold-up, has been caused by cushions hurled out of windows. (3) … The need to put a stop to these goings-on is obvious both to protect life and property and to teach the culprits that they must not hope to get away without sanctions that they will really hate. Unfortunately, there is no question but that, as matters stand, they laugh, often openly, at attempts to control them. Their boldness in execution is matched by whining when they are caught and resentment if they are even lightly punished. (4) … It is one of photographic accuracy as a reflection of what is happening daily in consequence of the unchecked spirit of bravado. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. This is a sombre picture. B. Seats are ripped open, luggage racks torn down, and lights and windows smashed. C. Police has been asked to step in but no action has been taken so far. D. On one point we must all agree. E. Some of the damage, it has been noted, could be done only by a very sharp blade such as a razor. 2. Match the following words with their meaning: 6 points 1. whipping A. complaining in a way that annoys other people 2. whining B. an occasion when someone is punished by being hit with a whip 3. resentment C. an angry unhappy feeling you have when you think you have

been treated unfairly 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. What has the Howard League of Penal Reform done according to the first paragraph? A. Published a document. B. Prescribed a law. C. Prevented crime.


2. The author says that hooliganism …

A. does not limit itself to teenagers. B. has some very understandable reasons. C. will not cease in the near future.

3. Who has suffered the most because of hooliganism, according to paragraph two? A. The police. B. The parents. C. The railway system.

5. Comment upon the following statement in about 100 words: There is no similarity between English and Romanian teenagers in as far as hooliganic behaviour is concerned. 4 points






When musing on cities over time and in our time, from the first to today, we must always remember that cities are artifacts. (1) … But cities – despite the metaphors that we apply to them from biology or nature (‘The city dies when industry flees’, ‘The neighbourhoods are the vital cells of the urban organism’), despite the sentimental or anthropomorphic devices we use – are artificial. (2) … What nature makes that may seem like a city – an anthill, for instance – only seems like one. It is not a city. Human beings made and make cities, and only human beings kill cities, or let them die. And human beings do both – make cities and unmake them – by the same means: by acts of choice. (3) … We enjoy believing that there are forces out there completely determining our fate, natural forces – or forces so strong and overwhelming as to be like natural forces – that send cities through organic or biological phases of birth, growth and decay. We avoid the knowledge that cities are at best works of art, and at worst ungainly artifacts – but never flowers or even weeds – and that we, not some mysterious force or cosmic biological system, control the creation and life of a city. We control the creation and life of a city by the choices and agreements we make – the basic choice being, for instance, not to live alone, the basic agreement being to live together. When people choose to settle, like the stars, not wander, like the moon, they create cities as sites and symbols of their choice to stop and their agreement not to separate. (4) … Mutual defense, control of a river or harbour, shelter from natural forces – all these and other reasons may lead people to aggregate, but once congregated, they live differently and become different.

(A. Bartlett Giomatti- The Time for Paradise) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Now stasis and proximity, not movement and distance define human relationships. B. A city is a collection of disparate families who agree to a fiction. C. Forest, jungles, deserts, plains, oceans – the organic environment is born and dies and is

reborn endlessly, completely without moral constraint or ethical control. D. We enjoy deluding ourselves in this as in other things. E. Nature has never made a city. 2. Match the following words with their meaning. 6 points 1. harbour a. the gradual destruction of sth. as a result of a natural process of change 2. decay b. an area of water near the land where it is safe for boats to stay 3. to delude c. to choose to believe sth. that is not true 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. The points the author makes at the very beginning of the text is that: A. Cities are man-made. B. Cities are the oldest form of human gathering. C. Cities will always remain anchors of humanity.

2. Biology is said to help people …

A. make associations between different scientific branches. B. understand how a city is built.

C. understand what a metaphor is.

3. In the second paragraph the author states that … A. natural forces only can destroy a city. B. there is a strong link between cities and the environment. C. sometimes cities can be really unpleasant.

5. Comment upon the following statement in about 100 words: Human beings made and make cities, and only human beings kill cities, or let them die. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 089 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The most curious fact about the detective story is that it makes its greatest appeal precisely to those classes of people who are most immune to other forms of daydream literature. The typical detective story addict is a doctor or clergyman or scientist or artist, i.e., a fairly successful professional man with intellectual interests and well-read in his own field. (1) … It is sometimes said that detective stories are read by respectable law-abiding citizens in order to gratify in fantasy the violent or murderous wishes they dare not, or are ashamed to, translate into action. This may be true for readers of thrillers (which I rarely enjoy), but it is quite false for the reader of detective stories. On the contrary, the magical satisfaction the latter provide (which makes them escape literature, not works of art) is the illusion of being dissociated from the murderer. (2) … Then a suspicion of being the guilty one; and finally a real innocence from which the guilty other has been expelled, a cure effected, not by me or my neighbours, but by the miraculous intervention of a genius from outside who removes guilt by giving knowledge of guilt. (3) … The fantasy, then, which the detective story addict indulges is the fantasy of being restored to the Garden of Eden, to a state of innocence, where he may know love as love and not as the law. (4) … The fantasy to escape is the same, whether one explains the guilt in Christian, Freudian or any other terms.

(W.A. Auden – The Guilty Vicariage)

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The magic formula is an innocence which is discovered to contain guilt. B. The detective story subscribes, in fact, to the Socratic daydream: ’Sin is ignorance’ C. He could never stomach the Saturday Evening Post or True Confessions or movie magazines

or comics. D. The driving force behind this daydream is the feeling of guilt, the cause of which is unknown to

the dreamer. E. This has been applied by every great detective story writers in the creation of their immortal

sleuths. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points A. guilty B. miraculous C. fantasy 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. The first paragraph suggests that the author considers True Confessions and movie magazines as …

A. sources of information about everyday life. B. standard forms of escapist literature. C. less addictive than detective fiction.

2. According to the writer, people who read detective stories generally are …

A. people generally interested in all artistic forms. B. people bent on satisfying an unconscious thirst for blood. C. people well-integrated socially.

3. The feeling the reader relishes in while reading a detective story is one of …

A. requited innocence. B. hopeless love. C. crass egoism.

5. Comment upon the following statement in about 100 words: It is sometimes said that detective stories are read by respectable law-abiding citizens in order to gratify in fantasy the violent or murderous wishes they dare not, or are ashamed to, translate into action.

4 points






Political and technological developments are rapidly obliterating all cultural differences.

(1)… Still our different pasts have not yet been completely erased and cultural differences are still perceptible. (2) … Every European knows, as a matter of historical fact, that in Europe, wealth could only be acquired at the expense of other human beings, either by conquering them or by exploiting their labour in factories. Further, even after the Industrial Revolution began, the number of persons who could rise from poverty to wealth was small; the vast majority took it for granted that they would not be much richer or poorer than their fathers. (3) … In the United States, wealth was also acquired by stealing, but the real exploited victim was not a human being but poor Mother Earth and her creatures that were ruthlessly plundered. It is true that the Indians were expropriated or exterminated, but this was not, as it had always been in Europe, a matter of the conqueror seizing the wealth of the conquered, for the Indian had never realized the potential riches of his country. It is also true that, in the Southern states, men lived on the labour of slaves, but slave labour did not make them fortunes; what made slavery in the South all the more inexcusable was that, in addition to being morally wicked, it didn’t even pay off handsomely. Thanks to the natural resources of the country, every American could reasonably look forward to making more money than his father, so that, if he made less, the fault must be his; he was either lazy or inefficient. (4) …

(W.H.Auden- Postscript: The Mighty Dollar) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. What an American values, therefore, is not the possession of money as such, but his power to

make it as a proof of his manhood. B. To a European, money means power, the freedom to do as he likes. C. In consequence, no European associates wealth with personal merit or poverty with personal

failure. D. The most striking difference between an American and a European is the difference in their

attitudes towards money. E. It is possible that, in a not remote future, it will be impossible to distinguish human beings living

on an area of the earth’s surface from those living on any other. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points 1. completely 2. ruthlessly 3. handsomely 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. The author asserts that technological advances … A. are likely to promote greater divisions between the rich and the poor. B. may eventually lead to worldwide cultural uniformity. C. will enable us to tolerate any cultural differences between us.

2. As deduced from the text, Europeans consider wealth … A. as not necessarily a personal merit . B. as rather unimportant for personal development. C. as vital as it used to be for their ancestors.

3. We can infer from the second paragraph that the Southern economy …

A. could have survived without slavery. B. was equally oppressive and rewarding. C. wasn’t at all economically sound.

5. Comment upon the idea that personal achievement is strongly related to the accumulation of wealth. Give arguments from your own experience in about 100 words.

4 points






Cartoon characters have soul as Carl Jung defined it in his Archetypes and the Collective

Unconscious: ‘Soul is a life-giving demon who plays his elfin game above and below human existence.’ Without the ‘leaping and twinkling of the soul’, Jung says, ‘man would rot away in his greatest passion, idleness.’

The Mickey Mouse of the thirties shots was a whirlwind of activity, with a host of unsuspected skills and a reluctant heroism that rose to every occasion. (1) … Yet withal, there was nothing aggressive or self-promoting about him. Disney, interviewed in the thirties, said: ‘Sometimes I’ve tried to figure out why Mickey appealed to the whole world. Everybody’s tried to figure it out. (2) … He’s a pretty nice fellow who never does anybody any harm, who gets into scrapes through no fault of his own, but always manages to come up grinning.’ This was perhaps Disney’s image of himself: for twenty years he did Mickey’s voice in the films and would often say, (3) … Mickey was a character created with his own pen, and nurtured on Disney’s memories of his mouse-ridden Kansas City studio and of the Missouri farm where his struggling father tried for a time to make a living. Walt’s humble, scrambling beginnings remained embodied in the mouse, whom the Nazis, in a fury against the Mickey - inspired Allied legions (the Allied code word on D-Day was ‘Mickey Mouse’), called ‘the most miserable ideal ever revealed …..mice are dirty.’ But was Disney, like Mickey, just ‘a pretty nice fellow’? (4) … In the dozen years between Steamboat Willie and Fantasia, the Disney studios took the art of animation to heights of ambition and accomplishments it would never have reached otherwise, and Disney’s personal zeal was the animating force.

(John Updike - The Art of Mickey Mouse) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Like Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks and Fred Astaire, he acted out our fantasies of endless

nimbleness, of perfect weightlessness. B. ‘There’s a lot of the Mouse in me’. C. He was until crossed in his driving perfectionism, his Napoleonic capacity to marshal men and

take risks in the service of an artistic and entrepreneurial vision. D. So far as I know, nobody has. E. The thirties were Mickey’s conquering decade. 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points 1. reluctant 2. aggressive 3. harm 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. By describing Mickey’s skills as ‘unsuspected’ and his heroism as ‘reluctant’, the author underlines Mickey’s …

A. unassuming nature. B. unrealistic success. C. idealistic character.

2. By saying ‘There’s a lot of the Mouse in me’, Disney revealed …

A. the extent of his identification with his creation. B. his fear of being surpassed by a creature he produced. C. his somewhat negative image of himself.

3. During World War II Mickey was …

A. a symbol for the allied armies. B. the model of the American soldier. C. a means of defeating the German army.

5. Comment upon the following statement in about 100 words: Soul is a life-giving demon who plays his elfin game above and below human existence. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 092 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. I am a foreign correspondent today. Fate has found me coming to America, to the badlands of Los Angeles, California. The grand hotel from whose bright balcony I write these few faltering words is in the Avenue of the Stars, just off Santa Monica Boulevard. It’s hard not to drop such splendid sounding street names, harder still not to drop the names of the big motion pictures that have been made in this remarkable country. Welcome to L.A. (1) … Being there, with Sunset Boulevard around the corner, one cannot help but run the gauntlet of emotions from intolerance to suspicion and fury. It’s a wonderful life, to live and die in L.A., but I confess to feeling that I am an alien amongst aliens in an alien nation. (2) … From sunrise to sunset the blue skies shelter people carefree, rich and famous, or at least rich and strange; they shelter scenes of notorious wealth and power, interiors and estates where even the gardeners wear livery. But the awful truth is that there is a different story, for the sun also rises on ordinary people, the misfits scarred by poverty; on loveless, violent streets and on the men and the women who find themselves cornered like the rats they are treated as. (3) … Call me indiscreet, but I wake up screaming and breathless when I think of how this deranged bedlam teeters on the edge of sanity: pet perfumeries, bra museums, outdoor air-conditioning, a wedding for dogs, all done without a trace of irony, by the beautiful people of this over the top heaven. (4) … They hold nothing sacred but the sweet smell of success. I could go on singing the dispraises of Los Angeles for ever, but I’m on dangerous ground because, bananas as it may sound, I love this magic town.

(From The Telegraph) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Los Angeles is not of this earth; it’s a boom town for dreams that money can buy. B. This is a place stranger than paradise. C. It’s not a safe place; the craziest and ruthless people who run it show no mercy, they hire and

fire with caprice and in cold blood. D. They are the outsiders, missing out on the real glory. E. It is angel city and I’m no angel. 2. Explain the following words. 6 points 1. shelter 2. scarred 3. sanity 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. In the first paragraph the writer finds it difficult not to … A. jump off his balcony into the Avenue of the Stars. B. mention the names of famous movies and streets. C. remember the badlands of LA.

2. What does the author feel about being in LA?

A. That Americans will make him furious. B. That he is a foreigner. C. That he will die in LA.

3. From the third paragraph we can infer that the author thinks the following about LA: A. It is the land of stark contrasts. B. It is the land of all possibilities. C. It is a heaven for its inhabitants.

5. Comment upon the way you would feel if you were to visit Los Angeles. Write your ideas in about 100 words. 4 points






Christmas is a time for saying that Christmas is a time for doing things that one should, frankly, be doing anyway. ‘Christmas is a time for considering people less fortunate than ourselves.’ Oh, and July and April aren’t, is that it? ‘Christmas is a time for forgiveness.’ (1) … ‘Christmas is a time for peace on earth and good-will towards men.’ Let us therefore for goodness’ sake concentrate during the rest of the year on bellicose malevolence. I would hate to be considered an old Scroogey-trousers, the spirit of Christmas courses through my veins, softens my heart and hardens my arteries in as full an Imperial measure as those of any man of my age and weight in the country, I hope. (2) … I like to think of this little column as a column that lifts, separates, supports and crackles merrily with sweet-smelling old chestnuts. And the oldest chestnut of all must be the adage that Christmas is a time for children. Grrr! That’s what I used to think of Christmas as a child. (3) … Christmas to a child is the first terrible proof that to travel hopefully is better than to arrive. It is impossible, in adulthood, to recapture the same kind of wriggling excitement, clammy anticipation and fidgeting desperation. Only Christmas to a child can do this. The event ends with a sad, flatulent realisation that some things are better imagined than enacted, better anticipated than performed. (4) … The Thank-You Letter. As a child you grasp Christmas to your bosom with joyous wonder and then ask, puzzled and crest-fallen: ‘Well, here it is, what do I do with it? This is Christmas Day, but what’s different? Everything out of the window is normal, I feel the same, I look the same. Where’s Christmas? Where’s it gone?’ Where indeed? It was never there, but in the mind.

( From The Listener ) 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. A realisation that is brought fully home when the final horror of Christmas comes screaming hot

from hell. B. We should be vindictive and beastly for the rest of the year? C. It’s Christmas you see, and the call is for something festive. D. So how, merry pink-nosed reader, shall we be Christmassy together, you and I? E. The intolerable, aching suspense of it, the terrible monstrous disappointment of it! 2. Give the antonyms of the following words. 6 points 1. fortunate 2. malevolence 3. merry 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. The quotations used by the author in the first paragraph have as a purpose … A. to demystify some commonplace statements. B. to remind people what Christmas is all about. C. to remind people that Christmas is coming.


2. What is the author’s opinion on the statement that “Christmas is a time for children”? A. He completely agrees with it. B. Everybody should be convinced of its truthfulness. C. He doesn’t believe it to be so.

3. In the author’s opinion …

A. children can’t wait to write the “Thank-You” letters. B. children are terrified at the prospect of writing “Thank-You” letters. C. children only write “Thank-You” letters for the presents they like.

5. Comment upon the following statement in about 100 words: Christmas to a child is the first terrible proof that to travel hopefully is better than to arrive. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 094 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The US is one of the most celebrity - obsessed countries in the world. It is easy to see this obsession reflected in all reviews of advertising, as well as in the coverage of celebrity lives in tabloids such as ‘The National Enquirer’, TV shows such as ‘Entertainment Tonight’ and the ‘E!Channel’; and magazines such as ‘People’, ‘US’ and ‘Entertainment Weekly’. (1) … In fact, celebrity worship is even more pronounced in periods of high national stress - such as war or recession, since people are looking for escape from their own problems and for a constant in their lives. Human nature dictates that people look for escape during times of serious economic strife or war. In the Great Depression of the 20s and 30s for instance, the American dream became a nightmare for most people. (2) … People flocked to see their heroes at baseball games and their screen idols in escapist films such as ‘Gone with the Wind’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’. In addition, many newspaper chains were formed in those years, allowing a larger national audience for celebrity photographs and gossip columns. A second reason for increase in celebrity obsession during times of high national stress is that people need a constant in their lives. (3) … Celebrities, as removed as they may seem from ‘real life’, replicate for us that which is the most familiar and most comforting, since we incorporate them into our daily lives through gossip and news. (4) … A great example is Bob Hope, who entertained troops hundreds of times over the course of several wars. Hope always included famous actors, athletes, pin-ups and performers on his famous USA tours. Celebrities fill both our need for escape and our desire for a sense of constancy. These are two of the major reasons why the American obsession for celebrities increases during times of high national stress, such as war or economic strife. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. While other countries may not demonstrate such devoted interest in famous actors or popular

athletes, America tends to love her celebrities. B. During wartime, celebrities can soothe people and boost morale. C. Because money was scarce during the Depression, people did what they could to distract

themselves and make their lives happier. D. It was an unforgettable sight to see people queuing for a cinema ticket after having queued, the

same day, for bread and for milk. E. With fear and anxiety comes a need for something regular and familiar. 2. Match the following words with their meaning: 6 points 1. worship a) conversation about unimportant subjects, esp. people’s private lives 2. gossip b) fighting or disagreement between people or groups 3. strife c) the activity of showing exaggerate respect and love for somebody 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. In the first paragraph, Americans are said to … A. idolatrize their famous people. B. ignore serious newspapers. C. watch more entertainment shows than any other people.

2. The point made about “Gone with the Wind” in the second paragraph is that … A. it helped people get away from being enrolled. B. it helped people imagine themselves in a better world. C. it was less popular than baseball sporting events.

3. It can be inferred from the third paragraph that … A. Entertainers visited battle grounds to cheer up the soldiers. B. Entertainers are as useful as medical staff during a war. C. Entertainers were examples of bravery in combat.

5. Comment upon the following in about 100 words: Celebrities replicate for us that which is the most familiar and most comforting, since we incorporate them into our daily lives through gossip and news. 4 points






At the dawn of the television age, few companies geared their marketing strategies toward children, and those that actually did so usually dealt only with child-related products, such as toys, candy and breakfast cereal. (1) … And we are not just talking toys anymore; children are now being targeted in ads for products ranging from cell phones to automobiles.

There are a number of sociological and economic factors that have contributed to this current state of affairs, but much of it can be attributed to a gradual shift in Madison Avenue’s(1) philosophy regarding child consumers. (2) … Put simply, companies have realised that a short-term investment, no matter how large, in advertisement aimed at children pays serious dividends in the form of years of patronage on the part of the adults these children will one day become. (3) … Each year, American companies and advertisers spend millions of dollars on research aimed at gathering as much information as possible regarding children’s tastes and habits. (4) … For example, studies have shown that when children under the age of six dream, the majority of their dreams involve animals. This has led many companies to adopt soft, cuddly animal characters as their corporate mascots, in the hope that such characters will have deeper emotional resonance with children. (1)- Madison Avenue – Street in New York, acknowledged as the centre of the advertisement business.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. However, the last two decades have witnessed a startling reversal of this trend: not only are

children now actively courted by advertisers, but they also have become the focus of the entire industry.

B. Laugh if you will, but a child that sees a Mercedes with a cuddly toy on the rear windscreen, will for sure buy one when he grows up.

C. It has now become something of an axiom in the ad world that the earlier a company establishes a sense of brand loyalty among children the longer it can count on having stable consumers for its products.

D. The competition among companies for the potential profits is startling, as are the lengths to which companies will go to gain the advantage.

E. Their findings have been implemented in a number of ingenious marketing strategies. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points 1. dawn 2. current 3. startling 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. The first paragraph suggests that, at the beginning of TV advertising … A. many ads had children as their heroes. B. ads aimed at children mainly featured sweets and toys. C. children weren’t a target at all.

2. Why has the importance of children – targeted ads increased nowadays? A. Children may become patrons one day. B. People will buy their children everything. C. There has been a change of mentality in economic circles.

3. The third paragraph states that … A. studies have revealed that children nowadays have expensive tastes. B. studies have been made to ascertain a child’s buying preferences. C. studies have been made to evaluate children’s buying power.

5. Comment upon the importance advertisements had on you when you were a child. Write about your experience in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 096 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. An important feature of the labour market in recent years has been the increasing participation of women, particularly married women. (1) … The principal reason is that women have, or are assumed to have, domestic responsibilities which compete with paid employment. Such domestic responsibilities are strongly influenced by social values which require women to give priority to home and family over paid employment. The difficulties which women face in the labour market and in their ability to reach senior positions in organizations are accentuated with the arrival of children. In order to become full-time employees, women with children must overcome the problems of finding good, affordable childcare and the psychological barriers of workplace marginality. Some women balance domestic and workplace commitments by working part-time. (2) … Women part-timers are often the first laid off in a difficult economy. These workers are often referred to as the ‘reserve army’ of female labor. One researcher has found that approximately 80% of women in their twenties who have children remain at home. (3) … When the typical houseworker returns to the labor market she is unsure of herself in her new environment. This doubt is accentuated by her recent immersion in housework, a very private form of work. (4) … Their technical skills may become rusty or obsolete and their delayed return to work may mean that they are likely to come up for promotion well after the age that would be otherwise normal. Consequently, women, even those of high ability, may find themselves blocked in the lower echelons of an organization, overlooked, or even ‘invisible’ to senior management. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. It has also been suggested that women who work are more likely to divorce at some point in

their careers. B. Such women who later return to work represent another sector of the workforce facing

difficulties. C. Even women professionals who interrupt their careers to have children experience difficulties. D. Many analysts suggest, however, that women comprise a secondary labor market where rates

of pay and promotion prospects are inferior to those available to men. E. However, part-time work is a precarious form of employment. 2. Explain the following words. 6 points 1. labour market 2. affordable 3. childcare 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. The author suggests in the first paragraph that … A. more and more women have sought employment in recent years. B. women who are married work more than single ones. C. men do not appreciate women who earn more than they do.

2. In the second paragraph we are told that …

A. mothers who work necessarily hire a baby-sitter. B. part-time work cannot offer a certitude. C. women should accept mainly part-time jobs.

3. The third paragraph mainly makes … A. an apology for the women who have children. B. a point about the realities of labour market. C. a comparison between two types of work.

5. Comment upon the role women should play in a working place compared to men. Write your ideas in about 100 words. 4 points






SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 097 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Modern methods of predicting earthquakes recognize that quakes, far from being geologic anomalies, are part of the periodic accumulation and discharge of seismic energy. (1)… Accumulation of strain can take anywhere from 100 years in certain coastal locations to over a millennium in some inland regions before a critical point is reached and a rupture occurs. In both areas, the buildup of strain is accompanied by long – and short - range precursory phenomena that are crucial to earthquake prediction. Quakes along active faults are usually frequent; scientists designate such areas as quake-prone. (2) … Geological scars of past subsidence, cracks, and offsets are useful in determining potential quake locations, as are seismicity gaps, areas where no small quakes have been recorded. Seismologists may also consult the historical record. Primary sources range from eyewitness accounts of ancient quakes to recent official documentation of quake- related damage. Once the perimeters of a quake-prone zone are established, a network of base stations can monitor precursory phenomena. (3) … Changes in geochemical readings (electric currents, radon concentrations) and in groundwater levels, as well as the occurrence of microearthquakes, are valuable precursors. Crustal movements - tilting, rising, and expansion or contraction of the ground surface – can be read through triangulation and leveling surveys taken over the course of decades. Theoretically, if an area’s critical strain is known – the magnitude of strain necessary to produce a rupture- subtracting the measured accumulated crustal strain from the critical strain will indicate a time frame for an impending quake. Violent tilting and foreshocks are among phenomena classified as short-term precursors. Many are still being identified as new quakes occur. (4) … Here, too, historical documents are useful. Seismologists recognized the liquefaction of sand as a precursor after a 1964 quake in Japan. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. Such precursors are valuable since their appearance can permit prediction of a quake to within

hours of the primary rupture. B. Since the insurance was available beachfront construction has boomed and land erosion has

increased and dangerous rate. C. As continents receive the horizontal thrust of seafloor plates, crustal strains develop. D. Stations must extend over a wide area, yet be placed at measured intervals to obtain precise

readings. E. However, when the time interval between quakes is great, locating active faults is only a

beginning. 2. Explain the underlined words. 6 points 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. What is important for a good earthquake prediction? A. Things that may be observed a while before it actually occurs. B. The number of earthquakes that occurred previously. C. Research on ocean flora.

2. Quake locations can be found … A. observing old cracks in the surface. B. reading history documents. C. watching the movement of different stars.

3. The time frame for an earthquake can be measured …

A. if animals seem to be abnormally anxious. B. if there is a full moon. C. with a mathematic formula.

5. Comment upon the importance earthquake prediction has on saving human lives. Give your arguments in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 098 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Contamination is the unintended presence of harmful substances or organisms in food. While it is true that recent scientific advances have resulted in safer foods, better methods of preservation, and improved storage practices, it is still necessary to guard against the practices that can increase the likelihood of food contamination. Because foodborne illness poses a potentially serious threat to public health, preventing contamination of safe food needs to be a prime objective of every foodservice manager. (1) … A full understanding of the biological, chemical, and physical hazards allows the foodservice manager to implement the control measures necessary to minimize the health risks associated with food, and thus to decrease the possibility of contamination. (2) … Biological hazards are dangers to food from pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, and from toxins that occur in certain plants and fish. When biological hazards result in foodborne illnesses, these illnesses are generally classified as either infections or intoxications. (3) … One of the most frequently reported diseases of this type is Salmonellosis, which results from the consumption of food contaminated with live pathogenic Salmonella. The other major form of biologically induced foodborne illness is the foodborne intoxication, which results when toxins, or poisons, from bacterial or mould growth are present in ingested food and cause illness in the host (the human body). (4) … Staphylococcus food intoxication is one of the most common types of foodborne illness reported in the United States. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. The most serious risk associated with food is the biological hazard. B. Scientists are still in doubt as to whether washing your hands carefully before every meal

could constitute a valid way of preventing food poisoning. C. Furthermore, a foodservice manager must possess accurate information on the different

hazards associated with the contamination of food in the event that a foodborne illness crisis does arise.

D. These toxins are generally odorless and tasteless, and are capable of causing disease even after the microorganisms have been killed.

E. A foodborne infection is a disease that results from eating food containing living harmful microorganisms.

2. Match the following words with their meaning: 6 points 1. mould a) to make smth. work and be used 2. implement b) something potentially dangerous 3. hazards c) green, blue or white bacteria that grows on food 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points



1. Which advantage of scientific advances in food research is not mentioned in the text? A. Nowadays food lasts longer. B. Nowadays food is better kept. C. Nowadays food is extremely varied.

2. Who is responsible in the first place for the prevention of food contamination?

A. The public. B. Ministerial officials. C. People in charge of food establishments.

3. Bacteria and viruses are among the factors mentioned in the second paragraph which are responsible for:

A. Colds. B. Food-poisoning. C. Cancer.

5. Comment upon the importance of preserving hygiene in food serving establishments. Give your arguments in about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 099 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. The years following the Civil War in Brazil brought many changes to the Southern States, prompting a large emigration of U.S. citizens – 9,000 to 40,000 people – primarily from the South. In one particular case, this migration of Southerners, many from Alabama and Texas, resulted from direct invitation. Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil, in an effort to expand his country, appealed for colonists from the U.S. South. (1) … He advertised for citizens from all over the South and even from some of the Northern states to immigrate to Brazil. Because they recognized an opportunity to rebuild their lives without yielding their Southern heritage to Northern ‘improvements’ after the war, many Southerners accepted Dom Pedro’s offer. (2) … They interacted with and even married local Brazilians and other new colonists. (3) … American industrial technology allowed the colonists to improve farming implements, such as ploughs, rakes, harrows, and hoes, for their fellow Brazilians. (4) … The colonists’ emphasis on education and industrial skills contributed to Brazil’s success in business; many of the country’s public transportation systems were built or run by American-founded companies. Today, Vila Americana, maintaining this original level of excellence, has the highest education and income levels per capita of any city in Brazil. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. After founding ‘Vila Americana’ (American Town), one of the most important of the ‘American

colonies’ in Brazil, the Southern immigrants did not remain in isolation. B. While becoming integrated into the existing society, these colonists maintained their distinctive

American culture. C. Housing also improved with the introduction of chimneys and gutters. D. Dom Pedro II recognized the value these Southerners could have for Brazil in the form of

agricultural and educational knowledge. E. Dom Pedro II feared the condition Brazil Would be in without the presence of the Americans. 2. Match the following words with their meaning: 6 points 1. to expand a. to make someone a member of a group 2. to integrate b. to communicate and work together 3. to interact c. to become larger in size 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. What does the author suggest about the importance of the emigration of Southerners to Brazil?

A. Without the Southern presence, Brazil would never have been settled. B. The Southerners’ sole purpose in immigrating was to introduce new inventions to

the Brazilians. C. The Southerners’ arrival had a great impact on the development of education and

agriculture in Brazil.


2. Why did the Southerners accept Don Pedro’s offer? A. To escape U.S. government policies on farming and education. B. To escape the changes brought by the Civil War. C. To replace native Brazilian culture with their own heritage.

3. Which is the primary purpose of the text?

A. To discuss the emigration of U.S. Southerners to Brazil after the Civil War and their benefits to their new country.

B. To account for the mass emigration from the U.S. that took place following the Civil War.

C. To analyze the source of the changes in the lives of Southerners after the Civil War. 5. Comment upon the role a group of immigrants should play in the community that has accepted it. Write about 100 words. 4 points





SUBIECTUL I (30 puncte) Varianta 100 Read the text below and complete the following tasks. Alone in the apartment, Polly continued typing for ten minutes, then stopped to reheat her coffee. (1) … She didn’t like being blamed for not wanting to visit Ida and Cathy, who weren’t really her friends, and would probably be happier if she didn’t come so they could analyze her character the way they always did with people who weren’t there. They talked in a kind of catty way, even in a bitchy way. Polly scowled, catching herself in a lapse of language. Jeanne, among others, had often pointed out how unfair it was that when women were compared to animals it was always unfavorably: catty, cow, henpecked. (2) … She turned on the tape recorder again and typed another page, then stopped, thinking of Jeanne again. She didn’t like being called a workaholic, even affectionately. She didn’t like being given permission not to see people she didn’t want to see. (3) … Of course, when she really was a child, Polly never had an overprotective mother. Bea was only twenty when her daughter was born and she’d had trouble enough protecting herself. She looked out for Polly the way an older sister or a baby-sitter might have done. Later, when Polly’s half-brothers came along, Bea had shown impulses towards overprotection, but her husband frustrated them. Physically, Jeanne was nothing like Polly’s mother. Bea was much smaller, for one thing. (4) … And psychologically there were similarities: Jeanne, like Bea, was soft and feminine in manner and given to gently chiding Polly for her impulsiveness, hot temper and lack of tact. Elsa’s view had been that Polly needed Jeanne to play this role because she hadn’t had enough ‘good mothering’ as a child and that Jeanne needed to play it because she was a highly maternal woman without children. 1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. 4 points A. While for men the comparison was usually positive: strong as a bull, cock of the walk. B. But to a child, all grown women are large. C. It was, yes, as if she were a child, with a managing, over protective mother. D. Polly wasn’t used to receiving such harsh criticism, although her mother had given her a rather

Spartan education. E. For the first time she felt the disadvantages of having become Jeanne’s room-mate. 2. Give the synonyms of the following words. 6 points 1. way 2. soft 3. strong 3. Sum up the text in about 50 words. 10 points 4. For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C) which fits according to the text. 6 points

1. What did Polly resent? A. Ida and Cathy’s gossip. B. Jeanne’s attitude to her. C. Being talked about.


2. Why did Polly scowl? A. Because she disliked Ida and Cathy. B. Because Jeanne had criticized the language she used. C. Because she was irritated by the words she was using.

3. What do we learn about Polly’s childhood?

A. She had felt a lack of affection. B. She had learned to look after herself. C. She was often separated from her mother.

5. Comment upon the relationships envisaged in the text. Write about 100 words. 4 points

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Engleza Bilingv - Subiectul I - Variante 001-100 - An 2008

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