MINISTERUL EDUCAŢIEI NAȚIONALE

INSPECTORATUL ŞCOLAR AL
JUDEŢULUI BACĂU

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

ETAPA LOCALA - 2019 - SECŢIUNEA B
CLASA A X-A

Varianta 1

SUBIECT A - USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)

I. Read the paragraph below and do the tasks (10 x 2p= 20p).

The history of graffiti

Modern graffiti seems to have appeared in Philadelphia in the early 1960s, and by the late sixties
it had reached New York. The new art form really took off in the 1970s, when people began
writing their names, or “tags”, on buildings all over the city. In the mid-seventies it was
sometimes hard to see out of a subway car window, because the trains were completely covered
in spray paintings known as “masterpieces”.

In the early days, the “taggers” were part of street gangs who were concerned with marking their
territory. They worked in groups called “crews”, and called what they did “writing” – the term
“graffiti” was first used by The New York Times and the novelist Norman Mailer. Art galleries
in New York began buying graffiti in the early seventies. But at the same time that it began to be
regarded as an art form, John Lindsay, the then mayor of New York, declared the first war on
graffiti. By the 1980s it became much harder to write on subway trains without being caught, and
instead many of the more established graffiti artists began using roofs of buildings or canvases.

The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism is still going on. Peter Vallone, a New York
city counsellor, thinks that graffiti done with permission can be art, but if it is on someone else’s
property it becomes a crime. “I have a message for the graffiti vandals out there,” he said
recently. “Your freedom of expression ends where my property begins.” On the other hand,
Felix, a member of the Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City, says that artists are reclaiming
cities for the public from advertisers, and that graffiti represents freedom and makes cities more
vibrant.

A. Answer the questions:

1. Why was the seventies period an important decade in the history of graffiti?
2. What was the main motivation for the first taggers?
3. How did things change after the first war on graffiti?
4. What does the Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City say about graffiti?

B. Choose the right synonym:

1. take off: a. remove clothing b. start flying c. become successful d. leave suddenly
2. canvas: a. oil painting b. setting c. tent d. large piece of fabric
3. vandalism: a. destruction b. graffiti c. smashing d. hooliganism

C. Rephrase the following sentences so as to preserve the meaning:

1. Street gangs were concerned with marking their territory.

Street gangs ............................. about marking their territory.

2. The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism is still going on.
The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism …………………………. yet.

3. ‘I have a message for the graffiti vandals out there.’, he said.

He said …………………………… for the graffiti vandals out there.

II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits the gap (10 x 1p = 10 p)

There are around 800 reservations in the US where Native American tribes live and they are
proud people. Over 30 000 members of the Lakota tribe live on the Pine Ridge Reservation, but
life there is not easy. Some people do not have a car or telephone and many live in simple
(1) ............. (WOOD) houses. There are only one or two stores where they can buy things. Lots
of people are (2) ............. (EMPLOY) and times are tough. Despite the many (3) ..............
(DIFFICULT) of life on the reservation, people still choose to live there and want to stay. Some
Native Americans are trying to attract (4) ............. (VISIT) to come and learn more about their
lives, their traditions and their music. On some reservations, people are opening shops, selling
Native American (5) ............. (JEWEL) and modern Native American music on CD. Children of
the Lakota learn from their elders, who hold the (6) ............. (WISE) of the tribe. (7) .............
(TRADITION) stories are very important to Native Americans. The elders tell their children and
(8) ............. (CHILD) about their people and their tribal history. It is important that the tradition
of storytelling is continued by the younger members if these stories are not to be (9) .............
(FORGET). Even writing down the stories or putting them onto a computer may not prevent
them from being lost (10) ............. (EVER).
III. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits in each gap. Use only one
word in each gap. (10p)
Brain training puzzles really can boost intelligence, a study shows for the first time.
While previous studies have suggested that number puzzles can improve memory and
crosswords can expand vocabulary, scientists (1) ............... now proved that mental exercise
really does (2) ................ us more quick-witted. A Swiss-American team reports in a leading
scientific journal how computer-based mental exercises were used (3) ............... improve overall
problem-solving ability.
 The team gave 35 volunteers a series of mental exercises designed to improve their
memory. A control group of 35 subjects did not take these tests. Members of the first group were
shown a different type (4) ................ square every three seconds and asked if a certain square
matched (5) ............... shown earlier. Participants also heard a series of spoken letters and had to
decide (6) ................ each was the same as one presented two or three steps earlier in the
sequence. If they did well, the task became harder and if they did badly, (7) ............... became
easier. They repeated the exercises for between eight and nineteen days. Their problem-solving
ability was then compared with the group who (8) ................ not done the exercises.
The results of the studies, published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
showed that the group who took part (9) ................ the brain training exercises had a
significantly better problem-solving ability than the other group. Moreover, the more the
participants trained, the more problems (10) ................. could solve.

SUBIECT B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 p)

Reading comprehension and Essay writing
Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.

The end of life on Earth?

It weighed about 10,000 tons, entered the atmosphere at a speed of 64,000km/h and
exploded over a city with a blast of 500 kilotons. But on 15 February 2013, we were lucky. The
meteorite that showered pieces of rock over Chelyabinsk, Russia, was relatively small, at only
about 17 metres wide. Although many people were injured by falling glass, the damage was
nothing compared to what had happened in Siberia nearly one hundred years ago. Another
relatively small object (approximately 50 metres in diameter) exploded in mid-air over a forest
region, flattening about 80 million trees. If it had exploded over a city such as Moscow or
London, millions of people would have been killed.
By a strange coincidence, the same day that the meteorite terrified the people of
Chelyabinsk, another 50m-wide asteroid passed relatively close to Earth. Scientists were
expecting that visit and know that the asteroid will return to fly close by us in 2046, but the
Russian meteorite earlier in the day had been too small for anyone to spot.
Most scientists agree that comets and asteroids pose the biggest natural threat to human
existence. It was probably a large asteroid or comet colliding with Earth which wiped out the
dinosaurs about 65 million years ago. An enormous object, 10 to 16 km in diameter, struck the
Yucatan region of Mexico with the force of 100 megatons. That is the equivalent of one
Hiroshima bomb for every person alive on Earth today.
Many scientists, including the late Stephen Hawking, say that any comet or asteroid
greater than 20 km in diameter that hits Earth will result in the complete destruction of complex
life, including all animals and most plants. As we have seen, even a much smaller asteroid can
cause great damage.
The Earth has been kept fairly safe for the last 65 million years by good fortune and the
massive gravitational field of the planet Jupiter. Our cosmic guardian, with its stable circular
orbit far from the sun, sweeps up and scatters away most of the dangerous comets and asteroids
which might cross Earth’s orbit. After the Chelyabinsk meteorite, scientists are now monitoring
potential hazards even more carefully but, as far as they know, there is no danger in the
foreseeable future.
I. For each question choose the correct letter A, B, C or D. (5 x 2p= 10p)

1. The damage caused by the Russian meteorite

A. could have been much worse.
B. was huge.
C. was greatly reduced by the early warning system.
D. was much worse than the one in Siberia one hundred years ago.

2. The Siberian meteorite

A. hit a forest.
B. hit a big city.
C. caused glass to shower over people.
D. damaged trees when it exploded.

3. The Russian meteorite

A. had been predicted by scientists.
B. came as a surprise.
C. was too small to worry about.
D. will come close to Earth again in the future.

4. Experts say that comets and asteroids could

A. wipe out all animal life, leaving only plants.
B. kill a significant proportion of the Earth's human population.
C. put an end to all plant and animal life on Earth.
D. cause as much damage as the Hiroshima bomb.

5. Earth has been relatively safe thanks to

A. pure luck.
B. luck and the protective force of another planet from our solar system.
C. early warning systems set up by NASA.
D. luck and our position in relation to the sun.

II. Read the text again and write a narrative – descriptive essay (220-250 words) imagining
you live in the area hit by the meteorite. (50 p)

TOTAL 100 PUNCTE

TOATE SUBIECTELE SUNT OBLIGATORII.

TIMP DE LUCRU 3 ORE.
NU SE ACORDĂ PUNCTE DIN OFICIU
 OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ
ETAPA LOCALA - 2019 - SECŢIUNEA B
CLASA A X-A
KEY
Varianta 1

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH (10 x 2p= 20p).

I.
A. Answer the questions:
1. The seventies was an important decade in the history of graffiti because people began writing
their names, or ‘tags’, on buildings all over the city.
2. The main motivation for the first taggers was to mark their gangs’ territory.
3. After the first war on graffiti, graffiti artists began using roofs of buildings or canvases.
4. The Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City says about graffiti that it represents freedom and
makes cities more vibrant.

B. 1. c 2. d 3.a
C. 1. ... worried ...
2. … hasn’t finished ...
3. … he had a message ...

II. (10 x 1p = 10 p)

1. wooden 2. unemployed 3. difficulties 4. visitors 5. jewellery/jewelry

6. wisdom 7. Traditional 8. grandchildren 9. forgotten 10. forever
III. 10 p
1. have 2. make 3. to 4. of 5. one
6. whether/if 7. it 8. had 9. in 10. they

SUBIECTUL B - INTEGRATED SKILLS (60p)

I. (5 x 2p= 10p)

1. A 2. D 3. B 4. C 5. B

II. (50 p)

Narrative-descriptive Essay CEFR*

Structure Possible approach LEVEL
 - Details about the character / place / event etc.;
Introduction - Creation of mystery / anticipation of the event;
- Sketching the initial atmosphere.
- The description of the character has to include physical
details, personality, lifestyle;
Main Body - The description of the place, objects, buildings includes
B1+ – B2
details that go from general to specific;
- A wide range of descriptive vocabulary.
- Explanations regarding the impression made by the
character / place / event;
Conclusion
- The effect of the experience;
- The resolution / denouement.

It is recommended that the student should:

 use lexical structures characteristic of physical description, personality traits, lifestyle /

occupation / ambitions / opinions using a personal or impersonal point of view;
 use narrative techniques (shift of focus / point of view, alternation of tenses in accordance
with the presentation of events in chronological or random order etc.);
 use lexical structures related to factual information: size, weight, shape, structure, material,
colour etc.;
 use vocabulary related to the five senses;
 use past tenses for recollections, impressions, reactions;
 use grammatical structures in accordance with the level of language competence;
 express feelings, opinions, reactions;
 use cohesive devices to express: cause and effect, addition, contrast, result etc.
 MARKING SCHEME FOR THE NARRATIVE DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY - 10th Grade

Analytical Exemplary Proficient Partially Weak Incomplete Points

criteria 10p 8p Proficient 4p 2p
6p
CONTENT The essay is The essay is The essay is The essay The essay is
completely fairly completed partially is faulty, wholly
relevant to topic, with the completed with including inadequate
describing descriptions of slight logical serious the quality of
persons/places/e persons/places/e impediments in logical the
vents and vents and the logical impediment descriptions
objects, objects, being development of s in the failing the
ascribing the ascribed to an the descriptions sequencing requirements
whole engendering around an of events. of the task.
description to an idea. engendering idea.
engendering
idea.
ORGANIZAT There is There is a fairly There is partial There is Paragraphs
ION AND complete logical completion of completion of the serious are
COHESION connection of paragraph task. Paragraphs inconsisten incomplete,
paragraphs due organization due are partially cy in the both linking
to a judicious to scarce misuse complete due to organizatio devices,
use of linking of linking unfinished ideas n of the mechanics,
devices, devices, and scarce use of paragraphs and length
mechanics, and mechanics, and linking devices, due to the requirements
length length mechanics, and misuse of having been
requirements. requirements. length the linking disrespected.
requirements. devices,
mechanics,
and length
requirement
s.
VOCABULAR A wide range of A range of The range of A limited A very
Y vocabulary is vocabulary is vocabulary is range of narrow range
used used adequately used vocabulary of
appropriately appropriately in the essay; is present vocabulary
and accurately and accurately in errors in word within the is present;
throughout the the essay; choice / essay; less errors in
essay; precise occasional errors formation are common word
meaning is in word present when items of choice/forma
conveyed; minor choice/formation more vocabulary tion
errors are rare; are possible; sophisticated are rare and predominate;
spelling is very spelling is well items of may be spelling
well controlled. controlled with vocabulary are often errors can
The register of occasional slips. attempted; faulty; make the
the descriptive The register of spelling can be spelling essay
essay is totally the descriptive faulty at times. errors can obscure at
relevant to the essay is relevant The register is make text times. The
task, being to the task with partially relevant understandi register used
organically slightly to the task with a ng difficult. in the
integrated all incongruent narrow The register descriptive
along the lapses within the inconsistency of is essay is
discourse. discourse. style, leading to inconsistent inappropriate
halts in the logical due to the for the type
development of mixture of of functional
ideas styles. writing.
STRUCTUR A wide range of A range of A mix of complex A limited A very
ES grammatical grammatical and simple range of narrow range
structures is used structures is used grammatical grammatica of
accurately and accurately and structures is l structures grammatical
flexibly with some present is present structures is
throughout the flexibility along throughout the along the present
essay; minor the essay; essay; errors are essay; within the
errors are rare; occasional errors present when complex essay; errors
punctuation is are possible; complex language language is predominate;
very well punctuation is is attempted; rare and punctuation
 controlled. well controlled punctuation can may be errors make
with occasional be faulty at times. often the text
slips. faulty; obscure at
punctuation times.
errors can
make text
understandi
ng difficult.
EFFECT ON The interest of The text has a The effect on the The effect The text has
TARGET the reader is good effect on reader is on the a negative
READER aroused and the reader. satisfactory. reader non- effect on the
sustained relevant. reader.
throughout