MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI

INSPECTORATUL ȘCOLAR JUDEȚEAN IAȘI

OLIMPIADA NAȚIONALĂ DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – ETAPA LOCALĂ

10 FEBRUARIE 2023
CLASA A XII-A, SECȚIUNEA A

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)

I. Read the following text and put the verbs in brackets into the correct form. (10 points)

My birthday present
Last year for my birthday 1________(I, GIVE) money to spend on what I wanted. And what did I
want? A hoverboard! 2________(HAVE) great fun riding my cousin’s, I decided that I wanted one of
my own.
In fact, it 3 ____actually_____(NOT ‘HOVER’), but teenagers 4___________ (BORROW) the term
from the film Back to the Future Part II, in which the main character travels into
the future when hoverboards are as common as bicycles!
I 5 _________(SEE) a number of hoverboards online, most of which were manufactured in China.
Beíore I went ahead, however, I 6 _________ (SPEAK) to some friends, the majority
of whom had advised me never to buy a hoverboard! 7________(CONFUSE) by their reaction, I did
some online research of my own, and guess what? They were absolutely right!
Hoverboards 8_________ (OVERHEAT), causing them to catch fire and explode! Amazon had
stopped 9 __________(SELL) them and the US government had just made it illegal to manufacture
them.
So ... what 10 __________(I, WANT) for my birthday this year? Maybe a good book?!

II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each gap. (10 points)

The Martìan: a review

Just when everyone thought that Matt Damon couldn’t get any better, he did. In fact, Damon’s latest
film performance is (1)………….. (DENY) out of this world. Literally! The film is entitled The Martian
and it’s about a team of astronauts whose job it is to live on the (2) ………… (FAR) planet of Mars
and conduct tests to find out if it has, or ever had, an ecosystem of any sort. (3) …………..
(FORTUNE), they are forced to abandon their project and their space lab when a (4) …………
(TERROR) storm takes them by surprise. The main protagonist Mark Watney, played by Damon, is
struck with flying debris as he makes his way to the rocket which will take them off the planet and
his crew members (5) ………… (TRAGEDY) leave him for dead. What follows is two hours of Mark’s
fighting for his very survival, making the best of what is available to him in his very barren
surroundings. Mark’s biggest problem is food. He has enough rations to last him for a short time but
knows that they are not sufficient. Suddenly, it hits him! As a botanist, as well as an astronaut, Mark
comes; up with the (6) ……………. (INNOVATE) idea of using his ifresh potato rations as seedlings
to produce a (7) ……………. (SUSTAIN) food source. Using human waste - yuck - as (8) ………….
(FERTILE) he manages to grow a crop which will hopefully supplement his (9) ………. (NUTRITION)
needs. Don’t be lulled into believing that this is the end of Mark’s problems, though. This is, after all,
a Hollywood blockbuster, so rest (10) …………. (SURE) that there is much more to come for the
Martian!

III. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using
the word given without changing it. You must use between three and six words, including the
word given. (10 points)

1. Moussa doesn’t think that ironing his T-shirts every time he washes them is important.
Moussa ……………. iron his T-shirts every time he washes them. BOTHERED

2. The police say that Clare was seen at the scene of the crime. BEEN
Clare ………………………………………… seen at the scene of the crime.

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Clasa a XII-a, secțiunea A
 MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI
INSPECTORATUL ȘCOLAR JUDEȚEAN IAȘI

3. It was only when Thomas tried it that he realized how liberating paragliding was. UNTIL
Not …………………………………………… realise how liberating paragliding was.

4. Don’t tell me what to do - you’re not my mother! AS

Don’t tell me what to do - it………………………………………my mother!

5. She isn’t a Cambridge certificate holder now because she didn’t study hard enough. HAD
If she……………………………………………… a Cambridge certificate holder now.

IV. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits in each gap. Use ONLY ONE
word in each gap. (10 points)

Where in the world?

What’s your idea of the dream holiday? Does it involve simply lying on a beautiful beach, soaking
(1) ………the rays, and getting a gorgeous tan to show off to friends and family back home? Or are
you more of the adventurous type of holidaymaker? Perhaps your perfect escape necessitates
getting (2)………. from it all and doing something that few people can boast about ever having done.
For you, tourist traps that become more (3)………… more crowded with every passing season are
totally out of the question.
If you’re interested in getting (4)……….. the beaten track, I have got a holiday plan for you! Why not
head (5) ………….. Cappadocia in Turkey? (6)…………… far the most picturesque part of this
amazing country - in my humble opinion anyway - Cappadocia, the land of the fairy chimneys, is
(7)…………bit as wonderful, if not more so, than well-known and oft-frequented places such as
Istanbul, Bodrum or Adiyaman.
In Cappadocia, you can enjoy exploring the vast network of subterranean tunnels beneath the
city’s rock formations, or perhaps you would (8)…………to go for a ride in a hot-air balloon.
Accommodation can be found in the magical cave dwellings and fairy-chimney chapels which have
been converted into boutique hotels.
A note of warning, however: word of this amazing holiday destination has got out and the number
of visitors has picked up over the past ten years or so. To be (9)………… the safe side, book your
holiday early (10) ………. as to avoid being disappointed.

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow:

Much of today's business is conducted across international borders, and while the majority of the
global business community might share the use of English as a common language, the nuances and
expectations of business communication might differ greatly from culture to culture. A lack of
understanding of the cultural norms and practices of our business acquaintances can result in unfair
judgments, misunderstandings, and breakdowns in communication. Here are three basic areas of
differences in business etiquette around the world that could help stand you in good stead when you
next find yourself working with someone from a different culture.
Addressing someone
When discussing this topic in a training course, a German trainee and a British trainee got into a hot
debate about whether it was appropriate for someone with a doctorate to use the corresponding title
on their business card. The British trainee maintained that anyone who wasn't a medical doctor
expecting to be addressed as 'Dr' was disgustingly pompous and full of themselves. The German
trainee, however, argued that the hard work and years of education put into earning that Ph.D. should
give them full rights to expect to be addressed as 'Dr'.
This stark difference in opinion over something that could be conceived as minor and thus easily
overlooked goes to show that we often attach meaning to even the most mundane practices. When
things that we are used to are done differently, it could spark the strongest reactions in us. While
many Continental Europeans and Latin Americans prefer to be addressed with a title, for

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 MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI
INSPECTORATUL ȘCOLAR JUDEȚEAN IAȘI

example, Mr or Ms and their surname when meeting someone in a business context for the first time,
Americans, and increasingly the British, now tend to prefer using their first names. The best thing to
do is to listen and observe how your conversation partner addresses you and, if you are still unsure,
do not be afraid to ask them how they would like to be addressed.
Smiling
A famous Russian proverb states that 'a smile without reason is a sign of idiocy' and a so-called
'smile of respect' is seen as insincere and often regarded with suspicion in Russia. Yet in countries
like the United States, Australia and Britain, smiling is often interpreted as a sign of openness,
friendship and respect, and is frequently used to break the ice.
In a piece of research done on smiles across cultures, the researchers found that smiling individuals
were considered more intelligent than non-smiling people in countries such as Germany,
Switzerland, China and Malaysia. However, in countries like Russia, Japan, South Korea and Iran,
pictures of smiling faces were rated as less intelligent than the non-smiling ones. Meanwhile, in
countries like India, Argentina and the Maldives, smiling was associated with dishonesty.
Eye contact
An American or British person might be looking their client in the eye to show that they are paying
full attention to what is being said, but if that client is from Japan or Korea, they might find the direct
eye contact awkward or even disrespectful. In parts of South America and Africa, prolonged eye
contact could also be seen as challenging authority. In the Middle East, eye contact across genders
is considered inappropriate, although eye contact within a gender could signify honesty and
truthfulness.
Having an increased awareness of the possible differences in expectations and behaviour can help
us avoid cases of miscommunication, but it is vital that we also remember that cultural stereotypes
can be detrimental to building good business relationships. Although national cultures could play a
part in shaping the way we behave and think, we are also largely influenced by the region we come
from, the communities we associate with, our age and gender, our corporate culture and our
individual experiences of the world. The knowledge of the potential differences should therefore be
something we keep at the back of our minds, rather than something that we use to pigeonhole the
individuals of an entire nation.
(Cultural behaviour in business - learnenglish.britishcouncil.org)

I. For each question decide which answer (A, B, C or D) fits best according to the text. (10
points)

1. The British trainee felt that people who want to be addressed as ‘Dr’ must be …
A. hard-working.
B. conceited and self-important.
C. doing a medical degree.
D. from Germany.

2. If you are not sure how to address someone, you should …

A. use the title you see on their business card.
B. make your decision based on cultural stereotypes about their country.
C. address them the way you’d like to be addressed.
D. ask them what they would like you to call them.

3. There might be a misunderstanding if an American smiles at a Russian business associate

because the Russian might think that the American is ...
A. being fake.
B. challenging their authority.
C. trying to break the ice.
D. disrespectful.

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 MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI
INSPECTORATUL ȘCOLAR JUDEȚEAN IAȘI

4. The Japanese, South Koreans and Iranians might interpret a smiling face as being …
A. friendlier.
B. less open.
C. not as intelligent.
D. dishonest.

5. The last paragraph warns the reader not to …

A. engage in international business.
B. let national cultures shape the way we behave and think.
C. let miscommunication damage our business relationships.
D. overgeneralise using our knowledge of cultural stereotypes.

II. Read the text again and write an opinion essay on the following statement: “Though the
smallest cultural differences can trigger a huge emotional response in us, we should
approach them with an easy-going positive indifference rather than with fear and anxiety.”
(250-280 words)
(50 points)

Total – 100 puncte

Notă: Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii. Timp de lucru: 3 ore. Nu se acordă puncte din oficiu.

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