THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN - MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

GENERAL SECONDARY CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION- 2017

GENERAL ENGLISH
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DATE : July / 2017 TIME: 1 HOUR AND A HALF
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Read the following text carefully , and then in your ANSWER BOOKLET answer all the
questions that follow . Your answers should be based on the text

TEXT A
Speaking a foreign language, it is claimed, improves the functionality of your brain in
several different ways. Learning new vocabulary and grammar rules provides the brain with
beneficial exercise, which improves memory. As well as exercising the brain, it is thought
that learning a new language also presents the brain with unique challenges. These include
recognizing different language systems and ways to communicate within these systems.
These skills improve your chances of success in other problem-solving tasks as well. It is
said that students who study foreign languages do better, on the whole, in general tests in
maths , reading and vocabulary than students who have only mastered their mother tongue.
According to a study carried out by Pennsylvania State University, USA, multilingual
people are able to switch between two systems of speech, writing, and structure quite easily.
It has been proved that they are also able to switch easily between completely different tasks.
One experiment required participants to operate a driving simulator while carrying out
separate tasks at the same time. The experiment showed that multilingual participants were
less distracted by the other tasks and therefore made fewer driving errors.
It is believed that language learning can also improve your decision-making skills. When
you speak a foreign language, you are constantly weighing up subtle differences in meaning
of a word or the way that an utterance is made. This process is then transferred subconsciously
to other situations in which judgment is called for, and decisions have to be made.
Finally, learning a language can also improve your ability to use your mother tongue
more effectively. As you become more aware of the way that a language works, you begin to
apply it to the language that you use every day. The skills you obtain from learning a
language, therefore, can make you a better speaker and writer in your own language.
QUESTION NUMBER ONE
1-The article states that speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain. Write down
two of these functions. . ( 4 points )

2- How can learning a language improve your ability to use your mother tongue more effectively ?
( 2 points )
3- Find a word in the text which means ''speaking , reading or writing in more than two languages '' ( 2 points )

4- Write down the sentence which shows that multilingual participants were less distracted in some tasks
than those who speak only one language . ( 3 points )
5- What does the underlined word '' it '' refer to ? ( 2 points )

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6- The writer states that learning new vocabulary and grammar rules exercises the brain. Suggest three other
activities to help exercising the brain. ( 3 points )
7-Learning foreign languages is very important in in the modern world . Think of this statement and in two
sentences write down your point of view. ( 2 points )

TEXT B
A few years ago, as many as 1,000 schools across the USA started making school years longer by
adding up to ten extra days to the school year or by making each school day longer by half an hour. This
was because it was found that secondary school students in the USA and the UK were spending the least
time at school, with an average school year of 187 days. The typical Jordanian school year is longer than
this. However, none of these are nearly as long as the school year in countries like Japan and South Korea.
South Koreans attend school for 220 days per year, and in Japan, the school year numbers 243 days.
According to a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),
students in Japan, Indonesia and South Korea spend the most time studying in the world. They want to learn
as much as they can to ensure excellent exam grades. They go to school for about nine hours, although this
includes optional after-school tuition and activities. They also spend about three hours on homework every
day, which is three times as much as many other countries. Their high academic achievements do suggest
that the longer you study, the better you do in final exams.
In Finland, however, students are usually given less than half an hour of homework per night, and
they attend school for fewer and shorter days than 85% of other developed nations. Despite this, they
achieve top marks in subjects like Maths and Science. In addition, most students also speak at least two, and
often three, languages fluently.
The contradictory views of the study suggest that the number and length of school days is not the
only factor in determining whether students will succeed at school or not.

1- Some American schools extended the school year in two ways. Write these two ways down.
2- Finland's new teaching approach has resulted in two positive outcomes. Write them down.
3- Quote the sentence which indicates that the Japanese s students in Japan, Indonesia and South Korea
students have the longest school year of all countries.
4- What does the underlined word ( they ) refer to?
5- Find a word in the text which means ( speaking a language students in Japan, Indonesia and South
Korea very well )
6- The writer states that a longer school day would result in better grades for most students. Think of this
statement, and in two sentences write down your point of view.
7- After- school activities have many advantages for students to help them do better at school. Suggest
three of these after- school activities.

B- Literature spot (3 points )

1) Read the answer the questions that follow :
The train stopped at eight oclock, in the midst of a glade some fifteen miles beyond Rothal, where there
following extract from 'Around the World in Eighty Days ' carefully , then
were several bungalows and workmens cabins. The conductor, passing along the carriages, shouted,
Passengers will get out here!

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Where are we ? asked Sir Francis.
At the hamlet of Kholby.
1- How does the word '' hamlet '' suggest that there arent many houses or people in the area where the
train has stopped ? ( 2 points )

2) Read the following extract from the story. Find two examples of literary devices ( alliteration and
personification ) and one example showing the importance of time .
The Parsee perched himself on the elephants neck, and at nine oclock they set out from the village, the
animal marching off rapidly through the dense forest of palms by the shortest cut. .

3) Read the following lines from '' A Green Cornfield '' , then answer the questions that follow :

A stage below, in gay accord,

White butterflies danced on the wing,
And still the singing skylark soared,
And silent sank and soared to sing.

1- What does the underlined word '' accord '' mean ?

2- Alliteration is widely used in this stanza . Write down a verse that proves this .
3- What does the colour '' white '' symbolise ?
4- What is the rhyme scheme used in this stanza ?

QUESTION NUMBER TWO ( 15 points )

A. Choose the suitable item from those given in the box to complete each of the following
sentences and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET ( 8 points )
cause offence track record - find out - got over - extraction diet

1- I used to eat too much junk food, but now I have a much healthier.
2- That's amazing news ! How did you .it .. ?
3- Since he his illness , Ali could do his job properly .
4-When you can prove that you have experience, you have a
5- If you are polite, you wontor upset anybody.
B. Choose the suitable item from those given in the box to complete each of the following
sentences and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET ( 8 points )

get on , looking forward , take away , ( out it ) , ( it out ) , ( it with ) , ( with it ), take away

1- I'm...to seeing you all in the very near future .

2- If you want to lose weight , you should ..some fast food .
3- You can't join our party unless you with your work and complete it first.
4- We'll drive past my old house . I'll point .to you.
5- How did you come up.? That is really amazing !

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C. Choose the suitable item from those given in the box to complete each of the following
sentences and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET ( 8 points )

recruiting , compromise , look into , joke

1- You should never tell a , when you are in a serious meeting .
2- When each side changes their position a little so that they can agree , they have managed
to .
3- The police will .the incident . They promised me .
4- I took a course in Management , which is a bout and managing staff .

D. Study the following sentence and answer the question that follows . Write the answers
down in your ANSWE BOOKLET .

Its a mystery how the mistake happened . No one can even guess .

Replace the underlined word with the correct phrasal verb .

E. Complete the sentences to give a similar meaning . Use the correct form of
the word in brackets Write the answers down in your ANSWE BOOKLET.
1-This book changed my way of thinking. ( inuence )
This book ...
2-It was done accidentally. ( purpose )
It wasnt..........
3-That information is important . Dont omit it . ( leave out.)
That information is important . Dont..
4-The police are investigating the cause of the accident . ( look )
The police .
5-Farid and I are going to do the class survey. ( carry out / it )
Farid and I are going to ....

F. Complete the following sentences with the suitable words derived from the words in
brackets and write the answers down in your ANSWE BOOKLET . ( 4 points )
1- The graduation ceremony was a very occasion for every one . ( memory )
2-Is one side of the brain more..than the other ? ( dominance )
3-Whether or not you remember something that you have learnt in the past..on the experience
you had while you were learning it . ( dependence )
4- The company is pleased with your work and is happy to give you a . ( recommend )
5- Its important to have an . of different countries customs. ( aware)
6- Ahmad is a very ..worker . ( conscience )
7- Can I ..a letter with this parcel ? ( enclosed )
8- Nut contain useful .such as oil and fats . ( nutritious )

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G. Study the following sentence and answer the question that follows . Write the answers
down in your ANSWE BOOKLET.
1-During the flight, the flight stewardesses will serve you drinks.
Replace the underlined word with correct gender neutral word .

2- Every fireman should do his job responsibly.

Replace the underlined words with correct gender neutral word .

3- I'm not sure if it'll be warm enough to have a barbecue . We'll have to deal with the situation as
it develops .

Replace the underlined words with the correct body idiom .

QUESTION NUMBER THREE (13 points )

A. Correct the verbs between brackets then write your answers down in your ANSWER
BOOKLET . ( 4 points )

1-Ramzi will enjoy his job provided that he interesting colleagues. ( have )
2-I think Salwa will be successful as long as she .. hard . ( working )
3-Even if I travel a lot, I .still . time to speak to my friends. ( make )
4-I will not work abroad unless it . the only option. ( be )
5-If I the job I want , I will be very happy . ( gets )
6- If I .. you , I would buy that simple picture . ( be )
7- If I were you , I . out about training courses. ( find )
8- Why don't you your car in that garage ? ( repairing )
9 - I----------------------------------------------the job if I had had some experience. ( get / could )
10- If you ---------------the course , you would have had enough experience to apply for the job. ( do )
11- Ice cream melts when it . warm. ( get )
12- During Ramadan, we eat when the sun ( set ) .
13- Ill phone you if I the bus so that you pick me up. ( missed )
14- We.to our favourite restaurant on Friday unless it's closed . ( go )
15- I will take the job offer provided that it part-time . ( be )
16- We have to go to school even if we .... tired. ( be )
17- Can you suggest a healthy breakfast ?
Do you mind a healthy breakfast ?

B. Correct the verbs between brackets then write your answers down in your ANSWER
BOOKLET . ( 4 points )
1- Ziad is not very good at basketball. He wishes he----------------- taller ! ( be )
2- I cant do this exercise. I wish I----------------------- it. (understand )
3- Mr Haddad does not understand the Chinese businessman. If only he----------------- Chinese. ( speak )
4- Jordan needs to import a lot of oil. If only it----------------- larger oil reserves. ( have )
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5. Ali did not pass his exams. If only he--------------------- harder last year. (study)
6. Ziad did not know about Chinese culture when he went on a business trip to China.
He wishes he------------------------ a cultural awareness course . (do)
7. It was too hot to go to the beach yesterday. If only it----------------------- cooler . (be)
8. I feel ill. I wish I----------------------so many sweets ! ( not / eat )
9- If only I --------------------- England last summer . ( visit )
10 If only I------------------- read more classic novels in Grade 11 . ( have )
11- I wish I ------------------------ my mother more in the kitchen yesterday . ( help )
12- I wish I----------------------. take piano lessons when I was a child . ( take )
13- Our final science has..as the best project . ( be , choose )
14- Next month ,Mr. Tareq will ..a more responsible post by the manager . ( offer )
15- Before 2004 CE , very little research about sign languages of the Middle East . (carry out).
16- At the moment, a lot of research into the language .. (do).
17- An introductory grammar of Jordanian Sign Language . in 2004 CE. (publish)
18- Jordanian Sign Language ...... to other sign languages in the Middle East, but none of
these has recently been researched extensively. (relate)
19- By 2025 CE, our public transport system will .(have , change )
20- I can't come tomorrow morning . I will for a job . ( be , interview )

QUESTION NUMBER FOUR

A. Complete each of the following items so that the new item has a similar meaning to the one
before it , and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET . ( 8 points )
1- People speak Spanish in most South American countries, but they speak Portuguese in Brazil.
Spanish , but in Brazil , Portuguese
2- My mother taught me to read.
I ..
3- Fifty years ago , they hadnt invented smartphones.
Smartphones ...
4- Our teacher has already marked our exams , and now someone is checking them .
Our exams , and now they ..
5- They have just discovered some books that people wrote 200 years ago .
Some books that .
6- Doctors are trying a new drug that they developed five years ago.
A new drug .. ..
7- The traffic officer will have stopped all the motorcycles by then .
All the motorcycles ....
8-Millions of people all over the world will use computers to do heavy jobs in the future .
Computers.....
9- Arab mathematicians invented algebra .
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 Algebra...Arab mathematicians
B. Complete each of the following items so that the new item has a similar meaning to the one
before it , and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET . ( 8 points )
1- Physics isnt as popular as Biology.
Biology ........
2-Law is more popular than Medicine and Dentistry.
Medicine and Dentistry aren't......
3- The Jordan River isn't as long as the Nile
The Nile .
4-There are not as many students studying Science as Maths.
There are more...
5-There's less information on the website than there is in the book . ( as much )

There isn't ....

6- Visual Arts ( 244, 000) , Biology ( 231 , 000) and Business studies ( 280, 000 ) students
study in British Universities . ( popular )
Business Studies is the ..........
7- Tamer studies maths for ( 2) hours , English for ( 3) hours and science for ( 1 ) hour . ( much )

English ...subject of them all .

8-Maths is more popular than Science , but less popular than English .
English is ... all .
9-The cheapest thing on the menu is orange juice .
The least ......

10- I have three sisters , Jane is (15 ) , Angela is ( 21) and Sally is (10 ) . ( young )
Sally . all .

11- Neither Maths nor Science are as popular as English.

English is the ...all

C. Complete each of the following items so that the new item has a similar meaning to the one
before it , and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET . ( 18 points )
1- '' Where is the nearest bank , please ? ''
Could you tell me ....?
2- '' How did you solve this puzzle ? ''
Could you explain ..?
3- How much sleep do teenagers of our age need ?
Do you know .........?
4- What should I do on the day before the exam ?
Could you explain .........?
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 5- Please help me to plan my revision.
Do you mind.......?
6- Are we allowed to eat sweets during the exam?
Do you know..?
7- Please tell me where you found that information.
Do you mind...?
8- Does the exam start at ten or half past ten?
Do you know whether...... ?
9-They believe that learners will absorb the grammar as they learn the vocabulary .
It is.
Learners are....
10-They thought that the children were in bed.
It ...
The children .....
11-People believe that nuclear power stations are dangerous.
It ....
Nuclear power stations ..
12-People know that cars pollute the environment.
It...
Cars ..,......
13- It is thought that learning a new language also presents the brain with unique challenges.
People think ..........
14- It is said that students who study foreign languages do better, on the whole, in general tests.
They say that........
15- Doing regular exercise is believed to reduce the risk of several disease . ( 2016)
People believe that ....

16-Exercise has been proved to be good for concentration .

Experts have proved that....
17- Solving puzzles is believed to keep the brain active.
People believe that.......
18- Experts have proved that exercise is good for concentration.
It .....
Exercise .........

19- Where does the bus go from , please ?

Could ...from ?
20- People used to think that the Earth was flat.
It ..
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 The Earth..
21- Is the post office near here?
Do you mind ? (telling me if the post office is here ?)

QUESTION NUMBER FIVE

A. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the prompts between brackets, and write
it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET . .
1- An exam that you did not do as well in as you expected . ( do better in the exam )
I wish I.....
2- A short trip that was not as enjoyable as you had hoped it would be . ( not / go in that trip )
I wish I ........
3- Our flat is very small. ( live in a big house )
If only .........
4- Jaber isnt old enough to drive a car. ( be / older )
He wishes he...........
5- I feel ill . ( not eat so many sweets )
If only.......
I wish.........
6- Nahla could not find her way round the city very easily. ( bring )
If only shea map.

B. Complete each of the following items so that the new item has a similar meaning to the one
before it , and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET . ( 8 points )
1- Sultan forgot to do his Science homework.
If only he . to do it.
2- I regret going to bed late last night.
I wish I...earlier.
I wish I ......
3- Oh no ! Ive forgotten my library book. I left it at home.
I wish I.... .
4- Our team didnt play very well yesterday.
If only they.better.
5- Samia regrets being angry at breakfast time. ( if only )
If only....
6- Nader should have been more careful with his essay. He didnt get a good mark. ( wishes ) (2016 )
Nader wishes he .....
7-If only I had concentrated properly in class today. This homework is really difficult. ( I wish )
I wish ...
8- I didn't do much work for my exam.
I wish ......

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9- I bought these shoes . They hurt my feet.
I wish .....
10-Were late . We didnt catch the earlier bus.
Were late . If only ......
11- I am sorry that I didn't read that book .
I wish ...
QUESTION NUMBER SIX
A. Rearrange the following words to make a meaningful indirect question ?
Mind / you / water / giving / a / glass /do / of / me / ?
B. Use the words between brackets to give a suitable piece of advice for the following
situation .

1- I'm good at science and I want a good job . ( be / doctor )

If ......

2-It would be a good idea for you to make a list of questions . ( could )
.
3- You should ( ought to ) practise the presentation several times . ( why don't )
..?
4- You shouldnt look too casual. ( if )
.

C. Read the following sentences carefully , then answer the question that follows :

- If you heat ice , It melts .

- If our players win the match , they will celebrate.

What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences ?

D. Read the following sentences carefully , then answer the question that follows :

1 . If I had stayed at home that day , I would n o t have missed the celebration.

2 . If I had not stayed at home that day , I would have missed the celebration.

What is the difference in meaning in the above underlined conditional forms ?

E. Read the following sentences carefully , then answer the question that follows :
If I had prepared better for the competition , I might have won the rst prize.

What is the function of using the past modal in the main clause of the above sentence ?

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 QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN
A. Read the following situations and rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets . Write
the answers down in your ANSWER BOOKLET . ( 4 points )

1- Saeed left his camera at home , so he wasnt able to take pictures of the parade. ( could )
If...
2- I had a headache yesterday , and I didnt do well in the Maths test . ( might )
.if ...
3- I didnt know your phone number , so I wasnt able to contact you. ( could )
.if....
4- You had a brightly-coloured T-shirt on . Thats how I noticed you in the crowd. (might not )
If ..
5- I worked really hard the day before the exam . I got top marks . ( if / might not )
..
6- Suha didn't pass her exams because she didn't study hard . ( would )
If .
7-I didnt know you were ill , so I didnt phone you.
If
8- Rasha didn't go to school because her mother was ill . ( if / would )
.....
9-You didnt tell me you were in a hurry and I didnt give you a lift . ( if / could )
....
10-If you dont leave before 9 o'clock, you will not catch the bus.
Unless.........
11-Your health will never get better unless you stop smoking .
If you.........

B. Complete each of the following sentences by adding the correct question tag to the end of
each of them or vice versa . Write the answers down in your ANSWER BOOKLET.
( 3 points )
1- She lives in the same street where I live , ..?
2- You dont understand what gender-neutral means ,..?
3- My parents their old car , didn't they ? ( sell )
4- He might play tomorrow , ?
5- You live in Madaba , . you ?
6- The girls cant hear well , .they ?
7- Its funny, it ?
8- He has to go , ..he ?

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 9- She went home , ..she ?
10- I havent won , I ?
11- You wont be late ,..you ?
12- We mustnt be late , ..?
13- Fahd in a serious car accident , wasn't he ? ( be )
14- Rama . still a computer programmer , isn't she ?
15- Ill tell you what I understand by the term , ?
16-That doesnt help me to answer the question in my essay ,?
17- Let's leave quickly from this area , ..?

C. Use the right word or phrase in the box above each pair of sentences to make
only one meaningful sentence from each pair , and write it down in your ANSWER
BOOKLET. ( 4 points )

when , unless

1- You heat water to 100 C ' . It boils .

as long as , unless

2- You will not pass your exams . You study hard.

if , unless

3- You don't water the plants . They will die .

as long as , even if
4- Your new computer will last a long time . You are careful with it .

QUESTION NUMBER EIGHT

A- The following sentences have some grammatical mistakes . Rewrite them
correctly . and write it down in your ANSWER BOOKLET.

1) Babies are usually happy as long as theyre hungry or cold.

2) A : I would like to get a job as a teacher of English.

B : You could study English at university ?
3) A : I dont understand what we have to do for homework.
B : Why don't you , I would ask the teacher.

B. Study the following sentences and answer the question that follows each .
1- She worked hard ; consequently / as a result / because of that , she did very well in her exams .
What is the function of using consequently / as a result / because of that , in the above sentence ?
2- We were late because of / due to the traffic . ( because / since )
What is the function of using because of / due to , in the above sentence ?

C. Study the following sentence and answer the question that follows . Write the answer
down in your ANSWER BOOKLET. ( 2 points )
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 You could get some work experience if you join this training course .

What is the function of the underlined expression in the above sentence ?

QUESTION NUMBER NINE ( 15 points )

A. EDITING ( 4 points )

Imagine you are an editor in the Jordan Times . You are asked to edit the following lines that
have four mistakes ( one grammar mistake , one punctuation mistake and two spelling
mistakes ). Find out these four mistakes and correct them . Write the correct answers down in
your ANSWER BOOKLET.

The World Memory Championship is an annual three day event that has been hold in different locations
all over the world since 1991 CE . There are ten contests , each one testing different uses of short term
mimory and koncentration , The contests include listening to numbers spoken out loud and then
recalling them ( the world record is 364 ) , memorizing a sequence of abstract images in fifteen minutes
( the world record is 490 )

1-.2-..3-.4-..
B. GUIDED WRITING ( 4 points )
1-Read the information in the table below , and write two sentences about the most and the
least popular subjects offered by British universities .
Subject Number of applications Change since
in 2014 CE 2013 CE
Business Studies 280,240 + 3.2 %
Visual Arts 244,620 + 2.4%
Biology 231,720 + 8%
Computer Science 97,110 +13%

2-Look at the diagram of after-school classes and write two sentences about the most and
the least studied subjects in it .

3- Read the information in the table below , and then in your ANSWER BOOKLET , write
two sentences about how to revise for your exams . Use the appropriate linking words such as
: and , moreover , in addition to this . etc .

How to revise for your exams .

- look at all your subjects and draw a timetable .
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 - start revising as early as possible .
- take a break after a 30 minute studying period .
-try some past exam papers ..

C. FREE WRITING ( 7 points )

In your ANSWER BOOKLET , write a composition of about 120 words on ONE of the
following :

1- Write an article answering this question. Give some tips and good reasons to persuade your classmates to
take your advice.
I often find it difficult to fall asleep the night before an exam. Do you mind giving me some advice, please?

2- Write a blog post for your website about your early memories of school , comparing it with your experience
of school in recent years.
3-You have seen an advertisement for a job that you would like to do. Decide what job the
advertisement is for. Write a curriculum vitae using the information in the box

Nihad Ali / born in Amman 1985 / Business studies / university of Jordan 2007 / 5 year
experience in the Housing Bank .

THE END

GOOD LUCK : AHMED SUBOH & NOUR ADEL

1- My job as interpreter
2- A visiting student's blog post
3- Stepping into the business world
4- Education in Jordan
5- Selling pitch
6-After school

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