INSPECTORATUL ŞCOLAR JUDEŢEAN

BRĂILA
_________________________________________________________________________________________

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZᾸ

ETAPA LOCALᾸ, 16 FEBRUARIE 2019
CLASA a VIII-a

SUBIECTUL I
I. Reading Comprehension (10x2,5p=25 points)

Look at the sentences below about ”Surfing Dogs”. Read the text to decide if each sentence is
correct or incorrect. If it is correct, mark A on your answer sheet. If it is not correct, mark B
on your answer sheet.

SURFING DOGS
We’ve all seen pictures of dogs doing amazing things- but what would you think if you saw one
surfing?
Ever since a video of a dog on a skateboard appeared on a social networking site, dogs have become
involved in more and more unusual sports. The latest is dog surfing, with dogs taking part in major
competitions along with their owners.
In one recent competition, as many as 60 dogs, renging in size from very big to extremely small,
flew in to a seaside resort in the USA and hit the beach, going out on a stormy day to ride the waves
on human-sized surfboards. The dogs wore special life jackets so that they’d be safe if they fell in,
and were placed on surfboards on shallow waves. They had ten minutes to show what they could
do, and were judged not only on the length of their ride but also their confidence and overall ability.
One dog, Mandy, has always loved surfing right from the start. She and her owner Jeff surf together
almost every day after Jeff finishes work. ”There’s nothing I’ve trained her to do”, says Jeff. ” She’s
just a natural. If I pick big waves for her, she just rides them.”
When the pair are in the sea, Jeff holds Mandy’s board until the perfect wave arrives and then he
lets her go. ”She’s learnt to make the board go where she wants, and she won’t go unless it’s a good
wave- she’ll just wait. Her biggest wave so far has been about two metres high, and her longest ride
about 100 metres.”
Many dogs hop off the board once they reach their shallow water, but Mandy’s got style- she
always waits till her board’s near the beach and then turns herself round on it a couple of times.
One of Mandy’s surfing buddies, Ben, is also a star performer. ”There’s no way I could make him
do it if he didn’t want to”, says fis owner Julie. ”You just can’t stop him. If he falls into the water,
we pull him out again, and he just shakes himself then runs back in!”
Mandy has also become a film star. When a visiting film crew saw Mandy perform in a surfing
contest, they knew she was exactly right for a role in their new film. Several of the other dogs
surfing along with Mandy have also got parts as extras in the film, which with the help of
computers shows them surfing really enormous waves- although they’d be in trouble if they tried
them in real life!

1. The article says the current fashion for dogs doing sport started with an internet film.
2. The surfing competition that the article describes was limited to dogs of a certain size.
3. The competition took place on a beach during bad weather.
4. The most important thing in the competition was how long the dogs stayed on the
surfboards.
5. Dog owner Jeff had to work hard to encourage his dog Mandy to try surfing.
6. Mandy now knows how to control the direction on the board herself.
7. Mandy has a particular move she makes on the surfboard when she gets to the beach.

B-dul Al. I Cuza, nr. 172, 810025 Brăila; Tel: +40(0) 239 61 91 60; Fax: +40(0) 239 61 40 60
www.isjbraila.ro, brailaisj@gmail.com
 INSPECTORATUL ŞCOLAR JUDEŢEAN
BRĂILA
_________________________________________________________________________________________

8. The owner of Ben the dog is worried that Ben might really dislike the sea.
9. A film-making team who saw Mandy decided she was just what they were looking for.
10. The film that Mandy is in shows the most dangerous surfing moves that the dogs do.

II. USE OF ENGLISH (50 points)

1. Read the text below and choose the correct word for each space.
For each question, mark the letter next to the correct word — A, B, C or D— on your answer
sheet. (10X2p=20 points)

HOW TO BE A PERFECT COLLEAGUE

You may feel you are good at your job, but how good are you at (1)................................................... on with
other people in the office? To be a dream colleague you need to follow a (2) ..................................... simple
rules.

Firstly, (3) ........................... people informed. If you are running late, or having problems with a particular
project, let your colleagues know. Your workmates will then be able to help you and know (4) to expect.

It is important to admit when you are wrong or have (5) ..........................a mistake. Honesty (6) .......................the
best policy, own up to being wrong, but don't take the blame (7) ............................ someone else's mistake.
Be positive; people quickly get bored of colleagues (8) ............................................ complain all day. Before
you start complaining, try to remember a positive experience and (9) ………………..good you felt.
Remember that office life nowadays is based on teamwork (10)……………wants to work with someone
who is always miserable.

1.A going B moving C getting D working

2.A lot B number C few D little

3.A hold B make C do D keep

4.A what B which C that D how

5.A done B got C made D seen

6.A Be B is C are D do

7.A On B for C to D with

8. A To B what C whose D who

9. A That B how C however D which

10A Nobody B Somebody C Anybody D Nothing

B-dul Al. I Cuza, nr. 172, 810025 Brăila; Tel: +40(0) 239 61 91 60; Fax: +40(0) 239 61 40 60
www.isjbraila.ro, brailaisj@gmail.com
 INSPECTORATUL ŞCOLAR JUDEŢEAN
BRĂILA
_________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Rephrase the following sentences so that the meaning stays the same: (10X2p=20 points)

1. I think we should go to bed.

I think it’s time we……
2. Please don’t go there at night!
I’d rather……………..
3. That man is repairing our fence.
Our fence ………………
4. I regret having told her my secret.
I wish………….
5. You shouldn’t wear so much make-up.
I advise you …………….
6. It was a cold day, so we decided to stay indoors.
It was…………
7. I liked that book and you liked it, too.
I liked that book and so…………
8. If you had worked harder, you could have won the scholarship.
Had……………..
9. “You stole my tarts, Alice!” said Lucy.
Lucy accused Alice……………..
10. She had to look after Granny for me while I was abroad.
She had to take………………….
 
3. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense: (10X1p= 20 points)

I am among those who (1. not know)……………………………. how to swim. I have always been afraid of
water. This may be due to a childhood experience I (2. have)………………… when I was about three. My
family used to spend the holidays at the seaside every year. I (3. play)………………………… happily on
the beach all day long while my mother (4. lie)……………………………….. in the sun. From time to time
she (5. take) ………………….. me in the shallow water and tried to teach me how to swim. Once she (6.not
hold)……………… me tight enough and I (7.go)…………………………..under. My mouth and nostrils
filled with water and I couldn’t breathe. My mother started shouting for help and a young man who
(8.swim)…………………………….. nearby (9.come)……………… to see what had happened. If he
(10.not get)……………………………..me out fast, I would have drowned. I will never forget the taste of
salty water.

SUBIECTUL II: WRITING (25p)

Write a 150-180-word story, ending with the following line: I was happy I didn’t have to pay for that,
too. Make sure you have a beginning, a body and an ending. Give your story a catchy title.

TOTAL-100 PUNCTE.
TOATE SUBIECTELE SUNT OBLIGATORII. TIMP DE LUCRU 2 ORE.
NU SE ACORDA PUNCTE DIN OFICIU.

B-dul Al. I Cuza, nr. 172, 810025 Brăila; Tel: +40(0) 239 61 91 60; Fax: +40(0) 239 61 40 60
www.isjbraila.ro, brailaisj@gmail.com