INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

SAMPLE FINAL EXAMINATION

AE2 WRITING
Date: …….. 2014
(Only textbooks allowed.)

Duration: 60 minutes

Student name: __________________________________ Student ID: __________________

TEST PAPER & ANSWER SHEET

Vice chair Proctor 1: Examiner: Score:

Proctor 2:

Vu Tien Thinh

Task 1: Choose the appropriate connectives below to fill in the blanks in the following text. Write
the LETTERS ONLY in the boxes. There is one example. (20 pts)

a. As we can see g. In my opinion

b. and consequently h. Admittedly
c. Even so i. especially
d. Lastly j. To me, however
e. First of all k. To put it another way
f. Furthermore

The issue of whether sex education should be introduced in all schools at secondary level has been an on-
going debate for quite some time. (0) To me, however, such education is a necessary part of the curriculum
at this level.

(1) __________, I believe pupils need be given lessons on sex education, just like any other field of study.
(2) __________, they should not be protected from this subject, as it is one of the most important matters in
our everyday life.Take the threat of AIDS, for example. Sex education would go a long way in preventing
the spread of the HIV virus (3) __________, AIDS among the younger generation. (4) __________, there
may be some reticence, and even antagonism, among certain groups of people, as to the way and the
degree this subject is presented. (5) __________, I strongly believe that it needs to be part of the
curriculum.

(6) __________, we have to remember what other hazards ignorance about sex may bring for

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pupils, at secondary school, (7) __________ young girls. (8) __________, it is better to know everything
about this 'taboo' subject than to seek knowledge when it is too late, for example in the case of unwanted
pregnancies.

(9) __________, we all know that young people are especially vulnerable to stress as regards sex. Proper
education would, I feel, help to prevent frustration in certain circumstances. What is more, it may also stop
young people from seeking 'nonscientific' ways of solving their problems, and halt the development of
superstition.

(10) __________, there are many arguments to support giving lessons in sex education at secondary
school.

0. j
1. 3. 5. 7. 9.
2. 4. 6. 8. 10.

Task 2: Read the following text and write a summary on the lines provided (30 pts)

DIRTY BRITAIN

Before the grass has thickened on the roadside verges and leaves have started growing on the
trees is a perfect time to look around and see just how dirty Britain has become. The pavements are
stained with chewing gum that has been spat out and the gutters are full of discarded fast food cartons.
Years ago I remember travelling abroad and being saddened by the plastic bags, discarded bottles and
soiled nappies at the edge of every road. Nowadays, Britain seems to look at least as bad. What has gone
wrong?

The problem is that the rubbish created by our increasingly mobile lives lasts a lot longer than
before. If it is not cleared up and properly thrown away, it stays in the undergrowth for years; a semi-
permanent reminder of what a tatty little country we have now. It is estimated that 10 billion plastic bags
have been given to shoppers. These will take anything from 100 to 1,000 years to rot.

However, it is not as if there is no solution to this. What is clearly necessary right now is some sort
of combined initiative, both individual and collective, before it is too late. We know that people respond to
their environment. If things around them are clean and tidy, people behave cleanly and tidily. If they are
surrounded by squalor, they behave squalidly.

Write your answer here

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Task 3: Students can choose either A or B. (50 pts)

A. Write a passage of about 180 words, describing the visual below.

In Brandes’ survey (1986), sixth graders attending 45 California elementary schools were asked
whether they had ever seen other students cheat on a test. The following chart summarizes all 1,037
responses from the survey.

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 never
once
14%
16%
many
a few
times
times
30%
40%

Brandes (1986) surveyed over 2,000 California public high school students. Here is a summary of the
behavior reported in the study.

Behavior Reported Percent reporting

Seeing another student cheating 96.7%
Copying from another student 75%
Using crib notes 73.5%
Gaining prior access to test questions 41.5%
Using signals to cheat on a test 37.5%

Table 1: Cheating Behavior Reported

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant.

B. Write an essay of about 350 words on the following topic.

Some students think cheating at school is really a serious moral offense.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.
Pay attention to the use of academic language and a clear text structure.

Write your answer here

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This is the end of the test.