OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – ETAPA LOCALĂ

22 februarie 2020
CLASA a IX-a, SECȚIUNEA B Varianta 1

SUBIECT A- USE OF ENGLISH (40 POINTS)

I. Read the paragraph below and do the tasks that follow. (20 points)

Scouting outlines
The Scout Movement - also known as the “Boy Scouts” - is now a huge international organisation; in
more than 100 years, it has changed massively - though many people do not realise this. For many
people in Britain, the word “scouting” evokes images of boys in short trousers and girls in blue
uniforms. Many people imagine that the Scout Association and its female counterpart the “Guides
Association” are old-fashioned organisations from another age - associations for people who are more
interested in the past than the future, people who just like camping in the rain and washing in cold
water.
It is quite easy to understand why Scouts and Guides have this sort of image. The “Boy Scouts”
was founded over 100 years ago by Robert Baden-Powell, a retired English army general; the “Girl
Guides” followed three years later. The organisations are thus very well established!

A. Answer the following questions. 8 points

1. What does ”scouting” evoke for many people?

2. What is ”Guides Association” ?
3. When was the “Girl Guides” founded ?
4. Who was Robert Baden-Powell?

B. Choose the right synonym. 6 points

1. evoke a. motivate b. imagine c. make d. create

2. founded a. assembled b. started c. taken d. offered
3. thus a. however b. more c. but d. therefore

C. Rephrase the following sentences so as to preserve the meaning. 6 points

1. In more than 100 years, the Scout Movement has changed massively.
FOR The Scout Movement has changed massively…………………………….years.
2. Many people consider that the Scout Association is an old fashioned organisation.
IT ........................... that the Scout Association is an old fashioned organisation.
3. The Scouts couldn’t wait to go on the expedition.
FORWARD The Scouts ......................................... going on the expedition.
II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each sentence. 10points
There is a preference amongst people these days to buy second-hand cars, as they are more (1)
_________ (AFFORD). However, one should be (2) _________ (CAUTION) when buying a used car.
Here are a few words of advice:
Be suspicious of very low prices. Also calculate any (3) _________(MAINTAIN) costs. If you live on
a (4) _________ (LIMIT) budget, you should take everything into (5) _________ (CONSIDER),
because a great bargain might turn out to be financially (6) _________ (DISASTER) in the future.
When you have selected a car, it is (7) _________ (ADVISE) to check the engine and interior (8)
_________ (THOROUGH) and also take it for a test drive. Remember, you are under no (9)
_________ (OBLIGE) to buy the car if you are not entirely (10) _________ (SATISFY).

III. Fill each of the following blanks with only one suitable word. 10 points

Walpurgis Night 1. ................ one of the 2. ................ popular festivals in Europe. It 3.

................ place in countries such as Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. It is
held 4. ................ 30th April and it is sort of a springtime Halloween. People 5. ................ bonfires and
children dress up in scary costumes.

SUBIECT B- INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.

Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He appeared in
print from 1880-1927 but he is still a popular character today. He was the hero of 56 short stories and
four novels in which he used his intelligence, his powers of observation and deduction, as well as a
certain amount of forensic science to solve mysteries and crimes.
In fact, it could be said that Sherlock Holmes was, in a way, one of the very first forensic
scientists. He had an outstanding ability to look at a seemingly insignificant piece of evidence and
draw a number of conclusions from it. He also had an encyclopaedic knowledge on a huge variety of
topics some of which seemed ridiculously trivial. For example, he could identify 140 different types of
cigar based on the ash in an ashtray.
Holmes placed great importance on trace evidence such as tyre tracks and shoe impressions. He
often used a magnifying glass at the scene of a crime and a microscope for further analysis. Many of
his evidence gathering techniques are common knowledge now, but were practically unheard of at the
time his stories were written, for example, handwriting analysis and ballistics.
When investigating a crime, he would accumulate all the information and evidence possible.
Then he would formulate a theory about the crime and then test that theory. He would seek evidence
and information to support his theory and then capture the criminal. His basic principle was, ‘when
you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth’.
I. For questions 1-5 choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the
text. 10 points

1. Conan Doyle is
A. a police detective.
B. a short story writer.
C. a fictional character.
D. a forensic scientist.

2. Sherlock Holmes knew a lot about

A. gathering evidence.
B. early forensic scientists.
C. insignificant conclusions.
D. unimportant topics.

3. At the time of his stories, police didn’t know much about how to
A. use magnifying glasses.
B. analyse handwriting.
C. track evidence.
D. collect fingerprints.

4. Holmes’ method of crime solving worked because

A. he tested his theories to prove them right or wrong.
B. he disguised himself to collect evidence.
C. he dismissed improbabilities.
D. he only looked at forensic evidence.

5. Holmes believed
A. in the impossible.
B. the improbable can be true.
C. he was always right.
D. the truth can be eliminated.

II. Read the text again and write a narrative essay imagining Sherlock Holmes solving a case.
You should write 160-180 words. 50 points

NOTĂ: TOATE SUBIECTELE SUNT OBLIGATORII. TIMP DE LUCRU: 3 ORE. NU SE ACORDĂ

PUNCTE DIN OFICIU.
 OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ - ETAPA LOCALĂ
CLASA a IX-a, SECȚIUNEA B
BAREM

SUBIECT A- 40 points
I. Read the paragraph below and do the tasks that follow. (20 points)

A. 4x2p= 8 points
Possible answers:
1. The word “scouting” evokes images of boys in short trousers and girls in blue uniforms, people who
just like camping in the rain and washing in cold water.
2. ”Guides Association”/“Girl Guides” is the female counterpart of “Boy Scouts”.
3. The “Girl Guides” was founded over 100 years ago, three years after “Boy Scouts” was established.
4. Robert Baden-Powell was a retired English army general who founded the Scouts Movement.

B. Choose the right synonym.

3x2p=6 points
1. d 2. b 3. d

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

3x2p=6 points
1. ......for the last 100.......
2. It is considered.......................................
3. .................. were looking/looked forward to ................

II. (10x1p= 10p)

1. AFFORDABLE
2. CAUTIOUS
3. MAINTENANCE
4. LIMITED
5. CONSIDERATION
6. DISASTROUS
7. ADVISABLE
8. THOROUGHLY
9. OBLIGATION
10. SATISFIED
 III. (5x2p= 10p)
1. is 2. most 3. takes 4. on 5. light

SUBIECT B- 60 points
I. (5x2p= 10p) 1. B 2.A 3B 4.A 5.B
Nota: Orice variantă neprecizată în barem și considerată corectă de comisia de evaluare va fi acceptată.
II. MARKING SCHEME FOR THE NARRATIVE ESSAY 50 points
Analytical Exemplary Proficient Partially Proficient Weak Incomplete Poin
criteria ts
10p 8p 6p 4p 2p
CONTENT The essay is The essay is fairly The essay is partially The essay is faulty, The essay is
completely relevant completed with the completed with slight including serious wholly
to topic, describing description of logical impediments in logical inadequate the
people/places/events people/places/eve the logical impediments in quality of the
/atmosphere, having nts/atmosphere, development of the the sequencing of description
a clear development having a clear description. events. failing the
and including the final development requirements of
reactions of the the task.
protagonist
ORGANIZATI There is complete There is a fairly There is partial There is serious Paragraphs are
ON AND logical connection of completion of completion of the task. inconsistency in incomplete,
COHESION paragraphs due to a paragraph Paragraphs are the organization of both linking
judicious use of organization due to partially complete due the paragraphs devices,
linking devices, scarce misuse of to unfinished ideas and due to the misuse mechanics, and
mechanics, and linking devices, scarce use of linking of the linking length
length requirements. mechanics, and devices, mechanics, devices, requirements
length and length mechanics, and having been
requirements. requirements. length disrespected.
requirements.
VOCABULARY A wide range of A range of The range of A limited range of A very narrow
vocabulary is used vocabulary is used vocabulary is vocabulary is range of
appropriately and appropriately and adequately used in the present within the vocabulary is
accurately throughout accurately in the essay; errors in word essay; less present; errors
the essay; precise essay; occasional choice /formation are common items of in word
meaning is conveyed; errors in word present when more vocabulary are choice/formatio
minor errors are rare; choice/formation sophisticated items of rare and may be n predominate;
spelling is very well are possible; vocabulary are often faulty; spelling errors
controlled. The spelling is well attempted; spelling spelling errors can can make the
register of the controlled with can be faulty at times. make text essay obscure
narrative-descriptive occasional slips. The register of the understanding at times. The
essay is totally The register of the narrative-descriptive difficult. The register used in
relevant to the task, narrative- essay is partially register of the the narrative-
being organically descriptive essay is relevant to the task narrative- descriptive
integrated all along relevant to the task with a narrow descriptive essay is essay is
the discourse. with slightly inconsistency of style, inconsistent due to inappropriate
incongruent lapses leading to halts in the the mixture of for this type of
within the logical development of styles. writing.
discourse. ideas

STRUCTURES A wide range of A range of A mix of complex and A limited range of A very narrow
grammatical grammatical simple grammatical grammatical range of
structures is used structures is used structures is present structures is grammatical
accurately and accurately and with throughout the essay; present along the structures is
flexibly throughout some flexibility errors are present essay; complex present within
the essay; minor along the essay; when complex language is rare the essay;
errors are rare; occasional errors language is attempted; and may be often errors
punctuation is very are possible; punctuation can be faulty; punctuation predominate;
well controlled. punctuation is well faulty at times. errors can make punctuation
controlled with text understanding errors make the
occasional slips. difficult. text obscure at
times.

EFFECT ON The interest of the The text has a good The effect on the The effect on the The text has a
TARGET reader is aroused and effect on the reader is satisfactory. reader non- negative effect
READER sustained throughout reader. relevant. on the reader.