MINISTERUL EDUCAŢ IEI NAȚ IONALE

INSPECTORATUL Ș COLAR AL MUNICIPIULUI BUCUREȘ TI

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ 2019-2020, ETAPA PE SCOALA,
SECȚ IUNEA B - CLASA A XII-A - VARIANTA 1

QUESTION I (75 POINTS): USE OF ENGLISH

I. READING COMPREHENSION (25 p)

Read the following text and complete the tasks:

For many reasons, borrowing books from libraries seems to be in decline. With advances in technology, it is
now possible for people to download and read whatever they like on electronic devices such as Kindles. (1)
_________. They are also lightweight, making them ideal for travelling. Call me old-fashioned, but I’ve never got
into the e-book: I like to have printed books lining my bookshelves; I love the smell of a new book; and I enjoy
leafing through paper pages - as long as I avoid the paper cuts! (2) ________. So, even though I prefer paper books
to e-books, I also prefer to own them myself. Libraries only lend books, so what use are they to someone like
me, or to someone who only reads electronic books?
Personally, I still love libraries. They offer a quiet space to sit, read, think, do research … a real escape from the
outside world. When I was at university, I frequently spent hours at the library and borrowed numerous
journals, articles and other printed materials, as it was just too expensive to buy brand new books every week
to read for seminars and lectures. Libraries are free! (3) ________. At home, my local library hosted actors,
historians and other speakers during the town’s annual art and literature festival. Well-known authors are also
invited to libraries to give speeches or lead discussions about their work. (4) ______.
Since moving abroad to work in Quebec for a year, the importance of libraries has become clear to me on an
even more personal level. The school I work in has an incredible library, which is proving invaluable when I
want a good book to read but am feeling conscious that everything I would want to read during the year is
unlikely to fit in my suitcase by the time I go home! (5) _______. She is planning to hold an all-night reading
session in the library in the coming months, which I hope to get involved with … if I can stay awake! There are
still many fantastic ways to use libraries — maybe we just need to be more awake to them!

A. (2px5=10 points) Five sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence
for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

A. Also, what would I do with my vast bookmark collection if everything I read was electronic?
B. I am good friends with the school librarian, who I stayed with for two weeks when I first arrived in Quebec.
C. Libraries often organise an array of interesting activities as well.
D. Advocates of the nation's libraries say that libraries are undergoing a "renaissance" as centres of learning.
E. It has been argued that doing this is cheaper than buying hard-copy books.
F. Events such as these are a great way to appeal to people of all ages in the community and encourage the use
of libraries.

B. (3px5=15 points) For the following questions, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits according to
the text.

1. Why does the writer believe that libraries seem to be in decline?

A. Because people may encounter difficulties in finding some books.
B. Because hard-copy books are too costly these days.
C. Because electronic devices allow anyone to read faster.
D. Because people can download and read making use of electronic devices.

2. The writer has never been interested in e-book since

A. she finds it hard to avoid paper cuts.
B. she finds it appealing to thumb through paper pages.
C. she abhors the smell of a new book.
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Clasa a XII-a_Sectiunea B_V1
 MINISTERUL EDUCAŢ IEI NAȚ IONALE
INSPECTORATUL Ș COLAR AL MUNICIPIULUI BUCUREȘ TI
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ 2019-2020, ETAPA PE SCOALA,
SECȚ IUNEA B - CLASA A XII-A - VARIANTA 1

D. she is keen on lining her bookshelves.

3. Why is the writer fond of libraries?

A. Libraries provide a peaceful area where one can read and research, among other things.
B. One can lend numerous journals, articles and other printed materials at any time.
C. Libraries allow students to make photocopies of expensive books.
D. Libraries are free most of the time.

4. Libraries are a great place to attend because

A. they invite key local figures on a regular basis.
B. they organize cultural events biannually.
C. they arrange a variety of compelling activities.
D. great speakers initiate talks about their hobbies.

5. What does the writer say about the school library in Quebec?
A. The books are invaluable because of their rarity.
B. Night reading session in the library are not that often.
C. The library has rooms that are not suitable for reading.
D. She is thankful because there she can borrow great books.

II. (2.5px10=25 points) Rephrase the following sentences so that the meaning stays the same, using the
word in capitals. You must not change the word in capitals.

1. It’s unlikely that the product would have taken off, if they hadn’t run such a massive TV campaign.
Without such a massive TV campaign, there ________ the product taking off. LIKELIHOOD
2. It’s pretty certain that we’ll win a gold medal this year.
It’s __________________ is ours this year. CONCLUSION
3. Reading a thriller is far more enjoyable if you do not know the ending.
Reading a thriller is _________________ fun if you already know the ending. NOWHERE
4. Carrie’s six now; she should know how to dress herself.
Carrie’s six now; it`s time she ________________ on her own. GET
5. In this research centre we study the results of global warming, rather than the causes.
Our research ___________________ the results of global warming. CONFINED
6. It’s unlikely they’ll make a mistake like that again, thank goodness.
Fortunately, there’s __________________ made again. CHANCE
7. The new managing director seems to be excellent at fielding awkward questions.
The new managing director seems ___________________ fielding awkward questions. FLAIR
8. We’d have been completely lost if you hadn’t lent a hand.
But ___________________ we’d have been completely lost. HELPING
9. If we delay too long, we are unlikely to close the deal.
The ________________________ to close the deal. LESS
10. The thought of the possible consequences fills me with horror.
I ____________________ might happen. DREAD

III. (2.5px10=25 points) Read the sentences below and use the words given in capitals to form words
that fit in the gaps. The words in capitals are given in the order in which you need to use them.

1-UP, 2- SEE 3-GHOST, 4- ANIMATE, 5- IMPRESS, 6- PROXIMATE, 7- AID, 8- OPTICS, 9- INTENSE, 10-GRAZE

Anyone taking the trouble to look (1) ____________ on a clear moonlit night cannot fail to be moved by the (2)
____________ of our sister planet hanging up there in the sky like a silver ball casting (3) ____________ shadows on
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Clasa a XII-a_Sectiunea B_V1
 MINISTERUL EDUCAŢ IEI NAȚ IONALE
INSPECTORATUL Ș COLAR AL MUNICIPIULUI BUCUREȘ TI
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ 2019-2020, ETAPA PE SCOALA,
SECȚ IUNEA B - CLASA A XII-A - VARIANTA 1

the Earth below. Few (4) ____________ objects can have had such an influence over religion and the arts. And
never is the Moon's visual impact more (5) ____________ than when it is full and just above the distant horizon.
Under these conditions, the apparent (6) ____________ of the lunar disc to familiar terrestrial objects makes the
Moon appear to be very much larger and closer than normal. But the fact that our (7) ____________ eyes still
cannot discern more than just a few dark blotches on its surface demonstrates that this effect must indeed be
just an (8) ____________ illusion. The light from the Moon cannot really become (9) ____________ as it passes at a
(10) ___________ angle through our atmosphere.

QUESTION II (25 POINTS) - PARAGRAPH WRITING

Write an 8-10 - line paragraph in which you give your opinion on whether or not using Artificial
Intelligence (AI) to match people to the political candidate of their choice should be a valid option in the future,
starting from the following text:

From music playlists to marriage prospects, we’ve grown comfortable with algorithms making the decision for
us. So why should picking your candidate be any different? After all, machines make all kinds of difficult
decisions for us. Recommendation engines find us the cheapest flights, the best car insurance, the optimum
mobile phone package, serve us advertisements for things we didn’t know we wanted, find us books to read,
movies to watch, suggest gift ideas, and curate playlists of our favourite artists. We even let machines shortlist
our romantic prospects. So can artificial intelligence find our perfect match when it comes to political
candidates? There are no tools able to do this yet - although the developers of a piece of AI software called Nigel
claim that it will get to know you by observing your behaviour, and may even one day help you decide who to
vote for.

TOTAL 100 PUNCTE

TOATE SUBIECTELE SUNT OBLIGATORII. TIMP DE LUCRU 3 ORE. NU SE ACORDĂ PUNCTE DIN OFICIU.

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Clasa a XII-a_Sectiunea B_V1
 MINISTERUL EDUCAŢ IEI NAȚ IONALE
INSPECTORATUL Ș COLAR AL MUNICIPIULUI BUCUREȘ TI
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ 2019-2020, ETAPA PE SCOALA,
SECȚ IUNEA B - CLASA A XII-A - VARIANTA 1

INSPECTORATUL ȘCOLAR AL MUNICIPIULUI BUCUREȘTI

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ, 2020
ETAPA PE ȘCOALA – CLASA A XII-A –Sectiunea B

PUNCTAJ SI BAREM
VARIANTA 1

I. READING COMPREHENSION (25 p)

A. (2px5=10 points)
1-E; 2-A; 3-C; 4-F; 5-B

B. (3px5=15 points)
1-D; 2-B; 3-A; 4-C; 5-D

II. (2.5x10=25 points) REPHRASE

1. would have been/ little LIKELIHOOD of

2. a foregone CONCLUSION/ (that) a/the gold medal
3. NOWHERE near/as much
4. knew how/ to GET dressed
5. is CONFINED to
6. little CHANCE of/ a mistake like that being
7. to have a FLAIR for
8. for you/ your HELPING out/HELPING hand
9. longer we delay,/ the LESS likely we are
10. DREAD to think/ what

III. (2.5x10=25 points) WORD FORMATION

1- UPWARDS, 2- SIGHT 3-GHOSTLY, 4- INANIMATE, 5- IMPRESSIVE, 6- PROXIMITY, 7- UNAIDED, 8- OPTICAL,

9- INTENSIFIED 10-GRAZING

IV. QUESTION II (25 POINTS) - PARAGRAPH WRITING - Use the Marking Scheme

NOTA: Pentru subiectul II se acceptă orice altă variantă corectă.

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