MINISTERUL EDUCATIEI, CERCETARII SI INOVARII

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZA

FAZA NATIONALA
CLASA A XI-A

Subject I (50 points)

“It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives.”

Write a 350-word argumentative essay using well-grounded illustrations and justifications.

Subject II (25points)

You have been asked to write an article for an international magazine about equal job
opportunities for men and women in your country. You should describe the existing situation and
say what changes have taken place in recent years. Your article must have between 200 and 220
words.

Subject III (25 points)

A. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Use
the word given without changing it. (5 points)

1. I can’t understand a word of what she says. tail

I can’t_______________of what she says.
2. “I was nowhere near the scene of the crime”, said the accused man. denied
The accused man________________the scene of the crime.
3. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t smoke in the office”, the manager said to us. refrain
The boss politely______________in the office.
4. They say that at one point he was spying for four different countries. rumoured
He_____________for four different countries at one point.
5. The police think that several people helped the robbers escape. suspected
Several people ___________the robbers escape.
B. For questions 1-10, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space.
Use only one word in each space.

Too late to learn?

After I had fallen over for the eighth time in 25 minutes, I realized I (1)…….not be able to teach
myself to ski.I had fallen forwards, backwords and to both sides.I had landed on my
wrists,arms,knees,thighs and shoulders and it seemed(2)……..were no new ways left,(3)……...I
was going to (4)………knocked down by someone else.I asked a friend (5)………I could do to
improve my techniques.’Stop crashing into things’, she said, at (6)……….point I gave up.I
tucked my skis under one arm, dropped them, tucked them under the (7)……….and stomped
home through the snow in my very uncomfortable snow boots.(8)………my anger, I booked a
lesson with an instructor called Jane who was surprised that a 37-year-old live life (9)…….no
co-ordination.It was (10)………disability that meant my first lesson was wildly unsuccessful.

C. Read the text below and use the word given in capital on the right to form words that fit
in the gaps. The words in capitals are given in the order you need to use them. (10
points)

The board was coming under intense (1)………..to take action, PRESS
there seeming to be (2)………..differences between the two RECONCILE
sides in the dispute. The figures the board had were so at (3)……. VARY
with what the workers submitted and the issues that divided
them so (4)……that no-one could see how the two CONTEND
(5)……parties could possibly reach OPPOSE
(6)……….. It certainly didn’t help that, by nature, the AGREE
leaders of both sides were so fiercely (7)………. COMPETE
The shadow of (8)…..and subsequent LIQUID
(9)……hung heavy over the company. For Bill CLOSE
himself, the spectre of (10)…..loomed large. BANKRUPT

TOTAL 100 PUNCTE

TOATE SUBIECTELE SUNT OBLIGATORII. TIMP DE LUCRU 3 0RE. NU SE

ACORDA PUNCTE DIN OFICIU.
 MINISTERUL EDUCATIEI, CERCETARII SI INOVARII
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZA
FAZA NATIONALA
BAREM DE NOTARE SI CORECTARE
CLASA A XI-A

Use of English
Subject III (25 points)

A. Complete.... 1 pointX5 sentences= 5 points

Any correct answer will be accepted
Key:
1. make head nor tail
2. denied being/having been anywhere near
3. asked us to refrain from smoking
4. is rumoured to have been spying
5. are suspected of helping/ having helped

B. Fill…..1 pointX 10 gaps= 10 points

1.would
2.there
3.unless
4.be
5.what
6.which
7.other
8.Despite
9.with
10.this

C. Read……………1 pointX 10 words= 10 points

Key:
1. pressure
2. irreconcilable
3. variance
4. contentious
5. opposing
6. agreement
7. competitive
8. liquidation
9. closure
10. bankruptcy
 MINISTERUL EDUCATIEI, CERCETARII SI INOVARII
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZA
FAZA NATIONALA
CLASA A XII-A

Subject I (50 points)

“You can stay young as long as you learn.” (Emily Dickinson)
Write a 450-word reflective essay considering the topic from at least three viewpoints- of
the discussion clock: persona;, philosophical, artistic, educational, etc.

Subject II (25points)

As the secretary of a charity organization you have been asked to write a report for the local
authorities on facilities for the disabled in your town. Use between 270 and 300 words.

Subject III (25 points)

A. For questions 1-10, read the following text and think of the word which best fits each
space.Use only one word in each space.

Bananas are best!

Britain has gone mad for bananas. Over the (1)……..12 months Britons have consumed an
unprecedented 3.5bn pieces of the tropical fruit, forcing the native apple (2)……..second place. The
nation’s banana boom is one of the most remarkable nutritional trends of recent years, a guide not (3)
……..to the growing health consciousness of the British people but also to the country’s economic
health. (4)……..is amazing is that bananas were virtually unheard of during the 19 th century and even up
(5)………the end of the 1920s (6)………anyone in Britain had tasted or even seen (7)………
Early attempts to introduce them to northern countries had met (8)……… failure because,by the time
they had been shipped to Britain, they had rottedbeyond recognition.(9)……….,thanks to the
development of refrigerated shipping,all (10)……..changed.
B. Find one word which is appropriate for all three gaps in each of the following sentences
(5 points):

1. The less…. about this, the better.

That’s easier….than done!
He is…..to be one of the ten richest men in the world.

2. I don’t think anyone else is in the …….

How was I to…...you wanted it?
I used to…..that poem by heart.

3. I expect we could…..this photo up a bit.

If we’re not careful, this whole thing could…….up in our faces.
It wasn’t so much a surprise; it was an absolute body…….

4. The judge took a previous……of his into account.

He spoke with confidence and……….
Their noisy protest carried little…….and few were impressed.

5. There was intense……..for places.

There was a phone-in …...for which the first prize was a seat at the final.
This government’s policy is to encourage……....between businesses.

C. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Use
the word given without changing it. (10 points)

1. I suddenly realized that I didn’t know his address. occurred

It………………………….sudden that I didn’t know his address.
2. Why should anyone be proud of the fact that they got rid of 300 jobs? pride
Why…………………………having got rid of 300 jobs?
3. What alienated the workforce was that management never consulted them. lack
It was………………against the management.
4. I simply fail to understand some of my colleagues’ attitudes to work. beyond
I have some colleagues……………………….me.
5. You can only really master a language if you use it regularly. proficiency
Only by…………………..in a language.

TOTAL 100 PUNCTE

TOATE SUBIECTELE SUNT OBLIGATORII. TIMP DE LUCRU 3 0RE. NU SE

ACORDA PUNCTE DIN OFICIU.
 MINISTERUL EDUCATIEI, CERCETARII SI INOVARII
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZA
FAZA NATIONALA
BAREM DE NOTARE SI CORECTARE
CLASA A XII-A

Use of English
Subject III (25 points)

A. Fill.... 1 pointX 10 points= 10 points

1.past/last
2.into
3.only/just
4.what
5.until
6.hardly
7.one/them
8.with
9.However
10.this

B. Find…..1 pointX 5 words= 5 points

Key:
1. said
2. know
3. blow
4. conviction
5. competition

C. Complete……………2 pointsX 5 sentences= 10 points

Key:
1. occurred to me all of a
2. should anyone take pride in/ pride themselves on
3. the lack of consultation that turned the workforce
4. whose attitude to work is beyond
5. using it regularly can you achieve/ gain/ attain proficiency