OLIMPIADA NAȚIONALĂ DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – ETAPA LOCALĂ

27 IANUARIE 2018
CLASA a XII-a SECȚIUNEA A

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH I.

Read the following text and put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense (10 x1p = 10p)

A Town Mouse and a Country Mouse were friends. The Country Mouse one day (1)
(INVITE)____________ his friend to come and see him at his home in the fields. The Town Mouse
came and they sat down to a dinner of barleycorns and roots the latter of which had a distinctly
earthy flavour.
The flavour was not much to the taste of the guest and presently he broke out with “My poor dear
friend, you (2) (LIVE)__________ here no better than the ants. Now, you should just see how I
fare! My larder is a regular horn of plenty. You must come and stay with me and I promise you (3)
(LIVE)___________on the fat of the land."
So when he returned to town he took the Country Mouse with him and showed him into a larder
containing flour and oatmeal and figs and honey and dates.
The Country Mouse (4) (NOT/SEE) _______ anything like it and (5) (SIT)________ down to enjoy
the luxuries his friend provided. But before they (6) (BEGIN)______, the door of the larder opened
and someone came in. The two Mice scampered off and (7) (HIDE)_____ themselves in a narrow
and exceedingly uncomfortable hole. Presently, when all (8) (BE)______ quiet, they (9)
(VENTURE)__________out again. But someone else (10) (COME)______ in, and off they scuttled
again. This was too much for the visitor. "Good bye," said he, "I'm off. You live in the lap of
luxury, I can see, but you are surrounded by dangers whereas at home I can enjoy my simple dinner
of roots and corn in peace."
Moral : Safety is the first importance.

II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each sentence (10 x 1p = 10 p)

THE WEALTHIEST OF THE WEALTHY

Every year, Forbes magazine puts out its famous list of (1 – BILLION) …………………… . The
list provides people with an inside look at how much money the world‟s most (2 - PROSPER)
…………………… people possess. Names such as computer software giant Bill Gates and
Mexican businessman Carlos Slim, an investor and stock (3 - TRADE) ……………………, seem
to appear at the top of the list year after year.
The list is important because it is a(n) (4 - LEAD) ……………………indicator of global wealth.
For example, in 2008, when the world was suffering from a devastating (5 - ECONOMY)
…………………… crisis, these wealthiest people did in fact „suffer‟. In 2009‟s list, there was a net
(6 - LOSE) …………………… in the number of people on the list, the first time the list had seen
such a (7 - GRADE) …………………… in five years. Since then, the very affluent have seen the
value of their assets rise again as (8 - FINANCE) …………………… markets have generally
improved. So what does the wealthiest person‟s bank (9 - STATE) …………………… look like?
This man, the aforementioned Carlos Slim, has assets worth US $73 billion. We don‟t know what
he actually has in (10 - SAVE) …………………… , but you can be assured it‟s probably a lot!

III. Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D (1 x 10 p = 10 p)

1. Se uita la mine ca și cum ar fi vrut să-și amintească fiecare amănunt.

a. He looked at me as if he wanted to remember every detail.
b. He was looking at me as if he would have wanted to remember every detail.
c. He has been looking at me as if he had wanted to remember every detail.
d. He was looking at me as if he wanted to remember every detail.

2. Nici n-am intrat bine in club, că mi-am dat seama că mi-am uitat legitimatia acasă.
a. No sooner had I entered the club, than I realized that I had forgotten my I.D. card at home.
b. No sooner I had entered the club, when I realized that I forgot my I.D. card at home.
c. I hardly entered the club when I had realized that I had forgotten my I.D. card at home.
d. Hardly I have entered the club when I realized that I have forgotten my I.D. card at home.

3. Which of the sentences best rephrases the original sentence?

People believe that this novel was written when its author was very young.
a. The novel is believed to being written when its author was very young.
b. The author was believed to have written the novel when he was very young.
c. The novel is believed to have been written when the author was very young.
d. It‟s believed the author to have written this novel when he was very young.

4. She doesn‟t know me … her.

a. neither do I
b. so do I
c. nor do I
d. no does I

5. “How long have the children been painting icons?” I inquired.

a. I inquired how long have the children been painting icons.
b. I inquired how long had the children been painting icons.
c. I inquired how long the children had been painting icons.
d. I inquired how long were the children painting icons.

6. Kennedy's handsome profile was a favorite to photographers.

In the sentence above the word written in bold means:
a. bravery
b. courage
c. personality
d. side view of the head

7. Choose the correct explanation of the expression written in bold: “You certainly couldn't call him
modest because he's always blowing his own trumpet.”
a. saying how fit he is
b. saying how healthy he is
c. saying how clever he is
d. saying how tall he is

8. Choose the correct explanation of the expression written in bold: “I knew when Sandra told the
lie that she would be eating her words later.”
a. talking in the cafeteria
b. admitting to her untrue claims
c. very hungry
d. having dinner

9. The situation has become difficult to … .

a. come up against
b. cope with
c. support
d. get along

10. Choose the suitable ending for the following sentence: “Tom's been feeling under the weather
for a couple of days, so he's … .”
a. going to see a doctor.
b. going to see a lawyer.
c. going to see a priest
d. going to see a mechanic.

IV. Translate the following text into Romanian (10p)

Now I stared at this sudden apparition with my eyes fairly starting out of my head in
astonishment. Remember, I had crashed in the desert a thousand miles from any inhabited region.
And yet my little man seemed neither to be straying uncertainly among the sands, nor to be fainting
from fatigue or hunger or thirst or fear. Nothing about him gave any suggestion of a child lost in the
middle of the desert, a thousand miles from any human habitation. When at last I was able to speak,
I said to him:
"But- what are you doing here?"
And in answer he repeated, very slowly, as if he were speaking of a matter of great
consequence:
"If you please- draw me a sheep . . ."
When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey. Absurd as it might seem to me,
a thousand miles from any human habitation and in danger of death, I took out of my pocket a sheet
of paper and my fountain-pen. But then I remembered how my studies had been concentrated on
geography, history, arithmetic and grammar, and I told the little chap (a little crossly, too) that I did
not know how to draw. He answered me:
"That doesn't matter. Draw me a sheep . . ."
But I had never drawn a sheep. So I drew for him one of the two pictures I had drawn so
often. It was that of the boa constrictor from the outside. And I was astounded to hear the little
fellow greet it with,
 "No, no, no! I do not want an elephant inside a boa constrictor. A boa constrictor is a very
dangerous creature, and an elephant is very cumbersome. Where I live, everything is very small.
What I need is a sheep. Draw me a sheep."
(Antoine de Saint Exupery – The Little Prince)

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.

WHY GETTING TATTOOS

After a long period of thinking, Tony decided to get a tattoo. So he was just lying while some guy
he didn‟t even know repeatedly stabbed him with sharp needles. Another friend of his, Jack, had
recently got a tattoo, and Tony was so deeply impressed by Jack‟s courage and by his tattoo that he
decided to get one done himself. Actually, this is one of the most important reasons why most
young people in the US get a tattoo: friends and peers have one, as well. Some other common
reasons for wearing tattoos today are peer pressure, the influence of mass-media, and even self
expression.
What somebody does can be greatly influenced by the strong desire to be part of a group, to be
accepted. Getting a certain tattoo can be a sign of your belonging to a particular group. Special
clothes and tattoos are often used by gang members to identify with their group peers. For instance,
all members of a gang may wear dark blue army jackets and have a big X tattooed on their backs.
Most young people have their own circle of friends. Some of them only wear brand-name clothes.
Some others may wear only dark clothes. Others may wear tattoos.
Another reason why tattoos have become so popular in the US nowadays is the influence of the
media. There are a lot of media images which show tattoos. People who appear in commercials
selling expensive jewellery wear tattoos. Magazines present famous sports heroes with tattoos, not
to mention fashion models who often wear designer clothes which seem specially created to show
their bodies tattooed with complicated colourful exotic patterns. Media exposure links tattoos to the
ideas of luxury, fortune and success.
But there are many others who decide to wear tattoos only to make a statement, to express their
beliefs, their feelings and, also their artistic nature. In other words, they want to manifest their
individuality. The most suitable tattoo for a rock guitarist would be a guitar on the arm. People in
love may tattoo each others‟ names over their hearts. Thus, a tattoo may serve as public sign so that
everybody knows what is important in a person‟s life.
As one can easily see, there are many reasons why young Americans get tattoos. No matter if it‟s
meant to part of a group‟s uniform, a fashion statement or a expression of individuality, the decision
to get a tattoo is a direct result of the impact of friends or media or the desire to express oneself. For
Tony, it was a bit of everything.

I. For each question choose the correct letter A, B, C or D (5 x 2p= 10p)

1. Which are the three main reasons why people get tattoos, as mentioned in the text?
A. Peer pressure, personal expression and parents‟ influence.
B. Because they are nice and healthy
C. Influence of the media, a way of personal freedom and expression.
 D. Pressure from their peers, influence from the media, a way of personal expression.
2. Which signs of belonging to a certain group are mentioned in the text?
A. Wearing a tattoo, playing the guitar, wearing special clothes
B. Wearing diamond earrings, wearing special clothes, wearing a tattoo
C. Wearing a special uniform, wearing special clothes, wearing a tattoo
D. Having a special name, wearing a special shirt, wearing a tattoo
3. How does the media use tattoo in advertising?
A. By using fashion models and sports starts to sell jewellery
B. By using exotic animals and famous singers to sell jewellery,
C. By using exotic species and fashion models
D. By using sports stars, rock guitarists and fashion models to sell cars
4. According to the article, media images are linked to…
A. Social status
B. Bad luck and failure
C. Loyalty and faith
D. Wealth and success
5. The reason why Tony got a tattoo was…
A. peer pressure
B. the influence of the media
C. a desire to express his individuality
D. all of the above

II. Read the text again and write an opinion essay on TATTOOS. (280-300 words) (50 p)

Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii. Timp de lucru 180 de minute.

BAREM

Subiectul A-Use of English

I. 10x1p=10p

1. invited

2. live

3. shall/will live

4. had not seen

5. sat

6. had begun

7. hid

8. was

9. ventured

10. came

I.
1. BILLIONAIRES
2. PROSPEROUS
3. TRADER
4. LEADING
5. ECONOMIC
6. LOSS
7. DOWNGRADE
8. FINANCIAL
9. STATEMENT
10. SAVINGS

III. (10 x1p = 10p)

1. d
2. a
3. c
4. c
5. c
6. d
7. c
8. b
9. b
10. a
IV. 10p Se vor lua în considerare orice variante corecte care îndeplinesc criteriul
expresivității.

Acum, priveam cu ochi mari de uimire la arătarea aceea. Nu uitaţi că mă aflam la mii de
leghe depărtare de orice tărâm locuit. Or, omuleţul meu nu părea a fi nici rătăcit, nici mort de
oboseală, nici mort de foame, mici mort de sete, nici mort de frică. Nu avea deloc înfăţişarea unui
copil pierdut în inima pustiului, la mii de leghe depărtare de orice tărâm locuit. Când, în sfârşit, am
fost în stare să vorbesc, l-am întrebat:
- Bine, dar... ce cauţi tu aici?
Iar el rosti atunci din nou, încetişor, cerându-mi parcă un lucru din cale-afară de însemnat:
- Te rog... desenează-mi o oaie!
În faţa unei taine prea copleşitoare, nici nu mai cutezi să te împotriveşti. Oricât de nefiresc
mi se părea mie lucrul acesta acolo, la mii de leghe depărtare de orice aşezare omenească, şi cu
toată primejdia de moarte în care mă aflam, mi-am scos din buzunar stiloul şi o foaie de hârtie. Însă
mi-am adus atunci aminte că studiasem îndeosebi geografia, istoria, aritmetica şi gramatica şi i-am
spus omuleţului aceluia (cam posomorândumă) că nu mă pricep să desenez. El mi-a răspuns:
- Nu-i nimic. Desenează-mi o oaie.
Cum eu niciodată nu mai desenasem o oaie, i-am făcut unul dintre desenele acelea două,
singurele de care mă ştiam în stare. Cel cu şarpele boa întreg. Şi-am încremenit, auzind că omuleţul
îmi spune:
- Nu! Nu! Nu vreau un elefant în pântecele unui şarpe boa! Un şarpe boa e foarte primejdios, iar un
elefant te încurcă foarte mult. La mine acasă-i foarte strâmt. Eu de-o oaie am nevoie. Desenează-mi
o oaie

SUBIECTUL B
I.
1. D 2. C 3. A 4. D 5. D