Lebanese University Faculty of Human Sciences and Letters

Branch 5th

English Language Assessment Subject: English Placement Test All Majors Duration:. Date:November ,2013

Read the following article which portrays the reunion of a back- from- Iraq American mother warrior with her children. While you're through with the reading, answer the questions that follow: Part one: Reading (score /100) Youth, black and in Lebanon: Youth of color face discrimination, racism May 09, 2012 01:37 AM By Annie Slemrod The Daily Star

1 -BEIRUT: They told her she was ugly. They refused to play with her, saying her dark skin would dirty their hands. They broke her teeth. But Meyada kept trying to make friends at her public elementary school in Mar Elias. Her mother, Sudanese refugee Ikhlass Jomaa, took to standing outside the playground, where she would find her daughter isolated. The other children would be playing, and she would be sitting alone, she recalls. 2- Meyada would come home crying and hungry. Kids stole the sandwiches Jomaa packed for lunch, as well as her books. Jomaa, who has been in Lebanon for nine years, went to see the schools principal. The principal said she could do nothing. 3- Born in Lebanon to Sudanese parents, the now 8-year-old Meyada is not alone. Lala Arabian, executive director of Insan Association, an organization that works with refugees and migrants, confirms from her experience what Meyada knows. Migrant domestic workers, refugees and their children face a lot of discrimination and racism ... in Lebanese society, she says. Usually they [refugees and migrants] dont benefit from social services provided in Lebanon. 4- It isnt only the children of migrant workers and refugees who face discrimination. People of color have come to Lebanon in a variety of ways, including the more recent post-Civil War trend of a return from the Lebanese-African diaspora. 5- Meyada is hesitant around strangers but content to talk about her best friend Esther, the computers at her new school, and her ambitions as a cook. But her words come more slowly when the subject turns to her previous school: They used to make fun of me there, I dont know why. They told me I was ugly. She doesnt want to talk about it. 6- Jomaa eventually pulled her daughter out of the public school and enrolled her in one run by a charity where all of the other students are African. This is one option for children having a hard time in mainstream public schools. The other is private school, but Insans Arabian explains that to enroll, students must have some kind of identification papers from their countries of origin to be able to

register, and theyll pay much higher fees than at state schools. Those without legal residency cant attend public schools at all. 7- I really feel for her, says 25-year-old Edith Kitoko, upon hearing Meyadas story. Like Meyada, Kitoko was born in Lebanon to African parents, but shes never been to the Democratic Republic of Congo, although its passport is the only one she holds. 8- Kitoko laughs that while she and her twin sister were the only Africans in the history of her private school, her experience there was mostly positive. Teachers treated her well, she had lots of friends. Once another student called her Sri Lankiya, a term meant in a derogatory manner, referring to the many migrant domestic workers who hail from Sri Lanka. 9- Looking back, Kitoko says she was protected by the school bubble. The first day of university was kind of shocking, she recounts. When she walked into a courtyard full of students, they all turned and were looking at us. Since then, she can recount a litany of nastiness. People assume her father is a diplomat, because she is educated. They presume she is a prostitute, because she is African. As she puts it, a Lebanese woman maybe has a 40 percent chance of being sexually harassed. I have something like an 80 percent chance. 10- There is often shock at Kitokos flawless Lebanese Arabic, which doesnt bother her as it once did. Born in Lebanon, she still has to regularly apply for residency and must get a work permit like any other foreigner. 11- To her own surprise, shes thinking of leaving for the Democratic Republic of Congo, a home she has never seen. She thinks her skills could be of use there. Several of her African-Lebanese friends have already left for Africa. Racism here hasnt decreased with time as far as she can see, but Kitoko doesnt see it as a singularly Lebanese problem. I know some really great Lebanese, she says, adding that I love this country because I was born in it. But she doesnt feel Lebanese or Congolese: Im in a nomans land. 12- Ethiopian Carol Assefa has tried to keep her two children with her Lebanese husband out of this nomans land, teaching them pride in their dual heritage. Her kids have friends of all skin colors and are comfortable with their own, but she thinks they suffer less because their skin is light like her husbands. 13- Discrimination has its own complexities. One summer, Assefas now 6-year-old daughter warned her older son to stay out of the sun. She was concerned his skin would darken and people would call him Sudanese. So it is there, inside their minds, Assefa says. They think about it. 14- Although the educational problems of Jomaas three children are temporarily solved, the charity where they study doesnt offer secondary education. Her 6 -year-old, Mawada, has developmental disabilities and needs special schooling, the type of public services that Arabian says the state doesnt provide. 15- Jomaa has other worries that indicate a wider, long-term concern. Her first priority is keeping her kids safe, but if children of color and Lebanese remain separated, their fear and dislike for each other may only increase. 16- Sudan is a country that is both Arab and African ... we dont know where life will take us right now, says Jomaa, whose application as an asylum seeker was turned down by the United Nations. Even if we go back to Sudan at some point, I would like my daughter to remember that she lived in Lebanon for a while and she had Lebanese friends there, rather than look back on it as a terrible experience.

A. Answer the following questions in 1-2 sentences of your own. Comprehension questions: 1. What traditional concept does the writer highlight in the introductory paragraph? (2pts) 2. Which three groups does the text point at as targets of discrimination in the Lebanese society (3pts) 3. Cite three examples that show the discriminatory policy of the Lebanese when it comes to social and educational services ? (3 pts) 4. Kitoko and Carol Assaf's kids seem to have a certain privilege compared to Meyada. How is this shown in the text. Illustrate wit specific evidence from the text (4pts) 5. What irony is implied in Kitoko's schooling in paragraph 8?(2 pts) 6. "I'm in no man's land" What universal message does this sentence embody? And whom does it mainly address?(3 pts) Organization questions: 1. The writer wraps the text with a hopeful insight of Mrs. Jomaa. How does this contradict with the mood created in the introductory paragraph? (3pts) 2. Main idea (2pts) B. These statements are false. Correct them so they agree with what is stated or implied in the text(4 pts). 1. Being afraid of the 80% chance to be sexually harassed, Kitoko chooses to regularly apply for residency and work permit. 2. According to the writer, blending the Lebanese and the other children of color into a tolerated society may make the dislike a long term concern. C, Identify the sentence pattern of each of the following sentences(4 pts) 1. Jomaa eventually pulled her daughter out of the public school and enrolled her in one run by a charity where all of the other students are African. 1st sentence of parag. 6 2. Like Meyada, Kitoko was born in Lebanon to African parents, but shes never been to the Democratic Republic of Congo, although its passport is the only one she holds. 2nd sentence of parag. 7 D. Scan paragraphs 6,8& 9 to find words that most nearly mean the following: ((2pts) 1. Registered 2. Typical/ conventional 3. critical/ insulting 4. recounts -parg.6 parag.6 para.8 -p arag.9

Grammar: Structure And Written Expression: (6 pts) A- Choose the answers that completes the sentence in a grammatically correct way. 1-______ is taking a trip to New York. (A) They (B) When (C) The woman (D) Her 2- ___________ was backed up for miles on the free way. (A) Yesterday (B) In the morning (C) Traffic (D) Cars 3-The boy ______ going to the movies with a friend. (A) he is (B) he always was (C) is relaxing (D) will be 4-With his friend ___________ found the movie theatre. (A) has (B) he (C) later (D) when 5- ___________ George ,is attending the lecture. (A) right now (B) Happily (C) Because of the time (D) My friend

6- _________ Sarah rarely misses her basket ball shots.

(A) An excellent basket ball player (B) An excellent basket ball player (C) Her excellent basket ball play B- Correct the wrong parts of the following six sentences. Rewrite the sentences mentally in your own head. Remember that your new sentence should be grammatically correct and convey the same meaning as the original sentence(12pts) 1- If I went out when it is raining, I always try to remember an umbrella. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2- I detest this class she said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-the student studied hard for his exam, however he failed it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4- Who did the police arrest for the crime? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5- His favorite pastimes are swimming, hiking, and enjoying time spent with his dog. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6-The media was accused of falsely reporting the events leading up to the scandal by the public. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Part Two : Writing(50 pts) -Write a well organized essay about the following topic. You should write 300-500 words.

Some students prepare early, while other students procrastinate. Which type of student are you? Support your responses with reasons and examples.

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Good Work

Answer key A. Comprehension questions: 1. The 1st parag. highlights a very popular and traditional concept rooted in the mentality of the vast majority of people: whenever someone is colored, he/she is segregated (1pts) 2. The text points at 3 groups as targets of discrimination in the Lebanese society: (1.5 pts) a. Children of migrant workers. b. Refugees/ migrant domestic workers. c. Recent civil war of return from the Lebanese-African diaspora. 3. The three examples that show the discriminatory policey of the Lebanese against the colored: (1.5 pts) a. They don't benefit from social services. b. They are prevented from secondary education/ no services to the disabled. c. They are obliged to pay higher fees in private schools. (2 pts)Although Kitoko and Carol Assefa's kids are discriminated, they seem to have a certain privilege compared to Meyada. In parag. 1, Meyada faces a very critical sitution'her friends "refused to play with her, saying her dark skin would dirty their hands would be playing, and she would be sitting alone". As for Kitoko "her experience there was mostly positive. Teachers treated her well, she had lots of friends" parag. 8 "protected by the school bubble" "People assume her father is a diplomat, because she is educated" parag. 9. Also Assefa's kids are somehow protected by their caring mother, "teaching them pride in their dual heritage. Her kids have friends of all skin colors and are comfortable with their own" . (1pt)

4. 5-(1 pt)I t's expected when Kitoko and her sister is the only Africans in the history of the private school, they'll be treated in a discriminatory manner however she is treated well by her teachers and have lots of friends.

5. 6-The "no man's land" embodies a universal message from Kitoko. Her whole existence is shattered where she seems to have lost her civil rights as a Lebanese and her belonging as a Congolese. It addresses the societies that adopt discrimination as a policy mainly the Lebanese society. (1.5pts) Organization questions: 1. Mrs. Jomaa concludes with the notion that she wants to uproot the terrible experience from the mind of her daughter and make her remember the Lebanese as friendly. This reflects a hopeful insight and creates a mood of easiness and hope to the reader which completely contradicts with the mood of isolation, segregation and humiliation created in the opening paragraph. (1.5 pts)

2. The main idea is clearly stated in parag. 4 "It isnt only the children of migrant workers and refugees who face discrimination. People of color have come to Lebanon in a variety of ways, including the more recent post-Civil War trend of a return from the Lebanese-African diaspora." (1.5pts)

B. (1pt) 1. Being afraid a foreigner in lebanon, Kitoko has to regularly apply for residency and work permit. 2. According to Jomaa, blending the Lebanese and the other children of color into a tolerated society may make the dislike a short term concern. C. (1 pt) 1. Chronological/time order 2. comparison-contrast D. (1pt) 1. enrolled 2. mainstream 3. derogatory 4. recounts parg.6 parag.6 para.8 parag.9

Grammar : Answer Key A1- (C) The woman 2-(C) Traffic 3-(D) will be 4- (B) he 5- (D) my friend 6-(A) An excellent basket ball player B1- If I go out when it is raining, I always try to remember an umbrella. 2- I detest this class, she said 3-The students studied hard for his exam. However, he failed it. 4-Whom did the police arrest? 5- His favorite past times are swimming, hiking, and enjoying time spent with his dog. 6- The media was accused by the public of falsely reporting the events leading up to the scandal.

Grammar: A1-(D) since 2-(D) you study 3-(A) that he 4-(D) which we 5-(B) the note book which 6- (C) appealing B- 1- Never before had I so marveled.. 2- We had just arrived. 3- Exhausted from a long week of work, Sue. 4- Bent is the least . 5- Unlike her cousin, Charlotte is really nice. 6- Having planned her vacation for weeks, she finally began her journey yesterday. C- 1- is 2- because 3- such 4- other 5- could/may/might 6- despite 7- if/when/whenever

Grammar : Answer Key A1- (C) The woman 2-(C) Traffic 3-(D) will be 4- (B) he 5- (D) my friend 6-(A) An excellent basket ball player B1- If I go out when it is raining, I always try to remember an umbrella. 2- I detest this class, she said 3-The students studied hard for his exam. However, he failed it. 4-Whom did the police arrest? 5- His favorite past times are swimming, hiking, and enjoying time spent with his dog. 6- The media was accused by the public of falsely reporting the events leading up to the scandal.