OLIMPIADA NAŢIONALĂ DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – ETAPA LOCALĂ

27 IANUARIE 2018
CLASA a XI-a SECŢIUNEA B

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH

I. Read the paragraph below and do the tasks (2x10=20p).

„Our first lighthouses were actually given to us by Nature. When in antiquity trading
ships were actually built, sailors were enabled to travel long distances in order to buy
and sell goods. The ships, which were made of wood and had large sails could easily
be taken by the winds and wrecked against the rocks. Landmarks, such as glowing
volcanoes, were sometimes used by sailors to guide them. The first lighthouse
recorded in history was the famous Pharos of Alexandria, built around 280BC. An
open fire was used at its top as a source of light. This fantastic structure is known to be
the tallest lighthouse ever built and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
It survived for 1500 years until it was destroyed by an earthquake.‟

A. Answer the questions:

A. What were trading ships used for in antiquity?

B. When was the first lighthouse constructed?

C. What is this structure famous for?

D. How long did the first lighthouse survive?

B. Choose the right synonym:

wrecked: a. badly damaged b. connected c. built d. bestowed

landmark: a. position b. entrance c. bonfire d. famous object/sight

enabled: a. entitled b. compelled c. driven d. tormented

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

1. Landmarks were sometimes used by sailors to guide them.

Sailors ................... for guidance.

2. This fantastic structure is known to be the tallest lighthouse ever built.

People regard .............................. ever built.

CLASA A XI-A, SECŢIUNEA B

 3. It was destroyed by an earthquake.

What ripped ............................... an earthquake.

II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each sentence

(10 x 1p = 10 p)

Although we may do it (1) (CONSCIOUS), continually assess, the

(2) (SIGNIFY) of things that happen to us in order to decide what action we
should take and how we feel. However, we are all different and our
(3) (PERSON) mindset affects our response- it‟s what steers us and
suggests possible courses of action. But it can also trip us up. If our mindset is too
(4) (JUDGE) our reactions to an event are led by our need to evaluate it; we
seek a (5) (CONCLUDE) such as “I‟m always wrong!” We may over-
react to the experience, expressing feelings that are(6)
(APPROPRIATE) extreme, such as fury or terror. Analysing something with this kind of
dark mindset can mean our interpretation of it becomes (7)
(BALANCE) and, obviously, this kind of (8) (NEGATIVE) is (9)
(HEALTHY). People with more open mindsets seek a positive spin, things they
can learn from experience. They have a (10) (CONSTRUCT) rather
than pessimistic approach to life. It‟s clear which mindset is helpful!

III. Translate the following text into English (10 p)

Era copleşit de emoţie, dar, devenit mai matur acum, mai capabil de a-şi analiza sentimentele,
se sculă şi spuse liniştit:
-Otilia, ce eram să fac? Te-am aşteptat. Eu am crezut că tu mă iubeşti, am avut încredere în
tine, şi de aceea când tu ai plecat am fost amărât. Nu te-am uitat niciodată, toate gândurile au
fost numai pentru tine, însă am fost demoralizat. Plecarea ta, trebuie să recunoşti, era ciudată,
nu mi-ai explicat niciodată nimic. Cu toate că o speranţă absurdă îmi spunea altfel, în ultima
vreme nu credeam că ai să mai vii. (G. Călinescu, Enigma Otiliei)

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.

When we think of time, we think of clock time. Action all around the world is synchronized
by clock time, starting with train schedules, worldwide plane schedules, navigation,
astronomy, worldwide telecommunication, etc. These depend completely on accurate timing.
The accuracy standards of timekeeping devices have been increasing rapidly due to the
demands for more and more accurate timing for space communication, navigation, astronomy,
etc. Rather than using mechanical clocks, we are relying nowadays on “atomic clocks”. This

CLASA A XI-A, SECŢIUNEA B

is not a clock in the usual sense but a device that uses the very stable oscillation of the cesium
atoms as a standard for timekeeping.
From grandfather clocks to wristwatches, all these clocks re supposed to chop up for us the 24
hours of the day more or less reliably into hours, minutes and seconds. Let‟s call this kind of
time “objective” since everybody‟s watches are supposed to cut time into slices of even
thickness. However, we know from personal experience that time does not “feel” as passing
evenly under different circumstances. When pursuing some interesting activity, time “flies”;
while waiting in the dentist‟s office, it “drags”. When Einstein was once asked about this
“psychological time” he replied with a now famous observation: “When you spend two hours
with a nice girl, you think it‟s only a minute. But when you sit on a hot stove for a minute,
you think it‟s two hours.”

I. Choose the best answer to these questions or unfinished statements (5 x 2p= 10p)
1. According to the text, which of the following is NOT an example of accurate timing?
A. clock time
B. psychological time
C. atomic clock time
D. objective time
2. Demands for more accurate timing have resulted in:
A. the growth of telecommunication, navigation and astronomy
B. the development of better mechanical clocks
C. the improvement of accuracy standards for timekeeping devices
D. the dependence on atomic power

3. Because of the need for more accurate standards of timekeeping, today we are
A. thinking about time in different way
B. revising schedules of planes and trains.
C. relying more on atomic clocks
D. enjoying more leisure time

4. A defining characteristic of objective time is that

A. it divides time evenly for everyone
B. it is different from clock time
C. it seems to pass quickly
D. it uses a 24-hour system

5. When asked about psychological time, Einstein

A. declined to answer
B. commented on its stability
C. said that socializing was more time-consuming than tending the fire
D. observed that time seems to pass quickly or slowly according to our activity

II. Write an opinion essay (250-280 words) discussing advantages and disadvantages of
living in a multicultural society. Think about factors as 1) fusion 2) education 3) the
working environment. (50 p)

Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii. Timp de lucru 180 minute.

CLASA A XI-A, SECŢIUNEA B

 OLIMPIADA NAŢIONALĂ DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – ETAPA LOCALĂ
27 IANUARIE 2018
CLASA a XI-a SECŢIUNEA B

BAREM

Subiectul A

I. 10 x 2p= 20p

A. A. Trading ships were used for transporting goods/ buying and selling goods.
B. The first lighthouse was built/constructed in 280BC.
C. This structure is famous for its height and for being one of the Seven Wonders of
the Ancient World/ It is known to be the tallest lighthouse ever built and is one of the Seven
Wonders of the Ancient World.
D. It survived for 1500 years.

B. wrecked – a; landmark – d; enabled – a

C. 1. sometimes used landmarks/ would sometimes use

2. this fantastic structure as the tallest lighthouse
3. it apart was

II. (10 x 1p = 10p)

1. UNCONSCIOUSLY 2.SIGNIFICANCE 3.PERSONAL 4. JUDGEMENTAL

5.CONCLUSION 6. INAPROPRIATELY 7. UNBALANCED 8. NEGATIVITY
9.UNHEALTHY 10. CONSTRUCTIVE

III.10p
He was overwhelmed with emotion, but, having grown more mature now, more capable of
analyzing his feelings, he stood up and said quietly:
“What could I have done, Otilia? I waited for you. I thought you loved me, I trusted you, and
that is why, when you left unexpectedly with…with…Pascalopol, yes, when you left I was
very upset. I have never forgotten you, I have thought only about/of you, but I have been
discouraged. You must admit that your departure was strange/odd, you have never explained
anything to me. Even if an absurd hope kept telling me otherwise, lately I have lost my belief
in your coming back.

Subiectul B
I . ( 5 x 2p= 10p)
1. B
2. C
3. C

CLASA A XI-A, SECŢIUNEA B

4. A
5. D

II. ( 5 x 10 =50p)

The 50 points for this subject will be given for the following areas (0-10 points per area):

CONTENT- relevance to the topic and task

ORGANIZATION AND COHESION- paragraphing, linking devices, mechanics, length

requirements.

VOCABULARY – range of vocabulary, meaning conveyed, spelling, register

STRUCTURES- grammatical structures, punctuation

EFFECT ON TARGET READER

CLASA A XI-A, SECŢIUNEA B