Subiecte Engleza 2019-2020

Ministerul Educaţiei și Cercetării
Centrul Naţional de Evaluare şi Examinare
Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare - 2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a VII-a
• Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

• Nu se acordă puncte din oficiu.
• Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 2 ore.
SUBIECTUL I – USE OF ENGLISH (25 points)
I.1. Read the following text and fill in the blanks with the correct verb forms. 10 points
Read and tell me if you (1) _____ (ever/be) through anything like this….One night I (2) _____ (wake)
suddenly. My parents were shouting. I looked outside and there was water under our window. “(3) _____ (I,
dream)?” I asked myself. All along the street, people were climbing out of their upstairs windows into boats.
A policeman (4) _____ (bring) his boat under our window. My mum and brothers climbed in first. I (5) _____
(get) into the boat when, all of a sudden, it turned. I (6) _____ (fall) into the water, which was cold and icy. I
couldn’t swim and I went under the water. I got very scared. I (7) _____ (hear) my mother’s voice every time
my head (8) _____ (come) out of the water. Luckily, my dad saved me. Since this happened, I (9) _____ (go)
to lessons, so next month (10) _____ (take) take part in my first competition. So, wish me luck!
I.2. Read the following text and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits in each gap. 10 points
A cartoon is an entertaining and often funny animation made 1) ____ artists. They are based 2) ____ visual
art and illustration and the people who draw cartoons are called cartoonists. Cartoons can be 3) ____ on
television in short programmes or found in magazines and sometimes in newspapers. Cartoons always
feature imaginary characters that are 4) ____ and are never real human 5) ____ . Films and tv cartoons for
children and teenagers often feature animals with human 6) ____, superheroes and the adventures of a
child as the main character.7) ____ the years, the name cartoon has been given to many different types of
art, but in modern 8) ____ it means illustrations that are quickly seen one after the 9) ____, which, on film,
gives the idea of movement. Many cartoons are now 10) ____ on computers using the latest technology.
1. A. by B. from C. with D. in
2. A. at B. on C. in D. to
3. A. seen B. noticed C. experienced D. felt
4. A. spoken B. sung C. written D. drawn
5. A. things B. animals C. beings D. people
6. A. qualities B. standards C. conditions D. grades
7. A. During B. By C. Through D. Over
8. A. ages B. hours C. clocks D. times
9. A. next B. other C. previous D. another
10. A. composed B. invented C. created D. built
I.3. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each sentence. 5 points
1. Extraterrestrial life hasn’t been _______ (SCIENCE) proven yet.
2. _______ (POOR) is a serious condition that affects people in many regions of the world.
3. You can take your _______ (OBEY) dog to a trainer who can teach him good manners.
4. Her hair used to be curly but the hairdresser _______ (STRAIGHT) it for her.
5. This is probably the most _______ (SPECTACLE) waterfall in the whole park.
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a VII-a

Pagina 1 din 3
SUBIECTUL al II-lea – READING COMPREHENSION (25 points)
Read the text below and choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).
Video games are good for you!

Many scientists and psychologists find that video games can actually have many benefits – the main one
is making you smart! Much like exercise can build muscle, the powerful combination of concentration and
rewarding improves the activity in your brain. Video games may actually teach you high-level thinking
skills that you will need in the future.
Video games can improve your decision making speed. People who play action-based video and
computer games make decisions 25% faster than others, according to a study from the University of
Rochester. Other studies suggest that most expert gamers can make choices four times faster than most
people, and can pay attention to more than six things at once without getting confused, compared to only
four by the average person.
Video games increase your self-confidence and self-esteem as you master games. In many games, the
levels of difficulty are adjustable. As a beginner, you start at the easy level and, by constant practicing and
slowly building skills, you become confident in handling more difficult challenges. As the cost of failure is
low, you do not fear making mistakes so you take more risks and explore more, an attitude which you can
transfer into real life.
What is more, video games can stimulate your interest in technology, and can be a gateway to learning
technological skills such as coding or programming. They introduce you to computer technology and the
online world. Video games make you adapt and be comfortable with the concepts of computing. This is
particularly important if you are a girl as typically girls are not as interested in high technology as much as
boys.
Finally, video games give you a feeling of happiness or well-being, which is a human psychological need,
according to Berni Good, a cyberpsychologist. In addition to giving you a sense of competence when you
progress through game levels, playing games that involve multiple players helps you relate to others in a
meaningful way and encourages you to work cooperatively to achieve your goals. You learn to listen to
the ideas of others, formulate plans with other kids, and distribute tasks.
1. The main idea of the text is to present
A. both the positive and the negative effects of playing video games.
B. how you can easily become better at playing computer games.
C. the benefits playing video games can have.
D. why children like playing computer games.
2. When expert gamers play computer games
A. their brain functions four times faster than it usually does.

B. they pay attention to four things in the game.
C. they can choose only 25% of the games they play.
D. they can make choices four times faster than most people do.
3. According to the text, an attitude which you can transfer into real life is
A. the fear of making mistakes.

B. the courage to make mistakes.
C. the courage to play the most difficult games.
D. the fear of handling difficult situations.

Pagina 2 din 3
4. Playing computer games help girls become comfortable with the concepts of computing because
typically
A. they are not at all interested in technology.

B. they are not as interested in technology as boys are.
C. they don’t like playing computer games.
D. they believe technology is useless.
5. When playing with multiple players you
A. work together to finish the task.

B. have more fun.
C. listen to their instructions.
D. don’t want to stop.
SUBIECTUL al III-lea – WRITING (50 points)
Write a narrative essay beginning like this:
As I entered the garden and saw my brother standing there, I was sure he had something to tell me.
Write your story in 120-150 words and give it an appropriate title. Pay attention to the following:
• you don’t need to write long descriptions;

• use dialogues only if they are relevant to your characters or events;
• you should use this plan:
1. Introduction (paragraph 1 – set the scene)

2. Main Body (paragraph(s) 2/3 – develop the story)
3. Conclusion (paragraph 4 – end the story).
Don’t count the words given in the beginning.

Pagina 3 din 3
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a VIII-a

SUBIECTUL I – USE OF ENGLISH (25 points)
I.1. Read the following text and fill in the blanks with the correct verb forms. 10 points
“It’s 7 a.m. and I (1) (stand) _____________ outside a studio in London. Twelve A-list celebrities (2)
(just/arrive) _____________ to rehearse for a reality show. They (3) (normally/work) _____________ as
actors, models or sportspeople. But some weeks ago, they all (4) (make) _____________ a big decision.
They (5) (choose) _____________to take part in Strictly Come Dancing, a reality show which (6) (go out)
_____________every Saturday. Over the past few weeks, the celebrities (7) (practise) _____________
their dance moves with professional dance partners. The couples have to perform a new dance every
week. They (8) already/learn) _____________the jive, salsa, tango and lots of other dances. It (9) look)
_____________ like hard work, but they (10) (clearly/have) _____________a lot of fun!”
I.2. Read the following text and decide which answer (A, B or C) best fits in each gap. 10 points
Most artists who create three-dimensional objects, rather than paintings or drawings, (1) …… use of
materials like stone or metal in their work. An exhibition has just opened at the Bowes Museum in England,
however, where re-creations of sculptures carved from a very different material, sugar, are on (2) …… .
To understand the (3) …… of this art form, you must go back 500 years, to a time when sugar was very
rare and was (4) …… only to the very wealthy. In those days, it became popular for rich Europeans to show
(5) …… their wealth by decorating their dining tables with elaborate sugar sculptures to impress their
guests on special occasions. The finest artists were employed to (6) …… on these sculptures, which
reflected the host’s (7) …… taste and position in society. Although expensively decorated tables (8) ……
popular into the 19th century, the idea then went out of (9) …… and was largely forgotten. This was partly
because sugar sculptures only (10) …… for a limited time – around 100 years at most – so eventually there
were none in existence.
1. a. take 2. a. presentation
b. make b. display
c. get c. sight
3. a. development 4. a. reserved
b. outcome b. kept
c. circumstance c. available
5. a. off 6. a. carry
b. out b. build
c. up c. work
7. a. positive 8. a. continued
b. worthy b. remained
c. good c. persisted
9. a. fashion 10. a. maintain
b. custom b. last
c. trend c. stay
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a VIII-a

Pagina 1 din 3
I.3. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each sentence. 5 points
1. They were not allowed in the club because they were ______. AGE
2. Do you think students should be taught ______ in school? COOK
3. The snake didn’t actually attack me but it came ______ close. TERRIFY
4. My grandfather is extremely ______ about astronomy. KNOW
5. Performing ______ as a pop singer is really exciting. LIFE
SUBIECTUL al II-lea – READING COMPREHENSION (25 points)
Read the text below and choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).
The 20th century was a time of remarkable change. In less than one hundred years, the population of our
planet went from around 2 billion people to close to 6. And not only have our numbers exploded, but our
lives have become more intertwined than ever before. For most of human history, the different communities
lived in their own very small worlds - worlds inside of a bigger world they knew little about. The only world
that mattered was the one you could see in your immediate surroundings. Today the world view is no
longer limited to the horizon; it stretches across the planet. The global village is here. Now, let's see how it
came about.
Politicians learned the lessons of the two world wars. World War Three was to be avoided at all costs, they
said. It was believed that by making nations more interdependent the risk of conflict would be lessened as it
would be in nobody's interest to go to war then. That desire to see the nations of the world united gave birth
to the U.N. - the United Nations. The U.N. is the nearest thing we have ever had to a world government. It
brings together officials from 185 member states whose task is to preserve world peace and prevent
conflict. Sadly, the dream never quite became a reality as this body has very little 'real' power - it just does
a lot of talking.
Not long after the United Nations was founded, Europe started to play with the idea of uniting its own
continent. After all, it was internal conflict there that had been the main cause of both world wars. In 1957, it
started as the European Coal and Steel Community with six member states. Today, we know it as the E.U.
or the European Union - 27 countries, called member states, united in one large free trade area in order to
make Europe a safer and more prosperous place. 15 of those members have since gone a step further and
created a single currency. The system is hardly perfect, but at least the members are working together and
not trying to destroy each other anymore. And even if Brexit has given the European project a reality check,
the European Union is still going strong.
At the same time, there was a revolution more powerful, and yet more simple, that changed the world as
we know it forever - and that was the dawn of the information age. Now we can communicate with people
from different 'tribes' in an instant; debate with them; learn from them; understand them; just chat with them
if that's all we want. But for all the change, have we made the world any better? There's still a huge gap
between the richest and the poorest nations; there's still misunderstanding and conflict. We may be closer;
we may live in a global village; maybe we're getting there, but there's still a lot more to do.
1. What does the writer mean by saying communities used to live in worlds inside of a bigger
world?
A. In the past people knew little about faraway places.
B. In the past people only cared about themselves.
C. Most people didn't travel very much in the past.
D. Most people cared about what was happening in the bigger world.
2. What changed after the experience of two world wars?

A. Politicians felt determined to prevent another world war.
B. Information technology brought the world together.
C. Nobody was interested in conflict anymore.
D. Nations wanted to become more independent.
Pagina 2 din 3
3. What is suggested about the United Nations?

A. It keeps the world peaceful and conflict-free.
B. It will become a global government.
C. It doesn't have a lot of meaningful influence.
D. It is controlled by a few big powers.
4. The E.U. is now comprised of

A. 6 member states.
B. 15 member states.
C. 27 member states.
D. 15 member and 27 associate states.
5. What does the writer's tone in the final paragraph suggest?

A. He is satisfied with what has been achieved.
B. He is critical and pessimistic about the future.
C. He is confused and upset.
D. He is realistic about the situation.
SUBIECTUL al III-lea –WRITING (50 points)
Write a narrative essay ending like this:
They decided there and then not to talk about it anymore. It was a hard decision to make but they were
ready to stick by it.
Write your story in 150-180 words and give it an appropriate title. Pay attention to the following:
• you don’t need to write long descriptions;

• use dialogues only if they are relevant to your characters or events;
• you should use this plan:
1. Introduction (paragraph 1 – set the scene)

2. Main Body (paragraph(s) 2/3 – develop the story)
3. Conclusion (paragraph 4 – end the story).
Don’t count the given ending.

Pagina 3 din 3
Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare -

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a IX-a - SECȚIUNEA A

SUBJECT A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)
I. Read the following text and put the verbs in brackets in the correct form. 10 points
Dear Susan,
Thank you for your letter. It was good to hear all your news. I get lots of letters but none of
them cheer me up as yours.
Tom and I 1. (BE) ____ both very tired at the moment. He is very busy because he 2.
(PROMOTE) ____ to manager of his firm. I 3. (START) ____ a new job so I don’t have much
spare time, either.
My parents 4. (COME)____ to visit us tomorrow. They 5. (NOT/SEE) ____ the house yet, so
I 6. (HAVE TO) ____ show them around. All the rooms 7. (DECORATE) ____ by Tom last
summer, so none of them looks the way they did when we 8. (MOVE) ____ in two years
ago. I hope you and Paul 9. (BE ABLE) ____ to visit us soon.
I 10. (LOOK) ____ forward to hearing from either of you soon.
Love,
Mary
II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each sentence. 10 points
1. All of us admire his …… (DEVOTE) to his daughter.

2. There have been …… (REMARK) improvements in detection techniques.
3. The defendant's alibi was so bad it was totally …… (CONVINCE) to the jury.
4. It's better to dress fairly …… (CONSERVE) at an interview if you want to be taken
seriously.
5. The beach was …… (ACCESS) except by boat, and few people even knew about it.
6. Sometimes a candidate's …… (PERSON) is just as important as their qualifications.
7. After a short …… (COURT) she accepted his marriage proposal.
8. You paid £30 for a simple breakfast?! They have certainly …… (CHARGE) you. You
should go back and complain.
9. The house itself was …… (IMPRESS) but the location was spectacular.
10. The special effects were extremely …… (IMAGINE) and the audience applauded loudly.
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a IX-a secțiunea A

Pagina 1 din 4
III. Read the following text and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits in each gap
10 points
The much-loved 2017 film Paddington 2 is based on the children’s books of the 1_____
author Michael Bond, who more than 60 years ago, published the first volume, A Bear Called
Paddington, on October 13, 1958. In 2014 Bond 2_____ about childhood: “I think the most
precious thing you can give a child is your time. And I think the next most precious thing you
can give a child is an interest 3_____ books. If you’re 4_____ with books being part of the
furniture, with a story being read to you when you go to bed at night, it’s a very good start in
life. I never went to bed without a story when I was small.”
In the first story, Paddington is found by the Browns with a note reading, “Please 5_____ this
bear. Thank you.” Bond said he was inspired by child evacuees who were leaving London on
trains during World War II. “They all had a label round their neck with their name and address
on and a little case or package containing all their treasured possessions,” he said. “So
Paddington, 6_____, was a refugee, and I do think that there’s no sadder sight than
refugees.” Bond 7_____ Mr. Gruber on his literary agent, Harvey Unna, who fled Nazi
Germany.
The Cooper-Hewitt’s Library’s earliest 8_____ of Paddington’s Book from 1977 re-tells the
story of the little bear that arrives in London from Peru with his 9_____ suitcase. The book
depicts Paddington Brown’s past life, travels, adventures and life in London, 10_____ usually
involve a considerable amount of mischief and mishaps.
1. A - belated B - last C - latter D - late

2. A - recollected B - reminisced C - reminded D - remembered
3. A – on B – by C - in D – of
4. A – broken up B – brought up C brought about D – brought around
5. A – look up B – look down C – look after D – look in
6. A – in case B – in general C – in disguise D – in a sense
7. A - inspired B - based C - established D - founded
8. A - edition B - issue C - copy D - publication
9. A - lame B - crippled C - bruised D - battered
10. A - what B - which C - that D - where
IV. Translate the following text into English. 10 points
Un zbor peste Oceanul Atlantic

A fost primul meu zbor peste Oceanul Atlantic. Călătoria de la New York la Londra a durat
nouă ore. Când am intrat în avion, am văzut cabina pilotului. Uşa era larg deschisă şi am
putut vedea toată aparatura. Mi-a fost puţin teamă înainte de decolare. Am încercat să nu
mă gândesc la ciocnirile de pe pistă şi la piraţii aerieni. La câteva minute după decolare,
teama mea a dispărut. Am avut loc lângă fereastră şi am putut vedea privelişti minunate.
Călătoria a fost plăcută.

Pagina 2 din 4
SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)
Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.
Once you've left the airport you find yourself a cheap hostel and sleep badly because it's hot,
much hotter than it was when you left home, and you haven't paid enough for an air-
conditioned room. Besides, there's the noise of the busy street and some crazy tourist play-
ing a harmonica all night. On top of that you're jet-lagged because you've crossed two time
zones at least. All your worst nightmares have come true, but you don't care, because this is
an adventure and you aren't at home any more.
In the morning you feel exhausted but more alive than you have for years. You go out on to
the street and have your first cup of coffee. Everywhere there are foreign vehicles, strange
smells, different colours and people wearing different clothes. As you look up and down the
street you see more and more people just like yourself, travellers - but they've been here for
at least three days. They're much more interesting-looking than you, and seem completely at
home as they visit the shops and market stalls, or hurry into the cybercafés to see if their
mums have sent them an email. Welcome to Backpackerland.
Backpackerland is a new world of possibility, not quite real. You go into it as a third-year
economics student from Liverpool, a young lawyer from Seattle, a secretary from Melbourne
or a student teacher from Turin. A few dollars later you are a cross between a 19th-century
adventurer, a 20th-century clubber and a 21st-century philosopher reading travel guides and
writing poetry by the roadside.
Backpackerland has recognised meeting points like Khao San Road in Bangkok, the Kings
Cross area of Sydney, and the Colaba Causeway in India. It exists because travel is cheaper
than ever before. Each year, more and more young people cross the world from east to west,
from north to south, stuffing clothes, notebooks and cameras into their backpacks to experi-
ence the clamour of Mexico City, the heat of the Atacama desert or the snowy altitudes of
Nepal.
Travelling has changed out of all recognition in the last 30 years. In the old days you waited
for months for a letter from your granny and if you ever did manage to phone home it cost the
earth and you couldn't hear each other properly. It was only the bravest who risked cutting
themselves off like that. Now you're almost never out of touch. The cybercafé computers in
Kathmandu, Phnom Penh and La Paz are as fast as anything you'll find in Tokyo, Washing-
ton or Berlin. So the moment you get off the plane you can email the friend you had a drink
with the day before you left home.
When I was last in Thailand I bumped into Colin, the man who'd done the electric wiring in
my little flat in London. Back home he'd always seemed miserable and cold, but now Colin
(who had just been exploring in the jungle) was tanned and fit, but he was smiling a lot.
That's the kind of thing that happens in Backpackerland. You can be anyone you want to be
and life is full of surprises.

Pagina 3 din 4
I. For each question decide which answer (A, B, C or D) fits best according to the text. 10 points
1. In the Backpackerland every new comer

A. feels familiarized with the new place.
B. is welcomed by the locals.
C. feels different from the other travelers.
D. has to visit shops and market stalls.
2. According to the article, backpackers

A. are only students.
B. belong to varied backgrounds.
C. read travel guides.
D. write poetry by the roadside.
3. Backpackerland exists because

A. more and more people can afford travelling.
B. young people can easily cross the world from a point to another.
C. people want to pack their things and move to Mexico City.
D. every year young people decide to experience a trip around the world.
4. Holidaymakers are getting in touch easier and easier because

A. an Internet connection is available almost anywhere.
B. travelling has been the same for 30 years.
C. sending letters to family is at hand.
D. there is free entrance for any cybercafé in the world.
5. The article is best summed up by

A. Backpackerland is in Australia.
B. Backpackerland is the name of any place a certain kind of traveller goes.
C. Backpackerland is the name of any luggage.
D. Backpackerland is the name of a type of cybercafé.
II. Write a narrative essay about the first day of a backpacker’s journey. (180-200 words)
50 points

Pagina 4 din 4

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a IX-a - SECȚIUNEA A

SUBJECT A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)
I. Read the following text and put the verbs in brackets in the correct form. 10 points
Dear Susan,
Thank you for your letter. It was good to hear all your news. I get lots of letters but none of
them cheer me up as yours.
Tom and I 1. (BE) ____ both very tired at the moment. He is very busy because he 2.
(PROMOTE) ____ to manager of his firm. I 3. (START) ____ a new job so I don’t have much
spare time, either.
My parents 4. (COME)____ to visit us tomorrow. They 5. (NOT/SEE) ____ the house yet, so
I 6. (HAVE TO) ____ show them around. All the rooms 7. (DECORATE) ____ by Tom last
summer, so none of them looks the way they did when we 8. (MOVE) ____ in two years
ago. I hope you and Paul 9. (BE ABLE) ____ to visit us soon.
I 10. (LOOK) ____ forward to hearing from either of you soon.
Love,
Mary
1. All of us admire his …… (DEVOTE) to his daughter.

2. There have been …… (REMARK) improvements in detection techniques.
3. The defendant's alibi was so bad it was totally …… (CONVINCE) to the jury.
4. It's better to dress fairly …… (CONSERVE) at an interview if you want to be taken
seriously.
5. The beach was …… (ACCESS) except by boat, and few people even knew about it.
6. Sometimes a candidate's …… (PERSON) is just as important as their qualifications.
7. After a short …… (COURT) she accepted his marriage proposal.
8. You paid £30 for a simple breakfast?! They have certainly …… (CHARGE) you. You
should go back and complain.
9. The house itself was …… (IMPRESS) but the location was spectacular.
10. The special effects were extremely …… (IMAGINE) and the audience applauded loudly.

Pagina 1 din 4
III. Read the following text and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits in each gap
10 points
The much-loved 2017 film Paddington 2 is based on the children’s books of the 1_____
author Michael Bond, who more than 60 years ago, published the first volume, A Bear Called
Paddington, on October 13, 1958. In 2014 Bond 2_____ about childhood: “I think the most
precious thing you can give a child is your time. And I think the next most precious thing you
can give a child is an interest 3_____ books. If you’re 4_____ with books being part of the
furniture, with a story being read to you when you go to bed at night, it’s a very good start in
life. I never went to bed without a story when I was small.”
In the first story, Paddington is found by the Browns with a note reading, “Please 5_____ this
bear. Thank you.” Bond said he was inspired by child evacuees who were leaving London on
trains during World War II. “They all had a label round their neck with their name and address
on and a little case or package containing all their treasured possessions,” he said. “So
Paddington, 6_____, was a refugee, and I do think that there’s no sadder sight than
refugees.” Bond 7_____ Mr. Gruber on his literary agent, Harvey Unna, who fled Nazi
Germany.
The Cooper-Hewitt’s Library’s earliest 8_____ of Paddington’s Book from 1977 re-tells the
story of the little bear that arrives in London from Peru with his 9_____ suitcase. The book
depicts Paddington Brown’s past life, travels, adventures and life in London, 10_____ usually
involve a considerable amount of mischief and mishaps.
1. A - belated B - last C - latter D - late

2. A - recollected B - reminisced C - reminded D - remembered
3. A – on B – by C - in D – of
4. A – broken up B – brought up C brought about D – brought around
5. A – look up B – look down C – look after D – look in
6. A – in case B – in general C – in disguise D – in a sense
7. A - inspired B - based C - established D - founded
8. A - edition B - issue C - copy D - publication
9. A - lame B - crippled C - bruised D - battered
10. A - what B - which C - that D - where
Egy repülőút át az Atlanti-óceánon
Első utam volt át az Atlanti-óceánon. New York és London között kilenc óra volt az út.
Mialatt beszálltam a gépbe, beláttam a pilóta kabinjába. Az ajtó tárva-nyitva volt, így
láthattam az összes berendezést. Egy kicsit féltem felszállás előtt. Próbáltam nem gondolni
az esetleges ütközésekre a kifutón és a gépeltérítőkre. Néhány perccel a felszállás után
minden félelmem elszállt. Az ablak mellé szólt a helyem, és gyönyörködhettem a lenyűgöző
látványban. Az utazás kellemes volt.

Pagina 2 din 4
Once you've left the airport you find yourself a cheap hostel and sleep badly because it's hot,
much hotter than it was when you left home, and you haven't paid enough for an air-
conditioned room. Besides, there's the noise of the busy street and some crazy tourist play-
ing a harmonica all night. On top of that you're jet-lagged because you've crossed two time
zones at least. All your worst nightmares have come true, but you don't care, because this is
an adventure and you aren't at home any more.
In the morning you feel exhausted but more alive than you have for years. You go out on to
the street and have your first cup of coffee. Everywhere there are foreign vehicles, strange
smells, different colours and people wearing different clothes. As you look up and down the
street you see more and more people just like yourself, travellers - but they've been here for
at least three days. They're much more interesting-looking than you, and seem completely at
home as they visit the shops and market stalls, or hurry into the cybercafés to see if their
mums have sent them an email. Welcome to Backpackerland.
Backpackerland is a new world of possibility, not quite real. You go into it as a third-year
economics student from Liverpool, a young lawyer from Seattle, a secretary from Melbourne
or a student teacher from Turin. A few dollars later you are a cross between a 19th-century
adventurer, a 20th-century clubber and a 21st-century philosopher reading travel guides and
writing poetry by the roadside.
Backpackerland has recognised meeting points like Khao San Road in Bangkok, the Kings
Cross area of Sydney, and the Colaba Causeway in India. It exists because travel is cheaper
than ever before. Each year, more and more young people cross the world from east to west,
from north to south, stuffing clothes, notebooks and cameras into their backpacks to experi-
ence the clamour of Mexico City, the heat of the Atacama desert or the snowy altitudes of
Nepal.
Travelling has changed out of all recognition in the last 30 years. In the old days you waited
for months for a letter from your granny and if you ever did manage to phone home it cost the
earth and you couldn't hear each other properly. It was only the bravest who risked cutting
themselves off like that. Now you're almost never out of touch. The cybercafé computers in
Kathmandu, Phnom Penh and La Paz are as fast as anything you'll find in Tokyo, Washing-
ton or Berlin. So the moment you get off the plane you can email the friend you had a drink
with the day before you left home.
When I was last in Thailand I bumped into Colin, the man who'd done the electric wiring in
my little flat in London. Back home he'd always seemed miserable and cold, but now Colin
(who had just been exploring in the jungle) was tanned and fit, but he was smiling a lot.
That's the kind of thing that happens in Backpackerland. You can be anyone you want to be
and life is full of surprises.

Pagina 3 din 4
1. In the Backpackerland every new comer

A. feels familiarized with the new place.
B. is welcomed by the locals.
C. feels different from the other travelers.
D. has to visit shops and market stalls.
2. According to the article, backpackers

A. are only students.
B. belong to varied backgrounds.
C. read travel guides.
D. write poetry by the roadside.
3. Backpackerland exists because

A. more and more people can afford travelling.
B. young people can easily cross the world from a point to another.
C. people want to pack their things and move to Mexico City.
D. every year young people decide to experience a trip around the world.
4. Holidaymakers are getting in touch easier and easier because

A. an Internet connection is available almost anywhere.
B. travelling has been the same for 30 years.
C. sending letters to family is at hand.
D. there is free entrance for any cybercafé in the world.
5. The article is best summed up by

A. Backpackerland is in Australia.
B. Backpackerland is the name of any place a certain kind of traveller goes.
C. Backpackerland is the name of any luggage.
D. Backpackerland is the name of a type of cybercafé.
II. Write a narrative essay about the first day of a backpacker’s journey. (180-200 words)
50 points

Pagina 4 din 4

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a IX-a - SECȚIUNEA B

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)
I. Read the paragraph below and do the tasks that follow. (20 points)
Wilson was nine years old and living in Washington, D.C., he got excited about the idea of
expeditions to far-off jungles to collect the sorts of things he saw in National Geographic. He
decided he would do some expeditions to a park, and he began collecting whatever he could fit
in a bottle. Originally, he wanted to collect flies but could not get the appropriate equipment
during those years due to World War II. As he got older he began researching ants.
Over time, Wilson's collections have grown tremendously. Are they valuable? Wilson realized
that many occasions arise when people need unexpected things and as the body of information
on the natural world grows, scientists will have unexpected needs. “For instance, someone
might say, 'What I need for my work is an ant that hunts underwater and walks around
submarine fashion and then comes out and goes back to a dry nest. Does any such thing exist?'
It turns out, yes!” In fact, he says, there is an ant, called the submarine ant, that goes
underwater to get food in the Nepenthes plant. More recently Wilson has been working with
younger ant specialists, and they are discovering new ant species at every mountain site.
Currently only about ten percent of ant species are known, so there is still much work and
exploration needed.
A. Answer the following questions, according to the text. 8 points
1. When did E.O. Wilson get interested in ants?

2. Why couldn’t Wilson collect flies as a boy?
3. What did Wilson realize about the scientists’ needs?
4. Who has Wilson been working with lately?
B. Choose the right synonym for the words given below, according to their meaning in
the text. 6 points
1. appropriate: a. near b. suitable c. true d. correct

2. tremendously: a. effectively b. threateningly c. terribly d. enormously
3. currently: a. actually b. presently c. often d. usually
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a IX-a secțiunea B

Pagina 1 din 3
C. Rephrase the following sentences so as to preserve the meaning. 6 points

1. As he got older he began researching ants.
By …………………….., he had begun researching ants.
2. “Does any such thing exist?” he asked.
He asked …………………….. .
3. They are discovering new ant species at every mountain site.
New …………………….. mountain site.
II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each gap. 10 points
You might not think of the ant as a great 1.______________( WAR), but in fact army ants
exemplify the fighting spirit. They are not solitary 2._____________ (FIGHT). Instead, they
battle together in swarms of more than a hundred-thousand which only makes them more
3.___________( FEROCITY). Army ants use strategies many prey cannot tolerate. They do not
permit anything to stop them, and as a group can inflict fatal attacks. In turn, their enemies have
developed strategies to avoid attack. One is to fake their 4.________(APPEAR). Army ants
have poor vision, so, for example, an insect might become still, 5.________(ESSENTIAL)
persuading the army ants that they are a stick or vegetation.
The life of an army ant is violent. However, even though they are 6.___________(KILL), these
ants are important for the environment. They turn soil and organic matter, and help to provide
7.____________(HABIT) for other species. For these reasons,
8.___________(ENVIRONMENT) urge governments to protect their army ants so the ants will
protect the environment.
9.___________(FORTUNE), there are now a number of charities who are working to raise
10.__________(AWARE) of this issue.
III. Translate the following text into English. 10 points
După ce am ajuns acasă mi-am dat seama că mă gândisem la toate, afară de lucrul cel mai
important: locul unde se va adăposti prietenul meu. Îmi vorbise de o cabană în munţi, dar
trebuia găsită această cabană şi trebuia să ajungem la ea înainte de a se lumina de ziuă ca să
nu atragem atenţia. Planul nostru părea copilăresc: trebuia să urcăm pe munte cărând o duzină
de pături în spinare, cu merinde, fără să ştim încotro ne îndreptăm, riscând ca prietenul meu să
se oprească după câteva sute de metri, pentru că nu mâncase de o săptămână.
There is certainly no denying that, while a holiday or trip to another country leaves you with a
sense of longing and excitement, moving to another country is something entirely different.
Speaking from experience, one of the most worrying questions that plays on everyone’s mind is
always: how will I make friends?! What’s more is that this concept of ‘making friends’ becomes
even more daunting when a foreign language is thrown into the mix. What if people think you’re
boring because you can’t contribute to the conversation? What if your jokes don’t translate very
well and your sense of humour is non-existent? What if you make a horrific grammatical mistake
that terribly offends somebody? The answer: music.
It is a long-known fact that music creates bonds. For good reason, many people have fallen in
love or established lifelong friendships based on a mutual appreciation for a band or genre. One
of the many benefits of our globalised society is the overlap in music tastes that exist across
cultures: chart music, especially within Europe, is often the same (N.B.: unsurprisingly,
everybody in the world loves Ed Sheeran). No matter who you are, or where you come from,
everyone listens to music in some way.

Pagina 2 din 3
So: you’ve met people, you’re making friends, but you’ve only just overcome the ‘small talk’
stages of these friendships. The next bit can sometimes be tricky. But, I always find, as soon as
someone breaks the ice with the age-old ‘what type of music do you listen to?’ the language
barriers seem to fall away. Music is something that everyone can speak passionately about. It is
also something where differing opinions create interest, not conflict.
Music is one of the most important forms of self-expression and individuality, but, above all, it is
a means of communication. Let’s also not forget that glowing sense of pride you feel when you
introduce someone to a new song that they like (despite the fact that this then makes you super-
protective of that song: ‘but I heard it first!’). Music is a universal language that everyone can
understand, and one that everyone enjoys understanding. Whether you’re playing, singing or
just listening, your mother tongue and cultural background become unimportant; so if you’re
ever at a loss for something to say, say it with music.
1. When moving abroad, music can help you

A. decrease the level of stress.
B. boost your linguistic skills.
C. form friendships.
D. avoid awkward situations
2. According to the text, one benefit of the globalised society we live in is related to
A. widespread access to remote cultures.
B. the overlap in music tastes that can be found elsewhere.
C. the opportunity for economic growth.
D. mutual appreciation for any band.
3.The writer says that music may break down barriers since
A. people listen to it on a daily basis.
B. it can help you overcome shyness.
C. there is no conflict of interests.
D. people tend to speak with excitement about it.
4.The author claims that music is the primary form of

A. knowledge.
B. communication.
C. entertainment.
D. relaxation.
5. Music can be regarded as a universal language because

A. you can communicate across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
B. you can express only emotions of happiness and sadness.
C. you can convey social status.
D. it enables you to understand other people.
II. Starting from the text, write a narrative-descriptive essay about your first live concert
experience. (180-200 words) 50 points

Pagina 3 din 3

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a IX-a - SECȚIUNEA B

Wilson was nine years old and living in Washington, D.C., he got excited about the idea of
expeditions to far-off jungles to collect the sorts of things he saw in National Geographic. He
decided he would do some expeditions to a park, and he began collecting whatever he could fit
in a bottle. Originally, he wanted to collect flies but could not get the appropriate equipment
during those years due to World War II. As he got older he began researching ants.
Over time, Wilson's collections have grown tremendously. Are they valuable? Wilson realized
that many occasions arise when people need unexpected things and as the body of information
on the natural world grows, scientists will have unexpected needs. “For instance, someone
might say, 'What I need for my work is an ant that hunts underwater and walks around
submarine fashion and then comes out and goes back to a dry nest. Does any such thing exist?'
It turns out, yes!” In fact, he says, there is an ant, called the submarine ant, that goes
underwater to get food in the Nepenthes plant. More recently Wilson has been working with
younger ant specialists, and they are discovering new ant species at every mountain site.
Currently only about ten percent of ant species are known, so there is still much work and
exploration needed.
1. When did E.O. Wilson get interested in ants?

2. Why couldn’t Wilson collect flies as a boy?
3. What did Wilson realize about the scientists’ needs?
4. Who has Wilson been working with lately?
the text. 6 points
1. appropriate: a. near b. suitable c. true d. correct

2. tremendously: a. effectively b. threateningly c. terribly d. enormously
3. currently: a. actually b. presently c. often d. usually

Pagina 1 din 3

1. As he got older he began researching ants.
By …………………….., he had begun researching ants.
2. “Does any such thing exist?” he asked.
He asked …………………….. .
3. They are discovering new ant species at every mountain site.
New …………………….. mountain site.
You might not think of the ant as a great 1.______________( WAR), but in fact army ants
exemplify the fighting spirit. They are not solitary 2._____________ (FIGHT). Instead, they
battle together in swarms of more than a hundred-thousand which only makes them more
3.___________( FEROCITY). Army ants use strategies many prey cannot tolerate. They do not
permit anything to stop them, and as a group can inflict fatal attacks. In turn, their enemies have
developed strategies to avoid attack. One is to fake their 4.________(APPEAR). Army ants
have poor vision, so, for example, an insect might become still, 5.________(ESSENTIAL)
persuading the army ants that they are a stick or vegetation.
The life of an army ant is violent. However, even though they are 6.___________(KILL), these
ants are important for the environment. They turn soil and organic matter, and help to provide
7.____________(HABIT) for other species. For these reasons,
8.___________(ENVIRONMENT) urge governments to protect their army ants so the ants will
protect the environment.
9.___________(FORTUNE), there are now a number of charities who are working to raise
10.__________(AWARE) of this issue.
Mikor hazaértem, rájöttem, hogy mindenről gondoskodtam, csak a legfontosabb dologról nem: a
helyről, ahol a barátom meghúzódhat. Előzőleg beszélt nekem egy erdei házról a hegyekben,
de ezt meg kellett találnunk, és el kellett jutnunk oda még napkelte előtt, hogy ne vegyenek
észre.
Tervünk gyerekesnek tűnt: fel kellett másznunk a hegyre egy tucat lepedőt és élelmet cipelve
hátizsákunkban anélkül, hogy tudnánk, merre megyünk, és kockáztatván, hogy a barátom
néhány száz méter után megáll, mert már egy hete nem evett.
There is certainly no denying that, while a holiday or trip to another country leaves you with a
sense of longing and excitement, moving to another country is something entirely different.
Speaking from experience, one of the most worrying questions that plays on everyone’s mind is
always: how will I make friends?! What’s more is that this concept of ‘making friends’ becomes
even more daunting when a foreign language is thrown into the mix. What if people think you’re
boring because you can’t contribute to the conversation? What if your jokes don’t translate very
well and your sense of humour is non-existent? What if you make a horrific grammatical mistake
that terribly offends somebody? The answer: music.
It is a long-known fact that music creates bonds. For good reason, many people have fallen in
love or established lifelong friendships based on a mutual appreciation for a band or genre. One
of the many benefits of our globalised society is the overlap in music tastes that exist across
cultures: chart music, especially within Europe, is often the same (N.B.: unsurprisingly,

Pagina 2 din 3
everybody in the world loves Ed Sheeran). No matter who you are, or where you come from,
everyone listens to music in some way.
So: you’ve met people, you’re making friends, but you’ve only just overcome the ‘small talk’
stages of these friendships. The next bit can sometimes be tricky. But, I always find, as soon as
someone breaks the ice with the age-old ‘what type of music do you listen to?’ the language
barriers seem to fall away. Music is something that everyone can speak passionately about. It is
also something where differing opinions create interest, not conflict.
Music is one of the most important forms of self-expression and individuality, but, above all, it is
a means of communication. Let’s also not forget that glowing sense of pride you feel when you
introduce someone to a new song that they like (despite the fact that this then makes you super-
protective of that song: ‘but I heard it first!’). Music is a universal language that everyone can
understand, and one that everyone enjoys understanding. Whether you’re playing, singing or
just listening, your mother tongue and cultural background become unimportant; so if you’re
ever at a loss for something to say, say it with music.
1. When moving abroad, music can help you

A. decrease the level of stress.
B. boost your linguistic skills.
C. form friendships.
D. avoid awkward situations
2. According to the text, one benefit of the globalised society we live in is related to
A. widespread access to remote cultures.
B. the overlap in music tastes that can be found elsewhere.
C. the opportunity for economic growth.
D. mutual appreciation for any band.
3.The writer says that music may break down barriers since
A. people listen to it on a daily basis.
B. it can help you overcome shyness.
C. there is no conflict of interests.
D. people tend to speak with excitement about it.
4.The author claims that music is the primary form of

A. knowledge.
B. communication.
C. entertainment.
D. relaxation.
5. Music can be regarded as a universal language because

A. you can communicate across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
B. you can express only emotions of happiness and sadness.
C. you can convey social status.
D. it enables you to understand other people.
II. Starting from the text, write a narrative-descriptive essay about your first live concert
experience. (180-200 words) 50 points

Pagina 3 din 3
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a X-a - SECȚIUNEA A

I. Read the following text and put the verbs in brackets into the correct form. 10 points
Alfred Hitchcock’s work left an indelible mark on the film-making world, but many of the old haunts
from his brief childhood in Limehouse (1) (fare) _________ less well lately.
Film-maker Bill Hodgson hopes that a new film on Hitchcock’s early days in the area (2) (reveal)
_________some of the lesser-known facts about the legendary director.
Mr Hodgson said:”The new documentary examines how his background profoundly (3) (influence)
_________ his later success and why his legacy (4) (be) _________ still valuable today.
Hitchcock’s life (5) (be) _________ the subject of more books than any other director’s, yet his
early years are often overlooked or, at best, misunderstood.
The part of Salmon Lane where he lived (6) (demolish) _________ during the slum clearances in
the 30’s, although much of the surrounding area remained intact so it is still possible (7) (catch)
_________ a glimpse of the place as he (8) (know) _________ it.
The 70-minute documentary ”Alfred Hitchcock in East London” (9) show) _________ at 8 p.m. on
Saturday, June 27, at the Heathcote Music Venue, 344 Grove Green Road, London. Tickest are
available now and advance booking (10) (advise, strongly) _________.
1. I feel the position more suits a male (APPLY) ______ , but I will keep your name on file.
2. We're deeply (DEBT) ______to you for your help.
3. A well-fed man speaks (SCORN)______ of food.
4. The clams were delicious. (LIKE) ______ , the eggplant was excellent.
5. The parents punished their (OBEY) ______ child.
6. In order to lose weight, it’s important to (LESS) ________ the consumption of sugar and fat.
7. His (SENSE) ______ remarks have surely hurt their feelings.
8. There was (CERTAIN) ______ in her voice and it was encouraging.
9. Although the number of deaths from road accidents are well (PUBLIC) __________, they have
aroused little public interest.
10. A robot may appear to the layman as it repeats a series of movements with (FLAW)
__________ precision.
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a X-a secțiunea A

Pagina 1 din 4
III. Read the following text and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits in each gap. 10 points
"Zoos are prisons for animals, (1) _______ their cruelty with conservation claims," Mimi Bekhechi,
director of international programmes at PETA, explains. "Animals in zoos (2) _______
tremendously, both physically and mentally. They often (3) _______ neurotic behaviour, like
repetitive pacing, swaying, and bar biting. (4) _______ surprising, perhaps, considering the
typical polar bear (5) _______ is one million times smaller than the area they (6) _______
naturally roam."On the other hand, many zoos (7) _______ captive breeding programmes for (8)
_______ species that they claim to be then releasing back into the wild. However, critics say this
doesn't justify their existence.
"Only 15% of the thousands of species held in zoos are considered to be in danger of extinction,"
says Will Travers OBE, president of Born Free. "An even smaller proportion are part of captive
breeding programmes and, of those, a (9) _______ fraction have been released back into the
wild. That's not a (10) _______ that justifies tens of millions of wild animals kept in zoos.”, he
says.
1. A. sheltering B. veiling C. camouflaging D. shielding
2. A. hurt B. suffer C. ache D. endure
3. A. display B. disclose C. expose D. boast
4. A. Really B. Not C. Quite D. Always
5. A. courtyard B. refuge C. enclosure D. cell
6. A. will B. would C. shall D. may
7. A. do B. make C. run D. keep
8. A. menaced B. threatened C. imperilled D. endangered
9. A. tiny B. slight C. great D. huge
10. A. testimony B. record C. description D. history

Ar fi putut prinde autobuzul de 8 dimineața, dar apropiindu-se de stație, zări o femeie tânără și i se
păru că-l așteaptă pe el, așezată pe o bancă, prefăcându-se că citește. O văzu cum ridică mereu
ochii din revistă şi cercetează curios în jurul ei, întorcând uneori capul spre mesele de pe trotuar.
Emanuel apucă pe prima străduţă care-i ieşi în cale, şi pentru că foarte curând dădu cu ochii de o
frizerie, intră înăuntru. Când reveni, pe la 8 jumătate, femeia era tot acolo pe bancă, răsfoind
plictisită revista. Emanuel şovăi câteva clipe, apoi se reîntoarse şi căută o cafenea. Ceru un ceai
şi-l bău pe îndelete, gânditor.
An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road. There
was a pontoon bridge across the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were
crossing it. The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge with soldiers
helping push against the spokes of the wheels. The trucks ground up and away heading out of it all
and the peasants plodded along in the ankle-deep dust.
But the old man sat there without moving. He was too tired to go any farther. It was my business to
cross the bridge, explore the bridgehead beyond and find out to what point the enemy had
advanced. I did this and returned over the bridge. There were not so many carts now and very few
people on foot, but the old man was still there.
"Where do you come from?" I asked him. "From San Carlos," he said, and smiled. That was his
native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled. "I was taking care of animals,"
he explained. "Oh," I said, not quite understanding. "Yes," he said, "I stayed, you see, taking care
of animals. I was the last one to leave the town of San Carlos."

Pagina 2 din 4
He did not look like a shepherd nor a herdsman and I looked at his black dusty clothes and his
gray dusty face and his steel rimmed spectacles and said, "What animals were they?" "Various
animals," he said, and shook his head. "I had to leave them." I was watching the bridge and the
African looking country of the Ebro Delta and wondering how long now it would be before we
would see the enemy, and listening all the while for the first noises that would signal that ever
mysterious event called contact, and the old man still sat there. "What animals were they?" I
asked. "There were three animals altogether," he explained. "There were two goats and a cat and
then there were four pairs of pigeons." And you had to leave them?" I asked. "Yes. Because of the
artillery. The captain told me to go because of the artillery." "And you have no family?" I asked,
watching the far end of the bridge where a few last carts were hurrying down the slope of the bank.
"No," he said, "only the animals I stated. The cat, of course, will be all right. A cat can look out for
itself, but I cannot think what will become of the others."
"What politics have you?" I asked. "I am without politics," he said. "I am seventy-six years old. I
have come twelve kilometers now and I think now I can go no further." "This is not a good place to
stop," I said. "If you can make it, there are trucks up the road where it forks for Tortosa." "I will wait
a while," he said, " and then I will go. Where do the trucks go?" "Towards Barcelona," I told him. "I
know no one in that direction," he said, "but thank you very much. Thank you again very much."
He looked at me very blankly and tiredly, and then said, having to share his worry with someone,
"The cat will be all right, I am sure. There is no need to be unquiet about the cat. But the others.
Now what do you think about the others?" "Why they'll probably come through it all right." "You
think so?" "Why not," I said, watching the far bank where now there were no carts. "But what will
they do under the artillery when I was told to leave because of the artillery?" "Did you leave the
dove cage unlocked?" I asked. "Yes." "Then they'll fly." "Yes, certainly they'll fly. But the others. It's
better not to think about the others," he said. "If you are rested I would go," I urged. "Get up and try
to walk now." "Thank you," he said and got to his feet, swayed from side to side and then sat down
backwards in the dust. "I was taking care of animals," he said dully, but no longer to me. "I was
only taking care of animals." There was nothing to do about him. It was Easter Sunday and the
Fascists were advancing toward the Ebro. It was a gray overcast day with a low ceiling so their
planes were not up. That and the fact that cats know how to look after themselves was all the good
luck that old man would ever have. (The Old Man at the Bridge by Ernest Hemingway)
1. What was the narrator’s job?

A. to talk to strangers and explore the bridge towards the enemy
B. to guard the bridge and talk to strangers about the enemy
C. to explore the bridge and find out information regarding the enemy’s movements
D. to watch the passers-by and interrogate them
2. Where does the action take place?

A. in a country in Africa
B. in Spain
C. in Germany
D. in France
3. The old man left his native town

A. because he was told so.
B. because he wanted to move.
C. because he was curious by nature.
D. because of his job.

Pagina 3 din 4
4. The old man is worried about

A. the cat he left behind with the artillery coming.
B. the pigeons and the goats he left behind with the artillery coming.
C. the pigeons he left behind.
D. the goats he left behind.
5. The narrator’s tone is

A. optimistic.
B. compassionate.
C. mocking.
D. enthusiastic.
II. Read the text again and write a narrative-descriptive essay (200-220 words) about what
the old man’s life was like before meeting the narrator. 50 points

Pagina 4 din 4
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a X-a - SECȚIUNEA A
 Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

 Nu se acordă puncte din oficiu.
 Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 3 ore.
Alfred Hitchcock’s work left an indelible mark on the film-making world, but many of the old haunts
from his brief childhood in Limehouse (1) (fare) _________ less well lately.
Film-maker Bill Hodgson hopes that a new film on Hitchcock’s early days in the area (2) (reveal)
_________some of the lesser-known facts about the legendary director.
Mr Hodgson said:”The new documentary examines how his background profoundly (3) (influence)
_________ his later success and why his legacy (4) (be) _________ still valuable today.
Hitchcock’s life (5) (be) _________ the subject of more books than any other director’s, yet his
early years are often overlooked or, at best, misunderstood.
The part of Salmon Lane where he lived (6) (demolish) _________ during the slum clearances in
the 30’s, although much of the surrounding area remained intact so it is still possible (7) (catch)
_________ a glimpse of the place as he (8) (know) _________ it.
The 70-minute documentary ”Alfred Hitchcock in East London” (9) show) _________ at 8 p.m. on
Saturday, June 27, at the Heathcote Music Venue, 344 Grove Green Road, London. Tickest are
available now and advance booking (10) (advise, strongly) _________.
1. I feel the position more suits a male (APPLY) ______ , but I will keep your name on file.
2. We're deeply (DEBT) ______to you for your help.
3. A well-fed man speaks (SCORN)______ of food.
4. The clams were delicious. (LIKE) ______ , the eggplant was excellent.
5. The parents punished their (OBEY) ______ child.
6. In order to lose weight, it’s important to (LESS) ________ the consumption of sugar and fat.
7. His (SENSE) ______ remarks have surely hurt their feelings.
8. There was (CERTAIN) ______ in her voice and it was encouraging.
9. Although the number of deaths from road accidents are well (PUBLIC) __________, they have
aroused little public interest.
10. A robot may appear to the layman as it repeats a series of movements with (FLAW)
__________ precision.

Pagina 1 din 5
III. Read the following text and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits in each gap. 10 points
"Zoos are prisons for animals, (1) _______ their cruelty with conservation claims," Mimi Bekhechi,
director of international programmes at PETA, explains. "Animals in zoos (2) _______
tremendously, both physically and mentally. They often (3) _______ neurotic behaviour, like
repetitive pacing, swaying, and bar biting. (4) _______ surprising, perhaps, considering the
typical polar bear (5) _______ is one million times smaller than the area they (6) _______
naturally roam."On the other hand, many zoos (7) _______ captive breeding programmes for (8)
_______ species that they claim to be then releasing back into the wild. However, critics say this
doesn't justify their existence.
"Only 15% of the thousands of species held in zoos are considered to be in danger of extinction,"
says Will Travers OBE, president of Born Free. "An even smaller proportion are part of captive
breeding programmes and, of those, a (9) _______ fraction have been released back into the
wild. That's not a (10) _______ that justifies tens of millions of wild animals kept in zoos.”, he
says.
1. A. sheltering B. veiling C. camouflaging D. shielding
2. A. hurt B. suffer C. ache D. endure
3. A. display B. disclose C. expose D. boast
4. A. Really B. Not C. Quite D. Always
5. A. courtyard B. refuge C. enclosure D. cell
6. A. will B. would C. shall D. may
7. A. do B. make C. run D. keep
8. A. menaced B. threatened C. imperilled D. endangered
9. A. tiny B. slight C. great D. huge
10. A. testimony B. record C. description D. history
Elcsíphette volna a nyolcórás autóbuszt reggel, de amint a megállóhoz közeledett, megpillantott

egy fiatal nőt, és úgy tűnt, mintha őt várná, amint olvasást mímelve ült egy padon. Látta, amint
állandóan felpillant a folyóiratából, és kíváncsian körültekint, néha a járdán levő asztalok felé
fordítván a fejét. Emanuel betért az első kisutcába, amely az útjába akadt, és mivel pillanatokon
belül meglátott egy borbélyműhelyt, belépett. Mikor fél kilenc felé visszatért, a nő ugyanott ült a
padon, unottan forgatva a folyóiratot. Emanuel habozott néhány pillanatig, aztán visszament és
keresett egy kávézót. Kért egy csésze teát, és lassan, elgondolkodva iszogatta. Hamarosan
kitisztult as ég, úgy tűny, meleg reggel less.
An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road. There
was a pontoon bridge across the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were
crossing it. The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge with soldiers
helping push against the spokes of the wheels. The trucks ground up and away heading out of it all
and the peasants plodded along in the ankle-deep dust.
But the old man sat there without moving. He was too tired to go any farther. It was my business to
cross the bridge, explore the bridgehead beyond and find out to what point the enemy had
advanced. I did this and returned over the bridge. There were not so many carts now and very few
people on foot, but the old man was still there.

Pagina 2 din 5
"Where do you come from?" I asked him. "From San Carlos," he said, and smiled. That was his
native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled. "I was taking care of animals,"
he explained. "Oh," I said, not quite understanding. "Yes," he said, "I stayed, you see, taking care
of animals. I was the last one to leave the town of San Carlos."
He did not look like a shepherd nor a herdsman and I looked at his black dusty clothes and his
gray dusty face and his steel rimmed spectacles and said, "What animals were they?" "Various
animals," he said, and shook his head. "I had to leave them." I was watching the bridge and the
African looking country of the Ebro Delta and wondering how long now it would be before we
would see the enemy, and listening all the while for the first noises that would signal that ever
mysterious event called contact, and the old man still sat there. "What animals were they?" I
asked. "There were three animals altogether," he explained. "There were two goats and a cat and
then there were four pairs of pigeons." And you had to leave them?" I asked. "Yes. Because of the
artillery. The captain told me to go because of the artillery." "And you have no family?" I asked,
watching the far end of the bridge where a few last carts were hurrying down the slope of the bank.
"No," he said, "only the animals I stated. The cat, of course, will be all right. A cat can look out for
itself, but I cannot think what will become of the others."
"What politics have you?" I asked. "I am without politics," he said. "I am seventy-six years old. I
have come twelve kilometers now and I think now I can go no further." "This is not a good place to
stop," I said. "If you can make it, there are trucks up the road where it forks for Tortosa." "I will wait
a while," he said, " and then I will go. Where do the trucks go?" "Towards Barcelona," I told him. "I
know no one in that direction," he said, "but thank you very much. Thank you again very much."
He looked at me very blankly and tiredly, and then said, having to share his worry with someone,
"The cat will be all right, I am sure. There is no need to be unquiet about the cat. But the others.
Now what do you think about the others?" "Why they'll probably come through it all right." "You
think so?" "Why not," I said, watching the far bank where now there were no carts. "But what will
they do under the artillery when I was told to leave because of the artillery?" "Did you leave the
dove cage unlocked?" I asked. "Yes." "Then they'll fly." "Yes, certainly they'll fly. But the others. It's
better not to think about the others," he said. "If you are rested I would go," I urged. "Get up and try
to walk now." "Thank you," he said and got to his feet, swayed from side to side and then sat down
backwards in the dust. "I was taking care of animals," he said dully, but no longer to me. "I was
only taking care of animals." There was nothing to do about him. It was Easter Sunday and the
Fascists were advancing toward the Ebro. It was a gray overcast day with a low ceiling so their
planes were not up. That and the fact that cats know how to look after themselves was all the good
luck that old man would ever have. (The Old Man at the Bridge by Ernest Hemingway)
1. What was the narrator’s job?

A. to talk to strangers and explore the bridge towards the enemy
B. to guard the bridge and talk to strangers about the enemy
C. to explore the bridge and find out information regarding the enemy’s movements
D. to watch the passers-by and interrogate them
2. Where does the action take place?

A. in a country in Africa
B. in Spain
C. in Germany
D. in France
3. The old man left his native town

A. because he was told so.
B. because he wanted to move.
C. because he was curious by nature.
Pagina 3 din 5
D. because of his job.

Pagina 4 din 5
4. The old man is worried about

A. the cat he left behind with the artillery coming.
B. the pigeons and the goats he left behind with the artillery coming.
C. the pigeons he left behind.
D. the goats he left behind.
5. The narrator’s tone is

A. optimistic.
B. compassionate.
C. mocking.
D. enthusiastic.
II. Read the text again and write a narrative-descriptive essay (200-220 words) about what
the old man’s life was like before meeting the narrator. 50 points

Pagina 5 din 5

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a X-a - SECȚIUNEA B

In moderation, television can be a good thing. Pre-schoolers can get help learning the
alphabet on public television, grade-schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and
parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt about it – TV can be
an excellent educator and entertainer. But despite its advantages, too much television can be
detrimental.
To give you perspective on just how much violence kids see on TV, consider this: the
average American child will witness 200,000 violent acts on television by age 18; kids may
become desensitized to violence and more aggressive. TV violence sometimes begs for
imitation because violence is often promoted as a fun and effective way to get what you
want.
Many violent acts are perpetrated by the “good guys”, whom kids have been taught
to imitate. Even though kids are taught by their parents that it’s not right to hit, television says
it’s OK to bite, hit, or kick if you’re the good guy. This can lead to confusion when kids try to
understand the difference between right and wrong. And even the “bad guys” on TV aren’t
always held responsible or punished for their actions.
Young kids are particularly frightened by scary and violent images. Simply telling kids
that those images aren’t real won’t console them, because they can’t yet distinguish between
fantasy and reality. Behaviour problems, nightmares and difficult sleeping may be a
consequence of exposure to media violence. Older kids can also be frightened by violent
depictions, whether those images appear on fictional shows, the news, or reality-based
shows. Reasoning with kids this age helps them, so it’s important to provide reassuring and
honest information to help ease fears. However, consider not letting your kids view
programmes that they may find frightening.

1. Why can television be a good thing?
2. How is violence often promoted on TV?
3. Who are the authors of the violent acts on TV?
4. What are the problems that kids face after seeing violent images?
the text. 6 points
1. desensitized a. benumbed b. impaired c deprived d. disabled
2. perpetrated a. neglected b. abstained c. prevented d. committed
3. depiction a. difference b. discrepancy c. portrayal d. reality
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a X-a secțiunea B

Pagina 1 din 3

1. An average American child will witness many violent acts by age 18.
By the time an American child ..............many violent acts on TV.
2. Violence and aggression on TV can frighten children of different ages.
Children .............. violence and aggression on TV.
3. No doubt about it - TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.
Not only ............... also an entertainer.
II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that best fits in each sentence. 10 points
Parks in large cities are 1.…(USUAL) thought of as refuges, as islands of green in the middle
of a concrete desert. But High Line Park in the 2…(NEIGHBOUR) of Chelsea in New York
looks on first 3…(SEE) like something that city parks were created to get away from. It's an
attractive steel structure supporting an 4…(ELEVATE) rail line that once brought freight cars
into the city's factories.
Now the structure has been turned into an 5…(INNOVATE) and inviting public park. Walking
on the High Line is 6… .(LIKE) any other experience in New York. You can sit surrounded by
7 …(CARE) tended plants taking 8…(ENJOY) from the views, or you can walk the line as it
crosses between old buildings and past 9…(STRIKE) new ones. I have walked the High Line
many times and the 10…(REMARK) thing is that every time you walk you experience new
and different things .
Fiică-sa nu se mai ocupa de el. Nimeni nu se mai gândea la dânsul și el le dăduse tot –
averea lui întreagă. În momentul acela, conu’ Dinu ura pe toată lumea, pe Tincuța deopotrivă
cu ceilalți. Furios, ajunse până la scrinul cu rufe pe care îl deschise, îl răscoli până ce dete
de teancul de ciorapi și se puse să-i taie cu foarfecile. Când intră Tincuța să-și ia noapte
bună de la el, îl găsi răsuflând cu greutate de parcă se îneca la fiecare inghițitură de aer.
Read the following text and do the tasks.
Stay in or go out?
A recent survey into how British teenagers spend their free time has come up with what
some people regard as a surprising finding: many of those surveyed reported that they would
rather stay at home and do things indoors than go out and experience real-life adventures.
There is some evidence that parents actively encourage this preference. One in four
teenagers surveyed said they believed that online experiences were as satisfying as real life,
and more than half were actually afraid of trying new experiences.
When they were asked about their most memorable experience over the previous twelve
months, 27% of boys said ‘playing a new video game’, while 12% of all teenagers said it was
watching a new TV series. On asking for more detailed information, researchers found that
22% of boys and 18% of girls had never had a real-life adventure, although, when asked
about their attitude to risk and their own safety, apparently 52% of boys and 40% of girls
considered themselves to be daring or brave.
To members of older generations, these findings are worrying, because it means that young
people increasingly rely on virtual reality and are consequently missing out on challenging
outdoor experience such as rock-climbing or canoeing, activities which have always been
regarded as both enjoyable and character-building.
It would be easy to blame technological advances for this development. After all, today’s
teenagers have many more indoor activities to choose from than did their parents or
grandparents. Forty or fifty years ago, children were expected to spend more of their free
time outside – often engaged in activities of which their parents were completely ignorant.
But researchers do not put the blame wholly on technology.

Pagina 2 din 3
Many of the adults surveyed said they thought today’s youth were more protected than they
were when they were growing up. Giving examples of this protection, nearly half said they
would not let their teenage children hitchhike or go on holiday without an adult. One in ten
said they would not even allow teenagers to get into a taxi on their own. It is not clear
whether adults believe the world is more dangerous than it used to be or whether they do not
trust today’s youngsters to look after themselves. Fear of the unknown is also something
today’s teenagers suffer from. The main reason they are afraid of new experiences is that
they are not sure what will happen. Many of those surveyed said they would be more
prepared to try real experiences if they could watch videos of other people doing them.
By contrast, a large proportion of adults who took part in the survey claimed that they had
been adventurous teenagers; in fact, about half said the time between the ages of fifteen and
twenty had been the most exciting, adventurous time of their lives. Many adults admitted that
going on holiday without adults for the first time had been a life-changing event for them. Dr.
Aaron Balik, a psychotherapist and author of a book examining the nature of social
networking, backed up these adults’ opinions when he commented: ‘There is nothing in the
digital world, even virtual reality, that can match the complex and multi-sensory experiences
of a real-life situation’.
1. What is the main conclusion of the survey described in the first paragraph?
A. Parents of British teenagers support their children’s choice of activity.
B. British teenagers prefer inside to outside activities.
C. British teenagers have no interest in real life.
D. British teenagers are frightened of doing things they haven’t done before.
2. Why are older people concerned about the results of the survey?
A. They believe young people are becoming too dependent on things that are unreal.
B. They believe young people do not enjoy any real-life experiences.
C. They believe young people are only interested in things that are not real.
D. They believe that everyone should go rock-climbing or canoeing.
3. What does the writer say about young people in the past?
A. They spent all of their time outdoors.
B. Their parents did not always know what they were doing.
C. There was nothing for them to do indoors.
D. They did not have the benefit of technology.
4. The writer thinks it is true that

A. parents are more protective of their children than in the past.
B. it is the fault of technology that teenagers spend more time indoors.
C. the world is a more dangerous place than it used to be.
D. today’s teenagers are unable to look after themselves.
5. How does dr. Aaron Balik compare digital and real-life experiences
A. He believes digital experiences are more stimulating than real-life experiences.
B. He believes real-life experiences are better than digital ones.
C. He says real-life experiences are less enjoyable.
D. He thinks digital and real-life experiences are of equal value.
II. Starting from the text above, write a for-and-against essay on the following topic:
Young people tend to spend more time in the virtual world. (200-220 words) 50 points

Pagina 3 din 3

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a X-a - SECȚIUNEA B

In moderation, television can be a good thing. Pre-schoolers can get help learning the
alphabet on public television, grade-schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and
parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt about it – TV can be
an excellent educator and entertainer. But despite its advantages, too much television can be
detrimental.
To give you perspective on just how much violence kids see on TV, consider this: the
average American child will witness 200,000 violent acts on television by age 18; kids may
become desensitized to violence and more aggressive. TV violence sometimes begs for
imitation because violence is often promoted as a fun and effective way to get what you
want.
Many violent acts are perpetrated by the “good guys”, whom kids have been taught
to imitate. Even though kids are taught by their parents that it’s not right to hit, television says
it’s OK to bite, hit, or kick if you’re the good guy. This can lead to confusion when kids try to
understand the difference between right and wrong. And even the “bad guys” on TV aren’t
always held responsible or punished for their actions.
Young kids are particularly frightened by scary and violent images. Simply telling kids
that those images aren’t real won’t console them, because they can’t yet distinguish between
fantasy and reality. Behaviour problems, nightmares and difficult sleeping may be a
consequence of exposure to media violence. Older kids can also be frightened by violent
depictions, whether those images appear on fictional shows, the news, or reality-based
shows. Reasoning with kids this age helps them, so it’s important to provide reassuring and
honest information to help ease fears. However, consider not letting your kids view
programmes that they may find frightening.

1. Why can television be a good thing?
2. How is violence often promoted on TV?
3. Who are the authors of the violent acts on TV?
4. What are the problems that kids face after seeing violent images?
the text. 6 points
1. desensitized a. benumbed b. impaired c deprived d. disabled
2. perpetrated a. neglected b. abstained c. prevented d. committed
3. depiction a. difference b. discrepancy c. portrayal d. reality

Pagina 1 din 3

1. An average American child will witness many violent acts by age 18.
By the time an American child ..............many violent acts on TV.
2. Violence and aggression on TV can frighten children of different ages.
Children .............. violence and aggression on TV.
3. No doubt about it - TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.
Not only ............... also an entertainer.
II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that best fits in each sentence. 10 points
Parks in large cities are 1.…(USUAL) thought of as refuges, as islands of green in the middle
of a concrete desert. But High Line Park in the 2…(NEIGHBOUR) of Chelsea in New York
looks on first 3…(SEE) like something that city parks were created to get away from. It's an
attractive steel structure supporting an 4…(ELEVATE) rail line that once brought freight cars
into the city's factories.
Now the structure has been turned into an 5…(INNOVATE) and inviting public park. Walking
on the High Line is 6… .(LIKE) any other experience in New York. You can sit surrounded by
7 …(CARE) tended plants taking 8…(ENJOY) from the views, or you can walk the line as it
crosses between old buildings and past 9…(STRIKE) new ones. I have walked the High Line
many times and the 10…(REMARK) thing is that every time you walk you experience new
and different things .
Lánya nem törödött vele többé. Senki sem gondolt már rá, és ő mindenét nekik adta- az
egész vagyonát. Az ilyen pillanatokban Dinu mester mindenkit gyűlölt, Tincutát is beleértve.
Dühében odament a fiókos szekrényhez, kinyitotta és és addig kotorászott benne, amíg talált
egy halom gondosan elrendezett zoknit, és elkezdte egy ollóval felvágni.
Amikor Tincuta belépett a szobájába jó éjszakát kívánni, apja nehezen lélegzett, mint aki
minden lélegzetvételtől megfullad.
Read the following text and do the tasks.
Stay in or go out?
A recent survey into how British teenagers spend their free time has come up with what
some people regard as a surprising finding: many of those surveyed reported that they would
rather stay at home and do things indoors than go out and experience real-life adventures.
There is some evidence that parents actively encourage this preference. One in four
teenagers surveyed said they believed that online experiences were as satisfying as real life,
and more than half were actually afraid of trying new experiences.
When they were asked about their most memorable experience over the previous twelve
months, 27% of boys said ‘playing a new video game’, while 12% of all teenagers said it was
watching a new TV series. On asking for more detailed information, researchers found that
22% of boys and 18% of girls had never had a real-life adventure, although, when asked
about their attitude to risk and their own safety, apparently 52% of boys and 40% of girls
considered themselves to be daring or brave.
To members of older generations, these findings are worrying, because it means that young
people increasingly rely on virtual reality and are consequently missing out on challenging
outdoor experience such as rock-climbing or canoeing, activities which have always been
regarded as both enjoyable and character-building.
It would be easy to blame technological advances for this development. After all, today’s
teenagers have many more indoor activities to choose from than did their parents or
grandparents. Forty or fifty years ago, children were expected to spend more of their free

Pagina 2 din 3
time outside – often engaged in activities of which their parents were completely ignorant.
But researchers do not put the blame wholly on technology.
Many of the adults surveyed said they thought today’s youth were more protected than they
were when they were growing up. Giving examples of this protection, nearly half said they
would not let their teenage children hitchhike or go on holiday without an adult. One in ten
said they would not even allow teenagers to get into a taxi on their own. It is not clear
whether adults believe the world is more dangerous than it used to be or whether they do not
trust today’s youngsters to look after themselves. Fear of the unknown is also something
today’s teenagers suffer from. The main reason they are afraid of new experiences is that
they are not sure what will happen. Many of those surveyed said they would be more
prepared to try real experiences if they could watch videos of other people doing them.
By contrast, a large proportion of adults who took part in the survey claimed that they had
been adventurous teenagers; in fact, about half said the time between the ages of fifteen and
twenty had been the most exciting, adventurous time of their lives. Many adults admitted that
going on holiday without adults for the first time had been a life-changing event for them. Dr.
Aaron Balik, a psychotherapist and author of a book examining the nature of social
networking, backed up these adults’ opinions when he commented: ‘There is nothing in the
digital world, even virtual reality, that can match the complex and multi-sensory experiences
of a real-life situation’.
1. What is the main conclusion of the survey described in the first paragraph?
A. Parents of British teenagers support their children’s choice of activity.
B. British teenagers prefer inside to outside activities.
C. British teenagers have no interest in real life.
D. British teenagers are frightened of doing things they haven’t done before.
2. Why are older people concerned about the results of the survey?
A. They believe young people are becoming too dependent on things that are unreal.
B. They believe young people do not enjoy any real-life experiences.
C. They believe young people are only interested in things that are not real.
D. They believe that everyone should go rock-climbing or canoeing.
3. What does the writer say about young people in the past?
A. They spent all of their time outdoors.
B. Their parents did not always know what they were doing.
C. There was nothing for them to do indoors.
D. They did not have the benefit of technology.
4. The writer thinks it is true that

A. parents are more protective of their children than in the past.
B. it is the fault of technology that teenagers spend more time indoors.
C. the world is a more dangerous place than it used to be.
D. today’s teenagers are unable to look after themselves.
5. How does dr. Aaron Balik compare digital and real-life experiences
A. He believes digital experiences are more stimulating than real-life experiences.
B. He believes real-life experiences are better than digital ones.
C. He says real-life experiences are less enjoyable.
D. He thinks digital and real-life experiences are of equal value.
II. Starting from the text above, write a for-and-against essay on the following topic:
Young people tend to spend more time in the virtual world. (200-220 words) 50 points

Pagina 3 din 3
Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare –

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XI-a - SECȚIUNEA A

The people of Sawston (1)________(EVACUATE) yesterday as forest fire headed towards the
town. Such (2)(the heat/BE)_______ of the oncoming inferno that trees more than 100 metres
ahead began to smoulder. Only once in recent years, during 2018, a town of his size has had
(3)__________(EVACUATE) because of forest fires. A fleet of coaches and lorries
(4)________(ARRIVE) in the town early in the morning. Residents with cars
(5)____________(ORDER) to leave by mid-morning. Later in the day, as the wind changed
direction and it became clear that the fire (6)__________(LEAVE) Sawston untouched,
complaints from some residents (7)_________(HEAR). ‘At no time did the fires pose a real
threat,’ said one local man. ‘I (8)___________(NOT WANT) to leave my home, nor did most of
my neighbours.’ But Chief Fire Officer Jones replied, ‘ (9)__________(we/ not TAKE) this action,
lives would have been put at risk. Only when the fires (10)________(MOVE) well away from the
town will residents be allowed to return to their homes.’
Responding to (1)_____ (PROVOKE) insults that have been thrown at you is a (2)________
(WONDER) way of honing your sense of humour. The great (3)________ (PLAY) George
Bernard Shaw was a contemporary of Winston Churchill’s. George Bernard Shaw (4)________
(THOUGHT) invited Churchill to the first night of one of his plays, (5)_________ (CLOSE) two
tickets with a note which said, ‘One for yourself and one for a friend - if you have one.’ Churchill
lost no time in writing back, saying that (6) ________ (FORTUNATE), due to pressure of work,
he would be (7) _______(ABLE) to come, but could he have tickets for the second night - ‘if there
is one.’ This joke was (8)________ (DATE) more recently by a prominent (9)_________
(POLITICS) in the Labour Party, when speaking to a colleague and (10)________ (LIFE) rival of
his.
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a XI-a secțiunea A

Pagina 1 din 4
III. Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D. 10 points
1. I ____ you the report as soon as I _____ it. You _____ it by Friday.
A. am sending/finish/should have
B. will send/finish/should have
C. am going to send/will finish/might have
D. will be sending/have finished/must have
2. It’s _____ large companies ______ thinking about how local communities _____ by their
policies.
A. high time/started/are affected
B. about time/had started/are affected
C. just time/would start/are being affected
D. time/start/have been affected
3. If I _____ you were arriving ____ that train, I _____ to meet you. Why _____ me a text?
A. knew/by/would have come/didn’t you send
B. had known/on/would come/haven’t you sent
C. knew/in/will come/don’t you send
D. had known/on/would have come/didn’t you send
4. No sooner _______ at the café than a ______ waitress came to our table and suggested
_____ the day’s special.
A. we had arrived/ tall beautiful French/ trying
B. had we arrived/beautiful tall French/ that we try
C. did we arrive/ French tall beautiful/we tried
D. we have arrived/beautiful tall French/ we have tried
5. Do you remember I told you _____ dizzy spells? Well, I ______ – I’ve just been diagnosed
______ low blood pressure, so I’m on ______ for that.
A. I’d been having/ needn’t have worried/ with/ medication
B. I’d had/ needn’t have worried/ for/ medicine
C. I’d been having/ didn’t need to worry/ from/ treatment
D. I’ve had/ mustn’t worry/ as/ cure
6. ‘Don’t forget that you are going to take an important exam! I would start studying if I
were you’, Pete told Sarah.
A. Pete urged Sarah not to forget that she is going to take an important exam and said he would
start to study if he had been her.
B. Pete reminded Sarah not to forget she went to take am important exam and told her he wouldn’t
start studying if she had been him.
C. Pete reminded Sarah that she was going to take an important exam and advised her to start
studying.
D. Pete asked Sarah to not forget he was going to take an important exam and warned her to
start studying.
7. He wasn’t able to understand the radio message because of interference.

A. Interference was the reason that prevented him understanding the radio message.
B. The interference on the radio made it impossible for him to understand the message.
C. There was a lot of interference, that meant he may not have understood the message.
D. He was prevented to understand the radio message by interference.

Pagina 2 din 4
8. He got up at the crack of _____ and started the long, _____ climb up the mountain.
Although it was a _____ task, he knew he _____ up to the challenge.
A. day/ strained / daring/ might arise
B. daybreak/exhausting/ menial / might raise
C. morning/ steep/ debatable/ would ride
D. dawn/ strenuous/ daunting/ would rise
9. It is difficult to understand why millions of cinema-goers queue for hours to obtain
tickets to see the _____ blockbuster _____ to discover that the film is a _____
disappointment.
A. newest/ just/ severe
B. last / if only/ deep
C. latest/ only/ bitter
D. late/ and then/ biting
10. Why is she still _____? She’s already as thin as _____.
A. dieing/ a post
B. dieting/ a rake
C. diting/ an eel
D. dying/ a bone
De obicei, cei pe care îi întrebam ridicau din umeri și se indepărtau. Un roșcovan cu o voce subțire
si neplăcută păru însă interesat, ciuli urechile și se apropie de mine. ”Dar de ce-l cauți?” mă
întrebă el. În mod normal, n-aș fi suflat o vorbă despre ceea ce mi se păruse, de teama să nu fiu
socotit nebun. Tipul trudise toată ziua, dar arăta de parcă nu ar fi muncit deloc.
SUBIECTUL B- INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)
The top priority of any newspaper is to sell. Never before has this been as important as it is today.
The sudden growth of online news reporting means that printed newspapers have to struggle to
maintain circulation figures. As a result, they are heavily dependent on commercial concerns and
marketing. While many journalists and editors try to be as objective in their approach as possible,
a certain amount of bias is inevitable. Be aware of this and keep a lookout for certain
characteristics and you will become a more discerning reader.
Editors know that eye-catching 'shock stories' shift more copies. For this reason, you are more
likely to see news of a bombing or the latest victim of a serial killer on the front page than an
account of firemen saving someone's life. Similarly, coverage of national parliamentary elections
will take precedence over everything else, including major world news. Positioning other stories
further back subconsciously affects the reader's view of their significance. What's more,
restrictions on the number of stories in any one issue may mean that some stories will simply be
omitted.
Some newspapers may try to avoid seeming overtly sensationalist, but they still influence the
reader indirectly by using language to convey excitement, to show approval or to criticise. For
example, a public demonstration attended by 560 protesters can be described in positive terms
with 'Over 500 people took to the streets to protest against the proposal’ or, conversely, in a
negative way with ‘The protest march was marked by a poor turnout of fewer than 600 people'. It

Pagina 3 din 4
all depends on the journalist's point of view. Headlines are often particularly revealing in this
respect and are often deciding factor for a reader when considering whether or not to buy the
newspaper. Editors will aim to make stories sound more dramatic, knowing that the headline "Six
die in train crash' will probably attract more attention than ‘Two trains collide outside station'.
Newspapers make choices about the kind of pictures they show in order to influence public
opinion. A photograph of a presidential candidate, for instance, could be taken from a flattering or
unflattering perspective. At a football match, the camera angle can be narrowed onto a scene of
hooliganism, suggesting that violence was widespread, or widened to play it down as one isolated
incident.
Newspapers rely heavily on advertising for revenue. Those that receive a large part of their
income from a particular company are therefore unlikely to publish information to the detriment of
that company's products. They may even include press releases promoting the firm's latest
creation, while ignoring that of its chief competitor.
To obtain a broader view of what's happening in the world, it is best to read widely. Luckily, major
newspapers now have their own websites, so it is easier than ever to access information on news
item from a range of sources.
1. Newspapers today are subject to
A. fewer restrictions.
B. rising overheads.
C. fierce competition.
D. falling advertising revenue.
2. Editors don't put some stories on the front page because
A. they are too sensationalist.
B. important stories require more room.
C. political news doesn't sell papers.
D. they aren't exciting enough.
3. In paragraph three, the writer explains that some papers try to affect readers' opinions by
A. selecting words to achieve a particular effect.
B. using highly sensationalist language.
C. explicitly criticising people or actions.
D. exclusively using exciting language.
4. In the writer's view, effective headlines
A. do not need to exaggerate the facts.
B. reflect the editor's political views.
C. can boost newspaper sales.
D. are less important than good quality articles.
5. In the last paragraph, the writer suggests that newspaper readers should be
A. critical.
B. positive.
C. dismissive.
D. cautious.
II. Starting from the text above, write a for-and-against essay on the following topic: The
mass media is a mirror that reflects the reality without pinning any labels. (220-250 words)
50 points

Pagina 4 din 4

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XI-a - SECȚIUNEA A

The people of Sawston (1)________(EVACUATE) yesterday as forest fire headed towards the
town. Such (2)(the heat/BE)_______ of the oncoming inferno that trees more than 100 metres
ahead began to smoulder. Only once in recent years, during 2018, a town of his size has had
(3)__________(EVACUATE) because of forest fires. A fleet of coaches and lorries
(4)________(ARRIVE) in the town early in the morning. Residents with cars
(5)____________(ORDER) to leave by mid-morning. Later in the day, as the wind changed
direction and it became clear that the fire (6)__________(LEAVE) Sawston untouched,
complaints from some residents (7)_________(HEAR). ‘At no time did the fires pose a real
threat,’ said one local man. ‘I (8)___________(NOT WANT) to leave my home, nor did most of
my neighbours.’ But Chief Fire Officer Jones replied, ‘ (9)__________(we/ not TAKE) this action,
lives would have been put at risk. Only when the fires (10)________(MOVE) well away from the
town will residents be allowed to return to their homes.’
Responding to (1)_____ (PROVOKE) insults that have been thrown at you is a (2)________
(WONDER) way of honing your sense of humour. The great (3)________ (PLAY) George
Bernard Shaw was a contemporary of Winston Churchill’s. George Bernard Shaw (4)________
(THOUGHT) invited Churchill to the first night of one of his plays, (5)_________ (CLOSE) two
tickets with a note which said, ‘One for yourself and one for a friend - if you have one.’ Churchill
lost no time in writing back, saying that (6) ________ (FORTUNATE), due to pressure of work,
he would be (7) _______(ABLE) to come, but could he have tickets for the second night - ‘if there
is one.’ This joke was (8)________ (DATE) more recently by a prominent (9)_________
(POLITICS) in the Labour Party, when speaking to a colleague and (10)________ (LIFE) rival of
his.

Pagina 1 din 4
1. I ____ you the report as soon as I _____ it. You _____ it by Friday.
A. am sending/finish/should have
B. will send/finish/should have
C. am going to send/will finish/might have
D. will be sending/have finished/must have
2. It’s _____ large companies ______ thinking about how local communities _____ by their
policies.
A. high time/started/are affected
B. about time/had started/are affected
C. just time/would start/are being affected
D. time/start/have been affected
3. If I _____ you were arriving ____ that train, I _____ to meet you. Why _____ me a text?
A. knew/by/would have come/didn’t you send
B. had known/on/would come/haven’t you sent
C. knew/in/will come/don’t you send
D. had known/on/would have come/didn’t you send
4. No sooner _______ at the café than a ______ waitress came to our table and suggested
_____ the day’s special.
A. we had arrived/ tall beautiful French/ trying
B. had we arrived/beautiful tall French/ that we try
C. did we arrive/ French tall beautiful/we tried
D. we have arrived/beautiful tall French/ we have tried
5. Do you remember I told you _____ dizzy spells? Well, I ______ – I’ve just been diagnosed
______ low blood pressure, so I’m on ______ for that.
A. I’d been having/ needn’t have worried/ with/ medication
B. I’d had/ needn’t have worried/ for/ medicine
C. I’d been having/ didn’t need to worry/ from/ treatment
D. I’ve had/ mustn’t worry/ as/ cure
6. ‘Don’t forget that you are going to take an important exam! I would start studying if I
were you’, Pete told Sarah.
A. Pete urged Sarah not to forget that she is going to take an important exam and said he would
start to study if he had been her.
B. Pete reminded Sarah not to forget she went to take am important exam and told her he wouldn’t
start studying if she had been him.
C. Pete reminded Sarah that she was going to take an important exam and advised her to start
studying.
D. Pete asked Sarah to not forget he was going to take an important exam and warned her to
start studying.
7. He wasn’t able to understand the radio message because of interference.

A. Interference was the reason that prevented him understanding the radio message.
B. The interference on the radio made it impossible for him to understand the message.
C. There was a lot of interference, that meant he may not have understood the message.
D. He was prevented to understand the radio message by interference.

Pagina 2 din 4
8. He got up at the crack of _____ and started the long, _____ climb up the mountain.
Although it was a _____ task, he knew he _____ up to the challenge.
A. day/ strained / daring/ might arise
B. daybreak/exhausting/ menial / might raise
C. morning/ steep/ debatable/ would ride
D. dawn/ strenuous/ daunting/ would rise
9. It is difficult to understand why millions of cinema-goers queue for hours to obtain
tickets to see the _____ blockbuster _____ to discover that the film is a _____
disappointment.
A. newest/ just/ severe
B. last / if only/ deep
C. latest/ only/ bitter
D. late/ and then/ biting
10. Why is she still _____? She’s already as thin as _____.
A. dieing/ a post
B. dieting/ a rake
C. diting/ an eel
D. dying/ a bone
Általában azok, akiket megkérdeztem, vállukat rázták és tovább mentek. Egy vékony és
kellemetlen hangú vörösképű mégis kíváncsian hegyezte a fülét, és közelebb jött.
- Miért keresed? – kérdezte.
Normális esetben nem mondtam volna egy szót sem arról, amit látni véltem, attól félvén, hogy
bolondnak tartanak. A férfi egy ideje naphosszat keményen dolgozott, de úgy tűnt, mintha alig
dolgozott volna.
SUBIECTUL B- INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)
The top priority of any newspaper is to sell. Never before has this been as important as it is today.
The sudden growth of online news reporting means that printed newspapers have to struggle to
maintain circulation figures. As a result, they are heavily dependent on commercial concerns and
marketing. While many journalists and editors try to be as objective in their approach as possible,
a certain amount of bias is inevitable. Be aware of this and keep a lookout for certain
characteristics and you will become a more discerning reader.
Editors know that eye-catching 'shock stories' shift more copies. For this reason, you are more
likely to see news of a bombing or the latest victim of a serial killer on the front page than an
account of firemen saving someone's life. Similarly, coverage of national parliamentary elections
will take precedence over everything else, including major world news. Positioning other stories
further back subconsciously affects the reader's view of their significance. What's more,
restrictions on the number of stories in any one issue may mean that some stories will simply be
omitted.
Some newspapers may try to avoid seeming overtly sensationalist, but they still influence the
reader indirectly by using language to convey excitement, to show approval or to criticise. For
example, a public demonstration attended by 560 protesters can be described in positive terms
with 'Over 500 people took to the streets to protest against the proposal’ or, conversely, in a

Pagina 3 din 4
negative way with ‘The protest march was marked by a poor turnout of fewer than 600 people'. It
all depends on the journalist's point of view. Headlines are often particularly revealing in this
respect and are often deciding factor for a reader when considering whether or not to buy the
newspaper. Editors will aim to make stories sound more dramatic, knowing that the headline "Six
die in train crash' will probably attract more attention than ‘Two trains collide outside station'.
Newspapers make choices about the kind of pictures they show in order to influence public
opinion. A photograph of a presidential candidate, for instance, could be taken from a flattering or
unflattering perspective. At a football match, the camera angle can be narrowed onto a scene of
hooliganism, suggesting that violence was widespread, or widened to play it down as one isolated
incident.
Newspapers rely heavily on advertising for revenue. Those that receive a large part of their
income from a particular company are therefore unlikely to publish information to the detriment of
that company's products. They may even include press releases promoting the firm's latest
creation, while ignoring that of its chief competitor.
To obtain a broader view of what's happening in the world, it is best to read widely. Luckily, major
newspapers now have their own websites, so it is easier than ever to access information on news
item from a range of sources.
1. Newspapers today are subject to
A. fewer restrictions.
B. rising overheads.
C. fierce competition.
D. falling advertising revenue.
2. Editors don't put some stories on the front page because
A. they are too sensationalist.
B. important stories require more room.
C. political news doesn't sell papers.
D. they aren't exciting enough.
3. In paragraph three, the writer explains that some papers try to affect readers' opinions by
A. selecting words to achieve a particular effect.
B. using highly sensationalist language.
C. explicitly criticising people or actions.
D. exclusively using exciting language.
4. In the writer's view, effective headlines
A. do not need to exaggerate the facts.
B. reflect the editor's political views.
C. can boost newspaper sales.
D. are less important than good quality articles.
5. In the last paragraph, the writer suggests that newspaper readers should be
A. critical.
B. positive.
C. dismissive.
D. cautious.
II. Starting from the text above, write a for-and-against essay on the following topic: The
mass media is a mirror that reflects the reality without pinning any labels. (220-250 words)
50 points

Pagina 4 din 4
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XI-a - SECȚIUNEA B

One story employed to justify human superiority says that of all the animals on earth, only Homo
Sapiens has a conscious mind. Mind is something very different from soul. The mind is not some
mystical eternal entity. Nor is it an organ such as the eye or the brain. Rather, the mind is a flow of
subjective experiences, such as pain, pleasure, anger and love. These mental experiences are made of
interlinked sensations, emotions and thoughts, which flash for a brief moment and immediately
disappear. Then other experiences flicker and vanish, arising for an instant and passing away. When
reflecting on it, we often try to sort the experiences into distinct categories such as sensations,
emotions and thoughts, but in actuality they are mingled together. This frenzied collection of
experiences constitutes the stream of consciousness. Unlike the everlasting soul, the mind has many
parts, it constantly changes, and there is no reason to think it is eternal.
1. Why is Homo Sapiens considered superior to all animals?

2. How can the mind be defined, according to the writer?
3. What is the stream of consciousness?
4. In what way is the mind dissimilar to the soul?
B. Choose the right synonym for the words given below, according to their meaning in the text.
6 points
1. eternal: a. ongoing b. dateless c. enduring d. immortal
2. flicker: a. dance b. zip c. flit d. flee
3. frenzied: a. frantic b. balanced c. hysterical d. uncontrolled
1. The mind is not some mystical eternal soul. Nor is it an organ such as the eye or the brain.
The mind is …………………………. an organ such as the eye or the brain.
2. When reflecting on it, we often try to sort the experiences into distinct categories such as
sensations, emotions and thoughts.
Upon ……………………… sorted into distinct categories such as sensations, emotions and
thoughts.
3. This frenzied collection of experiences constitutes the stream of consciousness.

It is ………………………… constitutes the stream of consciousness.
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a XI-a secțiunea B
Pagina 1 din 3
Dylan Marlais Thomas was born in South Wales, the son of the English master at Swansea Grammar
School. Unlike many of his Welsh-speaking contemporaries, he had no knowledge of the country’s
language. Thomas began to write poetry while still at school, and worked as a journalist before moving
to London in 1934. His first volume of verse, (1)______(TITLE) 18 Poems, appeared in the same year.
He then embarked on a career in the media, spending much of his time in the
(2)________(INCREASE) popular afternoon drinking clubs of the era. In 1937, Thomas married Caitlin
Macnamara; they settled (3)________(TEMPORARY) at Laugharne in Wales, returning there
permanently in 1949. There were some (4)_______(ALLEGE), put forward by jealous contemporaries
no doubt, that Thomas had deliberately sought obscurity, but these may well have
(5)_______(REPRESENT) Thomas’s true motives for settling in Wales. Despite this, he gradually won
a(n) (6)________________(DENY) appreciative following for his writing. His worksheets, minutely
laboured over and evidence of his (7)_________(RELENT) search for perfection, reveal him as a
(8)________(PASSION), even obsessional, craftsman. He enjoyed (9)__________(PRECEDENT)
popularity as an entertainer on radio and with students. In 1950, he undertook the first of his lecture
tours to the United States. Legends grew about his wild living and his (10)___________(VARY) habit of
drinking at all hours of the day and night. Shortly before his death, he took part in a reading in New
York of what was to be his most famous single work, Under Milk Wood.
Nevoile sunt vitale pentru organism. Gratificarea lor asigură supraviețuirea și dezvoltarea organismului.
Dorințele, în schimb, nu sunt vitale. Ele pot fi amânate fără ca organismul ca întreg să sufere. Dacă
dorești o casă cu două nivele și opt camere pentru a te putea desfășura, nu vei fi distrus dacă vei locui
toată viața într-un apartament cu trei camere. Dar dacă ai nevoie de o casă pentru că e iarnă și nu poți
dormi sub cerul liber, te vei mulțumi cu cea mai prăpădită coșmelie.
Read the text and do the tasks that follow.
At the election of President and Vice President of the United States, and members of the Congress in
November 1872, Susan B. Anthony, and several other women, offered their votes to the inspectors of
elections, claiming the right to vote, as among the privileges and immunities secured to them as
citizens by the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The inspectors, Jones,
Hall and Marsh by a majority, decided in favour of receiving the offered votes, against the dissent of
Hall, and they were deposited in the ballot box. For this act, the women, fourteen in number, were
arrested and held on bail and indictments were found against them under the 19th Section of Congress
of May,1870, independently charging them with the offense of knowingly voting without having a lawful
right to vote. The three inspectors were also arrested, but only two of them were held to bail, Hall
having been discharged. All three, however, were jointly indicted under the same statute-for having
wilfully received the votes of persons not entitled to vote.
Of the women voters, the case of Miss Anthony alone was brought to trial, having been entered upon
the other indictments. Before the trial, Miss Anthony gave lectures in all the twenty-nine districts in
Monroe County, the location of the trial, where she argued that she had a lawful right to vote. US
Supreme Justice, Judge Ward Hunt, was persuaded that Miss Anthony might have prejudiced potential
Pagina 2 din 3
jurors and moved the trial to Canandaigua, Ontario County. Miss Anthony continued to give lectures in
Ontario County, but the trial was not altered again and set to go ahead.
Upon the trial of Miss Anthony before the U.S. Circuit Court for the Northern District of New York, at
Canandaigua, in June,1873, it was proved that before offering her vote she was advised by her counsel
that she had a right to vote; and that she entertained no doubt, at the time of voting, that she was totally
entitled to vote.
1. According to the text above, how many people in total were arrested due to the group of women
voting?
A. fourteen
B. three
C. seventeen
D. nineteen
2. Which of the following best describes initial options of the election officers?
A. united by each member’s personal support of the women’s votes
B. divided in response to the women’s actions
C. apathetic about the women’s actions
D. united by general disapproval of the women’s actions
3. Based on the passage, who was definitely brought to trial over the incident?
A. Susan B. Anthony
B. Susan B. Anthony and the inspectors
C. The inspectors
D. None of the above
4. Why did Judge Ward move the case to Ontario County?

A. The judge was against Anthony’s case.
B. The judge believed that the jury could have been prejudiced in Monroe County.
C. The judge believed that the jury was biased.
D. The judge was based in Ontario County.
5. Which defence for Susan B. Anthony is mentioned above?

A. She did not realise she was not allowed to vote.
B. That all people born in the U.S.A. should be able to vote for their president.
C. That gender should not prevent her vote.
D. The previous law was wrong.
II. Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the
same. Write an opinion essay about the importance of making changes in your life. (220-250 words)
50 points

Pagina 3 din 3
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XI-a - SECȚIUNEA B

One story employed to justify human superiority says that of all the animals on earth, only Homo
Sapiens has a conscious mind. Mind is something very different from soul. The mind is not some
mystical eternal entity. Nor is it an organ such as the eye or the brain. Rather, the mind is a flow of
subjective experiences, such as pain, pleasure, anger and love. These mental experiences are made of
interlinked sensations, emotions and thoughts, which flash for a brief moment and immediately
disappear. Then other experiences flicker and vanish, arising for an instant and passing away. When
reflecting on it, we often try to sort the experiences into distinct categories such as sensations,
emotions and thoughts, but in actuality they are mingled together. This frenzied collection of
experiences constitutes the stream of consciousness. Unlike the everlasting soul, the mind has many
parts, it constantly changes, and there is no reason to think it is eternal.
1. Why is Homo Sapiens considered superior to all animals?

2. How can the mind be defined, according to the writer?
3. What is the stream of consciousness?
4. In what way is the mind dissimilar to the soul?
B. Choose the right synonym for the words given below, according to their meaning in the text.
6 points
1. eternal: a. ongoing b. dateless c. enduring d. immortal
2. flicker: a. dance b. zip c. flit d. flee
3. frenzied: a. frantic b. balanced c. hysterical d. uncontrolled
1. The mind is not some mystical eternal soul. Nor is it an organ such as the eye or the brain.
The mind is …………………………. an organ such as the eye or the brain.
2. When reflecting on it, we often try to sort the experiences into distinct categories such as
sensations, emotions and thoughts.
Upon ……………………… sorted into distinct categories such as sensations, emotions and
thoughts.
3. This frenzied collection of experiences constitutes the stream of consciousness.

It is ………………………… constitutes the stream of consciousness.
Pagina 1 din 3
Dylan Marlais Thomas was born in South Wales, the son of the English master at Swansea Grammar
School. Unlike many of his Welsh-speaking contemporaries, he had no knowledge of the country’s
language. Thomas began to write poetry while still at school, and worked as a journalist before moving
to London in 1934. His first volume of verse, (1)______(TITLE) 18 Poems, appeared in the same year.
He then embarked on a career in the media, spending much of his time in the
(2)________(INCREASE) popular afternoon drinking clubs of the era. In 1937, Thomas married Caitlin
Macnamara; they settled (3)________(TEMPORARY) at Laugharne in Wales, returning there
permanently in 1949. There were some (4)_______(ALLEGE), put forward by jealous contemporaries
no doubt, that Thomas had deliberately sought obscurity, but these may well have
(5)_______(REPRESENT) Thomas’s true motives for settling in Wales. Despite this, he gradually won
a(n) (6)________________(DENY) appreciative following for his writing. His worksheets, minutely
laboured over and evidence of his (7)_________(RELENT) search for perfection, reveal him as a
(8)________(PASSION), even obsessional, craftsman. He enjoyed (9)__________(PRECEDENT)
popularity as an entertainer on radio and with students. In 1950, he undertook the first of his lecture
tours to the United States. Legends grew about his wild living and his (10)___________(VARY) habit of
drinking at all hours of the day and night. Shortly before his death, he took part in a reading in New
York of what was to be his most famous single work, Under Milk Wood.
A szükségletek életbevágóak a szervezet számára. Kielégítésük biztosítja a szervezet túlélését
és fejlődését. A vágyak, ellenben, nem életbevágóak. Késleltethetőek anélkül, hogy a szervezet mint
egész szenvedne. Ha szeretnél egy kétemeletes házat, hogy legyen elég tered, nem fogsz
tönkremenni, ha egész életed egy háromszobás lakásban éled le. De ha szükséged van egy otthonra,
mert tél van és nem alhatsz a szabadban, elégedett leszel a legszerényebb viskóval is.
Read the text and do the tasks that follow.
At the election of President and Vice President of the United States, and members of the Congress in
November 1872, Susan B. Anthony, and several other women, offered their votes to the inspectors of
elections, claiming the right to vote, as among the privileges and immunities secured to them as
citizens by the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The inspectors, Jones,
Hall and Marsh by a majority, decided in favour of receiving the offered votes, against the dissent of
Hall, and they were deposited in the ballot box. For this act, the women, fourteen in number, were
arrested and held on bail and indictments were found against them under the 19th Section of Congress
of May,1870, independently charging them with the offense of knowingly voting without having a lawful
right to vote. The three inspectors were also arrested, but only two of them were held to bail, Hall
having been discharged. All three, however, were jointly indicted under the same statute-for having
wilfully received the votes of persons not entitled to vote.
Of the women voters, the case of Miss Anthony alone was brought to trial, having been entered upon
the other indictments. Before the trial, Miss Anthony gave lectures in all the twenty-nine districts in
Monroe County, the location of the trial, where she argued that she had a lawful right to vote. US
Supreme Justice, Judge Ward Hunt, was persuaded that Miss Anthony might have prejudiced potential
Pagina 2 din 3
jurors and moved the trial to Canandaigua, Ontario County. Miss Anthony continued to give lectures in
Ontario County, but the trial was not altered again and set to go ahead.
Upon the trial of Miss Anthony before the U.S. Circuit Court for the Northern District of New York, at
Canandaigua, in June,1873, it was proved that before offering her vote she was advised by her counsel
that she had a right to vote; and that she entertained no doubt, at the time of voting, that she was totally
entitled to vote.
1. According to the text above, how many people in total were arrested due to the group of women
voting?.
A. fourteen
B. three
C. seventeen
D. nineteen
2. Which of the following best describes initial options of the election officers?
A. united by each member’s personal support of the women’s votes
B. divided in response to the women’s actions
C. apathetic about the women’s actions
D. united by general disapproval of the women’s actions
3. Based on the passage, who was definitely brought to trial over the incident?
A. Susan B. Anthony
B. Susan B. Anthony and the inspectors
C. The inspectors
D. None of the above
4. Why did Judge Ward move the case to Ontario County?

A. The judge was against Anthony’s case
B. The judge believed that the jury could have been prejudiced in Monroe County
C. The judge believed that the jury was biased
D. The judge was based in Ontario County
5. Which defence for Susan B. Anthony is mentioned above?

A. She did not realise she was not allowed to vote.
B. That all people born in the U.S.A. should be able to vote for their president?
C. That gender should not prevent her vote.
D. The previous law was wrong.
II. Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the
same. Write an opinion essay about the importance of making changes in your life. (220-250 words)
50 points

Pagina 3 din 3

2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XII-a - SECȚIUNEA A

No sooner (1) (the door/SWING)_____________ open than I hurried down a sleek, steely
hallway to an open elevator. I didn’t notice there weren’t any buttons for the floors until I (2)
(STEP)___________________ inside and the doors began to close. I briefly thought how stupid
I’d been (3) (GO)___________ to some strange place and put myself at such risk without (4)
(TELL)_________ anyone where I really was. (5) (Something/ HAPPEN)_______________,
who would know to come looking for me? The night before I (6) (TELL)_____ my Dad I
(7)(GO)____________ to a basketball game out of town. Considering what he (8) (PUT
THROUGH) _____________ in recent years because of me, it had seemed an innocent little lie
at the time. I felt my heartbeat quicken when it (9) (STRIKE)_____________ me that Mom, too,
probably had numerous adversaries of her own who wanted payback for the years they’d spent
in jail. I tried (10) (RELAX)______________ by breathing deeply through my nose.
Starting in the late 19th century, advances in printing technology allowed images to be printed
cheaply and in (1) (LIVE) _____ color. Consumers of (2) (NEWS) _____and books, conversely,
began to demand images to complement the words they were purchasing. Those two factors
led to the rise of a so-called "Golden Age of Illustration." One of the leading figures of this age
was the English artist Arthur Rackham, who was born 150 years ago on this day, in the South
London borough of Lewisham. If you don't know his name, you'll know his illustrations.
Rackham created many of the fantastical (3) (CREATE) _____and people that decorated the
pages of the children's books in the early 20th century.(4) (ASSUME) _____in appearance and
manner, Rachkam worked as a junior insurance clerk before starting part-time at the Lambeth
School of Art, where he began to translate a (5) (YOUTH) _____passion for books into vivid
illustrations that he made to (6) (COMPANY) _____works of classic literature. Rackham's (7)
(EXPRESS) _____detailed style of art makes pieces like his (8) (ICON) _____drawings of
scenes in Grimm Brothers' Fairy Tales instantly (9) (RECOGNIZE) _____Maria Popova of Brain
Pickings is of the opinion that of all the artists to tackle Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland,
none did more for the work than Rackham, whose graphic designs for the 1907 edition influence
the (10) (VISION) _____vocabulary of the story even today.
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a XII-a secțiunea A


1. The expedition was totally ____ and _____ to my expectations; I expected so much
more _____ the brochure.
A. excitingly/did not live up/having read
B. unexcitedly/did not leave up/having read
C. unexciting/did not live up/having read
D. unexcited/did not live off /having read
2. When you ____ the exam, _____ the paper on my desk and leave _____ classroom.
A. have finished/laid/-
B. finish/lie/the
C. have finished/lay/-
D. have finished/lay/the
3. I thought that the deal ______ ,but, ______ it _____.

A. have been finalised/fortunately/fall through
B. had been finalised/fortunately/fell through
C. have been finalised/unfortunately/fell through
D. had been finalised/unfortunately/fell through
4. Judith was disqualified ______ the competiton because she ______ about her age
______ the application form.
A. from/lay/ in
B. off/ lied/on
C. off/ had lied /in
D. from/had lied/on
5. _____ the third time we had met, but he ______ as if he had never seen me _____ in his
life.
A. It was/has acted/once
B. There was /acted/before
C. It was /acted/before
D. It was/acted /once
6. ‘Don’t forget that you’ve just passed your driving test, Jim! I wouldn’t drive so fast if I
were you’, Dad said.
A. Dad urged Jim not to forget that he’s just passed his driving test and said he wouldn’t have
driven so fast if he had been him.
B. Dad reminded Jim not to forget he’s just passed his driving test and told him he wouldn’t
drive so fast if he had been him.
C. Dad reminded Jim that he’d just passed his driving test and advised him not to drive so fast.
D. Dad asked Jim to not forget he just passed his driving test and threatened him not to drive so
fast.
7. Yesterday I _____ the play for about 5 minutes ______ I realized that the main
character ______ fall in love with the duchess.
A. was watching/at which point/would
B. had watched/half of which/was on the verge to
C. had been watching/at which point/was going to
D. had been watching /despite which/was to

8. In _____ more days, the apricots _____ and we will be able to eat them straight ______
the tree.
A. few/will be ripened/of
B. a few/will have ripened/off
C. just /are/of
D. a few /will have ripe/off
9. _____ James’ excitement when he got the promotion that he _____ out the house,
shouting _____ the top of his voice.
A. So was/ran/in
B. Such had been/run/off
C. So had been/ran/at
D. Such was/ran/at
10. ‘Have you seen these ______ which I ______ in the attic?’ ‘Yes, they ______
fascinating.’
A. interesting, old, black and white photos/found/look
B. old, interesting, white and black photos/have found/look
C. interesting, white and black, old photos/find/are looking
D. black and white, old, interesting photos/found/look
De aproape jumătate de veac, de când liceul se mutase în clădirea cu turn și ceas, care domina
partea de nord a orașului, marele amfiteatru de la parter nu se deschidea decât de trei ori pe
an: la începutul anului școlar, la mijlocul lunii martie când se sărbătorea aniversarea liceului, și
la sfârșitul anului școlar. Orice altă festivitate, oricât de importantă ar fi fost, se ținea în alte
locuri, de obicei în sala de gimnastică. Niciun director nu se încumetase vreodată să se abată
de la tradiție. Amfiteatrul rămânea astfel locul cel mai râvnit din școală, dar nu numai pentru că
se deschidea rar, la date fixe, ci și pentru că arhitectura lui severă oprea răsuflările.
There is much about the future that keeps me up at night but in the last few years, one
technological threat has blipped my fear radar much faster than others. That fear? Ubiquitous
surveillance. I am no longer sure that human civilization can undo or evade living under
constant, extravagantly detailed physical and even psychic surveillance; as a species, we are
not doing nearly enough to avoid always being watched or otherwise digitally recorded. Your
location, your purchases, video and audio from within your home and office, your online
searches and every digital wandering, biometric tracking of your face and other body parts, your
heart rate and other vital signs, your every communication, recording, and perhaps your
deepest thoughts or idlest dreams — in the future, if not already, much of this data and more will
be collected and analyzed by some combination of governments and corporations, among them
a handful of mega-companies whose powers nearly match those of governments.
Why am I so pessimistic? Over the last year I’ve participated in experiments in which my
devices were closely monitored in order to determine the kind of data that was being collected
about me. The experiments have given me new insight into the psychology underpinning
surveillance; I’ve realized how blind we are to the kinds of insights tech companies are gaining
about us through our gadgets. Our blindness not only keeps us glued to privacy-invading tech
— it also means that we’ve failed to create a political culture that is in any way up to the task of
limiting surveillance.

Indeed, because of a scarcity of laws protecting our privacy — and almost no high-profile
political discussion about the stakes at hand — Americans are sleepwalking into a frightening
future. I choose the word “sleepwalking” deliberately, because when it comes to digital privacy,
a lot of us prefer the comfortable bliss of ignorance. As a result, much of the surveillance engine
operates underground — just beyond where many of us dare to look.
Like a lot of people, I’ve long justified my apathy about privacy through innocence: I’m a
stand-up guy — what do I have to hide? Sure, I’m not a criminal — but do I want anyone to
learn everything about me? Because those are the stakes. The remaining uncertainty about the
surveillance state is not whether we will submit to it — only how readily and completely, and
how thoroughly it will warp our society. In the future, will there be room for any true secret — will
society allow any unrecorded thought or communication to evade detection and commercial
analysis? How completely will living under surveillance numb creativity and silence radical
thought? Can human agency survive the possibility that some companies will know more about
all of us than any of us can ever know about ourselves? I’m worried we’ll soon be forced to find
out. (www.mysanantonio.com)
1. In the first paragraph, the author voices his concern about

A. the development of surveillance technologies.
B. the lack of technological progress in medicine.
C. the possibility that mega-corporations will overthrow governments.
D. the data that governments might collect data from private corporations.
2. The experiments mentioned in the text

A. were of a psychological nature, which explains the author’s pessimism.
B. had to be interrupted because of political reasons.
C. showed that we are unaware of the extent of surveillance.
D. demonstrated that gadgets are highly detrimental to the eyes.
3. According to paragraph three

A. American politicians are ignorant of technical matters.
B. Americans are not aware of the implications of data collection.
C. surveillance is carried out illegally.
D. Americans choose to ignore the extent to which they are supervised.
4. Which of the following sentences is NOT true, according to the text?

A. Society will be distorted by constant and complete surveillance.
B. Law-abiding citizens are exempt from surveillance.
C. It is likely that people will be denied any privacy.
D. A surveillance state will be accepted by people.
5. The purpose of the article is to

A. To raise awareness of the implications of surveillance.
B. To explain why surveillance is necessary nowadays.
C. To persuade the government to take action against mega-companies.
D. To discourage readers from using technology.
II. Privacy is a basic human need. Has its meaning changed throughout the ages? Write
an opinion essay. (250-280 words). 50 points


2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XII-a - SECȚIUNEA A

No sooner (1) (the door/SWING)_____________ open than I hurried down a sleek, steely
hallway to an open elevator. I didn’t notice there weren’t any buttons for the floors until I (2)
(STEP)___________________ inside and the doors began to close. I briefly thought how stupid
I’d been (3) (GO)___________ to some strange place and put myself at such risk without (4)
(TELL)_________ anyone where I really was. (5) (Something/ HAPPEN)_______________,
who would know to come looking for me? The night before I (6) (TELL)_____ my Dad I
(7)(GO)____________ to a basketball game out of town. Considering what he (8) (PUT
THROUGH) _____________ in recent years because of me, it had seemed an innocent little lie
at the time. I felt my heartbeat quicken when it (9) (STRIKE)_____________ me that Mom, too,
probably had numerous adversaries of her own who wanted payback for the years they’d spent
in jail. I tried (10) (RELAX)______________ by breathing deeply through my nose.
Starting in the late 19th century, advances in printing technology allowed images to be printed
cheaply and in (1) (LIVE) _____ color. Consumers of (2) (NEWS) _____and books, conversely,
began to demand images to complement the words they were purchasing. Those two factors
led to the rise of a so-called "Golden Age of Illustration." One of the leading figures of this age
was the English artist Arthur Rackham, who was born 150 years ago on this day, in the South
London borough of Lewisham. If you don't know his name, you'll know his illustrations.
Rackham created many of the fantastical (3) (CREATE) _____and people that decorated the
pages of the children's books in the early 20th century.(4) (ASSUME) _____in appearance and
manner, Rachkam worked as a junior insurance clerk before starting part-time at the Lambeth
School of Art, where he began to translate a (5) (YOUTH) _____passion for books into vivid
illustrations that he made to (6) (COMPANY) _____works of classic literature. Rackham's (7)
(EXPRESS) _____detailed style of art makes pieces like his (8) (ICON) _____drawings of
scenes in Grimm Brothers' Fairy Tales instantly (9) (RECOGNIZE) _____Maria Popova of Brain
Pickings is of the opinion that of all the artists to tackle Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland,
none did more for the work than Rackham, whose graphic designs for the 1907 edition influence
the (10) (VISION) _____vocabulary of the story even today.


1. The expedition was totally ____ and _____ to my expectations; I expected so much
more _____ the brochure.
A. excitingly/did not live up/having read
B. unexcitedly/did not leave up/having read
C. unexciting/did not live up/having read
D. unexcited/did not live off /having read
2. When you ____ the exam, _____ the paper on my desk and leave _____ classroom.
A. have finished/laid/-
B. finish/lie/the
C. have finished/lay/-
D. have finished/lay/the
3. I thought that the deal ______ ,but, ______ it _____.

A. have been finalised/fortunately/fall through
B. had been finalised/fortunately/fell through
C. have been finalised/unfortunately/fell through
D. had been finalised/unfortunately/fell through
4. Judith was disqualified ______ the competiton because she ______ about her age
______ the application form.
A. from/lay/ in
B. off/ lied/on
C. off/ had lied /in
D. from/had lied/on
5. _____ the third time we had met, but he ______ as if he had never seen me _____ in his
life.
A. It was/has acted/once
B. There was /acted/before
C. It was /acted/before
D. It was/acted /once
6. ‘Don’t forget that you’ve just passed your driving test, Jim! I wouldn’t drive so fast if I
were you’, Dad said.
A. Dad urged Jim not to forget that he’s just passed his driving test and said he wouldn’t have
driven so fast if he had been him.
B. Dad reminded Jim not to forget he’s just passed his driving test and told him he wouldn’t
drive so fast if he had been him.
C. Dad reminded Jim that he’d just passed his driving test and advised him not to drive so fast.
D. Dad asked Jim to not forget he just passed his driving test and threatened him not to drive so
fast.
7. Yesterday I _____ the play for about 5 minutes ______ I realized that the main
character ______ fall in love with the duchess.
A. was watching/at which point/would
B. had watched/half of which/was on the verge to
C. had been watching/at which point/was going to
D. had been watching /despite which/was to

8. In _____ more days, the apricots _____ and we will be able to eat them straight ______
the tree.
A. few/will be ripened/of
B. a few/will have ripened/off
C. just /are/of
D. a few /will have ripe/off
9. _____ James’ excitement when he got the promotion that he _____ out the house,
shouting _____ the top of his voice.
A. So was/ran/in
B. Such had been/run/off
C. So had been/ran/at
D. Such was/ran/at
10. ‘Have you seen these ______ which I ______ in the attic?’ ‘Yes, they ______
fascinating.’
A. interesting, old, black and white photos/found/look
B. old, interesting, white and black photos/have found/look
C. interesting, white and black, old photos/find/are looking
D. black and white, old, interesting photos/found/look
Közel negyed évszázada, mióta a középiskola átköltözött a toronyórás épületbe, amely messze
kimagaslott a város északi részéből, a hatalmas amfiteátrum évente csak háromszor nyitott ki:
iskolakezdéskor, március közepén, amikor az iskola évfordulóját ünnepelte, és tanévzáráskor.
Bármely más ünnepélyt, bármennyire fontos is volt, más helyeken, általában a tornateremben
tartottak. Soha egyetlen igazgató sem merészelte megszegni ezt a hagyományt. Így maradt az
amfiteátrum az iskola legóhajtottabb helye nemcsak azért, mert ritkán nyitotta ki ajtait, hanem
mert komor építészete lélegzetelállító volt.
There is much about the future that keeps me up at night but in the last few years, one
technological threat has blipped my fear radar much faster than others. That fear? Ubiquitous
surveillance. I am no longer sure that human civilization can undo or evade living under
constant, extravagantly detailed physical and even psychic surveillance; as a species, we are
not doing nearly enough to avoid always being watched or otherwise digitally recorded. Your
location, your purchases, video and audio from within your home and office, your online
searches and every digital wandering, biometric tracking of your face and other body parts, your
heart rate and other vital signs, your every communication, recording, and perhaps your
deepest thoughts or idlest dreams — in the future, if not already, much of this data and more will
be collected and analyzed by some combination of governments and corporations, among them
a handful of mega-companies whose powers nearly match those of governments.
Why am I so pessimistic? Over the last year I’ve participated in experiments in which my
devices were closely monitored in order to determine the kind of data that was being collected
about me. The experiments have given me new insight into the psychology underpinning
surveillance; I’ve realized how blind we are to the kinds of insights tech companies are gaining
about us through our gadgets. Our blindness not only keeps us glued to privacy-invading tech
— it also means that we’ve failed to create a political culture that is in any way up to the task of
limiting surveillance.

Indeed, because of a scarcity of laws protecting our privacy — and almost no high-profile
political discussion about the stakes at hand — Americans are sleepwalking into a frightening
future. I choose the word “sleepwalking” deliberately, because when it comes to digital privacy,
a lot of us prefer the comfortable bliss of ignorance. As a result, much of the surveillance engine
operates underground — just beyond where many of us dare to look.
Like a lot of people, I’ve long justified my apathy about privacy through innocence: I’m a
stand-up guy — what do I have to hide? Sure, I’m not a criminal — but do I want anyone to
learn everything about me? Because those are the stakes. The remaining uncertainty about the
surveillance state is not whether we will submit to it — only how readily and completely, and
how thoroughly it will warp our society. In the future, will there be room for any true secret — will
society allow any unrecorded thought or communication to evade detection and commercial
analysis? How completely will living under surveillance numb creativity and silence radical
thought? Can human agency survive the possibility that some companies will know more about
all of us than any of us can ever know about ourselves? I’m worried we’ll soon be forced to find
out. (www.mysanantonio.com)
1. In the first paragraph, the author voices his concern about

A. the development of surveillance technologies.
B. the lack of technological progress in medicine.
C. the possibility that mega-corporations will overthrow governments.
D. the data that governments might collect data from private corporations.
2. The experiments mentioned in the text

A. were of a psychological nature, which explains the author’s pessimism.
B. had to be interrupted because of political reasons.
C. showed that we are unaware of the extent of surveillance.
D. demonstrated that gadgets are highly detrimental to the eyes.
3. According to paragraph three

A. American politicians are ignorant of technical matters.
B. Americans are not aware of the implications of data collection.
C. surveillance is carried out illegally.
D. Americans choose to ignore the extent to which they are supervised.
4. Which of the following sentences is NOT true, according to the text?

A. Society will be distorted by constant and complete surveillance.
B. Law-abiding citizens are exempt from surveillance.
C. It is likely that people will be denied any privacy.
D. A surveillance state will be accepted by people.
5. The purpose of the article is to

A. To raise awareness of the implications of surveillance.
B. To explain why surveillance is necessary nowadays.
C. To persuade the government to take action against mega-companies.
D. To discourage readers from using technology.
II. Privacy is a basic human need. Has its meaning changed throughout the ages? Write
an opinion essay. (250-280 words). 50 points

Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare – 2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XII-a - SECȚIUNEA B

I. Read the text below and do the tasks that follow. (20 points)
Stuff: The psychological power of possessions
‘HAVE nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’ This was a
golden rule for those struggling to furnish or redecorate their homes, offered by William Morris, a 19 th
century British textile designer. Insightful as it sounds, Morris’s advice turns out to be rather impractical –
our relationship to the things we own goes far beyond utility and aesthetics. Morris’s contemporary, the
psychologist William James, had a notion why. Our possessions, he argued, define who we are.
Our ability to imbue things with rich meaning begins early in life, and matures with us as we age. A 1977
survey of multiple generations of families in Chicago revealed that older people tend to prize objects that
spur memories and reflection, whereas younger people value their utilitarian aspects. That may be the
case in the digital era as well. Sociologist Eugene Halton, who conducted the survey, speculated recently
that though younger people today may prize their smartphone above all these, it is unlikely to be an
enduring attachment.
The inclination to value things we own beyond what others think they are worth is known in psychology as
the ‘endowment effect’. Just imagining that something is ours makes it seem more valuable and is what
drives us to acquire it in the first place, says Marsha Richins at the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Thus, we are more likely to buy a coat once we have tried it on as we visualise how it will change us.
Richins found that we have ‘transformation expectations’ about newly acquired purchases, expecting them
to enhance both our lives and the way we are viewed by others. It’s a tendency expertly exploited by
advertisers, she says.
Of course, we are all materialistic to some extent and we do get a boost of happiness from buying things,
though studies show that those who routinely seek out material things to make them happy may be
struggling to find fulfilment in other aspect of their lives, such as relationships. However, interestingly, while
it is widely believed that there is a vicious cycle in which loneliness leads to materialism and vice versa, a
study in the Netherlands by Rik Pieters found that: ‘contrary to popular beliefs about the perils of
materialism, the pursuit of material possessions…. may not actually be detrimental to consumer well-being
when kept within certain limits.’
1. In the first paragraph, what point does the writer make about William Morris’s golden rule?
2. In the second paragraph, what point is made about the younger people and their possessions?
3. According to Marsha Richins, what can be said about our joy in owning an item?
4. What was Rik Pieters’ study able to show?
Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a XII-a secțiunea B

Pagina 1 din 3
B. Choose the synonym for the words given below, according to their meaning in the text.
6 points
1. to imbue: a. to soak b. to brew c. to instil d. to add colour
2. to spur a. to stimulate b. to increase c. to encourage d. to provide
3. detrimental: a. prejudicial b. disadvantageous c. efficacious d. mischievous
1. Our possessions define who we are.

It is ______________________________________by.
2. We are more likely to buy a coat once we have tried it on, as we visualise how it will change us.
We would more likely buy a coat once we have tried it on if ___________________ change us.
3. Contrary to popular beliefs about the perils of materialism, the pursuit of material possessions may not
actually be detrimental to consumer well-being.
It ______________________________________that the pursuit of material possessions may not
actually be detrimental to consumer well-being, which is not true.
Over a year, a (1) _____ (SUBSCRIBE) to our magazine will save you $21 compared with making a
monthly purchase at the newsagent’s. There are several methods of (2) _____ (PAY) - cheque, credit card
or direct debit. Our (3) _____ (ADMINISTER) costs are much lower if you pay by direct debit, so there is a
(4) _____(REDUCE) of $2 in the price you pay – a total (5) _____ (SAVE) $23 over the year. (Please note
that this is extra discount is (6) _____ (APPLY) if you pay the special student rate.) If you choose this
method, you don’t have to worry about (7) _____ (NEW) because your bank will (8) _____ (AUTOMATIC)
transfer the money once a year. We will send you a (9) ____ (REMIND) a few weeks in advance. You
can cancel at any time and will receive a full refund on any (10) _____ (POST) copies.
Da, bineînțeles că o să vă întoarceți în Narnia într-o bună zi. Dar nu încercați să mergeți pe același drum
de două ori. Ba chiar nici nu mai încercați să ajungeți acolo. O să se întâmple când nu vă așteptați. Și nu
vorbiți prea mult despre asta, nici măcar între voi. Și nici nu povestiți nimănui decât dacă aflați că au avut
aventuri asemănătoare. Ce anume? De unde o să știți? O să aflați voi cumva. Lucrurile ciudate pe care le
vor spune – chiar și privirea – îi vor da de gol. Stați cu ochii larg deschiși. „Doamne, ce-i învață pe copii la
școală în zilele noastre?“
Și aici chiar se termină povestea aventurii din șifonier. Dar dacă Profesorul a avut dreptate, înseamnă că
acesta a fost doar începutul aventurilor din Narnia.
I.For each question decide which answer (A, B, C or D) fits best according to the text. 10 points
Then, with the onset of winter, the rain came down in sheets. It was refreshing at first and a welcome break
from the dust and the flies, but soon the fields and paths turned to mud beneath us. The squadron could no
longer bivouac in the dry for there was little enough shelter and so both man and horse were constantly
soaked to the skin. There was little or no protection from the driving rain, and at night we stood now in cold,
oozing mud.

Pagina 2 din 3
But Trooper Warren looked after me with great devotion, finding shelter for me wherever and whenever he
could, rubbing some warmth into me with wisps of dry straw and ensuring that I always got a good ration of
oats in my nosebag to keep me going. As the weeks passed his pride in my strength and stamina became
obvious to everyone, as did my affection for him. If only, I thought, if only he could just care for me and
someone else could ride me. My Trooper Warren would talk a great deal about how the war was going. We
were, he said, to be withdrawn to reserve camps behind our own lines. The armies it appeared had
pounded each other to a stand-still in the mud and had dug in. In the spring, he said, we would be needed
again to break the deadlock. The cavalry could go where the infantry could not and were fast enough to
overrun the trenches. Joey, we’d show the infantry how to do it, he said.
But there was the winter to survive before the ground became hard enough again for the cavalry to be used
effectively. During that awful winter so many of the horses went off to the veterinary hospital and never
came back. The weaker ones amongst us suffered first, for they had little resilience and went downhill fast.
But Topthorn and I came through to the spring, Topthorn surviving a severe cough that shook his whole
massive frame as if it was trying to tear the life out of him from the inside. It was Captain Stewart who
saved him, feeding him up with a hot mash and covering him as best he could in the bleakest weather.
1. The narrator is
A. the omniscient writer.
B. a horse.
C. an officer.
D. a trooper
2. According to the narrator, Trooper Warren

A. is the person who grooms him.
B. is the person who rides him
C. both grooms and rides him.
D. is his best friend.
3. According to the text, Trooper Warren

A. considered the war would be won by the cavalry.
B. the infantry was better prepared for the war.
C. expected the cavalry to be better than the infantry.
D. the infantry outnumbered the cavalry
4. What does the reader infer about the weaker horses?

A. they could run faster downhill
B. their condition improved if they ran downhill.
C. died first in battle.
D. did not survive the winter
5. The main idea of the text is

A. the connection between horses and soldiers during war time.
B. the connection between horses.
C. the friendship between men in wintertime.
D. horses and men always help one another.
II. Starting from the text above, write an essay reflecting on horses throughout time.
(250-280 words) 50 points

Pagina 3 din 3
Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare – 2020
Probă scrisă
Limba engleză
CLASA a XII-a - SECȚIUNEA B

I. Read the text below and do the tasks that follow. (20 points)
Stuff: The psychological power of possessions
‘HAVE nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’ This was a
golden rule for those struggling to furnish or redecorate their homes, offered by William Morris, a 19 th
century British textile designer. Insightful as it sounds, Morris’s advice turns out to be rather impractical –
our relationship to the things we own goes far beyond utility and aesthetics. Morris’s contemporary, the
psychologist William James, had a notion why. Our possessions, he argued, define who we are.
Our ability to imbue things with rich meaning begins early in life, and matures with us as we age. A 1977
survey of multiple generations of families in Chicago revealed that older people tend to prize objects that
spur memories and reflection, whereas younger people value their utilitarian aspects. That may be the
case in the digital era as well. Sociologist Eugene Halton, who conducted the survey, speculated recently
that though younger people today may prize their smartphone above all these, it is unlikely to be an
enduring attachment.
The inclination to value things we own beyond what others think they are worth is known in psychology as
the ‘endowment effect’. Just imagining that something is ours makes it seem more valuable and is what
drives us to acquire it in the first place, says Marsha Richins at the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Thus, we are more likely to buy a coat once we have tried it on as we visualise how it will change us.
Richins found that we have ‘transformation expectations’ about newly acquired purchases, expecting them
to enhance both our lives and the way we are viewed by others. It’s a tendency expertly exploited by
advertisers, she says.
Of course, we are all materialistic to some extent and we do get a boost of happiness from buying things,
though studies show that those who routinely seek out material things to make them happy may be
struggling to find fulfilment in other aspect of their lives, such as relationships. However, interestingly, while
it is widely believed that there is a vicious cycle in which loneliness leads to materialism and vice versa, a
study in the Netherlands by Rik Pieters found that: ‘contrary to popular beliefs about the perils of
materialism, the pursuit of material possessions…. may not actually be detrimental to consumer well-being
when kept within certain limits.’
1. In the first paragraph, what point does the writer make about William Morris’s golden rule?
2. In the second paragraph, what point is made about the younger people and their possessions?
3. According to Marsha Richins, what can be said about our joy in owning an item?
4. What was Rik Pieters’ study able to show?

Pagina 1 din 3
B. Choose the synonym for the words given below, according to their meaning in the text.
6 points
1. to imbue: a. to soak b. to brew c. to instil d. to add colour
2. to spur a. to stimulate b. to increase c. to encourage d. to provide
3. detrimental: a. prejudicial b. disadvantageous c. efficacious d. mischievous
1. Our possessions define who we are.

It is ______________________________________by.
2. We are more likely to buy a coat once we have tried it on, as we visualise how it will change us.
We would more likely buy a coat once we have tried it on if ___________________ change us.
3. Contrary to popular beliefs about the perils of materialism, the pursuit of material possessions may not
actually be detrimental to consumer well-being.
It ______________________________________that the pursuit of material possessions may not
actually be detrimental to consumer well-being, which is not true.
Over a year, a (1) _____ (SUBSCRIBE) to our magazine will save you $21 compared with making a
monthly purchase at the newsagent’s. There are several methods of (2) _____ (PAY) - cheque, credit card
or direct debit. Our (3) _____ (ADMINISTER) costs are much lower if you pay by direct debit, so there is a
(4) _____(REDUCE) of $2 in the price you pay – a total (5) _____ (SAVE) $23 over the year. (Please note
that this is extra discount is (6) _____ (APPLY) if you pay the special student rate.) If you choose this
method, you don’t have to worry about (7) _____ (NEW) because your bank will (8) _____ (AUTOMATIC)
transfer the money once a year. We will send you a (9) ____ (REMIND) a few weeks in advance. You
can cancel at any time and will receive a full refund on any (10) _____ (POST) copies.
Igen, természetesen visszatértek majd egy nap Narniába. Narnia egykori királyaként mindig Narnia királya
maradsz. De sose próbáljátok ugyanazt az utat kétszer választani. Valóban, meg se próbáljatok oda eljutni.
Akkor fog megtörténni, amikor nem is keresitek. És ne beszéljetek erről túl sokat, még egymás között sem.
Meg se említsétek senkinek, hacsak nem volt hasonló kalandja. Mi is az? Honnan fogjátok tudni? Nos,
rájössztök majd. A furcsa dolgok, amelyeket majd mesélnek - meg a tekintetük - elárulja majd őket.
Tartsátok nyitva a szemetek. Ejha, miket tanítanak manapság az iskolákban?
És itt valóban véget ér a ruhásszekrény kalandja. De ha a professzornak igaza volt, Narnia kalandjai csak
most kezdődtek.
I.For each question decide which answer (A, B, C or D) fits best according to the text. 10 points
Then, with the onset of winter, the rain came down in sheets. It was refreshing at first and a welcome break
from the dust and the flies, but soon the fields and paths turned to mud beneath us. The squadron could no
longer bivouac in the dry for there was little enough shelter and so both man and horse were constantly
soaked to the skin. There was little or no protection from the driving rain, and at night we stood now in cold,
oozing mud.

Pagina 2 din 3
But Trooper Warren looked after me with great devotion, finding shelter for me wherever and whenever he
could, rubbing some warmth into me with wisps of dry straw and ensuring that I always got a good ration of
oats in my nosebag to keep me going. As the weeks passed his pride in my strength and stamina became
obvious to everyone, as did my affection for him. If only, I thought, if only he could just care for me and
someone else could ride me. My Trooper Warren would talk a great deal about how the war was going. We
were, he said, to be withdrawn to reserve camps behind our own lines. The armies it appeared had
pounded each other to a stand-still in the mud and had dug in. In the spring, he said, we would be needed
again to break the deadlock. The cavalry could go where the infantry could not and were fast enough to
overrun the trenches. Joey, we’d show the infantry how to do it, he said.
But there was the winter to survive before the ground became hard enough again for the cavalry to be used
effectively. During that awful winter so many of the horses went off to the veterinary hospital and never
came back. The weaker ones amongst us suffered first, for they had little resilience and went downhill fast.
But Topthorn and I came through to the spring, Topthorn surviving a severe cough that shook his whole
massive frame as if it was trying to tear the life out of him from the inside. It was Captain Stewart who
saved him, feeding him up with a hot mash and covering him as best he could in the bleakest weather.
1. The narrator is
A. the omniscient writer.
B. a horse.
C. an officer.
D. a trooper
2. According to the narrator, Trooper Warren

A. is the person who grooms him.
B. is the person who rides him
C. both grooms and rides him.
D. is his best friend.
3. According to the text, Trooper Warren

A. considered the war would be won by the cavalry.
B. the infantry was better prepared for the war.
C. expected the cavalry to be better than the infantry.
D. the infantry outnumbered the cavalry
4. What does the reader infer about the weaker horses?

A. they could run faster downhill
B. their condition improved if they ran downhill.
C. died first in battle.
D. did not survive the winter
5. The main idea of the text is

A. the connection between horses and soldiers during war time.
B. the connection between horses.
C. the friendship between men in wintertime.
D. horses and men always help one another.
II. Starting from the text above, write an essay reflecting on horses throughout time.
(250-280 words) 50 points

Pagina 3 din 3

Subiecte Engleza 2019-2020

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Subiecte Engleza 2019-2020

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ministerul Educaţiei și Cercetării

Centrul Naţional de Evaluare şi Examinare

Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare - 2020

• Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

SUBIECTUL I – USE OF ENGLISH (25 points)

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a VII-a

SUBIECTUL al II-lea – READING COMPREHENSION (25 points)

Video games are good for you!

1. The main idea of the text is to present

2. When expert gamers play computer games

A. their brain functions four times faster than it usually does.

A. the fear of making mistakes.

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a VII-a

A. they are not at all interested in technology.

5. When playing with multiple players you

A. work together to finish the task.

SUBIECTUL al III-lea – WRITING (50 points)

Write a narrative essay beginning like this:

• you don’t need to write long descriptions;

1. Introduction (paragraph 1 – set the scene)

Don’t count the words given in the beginning.

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a VII-a

Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare - 2020

• Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a VIII-a

2. What changed after the experience of two world wars?

3. What is suggested about the United Nations?

4. The E.U. is now comprised of

5. What does the writer's tone in the final paragraph suggest?

SUBIECTUL al III-lea –WRITING (50 points)

Write a narrative essay ending like this:

• you don’t need to write long descriptions;

1. Introduction (paragraph 1 – set the scene)

Don’t count the given ending.

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a VIII-a

Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare -

CLASA a IX-a - SECȚIUNEA A

• Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

SUBJECT A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)

1. All of us admire his …… (DEVOTE) to his daughter.

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a IX-a secțiunea A

1. A - belated B - last C - latter D - late

IV. Translate the following text into English. 10 points

Un zbor peste Oceanul Atlantic

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a IX-a secțiunea A

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a IX-a secțiunea A

1. In the Backpackerland every new comer

2. According to the article, backpackers

3. Backpackerland exists because

4. Holidaymakers are getting in touch easier and easier because

5. The article is best summed up by

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a IX-a secțiunea A

Etapa județeană/sectoarelor municipiului București a olimpiadelor naționale școlare -

CLASA a IX-a - SECȚIUNEA A

• Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

SUBJECT A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)

1. All of us admire his …… (DEVOTE) to his daughter.

Probă scrisă la limba engleză clasa a IX-a secțiunea A

1. A - belated B - last C - latter D - late

IV. Translate the following text into English. 10 points

Egy repülőút át az Atlanti-óceánon