Part One: Reading (24pts)

Read the following selection in which the writer sheds light on the effects of pollution on the poor Houston neighborhood . Then
answer the questions that follow.

Environmental Crisis in Poor Houston Neighborhood

1. Residents in southeast Houston are accusing the city authorities of "environmental racism" following
their refusal to clean up an abandoned cleaning facility that some
residents say is affecting their health. Custom Environmental
Services (CES) filed bankruptcy and closed its doors in 2010 after
the facility violated safety regulations and was ordered to pay
millions in compensation to nearby residents.
2 . The company is specialized in emergency response,
environmental deletion and industrial vacuum services in order
to "keep our environment clean, healthy, and safe.” According to
their website, CES had a "proven track record and reputation" for
environmental remediation projects and emergency response situations; however, the company has left
behind an 8-acre neglected facility that's polluting the environment. During its operation, CES cleaned tanker
trucks for oil refineries and chemical plants along the Houston Ship Channel. It also recycled oil and packaged
waste for disposal.
3. A report by the Houston Chronicle states that a heavy downpour washed water polluted with chemicals
into residents' streets and yards a few weeks ago. "The wastewater left a brown stain on my street," said
Roselyn Johnson. "That wastewater smelled horrible." For years, a pool of "goldish yellow-looking" goo has
been sitting in a lagoon of algae-covered water emitting a strong  chemical smell, with nothing but grass and a
cyclone fence separating it from an elementary school.
4. Dozens of South Park neighborhood residents, living near the decayed chemical plant, organized
protests at the beginning of the month with the help of the Texas Organizing Project. Shortness of breath,
nosebleeds, headaches and potentially linked cases of cancer were among the protestor's complaints.
5. Protestors wore surgical masks and carried signs that read, "We have a family and kids; don't dump on
us," and "Clean it up now.” Some parents expressed reluctance in allowing their children to play outside,
concerned that they could be exposed to the toxic waste in the streets." Something like this would not happen
in rich areas like River Oaks," said Mary Moreno, a spokeswoman for the Texas Organizing Project that's
helping voices in the low-income neighbor be heard.
6. "I don't feel we should have to inhale this stuff," said Bobby Wyatt, another resident living near the site.
"It smells like rotten eggs, it makes me sick," said Edgar Thomas, 34, who admitted that he gets about 10
headaches a day.
7. Finally, CES reportedly received more than 200 complaints throughout their 10 years of operation. The
CES even pleaded guilty to violating occupational safety violations in 2013 after an employee was killed at a
sister chemicals there and was ordered to pay a fine and serve a year in prison," reported the  Chronicle.

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A. Answer the following questions in 1- 3 sentences of your own:

1. Identify the two main problems presented in paragraph 1 . (2pts)

2. Find the reasons why South Park neighborhood residents protested .(2pts)
3. How do children in Houston differ from those in River Oaks ?(2pts)

B- 1. Describe the author's tone in paragraph 5 . Support your answer with evidence . (2pts)
2. Identify and explain the figure of speech used in paragraph 6. (2pts)
3. What is the writer`s purpose out of writing the selection? Justify . (2pts)
4. How does the writer achieve credibility in paragraph 3 ?Support your answer with evidence. (2pts)

C- Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE . Then correct the false ones. ( 4pts)

1- CES company had a good reputation for successful environmental projects .

2- CES didn`t clean the tanker trucks and the chemical plants along Houston.
3- Texas Organization Project refused to protest with the residents .
4- Toxic wastes fill both rich and poor areas in Houston .

D-The following is a poor version of paraphrasing the first sentence of paragraph 1 “ Residents…....their
health.” Rewrite it correctly. (2pts)

People in Houston ask the authority to find a solution for their health problems because they are
responsible for it.

E-The table below shows the ratio of emissions from petrol cars in the European Union . Read the table
carefully .Then answer the following question. (2pts)
European Union Emission limits of Petrol Cars (g\Km)

Petrol Date CO HC NO
EURO (I) 1\1\2000 2.30 0.2 0.15
EURO (II) 1\1\2005 1.00 0.10 0.08

1. What do the ratios about the emissions indicate? Explain with evidence from the table .

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 F-Replace the underlined definitions with words similar in meaning from paragraphs 1,2&7
respectively( 2pts)
Conflicts have arisen among the people who live somewhere permanently and the government.
They have asked the authority to clean up the polluted a place for a particular purpose which has been
abandoned for years. Accusing the leaders of not finding process of improving a situation plans for their
problems, people who demonstrate opposition to something organized urgent meetings to solve their
problem.

Part Two: Writing (16pts)

Choose one of the following topics:
Prompt 1:
Lebanon is confronting a broad range of environmental problems. Air pollution , water pollution, land
pollution, garbage crisis and many other environmental issues are causing an ecological damage and
greatly harming every one`s health. In a 250-300 word essay , shed light on one environmental problem
Lebanon is facing examining its causes and its devastating effects on Lebanese citizens. Make sure that, in
your introduction, you put your reader in the general atmosphere of your topic and clearly provide a thesis
statement, and that each of your paragraphs starts with a topic sentence which you back up with relevant
supporting details. Draft, revise, and proofread your essay. Your writing will be assessed for ideas,
language, style, and tidiness.

Prompt 2:
Pollution is one of the dilemmas that people need to overcome for the safety of their upcoming
generations. Choose any environmental issue your country is facing , then in a 250-300 word essay shed
light on the problem and propose practical solutions to its devastating effects to eliminate its dangers.
Make sure that, in your introduction, you put your reader in the general atmosphere of your topic and
clearly provide a thesis statement, and that each of your paragraphs starts with a topic sentence which you
back up with relevant supporting details. Draft, revise, and proofread your essay. Your writing will be
assessed for ideas, language, style, and tidiness.

(Score: 7 pts for ideas and organization, 7 pts for language and style, and 2ptsfor tidiness and legible
handwriting.)

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 Answer key for Environmental crisis in Poor Houston Neighborhood

A-1- The problems presented in paragraph 1 are that Houston citizens health is endangered due to dirty
facilities , the company which is responsible for paying compensations for the citizens there closed its door ,
and the authorities there are not doing their job in cleaning the area .(1 pt for each problem. Only two are
required)
2.Residents in South Park neighborhood protested because they are suffering from shortness of breath,
nosebleeds , headaches, and cases of cancer as a result of the chemical plants established in their areas.
(2pts)
3.Children in Houston aren't allowed to play outside by their parents in fear of being hurt by the toxins in
the streets unlike those living in rich areas like River Oaks who don't fear such toxic wastes.(2pts)
B- 1.The writer` s tone in paragraph 5 is worried about people living in Houston since he mentioned how
parents don't allow their kids to play outside .He is also annoyed and angry about the discrimination these
people are subject to where other areas like River Oaks in the country don't suffer like them. He uses words
like “ don`t dump on us” and “clean it up now" to show how much he is worried and angry. (1pt for each
tone and its justification)
2-The writer employs a simile , he directly compares the smell of the surrounding to the rotten eggs by
using “like”. The common between the surrounding and the rotten egg is the bad and nasty smell. (1pt for
identifying the figure of speech+1 pt for explanation)
3-The writer`s purpose out of writing the selection is to inform about the problem Houston is facing which
is environmental racism and its effects on the residents` health.(1pt for identifying the purpose+1pt for
explanation)
4-The writer achieves credibility in paragraph 3 since he mentions a report by Houston Chronicle
newspaper .He mentions real names like Roselyn Johnson and the name of the news paper "Houston
Chronicle and a quote said by Roselyn Johnson who is one of the residents. (1pt for each evidence.two are
required)
C.1- True
2. False:CES cleaned the tanker trucks and the chemical plants along Houston during its operation.

3. False:Texas Organization Project protested with the residents .

4.False:Toxic wastes filled the streets only in poor areas in Houston . (1pt for each)

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D. In "Environmental crisis in Poor Houston Neighborhood”, the author in the first paragraph in the first
sentence declares that the authority in southeast Houston is responsible for the health hazards the
residents there are suffering from due to its environmental policy represented in refusing to clean the
area after being contaminated.(2pts)
E. The ratios indicate that the emissions of toxic gases like CO,HC, and NO, in EURO in 2000 are higher
than the ratios of emissions in EURO in 2005. This is clear in CO emissions which were 2.3 and declined
into 1 in 2005 .Moreover, The ratio of HC emissions in 2000 is 0.2 ,but it was 0.1 in 2005 . Likewise, the
ratio of NO emissions was 0.15 in 2000 is while it declined to 0.08 in 2005 . (1pt for mentioning that gas
emissions declined+1 for explanation-one example from the table is enough)
F- 1.Residents 2. facility 3.remediation 4.protestors (0.5 pt for each)