MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI NAȚIONALE

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – CLASA A XI-A, SECȚIUNEA A

ETAPA PE ȘCOALĂ
30.01.2023

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

Hi Anita,
I wish I (1) _________ (say) that I was having a wonderful time here, but that’s far from the
truth. For a start, it was a mistake (2) _________ (come) here at Easter, it’s so crowded you
can’t move. And the second thing is I wish I (3) ___________ (not be) here with my sister.
She (4) _______________ (drive) me mad. She always wants to go shopping and I’d sooner
(5) ___________ (go) for long walks along the cliffs. As you know, we (6) __________
(stay) in a self-catering cottage and she never lifts a finger. I do all the cooking, cleaning, etc.
It’s time she (7) ______ (grow up) and stopped (8) ___________ (act) like a baby. I don’t
know what to do because I don’t want to have a row with her. (9) ___________(suppose) you
were with us, what would you do? Oh, well, from now on I’m going to do what I like. I’m not
going to have my holiday (10) ______ (ruin) by her.
Hopefully, more cheerful news next time I write.
Lots of love,
Carol

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

It is easy to assume that life as a top sports star is both easy and glamorous. But this is to
completely (1) _______ (UNDERSTAND) the reality of what goes on behind the scenes.
From a very early age athletes must be absolutely committed to their sport. But (2) _______
(DETERMINE) on its own is not enough – they need to be very ambitious in order to
succeed, and must never allow themselves to be (3) _______ (COURAGE) by setbacks.
Successful sports stars can, of course, become very (4) _______ (WEALTH), in addition to
being world-famous, but can be at a severe (5) ___________ (ADVANTAGE) in their social
development. It is therefore important to (6) _______ (SURE) that they receive a reasonably
balanced (7) ________ (BRING) and to (8) ___________ (BROAD) their experience beyond
the daily grind of practice and (9) _________ (COMPETE) in order to (10) ________
(ABLE) them to deal with the constant pressures that success can bring.

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

1. „Stau aici de prea multă vreme”, zise duhul. „E timpul ca cineva să deschidă sticla.”
a. ’I have been here for too long’, said the genie. ‘It’s time someone will open the bottle.’
b. ’I was here for too long’, said the genie. ‘It’s time someone had opened the bottle.’
c. ’I have been here for too long’, said the genie. ‘It’s time someone opened the bottle.’
d. ’I am here for too long’, said the genie. ‘It’s time someone opened the bottle.

2. Mă tem că nu te prea distrezi; mai bine du-te acasă.

a. I’m afraid you’re not having much fun; you would better go home.
b. I’m afraid you don’t have much fun; you would rather go home.
c. I’m afraid you’re not having much fun; you had rather go home.
d. I’m afraid you’re not having much fun; you had better go home.

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 MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI NAȚIONALE
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – CLASA A XI-A, SECȚIUNEA A
ETAPA PE ȘCOALĂ
30.01.2023

3. The passive form of ‘Nobody has heard from Tim for a long time’ is:
a. It hasn’t been heard from Tim for a long time.
b. Tim hasn’t been heard from by nobody for a long time.
c. Tim hasn’t been heard from for a long time.
d. Anybody hasn’t been heard from Tim for a long time.

4. Complete the following sentence: ‘As we did not know his language, we could not
………….. what the foreigner wanted to tell us.’
a. make out
b. make of
c. make up
d. make about

5. It is the first time that our president has been to Russia, ……………?
a. isn’t he?
b. hasn’t he?
c. isn’t it?
d. hasn’t it?

6. Unlike Romanians, the French……….. tomato salad before the actual meal nowadays.
a. used to eat
b. used to eating
c. are used to eat
d. are used to eating

7. ‘People speak English all over the world’ means:

a. English is being spoken all over the world.
b. English is spoken all over the world.
c. Spoken English is used all over the world.
d. Spoken English is being used all over the world.

8. ‘The company is making money hand over fist. ‘means:

a. It is making money by using force.
b. It can hardly make money.
c. It is making money quickly.
d. It is making money illegally.

9. ‘They made him admit an imaginary guilt.’ means:

a. An imaginary guilt was admitted to him.
b. An imaginary guilt was made to him.
c. He was made to admit an imaginary guilt.
d. He was admitted an imaginary guilt.

10. ‘Somebody stole his car from the car park yesterday.’ means:
a. He had his car stolen from the car park.
b. His car has been stolen from the car park.
c. His car had been stolen from the car park.
d. They had stolen his car from the car park.

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 MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI NAȚIONALE
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – CLASA A XI-A, SECȚIUNEA A
ETAPA PE ȘCOALĂ
30.01.2023

IV. Read the texts below and decide which variant (A, B, C or D) best fits each space.
(1x10=10p)

School punishment

The use of corporal punishment in schools has all but disappeared worldwide. In the UK, the
last time a pupil could get the (1).... was in 1998 in (2).... schools and its use was banned in
the non-fee-paying government schools twelve years earlier in 1986. Nowadays, the (3).... of
punishments available to teachers is still getting smaller. Teachers can still put a child in (4)....
for an hour after school, but they cannot make him write (5).... as this is seen as not
pedagogically sound. Instead, he may be told to pick up litter from the school (6).... or clean
graffiti off classroom furniture. Another option is to send a disruptive pupil to see the head
which usually entails little more than another telling (7)..... Occasionally, in extreme cases
such as the (8).... of younger pupils, the offender can be given a temporary or permanent
(9)..... It is a little ironic that often the punishment for persistent absence or (10).... is also
removal of the pupil from the school.
Recently, however, an increasing number of parents in the UK have started demanding that
schools be allowed to start using physical punishment once more.

1. A) whip B) bamboo C) stick D) cane

2. A) public B) rich C) costly D) exclusive
3. A) range B) rage C) arrow D) divert
4. A) restriction B) inclusion C) detention D) retention
5. A) phrases B) sentences C) lines D) repeats
6. A) land B) grounds C) area D) outline
7. A) off B) out C) tale D) into
8. A) harming B) hurting C) bullying D) caressing
9. A) removal B) refusal C) expulsion D) exclusion
10. A) bunking B) truancy C) joyriding D) skimming

V. Fill the gaps in the text below with ONE suitable word.(1x15=15p)
LIKE CAT AND DOG

People have long been divided (1)........ dog-lovers and cat-lovers, although I should add that
for many people neither animal inspires much emotion (2)........ way. The differences between
cats and dogs are obvious, so can a love of one or the other really tell us anything (3)........ a
person?
Cats are decidedly more independent than dogs and (4)........ less social. This is seen in the
wild, (5)........, apart from lions, all the big cats live solitary lives. Dogs, on the other hand, are
essentially pack animals and (6)........ a clear leader or hierarchy if they are to function
properly. A cat will show little or (7)........ gratitude for its food and shelter, whereas dogs
have been (8)........ to pine to death on the graves of their owners.
So, is it fair to say that cat-lovers are more independent and dog-lovers more slavishly
devoted? It would appear (9)......... In fact, it appears that those who own dogs are more likely
to be leaders in the human world as well as top dog in (10)........ own private pack. Cat-lovers,
by contrast, allow themselves to be (11)........ for granted and, for want of a better word, used
(12)........ those around them.

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 MINISTERUL EDUCAȚIEI NAȚIONALE
OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – CLASA A XI-A, SECȚIUNEA A
ETAPA PE ȘCOALĂ
30.01.2023

It is not yet clear to (13)........ use this information could be put, but it is certain that if you are
interviewing (14)........ a management position, you will be more likely to find a suitable
candidate among the dog-lovers, especially (15)........ who favour the larger, more aggressive
breeds.

VI. Rephrase the following sentences so that the meaning stays the same and using the
word in capitals. You must not change the word in capitals.(2X10=20p)
1. Students must never leave their things unattended in the classroom. ACCOUNT
On________________________ their things unattended in the classroom.

2. It’s a shame we didn’t see the exhibition. HAD

We wish ____________________________________________the exhibition.

3. I’ll talk to her first, then I’ll think about it. WHEN
I’ll think about it_____________________________ to her about it.

4. What he did next really surprised us. ABACK

We ____________________________________by what he did next.
5. They were probably astonished when hearing the news. BEEN
They _________________________ when hearing the news.
6. Sally decided not to stay at home alone and went to a party. INSTEAD
Sally went to a party _______________________________at home alone.
7. It is reported that he is now recovering in hospital. RECOVERY
He is reported______________________ in hospital now.
8. ‘Have you seen my notebook, Lucy?’, Nick asked. SEEN
Nick asked Lucy ______________________________his notebook.

9.’I have forgotten about her birthday’, Paul apologized. FOR

Paul _________________________________ about her birthday.
10. Janice soon recovered from her illness. GET
It __________________________ her illness.

VII. Read the text again and write a for - and - against essay about doing the same job
throughout one’s life. (220-250 words) (25p)