Haret Hreik Public High School Mount of Lebanon , Baabda

School No: 124 Date: - January, 2015

Grade: 8, Section ….. English Language Mid Term Exam Time Allotted: 120 minutes
Name: __________________ Ts: Linda Osman&Faten Mazbouh

Part One: Reading ( Score:12)

Read the following text in which the author narrates how, despite her old age , she succeeded in overcoming her fears and made it up to
the to the top of Vernal Falls. When you are through with the reading part, answer the questions that follow.

Hike of a Life time up the John Muir Trail

1- Mother’s blue eyes sparkled as she gathered the family around with a vacation idea: “I hear there are wonderful
hiking trails in the Yosemite Valley. You know, my calf muscles are still strong from hiking the mountains as a
child. Seems like we should give it a try.”

2- It was long time ago. We weren’t an outdoorsy family, but we agreed to try it. Once we were there, we adored
the evening campfire programs and roasting s’ mores. Swimming, rafting and horseback riding were all such fun.
But hiking was another matter entirely.

3- Still, Mother talked me into hiking up the John Muir Trail to the Vernal Falls Bridge. She was in her mid-50s
and I was in my 20s. To real hikers like Mother, this was an easy walk. To me it was a steep, winding climb that
seemed never to end. When we finally reached the bridge, I couldn’t wait to start back down.

4- Years later, my husband and I began to explore the valley, and a new sense of wonder and appreciation
enveloped me. We found special pleasure in leaving the crowded campgrounds for little-used back roads. Walking
atop logs and playing in streams made us feel young again. We gathered pinecones and little snips from cedar trees
to fill our camper with aromatic odors.

5- One morning I decided there would never be a better time to challenge myself. So at the age of 75, I set out to
hike to the top of Vernal Falls. Fellow campers were just waking as I reached Happy Isles and the beginning of the
Mist Trail. I was standing at about 4,000 feet, and Vernal was at 5,000 feet.

6- This time, when I reached the bridge Mother and I had attained so many years ago, it was with an entirely
different perspective. Camera in hand, I didn’t want to miss a thing—not the rushing water, the rainbow over the
falls nor fellow hikers from all around the world.

7- A lady from the Netherlands said, “Here, you should try some delicious chocolate to keep up your energy.” A
pastor leading a small church group up the mountain gave me a lesson in breathing at higher altitudes and asked if
I’d like to join his group. “No, but I thank you for asking,” I replied.

8- As youngsters leaped easily over the ascending granite stones, I braced each step with my hand, pushing hard on
my knee for support. When I finally climbed the last of those 500 steps to the summit, a group at the top clapped
and shouted, “You did it!”

9- I have learned that you can’t compare yourself with anyone, or shy away from a challenge just because others—
like your own mother, for instance—might do it better. If I had kept thinking the way I did in my 20s, I would
have missed a marvelous adventure

Questions
A- Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences of your own. (4pts.)
1- How old was the author when she decided to take the challenge up to the top of Vernal Falls?
2- State whether or not the author has any experience in hiking. Provide evidence from the text.
3- Explain what this challenge taught the author.
4- Describe the author's character in reference to the text. Give Evidence.

B- Complete the map below as indicated with information from the text.Copy the chart in your booklet
(2pts)

Main characters
Setting: Time
Place
Problem
Solution

C. Use numbers to sequence the events according to the order they happened in the story.(1.25pts)
----- The other campers were still asleep when she started her way to the Happy Isles.
----- When she finally arrived to the summit, everyone clapped for her.
------ She took pictures for everything around her.
----- The author decided to make it to the top of the Vernal Falls.
----- She used all her energy to reach to the top.

D. The following statements are false because they misinterpret the information presented or implied in the
text. Rewrite them correctly. (1 pt)
1- The author probably wrote this selection to inform us about the John Muir Trail.
2- It was difficult for the mother to hike.

E. Complete the table below with descriptive details that appeal to the senses in reference to the selection.
(0.75pts)
Paragraphs Senses Descriptive language
1 Sight
4 Smell
7 Taste

E. Vocabulary (1.5pts)
Find in the text the words that roughly have the same meaning as :
1- Very high ( paragraph 3) 2- Discover ( p. 4) 3- Jumped ( p.8)

F.Correct the ONE grammatical mistake in each of the following sentences. (1.5pts)
1- All the campers sing and dancing at this moment.
2- Last weekend, I going in a trip with my parents to Faraya.
3- Emma doesn't enjoys hiking.

Writing (8pts)
The author believed in her abilities and challenged herself despite old age .
In a well-organized personal narrative essay , recall an experience through which you succeeded at something
that was hard for you to do. Shed light on the challenges faced, the support received, the results achieved and the
lessons learned. Your essay will be assessed for content and form.
Fill in the graphic organizer before you start writing the essay .

Main characters
Setting: Time
Place
Problem
 Solution
Lesson learned
(organizer: 2pts content: 4pts language:2pts)

Answer Key

Part A

1- The author was 75 when she decided to take the challenge up to the top of Vernal Falls. (0.5pts)

2- The author has an experience in hiking. In paragraph 3,she narrates how she used to hike with her mother up to the bridge.
(05 for the correct answer, 0.5 for the evidence))

3- The author has learned that she can’t compare herself with anyone, or shy away from a challenge just because
others—like her own mother, for instance—might do it better.(1pt)
4- The author is brave, she is courageous enough to take a challenge that is difficult to be done by someone in her
age. She is also persistent, she puts for herself a goal and she insists on accomplishing it. (0.5 pts for each trait, 0.5
for language and explanation)
B-
Main characters The author and her mother ( 0.5pts)
Setting: Time: One morning( 0.25 pts)
Place: Yosemite Valley, John Muir Trail to the top of Vernal Falls(0.25pts)
Problem When the author was young she used to be afraid of hiking.(0.5pts)
Solution At the age of 75, she succeeded in overcoming this fear, and she made it up to the top
of Vernal Falls.(0.5pts)

C..(1.25pts, 0.25 each )

2- The other campers were still asleep when she started her way to the Happy Isles. 5-
When she finally arrived to the summit, everyone clapped for her. 3- She took
pictures for everything around her. 1 - The author
decided to make it to the top of the Vernal Falls. 4- She used all her
energy to reach to the top.

D- (0.5pts each)

1- The author probably wrote this selection to entertain us .

2- To real hikers like her mother, this was an easy walk.

E- (0.25 pts each)

Paragraphs Senses Descriptive language

1 Sight wonderful
4 Smell Aromatic odors
7 Taste delicious

E. Vocabulary (0.5pts each)

1- Very high ( paragraph 3) : steep 2- Discover ( p. 4) : explore 3- Jumped ( p.8):leaped

F. (1.5pts)
1- All the campers are singing and dancing at this moment.
2- Last weekend, I went in a trip with my parents to Faraya.
3- Emma doesn't enjoy hiking.