Bac Blanc 2012 -Literary Streams- Topic2+Correction

Third Term Examination
PART I :. Reading
a- Comprehension Read the text carefully then do the activities

Do you want to study in High School or in College? These two options are very dissimilar, although in both you can learn a lot. These differences include homework, tests, and attendance policies.
The first difference is homework. In High School, most teachers will assign you to turn in your homework late if you give them an excuse such as "I forgot it at home" or "It is in my locker". In contrast, in College if you give your professor one of these excuses, they will say "Too bad" and you do not have another opportunity.
Another difference is the tests. There are also a lot of tests in High School; usually, there is a test every week or two. Although in College there are more tests, the work is not hard. Most of the time you will read aloud in class or go over every point of the homework so, there is no question of what you have to do.
The last difference is the attendance policies. In High School the teachers are always on you about attendance; that is, if you miss too many days, you can fail, so if you are not in class, they want to know why; in addition, they probably call your parents and let them know that you were not in class. On the contrary, in College the teachers do not care whether or not you are in class; it means that if you are not there, you are going to get a failing grade, so you have to be responsible to succeed. It is up to you.
To conclude, the main differences between High School and College are the assignments, exams, and absences. The High School’s teachers teach the students the responsibility by making them do their homework and by monitoring their attendance and College students are expected to have it. So, in my personal opinion, I prefer High School because I need more attention.

1- Circle the letter that corresponds to the right answer:
The text is: a) Prescriptive b) argumentative c) narrative d) expository

2- Are the following statements True or False?
a) Studying in high school or in college is alike.
b) In both high school and college, students can learn a lot.
c) Teachers in college are not interested in students’ attendance.
d) The writer needs more attention from the part of his teachers.

3- Answer the following questions according to the text:
a) Do high school and college differ in wearing uniforms?
b) Do teachers in high school care about students’ daily attendance?
c) What do students do most of the time in college?
d) What do high school’s teachers teach students?
e) Which school does the writer prefer?

4- Choose the title that best suits the reading passage:
a) Differences between High School and College
b) Education in England
c) School uniforms
b- Text Exploration:

1- Find in the text words closest in meaning to the following:
§1) different §2) chance §3) coursework §4) presence
2- Complete the following chart as shown in the example:
Verbs Nouns Adjectives
To care Care careful
…………….. …………….. Different
Education ……………..
To prefer …………….. ……………..

3-Re-write sentence “B” so that it means the same as sentence “A” :
a) If you don’t attend your school regularly, you’ll fail the year.
b) Unless…………………………………………………………………….
a) She said: “I prefer High School because I need more attention.”
b) She said that………………………………………………….

4- Fill in the gaps so that the passage with only FOUR words from the list :
( from – that – technology – society – can )
The information age is invading our ………(1)…….. with technological tools, which sometimes prevents us ………(2)………. doing things we used to do. However, technology ………(3)…….. never replace the pleasure and the happiness I feel when I read a book. It is a hobby ……(4)……….. is worth preserving, isn’t it?

5- Classify the following words according to the pronunciation of their final “s”:
Options – differences – tests – teachers – excuses – weeks
/s/ /z/ /iz/


PART II: Written Expression
Choose one of the following topics and write a composition of about 80 words.
Topic one:
Write a letter to a pen pal telling him/her about the Algerian secondary schooling and your studies. Use the following hints.
• Tell about Algerian schooling in general
• Difference from primary to middle schooling
• Subjects studied in high schools
• Baccalaureate exam (how and when it takes place, how long it lasts, tested subjects…)

Topic two:
“Education should be a preparation for life”. Do you agree with the writer?
Write a short paragraph illustrating your opinion. Say if you are satisfied with the kind of education you are receiving. If not, what are the reforms you can bring to make it better?