Baccalaureate English National Exam Humanities June 2010: practise the full Moroccan national English exam for the Humanities stream, session June 2010, with interactive questions, instant checking, an answer key and a free PDF with answers. For official information about national exams, visit the Moroccan Ministry of National Education.
Table of Contents
- Practice the exam online
- Answer key (Reading, Language and Writing)
- Exam tips and key vocabulary
- More Baccalaureate English national exams
Baccalaureate English National Exam Humanities June 2010: Interactive Practice
English National Exam — Humanities June 2010
Interactive practice: Reading (15 pts) · Language (15 pts) · Writing (10 pts)
[1] I was walking around on a Saturday afternoon. It was cold and it was starting to rain. I was looking for a restaurant or a café where I could sit and have something to drink. When I saw one, I crossed the street and I was there. I sat at a round table and asked for a cup of coffee. While I was waiting for my order, I realized that there were other people in the place, but I sensed loneliness. I saw their bodies, but I couldn’t feel their souls. That was because their souls didn’t belong to them; instead they belonged to the Internet.
[2] I stood up and walked between the tables. When I came to the biggest computer, I saw a thin, small man sitting in front of it. “I’m Steve”, he finally answered after I had asked him a couple of times what his name was. “I can’t talk with you. I’m busy,” he said. I thought he was working, and I apologized. He didn’t say anything. Before going back to my seat, I wanted to see what he was doing. I stood behind him. He was not working. He was chatting online with somebody – probably someone he didn’t know–and, at the same time, he was playing a computer game – a war game. I was astonished.
[3] Why didn’t Steve want to talk to me? I tried again to communicate with that computer geek, but not a word came out of his mouth. I touched his shoulder, but there was no reaction. I was getting upset. I put my hand in front of the monitor, and he started shouting, “leave me alone!” I took a few steps back. I was ashamed. I wanted to look and see if all those people in the café were looking at me, so I raised my head, but there was nobody interested in what was happening. I walked back to my table, and I noticed everybody was using a computer.
[4] At that moment, I realized that the people in that place were having a cup of coffee and a nice conversation with their machines, not with people. All of them were more interested in having a relationship with the computer, particularly Steve. I wouldn’t want to imagine the future of human beings if they preferred sharing their lives with machines instead of people. I was worried and I sank in my thoughts. I didn’t even realize that the coffee was bad, just as Steve didn’t even realize that there was a person next to him.
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (2 pts)
The best title is:
B. Are these sentences true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
1. The writer went to a café on a sunny day.
2. Steve answered the writer’s question immediately.
3. The people in the café didn’t care about what was going on between Steve and the writer.
C. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
1. Why did the writer apologize?
2. What was Steve busy doing?
3. Why did Steve start shouting?
D. Complete these sentences. (3 pts)
1. The writer felt lonely in the café although
2. When the writer saw that Steve was too busy, he wanted to
3. The writer can’t imagine a future where people
E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 pts)
1. they:
2. machines:
F. Find words in the text that mean the same as: (2 pts)
1. surprised (paragraph 2):
2. computer screen (paragraph 3):
A. Fill in the gaps with the correct phrasal verbs. (2 pts)
set up · come back · calm down · look up · fill in · apply for
I need to this application form. I want to a visa to Canada. I’m going to study management there and hope to a new business when I to Morocco.
B. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense or form. (3 pts)
Bob and David enjoy (watch) science fiction films. Yesterday, they (go) to the cinema, but when they arrived, they found that the film (already / start) . So, they decided to have a walk along the coast.
C. Join the pairs of sentences with the words between brackets. (2 pts)
Jamal spent all the afternoon chatting. He didn’t have time to do his homework. (because)
1.
My friends decided to go on an excursion to the Atlas Mountains. They might face difficulties. (despite)
2.
D. Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given. (4 pts)
What a pity! I didn’t send them the message on time.
If only
“Why don’t you eat more vegetables and fruit?” the doctor said.
The doctor advised the patient
You must send your application before the end of March.
Your application
I don’t have a modem, so I can’t have access to the Internet.
If
E. Give the correct form of the words between brackets. (2 pts)
Active (citizen) can be defined as the (involve) of citizens in public life through their (participate) in the communities’ projects that can (contribution) to the improvement of people’s living conditions.
F. Match the expressions with their appropriate functions. (2 pts)
1. “You’d better do some exercises in the workbook.”
2. “Could you close the window, please?”
Writing: Write an email describing the best place you have visited. (10 pts)
Write an email to your friend describing the best place you have ever visited. (Approximately 250 words)
– Name of the place (city, village, countryside, forest, beach…)
– Time of the visit (weekend, Sunday, holidays, summer…)
– Characteristics (attractive, nice, interesting, modern, traditional…)
– Your feelings (happy, satisfied, unforgettable, memorable…)
Answer key: Reading, Language and Writing
Reading
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (2 pts)
c. Computer addiction
Steve and the other people in the cafe prefer computers to people.
B. Are these sentences true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
- False. “It was cold and it was starting to rain.” (paragraph 1)
- False. “…he finally answered after I had asked him a couple of times what his name was.” (paragraph 2)
- True. “There was nobody interested in what was happening.” (paragraph 3)
C. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
- Because he thought Steve was working and he had disturbed him.
- He was chatting online with somebody and playing a (war) computer game at the same time.
- Because the writer put his hand in front of the monitor.
D. Complete these sentences. (3 pts)
- …there were other people in the place.
- …see what he was doing (so he stood behind him).
- …prefer sharing their lives with machines instead of people.
E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 pts)
- The souls (of the people in the café)
- Computers
F. Find words in the text that mean the same as: (2 pts)
- astonished
- monitor
Language
A. Fill in the gaps with the correct phrasal verbs. (2 pts)
fill in · apply for · set up · come back
B. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense or form. (3 pts)
watching · went · had already started
C. Join the pairs of sentences with the words between brackets. (2 pts)
- Jamal didn’t have time to do his homework because he spent all the afternoon chatting.
- My friends decided to go on an excursion to the Atlas Mountains despite the difficulties they might face.
D. Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given. (4 pts)
- If only I had sent them the message on time.
- The doctor advised the patient to eat more vegetables and fruit.
- Your application must be sent before the end of March.
- If I had a modem, I could have access to the Internet.
E. Give the correct form of the words between brackets. (2 pts)
citizenship · involvement · participation · contribute
F. Match the expressions with their appropriate functions. (2 pts)
- suggesting
- requesting
Writing
Writing: Write an email describing the best place you have visited. (10 pts)
Dear Hamza,
How are you? I am writing to tell you about the best place I have ever visited. Last summer, my family and I spent a week in Chefchaouen, a small city in the north of Morocco.
The city is very attractive. All the houses are painted in blue and white, and the streets are narrow and traditional. The weather was nice and the people were friendly. We visited the old medina, walked in the mountains and tasted delicious local food.
I felt happy and relaxed, and it was an unforgettable holiday. I hope we can go there together one day.
Write to me soon.
Your friend,
Karim
Download the full exam (Reading, Language and Writing) with the answers as a PDF.
Source: Moroccan Baccalaureate English National Exam, Humanities, June 2010 session. The score counts only the questions that can be checked automatically; open answers (chart, sentences, dialogues, writing) are for self-checking against the model answers. More than one correct answer is often possible.
Exam Tips and Key Vocabulary
What this exam tests
The reading text of the June 2010 Humanities exam is about Steve and computer addiction in a café. The paper tests Reading, Language and Writing, so read the text twice before answering and base every answer on the text.
Key vocabulary from the text
- addiction: إدمان
- astonished: مندهش
- monitor: شاشة الحاسوب
- geek: مهووس بالحواسيب
- loneliness: وحدة
- ashamed: خجلان
- shoulder: كتف
- machine: آلة
- relationship: علاقة
- realize: يدرك
Grammar points in this exam
- Phrasal verbs (fill in, apply for, set up, come back)
- Gerund and past perfect
- Linking words (because, despite)
- If only, reported advice, passive and conditionals
- Word formation (citizenship, involvement) and language functions
Revise these structures: the Language section of this exam is built on them.
Writing tips
The writing task asks for an email to a friend about the best place you have visited. Greet your friend, name the place, say when you went, describe it and say how you felt.
FAQ
Where can I download this exam with answers?
Use the download button under the exam: the PDF contains the original exam pages and a one-page answer key.
Are the answers on this page official?
No. They are model answers written for practice; any appropriate answer is accepted.
