Baccalaureate English National Exam Humanities July 2010: practise the full Moroccan national English exam for the Humanities stream, session July 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 July 2010: Interactive Practice
English National Exam — Humanities July 2010
Interactive practice: Reading (15 pts) · Language (15 pts) · Writing (10 pts)
[1] Latifa became a disabled person due to a serious illness that caused her paralysis in her early childhood. When she was nineteen years old, she lived in a remote village in the Rif Mountains. As one of six children in a poor family of a labourer, she got married at the age of 16. At that time, she was hardly able to walk by herself. However, this marriage could not last for long. Very soon, Latifa’s husband and his parents abandoned her, blaming her for her physical handicap. Later, her husband divorced her and got married again. With a sense of rejection and despair, she went back to her parents’ home.
[2] When her village was selected for a women literacy project, Latifa got in contact with the teachers in this project. When they talked to her and to some women in the village, she immediately joined literacy classes. This changed her life completely. Guidance, care, and affection of the teachers helped build her personality. She emerged as a leader of girls, helping them to study and come out of their isolation for a new life.
[3] Later on, Latifa, who had to use a wheelchair to move, joined a programme organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sport for the benefit of the disabled. She learnt traditional embroidery in a two- month training programme, and began earning money from making tablecloths and napkins. Latifa became the breadwinner in her family.
[4] Latifa took the initiative and set up an association of young boys and girls of her village. When drought hit the village and water became scarce, she wrote letters to German non-governmental organizations asking them for help. She cannot forget the day when a caravan of cars and trucks arrived in the village. She was cheered by the villagers when water started to pour out of a fountain designed by a German engineer.
[5] One could see Latifa in her struggle for social justice, leading a group of young people with a sense of confidence in her voice and gestures. She stood up against arranged marriages in rural areas around the village and persuaded parents to send their children to school. She still walks with difficulty, but the confidence of her voice helps her overcome her physical handicap. For her, life has just begun. From a lonely, fragile figure, Latifa is now a good educator and a role model. When people ask her how her life has changed, she points with a smile of gratitude to her old classroom in the farthest corner of her village.
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (2 pts)
The best title is:
B. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
1. How did Latifa become disabled?
2. Where did she live after her divorce?
3. How did the German organizations know about the problem of water in the village?
C. Are these sentences true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
1. Latifa hesitated a lot before joining literacy classes.
2. The training programme helped Latifa to earn money.
3. Latifa encouraged arranged marriages.
D. Complete these sentences. (3 pts)
1. Latifa’s husband and his parents abandoned her because
2. Latifa’s husband got married again after
3. The villagers were happy when
E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 pts)
1. they:
2. them:
F. Find in the text words that mean the same as: (2 pts)
1. returned (paragraph 1):
2. an example to follow (paragraph 5):
A. Give the correct form of the words between brackets. (2 pts)
In many developing countries, international organizations are making great efforts to fight (poor) and help (illiteracy) people to read and write.
B. Fill in each blank with an appropriate collocation. (2 pts)
adult illiteracy · take place · equal opportunity · higher education · take care
1. After the Bac, students can continue their at universities in Morocco or abroad.
2. The teachers’ meeting will in the library at 11 o’clock tomorrow.
C. Rewrite these sentences beginning with the words given. (3 pts)
Yassine had a terrible accident because he didn’t stop at the red light.
If
“I learned English at a language centre,” Jamal said to his teacher.
Jamal told his teacher
Scientists have recently discovered a new vaccine for H1N1.
A new vaccine for H1N1
D. Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense. (3 pts)
After Karim (get) his visa last month, he (go) to France to start a new business. His wife (join) him soon if she gets her visa.
E. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list. (1 pt)
whose · where · who · whom · when
1. This is the house we used to live ten years ago.
2. The architect designed this enormous building is Moroccan.
F. Match the sentences with the appropriate functions. (2 pts)
1. “You’d better revise your lessons regularly.”
2. “I’m sorry to say this, but your dog was barking all night long.”
G. Join the pairs of sentences with the linking words given. (2 pts)
Mr Ferguson’s car broke down on the way. He was late for work. (because)
1.
Sonia went to work yesterday. She was not feeling well. (although)
2.
Writing: Describe an end-of-year school party. (10 pts)
Your school organised a party to celebrate the end of the school year. Write a short article for your school magazine to describe this event. (Approximately 250 words)
– When did the party take place?
– Who participated?
– What activities were there?
– How did you feel about it?
Answer key: Reading, Language and Writing
Reading
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (2 pts)
b. The story of a disabled girl
The text tells how Latifa, a disabled girl, rebuilt her life.
B. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
- A serious illness caused her paralysis in her early childhood.
- She went back to her parents’ home.
- Latifa wrote letters to them asking for help.
C. Are these sentences true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
- False. “She immediately joined literacy classes.” (paragraph 2)
- True. “She learnt traditional embroidery… and began earning money from making tablecloths and napkins.” (paragraph 3)
- False. “She stood up against arranged marriages in rural areas.” (paragraph 5)
D. Complete these sentences. (3 pts)
- …they blamed her for her physical handicap.
- …he divorced her.
- …water started to pour out of a fountain designed by a German engineer.
E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 pts)
- The teachers (of the literacy project)
- German non-governmental organizations
F. Find in the text words that mean the same as: (2 pts)
- went back
- role model
Language
A. Give the correct form of the words between brackets. (2 pts)
poverty · illiterate
B. Fill in each blank with an appropriate collocation. (2 pts)
- higher education
- take place
C. Rewrite these sentences beginning with the words given. (3 pts)
- If Yassine had stopped at the red light, he wouldn’t have had a terrible accident.
- Jamal told his teacher (that) he had learned English at a language centre.
- A new vaccine for H1N1 has recently been discovered by scientists.
D. Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense. (3 pts)
had got · went · will join
E. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words from the list. (1 pt)
- where
- who
F. Match the sentences with the appropriate functions. (2 pts)
- advising
- complaining
G. Join the pairs of sentences with the linking words given. (2 pts)
- Mr Ferguson was late for work because his car broke down on the way.
- Sonia went to work yesterday although she was not feeling well.
Writing
Writing: Describe an end-of-year school party. (10 pts)
An Unforgettable End-of-Year Party
Last Friday, our school organised a party to celebrate the end of the school year. It took place in the school yard in the afternoon, and the whole school took part: students, teachers and even some parents.
There were many activities. Some students sang songs and performed sketches, others played music and danced. There was also a football match between students and teachers, and the headmaster gave prizes to the best students. We ate delicious cakes and drank juice together.
I felt very happy and a little sad, because I will miss my friends and teachers during the holidays. It was a wonderful day that I will never forget.
Download the full exam (Reading, Language and Writing) with the answers as a PDF.
Source: Moroccan Baccalaureate English National Exam, Humanities, July 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 July 2010 Humanities exam is about Latifa, a disabled woman who became a leader in her village. 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
- disabled: ذو إعاقة
- paralysis: شلل
- abandon: يتخلى عن
- despair: يأس
- breadwinner: المعيل
- drought: جفاف
- scarce: نادر
- role model: قدوة
- gratitude: امتنان
- struggle: نضال
Grammar points in this exam
- Word formation (poverty, illiterate)
- Collocations (higher education, take place)
- Third conditional, reported speech and passive
- Past perfect and first conditional
- Relative pronouns, language functions and linking words
Revise these structures: the Language section of this exam is built on them.
Writing tips
The writing task asks for an article describing an end-of-year school party. Say when it took place, who participated, what activities there were and 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.
