Baccalaureate English National Exam Sciences June 2013: practice the Moroccan Bac English national exam online with interactive exercises, instant scoring, an answer key and a free PDF. 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 Sciences June 2013: Interactive Practice
English National Exam — Sciences June 2013
Interactive practice: Reading (15 pts) · Language (15 pts) · Writing (10 pts)
[1] Over the last few months, I have had the privilege of studying the life stories of the world’s billionaires. To my surprise, I found out that many of them started out as poor kids from the neighborhood. Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, is one of them.
[2] Kamprad became a celebrity in early 2004 when a Swedish business magazine reported that he had become the world’s wealthiest person. Some financial experts thought that Swedish media exaggerated Kamprad’s fortune. However, there is no doubt that IKEA is still one of the largest and most successful companies in the world. Its owner may not be the richest person on the planet, but he’s surely one of the richest people of our time.
[3] Kamprad was born in the South of Sweden in 1926 and brought up on a farm near a small village called Agunnaryd. He began to develop a business as a young boy, selling matches to neighbors using his bicycle. He found that he could buy big quantities of matches very cheaply from Stockholm, sell them at a low price and still make a good profit. From matches, he expanded to selling fish, Christmas tree decorations, pens, and pencils.
[4] When Kamprad was 17, his father gave him some money as a reward for doing well at school. Being ambitious, he used this money to expand his business to a variety of goods, including wallets, watches, jewelry, and stockings. Soon, he became unable to serve his numerous customers while riding his bicycle. As a result, he began to use a mail-order operation, renting a car to make his deliveries. As his business grew, Kamprad founded IKEA.
[5] Now, IKEA focuses on manufacturing and selling furniture and is known worldwide for its stylish designs, good quality, and low prices. It has over 200 stores in 31 countries and employs over 75,000 people. It generates over 12 billion dollars in sales annually. In 2012, Ingvar Kamprad was listed as the 5th richest person in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with an estimated fortune of $42.6 billion.
[6] Despite his wealth, Kamprad has a reputation for being very modest. He takes the subway to work and, sometimes, he drives an ordinary Volvo. It is said that when he stays in a hotel, it’s never a five-star one.
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (2 pts)
The best title is:
B. Fill in the chart with the right information from the text. (2 pts)
| Name | Ingvar Kamprad |
| Date and place of birth | |
| Personal qualities |
C. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
What was Kamprad’s first business activity?
Why did he have to rent a car?
What is the estimated wealth of Kamprad?
D. Complete the following sentences. (3 pts)
With the money he got from his father, Kamprad
IKEA is famous for
Kamprad drives an ordinary Volvo although
E. Find in the text words or expressions that mean the same as: (2 pts)
discovered (paragraph 1):
famous person (paragraph 2):
F. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (3 pts)
them (paragraph 1):
It (paragraph 5):
one (paragraph 6):
A. Fill in each gap with an appropriate word from the list. (2 pts)
Kelly often tells funny jokes to her classmates; she has a good sense of …
The pupils were not really … attention to the lesson.
B. Give the correct form of the words between brackets. (2 pts)
The (perform) of Moroccan athletes at the London Paralympics was excellent.
If you need any (inform) , just get in touch with the secretary.
C. Fill in each gap with the appropriate word from the list. (2 pts)
Jack: Is it Allen … will be in charge of the new library?
Henry: Yes. He is the only one … application has been accepted.
D. Rewrite the following sentences as suggested. (3 pts)
“I will move to another town,” Narjiss said.
Narjiss told her neighbor that
They decorated Nancy’s room with balloons and flowers.
Nancy’s room
It’s a pity I didn’t watch the Spanish derby yesterday.
If only
E. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense. (2 pts)
So far, we (finish) the first part.
By the end of this term, we (complete) the whole project.
F. Match each expression with its appropriate function. (2 pts)
Anthropology is the scientific study of people, their societies, and cultures.
“Could you help me with my luggage, please?”
“I’m terribly sorry for the mess I’ve made in the kitchen.”
“For me, developing countries should invest more in education.”
Writing: Write a reply to the following email that you’ve received from your English friend. (10 pts)
Your English friend wrote: “I am having some problems with my parents; they do not let me go out at night, or invite my friends. They are always complaining about my hairstyle, the way I dress or the kind of music I listen to. They are making my life terrible! What about you? Do you have any problems with your parents? How do they treat you? Tell me about your relationship with them.” Write a reply.
Answer key: Reading, Language and Writing
Reading
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (2 pts)
1. Kamprad’s success story
The text follows how Kamprad built IKEA and became one of the richest men in the world.
B. Fill in the chart with the right information from the text. (2 pts)
Date and place of birth: 1926, the South of Sweden (near Agunnaryd)
Personal qualities: ambitious, modest
C. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
- Selling matches to neighbors (using his bicycle).
- Because he was unable to serve his numerous customers while riding his bicycle (to make his deliveries).
- $42.6 billion.
D. Complete the following sentences. (3 pts)
- …expanded his business to a variety of goods (wallets, watches, jewelry and stockings).
- …its stylish designs, good quality, and low prices.
- …he is very rich (he has an estimated fortune of $42.6 billion).
E. Find in the text words or expressions that mean the same as: (2 pts)
- found out
- celebrity
F. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (3 pts)
- The world’s billionaires
- IKEA
- Hotel
Language
A. Fill in each gap with an appropriate word from the list. (2 pts)
- humor
sense of humor is a fixed expression. - paying
pay attention is a fixed expression.
B. Give the correct form of the words between brackets. (2 pts)
- performance
- information
C. Fill in each gap with the appropriate word from the list. (2 pts)
- who
who is the subject and refers to a person. - whose
whose shows possession.
D. Rewrite the following sentences as suggested. (3 pts)
- Narjiss told her neighbor that she would move to another town.
- Nancy’s room was decorated with balloons and flowers.
- If only I had watched the Spanish derby yesterday.
E. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense. (2 pts)
- have finished (present perfect)
- will have completed (future perfect)
F. Match each expression with its appropriate function. (2 pts)
- c. defining
- a. making a request
- d. apologizing
- b. expressing opinion
Writing
Writing: Write a reply to the following email that you’ve received from your English friend. (10 pts)
Dear Sam,
Thanks for your email. I’m fine, and I’m sorry to hear about your problems with your parents.
Fortunately, my relationship with my parents is quite good. They are strict about some things, but they always listen to me. For example, when I want to go out with my friends, I tell them where I am going and when I will be back, so they trust me. I think parents worry about their children, so they sometimes seem unfair.
My advice is to talk to your parents calmly and explain your point of view. You could also ask an older relative or a teacher to help you. I’m sure things will get better.
Write back soon!
Best wishes,
Omar
Download the full exam (Reading, Language and Writing) with the answers as a PDF.
Source: Moroccan Baccalaureate English National Exam, Sciences, June 2013 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.
Baccalaureate English National Exam Sciences June 2013: Exam Tips and Key Vocabulary
This Sciences June 2013 exam is built around a reading text about ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA, followed by language and writing tasks. Use the notes below after you finish the interactive practice, to review what you missed.
What this exam tests
- Reading (15 pts): comprehension questions, true or false with justification, finding synonyms and identifying references.
- Language (15 pts): word forms, vocabulary in context, rewriting sentences, language functions and short exchanges.
- Writing (10 pts): an email on a topic related to the unit.
Key vocabulary from the reading text
- billionaire: مليارير
- fortune: ثروة
- founder: مؤسس
- profit: ربح
- expand: يوسّع
- entrepreneur: مقاول
- modest: متواضع
- celebrity: مشهور
- reputation: سمعة
- generate: يُنتج
Grammar points to review
- Reported speech: shift the tense back and change pronouns and time words (I will come becomes she said she would come).
- Passive voice: be + past participle (The exam was corrected by the teachers).
- Wish clauses: wish + past simple (present) or past perfect (past regret).
- Future perfect: will have + past participle (By the end of June, we will have finished).
Writing tips
- Start with a subject line and a greeting (Dear …), then say why you are writing in the first sentence.
- Develop two or three ideas in short paragraphs, each with a reason or an example, using linking words (First, Moreover, Finally).
- Finish with a polite closing (Best wishes) and your name.
Frequently asked questions
How many points is the Sciences English national exam?
The exam has 40 points: Reading 15, Language 15 and Writing 10.
Where can I find the answers to this exam?
Open the answer key under the exam, or download the exam and answers as a PDF with the button below the practice.
How should I use this page to revise?
Try each exercise first, check your answer, then read the answer key and the tips above. Repeat with other years from the list below.
More Baccalaureate English National Exams (Sciences)
Keep practicing with other years of the Moroccan Bac English national exam:
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Sciences July 2013
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Sciences June 2012
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Sciences June 2014
- All Baccalaureate National Exams
