Baccalaureate English National Exam Arts July 2013: practise the full Moroccan national English exam for the Arts stream, session July 2013, 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 Arts July 2013: Interactive Practice
English National Exam — Arts July 2013
Interactive practice: Reading (15 pts) · Language (15 pts) · Writing (10 pts)
[1] Americans are very energetic and mobile people, always in a hurry, rushing from one appointment to another, from a professional meeting to a social planning committee. They don’t have enough time to prepare everyday meals. Nor can they take their time to have these meals at leisure. In many homes, it is rare for the whole family to sit down at dinner together. Clubs and commitments force them to take a quick meal rather than a sit-down dinner. When the family have the chance to eat at home, the working wife often prefers to prepare meals which can be quickly heated and consumed. It is not surprising, therefore, that America has become famous for fast food consumption.
[2] This great transformation occurred after World War II when many women began to have full-time jobs and were spending less time at home with their families. Women, however; wanted to keep the responsibilities of housewives as well as those of career women. But time became precious and they had to use it carefully. Therefore, it became necessary to make their life easier at home when preparing the family meals.
[3] Simultaneously with women entering the job market, TV replaced radio as a new source of home entertainment. It became the latest fashion in the fifties and no one wanted to miss his or her favorite TV programme. The place for dinner shifted from the dining room to the living room.
[4] The change in customs was followed by a change in culture. The immediate solution was the invention of TV dinners. These were frozen meals which were cut off into portions of meat and vegetables. They could easily be put into an oven and prepared within minutes. They were served in tin trays which were carried into the living room and dinner was consumed in front of a TV set. When dinner was over, the tin trays were thrown in the garbage. So the wife didn’t have to do any washing up.
[5] After fast dinners at home, the next step was quick eating while on the road. This was encouraged by the development of highways. It is not strange that with this development Americans saw the beginning of fast- food chains. McDonalds paved the way with its variety of burgers and milkshakes, and was soon followed by other fast food chains. Today dozens of these chains can be found along highways and in modern shopping malls. They offer pizza, chicken, donuts, and tacos, all quickly produced in great quantities for the masses. These fast-food chains are now part of the American culture. They have given shape to the modern lifestyles of the American people.
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (1 pt)
The best title is:
B. Are these sentences true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
1. American families moved dinner to the living room in order to eat comfortably.
2. Fast food chains appeared as a result of the development of highways.
3. McDonalds was the first fast food chain in America.
C. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
1. Why did many American women begin to spend less time with their families?
2. What did Americans have for TV dinners?
3. Did women have to do the washing up after TV dinners? Explain.
D. Pick out from the text sentences or phrases which show that: (2 pts)
1. American people eat fast food a lot. (paragraph 1)
2. Fast food chains have had an effect on American culture. (paragraph 5)
E. Find in the text words or phrases that mean the same as: (3 pts)
1. oblige (paragraph 1):
2. happened (paragraph 2):
3. finished (paragraph 4):
F. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (3 pts)
1. they (paragraph 1):
2. those (paragraph 2):
3. They (paragraph 5):
A. Fill in each gap with an appropriate word or phrase from the list. (3 pts)
1. Jane: Look! Is that Tim crossing the street?
Rich: No, it Tim. He is on holiday in Turkey.
2. I wish I Leila’s wedding last week. All my friends were there.
finish + -ing
3. Latifa will join us for dinner when she finishes the baby.
B. Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense. (2 pts)
Hicham: Have you ever been to Zagora?
John: No, never. I (visit) Ouarzazate last summer. But I think I (go) to Zagora next holiday.
C. Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given. (2 pts)
“Can you pick up the kids at twelve?” the husband asked.
The husband asked his wife
The company will test a new data system.
A new data system
D. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrasal verbs from the list. (2 pts)
make up · break down · log on · grow up · turn down
1. I can’t the invitation. It’s an opportunity for me to meet some important people.
2. These washing machines are cheap but they quickly .
E. Fill in each gap with an appropriate word from the list. (2 pts)
part · place · rights · disaster · care
1. Immediately after the natural , the government provided the victims with shelter, food, and medicine.
2. The meeting will take tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
F. Join the pairs of sentences with the linking words given. (2 pts)
There is an economic crisis in the country. House prices are still high.
1. (despite)
My grandmother has taken literacy classes. She can now read and write.
2. (thanks to)
G. Match each expression with its appropriate function. (2 pts)
1. “How sad!”
2. “I wonder if you could explain that.”
3. “If I were you, I’d look for another job.”
4. “Sorry to say this, but you’re disturbing all your neighbors.”
Writing: Write a reply to your American friend about Ramadan. (10 pts)
Read this part of an email from your American friend and write a reply.
“I’ve heard that Ramadan is a special month in your country. I’d love to know more about it. Do you really give up eating and drinking during the day? What kind of food do you eat in the evening? Do people work during the day? What do you do in the evening? Are there any special things you do during this month?…” (Approximately 300 words)
Answer key: Reading, Language and Writing
Reading
A. Choose the best title for the passage. (1 pt)
1. Changes in Americans’ eating habits
The text is about how fast food replaced sit-down meals.
B. Are these sentences true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
- False. “TV replaced radio… no one wanted to miss his or her favorite TV programme. The place for dinner shifted from the dining room to the living room.” (paragraph 3)
- True. “This was encouraged by the development of highways.” (paragraph 5)
- True. “McDonalds paved the way… and was soon followed by other fast food chains.” (paragraph 5)
C. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
- Because they began to have full-time jobs.
- Frozen meals: portions of meat and vegetables.
- No, they didn’t, because the tin trays were thrown in the garbage.
D. Pick out from the text sentences or phrases which show that: (2 pts)
- “America has become famous for fast food consumption.”
- “They have given shape to the modern lifestyles of the American people.” / “These fast-food chains are now part of the American culture.”
E. Find in the text words or phrases that mean the same as: (3 pts)
- force
- occurred
- over
F. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (3 pts)
- Americans
- The responsibilities
- Fast-food chains
Language
A. Fill in each gap with an appropriate word or phrase from the list. (3 pts)
- can’t be
- had attended
- feeding
B. Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense. (2 pts)
visited · will go
C. Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given. (2 pts)
- The husband asked his wife if she could pick up the kids at twelve.
- A new data system will be tested by the company.
D. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate phrasal verbs from the list. (2 pts)
- turn down
- break down
E. Fill in each gap with an appropriate word from the list. (2 pts)
- disaster
- place
F. Join the pairs of sentences with the linking words given. (2 pts)
- Despite the economic crisis in the country, house prices are still high.
- Thanks to the literacy classes she has taken, my grandmother can now read and write.
G. Match each expression with its appropriate function. (2 pts)
- responding to bad news
- asking for clarification
- giving advice
- complaining
Writing
Writing: Write a reply to your American friend about Ramadan. (10 pts)
Dear Mark,
Thanks for your email. Yes, Ramadan is a very special month for Muslims in Morocco.
We really give up eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. People still work during the day, but the working hours are shorter. In the evening, we break our fast with dates, milk and harira soup, then we eat chebakia and other sweets. After the meal, families visit each other, and many men go to the mosque for the special Tarawih prayers.
During this month we also give charity to the poor, and we spend more time with our families. It is a month of sharing and spirituality.
Write to me soon.
Best wishes,
Salma
Download the full exam (Reading, Language and Writing) with the answers as a PDF.
Source: Moroccan Baccalaureate English National Exam, Arts, July 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.
Exam Tips and Key Vocabulary
What this exam tests
The reading text of the July 2013 Arts exam is about how American eating habits changed from sit-down dinners to fast food. 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
- energetic: نشيط
- consumption: استهلاك
- transformation: تحول
- frozen: مجمد
- portion: حصة
- highway: طريق سيار
- chain: سلسلة
- precious: ثمين
- force: يجبر
- occur: يحدث
Grammar points in this exam
- Modals of deduction (can’t be) and wish + past perfect
- Finish + -ing
- Past simple and future
- Reported questions and passive
- Phrasal verbs (turn down, break down)
- Linking words (despite, thanks to) and language functions
Revise these structures: the Language section of this exam is built on them.
Writing tips
The writing task asks for a reply to an American friend’s email about Ramadan. Answer each of his questions in order: fasting, food, work, what you do in the evening and any special things.
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.
More Baccalaureate English National Exams (Arts)
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Arts June 2013: the other 2013 session
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Arts July 2012
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Arts July 2014
- All Baccalaureate National Exams
