Baccalaureate English National Exam Arts June 2016: practise the full Moroccan national English exam for the Arts stream, session June 2016, 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 June 2016: Interactive Practice
English National Exam — Arts June 2016
Interactive practice: Reading (15 pts) · Language (15 pts) · Writing (10 pts)
[1] As men try to find work in big cities in Morocco, women in the countryside are traditionally destined to do the hard work. Every day after lunch, the women of Tizi Oussem (a village in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains) work in the fields, herd the sheep, do the washing by the river and gather wood for the fire. Even before that, they work for half a day doing housework and taking care of the children. At the end of the day, they gather the wood or crops into bundles which they carry on their shoulders back to the village. Then they start preparing dinner and doing their chores for the evening.
[2] It’s a tough life, but it is what it is, says Yamna, a woman from the village. Like all the old women who never attended school, she can’t read or write, and she doesn’t really know how old she is. This is the life of the mountains. It’s not that good, but we don’t really have a choice. Why don’t men carry the heavy burden? I’m not sure, but most of them just don’t.
[3] Malika, a 16-year-old girl, dropped out of school before she could graduate because of health problems. But that is only part of the reason why she quitted school. She also has to work and take care of her siblings. Every day she gets up at 6 a.m. to prepare breakfast, and then goes down to the valley to work in the fields or do the laundry by the river. In her free time, she weaves beautiful and colorful carpets. I regret now that I’ve left school, she says. “I wish I had continued to become a preschool teacher to help children in the village.
[4] Lahcen, 52, is one of the key figures who has multiple responsibilities in the village. He has to call an emergency when someone is in danger, when a woman has to give birth or when the roads are blocked in winter. He also settles disputes and makes sure other villagers help when a family is in need. He admits that life can be difficult in the valley, especially for women. They carry heavy loads here. It is our tradition. Some people think it’s bad for a man’s reputation to do a woman’s work. That’s why many men leave their wives and children behind to find jobs in big cities. They usually don’t make enough money, says Lahcen. “ They work for about 70 dirhams a day, but the cost of living in the city is higher. The families here don’t really profit from them, and neither does the village. It would be better if they stayed here to make it a better place, he adds.
A. Are these statements true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
1. Women in Tizi Oussem have a lot to do when they come back from the fields.
2. Yamna is happy with her life in the mountains.
3. The village does not benefit from the men who go to work in the cities.
B. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
1. What do women in Tizi Oussem do before lunch?
2. What was Malika’s dream?
3. Is Lahcen a good citizen? (Give one example to justify your answer)
C. Complete these sentences with information from the text. (3 pts)
1. As Yamna has never been to school, she …
2. Malika left school in order to …
3. In the village of Tizi Oussem, men don’t do women’s work because …
D. Find in the text words or phrases that mean almost the same as: (2 pts)
1. collect (paragraph 1):
2. important people (paragraph 4):
E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 pts)
1. them (paragraph 2):
2. here (paragraph 4):
F. Choose the best title for the text. (2 pts)
The best title is:
A. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the list. (2 pts)
opportunities · create · concerned · take · environmental · educated · issues
Global citizens are with the world’s stability and prosperity. They action to deal with global such as poverty, war, child abuse and degradation.
B. Give the correct form of the words in brackets. (2 pts)
1. The teacher gave three examples to (illustration) the concept of sustainable development.
2. The objective of this cultural event is to promote (tolerate) within the community.
C. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the list. (1 pt)
This school, was built last year, is now receiving hundreds of students used to walk a long way to attend classes.
D. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form. (3 pts)
I (not be able) to attend Adil’s birthday party yesterday because I (have) a lot of work to do. If he had called me earlier, I (arrange) to join him.
E. Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given. (3 pts)
I can’t drive my father’s car because I don’t have a driving license.
If only
“I will be at the train station before 9:30,” Mr Carlson said.
Mr Carlson said that
In this hotel, they serve breakfast at 7 a.m.
In this hotel, breakfast
F. Match each expression with its appropriate function. (2 pts)
1. “Could you help me with my luggage, please?”
2. “I’m terribly sorry for the mess I’ve made in the kitchen.”
3. “For me, hard work always pays off in the end.”
4. “I definitely share your opinion on this problem.”
G. Write appropriate responses to the following situations. (2 pts)
1. You are in a hotel. There is no hot water in the shower.
You (complain to the manager): …
2. You forgot to buy your friend a present for her birthday.
You (apologize to her): …
Task 1: Complete the following email. (4 pts)
Hi Jane,
You said you’re looking for a good place to spend your holiday. Well, I advise you to visit Morocco for the following reasons. First, …
Task 2: Write a reply to the following email. (6 pts)
Hello everyone,
My two sons spend too much time chatting and playing video games. I’m really worried about their studies and social life. What should I do? Please, help.
Worried father
Write a reply. Do not write your name or sign your email.
Answer key: Reading, Language and Writing
Reading
A. Are these statements true or false? Justify. (3 pts)
- True. “Then they start preparing dinner and doing their chores for the evening.” (paragraph 1)
- False. “It’s not that good, but we don’t really have a choice.” (paragraph 2)
- True. “The families here don’t really profit from them, and neither does the village.” (paragraph 4)
B. Answer these questions. (3 pts)
- They work for half a day doing housework and taking care of the children.
- To continue her studies and become a preschool teacher to help the children of the village.
- Yes, he is. For example, he settles disputes / makes sure villagers help a family in need / calls an emergency when someone is in danger.
C. Complete these sentences with information from the text. (3 pts)
- can’t read or write (and doesn’t know how old she is).
- work and take care of her siblings.
- some people think it is bad for a man’s reputation (it is their tradition).
D. Find in the text words or phrases that mean almost the same as: (2 pts)
- gather
- key figures
E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 pts)
- Men
- In the valley / the village (Tizi Oussem)
F. Choose the best title for the text. (2 pts)
3. Women’s hard life in Tizi Oussem
The text describes the hard work of women in the village.
Language
A. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the list. (2 pts)
concerned · take · issues · environmental
B. Give the correct form of the words in brackets. (2 pts)
- illustrate
- tolerance
C. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate words from the list. (1 pt)
which · who
D. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form. (3 pts)
wasn’t able · had · would have arranged
E. Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given. (3 pts)
- If only I had a driving license, I could drive my father’s car.
- Mr Carlson said that he would be at the train station before 9:30.
- In this hotel, breakfast is served at 7 a.m.
F. Match each expression with its appropriate function. (2 pts)
- making a request
- apologizing
- expressing opinion
- agreeing
G. Write appropriate responses to the following situations. (2 pts)
- Excuse me, I’m afraid there is no hot water in my shower. Could you do something about it, please?
- I’m so sorry; I forgot to buy you a present. I’ll make it up to you.
Writing
Task 1: Complete the following email. (4 pts)
First, Morocco has a wonderful variety of landscapes: you can enjoy beaches, mountains and the desert in one trip. Second, the weather is sunny for most of the year. Moreover, Moroccan food is delicious and the people are very welcoming. Finally, it is not expensive and it is close to Europe. I am sure you will love it.
Best wishes,
Task 2: Write a reply to the following email. (6 pts)
Dear worried father,
Thank you for your email. I understand your worry, but I think you can solve this problem. First, you should talk calmly to your sons and explain how too much time online affects their studies. Second, you could set a daily time limit for the computer and games. In addition, encourage them to practise a sport or join a club, so that they meet friends in real life. Finally, spend more time with them: for example, play football or go out together at weekends.
I hope this helps.
Download the full exam (Reading, Language and Writing) with the answers as a PDF.
Source: Moroccan Baccalaureate English National Exam, Arts, June 2016 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 2016 Arts exam is about the hard life of women in Tizi Oussem, a village in the High Atlas Mountains. 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
- countryside: الريف
- herd: يرعى
- chores: أعمال منزلية
- burden: عبء
- dropped out: انقطع عن الدراسة
- key figure: شخصية رئيسية
- settle disputes: يحل النزاعات
- reputation: سمعة
- profit: يستفيد
- siblings: إخوة وأخوات
Grammar points in this exam
- Vocabulary of global citizenship
- Word formation (illustrate, tolerance)
- Relative pronouns
- Past tenses and conditional type 3
- If only, reported speech and passive voice
- Language functions (apologizing, complaining, agreeing)
Revise these structures: the Language section of this exam is built on them.
Writing tips
The writing paper has two tasks. In task 1, complete the email with reasons to visit Morocco. In task 2, reply to a worried father with advice using should, could and linking words, without signing your name.
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 July 2016: the other 2016 session
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Arts June 2015
- Baccalaureate English National Exam Arts June 2017
- All Baccalaureate National Exams
