OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

ETAPA JUDEŢEANĂ
3 MARTIE 2018
CLASA a VIII-a
INSTRUCTIONS:
 All subjects are compulsory.
 All answers must be written on the answer sheet.
 There will be no granted points.
 Allotted time: 90 minutes.

I. READING COMPREHENSION (25 POINTS)

Subject 1. Read the text below and arrange its five paragraphs in a logical order,
writing the number and the corresponding letter on your answer sheet. (5x1p=5p)

A. In addition to this, the Carnival of Venice is, nowadays, an evocative and much-
anticipated popular feast, unique in terms of its history, its masks and its atmosphere. Highly-
reputed and appreciated in the whole world, it brings numerous of tourists to Italy every year.
During the Lagoon’s two-week Carnival celebration, all can watch and take part to the
numerous events and displays filling the piazzas and main waterways of the city.
B. As in the past, private parties and masquerade balls still happen behind the scenes
today, inside Venice’s grand noble palaces. In these places, where time seems to stand still,
guests can jump into this world of ancient splendor, reliving the Carnival tradition of long
ago. Some of the most spectacular moments during the Venetian carnival are the ‘Flight of
the Angel’ (or ‘Flight of Colombina’), a tradition that began with a Turkish acrobat in mid-
1500s. In this amazing show, an artist in flesh and bones hangs from a metal cable, and,
suspended in the air, makes his descent from the top of St. Mark’s Bell Tower to the Doge’s
Palace. It is a magnificent sight to see!
C. All in all,Venice, city of art and UNESCO World Heritage Site, exudes its charm all
throughout the year, but only the Carnival can render it even more magical than it already is!
D. Among Italy’s most beloved carnivals, particular mention goes to the Carnival of
Venice. The first official document with which the Carnival of Venice was declared a public
celebration dates back to 1296 – an edict by the Senate of the ‘most Serene Republic’,
making the day before Lent a holiday.
E. At the beginning, established by the Venetian oligarchy as a concession to the people,
its objective was fun and merrymaking, where the mask dominated as a means to briefly
ignore any signs of belonging to social class, gender or religion.
http://www.italia.it/en/travel-ideas/culture-and-entertainment/italian-carnivals/the-carnival-of-venice.html

1 - ............., 2 -................., 3 - ................, 4 -................., 5 -................. .

Subject 2 Match these words from the text with their meaning writing the number and
the corresponding letter: (10 x 1p = 10 p)
1. edict a. a party or other gathering to which the guests wear masks

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 and costumes
2. Lent b. dating from very long ago
3. briefly c. to portray or depict (something)
4. evocative d. the evidence of the past (historical sites, buildings, the
unspoiled natural environment) considered collectively as
the inheritance of present-day society
5. waterway e. a proclamation issued by an authority and having the force
of law.
6. masquerade f. to exhibit in abundance; to radiate
7. ancient g. tending to evoke, to bring to mind (a memory, mood, or
image); suggestive
8. Heritage h. (in the Christian religion) a 40-day period of fasting and
penitence in preparation for Easter
9. to exude i. a river, canal, or other navigable channel used as a means
of travel or transport
10. to render j. for a short time

Subject 3 Are these statements TRUE or FALSE? Answer on the answer sheet.
(10 x 1p = 10 p)
1. The Carnival of Venice is less popular than other carnivals.
2. The official documents have no mention of the Carnival of Venice.
3. People used masks to make fun of each other.
4. The Carnival of Venice is similar to other carnivals in the world.
5. Today lots of tourists come to Venice for the Carnival.
6. The duration of the Carnival is variable.
7. Everybody can participate in the events throughout the city.
8. Everybody can take part to the masquerade balls inside the Venice’s palaces.
9. The tradition of ‘The Flight of the Angel’ is a recent one.
10. Venice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

II . USE OF ENGLISH ( 25 POINTS)

Subject 4 Decide on the correct past forms of the verbs given in brackets and write them
on your answer sheet. (20 x 0,5p = 10 p)
Two foreigners 1____(travel) in Spain. One morning they 2___(enter) a little restaurant for
lunch. They 3____(not know) Spanish and the waiter 4____(can’t speak) English. So, they
5___(try) to make him understand that they 6______(want) some milk and sandwiches.
At first, they 7____(pronounce) the word ‘milk’ many times. Then they 8____(spell) it. The
waiter still 9___ (can’t understand). At last, one of the foreigners 10 ___(take) a piece of
paper and 11____(begin) to draw a cow. He 12 ____just __(finish) his drawing, when the
waiter 13 ___(look) at it and 14 ___(run) out of the restaurant. ‘You see,’ 15 _____ (say) the
traveller who 16____(draw) the cow, ‘what a pencil can do for a man who has difficulties in a
foreign country.’ After some time, the waiter 17 __(be) back, but he 18 ____ (bring) no milk.
He 19____(put) two tickets for a bull-fight in front of the two men and they 20___(be)
amazed.
Subject 5 Complete the text with a form derived from the words on the right. Write the
answers on your answer sheet. (10 x 1p = 10 p)

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The Carnival of Venice (Carnevale Di Venezia in Italian) was first recorded in 1268.
The modern Venetian Carnival runs up until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday
(known as ‘Mardi Gras’), starting two Fridays before the Tuesday.
The word ‘Carnival’ comes from the Italian «carnovale», which 1.___________ 1.ORIGIN
from the Latin words ‘caro’ (meat) and ‘vale’ (farewell), literally ‘Farewell to
meat’or from the ‘carnem’ (meat) + ‘levare’ (lighten or raise), literally 2.‘to ________ 2.MOVE
the meat’ or ‘stop eating meat’.
The history of the Venice Carnival tradition began after 1162. The Republic defeated
Ulrico, Patriarch of Aquileia in that year, and began a tradition of 3. __________ a 3.SACRIFICE
bull and 12 pigs in the Piazza San Marco around Shrove Tuesday to commemorate the
victory. This 4._________ gradually grew and 1268 dates the first document 4.CELEBRATE
mentioning the use of masks. Many 5._______of the age tried to describe those 5.PAINT
moments by means of colours, in their 6.___________paintings. 6.AMAZE
In 1979, a group of Venetians and 7.________ of Venice decided to revive the 7.LOVE
tradition of the Carnival. The gorgeous masks of the Venetians are a real
8.________for the numerous tourists who come from all over the world. 8.ATTRACT
Within a few years, the image of the 9._________ Venice had become a worldwide 9.WONDER
icon of Italy. The Venetians are hospitable people who invite everyone to be part of
10.BELIEVE
their 10._________story.

Subject 6 Choose the right words from the box below and write them on the answer
sheet. (10x0,5p=5p)
celebrating bow disguise assumed accounts
rush Resurrected forbade pose cramp

Although (1)……on the exact start of the Venice Carnival vary, most agree it was a
celebration of the incognito. With a mask and a costume, poor and rich alike (2)……
whatever identity they wished and the (3)……afforded them a freedom they didn’t have
the rest of the year. When the Republic of Venice fell to  Austria in 1797, the new rulers
(4)……the celebration with religious roots. But Venetians never lost their appetite for
(5)……and in the late 1970s the carnival was back. (6)……thanks to the efforts of both
costume- and mask-makers, the Carnival has since been celebrated every year.
Experiencing the carnival is completely free. Once in costume, find a place, and just
stand there. Within moments you’ll turn into a celebrity. Strangers will approach you
for a photo, ask you to (7).........with their children, and (8).........for a selfie with you.
Your job is to give permission with a perfectly executed Venetian nod: a mixture of a
mysterious smile and a graceful, angled head (9).......After a while your mouth may
hurt and your neck may (10).........–no one said being adored was an easyjob–but you’ll
have the best time of your life. Because what else can beat the freedom of being
someone else for a day and the freedom of the incognito?

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III. WRITING (50p)

Write a narrative composition (150-180 words), continuing the idea:

,,Being at that Carnival was something I’ve dreamed about for the longest time.
It has always sounded as being a different kind of event and worth experiencing...

- pay attention to the grammatical structures, the punctuation,

the vocabulary and spelling etc.

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

FAZA JUDEŢEANĂ
3 MARTIE 2018

SUBIECT clasa a VIII-a Varianta 1 Page 4

 CLASA a VIII-a
BAREM DE CORECTARE

I. READING COMPREHENSION (25 POINTS)

Subject 1 (5 x 1p = 5p)
1D; 2 E; 3 B; 4 A ; 5 C;

Subject 2 (10 x 1p = 10 p)

1e; 2h; 3j; 4g; 5i; 6a; 7b; 8d; 9f; 10c;

Subject 3 (10 x 1p = 10 p)

1-False; 2 -False; 3-False; 4 -False; 5-True; 6-False; 7-True; 8-False; 9-False; 10-True;

II. USE OF ENGLISH (25 POINTS)

Subject 4 (20 x 0,5 p = 10 p)

1. were travelling; 2. entered; 3. didn’t know; 4. couldn’t speak; 5. tried; 6. wanted;

7. pronounced; 8. spelled; 9. couldn’t understand; 10. took; 11. began;

12. was……finishing;/had…….finished; 13. looked; 14. ran; 15. said; 16. had drawn;

17. was; 18. brought; 19. put; 20. were

Subject 5 (10 x 1p = 10 p)
1. originates; 2. remove; 3. sacrificing; 4. celebration; 5. painters;
6. amazing; 7. lovers; 8.attraction ; 9. wonderful; 10. unbelievable

Subject 6 (10 x 0,5p = 5 p)

1. accounts; 2. assumed; 3. disguise; 4.forbade; 5. celebrating;

6. resurrected; 7. pose; 8. rush; 9. bow; 10. cramp;

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 III. WRITING (50 POINTS) The content analytical criterion will be granted with maximum 30 points, while the others with maximum 5 points each.
Excellent Good Adequate Limited Incomplete/Poor
Analytical Criteria
30 p 25 p 20 p 15 p 10 p
The content is completely relevant
to the topic, addressing the reader, The content is partially completed The content is faulty,
The content is fairly The content is incomplete,
describing places/ events/ with slight logical impediments in including serious logical
Content completed with all the the sequencing of the parts
characters/ atmosphere/ reaching sequencing the parts of the blog impediments in the
elements of a blog entry. of the blog entry.
climax, including the final reactions entry. sequencing of events.
of the protagonist.
Excellent Good Adequate Limited Incomplete/Poor
Analytical Criteria
5p 4p 3p 2p 1p
There is serious inconsistency
There is a fairly completion of There is partial completion of the Paragraphs are incomplete,
in the organization of the
There is complete logical paragraph organization due to task. Paragraphs are partially both linking devices,
Organization/ paragraphs due to the misuse
connection of paragraphs due to a scarce misuse of linking complete due to unfinished ideas mechanics and length
Cohesion of the linking device,
judicious use of linking devices, devices, mechanics and length and scarce use of linking devices, requirements having been
mechanics and length
mechanics and length requirements. requirements. mechanics and length requirements. disrespected.
requirements.
A range of vocabulary is used A limited range of vocabulary A very narrow range of
A wide range of vocabulary is used The range of vocabulary is
appropriately and accurately is present within the text; less vocabulary is present;
appropriately and accurately adequately used in the text; errors
in the text; occasional errors in common items of vocabulary errors in word
Vocabulary/ throughout the text; precise in word choice/formation are
word choice/formation are are rare and may be often choice/formation
Spelling meaning is conveyed; minor errors present when more sophisticated
possible; spelling is well faulty; spelling errors can predominate; spelling
are rare; spelling is very well items of vocabulary are attempted;
controlled with occasional make text understanding errors can make the text
controlled. spelling can be faulty at times.
slips. difficult. obscure at times.
A range of grammatical A limited range of
A wide range of grammatical A mix of complex and simple A very narrow range of
structures is used accurately grammatical structures is
structures is used accurately and grammatical structures is present grammatical structures is
and with some flexibility along present along the text;
Structures/ flexibly throughout the text; minor throughout the text; errors are present within the text;
the text; occasional errors are complex language is rare and
Punctuation errors are rare; punctuation is very present when complex language is errors predominate;
possible; punctuation is may be often faulty;
wellcontrolled. attempted; punctuation can be punctuation errors make
wellcontrolled with occasional punctuation errors can make
faulty at times. the text obscure at times.
slips. text understanding difficult.
The register is partially relevant to
The register is totally relevant to The register is relevant to the The register used in the
the task, with a narrow The register is inconsistent
the task, being organically task with slightly incongruent text is inappropriate for
Register and Style / inconsistency of style, leading to due to the mixture of styles.
integrated all along the discourse. lapses within the this type writing.
Effect on target reader halts in the logical development of The effect on the reader is
The interest of the reader is aroused discourse.The text has a good The effect on the reader is
ideas.The effect on the reader is non-relevant.
and sustained throughout. effect on the reader. non-relevant.
satisfactory.