OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

ETAPA LOCALĂ, 11 februarie 2024

CLASA a XI-a, SECȚIUNEA B - Bilingv/intensiv Varianta 1

Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

• Pentru rezolvarea corectă a tuturor subiectelor din Partea A și Partea B se acordă 100 de puncte.
• Timpul de lucru: 3 ore.
• Nu se acordă puncte din oficiu.

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)

I. Read the text below and do the tasks that follow. (20 p)

King Charles knows that he needs to be seen to be reducing the wealth of the Royal Family and the number of
people who benefit from it. Bloomberg estimated in 2022 that the British monarchy owned property worth
about £19 billion, and while selling some of this would make little or no difference to royal lifestyles, it would
be a symbolic gesture. We can therefore expect some sales of royal property in the coming years, along with
other signs that the monarchy is in touch with twenty-first century expectations.

Before becoming king, Charles was known as an environmentalist, a keen supporter of organic agriculture, and
someone who was acutely aware of the social problems of British cities. The "Prince's Trust", which he
personally set up in 1976, is a major British charity that works with problems of homelessness and
unemployment among young people who are struggling at school and at risk of exclusion, and Charles's social
and environmental credentials are personal assets that will help him to take the monarchy forwards.

Finally, Charles will need to build on the monarchy's other great assets, its permanence and its position above
politics. Ask people in Britain if they want to abolish the monarchy, and just over 20% may say "yes". Ask
them who they would prefer to have as Britain's head of state, and there is no agreement.

As for the future of the monarchy, only one thing is sure, and that is that King Charles's reign will be shorter
than that of his mother. Will the monarchy survive beyond him? Probably yes, but nothing can be ruled out.

A. Answer the following questions, according to the text. (8 points)

1. What is King Charles aware of?
2. What was King Charles aware of?
3. What is the "Prince's Trust"?
4. What is sure about the future of the monarchy?

B. Choose the synonym for the words given below, according to their meaning in the text. (6 points)

1. environmentalist: a) a dendrologist, b) a green, c) a wildlife expert,

2. charity: a) a non-profit association, b) a donation, c) generosity,
3. credentials: a) qualifications, b) a licence, c) accomplishments
C. Rephrase the following two sentences so as to preserve the meaning and add the tag-question for
the third item. (6 points)

1. Bloomberg estimated in 2022 that the British monarchy owned property worth about £19 billion.
It _____________________________ that the British monarchy owned property worth about £19 billion.
2. Charles was known as an environmentalist, a keen supporter of organic agriculture.
Not only ___________________________, but also as a keen supporter of organic agriculture.
3. King Charles knows that he needs to be seen to be reducing the wealth of the Royal Family, ________?

II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each gap. (10 points)

1. The farmer is going to set up a(n) _________ for his horses soon. CLOSE
2. Her father was ______________ in her childhood and that’s why she lacks self-confidence now.
PROTECT
3. Many stars were absent at the party, _____________ Taylor Swift – she had been invited too
late. NOTE
4. A cooked meal is more ____________ than junk food. NUTRITION
5. The team ended their mission _______________ and their commander was very satisfied.
SUCCESS
6. The bomb is believed to have been planted in the shop by left-wing ______________ .
EXTREME
7. All ______________ are kindly requested to be punctual every day. EMPLOY
8. His rapid rise to ___________ made him lose his head. STAR
9. What do you know about her _____________ in this issue? INVOLVE
10. Our allies came out _____________after a two-day battle in the mountains. VICTORY

III. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each
space. (10 points)

In southern California, Angels may guard over the City of Angels; but (1) ______ appropriately, the city might
be renamed the "City of Dangers".
(2) ______ San Francisco, Los Angeles lies astride one of the most active geological fault lines on our planet,
the San Andreas Fault.
Every few years, city buildings tremble and sway as Los Angeles is rocked (3) ______ an earthquake. Often,
millions of dollars’ worth of damage are done, and lives are lost; but the effect on Angelenos is little, and short
lived. Few Angelenos (4) ______ their bags and move out of town after an earthquake; most shrug their
shoulders, and get on with the job, making money, enjoying life, bringing up a family, or whatever.
Yet as seismologists keep warning, the "Big One" is coming. No one knows when it will strike, (5) ______
how violent it will be; but experts tend to agree that at some time within the next fifty years, a mega-quake will
strike (6) _______ in California.
According to nightmare scenarios, whole sections of the ultra-chic L.A. suburbs of Palos Verdes and Malibu
(7) ______ slide into the sea (as little bits (8) ______ from time to time already); a major quake centered in the
city in mid-summer could set (9) _______ fires that could rage uncontrolled for weeks on end. There is no limit
to the extravagance of the disaster scenarios that (10) ______ be imagined, as Hollywood - on the spot and in
the know - has not failed to realise.

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.

I. For each question decide which answer (A, B, C or D) fits best according to the text. (10 points)

The term “genetic modification” provokes widespread fears about the corporate control of agriculture, and of
the unknown. However, results from 25 years of EU-funded research show that there is “no scientific evidence
associating GM plants with higher risks for the environment or for food and feed safety than conventional
plants and organisms”. This, of course, does not prove GM methods are 100% safe, but makes clear there is no
evidence to the contrary.
This Saturday, anti-GM campaigners plan to offload potatoes outside the John Innes Centre (JIC) in Norfolk –
one of the country’s leading crop research institutes – for a “photo shoot”. They claim that our research trial of
blight-resistant GM potatoes on a plot at JIC, one of only two ongoing GM research trials in the UK, is a
“dangerous experiment”.
The trial involves research on genes from wild potatoes. We have been able to isolate genes from wild species
that make them resistant to UK races of the late blight athogen, Phytophthora infestants, which causes $ 3.5 bn
in annual losses worldwide.
The blight resistant variety being trialed, that reduces the amount of pesticides the crop needs – and is rejected
by the protesters – could not have been produced without GM.
We had hoped to create an opportunity to discuss this with the campaigners, as well as other issues they raise in
their publicity material. With support from JIC, we invited them to take part in a proper debate. Disappointingly,
they declined. We recognize their right to peaceful protest but have been frustrated that we cannot talk to the
organizers, except via exchange of emails.
Meanwhile, the benefits of GM technology are becoming clearer to all. Insect resistant GM cotton and maize
has reduced insecticide applications and lowered mycotoxin levels in the maize we eat. Genetic engineering in
microbial research has produced new antibiotics and other natural products. IJC purple tomatoes contain
elevated levels of health-promoting anthocyanins.
Food insecurity and climate change highlight the challenges of sustainability feeding a growing world
population. Further research using GM methods opens new possibilities for raising and stabilizing yields,
improving resistance to pests and diseases and withstanding abiotic stresses such as drought and cold.
But in Europe, while taxpayers’ money is still paying to develop useful GM crop traits, taxpayers are not
benefitting from their development. In contrast, Canada, China, the US and South America are blazing ahead
with GM and India is not far behind. The largest figures from the International Service for the Acquisition of
Agri-Biotech Applications report 15 million farmers planting GM crops on around 150 m hectares in 2020.
Many promising GM traits exist, often discovered by academics, but the commercial risks are too great, the
costs too high and the rewards too low for the European private sector to invest in taking them forward.
The argument has to be made that the benefits of the technology far outweigh any hypothetical hazards. We
need to think about the cost of not adopting GM as well as the risks, and we must not spurn the great
opportunities created by embracing it.
(www.guardian.co.uk)
1. Research shows that:
A. GM plants pose greater risks than conventional plants.
B. GM plants are not as tasty as conventional plants
C. GM plants are not more dangerous than conventional plants
D. GM plants harm the environment more than conventional plants

2. The blight-resistant potatoes being trialed:

A. Are not suitable for human consumption
B. Diminish the use of pesticides
C. Are approved by anti-GM campaigners
D. Could have been produced without GM

3. GM technology:
A. Has obvious advantages
B. Reduces the risks of disease
C. Promotes healthy eating
D. Enhances productivity

4. European tax-payers:
A. Do not want to pay for the development of GM technology
B. Blame GM technology for the rising prices of food
C. Do not take advantage of the benefits of GM thechnology
D. Disagree with the development of GM technology

5. European companies:
A. Make good profit out of GM crops
B. Invest a lot of money in GM crops
C. Are the driving force behind GM
D. Are reluctant to invest in GM crops
II. Starting from the text above, write a for and against essay on spending money on research on GM
food. (220-250 words) (50 points)
 OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ
ETAPA LOCALĂ, 11 februarie 2024
CLASA a XI-a, SECȚIUNEA B - Bilingv/intensiv Varianta 1

BAREM DE CORECTARE

 Se punctează oricare alte modalităţi de rezolvare corectă a cerinţelor.

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)

I. Read the text below and do the tasks that follow. (20 points)

A. Answer the following questions, according to the text. (4 x 2 p=8 points)

1. … that he needs to be seen to be reducing the wealth of the Royal Family and the number
of people who benefit from it
2. … of the social problems of British cities
3. … is a major British charity that works with problems of homelessness and
unemployment among young people who are struggling at school and at risk of
exclusion, and Charles's social and environmental credentials are personal assets that will
help him to take the monarchy forwards
4. … that King Charles's reign will be shorter than that of his mother.
B. Choose the synonym for the words given below, according to their meaning in the text. (3 x 2 p=6
points)
1. b) a green 2. a) a non-profit association 3. a) qualifications

C. Rephrase the following two sentences so as to preserve the meaning and add the tag-question for the
third item. (3 x 2 p=6 points)
1. … was estimated by Bloomberg in 2022 …
2. … was Charles known as an environmentalist, …
3. … ,doesn’t he?

II. Use the word given in brackets to form a word that fits in each gap. (10 x 1 p=10 points)

1.ENCLOSURE, 2. OVERPROTECTIVE, 3. NOTABLY, 4. NUTRITIOUS, 5. SUCCESSFULLY, 6.

EXTREMISTS, 7. EMPLOYEES, 8. STARDOM, 9. INVOLVEMENT, 10. VICTORIOUS
III. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each
space. (10 x 1 p=10 points)

1.more, 2. Like, 3. by, 4. pack, 5. nor, 6. somewhere, 7. could, 8. do, 9. off, 10. can

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)

I. For each question decide which answer (A, B, C or D) fits best according to the text. (5 x 2 p=10
points)

1. C, 2. B, 3. A, 4. C, 5. D
 MARKING SCHEME FOR THE FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY
Analytical Exemplary Proficient Partially Weak Incomplete Po
criteria 10p 8p Proficient 4p in
6p 2p ts
CONTEN The essay is completely The essay is fairly The essay is The essay is The essay is wholly
T relevant to topic, all completed, the partially relevant faulty, including inadequate, there is
arguments are well- thesis in the to topic, there is no serious logical no thesis in the first
rounded, well- introduction being thesis formulated impediments in paragraph, while the
grounded, and further developed in the first the sequencing arguments lack
balanced, developing with balanced paragraph, which of ideas / logical development.
the thesis of the arguments and leads to arguments.
introduction and relevant ideas. inconsistencies in
leading to a balanced the logical
consideration and/or development of
personal opinion. arguments.
ORGANIZ There is complete There is a fairly There is partial There is serious Paragraphs are
ATION logical connection of completion of completion of the inconsistency in incomplete, both
AND paragraphs due to a paragraph task. Paragraphs the organization linking devices,
COHESIO judicious use of linking organization due to are partially of the mechanics, and
N devices, mechanics, and scarce misuse of complete due to paragraphs due length requirements
length requirements. linking devices, unfinished ideas to the misuse of having been
mechanics, and and scarce use of the linking disrespected.
length requirements. linking devices, devices,
mechanics, and mechanics, and
length length
requirements. requirements.
VOCABU A wide range of A range of The range of A limited range A very narrow range
LARY vocabulary is used vocabulary is used vocabulary is of vocabulary is of vocabulary is
appropriately and appropriately and adequately used in present within present; errors in
accurately throughout accurately in the the essay; errors in the essay; less word
the essay; precise essay; occasional word choice / common items choice/formation
meaning is conveyed; errors in word formation are of vocabulary predominate;
minor errors are rare; choice/formation present when more are rare and spelling errors can
spelling is very well are possible; sophisticated items may be often make the essay
controlled. The register spelling is well of vocabulary are faulty; spelling obscure at times.
of the for and against controlled with attempted; spelling errors can make The register used in
essay is totally relevant occasional slips. can be faulty at text the for and against
to the task, being The register of the times. The register understanding essay is
organically integrated for and against of the for and difficult. The inappropriate for the
all along the discourse. essay is relevant to against essay is register of the type of functional
the task with partially relevant essay is writing.
slightly incongruent to the task with a inconsistent due
lapses within the narrow to the mixture
discourse inconsistency of of styles.
style, leading to
halts in the logical
development of
ideas
STRUCTU A wide range of A range of A mix of complex A limited range A very narrow range
RES grammatical structures grammatical and simple of grammatical of grammatical
is used accurately and structures is used grammatical structures is structures is present
flexibly throughout the accurately and with structures is present along within the essay;
essay; minor errors are some flexibility present throughout the essay; errors predominate;
rare; punctuation is along the essay; the essay; errors complex punctuation errors
very well controlled. occasional errors are present when language is rare make the text
are possible; complex language and may be obscure at times.
punctuation is well is attempted; often faulty;
controlled with punctuation can be punctuation
occasional slips. faulty at times. errors can make
text
understanding
difficult.
EFFECT The interest of the The text has a good The effect on the The effect on The text has a
ON reader is aroused and effect on the reader. reader is the reader non- negative effect on
TARGET sustained throughout. satisfactory. relevant. the reader.
READER