OLIMPIADA NAȚIONALĂ DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

ETAPA JUDEȚEANĂ – 26 MARTIE 2022

CLASA A IX-A – regim normal

Timp de lucru: 3 ore

Nu se acordă puncte din oficiu.

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH

I. Read the following text and put the verbs in brackets in the correct form: (10 x1p = 10p)

Paleantologists in New Mexico 1. … (to unearth) the remains of at least one dinosaur from the
late Jurassic period. The scientists 2. … (to dig) in an unexplored part of the Gaab Mountains for
the last eight months. Last week one of the group 3. … (to find) a section of rock which 4. … (to
contain) a number of bones from one large herbivorous dinosaur. Since then, the group 5. … (to
try) to release the bones from the rock and piece them together. These latest bones may prove to
come from the largest dinosaur anyone 6.… (to discover) so far. For a long time the Gaab
Mountains 7. … (to be) one of the most productive fossil beds in the world. By the time
archeologists 8. … (to discover) the first bones there in 1877, speculation about the existence and
extinction of these stunning reptiles 9. … (already, to appear) in some European scientific
magazines. Also, by the end of next decade the researchers 10. … (to give) us a clear insight into
the late Jurassic period in North America.

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

My next-door neighbour has a very unusual (1)……………………. . APPEAR

He has long hair with a (2)………………………………….. in the middle, and PART
usually wears an old pair of jeans and a (3)……………………………… shirt. STRIPE
His clothes are very (4)………………………………. for working in a bank, but SUIT
that is what he does! Unless he (5)………………………………. when he gets to DRESS
work and changes his clothes! His clothes are usually filthy and I am sure he never
washes them or takes them to the (6) ………….When he wears a coat it is always CLEAN
old and (7)…………………………………….. , and even on very cold days it is WEAR
(8)………………………………… all down the front. The funny thing is that his BUTTON
son is very (9)…………………………………. , always wears the latest styles, and FASHION
never wears casual clothes, even on an (10) ………………………………occasion. FORMAL
III. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the
word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the
word given. (20 points)

1. You should have finished that report, not John! WERE

You …………………………..that report, not John!
2. Marcus started learning French two years ago. LEARNING
Marcus has ……………………. two years.
3. This is the first time I have ever drunk rum. NEVER
I …………………….rum before.
4. I didn’t like a single song from their new CD. NONE
I …………………………….from their new CD.
5. There aren’t a lot of things to remember from that awful trip. LITTLE
There …………………………………. from that awful trip.
6. I am sorry I told you the truth. WISH
I.............................................you the truth.
7. He arrived home and he immediately started to learn. HAD
Hardly ................................he started to learn.
8. They are building a new hospital nearby. BUILT
A new...........................nearby.
9. I just want you have finished the homework. WOULD
I .....................the homework .
10. I wrote a lot when I was a student. TO
I ..................when I was a student.

IV. Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. ( 10p)
DO GHOSTS EXIST?
In previous times a belief in the existence of ghosts was quite (1) ………… but in the twenty-
first century, as science finds more and more explanations for what was (2) ………… described
as ‘supernatural’, fewer people tend to believe in them. However, (3) …………, newspapers
report stories of ghosts being seen in (4) ………. buildings and while there is doubtless a good
explanation for these sightings, it is always interesting to ask yourself what the scientific
explanation could be. A good example is a story that received (5) ………… in all the British
national newspapers in January 2009. The city of Derby’s new hospital had been built on the (6)
………… of a much older hospital and the papers reported that hospital (7) ………… were
claiming that a strange figure in a black cloak was stalking the corridors and wards. It seemed
that (8) ………… several weeks the ghostly apparition had been seen dozens of times, moving
between rooms and through walls, especially in departments near the morgue. Workers were so
terrified that hospital managers were forced to (9) ………… the claims seriously. A theory was
put (10) ………… that the figure was the ghost of a Roman soldier who had been killed in the
vicinity of the original hospital.
 1. A frequent B common C known D ordinary
2. A previously B before C earlier D then
3. A to some extent B unusually C irregularly D from time to time
4. A national B public C architectural D social
5. A news B interest C coverage D public
6. A place B position C location D site
7. A members B colleagues C staff D people
8. A during B over C through D for
9. A accept B take C think D believe
10. A forward B up C in D on

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60p)

Part 1. Read the following article on how to survive as a teenager then choose the best
option to complete the sentences. (10p)
How to be a teenager and survive
Being a teenager in these troubled times isn’t exactly a walk in the park. The uncertainty only
adds to the typical list of problems you’re already facing. So, what are the challenges you are up
against and how can you weather the storm and arrive safely on the other side?
As a teenager, the biggest challenge you, your family and friends face is mood swings. One
moment you feel ecstatic, full of confidence and optimism and the next you feel depressed, angry
at the world and certain you are a failure. Personal appearance also becomes a huge issue. The
hormones racing through your body play havoc with your self-image. Suddenly, you have
become too fat, too thin, too ugly, too shot, too tall; your hair is too dark, too light, too curly, too
straight, etc. In short, you are completely dissatisfied with your appearance.
Relationships with others also become more complicated. You may find you no longer have that
much in common with the friends you’ve been hanging around with for years. It can also be
distressing when a former best friend now prefers to spend time with other friends. As for family
relationships, well, it often seems that a war has been declared, and parents and siblings have
become the enemy.
But it needn’t all be doom and gloom. The teenage years are unique in a person’s life. They
mark the end of childhood and the important passage to adulthood. The key to a happy
“teenhood” is to recognise that no matter how your emotions change or how insecure you feel
about yourself, you are perfectly normal! Everyone, big and small, experiences feelings of
depression and anxiety from time to time. But here are a few tips to help you get through your
darkest moments.
Communication has got the first tip. If you keep negative feelings in, you’ll reach a point where
you think you’re going to explode. Confide in someone about how you are feeling with someone
you can trust. Even if they can’t give you the advice you need, just getting it off your chest can
make a world of difference.
But, what can you do if you’re at Exploding point and there’s no one to talk to? If you want to
avoid conflict with others, go somewhere on your own for a minute or two to process things.
Take time to breathe properly. When we are in stressful situations our breathing becomes short
and rushed, and as a result less oxygen reaches the brain. This can heighten negative feelings that
we have. One technique is to close one nostril with your thumb and inhale, then close the other
nostril with your index finger and exhale as you release your thumb from the first nostril. Do this
at least ten times and you breathing will return to normal and you will feel much calmer in next
to no time.
Physical exercise like running, cycling and swimming are also great ways to clear the mind and
they have the added bonus of keeping you fit. If you do this whenever you’re down, you’ll also
start to feel better about yourself and your body. There’s no need to push yourself to the limits,
though. Listen to your body and stop when it says, ‘No more!’
Finally, always try to focus on the positive aspects of your life. Being a teenager means you have
more freedom. Use it in constructive ways so that feelings of frustration are replaced by feelings
of accomplishment.
1. As a result of the current world situation,
a. everyone has the same problems.
b. teenagers are coping better than others.
c. people feel insecure about the future.
d. the problems confronting teenagers have changed completely.
2. Teenagers often have to deal with
a. sudden emotional changes.
b. the anger of relatives and friends.
c. constantly putting on and losing weight.
d. lack of success.
3. During the teenage years,
a. family members always stop talking with one another.
b. hormonal changes can make young people dissatisfied with how they look.
c. best friends always grow apart.
d. personal appearance becomes the most important aspect of a teenager’s life.
4. What does the word ‘unique’ in paragraph 4 tell us about the teen years?
a. They cause a lot of anxiety.
b. They are a very special time in our lives.
c. All teenagers experience them in the same way.
d. Teenagers ought to be happier.
5. The writer encourages teenagers to
a. respect their body and its limitations.
b. exercise only when they are depressed.
c. ask their parents for more freedom.
d. take up a competitive sport.

Part 2. Starting from the text in Part 1, write an essay on the most memorable incident from
your high school days. You should use between 140-190 words. (50p)