OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ - GIMNAZIU

CLASA a VIII-a
SUBIECTUL I: ENGLISH IN USE (30p)
1. Choose the correct answer A-D for gaps 1-8. 8p
Environmental Concerns (0) A situation B place C position D site
Earth is the only (0) ... we know of in the universe that can support human life. (1) ... human activities
are making the planet less fit to live on. As the western world (2) ... on consuming two-thirds of the
world's resources while half of the world's population do so (3) ... to stay alive we are rapidly destroying
the very resource we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere fertile soil is (4) ...
built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that they will never be
able to recover completely. We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any thought of the
consequences. As a (5) ... the planet's ability to support people is being reduced at the very time when
rising human numbers and consumption are (6) ... increasingly heavy demands on it. The Earth's
natural resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines, warmth, shelter
and minerals to (7) ... us fed, comfortable, healthy and active. If we are sensible in how we use the
resources they will (8) ... indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully and excessively they will soon run
out and everyone will suffer.
1. A Although B Still C Yet D Despite

2. A continues B repeats C carries D flows

3. A just B already C for D entirely

4. A sooner B either C neither D rather

5. A development B result C reaction D product

6. A doing B having C taking D making

7. A hold B maintain C keep D stay

8. A last B stand C go D remain

2. Change the following sentences into indirect speech: 8p

1. “I stayed in England for three weeks last year”, said Mike.
2. “It’s a good idea to take the bus”, said Peter.
3. “I’ve got to Victoria Station by taxi”, said Helen.
4. “I’ll get her a doll for her birthday”, said Ann.
5. “I didn’t mean to offend Laura”, said Tom.
6. “I’m trying to save for my holiday”, said Rod.
7. “I don’t know where I am”, said Lucy.
8. “My brother is in the army”, says Helen.
3. Complete using the correct form of the verbs in brackets: 14p
1. If I’m still ill tomorrow, I…………….(miss) the chemistry test!
2. If I were your doctor , I ……………………….(tell) you to stop worrying!
3. It…………………………(be) awful if any of us had become ill on holiday.
4. If you…………………………..(go) to the chemist’s, can you get me some vitamin pills?
5. If you ……………………..(not/have) a healthy diet, you get tired easily.
6. It would be great if everyone in the world………………….(have) enough to eat.
7. If you see the doctor, ……………………….(ask) her when you can go back to school!

I. SUBIECTUL II: READING COMPREHENSION AND WRITING FUNCTIONS (30p)

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 1.Read the text and answer the following questions 16p
A. You carry around a three-pound mass of wrinkly material in your head that controls every single
thing you will ever do. From enabling you to think, learn, create, and feel emotions to controlling
every blink, breath, and heartbeat - this fantastic control center is your brain. It is a structure so
amazing that a famous scientist once called it "the most complex thing we have yet discovered in
our universe."
B. Your brain is faster and more powerful than a supercomputer. Your kitten is on the kitchen counter.
She's about to step onto a hot stove. You have only seconds to act. Accessing the signals coming
from your eyes, your brain quickly calculates when, where, and at what speed you will need to dive
to intercept her. Then it orders your muscles to do so. Your timing is perfect and she's safe. No
computer can come close to your brain's awesome ability to download, process, and react to the
flood of information coming from your eyes, ears, and other sensory organs.
C. Your brain generates enough electricity to power a light bulb. Your brain contains about 100 billion
microscopic cells called neurons - so many it would take you over 3,000 years to count them all.
Whenever you dream, laugh, think, see, or move, it’s because tiny chemical and electrical signals
are racing between these neurons along billions of tiny neuron highways. Believe it or not, the
activity in your brain never stops. Countless messages zip around inside it every second like a
supercharged pinball machine. Your neurons create and send more messages than all the phones
in the entire world.
D. Neurons send information to your brain at more than 150 miles per hour. A bee lands on your bare
foot. Sensory neurons in your skin relay this information to your spinal cord and brain at a speed of
more than 150 miles per hour. Your brain then uses motor neurons to transmit the message back
through your spinal cord to your foot to shake the bee off quickly. Motor neurons can relay this
information at more than 200 miles per hour.
E. When you learn, you change the structure of your brain. Riding a bike seems impossible at first. But
soon you master it. How? As you practice, your brain sends "bike riding" messages along certain
pathways of neurons over and over, forming new connections. In fact, the structure of your brain
changes every time you learn, as well as whenever you have a new thought or memory.

I. Choose the correct answer from C. in a sport magazine

A, B, C, or D D. in a science book
1. The best title for the text could be
______. II. The reading passage has six
A. The human brain versus the computer paragraphs, A – F
B. Your amazing brain Which paragraph contains the following
C. How to train your brain information?
D. The structure of the human brain 1. The brain is constantly active. [Paragraph
____ ]
2. What text type is the reading passage? 2. The speed at which information is
A. Narrative processed [Paragraph _____ ]
B. Argumentative 3. A range of things that the brain is
C. Informative responsible for [Paragraph ____ ]
D. Instructional 4. A comparison between the human brain and
the computer [Paragraph ______ ]
3. The reading passage could be probably 5. How the brain can function better
found _____. [Paragraph _____ ]
A. in an advertisement
B. in a popular fiction book

2. Functional writing. Your name is Vivien /Tom and you are going to attend a sports event.
Imagine a telephone conversation between you and your friend John in which you will invite
him to that sports event and you will also: (14p)
a) mention the name of the sports event
b) give the date, the time and the place of the event
c) tell your friends that they can bring one person with them
d) explain how to get to the place where the sports event will take place
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Do not use more than 70 words.

II. SUBIECTUL III: WRITING (30p)

Write a 180-word story ending with the following line: “I was quite sure I would never go back
there again” or “………….. it was then that I realized that my parents were my best
friends.”

Nota: Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii.

Timpul de lucru este 2h.
Se acordă 10 puncte din oficiu

OLIMPIADA DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

CLASA a VIII-a
Barem de corectare

I. 1. 8 points
1. C; 4. B; 7. C;
2. C; 5. B; 8. A;
3. A; 6. D;
I.2. 10 points

1. Mike said he that had stayed in England for three weeks the year before.
2. Peter said that it was a good idea to take the bus.
3. Helen said that she had got to Victoria Station by taxi.
4. Ann said that she would get her a doll for birthday.
5. Tom said that he hadn’t meant to offend Laura.
6. Rod said that he was trying to save for his holiday.
7. Lucy said that she didn’t know where she was.
8. Helen says that her brother is in the army.

I.3

1 . will miss 5. don’t have

2. would tell 6. had
3. would have been 7. ask
4. go

II.1 15 p

Question I: 1=B/ 2=C/ 3= D Question II: 1=C/ 2=D/ 3=A/ 4=B/ 5=F

II.2 15 p

o task achievement - 5p. (divided o coherence and cohesion – 5p.

according to the number of task o range of vocabulary and
parts) accuracy – 5 p.

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 III.
task achievement - 10p.(divided according to the number of task parts)
coherence and cohesion – 5p.
range of vocabulary – 5 p. (at least 5 topic related vocabulary items) ;
range of grammatical structures and accuracy – 5p.
effect on the reader - 5 p.