Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cars have changed our lives in many ways. They have opened up the world for us, and that’s good.
But the irony is that cars are destroying the world they have opened up for us.
Cars make our world noisy and ugly. There are traffic jams everywhere, terrible accidents, and
worst of all, there is pollution.
Of course, cars are only part of the problem, but it is a big part. And we have to do something now.
We have to get rid of cars and all the other things that pollute our world – industry, everything. And we
have to do it before it’s too late – for ourselves and for our children.
Some people think that science will be able to save us. This is wrong. Science can’t be the answer,
it is the problem!
We will all have to change our way of life. There are many things we will not be allowed to do and
things we will not be able to do in future. There is no other way. We have to go back to nature.
1. How have cars changed our world?
2. Do you think cars really pollute the atmosphere?
3. Can science help people?
4. What is your personal opinion?
Biletul 2
I started school when I was four. I didn’t learn anything in my first school, we just played. Then we
moved and I went to a school a mile from home – I used to walk with my brother, the roads were safe then.
The headmaster really was a cruel man, he used to beat the boys. I was about eight when we moved again
and I went to another school where I was very happy. I don’t think we learnt all that much – we did
reading, writing, arithmetic, history and geography. The boys did gardening and the girls did needlework
and housewifery. The whole school was in one room, divided into classes. We sat in rows of wooden desks
facing the teacher who would write on the board and ask questions. We learnt to add up in our heads – they
can’t do that now. We never got any homework. We had singing lessons but no piano. There were nature
lessons but no art lessons. Only two people went on to secondary education in my time. We had no
ambition, but our parents never put us forward either. I suppose it was as much as they could do to support
us. I wish we had the opportunity to have done more – there were not the chances there are now. We never
had any special training for anything specific at school.
1. What is the text about?
2. What are Freda Brett’s feelings towards the school she attended?
3. How full and demanding was her timetable?
4. Compare her timetable with yours.
Each year Sighisoara holds a medieval festival in perfect harmony with the town’s profile. I have
been attending it for two years now and can say it’s one of the most beautiful moments for me in summer.
In the citadel you can always see people dressed in medieval costumes, wearing clothes with the dust of
time upon them, acting as if they have just left their house, 500 years ago. During the 3 days festival you
may attend the plays with medieval profile in the most important squares and also can be a part of
Sighisoara at night when movies are projected in the citadel.
If it’s the last weekend of July, than it must be the Medieval Art Festival from Sighisoara. This year
as well the fortress was assaulted by the almost 30,000 tourists that came with their backpacks to the
cultural event. Although the fortress hosted many cultural moments, the most important events were
attended by a small number of art lovers.
Biletul 4
“The Oscars” as the Academy Awards are known, usually take place in February or March at the
Kodak Theatre in Hollywood which is a district of Los Angeles. “Oscar” is the name of the statuette that
the winners receive. The awards are voted by the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Science and they recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of those involved in the movie
industry. Not only actors and actresses are rewarded for their work from the previous year, but also
directors, producers, writers, costume, designers, technicians, editors.
There are five nominees in each category with one exception, Best Picture category, which is also
the final award of the ceremony. Everybody is familiar with the famous line “And the nominees are …”
The ceremony is broad cast live in the U.S. and throughout the world, gathering millions of
viewers. The hosts of the show not only have to entertain people present at the Kodak Theatre, but also
those who watch the ceremony in the comfort of their own house.
1. Where do the Academy Awards take place?
2. Who can be awarded an “Oscar”?
3. What is the name of the statuette?
4. How many people watch the ceremony?
Profesor examinator Inspector școlar pentru limbi moderne,
Profesor examinator prof. Cristina Oprean
Biletul 5
The London Notting Hill Carnival, taking place over the bank holiday weekend on August 29 and
30, is the largest festival celebration of its kind in Europe. It started in 1964 as a local event of the
Caribbean community living in the area and has evolved into a multicultural festival attended by almost 2
million people every year.
At the roots of the Notting Hill Carnival are the Caribbean carnivals of the early 19th century
celebrating the abolition of slavery and slave trade. The former slaves took up to the streets singing and
dancing, dressing up in fanciful and colourful clothes and powdering their faces with flour or wearing
white masks, thus mimicking their white masters. Today the costumes worn by the people are a spectacular
display of colour and originality.
The carnival starts on Sunday when costume prizes are awarded and the legendary parade takes
place on Monday.
1. Where does the London Notting Hill Carnival originate?
2. What happened during the Caribbean carnivals?
3. What do people wear?
4. When does the parade take place?
Biletul 6
Unlike human beings, computers can be used at their full capacity and they can store huge amounts
of information doing calculations in a fraction of the time taken by a human mathematician. In fact, these
machines can do many of the things we do, but much faster and better.
Computers can help the police fight crime. People think that the job of a detective is fast and
exciting but actually most of it is slow and boring. For example, a detective on a stolen car case may have
to check through long lists of information, and in the same time it takes him to do this, the thief may very
well escape. With the aid of computers policemen can now find out details of car ownership and driving
licenses in a fraction of the time it takes by traditional methods. The system of storing fingerprint
information and details about people’s appearance also helps the police to trace and catch criminals. The
only problem is that we now have a new kind of criminal – the very clever man who knows how to make
huge sums of money by cheating a computer, and he is very difficult to catch.
1. How can computers help the police?
2. What can computers do as opposed to human beings?
3. How is the job of a detective described in the text?
4. How can the police trace and catch criminals?
First language, also known as mother tongue, is generally the language a person learns first.
However, one can have two or more native languages thus being a native bilingual or indeed multilingual.
The order in which these languages are learned is not necessarily the order of proficiency. Incomplete first
language skills often make learning other languages difficult. Often a child learns the basics of his or her
first language or languages from his or her family. The term mother tongue, however, should not be
interpreted to mean that it is the language of one's mother. For instance, in some paternal societies, the wife
moves in with the husband and thus may have a different first language or dialect than the local language of
the husband. Yet their children usually only speak their local language.
Biletul 8
A book has just been published to help parents to deal with their children's naughty behavior at home. The
author, Dr James Bruno, says that the first positive discipline technique is for parents to remain calm
because nervous parents don't get good results. Parents who cannot often remain calm find that their
children stop taking any notice of them. The second challenge is to know how to correct bad behavior in an
effective way. For instance, punishing children by preventing them from watching their favorite TV
program is not an ideal solution. Dr Bruno believes parents should establish clear rules for children to
follow. If children refuse to follow these, they know they will be disciplined. Finally, the most effective
way of encouraging good behavior is to give positive feedback as often as possible, to show that it is not
only naughtiness that attracts attention.
A recent opinion poll discovered that many people were very concerned about the amount of
violence depicted in movies, television shows, and popular music. This poll also discovered, however, that
most people thought that individuals should take responsibility to correct the problems. The vast majority
favored such solutions as tighter parental supervision, warning labels on records, and voluntary self-
restraints by entertainment companies. Only 27 per cent favored government censorship. At the same time,
there was growing concern about the impact of television on children. Research has shown that by the time
our children reach age 18, they have spent more time watching television than in school. The problem was
that our television system was attuned to the marketplace. Children are treated as a market to be sold to
advertisers at so much money per thousand eyeballs.
Biletul 10
Tea had a reputation for being both safe and almost always beneficial. However, scientists are now
suggesting that tea may not be as safe as we had previously believed. Tea contains caffeine, and caffeine
has been linked to sleeplessness and to the unpleasant jumpy feeling some people get when stressed. More
seriously, there is a link between miscarriages, and pregnant women are advised to reduce their intake of
tea until after their baby is born. Due to its critical side-effects, some people who like tea choose to be safer
and drink a beverage from which the caffeine has been removed, decaffeinated tea, but many claim that it
simply doesn't taste right. The reasonable thing to do is probably moderation; continue to enjoy a cup of
tea, but don't have too many!
Cars have changed our lives in many ways. They opened up the world for us, and that’s good. But
the irony is that cars are destroying the world they have opened up for us.
Cars make our world noisy and ugly. There are traffic jams everywhere, terrible accidents, and
worst of all, there is pollution.
Of course, cars are only part of the problem, but it is a big part. And we have to do something now.
We have to get rid of cars and all the other things that pollute our world –industry, everything. And we
have to do it before it’s too late- for ourselves and for our children.
Some people think that science will be able to save us. This is wrong. Science can’t be the answer;
it is the problem!
We will all have to change our way in life. There are many things we will not be allowed to do and
things we will not be able to do in future. There is no other way. We have to go back to nature.
Biletul 12
When I was eight years old, I broke my leg. I was swinging in the backyard, admiring the sky.
Suddenly the rope that held the swing came loose, and for a second I flew so high I thought I would never
come down.
My father rushed me to the hospital. They set my leg and put it in a cast, and then came the hard
part. I had to learn to walk with crutches. I had to learn to get up out of bed. I had to learn to go up and
down the stairs. I felt like a baby just learning to walk. Before long, though, I could charge around as fast
on crutches as my brothers could without them. With my family to encourage me, I became a real expert.
1. How did the author break his leg?
2. Was he taken to hospital?
3. Did this incident change the boy's life?
4. What can you learn from this story?
Today, kids find that the amount of homework they get keeps them from playing sports, taking
music lessons or just having fun after school. A recent study by the University of Michigan reports that
over the past 16 years, the amount of time the average 3 to 11-yearold kid spends on homework has
increased by 50 percent. More and more parents are protesting against so much homework. “The question
is whether schools are holding our children captives with homework,” said Ken Kiewra, professor of
educational psychology. He realized one day last year that his sixth-grade son had given up music lessons,
the football team and his favourite hobby because he was loaded down with homework. "I'm home reading
the paper and relaxing and this kid who left in the morning before I did is doing two to three hours of
work," remembered Kiewra.
Biletul 14
Biletul 16
Studies say that people nowadays have more free time than ever before. Then why doesn’t it feel
that way? These days, our free time is usually spent watching television, using computers or
communicating on our phones. Images and information are constantly flashing into our brains, so it’s no
wonder we don’t feel as if we have really switched off. To really wind down and help us regain our energy
levels, it is important to use our free time wisely.
Think about what you want to achieve in your free time. Do you want to get fit, get creative or
simply relax? Don’t worry about what you ought to be doing, just think about what will make you feel
more content.
Plan when you are going to enjoy your free time, and treat it in the same way as anything else on
your calendar. If something else more important comes along, you can choose whether or not to postpone
it, but never cancel it.
Make sure you have everything you need to enjoy your free time in advance. If you’re looking forward
to a nice long bath, buy in bath oil and candles. If you want to get out in the countryside, get your boots
and map ready, and don’t forget to check the weather forecast.
In many free time activities, we take the role of consumer. When we watch TV, play video games
or read, we are only passively involved. Take on the role of producer for a change. Build a model, write a
blog or make an animation film. You will use a different part of your brains and will feel more energized
as a result.
But don’t go overboard. Many people worry too much about their free time activities. They want to
do things that will impress their friends, look good on their résumés or help them get a better job. But free
time isn’t about that. It is about doing an activity for enjoyment’s sake, so don’t let outside pressures
influence your choice.
Take the opportunity to expand your social circle. Everyone has different interests, so don’t expect
your mates to be into the same things you are. Give them a break for a while, join a club and get to know
people with the same interests as you. You can never have too many friends!
You’ll really know you’re using your time wisely if what you’re doing helps other people. So find out
what’s going on in the community and lend a hand. Visit the elderly or help out in a children’s club. If
socialising’s not your thing, why not volunteer for a wildlife organization?
1. Which are the two roles we can have regarding our free time?
2. What should we and shouldn’t we do, according to the second paragraph?
3. Do you agree with “you can never have too many friends”?
4. How do you spend your free time? Do you spend it wisely?
1. How would you describe Sir David according to the first paragraph?
2. How would you have answered the first question if you were Sir David?
3. Do you agree with the answer Sir David gave to the second question?
4. Sir David said: Animals should be respected, and if you're in the presence of even an ant colony,
you should speak about it with respect. Do you agree?
The makers of a controversial computer game about bullying have decided to go ahead and launch
it despite calls for it to be banned. In the game, players take on the role of a new student at a school and
have to fight the bullies, by punching them or hitting them with a baseball bat.
Critics have said that the game encourages violence, but the makers deny this and say that, while
there is violence in the game, it is just an amusing look at school life, besides which, the violence in the
game is directed against the bullies to protect pupils who are being bullied. The makers also say that
players will learn to stand up to bullies.
A British politician, a former minister, has called for it to be banned as it might affect the way
young people perceive violence.
Anti-bullying charities have said that the game might make people respond violently to bullies, which
might make things more complicated and result in injuries.
1. What is a bully?
2. What is the computer game about?
3. Do you agree with the makers of the computer game?
4. Would you ban the game? Why/why not?
Norovirus is a common stomach bug. It is also called the Winter Vomiting Bug because it is more
prevalent in winter. It is caused by a very small virus and it is easily passed on from one person to another.
If you recover from norovirus, there is no reason why you should not catch it again. The virus changes
constantly, so your body cannot build up resistance.
Norovirus causes sickness and high body weakness. You may also feel headaches, abdominal pains,
or you may have a high temperature. Although unpleasant, norovirus is not dangerous. Most people make a
full recovery within a couple of days. The biggest danger is from dehydration.
Drink plenty of water. You should drink more than usual to replace fluids lost in vomit and
diarrhoea. An adult should drink around 1.2 litres per day. Obviously, you will feel thirsty and your mouth
will be dry. You may get headaches or feel dizzy. Your urine will be dark and the quantity of urine small.
You can take Paracetamol or other pain-killers for any aches and pains, but there are no drugs that
eradicate the virus. No. Because it is highly contagious, you risk passing it on to other people who are
already in a weak state. Stay at home and rest.
You will be infectious for a few days after your symptoms have passed, so avoid direct contact with
people for at least 48 hours after your symptoms pass. Stay away from work and keep young children out
of school.
One of the pleasantest thing in the world is going on a trip. There are many ways of doing it, but I find
travelling more agreeable than going on foot. I can set out when I like and stop when I like. I usually go by
myself. I can enjoy society in a room, but out of doors, nature is company enough for me. I am never less
alone than when alone. I absent myself from the town for a while, without feeling at a loss the moment I
am left by myself.
Biletul 23
At school, Mr. Singleton had been an excellent swimmer. He had won numerous school titles, broken
numerous records. There was a period between the age of thirteen and seventeen which he remembered as
the happiest in his life. It was not the medals and trophies that made him glad, but the knowledge that he
didn’t have to bother about anything. He would get up every morning at six and train for hours.
Quinn went back into the living-room and sat down on a chair. He saw a half-smoked cigarette with
lipstick on it in an ashtray. He picked it up and smoked it. Then he went into the kitchen, opened the
refrigerator and found a loaf of bread and some orange juice. He drank the juice, ate three slices of bread
and then returned to the living-room, where he sat down in the chair again.
Biletul 25
I never heard the doctor come in. He was a tall man, with a face that had looked on much of the world.
He walked past me and leaned over my wife, his hand opening the bag he was carrying. I sat and waited,
drinking one coffee after another. The air reeked with a sharp chemical smell and the doctor was a tall
shadow, passing back and forth across my line of vision, doing things I wasn’t aware of, desperate in his
haste.
Biletul 27
He advised her to hurry up as he didn’t want her to risk missing the train. She agreed and said that
unfortunately she had the bad habit of cutting it fine. Looking at her watch, she was annoyed to find out
that it was a quarter to four. She said the train would leave in twenty minutes. He suggested that they take a
taxi. She agreed. He offered to carry her suitcase for her, but she turned down his offer, saying that she
could manage herself.
There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number is rising by more than
40 million each year. The average distance driven by car users is growing too - from 8 km a day per person
in Western Europe in 1965 to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to
major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, traffic congestion and
safety. While emissions from new cars are far less harmful than they used to be, city streets and motorways
are becoming more crowded than ever, often with older trucks, buses and taxis which emit excessive levels
of smoke and fumes. This concentration of vehicles makes air quality in urban areas unpleasant and
sometimes dangerous to breathe. Even Moscow has joined the list of capitals afflicted by congestion and
traffic fumes. In Mexico City, vehicle pollution is a major health hazard.
1. What was the average distance driven by car users in 1995?
2. How are emissions from cars compared to how they used to be?
3. What are some of the problems caused by the dependence on vehicles?
4. Which city is mentioned as affected by traffic fumes?
Biletul 29
Discovered in the early 1800s and named ‘nicotianine’, the oily essence now called nicotine is the
main active ingredient of tobacco. Nicotine, however, is only a small component of cigarette smoke, which
contains more than 4,700 chemical compounds, including 43 cancer-causing substances. In recent times,
scientific research has been providing evidence that years of cigarette smoking vastly increases the risk of
developing fatal medical conditions.
In addition to being responsible for more than 85 per cent of lung cancers, smoking is associated
with cancers of, amongst others, the mouth, stomach and kidneys, and is thought to cause about 14 per cent
of leukemia and cervical cancers.
Like many other holidays, Halloween has evolved and changed throughout history. Over 2,000
years ago people called the Celts lived in what is now Ireland, the UK, and parts of Northern France.
November 1 was their New Year's Day. They believed that the night before the New Year (October 31)
was a time when the living and the dead came together.
More than a thousand years ago the Christian church named November 1 All Saints Day (also
called All Hallows.) This was a special holy day to honor the saints and other people who died for their
religion. The night before All Hallows was called Hallows Eve. Later the name was changed to Halloween.
Like the Celts, the Europeans of that time also believed that the spirits of the dead would visit the
earth on Halloween. They worried that evil spirits would cause problems or hurt them. So on that night
people wore costumes that looked like ghosts or other evil creatures.
1. How were called the people who lived 2000 years ago in Ireland and the UK?
2. What did they think about the date October 31?
3. How was Halloween called in the past?
4. What did Europeans think would happen on Halloween?