OLIMPIADA NAȚIONALĂ DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ – ETAPA LOCALĂ

15 FEBRUARIE 2020
CLASA a IX-a SECȚIUNEA A

SUBIECTUL A – USE OF ENGLISH

I. Read the following text and put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense (10 x1p = 10p)
My father was very pleased when he bought this house because he
(1)____________(ALWAYS/WANT) to own a house by the sea. My parents
(2)__________(LIVE) here for twenty years now and they (3)___________ (NEVER/REGRET)
leaving the city. I (4)_____________ (STAY) here at the moment because I (5)
____________(NEED) some sea air. It’s wonderful! I (6) _________(WALK) on the beach
every day. I am sure I (7)____________ (BE) sad to leave this earthly paradise. I wish I
(8)_________ (HAVE) more money so as to stay here forever. Life would have been much
easier if only I (9)____________ (SAVE) my money when I was young. At the time, though, I
lived only for the moment. I wish I (10) __________ (KNOW) then what I know now. If only I
could turn back time…

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

1. Some ______________________ of foreign languages, especially French and German, is

required for the job. (KNOW)
2. Judo requires both skill and ______________________ (STRONG).
3. We decided to buy the house because the price was very ____________________ (REASON).
4. The ______________________ of the mountain is about 2000 m (HIGH).
5. Tea or coffee? – If I had the ______________________, I’d take tea (CHOOSE).
6. She was very ______________________ and hoped to become a lawyer before she reached
the age of 35. (AMBITION)
7. Thank you for everything you’ve done. You’ve been very _____________________(HELP).
8. The painting looked real, but the ______________________ was obviously a forgery (SIGN).
9. Last year the company made a ______________________ of over $10 million (LOSE).
10.I could never live in Saudi Arabia because of the ______________________ (HOT).

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III. Read the following text and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits in each gap (10 x
2p = 20p):
Astronaut food
Most astronaut food is freeze-dried, which (0)A... it doesn't need to be kept in a fridge. The
astronauts prepare their meals (1)... adding hot water to the freeze-dried food. Astronauts (2)...eat
almost anything they like in space. There is (3)...freeze-dried ice cream which doesn't need to be
kept in a freezer. The(4)... of freeze-drying food was invented for space travel but is now used
for everyday foods as well. Many breakfast cereals now (5)...freeze-dried fruit like strawberries,
for example. Astronauts take fresh fruit and vegetables on their journeys into space but (6)...a
fridge most of these only (7)...a few days. This is a problem for astronauts on long trips. But
scientists believe that in the future astronauts will be (8)...to grow their own vegetables in space.
Scientists (9)...already successfully grown some plants in space (10)...they know it is possible.

0 A means B explains C results D appears

1 A for B by C with D on
2 A must B should C can D could
3 A only B just C even D besides
4 A way B method C reason D aim
5 A consist B get C find D contain
6 A regarding B between C without D besides
7 A wait B stay C remain D last
8 A good B able C available D familiar
9 A have B will C do D are
10 A if B whenever C until D so

SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS

Read the text below and do the tasks that follow.
Airline pilots have high social status and make lots of money. Air hostesses have an
uncertain status and make little. For those recently qualified, the basic pay in some airlines is as
little as 300 pounds a month, and there are always some who will describe them as “glorified
waitresses in the sky”. This is little to balance against the possibility of hijack or a disaster. So
why do they do it?
I went to see Diane Humphreys, Senior Hostess with Dan-Air at Manchester Airport, to
try to find the answer to this question. She is responsible for all Dan-Air’s cabin staff based at
the airport and is also involved in their selection. She has had the job for 16 years. Before that
she was an extraordinary hostess for 6 years.
One reason why air hostesses don’t get over-anxious about flying may be that they’re so
busy, before, during and after a flight. I asked Mrs. Humphreys to tell me what a typical summer
timetable for a hostess would be. She said that four or five flights a week during the summer is
not uncommon.
“On a Monday morning, a hostess might have an early morning flight, perhaps at 7 a.m.
She has to check in 1 ½ hours before the flight –maybe at half past five- that might mean leaving

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home at 4 a.m. Before the flight, hostesses have to prepare the cabin and toilets and make sure
that the food and drinks are aboard. Dan-Air don’t do long-distance flights, just short or medium
distance ones, and so there are no overnight stopovers unless weather conditions prevent take-off
or landing, or the plane develops technical problems. There’s a 45-minute turn-around interval,
when the hostesses have to prepare the plane for the return flight. Depending on where you’re
flying, this can make it a 12-hour day; with delays it can even be 16 hours.”
“During the flight you’ve got no time to relax –the safety instructions have to be
demonstrated and the food and drinks served. You’re always busy. So one day you might have
an early morning flight; the next an afternoon flight; the day after you might be on relief duty
and have to be ready to work if someone else becomes ill or there is an emergency. This means
that you have to stay near a phone all the time and be no more than an hour and a half from the
airport.”
I. For each question choose the correct letter A, B, C or D (5 x 2p= 10p)
1. In her job Diane Humphreys
A is in charge of Dan-Air’s air hostesses world-wide.
B supervises all Manchester Airport staff.
C helps with the appointment of Manchester’s Dan-Air cabin staff.
D looks after aircrews when they are in Manchester.

2. In summer Dan Air’s hostesses usually work

A completely variable hours each week.
B alternate days on and off duty.
C six days a week of 12-16 hours each.
D relief days after night flights.

3. When can air hostesses relax?

A before a flight takes off.
B when the plane is in the air.
C when the plane has landed.
D never at all.

4. What does being on relief duty involve?

A staying at the airport for the day.
B remaining near a telephone all the time
C telephoning the airport every 1 ½ hours
D preparing for a night flight during the day

5. According to this passage, the job of an air hostess is

A well paid.
B glamorous.
C tiring.
D boring.

II. Read the text again and write a narrative essay about a flight you will never forget.
(180-200 words) (50 p)

Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii. Timp de lucru 180 minute.

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