Epreuve du Bfem 2003

EXAMEN DU B. F. E. M.- SESSION DE 2003-EPREUVE D'ANGLAIS L. V.1
DURÉE: 2H
COEFFICIENT: 2


It was my first day at school. I was shy and half paralysed when the teacher pointed at me and told me to go to the board. There was a total silence in the classroom and everybody was looking at me. The teacher asked me to wriite my name and address; I knew my name and address, knew how to write it, knew how to spell it; but standing at the blackboard with the eyes of the many boys and girls looking at my back paralysed me... I was unable to write a single letter.
" Write your name", the teacher called to me.
I lifted the white chalk to the black board and, as I was about to write my name, my mind went blank; I could not remember my name, not even the first letter. Somebody laughed; I was so afraid that I intended to run away from the classroom.
" just forget us and write your name and address", the teacher told me in a low and gentle voice.
I tried to write , but my hand would refuse to move. The children began to laugh again.
" Don't you know your name?" The teacher asked.
I looked at her and I could not answer. She rose up and and walked to my side, smiling at me to give me confidence. She placed her hand tenderly upon my shoulder.
"What's your name?" She asked.
" Richard" I whispered
"Richard what ?"
" Richard Wright"
"Spell it". I spelled my name in a wild rush of letters, trying desperately to overcome my paralysing shyness.
" You may go to your seat", the teacher said.
I sat down with all my body trembling, hearing the pupils whisper about me, and hating myself, hating them, hating the blackboard.

Richard Wright, Black Boy.


I. Comprehension: Read the text carefully and answer the questions. ( 8pts)


A./ All the following sentences are false. Justify it by quoting from the texte. (2pts)
1. The classroom was very noisy.
2. The boy could write only the first letter of his name.
3. The teacher spoke to him in a loud and harsh voice.
4. It was a small class.
B./ Read the text and answer the following questions.
5. Choose from the following list four adjectives that apply to the teacher: ( 2pts)
hard; understanding; friendly; severe; ironical; helpful; menacing; supportive.
quote from the text to justify your answer.
6. List four physical manifestation of the boy's shyness. ( 2pts)
C./ Match each word of column A with its synonym in column B. (2pts)

A B
7. whisper a. empty
8. tremble b. murmur
9. shyness c. shiver
10. blank d.timidity

II./ Linguistic competence ( 7pts)

D./ Complete with the right verb form. ( 2 pts)
11. He will work with his father when he .................. twenty.
a. has b. will have c. is d. will be
12. If the boy learnt his lesson, he.......................... be punished.
a. won't b. will c. would have been d. wouldn't
13. He feared the board, ............................................?
a. doesn't he b. did he c. didn't he d. hadn't he
14. The workers............................... a rest at the moment.
a. are having b. will have c. have had d. had
E./ Reformulate the sentences as indicated. (2pts)
15. " I can't answer this question", the pupil said
The pupil said that....................................
16. " write your name", the teacher asked the boy
The teacher asked the boy.........................
17. " where are you going now?", the tacher asked the kids
The teacher aeked the kids.........................
18. The headmaster wiil give a prize to the best student.
A prize.....................................
F./ Fill in the blanks with "who", "that", "which", "whose" or "what" ( 2pts)
19. I know the boy.................... was sent to tje board.
20. Mr. Njaay,............................son is a doctor, lives in that house.
21. This is the man....................I met yesterday.
22. ................................ surprises me is that they lost the match.
G./ The following sentences are not correct. Rewrite them in the correct form. ( 1pt)

23. He couldn't write some letter of his name.
24.The girl in front of the teacher was not so shy than the boy.

III./ Writing: ( about 10 lines)- choose one subject only. (5pts)

1. Is it good for a student to be shy? What would you say to a friend who is shy to make him more confident? Write yoour converssation.
2. Describe the primary school you went to.
3. Write a letter to a penfriend telling him/her about your college.

a.