ÉPREUVE ET CORRIGE BFEM ANGLAIS 2010

Text : The story of St Valentine

Do you know why we celebrate St Valentine’s Day ? Nowadays it is the opportunity to tell people how much you care about them, to give and receive presents. But according to one legend, St Valentine’s Day is meant for people to remember a brave martyr whose name was Valentine.

Roman emperor Claudius II was fighting many wars. He wanted a strong army, but many men did not want to be soldiers. Claudius thought the men wanted to stay with their wives and children instead of leaving to fight wars.

Claudius thought of an awful solution to his problem. He decided to cancel all marriages ! No one in all of Rome could get married. Claudius thought that if men couldn’t get married, they would ignore women and want to be soldiers.

Valentine, who was a priest, believed that people needed to get married. He thought that if people were not married, they would be tempted to sin by living together without being married. So he secretly and illegally married couples anyway ! He performed the weddings in secret places, so Roman soldiers would not find out.

But they did find out. Valentine was arrested and brought before the emperor. The emperor thought Valentine was a well spoken and wise man, and he encouraged him to stop being a Christian and become a loyal Roman. Valentine would not deny his beliefs, and he refused. He was sent to prison until he could be executed. While in prison, he sent out letters to his friends and asked them to pray for him by writing Remember your Valentine.

Valentine was killed on the 14th or 24th of February in year 269 or 270. We celebrate St Valentine’s Day on February 14th in honour of St Valentine.

Slightly adapted from www.abcteach.com

I) Text comprehension 8 pts

A) Read the text and choose the most appropriate answer. 3 pts

1) The emperor decided to cancel all marriages means ...

a) He wanted all marriages to be celebrated ;

b) He decided to attend the wedding parties ;

c) He decided to oppose all weddings ;

d) He didn’t care about marriages

2) The emperor wanted men to ...

a) live at home and work for the empire ;

b) raise their children and be loyal Roman citizens ;

c) go to other countries and raise families ;

d) go and fight wars in other lands

3) They would be tempted to sin means ...

a) They would offend God’s prescriptions ;

b) They would be seduced by Claudius ;

c) They could disobey the emperor ;

d) They would divorce their wives

B) Find in the indicated paragraphs words corresponding with the définitions below. 1.5 pts

4) a victim who suffered a lot because of his/her beliefs =.......................... (paragraph 1) ;

5) terribly bad = ............................ (paragraph 3)

6) knowledgeable and experienced = ........................... (paragraph 5)

C) Are the following sentences True or False ? Justify with passages from the text 2 pts

7) Valentine was a married man who did not want to be a soldier ...............

Justify : ........................................

8) Valentine wrote letters to his friends for the emperor to remember him in prison ...............

Justify : ........................................

D) Who do the following words refer to in the text ? 1.5 pts

9) their (line 5) : ..................................................................

10) they (line 11) : ...............................................................

11) him (line 15) : ...............................................................

II) Linguistic competence 6 pts

E) Circle the most suitable words to make a meaningful paragraph 2 pts

Nowadays, St Valentine’s Day (12) has celebrated - is celebrated - was celebrated everywhere in the world on February 14th. It is surprising that (13) someone - anyone - no one - everyone really knows the story of St Valentine. Emperor Claudius II cancelled all marriages (14) thanks to - because - that’s why - while people did not want to leave their wives. But Valentine secretly married people to help them avoid (15) ungratefulness - unfaithfulness - misfortune - honesty. Unfortunately, he was discovered and executed.

F) Complete this skeleton dialogue between Julie and her teacher, Mr Sarr. 1.5 pts

Julie_ What is St Valentine’s Day ?

Mr Sarr_ It’s a festival.

Julie_Is ...................................................................................... ? (16)

Mr Sarr_ No, it isn’t a religions feast as many people think, but it’s a special feast of lovers.

Julie_.......................................................................... ? (17)

Mr Sarr_ Yes, I celebrate it every year with my wife.

Julie_................................................................................ ? (I8)

Mr Sarr_ I offer her a rose and a beautiful card. But for me, St Valentine Day is everyday.

G) Put the words in brackets in the right form to make a meaningful paragraph. 2 pts

Valentine was really (19)................ (courage) to refuse to accept the emperor’s decree. This was the cause of his (20).........,....,.. (executed). His (21).................. (dead) made him a martyr ; he will be remembered as a saint whose faith and (22)...................(wise) will serve humanity forever.

H) Write the following dates in full letters. 0.5 pt

23) (February) 14th, 269 =..............................................................................

III) Writing : Choose one topic only and write about 80-100. 6 pts

Topic 1 : Do you think that it is important to celebrate St Vaientine’s Day in Sénégal ? Give your opinion.

Topic 2 : It’s St Vaientine’s Day. Write a letter to a friend to tell him/her how much you care about him/her.

Topic 3 : Describe an important figure in your country. Focus on his/her qualities and the reasons why you think he/she is considered as a model.

Corrigé de l'épreuve:

I. Text Comprehension

A. 1. C 2. d 3.a

B. 4 =martyr 5=awful 6=wise

C. True or false

7. false " Valentine who was a priest"

8 False: "he sent out letters to his friends and asked them to pray for him by writing remember your Valentine."

D.

9.= men 10= people 11= Valentine

E. Nowadays, St Valentine’s Day (12) is celebrated everywhere in the world on February 14th. It is surprising that (13) no one really knows the story of St Valentine. Emperor Claudius II cancelled all marriages (14) thanks because people did not want to leave their wives. But Valentine secretly married people to help them avoid (15) unfaithfulness . Unfortunately, he was discovered and executed.

F) Complete this skeleton dialogue between Julie and her teacher, Mr Sarr. 1.5 pts

Julie_ What is St Valentine’s Day ?

Mr Sarr_ It’s a festival.

Julie_Is it a religious feast ? (16)

Mr Sarr_ No, it isn’t a religions feast as many people think, but it’s a special feast of lovers.

Julie_ Do you celebrate it ? (17)

Mr Sarr_ Yes, I celebrate it every year with my wife.

Julie_ What do you offer to your lover ? (I8)

Mr Sarr_ I offer her a rose and a beautiful card. But for me, St Valentine Day is everyday.

G) Put the words in brackets in the right form to make a meaningful paragraph. 2 pts

Valentine was really (19) courageeous to refuse to accept the emperor’s decree. This was the cause of his (20) execution. His (21) death made him a martyr ; he will be remembered as a saint whose faith and (22) wisdom will serve humanity forever.

H) Write the following dates in full letters. 0.5 pt

23) (February) 14th, 269 = February, fourteenth, two hundred and sixty -nine.

Chers lecteurs bientot l'epreuve et le corrigé du BFEM 2010

 

Epreuve BFEM 2006

Examen du B.F.E.M.- 2006- Epreuve D'Anglais LV1- Durée: 2H-Coef.:2
Ne pas répondre sur cette feille.Répondre sur la feulle d'examen.

I 'm very worried about the effects of television,especially on our children. First, there are a lot of violent programs on TV and on several occasions I have caught my sons copying the actions they see in these programs. Second, the advertising is very bad for them. Children see commmercials for sweets and toys, for example, and always want to go out and buy them. Also, sitting in front of the television set all day is bad for their eyes. All my children wear glasses and I am convinced it is because of the long hours they spend in front of the screen. Finally, watching TV is not creative. I think it is very important for everybody to do something creative such as playing a musical instrument or painting. When I say this to my children,they just do not answer[...]
They are very busy watching TV. I have tried to restrict their viewing hours but this has resulted in a lot of unhappiness. I have therefore decided to sell my television set as this seems to be the only solution.

I. Comprehension
A/ The mother thinks that TV is bad for the children because:
1......................................... 2...................................
B/ Say if these sentences are true or false by refering to the text.

3. The mother believes that TV causes health problems to her children.
4. The advertiement on TV does not affect the children.
5. This mother thinks Tv is a good way of spending free time.
6. The mother says her children watch too much TV.

C/ A good title for the text could be:
a) A worried mother; b) A cruel mother ; c) A suffering mother; D) An angry mother


D/ Vocabulary in Context

7. Find in the text synonyms for: a) many; b) publicity ; c)limit; d) watch
8. Find in the text antonyms for: a) free; b)ask

E.Pronoun reference. What do these pronouns refeer to in the teext?

9.The advertisement is bad for them
10. ...and always want to go out and buy them

II. Linguistic Competence

F./ Write the verbs in brackets correctly
11. Young children enjoy ..........cartoon films.( to watch)
12. School children.............. time for homework if they watched too much TV. (not to have)
13. You should watch TV aafter.............. your exercises.( to do)
14. It's 9 o'clock. We ................... in front of the TV for two hours. (to sit)

G/ Ask the questions that correspond to the underlined words
1. They see violent actions on TV. 2. Awa should stay at school all day.
H/ Transformations
18. "Where were you born?" He asked me ......................................
19. "I 'll see a film when I finish work." Famara said that..................
20.Most Segalese women watch "Rubi" "Rubi"...........................

III/ writing "Choose one topic" ( About 100-120 words)
A/ Should a parent prevent his/her children from watching TV? why or why not?
B/ Imagine you were Abdou or Amy! You are writing to your penfriend John. Tell him about your activities in your free time.
C/ two friends are arguing. One wants to watch a violent film, the other one wants to follow a footbal match. Write the conversation.

Epreuve B.F.E.M 2009

Examen du B.F.E.M 2009 -EPREUVE D'ANGLAIS LV1-DURREE: 2H-COEF: 2

1. At the age of 25, Aboubacar Bailo Diallo had plans to leave his home town of Bolliwel to look for work in the Guinean capital of Conakry. Like many other young Guineans, who were forced to drop out of school due to a lack of money, rural exodus was the only hope for escaping the poverty in which he grew up.
2. Aboubacar's father convinced him to join a trainig program in chicken-raising, funded by a non-governmental organisation , as an alternative to leaving home. Two years later, Aboubacar says that is the best decision he has ever made, and that he no longer has any intention of leaving his hometown and his family in search of a better life. With his new knowledge of chicken-raising and the installation of his first chicken coop, he was able to create this better life at home. Beginning with 300 chicks, he now has 450 egg-laying hens.
3. Aboubacar is able to contribute greatly to the family's expenses, particularly by paying for medical fees. The income from the chicken farm also pays for the schooling of nine children in his family. Not only is there enough food in Aboubacar's family, but also the babies are well-fed and the children rarely become sick. Now eggs are consumed on a daily basis by each family in the community, whereas just two years ago, eggs were hardly eaten at all. The eggs are even being sold in the nearby villages and shipped to the principal regional centers.

Adapted fromwww.usaid.gov.stories, March 31, 2006.


NB: A chicken scoop is a place where chicken are raised.


I. Comprehension (8points)


1. Choose from the following what you think is the best title for the text. (0.5)

a) Aboubacar's Failure b) Aboubacar's success story c) Aboubacar's exodus

2. Match each of the ideas below with the paragraph it corresponds to.
a) Aboubacar's decision to start a new business paragraph 1
b) The benefits of Aboubacar's business Paragraph 2
c) Aboubacar's decision to move to the city Paragraph 3

3. Circle the right answer, a), b) or c)

i. Aboubacar wanted to go to Conakry to ..............
a) visit the capital b) find a job c) develop his home town

ii. Aboubacar finally started his new business in..........
a) Conakry b) another village c) Boulliwel

iii. With his new business, Aboubacar finallly.................... the living conditions of his family.
a) betters b) aggravates c) cannot change

4. Are the following sentences true or false? Tick and justify from the text.

Statement	True	False	Justification
Aboubacar rejected his father's suggestion
He didn't know anything about chicken-raising before getting into the business.
Aboubacar now has 45O egg-laying hens and 300 chicks.

5. Circle what you think is the best equivalent for the following words. (1.5pts)

i. As an alternative to leaving home(paragraph 2) means:
a) As another way of leaving home. b) as a possibility of staying home. C) as a decision to leave home.
ii. Eggs were hardly eaten all(paragraph 3) means:
a) They ate hard eggs b) they didn't eat many eggs c) all of them ate eggs
iii. The lesson from this text is:
a) You can earn a leaving without leaving your village.
b) You can succeed only in towns.
c)Large families are an obstacles to development.
II) Linguistic Competence (6pts) 6. Complete this short dialog with the questions Aboubacar's father asked his son. (2pts)

Father: Do you really want to go to Conakry?
Aboubacar: Yes, Dad. I 've already made my decision.
Father: ..................................................................................................?
Aboubacar: to look for a job.
Father: ...................................................................................................?
Aboubacar: I 'll be living with uncle Mamadou Woury.
Father: I really wish you stayed here.

7. Aboubacar is thinking about the situation. Underline the best words to make a meaninigful paragraph. (2pts)
" There is nothing/anything/something here. If I stay here, I won't/will/would be able to feed the family. And if I leave, I have no idea what job I 'll do since/unless/because Uncle Mamadou helps me find something. Though life here is more/less/as expensive than in Conakry, I can/have to/used to leave to support the family."

8.Do the underlined words express aptitude/like or dislike/ comparison/ intention? Write your answers in the space provided. (1PT)
i. Like many other young Guineans (line 2):......................................................................
ii. Aboubacar is able to contribute (line 12):.....................................................................

9. Write the numbers in full letters ( 0.5 pt)
450 (egg-laying hens)..........................................................................

III) Writing: Choose one topic and write about 80 to 100 words

Topic 1: Mamadou Saliou, Aboubacar's cousin, has been in Conakry for two years but has not been able to even send money home. Tell his story.

Topic 2: One day, your brother/sister informs you that he/she wants to leave the village and go to town in search for work. Knowing the difficulty to find work in town, you try to convince him/her to stay in the village and create his/her own business activity. Write about your conversation.

Topic 3: Would you like to take risks and leave Senegal on a boat for Spain for a job?

Epreuve bfem 2008

EXAMEN DU B.F.E.M. 2008 - EPREUVE D'ANGLAIS LV1-DUREE: 2H-COEF:2
Without water, life could not exist. Water is essential to people in more ways than we might think. We need water for cooking, bathing, transportation and recreation. We eat aquatic plants and animals. We use water to irrigate our crops and manufacture our products. We think there is plenty of it- in oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. It may even seem as though we have more water than we need.

Most of the water on earth-97 percent- is salt water stored in oceans. Only about three percent of the earth's water is fresh water- and most of that is locked up in ice caps and glaciers. The same water is simply recycled over and over again. Just think- the water we are using is the same that the dinosaurs used millions of years ago.

Where does your drinking water come from? Some folks depend on surface water, such as lakes and rivers; others use water that collects underground. In some small communities, people get their water fom public wells and carry it home in pots and buckets. Many big cities rely on networks of pipes, pumps and other equipment that cleans and carries water from the watershed to the kitchen.

Because water is esential; we must manage it carefully. Water is considered at "risk" when it contains materials than can harm people and other organisms. These harmful materials are called pollutants. Pollutants may be chemical, industrial waste, small particles of soil or sewage.

The color and clarity of water can tell you a lot about whether it is polluted. Green color may indicate that the water contains fertilizers or animal waste. Orange-red may indicate that the water contains oil, blood from meat-processing plants, or chemicals from mines. Dark red, purple, and black might mean that the dyes from a textile mill or leather- tanning factory have got into water. The smell of water is another indicator of pollution. Thus, rotten-egg smell may indicate that water contains sewage or industrial waste.
Adapted from English Teaching forum, Jan-Mar 1999(pp 47-48)

I. Reading Comprehension ( 7pts)
A. True or False: write True or False after the folowing sentences, then justify with a relevant quotation from the text (1.5)

1. Polluted water is dangerous for people only.
Justify: ....................................................................
2. The biggest part of the water on earth is drinkable.
Justify:.....................................................................
3. Only color and clarity permit to recognize polluted water.
Justify:....................................................................
B. Title/Paragraph matching: Match these titles with the paragraphs of the text. The first is given as an example ( 2pts)

Titles Paragraphs
4. Different sources of water / Paragraph 3
5. Water- indispenable for all / Paragraph.........
6. How to recognize the impurity of water/ Paragraph.........
7. So much water and so little to drink/ Paragraph........
8. Let us protect our water from danger/ Paragraph........

C. Reference: Who or what do the underlined words in the text refer to? (1.5)

9. " it" in " plenty of it"
10. "others" in " others use water that collects"
11. "we" in " we must mangage it carefully"

D. Vocabulary in context: Choose the correct answer among a, b, c, d proposals. ( 2pts)
12. "aquatic plants" are plants which grow:
a. without any water b. near or in water c. very far from water d. with a lot of water.
13. "fresh water" means water which:
a. is very cold b. is undrinkable c. is not salty d. has no suggar.
14. " harmful materials" are materials that:
a. we use as arms. b. people don't need c. people need a lot d. have a dangerous impact
15. "meat-processing plants" are:
a. factories that transform meat b. trees that produce meat c. meat used for growing plants d. factoties where meat is not eaten.
II. Linguistic competence ( 7pts)
E. Reformulations: rewrite the sentences without changing the initial meaning. (2pts)
16. People are pumping recycled water for irrigation.
- Recycled water..........................
17. Let's look after our water or it will be polluted.
- If we...........................................
18. " Don't waste my water I will need it tonight.", my mother said to us.
-My mother told us.....................
19. We must manage water carefully.
- It is necessary...........................
F. Verb tenses/ Forms: Put the verbs in brackets into the right tense or form. (2pts)

20. If we heat water at 100°C, it ..................................... bubbling. ( to start)
21. It's high time people.......................................about managing water. (to think)
22. It's no use................................ to drink; that water is undrinkable. ( to try)
23. If I had known about the lack of water, I.............................................. some with me. ( to bring)
G. Multiple Choices: Complete with the most appropriate answer. (2 pts)
24. No is liquid is ................................................ water.
a. as precious than b. so precious c. as precious as d. more precious as
25. The student: "Sir, ......................................... have people been using water?"
The teacher: " Since the creation of the world."
a. how long b. when c. how old d. what time
26. Mrs Ngom and Mrs Sarr always wash their.......................... clothes on Sundays.
a. husbands b. husband's c. husbands' d. husbands's
27. This is the man..................................... sells water in our district.
a. who's son b. whose son c. whom son d. which son
H. Word formation: Use the correct form of the words between brackets. (1pts)
28. Oceans have the highest...............................of water in the world. ( percent)
29. Recycled water is too..................................... for people to drink. ( risk)

III. Writing: ( 6 pts)
Choose one topic only and write about 150 words.

Topic 1: One day, in your district or town or village, there was a problem of water. How did people react? What did you do to help find somutions?

Topic 2: One of your friends thinks that it is not impotant to manage water. You disagree with him or her write the conversation.

Topic 3: You are facing a water problem in your area. You write a letter to the ministry in charge of water resources to ask for his help.