TEST FOR THE EIGHTH GRADE

I. (25 points) Read the text below and decide which variant (A, B, C or D) best fits each space. Write your answer on the Answer Sheet.

There are in the world some 3,000 different languages and dialects. This did not (1) .......... in the Middle Ages, when communications between different parts of the globe were (2) .......... and difficult and when, in Europe at (3) .........., all educated men (4) .......... Latin. Things have changed completely in our (5) .......... . While (6) .......... men can now speak Latin, the TV, the phone, the radio and the computer have made (7) .......... possible to talk directly between continents. A journey (8) .......... might then have taken several months can now be (9) .......... in a few hours (10) .......... plane. It is not (11) .......... that men have increasingly felt the need (12) .......... a common language, and (13) .......... the last century various solutions of the problem have been put forward. The first of these was the creation of a completely artificial language, (14) .......... unconnected with any existing language. (15) .......... such a language might be difficult for people to learn, it had the advantage that everybody started at the same (16) ......... .

The second solution was the invention of a language based on natural languages but (17) .......... their numerous irregularities. Such languages (18) .......... Esperanto or Interlingua belong (19) ........... this category. The two remaining solutions to the problem of an international language are (20) .......... to adapt some existing language already spoken by a (21) .......... number of people (such as French or Spanish) or to create a simplified version of one of these languages in (22) .......... the vocabulary and grammar would be reduced to a minimum. An (23) .......... of this is “Basic English”.

It is most unlikely that the governments of the world will ever (24) .......... on an international language, but meanwhile, whether we like it or not, there are signs that English is gradually (25) ........... accepted as a second language by a majority of people all over the world.

1 A) count B) happen C) mattered D) matter2 A) slow B) slowest C) slowly D) more slower3 A) all B) least C) last D) that4 A) speak B) spoke C) speaking D) speaked5 A) days B) time C) times D) day6 A) few B) a few C) many D) little7 A) this B) that C) so D) it8 A) witch B) wich C) which D) who9 A) achieved B) realised C) travelled D) ending10 A) with B) bye C) by D) on11 A) surprised B) surprise C) surprising D) surprisingly12 A) of B) for C) off D) to13 A) in B) while C) meanwhile D) during14 A) quite B) very C) mainly D) quiet15 A) even B) despite C) although D) also16 A) moment B) time C) minute D) level17 A) without B) minus C) with D) within18 A) than B) as C) then D) like 19 A) of B) in C) to D) off20 A) neither B) nor C) or D) either21 A) big B) large C) numerous D) high22 A) that B) this C) which D) whose23 A) version B) form C) dialect D) example

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24 A) agree B) approve C) find D) make25 A) coming B) become C) be D) becoming

II. (25 points) Put the verbs in brackets in the right tense and voice. Write your answers on the Answer Sheet.The most famous ghost ship of all time ____ (1- be) the Mary Celeste. More than a century after her bizarre discovery drifting and devoid of life in the middle of the Atlantic, no one ____ (2- be) any nearer solving the mystery.

The Mary Celeste ____ (3- set) out on her voyage to Genoa in Italy on November 4 th 1872. Aboard ____ (4- be) eleven people including the American captain – Benjamin Briggs. On November 24th, Briggs ____ (5- record) in his log that he ____ (6- sight) the Azores. The weather ____ (7- be) stormy. The next morning the ship’s condition ____ (8- be) recorded in the log again. It was the last entry ever ____ (9- make). Ten days later another British ship – the Dei Gratia - ____ (10- see) the Mary Celeste ____ (11- drift) aimlessly. Captain David Morehouse ____ (12- order) a boat to be ____ (13- launch) to investigate. The three crewmen who ____ (14- row) across to the mysterious ship ____ (15- find) not a single man, woman or child aboard, – living or dead. Captain Morehouse ____ (16- take) the Mary Celeste in tow. While they ____ (17- head) for Gibraltar, he ____ (18- have) time to think of his mysterious discovery. Perhaps the ship ____ (19- take) water, Captain Morehouse ____ (20- think) But there was no sign of it when it ____ (21- be) investigated.

Captain Morehouse ____ (22- tow) the Mary Celeste into Gibraltar Harbour on December 1st. After a public inquiry, he and his men were awarded the salvage money they ____ (23- seek). The ship was sold but she ____ (24- remain) ill-fated. Sailors refused to sail in her believing the vessel to be cursed. She ____ (25- change) hands 17 times before she finally ran aground and sank in 1884.

III. (50 points) Write a story based on the following two images. Give your story an appropriate title and write no more than 150 words.

Pay attention to the following:

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the images are just a starting point for your story (you don't need long descriptions); use the dialogue only if it is relevant  for your characters or events; you should use this plan :   

Introduction (paragraph 1 - set the scene) Main body (paragraph(s) 2/3 - develop the story) Conclusion (paragraph 4 - end the story)

SCRIETI RASPUNSURILE PE FOAIA DE RASPUNS (ANSWER SHEET). BARATI TOATE SPATIILE NECOMPLETATE. TIMP DE LUCRU: 2 ORE. NU SE ACORDA PUNCTE DIN OFICIU.

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