Bac Sample

SAMPLE BAC PAPER 2

STREAM: LLE

PART ONE: READIND AND INTERPRETING (14pts)
Read the text carefully then do the activities.

Behind The Times
Caning, the customary British punishment for student misbehaviour, did not end with Tom Brown or Nicholas Nickleby. Britain is still behind the times on behinds, so to speak. Even today, according to a survey compiled by the Society of Teachers Opposed to Physical Punishment (STOPP), a school child is still thrashed somewhere in the country every nineteen seconds. Such whippings may be nearing an end, however, as Britain, the only West European nation that still allows corporal punishment, bows to standards set by the European Court of Human Rights. A bill moving through parliament would forbid caning unless individual parents had registered their approval with school authorities.
Despite all its intended humanity, the proposed legislation angered some conservative MP’s who, remembering their own public-school days, support caning as a sacred custom. STOPP and other anticaners oppose the law as unjust. One reason is that some students would be caned with others while others guilty of the same infraction would not. So far, the prospective victims have not been consulted, though they obviously have tender feelings on the matter. Unless they have merciful parents, the only protection for potential canees is to be at least 16 years old and to live in Scotland. According to Scots law, students16 or over are independent of their parents. Under the new legislation, they could decide for themselves whether they cared to be thrashed or not.

Spencer Davidson

. 1Choose the answer that best completes the following statements:
A:In Britain, caning students for misbehaviour
a/is a new phenomenon.
b/has never been used.
. c/is not a new phenomenon.

B/Some public- school students are thrashed because
a/they do not do their homework.
b/they do not behave well in class.
c/they disobey orders.

C/Teachers beat their students
a/so as to restore discipline and order.
b/because they do not like them.
c/for they are impatient and intolerant.

D. D/Recently parliament has passed a law stating that
a. all students have to be rewarded for their efforts.
b. a student may be punished only if his parents do not object to it.
c. innocent students can thrash guilty ones

2. Answer these questions according to the text.
a. How do teachers in Britain react when their students behave badly ?
b. What does ‘STOPP’ stand for ? What is its purpose ?
c. Who is against the law passed by parliament ? Why ?
d. What is the difference between a student living in Scotland and another living in Britain ?

3. In which paragraph is it mentioned that the public scholars were not invited to give their opinions concerning caning at schools?

4. Match the words from column A with definitions in column B.

Words Definitions
1. rights
2. thrashed
3. legislation
4. guilty
a. beaten with a stick / whip as punishment
b. a set of laws
c. having done wrong
d. things a person may have by law


5. Give the opposite of the following words keeping the same roots.
a. approval≠
b. merciful ≠
c. decided ≠

6. Combine the following sentences using the connector in brackets.
a. Nicholas Nickleby was often punished for his misbehaviour. He had good marks in most subjects. (although)
b. Nick repeated the year. He had spent most of his time playing electronic games. (because)
c. The Smiths are good parents. Their only concern is their children’s education. (whose)

7. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form.
Mrs Peggy Flint teaches English at Charters Comprehensive School. She (to become) a teacher in 1991. Since then, She (to teach) at Charters comprehensive school. Mrs Peggy Flint is for co-education because, according to her, it (to offer) children nothing than a true version of the society in miniature. Mrs Peggy Flint (to come) to Algeria next month to attend a conference on teaching.


8. Fill in each gap with one word so that the text makes sense.
The right to an adequate education is essential. It is not ------------- important to individuals but families and communities as well. All people------------ be able to have a job, or continue their ------------- as far as they want. This is the only ------------ to contribute to citizenship development.



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9. Classify these words according to the pronunciation of their final ‘ed’.
a. caned b. thrashed c. consulted d. registered

/ t / / d / / id /





PART TWO: WRITTEN EXPRESSION .
Choose one of the following two topics:

1. You are a member of an association of teachers opposed to physical punishment. Write an article to the local newspaper in which you explain why you are against corporal punishment and what consequences it may have on students.You may use the following notes :
- loss of self-confidence.
- Disrespect and hate towards adults.
- Complex of inferiority.
- Hate of studies.
- School failure.
- Desire of revenge/ social misbehaviour.

2. Imagine you are a psychologist in a school and that you are talking to a child who has been behaving wrongly for the last few weeks.
Write the dialogue.



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