2nd

year foreign languages

First Term Examination

Part one: Reading and interpreting

(14pts)

Diversity is an issue that pervades every society. The most common subjects related
to diversity center
around race, colour, gender, religion, education, language age
and culture.
Throughout history peoples and societies generally tended toward a more
homogeneous approach in their development and were often afraid of differences.
Standards and norms were established according to the beliefs of the dominant group
or culture. National identities used to be developed on the principle of sameness of
language, sameness of religion, and so on. Laws were created to exclude or even
punish certain differences. Groups and societies saw anyone (or group) that was
different as being automatically suspected and often inferior. Civil wars and world wars
have been fought over issues relating to diversity.
Todays generation are beginning to look for or build common threads around which
differences can exist in harmony and the values in the differences can be shared. The
concept of sameness is being replaced with unity.
This change in view, however, is not coming easily to the world .Many long standing
prejudices and practices counter to diversity still exist in all societies. Education is one
of the keys diminishing the prejudices against diversity. Awareness is the first step in
the process. Helping the young people to become aware of the diversity around them
and to recognize the value in that diversity is a key to building a strong civil society
English
Teaching Forum, 1999(adapted)
A) Comprehension
1) Choose the right answer:
The text is:
a) an extract from a web site
a) a newspaper article

b) an extract from a magazine

2) Are these statements true or false?

a) In the past, people didnt fear differences.

b) Civil wars and world wars are due mainly to problems related to diversity.
c) Nowadays, people are searching a type of harmony involving differences
and shared values
d) It is extremely difficult to build a civil society without education and
awareness.
3) Answer the following questions:
a) What subjects does diversity involve?
b) What are the two main tools to build a strong civil society?

4/ Match each title with its corresponding paragraph:

Titles
a)
b)
c)
d)

Historical background
How to build a civil society
What diversity involves
What the young are doing
nowadays

Paragraphs
1st
2nd
3th
4th

v5/ In which paragraph is it mentioned that today, unity is replacing the

idea of sameness..
B/ Text exploration
1) Mach words in column (A) with their definitions or synonyms in
column (B)
Column (A)
1.
2.
3.
4.
2)

Awareness
Homogenous
Prejudice
Pervade

Column (B)
a.
b.
c.
d.

Spread through
Consciousness
Similar
An unfavourable opinion formed
beforehand based on inadequate
facts

Complete the following table.

Noun

Adjective

Sameness

..

Tolerant

Strength

3) Ask the questions which the underlined words answer.

a) In the past, societies used to suspect people who were different

?
b) Today, unity is replacing the concept of sameness.

.?
4) Fill in the gaps with just (5) words to get a coherent paragraph
Connecting
prejudices
challenged
- young
mobile diversity
The advances in technology and transportation are building a more1..and
global community. The global economy is building a new network of
relationships between people and countries. People from all cultures are
2..with each other. Barriers as those between the 3..and the old, male
and female, and 4. against individual groups are increasingly being
5

5) Classify the following words according to their final s

Differences
societies
subjects
lives
/s/

Part two:
(6pts)

/z/

/iz/

Written expression

Use the following ideas to write a composition about the following

topic
What are the keys to build a strong civil society?
Here are the ideas you use in your paragraph.
Teaching tolerance and understanding - respecting others beliefsteaching civic education at school -accepting diversity - putting differences
aside-isolating prejudices - uniting people living in harmony

Good luck