Hassi El Frid S.S.

Teacher: Miss Amira CHATTI

Name: ........................................
May 13, 2015 Level: 4th Form
Class: ...............
End-of-term English

Test N 3 Your Mark is

..... /20

Text

For 25 years, we have had growing air pollution as China expanded industrially and
economically, condemning people to wearing masks and suffering respiratory problems and skin-
related illnesses. In new legislation*, the first since 1990, there seems to be a window of
opportunity to force prosecutors to act against companies, local authorities or any other
polluters. If the necessary action is taken, currently by Greenpeace, several individuals and
many groups of people who have environmental interests, the legal system could be
overburdened by a great series of assessments, detentions and fines**.

Since January 1st, there have been no limits to fines on polluting companies or to loss of
face by officials who may be demoted or sacked if they fail to report pollution events. It is
not only the air. Much of the Chinese groundwater is suffering from contamination, from
benzene traces in Lanzhou to leaking factories nationwide. Illegal dumping of chemicals from
arsenic to mercury is rife while deforestation, throughout the country, from tropical
rainforest to northern coniferous woodlands has devastated natural habitat.

It is now more efficient to deal with many such problems, rather than ignore pollution
problems by paying the small fines. The costs have now risen, perhaps encouraging companies
to employ more consultants to avoid them. In recent years, some groups there have actually
been saving tiger lives. 700 independent groups can be registered with the government to file
lawsuits on environmental problems according to the governments own All-China Environment
Federation.

This is a huge encouragement to other grass roots organisations or volunteer groups, as long
as they, too can become registered after several years of public interest activities. However,
both Greenpeace in China and The Friends of Nature organisation agree that officials are now
listening to many reports, from wastewater pollution to the awful smogs*** that western
countries have been known to suffer too. Instead of losing face, now they can gain by joining
the environmental side!

By JW Dowey
15 March 2015
www.earthtimes.org
*Legislation: Law.

**A fine:A sum of money required to be paid especially to the government as a penalty for an offense.

***Smog: Fog that has become mixed and polluted with smoke.
 I. Reading Comprehension: (12 marks)
1. Read the text and choose the most suitable title to the text: (1 mark)

a. China is finally clear.

b. China is taking action against pollution.

C. China is resisting change.

2. Focus on the second paragraph and pick out (3) impacts of pollution on nature: (3 marks)
a.
b.
c.

3. For each of the following statements, pick out a detail showing that is false: (3 marks)
a. China has not issued an environmental law for more than a century. [ 1]
...
b. The fines paid by companies are at a low cost. [ 3]
...
c. Saving endangered species is not a priority for environment organisations. [ 3]
...

4. With reference to paragraph 4, pick out a detail showing the rising interest of the Chinese
government in saving the environment: (1 mark)
...

5. Tick the right option: (2 marks)

a window of opportunity ( 1) means:
a. an opportunity to do something only be available for a short time.
b. a long-term opportunity to achieve something.
c. a very small opportunity to do something.

grass roots ( 4) means:

a. original
b. common
c. ordinary

6. What does the underlined word in the text refer to? (2 marks)
they in ( 2) refers to .
them in ( 3) refers to
 II. Writing: (12 marks)
1. Guided Writing: (4 marks)

Use the information below to write a six-line paragraph about Greenpeace.

Type: Independent global campaign organisation.

Location: Greenpeace International in the Netherland + offices in 40 countries.

Goals: Changing attitudes / protecting and conserving the environment / promoting peace.

Ways to achieve goals: Non-violent direct action / lobbying / research.

2. Productive Writing: (8 marks)

One of your friends is thinking of moving from the city to settle in the countryside, where
you live, assuming that he would enjoy a better life. He wants to know what you think of his
intention. Write him a 12-line letter telling him what you think of his plans.

 III. Language: (6 marks)

1. Fill in the blanks with (6) words from the box below. There are (2) extra items: (3 marks)

Although like find efficiency more warming with densely

There is now a growing recognition for the use of Eco-friendly cars as the
(1)
awareness of global . and air pollution keep making

headlines all around the world. Makers of green cars are continuously trying to
(2)
enhance the . of hybrid and electric cars. They aim at gradually
(3)
replacing the traditional automobile . absolutely no carbon
(4)
exhaust models. You can . an assortment of green cars available

on the market today many of which are greener while some others are
(5)
. practical. Both varieties of green car are undeniably the most
(6)
famous, though other green fuelled cars . LPG, bio-fuels and

hydrogen fuelled cars are the viable options.

2. Put the bracketed words in the correct tense or form the box below: (3 marks)

Since the 90s, the rural population in France finally increased, after seeing a

diminishing population for the past 150 years. The primary basis for rural exodus

was (economy) . and technological. After the industrial

revolution, the need for a strong workforce (increase) ..

Salaries were dropping (rapid) . in the agricultural field, and

exploding in the industry. To subsist, the farming population has moved toward to industrial

sites, (result) . in a high demand for said workforce. Similarly, in

order to know whether we are really facing an urban exodus, we have to ask (we)

. this question: are rural areas becoming economically more

attractive than cities? Of course, the (true) . is not often simple.