ENGLISH TEST

NAME:
FORM:
COMMENTS:

DATE:

MARK :

/ 20

NOTE IMPORTANTE AUX CANDIDATS: Les candidats traiteront sur feuille de copie double en respectant lordre des questions et en faisant apparatre la numrotation. Ils composeront des phrases compltes chaque fois quil leur est demand de rdiger les rponses. Le nombre de mots indiqu constitue une exigence minimale. En labsence dindication du nombre de mots, les candidats rpondront brivement la question pose (20 mots maximum).Les citations seront limites aux lments pertinents et prcdes de la mention de la ligne. (L.2)

COMPREHENSION
GENERAL COMPREHENSION : Read the whole text once and answer the following questions : In which country is the scene set ? Justify by quoting the text . (2quotes)

1.

The scene is set in South Africa l.5 in the southern part of this unruly Dark Continent , more precisely in Braamfontein , which is a central suburb of Johannesburg . l.1 out from Braamfontein Civic Centre.
2. According to you, when does the scene take place ?

The scene must be set during the first free democratic election in South Africa, that is on April 27th, 1994, shortly after the end of Apartheid.
meeting waiting to cast their vote

3. The people were waiting for the result of the vote having a political What sort of narrative is this?

4.

This is a first person narrative. The story is told from the point of view of Niq Mhlongo, who is both the narrator and the main character.
5. What do you know about the narrator ? Tick . a- Occupation : unemployed politician student black activist b- He has decided to vote for : a black and white party a black party
he as no idea

 DETAILED COMPREHENSION : Read the whole text once and answer the following questions : 6. Use the context to deduce the French meaning of the following words or expressions . stretch out (L.1) : sentendre/stirer/staler What does it imply ? Explain in English. it implies that

there were many people/ it was crowded.

from all walks of life (L.7) : de tous les horizons What does it imply ? Explain in English. It implies that

people were coming from all social backgrounds.

7. Say who or what the following pronouns or expressions refer to in the text .
We (L.2) :

It refers to Black voters (people) including the

narrator. It refers to South Africa in the context. there (L.17) : It refers to Braamfontein Civic Centre. white counterparts (L.23) : white people / their white homologues those (L.28) : it refers to his Big Brothers Black leaders , Black activists
Dark Continent (L.5) :

8. Pick out 2 examples showing that April 27 th, 1994, was a redletter day for all these people. Answer in your own words and give 2 quotations.

April 27, 1994 was a red-letter day, because for the first time in South Africas history, a crowd of people from all walks of life were waiting to cast their votes. For these people, this opportunity to vote would bring hope and reshape their lives. For them it was a historic / momentous day . That day meant the start of a new era for all black people, an era of freedom and equality for all South African citizens, black and white alike.
9. In the passage from line line 17 to the end , find :
an equivalent of financial help from the government : a synonym of retired persons :

welfare grant

pensioners fight tooth

an expression which means to fight with determination :

and nail
a synonym of defeat :

overthrow rally

an equivalent of bringing together :

 a word which refers to the place where you can cast your vote on an election day :

the polling station

10. Read again from line 12 to line 30 , and explain in your words what black people may have expected at the time from this election. Tick and justify your answers by quoting the text. to find a job decent homes government money to have more money a better education not to pay at the doctor s to receive as much money as whites

l . 20 Some came to vote because of the promise of welfare grants, some because of the promise of free medical care; l.24 we had been promised access to a better education .
11. Say whether the following statements are true or false. Quote the text to justify your answers.
aThe narrator is currently studying in a place which used to be reserved for white people . T F

L.26/27 I found myself admitted to a formerly whites-only institution.

bIt was time for him to take a revenge on those who had discouraged me . T F

L.27 I felt morally obliged to return the favour to my Big brothers.

cThe day had come to thank those who had helped when he was younger . T F

L.28 It was payback time for those who had been watching my back while I was sleeping.
dMany black activists had been struggling and lost their lives to defeat the apartheid regime. T F

L.26/27 ...whoever claimed to have fought tooth and nail to overthrow the apartheid government / L.29 Now as an adult I felt that I had to recognise the Big brothers sacrifices .
eThe narrator trusts all political parties . T F

L.33 ..., but I definitely wanted to see a black party in government .

fThe narrator hesitates to vote for a black party because of their inexperience. T F

 L.33/34 I didnt care that my Big Brothers were sad to be still wet behind their ears
12. Sum up the text with the help of the following guidelines (40/50 words): a- What incited so many South Africans to vote that day?

Thousands of black South Africans waited outside polling stations to cast their votes on April 27, 1994. It was the first time that they had been given voting rights (= the right to vote). They knew it was a historic / momentous / a red-letter day in their lives. They believed that their vote would mean a brighter future for them. They were convinced that electing a black president would mean improving housing , getting a job, free medical care, welfare grants
b- Who did the narrator want to vote for ? Why?

The narrator wanted to vote for a black party, for a party that had helped make apartheid history. He pinned his hopes on his Big Brothers who had helped get rid of apartheid. He also wanted a better education and thank the Big Brothers who had enabled him to enter a formerly whites-only institution.
13. Explain in your own words the narrator s feelings and state of mind that day. Find an expression that best illustrates his state of mind. Explain why many people had their faces covered with big smiles (L.37). (30 words)

They must have been filled with joy (overwhelmed with joy ). L.4 It was a crowd of limitless hope , this sentence refers to the thousands of black people who queued up for hours to cast their votes in the first non-segregated (= segregation-free) democratic election in South Africa. This election meant a lot to them. It meant that from then on, the black majority would be free. They could hope for a brighter future in a country where Blacks and Whites would be on an equal footing. They were smiling (they had their faces covered with broad smiles because they had been waiting for this day for decades and could finally cast their votes in the first democratic election in South Africa. They knew that day would go down in history as the day when Blacks could at last live as free men and women , when they put an end to decades of white rule and governed (=ruled) their own country.
14. Say who the narrator may be referring to when he mentions the Big Brothers (l.17) for the first time. Why did he feel morally obliged to return the favour (L.27) ? (40 words)

 The Big Brothers that the narrator mentions throughout the text are the civil rights activists (fighters) , leaders like Stephen Biko or nelson Mandela who fought against the apartheid system /regime and who died or were imprisoned because they dared to challenge the white government by standing up for black peoples rights. The narrator is grateful to these freedom fighters for fighting the apartheid system. He knows that without them the black people of South Africa would never have been granted the right to vote.

EXPRESSION (300 words)

As a South African black student in journalism, you witnessed the South African General election of 1994 and cast your vote in favour of the African National Congress Party whose leader was Nelson Mandela. A few months following the election of the first South African black president, you have decided to write an open letter to Nelson Mandela, in which you not only congratulate him for his civil rights fight and actions to abolish apartheid , but also suggest that April 27th,1994 should be declared a public holiday (national day) and celebrated as Freedom Day. Imagine the content of this open letter about your special request . Feel free to tell President Mandela about your expectations . Its high time that you voiced your opinion and made yourself heard.
Mr. President

How to start your letter :

Dear President Nelson Mandela , Dear

How to end your letter : I wish you all the best/ I wish all the success you deserve / I pledge my loyalty to South Africa , its people and the constitution. Yours faithfully /Yours respectfully / Respectfully
Mr. President

How to address the president throughout your letter :

EXPRESSION (300 words)

As a South African black student in journalism, you witnessed the South African General election of 1994 and cast your vote in favour of the African National Congress Party whose leader was Nelson Mandela. A few months following the election of the first South African black president, you have decided to write an open letter to Nelson Mandela, in which you not only congratulate him for his civil rights fight and actions to abolish apartheid , but also suggest that April 27th,1994 should be declared a public holiday (national day) and celebrated as Freedom Day. Imagine the content of this open letter about your special request . Feel free to tell President Mandela about your expectations . Its high time that you voiced your opinion and made yourself heard.
Mr. President

How to start your letter :

Dear President Nelson Mandela , Dear

How to end your letter : I wish you all the best/ I wish all the success you deserve / I pledge my loyalty to South Africa , its people and the constitution. Yours faithfully /Yours respectfully / Respectfully
Mr. President

How to address the president throughout your letter :

Dog Eat Dog , Niq MHLONG (2004)

1.

sinueuse. 2. prostitues 3. gens sans qualification 4. Clochards 5. YMCA (Young Mens Christian Association) 6. inexperienced