Bienvenue sur le site de l'ancien Ministre d'Etat chargé du Développement, de la pêche, de l'environnement et de l'artisanat de l'Union des Comores, et actuel Directeur de l'Enseignement.

 

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OFFICE NATIONAL DES EXAMENS ET CONCOURS

Epreuve de : Anglais- Serie A

Durée : 3H

Coef : A1: 3 - A4: 4

BACCALAUREAT - SESSION 2007

GUN VIOLENCE

            Day by day, America’s all too familiar crime-clock ticks faster rand faster. Every 24 minutes a murder is committed somewhere in the U.S. Every 10 seconds a house is burgled (1); every seven minutes a minutes a woman is raped (2). Every 3 second a handgun is sold. But there is something new about the way that Americans are killing, robbing, raping and assaulting one another. The curse of violent crime exists not just in the ghettos of depressed cities, but everywhere in urban areas, in suburbs and peaceful country sides.

            More significant, the crimes are becoming more brutal, more irrational and therefore all the more frightening. The fear of crime is slowly paralysing American society. Rare is the American who does not personally know at least one victim of violence.

            In reaction to the spreading fear Americans are arming themselves with guns as if they still lived in frontier days. They are buying guard dogs and are living behind bars and locks. Classes in karate are flourishing. Neighbourhood watch groups and militias are springing up in most large cities, often with the enthusiastic support of police.

            Who are the increasingly brutal marauders responsible for assaults (3) and murders? They are often the unattended sons of working couples who, say the police, steal to keep up with the rising cost of marijuana. The police chief of Los Angeles takes a broader view: “we’ve lost a whole generation’ he says”. Totally lost. No self-discipline. Total indulgence. Drugs. Lack of respect for values. A whole generation thumbed its nose (4) at its heart and its soul.

            Statistics show young people commit most of the violent crime in America. All criminologists and police officers agree on one point: a large share of all violent crime is committed by a surprisingly small group of criminals.

            New-York police chief declares: “street crime is the most serious thing we face today. It has an enormous impact on the quality of people’s lives. It determines where we walk, what time we walk, even whether we play bingo (5) at night and whether we go the theatre. Crime imprisons citizens in their homes because they fear to venture outside”.

 

                                                                                                E. MAGNUSON, Time, March 23, 1981

            Curse: malediction, fléau
            Burgled: cambriolée.
            Raped: violée
            Assault: aggression
            Thumbed its nose: s’est mode de
            Bingo: loto

 

I)  Comprehension questions.  3pts

1°- What shows that American is an extremely violent country? (Quote 2 examples from the text)

2°- According to the writer how do Americans protect themselves against violence?
3°- True or False? Justify your answer by quoting from the text?

a- The authors of assaults and murders are often the sons of unemployed couples. T/F

            b- Street crime has no effect on people’s life. T/F

II) Vocabulary.  1pt
Give the meaning of the words in ENGLISH
            A) a murder (1st paragraph)
            B) flourishing (paragraph 2)

III) Linguistic competence.  12pts

A) Rewrite the sentences using the prompts given.

1°- You can’t help her
She ………………………………..

2°- Don’t tell him anything
He advised me ……………………….

3°- This is the most exciting comedy I’ve ever seen!
I’ve ………………………..

4°- The envoy regrets having taken brines
He wishes ……………………………..

5°- Perhaps she cheated
She …………………….

B) Complete the sentences with the appropriate word.  2pts

So as to – Although – Because – Unless – Instead of

1°- We walked very slowly ________________ catch him red-handed ( = la main dans le sac)

2°- ________________ He worked hard, he did not pass him exam.

3°- The patient died ________________ the doctor’s negligence.

4°- We’ll miss our flight ______________ we take a taxi.

C) Put the verbs into the correct form and tenses. 2pts

1°- I can’t help (laugh) whenever I hear that story.

2°- He will come as soon as he (hear) the news.

3°- They left after they (to collect) the information.

4°- If I had been you I (not come)

D) Translate into English. 3pts

1°- Tout le monde connaît la réponse.

2°- Les deux femmes d’Abou se haïssent.

3°- Il faudra que le gouvernement trouve une solution à la violence.

IV) Writing. 4pts

Choose one of these topics:  (About 50 words)

1°- If you were a responsible of  a nation , what solution could you suggest to fight violence?

2°- Is it that easy to forbid American citizens to carry fire arms? Justify your answer.

 

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OFFICE NATIONAL DES EXAMENS ET CONCOURS

Epreuve de : Anglais- Serie C-D-G

Durée : 3H

Coef : 2

BACCALAUREAT - SESSION 2007

STOP SMOKING

John Brier wants to make Maine the first sate raise the legal age for buying and smoking tobacco products from 18 to 21.  Even antismoking leaders say Brier’s chances are lousy. But he says he has no choice: he has seen the ravages of smoking in his own family, as well as the statistics indicating that most people start smoking when they are young.

“My grandmother smoked four packs a day and she spent the last 10 years of her life bedridden1 with emphysema,” Brier said. “I have an uncle who smoked two packs a day. He died of lung cancer.”

“My mother smokes,” he continued. “She’s tried to stop, but she can’t.”

Brier – who lives in Scarborough and works in Manchester, N.H., where he is executive director of Big Brothers / Big Sisters – sees those same health problems surfacing in some of the young people his agency serves. “Some,” he said, “began smoking in junior High School.”

But even Maine health and law enforcement officials who applaud Brier’s intentions doubt he will succeed. To place the issue on the ballot2 next year he must secure more than 51,000 signatures. Then he must persuade voters that 18-year- olds who can vote are still too young to smoke.

“It might be a feel-good piece of legislation,” said Police Chief M. Chitwood. “But I can’t see a lot of enthusiastic support from the law enforcement community because this is not a priority in protecting public safety.”

Brier, however, said that raising the legal age should make enforcement easier. Now, he said, many 18-year-olds who can smoke legally are still in high school socializing, with younger teenagers, making it difficult to distinguish legal smokers from underage ones.

“We are opposed to minors buying tobacco products, but we feel the adult age is 18 and at that age people can do many other things adult,” said Executive Director Ellie Bickmore.

Denise Goodman,
The Boston Globe, 21 july 1996.

1. bed-ridden: cloué au lit
2. to place on the ballot: soumettre au vote

Questions

I- Comprehension
A - Global Comprehension
choose the correct answer

1°- This text talks about:
a) John Brier and his own family
b) Health problems in Main
c) A law raising the legal age for smoking

2°- John Brier’s intention is to help:
a) Adult
b) Young people
c) Executive directors of Brothers

B – Detailed Comprehension

1°- What does John Brier want to do in Main?

2°- According to the statistics, when do most people start to smoke?

3°- Why is it difficult for Brier’s to have his law passed?

II- Vocabulary
Give the meaning in English

a) To raise = ………( 1st parag)                 c) officials =…………… (4th parag)

b) To persuade = …..(4th parag)                d) minors = ……………. (last parag)

III – Essay
choose one of these topics (not more than 6 lines)

1°- what solutions can you suggest to prevent young people from smoking?

2°- Do you think tobacco smoke is good for our health?

IV – Grammar
A – Rewrite the sentence in which the verb can be replaced by the phrasal verb given.

1°- To look after (phrasal verb)
a) The children are searching for their cat in the neighbourhood
b) The children observe the book
c) The children are taking care of their little brother

2°- To look forward to (phrasal verb)
a) These students are impatient for their result
b) These students are watching T.V
c) The students saw the doctor

B – Complete with the correct form and tense of the verbs in brackets

1°- ……….. (to come) next week?

2°- The man (to buy) our car a month before

3°- My mother (to finish) the work by the end of this year

4°- Now. I (to listen) to the radio

C – Choose the correct answer corresponding to these sentences

1° - My house is ….. the market and the post office
            a – Through;    b – Inside;       c – between

2°- She is sitting ….. The doctor
            a – across;       b – beside;       c – besides

V – Translate

1°- Il est en retard à cause de la voiture

2°- J’évite de faire beaucoup d’erreurs

3°- We hope to see you again