FALL SEMESTER 2010

English Communication Skills I –EL111

MID TERM ASSESSMENT Name: _________________________________________________________________ ID# :______________________ SECTION:________________ SECTIONS, TIME AND MARKS OF THE EXAMINATION:

Please read the following instructions: � The time allotted for this examination is one hour and thirty minutes � All answers should be marked / written only in the space provided � Try to use only the allotted time for each section � Once you hand in your paper it will not be returned to you � Mobile phones are not allowed in the Examination Hall. � The use of dictionaries during the examination is NOT allowed � Do not attempt to copy / talk during the examination � This question paper has eight(8) pages SIGNATURE OF MARKER: _______________________

SECTION MINUTES TOTAL MARKS MARKS EARNED 1. READING 30 15

2. GRAMMAR 15 15

3. VOCABULARY 15 10

4. WRITING 30 20

TOTAL

90 minutes

60

30

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Read the following text carefully and answer the questions that follow. Houses Around the World (www.englishforeveryone.org)

1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Do you live in a house? You might be surprised to learn that there are many, many kinds of houses. Many people around the world live in houses made of grass, dirt or cloth. In the Great Rift Valley of Eritrea, the nomadic people who are in the Atr tribe build their houses with straw. Their houses are shaped like domes- half circles. The homes are small and cool. The people can move their houses when they want to move. Since people are nomads, they move often. They take their animals to new places in order to find food. People who belong to the Uros tribe of Lake Titicaca, Peru build their houses of reeds. Not only that- they also live on islands made of reeds! Their boats are made of reeds too! About 2,000 people live on these man-made islands. They started to build their own islands about 500 years ago. In Andalusia, in the south of Spain, some people live in underground houses. These kinds of houses are called a cueba. During winter, the houses stay warm. During summer, the houses stay cool. In Sana’a, Yemen, some people live in tall houses made of bricks. These bricks are made of clay, straw and soil. The bricks last many years – maybe as long as 500 years. The modern houses in Sana’a are made to look like older traditional houses, but they are made of concrete instead of bricks. In Mindanao in the Philippines, some people still live in tree houses. The tree houses are made of bamboo with grass roofs. The houses are good lookouts for snakes and wild animals. The air is cool and the houses stay dry. Now most people use these houses as meeting places. The fishermen of Sabah, Malaysia built their houses on water. They use wood from mangrove trees. This wood stays strong in water. The houses receive official addresses from the government. Fujian, China has many townhouses that are made of hard packed soil. The dirt becomes as strong as brick when it is packed hard. One large family group lives in a townhouse. The townhouses were built around 300 years ago. A group of townhouses is protected by a thick dirt- packed wall. In the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, some nomadic people live in homes called gels. These homes are made of cloth. The cloth is made of animal hair. Two poles in the centre hold up the gels. Since the nomads move often to find food for their animals, these houses are easy to move and set up. Some American Indian live in teepees. These are made of cloth or buffalo hide. Wooden poles are used to hold the teepee up. Now days, the teepees are used only for special ceremonies. The traditional houses of Chitos, Greece, are made of stone. They have arched doorways and indoor courtyards. They have good looking outdoor dining rooms which are decorated with tile and rock. The Dayak people of Indonesia built some of their houses on sticks, several feet above the ground. The frame of the houses is made of iron. The walls are made of tree bark. The floors are made of wooden planks which are placed side by side. The houses are decorated with pictures of water snakes and rhinoceros birds. These animals are a part of the people’s story of creation, or how the world was made. People build houses to fit the needs of their lives. The houses are different, but one thing is the same wherever you go – There’s no place like home!

SECTION 1 READING 15 POINTS 30 MINUTES ____ 15

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Question 1: Circle True (T) for correct statements and False (F) for wrong statements. (4 marks)

1. In Mindanao, tree houses are made of clay, straw and soil. T / F

2. In Gobi Desert, people live in homes called gels. T / F

3. In Chitos, the outdoor dining rooms are decorated with tiles and rocks. T / F

4. The water snakes and the rhinoceros birds are a part of the Dayak people’s

story of creation. T / F

Question 2: Choose the correct meaning: (3 marks) 1. The best shape to explain the meaning of the word domes in line 4 is:

a. b. c.

2. The meaning of the word nomads in line 7 is:

a. tribal people b. people who live in houses c. people who move often

3. The meaning of the word decorated in line 37 is:

a. made beautiful b. made dirty c. made funny

Question 3: Fill in the blanks with one word from the text: (4 marks) 1. The islands and the houses of the Uros tribe are made of _________. 2. The underground houses of Spain are known as _____________. 3. In Sana’a, Yemen, people live in houses made of ________. 4. Teepees are made of __________. Question 4: What do the following pronouns refer to? (4 marks) 1. their (line 22): __________ 2. it (line 26): ____________ 3. These (line 33): __________ 4. their (line 38 ): _________

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SECTION 2 GRAMMAR 15 POINTS 15 MINUTES Choose the correct answer: 1. Ted Turner is not ____ as Bill Gates. a. richer b. richest c. as rich 2. Sometimes, a telephone is ____ than an email. a. more convenient b. convenient c. least convenient 3. Fatma usually______ in the front row during class. a. has sat b. is sitting c. sits 4. I _______ an interesting book right now, I’ll lend it to you when I’ve finished it. a. read b. is reading c. am reading

5. He______ any parties since he came here. a. didn’t attend b. hasn’t attended c. will not attend

6. Abdul was watching television ______ the phone rang.

a. as b. when c. while

7. ______ he was working in the garden, he hurt his back. a. While b. When c. Who 8. I have been studying ______ five hours now. a. during b. for c. since 9. Sarah _______ in London since 1985. a. lives b. have lived c. has lived

_____15

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10. These days, I _______ coffee. a. am preferring b. prefers c. prefer 11. It is raining. You ______ take an umbrella. a. will b. should c. had better 12. You______ get back to work or the manager will be angry. a. should b. had better c. ought to 13. Yesterday I ______ an interesting movie. a. sees b. seen c. saw 14. My brother ______to Egypt next week. He has made his plans. a. is traveling b. will travel c. are traveling 15. Maryam ________ watches TV. She likes to read books. a. always b. never c. often

SECTION 3 Vocabulary 10 POINTS 10 MINUTES Circle the correct word from the brackets to complete the sentences correctly. 1. It is very ( embarrassing / exciting ) when strangers ask you personal questions. I

hate it when they do that.

2. Everything went wrong during my last vacation. It was an ( perfect / awful )

experience. I wouldn’t want to go through it again.

3. Finding a house in a city is an ( enormous / favorite ) problem as the rents are very

high.

4. It was ( unbelievable / well known ) that I won an award in my essay writing

competition. I can’t believe it!

5. Doctors say that many people fell sick last year due to the ( controversial / rapid )

spread of H1N1 virus.

_____10

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6. The organization helped people who suffered badly in natural ( appearance /

disasters ) like cyclone Gonu.

7. To bake a cake, we need simple ( ingredients / techniques ) like eggs, butter, sugar

and flour.

8. The children are ( thrilled / bored ) when they watch cartoons.

9. His ( application / pollution ) was not accepted because he was not qualified for the

job.

10. She isn’t talking to me now. We had an ( investigation / argument ).

SECTION 4 WRITING 20POINTS 45 MINUTES

Choose any one topic (1) from below and write a paragraph in about 200 words. You should include all the elements of a well-structured paragraph. 1. The disadvantages of eating at a restaurant.

2. Recycling (re-using paper, plastic, etc). What is your opinion?

3. A custom/ tradition from your country that you would like people from other countries to follow. Describe. Before you write, plan your essay by filling in the brainstorm chart in your answer sheet. Note: The brainstorm chart carries a total of 2 points. The paragraph carries a total of 8 points. ___________________________________________________________________________

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