Baccalaureate National Exam 2013 June Arts

Baccalaureate National Exam 2013 June Arts

[1] Ouarzazate is a desert town at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. More than half of its residents rely on the film industry for jobs. The town attracts Hollywood and European filmmakers for its landscape and picture-perfect locations. Its Kasbah, with its red and brown mud houses and narrow streets, is one of these locations. It has been chosen by many US and British moviemakers as a location for big-budget films such as “Gladiators” and “Kingdom of Heaven”.

[2] The cinema has brought so many benefits to Ouarzazate. Its residents have long depended on the film industry for jobs. They may work as technicians, sound engineers, or decorators, but they are mainly given unimportant roles as extras. Mbarka, her husband, and their five children have all appeared in Western films as extras. Mbarka has been in so many Hollywood films over the past 20 years that she cannot remember most of them. She does not even know the name of the last one she appeared in, dressed in the elaborate costume of an ancient Egyptian. “I was in the film for 15 days. It was about religion. My son, Azzedine, knows its name,” said Mbarka.

[3] The people of Ouarzazate are thankful to the foreign film industry for offering them jobs. For example, the Kingdom of Heaven, a $180 million US production, provided eight months of work for 2800 people. “When the cinema comes here, we are happy,” said Azzedine who has appeared in movies since he was seven. When there’s no movie in town, he doesn’t seek any other job; he doesn’t want to miss a film opportunity though he is not well paid. In fact, inexperienced Moroccan extras get as little as $15 per day. Those with experience earn more; they get about $24 per day or as much as $60. Inexperienced European extras, on the other hand, get about $40 per day. This has led to complaints of discrimination by some Ouarzazate residents.

[4] Abdelhaq Ouzzine, for example, considers himself an actor and wants to be treated like one. He is proud of his relationship with the cinema; his father appeared as an extra in the classic film Lawrence of Arabia more than forty years ago. “The problem we have in Ouarzazate is that we are actors but we get paid as extras,” he said. “If we complain, they may not employ us again,” he further added. Ouzzine explains that when he played the role of Cain, he only got $24 per day. “This was an actor’s role,” he said, “but I kept my mouth shut; we have no one to defend our rights”.

I. COMPREHENSION ( 15 POINTS) BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT

A. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. (4 pts)

1. Where in Ouarzazate was “Gladiators” filmed?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. What was Mbarka wearing in her last film?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

3. How do people of Ouarzazate benefit from the film industry?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

4. Why is Ouzzine afraid to complain about low payment?

B. ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY. (3 pts)
A. Mbarka has a long experience as an extra in movies. . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B. Azzeddine prefers to work only in films.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C. Ouzzine is the only one in his family to have appeared in films

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. (2 pts)

1. Film makers like Ouarzazate because . . . . . . . . . .
2. Ouzzine got only $24 when . . . . . . . . . . . .

D. FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS THAT MEAN THE SAME AS: ( 3 pts)

1. depend on (paragraph 1): . . . . . . . . . . .
2. inhabitants (paragraph 2): . . . . . . . . .
3. look for (paragraph 3): . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO? ( 3 pts )

1. them (paragraph 2):. . . . . . . . . . .
2. here (paragraph 3): . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. one (paragraph 4): . . . . . . .

II. LANGUAGE (15 POINTS)

A. FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST. (2 pts)

1. You ………………… buy a ticket for the match; I’ve got two invitations.
   wouldn’t – can’t – needn’t
2. The doctor …………………….. you met yesterday was my classmate.
   which – whose – whom

B. REWRITE THE SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE WORDS GIVEN. (3 pts)

1. “You’d better consult a technician before buying a washing machine.”
   My neighbour advised me . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. A multinational company offered Leila a good job.
   Leila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. I didn’t finish the report yesterday because my computer broke down.
   If my computer . . . . . . . . .

C. PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE. ( 2 pts )
I (can not) . . . . . . . . answer the phone when you called last night because I (have)
. . . . . a shower.

D. FILL IN EACH GAP WITH AN APPROPRIATE WORD. (2 pts)
access – rural – thinking – place – system – formal

1. One of the characteristics of a good educational . . . . . is its ability to encourage critical . . . . . . . . . . . in students.
2. Nowadays many people have . . . . . . . . . . to the internet, even those living in . . . .. . . areas

E. GIVE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE WORDS BETWEEN BRACKETS. (2 pts)

1. The aim of this TV campaign is to raise people’s (aware) …………………about the
   importance of blood donation.
2. A good relationship between parents can have a positive effect on a child’s (personal)
   ………………

F. MATCH EACH EXPRESSION WITH ITS APPROPRIATE FUNCTION. (2 pts)

G. WRITE APPROPRIATE RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS? (2 pts)

1. Teacher: You can download the text as a PDF document.
   You : (express lack of understanding) . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
2. Your friend has just got her university degree. She has two options: look for a job or continue her studies.
   You: (give her advice) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

III- WRITING (10 POINTS)
Write a review of a film you have recently seen.
These cues may help you:

• What’s the title of the film?
• What type of film is it? (Love story – disaster -thriller – action film – comedy).
• What is the film about?
• Who are the actors?
  -What is your reaction / opinion about it / ..?