Diapozitivul 1

PREPARING FOR THE BACCALAUREATE EXAMEXAMINATION STRUCTURE

Listening comprehension

Written test

Oral examination

HOW TO WRITE WELL Every piece of writing for an exam is accompanied by a set of rules that have to be respected and a number of points granted accordingly. Before starting to tackle a particular task, students should be aware of the way their work is to be assessed so that they can organise it for the highest level possible, not forgetting their potential at the same time.

There are a number of various tasks expected to be performed by a high school graduate. The most frequent are : emails, narratives, informal and formal letters, articles, essays. Each of them has a particular structure that must be followed as such so that the piece can send the right message to the reader, which is actually the aim of writing it in the first place.

According to the length and the degree of the difficulty, some may fit into A2 scale ( the equivalent of an intermediate level= 60 points maximum), such as the email, informal letters and narratives, while others aim at B2 ( the equivalent of an experienced user= 100 points maximum).

HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVELYFor the written test:Use vocabulary related to the topicUse connectors to make the ideas easy to followUse varied grammatical structuresUse paragraphs to organise the explanationUse only one idea per paragraphUse the required number of wordsCorrect spelling of the words used

SUBJECT I (40 points)Read the text below. Are the sentences 1-5 Right (A) or Wrong (B)? If there is not enoughinformation to answer Right (A) or Wrong (B), choose Doesnt say (C). Write youranswers on your exam sheet.

Seventeen-year-old Herui Alemayhu came to the United States from Ethiopia two yearsago. The teen was excited for a chance to live in a different country, but afraid of how hed adapt to an American high school. Making friends was the hardest part for me, I dont like to be lonely or anything, so I was so scared about making friends, Alemayhu said.Teenage life in America is hard regardless of where a kid lives, but for immigrants thetransition to high school can be the most challenging. Besides learning a new language, immigrant teenagers have to make friends, and adjust to the different technology that is used in American schools.

1. Herui Alemayhu has been in the USA for three years. A Right B Wrong C Doesnt say2. Herui lives in New York. A Right B Wrong C Doesnt say3. Transition to high school can be difficult. A Right B Wrong C Doesnt say4. Bob Ponichtera comes from a family of Spanish immigrants. A Right B Wrong C Doesnt say5. The problem for immigrants is that they dont know much about their new country. A Right B Wrong C Doesnt say Example of subject 1 ( 40 points):

Write a short letter to your pen friend telling him/ her about a typical week day in your life. Include information about what you usually do in the morning/afternoon/evening, and about how you feel at the end of the day. Write your answer in 80- 100 words. Example of subject 2 (60 points):

Write an opinion essay in response to the following statement: Success in life comes with taking risks or chances. Write your answer in 180- 200 words.

HOW TO READ EFFECTIVELY The reading paper consists of two parts: one text followed by five multiple choice questions for the A1- A2 level, and a second text followed by ten multiple choice questions for the B1-B2 level.

To perform the examination tasks sucessfully, students have to use two reading strategies, scanning and skimming.

Subject 1- 40 points ( 5 answers x 8 points) Subject 2 60 points (10 answers x 6 points)

HOW TO LISTEN The listening section contains two parts. Each part contains a recorded text and corresponding comprehension tasks. Each part is heard twice. The students may answer the questions while listening to the recorded texts. The first part consists of 4 questions,and the second part of 6 questions.

The questions are multiple choice questions with four answer choices and a single correct answer.Eg Why are teens different today? A.Because they have more access to thingsB. they have more pocket moneyC. they have totally different experiencesD. they are not familiar with the new technology

CRITERIA OF EVALUATIONFor listening comprehension:Listen for main ideasThe ability to link together pieces of information to reveal the whole ideasBeware of language differences or accents

HOW TO SPEAK TO IMPRESS Every task for the speaking exam is accompanied by a set of rules that have to be respected and a number of points granted accordingly. Students should be aware of the way their work is to be assesssed and they should be able to produce oral messages. They can therefore organise both their discourse and their ideas for the highest level possible.

CRITERIA OF EVALUATIONFor the oral examination:Use a range of vocabulary appropriate to the topicUse a range of grammatical forms Speak in a continuous way, without unnatural hesitation, and organize the thoughts and speech in a logical wayKeeps appropriate eye contact with interlocutorClear stages of presentationWide range of linkersExpressing and responding to personal feelings, opinions and attitudes.

There are three tasks on a wide range of topics expected to be performed by a high school graduate. Their design is mainly the folowing: task 1- a short answer to a simple question related to the daily life of a teenagertask 2- a short description or a short narrationtask 3- a developed argumentative or discursive answer on a more difficult topic related to nowadays society and its problems. Example:1. Do you enjoy dancing? Why? Why not?2. Describe someone in your family.3. Argue for and against the following statement: Face- to- face communication is better than any other type of communication, such as letters, e-mail or telephone calls. Use relevant arguments and examples to support your ideas.

Each of these subjects is expected to be dealt with in a particular way in order to send the right message to the interlocutor, which is actually the aim of any communication. In addition to this, the second grade is granted for the graduates capacity of taking part in a conversation based on any or all the topics referred to in the questions.

GOOD LUCK!!B2