SECTION I.

THE ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE (30 points)

Read the text and do the tasks below the text.

Cultural Do’s and Don’ts

When travelling outside of your own culture, it is always rewarding to put yourself deep within
the host culture to develop a better appreciation of your new environment. However, things that
might be considered ‘normal’ in your home country could be viewed as rude in someone else’s, and
vice versa.
Before entering a foreign environment, it is best to find out what to expect. Read as much as
you can before travelling to a new country to become an expert in local social rules and cultural
differences. Travel guides will usually provide a very specific list of “do’s” and “don’ts.” Be sure to
make use of Internet sites or forums, and of course do not hesitate to ask the locals. It is better to
ask what might seem like a ridiculous question to one person, than to make a fool of yourself in
front of a larger group.
When I first moved to Japan, I was surprised that people made unpleasant noises when they ate
noodles. They even picked up the bowl to drink the soup. Making noise while eating and drinking
straight from the bowl is definitely disapproved of in my country. But in Japan, it is not rude, it is
actually expected.
Over the years, I have travelled to many places. Each country may have its own set of cultural
taboos and acceptable behaviour. Here is a short list of some of the more interesting yet strange
local customs that I have come across:
 Discussing sports in Germany is considered an uneducated thing to do.
 Do not blow your nose in public in Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, or France.
 When in Thailand, never touch the head of a small child. It is considered bad luck.
 In many Asian countries, such as China, pointing with the index finger in public is considered
quite rude.
 Bulgaria can be a confusing place for many foreigners—the locals shake their head to indicate
“yes” and nod the head up to indicate “no.”
In conclusion, if you happen to commit a mistake, don’t worry too much about it. Mistakes
happen whether we like it or not and sometimes that’s the only way to learn.

No Item Score

1. Answer the question. A A

Why should a person read travel guides before visiting a foreign country? 0 0
1 1
A person should read travel guides before visiting a foreign country, because
countries have different social rules and specific local customs that may vary from
2 2
their own and reading travel guides can provide about the right behaviour in that
country.
Find in the text the synonyms for the word and word combination given below.
2. Find in the text the synonyms for the word and word combination given below. A A

2.

0 0
a) to present - to put
2 2
b) to make an error - commit a mistake____________________ 4 4
3. Find in the text the antonyms for the words given below. A A
0 0
a) similarity - difference
2 2
b) clear - _confusing___________________ 4 4

4. Identify and circle the correct variant (True/False). Justify your choice. A A
a) In Japan it is rude to make noise while eating and drinking. True False 0 0
1 1
because making noise while eating is actually expected from you
in Japan
2 2
b) In Germany it is considered polite to discuss sports in public.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaTrue False
because discussing sportys in Germany it is considered an

uneducated thing to do.

5. Give another title to the text. Write your title in the form of a sentence. A A
0 0
1 1
How to travel outside of your own country?
2 2
3 3

6. Comment the phrase below in 4 lines. A A

Mistakes happen whether we like it or not and sometimes that’s the only way to learn.
0 0
Mistakes help us gain knowledge. We can gain so much knowledge from our 1 1
mistakes, and all it takes is the willingness to learn from them. We gey to know 2 2

what works and what doesn’t from each error we come across. Without mistakes 43 43

we lose countless opportunities to gain valuable knowledge and learn lessons.

7. Identify the message of the text and comment on it in 5 lines. A A

Personally, I think that the message of the text is that we need to
adapt our behaviour according to local customs in order to show
respect to the country we are visiting. Being aware and informed
about the cultural differences and diverse social rules is an
essential part of travelling that can also help you avoid awkward
situations when dealing with specific cultural norms.
 SECTION II. THE ASSESSMENT OF LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE (20 points)
Fill in the gaps with a suitable article and preposition. Write the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Choose the correct word from those given in brackets.
No Item Score
1.- When I finished school, I applied to study philosophy at two universities, A A
10. Sheffield, my home town, and London. I didn’t have much hope of getting into 0 0
London University my school exam results were not brilliant. London University is 2 2
one of the (high/highly/highlier) highly appreciated universities in the world therefore
I wanted to be accepted there. I (must/had to/should) had to make two trips to London
before I started one for the interview and another to find accommodation. The
university provided students with information about flats. By the time the semester
began, I (already, to find) had already found a place to live and a roommate.

While I was studying, I didn’t think about work and how I (to earn) will earn my living
after university. When the time came, I realized that languages had always interested me
so I applied to several jobs to teach English abroad. Obviously, I didn’t have any
experience but I thought I had a small chance of (to accept) being accepted .

In the end, a letter came and I felt nervous as I opened it. But the news (to be) were
good! The letter offered me a job in a Swedish school. I knew the winter weather in
Sweden was cold so I bought some warm clothes. Then I had a farewell party and
everyone wished me good luck in my new life as a teacher. Since then I (to have) have
had a lot of jobs in difference countries and I am happy to say that I have enjoyed all of
them. But I have wondered many times what (to happen) could have happened if that
first letter had turned me down. 4

SECTION III. THE ASSESSMENT OF PRAGMATIC AND CULTURAL

COMPETENCES (20 points) Write a coherent 10-line text for the situation below.
No Item Score
1. Your local newspaper asked you to write an article about a tradition or holiday that is A A
celebrated in an English-speaking country, but not in your own country. 0 0
In conclusion, this is a special day when many people can show appreciation and

Thanksgiving Day is annual national holiday in the United

States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year.
Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621
harvest feast shared by the English colonists of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.
The American holiday is particularly rich in legend and symbolism, and the traditional
fare of the Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, bread
stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. With respect to vehicular travel, the
holiday is often the busiest of the year, as family members gather with one another.
Although, Thanksgiving Day celebrated on different dates in the USA (last
thursday of November) and Canada (the second monday of October) this holiday is all
about showing gratitude towards your family and friends and all the things that we are 20
grateful for. 20
SECTION IV. THE ASSESSMENT OF PRAGMATIC AND CIVIC COMPETENCES
(30 points)
Write a coherent 20-line text expressing your attitude on the given topic.

Some people consider that responsibility is the key to success. Do you agree or
disagree? Bring TWO arguments or examples.
Use the following plan:
 Make an introduction;
 Bring two arguments/examples;
 Draw a conclusion.

Being responsible means you do the things you are expected to do and accept the
consequences of your actions, that is why I don’t agree with the statement above. I have
thought about the path to success and all my conclusions led to the fact that consistency is the
actually key to success. In this essay, I will write about why being consistent means when you
dedicate your entire self completely to a task, activity or goal, reaching your way to succes
through dedication.
Firstly, to be consistent requires a commitment on your part. It requires that you
commit yourself to a sustained effort of action over the long-term. What this essentially
means is that you keep your word to yourself and others that you will follow through with
what you set out to do consistently over a period of time up until the moment your objectives
are achieved. As such, consistency is all about your ability to be dependable, reliable and
responsible for all your choices, decisions and actions.
Consistency is about building small empowering habits and rituals that you partake in
every single day that keep you focused on your highest priorities and goals. It therefore
essentially comes down to your ability to hold yourself accountable for the daily choices you
make with no excuses and no complaints. You and you alone are accountable for what you do
and what you fail to do. All responsibility lies solely in your hands.
Secondly, to be consistent means to focus on the present moment while maintaining a
long-term view that helps you measure your results and the impact of your daily actions. With
this regular feedback in your hands, you are better able to learn from your failures and
mistakes to help you effectively alter your course of action where required.
Consistency is therefore all about repetition. It’s about repeating the same actions
(habits and rituals) over and over again; gaining feedback from these actions and adjusting
them accordingly to help you stay on track as you work towards your goal. And that, in
essence, is the difference between success and failure in any field of endeavor and the key to
high levels of achievement.
In conclusion, life is too precious to waste away without consistency in it.
Consistency-in-action doesn’t mean that you keep repeating the same thing over and over
again. It’s about growing, developing and learning how to make more of what you’re doing.
Adapting new ideas into your work being creative in what you do. As Dwayne Jhonson once
said ” Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads
to success. Greatness will come ”.