ENGLISH TEST DATE:
NAME: CLASS: MARK: /20
COMMENTS:
READING COMPREHENSION
NOTE AUX CANDIDATS
Les candidats veillent à :
- respecter l’ordre des questions ;
- faire toujours suivre les citations du numéro de la ligne ;
- Répondre brièvement en anglais aux questions posées sans mention du nombre de mots imposés.
(Document 1)
Could air be the solution to the energy crisis?
There is now an amazing new car that can run on air. It is cheap, creates no pollution
and costs almost nothing to run. But is it just too good to be true?
The new CAT (compressed air technology) car was on display at the Paris motor show. The car was
invented by Frenchman Guy Negre. He has spent the last six years developing his idea and has now
produced a car that can travel up to 120 miles (200 kilometres) on one tank of compressed air and
reach speeds of up to 65 mph (110 kph). The car will cost around 7,000 pounds (10,000 euros) and
will come complete with its own refuelling system.
There is a problem with the car though. It will take around four to five hours to refuel.
A high speed refuelling station has been designed, but this will cost around 70,000 pounds (100,000
euros). The company believes that the car will sell well to taxi companies and delivery firms
that operate in towns, because they don't need to travel long distances and they will
be able to afford the cost of the refuelling station.
Some critics have pointed out that the car hasn't been properly tested yet and that the company's
claims about the car's performance may be exaggerated, but even if the car can only achieve half of
what the makers claim, it could turn out to be the answer both to the energy crisis and to the
problem of inner-city pollution.
(Document 2)
Trevor Bayliss is another famous British inventor, whose personal focus is on using technology in innovative
ways to deal with social problems. He invented the wind-up radio in 1993 to allow people living in remote areas
to stay in touch with the world. In 1989, he watched a TV programme about the spread of AIDS in Africa and felt
that one way spread of the disease could be minimized would be by educating people through radio broadcasts.
Despite early rejection from everyone he approached, the turning point came when Bayliss’ wind-up radio was
featured on a TV programme, creating interest from a number of investors .This enabled Bayliss to form his own
company, and since then, Bayliss has received countless awards, met the Queen and Nelson Mandela and
travelled to Africa to produce a documentary about his life. Furthermore, Bayliss has updated the radio to include
a solar panel so that it runs in sunshine without winding.
In June 2005, Bayliss received an honorary doctorate from Leeds Metropolitan University and he now runs a
company dedicated to helping inventors develop and sell their ideas.
(Document 1)
Nature : Tick the correct answer .
The document is an extract from a novel an article a testimony an advertisement
It is factual fictional entertaining
It is a British American French document .
Identify the topic (What about ?)
It deals with ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Complete the following table about the invention :
………………………………………………………………………..
Car Name :
Inventor :
Country where it was invented :
Power Source:
Top Speed :
Maximum distance without refuelling :
Price :
Target customers :
3 characteristics :
-
Possible problems ?
-
Say what the numbers or abbreviations refer to in the text :
CAT It refers to ………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………..
6 years ………………………………………………………………………………..………………………….………….
Four to five hours ………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………..
£ 70,000 ………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………….
Say if the following statements are True or False ? : Tick the correct answer and justify your choice with a quote.
a- This new car is affordable . True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
b- The latest prototype was first unveiled in London . True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
c- The car will have the ability to refuel itself . True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
d- What the company is aiming at is the urban motorist . True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
e- Like everything else about this vehicle, it all sounds impossible. True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
f- This new non-polluting car has been criticized . True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
g- The car has already been marketed. True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
h- It was designed to address the issue of air pollution. True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
Match the bold words from the text to their meanings/definitions . Write a-h next to the numbers 1- 8
1…….. a difficult time a. pointed out
2…….. being shown b. too good to be
true
3…….. container for c. to afford
fuel
4…….. commented d. run on
5…….. people who e. crisis
disagree with
something
6…….. be powered by f. tank
7…….. to have enough g. critics
money to buy
something
8…….. unbelievable h. on display
(Document 2)
Explain in your own words what the text deals with.
……………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………..
Find information about the inventor and its invention. Complete the following table:
Inventor Invention
Name: Name:
Country of origin : Date of invention :
Main Motivation : Power source : the wind man’s muscle air
the sun electricity batteries
Year when he Country targeted :
came up with the
idea :
Main Purpose :
achievements :
Choose the best title for the text :
a- Dealing with the issue of AIDS in Africa.
b- Trevor Bayliss: Inventor helped remote parts of Africa tune in to education.
c- Stopping the spread of AIDS by educating people in Africa.
d- 1993 : Wind-up radio
True or False ? : Tick the correct answer and justify your choice with a quote from the text.
a- Trevor Bayliss thought that he could invent a device to connect and inform people living in
Africa.. True False
………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………
b- Success came instantly . True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
c- His invention was later improved . True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
d- Trevor Baylis has been quite successful. True False
………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
e- He is no longer involved in the innovation process. True False
………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………
(Document 1 and Document 2)
Match each statement on the left with the appropriate document(s) on the right
1- Giving a personal testimony.
2- Stating facts based on a study . a- ONLY Document 1
3- The focus is on innovation to deal with social and environmental problems. b- ONLY Document 2
4- The invention was aimed at changing people’s lives in the developing world. c- Document 1 AND Document 2
5- It was meant to educate people about health issues. d- None
6- It addresses the issue (= problem) of pollution.
7- It is a good example of Innovation.
8- The text deals with a future-oriented innovation.
