THE BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM LM JUNE 2008

THE BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM LM JUNE 2008

The Economic Commission for Africa estimates that between 1960 and 1989, some 127,000highly qualified African professionals left Africa. According to the International Organisation for Migration, Africa has been losing 20,000 professionals each year since 1990. This has raised claims that the continent is dying a slow death from brain drain, which has financial, institutional, and societal costs. African countries get little return from their investment in higher education, since too many graduates leave or fail to return home at the end of their studies. The United Nations has finally admitted that emigration of African professionals to the West is one of the greatest obstacles to Africa's development.

Kofi Apraku, an African living in the US, is eager to go back home. Nearly twenty years ago, he carne to America as an exchange student to finish high school. Kofi ended up staying there to get his doctorate. He achieved distinction not only in his professional career, but also in his social and personal life. Now a professor of economics at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Apraku is preparing to go back to Ghana to work with the ministry of agriculture as director and policy counsellor. " The missing link for Africa's social and economic development," he says, " is the African immigrant who has become educated and experienced abroad but who has not been able to go back home."

A number of factors have kept expatriates, such as Apraku, from getting back to their homeland. Somewhat like African refugees, African immigrants are victims of brutal governments, poverty, civil wars, poor economies, etc. According to a United Nations estimate, 100,000 trained professionals like Apraku are working in the West. Most of them can't - or won't - return. The result: a devastating brain drain that has deprived the African continent of much of its top talents.

Surprisingly, some Africans are willing to return to where they belong. Despite the very low salaries, poor professional facilities and limited opportunities, they are decided to make it back home. "Africa's development remains an African responsibility," says Apraku. "Some of us have been lucky to get enough experience to share such a responsibility," he continues.

Certainly, the trip back home can be hard. For instance, the average salary in African universities does not exceed 500 dollars a month. Many of the best-paid jobs in Africa still go to foreigners. Thousands of foreign advisors in the public sector in sub-Saharan Africa are paid up to 4,000 dollars a month. It is true that these have expertise unfound in Africa, but this situation can be changed if, and only if, educated Africans are willing to sacrifice and work together for a brighter tomorrow in Africa.

I. COMPREHENSION ( 15 POINTS)

BASE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE TEXT

A. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN YOUR OWN WORDS. (3 pts)

1. Was Apraku a successful student? Explain.
2. In what way are African refugees and African immigrants similar?
3. Who is responsible for the development of Africa according to Kofi Apraku?

B. ARE THESE SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY. (2 pts)

1. Kofi has been offered a job with the ministry of agriculture in Ghana.
2. All African immigrants prefer to stay in their host countries.

C. PICK OUT FROM THE TEXT EXPRESSIONS WHICH SHOW THAT: (2 pts)

I. African countries don't benefit much from the money they invest in university studies. (parag. 1)
2. The return of African immigrants wouldn't be easy (parag 5)

D. COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES. (2pts)

1. Foreign advisors are well-paid in Africa because…….
2. Africans can contribute to the development of Africa if they……..

E. CHOOSE THE RIGHT ANSWER FROM THE LIST GIVEN. Tick (v) the appropriate box. (2 pts)

1.The best title for the passage is:

Opportunities and constraints of going back to Africa.
Life conditions of African immigrants in the West.
Work conditions and salaries in African universities.

2.After reading the text you can conclude that Kofi Apraku is:

indifferent to going back to his country.
hopeless about going back to his country.
optimistic about going back to his country.

F. WHAT DO THE UNDERLINED WORDS IN THE TEXT REFER TO? ( IN ITALICS )(2 pts)

1. Continent:( paragraph 1 )
2. Them: ( paragraph 3 )
3. They: ( paragraph 4 )
4. These: ( paragraph 5 )

G. FIND IN THE TEXT WORDS OR EXPRESSIONS THAT MEAN THE SAME AS: (2 pts)

1. Human capital flight ( parag. I ) .
2. The country where a person is born ( parag.3 ) :

IL LANGUAGE ( 15 POINTS)

A. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST. (1 pt)

who - whose - where - which – whom

The United Nations.........was established soon after the Second World War is an organisation.......goals are to solve conflicts among nations and keep peace in the world.

B. PUT THE VERBS BETWEEN BRACKETS IN THE CORRECT TENSE. (2 pts)

Moroccan authorities (to be)...... interested in developing the tourist industry for many years. Last year 7.5 million tourists (to visit).......Morocco. Another 8 million (probably/ to come)......next year. Government officials hope that by the year 2012 the number of tourists (to reach).......10 million.

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

1. David didn't save enough money to buy a new computer.
David wishes....................
2. "I will apply for a scholarship at Oklahoma University," Jawad said.
Jawad informed his classmates..............
3. My father didn't get a loan from the bank. So he couldn't buy a new car.
If..............

D. GIVE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE WORDS BETWEEN BRACKETS. (3 pts)

1. The job advertised requires a good (know).........of at least two foreign languages.
2. Jalal started looking for ajob immediately after his (graduate)...........from the Institute of Technology.
3. Rim thinks that the mobile phone is the most useful modem (invent).........

E. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE WORDS FROM THE LIST. (3 pts)

in addition to - nevertheless - since - therefore - in spite of – furthermore

1. Many countries still can't reduce unemployment.........making big efforts.
2. Many people in the village don't know how to read or write ;......... , a local organisation has set up a literacy program for them.
3. The computer is an amazing means of entertainment........its efficiency at work.

F. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE APPROPRIATE COLLOCATIONS. (3 pts)

Have access
Pay attention
Computer system
Have fun
Take care
Computer illiterate

Jane: I tried to......to this new website, but I couldn't. Can you show me how to do
that? You know, I'm almost a...........
Mary: Well, just wait a minute! I'll show you how to do that, but you have to......
so that you can remember the steps.
Jane: Ok, let's try.

III. WRITING (10 POINTS)

Students often take part in some voluntary work as an act of good citizenship.

Write a report about an activity you participated in or heard about in your school, neighbourhood or city.
(approximately 250 words)

These suggestions may help you:

- The kind of activity (planting trees, cleaning, helping old people, campaigns against smoking, road accidents)
- People involved (students; teachers; administrators; experts ..... )
- The benefits of the activity - Your feelings! attitude - voluntary work as an aspect of good citizenship