BAC ENG 2008, SCRIS, 3-4 H, SB 1, VAR 4, SUB SI REZOLV

[musa paradisiaca]

Ministerul Educaţiei, Cercetării şi Tineretului
Centrul Naţional pentru Curriculum şi Evaluare în Învăţământul Preuniversitar
Examenul de bacalaureat 2008
Proba E/F
Proba scrisă la Limba Engleză
L1 - Intensiv 3-4 ore


SUBIECTUL I ( 30 puncte) Varianta 004

Read the text below and complete the following tasks.

The era of space tourism ventured a further leap forward for mankind with the announcement of plans to construct the world’s very first spaceport. Space Adventures Ltd. announced in a press release its intentions to develop a commercial spaceport in the United Arab Emirates, with plans to expand globally. (1) … The initial launch and arrival hub for those wanting to holiday in the heavens looks like being the emirate of Ras-Al-Khaimah, one hour by car from the luxury resort city of Dubai. (2) …

The press report states that the “total estimated cost of the global spaceport development project is at least US$265 million and will be funded by various parties”. (3) … The UAE’s civil aviation authorities have already given their green light for suborbital spaceflights to operate in their air space. Crown Prince Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi of Ras-Al-Khaimah enthused about being part of such a monumental endeavour, expressing pride in hosting “the site where suborbital commercial space travel will begin and flourish”. He added: “(4) ... “The date of the maiden flight
has yet to be unveiled.

1. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Select the appropriate sentence for each gap in the text. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
4points

A. Other candidates to accommodate facilities for space travel include Singapore and various yet-to-be-named locations in North America.

B. Space Adventures Ltd. is the company that organized orbital flights for all of the world's private space explorers.

C. The Sheikh of Ras-Al-Khaimah has put his full financial and political weight behind ensuring the project is a viable concern.

D. We are most excited about spearheading this multi-billion dollar industry.

E. Arab Emirates deny it.

2. Explain the underlined words.
6 points

3. Sum up the text in about 50 words.
10 points
4. Read the article again and decide whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F).
6 points

A. Dubai will be the world’s first port to accept goods from space.
B. UAE authorities have given the green light for suborbital flights.
C. A Middle-Eastern sheikh is a key financier of the project.

5. Comment on the following statement:

Suborbital commercial space travel will begin and flourish.

(100 words)
4 points



PROPOSED SOLUTION

4. 1.

4. 1. 1 – B;
4. 1. 2 – C;
4. 1. 3 – A;
4. 1. 4 – D;

4. 2.

4. 2. 1 – globally = world-widely;
4. 2. 2 – estimated = evaluated, expected, figured;
4. 2. 3 – endeavour = attempt, undertaking, enterprise;

4. 3.

Space tourism is our world's latest challenge in the field of tourism. Plans for commercial spaceports include the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and USA. The company interested in developing a commercial seaport in the UAE is Space Adventurers Ltd., which also organized orbital flights for private space explorers. The UAE rich people are very enthusiastic about such a project. ( 59 words )

4. 4.

4. 4. A – F;
4. 4. B – T;
4. 4. C – T;

4. 5.

Suborbital commercial space travel is a recent issue in the field of pleasure traveling. There are companies interested in developing commercial seaports, such as Space Adventurers Ltd. And there are countries specially chosen where space ports should be built, such as United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and USA. There are people who regard these projects enthusiastically, such as Crown Prince Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi of Ras-Al-Kaimah ). I think these are extreme ways of traveling, for they could be dangerous. Probably only very rich people will afford space traveling. Anyway, the future will decide whether such projects could become true and whether space traveling could become another opportunity of spending one’s free time in a pleasant and dangerous way. ( 118 words )