الامتحان الوطني الموحد للبكالوريا 2023 - الدورة العادية - اللغة الإنجليزية - كل مسالك الشعب العلمية والتقنية

### Moroccan National Baccalaureate Exam — Normal Session 2023 **Subject:** English — **Streams:** All scientific and technical streams — **Code:** NS 12 **Duration:** 2 h — **Coefficient:** 2 --- ## Text **[1]** Two Moroccan women scientists appeared on the list of the AD (Alper-Doger) Scientific Index in 2023. It lists scientists and researchers internationally, based on their performance and scientific efforts. Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli and Farida El Fassi, professors at Mohammed V University in Rabat, managed to appear on the AD index list for their great contributions to scientific research. **[2]** El Moursli was born in Salé in 1954. As a student, she was fascinated and inspired by the American astronaut Neil Armstrong who became the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969. After getting her Bac in mathematics in Rabat, she went to study in Grenoble in France where she obtained her doctorate in physics. In 1982, she returned to Morocco and joined Mohammed V University as a teacher and researcher in nuclear physics, medical physics and high energy physics. From 2013 to 2017, she was the vice president of **<u>the university</u>**. In 2015, El Moursli received a UNESCO award for "Women in Science" for her key contribution to one of the discoveries in physics. In 2019, she was elected vice president of the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC), which aims to make science as a way for positive change in Africa. **[3]** El Moursli was happy with her position among international scientists. It is an achievement, which awards a long journey of research, work and innovation. She considered her ranking an honor for Morocco and the efforts of researchers and their competencies. "It is a kind of scientific diplomacy that ensures the popularity of Morocco in international academic forums," she explains. **[4]** Farida El Fassi, a professor of nuclear physics at Mohammed V University in Rabat, ranked second in the Arab world and in Africa on the AD Index. When she was a child, she had a strong passion for sciences. "When I was little, my parents nurtured my curiosity and problem-solving skills through practicing home tasks such as cooking, doing household chores and planning trips," she explains. El Fassi was born in Larache where she attended middle and high school before moving to Tetouan to complete her university studies. After that, she joined the University of Valencia in Spain and got a doctorate in particle physics **<u>there</u>**. She then worked as a researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research in Spain. In 2014, she returned to Morocco with the aim of spreading scientific knowledge among Moroccan students. **[5]** El Fassi believes that scientific research "requires individual effort as well as the support of the state. Therefore, Morocco needs to make more efforts to provide more research opportunities and suitable working conditions to minimize brain drain." *Adapted from: www.pledgetimes.com and www.twas.org* --- ## I. COMPREHENSION (15 points) — Base all your answers on the text. **A. Complete the chart with information from the text. (2 pts)** | | Birthplace | Date of return to Morocco | |---|---|---| | Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli | ……… | ……… | | Farida El Fassi | ……… | ……… | **B. Are these statements true or false? Justify. (2 pts)** 1. When El Moursli returned to Morocco, she started working as vice president of the university. 2. El Fassi worked abroad before returning to Morocco. **C. Answer the following questions. (3 pts)** 1. Who was El Moursli's role model when she was young? 2. Why did El Fassi decide to return to Morocco? 3. What does El Fassi suggest to fight brain drain? **D. Complete the sentences with information from the text. (2 pts)** 1. The goal of the Network of African Science Academies is …… 2. Doing household chores and planning trips allowed El Fassi to develop …… **E. Pick out from the text phrases or sentences which show that: (2 pts)** 1. El Moursli worked hard for her position. (paragraph 3) 2. El Fassi loved sciences at an early age. (paragraph 4) **F. Find in the text words that mean almost the same as: (2 pts)** 1. important (paragraph 2) 2. reduce (paragraph 5) **G. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 pts)** 1. the university (paragraph 2) 2. there (paragraph 4) --- ## II. LANGUAGE (15 points) **A. Give the correct form of the words in brackets. (2 pts)** 1. Climate change needs a lot of (collaborate) …… to reduce its negative effects. 2. Mourad is a very (competence) …… manager. His leadership qualities are motivating. **B. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the lists. (3 pts)** 1. I can't help …… whenever I watch Mr. Bean's shows. (laugh – laughing – to laugh) 2. Khalid will have …… the university in two years' time. (leave – leaving – left) 3. The electric cars …… Morocco will produce are environment friendly. (where – which – whose) **C. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the list. (2 pts)** *get – keep on – performing – keep up – training* 1. Many jobs will disappear in the future as robots will replace humans in …… some tasks. 2. Workers need more training programs to …… with the rapid changes in the job market. **D. Rewrite the sentences as indicated. (4 pts)** 1. "I think you should convert the document to PDF," she said. → She advised me …… 2. She exercised a lot. She failed to lose weight. → Despite …… 3. I didn't attend the online lesson because of poor internet connection. → I wish …… 4. The school created a new blog to share activities. → A new blog …… **E. Choose the most appropriate response. (2 pts)** 1. Ahmed: I'm afraid to say it, but I've been waiting for a long time to get my phone repaired! — Technician: …… (a. Definitely. / b. I'm awfully sorry. / c. It's my pleasure.) 2. Your friend: Our Moroccan national football team has made it to the World Cup semifinals. — You: …… (a. Well-deserved! / b. Poor you! / c. What a pity!) **F. Complete the following exchanges appropriately. (2 pts)** 1. Nawal: I find this film boring. — You: I have the same feeling. (Suggest something else) …… 2. Kamal: (Asks his friend to take a picture) …… — Friend: Of course. --- ## III. WRITING (10 points) — Do tasks 1 and 2 **TASK 1 (4 pts):** Complete the following paragraph. *Using surveillance cameras at school has many benefits. First, ……* **TASK 2 (6 pts):** Nowadays, people think that living in big cities is very challenging. Write an article to be published in your school e-magazine about the problems people face in big cities.

## Suggested answers — English, scientific and technical streams, normal session 2023 (NS 12) > Suggested answers for revision, written after reading the official exam. Answers drawn from the text may be phrased differently as long as the meaning is correct. The writing tasks are model answers; write your own. --- ## I. COMPREHENSION Skills tested: reading for specific information, inference, vocabulary in context, reference words. **A.** | | Birthplace | Date of return to Morocco | |---|---|---| | Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli | Salé | 1982 | | Farida El Fassi | Larache | 2014 | **B.** 1. **False.** "In 1982, she returned to Morocco and joined Mohammed V University as a teacher and researcher…" She only became vice president "from 2013 to 2017". 2. **True.** "She then worked as a researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research in Spain. In 2014, she returned to Morocco…" **C.** 1. Her role model was the American astronaut **Neil Armstrong**, the first person to walk on the Moon. 2. She returned "with the aim of spreading scientific knowledge among Moroccan students". 3. She suggests that Morocco should make more efforts to provide more research opportunities and suitable working conditions. **D.** 1. …to make science a way for positive change in Africa. 2. …her curiosity and problem-solving skills. **E.** 1. "It is an achievement, which awards a long journey of research, work and innovation." 2. "When she was a child, she had a strong passion for sciences." **F.** 1. important = **key** (paragraph 2: "her key contribution") 2. reduce = **minimize** (paragraph 5) **G.** 1. the university → Mohammed V University (in Rabat) 2. there → (at) the University of Valencia (in Spain) --- ## II. LANGUAGE Lessons required: word formation, gerunds and infinitives, future perfect, relative pronouns, phrasal verbs, reported speech (advice), concession, wishes and regrets, passive voice, functions (apologizing, congratulating, suggesting, asking for a favour). **A.** 1. collaboration 2. competent **B.** 1. laughing (*can't help + V-ing*) 2. left (future perfect: *will have + past participle*) 3. which (relative pronoun for things) **C.** 1. performing 2. keep up **D.** 1. She advised me **to convert the document to PDF**. 2. Despite **exercising a lot, she failed to lose weight.** (or: Despite the fact that she exercised a lot, she failed to lose weight.) 3. I wish **I had attended the online lesson.** (or: I wish there had been a good internet connection.) 4. A new blog **was created by the school to share activities.** **E.** 1. b. I'm awfully sorry. (apologizing) 2. a. Well-deserved! (congratulating) **F.** (other appropriate answers accepted) 1. Why don't we watch another film / go for a walk instead? 2. Could you take a picture of me, please? / Would you mind taking a picture of me? --- ## III. WRITING **Task 1 — model paragraph** > Using surveillance cameras at school has many benefits. First, cameras improve security, as they discourage strangers from entering the school and help prevent theft and vandalism. Second, they reduce violence and bullying, because students behave better when they know they are being watched, and the administration can quickly identify those responsible for any problem. Third, cameras reassure parents, who feel that their children are safe. Finally, the recordings can be used as evidence when an incident happens. However, cameras should be used carefully in order to respect students' privacy. **Task 2 — model article** > **Big Cities: A Dream or a Daily Challenge?** > > Every year, thousands of people move to big cities like Casablanca or Rabat looking for jobs, better education and a modern lifestyle. However, life in big cities is not always easy, and many people face serious problems there. > > To begin with, traffic jams are a daily nightmare. People spend hours in crowded buses or in their cars to go to work or school, which causes stress and wastes time. In addition, pollution is a major problem: the smoke of cars and factories makes the air unhealthy and causes breathing diseases. > > Moreover, the cost of living is very high. Rent, transport and food are expensive, so many families struggle to make ends meet, and some people end up living in slums. Big cities also suffer from unemployment and insecurity, as crime rates are often higher than in small towns. Finally, city life can be lonely: people are busy and rarely have time to communicate with their neighbours. > > To sum up, although big cities offer many opportunities, their inhabitants face numerous challenges. Authorities should improve public transport, create green spaces and provide affordable housing to make city life more comfortable. Useful tools: linking words (to begin with, in addition, moreover, however, finally, to sum up); a title; an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. --- > **Note:** these are suggested answers for revision, not the official answer key. To check, see the textbooks and the official answer key published by the Centre National de l'Évaluation et des Examens.