Συντάκτης: Γεωργία Τσίρμπα

READING COMPREHENSION:

1. Read the text and answer briefly the following questions: (30 points)

A gendarme who exchanged himself for a hostage during the French supermarket siege has died, bringing the number of victims to four. Police shot dead the attacker after a series of attacks claimed by Islamic State in Carcassonne, southern France,that culminated in the three-hour hostage-taking. The attacker, named as Radouane Lakdim, 25, was born in Morocco and lived in Carcassonne. He was known to police for petty crimes and drug-dealing. The state prosecutor François Molins said he had been under surveillance in 2016 and 2017 for his “radicalism and proximity to Salafist movements” but had showed no signs he was going to carry out an attack. Questions will be asked as to how Lakdim was able to obtain a weapon and carry out attacks when he had been monitored by security services. The interior minister, Gérard Collomb, said: “We had monitored him and did not think he had been radicalised.” He added: “He was already under surveillance when he suddenly decided to act.”

The situation at the supermarket lasted just over three hours, during which the gunman had asked for the release of Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving suspect from the group that carried out the November 2015 Paris attacks, French state TV reported. Abdeslam is in solitary confinement in a French prison as the investigation into the Paris attacks continues. The interior ministry said Lakdim was acting alone in Friday’s attack. The state prosecutor said he had been on an intelligence watchlist since 2014. Lakdim had been 6convicted twice in 2011 and 2015 for petty crime, including drug offences. He had served one month in prison in 2016. The prosecutor said that during surveillance, security services had not seen signs that suggested Lakdim would commit an attack.

1. Where can this text be taken from?

• What is the text about?

• What does the word “gendarme” mean?

• Why did the attacker carry out all these attacks?

• What did the attacker do in the supermarket?

• What did the gendarme do in the supermarket?

• Why was it difficult for the attacker to obtain a weapon?

• How is Salah Abdeslam related to the siege of the supermarket?

• How would you characterize the gendarme’s deed?

10) What were your feeling when you first read the above text?

• Fill in the gaps with DERIVATIVES of the words given. (20 points)

Vincent van Gogh was born in Zundert, Holland. The son of a pastor, was brought up in a  ———————- (RELIGION) and cultured atmosphere, a profession that Vincent found   ———————– (APPEAL) and to which he would be drawn to a certain extent later in his life. His sister described him as a serious and introspective child, highly ———- (EMOTION) and lacking self —————— (COMFIDENT). At age 16 Vincent started to work for an art ——————– (DEAL) in The Hague. His four years younger brother Theo, with whom Vincent cherished a life-long ————————– (FRIEND) would join the company later. This ——————– (RELATION) is amply documented in a vast amount of letters they sent each other. They provide a lot of insight into the life of the painter, and show him to be a very  ————— (TALENT) writer with a keen mind. Theo would support Vincent (FINANCE) throughout his life. In 1880, Vincent van Gogh followed his brother Theo’s ——————– (SUGGEST) and took up painting in earnest.

• GRAMMAR

Fill in the gaps with the Appropriate VERB TENSE: (20 points)

Two years ago Trisha’s company made the mistake of sending her to Germany. Although she  (STUDY) German at school, she soon  (DISCOVER) that she couldn’t remember very much. She missed an important meeting because she  (FORGET) that “halb neun” in German  (MEAN) half past eight in English. So while she  (HAVE) breakfast, her colleagues  (BE) at the meeting. When she arrived “on time”, the meeting  (ALREADY FINISH). When she got back to England, Trisha joined a German course at her local college. In the past few weeks her German  (IMPROVE) a lot and now she (KNOW) how to tell the time! Right now she  (STUDY) hard for an examination.

GOOD LUCK!!!!