2017 دورة
الموضوع األول
Part One: Reading (14
points)
A/ Comprehension (07 pts)
Read the text carefully then do the following activities.
Sumer known in classical times as Babylonia consists of the lower half of Mesopotamia, identical with
modern Iraq. Its climate is extremely hot and dry, and its soil is arid and unproductive.
Despite natural drawbacks, Sumerians with their creative intellect, turned Sumer into a Garden of
Eden and developed the first high civilization in the history of man. The earliest Sumerians developed a
system of irrigation using the overflow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to water their fields. Besides
they baked the river clay for making sickles, pots, plates, jars and also bricks used in building.
Additionally, they devised tools, skills and techniques as the plow, the sculpture in stone, engraving and
inlay. They originated a system of writing on clay later called cuneiform.
Sumerians were remarkable not only for their material and technological progress, but also for their
ideas, ideals and values. They were the first to compile laws as the Sumerian was deeply conscious of
his personal rights. There was a spirit of co-operation among individuals shown through the irrigation
process in which communal effort and organization were manifested.
Whatever is said about the Sumerians one can never be grateful enough for their contributions to modern
life.
Adapted from: “The Sumerians” by Samuel Noah Kramer, University of Chicago Press,
-Write the letter that corresponds to the right answer.
A- The soil of Sumer is …
a. salted b. fertile c. sterile
B- The Sumerians developed irrigation using …
a. rainfall water b. river flood c. sea water
C- Cuneiform is a…
a. system of irrigation b. system of writing c. code of laws
D- The Sumerian’s spirit of co-operation was manifested through …
a. his consciousness of his rights b. irrigation process c. his technological progress
- Fill in the following table with information from the text.
Sumer Achievements
Place Climate Soil Agriculture Building Writing
………….. …………. ………….. ………….. …………… ……………
1
- Answer the following questions according to the text.
a- What helped the Sumerians develop the first high civilization in the history of mankind?
b-How were sickles, pots, plates and jars made in Sumer?
c-Why did Sumerians compile laws?
d-Why should we be grateful to Sumerians for their contributions to modern life?
- Who or what do the underlined words refer to in the text? a- their (§2)b- which (§3)
- Copy the title you think is the most appropriate:
a- Life in Mesopotamia b- The Garden of Eden c- The Ingenuity of the Sumerians
B/ Text Exploration (07 pts)
- Find in the text words or phrases that are opposite in meaning to the following:
a- advantages ≠ …….. (§ ) b- unaware ≠ ……… (§ ) c- obligations ≠ …….. (§3)
- Divide the following words into roots and affixes.
classical - originated - organization - additionally
Prefix Root Suffix(es)
……………….. ……………….. ………………..
……………….. ……………….. ………………..
……………….. ……………….. ………………..
……………….. ……………….. ………………..
- Combine each pair of sentences with one of the connectors provided. Make changes where necessary.
so … that - although - after - provided that
a-The soil was arid. Sumerians developed a sophisticated agriculture.
b-Sumerians were conscious of their rights. They compiled law.
c- The war in Iraq made the country unstable. Many items of its cultural heritage were stolen.
- Classify the following words according to the number of syllables.
materials - rights - sculpture - manifested
One syllable Two syllables Three syllables Four syllables
………….. …………….. ……………….. ……………….
- Fill in the gaps with only 4 words from the list given.
control - use - banks - constructed - rivers - dry
As it hardly rained in Mesopotamia, the soil was too … … for farming. Therefore, the Sumerians had
to build huge … … on both sides of the Euphrates. They also … … an irrigation system made of canals,
reservoirs and dams to … … the distribution of water.
Part Two: Written Expression (06 points)
Choose ONE of the following topics.
Topic One:
One of the major achievements of the Sumerian civilization was the invention of a sophisticated
irrigation system. Using the following notes, write a composition of about 80 to 100 words on how
Sumerians developed irrigation and state some of its benefits. arid land and dry climate / river floods
/ fields too high to receive water / feeding the population / controlling overflows / construction of
dams and reservoirs
