INSPECTORATUL ȘCOLAR JUDEȚEAN CLUJ

ETAPA LOCALĂ A OLIMPIADEI DE LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

8 FEBRUARIE 2025

Proba scrisă
Clasa a IX-a - SECȚIUNEA B Varianta 2

● Toate subiectele sunt obligatorii

● Nu se acordă puncte din oficiu
● Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 3 ore

SUBIECTUL A - USE OF ENGLISH (40 points)

I . Read the following text and do the tasks that follow. (10 points)

The dimly lit archives of the town museum were an intimidating labyrinth of shelves, each
filled with fragile books and mysterious artifacts. A team of students had been invited to solve
an intricate puzzle as part of a prestigious academic competition. Their mission was to locate
a centuries-old medallion that symbolized resilience and intellect, hidden somewhere in the
vast collection.

Each member of the group brought a distinct skill to the task. Eleanor, known for her sharp
insight, examined the historical records with unwavering focus, decoding difficult texts that
confused the others. Julian, whose creativity knew no bounds, suggested bold, unconventional
ideas—some of which led to progress, while others resulted in small detours. Lucia, practical
and methodical, balanced their efforts, ensuring that their progress was steady and organized.

After hours of dedicated work, they found the medallion hidden inside a hollowed-out book—
its intricate design glowing faintly in the dim light. Alongside it was a handwritten note,
praising their persistence and teamwork. Though exhausted, the students left the archives with
a deeper understanding of the power of collaboration, realizing their combined efforts had
turned an impossible task into a shared success.

A. Choose the right synonym for the words below, according to their meaning in the
text. (3 points)

1.dimly a) brightly b) faintly c) clearly d) sharply

2.insight a) assumption b) misinterpretation c) understanding d) uncertainty

3.praising a) criticizing b) ignoring c) applauding d) condemning

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 B. Rephrase the following sentences so as to preserve the meaning (3 points)

1. Lucia balanced their efforts, ensuring that their progress was steady and organized.

IF

Their progress ……………………………………………………………………..their efforts.

2.Julian considered experimenting with unconventional theories as more exciting than adhering
to traditional methods, which could limit their progress.

RATHER

Julian …………………………………………………………..adhere to traditional methods,

which could limit their progress.

3. "After hours of dedicated work, we found the medallion hidden inside a hollowed-out book,"
Eleanor said.

EXPLAINED

Eleanor………………………………………………………………….. a hollowed-out book.

C. Answer the following questions in full sentences, according to the text (4 points)

1.What was the mission of the students in the archives of the town museum?
2.How did Eleanor contribute to the team's efforts during the competition?
3.What challenges did Julian’s unconventional ideas sometimes create for the group?
4.Where was the medallion eventually found, and what was discovered alongside it?

II. Use the words in capitals to form a word that fits in the gap. (10 points)

Actions for a Sustainable Future

The world is currently facing many environmental problems, and it is essential to act 1.______
(RESPONSIBLE) to protect our planet. Climate change has caused 2.______ (DEVASTATE)
damage to ecosystems worldwide. One of the most 3.___________(EFFECT) ways to make a
difference is by reducing our energy consumption. Additionally, 4.______ (EDUCATE)
campaigns about sustainable practices should be prioritized in schools. Governments must also
work together to address 5. ______ (LEGAL) activities that harm the environment.
Moreover, people can make small but 6.______ (MEAN) contributions by recycling and
avoiding single-use plastics. While progress is being made, some argue that current 7._______
(SOLVE) are insufficient. A more 8.______ (IMAGINE) approach could drive the creation of
innovative solutions to environmental challenges. To bring about change, we must think and
act 9.______ (CREATE), constantly seeking new ways to reduce our impact on the planet.

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In conclusion, addressing environmental issues demands not only individual responsibility but
also a global 10.______ (COLLABORATE) approach that encourages cooperation across
nations, industries, and communities, to ensure sustainable progress.

III. Read the following text and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are
correct, and some have a word that should not be there. If a line is correct, write the word
correct. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word. There are two
examples (0) (00) at the beginning. (10 points)

As the cup final drew closer, all of us became more and (0) correct
much more excited. At last the big day arrived, and as we were (00) much
waiting for the start of the match, our coach told to us to do our (1) _____
best and to enjoy the game. The noise of the crowd was deafening (2) _____
and I had the butterflies in my stomach as I thought about all those (3) _____
people watching me play. As so soon as the game started, (4) _____
though, all of that was forgotten. Both teams were being very good, (5) _____
and it was clear it was going to be a very close game. At half time, (6) _____
neither team had been scored. As the match went on, it seemed like (7) _____
neither team could win out. Finally, though, I was tripped up about (8) _____
twenty metres from our opponents’ goal. The coach signalled so (9) _____
that he wanted me to take the free kick. The moment as I hit the (10) _____
ball I knew exactly that it would be a goal. We won the cup!

IV. Translate the following text into English. (10 points)

Ion plecase de mult din sat, dar își aducea aminte de fiecare colțișor și de fiecare chip familiar.
El simțea că făcuse o greșeală, dar nimeni nu putea să întoarcă timpul. “Aș fi vrut”, gândea el
uneori, “să fi rămas în sat și să fi trăit altfel”. Dacă ar fi avut mai multă încredere în cei din jur,
poate că nu ar fi ajuns să-și piardă familia. Deși știa că nimic nu mai putea fi reparat, trecutul
încă îl bântuia ca un vechi blestem. Își dorise cândva să fie altcineva, dar acum, privind înapoi,
nu mai știa ce să creadă.

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SUBIECTUL B – INTEGRATED SKILLS (60 points)
I. READING COMPREHENSION (10 points)
Read a blog post by a teenager who gave up eating sugar. Six sentences have been
removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A–G the one which fits each gap.
There is one extra sentence.

My life without sugar

At the age of 17, I did something that none of my close friends had ever
considered. (1)…………I don’t eat sugar. For the last year, I haven’t eaten any
cakes, biscuits, chocolate or ice cream, not to mention ketchup, crisps,
mayonnaise or any of the hundreds of other things that contain sugar. (Yes,
believe it or not, loads of savoury foods have sugar in them!)
So what made me take the drastic step of giving up sugar? Well, it all started
about a year ago when I happened to read a magazine article all about sugar
and the negative implications it has for our health. (2)…………It also
mentioned an experiment that had been done on mice in which those who were
just given pure water to drink lived longer than those who were given water
mixed with sugar. I was horrified!

(3)…………I was slightly overweight, in spite of the fact that I went swimming
and worked out regularly, and I often felt tired and under the weather at school
even when I’d had a good eight hours' sleep. After reading this article, I began
to wonder if the amount of sugar I consumed could have anything to do with
it. My diet wasn’t that bad, but it wasn’t that brilliant either. Whenever I wanted
a snack, I would reach for the biscuit tin or treat myself to a sugary doughnut,
not to mention the fizzy drinks I consumed on a daily basis.

I decided to do an experiment - to cut sugar out of my diet for a month and see
what happened. My friends thought I was mad. (4)…………My family were
more supportive, especially my mum, who decided to follow my example and
cut down on sugar herself. She didn’t have the willpower to stop eating it
completely, though. To be honest, I wasn’t sure whether I did, but one thing
I’ve learned through this experience is that when I set my mind to something,
I can be quite determined!

The first week was a complete nightmare. It was shock to find out that nearly
everything I liked to eat had ‘hidden sugar’ in it, including things like pasta and
bread! Even fruit has sugar in it, but as it is natural, I decided that whole fruit
(but not juices) was allowed. The other thing was how I felt. Sugar is a drug
and I was more addicted to it than I thought. (5)………… On a couple of
occasions I nearly gave in and had a biscuit, but provided I had a healthy snack
– a banana or some nuts – with me at all times, I managed to resist the
temptation. It’s not as hard as you’d think to find tasty sugar-free alternatives.
I used my imagination to invent healthy treats that everyone in the family now
loves (my mango frozen yoghurt and sugar-free chocolate brownies are to die
for!).

It was only after the first couple of weeks that I began to see - and feel - the
positive effects of not eating sugar. The longer I continued without sugar, the
more alert and awake I started to feel. (6)………… Now, twelve months later,
I am fitter than I've ever been. In fact, some of my friends are so impressed
with the change in me that they’ve decided to quit sugar too!

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 A I had expected to have some withdrawal symptoms, but the headaches and tiredness
were really hard to deal with.
B The truth was I hadn’t been feeling that healthy myself for a while.
C In fact, I felt so good that at the end of that month, I decided to continue with my sugar-
free diet.
D I never once considered giving up, though.
E While we share a love of watching films and listening to music, there’s one thing now
that makes me a little different.
F How was I going to survive without sweets or a bar of chocolate to look forward to
after school?
G Not only is too much sugar linked to chronic health problems like obesity, I discovered,
but it can also cause more serious diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

II. WRITING (50 points)

Write a review of an event/festival meant to promote a healthy lifestyle. In your review,

you should refer to the venue, the activities, and the outcomes of the event/festival. Write
your review in 190-230 words.

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