FEDERATION EUROPEENNE DES ECOLES

EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF SCHOOLS

EUROPÄISCHER SCHULVERBAND
FEDERAZIONE EUROPEA DELLE SCUOLE
FEDERACION EUROPEA DE CENTROS DOCENTES

Organisation Non Gouvernementale dotée du statut participatif auprès du Conseil de l’Europe

NGO enjoying participatory status with the Council of Europe

LANGUE VIVANTE EUROPEENNE

ANGLAIS – ECRIT

Compréhension écrite
Connaissances lexicales et grammaticales
Rédaction d’un courrier

Les réponses doivent être reportées sur la fiche optique

Aucun dictionnaire n’est autorisé

Type d’épreuve : QCM et courrier

Durée : 60 minutes

Session : Janvier 2009

© Fédération Européenne Des Ecoles – European Federation of Schools – Janvier 2009

UC B1/B2/B3 ANG Ecrit – Sujet
 WRITTEN COMPREHENSION N°1

The EU's watchdogs stand in need of better watching

The European Union’s thinking about corruption goes roughly like this. It is a problem for governments,
chiefly in the new member states. The best way to fight it is by making entry into the EU conditional on
progress. That will create the political will which must, sooner or later, bring results.
That approach is not working. Anti-corruption efforts have stalled or reversed. Countries such as Slovenia,
Romania, Latvia and the Czech Republic have closed down or weakened their anti-corruption offices. [...]

The real story is that the prospect of EU membership encourages elites to pay lip service to the anti-
corruption cause, but no more than that. Once the conditionality is gone, the pressure stops. [...] In a phrase
familiar from western development efforts in non-European countries, “the solution is the problem”: in other
words, the agencies and officials being entrusted with the means to fight corruption are just as bad (weak,
corrupt or incompetent) as the people that they are supposed to be policing. [...]
One answer is to set up a much better means of measuring anti-corruption efforts. The existing benchmarks
focus on the creation of formal institutions, not on their impact. They also create an unhelpful mixture of
smugness in some countries (“What us, corrupt? No way—try next door!”) and paranoia in others (“Why
pick on us? What about them? And you?”). It would be good if new yardsticks included all the EU members,
not just the new and future ones.
Nov 20th 2008, from Economist.com

1) “Prospect” means:
a) proposal
b) possibility
c) customer
d) purpose

2) “The solution is the problem” means:

a) The problem is being solved
b) The solution has not been found yet
c) The present problem has no solution
d) The present solution is unsatisfactory

3) “Entrusted with the means to fight corruption” means:

a) responsible for stopping corruption
b) accused of being incompetent
c) providing money to measure anti-corruption efforts
d) interested in closing down anti-corruption offices

4) What solution is recommended to put an end to corruption?

a) To establish the same rules in all EU countries
b) To create more institutions to stop corruption
c) To make entry conditions into the EU more attractive
d) To weaken anti-corruption offices

© Fédération Européenne Des Ecoles – European Federation of Schools – Janvier 2009 2/7
UC B1/B2/B3 ANG Ecrit – Sujet
 WRITTEN COMPREHENSION N°2

The prime minister’s problems may prove terminal for the Lisbon treaty

BRIAN COWEN, who succeeded Bertie Ahern as Ireland’s prime minister (taoiseach) in May, calls it the
worst economic crisis in a century. It is certainly the worst of times to be in government. The economy will
shrink this year and probably next, for the first time in 25 years. The Celtic Tiger decade of high growth and
huge budget surpluses has ended in a spectacular bust. Tax revenues have collapsed: the budget deficit may
hit 7% of GDP in 2009.
[...]
He (=Brian Cowen) is struggling with three problems from a politically weak position. First is an economy
in free fall, second a dramatic loss of support and third the vexed issue of Ireland’s future in the European
Union.

In June the Irish rejected the Lisbon treaty in a referendum. Yet 24 of the 27 EU members have ratified the
treaty, and the Poles and Czechs (whose constitutional court has just cleared the text) are ready to do so. At
next month’s EU summit, Mr Cowen will report on his intentions. The French EU presidency wants an
agreement that Lisbon should come into force by 2010, meaning that Ireland must hold a second referendum,
probably next autumn.

Nov 27th 2008, from The Economist print edition

5) “Shrink” means:
a) get better
b) get smarter
c) get smaller
d) get down

6) According to the text, Ireland’s growth:

a) is as good as ever
b) has been good for 10 years
c) will be good for 10 years
d) is no longer good

7) Ireland’s future in the EU is uncertain because of:

a) Ireland’s economic crisis
b) The Poles and the Czechs
c) The French EU presidency
d) The outcome of the referendum

8) When Lisbon comes into force:

a) Ireland will have held a second referendum
b) There will be 24 countries in the EU
c) Both the Poles and the Czechs will have rejected the treaty
d) Brian Cowen will have to resign

© Fédération Européenne Des Ecoles – European Federation of Schools – Janvier 2009 3/7
UC B1/B2/B3 ANG Ecrit – Sujet
 CONNAISSANCES LEXICALES ET GRAMMATICALES

9) Head office is synonymous with...:

a) headlines
b) headings
c) headquarters
d) headiness

10) If _____________ be, the bank will grant you a bigger loan.
a) necessary
b) necessity
c) needs
d) needed

11) During the French presidency in the EU, the environment was put on top of the ___________.
a) timetable
b) agenda
c) schedule
d) planning

12) Their customer cancelled the order because they did not ___________ the deadline.
a) respect
b) make
c) meet
d) do

13) On account of the economic __________, dividend payments to shareholders have been postponed.
a) increase
b) bankrupt
c) rise
d) slump

14) A company car is an important ____________ for a salesman.

a) pick
b) park
c) peak
d) perk

15) What are their current projects as ___________ the Far East?
a) regarding
b) regard
c) regards
d) regarded

16) The firm’s ___________ has always been the same: “low prices and an overall good quality for all
items”.
a) motive
b) motto
c) motion
d) mobile

17) We must __________ the supplier about the rest of the delivery.
a) relaunch
b) recall
c) remind
d) refer

18) Please, let them know we have postponed, not ____________, tomorrow’s meeting.
a) erased
b) cancelled
c) put off
d) delayed

© Fédération Européenne Des Ecoles – European Federation of Schools – Janvier 2009 4/7
UC B1/B2/B3 ANG Ecrit – Sujet
 19) Surveys show an upward trend in sales of _________ food whereas junk food is on the decrease.
a) organical
b) biologic
c) biological
d) organic

20) All ____________ about Chinese economic growth proved to be inaccurate.

a) forecasts
b) foreground
c) foresight
d) foretastes

21) Can you put me __________ to the claims department please?

a) over
b) through
c) out
d) across

22) The product alone has generated a ten - __________ dollar profit.
a) million
b) millions
c) millions of
d) million of

23) Sales of champagne rose _____________ the général fall in the luxury goods market.
a) due to
b) because of
c) in spite of
d) owing to

24) As she didn’t like her job, she decided to give it _______.
a) away
b) up
c) back
d) off

25) That’s great news, ___________?

a) aren’t they
b) isn’t it
c) is it
d) they are

26) He borrowed £10,000 _________ his bank.

a) in
b) to
c) from
d) on

27) We will provide accommodation __________ the whole length of her stay.
a) in
b) while
c) since
d) for

28) We _____________ problems with them ever since they sent us their first delivery.
a) had
b) have had
c) have
d) having

© Fédération Européenne Des Ecoles – European Federation of Schools – Janvier 2009 5/7
UC B1/B2/B3 ANG Ecrit – Sujet
 29) You will have to report directly ______ the CEO.
a) to
b) for
c) under
d) over

30) She is responsible ______ marketing.

a) at
b) for
c) to
d) of

31) He forgot to save what he _____________ and had to resume everything from scratch.
a) typed
b) types
c) had typed
d) has typed

32) She can’t get ________ to the French keyboard, which results in many typing errors.
a) uses
b) use
c) used
d) using

© Fédération Européenne Des Ecoles – European Federation of Schools – Janvier 2009 6/7
UC B1/B2/B3 ANG Ecrit – Sujet
 REDACTION DE COURRIER (/24 PTS)

Correspondance commerciale:

“The magazine Time is Business is looking for a full-time journalist to start as soon as possible in its
London office. If you...

have a Bachelor’s degree in journalism or business

speak two or more languages fluently (English included)

then, send your CV and letter of application to:

 Charles Alistair, 76 Lexington Square, London SW16 7DN

No previous experience in business journalism is required BUT the ideal candidate should have a real
interest in other countries and cultures, and should be quite flexible as schedules may often change.”

Time is Business.com

Write a letter of application for the post.

You letter should be dated today and should include the following elements:

 Say a few words about where you saw the advertisement

 Say why you think you are qualified for this job (your studies, languages you speak, interests in
other countries and cultures)
 Explain that you are ready to move to London and that you are a flexible person
 Enclose your CV
 Finish the letter with a suitable complimentary close

This letter must be written in structured English in about 150 words.

© Fédération Européenne Des Ecoles – European Federation of Schools – Janvier 2009 7/7
UC B1/B2/B3 ANG Ecrit – Sujet