- Proba de intelegere a unui text audiat (20 de minute), in care se verifica abilitatea de a recepta informatii dintr-un material audio.
- Proba scrisa (120 de minute), axata pe intelegerea unui text scris si redactarea de mesaje.
- Proba orala (10-15 minute), unde candidatii trebuie sa produca mesaje orale si sa interactioneze in mod fluent.
Punctajele obtinute la cele cinci competente, in conformitate cu Cadrul European Comun de Referinta pentru Limbi (CECRL), determina nivelul de competenta al fiecarui candidat (de la A1 la B2). Acesta va fi inscris pe Diploma de Bacalaureat si pe Certificatul de competenta lingvistica, subliniind nivelul de pregatire al absolventului in raport cu standardele internationale.
Subiecte competente engleza Bac 2026
MODEL Subiect 1
Proba orala la Limba engleza
1. Answer the following question: What can people learn from animals?
2. Describe a happy memory from kindergarten.
3. Give your opinion on the following statement: Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. (Confucius) Use relevant arguments and examples to support your ideas.
Proba de intelegere a unui text audiat la Limba engleza
* Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 20 de minute.
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
You will hear two people, Jackie and Richard, talking about Halloween. For questions 1 – 4 choose the best answer (A, B, C or D).
1. What from did the British use to make lanterns?
C. helmets
D. turnips
2. Besides making laterns, what else is popular on Halloween?
A. painting your face
B. dressing up
C. scaring people
D. cooking
3. What does Jackie think is the easiest costume to make?
A. a ghost
B. a vampire
C. a skeleton
D. a zombie
4. What is the popular game that Richard remembers?
A. apple bobbing
B. the chocolate game
C. football
D. pin the wart on the witch’s nose
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
You will listen to a speech about food cravings. For questions 5 – 10, choose the best answer (A, B, C or D).
5. What strategy is mentioned to avoid thinking about food?
A. smelling food that you don’t like
B. trying really hard not to think about food
C. going out of the kitchen
D. occupying yourself with work
6. A food craving is defined as
A. a wish for a certain type of food.
B. a desire for any type of food.
C. a passion for cooking.
D. a disposition for eating.
7. ”Vietnamese pho” is given as an example of
A. food from one’s childhood.
B. traditional food.
C. unusual food.
D. food to be avoided.
8. The hypothalamus is a part of the brain that controls
A. simple body functions.
B. quick body functions.
C. fundamental body functions.
D. no body functions at all.
9. Why are food cravings called ”mind hunger”?
A. They can be controlled by using our mental powers.
B. They are satisfied only by thinking about them.
C. They are connected to our mental state and memory.
D. They can trigger feelings and memories.
10. Why do fatty or sugary foods provide feelings of pleasure?
A. They have an impact on our hearts.
B. They stimulate our brain.
C. They provide you with feelings of comfort.
D. They taste wonderful.
Proba scrisa la Limba engleza
*Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 120 de minute.
INTELEGEREA TEXTULUI CITIT
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
Read the text below. Are the sentences 1-5 'Right' (A) or 'Wrong' (B)? If there is not enough information to answer 'Right' (A) or 'Wrong' (B), choose 'Doesn't say' (C). Mark A, B or C on your exam sheet.
Girls Skate!
Sosina Challa lives in Ethiopia. That’s in Africa. When she was about 16, she saw a group of boys skateboarding in a parking lot. “I used to watch skateboarding in the movies,” Challa told TIME for Kids. “But I never got the chance to try.” That changed. “I just asked if I could try to skate,” she says. “It was fun!” At the time, skateboarding was still pretty new in Ethiopia. The sport was male-dominated, just as it is today. But Challa was hooked. She wanted girls to experience skateboarding. So in 2020, she teamed up with her friend Micky Asfaw to start Ethiopian Girl Skaters (EGS). The club provides free skateboarding lessons to girls and young women. “It’s not just about skateboarding,” she says. “We try to build a community.” EGS lessons take place on Saturdays at Addis Skatepark. It’s in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital and largest city. Each session has about 35 students. “You get skating sessions and friendship and family,” skater Kenan Menasse recently told VOA Africa. “That’s the best.” Club members come from diverse backgrounds. Some need help paying for school materials and fees. Others need mental health support. “They go through a lot, so we try to mentor them,” Asfaw says. “Skateboarding is a bridge for us to connect with the girls.” Skateboarding was popularized in California in the 1960s. But it didn’t take off in Ethiopia until about 10 years ago. “It’s just growing,” Asfaw says. “It’s an interesting, extreme sport.” “When I started skateboarding,” Challa says, “there were no girls actively participating in the skate community because of the stereotype.” In traditional Ethiopian society, she explains, girls are expected to stay home and help their parents. “The sport is for everyone,” she tells adults who may be hesitant to let their daughters join the club. “Everyone in the community helps each other,” Challa says about EGS and its members. “That’s how we try to build our sistership.”
1. Sosina Challa started skateboarding after she saw her brother do it.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
2. If you are a girl, you have to pay a membership fee in order to become part of the EGS club.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't Say
3. The members of the club are from the same social category.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't Say
4. Skateboarding was made popular in Ethiopia after an American actor visited the country.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
5. Practising skateboarding means that the girls become part of a community.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
Read the text below. For questions 1-10, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Ways to Keep in Touch with Your High School Friends after Graduation
Change can be such a bittersweet feeling. You get comfortable with a structure and timeframe, but suddenly, that structure gets altered. This happens in every stage of your life, but the first noticeable time this significantly occurs is probably as a high school senior (especially during pre-graduation and post-graduation). After being put in the same schooling process for about 4 years and seeing the same faces every day, as soon as you throw up your graduation cap, everyone is immediately on their own path. Most students go to college immediately, some decide to take a gap year, some start a job, and some are never heard of after graduation. It’s almost been a year since the class of 2022 graduated, and in a couple of months, the class of 2023 will also embark on the same journey. If you had or have a friend group from high school, it’s completely normal to be worried about how you will continue to stay friends with everyone. With that, here are ways to keep in touch with your high school friends. High school graduates summer activities vary from person to person, as some students may be getting ready for college (orientation, packing, meeting their roommates etc.), and some may just want to relax during summer while figuring out how they plan on spending their life. However, summer time is one of the best times to keep in touch with your high school friends, as most of you will probably still be near each other (in terms of location) for the time being. Be intentional about meeting up, so you can just spend time with each other. Do things you would usually do together, and reminisce on your fun times.
By the time summer period is over, everyone is truly on their own path, so interacting through social media can help keep in touch with your friends a lot. Interact on your group chats, add yourselves to each other’s private stories and close friend lists, check up on each other, and regularly update yourselves on new developments that are happening in your life. Social media makes communication so much easier, so facetime, video chat and talk online as much as possible. Some students like travelling out of state for college, and other high school graduates who don’t go to college immediately may not want to stay in their state, so they can rediscover themselves. This means there is a high chance everyone is scattered across the country or even out of the country. Based on this, the only time you may have the chance to meet up with your high school friends may be during holiday periods. Some key holidays this may be possible are: Thanksgiving, Winter break and Summer break. Make plans with your high school friends ahead of time to make sure everyone will be around at the same time, and plan how you’ll hang out with each other to catch up. As soon as your graduate from your high school, you immediately become an alumnus. A lot of high schools usually organize alumnus activities to get their former students to remain a key member of the community. You can plan ahead with your high school friends on the kind of activities you’d like to participate in, and the days you’d like to go for these activities. This way, you get to still be a part of your high school community, and meet up with your high school friends every once in a while. It won’t make sense to immediately throw a reunion party after graduation, but a little down the line, in about 3-5 years, you can decide to throw a reunion party for your set mates with the help of your high school friends, (or ask your high school administration to get involved) so you can see how far everyone has come and catch up with as many people as possible. Although you may feel the need and desire to desperately want to catch up with your high school friends because of situations such as FOMO (fear of missing out) and separation anxiety, it is also important to grow and open up your mind to change. Don’t get so fixated on wanting to live in the past that you forget to experience the present and the changes right in front of you. Change is a very scary thing, but sometimes it helps you grow and reinvent yourself in so many ways. High school and high school friends are great, but open up your mind too.
1. Change is a feeling that everyone experiences
A. during their high school years.
B. if they are not willing to lead a stable life.
C. after graduation, but then it is never encountered.
D. at different moments in their life.
2. After graduation,
A. students all follow the same path.
B. students usually prefer to take a year to travel the world.
C. parents become involved in the decision-making process of the students.
D. there are several paths open to students.
3. Worrying about staying friends with your high school classmates is
A. to be expected.
B. not advisable.
C. highly unlikely.
D. an unfortunate situation
4. After graduation, the author of the article says that meeting up during the summer
A. needs to be left to chance.
B. should be the result of a plan.
C. is not recommended.
D. can lead to feelings of isolation.
5. The article says that using social media in order to keep in touch with high school friends
A. is beneficial.
B. is not a good option.
C. is debatable.
D. has possibly negative effects.
6. Sometimes, you can only meet up with your high school friends during the holiday season because
A. everyone is too busy with college projects.
B. students usually go to a college abroad and cannot return until the holidays.
C. students attend both colleges in the country and out of the country.
D. students have to return home to visit their families.
7. What does “alumnus” refer to?
A. a person that has graduated from university.
B. a person who is interested in the Latin language.
C. a person who is taking a gap year.
D. a person that has graduated from high school.
8. The author of the article says that a reunion party should be organized
A. immediately after high school.
B. during the last year of high school.
C. 10 years after high school graduation.
D. at some point after graduating from high school.
9. The conclusion of the article is that change should be
A. embraced.
B. avoided.
C. feared.
D. ignored.
10. The overall tone of this article is
A. hilarious and entertaining.
B. pessimistic and depressing.
C. positive and reassuring.
D. ironic, although optimistic.
PRODUCEREA DE MESAJE SCRISE
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
You have received an email from Dan, your pen friend, who needs your help with a school project about what type of events teenagers in your country prefer to attend nowadays. Write an email to Dan telling him about the events teenagers in your country go to, providing him with details regarding the type, the location and the participants. Write your email in 80 - 100 words.
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
You have taken part in a class discussion on social media. You have decided to write an essay for your teacher discussing its advantages and disadvantages for teenagers. Write your essay in 180 - 200 words.
Barem Subiect nr.1 Competente engleza
MODEL Subiect nr.2
Proba orala la Limba engleza
1. Answer the following question: What responsibilities do you have at school/at home?
2. Describe a person who has had a great influence on your life.
3. Should young people be allowed to take decisions? To what extent? Use relevant arguments and examples to support your ideas.
Proba scrisa la Limba engleza
INTELEGEREA TEXTULUI CITIT
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
Read the text below. Are the sentences 1-5 ’Right’ (A) or ’Wrong’ (B)? If there is not enough information to answer ’Right’ (A) or ’Wrong’ (B), choose ’Doesn’t say’ (C). Mark A, B or C on your exam sheet.
My name is Leah Williamson, and I am a professional football player, a defender for Arsenal, but when I was little I was the kid that always wanted to go to school. When I was there, I absolutely loved it – I’d go back in a heartbeat if you offered me the chance to spend a day as a kid again.
I was lucky in that there were always lots going on. It was quite a sporty school, which was obviously great for me, but thinking back, it was also really good in terms of drama, music and getting us to be creative. I'm nowhere near those kinds of fields now, but back then, that really helped to get the most out of me as a kid. I learned a lot, for which I’m very appreciative. I was also lucky to have teachers who went out of their way to accommodate me, ‘the girl who played football’. There wasn't a girls’ football team at my school, but I was allowed to play in the school team alongside the boys – which sounds horrific to me now, but at the time, at least people went out of their way to make that happen. Big shout out to Mr Kearsley, because he was great to me at school, and helped me in any way he could.
Women's football isn’t yet at the same stage as the men’s football, so my job is to be a footballer but also to promote the game. That’ll probably never stop, because we'll be chasing that level of men's sport for a long time, but it’s still lovely to know that what we're doing is already making a difference. I have to thank those who came before me, who had it worse than I did. When my mum was younger, she actually cut her hair off to play in her school’s football team with the boys. It was easier for me, and girls now have it easier than I did. If it's something they want to do, they can just do it without having to fight for it. Now that the interest is there, we can help to inspire girls, and give them an avenue into the sport that they maybe don't know is available to them.
(adapted from Teach Secondary, February-March 2022)
1. Leah loved going to school and would return there any day.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
2. Leah is also most certainly a famous actress nowadays.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
3. Mr. Kersley is mentioned in the text because Leah wants to thank him.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
4. In the past Leah’s mother had to fill in an application to play football in school.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
5. Today it is easier for girls to become professional sportspeople.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
Read the text below. For question 1 – 10, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Exam Stress? How to Be at Peace with Performance, Whatever the Result
I know the feeling of getting your test back and seeing a low grade, leaving a pit in your stomach and feeling worthless. These scores hold so much importance in our lives, with people constantly telling us how crucial it is to get that A+ and how vital it is to get into the best university in order to have a good life. The truth is that no one has it all figured out, no one is going to hold this one test against you for your life. There is so much more to life than school, if you ever find yourself overwhelmed and overworked, take a step back and think about the endless possibilities that life holds, an F does not mean your existence comes to an end. The anxiety due to exams will consume you to the point where you mess it up despite how hard you prepared. The pressure of endless exams can leave you overwhelmed and burnt out. How do you handle this? If you are not satisfied with your results, pause and think rationally before believing it's the end of the world, because trust me, it's far from that. Did you put in the work to prepare? If not, then you know what you have to change, and you know what you have to do next time to do better and not face such a feeling of disappointment again. If yes, then you need to look at where you're going wrong, what you missed out on studying, and what you could've studied better. Failure is not the end, it motivates you to do better the next time. We need certain wake-up calls in our life to know when we need to step up and take control. That's just the reality of how the world works, and it is important for us to experience such things. Don't take criticism harshly, take each misstep, each failure, and each remark as a learning opportunity and you will soon start to see yourself thrive. The way in which you look at your life and control your actions is the way in which you will start to live the life you once dreamed of. I know there are students who cannot be at peace with their performance even if they have done relatively well, this is perfectly normal as it's a drive to always do better and be better, helping you to grow as a person. Being hardworking and wanting to achieve the best is not a bad quality but just proves that you are ready to put in the work and effort to accomplish your goals. However, this drive should never have you beating yourself up and putting unnecessary pressure on you, then it begins to take a toll on your mental well-being. You should always be proud of what you have achieved, it's an amazing thing what you are capable of and you have your whole life ahead of you to further showcase your potential. There are several ways to better yourself in anything you do. In 10th grade, I got a C in my math mid-terms, but by the end of my finals I got an A*. This was not easy, but it involved me realizing that, yes, I am disappointed in how I performed, but how am I going to change that? The change starts when you decide to make it. Ask for help if you can or go online and look at the endless YouTube videos that give helpful advice. There are several study methods that could work better for you, you just have to find and implement them. Blurting is a method I find significantly useful. Much of school does depend on memorizing. Read your notes well, understand the concepts and then go on to take a blank sheet of paper and write down everything you remember. Check what you missed out on and this will help you to remember everything that is needed for your test, BUT do not forget to understand the concepts well before memorizing, otherwise, you will have no idea what is going on inside your mind. Making mindmaps, flowcharts and even using a whiteboard to act like you're teaching someone else is an effective way of learning and visualising your work in a better way, making studying fun! After all of this, make sure to answer some practice questions and past papers as it always gives you an idea of how the actual exam will be. Especially for math, make sure you keep solving. Math is solely practice. I hope some of these ideas were helpful for you. If not, you can always do what works best for you, but remember not to leave anything for the last minute. The biggest issue we face in school is procrastination. We have all been there, but is it really the best choice? Sometimes procrastination works out, making us feel like we can continue to do it because we face no consequences. It's common human nature to think like this but the stress of last-minute work should not be the motivation for you to actually do your task. This is a downward spiral that will just leave you overwhelmed at the end of it. Focus on finishing things bit by bit over a period of time rather than letting it all pile up for the end. Trust me this is a life-saver.
www.theteenmagazine.com
1. In the first paragraph, we learn that
A. we will always be judged by the poor results we get at a test.
B. the writer knows what it’s like to get a low grade.
C. parents always have high expectations of us.
D. school and exams are the most important things in life.
2. According to the writer, no matter how hard you learn for an exam
A. you always get low grades.
B. your parents are always dissatisfied with your grades.
C. you can make mistakes due to anxiety.
D. you can’t control your feelings.
3. What does that refer to in the second paragraph?
A. the fact that you are not satisfied with your results.
B. believing it’s the end of the world.
C. the pressure of endless exams.
D. what you have to change.
4. What do you have to do when you prepared, but you are dissatisfied?
A. Study harder every day.
B. Identify what you didn’t study and what you could have studied better.
C. Identify all your mistakes and improve your memorization techniques.
D. Change your study habits immediately.
5. How should ‘failure’ be regarded?
A. as a necessity to improve your actions.
B. as a demotivating factor.
C. as a proof that you are superficial.
D. as a consequence of your poor preparation.
6. Those who are never satisfied with their results despite having done relatively well
A. should put in more effort.
B. shouldn’t put unnecessary pressure on them.
C. can fail to prove their potential later in life.
D. will be physically affected.
7. What does the writer want to prove by giving himself as an example?
A. He/ She has discovered the ways to get better results.
B. You succeed only if you are urged.
C. Change comes from inside.
D. The YouTube videos were very effective in his/ her case.
8. What piece of advice does the writer give in the sixth paragraph?
A. to write down everything you’ve learnt
B. to understand concepts before memorizing them
C. to memorize everything for the test
D. to check what you haven’t learnt
9. In order to get used to the exam, students should
A. make mindmaps and act like teachers.
B. solve past subjects.
C. solve as many exercises as possible.
D. combine revision with practice.
10. What do we learn in the last paragraph?
A. There are no other bigger issues than procrastination in school.
B. Students procrastinate because they are not punished.
C. People have a tendency to procrastinate when they are students.
D. We are more motivated when we procrastinate.
PRODUCEREA DE MESAJE SCRISE
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
You have received an email from your English-speaking pen friend who needs your help with a class project. He/ She has to write about places that are special to people. You have to write about a place that is special to you, where it is, what it looks like and to explain why it’s important to you. It doesn’t have to be a famous place.
Write your email in 80 - 100 words.
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
In your English class you have been talking about whether it is good or bad for young people to get work experience during their school and university holidays. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay presenting both sides of the argument.
Write your essay in 180 - 200 words.
Proba de intelegere a unui text audiat la Limba engleza
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
You will hear a woman talking about her childhood. For questions 1 – 4 choose the best answer
(A, B, C or D).
1. The way her grandma taught her how to read was
A. useful.
B. difficult.
C. dead-easy.
D. fascinating.
2. When she learnt the letter ‘r’, she learnt the word for
3. Who sang her songs despite not being very musical?
A. her mother
B. her father
C. her grandma
D. none of the above
4. How old was she when she came to the US with a scholarship?
A. fifteen
B. seventy
C. seventeen
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
You will listen to an interview with a young writer, Deborah Wright. For questions 5 – 10, choose the best answer (A, B, C or D).
5. Besides being Deborah’s first novel, Olivia’s Bliss was also
A. filled with autobiographic elements.
B. the winner of a literary competition.
C. already translated into several languages.
D. completed while she was still at Oxford.
6. When she finished her university studies Deborah’s family and friends urged her
A. to sell her attic room.
B. to buy a computer and start writing.
C. to enter the real and competitive world.
D. to change her writing habits.
7. According to Deborah, what is true about her book?
A. The tone of the book reflects the state of mind it was written in.
B. Its main themes are swimming and protecting the environment.
C. The Oxford lectures she attended are central to the plot.
D. She felt utterly miserable during the time she wrote it.
8. When writing, Deborah usually
A. eats lots of sandwiches.
B. drinks lots of tea.
C. eats lots of chocolate.
D. strokes her cat for inspiration.
9. Deborah tells us about her love of animals and states that she would love to get
A. another cat.
B. an unusual pet.
C. any exotic animal.
D. any animal but a dog.
10. What is a main source of inspiration for Deborah?
A. phone calls from friends
B. meditation
D. movies
Barem Subiect nr.2 Competente engleza
MODEL Subiect nr. 3
Proba orala la Limba engleza
1. Answer the following question: Do you enjoy listening to music while working? Why / Why not?
2. Describe a place you visited during your last holiday.
3. Give your opinion on the following statement: Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. (Henry Ford) Use relevant arguments and examples to support your ideas.
Proba de intelegere a unui text audiat la Limba engleza
* Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 20 de minute.
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
You will hear two people talking about two British meals. For questions 1 – 4 choose the best answer (A, B, C or D).
1. What does the full English breakfast contain?
A. boiled potatoes
B. chicken nuggets
C. fish and chips
D. cooked food
2. How often do they have the full English breakfast at home?
A. every morning
B. every week
C. sometimes
3. What vegetables is the Sunday roast served with?
A. cabbage
C. cauliflower
4. When did Yorkshire pudding use to be served?
A. at the same time with the roast
B. it was served first
C. after the roast
D. most weekends
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
You will hear a woman talking about buying second-hand instead of brand-new clothes. For questions 5 – 10, choose the best answer (A, B, C or D).
5. Second-hand clothes are sold in charity shops
A. because people want to sell them.
B. to fund different causes.
C. only to help stray animals.
D. because the elderly need them.
6. In the UK, the number of people volunteering in charity shops is
A. more than 11,000.
B. close to 200,000.
C. 3.6% of the employees.
D. almost 340,000.
7. Clothing items in charity shops are
A. more expensive than new ones.
B. a lot easier to purchase.
C. plain and simple.
D. significantly cheaper.
8. What happens to some of the clothes which are not donated to charity?
A. They are environmentally friendly.
B. They are destroyed immediately.
C. They eventually reach landfills.
D. They are saved for later use.
9. The main similarity between charities and online second-hand shops is that
A. the items sold are no longer needed by the owner.
B. the money earned goes to the seller.
C. the money is donated to the people in need.
D. the seller advertises the products.
10. The platforms the speaker uses
A. are from outside Europe.
B. offer free postage.
C. sell only blouses.
D. offer a range of products.
Proba scrisa la Limba engleza
*Timpul efectiv de lucru este de 120 de minute.
INTELEGEREA TEXTULUI CITIT
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
Read the text below. Are the sentences 1-5 'Right' (A) or 'Wrong' (B)? If there is not enough information to answer 'Right' (A) or 'Wrong' (B), choose 'Doesn't say' (C). Mark A, B or C on your exam sheet.
By 2030 – if things really go to plan – you'll land in Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island (possibly even aboard an electric-powered Air New Zealand airplane) and make your way to town via an electric gondola or on a hydro-powered ferry across the town's famous glacier-fed lake, Lake Wakatipu. Skiers and snowboarders – who in winter descend on this region in ever-increasing numbers from around the world – will ride electric-powered chairlifts to the peaks of the surrounding ski resorts.
Year-round, travellers might take high-speed rides on Lake Wakatipu and along the shallow whitewater rapids of the Shotover River town aboard the world's first fully electric jet boats. Even the TSS Earnslaw – this hemisphere's oldest coal-fired, passenger-carrying steamship that has transported young families on day excursions since the 1970s – will run on hydrogen.
It's all part of the region's very ambitious plan to become the first tourist town on Earth to have a carbon-zero visitor economy by 2030. The "adventure capital of the world" – a title earned through decades of innovation creating death-defying activities that had been done nowhere else, but ones that run primarily on fossil fuels – now wants to become the ecotourism capital of the world. And they're aiming for a carbon-zero visitor economy in six years, not an easier-to-achieve carbon-neutral visitor economy (where Queenstown could use carbon credits, like planting trees, to achieve its environmental goals). Becoming carbon-zero is much harder to achieve – because it means you can't emit any carbon at all. "Well, 2030 creates urgency, doesn't it?" Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods asks rhetorically. "2030 seemed so hard to achieve that it got the community excited. It means that everyone in the community has to be part of this [push to carbon-zero]."
Queenstown's huge environmental challenge stemmed from a concern that the region's infrastructure was struggling to cope with the sheer number of tourists coming to town. Queenstown is set around a massive lake, fringed by the rugged mountains of the country's Southern Alps. It's been a skiing hotspot since resorts first opened in the 1940s, but the development of an adventure tourism economy built around its dramatic landscape since the 1960s established the region as one of New Zealand's most popular destinations.
1. By 2030, Queenstown on New Zealand's South Island is expected to feature more sustainable transportation options.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
2. The oldest passenger-carrying steamship, the TSS Earnslaw will not run on coal in the future.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't Say
3. Queenstown's plan is to focus on expanding fossil fuel-based activities instead of promoting ecotourism.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't Say
4. All the people in Queensland will drive electric cars in order to achieve a carbon-zero economy by 2030.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
5. Queenstown has faced significant environmental challenges due to its infrastructure struggling to accommodate the high volume of tourists attracted to the region.
A. Right B. Wrong C. Doesn't say
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
Read the text below. For questions 1-10, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Paul Mescal is the "mesmerising centre" of Ridley Scott's long-awaited Gladiator sequel, which balances emotional drama and social themes with all-out action spectacle. How can you not love a film that has swords, sandals, sharks in the flooded Roman Colosseum, Denzel Washington in flowing robes and Paul Mescal biting a baboon? There's much more than that, both serious and camp, in Ridley Scott's exhilarating and fun sequel to Gladiator, which won the Oscar for best picture nearly a quarter of a century ago. Full of spectacle and spectacular performances, Gladiator II is by far the best popcorn film of the year.
Mescal, a counterintuitive choice given his sensitive roles in Normal People and Aftersun, is the mesmerising centre of the film, holding it together with the same power and magnetism Russell Crowe brought to the original. The sequel has a less perfect balance between emotion and action than the first, with beheadings and swordfights almost overwhelming the characters, but it comes close enough.
Those comparisons aren't gratuitous, because Gladiator II is full of echoes of the original, in which Crowe's gladiator, Maximus, and the vile Caesar, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) battled to the death in the Colosseum. Lucius, Maximus's son with Commodus' sister, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, returning to that role here) was then a small boy sent away from Rome for his own safety. Fifteen years later, here he is played by Mescal, more sinewy than usual but thankfully not pumped up to the cartoonish proportions of a Marvel character.
Lucius has grown into manhood in Numidia in northern Africa, and soon plunges into war against the Roman invaders. Scott is in total command of the action scenes, and makes that point with an extravagant opening battle. Numidians catapult balls of fire toward the approaching Roman ships, Roman arrows fly toward the Numidian battlements, Lucius's warrior wife is killed, and he is captured and sent toward Rome, vowing revenge against the empire's General Acacius (Pedro Pascal).
The Rome he returns to is more colourful and sinister than ever. Now there are two decadent emperors, twins ruling jointly without regard for the populace, creepy visions in pasty white face makeup and heavy eyeliner. Joseph Quinn is especially chilling, quietly intense and fearsome as Geta, the smarter and therefore more dangerous of the two. Fred Hechinger is the wild-eyed, out-of-control Caracella, the Fredo to Geta's Michael Corleone.
Washington plays the enigmatic Macrinus, a wealthy businessman and owner of gladiators who buys Lucius. With jewelled rings on every finger and gold chains around his neck, Washington approaches the role with absolute gusto and over-the-top delivery as Macrinus schemes for power. But at times he pulls the performance back enough to reveal the canniness beneath that brash persona. Pascal's fans may be disappointed in his relatively smaller role and subdued performance. He doesn't make much of an impact, even though it turns out Acacius is married to Lucilla and shares her desire to depose the demented, blood-thirsty emperors.
In the big-action arena scenes, Scott pulls out all the stops. A Roman enters riding a rhino. The editing is kinetic as tigers and baboons are unleashed against Lucius and the other gladiators, who are called barbarians. Lucius is so fierce he chomps on a baboon's furry arm. At close range those baboons are conspicuously fake, a weak spot in special effects that are generally smooth. Some distant backgrounds also look flatly CGI'ed, but Scott stages the action with enough volatility to overcome those small glitches.
In the smaller-scale episodes, Scott knows when to give Mescal the close-ups that allow him to shine, exuding Lucius's determination and anger. That is especially true in his defiant conversations with Macrinus, who does not yet know that Lucius is the heir to the empire, but wonders why this gladiator can quote Virgil. Mescal's intelligent performance raises the level of the film beyond its violent combat.
And some of the violence is emotional. Most viewers will know going in, as the film's trailer reveals, that Lucius is Maximus's son, so we are way ahead of most characters. But one of the most bracing episodes takes place when Lucilla recognises the gladiator as her son and visits him in his jail-like cell, a meeting that defies our easy expectations.
As the film heads toward its ultimate battles, the camp level rises. There is a scene with Macrinus, the Roman Senate and a severed head (no spoilers; it's not Washington's head) that is just silly. At times Washington and the emperor twins seem to be in a little camp-fest all their own, but instead of pulling against the rest of the film, that style lands as another sign that Gladiator II is meant to be an entertaining romp.
https://www.bbc.com/culture/
1. What makes Gladiator II stand out as a "popcorn film"?
A. It has a serious and dramatic tone throughout.
B. It features a combination of spectacle and memorable performances.
C. It focuses on historical accuracy and character development.
D. It is the most serious and intense film of the year.
2. How does Mescal's performance in the sequel compare to Russell Crowe's in the original film?
A. Mescal's performance is less captivating than Russell Crowe's.
B. Mescal's performance is overshadowed by the action scenes.
C. Mescal brings the same power and magnetism as Russell Crowe.
D. Mescal's performance is not as emotionally balanced as Russell Crowe's.
3. How is Lucius portrayed in Gladiator II compared to his depiction in the original film?
A. He is now portrayed as much older and more muscular.
B. He looks exactly the same as he did when he was a child.
C. He appears younger and smaller than before.
D. Played by a different actor, he appears thinner than before.
4. What is Lucius’s main goal after being captured by the Romans in Gladiator II?
A. To negotiate peace with the Roman Empire.
B. To escape from captivity and return to Numidia.
C. To seek revenge against General Acacius.
D. To join the Roman army and fight for Rome.
5. How are the twin emperors portrayed in Gladiator II?
A. They are benevolent rulers focused on the well-being of the people.
B. They are depicted as decadent and indifferent to the people.
C. They are quiet and strategic, ruling with wisdom.
D. They are portrayed as strong and noble warriors who defend Rome.
6. What does the text suggest about Washington's performance as Macrinus?
A. He plays the character with subtlety, focusing on his kindness.
B. He performs with energy and exaggeration, but also shows moments of cleverness.
C. He focuses only on Macrinus’s physical appearance and wealth.
D. His portrayal is serious and without any change in his behaviour.
7. What is mentioned as a flaw in the special effects of Gladiator II?
A. The appearance of Lucius during battle scenes.
B. The backgrounds that are overly bright and colorful.
C. The fake appearance of baboons at close range.
D. The unrealistic behaviour of the tigers in the arena.
8. What role do the close-up shots play in Paul Mescal’s performance as Lucius in Gladiator II?
A. They highlight his emotional depth, showcasing his determination and anger.
B. They serve to portray his vulnerability and fear.
C. They focus on his ability to memorize lines, like quoting Virgil.
D. They emphasize his physical strength during action scenes.
9. What is one of the most emotional scenes in Gladiator II?
A. Lucius defeats his enemies in the Colosseum.
B. Lucilla recognizes the gladiator as her son.
C. Lucius engages in a battle with his father, Maximus.
D. Lucius and Macrinus have a final confrontation.
10. What is the effect of the rising "camp level" in Gladiator II, as described in the text?
A. It detracts from the film's serious themes and emotional depth.
B. It makes the action scenes more intense and dramatic.
C. It creates a humorous contrast, enhancing the film's entertainment value.
D. It undermines the overall plot and character development.
PRODUCEREA DE MESAJE SCRISE
SUBIECTUL I (40 de puncte)
You are part of an international volunteering organisation that supports disadvantaged communities. As part of its tradition, the organisation hosts an annual volunteering camp in a different country each year. For the 2025 edition, you have been appointed as the organiser, and the camp will take place in your country. Write an email to your fellow volunteers, letting them know about the dates of the camp, location, meeting place, transportation arrangements, and some of the activities you have planned.
Write your email in 80 - 100 words.
SUBIECTUL al II-lea (60 de puncte)
You have attended a conference discussing the challenges of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. Based on what you learned, write an essay for your ICT class, expressing your opinion on the use of AI technology in schools.
Write your essay in 180 - 200 words.