High School Teachers' test

من طرف زائر الخميس سبتمبر 03, 2009 8:56 pm

The text:

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Perhaps the most vital person I have ever met
is an Italian professor of philosophy who teaches at the University of Pisa.
Although I last met this man eight years ago, I have not forgotten his special
qualities. First of all, I was impressed by his devotion to teaching. Because
his lectures were always well-prepared and clearly delivered, students swarmed
up into his classroom. His followers appreciated the fact that he believed in
what he taught and that he was intellectually stimulating.

Furthermore, he could be counted on to explain his ideas in an
imaginative way, introducing such aids to understand as painting, recording,
pieces of sculpture, and guest visitors. Once, he even sang a song to
illustrate a point.

Second, I admired the fact that he would
confer with students outside the classroom or talk with them on the telephone.
Drinking coffee in the snack bar, he would easily make friends with students.
Sometimes he would challenge a student to a chess game. At other times, he
would join groups to discuss subjects ranging from astronomy to scuba diving.
Many young people visited him in his office for academic advice.

Finally, I was attracted by his lively wit.
He believed that no class is a success unless the student and the professor
share several chuckles and at least one loud laugh. Through his sense of
humour, he made learning more enjoyable and more lasting. If it is true that
life makes a wise man smile and a foolish man cry, then my friend is truly a
wise man. Probably the best example of his wit is this bit of wisdom with which
he once ended a lecture:" It is as dangerous for a man to model himself
upon his invention, the machine, as it would be for God to model Himself upon
His invention."

From American English Rhetoric

I- COMPREHENSION: Answer
the following questions according to the text.

1) Why does the writer remember
so well the Italian professor?

2) How did the students
appreciate his lectures?

3) Why was he so close to his
students?

4) What teaching techniques did
he use to achieve success?

5) Account for the frequent use
of "would" in the second paragraph?

6) Give a title to the text.

II- LEXIS:
Give your definitions of the following words.

1) Devotion
2) swarmed
3) chuckle
4) stimulating

III- Which nouns can be
derived from the following verbs.

1) admire
2) confer 3) challenge 4) meet

IV- Transcribe phonetically
the following words stressing the right syllables.

1) appreciated
2) imaginative
3) academic.

V- Give the correct form
of the verbs in brackets.

I found myself (sit) next to
this young man (seem) to be quite different from any other young man I ever (meet). For a
long time, he (remain) sunk in abstraction. He certainly (keep) the same attitude if I
(not start) the conversation.

VI- Four words are missing
in the following passage. Supply them and rewrite it correctly.

The teacher's personality
be pleasantly live and attractive. This does not rule out who are the physically plain or even ugly.
Many such people have great personal charm. But it does rule out types as the
over-excitable, frigid, sarcastic, cynical, frustrated, and over bearing.

WRITTEN EXPRESSION:

Write an essay on ONE of the following topics:

Topic 1: What personal and
professional qualities are needed in the Algerian teacher of English to achieve
success?

Topic 2: Do you think it is dangerous
for a student to model himself up on his teacher? Support your arguments.