Ministry of Education

Maadi & 6th October STEM Schools

Mid-Term English Exam.
Grade: 10 Time: One hour
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1- Read the following passage, then choose from a, b, c or d:
Aspirin’s origins go back at least as early as 1758. In that year,
Englishman Edward Stone noticed a distinctive bitter flavor in the bark of
the willow tree. To Stone, this particular bark seemed to have much in
common with “Peruvian Bark” which had been used medicinally since the
(5) 1640s to bring down fevers and to treat malaria. Stone decided to
test the effectiveness of the willow bark. He obtained some, pulverized it
into tiny pieces, and conducted experiments on its properties. His tests
demonstrated that this pulverized willow bark was effective both in
reducing high temperatures and in relieving aches and pains. In 1763,
(10) Stone presented his findings to the British Royal Society.
Several decades later, further studies on the medicinal value of the
willow bark were being conducted by two Italian scientists. These
chemists, Brugnatelli and Fontana, determined that the active chemical
that was responsible for the medicinal characteristics in the willow bark
(15 ) was the chemical salicin, which is the active ingredient of today’s
aspirin.
The name “aspirin” is the trade name of the drug based on the chemical
salicin, properly known as acetylsalicylic acid. The trade name “aspirin”
was invented for the drug in the 1890s by the Bayer Drug Company in
Germany. The first bottles of aspirin actually went on sale to the public just
( 20 ) prior to the turn of the century, in 1899.
1-According to the passage, aspirin originated
(A) no later than 1758 (B) sometime after 1758
(C) definitely sometime in 1758 (D) no earlier than 1758
2-It can be inferred from the passage that Peruvian Bark
(A) caused fevers (B) was ineffective in treating malaria
(C) was described to the British Royal Society by Stone
(D) was in use prior to aspirin
3-The pronoun “it” in line 6 refers to
(A) malaria (B) willow bark
(C) effectiveness (D) the British Royal Society
4-The word “properties” in line 7 could best be replaced by
(A) ownership (B) body
(C) characteristics (D) materials
5-What did the willow bark look like after Stone prepared it for his
experiments
(A) It was in large chunks. (B) It was a thick liquid
(C) It was a rough powder. (D) It was in strips of bark.
6-The Italian chemists mentioned in the passage most probably conducted
their studies on willow bark
(A) in the 1750s (B) in the 1760s
(C) in the 1770s (D) in the 1780s
7-What is true about Brugnatelli and Fontana?
(A) They were from Italy.
(B) They added a chemical to the willow bark.
(C) They conducted studies on the willow bark.
(D) They were medical doctors.
8- The expression “prior to” in the last line could best be replaced by
(A) at (B) before
 (C) during (D) after
9-The word “turn” in the last line could best be replaced by
(A) spin (B) corner
(C) change (D) reversal
10- Where in the passage does the author name the scientific compound
that makes up aspirin?
(A) line 4 – 6 (B) line 9
( C) line 11 – 12 (D)line 16 – 17

2- Choose the correct answer from a, b, c or d:

1- A l An ……………. is a person who supports the belief that women should
have the same rights as men.
a. scientist b. feminist c. psychologist d. futurologist
2- …………… early, he would catch the bus.
a. Were he to leave b. Were he left c. If he had left d. If he leaves
3- Dr. Farouk El-Baz is the world’s greatest …………… in remote sensing.
a. explorer b. dramatist c. writer d. expert
4- My father is a punctual person, he ………….. late.
a. comes never b. never coming c. never comes d. coming ever
5- The Prime minister delivered his …………… in German.
a. speech b. tongue c. talk d. accent
6- I ………… read at least one book a week, but now I don’t read so many.
a. am used to b. used to c. get used to d. didn’t use
7- The brain receives information from the senses and ………….. it.
a. paralyses b. capitalizes c. advises d. analyses
8- Large country houses really ………….to me. I find them very practical.
a. appeal b. are appealing c. appealed d. have appealed
9- They were very …………. when their son turned up from Australia for their
50th wedding anniversary.
a. impatient b. uncertain c. surprised d. disappointed
10-She has been to America. This means that she …………… there.
a. is still b. is no longer c. will be d. won’t be
11-Naguib Mahfouz was awarded the Nobel Prize for ……………
a. Medicine b. Chemistry c. Biology d. Literature
12-A wind turbine is a tall tower built in an …………. place.
a. opens b. opened c. opening d. open
13-Paula isn’t in her office at the moment, but I’ll ask her to ………… you back
as soon as she arrives.
a. call b. get c. put d. hang
14-I ………….. to the airport in a minute. I’m flying to Paris later this afternoon.
a. go b. went c. am going d. have gone
15-I know that he will behave …………… and responsibly.
a. morally b. strangely c. cowardly d. badly
16-We need to leave now …………… we’ll be late.
a. Otherwise b. If c. Unless d. When
17-According to an eyewitness, the fire broke …………. early in the morning.
a. into b. up c. out d. through
18-He ……………. listening to music while he is driving.
a. enjoyed b. enjoys c. has enjoyed d. had enjoyed
19-Neil Armstrong was an American ………….
a. smuggle b. forger c. fisherman d. astronaut
20-Her plane to America …………….. at 9 o’clock.
a. leave b. will leave c. leaves d. is leaving
 3- Writing ( Oliver Twist )
Write an essay of about 150 - 200 words discussing the role the
community should play to save the orphans referring to the pains
Oliver faced in his childhood.

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