UNIVERSITETET
I OSLO
Institutt f or litteratur, områdestudier og europeiske språk
SKOLEEKSAMEN/SKULEEKSAMEN
2009/VÅR
4 sider
ENG1111 - Awareness and Writing Skills
4 timer/timar/hours
Torsdag, 28. mai 2009
The questions must be answered in English, and the answers must be given in complete
sentences.
Candidates may use 1 English-English dictionary.
Candidates must receive a pass mark on both questions.
Question 1 (50%)
1A
The following text contains 10 errors of grammar. Correct them and explain your
corrections with reference to rules of grammar and/or contextual clues.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
How to Make Money Writing About the Financial Crisis
Turn on the TV and you’ll be lucky if you do not see a story on big Global
Financial Crisis. You do not have to be a genius to figure out that there are a lot of
people out there interested in what is happening globally, and how the financial crises is
directly going to affect them. A quick review of Google Trends shows that the number of
people searching for information relating to the “financial crisis” or “global financial
crisis” has increased dramatic in the last month.
In spite of the US Government coming to the rescue, markets all over the world
currently go through very hard and trying times. If you buyed stocks one year ago, will
you on average have lost about 70 per cent or more already.
You may have heard the expression, “follow the money”.
Well, the silver lining of the US economy sliding into the dumps is that it is plenty
of work for business writers which know a mortgage-backed security from an adjustable
rate mortgage. If you do not fit that description right now, you could. Arizona State
University is hosting a free day-long workshop on covering the financial crisis and the
economy, on Monday, December 8 in Washington D.C.
The workshop, “Covering the Financial Crisis in the New Administration”, will
feature presentations and panel discussions on how the economy got to it’s present sorry
state; what an Obama Administration might do to fix it; and how writers can cover the
story as it unfold in their communities.
Side 1 av 4
1B
The examples below contain language choices that may not be definitely wrong, but
they are awkward, unidiomatic, or inappropriate. First, suggest ways of improving
them; second, explain what you have done and why.
a. The final power which had to be overcome before the political supremacy of the
English East India Company would be unparalleled and unmatched in India was the
Sikh kingdom of Punjab.
b. Being a man of considerable wealth, all his relatives wanted to inherit him.
c. In order to be successful, it is important to not only have a proper education, and also to
be well-mannered, and not least ambitious.
1C
The target audience of the following text is the general population of adult readers,
and the style level is formal. First, rewrite it so that the style level is neutral to
informal. No information found in the original text should be omitted; nor should any
be added. Second, account briefly (2-3 paragraphs) for the most important changes
you have made, including those involving syntax, grammar, and vocabulary.
A Description of the Bird Group Commonly Called Birds of Prey
Birds of prey, or raptors, include the buzzards, eagles, falcons, hawks, harriers,
kites, and owls - birds that kill animals for food or scavenge on waste or decaying
flesh. They are mostly large, solitary birds, equipped with acute visual and auditory
senses, sharp, hooked beaks and talons, and an impressive flying ability. Most
hunt by day, but owls are typically nocturnal. The number of many birds of prey
has declined due to habitat loss, pollution, and hunting, but these beautiful birds
are now protected, and many populations are recovering. One of the most useful
features for identification of the birds of prey is their shape which, along with their
aviation style, can be quite distinctive.
Question 2 (50%)
Read the two texts below.
Identify the similarities and differences between the two texts as regards field, tenor,
mode, purpose and style, and describe how any differences in these areas are
reflected in lexical, grammatical, and syntactic choices. Provide examples from both
texts to support your claims. Your answer should be in the form of an academic
essay. Write approximately 500 words.
Text 1
1
2
3
4
Description of My Room
The wooden floor is pale, yet full of texture. It is partly covered by a Berber rug
which is in need of a stretching. In an array of gloss and semi-gloss, shades of offwhite cover the four walls and their baseboards are speckled only by an
occasional paint chip or faded fingerprint. Entire sections are hidden by nearly a
Side 2 av 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
dozen posters of varying sizes and content, mostly expressing political ideas, or
taste in music. Shelves protrude from a wall adjacent to the door, topped by a
number of knick-knacks and decorative accessories. Yet nothing obscures the
whiteness of these walls quite as magnificently as the furnishings which fill the
room.
Standing at the doorway looking inward, I see the twin-size bed directly
across from me against the far wall. Its sheets and blankets are ruffled. Two
pillows rest at opposite ends, covered by cases made of turquoise cloth. This
colour forms a pleasant contrast with the darker blues of the bedspread. At one
corner I see my sheet struggling to maintain its grip on a mattress, a salmoncoloured item that doesn't seem to match anything at all.
The dresser is tall and quite old, probably a “hand-me-down” from one of
my older siblings who has since left home for college or some other endeavour. It
stands across from the foot of my bed and perhaps four more feet to its left. Its
brown wooden finish appears to be randomly stained with an assortment of dusts
and the syrup of sodas left upon its surface over the years. A similar piece, a
stand, sits idly against a wall opposite the foot of my bed. Upon it rests a 13"
black-and-white television screen with dotted speaker holes carved out of its front.
Oddly, three video cassettes sit next to the television, but there is no video
cassette player in sight.
Text 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Where to Get Ideas for Designing a Room
I have given you great information on how to design the perfect room, but what if
you are faced with an empty room and your mind is blank? Well, Dear Reader,
starting a room design from scratch can be daunting, but I am here to rescue you.
Here are some suggestions for places to start. From one element, you can create
the room of your dreams. If you still have no idea what you want for the room,
maybe you are choosing a design element that doesn't make you passionate. My
advice? Choose another and don't stop until your imagination is sparked!
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Art
Do you have a favorite painting or print? Perhaps you picked up a special
sculpture on your travels? Or maybe you have made a piece of art yourself?
Choose a prominent color in your painting or other art piece and several neutral
complimentary colors to build the room around. You should also choose a striking
accent color from the artwork as well. Use the accent color sparingly, however. If
you overuse the color, it's no longer just an accent.
15
16
17
18
19
Rugs
If you have a rug that is a heirloom or just a rug with a color scheme you love, use
it as a basis for your design. As with the fabric, pick one main color, plus
secondary and accent colors. If the rug is textured, it may difficult to match exactly,
but it will add the illusion of another color and depth.
Side 3 av 4
20
21
22
23
Fabric
Fabric, like art, can blend with the style of the room. Let the fabric you love
influence the room so that the fabric does not seem out of place. Make certain the
room's style harmonizes with the fabric.
24
25
26
27
28
29
Paint
If you don't have a art piece, fabric, or rug, visit your local paint store and look at
sample cards. Find colors that have the feel you would like in your room. Whether
cool and calming or warm and intimate, pick a color and get a quart of paint to
sample. Paint a large sample on the wall and live with it a few days to see if the
color works in the space.
Begrunnelse: Ta kontakt med din faglærer på e-post innen 1 uke etter at sensuren er
kunngjort i StudentWeb. Oppgi navn og kandidatnummer. Sensor bestemmer om
begrunnelsen skal gis skriftlig eller muntlig.
Grunngjeving: Ta kontakt med din faglærar på e-post innan 1 veke etter at sensuren
er kunngjort i StudentWeb. Oppgi namn og kandidatnummer. Sensor avgjer om
grunngjevinga skal gjevast skriftleg eller munnleg.
Side 4 av 4