Second Year Lit & Philo SECOND TERM EXAM

The ashes* of James Doohan, star of the 1960s sci-fi TV series Star Trek, are to be sent into space. Mr. Doohan died on July 20 at his home in Washington. His last wish was for his remains to be scattered in space. Doohan, who was 85, played the engineer Scotty in the three Star Trek series and seven Hollywood movies. Being in space forever is a suitable end for Mr. Doohan. He was associated with space travel throughout his 40-year career. He leaves on Earth nine children from his three marriages, the youngest of whom is five.
The ashes are to be carried into space by a Texas based company called Space Services Inc. Doohan’s ashes are not the first to be scattered in space. The ashes of Star Trek writer John Meredyth Lucas, who died in 2002, may be on the same rocket. The creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, had his ashes put into orbit in 1997. Mr. Doohan’s ashes will be sealed in an airtight aluminum capsule, which will burn up when it re-enters Earth’s atmosphere.

*ashes = What is left of a human dead body after its burning.

Part One: Reading Comprehension: ( 8pts)

1/ Are the following statements true or false?
a) James Doohan is the director of Star Trek series.
b) Mr. Doohan is still alive.
c) The engineer Scotty is the role Doohan played in his series and movies.
d) The youngest of Doohan’s children is forty years old.

2/ Read the text and answer the following questions.
a. Who is James Doohan?
b. What was his last wish before he died?
c. Is he the first man whose ashes are to be sent into space?

3/ In which paragraph it is mentioned that “other artists’ ashes were scattered in space”?
4/ Reorder the following sentences according to their occurrence in the text.

a. Mr. Doohan got married three times.
b. Star Trek writer’s ashes may also be sent with Doohan’s ashes.
c. Space Services will take charge of carrying the ashes into space.
d. James Doohan died in Whashington.

5/ Which of the following headlines is best suitable to the reading passage?

a. Star Trek Best Seller Series.
b. Actor’s Ashes to Be Scattered in Space.
c. Science Fiction Actor Died.

Text Exploration: (7pts)


1/ Find in the text words that are closest in meaning to the following :

Remains = §1……………. Films= §1 ………………………………

2/ Rewrite sentence b that it means as a :

1. A : We create deserts and floods .
B : Deserts and floods ……………………………………………..………………..….
2. A : Water mustn’t be wasted .
B : We …………………………………………………………………….……………

3/Match sentences in column A with their functions in column B
A B
- I can jump as high as a kangaroo. Giving advice
- You should clean your hands before eating. Past ability
- Last year, I could get the full mark in the first test. Present ability

4/ Classify the following words in the table according to their vowel sound: world – heart – keep – sport

/ i: / /ɜ: / /ɔ: / /ɑ: /


Part Two: Writing Expression : ( 5pts)

Choose one of the following topics.

Topic I:

Write ashort essay about the positive and negative aspects of scientific progress using the following clues :
Positive aspects : more comforatble ilfe/ less disease/ lower deatg rates …
Negative aspects : pollution/ unemployement/ over population/ mechanical life…
Topic II:
How would you live if you were given the opportunity to travel to space and meet other creatures in different planets? Write an “If story” describing what you would see and do in your space journey.

Good luck!