SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017 REALSCHULABSCHLUSS ENGLISCH TEIL B Reading and Use of English, Mediation and Writing Arbeitszeit: 120 Minuten Name, Vorname: Seite 1 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                               ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS I      Reading and Use of English Welcome to Death Valley If you think we’ve been having a hot summer here in Europe, you should take a drive through Death Valley. The heat hits you like a blast from a furnace when you get out of your car. After a few minutes under the scorching sun and a couple of souvenir photos taken on the baking sand, most people have had enough. Death Valley is officially the 5 hottest place in America. The highest temperature ever was recorded in 1913 at 57.7°C. The first impression you get of Death Valley is sand and heat. Sand everywhere, as far as the eye can see, shimmering in the heat. Death Valley, with its 3.3 million acres, is the largest national park outside of Alaska. It is the land of mountain-sized sand dunes, below-sea-level salt flats, and colorful sandstone canyons. 10 Visitors often underestimate how hot and dry Death Valley can be, no matter what time of year. Even short easy walks can be fatal if temperatures soar above 38°C. The valley’s extreme climate and inhospitable sand and mountains attract not only movie- makers, but also tourists. Every year 1.3 million tourists come to Death Valley. While Americans tend to avoid the scorching summers, Europeans often decide to go at the 15 hottest time, just to see what extreme heat is like: they’re “weather tourists”. Hotels are packed in the hottest months, between May and October. There is even a golf course in Furnace Creek, and a 135-mile ultramarathon that starts in Badwater, the lowest point in North America, and continues through Death Valley to the Sierra Nevada. The people who gave the valley its name were not there to play golf or go running: they 20 were looking for a way across California, where gold had been discovered in 1849. One group of pioneers thought they had found a shortcut across the desert, but their trip ended up taking months. When they finally left, one of the group is said to have declared: “Goodbye Death Valley” and the name stuck. Despite the name, there is a lot of life in Death Valley. More than 1,000 species of 25 plants live there. In spring, if the conditions are right – enough sun and rain, not too much wind – the desert flowers bloom – a spectacular sight. The flower show lasts only a few weeks before Death Valley’s scorching heat returns and the flowers wither and die. Animals have also adapted to the harsh environment, especially smaller species like mice and bats, but also coyotes. And for reptiles the conditions are ideal. There are 30 also some species you would prefer not to meet, like rattlesnakes and scorpions. Seite 2 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                                   ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS There have always been human inhabitants, too. The Timbisha Shoshone Native Americans lived off the land here for centuries before the first Europeans arrived, and some families still live at Furnace Creek. The discovery of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc and borax, which is used in laundry and cleaning products, brought miners and mining 35 companies to Death Valley. When the mines stopped making money, often after only a few years, the towns that had sprung up became deserted, creating another of Death Valley’s attractions: ghost towns. Rhyolite, the “Queen City”, was the largest town in Death Valley. Today, only ruins are left, protected by high wire fences. adapted from: Read On, Carl Ed. Schünemann KG: September 2013 I.1    Finding headings Read the text. Match the headings (A – F) with the paragraphs (1 – 4). There are two more headings than you need. A)    Early inhabitants and past populations B)    Interaction between wildlife and climate C)    Origin of the term “Death Valley” D)    Population rise after industrialization E)    The foundation of a gold mine F)    The influence of climate and landscape on tourism Paragraph 1            Paragraph 2            Paragraph 3           Paragraph 4 (lines 1 to 18)       (lines 19 to 23)       (lines 24 to 30)      (lines 31 to 38) 4 Seite 3 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                           ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS I.2  Questions on the text Answer the following questions in one to six words or in numbers. 1    How is the landscape of Death Valley described? (Name three facts.) 2    Who does not usually go to Death Valley in summer? 3    Why is it so difficult to find accommodation in Death Valley in summer? th 4    How long did the journey of some settlers last in the 19 century? 5    How have living beings survived in Death Valley? 6    Why did people settle in Death Valley? (Name one fact.) 7    Why did ghost towns develop? (Name one fact.) 9 Seite 4 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                   ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS I.3  A closer look at the text a)   Which words from the text are paraphrased here? 1   long deep valleys with very steep sides made of rock 2   film directors who have full control over the films they produce 3   a running activity that takes a long time to complete and that needs a lot of energy 3 b)   Paraphrase the following words. 1    hotel 2    tourists 3    flower 4 c)   Copy the sentence from the text that tells you that … 1   some moments in the blazing sun and on hot ground make a lot of people leave. 2   people who visit Death Valley throughout the year often misjudge the climatic conditions. 2 Seite 5 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                             ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS I.4  Language in use Read the headlines from a newspaper and mark the correct solution. 1    Lots of Californians … their homes from forest fires. a) flee               b) flood          c) flown            d) fly 2    A Madonna concert … in San Diego last week. a) held               b) hold           c) was held         d) was hold 3    The Los Angeles City Council wants to … the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2020. a) earn               b) live on        c) pay              d) raise 4    Police arrested a man because he … a can of white paint at a photographer. a) be thrown          b) had thrown     c) threws           d) was thrown 5    Inhabitants of San Francisco … when a bomb almost exploded in the city yesterday. a) have shocked       b) shock          c) shocked          d) were shocked 6    In February, Los Angeles will roll out the … again when the film stars arrive for the Oscars. a) blue curtains      b) green linen    c) red carpet       d) white tablecloth 7    California has been the nation’s top agricultural state for more … 50 years. a) as                 b) in             c) than             d) up 8    Over 5.3 billion eggs are produced each year … more than 19 million hens. a) by                 b) from           c) on               d) with 8 Seite 6 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                                 ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS II   Mediation Surviving in the desert Sie absolvieren Ihr Praktikum in einem Reisebüro. Übertragen Sie folgende Richtlinien über das Verhalten in einer Wüste sinngemäß ins Deutsche. Desert Savvy If you plan a trip to a remote and unfamiliar area of the desert, make sure that you keep to the following rules: 1         Drive a reliable vehicle, full of fuel, and carry a tool kit, a towrope, a shovel and oil. 2         Carry an up-to-date map and a compass. 3         Pack emergency items such as a first aid kit, a metal signaling mirror, a whistle, a good knife and waterproof matches. 4         Wear protective clothing, including a wide-brim hat and good hiking shoes. 5         Carry enough water for each person in your party to drink at least a gallon a day, especially when temperatures range upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 6         Most importantly, tell a relative or a friend where you are going and when to expect your return. Seite 7 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017  ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS 6 Seite 8 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                                        ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS III      Writing III.1    Applying for a job Imagine you are interested in getting a job at the Skylake Yosemite Summer Camp. Fill in the online application form below. Come and work with us! We are looking for young and motivated people for different th summer positions. Apply by May 10 , 2017 for the opportunity to work, relax and make lasting connections to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Surname:                                  First name: Date of birth:                            Gender: Email: Education: Desired position/activity in the camp: (Please mark the position you are interested in.) □ kitchen help    □ entertainment coordinator   □ cleaning job       □ first aid team Why do you think you are the right person for the job? (30 words) Describe your past work experience. (30 words) I hereby certify that the above is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. Date:                                 Signature: 9 Seite 9 von 10

SCHRIFTLICHE ABSCHLUSSPRÜFUNG 2017                                                 ENGLISCH REALSCHULABSCHLUSS III.2    California Choose one of the following tasks. a)     “VACATIONLAND”: Worth a visit … takes a lifetime -    Describe the cartoon. -    What is the cartoonist’s intention? -    What do you think about the cartoon? Write at least 120 words. Die verwendete Karikatur ist urheberrechtlich geschützt. Eine Veröffentlichung kann deshalb nicht erfolgen. Sie finden die Karikatur unter folgendem Link: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_p- D236RojRo/TTV2NBoBYKI/AAAAAAAAF_c/y3VCPM_uGEg/s640/vacationland.web.jpg or b)     Living in a big city like San Francisco, Paris or Berlin -    Describe the place where you live. -    What do you think are the pros and cons of living in a city compared to living in the country? -    Would you like to live in a big city? Give reasons. Write at least 120 words. 13 Seite 10 von 10