This document provides guidance for formatting and developing BEM exam papers in Algeria. It specifies that exams should have a reading comprehension section worth 7 points and a language mastery section worth 7 points, followed by a 6 point written expression section involving an integrated situation. The text used should be authentic, 12-15 lines, free of mistakes and ambiguities, and on a syllabus topic. Reading comprehension questions should be clear, familiar to students and graded in difficulty. Language mastery activities assess mechanics, syntax and pronunciation. The written expression task should be related to but not taken from the text, with clear instructions and evaluation criteria. Sample exam questions and a response are provided conforming to these guidelines.

1. Testing
Format BEM exam paper .
Content :
 Read the text then do the following activities ( must appear below the text‐ Compulsory)
 Part One : < 14 points>
 A/ Reading Comprehension (7points)
 B / Mastery of Language ( 7 points)
 Part Two : Written Expression < Integrated Situation > ( 6 points)
Principles of Testing :
1. Format :
‐ Text < normal length >
Part 1 [ 3 activities]
‐ 2 main parts
Part 2 ( written Expression ) – Situation of Integration‐
2. Scoring scales  Part 1 : Reading comprehension = 7 points
Mastery of Language = 7 points
Part 2 : Written Expression = 6 points
3. Text :
‐ Authentic ‐ meaningful
‐ Source ( No Text from Students’ books)
‐ Length < 12 to 15 lines > {Leave 1cm of margin from the left side & 1cm of
margin from the right side }
‐ Neutral ( not hurting – ethnic – religious ……)
‐ Mistake free
‐ Clear ( not ambiguous )
‐ Interesting & motivating
‐ If adapted it must be coherent should not lose its meaning.
‐ Topic should not be remote from what you do in the syllabus < as close as you
treat in the fourth level>
4. Activities :
I. Reading Comprehension:
‐ Clear and precise .
‐ Familiar to students .
‐ Related to what has been taught.
‐ Graded in difficulties .
‐ Conform to the BEM guide October 2007
‐ Coherent
‐ All the activities should lead to the written expression <integrated situation>
‐ No < reference questions > ( when – what – why –where……)
‐ Yes / No – True /false – table filling ….
‐ Auxiliary questions Task : for example, students are expected to give positive
answer so they may manifest that as follows:
‐ Yes . Work on the ideas
‐ Yes he did.
‐ Repeats the sentence. Not on the words
‐ He did
‐ Do not test the same item twice
‐ True / False (the words in the Task must not appear in the text)
‐ Questions cover all the text.

2. ‐ Lexis : 4 words in all the text
‐ The words spread all over the whole text.
‐ The words given must have at least “4” possible answers for each word.
‐ The words given in lexis should be re‐invested “likely” in the written
Expression”
B) Mastery of Language: All the activities should prepare students for the situation of integration
I. Activity 1 : Mechanic ( word formation / punctuation ….) Not forbidden to give
II. Activity 2 : Syntax “2” activities of
Syntax
III. Activity 3 : Pronunciation ( No silent letters task)
Part Two: Written Expression (situation of Integration)
‐ It must be:
1. Related Topically to the text .
2. Not taken from the text
3. Well worded
4. Well written
5. Contains “ topic – task – person addressed to”
6. Hints : must not be
‐ questions .
‐ nouns
‐ verbs
‐ prepositions
Example(hints): ‐ Place ( abroad / Algeria….
‐ Time ( holidays…
‐ Stay ( how long / hotels…..)
7. The instruction must be : “ Write about :” No “ Use these hints”
8. Students are free to Not use the given hints
9. The ( corriger) must be conform to the BEM one.
10. The grid of evaluation of the Written Expression:
Criteria Good Fair Poor
 Relevance (2points)
• Topic (1pt) « all the ideas are
related to the topic»
• Format (1pt) : « correct »
(2points)
• Topic (0.5pt)
‐ Some ideas are related to the topic (
at least 4)
• Format (0.5pt) :
‐correct
(1pt)
• Topic
‐ Very little reference to the topic (
1 or 2 sentences)
• Format:
Correct /incorrect
(0.5 pt)
 Organisation
(2points)
‐ Ideas well
Organized
‐ topic sentences/
‐ supporting sentences
conclusion
‐ sentences are linked correctly
(2points)
‐ Some Ideas are well
organized
‐ No topic sentence (no)
conclusion
‐ Topic sentences/no
conclusion
‐ Some sentences are linked
correctly
( 1 point )
‐ Ideas are not well
organised difficult to
follow
‐ No topic sentence
‐ No conclusion
‐ Sentences are not linked
correctly
( 0.5 point)
 Linguistic Resources
( 2 points)
Correct use of (tense)/ verb
form/ link words
vocabulary varied
( 2 points)
‐ Correct use of (tense) / verb form
‐ Use of 3 link words
‐ Vocabulary not varied
‐ 3 mistakes are accepted
( 1 point)
‐ incorrect use of (tense)/ verb
form
‐ no link words
‐ vocabulary (very) limited
‐ more than 6 mistakes
( 0.5 pt)
Note :
‐ If a candidate is out of the topic , Do not take into consideration (do not mark)
« organisation » and « linguistic resources »
‐ Mark just Format
Write down the full correction of the test or Exam with the (corriger)=typical correction.
No unified exam subject except for the MS4 level.
By Mr.Samir Bounab
Yellowdaffodil66@gmail.com

3. Sample of exam paper conform to he above instructions:
Text :
Bill and Simone Butler left Miami one summer weekend in their boat. They wanted to sail round
the Caribbean Sea for two weeks.
During their holiday, they saw a large group of whales. Bill and Simone were very excited.
unfortunately, while they were watching them, the whales began to hit the side of the boat. Suddenly
water started getting in and they realized that they were in trouble. They quickly jumped into the lifeboat
while the boat was sinking, and watched it disappear under the sea.
Fortunately, they had enough food and water for twenty days. They also had a fishing line and a
machine which made salt water into drinking water. These helped them to survive during their terrible
experience .For the next fifty days, when there was no food ,they caught ten fish a day and ate them raw.
The butlers saw about twenty ships, but although they waved and shouted while they were
passing, nobody saw them. They were becoming weaker and weaker. Then, just as they were beginning
to lose hope, a fishing boat rescued them.t heir disastrous holiday was over.
Adapted from “Headway”
Part One: ‐ 14 pts‐
A – Reading Comprehension (7pt) Read the text carefully and do the following activities.
Activity one: ( 2pts)
Match each title with its corresponding paragraph .
Paragraph one
Paragraph two
Paragraph three
Paragraph four
‐ The Hard Days at Sea
‐ The rescue
‐ A sailing holiday
‐ The accident
Activity two: ( 3pts)
Read the following statements and write “true” , “false” or “ not mentioned”
1‐Some whales were swimming close to the Butlers’ boat.
2‐ They did not damage the boat.
3‐ Italian fishermen saved them.
Activity three : ( 2pts)
Find in the text words or phrases that are closest in meaning to the following:
a) had problems = b) horrible = c) cried = d) saved =
Part One : B‐ Mastery of Language: (7 pts)
Activity one : (2pts)
Combine the following sentences using the appropriate words : “ but – so – however – while”
1‐ We were camping near a river.We saw a crocodile.
2‐ We were scared to death .We immediately left the campsite.
Activity Two : (3pts)
Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
Bouchaoui (to be) a very nice forest. Last weekend I ( to go) there with my parents.As we (to have)
sandwiches, we saw a huge snake.
Activity three:
Find in the text four words that have the following sounds.
/e/ very / ɔ:/ water
1‐
2‐
1‐
2‐
Part Two: Written Expression ( 6pts)
As you were camping with some friends, class or schoolmates, something bad happened. So you decided
to go back home. Write an email to your pen‐friend /or friend living in another city (town).Tell him/her what
happened.
 Write about :
‐ Date (when) : spring /summer holidays…….
‐ Place ( where) : forest / woods /beach………..
‐ The first three days : good / great / lovely time……….
‐ The fourth day : event( what happened) / actions ( what you did )……
‐ Your feelings
by Mr.Samir Bounab at (Yellowdafodil66@gmail.com)