Environment чтение егэ

Задание №6831.
Чтение. ЕГЭ по английскому

Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A — F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1 — 7. Одна из частей в списке 1—7 лишняя.

An environment includes ___ (A) to help in a number of ways. It provides us better medium to grow and develop. It gives us all things which we needs to live our life on this planet. However, our environment also needs some help from all of us to get maintained as usual, ___ (B). The elements of our environment are declining day by day because of the man-made technological disaster.

We need to maintain the originality of our environment to continue the life on the earth, ___ (C). World Environment Day is a campaign being celebrated for years every year on 5th of June in order to spread the public awareness all over the world towards the environment safety and cleanliness. We must participate in the campaign celebration ___ (D), to know ways of saving our environment and to be aware of all the bad habits which declining the environment day by day.

We can save our environment in very easy manner with the little step taken by every person on the earth. We should reduce the amount of waste ___ (E), stop using poly bags, reuse some old things in new ways, repair and use broken things instead of throwing it away, see how much it would take to repair them, ___ (F), make use of fluorescent light, rain water conservation, reduce water wastage, energy conservation, minimum use of electricity, etc.

1. use rechargeable batteries or renewable alkaline batteries
2. all the natural resources which surround us
3. throwing wastes properly to its place only
4. the only place where life is possible till now in the whole universe
5. to know the theme of celebration
6. to nourish our lives forever and to never ruin our lives
7. in order to help our planet

A	B	C	D	E	F

Решение:
Пропуску A соответствует часть текста под номером 2.
Пропуску B соответствует часть текста под номером 6.
Пропуску C соответствует часть текста под номером 4.
Пропуску D соответствует часть текста под номером 5.
Пропуску E соответствует часть текста под номером 3.
Пропуску F соответствует часть текста под номером 1.

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Источник: Английский язык: 10 вариантов ЕГЭ. К. А. Громова, О. В. Вострикова, О. А. Ильина и др.

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Тест с похожими заданиями

Раздел 1. ЧТЕНИЕ

1.1. Подумайте и ответьте на вопросы:

> Was life better a hundred years ago? Why∕why not?

> What ecological problems exist nowadays?

> What is the influence of pollution on people’s health?

> What can people do to help solve environmental problems?

> Would you like to help our environment? How?

1.2. Прочитайте короткие тексты об экологических проблемах. Установите соответствие между заголовками 1—8 и текстами A—G. Занесите свои ответы в таблицу. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В Задании Один Заголовок Лишний.

A. Acid rain moves easily, affecting locations far beyond those that let out the pollution. As a result, this global pollution issue causes great debates between countries that fight over polluting each oth­er’s environments. The problem is that acid rain, one of the most important environmental problems of all, cannot be seen. Some scientists think that human production is primarily responsible, while others cite natural causes as well.

B. Air pollution has many disastrous effects that need to be curbed. In order to accomplish this, governments, scientists and environ­mentalists are using or testing a variety of methods aimed at re­ducing pollution. There are two main types of pollution control. Input controls are usually more effective than output controls. Output controls are also more expensive, making them less desir­able to tax payers and polluting industries.

C. Global warming is called the greenhouse effect because the gases that are gathering above the earth make the planet comparable to a greenhouse. By trapping heat, the greenhouse effect is warming the planet and threatening the environment. Current fears stem largely from the fact that global warming is occurring at such a rapid pace. Models are predicting that over the next century, the global temperature will rise by several degrees.

D. Individuals often throw out goods without realizing that they could be dangerous for the environment. No matter where people put these materials, there is always a chance that they could find their way into the ground, and eventually into our bodies. Special research is necessary to provide data on the effects of every chemi­cal as well as to learn how combinations of these chemicals affect human health.

E. Only a few factors combine to create the problem of ozone layer depletion. The production and emission of CFCs, chlorofluoro­carbons, is by far the leading cause. Many countries have called for the end of CFC production. However, those industries that do use CFCs do not want to discontinue usage of this highly valuable industrial chemical. So it’s important to make people realize the disaster CFCs cause in the stratosphere.

F. Unlike some environmental issues, rainforest depletion has fortu­nately received significant public and media attention. According to some estimates, 50 million acres of rain forest are cut down every year. Every year, Brazil chops down an area of forest the size of the state of Nebraska. In Indonesia, Zaire, Papua-New Guinea, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela, rain, forests that were once great have been lost.

∖

G. The world’s population has been booming for years. The popula­tion is now threatening to reach the stage where there are simply too many people for the planet to support. Greater populations pollute and consume more, ruining the environment and creating or intensifying a variety of problems. Also, with the food supply limited, the increase in population will make shortages in many parts of the world even worse.

A	B	C	D	E	F	G

1.3. Выпишите из текста синонимы к следующим словам и слово­

Сочетаниям:

I.	Subject for discussion	6. are caused by
2.	Mention	7. so quickly
3.	Causing a lot of damage	8. finally
	Or harm	9. influence
4.	Controlled and limited	10. cuts down
5.	Preventing sth from escaping

1.4. Выразите свое мнение:

> Do you agree that environmental issues mentioned in the text are important? Why∕why not?

> What environmental problems exist in your native city∕town?

> What do you think is the best way to solve these problems?

1.5. Прочитайте рассказ и выполните задания 1—7. В каждом за­дании обведите цифру 1, 2, 3 Или 4, Соответствующую вы­бранному вами варианту ответа. Перенесите Ответы В Таблицу.

The risk of catastrophic climate change is getting worse, accord­ing to a new study from scientists involved with the United Nations In­tergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Threats — ranging from the destruction of coral reefs to more extreme weather events like hurricanes, droughts and floods — are becoming more likely at the temperature change already underway: as little as 1.8 degree Fahren­heit (1 degree Celsius) of warming in global average temperatures.

‘Most people thought that the risks were going to be for certain species and poor people. But all of a sudden the European heatwave of 2003 comes along and kills 50,000 people; [Hurricane] Katrina comes along and there’s a lot of data about the increased intensity of droughts and floods. Plus, the dramatic melting of Greenland that nobody can explain certainly has to increase your concern,’ says climatologist Ste­phen Schneider of Stanford University, who co-authored the research published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sci­ences as well as in several IPCC reports. ‘Everywhere we looked, there was evidence that what was believed to be likely has happened. Nature has been cooperating with climate change theory unfortunately.’

Schneider and his colleagues updated a graph, Dubbed The ‘burn­ing embers,’ that is designed to map the risks of damage from global warming. The initial version of the graph drawn in 2001 had the risks of climate change beginning to appear after 3.6 or 5.4 degrees F (2 to 3 degrees C) of warming, but the years since have shown that climate risks kick in with less warming.

According to the new graph, risks to ‘unique and threatened sys­tems’ such as coral reefs and risks of extreme weather events become likely when temperatures rise by as little as 1.8 degrees F from 1990 levels, which is on course to occur by mid-century given the current concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases. In addition, risks of negative consequences such as increased droughts and the complete melting of ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica definitively outweigh any potential positives, such as longer growing seasons in countries such as Canada and Russia.

‘We’re definitely going to overshoot’ some of these temperatures where we see these very large vulnerabilities manifest,’ says economist Gary Yohe of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., another co-author. ‘We’re going to have to learn how to adapt.’ Adaptation notwithstanding, Yohe and Schneider say that scientists must also fig­ure out a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to reverse the heat­ing trend to prevent further damage.

Several bills pending in Congress would set a so-called cap-and-trade policy under which an overall limit on pollution would be set — and companies with low output could sell their allowances to those that fail to cut emissions as long as the total stays within the total pollution cap. Any such federal policy would put a price on carbon dioxide pollution, which is currently free to vent into the at­mosphere, Yohe note. He, however, favours a so-called carbon tax that would set a fixed price for such climate-changing pollution rather than the cap-and-trade proposals favoured by the Obama administration. ‘It’s a predictable price, not a thing that bounces around.’

But even with such policies in place—not only in the U. S. but across the globe—climate change is a foregone conclusion. Global av­erage temperatures have already risen by at least 1.1 degrees Fahren­heit (0.6 degree C) and further warming of at least 0.7 degree F (0.4 degree C) is virtually certain, according to the IPCC. And a host of studies, including a recent one from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have shown that global warming is already worse than predicted even a few years ago. The question is: ‘Will it be catastrophic or not?’ ‘We’ve dawdled, and if we dawdle more, it will get even worse,’ Schneider says. ‘It’s time to move.’

(Adapted from ‘Risks of Global Warming Rising’ by David Biello)

1. The current temperature change

1) is less than it was predicted.

2) is too little to cause any concern.

3) makes natural disasters more probable.

4) has caused the catastrophic climate change.

2. According to Stephen Schneider, people should be more worried because

1) the heat wave is going to kill more people.

2) the intensity of floods and drought will increase in the near fu­ture.

3) nobody can explain the dramatic melting of Greenland.

4) nature has proved the climate change theory.

3. In paragraph 3 ‘dubbed’ Means

1) added.

2) labelled.

3) doubled.

4) showed.

4. According to the updated graph, risks of negative consequences begin to appear

1) when the temperature change reaches 1 degree C.

2) when temperatures rise by as little as 1.8 degree C from 1990 levels.

3) after 3.6 degrees F of warming.

4) after 3 degrees C of warming.

5. Global warming has

1) only negative consequences.

2) only positive consequences.

3) more negative than positive consequences.

4) more positive than negative consequences.

6. Cap-and-trade policy implies that

1) companies will have to cut their emissions.

2) companies could sell their emissions.

3) the overall amount of emissions must stay within a certain lim­it.

4) companies will have to pay a fixed carbon tax.

7. According to the IPCC, global warming

1) is no worse than predicted a few years ago.

2) will have catastrophic effect.

3) is still uncertain.

4) is inevitable.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7

1.6. Выпишите из текста синонимы к следующим словам и слово­сочетаниям:

1.7. Выразите свое мнение:

> Do you think that global warming really takes place? Why∕why not?

> Do you think that people should take measures to curb global warming? Why∕why not?

> What do you think will be the best way to curb global warming?

Раздел 2. АУДИРОВАНИЕ

2.1. Подготовка к аудированию. Прочитайте утверждения 1—7 в задании 2.2 И возможные варианты их продолжения. Под­черкните ключевые слова, которые могут оказать влияние на выбор правильного ответа.

Полезные советы:

≠ Не пытайтесь определить правильный ответ до прослу­шивания, потому что он полностью зависит от содержания текста. Общие знания или догадка в этом задании могут вас только подвести.

S JПри выборе ответа надо руководствоваться только той <

Х информацией, которая звучит в аудиофрагменте, а не тем, ?

Х что вы знаете или думаете по данному вопросу. >

$ JНе следует оставлять ни одного вопроса без ответа, $

8 даже если вы не уверены в его правильности. <

2.2. Вы услышите речь президента США Барака Обамы по про­блеме утечки нефти в Мексиканском заливе. В заданиях 1—7 обведите цифру 1, 2 Или 3, Соответствующую выбранному вами варианту ответа. Вы услышите запись дважды.

1. The President’s visit to the beach made him understand

1) his own mission.

2) what extraordinary efforts are to be made at the local level.

3) the damaging effects of the spill.

2. The Mayor of Grande Isle said that

1) fishermen had stopped fishing in the Gulf.

2) he had to give fishermen money from his own budget.

3) fishermen were going to buy new boats.

3. By the time they discovered the third breach,

1) more than 20,000 people had been working around the clock.

2) the government had stationed only 70 vessels.

3) the government had already staged some equipment.

4. The President has directed Admiral Allen

1) to increase the number of people in places with oil impact.

2) to perform monitoring of beaches.

3) to triple the amount of protective boom.

5. Barack Obama claims that the ultimate responsibility for solving this crisis lies with

1) British Petroleum (BP).

2) the US President.

3) the British Government.

6. The President is sure that

1) some mitigation strategies may be risky.

2) every judgment they make is going to be right.

3) there will be silver bullets for all challenges.

7. The President promised the people of the Gulf Coast

1) to come down and provide support to the communities along the coasts.

2) that all of the Gulfs beaches would soon be opened.

3) not to leave them in trouble.

2.3. Обсудите свои ответы с партнером:

> What helped you choose your answers?

> Why are the other options wrong?

> What was the most difficult answer for you? Why?

Раздел 3. ГОВОРЕНИЕ

Вспомните РЕКОМЕНДАЦИИ к составлению диалога-
обмена мнениями (см. Тему 2. Раздел ГОВОРЕНИЕ).

3.1. Разминка. Если вы хотите дополнить информацию, сказанную собеседником, какие фразы-клише вы будете использовать?

3.2. Вы с другом разговариваете об экологической ситуации в ва­шем городе. Обсудите с партнером возможные экологические проблемы и выберите ту, которая вам обоим кажется наибо­лее серьезной:

> air pollution

> water pollution

>∙ rubbish

> noise

Время говорения 3—4 минуты.

3.3. Прочитайте вариант диалога. Выпишите в таблицу аргументы «за» и «против» для каждой экологической проблемы.

Option	Arguments ‘for’	Arguments ‘against’
Air pollution
Water pollution
Rubbish
Noise

‘What’s your opinion about the ecological situation in our city?’ ‘1 don’t think that it is awful but of course there are some prob­lems.’

‘I can’t agree with you. In my opinion, our city is in a sorry state. And the most important problem is air pollution. Every day a huge number of plants and factories emit lots of harmful substances into the atmosphere of our city so the concentration Ofharmful substances in the air is oyer ten times the admissible level. Breathing poisonous air may lead to serious lung diseases. What is more, air pollution has a negative impact on trees and flowers. Do you agree with me?’

‘Absolutely! However, we can decrease the level of harmful sub­stances in the air. For example, car owners should install special fil­ters on their cars. Besides, the government should move all plants and factories outside the city. And of course we should plant more parks because trees produce oxygen and clean the air. That’s why I think that water pollution is a far more serious problem.’

‘Why do you think so?’

‘First of all, industrial pollution has made the water in our river completely undrinkable and thousands of fish die every year as a result of the illegal dumping of waste into our river by factories and plants. If this trend continues, one day we won’t have any fish at all. Another problem is that people consume too much water so in the future we won’t have enough fresh water for everybody.’

‘I don’t think that the situation is so critical because we have lots of water underground. We can also improve the quality of water in our river by installing different purifying systems. What is more, we can recycle rain water and use it to water plants or for washing.’

‘Yes, I agree with you. The building of new water facilities is now less important than using what we already have efficiently and wisely. And what about rubbish? Don’t you think that our city is slowly turn­ing into a big landfill site? There is lots of litter everywhere. People throw it on the ground instead of putting it into litter bins.’

‘I can see what you mean but the reason is that there aren’t enough litter bins in public places. If there were more litter bins, our city would be much cleaner.’

‘You’re right. Yet the main problem is that we’re producing a huge amount of rubbish each year — millions and millions of tonnes of it. And the existing landfill sites are nearly full. Where are we going to put all our rubbish in the future? Finding new sites isn’t easy. Γm afraid that soon we won’t have enough landfill sites to dispose of our rubbish.’

‘I’m with you there. Of course we’ve all got to try and reduce the amount of rubbish we throw away. We can do that by buying un­packaged goods, like fruit and vegetables, rather than goods which are wrapped and packaged in plastic. Besides, we shouldn’t dump our rubbish without thinking which things, such as bottles and paper, can be recycled. And what about noise?’

‘You can’t be serious! Is it an ecological problem?’

‘Of course it is. Although noise is not a chemical and cannot be seen like a broken car, it is a kind of pollution. Noise is all around us, wherever we live, and we do not notice it most of the time because we’ve got used to it. Yet excessive noise can lead to serious psychic disorders. And don’t forget about people living near the airport. They suffer from the noise of large and powerful jet airliners taking off and landing.’

‘I’ve never thought that noise can be a real problem.’

.‘Yes, it’s a serious problem because loud noise can make people ill. People who are exposed to loud noises all the time become very nervous and upset. Moreover, they run a risk of going deaf.’

‘That’s terrible. I think that all people in our city are exposed to loud noise, for example, noise from cars, buses or trains. Besides, when people listen to loud music they may disturb their neighbours. And the power of our music centres is growing all the time. Of course, we don’t pay attention to it but the effects can be dangerous.’

‘I completely agree with you. We can install different air filters and water treatment facilities or recycle rubbish but we don’t know how to fight against the growing noise around us. That’s why I think that noise pollution is the most serious environmental problem in our city.’

‘You are absolutely right! To sum up, we’ve chosen noise as the most serious ecological problem for our city.’

3.4. Работа с партнером. Вы с другом хотите помочь окружающей среде и внести свой вклад в улучшение экологической ситу­ации в городе. Обсудите с партнером, что бы вы смогли сде­лать, и выберите вариант, который нравится вам обоим:

> plant trees and flowers

> collect empty bottles

> feed birds

> clean the park

Время говорения 3—4 минуты.

При составлении диалога вы можете использовать аргумен­ты «за» и «против», приведенные в таблице, или придумать свои собственные.

Option	Arguments ‘for’	Arguments ‘against’
Plant trees and flowers	• Trees are one of the most valuable parts of our environment be­cause they remove im­purities from the air we breathe. • Flowers will make our district look beautiful.	• Planting trees and flowers is rather dif­ficult and will take up a lot of our time. We won’t have enough time for our school work. • We will have to plant lots of flowers and it will be very expensive. • We can’t plant trees and flowers in winter.
Feed birds	• Birds are a vital part of our environment and in winter they don’t have enough food. • We can make bird-tables in the park and regularly put there some grain.	• In winter most birds fly south so there are only pigeons and sparrows in the city and they usually have enough food. • To make bird-tables, we need wood, and we won’t be able to find or buy it.
Collect empty bottles	• Collecting empty bot­tles will help to keep our district clean. • We can put bottles into a bottle bank so that the glass can be re­cycled. • We can also sell emp­ty bottles and earn some money.	• This activity will make us dirty because we will have to col­lect dirty bottles. I am afraid we’ll look like tramps. • We’ll have to carry heavy bags with bottles. It may be tiring.

Окончание табл.

Option	Arguments ‘for’	Arguments ‘against’
Clean the park	• Our park is rather dirty because children usually throw litter on the ground. • We can take care of the park all year round. • Ifwe clean the park reg­ularly, it won’t take much time to keep it clean.	• Therecanbedifferent gangs of young people in the park. That’s why it can be dangerous to walk there. • Our park is very large so cleaning may take up a lot of time. • Childrenmaygetused to someone’s cleaning the park for them. I think it’ll be better to teach them not to leave litter on the ground.

Раздел 4. ГРАММАТИКА И ЛЕКСИКА

ГРАММАТИКА

ГЛАГОЛЫ ‘ТО BE’ И ‘ТО HAVE’

Перед выполнением заданий изучите разделы

ГЛАГОЛ ТО BE И ГЛАГОЛ ТО HAVE
В ГРАММАТИЧЕСКОМ СПРАВОЧНИКЕ.

4.1. Вставьте в пропуски Is, are, wasИли Were.

1. There three people in the photo.

2. There a woman, a man and their child in our garden

Now.

3. There an exhibition in our town last month.

4. I didn’t like the hotel because there a lot of furniture in

The room.

5. He was thirsty but there no drinks in the fridge.

6. The furniture was very old, there a table and two chairs

In the room.

7. She is at her office now. There a lot of people to see her.

8. Today there a lot of snow on the ground.

9. There some chicken and fish in the fridge now.

10. Look! there any chairs in the room?

11. There somebody in the kitchen now.

12. There no one on the roof of the house at the mo­ment.

13. There no flowers in our garden last summer.

14. There a sports centre near our house.

15. There 26 letters in the English alphabet.

4.2. Вставьте В Пропуски Am∕is∕are, was∕wereИли Will be∕won, t be.

1. She travels a lot. Yesterday she in Paris. Today she

In London. Tomorrow she in New York.

2. you at home yesterday?

3. you at home tomorrow? ;

4. 1 in Great Britain last week.

5. ‘Are you ready yet?’ ‘Not yet. I ready in five min­

Utes.’

6. The weather nice today.

7. My sister is going away for a few days, so she at home

Tomorrow.

8. I a pupil. I go to school.

9. you in the country last summer?

10. It’s Tom’s birthday next Sunday. He 11.

1. .1 cold. Can you close the window, please?

12. You may visit Jane tomorrow. She busy.

13. Where Ann yesterday?

14. My brother and I good tennis players. We like to play

Tennis very much.

15. ‘the soup ready soon?’ ‘Yes, it ready in a

Few minutes.’

4.3. Вставьте В Пропуски Is∕isn, t, are/aren’tИли Has∕have (got).

1. My brother ten years old.

2. There any flowers in the garden.

3. My sister three children.

4. Tom never plays football because there any football pitch

Near his house.

5. He a good job in a bank.

6. there a stadium near here?

7. How much the ice-creams?

8. Can I a cup of coffee, please?

9. My house a garden and a balcony.

10. There lots of good shops in this city.

4.4. Вставьте в пропуски Is∕are, was∕wereИли ħave∕ħas.

1. Tomlost his note-book.

2. This bridge built ten years ago.

3. you finished your work yet?

4. This town is always clean. The streets . cleaned every day.

5. Where you born?

6. I just made some coffee. Would you like some?

7. Cheese made from milk.

8. This is a very old photograph. It taken a long time ago. .

9. Mike bought a new car.

10. Ann working today?

4.5. Прочитайте текст о различных видах загрязнения окружаю­щей среды и вставьте в пропуски Is∕areИли Have∕has.

Pollution

People (1)now more concerned about their environ­ment. As large cities (2) continually growing population, pollution problems (3)becoming worse. The air in big cities (4)being polluted by traffic and industry. For instance, when coal (5)burnt, gases and smoke (6)produced, which makes the air dirty and unpleasant. The most dangerous pollutant from cars (7)lead. Even small amounts of lead can (8)negative influence on the brain and nervous system of people.

Water pollution (9)also become a serious problem because factories pour poisonous wastes into streams and rivers. As a result, fish (10) no clean water to live in. Farming can also cause water pollution. Although the chemicals used by farmers (11) carefully controlled, they can get into rivers and kill fish.

Oil pollution (12)like a recurring nightmare. Sea birds (13) always the most common victims. However, the most alarming form of pollution (14) nuclear pollution, which (15)disastrous effect on people’s health.

«ЛЕКСИКА

СЛОВООБРАЗОВАНИЕ: СУФФИКСЫ СУЩЕСТВИТЕЛЬНЫХ

Перед выполнением заданий изучите раздел
СУФФИКСЫ СУЩЕСТВИТЕЛЬНЫХ в ЛЕКСИЧЕСКОМ СПРАВОЧНИКЕ.

4.6. Образуйте существительные от следующих слов и разбейте их по категориям:

Poor, decide, achieve, interfere, science, protect, endure, revive, disagree, equal, absent, explode, journal, enter, populate, refuse, refer, capable, move, conclude, environmental, appear, survive, humid, de­plete, govern, biology, ignore, discuss, coexist, require, pollute, chemi­cal, major, significant, arrive, depend, emit, mitigate, approve.

Суффикс	-а!	-ist	-sion	-tion	-апсе	-епсе	-ment	-ty∕-ity
Существи­тельные								Poverty

4.7. Заполните пропуски существительными, образованными от слов, напечатанных в конце строк заглавными буквами.

1.	People have destroyed our environment by_________ huge cities.	BUILD
2.	Everyone understands the_____________ Of environmental protection.	IMPORTANT
3.	What can we do to reduce the__________ Of the atmosphere?	POLLUTE
4.	_______ down on emissions from factories and plants could help, solve the problem.	CUT
5.	Many rare species are threatened with
	.	EXTINCT
6.	We must struggle for the______________ Of endangered species.	EXIST
7.	Many countries must try and control
	The growth of the______________ .	POPULATE
8.	While some countries get richer, the
	_______ in others get worse.	POOR

9. Millions of people in the world are

Threatened with. STARVE

10. The protection of the environment is

Everyone’s■ RESPONSIBLE

4.8. Прочитайте текст об экологических проблемах. Преобразуйте слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в конце строк, так, чтобы они грамматически и лексически соответствовали со­держанию текста. Заполните пропуски полученными словами.

Полезные советы:

≠ Не забывайте, что некоторые слова, которые необходи­мо вставить, могут иметь отрицательное значение.

Z Существительные могут стоять как в единственном, так и во множественном числе. Вспомните правила образова­ния множественного числа существительных.

Environmental Protection

(1)___________ About ecology may lead to	IGNORE
Further (2)___________ Of nature. The protec-	DESTROY
Tion of the environment is the (3)___________	RESPONSIBLE
Of all nations, rich and poor. (4)____________ Should take measures that will help im­prove the environment. However, economic	GOVERN
(5)_____________ Between nations leads	COMPETE
To greater (6)_________________ , which re-	EQUAL
Stricts the (7) for nature	POSSIBLE
(8)______________ . Fortunately, there are a Lot of environmental groups and international	CONSERVE
(9)_______________ , whose main goal	ORGANISE
Is to strengthen (10)______________________	COOPERATE
Among (11)________________ From differ- Ent countries. The most famous of them	ENVIRONMENTAL
Is ‘Greenpeace’, which combines the people’s efforts for peace with the huge (12) For environmental pro-	MOVE
Tection. The (13)_________________ Of ‘The World Wildlife Fund’ in 1961 led to the	APPEAR

7∙ Английский язык. ЕГЭ учебник

193

(14) Of national parks in CREATE Different parts of the world. If we take ac­tion now, there might be some hope for

(15)Of our nature. SURVIVE

ФРАЗОВЫЕ ГЛАГОЛЫ ‘DIE’, ‘PUT’ И ‘THROW’

4.9. Вставьте слова из рамки в предложения и переведите их на русский язык.

Away (x2) off on out (x2) through up

1. Environmental organizations don’t want to put with water

Pollution.

2. We’ve all got to try and reduce the amount of rubbish we throw

3. Finally, the fire was put.

4. The echo gradually died.

5. I can’t throw the feeling of sadness when I think about

Our nature.

6. Could you put me to the manager, please?

7. Many rare species are dying nowadays.

8. I’ve recently put a lot of weight due to improper nutri­

Tion.

БЛИЗКИЕ ПО ЗНАЧЕНИЮ СЛОВА

4.10.Вставьте слова из рамки в предложения и переведите их на русский язык. Поставьте, если необходимо, глаголы в пра­вильную форму.

Property ownership possession belongings
affect effect ensure insure make sure

1. The government must the protection of endangered spe­

Cies.

2. Air pollution has a disastrous on people’s health.

3. What is your most treasured?

4. I think I’ve locked the door but you’d better make.

5. British of the company was formally recognized.

6. Industrial waste badly our environment.

7. The sign said, ‘Private. No Trespassing.’

8. We have our house against flood damage.

9. He had few personal.

ПРАКТИКА ЭКЗАМЕНАЦИОННЫХ ЗАДАНИЙ

4.11. Прочитайте приведенный ниже текст. Преобразуйте, если необходимо, слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в кон­це строк, так, чтобы они грамматически и лексически соот­ветствовали содержанию текста. Заполните пропуски 1—6 полученными словами.

Water Pollution

One of the most important (1) ENVIRONMENT

Problems in the world today is the shortage of clean water. Industrial pollution has made many sources of water (2). Thousands DRINK Of fish die every year as a result of the illegal

(3)Of waste in rivers by facto — DUMP Ries all over the world.

Lake Baikal is one of the world’s largest and most beautiful lakes. It contains a rich (4) Of fish and plants. How — VARY Ever, they are being killed by the massive in­dustrial waste, which some factories still pour into the lake every day. A few years ago peo­ple thought that the supply of clean water was

(5) . Now clean water is scarce, LIMIT And water (6)Has become a vital PROTECT Necessity for all people.

4.12. Прочитайте текст с пропусками, обозначенными номерами 1—7. Эти номера соответствуют заданиям 1—7, в которых представлены возможные варианты ответов. Обведите номер выбранного вами варианта ответа.

Trees Are a Threat

The mountain town of Canton is surrounded by thick underbrush and pine trees. Because of six years of drought, these plants are a major fire hazard. Thousands of trees and tons of underbrush are going to be removed over the next five years (1)a minimum cost of $3 million. The brush will be removed first and only then the trees will be toppled and removed. A cleared nonflammable area will then safely surround the town.

A recent fire burned 4,000 acres and destroyed 11 homes in nearby Hamilton. The fire was raging toward Canton, but a sudden rainstorm (2)It out. Residents know that they won’t get lucky twice, so they are looking (3)to this massive clearing operation, because it will help their town survive a future inferno. ‘But there are two prob­lems,’ said one resident. ‘All the extra trucks are going to make traffic pretty bad. Once the area is cleared, we have to make (4)Dirt bikers don’t try to make the cleared area their personal playground.’

Ninety percent of the cutting and clearing will be paid with federal funds. Unfortunately, if the trees are on private (5), they must be paid for by the residents themselves. Prices can range as high as $1,000 to cut and remove one tree. Officials say that residents can apply (6)State and federal loans if necessary.

‘Well, what good does that do me?’ asked Thelma, a 65-year-old widow. ‘I’m living on social security and I’ve got four trees. The gov­ernment’s not going to loan me money as they know there’s no way 1 can pay it (7). So what am I supposed to do? These planners with all their big ideas ought to think of the poor people.’

1.	1) for	2) by	3) at	4) with
2.	1) took	2) set	3) put	4) let
3.	1) up	2) forward	3) through	4) over
4.	1) sure	2) after	3) believe	4) way
5.	1) possession	2) belongings	3) ownership	4) property
6.	1) on	2) at	3) to	4) for
7.	1) back	2) out	3) in	4) down

Раздел 5. ПИСЬМО

ЛИЧНОЕ ПИСЬМО

Перед выполнением заданий вспомните
РЕКОМЕНДАЦИИ к составлению личного письма (см. СПРАВОЧНИК ПО ПИСЬМУ).

5.1. Прочитайте экзаменационное задание и4ответ на него. От­ветьте на вопросы и выполните задания после письма.

You have received a letter from your English pen-friend Mathew, who writes:

… It’s great that you help to clean your city park. I have always thought of doing some voluntary work to help our environment. Could you advise me what environmental organisation to join? How old do volunteers need to be? Will I need any special qualifications? I do not have much experience of environmental work but I like going for walks. I’ve recently started birdwatching as a hobby.

Oh, Γve got to go now as I am late for my football training. Hope to hear from you soon.

Write a letter to Mathew.

In your letter

— answer his questions

— ask 3 questions About his new hobby

Write 100—140 words.

Remember the rules of letter writing.

Dear Mathew,

Thanks for your letter! Sorry, I haven’t replied ear­lier.

Γm glad that you’ve decided to become a volunteer. The best organisation to join is iGreenpeace’ because it’s the largest one and it has its offices in almost every city. You can become a volunteer if you are at least 14 years old (it’s OK for you!) and you don’t need any special qualifica­tions. You will only have to fill in the application form. As for me, I’ve been a member of Greenpeace for 3 years now.

By the way, I’ve never heard about birdwatching. What kind of hobby is it? Where and when do you usually watch birds? Have you got any special equipment?

Unfortunately, I have to finish my letter. Write back and tell me about your hobby!

Best wishes,

Alex > What is the purpose of each paragraph?

>Underline Alex’s answers to Mathew’s questions. Did Alex answer all the questions?

> How many questions did Alex ask in his letter? What are they?

> Is the language of the letter formal or informal? Give exam­ples.

>Underline linking words used in the letter.

> What words can you use instead of ‘Unfortunately’!

5.2. Прочитайте экзаменационное задание.

You have received a letter from your American pen-friend Jason, who writes:

… At school we are doing projects on major environ­mental problems in big cities. Could you help me? Please, tell me about the main ecological problem in your area. What does the City Council do in order to solve it? Are you personally involved in any environmental activities? What are they?

As for me, I am planning to take part in voluntary work in summer. My friends and I are going to create footpaths in Yellowstone National Park. Γm sure it will be exciting!

Take care and keep in touch!

Jason

Write a letter to Jason.

In your letter

— answer his questions

— ask 3 questions About his summer voluntary work

Write 100—140 words.

Remember the rules of letter writing.

5.3. Спланируйте свой ответ.

>Какие фразы вы будете использовать для выражения бла­годарности за полученное письмо и ссылки на предыдущие контакты?

>Сколько вопросов задал Джейсон? На них надо дать раз — верн утые ответы.

>Какие вопросы вы зададите о его работе волонтером летом? Желательно, чтобы вопросы были разнообразные, а не од­нотипные.

>Как вы закончите своё письмо? Какую фразу о дальнейших контактах вы употребите?

>Выберите завершающую фразу и не забудьте подписать свое письмо — только имя.

5.4. Теперь напишите свой ответ Джейсону.

Убедитесь, что вы:

JНе забыли указать свой адрес в правом верхнем углу и написать дату под адресом

JНачали письмо с обращения Dear Jason, и поставили после него запятую

JРазделили письмо на абзацы и использовали нефор­мальные слова-связки

JПоблагодарили Джейсона за полученное письмо

≠ дали развернутые ответы на его вопросы

JЗадали 3 вопроса о его работе волонтером летом

JВежливо закончили письмо, упомянув о дальнейших контактах

JНа отдельной строке написали завершающую фразу и под ней указали свое имя (без точки)

JПроверили грамматику, орфографию и пунктуацию

JУложились в заданный объем 100—140 слов

5.5. Поменяйтесь письмами с партнером. Проверьте письма и пос­тавьте друг другу баллы, используя схему и бланк оценивания личного письма (см. СПРАВОЧНИК ПО ПИСЬМУ).

Повторение. ЭКЗАМЕНАЦИОННЫЙ ВАРИАНТ 2

EXAM PRACTICE 2

Раздел 1. АУДИРОВАНИЕ

Во время выполнения теста по аудированию перед каждым заданием дана пауза с тем, чтобы вы смогли просмотреть вопросы к заданию, а также паузы после первичного и повторного предъявления аудиотекста для внесения ответов. По окончании выполнения всего раздела «Аудирование» перенесите свои ответы в бланк ответов.

Вы услышите 6 Высказываний. Установите соот­ветствие между высказываниями каждого говорящего 1—6 и утверждениями, данными в списке A—G. Используйте каждое утверждение, обозначенное соответствующей буквой, толь­ко один раз. В задании есть одно лишнее утверждение. Вы услышите запись дважды. Занесите свои ответы в таблицу.

A. Some scientists doubt that global warming may be caused by hu­man activities.

B. The effects of climate changes have not been thoroughly studied yet.

C. People are unable to understand the horrible effects of global warming.

D. Stabilizing the climate will require a lot of effort.

E. The argument about whether there is global warming is over.

F. Global warming can have bad influence on people’s health.

G. We ought to take measures against further warming.

Говорящий	1	2	3	4	5	6
Утверждение

Вы услышите разговор друзей о планах на летние каникулы. Определите, какие из приведённых утверждений Al — А7 соот­ветствуют содержанию текста(7 — True), Какие не соответс­твуют (2 — False) И о чём в тексте не сказано, то есть на осно­вании текста нельзя дать ни положительного, ни отрицательного ответа {3 — Not stated). Обведите номер выбранного вами вари­анта ответа. Вы услышите запись дважды.

Al Jerry is going to sleep a lot during his summer holidays.

1) True ‘ 2) False 3) Not stated

A2 Jerry was completely satisfied with his trip to Spain.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Emily doesn’t mind having a rest in a quiet place.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

A4 The Aira Force Waterfalls was first mentioned in Wordsworth’s poems

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Jerry is thinking of visiting famous historical sites.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

A6 There are lots of pubs serving local food in the Lake District.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

A7 Jerry is planning to stay only in hotels.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Вы услышите интервью с менеджером по окружающей среде. В заданиях А8—А14 обведите цифру 1, 2 Или 3, Соответствующую выбранному вами варианту ответа. Вы Услышите Запись Дважды.

A8 A managed forest is a place where

1) people can neither plant nor cut down trees.

2) people can plant trees but they are not allowed to cut them down.

3) people can plant and cut down trees.

A9 The forest helps to produce high quality water by

1) making it reach the streams through the soil.

2) increasing the velocity of rainwater as it runs across the sur­face. ,

3) preventing rainwater from getting into the streams.

AlO What did the manager NOT Mention while speaking about the importance of trees in cities?

1) Trees serve as a natural air-conditioner.

2) Trees can prevent the rapid surface water runoff.

3) Trees improve air quality and attract wildlife.

All The manager is worried that droughts

1) could destroy the forest ultimately.

2) could retard the growth of trees.

3) could make trees resistant to disease and attack by insects.

A12 The saltwater intrusion in the river

1) can be reduced by interbasin transfers.

2) is lower in time of droughts.

3) is caused by both natural and artificial reasons.

A13 The saltwater intrusion in the river results in

1) employees’ lay-off.

2) using saltwater in production of pulp and paper.

3) accepting more logs from loggers.

A14 According to the manager, the saltwater intrusion

1) could have no impact on wildlife.

2) is a rare and unusual phenomenon.

3) may happen more often in the future.

По окончании выполнения заданий Bl И А1—А14 НЕ ЗАБУДЬТЕ ПЕРЕНЕСТИ СВОИ ОТВЕТЫ В БЛАНК ОТВЕТОВ № 1! ОБРАТИ­ТЕ ВНИМАНИЕ, что ответы на задания Bl9А1—А14 располага­ются в разных частях бланка. Bl Расположено в нижней части бланка. При переносе ответов в задании Bl Буквы записываются без пробелов и знаков препинания.

Раздел 2. ЧТЕНИЕ

Установите соответствие между заголовками 1—8 и текстами A—G. Занесите свои ответы в таблицу. Ис­пользуйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.

5. Popular but useless

6. Plan your diet carefully

7. Eating together

8. Food safety

A. A quick look at junk food facts tells us junk food and diets do not go hand in hand. Junk foods are also called ‘empty calorie’ foods and have no nutritional value. Nevertheless, they are enjoyed by lots of people because of their simplicity to manufacture, consume and, of course, their taste. Chocolates, burgers, pizzas, potato wa­fers and fries will surely find their way into everyone’s heart.

B. Thai cuisine is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. In fact, several Thai dishes, such as Tom Yum Soup, are currently under scientific study for their incredible health benefits. Of course, it’s already known that many of the fresh herbs and spices used in Thai cooking — such as turmeric, galangal, coriander, lemongrass, and fresh chillies — have immune-boosting and disease-fighting power.

C. Vegetarian diets can be very healthy, but eating a balanced diet when you are vegetarian usually requires a little extra attention. Because vegetarians eliminate certain foods from their diets, they often need to work to add foods into their diet that will provide the nutrients found in meat products. If properly planned, vegetarian diets can provide all the nutrients you need.

D. It’s actually easy to make good choices at a fast-food restaurant or the cafeteria. Most cafeterias and fast-food places offer healthy choices that are also tasty, like grilled chicken or salads. Be mind­ful of portion sizes and high fat add-ons, like dressings, sauces or cheese. Most restaurant portions are larger than the average serving of food at home. Ask for half portions or take half of your dish home.

E. Family meals are making a comeback. Shared family meals are more likely to be nutritious, and kids who eat regularly with their families are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods and more likely to eat fruits and vegetables. Teens who take part in regular family meals are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs. Beyond health and nutrition, family meals provide a valuable opportunity to reconnect.

F. Families are cooking more meals at home, cutting back on take away in the face of the economic downturn. In addition to cut­ting back on take away and eating out, families have begun cook­ing more vegetarian meals and were adding vegetables, lentils and baked beans to allow them to cut back on meat quantity. Consum­ers also indicate that they are likely to prepare meals that can be spread across more than one mealtime.

G. In recent years it has become common practice for celebrities and stars to publicize food products. Businesses take advantage of consumers’ mentality of‘following the stars’ and invite celebrities and stars to perform ‘false advertising’ so as to mislead or even deceive consumers. The law stipulates that those who publicize ‘faulty food products’ will share responsibility with food produc­ers and sellers.

A	B	C	D	E	F	G

Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A-F Час­тями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1—7. Одна из частей в списке 1—7 лишняя. Занесите цифру, обозначаю­щую соответствующую часть предложения, в таблицу.

It is claimed that San Francisco is the most interesting city in the USA. The history of San Francisco started in 1776, A_____________________________________________________________

They founded a mission and dedicated it to St. Francis.

Several times San Francisco was hit by earthquakes. As a result of the 1906 earthquake three-fourths of the city was burnt down. But within 7 years, the city was almost completely rebuilt and started grow­ing up. Several years ago, another serious earthquake hit the city, but it did not cause much damage because the buildings were well protected against the forces of nature. Now San Francisco is a little smaller than Washington, D. C. in area B

San Francisco occupies the northern end of a peninsula, with the Pacific Ocean to the west and San Francisco Bay to the north and east, C____________ San Francisco is famous for its bridg­

Es, fog and foghorns. The greatest attraction of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge, D It is 1.6 kilometers long.

The height of its towers is 227 meters. When opened in 1937, it was the world’s longest and tallest suspension bridge. San Francisco is called the city of hills because it has 40 hills. It is famous for its picturesque cable cars, which climb these hills, and for its bright houses that cling to the hills along steep and narrow streets.

And of course, San Francisco has a lot of museums. But if you are tired of museums and shops, you can go to Shakespeare Garden E__

San Francisco is a city F______________________ It has a reputa­

Tion as an intellectual, liberal, and slightly crazy city and his sights attract millions of tourists every year.

1. which create a feeling of admiration

2. but with a slightly bigger population

3. which has become the symbol of the city

4. where new and different ideas can be explored

5. where you can find every flower and plant ever mentioned by the bard

6. so it is surrounded on three sides by water

7. when the Spanish occupied this area in the name of the king of Spain

A	B	C	D	E	F

Прочитайте рассказ и выполните задания А15—А21. В каж­дом задании обведите цифру 1, 2, 3 Или 4, Соответствующую вы­бранному вами вариант ответа.

After graduating from medical school, Eugene Alford built a lu­crative career as an ear, nose, and throat specialist and a facial plastic surgeon at Methodist Hospital. In the summers, he and his wife Mary, a dentist and former paediatric nurse, would join a church-sponsored medical mission to Honduras, where he operated on the needy in a rural clinic.

At home, Alford treated many prominent Houston residents, but he also waived his fee for less fortunate patients. Carolyn Thomas, for instance, went to see him with a large gauze bandage over a cavity in her face. She had been shot by her boyfriend, who had also killed her mother. The bullet had blown away Thomas’s nose, upper jaw, and right eye. Reconstruction would have cost a million dollars, but Alford, his medical team, and his hospital did it for free.

Whenever Alford needed to relax after a particularly gruelling pe­riod of work, he’d drive to his ranch in Bellville and lose himself in farm chores. He didn’t make it out there as often as he would have liked. As a plastic surgeon at Methodist Hospital, he had performed 800 operations over the previous year and was booked solid for months ahead.

So on a chilly Sunday a few days after Christmas, Alford headed out through the pine bush, intending to clear a trail for deer hunting. As he cut through underbrush in the south pasture, Alford brought the tractor to a halt in front of a dead white oak standing in his path. He nudged the trunk with the tractor’s front-end loader, expecting the tree to topple neatly to the ground. Instead the top half of the oak swayed towards him. In seconds, more than a ton Ofhardwood slammed down on him, crushing his spine.

Pinned to the steering wheel, Alford could barely breathe. He tried to hit the brakes, but his legs failed to respond. When he found he could move his hands, he turned off the ignition, then with great effort pulled his cell phone from his shirt pocket and called his wife on speed dial. ‘Mary,’ he gasped, ‘a tree fell on me. Γm going to die.’ ‘Don’t quit!’ she shouted. ‘We’re coming to get you!’ Alford was still conscious when his neighbours Kevin and Snuffy, alerted by Mary, hauled the tree off him. A rescue helicopter touched down minutes later, and Alford advised the paramedics on which drugs to administer to him. Then he blacked out.

He was flown to the trauma unit at Medical Centre in Houston, then quickly transferred to Methodist. The operation was successful, but the patient was still in danger. After almost two weeks in the ICU, Alford awoke, and his condition improved enough for him to be taken to a rehabilitation unit, where he began physical therapy and learned to use a wheelchair. In February 2008, six weeks after the accident, Alford returned to his 100-year-old home in Houston. At first, he was so weak that he could sit up only when strapped into a wheelchair.

Before the accident, Alford had been a solidly built six-footer and was used to being in charge. Now, entirely dependent on others, he fell into despair. ‘If it weren’t for my wife and kids, I would have killed myself,’ he says. But then the love started pouring in. Alford’s brother maintained a blog to provide updates about Alford’s recovery. Over the next three months, he received 40,000 messages from colleagues, for­mer patients, acquaintances, even strangers. The outpouring raised his spirits. It also gave Mary a new perspective on him. For years, Alford’s schedule of 15-hour days hadn’t left him much time for her and the kids. ‘I’d just about decided you liked work more than us,’ Mary told him one day over lunch. ‘But now I realize you didn’t want to leave the hospital because there were so many folks that needed you. You couldn’t just abandon them.’

The couple refurbished their house with ramps, a wheelchair — accessible bathroom, and an elevator. They bought an extended-cab pickup truck and fitted it with a wheelchair hoist, a swivelling driver’s seat, and hand controls so Alford could drive himself.

But Alford’s goal was to make such adjustments temporary. After a month of physical therapy, he graduated from an electric to a manual wheelchair. The daily workouts built strength in his back and abdomi­nal muscles, improving his ability to hold himself upright. Soon he was able to stand with the aid of a tubular steel frame; seated in his chair, he could now draw his legs toward his chest.

In May, Alford began the next phase of treatment. By putting a paralyzed patient through his paces, therapists hoped to grow new neuromuscular connections. After three months of this routine, Al­ford’s coordination had improved markedly. He felt ready to pick up a scalpel again, with the hospital’s approval. Alford still goes for four hours of rehab every morning and spends his evenings stretching and riding a motorized stationary bike to keep muscle spasms at bay. But in the hours between, he sees patients or performs surgeries—as many as five a week.

He’s eager to do more complex surgeries and plans to increase his workload. Walking remains uncertain. ‘I always tell him if I had a crystal ball, Γd be a millionaire,’ says Marcie Kern, one of his physical therapists. Still, the doctor considers himself a lucky man.

(Adapted from ‘His Own Medicine: A Doctor’s Story of Healing’ by Michael Haederle)

A15 Eugene Alford

1) treated only prominent Houston residents.

2) did some charity work.

3) had fixed fees.

4) often visited his ranch in Bellville.

A16 In paragraph 3 ‘gruelling’ Means

1) extremely boring.

2) quite exciting.

3) very tiring.

4) highly uncomfortable.

A17 As a result of the accident, the oak broke Alford’s

1) neck. 3) back.

2) legs. 4) chest.

A18 Before the accident, Alford

1) was in charge of the hospital.

2) liked his work more than his family.

3) worked 15 hours a week.

4) could not spend much time with his wife and children.

Al9 To make Alford feel more comfortable

1) the family equipped their house with necessary facilities.

2) his 100-year-old house was redecorated.

3) the family bought a new house.

4) his old pickup truck was fitted with a wheelchair hoist.

A20 After physical therapy and daily workouts.

1) Alford didn’t need a wheelchair.

2) Alford’s stamina came back.

3) Alford started to perform simple operations.

4) Alford’s coordination improved markedly.

A21 At present Alford

1) feels sorry for himself.

2) is planning to practise medicine as well as he used to.

3) is going to start walking.

4) wants to become a millionaire.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7

По окончании выполнения заданий В2, ВЗ и А15—А21 НЕ ЗА­БУДЬТЕ ПЕРЕНЕСТИ СВОИ ОТВЕТЫ В БЛАНК ОТВЕТОВ № 1! ОБРАТИТЕ ВНИМАНИЕ, что ответы на задания В2—ВЗ, А15— 21 Располагаются в разных частях бланка.

Раздел 3. ГРАММАТИКА И ЛЕКСИКА

Прочитайте приведенный ниже текст. Преобразуйте, если не­обходимо, слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами В4—В10 так, чтобы они грамматически соответствовали содержанию текста. Заполните пропуски по­лученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы В4—В10.

Halloween

B4	Halloween is one of the world’s______________ Holidays.	OLD
B5	Every kid_______________ forward to the 31st Of October. Little boys magically turn into vampires and little girls into fairies. Halloween’s origins go all the way back to an­cient times with the Celtic festival of Samhain,	LOOK
B6	_____________ the end of summer and harvest time and the beginning of dark, cold winter. During the festivities, poor citizens asked for	MARK
B7	Food and ______________ cakes in return for Their promise to pray for the family’s dead rela­tives.	GIVE
B8	Today Halloween _______________ in several Countries around the globe.	CELEBRATE

B9	A traditional food eaten on Halloween is ‘barn­brack’, which is a kind of fruitcake. People usually bake a muslin-wrapped treat inside the cake, which can foretell the ____________________________	EATER
	Future.
	For example, if a ring is found in the cake, the
Dlu	Person______________ married soon.	GET

Прочитайте приведенный ниже текст. Преобразуйте, если не­обходимо, слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами В11—В16, так, чтобы они грамматически и лексически соответствовали содержанию текста. Заполните пропуски полученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы В11—В16.

Junk Food

B13	They give you a false sense of energy and
	FULL
	One problem with junk foods is that they’re
	Low in satiation value. Another problem is that
B14	Junk food tends to_______________ other, more PLACE
	Nutritious foods.
-……	It’s the 21st century now and ‘junk food’ has
B15	Gone______________ We see it everywhere: in GLOBE
	Grocery and convenience stores, in fast-food
	Restaurants and on television.
B16	Although junk food is now________________ all AVAIL
	Over the world, people should be aware of its

Disadvantages and choose healthier alterna­tives.

Прочитайте текст с пропусками, обозначенными номерами А22—А28. Эти номера соответствуют заданиям А22—А28, в ко­торых представлены возможные варианты ответов. Обведите Но­Мер Выбранного Вами Варианта Ответа.

The Archipelago

In the remote southern seas there is a cluster of islands. Each island is inhabited by a different race of people. Although physi­cally they look alike, you can tell them A22_____________ by their

Styles of dress and their distinctive dialects. Each island has its own unique form of architecture. The only similarity between them is that each race builds in a manner that is A23 Odds with the environment. On rocky hillsides there are wooden huts and in wooded valleys you can see towns of brick. Arid uplands are ir­rigated and planted with leafy gardens, whereas, on fertile plains, the parks are paved with stone. A24 Their differences,

The islanders coexist peacefully. There is rivalry over certain fishing waters but it rarely A25 to more than a few heated

Exchanges.

At the centre of the archipelago, perhaps in the most favoured spot of all, lies an island that has been deserted for many generations. It looks very different from the rest: darker, taller, silent. There is no obvious reason A26 its abandonment as it has good soil

And plenty of freshwater.

Long ago, it was inhabited by farmers and fishermen much like everywhere else in the archipelago, but everything changed when they started building the first wall. As soon as it was finished a second cir­cle Ofbattlements began to rise from the centre, slightly narrower than the one before, so that from faraway the island A27 : an

Enormous wedding cake.

Nobody can explain why the wall was started but there are many theories as to why it was never finished. Some say that so many had perished during its construction, that no one dared halt the work and thereby admit that it had all been in vain. Others claim that the builders simply A28 out of materials. But one thing is certain, the predicted threat never arrived and the people at the centre of the archipelago had, quite simply, bricked them­selves in.

А22	1) out	2) off	3) apart	4) aside
А23	1) over	2) at	3) against	4) no
А24	1) Despite	2) In spite	3) Besides	4) Although
А25	1) raises	2) attains	3) amounts	4) achieves
А26	1) with	2) to	3) of	4) for
А27	1) recollected	2) reminded	3) resembled	4) remembered
А28	1) went	2) ran	3) grew	4) came

По окончании выполнения заданий В4—В16, А22—А28 НЕ ЗА­БУДЬТЕ ПЕРЕНЕСТИ СВОИ ОТВЕТЫ В БЛАНК ОТВЕТОВ № И ОБРАТИТЕ ВНИМАНИЕ, что ответы на задания В4—В16, А22— А28 располагаются в разных частях бланка. При переносе отве­тов в заданиях В4—В16 буквы записываются без пробелов и знаков препинания.

Раздел 4. ПИСЬМО

Для ответов на задания Cl, С2 используйте Бланк ответов № 2.

При выполнении заданий Cl И С2 особое внимание обратите на то, что ваши ответы будут оцениваться только по записям, сделанным в Бланке ответов № 2. Никакие записи черновика не будут учитываться экспертом.

Обратите внимание также на необходимость соблюдения ука­занного объема текста. Тексты недостаточного объема, а также часть текста, превышающая требуемый объем, — не оцениваются.

При заполнении Бланка ответов №2 Вы указываете сначала номер задания Cl, С2, а потом пишете ответ.

Если одной стороны Бланка недостаточно, вы можете исполь­зовать другую сторону Бланка.

Cl You have 20 minutes to do this task.

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Jill, who writes:

S …Thanks for inviting me to stay with you when I visit

S Your country next month.

) Γm not sure how to get to your apartment from the

) airport. Could you write back giving me some basic instruc — 1

) tions? What would be the best way of transport for me? Γd.

) prefer one that isn’t too expensive! ∣

) Just one other thing — what will the weather be like ∣

? when I get there? (Just so I’ll know what clothes to pack!) … ∣

Write back to Jill.

In your letter

— answer her questions

— ask 3 questions About her plans

Write 100 — 140 words.

Remember the rules of letter writing.

C2 You have 40 minutes to do this task.

Comment on the following statement.

Lots of people believe that cars have improved their lives. However, some people think that our world would be better without cars.

Do you agree or disagree? What is your opinion?

Write 200—250 words.

Use the following plan:

— make an introduction (state the problem)

— express your personal opinion and give reasons for it

— give arguments for the other point of view and explain why you don’t agree with it

— draw a conclusion

Раздел 5 ГОВОРЕНИЕ

Вы получите карточку, на которой представлены два задания для устного ответа: СЗ — тематическое монологическое высказывание, С4 — диалог с целью обмена оценочной информацией. Окончание выполнения каждого задания определяет экзаменатор. Во время проведения этой части экзамена идет постоянная аудиозапись вашего ответа.

ЗАДАНИЯ Для экзаменуемого

СЗ Task 1 (3—3.5 minutes)

Give a talk on Great Britain.

Remember To discuss:

• what you imagine when you think of Great Britain, why

• whether Great Britain has a unique climate, why

• why people travel to Great Britain

• what places in Great Britain you would like to visit and why You will have to talk for 1.5—2 minutes. The examiner will listen Until you have finished. Then she/he will ask you some questions.

C4 Task 2 (3—4 minutes)

You and your friend are discussing where both of you would like to Live in the future. There are several options to choose from:

• in a city

• in the countryside

• in the mountains

• at the seaside

Discuss the options with your friend and choose the one you both like most of all.

You begin The conversation. The examiner will play the part of your friend.

Remember to:

• discuss all the options

• take an Active Part in the conversation and be Polite

• Come up With ideas

• give good Reasons

• find out your Friend’s attitudes And take them into account

• Invite Your friend to Come up with suggestions

• come to an Agreement

КАРТОЧКА ЭКЗАМЕНАТОРА-СОБЕСЕДНИКА

Warm up

1. Do you enjoy travelling?

2. What places have you already visited?

3. What means of transport do you prefer? Why?

C3 Task 1 (3—3.5 minutes)

Let the student talk for 1.5 — 2 minutes.

Ask only Those questions Which the student has not covered.

1. What do you imagine when you think of Great Britain? Why?

2. Has Great Britain got a unique climate? Why?

3. Why do people travel to Great Britain?

4. What places in Great Britain would you like to visit and why?

Finally, You should ask Each student The following:[II]

1. Does Great Britain differ much from Russia? Why?

2. What is your personal attitude towards the British? Give your rea­sons.

3. Do you believe that a huge monster lives in Loch Ness? Why?

SKILLS TO BE TESTED

The student is expected to demonstrate her/his ability to:

• speak at length elaborating on the topic;

• produce coherent utterances;

• give reasons;

• use accurate grammar structures and a good range of vocabulary appropriate to the context and function.

C4 Task 2 (3—4 minutes)

You and your friend are discussing where both of you would like to Live in the future. These are your ideas about each option:

	+	—
In a city	• You can visit museums and galleries, cafes and restaurants. • It’s easier to find a well-paid job.	• There is a lot of noise, pollution and traffic jams in big cities. • Accommodation in big cities is rather expensive
In the countryside	• The air in the country­side is fresh and there is no pollution. • I’ll live in my own house with lots of rooms.	• There is nothing to do in the countryside. You’ll soon get bored with such a lifestyle. • It’s difficult to earn money in the country.
In the mountains	• The air and water in the mountains are excep­tionally clean. • We will be able to enjoy magnificent mountain views.	• I think it’s impossible to find any work in the mountains. • Life in the mountains can be really dangerous because of severe weather conditions.
At the seaside	• The climate is warm and nice there. • We could open a small hotel near the sea. It’s not hard to run a private hotel. • There is no pollution at the seaside and we can enjoy a healthy lifestyle.	• We’ll need lots of money to open a private hotel. • If we leave our city/ town, we’ll miss our friends and relatives.

Note’. Make sure all the options have been discussed.

When discussing each option First Use the information that is con­trary to what the student says. You may choose to make use of some ideas only.

Do not speak First all the time But ask the student what she/he thinks about the options.

Invite the student to come up with her/his suggestions, especially if she/he readily agrees with the things you say. If the student says all the time, ‘What do you think about it?’ without expressing her/his own opinion, say, ‘Sorry, I don’t know.’ or ‘I’m not sure. How do you feel about it?’

SKILLS TO BE TESTED

The student is expected to demonstrate her/his ability to

Initiate and maintain conversation:

• explain the situation

• come up with suggestions

• give good reasons

• find out the partner’s attitudes

• invite the partner to come up with suggestions

• agree or disagree with her/his partner’s opinion

Reach an agreement By taking into account the partner’s atti­tudes.

CARD 1

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                           HELPdesk.com

THE GIANT PANDA

An endangered species, the giant panda can only be found in the mountain bamboo forests of Western China. There are only about 1,000 wild giant pandas left in the world. Giant pandas are members of the bear family, and they are mammals. Even though giant pandas look just like bears, they certainly do not behave like bears. Unlike their meat-eating relatives, giant pandas are vegetarians for the most part of their time. Their favourite food is bamboo. Giant pandas must eat a lot of bamboo everyday to get enough nourishment. In fact, they spend at least 12 hours everyday eating about 33 pounds of bamboo. However, if they are extremely hungry and bamboo is nowhere to be found, giant pandas may eat grass, fruits, or sometimes, small animals like chicken.

Giant pandas do not live in groups. They are loners! They only leave their territory from March to May to look for a mate. Female giant pandas usually give birth to twins. Baby giant pandas are very small, blind, pinkish, and weigh about 5 ounces at birth. Strangely, mother giant pandas tend to choose to raise just one baby and leave the other to die. Mother giant pandas feed their babies with milk. A baby giant panda opens its eyes at six to seven weeks. It starts to learn how to walk when it is about three or four months old. Mother giant pandas look after their babies for about 18 months. Once the young is strong enough, it bids farewell to its mother and moves out

to live independently. (1201)

II Read the text and say why the books by Agatha Christie have been always popular.

Speak about your favourite authors and your favourite books.

THE QUEEN OF MYSTERY

                                                                                                                         tolearnenglish.com

Agatha Christie was probably the most successful writer in history. She wrote 78 crime novels, six other novels, 150 short stories, four non-fiction books and 19 plays.

Christie became a writer by accident. She was bored when her husband was away in the First World War. Agatha was working in a hospital dispensary. She decided to write a novel to pass the time. She chose a detective novel because she loved reading them. Her first novel was a great success. Readers loved the books, particularly because Christie always gave the readers all the information they needed to find the solution.

Christie loved travelling. When she became rich she could go all over the world. She used the travels in her writing. Agatha Christie died in 1976, but her stories are still very popular.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You want to do a course of English at a language school. You are phoning a language school to find out about the courses they offer. Ask questions about the location of the language school, how long the courses are, how much the courses cost, what is necessary to do to register for the courses.

CARD 2

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

DIFFERENT  ENGLISH                                              5 minute English

English is spoken as a first language by several countries including Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and the United States. While all of these countries share the same mother tongue, there are some differences in the way they speak and write.

The first difference is in the accent. Each country has its own accent. And within each country there are a variety of accents called regional accents.

Another difference is the spelling of some words, like ‘color’ and ‘colour’, or ‘theater’ and ‘theatre’.

And a third difference is that some of the words are not the same at all. For example, Americans say restroom, Canadians say washroom, and the British say W.C. (water closet.) But all of these words have the same meaning (the room where the toilet is located.)

So which English is the best English to learn? Well, there is no best English. They are all equally good and correct. But two things may help you decide which one is best for you to study.

First of all, where do you live? If you are from South America, for example, you will probably have more exposure to North American English. If you live in Europe, most likely you will be more exposed to British English.

But no matter where you study English or whether it’s British, American, Australian, or whatever, it’s good to know a little about English in other countries. (1123)

II Read the text and say what the first human music was like.  Say if  music is your hobby. Speak about your bobby (hobbies).

Early Music

There was music before there were people to listen to it. Birds sang. Wind whistled, and ocean waves crashed in a steady rhythm. People have probably made music since their earliest days on earth too. Maybe the first human music imitated the sounds of nature. Humans may have created songs in imitation of the sounds of other creatures. As people had words to speak, maybe they also had words for songs. Simple hunting tools might have served as early percussion instruments. Simple flutes made from hollowed bones have been found that date back to 10,000 BC Archaeologists have found evidence that music was played in ancient civilizations including ancient Egypt and Babylonia. As early music was not written down, the earliest evidence of music is in the form of pictures showing musicians and musical instruments.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You and your foreign friend, who is on a short visit in Moscow, are discussing what you are going to do at the weekend. Ask him/her when he/she isn`t busy, what he/she would like to do during his stay in Moscow, why.  

CARD 3

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

THANKSGIVING DAY                                                                            Internet Public Library

The story of America’s Thanksgiving begins with the Pilgrims. Early in the 17-th century, the Pilgrims left England in search of religious freedom. In 1608, they sailed to Holland. Then, in 1620, they crossed the Atlantic by ship called the Mayflower.

After sailing for many weeks, the Pilgrims landed at a place now called Massachusetts. They planted the seeds they had brought from England. But the seeds didn’t grow well, and there was so little food for the Pilgrims that many of them starved to death.

Luckily for the Pilgrims, some nearby Indians came to rescue. They taught the Pilgrims to grow native food such as corn. Without this help, the Pilgrims would not have survived.

After the first harvest, the governor of Plymouth Colony — William Bradford — suggested that the Pilgrims hold a feast of thanksgiving. And to their thanksgiving feast the Pilgrims invited the Indians. The Pilgrims were grateful to the Indians for helping the Colony survive. In addition, they hoped that the celebration would strengthen their friendship with the Indians.

Nobody knows the date of the first Thanksgiving feast. But we do know that the Pilgrims and Indians enjoyed a huge feast of deer, goose, duck, oyster, eel, bread, fruit, and corn meal pudding.

In 1789 George Washington declared that Thanksgiving would be a national celebration. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. (1163)

II Read the text and comment on the situation described in the text. Say if you like watching TV, what programmes you and the members of your family prefer, why.

Television                                                                                                                       ESL reading

My mother used to tell me how she and her family got their first television when she was a teenager. Of course it was black and white. When I was young we had only about 3 or 4 different channels. My bothers and sisters and I would sometimes fight about which channel to watch. Nowadays we can get hundreds of channels on TV. There are channels with only old movies, and channels with only cooking, and channels with only fishing. It’s amazing! There is a channel for everything. I wonder how much my brothers and sisters and I would fight if we had hundreds of channels when I was a child. Of course we had only one television set. These days I notice families with 2 or 3 or more television sets in their homes. I guess it stops people from arguing over which channel to choose from.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You and your foreign friend, who is on a short visit in Moscow, are going on an excursion.  Discuss when and where it would be better to go; who you’d invite to go with you.

CARD 4

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

ENDANGERED  ANIMALS                                                                HELPdesk

What do the following animals have in common: pandas, rhinoceros, loggerhead turtles, Californian condors, pink pigeons, small tooth sawfish, and Siberian sturgeons? They are all endangered animals! Animals become endangered for a variety of reasons. Sadly, humans are behind every one of them! Here are three reasons.

Hunting: for centuries, humans have hunted elephants for their impressive tusks, killed tigers for their beautiful furs, and scooped up sturgeons to make caviar. While we still have elephants, tigers, and sturgeons in the wild, we cannot say the same about many others that have simply disappeared!

Loss of habitats: humans and animals have always competed for land and other natural resources. We clear an area of a forest for farming. We cut down trees and build beautiful houses. At the same time that we are trying to make our life comfortable, we inadvertently destroy the habitats of wild animals.

Pollution: more than once we have seen on televisions that rescue workers are trying to save seabirds soaked in spilled oil. More than once we have heard about how carbon dioxide and other gases have raised the Earth temperature and caused global warming. Pollution has a long lasting, and usually irreversible, effect. If we choose to do nothing and continue to pollute our planet Earth, our next generations will have to bear the consequences of abnormal weather and polluted environment. (1187)

II Read the text and say if the problems in Russian families are different or the same. Speak about your family.

Family Problems                                                                                                                BBCnews

 Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast. The two children take the bus to school, and mother stays at home cooking and cleaning until father and the kids return home in the evening. This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. But is it true today? The answer is — no!

The biggest change has been caused by divorce. The large rise in divorces has meant many women need to work to support themselves and their children. In addition, women are no longer happy to stay at home raising children, and many have careers earning as much as or even more than men. Although it is difficult to be a working mother, it has become normal and it’s no longer seen as a bad thing for the children.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You are to write an article on environmental problems for your school English Magazine.

You and the editor of the magazine are discussing what problems to mention in the article,

what title for the article to choose, and when the article must be published.

CARD 5

I Read the story and answer your teacher’s questions.

The Musical Glass   By Jane Runyon

Mary Elizabeth loved music. She was happy when she heard lovely sounds. She waited to hear the birds sing outside her window in the spring. She listened for the cricket’s song when she swept the hearth in her mother’s kitchen. The horses passing her papa’s store made a «clip clop» sound. That was a song to Mary Elizabeth. These songs made her heart fill with joy.

Mary Elizabeth had only one wish. She wanted to make music on her own. She couldn’t sing very well. Her brother, Matthew, had said, «You sound like the cat when Nana stepped on its tail.»  She loved music so much. Why couldn’t she make music on her own?

Mary Elizabeth knew where to go when she was sad. Her Uncle Ben Franklin could always make her smile. Best of all, Uncle Ben loved music just like Mary Elizabeth. One morning, Mary Elizabeth stood outside Uncle Ben’s workshop. She could hear him humming to himself. She knew something fun was going to happen. She opened the door and saw Uncle Ben at his work table. Oh, no! What had happened? Broken glasses were everywhere. There were big glasses, little glasses, and middle sized glasses spread out on his table. Wait a minute. Only the stems that held the glasses up were broken off. What was Uncle Ben doing? Uncle Ben saw the puzzled look on Mary Elizabeth’s face. «Come, little songbird,» he said. «I will show you how we can make beautiful music. We will use what is broken. We can turn it into something good.» (1178)

II Read the text and say why Lake Baikal is one of the most poplar attractions in our country. Say if you are proud of  Russia and its capital, why.

The Peal of Siberia                                                                                                            Speak Out

Lake Baikal is the most ancient lake on earth. Lakes rarely live longer than a million years but the ‘Pearl of Siberia’, as it is often called, is more than 25 million years old! The lake holds one-fifth of the planet’s fresh water – and it is still clean!

Lake Baikal is one of the most beautiful places on earth. This wonder of the natural world is difficult to describe. The waters of the lake are amazingly transparent – and they change colours all the time. Lake Baikal is a living museum of water plants and animals. You can see many of them nowhere in the world.

The lake is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The Baikal Mountains and the taiga are protected as a national park.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

As the winners of a contest, your class was rewarded a grant. Explain to a foreign journalist why you were given a grant, who was the grant given by, and what you are going to spend it on.

CARD 6

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

Shopping on the Internet                                                                Book of the Future

Shopping on the Internet, or shopping on-line is becoming more and more popular. More and more people are using the internet to buy things. Why do people use the Internet to shop? Some people say it is more convenient. They don’t have to leave their homes to order something, and they can shop for anything they want at any time, day or night. Other people say they can find things for sale that they can’t find in the stores near their homes. Still other people say they can find better prices on the Internet.

If you want to buy something on the Internet, you need a credit card. You have to type your credit card number and information on the website and send it to the store over the Internet. You have to be sure that the store will not use your information in the wrong way. You don’t want someone to get your credit card number and charge something to your account. Of course, you always have to be careful with your credit card number, because people sometimes steal credit card numbers from stores and restaurants too.

For people who are too nervous to shop on-line, the Internet is a good place to go window-shopping. Window-shopping is when you go to a store and look at the things for sale, but don’t plan to buy anything. Window-shopping is easy on the Internet. You can see what kinds of products are available and how much they cost. You can visit stores with branches near you, or you can visit stores that are only on the Internet. (1183)

II Read the text and prove that Paralympics Games have become more popular than ever.

Speak about the importance of sport in people’s lives.

                                                                                                                            SOON online magazine

Paralympics Games

Just a few weeks after the Olympic Games, it’s time for the Paralympics. They are the Olympic event for athletes with physical and mental disabilities.

The idea of Paralympics Games was born in 1948, when Sir Ludwig Guttmann organised a sports competition in England for World War II veterans with physical disabilities. Four years later, the event became international when participants from Holland joined in. In 1960 the Paralympics finally became an Olympic event. Four hundred athletes came to the first Paralympics Games in Rome in 1960. In Athens in 2004, more than 3800 athletes from all over the world competed in 19 different sports.

By the way, ‘para’ is a Greek word meaning ‘alongside/beside’. So the word Paralympics means ‘the Games parallel to the Olympic Games’.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Your friend has just returned from an English-speaking country. Ask him about the places of interest he/she was able to see there, and which of them he/she was impressed by.

Card 7

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

THE FIRST WOMAN IN BUSINESS                                                   David Evance

At the start of the twentieth century the idea of women in business seemed crazy. In those days men held all the positions of power and made all the decisions about money. They believed that a woman` s place was at home, looking after her children, cooking for her family and managing the house. If a woman needed to work she could perhaps find a job in a shop or in a factory, but she had no chance of working as a businesswoman or a banker, or a lawyer.

Women` s fashions in the USA and Europe at that time supported their position in society. Fashionable women wore long dresses that almost touched the ground. This made it difficult for them to drive a car, ride a horse or even walk quickly.

But many women were not happy with their position in society, and they didn’t like the clothes they had to wear. One of those people was a French woman called Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. When she went into business in 1910, she planned to change clothes that women wore. But over the next sixty years she did much more than that, as she became the richest and the most successful businesswoman.

Coco Chanel had no experience of business when she opened her first hat shop in Paris in 1910. She was only twenty-seven years old and she came from an ordinary family.  Many of Coco`s customers in her first shop were her young women friends. They loved the simple but beautiful hats and dresses that Coco made for them, and soon her shop started to do well. (1181)

II Read the text and say how football has changed in the course of time. Speak about the most popular sports in Britain.  

About Football                                                                                                    5minute ENGLISH

People have played games like football for thousands of years.

In ancient China they played a special game for the emperor’s birthday. Soldiers kicked balls made of animal skin into a net between two posts. These posts were ten metres high.

In the Pacific Islands they played games using hands and feet. They used coconuts and oranges as balls.

In the Nineteenth Century football began to be played in English public schools. The public schools were very expensive private schools attended by the sons of the rich and powerful.

The headmasters of three schools — Rugby, Eton and Harrow – began to develop new versions of football. The game became less violent, less dangerous and easier to control. It became a game for young gentlemen.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re on an excursion abroad. You’ve got lost in a city. Ask a passer-by how you can get to the hotel you’re staying at; which is the fastest and the most convenient means of the city transport, how long it will take you to get to the hotel.

CARD 8

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

EDINBURGH                                                                                ESL reading

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second-largest city in the nation with the population of 448,624. It is located in the east of the country, just seventy kilometres apart from Glasgow, the first largest city of Scotland. Though the two cities are equally famous, Edinburgh has long established itself as the more popular tourist destination and there are many reasons for this.

The city of Edinburgh is divided into two areas, the Old Town (its historical centre) and the New Town (the city’s main shopping and commercial area). The Old Town includes picturesque streets, monuments and many wonderful cathedrals and churches. The most famous landmark of Edinburgh is Edinburgh Castle. The castle is open to the public and includes a number of museums too.

The New Town was first developed in the late 1700s. In its centre is Georges Street, and the city’s two main shopping areas Princes Street and Queens Street. The city contains many museum, public parks, markets, cafes, bars restaurants and has something really special to offer all its visitors.

Every year Edinburgh hosts a number of major festivals, none more famous than the Edinburgh International Festival, which takes place from August to early September. The festival attracts performers and audiences from all over the world and offers a mixture of theatre, films, music and comedy amongst other things. (1162)

II Read the text and say how the bully is helped in English school. Say if there is bullying in Russian schools,  what problems Russian teenagers have.

SAYING «NO» TO BULLIES!                                                                                           BBC news

Bullying is when someone continually insults or hurts you. Many young people are bullied at school. But there are some positive ways to solve the problem, for example, a «bully box». It is    a box in school where students put notes about bullying. The important thing is to tell an adult about the bully. Psychologists suggest discussing the problem openly with the bully.

Teachers usually learn how to recognise when kids are being bullied and try to help them. Most bullies are stopped by the kids themselves.  In some schools martial arts are taught for self-defence, not for fighting – if you know you can defend yourself, you are not afraid of the other person.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re doing the shopping in one of European cities. Now you’re in the department of ready-made clothes. You’d like to buy some new things for summer wear. Ask a shop assistant for advice about the clothes you’re going to buy: if they fit you, if you should buy them. Ask her how much the clothes cost.

CARD 9

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                   The Presidents                                     ESL reading

George Washington was born February 22, 1732. He was the first president of the United States, elected by people in 1789. People call him the Father of their nation. He was one of the people who fought in the Revolutionary War and later helped write the United States Constitution. There is a famous story about George Washington when was a young boy. It says that he chopped down his father’s cherry tree with an axe. When his father asked, «Who did this?» young George replied «I cannot tell a lie. I did it.» Many children have heard this story and are encouraged to tell the truth.

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809. He became president in 1860. His presidency was difficult. The states in the north and the south were divided because of slavery. White people in the south owned black people. The north did not like it. A civil war began between the two sides. In the end, the northern states won and President Lincoln helped to free the slaves. He gave a very famous speech about how everybody had the right to be free and how all people were equal.

Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were very famous presidents in the United States. Today you can see their faces on American money. George Washington is on the one dollar bill and Abraham Lincoln in on the five dollar bill. Many schools and some cities are named after each president. And the State of Washington and Washington D.C. were both named

after President Washington. (1196)

II Read the text and say what kinds of newspapers and magazines there are in the USA.

Speak about newspapers and magazines you and the members of your family read.

American Newspapers                                                                                                 ESL reading

The first American newspaper was published in Boston in 1690. Now lots of magazines and newspapers are published in the USA. They bring the world of events into people’s homes.

Magazines and newspapers can be divided into two large groups — mass and specialized. Mass magazines and newspapers are intended for large groups of people, living in different places and having many different interests. Among them are newspapers and magazines for teachers, for cat lovers, for stamp collectors. In fact, there is a magazine and a newspaper to fit any interest.

Most U.S. cities today have only one newspaper publisher. In more than 170 American cities, a single publisher produces both a morning and an evening newspaper. But some cities (fewer than 30) have different owners.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re going to give a talk about one of the English-speaking country. Ask your teacher for advice: what to speak about, how you can make your report more interesting, how long you are allowed to speak at the lesson.

CARD 10

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                                                     B B Cnews

A Teenage Businessman        

When most 14-year-old boys are playing football or computer games after school, James Kenyon from Manchester is running his own successful business. “I’ve heard of a company in Scotland selling homemade bath products and thought it was a good idea.

My dad said I could do that, so I decided to take a chance,” James explains. That was two and a half years ago.

James started selling bath products to his friends and neighbours, but soon he began working for two local shopkeepers. Since he started his own soap company, selling homemade soap, bath salt and other bath products, James has earned over & 4,500.

James is proud of his success in business but he thinks there are more important things in his life. “I’ve learnt lots and I’m really enjoying it, but my school work always comes first.

James` s parents are proud of their son, they think that he plans everything really well – he does homework and he can focus on the business in his spare time. James says his parents have been a big support.

In 2006 James became a finalist in the Enterprising Young Brit Award. James is just one of an extraordinary group of enterprising young British businessmen who have innovative ideas and enthusiasm for business. Age and experience is certainly no obstacle to their success; their ambition and energy inspires them to create their money-making ideas. (1119)

II Read the text and say what Americans prefer for breakfast, if it is healthy food.  Speak about healthy habits.

Big Eaters                                                                                                                     ESL reading

Americans, in general, are big eaters and one of the greatest pleasures of the day is sitting down to a hearty breakfast. Most neighbourhood diners and cafeterias offer breakfast specials. Some can be as simple as buttered toast with coffee. Others can almost be equivalent to a full course meal which can provide enough calories for the entire day. This kind of breakfast may start with a glass of orange or tomato juice and then proceed to two eggs with toast, jam, butter and coffee. The menu shows that the eggs are served «any way you like them.» This means they can be prepared scrambled, boiled, poached or fried. For those who can’t eat eggs, there is a wide variety of other choices. Corn flakes with bananas, waffles with butter, pancakes with maple syrup and French toast are all good alternatives.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re talking to your foreign friend on the phone. He/She says he/she is going to Moscow soon. He/She wants you to meet him/her at the airport. Ask him/her when he/she is arriving, and what the number of the flight is. Ask what he/she’d like to see in Moscow and where to go.

CARD 11

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

Black Taxis, Red Buses                                                           Encyclopaedia Britannica

London has five airports in or near the city. The most important airport is Heathrow; it situated twenty four kilometres from the city centre. The city has eight big train stations, too. You can catch a train from London to Paris or Brussels now. Many people live outside London and come into the city for work every day. Children know about King’s Cross station because it is the train station in Harry Porter books.

In the UK people drive their own cars, that` s why the traffic is heavy on the roads. Drivers in the UK drive on the left side of the road! As there are a lot of cars in London, journey can take a very long time at the wrong time of day. But the city is famous for its black taxis and red buses. You can see some of London` s red buses today, and there are other buses, too. London’s taxi driver have to remember 25000 streets in London. Before they can start driving people, they study maps and drive round the city for about two years; have to answer difficult questions about the best ways across London.

You can move across London by the Underground. Londoners also call these underground trains ‘the Tube’. The London Underground is the oldest in the world. People first used it in 1863. Now it is about 410 kilometres long. There are three hundred stations, and some of them are nearly sixty metres under the streets.

You can, of course, walk around London! No cars or buses can go across London newest bridge. (1173)

II Read the text and say where people prefer to travel and why. Say if you like travelling, why/why not.

Travelling

Have you ever had the desire to see the world and see what was out there? While some people prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home, others are looking forward to travelling and can’t wait to explore the world. Exotic places call to them. «Come visit me and I will show you my mysteries,» they say.

Every year millions of people pack their suitcases or put on backpacks and flock to visit the seven continents of the world. They wander through the castles and museums of Europe, and the cities and natural wonders of North and South America. Some visit the vast exotic cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Why do people want to explore the world? It gives them a better perspective about the earth and the people living on it. It opens their minds, it gives them a feeling of accomplishment, and it makes them feel alive

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re visiting your foreign friend. Both of you want to join a sports club. Discuss what sport you’d like to take up and why. Choose the most convenient days to go to the sports club.

CARD 12

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                     ‘It’s Only Me’                                  Just Funny Stories

After her husband had gone to work, Mrs Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too excited to do any housework that morning, because in the evening she would be going to a fancy dress party with her husband. She intended to dress up as a ghost and she had made her costume the night before. Now she was impatient to try it on. Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was very effective. Mrs Richards put it on , looked in the mirror, smiled and went downstairs. She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear.

Just as Mrs Richards was entering the dining-room, there was a knock on the front door. She knew that it must be the baker. She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table. Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Mrs Richards quickly hid in the small store-room under the stairs. She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall. Suddenly the door of the store-room was opened and a man entered. Mrs Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the meter. She tried to explain the situation, saying ‘It’s only me’, but it was too late. The man let out a cry and jumped back several paces. When Mrs Richards walked towards him, he ran away, slamming the door behind him. (1110)

II Read the text and say how this school is different from most other schools. Speak about your school. Say what you’d like to change in it and why.

FREE SCHOOL                                                                                                      English Textbook

At White Lion Street Free School there is no punishment for missing classes. But many kids spend more time here than other children spend in their schools. This school is open in the evenings and at weekends. The kids complain if holidays last longer than two weeks. There are no compulsory lessons. Each child has one adult who follows his progress through school. Together they decide what he needs to learn next, and the child does this in his own time. Sometimes kids work on their own, sometimes with an adult, sometimes in a group.

A lot happens outside school. The teachers think you can’t learn everything in one building. They visit local factories, markets, shops, fire and police stations.

Now there are very few Free Schools in England.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’d like to do a course of a foreign language. Your friend thinks it` a waste of time as there are interpreters who can help you if necessary.

You don` t agree with him/her. Try to persuade your friend that foreign languages are very important today.

CARD 13

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                              Eddie Ogan

The Rich Family in Church

I’ll never forget Easter of 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy was 12, and my elder sister Darlene was 16. We lived at home with our mother; our dad had died five years before, leaving Mom with three school kids to raise and no money.

A month before Easter the pastor of our church asked everyone to save money and help a poor family.

When we got home, we talked about what we could do. We decided to buy 50 pounds of potatoes and live on them for a month.  When we thought that if we kept our electric lights turned out as much as possible and didn’t listen to the radio, we’d save money on that month’s electric bill. Darlene got as many house and yard cleaning jobs as possible, and both of us babysat for everyone we could.

Every day we counted the money to see how much we had saved. At night we’d sit in the dark and talk about how the poor family was going to enjoy having the money the church would give them.

The day before Easter, Ocy and I walked to the grocery store and the manager gave us three $20 bills and one $10 bill for all our change. We had never had so much money before.

We could hardly wait to get to church. When the pastor was taking money, Mom gave him a $10 bill, and each of us, kids, $20.

As we walked home after church, we sang all the way. Later that afternoon the minister drove up in his car. Mom went to the door and then came back with an envelope in her hand. She opened the envelope and out fell a bunch of money. There were three $20 bills, one $10 and seventeen $1 bills. (1219)

II Read the text and say what languages are spoken in Great Britain. Say if it’s important to learn a foreign language, why/why not.  Speak about your foreign language lessons at school.

What Languages do the British Speak?                                                English Learning Magazine

English is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it` s a first language for the majority of its citizens. However, visitors to the UK are often surprised that they have difficulties in understanding the language. In Britain every part of the country has its own way of speaking English. Most people in Britain can guess where someone comes from by the way they speak, either their accent or by words they use.

People in Wales speak a different language completely. About 25% of people there still speak their native Celtic language called Welsh. In some regions of Scotland Gaelic is used as a first

language. All over Scotland the accent is strong, some words are different but overall it is not difficult to understand. In Northern Ireland about 7% of people are bilingual and speak English and Irish Gaelic.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin a conversation.

You’re taking an interview from a foreign singer. Ask him when and why he became a musician;  

what are his further plans.

CARD 14

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                                                                 Encyclopaedia Britannica

                                                   FOOTBALL  IN  ENGLAND            

Football is the most popular game in England – you understand it if you come to one of the important matches. Rich and poor, young and old, one can see them all there, shouting and cheering for one side or the other. Football matches are also watched by millions of people on TV.

One of the most surprising things about football in England to a stranger is the greatest knowledge of the game. Even the smallest boy can tell you the names of players in most of the important teams; he has photographs of them and knows the results of large number of matches. He will tell you, who he expects will win such and such a match, and his opinion is usually as good as of men three or four times older.

Most schools in England take football seriously –much more seriously than nearly all European schools. In England, it is believed that education is not only a matter of filling a boy’s mind with facts in the classroom: education also means character training; and one of the best ways of training character is by means of games, especially team games, where the boy has to learn to work with others for his team, instead of working selfishly for himself alone.

The school therefore arranges games and matches for its pupils. Football is a good team game, it is good exercise for the body, it needs skill and a quick brain, it is popular and it is cheap: as a result, it is a schools` favourite game. (1137)

II Read the text and say which facts are for reading book and which are against it. Say if the  technological progress is important to people.

The Book or the Computer?

The death of the book has been predicted for centuries. Cinema, radio and television have all been presented as the murderers of books and reading. With the development of computing and the Internet books were replaced by electronic media. Who wants to use a twenty-volume encyclopaedia if you can take the necessary information from a small CD-ROM? It is, of course, the greatest revolution! But no one will lie in bed reading a novel from CD-ROM. Reading and the books, magazines and newspapers are still important in our lives. They continue to teach us lessons, amuse and broaden our minds.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Discuss with your foreign friend what is necessary to become successful: a good education, a lucky marriage, a special talent for something.  Give your opinion and ask about your friend’s opinion of this problem.

CARD 15

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                        THE SPIDER                                        FirstScience

Have you ever seen a small animal with four pairs of legs, a body that is divided into two parts?

This is a spider. Spiders live all over the world. They do not live only in the coldest places. You may find them on land: on grass, bushes, trees, and on pools, rivers, seas. There are 15,000 different kinds of spiders. The smallest spider is less than 1 mm in body length, and the biggest one can have body length up to 90 mm.

The spider spins its web to catch insects for food. It spins its web all its life. The process of spinning a web is very long.  People say that the spider is very persistent in its work. If you destroy its web, a spider will begin to spin a new web.

There is a story about a spider and a Scottish hero Robert Bruce (1274-1329). Robert Bruce was at the head of the Scottish army in the fight for the independence of Scotland against the English kings, Edward the First and Edward the Second. .

Once Robert Bruce was watching a spider spinning the web. Robert Bruce destroyed the web, and the spider began to spin a new web. Several times Robert Bruce destroyed the web, and each time the spider began its work from the beginning.

Watching the persistent work of the spider, Bruce decided to be as persistent as the spider and continue the fight for the independence of Scotland. And he defeated the English.

It was many years ago, but Scottish people still remember their great victory, and their great leader Robert Bruce. (1179)

II Read the text and say which of the English-speaking countries have a plant as an emblem, and which – an animal. Speak about one of the English-speaking country and its capital.

National Symbols                                                                                            BBC Learning English

Countries often have national symbols or emblems. Britain is usually shown as a lion or a bulldog. The USA has an eagle as its symbol. Australia uses a kangaroo.

Countries have their own national colours, too. These are usually the colours of their national flag. The patriotic colours in Britain and the USA are red, white and blue.

Different parts of Britain have their own emblems, too. They are all plants: a red rose in England, a thistle in Scotland, a shamrock in Northern Ireland and a leek in Wales. Each country has its own colour. They are used, for example, for football or rugby teams: white in England, blue in Scotland, red in Wales and green in Northern Ireland.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You foreign friend often goes to MacDonald’s. Tell him/her that the food people eat there isn’t healthy, give your reasons.  Give him/her advice about the healthy eating.

CARD 16

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                MANUSCRIPTS                               by Lack London

When Martin Eden returned to San Francisco, he began to write. He sent his works to newspapers and magazines, but the editors sent his manuscripts back. Martine continued to write and study at the same time. Martine slept five hours: only a man in very good health could work for nineteen hours a day.

The weeks passed. All Martin’s money was spent and publishers continued to send his manuscripts back. Martin sold his coat, then his watch.

One morning the postman brought him a short thin envelop. There was no manuscript in that envelope, therefore, Martin thought they had taken the story. It was The Ring of the Bells. In the letter the editor of a San Francisco magazine said that the story was good. They would pay the author five dollars for it. And he would receive the check when the story was published.

Martin thought that five dollars for five thousand words was very little. After a few weeks the story was published, but the check didn’t` arrive. Martin had waited for about a month before he decided to go and get the five dollars from the editor.

He entered the office and said that he wanted to see Mr Ford – the editor. “I`m Martin Eden,” Martin began the conversation. He wanted to ask for his five dollars, but it was his first editor and he didn` t want to make a bad impression on him. To his surprise Mr Ford quickly stood up with the words “You don` t say so!” and the next moment, with both hands was shaking Martin` s hand. (1184)

II Read the text and say what the environmental organisations usually do. Say why it is very important to protect the environment.

Environmentally Friendly                                                                                           FirstScience

There are several groups in Britain which try to protect the environment. The most famous group is Greenpeace, which campaigns in many countries around the world. They have campaigned against hunting whales, pollution in the North Sea, nuclear power, and many other issues.

Another important environmental group is Friends of the Earth. They campaigned against global warming, the destruction of the rain forest, and the hole in the ozone layer.

There are many other groups which are worried about the environment. The oldest is the National Trust which was set up in 1895 to protect parks, buildings and monuments in Britain.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Your foreign friend thinks that computers are harmful.  You don` t agree with him. Prove that he/she is wrong. Give a few examples to show that computers can be very helpful.

CARD 17

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE                                                   BBC Learning Tnglish

About one hundred years ago many educated people learned and spoke French when they met people from other countries. Today most people speak English when they meet foreigners. It has become the new international language. There are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak English as a first language. Why is this?

There are many reasons why English has become so popular. One of them is that English has become the language of business. Another important reason is that popular American culture (like movies, music, and McDonald’s) has quickly spread throughout the world. It has brought its language with it.

Is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly? I don’t know. It’s important to have a language that the people of the earth have in common. Our world has become very global and we need to communicate with one another. On the other hand, English is a fairly complicated language to learn and it brings its culture with it. Do we really need that?

Scientists have already tried to create an artificial language that isn’t too difficult and doesn’t include any one group’s culture. It is called Esperanto. But it hasn’t become popular. But maybe the popularity of English won’t last that long either. Who knows? There are more people in the world who speak Chinese than any other language. Maybe someday Chinese will be the new international language. (1176)

II Read the text and say why Queen Boadecia and Robert the Bruce became national heroes. Speak about a person or people you admire.

National Heroes

All countries have their national heroes and heroines. We usually learn about these people through out our history lessons at school. Heroes and heroines are often leaders who fought against a more powerful enemy. The earliest leader in British history was Queen Boadicea, who led a rebellion against the Romans. There is a statue of her on Westminster Bridge in London.

In Scotland, the most famous leader is Robert the Bruce. He defeated the English in one of the many wars between England and Scotland which took place before two countries were united.

Not all national heroes and heroines are leaders. Some are inventors, explores or pioneers in particular field.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’ve invited your foreign guests to a school party which your classmates are planning to celebrate Moscow City Day. Discuss with your teacher when and how to organise the party.

CARD 18

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                                                Inventions That Changed the World

                                                              FLIGHT              

For many centuries people watched birds and dreamed that they could fly. We cannot fly like birds: we don` t have enough strength in our arms to move wings up and down. We also really need the power of an engine to drive up forward. Many people died learning these lessons, before controlled flight became possible.

The first flying machine which could carry a human being was built in the in Spain in 875.  Reports tell us that the inventor flew some distance, but the landing was hard: the man hurt his back badly and was never able to fly again.

It was possible that the news of his flight reached England, carried there by men returning from war in the Middle East. Whether this is true or not, in 1010 a man called Oliver jumped off a church roof in Mulmesbury. This time we know the distance of his flight — 125 steps.

In the last years of the 15th century, the Italian Leonardo da Vinci studied the flight of birds and made a number of drawings of flying machines. His early machines tried to copy the movement of birds` wings, which he didn’t fully understand. But less than 10 years before his death in 1519, he drew a machine with wings that didn’t move. One of the machines was built and it did fly.

In 15 36 in France, Denis Bolor returned to the idea of moving wings. He tried to fly using wings that were moved up and down. The idea didn` t work and he fell to his death. (1122)

II Read the text and say how many bank holidays there are in all the countries of the UK.

Speak about holidays in Russia.

What are ‘bank’ holidays?

British bank holidays are Public Holidays and have been recognized since 1871. The name Bank Holiday comes from the time when banks were shut and so no trading could take place.

There are currently eight permanent bank and public holidays in England, Wales and Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland. These include Christmas Day and Good Friday, which in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are common law holidays (they are not specified by law as bank holidays but have become customary holidays because they are celebrated by everybody.

Even though banks are still closed on these days many shops today now remain open. Shops, museums and other public attractions, such as historic houses and sports centres, may close on certain public holidays, particularly Christmas Day.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

In October you’re going to England. Speak to your foreign friend, who lives there, and ask him/her what the weather is usually like there in October; how often it changes. Ask your friend to recommend you what clothes to take with you.

CARD 19

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                       DAILY  BREAD              by O`Henry

Miss Martha was 40 years old but she was not married. She had her own shop where she bread, both fresh and stale which was cheaper.  

There was a customer who called at her shop two or three times a week. The man was not young but he was very pleasant. He wore heap clothes but they always looked nice on him. He always brought stale bread and never fresh. Miss Martha decided that he was very poor.

She often thought of him and was always sorry that she couldn’t invite him to have dinner with her. She wanted to talk to him, to know more about him. She liked the man and began wearing her best dress. She wanted to help the ppr man but didn’t know how tot do it.

Once when her customer called on her to buy stale bread, Miss Martha had an idea and a good one, as she thought, to help him. She put some butter in the stale bread.

The next day two men came into the shop. One of them was her customer and the other – a young man. The customer was very angry and couldn’t speak to her. So the young man told Miss Martha everything. “We work together in the same office”, he said. “We use stale bread to take away to pencil lines from our plans.  We have worked at a plan of a new district for six months. We finished it this morning and began taking away pencil lines from it with your bread. You see, as there was butter in the bread the plan is good for nothing, and we can` t show this plan to anybody now.”

When the men left, Miss Martha went to her room, took off her best dress and put on her old one.

(1201)

II Read the text and say how the British spend their holidays. Say how you usually spend your winter and summer holidays.

The British on Holiday

Schools close for the summer in the UK about the middle of July and open again at the beginning of September, so most families go on holiday in July and in August.

Many families go to the Mediterranean to get two weeks of the sun. The most popular destination in Europe is Spain. Outside Europe, Florida in the USA is the top destination.

Many families stay in the UK for their summer holidays. Popular seaside resorts are Scarborough and Blackpool, some places in Devon and Cornwell.

But even if the sun shines, the sea never gets very warm. A new alternative is to go to a leisure complex like Centre Parcs , which has heated swimming pools under a big glass dome and many indoor and outdoor activities like cycling, horse riding and archery.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Your friend is in a bad mood. Ask him/her why he/she feels upset, and if you can help him/her.

Give him/her advice how to cope with the situation.

CARD 20

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                HOGMANY                   Encyclopaedia Britannica

Many national and local celebrations took place in Scotland in the past and some survive to this day. They start on January 1st and finish on the major celebration on the Scottish calendar – Hogmanay, New Year’s Eve, on December 31st. Hogmanay, the celebration of bringing in the New Year is a more important festival in Scotland than Christmas.

The origin of the word ‘Hogmanay’ is lost in the past. Historians believe that the Scots inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than they themselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day.

The Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event. There are traditions such as cleaning the house (known as «redding») on  December  31st (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common); visiting friends and relatives immediately after New Year’s Eve, in the early hours of the morning of January 1st. First footing after the bells have rung in the New Year is still common — the «first foot» in the house after midnight should be male, dark, and handsome and should carry symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun (a spiced cake) and, of course, whisky.

And Scotland is the only part of the UK that has a statutory holiday on January 2nd as well as  January 1st — so they can recover from the excesses of December 31st!  (1136)

II Read the text and say what you think of the manager selling the book. Say where you would like to work in the future, what you are going to do to realize your ambitions.

Mr Sellyer Is Selling Books                                                                                  after S.Leacock

One day I went to a bookshop to look through the new books. While I was looking through the books, I could watch Mr Sellyer, manager of the shop, and see some of his methods.

Every customer who entered the shop went away with the book Golden Dreams. To one lady the manager sold this book as the reading for a holiday, to another as the book to read after a holiday. One man bought it to read on a rainy day and another one as the right book for a fine day.  Every time Mr Sellyer recommended the book to his customers he added that his wife said that Golden Dreams was the best book of the season.

I asked the manager, “Do you like the book yourself?” He answered, “Dear me! I’ve no idea of the book”. “And did your wife really like the book?”, I asked. “I’m not married, sir”, answered the manager smiling.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You and your friend are going to prepare a project about one of the English-speaking countries.

Discuss what country you are going to speak about, what is necessary to do in order to make the project interesting; what each of you is going to prepare for the presentation.