Олімпіадні роботи з англійської мови

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

8 FORM

VARIANT 1

TEXT: KON-TIKI EXPEDITION

The date was the 28th of April, It was the early morning. Callao harbour was very busy. The Minister of Marine had ordered a tug to row us out of the harbour. A crowd of people was waiting to watch.

When I arrived, only Herman was there. He was guarding the raft. I got out of the car and jumped on board. Fruit baskets and boxes lay in a heap on the deck. They had been thrown on board at the last moment. In the middle of the heap sat Herman. He was holding a cage; and in the cage there was a green parrot. The bird was a present from a friend in Peru.

“Take care of the parrot for a minute”, said Herman. “I want to go ashore and have a drink. The tug won’t be here for a long time”.

Herman went for his drink, and a few minutes later the tug arrived. A large motor-boat came to tow the raft away from the other boats. The motor-boat was full of officers and sailors. The officers called out some orders; and the sailors then fixed a strong rope to the raft.

“One moment!” I shouted. “It’s too early! We must wait for the other men”. I pointed towards the city.

But nobody understood. The officers only smiled politely. I untied the rope and threw it into the water. I waved my arms and made signs to the officers. This excited the parrot. The bird opened its cage and escaped. It walked about on the bamboo deck. I tried to catch the parrot. But it called out rude words in Spanish and flew into the cabin. At last, I caught the bird and put it back into its cage.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. The story takes place on the 29th of April.

2. Callao harbor was deserted.

3. There was a large pile of fruit baskets and boxes on the deck of the raft.

4. Herman was sitting on the heap.

5. There was a red parrot in the cage.

6. Herman wanted to go ashore to think for a while.

7. The motorboat that arrived was full of officers and sailors.

8. The officers said nothing.

9. The parrot opened its cage and got out.

10. The parrot said some words in Spanish.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. The story takes place at:

A sunset;

C dawn;

B noon;

D midnight.

12. The tug was ordered by the:

A marines;

C Maritime Commission;

B Minister of Marine;

D Minister of the Navy.

13. The narrator arrived at the harbor:

A on horseback;

C by car;

B by foot;

D by ship.

14. The parrot was a gift from;

A Bolivia;

C Mexico;

B Spain;

D Peru.

15. When the narrator got to the raft, Herman:

A was alone;

C holding a cage;

B was sitting on a heap of baskets and boxes;

D all of the above.

16. Herman said that the tug:

A would arrive immediately; 

B would arrive much later;

C would not come at all; 

D had come some time ago.

17. The raft was towed away by:

A large motorboat; 

B a small motorboat;

C a large sailboat; 

D a small sailboat.

18. Herman left the raft:

A to think for a while; 

B to get a drink;

C to have a cigarette; 

D because he feared it would sink.

19. After the parrot escaped from its cage:

A it walked around on the shore; 

B it flew around over the sea;

C it sat on Herman’s shoulder; 

D it walked about on the deck.

20. The narrator:

A was unable to catch the parrot; 

B gave the parrot some food;

C caught the parrot and returned it to its cage;

D spoke to the parrot in Spanish.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

8 FORM

VARIANT 2

TEXT: THE PERFECT DOG

New words: volunteer, scraggly, judge

During summer vacations, I would volunteer at the vet’s, so I’d seen a lot of dogs. Minnie was by far the funniest-looking dog I’d ever seen. Thin curly hair barely covered her sausage-shaped body. Her bugged-out eyes always seemed surprised. And her tail looked like a rat’s tail.

She was brought to the vet to be put to sleep because her owners didn’t want her anymore. I thought Minnie had a sweet personality, though. No one should judge her by her looks, I thought. So the vet spayed her and gave her the necessary shots. Finally, I advertised Minnie in the local pa¬per: “Funny-looking dog, well behaved, needs loving family”.

When a young man called, I warned him that Minnie was strange looking. The boy on the phone told me that his grandfather’s sixteen-year-old dog had just died. They wanted Minnie no matter what. I gave Minnie a good bath and fluffed up what was left of her scraggly hair. Then we waited for them to arrive.

At last, an old car drove up in front of the vet’s. Two kids raced to the door. They scooped Minnie into their arms and rushed her out to their grandfather, who was waiting in the car. I hurried behind them to see his reaction to Minnie.

Inside the car, the grandfather cradled Minnie in his arms and stroked her soft hair. She licked his face. Her rat-tail wagged around so quickly that it looked like it might fly off her body. It was love at first lick.

“She’s perfect!” the old man exclaimed.

I was thankful that Minnie had found the good home that she deserved.

That’s when I saw that the grandfather’s eyes were a milky white color — he was blind.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. The teller is a doctor.

2. Minnie had a rather unusual look.

3. Some people wanted the dog to die.

4. The veterinarian gave the dog an injection that killed her.

5. The teller decided to save the dog.

6. There was a protest campaign in the local newspaper.

7. The teller had to make a few phone calls.

8. The young man wanted a particular kind of dog.

9. The dog and her new master liked each other.

10. The old man had some health problems.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. We can come to a conclusion that the teller helped the vet

A as a part of daily routine; 

B on his own initiative;

C for fun; 

D against his will.

12. The dog looked strange because one could easily see her

A eyes; 

B body;

C tail; 

D skin.

13. Minnie’s masters wanted to 

A get rid of her; 

B find her a new family;

C have her treated; 

D go to sleep.

14. The dog seemed to have 

A a nice tail; 

B nice hair;

C a nice character; 

D a nice appearance.

15. The vet made all the necessary 

A corrections; 

B reflections;

C inflections; 

D attractions.

16. The teller used the media to address 

A the dog’s masters; 

B the public;

C the vet; 

D the dog.

17. The man who called needed a dog 

A to eat somebody; 

B to hunt somebody;

C to please somebody; 

D to find somebody.

18. The dog seemed to get a good ... before leaving. 

A caring; 

B beating;

C piercing; 

D sharing.

19. At the vet’s the two boys moved very 

A quickly; 

B calmly;

C confidently; 

D indifferently.

20. In the car, Minnie’s tail showed her 

A readiness to fly; 

B wish to escape;

C eagerness to eat; 

D emotional state.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

8 FORM

VARIANT 3

TEXT I

Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward, Note, New York, Dover Publications, 1996.

Edward Bellamy was born in 1850 in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, to a long line of New England Baptists ministers. He was educated in the United States and in Germany, and at length studied law (thought he was admitted to the bar, he never practiced). Working as a journalist and editor in New York and Springfield, he began to publish fiction in 1879, and by 1898 had published five novels and a collection of short1 stories; among these was the novel now considered the author’s masterpiece, Looking Backward. The visionary novel not only brought literary fame to Bellamy but established him as an important social and economic theorist.

TEXT II

In America, we celebrate many holidays during the year. I will tell you about three of my favorite holidays, when they occur, why they are important and how celebrated them. These three holidays are the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

On the Fourth of July, we, celebrate the birthday of the United States: This holiday is not only called the Fourth of July, but also Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, the people of the American colonies declared their independence from England. Many people, including George Washington, helped the early Americans gain their freedom and independence. Today, Americans celebrate the Fourth of July in different ways. Many families gather to enjoy a special meal outdoors in the warm weather. Some families go to the beach to relax. Some families watch sports such as baseball. And all over America, people watch a beautiful show of fireworks.

Another one of my favorite holidays is Halloween. We celebrate Halloween on the 31st of October. Children all over America love Halloween. They dress up in costumes, looking like ghosts and witches. They ask people for candy and other sweet things to eat. They go to parties and try to scare one another. Even adults love Halloween, because it is a time to dress in costume and pretend to be someone else.

My third favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. We celebrate Thanksgiving on the third Thursday in November. Children do not go to school and adults do not go to work on this special day. Early Americans celebrated Thanksgiving to express their thanks for the fall harvest. Today, we celebrate Thanksgiving to take time to be thankful for all the wonderful things we have, such as family, food, good health and freedom. On Thanksgiving, families gather and enjoy a special meal of turkey, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie. In New York City, there is a special parade with music and dancing. Many Americans watch the Thanksgiving parade on television to make the day special. I have been to the parade and have enjoyed seeing how happy everyone is to celebrate this special day.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. Edward Bellamy was born in the state of New York.

2. Bellamy was from a family of ministers.

3. Before becoming a writer, Bellamy practiced law.

4. Bellamy worked as a journalist and editor and New York and Springtown.

5. By 1885 Bellamy had published five novels and a collection of short stories.

6. Bellamy began to publish non-fiction in 1879.

7. Bellamy’s masterpiece is considered to be Looking Forward.

8. Bellamy’s masterpiece is described as a visionary novel.

9. As a result of Bellamy’s masterpiece, he achieved literary fame.

10. As a result of Bellamy’s masterpiece, he also became known as an important political and economic theorist.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. All of the following holidays are mentioned in the passage except:

A the Fourth of July; 

B Christmas;

C Thanksgiving; 

D Halloween.

12. The Fourth of July commemorates:

A U.S. independence from Spain; 

B U.S. independence from France;

C U.S. independence from England; 

D U.S. independence from all foreign powers.

13. The weather on the Fourth of July is described as:

A cool; 

B hot;

C warm; 

D moderate.

14. America declared its independence in the year:

A 1876; 

B 1772;

C 1676; 

D 1776.

15. Halloween is celebrated on:

A October 31; 

B October 13;

C October 30t; 

D October 3.

16. The speaker mentions that on Halloween children dress up as:

A movie stars; 

B baseball players;

C ghosts and witches; 

D animals.

17. Thanksgiving is celebrated on:

A the first Friday in November; 

B the last Thursday in November;

C the third Thursday in November; 

D the last Tuesday in November.

18. Early Americans celebrated Thanksgiving to express thanks for:

A the winter harvest; 

B the autumn harvest;

C rainfall; 

D peace with their neighbors.

19. The speaker mentions all of the following foods except:

A pumpkin pie; 

B corn;

C sweet potatoes; 

D turkey.

20. In New York City on Thanksgiving there is a special:

A football game; 

B political demonstration;

C parade; 

D fireworks show.

Keys

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

9 FORM

VARIANT 1

TEXT: HISTORY JOKES

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby boy. He dropped his tools and ran to the boy. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s place. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy farmer Fleming had saved.

“I want to repay you”, said the nobleman. “You saved my son’s life”. “No, I can’t accept payment for what I did”, the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family hovel. “Is that your son?” the nobleman asked. “Yes”, the farmer replied proudly. “I’ll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the fellow is anything like his father, he’ll grow to a man you can be proud of”.

And that he did. In time, farmer Fleming’s son graduated from St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the nobleman’s son was close to death from pneumonia. What saved him?

Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son’s name? Sir Winston Churchill

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. The text mainly tells about ordinary events in history.

2. At the beginning of the story, the farmer was bathing in a river.

3. There must have been an accident with a little boy.

4. The action takes place nowadays.

5. The farmer’s children were all girls.

6. The little boy’s father wanted to give the farmer a sum of money.

7. The farmer seemed to know the importance of knowledge.

8. The nobleman’s prediction did not come true.

9. The boy glorified his family name.

10. Sometimes wonderful coincidences happen in life.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. It may be inferred from the text that the Fleming family lived:

A in the south of Great Britain; 

B in the north of Great Britain;

C in the centre of Great Britain; 

D outside Great Britain.

12. The farmer must have been:

A kind and wealthy; 

B noble and proud;

C hardly able to make ends meet; 

D idle and suspicious.

13. One can make a conclusion that the saved boy’s father was:

A a successful farmer; 

B a good hunter;

C an aristocrat; 

D a beggar.

14. The farmer’s son must have been:

A worth pride; 

B a wonder kid;

C a nobleman; 

D from Ireland.

15. The nobleman’s offer was:

A rather stupid; 

B just and generous;

C not worth considering; 

D never accepted.

16. After receiving his education, young Fleming was supposed to:

A work with customers; 

B sell medicines;

C look for criminals; 

D treat patients.

17. Alexander Fleming discovered:

A a penny ceiling; 

B a pan sealing;

C penicillin; 

D pennies while pealing.

18. Fleming’s discovery made him:

A cruel and dangerous; 

B famous worldwide;

C thrilling and exciting; 

D quite boring.

19. The word “sir” before Fleming’s name may mean that he:

A became as noble as Churchill; 

B came from Syracuse;

C performed in a circle; 

D was a sergeant in the British Army.

20. One can infer from the text that:

A the Flemings and the Churchills were close friends;

B Alexander Fleming may not necessarily have seen Winston Churchill after the childhood accident;

C Winston Churchill almost died from the medicines given by Fleming;

D Alexander Fleming was Winston Churchill’s personal doctor.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

9 FORM

VARIANT 2

TEXT

Merle Miller, Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman, New York, Berkley Books, 1974, pp. 266-267.

Interviewer. Mr. President, you said the other day that you decided you were going to run for re-election the first day you were President, in April, 1945, but you didn’t go into any detail about that. What were some of the reasons you decided so soon?

Harry Truman. I always knew that from April, 1945, until January, 1949, what I would really be doing was filling out the fourth term of Roosevelt, who was a great President, but I had some ideas of my own, and in order to carry them out I had to run for re-election and be re-elected, and that is exactly what happened.

Of course I didn’t say I was going to run for quite some time. It didn’t do any harm that I could see to keep people guessing for a while. I knew I’d be able to win, though. I knew that all along.

Interviewer. You knew?

Harry Truman. Of course I knew. I knew the Republicans would come up with somebody like Taft or Dewey, and I knew that the people of the country weren’t ready to turn back the clock — not if they were told the truth, they weren’t.

The only thing was, I had to figure out how to tell them the truth, in what way, and I decided that, the way I’d always campaigned before was by going around talking to people, shaking their hands when I could, and running for President was no different. The only difference was instead of driving to the various communities where people were, I went by train. But otherwise, it was exactly the same experience. I just got on a train and started across the country to tell people what was going on. I wanted to talk to them face to face. I knew that they knew that when you get on the television, you’re wearing a lot of powder and paint that somebody else has put on your face, and you haven’t even combed your own hair. 1

But when you’re standing right there in front of them and talking to them and shaking their hands if it’s possible, then people can tell whether you’re telling them the facts or not.

I spoke I believe altogether to between fifteen and twenty million people. I met them face to face, and I convinced them, and they voted for me.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. Harry S Truman became President in April of 1949.

2. Truman became President after Roosevelt.

3. Truman knew from his first day as President that he wanted to be re-elected.

4. Truman thought Roosevelt was a great President.

5. Truman announced his intentions of running for President from his first day in office.

6. Truman assumed the Republican candidate would be Taft or Eisenhower.

7. Truman’s campaign for President would involve a lot of train travel.

8. Truman wanted to make a lot of television appearances to convince people of his ideas.

9. Truman believes he spoke to between twenty and twenty-five million people.

10. Truman believes people voted for him because he told them the truth.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. Harry S Truman became President in the month of:

A May; 

B October;

C April; 

D September.

12. Truman finished which term of President Roosevelt:

A second term; 

B third term;

C fourth term; 

D none of the above.

13. Truman said he wanted to be President because:

A he wanted to continue to live in the White House;

B he had some ideas of his own;

C he wanted to defeat other nations;

D he wanted to honor the memory of President Roosevelt.

14. The political party that would oppose Truman is called:

A Republicans; 

B Independent;

C Federalist; 

D Social Democrats.

15. When Truman says “the people of the country weren’t ready to turn back the clock”, he means:

A people wanted to work longer hours; 

B people wanted more hours of daylight;

C people did not want to return.to olD government policies; 

D people wanted new ways to tell time,

16. Truman considered his strength to be:

A talking to people in person; 

B speaking to the public via radio;

C making a lot of television appearances; 

D sending representatives to speak for him.

17. Truman uses the phrase “powder and paint” to refer to:

A Truman’s colorful clothing;

B make-up worn while one appears on television;

C his wife’s cosmetic case;

D decoration used on the trains he traveled on.

18. Truman believed that when one speaks to people face to face:

A people cannot tell that you’re lying;

B people like to see what you are wearing;

C people can tell if you’re telling the truth;

D people like to take photos of you.

19. Truman believes that he spoke to:

A between ten and fifteen million people;

B between eight and ten million people;

C between fifteen and twenty million people;

D more than twenty million people.

20. Truman describes himself as:

A compelling;

B convincing;

C conniving;

D congenial.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

9 FORM

VARIANT 3

TEXT

There are certain people who always like to take their vacations in the same place. They return from a vacation and ask themselves, “When can I go back there again?” There are other people who like to go many places. They like to do many different things on their vacations. When they return from a vacation, they ask themselves, “Where can I go next?”

My parents are perfect examples of the first kind of people. They always like to go to the lake in the mountains where they went on their honeymoon. They bought a vacation cabin there several years after they were married. They have gone there two or three times a year for over twenty-five years. My parents have made friends with the people who also own cabins there. They enjoy getting together with them. Both my parents enjoy sailing and swimming and my father likes to go fishing. My parents enjoy variety» but they say they can get variety by going to their cabin at different times of the year. They particularly like to go there in the autumn when the leaves are beautiful.

I am an example of a person who likes to go to different places for her vacation. When I was a child, I went to my parents’ cabin, but when I got older, I wanted to travel to many different places. I spent a lot of time and money learning how to ski, so I wanted to travel to places where I could ski, such as Switzerland. I was interested in visiting historic places, so I went to Angkor Wat in Cambodia even though it was difficult to get there. I would like to go to Egypt because I want to see the pyramids and to Rome to see the Coliseum.

Although I enjoy going to familiar places, I find that going to strange places is more exciting. The world is so huge and exciting that I don’t want to go to the same place twice. Still, I understand my parents’ point of view. They believe that-you can never get to know a place too well.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true; or false.

1. The text mainly tells about travelling to different places.

2. The parents like to spend their holidays in the same city.

3. They have got married recently.

4. The action takes place in a cabin in the mountains.

5. The parents have gone to their cottage two or three times a year for over twenty-five years.

6. Both of the parents enjoy sailing.

7. The author of the text is a man.

8. The author of the text is an experienced traveller.

9. The world is a small place to live in.

10. Yon can never get to know a place too well.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. It may be inferred from the text that the parents always spend their vacation:

A in different places;

C in the same place;

B in many places;

D in popular places.

12. The parents prefer:

A fishing to climbing;

C sailing to swimming;

B climbing to sailing;

D swimming to climbing.

13. One can make a conclusion that the parents are:

A successful people;

C diligent people;

B friendly people;

D cruel people.

14. The parents’ favorite season was:

A spring;

C autumn;

B summer;

D winter.

15. The cabin was bought:

A after the marriage;

C before the marriage;

B after the divorce;

D before the divorce, like:

16. The author of the passage states that the parents

A variety meat;

C variety;

B variety shows;

D variety store.

17. The dream of the author is:

A to visit Cambodia and Egypt;

C to visit Italy and Switzerland;

B to visit Egypt and Italy;

D to visit Switzerland and Cambodia.

18. A lot of money was spent learning how to:

A sky;

B skate;

D ski.

C skid;

19. The pyramids in Egypt were visited:

A by many tourists;

C by the parents;

B by no one;

D by the author.

20. The author of the passage:

A refuses to give the parents’ opinion;

C rejects the parents’ opinion;

B shares the parents’ opinion;

D grasps the meaning of the parents’ opinion.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

9 FORM

VARIANT 4

TEXT: HOW RUTH MADE HISTORY AT OXFORD

Child prodigy Ruth Lawrence made history yesterday when she came a clear first out of the 530 candidates who set the entrance exam for St. Hugh’s College, Oxford. The all-women’s college is likely to offer her a scholarship. Ruth sat three-hour papers — Algebra and Geometry; Calculus, Probability and Statistics; and Maths, Pure and Applied. “I was happy with the first two”, she said yesterday, “but I wasn’t sure about the third”.

Ruth, who lives in Nuddersfield, has never been to school. Her father, Harry Lawrence, a computer consultant, gave up his job when Ruth was five to educate her at home. Her mother, Sylvia, who. also works in computers, is the family breadwinner.

Harry Lawrence explained that, besides Mathematics, Ruth also enjoyed English, History, Geography, nature study and other subjects. She began to read at four and started academic subjects at five. “We did not start off with the thought that she would not go to school”, he said, “but we enjoyed teaching her so much and we seemed to be making quite a good job of it, so we just carried on”.

Because she does not go to school, Ruth has not mixed much with other children. “She enjoyed serious conversation with adults”, her father said, “and I don’t think she will feel out of place at Oxford”. He does not think she works harder than other children of her age, but concentrates on what she enjoys, principally Mathematics. “She watches television a little but not as a habit”, he explained, “but she plays the piano and has quite a wide range of interests”.

If she does well at the St. Hugh’s, Ruth expects to take a further degree and eventually hopes to become a research professor in Mathematics — an ambition she may achieve while still in her teens. The Lawrence family plans to move to Oxford when Ruth takes up her plans to take four A levels to satisfy the college matriculation requirements. Her father hopes she will be exempt from the requirement to pass a foreign language — a “diversion”, he feels, “from her main interest”.

Miss Rachel Trinket, the Principal of St. Hugh’s, said last night: “We are all very excited about Ruth. She is obviously quite brilliant and she shows genuine originality. “Ruth’s future tutor, Dr. Glenys Luke, admits that taking so young a student is a daunting responsibility but says it is one she expects to enjoy. “I shall tailor the teaching to her requirements”, she said. “Ruth should not have to suffer the same tensions and disappointments that older students face. I hope I shall make it fun for her”.

Last night the Lawrence family were thrilled at Ruth’s achievement. “We all jumped up and down a bit when we heard”, said Harry Lawrence. He looks forward to concentrating his efforts on her younger sister Rebecca, seven. “She’s doing very well”, he said, “but it’s too early to tell whether she’s a mathematician”.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. She works harder than other children of her age and concentrates on what she enjoys.

2. Ruth plans to study for a further degree after graduating form St. Hugh’s.

3. Miss Rachel Trinket, the Principal of St. Hugh’s, said the authorities were very excited about Ruth.

4. The Lawrence family may move to Oxford after Ruth’s studies at St. Hugh’s.

5. Ruth always did well at school.

6. Ruth liked socializing with grown ups.

7. It is difficult to predict whether her sister will be a brilliant mathematician.

8. Ruth’s ambition is to become a research professor in Statistics.

9. Ruth’s favourite subject was Mathematics.

10. The all-women’s college is going to give her a scholarship.

11. Her mother’s profession is connected with computers.

12. She began to read mathematical books at three.

13. Harry Lawrence used to be a computer consultant.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

14. She came out first of 530 candidates.

A She came out of St. Hugh’s as the best student.

B She was the first to finish her paper.

C Alphabetically her surname stood first in the list.

D She passed the exams better than other applicants.

15. Ruth will not feel out of place in Oxford.

A Ruth will fit in at the college.

B Ruth won a place at one of Oxford’s colleges by her good results..

C Ruth will not mix well with adult students.

D Ruth will not miss her family in Oxford.

16. Her mother, Sylvia, is the family breadwinner.

A Ruth enjoys home-made bread by Sylvia’s recipe.

B Sylvia works at home to earn money for the family.

C The family’s main income is Sylvia’s salary.

D Ruth’s mother, Sylvia, is a rich person.

17. Her father gave up his job.

A He had to retire because of his health.

B Her father dedicated all his time to educating Ruth.

C The firm where he worked, was broken.

D Ruth’s mother couldn’t stay at home.

18. We didn’t start off with the thought that she wouldn’t go to school.

A The parents just wanted to get Ruth prepared for school.

B The parents knew from the very start that Ruth wouldn’t go to school.

C The parents didn’t begin with teaching Ruth a foreign language.

D The parents didn’t like Ruth to mix with other children.

19. Her father hopes Ruth will be exempt from the requirement to pass a foreign language.

A Her father hopes his daughter will pass an exam in a foreign language well.

B Her father didn’t prepare Ruth for an exam in a foreign language.

C Her father believes Ruth will not have to take an exam in a foreign language.

D Her father expects his daughter will not pass an exam in a foreign language well.

20. The future tutor promised to tailor the teaching to her requirements.

A The Principal of the college changed the academic plan.

B All future students promised to help Ruth.

C The future tutor was going to adapt his methods.

D The future tutor was thinking about Ruth’s requirements.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

9 FORM

VARIANT 5

TEXT

If you could all gather round now, that’s right — can everybody see? Good...Well, now we’ve come to the so called “Nessie” photographs. I’m sure all of you have heard of the Loch Ness monster, or Nessie, as she is more fondly known... but I don’t know if any of you know anything about her history, or — to put it more accurately — the history of her sightings.

Well, if you look at the large photo, you’ll see Loch Ness. Loch is the Scottish word for lake. Loch Ness is a very large and very deep lake situated in the Scottish highlands.

Since 1830 there have been over 3,000 reported sightings of the water beast. And indeed, despite all this, scientists seem to be no nearer to finding out the truth behind the Nessie mystery.

Well, it was in the nineteen thirties that the hunt for Nessie really reached its peak. And during, this period even the British Prime Minister and the Royal Family started to take an active interest in the search. Indeed, to this very day Nessie remains a part of Scotland’s national heritage, regardless of whether or not she actually exists.

Since the 1930’s the search for Nessie has become more and more scientific and hi-tech. Expensive scientific expeditions have been set up to try and get to the bottom of the mystery. One of the most famous sightings of Nessie was in 1963. A farmer called Hugh Ayton told of a large black creature with a long neck emerging out of a lake, with a head shaped like that of a house, with one large eye placed on the top.

However, despite the photographic evidence and the reported sightings nobody has been able to prove 100 percent that Nessie does exist. It’s possible that hunters imagined they saw monsters when in fact they were only boats, birds, or swimming deer. Maybe what they saw was a whale, another sea animal or maybe just a dead tree floating in the water. The more money that is poured into the search, the more uncertainty over the beast’s identity seems to arise...

It has to be said that the Scottish highlanders believe that as many as six Scottish lakes are the homes for other monsters. The most famous lake after Lock Ness has to be Loch Morar where another monster has supposedly been sighted. This “new” monster has been named Morag, so that nowadays Nessie has to share the spotlight.

Maybe one day in the future the truth will finally be known, and the deep, dark lake may finally give up its secrets. But for now we must admit that the Highlanders are right when they say that “there’s many a strange thing in the loch”.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. This text is about the Scottish highlands.

2. This text involves a museum guide talking to a tour group.

3. A lot of people have heard about the Loch Ness monster.

4. Nessie has been seen over 3,000 thousand times.

5. The Loch Ness monster “lives” in Scotland.

6. Since the 1930s, the search for Nessie has become more high tech.

7. One of the most famous “sightings” of Nessie was in 1963.

8. Scientists have been able to prove that Nessie exists.

9. Another monster has been sighted in Loch Ness.

10. Loch Morar, another lake in Scotland, claims to have a monster as well.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. The Loch Ness monster

A is nicknamed Nessie. 

B has been sighted in London.

C has eaten thousands of people. 

D lives in France.

12. A “loch” is more commonly referred to as

A a mountain. 

B a river.

C a lake. 

D a hotel.

13. Loch Ness is located

A outside of London. 

B near the English Channel.

C in Edinburgh. 

D in the Scottish Highlands.

14. During the 1930s

A people stopped looking for Nessie.

B even the Royal Family became involved in the search for Nessie.

C Scotland drained Loch Ness.

D there was a large reward offered for finding Nessie.

15. The tour guide .uses the word heritage to mean

A history. 

B business.

C routine. 

D wealth.

16. A farmer named Hugh Ayton

A bought Loch Ness.

B made fake photographs of the Loch Ness monster.

C claimed to see a large creature coming out of Loch Ness.

D captured the Loch Ness monster.

17. Loch Morar is home to a monster named

A Ronald. 

B Morag.

C Nessie. 

D Hugh.

18. Expeditions to Loch Ness

A cost quite a lot. 

B were more like holiday trips.

C managed to get to the bottom of mystery. 

D have recently ceased.

19. According to the text, what are NOT some of the animals or items that people have seen instead of the Loch Ness monster?

A Boats. 

B Whales.

C Dead trees. 

D Scuba divers.

20. The main idea of this test is that

A many Scottish lakes have monsters.

B it will be very hard to prove that the Loch Ness monster actually exists.

C the Scottish are lying about Nessie to make money.

D the Royal Family wants Nessie to be their pet.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

9 FORM

VARIANT 6

TEXT: THE LADY WITH THE PET DOG (ANTON CHEKHOV)

Make sure you know these words:

Sleighs — санчата, frost — мороз, immerse — занурюватися.

At home in Moscow the winter routine was already established; the stoves were heated, and in the morning it was still dark when the children were having breakfast and getting ready for school, and the nurse would light the lamp for a short time. There were frosts already. When the first snow falls, on the first day the sleighs are out, it is pleasant to see the white earth, the white roofs; one draws easy, delicious breaths, and the season brings back the days of one’s youth. The old limes and birches, white with frost, have a good-natured look; they are closer to one’s heart than cypresses and palms, and near them one no longer wants to think of mountains and the sea.

Gurov, a native of Moscow, arrived there on a fine frosty day, and when he put on his fur coat and warm gloves and took a walk along Perovka, and when on Saturday night he heard the bells ringing, his recent trip and the places he had visited lost all charm for him. Little by little he became immersed in Moscow life, greedily read three newspapers a day, and declared that he did not read the Moscow papers on principle. He already felt a longing for restaurants, clubs, formal dinners, anniversary celebrations, and it flattered him to entertain distinguished lawyers and actors, and to play cards with a professor at the physicians’ club. He could eat a whole portion of meat stewed with pickled cabbage and served in a pan, Moscow style.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. Mother would light the lamp in the mornings.
2. It is easy for one to draw ones breath on the cold winter morning of the first snow.
3. The old limes and birches look dark and gloomy and cause one to long for the mountains and sea.
4. Gurov was a native of Yalta but was living in Moscow during the winter.
5. Gurov walked along Perovka without gloves or hat.
6. Gurov greatly enjoyed reading magazines.
7. Gurov mostly like to read the Moscow newspapers.
8. He dreaded entertaining lawyers and actors.
9. He liked to play cards with a professor at the physicians’ club.
10. He liked his meat and picked cabbage prepared Ukrainian style.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. The winter morning routine in Gurov’s home was:

A start the stove, feed the children breakfast and get them ready for school, light the lamps.

B pump the water, feed the dog, and milk the cows.

C start the stove, feed the chicken, and gather the eggs.

D boil water, feed the chickens, and light the stove.

12. When the first snow falls the:

A children go ice skating. 

B old people hide indoors.

C Sleighs come out! 

D the children throw snowball at each other.

13. This season brings back memories of:

A mother making delicious soups 

B ones youth.

C ones birth 

D pain and bitterness

14. In this season what kind of trees are closer to ones heart?

A fir. 

B small.

C cypress and palms. 

D limes and birches.

15. Where is Gurov from? 

A Moscow. 

B Saint Petersburg.

C Yalta. 

D Kyiv,

16. Hearing the ringing bells caused him to: 

A remember the charm of places recently visited. 

B painfully remember his youth.

C forget the charm of places recently visited. 

D pleasantly, remember his youth.

17.  He preferred to read newspapers from 

A Moscow only. 

B place other than Moscow.

C the USA. 

D Paris, France.

18. He longed for

A his fur coat: and warm gloves. 

B a walk along Perovka Street.

C formal diners. 

D more contact with his wife.

19. He was flattered when he entertained

A the homeless and hungry. 

B little children.

C judges and criminals. 

D lawyers and actors.

20. His favorite dish might be

A stewed meat and pickled cabbage, Moscow style.

B varenyki and salad.

C boiled potatoes and stewed cabbage. 

D pelmeni and bread.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

10 FORM

VARIANT 1

TEXT

Although I am a police officer, I certainly don’t believe that crime control is entirely the responsibility of the police force. I am convinced that prevention is the hey to success and that all of us must work together to prevent crime. Not giving criminals the opportunity is the first step. Make your homes burglar-proof by always locking up, installing an alarm system and putting identification numbers on your valuable items. Make sure your garden and drive are lit up at night, and report any suspicious behaviour immediately. The more unattractive you make your home to burglars, the less likely it is that a crime will take place. The police are here to help you, but you have to help us as well.

As a parent, I believe that young people are the key to crime prevention. Television and films make crime look exciting and romantic, and even modem music glamorizes crime. Of course we can’t control everything our children watch or listen to — it would just make them more rebellious if we tried to. The only way to fight these influences is through education. We must teach young people, both in school and at home — what the realities of a life of crime are, and how becoming involved in crime can ruin a young person’s life. We must also show them by our own behaviour that crime is wrong. A parent who cheats on his or her taxes, for example, cannot expect a child to see criminal activity as something to be avoided.

I know that a lot of the young people in our area are becoming involved in crime, and that a lot of people blame television, the influence of parents and so on. But if you look at the statistics, you will find that most of these young criminals are school-leavers who cannot find jobs. These are young people who are more than willing to lead decent, productive lives given the opportunity. But it is exactly this opportunity which is lacking. If the leaders of our country would spend more money on developing job-training and job-placement programmes for our young people, I believe that crime would decrease dramatically. Of course, education plays a role as well, but I do believe that if young people had a proper occupation they would not be attracted to a life of crime.

Since it’s pretty evident that the government is not going to put more money into crime prevention, it seems obvious that Inhabitants are going to have to do something themselves. Improving the organisation of the Neighbourhood Watch programme would be a good place to start. Cars have been broken into right in front of houses where people were supposed to be on duty. This obviously shouldn’t be happening. What we need is proper training so that we can police pur own neighborhood. Not that I’m suggesting we arm ourselves — more guns lead to more violence in my view — but we do need to be more aware and have a systematic approach to crime prevention if we want to reduce the crime rate.

People keep saying that crime is our responsibility — that if we protect our houses and teach our children properly we can solve the problem. But what about the criminals who are already out there? There obviously aren’t enough police to prevent all the crimes that are going on — and of course we’d be better off if there were more of them — but why are so many known criminals out there committing crimes in the first place? If they were kept locked up longer and given longer prison sentences in the first place, this city would be a much safer place to live. I don’t support the return of the death penalty, but I do believe that criminals should.be punished severely and not just set free to continue committing crimes. Of course I realise that prisons are already overcrowded and expensive to run, but surely it’s a false economy to release prisoners who are obviously not ready or willing to obey the law because more crime will be expensive for the taxpayer too.

After the first reading of the selection, you will answer ten true/false questions on your answer sheet. After the second reading of the selection, you will answer ten multiple variant questions by writing the letter of the best answer on your answer sheet.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. The speaker says that prevention is the best step to take to control crime.

2. The speaker says that parents are not doing enough to control what their children watch on TV.

3. The speaker argues that the government should spend more money to re-train criminals.

4. The speaker seems to feel that criminals are not being given long enough prison terms.

5. The speaker urges adults to tell young people about the serious consequences of being part of a criminal activity.

6. Active neighbourhood groups can make a big difference in preventing crime.

7. The speaker would say that the large number of unemployed Ukrainian school leavers will lead to a rise in crime where they live.

8. The speaker thinks that people who have committed many crimes should be kept in jail for life and not allowed to return to society and commit more crimes.

9. The speaker says that the police cannot prevent crime by themselves; citizens need to be armed and prepared to protect their own property and family.

10. The speaker says that most young people would rather work at a job than commit crimes.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. All of these steps will prevent crime except

A Lighting your yard and driveway; 

B Installing alarms

C Locking doors and windows; 

D peeping an eye on your neighbors

12. According to the speaker, the best things parents can do to prevent crime is

A Join Neighbourhood Watch;

B Set a good example by being honest

C Control the music and television in the home;

D Get. to know the families of your childrens’friends.

13. The biggest problem with Neighbourhood Watch programs is that

A The people who participate aren’t trained;

B Some neighbours are criminals themselves

C People forget to be alert and on guard;

D Sometimes the people in the neighbourhood carry guns.

14. The speaker says that

A The government is not going to help provide jobs for young people;

B The government is not going to provide enough policemen to control crime;

C The government provides training for Neighbourhood Watch groups;

D The government should restore the death penalty for chronic criminals.

15. Which of these best summarizes the speaker’s beliefs?

A Criminals are treated too kindly;

B Fighting crime involves everyone working together;

C The police are the professionals; let them do their job;

D Young people are potentially the greatest criminal threat to society.

16. According to the speaker all of these would prevent crime except

A The death penalty; 

B Job training programs;

C Alarm systems and locks; 

D Parental ounseling of young people.

17. In addition to government funding for programs to help young people find jobs, the speaker says that

A Young people need to get a good education;

B Young people need to become part of the community;

C Neighbours should try to help young people find work;

D Television should be less violent.

18. The speaker says that even if people protect their homes and teach their children how to behave, the public will still be threatened by

A Immigrants arriving in large numbers;

B The glamorous image of crime in movies and TV

C Criminals who have been let out of prison;

D Lack of government funding for the police force.

19. Which of these would be a good alternative title for this selection?

A Fighting crime is complicated; 

B If we work together, we can reduce crime;

C Poor parenting = criminal behavior; 

D The government needs to do more.

20. Which of these proposals does the speaker seem to feel most strongly about?

A Job training and job finding programs for youth;

B Neighbourhood Watch programmes; .

C Longer, more severe prison sentences for criminals;

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

10 FORM

VARIANT 2

TEXT: NATURAL CLASSIC

I’m a very keen reader, but selecting the book with a natural history theme, which has influenced me most was some challenge, until I thought back to my childhood. Then it was easy.

Where the book came from is a mystery, and I have never met anyone who has heard of it. It is Rita Richie’s The Golden Hawks of Genghis Khan. I read it when I was about 10 years old and I re¬member to this day the effect it had on me.

Set in 1218, it is a story of a rich boy whose parents are dead. He is growing up in the splendid city of Samarkand and has a fascination for hawks, those magnificent hunting birds. There is a great deal of mystery surrounding his past, but he is led to believe that a band of Mongols killed his father to steal a rare type of bird the golden hawk. Determined to get these birds back, he runs away from Samarkand and joins a group of people travelling to the country of Mongolia. What follows is a grand adventure centred on thé city of Karakorum, where the great Mongol chief Genghis Khan was then based.

The book combines adventure, mystery, honour, friendship, danger, suffering all seen through the eyes of the young hero, Jalair. I still find this fantasy a thrilling read. Jalair’s great love for the birds was enviable and inspiring. But most of all it was the sense of place that stayed with me. The book gives the reader an idea of the vast open spaces of central Asia and its huge skies, without the use of the long descriptive passages that would bore a child. There are no boundaries. The emptiness of the Gobi Desert, the Tian Shan mountains and the excitement of riding through forests and over rolling hills fascinated me.              .

The book gave me more than hawks, horses and a desire for wild places. It also gave me a set of values. The Mongols in The Golden Hawks were totally uninterested in possessions, a characteristic that is absolutely essential for people who spent their lives travelling from place to place. They were never mean. Generosity, good will and optimism were highly valued, hard work was enjoyed and the rest was pure fun. They simply loved life.

Two years ago, I fulfilled a lifelong ambition and went riding in Mongolia’s mountains. I was not disappointed.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. The author hasn’t read a good history book for a long time.

2. The book the author is telling about was borrowed from a library.

3. The main character of the book is Genghis Khan.

4. The action takes place in the 13th century.

5. Jalair is an orphan.

6. Mongols take the boy as prisoner..

7. The Mongols’ chief is dead at the beginning of the story.

8. Jalair’s father’s nickname was Golden Hawk.

9. The boy is eager to find those who killed his father.

10. The book was interesting to read because it had a lot of pictures in it •

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. One can make a conclusion that the writer:

A is an educated person; 

B can hardly read;

C has always been fond of nothing but history;

D is an experienced traveller.

12. The city where the boy lived was probably:

A like slums; 

B a wonderful place to live;

C the capital city of Mongols; 

D the place for training hunting birds.

13. One can make a conclusion that the boy’s father was:

A a successful businessman; 

B a good hunter;

C a Mongol; 

D a beggar.

14. Jalair seems to:

A be a promising traveller; 

B become a merchant in future;

C follow in his father’s footsteps; 

D be a relative of Genghis Khan.

15. The geographical name NOT mentioned in the text is:

A Karakorum; 

B Gobi;

C Tian Shan; 

D Everest.

16. Jalair is trying to get to:

A the heart of Mongolia;

B Asia;

C Mongolia’s mountains;

D Samarkand.

17. The book most probably was written:

A with a lot of facts and details;

B in a pretty simple language;

C in Mongolia;

D by an eyewitness.

18. Jalair’s travel must have been:

A hard and dangerous;

B extremely boring;

C thrilling and exciting;

D quite simple.

19. The Mongols in the book:

A are strong and merciless warriors;

B differ from the traditional image;

C are keen on collecting valuables;

D have no positive features at all.

20. Which of the following is NOT true about the writer?

A She has not regretted going to Mongolia;

B she is an unemotional person;

C she was able to realize her old dream;

D she knows how to handle a horse.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

10 FORM

VARIANT 3

TEXT

From “Global Warming Threatens to Kill Off a Million Species” by Paul Brown, The Guardian Weekly

The changing climate over the next 50 years is expected to drive a quarter of land animals and plants into extinction, according to the first comprehensive study into the effect of higher temperatures on the natural world. The scale of the disaster facing the planet shocked those involved in the research. They estimate that more than 1 million species will be lost by 2050.

The results are described as “terrifying” by Chris Thomas, professor of conservation biology at Leeds University, who is lead author of the research from four continents published last week in the magazine Nature. Much of that loss — more than one in 10 of all plants and animals, is already irreversible because of the extra global warming gases already discharged into the atmosphere. But the scientists say that action to curb greenhouse gases now could save many more. It took two years for the largest global collaboration of experts to make the first major assessment of the effect of climate change on six biologically rich regions of the world taking in 20 % of the land surface. The research in Europe, Australia, Central and South America, and South Africa, showed that species living in mountainous areas had a greater chance of survival because they could move uphill to get cooler.

Professor Thomas said: “When scientists set about research they hope to come up with definite results, but what we found we wish we had not. It was far, far worse than we thought, and what we have discovered may even be an underestimate”.

Among the more startling findings of the, scientists was that of 24 species of butterfly studied in Australia, all but three would disappear in much of their current range, and half would become extinct.

In South Africa, major conservation areas such as Kruger National Park risked losing up to 60 % of the species under their protection, while of 300 South African plant species studied, more than one third were expected to die out, including the national flower, the King Protea.

In the Cerrado region of Brazil which covers one fifth of the country, a study of 163 tree species showed that up to 70 would become extinct. Many of the plants and trees that exist in this savannah occur nowhere else in the world. In Europe, the continent least affected by climate change, survival rates were better.

Studies in Mexico’s Chihuahuan desert confirmed that on flatter land extinction was more likely because a small change in climate would require migrations over vast distances for survival. One third of 1,870 species examined would be in trouble.

So many species are already destined for extinction because it takes at least 25 years for the greenhouse effect — or the trapping of the sun’s rays by the carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide — to have its full effect on the planet. The continuous discharge of more greenhouse gases, particularly by the United States and European nations, is making matters worse. The research says that, if mankind continues to burn oil, coal, and gas at the current rate, up to one third of all life forms will be doomed by 2050.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. Professor Thomas thinks the research may be worse than predicted.

2. Brazil will not be affected by the loss of species.

3. The greenhouse effect is necessary to keep plants and animals alive.

4. 40 % of all land animals will become extinct by 2050.

5. The loss of plants and animals is primarily due to global warming gases.

6. It is already too late to save some species.

7. Europe will lose the most plant and animal species.

8. Professor Thomas indicated that he and the other scientists were happy about their findings.

9. Flatter land will experience higher extinction rates.

10. The national flower of South Africa is predicted to become extinct.                                                                   Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. Why is the loss of more than 10 % of all plants and animals described as irreversible?

A It is impossible to prevent the greenhouse effect.

B The gases that will kill these species have already been discharged into the atmosphere.

C It took two years for the scientists to make their assessment. .

D The species are already gone.                                                                                                                                       12.              Why do species living in mountainous areas have a greater chance of survival?

A The air is cooler.

B They can move to where the air is cooler.

C There are fewer species in mountainous areas.

D Mountains will protect the animals from predators.                                                                                                              13.              Which sentence best describes how Professor Thomas feels about the results of the research?

A He is disappointed. 

B He is optimistic.

C He is lethargic. 

D He is satisfied.

14. What will happen to the national flower of South Africa?

A It will be conserved in the Kruger National Park.

B It will be protected.

C It will become extinct.

D It will grow in South America.

15. What is the greenhouse effect?

A The continuous discharge of greenhouse gases.

B The trapping of the sun’s rays by carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous gas.

C The burning of oil, coal and gas.

D The increase of global temperature.                                                                                                                              16.              Why is Europe expected to have greater survival rates?

A The continent is less affected by changes in climate.

B There are fewer species of plants and animals.

C Europeans are working to decrease greenhouse gases.

D European animals will move to Asia.                                                                                                                             17.              What contributes to the greenhouse effect?

A The loss of plant species. 

B Climate change.

C The melting of the polar ice caps. 

D The burning of oil, coal and gas.

18. What best describes the main idea of the article?

A Many butterflies will soon become extinct

B Global sea levels will soon rise caused by climate change.

C Our planet will lose many species of land animals and plants.

D Plants and animals in the water face extinction.                                                                                                           19.              What do scientists predict will happen to species in flat areas?

A They will be forced to migrate. 

B They will adapt to the climate change.

C They will be safe from climate change. 

D They will live in mountainous areas.                                                                                                          20.              The loss of more than 1 in 10 of all plants and animals is...

A irreversible.      B reversible.      C unexpected. 

D impossible.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

10 FORM

VARIANT 4

Read the selection once, then let the pupils read the 10 true/false questions, then read the selection a second time and then give the pupils the ten multiple variant questions. Remember, this is a listening test. Do not give the pupils the text to read to themselves - they must get all the information from listening!

The technology of the North American colonies did not differ strikingly from that of Europe, but in one respect, the colonists enjoyed a great advantage. Especially by comparison with Britain, Americans had a wonderfully plentiful supply of wood.

The first colonists did not, as many people imagine, find an entire continent covered by a climax forest. Even along the Atlantic seaboard, the forest was broken at many points. Nevertheless, there was an abundant supply of fine trees of all types, and through the early colonial period, those who pushed westward encountered new forests. By the end of the colonial era, the price of wood had risen slightly in eastern cities, but wood was still readily available.

The availability of wood brought advantages that have seldom been appreciated. Wood was a foundation of the economy. Houses and all manner of buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain. Secondly, wood was used as a fuel for heating and cooking. Thirdly, it was used as the source of important industrial compounds, such as potash, an industrial alkali; charcoal, a component of gunpowder; and tannic acid, used for tanning leather.

The supply of wood conferred advantages, but had some negative aspects as well. Iron at that time was produced by heating iron ore with charcoal. Because Britain was so stripped of trees, she was un¬able to exploit her rich iron mines. But the American colonies had both iron ore and wood; iron pro¬duction was encouraged and became successful. Britain had to abandon the charcoal method and went on to develop coke smelting. The colonies did not follow suit because they had plenty of wood and, besides, charcoal iron was stronger than coke iron. Coke smelting led to technological innovations and was linked to the emergence of the Industrial Revolution. The former colonies lagged behind Britain in industrial development because their supply of wood led them to cling to charcoal iron.

Task 1. For each of the questions 1-10 decide which of the statements are true or false on the basis of what is stated or implied in what you have heard and put a "+" if a statement is true and a if a statement is false next to the corresponding number.

1. The passage mainly describes the first British colonies in North America.
2. The technological development in Britain was higher than in the North American colonies.
3. The first colonists found the entire continent covered by forest.
4. The price of wood went up in the eastern cities.
5. Wood was a foundation of the British economy.
6. Potash was a component of gunpowder.
7. The abundant supply of wood had some negative aspects.
8. Britain had both wood and iron ore.
9. Coke iron was better than charcoal iron.
10. Technological innovations in Britain were caused by the demand for iron ore.                                                Task 2. For each of the questions 11-20 decide which of the answers (a, b, c or d) best complete the statements on the basis of what is stated or implied in what you have heard and mark the corresponding letter.
11. One can make a conclusion that the colonists enjoyed a great:

A holiday; 

B benefit;

C disadvantage; 

D fame.

12. Through the early colonial period the supply of wood was:

A scarce; 

B profuse;

C bounty; 

D interlude.

13. In the end of the colonial era wood was still:

A on hand; 

B on make;

C onsite; 

D on demand.

14. The availability of wood brought advantages that have seldom been:

A valued; 

B considered;

C apprehended; 

D regarded.

15. The word “manner” in line 10 is most likely to mean:

A mode; 

B method;

C approach; 

D style.

16. Houses in the colonies were made of wood to a degree ... in Britain.

A unspecified; 

B useless;

C unheard of; 

D mysterious.

17. To produce gunpowder you need:

A alkali; 

B acid;

C coal; 

D potash.

18. The supply of wood had some negative aspects such as:

A stagnation; 

B water pollution;

C iron ore deficit; 

D redundancy.

19. Britain had to abandon the charcoal method and went on to develop:

A smoke smelting; 

B snow melting;

C cow smelling; 

D coke smelting.

20. The industrial development in Britain was caused by:

A conquest of firewood; 

B altered form of wood;

C shortage of timber; 

D abundance of lumber.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

10 FORM

VARIANT 5

TEXT

The term “artificial intelligence” was first used by Professor John McCarthy in 1956. However, the idea of creating “thinking machines” appears over and over again throughout history. In the 3rd century BC, a Chinese engineer called Mo Ti made mechanical birds, dragons and soldiers and much later, in 18th century Europe, the nobility were delighted by mechanical figures which moved by clockwork. It seemed that making machines that moved and looked like human beings was easy: the difficult part would be to create a machine that could think like a human being.

When computers appeared in the 1950s, many people thought that it would not be long before these impressive machines started talking, thinking for themselves and taking over the world. People predicted all kinds of things, from robot servants to computerized houses. None of it happened. Despite the billions of dollars and years of research given to developing artificial intelligence, computers are still unable to hold a normal conversation with a human being. In fact, although computers today can process information thousands of times faster than they could fifty years ago, they are only two or three times better at using human language than they were back then. In addition, the huge increase in computer use has proved that today’s computers, with their windows, mice, icons and commands, do not operate in the same way as the human brain. If this were not true, there would be no need for the thousands of tech support staff employed by call centres.

The trouble is that, even though computers can turn speech into text, recognise objects by using cameras, search through endless amounts of data and even use robot mechanisms to move like human beings, they are unable to put all these abilities together and actually think and function like human beings. One of the reasons for this is that scientists still do not know much about how the human brain works, so it is impossible to program computers to copy the brain’s processes. As for language, there is not much hope of computers ever being able to chat with human beings. Human language is complex and does not follow clear enough rules for computers to understand. A machine may be able to work out the grammar of a sentence, but it still cannot understand its meaning. It looks like the science fiction fans who dream of robots which look and act just like us had better keep on dreaming.

Task 1. Mark the sentences as true or false.

1. It is not very difficult to create a human-looking machine.

2. Mechanical birds and soldiers appeared in 18th century Europe.

3. In the 1950s people believed that robots would take over the world.

4. According to the text a lot of money has been spent in vain so far.

5. Artificial intelligence cannot ensure chattering to human beings yet.

6. Modem computers are based on the same principles as the human brain.

7. Today computers cannot think for themselves.

8. The greatest success has been increasing the speed of processing information.

9. Abilities to walk and talk are successfully imitated by modern computers.

10. Dreams of science fiction fans have been realized.                                                                                                 Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. According to the text, people have been trying to create thinking machines

A since the third century BC. 

B since the 1950s.

C since the 18th century. 

D since history began.

12. In the 18th century, mechanical figures

A were operated by engines. 

B amused wealthy people,

C were difficult to make. 

D could be used as clocks.

13. People expected computers to be able to talk because

A they were very expensive. 

B they were impressed by computers,

C they were afraid of silent mechanical servants.

D believed in computerized houses.

14. Fifty years ago, computers were

A thousand of times worse at using human language.

B two or three times slower at processing information

C thousand of times slower at processing information.

D two or three times worse at understanding human language.

15. We need technical support staff because

A today’s computers have icons and mice.

B so many people use computers these days .

C computers and people do not work in the same way.

D we have so many call centres these days.

16. Computers cannot think like human beings because

A scientists can’t program them to do so.

B we do not know enough about the human brain.

C computers can’t copy human thought processes.

D computers do not have robot mechanisms.                                                                                                                 17.              Computers cannot use human language because

A they do not understand different grammar structures.

B humans speak with different accents.

C they cannot work out what sentences mean.

D humans don’t want to chat with computers.                                                                                                               18.              What was NOT mentioned about computers is that they

A can look for specific information. 

B can turn a written text into speech.

C can use optical recognition. 

D can process data fast.                                                                                                                                                    19.              We cannot use computers to

A model human thinking processes.  B create moving machines.

C translate separate words.        D find specific information.                                                                                         20.              According to the text, the ability of computers to talk is

A quite possible.  B rather doubtful.  C taken for granted.  D never spoken about.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

10 FORM

VARIANT 6

TEXT

The pervasiveness of belief in the supernatural and paranormal may seem odd in an age of science. But ours is also an age of anxiety, a time of economic distress and social anomie, as citizens of a mobile society are repeatedly uprooted from family and friends. Historically, such times have been marked by a surge in belief in astrology, ESP and other paranormal phenomena, spurred in part by a desperate yearning to feel a sense of control in a world spinning out of control. A study reported a few weeks ago in the journal Science found that people asked to recall a time when they felt a loss of control saw more patterns in random noise, perceived more conspiracies in stories they read and imagined illusory correlations in financial markets than people who were not reminded that events

are sometimes beyond their control. “In the absence of perceived control, people become susceptible to detecting patterns in an effort to regain some sense of organization”, says psychology researcher Bruce Hood of the University of Bristol, whose upcoming book “Supersense: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable” explores the mental processes behind belief in the paranormal. “No wonder those stock market traders are clutching their rabbit’s feet” — or that psychics seem to be rivaling reality stars for TV hegemony (“Medium”, “Psychic Kids”, “Lost” and the new “Fringe” and “Eleventh Hour”). Just as great religious awakenings have coincided with tumultuous eras, so belief in the paranormal also becomes much more prevalent during social and political turmoil. Such events, “lead the mind to look for explanations”, says Michael Shermer, president of the Skeptics Society and author of the 1997 book “Why People Believe Weird Things”. “The mind often takes a turn toward the supernatural and paranormal”, which offer the comfort that benign beings are watching over you (angels), or that you will always be connected to a larger reality beyond the woes of this world (ghosts).

As science replaces the supernatural with the natural, explaining everything from thunder and lightning to the formation of planets, many people seek another source of mystery and wonder in the world. People can get that from belief in several paranormal phenomena, but none more so than thinking they were abducted by aliens. When Susan Clancy was a graduate student in psychology at Harvard University, she was struck by how ordinary the “abductees” she was studying seemed. They were respectable, job-holding, functioning members of society, normal except for their belief that short beings with big eyes once scooped them up and took them to a spaceship.

Some 40 percent of Americans believe it’s possible that aliens have grabbed some of us, polls show, compared with 25 percent in the 1980s. What makes abductees stand out is something so common, it’s a wonder there aren’t more of them: an inability to think scientifically. The scientific principle that the simplest explanation is most likely to be right is, well, alien to abductees. But again, an inability to think scientifically is exceedingly common. We are more irrational than we are rational: emotions drive voting behavior more strongly than analysis of candidates’ records and positions does. The universal human need to find meaning and purpose in life is stronger and more basic than any attachment to empiricism, logic or objective reality.

Task 1. Mark the statements below as true or false.

1. During difficult times, people believe less strongly in paranormal events.

2. Loss of control is one of the reasons people believe in paranormal events.

3. The study referenced in the text was published in the journal Paranormal Events.

4. Researcher Bruce Hood tries to explore psychological basis for belief in the paranormal.

5. The article references stock market traders clutching fox feet for good luck.

6. Ghosts offer some people comfort.

7. Michael Shermer described religious awakenings in his book.

8. The inability to think scientifically is rare.

9. We are more rational than we are irrational.

10. According to the text, humans seldom feel the need to find purpose in life.

Task 2. Questions 11 through 20 (on your answer sheet circle the correct letter A, B, C, or D).

11. The article claims that in modern world mobility of citizens

A tells on family ties. 

B is understood as inevitable.

C lets people learn more. 

D helps people to make friends.

12. Times of economic distress are marked by an increase in people...

A working for financial security. 

B joining some organization.

C seeking a lost sense of control. 

D none of the above.

13. People who have felt a loss of control in their lives tend to...

A see more patterns in random noise. 

B perceive more conspiracies in stories.

C imagine odd connections in financial markets.

D All of the above.

14. Researcher Bruce Hood’s upcoming book is called...

A Medium.

B Why People Believe Weird Things.

C Fringe.

D Supersense: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable.

15. Which of the following are described as benign beings?

A ghosts 

B demons

C angels 

D aliens

16. According to the text people that believe in alien abductions 

A are more susceptible. 

B are common citizens.

C are not educated enough. 

D are not religious.

17. Television psychics are rivaling reality TV stars for all of the following EXCEPT:

A screen time 

B power

C accountability 

D popularity

18. The author most likely thinks the supernatural is...

A irrelevant in today’s world. 

B an important part of a society.

C a psychological response to unsettling times.

D a conspiracy theory.

19. The reading described all of the following EXCEPT:

A belief in the paranormal. 

B TV shows about the paranormal.

C a connection between times of economic distress and the paranormal.

D alien abductions.

20. The main idea of this text is...

A angels and ghosts have not been confirmed as existent phenomena.

B economic distress leads to increased acceptance for supernatural occurrences.

C many people seek other sources of mystery and wonder in the world.

D all of the above.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

10 FORM

VARIANT 7

TEXT: DAY OF THE SWALLOWS ESTELLA PORTILLO
Act I, Scene I

Josefa’s sitting room: it is a usually beautiful room, very feminine and done in good taste. The profusion of lace gives the room a delicate, ephemeral appearance. The lace pieces are lovely: needlepoint, hairpin, limerick, the work of patience and love. Upstage left is a large bay window; from it, one can view a large tree with a birdhouse of unusual size and shape, an orb that can accommodate a great number of birds. The room faces south, so it is flooded with light, which causes the lace to seem to melt into a peaceful serenity. To the right is a door leading to the kitchen; there is another door leading to the bedroom. Downstage left is a door leading to the outside.

When the curtain rises, Alysea is sitting on the floor. It is before dawn, but a minute or so after the curtain rises, light begins to fill the room. Alysea is cleaning the sitting room carpet, an unusual task for this hour. Next to her is a pail. She uses a piece of cloth with quick frantic movements, rinses, and continues the rubbing of the carpet. After a while, she looks at the cloth in her hand almost in trance, then with a growing horror. She drops it, raising herself to her knees; she stares at it, and then covers her face with her hands. She sits back on the floor leaning her head against a chair, looking helpless and lost. She is sobbing quietly. After a while, she stares at the new streaming light from the window, feline its warmth as a comfort. The sound of a milk bell interrupts the silence. When she hears it, she jumps up, looks desperately about the room, wipes the traces of tears from her eyes and goes to the window and looks out.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. Josefa’s room was unusually plain.

2. There was lace everywhere.

3. From the large window one can view much of nature.

4. The room faces the east and is flooded with light.

5. Alysea is sitting in an old chair as the curtain rises.

6. She is cleaning a stain on the carpet.

7. Her movements to clean the carpet are slow and deliberate.

8. The light from the window gives her warmth and comfort.

9. The doorbell interrupts her morning silence.

10. When she hears the bell she hides behind the chair.

Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. The type of fabric used in the room gives it a … .

A delicate, ephemeral appearance.

B cluttered appearance.

C cold and dreary appearance.

D frightening appearance.

12. What lace that are there show —

A little care for beauty?

B poor craftsmanship?

C the work of patience and love?

D great wear?

13. From the large bay window one can view ... .

A a busy street.

B a large tree with many birds.

C an empty courtyard.

D the wall of the building next door.

14. The light that enters the room causes the lace to seem to ....

A catch fire. 

B disappear.

C melt into serenity. 

D look dirty.

15. The doors leading from the room go to ... .

A kitchen. 

B bedroom.

C outside. 

D all the above.

16. It was ... for Alysea to clean the carpet at this hour.

A usual. 

B unusual.

C not uncommon. 

D common.

17. Next to Alysea is a ... .

A pail. 

B potted plant.

C stack of books. 

D pale.

18. After staring at the cloth in her hand for a while she ... .

A wipes her face with it.

B blows her nose on it.

C drops it and runs from the room crying.

D drops it and covers her face with her hands.

19. The warm morning light from the window seems to give her... .

A watery eyes. 

B stomach pains.

C anxiety attacks. 

D comfort.

20. When she hears the bell she ... .

A goes to the window to look out. 

B hides.

C begins crying again. 

D lays down on the floor.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

11 FORM

VARIANT 1

TEXT: INTO ORBIT

Seven years ago Ewan McGregor was still at drama school. Now he’s the leading British actor of his generation. Set for inter-galactic fame in the new Star Wars Trilogy, he is a modest man with the world at his feet. His first professional acting job was as an Indian in the film A Passage to India where immediately he says, “I knew where I wanted to be”.

So how do you audition for Star Wars, one of the biggest, most popular phenomena in Hollywood history? “That was really scary”. Ewan McGregor beams with real enthusiasm. “I was more nervous than I have been for a long time. Sitting there, feeling really scared again. It was brilliant!” While every aspiring young actor and agent in Hollywood was competing for a part, McGregor simply met the casting agent, talked to director George Lucas and did a screen test.

Playing pool in a pub in Galway, he sounds as casual as you like, sauntering round the table with his trademark cocky grin. Bob Marley sings “Don’t worry “bout a thing” — Ewan’s selection from the jukebox; and it could just about sum up his life right now. “It’s all going so unbelievably well”, he admits, “you start to worry something really terrible’s going to happen”.

The Star Wars project was so shrouded in secrecy, McGregor wasn’t allowed to tell anyone, except his parents and his wife, Eve. “I was on the set of Velvet Goldmine when I found out — my first day’s filming! So all day I walked around going like this (biting his fist, eyes wide with delight). God knows what everyone thought. I was so excited about. I couldn’t even tell my brother “cos I knew he’s just tell all his mates”.

Arriving at the pub, McGregor is fresh-faced and enormously good-natured, seemingly unburdened by the pressures of fame and full of confidence. He wanted to be an actor from the age of nine, when he started to idolise his uncle, Local Hero actor Denis Lawson (who also had small parts in the three original Star Wars movies) and has pursued his dream since then with almost manic enthusiasm, probably ruthless determination, and more than a hint of arrogance. “It just didn’t even enter my head that it wouldn’t work out”.

Evidently he was so keen on acting that even his parents, who were teachers, gave him their blessings to leave school at 16. “I didn’t hate school”, he explains”. I just didn’t get it. I just remember not liking many of the teachers. They said I had attitude problems”.

He grew up in Grieff, in Perth, with an adventurous childhood, “kicking around in the countryside, riding horses every weekend”. Never fond of sports, he would spend Saturday afternoons lying on the carpet in front of the TV, watching black and white movies. This might account for the old-fashioned romantic qualities he can bring to roles in such films as Emma, Scarlet and Black and A Life Less Ordinary.

Ask people who have worked with him how his success has been so meteoric, and rather than mention his talent first of all, they tend to talk about his energy, eagerness and above all, his charm. The directors of two forthcoming releases, Todd Haynes (Velvet Goldmine) and James Deardon (Rogue Trader), both say they were struck by the enormous enthusiasm and commitment he brings to his roles. “He gives 100 per cent in every take”, says Haynes. “He gave us some unbelievably strenuous performances”. Deardon says McGregor is not the kind of actor who’ll be chatting away to the crew or cast before a take, and then just carry on with what he was saying afterwards. “No, he’s very, very involved with the part. He’d obviously thought about it a great deal. You can see that at each point, in each scene, he knows exactly where he wants to be. He’s a very dynamic and instinctive actor”.

Another thing people remark upon is just how likeable Ewan McGregor is. He combines an eager-ness, energy and fierce friendliness with the sort of sharp sarcasm that you see in Trainspotting and Shallow Grave, which prevents him from seeming too full of himself. He never seems to stop smiling, a particularly rare quality to find in actors these days.

He has already settled down into domesticity with his production designer wife, Eve Mavrakis, who he met on the set of Kavanagh QC, and their two-year old daughter Clara, who he describes as “Something else. I love her to bits. People ask how I manage to combine a family life and a career but I don’t look at it that way. My family and career are my life. They’re not separate”.

Task 1. Mark sentences as true or false.

1. The actor described in this passage is appearing in his first role in the Star Wars trilogy.

2. In this interview, the actor is relaxing with the interviewer in a bar in Ireland.

3. The actor won his role in the Star Wars movies by talking with the director.

4. The actor remembers learning he had gotten the part and telling everyone he could find.

5. The actor has found the love of his life but is not yet married.

6. The actor had a major role in the movie “Moulin Rouge” with Nicole Kidman.

7. The actor left school before graduation, even though his parents were teachers.

8. Two directors say that the actor’s best quality is his great commitment to doing a part.

9. The interviewer says that the actor is unusually serious and thoughtful*

10. The actor got his role in Star Wars because he has a famous acting relative who was already in the cast of the movie.                                                                                                                                                                       Task 2. Choose the correct variant.

11. Based on this interview, you could reasonably assume that Ewan McGregor is

A a university graduate; 

B a Scot;

C fond of playing football and rugby; 

D a fan of rock music

12. Two directors who have worked with Ewan say that he

A gives his all to every scene;

B can finish a scene and go right on chatting with his colleagues

C spends much of his time helping other young actors to succeed;

D is deeply committed to his family                                                                                                                                  13.              All of these movies are mentioned except

A A Passage to India; 

B Trainspotting;

C Pride and Prejudice; 

D Velvet Goldmine

14. Ewan McGregor became a huge star

A while still in drama school;

B with his first screen role

C after many roles in small movies;

D after working with his uncle in Local Hero.

15. The author says that Ewan McGregor may have gotten his romantic qualities as an actor from

A watching his parents’ relationship; 

B his interest in old movies

C studying at drama school; 

D his relationship with Eve Mavrakis

16. The interviewer says that Ewan McGregor is all of these except

A arrogant; B charming;

C sarcastic; D energetic

17. Ewan McGregor shows his personality to the interviewer by his choice of

A wife; 

B adventure roles in movies;

C music on the jukebox; 

D Guinness Ale

18. All of these statements about Ewan McGregor are true except

A he has wanted to be an actor since he was very young;

B he can be sharply sarcastic

C he has a warm smile and a charming manner;

D he plays Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies

19. In the interview, Ewan says

A his family comes first;

B he owes a huge debt to his actor uncle

C George Lucas is a genius;

D he has always believed he would be successful

20. Describing his audition for “Star Wars”, Ewan says that

A he enjoyed being nervous and scared again;

B he worried that he was too young for the part

C he enjoyed chatting with the director of the film;

D he had to miss a day’s work on another movie

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

11 FORM

VARIANT 2

TEXT: SHOW ME THE WAY TO GO HOME

Unexpected numbers of young adults are living with their parents. This fact is becoming abundantly familiar as American parents are forced to make room for their adult children. There is a naive notion that children grow up and leave home when they are 18, and the truth is far from that. Today, 59 % of men and 47 % of women between 18 and 24 depend on their parents for housing in this or that way and this is part of a major shift in the middle class.

Analysts cite a variety of reasons for this return to the nest. The marriage age is rising, a condition that makes home and its amenities particularly attractive to young people. A high divorce rate and a declining remarriage rate are sending economically pressed and emotionally battered survivors back to parental shelters. For some, the expense of an away-from-home college has become so exorbitant that many students now attend local schools. Even after graduation young people find their wings clipped by skyrocketing housing costs.

Sharing the family home requires adjustments for all. There are the hassles over bathrooms, telephones, and privacy. Some families, however, manage the delicate balancing act.

Still, most psychologists feel lengthy homecomings are a mistake. Offspring, struggling to establish separate identities, can wind up with a sense of inadequacy, defeat, and failure. And aging parents who should be enjoying some financial and personal freedom, find themselves bogged down with responsibilities. Living with children of any age involves compromise and obligation, factors that can be detrimental to some aspects of wellbeing. All children, even adult children, require accommodation and create stress.

Brief visits, however, can work beneficially. They may make parents and their children much closer to each other without being a burden for either part.