Тренажер з читання для здобувачів освіти 8 класу.

ТРЕНАЖЕР З ЧИТАННЯ

READING (the 8-th form)

Text 1

Most people would say that the world's tallest mountain is Mount Everest. This mountain in the Himalayas is just over 29,000 feet high.

However, if mountains are measured a little bit differently, then the tall­est mountain on Earth is Mauna Kea, in the Hawaiian Islands. Mauna Kea is only about 14,000 feet above sea level, so in comparison to Mount Everest it just does not look anywhere near as high as Mount Everest to a person standing at sea level.

Mauna Kea, however, does not begin at sea level. It rises from an ocean floor that is more than 16,000 feet below the surface of the water. This mountain there­fore measures more than 30,000 feet from its base to its top, making it a higher mountain than Mount Everest.

Statements

1. The main idea of the passage is that...

1.     Mount Everest is the world's tallest mountain;
2.     Mount Everest and Mauna Kea are located in different parts of the world;
3.     Mauna Kea's base is below sea level;
4.     Mauna Kea could be considered the tallest mountain in the world.

2. The word "just" in line 2 could best be replaced by ...
a) noticeably; b)   soon;

c) barely; d)   recently.

a) 14,000 feet; b)   16,000 feet;

c) 9,000 feet; d)   30,000 feet.

1.     people do not want to look at it;
2.    part of Mauna Kea is underwater;
3.     Mount Everest has more snow;
4.    Mauna Kea is in a different part of the world than Mount Everest.

5. The word "floor" in line 8 could best be replaced by ...
a) carpet; b)   bottom;

c) roof; d)   water.

6. The passage indicates that Mauna Kea ...

1.     measures 16,000 feet from top to bottom;
2.     is completely covered with water;
3.     is more than half covered by water;
4.     is 1,000 feet shorter than Mount Everest.

Text 2

From the start of his career as a writer, Mark Twain was fascinated with inven­tions. As a result, he chose to spend much of his available income on various types of inventions, generally without much success. By 1887, the 49-year-old author had invested most of his money in one project, the Paige typesetting machine.

Twain expected the Paige machine to be completed in 1889. Unfortunately, the machine was never completely finished, and by the early 1890s Twain knew he was in a serious financial situation. He worked hard to take care of his problems by producing a number of books in a row. He wrote “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court” (1892), “An American Claimant” (1892), “Tom Sawyer Abroad” (1893), and “Pudd'nhead Wilson” (1894). However, all of this work did not solve his financial problems, and he was forced to declare bankruptcy.

Questions

1. This passage mainly discusses how an author...

a)   invested poorly in inventions; b)   wrote so many books;

c)   created his famous works;   d)   created a successful invention.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the Paige machine was ...
a)  created by Twain;   b)   ready in the 1890s;

c)   close to being completed;          d)   great success.

 3. According to the passage, what interested Mark Twain?
a) Giving investment advice;   b)   work as a typesetter;

 c) the world of banking;   d)   new ideas and products.

 4. Where was the majority of Twain's money in 1887?

 a) In a bank account;   b) invested in various inventions;

 c) invested in one invention;   d) invested in his writings.

 5. Look at the expression "in a row" in paragraph 2. This expression could best be replaced by …

 a) one after another;   b) very quickly;

 c) on time;   d) in a straight line.

 6. According to the passage, how many books did Twain write in the two-year

period starting in 1892?

  a) One; b)   two;

  c) three; d)   four.

Text 3

Lincoln's now famous Gettysburg Address was not, on the occasion of its delivery, recognized as the masterpiece that it is today. Lincoln was not even the primary speaker at the ceremonies, held at the height of the Civil War in 1863, to dedicate the battlefield at Gettysburg. The main speaker was orator Edward Everett, whose two-hour speech was followed by Lincoln's much shorter remarks. Lincoln began his small portion of the program with the words that today are immediately recognized by most Americans: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal". At the time of the speech, little notice was given to what Lincoln had said, and Lincoln considered his appearance at the ceremonies rather unsuccessful. After his speech appeared in print, appreciation for his words began to grow, and today it is recognized as one of the all-time greatest speeches.

Statements

1.   The main topic of the passage is...

1.     the history of one speech;
2.     the history of the Civil War;
3.     some facts from Lincoln's biography;

d) the history of one battlefield.

2. The word "primary" in line 2 means ...

a) first; b) best;

c) main; d) only.

3. The ceremonies took place ...

a) at the beginning of the Civil War; b) in the middle of the Civil War;

c) at the end of the Civil War;   d) after the Civil War.

4. Lincoln's speech took ...  

a) more than 120 minutes; b) about 120 minutes;

c) exactly 120 minutes; d) less than 120 minutes.

5. The speech became famous ...

a) long before it was given; b) at the first hearing;

c) after it was first published; d) just after Lincoln's death.

6. The word "score" in Lincoln's speech refers to ...
a) time; b) money;
c) people; d) game.

Text 4

When Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492, there were already an esti­mated 30 to 40 million people living in North and South America. It has therefore been quite easy for some to refute the idea that Columbus "discovered" America. How and when these inhabitants came to America has been the source of much scientific research and discussion.

Most archeologists agree that the first Americans, the true "discoverers" of America, came from northeastern Asia. There is also a considerable amount of proof that inhabitants have been in the Americas for at least 15,000 years.

To get to the Americas, these people had to cross over the 55-mile-wide Bering Strait that separates Asia and North America. According to one theory, these people crossed over during periods when a land bridge existed between the two continents. During the Ice Ages, so much of the Earth's water was frozen that the sea levels dropped, and it was possible to walk from Asia to North America.

Questions

1. What is the author's main purpose?

1.     To explain how Columbus discovered America;
2.    to show how people came to America before Columbus;
3.     to demonstrate the importance to archeologists of northeastern Asia;
4.    to explain how to cross the Bering Strait,

2. In 1492, how many people were probably in the Americas?
a) Fewer than 30 million; b)   exactly 30 million;
c) 40 million or fewer; d)   at least 40 million.

3. The word "refute" in line 3 is closest in meaning to ...
a)   theorize; b)   support;

c)   contradict; d)   defend.

4. It is implied in the passage that...

1.     Columbus was really the first person in America;
2.     scientists are sure about America's first inhabitants;
3.     Columbus arrived at almost the same time as America's first inhabitants;
4.     all is not known about America's first inhabitants.

5. There is general agreement that the first people who came to North America
came from ...

a)    Europe; b)   South America;

c)   Northeastern Asia; d)   Africa.

6. The word "considerable" in line 7 could best be replaced by which of the
following?

a)   Large; b)   weak;

c)   well-known; d)   considerate.

Text 5

Bigfoot is a humanlike creature reportedly living in the Pacific Northwest. Bigfoot sightings have been noted most often in the mountainous areas of North­ern California, Oregon, and Washington in the United States. The creature has also been spotted numerous times in British Columbia in Canada, where it is known as Sasquatch.

The creature described by witnesses is tall by human standards, measuring 7 to 10 feel (2 to 3 meters) in height. It resembles an ape with its thick, powerful, fur-covered arms and short, strong neck; however, its manner of walking erect is more like that of Homo sapiens.

Although there have been hundreds of reported sightings of Bigfoot, most, experts have not seen enough evidence to be convinced of its existence. The fact that some purported evidence has been proven fake may have served to discredit other more credible information.

Statements

1. The passage is about...

a) a hypothetic event; b)   a hypothetic piace;

c) a hypothetic creature; d)   a hypothetic theory,

2. According to the passage, Bigfoot prefers ...

a) river banks; b)   mountains;

c) valleys;  d)  jungles.

3. The word "spotted" in line 4 is closest in meaning to ...
a) heard of; b)   shown;

c) spoken of; d) noticed.

4. Bigfoot differs most from human in ...
a) color; b) build;

c) size; d) walk.

5. The word "erect" in line 8 means ...

 a) fast;    b) vertical;

c) slow;   d) forward.

6. Bigfoot is hardly believed to exist because of …

a) stubborn experts; b)   lack of knowledge;

c) false information;           d)   scientific research.