Контрольно-измерительные материалы по ОДБ.03 Иностранный язык По профессии 19.01.17 Повар, кондитер 08.01.07 Мастер

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ

ДОНЕЦКОЙ НАРОДНОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКИ

ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЕ

ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ

«НОВОАЗОВСКИЙ ИНДУСТРИАЛЬНЫЙ ТЕХНИКУМ»

Рассмотрено и одобрено УТВЕРЖДЕНО:

на заседании методической Заместитель директора по УР комиссии

Протокол № от «____»____________2020 г. ___________Е.П. Харитонова

Председатель

________________О.В. Фесенко «____»____________2020 г.

Контрольно-измерительные материалы

по ОДБ.03 Иностранный язык

По профессии:

19.01.17 Повар, кондитер

08.01.07 Мастер общестроительных работ

Преподаватель: Демченко Т.О.

Новоазовск

2020

Комплект контрольно-измерительных материалов по учебной дисциплине ОДБ.03 Иностранный язык разработан на основе Государственного образовательного стандарта по профессии среднего профессионального образования: 19.01.17 Повар, кондитер, 08.01.07 Мастер общестроительных работ и является частью основной профессиональной образовательной программы.

Организация-разработчик:ГПОУ «Новоазовский индустриальный техникум»

Разработчик: Демченко Т.О., преподаватель иностранного языка

Рассмотрен на заседании МК _____________________________________

Протокол № ______ от «____»__________20__ г.

Председатель МК________________________________________________

Рекомендована методическим советом ГПОУ «Новоазовский индустриальный техникум» к использованию в образовательном процессе техникума при реализации дисциплин ОГСЭ, ЕН, ОП по специальности (ям)

Заключение методического совета №____________ от «____»__________20__ г.

«УТВЕРДИТЬ»

Заместитель директора по

учебно-воспитательной работе _______________________________ Ф.И.О.

Пояснительная записка

Комплект контрольно-измерительных материалов для выявления знаний и умений, уровня подготовки студентов по учебной дисциплине ОДБ.03 Иностранный язык разработан на основе Государственного образовательного стандарта по профессии среднего профессионального образования: 19.01.17 Повар, кондитер, 08.01.07 Мастер общестроительных работ

Цели и задачи учебной дисциплины – требования к результатам освоения учебной дисциплины:

В результате освоения учебной дисциплины обучающийся должен уметь:

- общаться (устно и письменно) на иностранном языке на профессиональные и повседневные темы;

- переводить (со словарём) иностранные тексты профессиональной направленности;

- самостоятельно совершенствовать устную и письменную речь, пополнять словарный запас.

В результате освоения учебной дисциплины обучающийся должен знать:

лексический (1200-1400 лексических единиц) и грамматический минимум, необходимый для чтения и перевода (со словарём) иностранных текстов профессиональной направленности.

Объем учебной дисциплины и виды учебной работы

19.01.17 Повар, кондитер

Вид учебной работы	Объем часов
Максимальная учебная нагрузка (всего)	242
Обязательная аудиторная учебная нагрузка (всего)	162
Аудиторные занятия	162
Самостоятельная работа обучающегося (всего)	80
Итоговая аттестация в форме экзамена

Объем учебной дисциплины и виды учебной работы

08.01.07 Мастер общестроительных работ

Вид учебной работы	Объем часов
Максимальная учебная нагрузка (всего)	242
Обязательная аудиторная учебная нагрузка (всего)	162
Аудиторные занятия	162
Самостоятельная работа обучающегося (всего)	80
Итоговая аттестация в форме экзамена

Форма экзаменационного билета

ГПОУ «Новоазовский индустриальный техникум»

Методическая комиссия общеобразовательных дисциплин

Профессия: 19.01.17 Повар, кондитер

Учебная дисциплина «ОДБ.3 Иностранный язык»

Variant 1

Part 1. Reading

1. Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.

1. Confusing Hypotheses.

2. Alive and Kicking.

3. In line with Expectations.

4. Life Is Full of Disappointment.

5. Gains in Democracy.

6. Good Things and Bad Things Together.

7. What It Is Like.

8. Cordial Acknowledgements.

A. Goodness knows how many inky embarrassments may lurk in these pages yet, but it is thanks to Dr Wiseman and all of those whom I am about to mention that there aren’t many hundreds more. I cannot begin to thank adequately those who helped me in the preparation of this book. I am especially indebted to the following, who were uniformly generous and kindly and showed the most heroic reserves of patience in answering one simple, endlessly repeated question: ‘I’m sorry, but can you explain that again?

B. It may be that our universe is merely part of many larger universes, some in different dimensions, and the Big Bangs are going on all the time all over the place. Or it may be that space and time had some other forms altogether before the Big Bang — forms too alien for us to imagine — and that the Big Bang represents some sort of transition phase, where the universe went from a form we can’t understand to one we almost can.

C. This is a very popular Japanese form of poetry. It is brief, related to the season/nature, expresses a sense of awe or insight, written using concrete sense images and not abstractions, in the present tense. It is often written as three lines, of seventeen syllables arranged in a sequence 5, 7, 5, though not necessarily. A verbal snapshot,

capturing the essence of a moment/scene. Some haiku are only a line or two. The idea is to capture a moment.

D. In April 1737, at age 52, Handel apparently suffered a stroke which disabled the use of four fingers on his right hand, preventing him from performing. In summer the disorder seemed at times to affect his understanding. Nobody expected that Handel would ever be able to perform again. But whether the affliction was rheumatism, a stroke or a nervous breakdown, he recovered remarkably quickly. To aid his recovery,

Handel had travelled to Aachen, a spa in Germany. During six weeks he took long hot baths, and ended up playing the organ for a surprised audience.

E. When you sit down to dinner in a town house, your expectations will probably be governed by what you see around you. If you are in a small wooden building, dining in a small, poorly lit hall and being attended by your host’s wife, then your fare will probably be less tasty than a yeoman’s meal. If your host is an important merchant, on the other hand, and you are being entertained in the well-lit hall of a large house, then you can expect food far richer and more varied than the peasant could dream of offering.

F. Anyone who is an American citizen, at least 18 years of age, and is registered to vote may vote. Each state has the right to determine registration procedures. A number of civic groups, such as the League of Women Voters, are actively trying to get more people involved in the electoral process and have drives to register as many people as possible. Voter registration and voting among minorities has dramatically increased

during the last thirty years, especially as a result of the Civil Rights Movement.

G. The Games have grown in scale to the point that nearly every nation is represented. Such growth has created numerous challenges, including boycotts, doping, bribery of officials, and terrorism. Every two years, the Olympics and its media exposure provide unknown athletes with the chance to attain national, and in particular cases, international fame. The Games also constitute a major opportunity for the host city and country to showcase itself to the world.

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

British admission procedures

Students are admitted to British Universities largely on the basis of their performance in the examinations for the General Certificate of Education A__. The selection procedures rather complicated. A student who wants to go to university applies for admission before he takes his advanced level examinations. First of all he must write to the Universities Central on Admissions and they send him a form which he has to complete. On this form he has to write down the names of six universities in order preference. He may put down only two or three names stating that B__ he could be willing to go to any other. This form together with an account C___ and two references, one of which must be from the headteacher of his school is then sent back to the UCCA. The UCCA sends photocopies D__ concerned. Each applicant is first considered by the university admission board. In some cases the board sends the applicant refusal. This may happen for example if the board receives a form in which their university admission officer passes the candidate`s papers on E___concerned. One or two members of his department will then look at the candidate`s application: see what he says about himself, look at his marks at the ordinary level examinations, see what his head teacher and other referee say about him. F__, the department may make the candidate an offer or send him a definite rejection. As a rule the department makes a conditional offer. This means that the candidate will be accepted by the university if he fulfills the requirements stated in the offer.

1. of his out-of-school activities

2. at ordinary and advanced level

3. concerning university classes

4. of the form to the universities

5. on the basis of this

6. if not accepted by these universities

7. to the academic department

3. Прочитайте текст и выполните задания. В каждом задании запишите цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Anne meets her class

The children fixed their eyes upon Anne. Anne gazed back, feeling helpless.

"Now, children," began Miss Enderby firmly, "you are very, very lucky this term1to have Miss Lacey for your new teacher."

Anne gave a watery smile. The children's faces were unmoved.

"Miss Lacey," repeated Miss Enderby with emphasis. "Can you say that?"

"Miss Lacey," chorused the class obediently.

"Perhaps you could say 'Good morning' to your new teacher?" suggested Miss Enderby in an imperative tone.

"Good morning. Miss Lacey," came the polite chorus.

"Good morning, children," responded Anne in a voice which bore no resemblance to her own.

Miss Enderby motioned to the children to take their seats. "I should give out paper and coloured pencils," said Miss Enderby, "as soon as you've called the register2. Keep them busy while you're finding your way about the cupboards and so on."

She gave a swift look round the class. "I expect you to help Miss Lacey in every way," said the headmistress. "D'you hear me, Arnold?"

The little boy addressed, who had been crossing and uncrossing his eyes in an ugly manner for the enjoyment of his neighbours, looked suitably crest-fallen.

"If I were you, I should keep an eye on that boy," murmured Miss Enderby. "Broken home — brother in Borstal — and some rather dreadful habits!"

Anne looked with fresh interest at Arnold and thought he looked quite different from what Miss Enderby said about him. Far too innocent and apple-cheeked to have such a record. But even as she looked, she saw his pink face express his scorn of Miss Enderby who was giving her final messages to the new teacher.

"Break at ten forty-five, dear," said the headmistress. "Come straight to the staff room. I will wait there till you join us. I will introduce you to those you didn't meet on your first visit. How do you like the idea of having a cup of tea then? We need rest after all. If there's anything that puzzles you, I shall be in my room. You can depend on me. Just send a message by one of the children."

She made her way to the door and waited before it, eyebrows raised as she turned her gaze upon the children. They gazed back in some bewilderment.

"Is no one going to remember his manners?" asked Miss Enderby.

With a nervous start Anne hastened forward to the door, but was waved back by a movement of her headmistress's hand. A dozen or more children made a rush to open the door. A freckled girl with two skinny red plaits was the first to drag open the door.

She was rewarded by a smile. "Thank you, dear, thank you," said Miss Enderby and sailed majestically into the

corridor. There came a faint sigh of relief as the door closed behind her, and the forty-

six tongues which had so far kept unnaturally silent began to wag cheerfully. Anne

watched this change with some dismay. She remembered with sudden relief some

advice given her at college in just such a situation.

"Stand quite still, be quite calm, and gradually the children will become conscious that you are waiting. Never, never attempt to shout them down."

So Anne stood her ground waiting for the chattering to subside. But the noise grew

in volume as conversations became more animated. One or two children ran across

the room to see their distant friends. Two little boys attacked each other. A child with

birthday cards was displaying their beauties to an admiring crowd round her desk.

Arnold had removed his blue pullover and was attempting to pull his shirt over his

head, in order to show his friends a scar on his shoulder-blade.

'Amidst growing chaos Anne remained silent. She looked at the clock which jerked from one minute to the next and decided to let it leap once more before she abandoned hope.

One crumb of comfort, if comfort it could be called, remained with her. This was an outburst of natural high spirits. Her presence, she noted, meant nothing at all to them.

A chair fell over, someone yelped with pain, there was a burst of laughter, and Anne saw the clock jump to another minute. Anne advanced into action.

"To your desks!" she roared, "And quickly!" With a pleasurable shock she saw her words obeyed. Within a minute order had returned. Refreshed by the break the children turned attentive eyes upon her. Anne's self-esteem crept back.

(From "Fresh from the Country" by Miss Reed)

3. Anne was introduced to her class as a teacher who was

1) shallow-minded

2) very experienced

3) shy and indecisive

4) respected

4."Swift" look here means

1) quick

2) weary

3) piercing

4) thorough

5. Anne looked at Arnold with fresh interest because

1) he was funny and naughty

2) she liked his apple-cheeked face

3) he differed from other pupils

4) he was far away from what he was described

6. Miss Lacey and Miss Enderby were

1) good friends

2) colleagues

3) enemies

4) relatives

7. Anne didn't want to shout the children down at first because

1) she was afraid of them

2) she shuddered to think that she could hurt them

3) she was taught to be calm with children

4) she was unconfident in her abilities

8. When Miss Enderby left the class, children's behavior showed

1) some bewilderment

2) naughtiness

3) concern about the new teacher

4) fear of the new teacher

9. In the end of the story Anne's self-esteem crept back because

1) children obeyed her

2) children were refreshed by the break

3) there was a burst of laughter

4) she noticed that she meant nothing to children

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

Прочитайте приведённые ниже тексты. Преобразуйте, если необходимо, слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами 10-22, так, чтобы они грамматически соответствовали содержанию текстов. Заполните пропуски полученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы

What is Sanscrit?

10. Sanskrit is one of the oldest known Indic languages, with examples of Vedic Sanskrit dating back to approximately 1500 BCE and possibly even earlier eras which are difficult to determine because the language

___ long before it was written.

SPEAK

11. The word “Sanskrit” __in several different ways, as “complete,” “perfect,” or “pulled together.” The origins of this language appear to lie in vulgar dialects which were organized and codified, first into Vedic Sanskrit and later into a more modern form around 500 BCE.

TRANSLATE

12. Several Indian languages including Bengali and Hindi are descended from Sanskrit, and while the language is not widely spoken in India today, there ___some movements to revive spoken forms, and the influences of this language can be seen on many levels of Indian culture and across Southeast Asia. What is Rigveda?

13. The Rigveda is an ancient Sanskrit text which ___sacred to followers of the Hindu religion.

CONSIDER

14. This text is part of a larger family of religious texts known collectively as the Vedas; together, the Vedas form the cornerstone of Hindu belief, _____the mythology of the religion, the roles of the assorted Hindu gods, and detailing various rituals which should be performed by pious Hindus.

EXPLAIN

15.The first written version appears to have emerged around 1500 BCE, with most scholars arguing that the Rigveda had been passed down orally for centuries before it __.

WRITE

16. The Rigveda is the oldest of the Vedas. All of the Vedas ___ during a period in Indian history which is known as the Vedic Period. Dating of the Vedic Period varies, but it is generally defined as lasting between 1500 BCE and 184 BCE.

COMPOSE

How similar is ancient Greek to modern Greek?

17. Modern Greek (demotic) has a simplified grammar and accents and the vocabulary has naturally changed over time, but the ___ core of the language is the same

BASE

18. So a speaker of modern Greek can usually get the gist of an ancient text, although trying to translate may often lead to tragic __ .

INTERPRET

19. Attic or Hellenistic ("koine") Greek texts are of course much _____ than archaic Greek (f.e. Homer).

EASY

20. Modern Greek speakers, even if they have managed to ____ miss learning Ancient in school, have a couple of additional resources that help with their ability to comprehend Ancient.

COMPLETE

21. The truth is, Ancient Greek, just like Latin, and __ Old English, exists all over the written and spoken word.

22. And it's encountered often enough that some ___ in it would have been maintained even without schooling.

LITERATE

Прочитайте текст с пропусками, обозначенными номерами 23-29. Эти номера соответствуют заданиям 23-29, в которых представлены возможные варианты ответов. Запишите цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Cherish Your Friends

Our high school years are the defining times in our lives that shape who we are, where we are going, and what we are going to do. Aside from this, they 23 us to build strong friendships with people. We get to see which people are going to be there for the 24 of our lives and those who will just disappear over the years.

A friend is someone who is there for you, through it all. Through the pressure, and drama, they are the one constant thing in your life that never fades away. I have realized at the 25 of sixteen that friends are not something you should take lightly, if we have found even just a 26 we are blessed. They are the people that we sing our lungs out in the car shouting "Glamorous", the people we cry to, and most importantly the people who will always have a shoulder to 27 on. It is essential to evaluate your 28 with your friends. You can see if they are the people you can go to with anything or if they are just another face in the 29 when you have a serious issue going on.

23. 1) make 2) allow 3) let 4) afford

24.1) stage 2) period 3) epoch 4) rest

25.1) time 2) age 3) period 4) year

26.1) pair 2) team 3) company 4) couple

27.1) set 2) place 3) turn 4) lean

28.1) attitude 2) contact 3) relationship 4) affair

29.1) people 2) crowd 3) public 4) audience

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

Lots of people enjoy celebrating holidays. However, for some people a holiday is

just a day off.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position

Variant 2

Part 1. Reading

1.Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.

1. The House of Commons

2. Parliamentary Procedure

3. The House of Lords

4. Westminster

5. The System of Government

6. Parliamentary Committees

7. Whitehall

8. The Crown

A. Her Majesty’s Government, in spite of its name, derives its authority and power from its party representation in Parliament. Parliament is housed in the Palace of Westminster, once a home of the monarchy. Like the monarchy, Parliament is an ancient institution, dating from the middle of the thirteenth century. Parliament is the seat of British democracy, but it is perhaps valuable to remember that while the House of Lords was created in order to provide a council of the nobility for the king, the Commons were summoned originally in order to provide the king with money.

B. The reigning monarch is not only head of state but symbol of the unity of the nation. The monarchy is Britain’s oldest secular institution, its continuity for over a thousand years broken only once by a republic that lasted a mere eleven years (1649-60). The monarchy is hereditary, the succession passing automatically to the oldest male child, or in the absence of males to the oldest female offspring of the monarch. In law the monarch is head of the executive and of the judiciary, head of the Church of England, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

C. The dynamic power of Parliament lies in its lower chamber. Of its 650 members, 523 represent constituencies in England, 38 in Wales, 72 in Scotland and 17 in Northern Ireland. There are only seats in the Commons debating chamber for 370 members, but except on matters of great interest, it is unusual for all members to be present at any one time. Many MPs find themselves in other rooms of the Commons, participating in a variety of committees and meetings necessary for an effective parliamentary process.

D. Britain is a democracy, yet its people are not, as one might expect in a democracy, constitutionally in control of the state. The constitutional situation is an apparently contradictory one. As a result of a historical process the people of Britain are subjects of the Crown, accepting the Queen as the head of the state. Yet even the Queen is not sovereign in any substantial sense since she receives her authority from Parliament, and is subject to its direction in almost all matters. This curious situation came about as a result of a long struggle for power between the Crown and Parliament during the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries.

E. Her Majesty’s Government governs in the name of the Queen, and its hub, Downing Street, lies in Whitehall, a short walk from Parliament. Following a general election, the Queen invites the leader of the majority party represented in the Commons, to form a government on her behalf. Government ministers are invariably members of the House of Commons, but infrequently members of the House of Lords are appointed. All government members continue to represent “constituencies” which elected them.

F. Each parliamentary session begins with the “State Opening of Parliament”, a ceremonial occasion in which the Queen proceeds from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster where she delivers the Queen’s Speech from her throne in the House of Lords. Her speech is drafted by her government, and describes what the government intends to implement during the forthcoming session. Leading members of the Commons may hear the speech from the far end of the chamber, but are not allowed to enter the House of Lords.

G. The upper chamber of Parliament is not democratic in any sense at all. It consists of four categories of peer. The majority are hereditary peers, a total of almost 800, but of whom only about half take an active interest in the affairs of the state. A smaller number, between 350 and 400, are “life” peers — an idea introduced in 1958 to elevate to the peerage certain people who rendered political or public service to the nation. The purpose was not only to honour but also to enhance the quality of business done in the Lords.

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

Stereotypes

Because stereotypes are standardized and simplified ideas of groups, A they are not derived from objective facts, but rather subjective and often unverifiable ideas. As Sociologist Charles E. Hurst states "One reason for stereotypes is the lack of personal, concrete familiarity В in other racial or ethnic groups. Lack of familiarity encourages the lumping together of unknown individuals". The existence of stereotypes may be explained by the need of groups of people C as more normal or more superior than other groups. Consequently, stereotypes may be used D or ignorance and prevent people of stereotyped groups from entering or succeeding in various activities or fields. The stereotyping group are, generally, reluctant to reconsider their attitudes and behavior E

Stereotypes may affect people negatively. This includes F and distorted images and opinions of people. Stereotypes may also be used for scapegoating or for making general erroneous judgments about people.

1. to view themselves

2. that individuals have with persons

3. forming inaccurate

4. to justify ill-founded prejudices

5. may feel comfortable

6. based on some prejudices

7. towards stereotyped group

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания. В каждом задании запишите цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

A DAY'S WAIT

He came into the room to shut the windows while we were still in bed and I saw he looked ill. He was shivering, his face was white, and he walked slowly as though it ached to move. "What's the matter, Schatz?

"I've got a headache."

"You'd better go back to bed."

"No, I'm all right."

"You go to bed. I'll see you when I'm dressed."

But when I came downstairs he was dressed, sitting by the fire, looking a very sick and miserable boy of nine years. When I put my hand on his forehead I knew he had a fever.

"You go up to bed," I said, "you're sick."

"I'm all right," he said.

When the doctor came he took the boy's temperature.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"One hundred and two."

Downstairs, the doctor left three different medicines in different colored capsules with instructions for giving them. One was to bring down the fever, another a purgative, the third to overcome an acid condition. The germs of influenza can only exist in an acid condition, he explained. He seemed to know all about influenza and said there was nothing to worry about if the fever did not go above one hundred and four degrees. This was a light epidemic of flu and there was no danger if you avoided pneumonia.

Back in the room I wrote the boy's temperature down and made a note of the time to give the various capsules.

"Do you want me to read to you?"

"All right, if you want to," said the boy. His face was very white and there were dark areas under his eyes. He lay still in the bed and seemed very detached from what was going on.

I read aloud from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates, but I could see he was not following what I was reading.

"How do you feel, Schatz?" I asked him.

"Just the same, so far," he said.

I sat at the foot of the bed and read to myself while I waited for it to be time to give another capsule. It would have been natural for him to go to sleep, but when I looked up he was looking at the foot of the bed, looking very strangely.

"Why don't you try to go to sleep? I'll wake you up for the medicine."

"I'd rather stay awake."

After a while he said to me, "You don't have to stay in here with me, Papa, if it bothers you."

"It doesn't bother me."

"No, I mean you don't have to stay if it's going to bother you."

I thought perhaps he was a little light-headed and after giving him the prescribed capsules at eleven o'clock I went out for a while.

It was a bright, cold day, the ground covered with a sleet that had frozen so that it seemed as if all the bare trees, the bushes, the cut brush and all the grass and the bare ground had been varnished with ice. I took the young Irish setter for a little walk up the road and along a frozen creek.

At the house they said the boy had refused to let any one come into the room.

"You can't come in," he said. "You mustn't get what I have." I went up to him and found him in exactly the position I had left him, white-faced, but with the tops of his cheeks flushed by the fever, staring still, as he had stared, at the foot of the bed.

I took his temperature.

"What is it?"

"Something like a hundred," I said. It was one hundred and two and four tenths.

"It was a hundred and two," he said.

"Who said so?"

"The doctor."

"Your temperature is all right," I said. "It's nothing to worry about."

"I don't worry," he said, "but I can't keep from thinking."

"Don't think," I said. "Just take it easy."

"I'm taking it easy," he said and looked worried about something.

"Take this with water."

"Do you think it will do any good?"

"Of course, it will,"

I sat down and opened the Pirate Book and commenced to read but I could see he was not following, so I stopped.

"About what time do you think I'm going to die?" he asked.

"What?"

"About how long will it be before I die?"

"You aren't going to die. What's the matter with you?"

"Oh, yes, I am. I heard him say a hundred and two."

"People don't die with a fever of one hundred and two. That's a silly way to talk!"

"I know they do. At school in France the boys told me you can't live with forty-four degrees. I've got a hundred and two."

He had been waiting to die all day, ever since nine o'clock in the morning.

"You poor Schatz," I said. "Poor old Schatz, it's like miles and kilometers. You aren't going to die. That's a diflerent thermometer. On that thermometer thirty-seven is normal. On this kind it's ninety-eight."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," I said. "It's like miles and kilometers. You know, like how many kilometers we make when we do seventy miles in the car?"

"Oh," he said.

But his gaze at the foot of the bed relaxed slowly. The hold over himself relaxed too, finally, and the next day it was very slack and he cried very easily at little things that were of no importance.

3. What wasn't Schatz's symptom of ilness?

1) fever

2) headache

3) pale face

4) stomachache

4. The father believed the doctor because

1) he listened to boy very attentively.

2) he gave the boy three different medicines.

3) he seemed to know a lot about flu.

4) he said that pneumonia had been avoided.

5. The boy was indifferent to Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates because

1) the plot wasn't exciting.

2) he wanted to sleep.

3) he was in very bad condition.

4) he didn't want his father to read it for him.

6. What worried the boy?

1) his temperature.

2) the cold weather.

3) the plot of the Pirate Book.

4) his headache.

7. The boy refused to let any one come into the room because

1) he had a fever of one hundred and two.

2) he liked to be alone.

3) he didn't want his father to catch influenza.

4) he took offense at his father.

8. Who told the boy about different thermometers?

1) the boys from France.

2) the doctor.

3) his father.

4) a teacher at school.

9. The boy's behavior can characterize him as very

1) rude.

2) greedy.

3) polite.

4) thoughtful.

Part 3. Grammar and vocabulary

Dolphins

10. Dolphins are marine mammals closely ____to whales and porpoises.

RELATE

11. The name is originally from Greek (delphus), ____ womb.

MEAN

12. There are almost forty species of dolphin and ___worldwide.

FIND

13. They are carnivores, eating mostly fish and squid. Dolphins are members of the family Delphinidae which _____relatively recently, about ten million years ago.

ENVOLVE

14. Doplhins' senses _________ DEVELOP

15. Most dolphins have acute eyesight, both in and out of the water, and they can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of adult human hearing. Hearing is also used for echolocation, which all

dolphins have. Dolphin teeth __to function as antennae to receive incoming sound and to pinpoint the exact location of an object.

BELIEVE

16. Beyond locating an object, echolocation also ___the animal with an idea on the object's shape and size, though how exactly this works is not yet understood.

PROVIDE

Dolphins' Social Behavior

17. Dolphins are often regarded as one of Earth's most __ animals.

INTELLIGENCE

18. They are social creatures, living in pods of up to a dozen ___ .

INDIVIDUAL

19. In places with a high abundance of food, pods can merge ____ forming a superpod; such groupings may

exceed 1,000 dolphins.

TEMPORARY

20. They communicate using a ___ of clicks, whistle-like sounds and other vocalizations.

VARY

21. ___in pods is not rigid; interchange is common.

MEMBER

22. Dolphins can, however, establish strong social bonds; they will stay with injured or ill individuals, even helping them to breathe by bringing __to the surface if needed.

THEY

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims 23 from eating, drinking from dawn until sunset. Ramadan had been the name of the ninth month in Arabian culture long before the 24 of Islam. In the Qur'an it is said that "fasting has been written 25 (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you" which is a reference to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur. Fasting is 26 to teach the Muslim patience, modesty and spirituality. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast 27 the sake of God and to 28 more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good 29.

23. 1) refrain 2) hold 3) keep 4) resist

24. 1) coming 2) moving 3) arrival 4) reaching

25. 1) down 2) up 3) back 4) in

26. 1) signified 2) denoted 3) suggested 4) meant

27. 1) on 2) for 3) in 4) with

28. 1) suggest 2) offer 3) give 4) bring

29. 1) business 2) work 3) deeds 4) deals

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

The future of education — books or computers?

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position

Variant 3

Part 1. Reading

1. Carefully Preserved

2. The Emblem with an Animal

3. The City of Brides

4. The Cradle of the Tsar Dynasty

5. The Oldest Town

6. The Religious Centre

7. The Market Town

8. The Home Town of an Artist

A. Sergiev Posad was built around the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius. Dating back to 1340, the monastery is one of Russia’s most important historical land-marks. The town possesses a variety of 12th-17th century buildings and visitors today still get a real feeling of Medieval Russia. The dominating structure of the monastery is the massive, blue domed and gold starred Assumption cathedral, built in the 16th century. Adjacent is the tomb of Boris Godunov and his family. The monastery is still a place of spiritual pilgrimage.

B. Rostov Velikiy (Rostov the Great) is an ancient Russian town located on the ‘Nero’ lake. The history of this place started four thousand years ago, when the first tribes stayed next to the lake. Until the 11th century the territory of Rostov was inhabited by the Finn-Ugors ‘Meryans’ people, and the town was founded by them. Rostov was first mentioned in Russian chronicles in 862. It is a sleepy town with some magnificent buildings.The focal point of the town is the Kremlin. Its churches are good examples of ancient Russian architecture.

C. The name of Suzdal appeared in the annals for the first time in 1024. The first stone church was built here in the 12th century. In Suzdal there are 33 churches, 5 monasteries, 7 chapels and no modern construction in the centre of the town. Suzdal is officially protected from industry, and the old architecture and buildings are kept intact. Suzdal is the town that was awarded The Golden Apple Prize for preservation of its architectural ensemble and tourist development in the area.

D. Ples is a small town located in a picturesque area on the banks of the river Volga. It is an ideal place for a picnic or a walking tour, fishing or boat trips. There you can take a traditional Russian steam bath (called ‘banya’), have an opportunity to learn the art of Russian cooking or enjoy painting classes. Ivan Levitan lived in Ples and was inspired by the local nature to paint his famous landscapes. Activities in the area include visits to Levitan’s museum and the museum of medieval Russian family life.

E. Kostroma, originated in the 12th century, is situated on the left bank of the river Volga. In 1613 Mikhail Romanov came to Kostroma with his mother, a nun, called Marfa. They were hiding from Poles and numerous other groups of outlaws, who were roaming Russia at the time. After daylong talks with his mother, who was against the idea of her son ruling the country, Mikhail finally consented to take the crown and thus became the first Tsar of the Romanov dynasty.

F. Yaroslavl is a large, quiet old town, which is much more metropolitan than the other cities of the Golden Ring. The main place of interest is the monastery, founded in the 12th century. The town itself was founded in 1010. According to legend, Yaroslavl the Wise wanted to have a trading town in this area. However, the locals responded by sending a sacred bear to stop him. Yaroslavl was not afraid of the bear and killed it with an axe. Then he founded a town on this spot and the symbol of the bear was included in his coat of arms.

G. The village of Ivanovo was first mentioned in Russian chronicles in 1561. The in habitants were fishing, hunting and trading, but their main occupation was making cloths. The first cloth manufacture was built in the village in 1741 by a peasant who made a fortune from selling home made cloths. That’s when the glory of Ivanovo took off: the village started to sell its fabrics all over Russia. Ivanovo is still one of the main textile centres of Russia. Interestingly, there are more women than men in the city as they all work in the textile industry.

Russian souvenirs

Russia is famous for its diversity, as well as its hospitality. The best way to show Russia to someone is to bring home something special. Matryoshka and bal-alaika are quite stereotypical presents. There are many other goods A_______________________. Woolen shawls have always been popular in Russia because of cold winters. The shawls made in Pavlovsky Posad, B_______________________, are considered to be a traditional Russian gift. Woolen shawls and scarves have been made there since 1795. A wide shawl with a beautiful original pattern on it may be used like a blanket. It is nice to cover oneself up with it sitting in the armchair, watching a movie, C_______________________. The Pavlovsky Posad manufacture produces scarves for men as well. They can be bought through the Internet, or in brand stores, D_______________________.

Belyovskaya pastila is a souvenir E_______________________. It has been made since the 19th century in the town of Belyov near Tula. This is a very special kind of Russian confection. Though it is called “pastila”, it is not a marshmallow style delicacy. Belyovskaya pastila is made of dried apples. After they have been dried, they are mixed with egg whites and sugar and whipped. Belyovskaya pastila is similar to a cake, F_______________________ of apples. It is considered to be a natural product, and it is not of average price. Tourists can buy this kind of sweet at some confectioner’s shops throughout Moscow.

1. that one may buy in Moscow as a souvenir

2. which are situated in the centre of Moscow

3. that pleases the people with a sweet tooth

4. although it has a slightly sour taste

5. which is a town not very far from Moscow

6. riding a bike around the villages in Russia

7. reading a book, or drinking coffee or tea

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 3-9. В каждом задании запишите цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

The definitive guide to Scotland

During the London Olympics, when excited sports fanatics (and their unfortunate relatives) flooded through the arrival gates of nearly all British airports and engaged in such thrilling activities as taking pictures of red phone boxes and riding the bus, it came to my attention (and the attention of many other British citizens,

I dare say), that many tourists arrive to the U.K. with certain erroneous expectations of what awaits them.

The disappointment is evident on tourists' faces as they travel through the country, discovering that the Queen does not walk her Corgis up The Mall, our policemen will very rarely (if ever) say "Alio, alio," and that most of us will not ask a stranger in for a cup of tea and a biscuit when you arrive on our doorstep. That said, however, nothing really disappoints a tourist more than a visit to the mysterious land of Scotland.

Having lived in Scotland for all of my 16 years, I have come to believe that I am an expert in all things Scottish, and therefore I think it is only right that I help the youth of America (and elsewhere) obtain a more realistic view of what to expect when visiting "up North."

A good starting place in Scottish culture, I believe, is haggis. Haggis is a ghastly concoction of oatmeal, onions, pepper, suet, and, oh yes, sheep organs. That's right, haggis includes sheep's stomach, heart, liver, lungs, and windpipe. This delightful dish is normally served on Robert Burn's Night, when we all stand around in kilts and sing to it.

This brings me to the subject of kilts. Michael Mclntyre once joked that the Scottish invented the kilt in order to look the complete opposite of the English, who wore trousers. This may be true; I don't know. What I can tell you is that I am not currently wearing a kilt, nor is anyone in my family. Perhaps if I were to drive into a big town, I would find a man playing bagpipes in a kilt, or maybe see some guests in kilts at a wedding, but the average Scottish person does not wear a kilt on a daily basis.

Next, we have the aforementioned bagpipes. Pretty much everyone believes that all Scottish people love bagpipes. I do not. When played in a large field during, say, the Highland Games, I don't mind them. That's fine. It's quite jolly, everyone feels patriotic, and all is well. However, when they are played in a small room while someone is carrying a haggis to the table and my ears feel like they are about to bleed, I must say that I'm not very fond of them. The average tourist will see and hear bagpipes during their visit, but you probably won't see any young Scottish teenagers involved.

Finally, we have the Scottish citizen in general. Most people imagine Scots to be ginger (meaning having red hair, which I don't), freckly (I am), bearded (I am not), and grumpy (I dare say that this is true - after all, it's always raining here). Sure, you may find some people during your visit who fit that description, but you may be surprised to find that most Scottish people look like your average non-Scottish person. Are you shocked? I thought so.

There you go, a definitive guide to Scotland, as written by a very sarcastic teenager. I do hope it helps; please share it with your friends as I really don't want to have to hear another tourist say, "It's just like England, isn't it?"

3. What inspired the author to write the text?

1) Love for Olympics.

2) Visitors' views on Britain.

3) London's attractions.

4) Conversations with sports fans.

4. According to the author, why were the tourists disappointed in Britain?

1) The police officers were not friendly.

2) Their anticipations were not met.

3) They failed to meet the Queen.

4) The famous English tea was not tasty.

5. The purpose of the text is to ...’

1) reveal the mysteries of the Scottish land.

2) encourage tourists to visit Scotland.

3) give a true account of Scottish culture.

4) share a 16-year experience of living in Scotland.

6. The phrase "up North" in "... what to expect when visiting "up North." (paragraph3) refers to

1) northern islands.

2) North America.

3) Scotland.

4) north of England.

7. Which of the following statements about bagpipes is NOT true, according to the text?

1) They may raise spirits during big sports events.

2) They can make you feel proud of your country.

3) Visitors are likely to hear them played.

4) They are popular among young Scottish people.

8. In what way is the author similar to a typical image of a Scottish person?

1) He has freckles.

2) He has red hair.

3) He has a beard.

4) He is cheerful.

9. Why does the author quote a tourist at the end of the text?

1) To encourage people to read and share the article.

2) To underline the annoyance at tourists' disappointments.

3) To express a sarcastic attitude to Scottish sights.

4) To stress the differences between Scotland and England

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

Прочитайте приведённые ниже тексты. Преобразуйте, если необходимо, слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами 10-16, так, чтобы они грамматически соответствовали содержанию текстов. Заполните пропуски полученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы 10-16.

Teeth Problems

10. Аlex’s mother was waiting impatiently for Alex to come home from school. “There you are!” she cried when he opened the door. She anxiously asked him where he ___. “I missed the bus and had to walk here,” Alex replied.

11. “You have an orthodontist appointment today,” Alex’s mother said. “That means you __ to leave school early,” she continued.

SUPPOSE

12. “I’ll be very happy when I no longer have to wear my braces,” Alex said. “ ___ too,” his mother replied tiredly.

A Great Vacation

13. For her summer vacation Sarah went to Hawaii with her family. It was the ___ time in her life, when she could go to the beach every day.

ONE

14. She learnt how to snorkel and saw lots of pretty fish in the ocean around her. One day she even saw a sea turtle while she _____.

SWIM

15. Sarah’s favourite part of the trip __on the last night. She and her family went to a special dinner and a show called luau.

HAPPEN

16. What a treat! Sarah had the ________ summer vacation ever!

GOOD

Прочитайте приведённый ниже текст. Образуйте от слов, напечатанных заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами 17-22, однокоренные слова, так, чтобы они грамматически и лексически соответствовали содержанию текста. Заполните пропуски полученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы 17-22.

Russian Weather

17. Russian weather, particularly for foreigners, seems to be clouded in myths and legends. Russia is a huge country, spanning its ___________ zones from polar arctic to subtropical and everything in between.

CLIMATE

18. The capital of Russia, Moscow, has a continental climate, with great ________ in temperature between winter and summer months.

VARY

19. In mid summer, during July and August, temperatures are pleasantly warm, with _________________hot spells.

OCCASION

20. Winters differ __________, with only about six hours of day-light in the middle of the season and temperatures recorded at way below freezing point.

DRASTIC

21. The image of Moscow weather is so dominated by the snow that _______ often underestimate the warmth of Moscow summers.

VISIT

22. While the summer attracts the _______________ of tourists, many Moscow residents would suggest spring and early autumn as the best time to visit Moscow.

MAJOR

Once in a lifetime

I was told my father was killed in the war. Whenever I questioned my mother about his death, she didn't 23 ____________any more than that he had been killed fighting on the Western Front only days before the peace treaty with Germany was signed. Grandma said my dad had been a brave man, and once when we were 24 ____________in the house she showed me his medals. My grandpa rarely 25 ____________an opinion on anything, but then he was hard of hearing so he might not have heard the question in the first place.

The only man I can 26 ____________was my uncle Stan who used to sit at the top of the table at breakfast time. When he left in the morning, 27

____________to follow him to the city docks where he worked. Every day I spent at the dockyard was an adventure. Cargo ships came from distant lands and un-loaded their wares: rice, sugar, bananas and many other things I'd never heard of. Once the holds had been emptied, the dockers would load them with salt, tin, 28

____________coal (my least favourite because it was an obvious clue to what I've been doing all day and annoyed my mother), before they set off again. I always wanted to help my uncle Stan unload 29 ____________ship had docked that morning but he just laughed, saying "All in good time, my lad." It couldn't be soon enough for me.

23. 1) talk 2) speak 3) tell 4) say

24. 1) single 2) only 3) lonely 4) alone

25.1) offered 2) proposed 3) requested 4) remind

26.1) recover 2) repeat 3) remember 4) remind

27.1) used 2) kept 3) held 4) made

28.1) still 2) even 3) just 4) yet

29.1) whatever 2) wherever 3) whenever 4) whoever

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

Fact food is very popular among teenagers. However, many experts consider fast

food harmful to our health.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with statement?

Use the following plan:

 make an introduction (state the problem)

 express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

 express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

 explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

 make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 4

Part 1. Reading

1. Working Towards Secure Future

2. Scientific Center

3. Practical Information for Visitors

4. Part of the World Cultural Heritage

5. Most Interesting Buildings to See

6. Not Only Plants but Animals

7. Pursuing Noble Aim

8. Own Law Enforcement Service

A. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually known as Kew Gardens, in Richmond upon Thames is a major London tourist attraction and a UNESCO Word Heritage site. It is located in south-west London and houses the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world.

B. Founded in 1759, Kew began as a royal garden attached to the Royal Kew Palace, home to George III and his many children. The Palace is now open to visitors, but probably the buildings most visitors come to see are the incredible glasshouses. The Palmhouse is one of the largest surviving Victorian glasshouses in the world, with over 16,000 panes of glass. The Waterlily House, which contains some of the world's largest (and smallest) waterlilies, is also not to be missed.

C. However, Kew is more than just a garden and green space in the heart of Britain's capital city. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew covers approximately three hundred acres of land, and attracts around a million visitors every year. Its collections and laboratories illustrate the important part that plants play in our lives, and highlight the need to protect and conserve them for the benefit of generations to come. Ensuring environment and biodiversity protection is one of Kew’s most important goals.

D. Kew is a vital research and scientific base, with multiple research projects and partnerships stretching across the globe. A world leader in plant science, Kew employs around seven hundred people, and is home to about nineteen thousand species of living plants. Its Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place, West Sussex holds seeds from around ten percent of the world’s plant species for the benefit of humankind, curating around two billion seeds from 28,000 species of plants sourced from approximately 130 countries.

E. Around eighty percent of our daily calorie intake comes from just twelve plant species. Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank’s Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change project recognises the need for greater genetic diversity in our crops and seeks to preserve food security for future generations. The project collects seeds from the wild relatives of some of our most important food crop plants whose genetic make-up can be used to breed new and useful traits back into modern agricultural crops so that they can better adapt to future climates and other

threats, such as pests and diseases.

F. The gardens have their own police force, Kew Constabulary, which has been in operation since 1847. Formerly known as the Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary, it is a small, specialised constabulary of two sergeants and 12 officers, who patrol the grounds in a marked silver car. The Kew Constables are attested under section 3 of the Parks Regulation Act 1872, which gives them the same powers as the Metropolitan Police within the land belonging to the gardens.

G. If you have never been to Kew Gardens, you should know that there are several ways of getting in. Kew Gardens’ visitors usually find it difficult to understand where the entrance is. Actually, Kew Gardens are accessible by a number of gates. Currently, there are four gates that are open to the public: the Elizabeth Gate, which is situated at the west end of Kew Green, and was originally called the Main Gate before being renamed in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II; the Brentford Gate, which faces the River Thames; the Victoria Gate (named after Queen Victoria), situated in Kew Road, which is also the location of the Visitors' Centre; and the Lion Gate, also situated in Kew Road.

2. Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A–F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1–7. Одна из частей в списке 1–7 лишняя. Занесите цифры, обозначающие соответствующие части предложений.

UAE passport world's 'most powerful'

The passport of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has risen to the top spot on the list of the world's most powerful passports. This is according to the Passport

Index - an online service A _______ and required visas. UAE passport holders now enjoy the greatest freedom of movement globally B _______ . The Passport Index shows that UAE passport holders can travel visa-free to 167 countries C_______ The second most powerful passports are the Singaporean and German passports. The USA passport is ranked at number four. Holders of the Afghanistan passport have the least freedom of movement.The UAE passport achieved D _______ of the country's 47th National Day celebrations. The Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, expressed his pride in his country's achievement in a tweet. He wrote: "A big 'thank you' goes to the working teams

E _______, enhance its reputation, and facilitate procedures for Emirati citizens. Congratulations to the UAE leadership and people for this worthy achievement." A Passport Index spokesman said: "The Emirati passport has witnessed unprecedented progress globally in the past few years, F _______ ."

1. of any nationality in the world

2. and require an entry visa from 31 countries

3. reflecting the international stature of the country

4. that provides insights on passports

5. for their great efforts to strengthen the UAE's status

6. in his country's achievement

7. the number-one position on the eve

Mobile Phones

When Scotsman Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it was a revolution in communication. For the first time, people could talk to each other over great distances almost as clearly as if they were in the same room. Nowadays, though, we increasingly use Bell’s invention for taking photographs, accessing the internet or watching video clips rather than talking. Over the last two decades a new means of spoken communication has emerged: the mobile phone.

The modern mobile phone is a more complex version of the two-way radio.

Traditional two-way radio was a very limited means of communication. As soon as the users moved out of range of each other’s broadcast area, the signal was lost. In the 1940s, researchers began experimenting with the idea of using a number of radio masts located around the countryside to pick up signals from two-way radios. A caller would always be within range of one of the masts; when he moved too far away from one mast, the next mast would pick up the signal. (Scientists referred to each mast’s reception area as being a separate 'cell'; this is why in many countries mobile phones are called 'cell phones').

However, 1940s technology was still quite primitive, and the 'telephones' were enormous boxes which had to be transported by car. The first real mobile telephone call was made in 1973 by Dr Martin Cooper, the scientist who invented the modern mobile handset. As soon as his invention was complete, he tested it by calling a rival scientist to announce his success.

Within a decade, mobile phones became available to the public. The streets of modern cities began to feature sharp-suited characters shouting into giant plastic bricks. In Britain the mobile phone quickly became synonymous with the 'yuppie', the new breed of young urban professionals who carried the expensive handsets as status symbols. Around this time many of us swore that we would never, ever own a mobile phone.

But in the mid-90s, something happened. Cheaper handsets and cheaper calling rates meant that, almost overnight, it seemed that everyone had a mobile phone.

And the giant plastic bricks of the 80s had evolved into smooth little objects that fitted nicely into pockets and bags. In every pub and restaurant you could hear the bleep and buzz of mobiles ringing and registering messages, occasionally breaking out into primitive versions of the latest pop songs. Cities suddenly had

a new, postmodern birdsong.

Moreover, people’s timekeeping changed. Younger readers will be amazed to know that, not long ago, people made spoken arrangements to meet at a certain place at a certain time. Once a time and place had been agreed, people met as agreed. Somewhere around the new millennium, this practice started to die out.

Meeting times became approximate, subject to change at any moment under the new order of communication: the Short Message Service (SMS) or text message.

Going to be late? Send a text message! It takes much less effort than arriving on time, and it’s much less awkward than explaining your lateness face-to-face. It’s the perfect communication method for the busy modern lifestyle.

Like email before it, the text message has altered the way we write in English, bringing more abbreviations and a laxer approach to language construction. The

160-character limit on text messages has led to a new, abbreviated version of English for fast and instantaneous communication. Traditional rules of grammar and spelling are much less important when you’re sitting on the bus, hurriedly typing 'Will B 15min late — C U @ the bar. Sorry! :-)'.

Mobile phones, once the preserve of the high-powered businessperson and the 'yuppie', are now a vital part of daily life for an enormous amount of people.

From schoolchildren to pensioners, every section of society has found that it’s easier to stay in touch when you’ve got a mobile. Over the last few years mobiles have become more and more advanced. Firstly, we saw the introduction of built-in cameras, global positioning devices and internet access. More recently we have witnessed the arrival of the 'third generation' of mobile phones: powerful micro-computers with broadband internet access, which will allow us to watch TV, download internet files at high speed and send instant video clips to friends.

Alexander Graham Bell would be amazed if he could see how far the science of telephony has progressed in less than 150 years. If he were around today, he might say:'That’s gr8! But I’m v busy rite now. Will call U 2nite.

3. Why are mobile phones called cell phones in many countries?

1) They are made of special elements called cells.

2) They receive a signal within one radio mast’s cell.

3) They were given that name by their inventors.

4) The word ‘cell’ is derived from the word ‘caller’.

4. Who received the call from the first real mobile phone in 1973?

1) Dr Martin Cooper.

2) Dr Martin Cooper’s parents.

3) Dr Martin Cooper’s good friend.

4) Dr Martin Cooper’s competitor.

5. At first many British people swore that they would never have a mobile phone.

Which of the following is NOT the reason for this?

1) First mobile phones were inconvenient to take with you.

2) They were too expensive to buy.

3) They didn’t function properly.

4) They served mostly as a status symbol.

6. All these changes happened to mobile phones from 80s to 90s EXCEPT.

1) Primitive ringtones were replaced by modern pop songs.

2) The prices for mobiles phones decreased.

3) Mobile phones became smaller.

4) Mobile phones came into wider use.

7. How has SMS influenced people’s timekeeping and communicating?

1) People no longer meet, they text to each other.

2) People have become more punctual.

3) People have become less strict concerning meeting times.

4) There is practically no influence exerted by SMS.

8. What is the meaning of the word laxer in paragraph 7?

1) more coward

2) more accurate

3) more pragmatic

4) more careless

9. What is the author’s attitude towards changes in mobile technologies?

1) sceptic

2) enthusiastic

3) incredulous

4) frustrated

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

New Sesame Street character highlights homelessness

10. The world-famous children's television show Sesame Street __________________ a new character to highlight the plight of homeless children.

(INTRODUCE)

11. The educational TV series, which __________________ 1969, is helping to tackle the issue of homelessness via a new character called Lily..

(AIR)

12. She is a 7-year-old girl who __________________ homeless after her family lost their apartment.

(LEAVE)

13. Lily's plight mirrors that of over 2.5 million children in the USA who are also homeless. Millions more youngsters around the world are in the same situation. A Sesame Street spokeswoman, Sherrie Westin, hoped the character Lily __________________ the stigma associated with homelessness and allow children to identify with her, "and hopefully feel less alone".

(REDUCE)

14. The iconic, educational show has a long history of raising awareness of social issues among children. Other tough topics they have addressed include __________________ with parents who are in prison, living with autism, and facing bullies at school.

(DEAL)

15. Ms Westin __________________ the importance of reaching out to children who have no permanent home. She said: "We know children experiencing homelessness are often caught up in a devastating cycle of trauma.

(STRESS)

16. As well as the daily hardship of __________________ homeless, those children may suffer due to poverty, domestic violence, or other trauma that caused them to lose their home." She added: "We want homeless children to know that they are not alone."

(BE)

'Yellow Vests' protests to continue in France

17. France is experiencing social __________________it has not experienced for generations. (REST)

18. The country famous for its revolutions and protests has been rocked by a serious of nationwide, __________________demonstrations.( VIOLENCE)

19. The protests are being led by the Yellow Vests __________________ , so called because protestors don high-visibility yellow jackets usually worn by the emergency services. (MOVE)

20. The protests are motivated by rising fuel prices, the high cost of living, and claims that a(n) __________________ burden of new tax reforms were falling on the working and middle classes. (EQUAL)

21. France's President Emmanuel Macron has declared "a state of social and economic emergency". The violence has caused over a billion dollars in damages so far. This figure is set to rise as __________________ demos are planned. (MANY)

22. To quell public anger, Mr Macron has promised to cancel his proposed rise in fuel prices, deliver tax __________________ for the poor and cancel a tax on retired people. He called for the havoc and mayhem to end and for calm and order to return (RELIEVE)

Court says 'Kiwi' is not a racist term

A court in Australia has judged that the use of the word "Kiwi" to describe a(n) (23) _______ from New Zealand is not discriminatory. New Zealander Julie Savage filed a complaint (24) _______ an Australian bakery where she was nicknamed "Kiwi" by her colleagues. She (25) _______ that the term "Kiwi"

was a form of racial discrimination and was insulting and disrespectful. However, the employment tribunal decided otherwise and (26) _______her complaint. The bakery owner argued that the term "Kiwi" was one that most New Zealanders were proud (27) _______ He said the New Zealand government openly endorses the term and that it was used as "a term of endearment and as a means of identifying as a New Zealander". The tribunal judge ruled that calling a New Zealander a Kiwi was not offensive. She (28) _______ : "'Kiwi' is not an insult." In her (29) _______ , the judge observed that Ms Savage, "did not allege that she suffered unfavourable treatment in respect of the terms of her employment, lack of progression or segregation".

23. 1) individual 2) human 3) man 4) person

24. 1) against 2) for 3) to 4) -

25. 1) asserted 2) announced 3) proved 4) declared

26. 1) stopped 2) ceased 3) dismissed 4) banished

27. 1) on 2) of 3) with 4) about

28. 1) talked 2) told 3) spoke 4) said

29.1) findings 2) detections 3) discoveries 4) revelations

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

Success in life is making a career.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 5

Part 1. Reading

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

1. From paganism to politics

2. Two aspects of one thing

3. Food for thought

4. Origins of names

5. Constitutional document

6. Changes in meaning

7. A few tips for a traveler

8. The signs of the time

A. The English immigrants who settled on America’s northern seacoast, appropriately called New England, came in order to practice their religion freely. They were either Englishmen who wanted to reform the Church of England or people who wanted to have an entirely new church. These two groups combined, especially in what became Massachusetts, came to be known as "Puritans", so named after those who wished to "purify" the Church of England.

B. John provoked the English barons into revolt, though their economic difficulties through high inflation were not his fault. Civil war broke out, and John was forced to sign the document later known as Magna Carta. Magna Carta was the first document forced onto a King of England by a group of his subjects, the feudal barons, in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their privileges. It provided redress of grievances, but later ages took it as a statement of civil liberties.

C. More important than packing your bag full of money, pack a bag full of patience and curiosity. There's no such thing as a bad trip, just good travel stories to tell back home. Always travel with a smile and remember that you're the onewith the strange customs visiting someone else's country. And, finally, the more time you spend coming to understand the ways of others, the more you'll understand yourself. The journey abroad reflects the one within — the most unknown and foreign and unmapped terra incognita.

D. Architecture is the art and the technique of building, employed to fulfill the practical and expressive requirements of civilized people. Almost every settled society that possesses the techniques for building produces architecture. It is necessary in all but the simplest cultures; without it, man is confined to a

primitive struggle with the elements; with it, he has not only a defense against the natural environment but also the benefits of a human environment, a prerequisite for and a symbol of the development of civilized institutions.

E. In Europe, May Day started out as a nice pagan holiday to celebrate the spring planting, then turned into a holiday of love (complete with twirling ribbons around a Maypole). It began its metamorphosis into a working class holiday at the end of the 19th century — in memory of a workers' demonstration in Chicago (calling, among other things, for an eight-hour working day), which ended in bloodshed. The idea of decent working conditions caught on with the Russian comrades. "Here's to the eight-hour working day!", an early May Day pamphlet read.

F. Dinner finally became en evening meal in the 1850s. As the distance between breakfast and dinner widened, it became necessary to create a smaller meal around the middle of the day, for which the world ‘luncheon’ was appropriated. ‘Luncheon’ originally signified a lump or portion. In 1755 Samuel Johnson was still defining it as a quantity of food — ‘as much food as one’s hand can hold’ —and only slowly over the next century did it come to signify, in refined circles at least, the middle meal of the day.

G. The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in several changes to the Olympic Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Winter Games for ice and winter sports, the Paralympic Games for athletes with a physical disability, and the Youth Olympic Games for teenage athletes. The International Olympic Committee has had to adapt to the varying economic, political, and technological realities of the 20th century.

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

Why are Zebras Striped?

When zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of their stripes blend together with the stripes of the zebras around them. This is confusing to a lion! All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it’s harder still for the lion to recognize (A)_________! Each zebra pattern is unique like a fingerprint. Like a fingerprint (B) _________ and no two zebras are exactly alike. What is truly amazing is (C) _________ from their body stripe! There are several species classified according to variations in stripe patterns. The mountain zebra has silver-white stripes with black markings (D) _________ except for the stomach and the inner thighs. Plains zebras are pale yellow with broad black stripes. Do you know that people of Africa think of zebras as black animals with white stripes (E) _________ as white animals with black stripes! Black stripes or white, the fact remains (F) _________ and are among the fastest and most graceful of runners in the African bush land.

1. that zebras are extremely unique

2. patterns vary from zebra to zebra

3. whereas people outside Africa consider them

4. zebras’ stripes are hard to count

5. that zebras can recognize other zebras

6. which way each zebra is moving

7. that extend to every part of the body

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 3-9. В каждом задании запишите ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Anson was the eldest of six children who would some day divide a fortune of fifteen million dollars, and he reached the age of reason — is it seven? — at the beginning of the century when daring young women were already gliding along Fifth Avenue in electric "mobiles". In those days he and his brother had an English governess who spoke the language very clearly and crisply and well, so that the two boys grew to speak as she did - their words and sentences were all crisp and clear. They didn’t talk exactly like English children but got an accent that is peculiar to fashionable people in the city of New York.

In the summer the six children were moved from the house in New York to a big estate in northern Connecticut. It was not a fashionable locality — Anson’s father was a man somewhat superior to his class, which composed New York society, which was snobbish and vulgar, and he wanted his sons to learn habits of concentration and have sound constitutions and grow up into right-living and successful men. He and his wife kept an eye on them as well as they were able until the two older boys went away to school, but in huge establishments this is difficult — it was much simpler in the series of small and medium-sized houses in which my own youth was spent — I was never far out of the reach of my mother’s voice, of the sense of her presence, her approval or disapproval.

Anson’s first sense of his superiority came to him when he realized the respect that was paid to him in the Connecticut village. The parents of the boys he played with always inquired after his father and mother, and were excited when their own children were asked to play with him in his parents’ house. He accepted this as the natural state of things, and a sort of impatience with all groups of which he was not the center — in money, in position, in authority —remained with him for the rest of his life. He didn’t want to struggle with other boys for precedence — he expected it to be given him freely, and when it wasn’t

he withdrew into his family. His family was enough for him.

At eighteen, Anson was tall and thick-set, with a clear complexion and a healthy color from the ordered life had led in school. His hair was yellow and grew in a funny way on his head, his nose was beaked — these two things kept him from being handsome — but he had a confident charm, and the upper-class men who passed him on the street knew without being told that he was a rich boy and had gone to one of the best schools. Nevertheless, his very superiority kept him from being success in college — the independence was mistaken for egotism, and the refusal to accept the Yale standards with the proper awe seemed to belittle all those who had. So, long before he graduated, he began to shift the center of his life to New York. He was at home in New York — there was his own house with "the kind of servants you can’t get any more" — and his own family, and the correct manly world of the men’s clubs. His aspirations were conventional enough — they included even the decent girl he would some day marry.

He and I first met in the late summer of 1917 when he was out of Yale, and, like the rest of us, was swept up into the hysteria of the war.

3. The children were taught to speak perfect English because

1) their parents were British

2) it was customary in the society they belonged to

3) daring young women would appreciate it

4) they had an English governess

4. The family moved to a big estate in northern Connecticut because

1) the father was snobbish

2) the father did not want his children to be snobbish

3) the climate was healthy there

4) life was cheaper there

5.The narrator was closer to his mother in childhood than Anson because

1) they lived in a smaller house

2) Anson’s mother did not care much for her children

3) the narrator’s mother had a kinder heart

4) Anson was one of six children

6. Anson expected to be the center of any group for the rest of his life because

1) he did not struggle with others

2) he had a lot of money

3) he was very impatient

4) he was used to such state of things

7.Anson was not popular at college because

1) he was not handsome

2) he came from a rich family

3) he had a reputation of being selfish

4) he was impolite

8. He enjoyed living in New York because

1) there were a lot of men’s clubs

2) he was going to get married there

3) there was his own house and his own family

4) the servants were very good

9. The narrator and Anson met one another when

1) the war had just broken out

2) Anson has just got married

3) the narrator had just graduated from Yale

4) Anson was fresh from college

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

Прочитайте приведённые ниже тексты. Преобразуйте, если необходимо, слова, напечатанные заглавными буквами в конце строк, обозначенных номерами 10-16, так, чтобы они грамматически соответствовали содержанию текстов. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы 10-16.

U.S. government shutdown over border wall

10. The U.S. government will partially shut down over the Christmas period due to a lack of agreement over funding for the proposed wall along the Mexico border. Politicians say it is likely that the federal closures__________________ until after Christmas. (CONTINUE)

11. It is the__________________ government shutdown of the year. (THREE)

12. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised a "very long" government shutdown if Democrats __________________ the border wall. (NOT FUND)

13. Mr Trump wants the Senate to authorize $5.7 billion to finance the wall, which was one of the President's major election promises in 2016. He said: "I hope we don't, but we__________________ for a very long shutdown." (PREPARE)

14. He__________________ : "Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for border security. (TWEET)

15. The shutdown __________________ Mr Trump's holiday plans. (AFFECT)

16. The White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed this in a statement. She said: "Due to the shutdown, President Trump will remain in Washington, D.C. and the First Lady__________________ from Florida so they can spend Christmas together." (RETURN)

17. Woman to catch up with men's pay in 200 years It will be 200 years before women achieve economic __________________.(EQUAL)

18. This is according to the __________________released annual Global Gender Gap Report from the World Economic Forum.( RECENT)

19. Women lag far behind men in many areas. They currently earn about 20-30 per cent__________________ on average than men (LITTLE)

20. One reason for this is the lack of women in management positions. The report said: "Women still encounter significant obstacles in taking on__________________ or senior official roles." (MANAGER)

21. The World Economic Forum said inequality closed by only a small amount this

year. The__________________ gap between the sexes was in politics. It said: "Only 23 per cent of the political gap..has been closed, and no country has...closed political empowerment gaps." (LARGE)

22. Gaps still exist in healthcare and education. The report said: "The equal contribution of women and men...is critical....Societies cannot afford to lose out on the skills...of half of__________________ ." (HUMAN)

Paper Plane That Flew Higher Than a Jet

Many of us built paper planes to (23) _______ around the classroom, but a team of British enthusiasts had more ambitious plans — to send a paper plane towards the edge of space. Last week, the aircraft, built from paper and paper straws, and with a three-foot wingspan, was launched from a site in Spain. A helium

balloon (24) _______ it to an altitude of 90,00ft (17 miles) — not, admittedly, very (25) _______ to outer space (which is considered to begin around 50 miles above the Earth’s surface), but higher than a jumbo jet would normally fly (39,000ft). The balloon then (26) _______, allowing the plane to glide gently back to Earth.Along the way, it took pictures (27) _______ a miniature camera before landing 100 miles from the launch site, whole but for a tear in its wing.The project was masterminded by Steve Darnels, John Oates and Lester Haines, who said they (28) _______ with the idea after being (29) _______ by a project last year to send a lump of cheese into space. They had done it, they said, for a “laugh”.

23. 1) drop 2) send 3) throw 4) release

24. 1) lifted 2) ascend 3) blew 4) pushed

25. 1) nearly 2) similar 3) close 4) exact

26. 1) destroyed 2) flew 3) disappeared 4) exploded

27. 1) at 2) with 3) on 4) by

28. 1) came up 2) came over 3) came out 4) came across

29. 1) drawn 2) involved 3) inspired 4) captured

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

Many people would prefer to work from home.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position

Variant 6

Part 1. Reading

1. TOURING THE COUNTRY

2. NEW MANAGEMENT

3. SATISFYING DIFFERENT TASTES

4. PLEASURE OF THE HOLIDAY

5. BEGINNING OF THE CAREER

6. GREAT CHANGES

7. LOSS OF INTEREST

8. FINANCIAL POLICY

A. Tourists from all over the world will enjoy their time in London if they plan a visit to one of the capital's famous musicals or plays as an inbuilt part of their holiday in England. The London stage scene has been a big success story for over a hundred years and visitors will appreciate the programme in London theatres which has not changed for years.

B. Robert Sims is the brilliant new author of the comedy play about student life in Scotland at the Round House Theatre in Glasgow. Robert, who is only twenty four, started to write the play immediately after leaving university. He told our reporter that he couldn't write the play while he was at university, because many of the characters in it were his fellow students or university lecturers. The play is also partly a musical with some very funny songs.

C. The new programme of plays at the Eastbourne Winter Garden Theatre contains a very varied and interesting variety of productions. The summer holiday programme starts with a French comedy, continues with the play "The Three Sisters" by Chekhov and ends with the "Rocky Horror Movie Show". I wonder how the conservative Eastbourne audiences will cope with this surprising mix.

D. The new winter season at the Hippodrome Theatre is a big break with tradition. There are no musicals, no comedies and no Agatha Chistie thrillers. The new management is staging three Shakespeare plays and two plays by the German playwright Bertolt Brecht, in addition to a very modern pantomime which doesn't have either a Prince Charming or two ugly sisters. We wish the Hippodrome every success in its efforts to bring culture to the masses.

E. Our winter programme of plays and musicals starts on the first of December. We offer special rates to all students and senior citizens and there are also very good reductions for all theatre goers, who join our theatre club and buy tickets for three or more performances in advance. Theatre programmes with details of each performance and the actors are also free for all members of the theatre club, which is another big saving. Support your local theatre again this season.

F. The long running soap opera "Green Wellies", set in the rural south east of England is scheduled to end in August. The directors of Channel 4 point to decreased enthusiasm for the programme over the last year as the major cause for this decision. Many viewers have complained about the weak story lines and the poor acting of some of the main characters. Also a lot of young people are not interested anymore in hearing about agricultural topics.

G. The new boys' pop group "No Chance" is scheduled to perform at the Liberty Theatre in Clacton. This is part of their journey of England from Bognor in the south to Grimsby in the north. The boys are in big demand after the successful launch of their new CD "Mind over Matter" and it is anticipated that the Clacton venue will be a complete sell out. Buy your tickets now to be sure of a seat.

A substance produced by disease-transmitting in sects could A _______ .Mosquitoes and blackflies transmit malaria and river blindness respectively, both of which B _______ .However, scientists have discovered, in some of these insects, a substance called a peptide which can C _______ . Recently introduced techniques have allowed researchers to study these minute insects in order to D _______ . Professor John Wells said that his team had discovered that the peptides E _______ . He pointed out that if they could identify the genes responsible for producing the substance, they could introduce into the world genetically altered mosquitoes which F _______ .In the wake of these exciting developments, it is hoped that science will be able to eradicate some major tropical diseases sooner rather than later.

1. were incapable of spreading the disease.

2. kill the viruses and parasites they carry.

3. provide the key to fighting these same diseases.

4. cause a large number of deaths every year.

5. find out more about the peptides.

6. were active against parasites.

7. were able to spread the disease.

I think I'm a good librarian. I love books, and the people who read them, and if that makes me intolerant of the video and computer age, it doesn't matter much in here. Paul was embarrassed by my job. It didn't fit in with his creative Director image at dinner parties. He'd rather I had either stayed at home, and then he could continue to make jokes about me being the last housewife in captivity; or else that I had found some trendy, highly-paid job in the media. When I pointed out that I did work in the media, it just wasn't very highly paid, he would look pained.

I've always been addicted to the printed word. A former headmistress once said, "If Constance had nothing else to read, she'd read the label on a jam jar!"She meant to be scathing, and the other girls tittered sycophantically, but I thought she was being silly. You could learn a lot from the labels on jam jars... and besides, the other girls would only gaze into space and moon. Was that supposed to be better?

So my first thought, when Kate started school and I decided I could now take a job with a clear conscience, was something to involve me with books. I would have been quite happy in a bookshop, but the humiliation of having his wife working as a shop assistant was more than Paul could contemplate. I tried to argue that all advertising is only selling. I'd heard him propound the argument often enough at dinner parties, when smart women fresh out of university and burning to write had asked him if it wasn't an awful come down, when you'd got a First in English, to wind up working in advertising? The moment he heard that contemptuous stress on the first syllable, advertising, aa'man, Paul would assume his patient, sophisticated smile and take them through his catechism about selling. But evidently the same didn't apply to me and bookshops.

"Not even Hatchards?" I'd said. "Then I'd be near your office and we could meet for lunch sometimes. That would be nice..."

"My dear girl, you wouldn't stand a chance of getting a job in Hatchards!" Paul had answered.

So I did get a year's course in librarianship, and started work within a month of completing it. There aren't that many librarians with a First from Oxford, and although I didn't tell my colleagues, it showed up on my CV and must have impressed the selection committee. They probably thought I wouldn't stay, but I have spent nearly nine years now in the same public library. It helped to tide me over the utter disorientation I felt when Paul left me, and my raging sense of pain and injustice over the divorce. My incredulity at the distortion of our marriage as expressed in solicitors' letters, and later my fury over the court proceedings, were tamed and made bearable by the sweet unvarying routine of the Dewey classifying system and the old ladies, the truanting children and the coffee breaks.

3. Paul disapproved of his wife's job because it

1) deprived him of a chance to show off.

2) had nothing to do with computers.

3) made her look like a housewife.

4) was not acceptable in their circles.

4. According to the text, the narrator was critical of her school environment as

1) the headmistress had disapproved of her love for books.

2) the headmistress had teased her for her obsession.

3) the other girls had never shared her love for reading.

4) it had never been a source of excitement for her.

5. The narrator decided to take a job in a bookshop because

1) it could offer her vast career opportunities.

2) she knew it would bring her a lot of money.

3) her daughter had grown up and did without her help.

4) it was a great place to meet people who read books.

6. According to the text, the narrator thought "advertising" to be NOT

1) effective.

2) profitable.

3) successful.

4) creative.

7. In order to start the work in a library the narrator needed

1) a First from Oxford.

2) a year of job experience.

3) professional qualifications.

4) a reference enclosed in CV.

8. The narrator felt completely confused because of

1) splitting up with her husband.

2) financial difficulties.

3) injustice on the part of old ladies.

4) the disappointment with her job.

9. The narrator survived the trauma because

1) she and her husband remained friends.

2) she found satisfaction in her job.

3) the court proceedings were just.

4) her own children supported her.

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

What is a rainbow?

10. A rainbow__________________ when sunlight and water meet. (APPEAR)

11. They__________________ by the refraction and dispersion of the sun's light by

rain or other water droplets in the atmosphere. (CAUSE)

12. Rainbows can be seen not just when it's raining but also on misty or foggy days, in the spray of a waterfall, and even in dew, basically they can appear whenever there are water droplets in the air and there is sunlight__________________ from behind at the right angle. (SHINE)

13. It__________________ light refraction, and on a sunny day, with a hosepipe, you can even create your own rainbow in the garden. (CALL)

14. If you__________________ very lucky, you might see a double rainbow. (BE)

15. In certain conditions you can see another, fainter secondary rainbow above the primary rainbow. The secondary rainbow __________________ the order of the colours reversed, too, with red on the bottom and violet on the top. (HAVE)

16. There are many legends from different ancient cultures, all created to explain them, because let's face it, rainbows are among the__________________ of nature’s displays. (BEAUTIFUL)

и лексически соответствовали содержанию текста. Заполните пропуски полученными словами. Каждый пропуск соответствует отдельному заданию из группы 17-22.

Smiling a lot is a valued trait

17. People who often smile __________________radiate (SINCERE)

18. __________________, connect easily with others ( LIKEABLE)

19. and are__________________ more. (APPRECIATE)

20. By smiling, you make a positive__________________ that will assist in making contacts and reaching your goals. (IMPRESS)

21. Finding the right balance between showing a happy or serious__________________ expression is an art in itself. (FACE)

22. Nevertheless smiling isn't always that easy; sometimes a lot of courage is needed to do it. Especially in situations where when it's preferable to smile, we tend to clench our__________________ and look too tense. (JAW)

Youngest Language in the World

Scientists (23) _______ that the youngest language in the world is Afrikaans, spoken by South Africans. Dutch and German Protestants avoided persecution from the Roman Catholic Church in the 17th and 18th centuries to (24) _______ in the Dutch colony of the Cape of Good Hope on the southern point of Africa.

By the early 20th century Afrikaans had developed from Dutch, German and other influences into a(n) (25) _______ independent language with its own dictionaries. It is the third most spoken language in South Africa (Zulu being the most spoken, the Zulu people being the largest ethnic group there). New languages develop as different cultures meet and (26) _______.

For instance, about 700 different languages are spoken in London. In some suburbs of big cities (27) _______ London and New York, English is now a second language. The same is happening — or has taken place — in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami and Singapore. Already the Internet and mobile phone texting are influencing the development of languages as people communicate (28) _______ across cultural and regional borders.

The smallest country in the world is the Vatican. It also is the only country where Latin is the official language. Somalia is the only country in the world where all the (29) _______ speak one language, Somali.

23. 1) tell 2) expect 3) argue 4) announce

24. 1) get 2) settle 3) come 4) go

25. 1) clearly 2) fully 3) exactly 4) surely

26. 1) participate 2) unite 3) socialize 4) mix

27. 1) such 2) both 3) like 4) as

28. 1) freely 2) simply 3) lightly 4) absolutely

29. 1) settlers 2) citizens 3) occupants 4) dwellers

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

The Internet is the greatest time-waster.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 7

Part 1. Reading

1. Different Meanings of the Same Words.

2. Proof Positive — Extra.

3. Complicated Problems.

4. No definite Conclusions.

5. Incomprehensible Notions.

6. A way of Socializing.

7. Roots in History.

8. The Setting of the Book

A. The novel covers an eventful period in American history and many of the characters are touched by national and international events. The issue of slavery split the country, and between 1861 and 1865 the northern and southern states were engaged in a bloody civil war. After the war ended, the country recovered and there was a period of rapid economic growth. Settlers moved west to buildnew farms and adopted new mechanical methods of farming. The railroads expanded and opened up new production areas and markets. The United States soon became the world’s leading agricultural producer.

B. From the landing at Plymouth Rock to today, educators and community members have debated over the best way that government should fulfill its responsibility to educate citizens. Underlying these debates are three central questions: What is the purpose of a public education? Who is to receive the educational services provided by the public? And, how does government ensure the quality of these educational services? In various forms, these questions lay beneath all educational changes and reform measures in American history.

C. In Europe during the Middle Ages and much of the Early Modern period, the main purpose of schools (as opposed to universities) was to teach the Latin language. This led to the term grammar school, which in the United States informally refers to a primary school, but in the United Kingdom means a school that selects entrants based on ability or aptitude. Following this, the school curriculum has gradually broadened to include literacy in the vernacular language as well as technical, artistic, scientific and practical subjects.

D. A large number of people depend directly or indirectly on the tobacco business. Small shops receive a large part of their income from the sale of cigarettes, and may be forced to close if cigarettes are made illegal. There are also many others who depend on this market. Tobacco is largely grown in warm countries, with undeveloped economies. A complete ban on cigarettes would force farmers to change the crops that they grow, and this is not something that can be carried out quickly. Poor farmers may not be able to feed their families without the income from tobacco.

E. The number of people suffering from respiratory illness in the countryside was significantly lower in the past than it is today. This supported by Michael J. Brown’s empirical research and by the statistics collected by the Bureau of Information over a 50-year period. It is, however, impossible to identify a direct relation of cause and effect between the increased use of pesticides and the rise in the number of breathing problems, as so many other factors in people’s lifestyle have also changed.

F. The coffee served in the coffee houses wasn’t necessarily very good coffee. Because of the way coffee was taxed in Britain, the practice was to brew it in large batches, store it cold in barrels and reheat it a little at a time for serving. So coffee’s appeal in Britain was less to do with its being a quality beverage than a social lubricant. People went to coffee houses to meet people of shared interests, to gossip, read the latest journals and newspapers — a brand-new word and concept in the 1660s — and exchange information of value to their lives and business.

G. Christianity was always curiously ill at ease with cleanliness, and early on developed an odd tradition of equating holiness with dirtiness. When St. Thomas a Becket died in 1170, those who laid him out noted approvingly that his undergarments were ‘seething with lice’. Throughout the medieval period, an almost sure-fire way to earn lasting honour was to take a vow not to wash. Many people walked from England to the Holy Land, but when a monk named Godric did it without getting wet even once he became, all but inevitably, St. Godric.

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

Time for a second vote?

Theresa May this week strongly rejected the idea A___________________. Calls for such a vote have been growing among MPs, who claim it’s the only way B___________________. But May, who last week survived a Tory leadership challenge, insisted that another plebiscite would do “irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics”. While the Government was this week stepping up preparations for a no deal, a defiant May insisted C__________________ for her Brexit deal. Last week, she postponed a Commons vote on that deal for fear she might lose it: she now says D___________________ in the week beginning 14 January. Earlier in the week, May had travelled to an EU summit in Brussels E___________________ that might help her sell her deal to her party. However, EU leaders declined to oblige and May had a heated exchange with Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, F____________________ ."

1. in the hopes of securing fresh concessions

2. of holding a second Brexit referendum

3. she’ll put it to the House

4. after he reportedly called her demands “nebulous”

5. of breaking the parliamentary deadlock

6. thereby risking an accidental no-deal outcome

7. that she remained committed to winning support

How it all began

The Salinas Valley is long and narrow, and it lies between two mountain ranges in Northern California. The Salinas River twists and turns through the center until it falls at last into Monterey Bay. I remember the Gabilan Mountains to the east of the valley. They were light and sunny and lovely, and they invited you to climb into their warm foothills. The Santa Lucias stood darkly against the sky to the west, and they were unfriendly and dangerous. I always loved the East and feared the West, but I don’t know why. Maybe it was because the morning came over the peaks of the Gabilans, and the night approached from the Santa Lucias.

The floor of the Salinas Valley was wide and flat. After a rainy winter, the valley was carpeted with spring flowers of all colours: bright blue and white, burning orange, red, and mustard yellow. In the shade of the oak trees, green plants grew and gave a good smell. In June the grasses on the hills turned gold and yellow and red. The soil in the valley was deep and rich, but in the foothills it was poor and thin.

There were good years, when the rainfall was plentiful, but there were also very bad years. The water came in a thirty-year cycle. There would be five or six wet, wonderful years followed by six or seven good years. Then came the dry years when the earth dried and cracked and the streams stopped. The grass was scarce, the cattle grew thin, and a hot, dry wind blew dust down the valley. Then the farmers and the ranchers hated the Salinas Valley. Some families would sell out for nearly nothing and move away. During the dry years, the people forgot about the rich years, and when the wet years returned, they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.

The first people who lived in the Salinas Valley were the Indians. They lived on insects, nuts, and shellfish. Then came the soldiers and priests sent by the King of Spain. They explored the land greedily for gold and souls. They made maps and named everything they saw. Buena Vista was a beautiful view, Laguna Seca was a dry lake, and Salinas was white like salt.

After that came the Americans, even greedier because there were more of them. They occupied the valley land first, then moved into the foothills. Soon there were wooden farmhouses and growing families wherever there was water. The farmers planted square fields of corn and wheat, and long lines of trees to protect the topsoil from the wind. The trails between the farms became roads. Stores and workshops opened along the roads, and little towns grew up around them —Bradley, King City, Greenfield. And this is the way the Salinas Valley was when my grandfather brought his wife and settled in the foothills east of King City. I must depend on stories, old photographs, and memories to tell you the story of the Hamiltons. Young Samuel Hamilton and his wife came from the north of Ireland in around 1870. He was the son of small farmers, not rich but not poor. They were well-educated and well-read, and they were related to great families as well as humble ones.

I do not know why Samuel left that green land. He was not a political man, so he surely was not a rebel. He was perfectly honest, so it was not the police. In my family, they whispered that he loved a woman who was not his wife.

3. The Santa Lucias were dangerous because...

1) robbers were hiding there.

2) earthquakes were frequent.

3) they were in the west.

4) a lot of mountaineers had found their death there.

4. The farmers and the ranchers hated the Salinas Valley...

1) when it rained a lot.

2) when the dry years came.

3) when the wind was too strong.

4) when it was too hot.

5. The Spanish priests were sent to the place by their king...

1) to find gold.

2) collect insects, nuts, and shellfish.

3) admire the beautiful views.

4) to spread Christianity.

6. The Americans came because...

1) they needed land for farming.

2) they wanted to build roads.

3) they wanted to protect the topsoil from the wind.

4) they had growing families.

7. The narrator must depend on stories, old photographs, and memories because...

1) he would not be able to tell his story without them.

2) no story could be told without them.

3) he liked them a lot.

4) his grandfather had told him to use them.

8. The Hamiltons came to the Salinas Valley...

1) to escape from the British police

2) to leave the hardships behind

3) for no obvious reasons

4) to forget the troubles he had in Ireland

9. ‘Green land’ here means...

1) Ireland.

2) The Salinas Valley.

3) fields of grass.

4) the foothills.

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

New insight makes CRISPR easier to use

10. A STORM of criticism met claims last month that a Chinese scientist__________________ the world’s first genome-edited children.(CREATE)

11. One reason is that the twin girls have unpredicted new mutations with unknown effects. It now__________________ there is an easy way to ensure the CRISPR genome editing technique makes far more precise, predictable genetic mutations. (APPEAR)

12. The term “CRISPR genome editing” is a bit of a misnomer. The method__________________ to disable genes by introducing mutations in a specific site – adding or removing one or more DNA letters. (USE)

13. Paola Scaffidi of the Francis Crick Institute in London__________________these mutations might not be fully random. (SUSPECT)

14. To find out, her team used the CRISPR technique to mutate 1500genome sites in human cells growing in a dish, and__________________ a simple pattern.(FIND)

15. If the fourth DNA letter from the end is a G, the resulting mutation is indeed relatively random. But if it is an A, T or C the outcome is more predictable. For instance, if it is aT,in9outof 10cells a single extra T__________________ at the target site. (INSERT)

16. If confirmed, the result means that the thousands of biologists around the world__________________ CRISPR for research can make it far more precise and powerful simply by altering where the protein binds (USE)

Deciding what to learn

17. Every year I promise myself that next year, my Christmas shopping will be __________________; every year I fail. (GOOD)

18. In my mind’s eye, I imagine myself walking from charming local store to charming local store, buying __________________, wholesome presents for my friends and family.( THOUGHT)

19. In practice, without fail, three-quarters of them come from Amazon, trailing an odour of tax __________________ and dystopian “fulfilment centres”.(AVOID)

20. And if it’s not Amazon, it’s probably worse. Late last night I found myself on the website of Sports Direct, whose Derbyshire warehouse is known __________________ as “the gulag”, buying my nephew the snood he wanted –a face-covering that looked as if it was designed for football violence or armed robbery. (LOCAL)

21. Has Christmas become slightly more __________________ recently? I suppose it’s just that, since we consume more during the retail solstice, it has been heavily affected by the modern tendency to look into the ethical consequences of consumer behaviour. (DISQUIET)

22. This is, no doubt, something that we need to do: see plastic pollution, etc. But it becomes pretty lowering, if taken too far. Many Christmas trees, I read this week, are grown on shrinking moorlands and slathered in insecticides. So I would like to propose a new __________________ tradition: a ban on thinking about all that stuff too much, for a week or so around the 25th. I hope this helps you enjoy your Christmas. (SEASON)

Прочитайте текст с пропусками, обозначенными номерами 23-29. Эти номера соответствуют заданиям 23-29, в которых представлены возможные варианты ответов. Запишите цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Memories

Scientists have planted (23) _______ memories into people's minds in a study that demonstrates just how easy it is for police to convince people they have (24) _______ something that did not actually happen.

More than a third of people are susceptible to false memories, according (25) _______ studies by professor of psychology at the University of California. Her experiments could (26) _______ why so many people in

Washington DC said they saw a white van near to the scene of last year's sniper shootings. In fact, the snipers used a dark car and no white van was involved.

Where did that white van come from? It came from the fact that someone talked to the media and suddenly the whole country is looking for a white van that perhaps did not exist,' she said.

In one study, professor implanted a false memory in the minds of volunteers who had visited Disneyland as children. 'We have tried to come (27) _______ with ways of planting memories that could not have happened. We try to (28) _______ people believe that when they went to Disneyland they managed to (29) _______ hands with Bugs Bunny. Bugs could never have been at Disneyland because he is a Warner Bros character. Yet we've found a way of getting 36 per cent of our subjects to tell us they shook hands with Bugs.'

23. 1) poor 2) bad 3) false 4) artificial

24. 1) participated 2) saw 3) experienced 4) witnessed

25. 1) with 2) of 3) the 4) to

26. 1) foresee 2) explain 3) tell 4) predict

27. 1) up 2) over 3) In 4) out

28. 1) force 2) make 3) have 4) let

29. 1) reach 2) touch 3) shake 4) move

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

Online education is very important nowadays.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 8

Part 1. Reading

1. Christmas Shopping

2. Crime at Christmas

3. Christmas Traditions

4. Christmas — a Family Celebration

5. Christmas in Russia

6. Christmas Dinner

7. Christmas Weather

8. New Year’s Celebrations

A. There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but perhaps the most important one is the giving of presents. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them at the bottom of the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas morning. Children leave a long sock or stocking at the end of their beds on Christmas Eve, 24th December, hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents, fruit and nut.

B. At some time on Christmas day the family will sit down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas pudding or Christmas cake. As for Christmas cake, heavy and overfilling it is not to everybody’s taste. To make things worse, it takes weeks to make and when it is ready it can last until Easter, so if you don’t like it, you have to try and eat some at Christmas to avoid being haunted by it months after.

C. Officially Christmas and New Year celebrations run from the 24th of December to the 2nd of January. However, for many Brits the Christmas marathon starts as early as the beginning of October with the first festive adverts on TV. The idea of Christmas shopping is that you spend as much money as you can on anything you cast your eyes on, preferably something neither you nor your family or friends will ever use. An average British family spends 670 pounds or more around the Christmas period.

D. Long live Christmas! - say pickpockets, car thieves and burglars getting their share of Christmas shopping. Every year thousands of people get their wallets stolen in overcrowded shops and streets. Lots of lovely presents, which somebody spent so much time and money on, disappear without a trace when cars and homes are broken into. As much as 9% of people experience a burglary in December.

E. Who doesn’t want to have a white Christmas? Playing snowballs and making a snowman with the whole family on Christmas Day is most people’s dream (apart from the countries like Australia that celebrate Christmas in summer, on the beach). This dream is more likely to come true in northern countries like Russia, but for the British people it’s different. Although it’s not uncommon to get some snow in Scotland and northern England, the rest of Britain is normally only lucky enough to get some frost. In most cases the weather is wet and gloomy.

F. New year is a time for celebrating and making a new start in life. In Britain many people make New Year’s resolutions. This involves people promising themselves that they will improve their behaviour in some way, by giving up bad habits. People might decide to give up smoking, for example, or to go on a diet. These promises are often broken in the first few days of the New Year, however!

G. Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. For most families, this is the most important festival of the year. On this day many people are travelling home to be with their families. Most houses are decorated with brightly-coloured paper or holly, and there is usually a Christmas tree in the corner of the front room. Unfortunately, not all families get on well together. As it is a well-known fact, some magazines publish tips on how to cope with Christmas, such as yoga, meditation or holidays abroad.

More than intelligence needed for success in life

Meltwater is now ponding on the surface of Antarctica's inland ice and in larger and more numerous ponds on the ice shelves surrounding the continent. This creates stresses that could break up the ice shelves, A___________________from flowing more rapidly into the ocean. And models suggest that by the end of

this century, it will be warmer air -- B___________________ -- that plays the largest role in driving Antarctica's contributions to sea level rise.

"It is crucial that we develop a better understanding of the dynamics of Antarctica's 190 feet (58 m) of potential sea level riseC __________________ ," said Alison Banwell, a CIRES postdoctoral visiting fellow and co-author of an assessment published this week in Nature Climate Change. "We have gained some insight from Greenland, where there's much greater surface melting occurring today, and a whole host of different processes

are at play. For example, if there's sufficient surface melting on Antarctica's grounded ice, some of this water could make it to the ice sheet base D___________________ , as it is already doing under much of the Greenland Ice Sheet."

In their Perspectives piece, Banwell and her colleagues -- from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Rowan University --identify key gaps in scientists' understanding of Antarctica. They discuss the need for more research on, for example, how snow on the continent compacts into firn, and then ice; how and whether surface melt may ultimately reach thebase of the ice sheet; E___________________ and subsurface lakes forming on ice shelves.

Understanding and being able to predict the occurrence of such processes is crucial for scientists F____________________ , and the risks posed to coastal dwellers around the world.

1. from field teams on the ground

2. which buttress inland ice

3. and the possibility of more widespread surface

4. sitting frozen atop the continent

5. and affect the ice's flow into the ocean

6. who want to understand global sea level rise

7. rather than warmer ocean water

Great Grandad

It was a funny thing, a surprising thing, that brought Grandad back to me. It was algebra.

I collided with algebra in my first year at secondary school, and it sent me reeling. The very word itself seemed sinister, a word from black magic. Algebracadabra. Algebra messed up one of those divisions between things that help you make sense of the world and keep it tidy. Letters make words; figures make numbers. They had no business getting tangled up together. Those as and bs and xs and ys with little numbers floating next to their heads, those brackets and hooks and symbols, all trying to conceal an answer, not give you one. I'd sit there in my own little darkness watching it dawn on the faces of my classmates.

Their hands would go up — “Miss! Miss!” — and mine never did. The homework reduced me to tears.

“I don’t see the point of it,” I wailed. “I don’t know what it’s for!”

Grandad, as it turned out, liked algebra, did know what it was for. But he sat opposite me and didn’t say anything for a while. Considering my problem in that careful, expressionless way of his.

Eventually he said, “Why do you do PE at school?” “What?” “PE. Why do they make you do it?”

“Because they hate us?” I suggested.

“And the other reason?”

“To keep us fit, I suppose.”

“Physically fit, yes.” He reached across the table and put the first two fingers of each hand on the sides of my head.

“There is also mental fitness, isn’t there?”

I can explain to you why algebra is useful. But that is not what algebra is really for.” He moved his fingers gently on my temples. “It’s to keep what is in here healthy. PE for the head. And the great thing is you can do it sitting down. Now, let us use these little puzzles here to take our brains for a jog.”

And it worked. Not that I ever enjoyed algebra. But I did come to see that it was possible to enjoy it. Grandad taught me that the alien signs and symbols of algebraic equations were not just marks on paper. They were not flat. There were three-dimensional, and you could approach them from different directions, look at them from different angles, stand them on their heads. You could take them apart and put them together in a variety of shapes, like Lego. I stopped being afraid of them.

I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but those homework sessions were a breakthrough in more ways than one. If Grandad had been living behind an invisible door, then algebra turned out to be the key that opened it and let me in.

And what I found wasn’t the barren tumbleweed landscape that I’d imagined. It was not like that at all.

I’d known for a long time that he was fond of puzzles. When I was younger he used to send me letters with lots of the words replaced by pictures or numbers.

They always ended 02U, which meant Love to you, because zero was ‘love’ in tennis. He was often disappointed when I couldn’t work them out. Or couldn’t be bothered to. Now I discovered that Grandad’s world was full of mirages and mazes, or mirrors and misleading signs. He was fascinated by riddles and codes

and conundrums and labyrinths, by the origin of place names, by grammar, by slang, by jokes — although he never laughed at them — by anything that might mean something else. He lived in a world that was slippery, changeable, fluid.

3. Algebra made the girl (narrator) feel

1) confident

2) happy

3) miserable

4) proud

4. All her classmates

1) were eager to answer

2) were reluctant to answer

3) hesitated to answer

4) were slow to answer

5. The words 'mental fitness' mean

1) health

2) intelligence

3) strength

4) endurance

6. The grandfather helped the girl because

1) he did her homework

2) he made her work hard

3) he explained that algebra was useful

4) he taught her a new approach to the subject

7. When the narrator says 'the barren tumbleweed landscape', she means

1) her grandfather’s inner world

2) the wasteland behind their house

3) their badly kept garden

4) an unpleasant view

8. The grandfather sent his granddaughter letters with puzzles because he wanted her

1) to be better educated

2) know something new

3) to share his interests

4) understand algebra better

9. The grandfather was very much interested in

1) changes

2) fluids

3) multiple meanings of things

4) tennis

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

What's next for smart homes: An 'Internet of Ears?'

10. The technology of interconnecting commercial, industrial or government buildings, someday even entire communities,__________________ to as the "Internet of Things," or IoT. ( REFER)

11. But a pair of electrical engineering and computer science professors in the Case School of Engineering__________________ with a new suite of sensors. This system would read not only the vibrations, sounds -- and even the specific gait, or other movements -- associated with people and animals in a building, but also any subtle changes in the existing ambient electrical field. (EXPERIMENT)

12. "We __________________ to make a building that is able to 'listen' to the humans inside," said Ming-Chun Huang, an assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science. (TRY)

13. "We are using principles similar to those of the human ear, where vibrations__________________ up and our algorithms decipher them to determine your specific movements. That's why we call it the 'Internet of Ears.'"(PICK)

14. Huang is leading the research related to human gait and motion tracking, while Soumyajit Mandal, the T. and A. Schroeder Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,__________________ on vibration sensing and changes in the existing electrical field caused by the presence of humans or even pets. (FOCUS)

15. Huang and Mandal__________________ details of their research in October at the IEEE Sensors conference in New Delhi, India. (PUBLISH)

16. A longer version of their results__________________ in the journal IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement early next year. (APPEAR)

Smarter AI: Machine learning without negative data

17. Classifying things is critical for our __________________ lives. (DAY)

18. For example, we have to detect spam mail, fake political news, as well as__________________ things such as objects or faces. When using AI, such tasks are based on "classification technology" in machine learning -- having the computer learn using the boundary separating positive and negative data. (MANY)

19. The __________________with this technology is that it requires both positive and negative data for the learning process, and negative data are not available in many cases. (DIFFICULT)

20. In terms of real-life programs, when a retailer is trying to predict who will make a purchase, it can__________________ find data on customers who purchased from them (positive data), but it is basically impossible to obtain data on customers who did not purchase from them (negative data), since they do not have access to their competitors' data. (EASY)

21. Another example is a common task for app developers: they need to predict which users will continue using the app (positive) or stop (negative). However, when a user unsubscribes, the developers lose the user's data because they have to completely delete data regarding that user in__________________ with the privacy policy to protect personal information. (ACCORD)

22. To see how well the system functioned, they used it on a set of photos that contains __________________ labels of fashion items. For example, they chose "T-shirt," as the positive class and one other item, e.g., "sandal," as the negative class. (VARY)

То the North of London

The Aldenham Country Park is a large and pleasant area easily reached if you are travelling north out of London. It is worth visiting if you want a quick breath of fresh air and a reasonably attractive place for a brief picnic.

The most important point of the park is Aldenham Reservoir. It was built in 1796 to (23) _______ water level in the river (24) _______ by the newly constructed Grand Union Canal, and more recently has been used as a reserve public water supply. Not far from there lies a busy town of Watford which can be recommended for a brief visit. And in any (25) _______ much more interesting stretches of the canal are met further north.

And if you make your way through the town you can visit the Watford Museum in the High Street which has materials on printing and paper-making on (26) _______ .

The picture gallery has changing exhibitions of works by artists who lived or painted in the area. Another attraction of the neighbourhood is a fascinating complex of Roman buildings, the (27)_______ of a great city, once the third largest centre of Roman Britain. The private houses were impressive, many of them furnished with mosaic floors. The beauty of the mosaics can hardly be described on paper, and it is best by standing and looking for (28 _______ awhile. The other principal Roman site to be visited is a long stretch of the city wall which (29) _______ back to the 3rd century.

23. 1) remain 2) support 3) hold 4) maintain

24. 1) confused 2) affected 3) bothered 4) disturbed

25. 1) condition 2) situation 3) circumstance 4) case

26. 1) presentation 2) display 3) demonstration 4) exhibition

27. 1) remains 2) wastes 3) wreckage 4) reminders

28. 1) praised 2) approved 3) appreciated 4) regarded

29. 1) dates 2) returns 3) follows 4) comes

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

Work is the most important thing in life.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 9

Part 1. Reading

1. Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8.Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.

1. A law unto Itself

2. Order of the Day

3. Similarities and Differences

4. Eating Habits of the Past

5. Controversial Leadership

6. Healthy Diet

7. A few Tips before an Exam

8. Slowly but Surely

A. Elizabeth, England’s most popular ruler, had a difficult childhood, having been declared illegitimate after the fall of Anne Boleyn. Under Mary she was a prisoner, held briefly in the Tower, as a likely focus of Protestant plots. She proved to be a ruler of quality: courageous, shrewd and possessing a potent way with words, although she was politically indecisive. Her aim was stability and concord, but administration was neglected. Crown was losing money, corruption crept into government, and disagreements between Crown and parliament were becoming sharper and shaper.

B. Language has its own force and works to demands and impulses which cannot always prove the received idea that economic and military superiority alone produce linguistic dominance. Pressure groups and revolutionaries can play a part. African American English came from a minority, mostly poor, often oppressed, all of whom were descended from a different language pool than English, and yet their expressions colonized the English language and not only of youth.

C. Of all the sciences psychology was then the youngest and least scientific which most captivated the general public and had the most destructive effect upon religious faith. Psychology was king. Freud, Adler, Jung and Watson had their tens of thousands of fans; intelligence-testers invaded the schools; psychiatrists were installed in business houses to hire and fire employees and determine advertising policies; and one had only to read the newspapers to be told with complete assurance that psychology held the key to the problems of misbehavior, divorce, and crime.

D. It is hard to overemphasize how important bread was to the English dietthrough the nineteenth century. For many people bread wasn't just an important accompaniment to a meal, it was the meal. Even middle-class people spent as much as two-thirds of their income on food, of which a fairly high and sensitive proportion was bread. For a poorer family, the daily diet was likely to consist of a few ounces of tea and sugar, some vegetables, a slice or two of cheese and, just occasionally, a very little meat. All the rest was bread.

E. Successful paragraphing is essential to good writing. Do not use too many paragraphs. If paragraphs are very short, this may mean that the writer has either introduced ideas without developing them, or separated one idea over several paragraphs. If paragraphs are very long, there is likely to be more than one idea in the same paragraph. Poor paragraphing is considered poor style and will result in a lower grade. As a general rule, a paragraph should use a minimum of three sentences to develop an idea.

F. The links between smoking and major illnesses such as lung cancer and respiratory disease have been well-known for several decades. The laws governing the sale of cigarettes and the places where people are allowed to smoke have become stronger in response to people’s growing fears. It is believed that these more gradual changes in the law are preferable to a complete ban.

G. American football is one of the most popular sports in the United States. It is a very physical game and the players wear helmets and special protective clothes. Baseball is a popular summer sport and there are two major leagues. Basketball is the third most popular sport; and top basketball players can earn millions of dollars. Football, or soccer, is only a minority sport in the USA, though the national team has qualified for World Cups recently. In Britain the most popular sport in winter is definitely football. Rugby is another popular

winter sport.

Scientists discover new 'pinwheel' star system

Specifically, the scientists detected a gamma-ray burst progenitor system – a type of supernova A___________________ and narrow jet of plasma and which is thought to occur only in distant galaxies.

"It was not expected such a system would be found in our galaxy -- only in younger galaxies much further away," adds Pope. "Given its brightness, it is surprising it was not discovered a lot sooner."

The system, an estimated 8,000 light years away Earth, is adorned with a dust "pinwheel" --B___________________ on star deaths may be incomplete.

When the most massive stars in our universe near the end of their lives, they produce fast winds -- C __________________ -- that carry away large amounts of a star's mass. These fast winds should carry away the star's rotational energy and slow it down long before it dies.

"These massive stars are often found with a partner, in which the fast winds from the dying star can collide with its companion to produce a shock that emits at X-ray and radio frequencies D___________________ ," explains Joseph Callingham, a postdoctoral fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Radio

Astronomy and lead author of the paper."Apep's dust pinwheel moves much slower E___________________ ," he adds. "One way this can occur is if one of the massive stars is rotating so quickly that it is nearly tearing itself apart. Such a rotation means that when it runs out of fuel and begins to explode as a supernova, it will collapse at the poles before the equator, F____________________ ."

1. that blasts out an extremely powerful

2. one that also challenges existing theories

3. and produces exotic dust patterns

4. whose strangely slow motion suggests current theories

5. typically moving at more than 1,000 kilometers per second

6. producing a gamma-ray burst

7. than the wind in the system

Going Green!

When I told my mother I was going to be a vegetarian she didn’t try to discourage me, she simply said, “Fine, but I’m not making two dinners”. She thought it was a phase, something that I would grow out of. After all, who can live their entire life without eating a hamburger, or the traditional turkey at Thanksgiving? Turns out, lots of people can.

Much to my mother’s dismay, I turned out to be one of thousands of vegetarians in Canada who were under voting age. Some people thought I did it to be cool, some people (like my mother) thought I did it for shock value. But I was always asked the one-word question: WHY? Lots of reasons. I was never a big steak fan, loved animals, and when I was little

I had a friend who lived on a dairy farm. If you have ever named a cow, you will understand how difficult it is to sit down to a hamburger. But there was, of course, one fateful encounter that pushed me to my dinner of destiny.

My mother had a friend named Jen. Jen had long brown hair down to her calves.

I’m not exaggerating, it was down to her calves. She insisted we go to a natural food store in our town so she could get organic vegetables and soymilk. I had never even known what soy was, or that there was a difference between vegetables from the grocery store and vegetables from a natural food store. And I was amazed. Not only did she have hair down to her calves, but she also knew about foods I had never even heard of. My decision was made.

I feel very fortunate to be a vegetarian in an age where there are so many meat alternatives. My friends and family appreciate that I don’t try to force my food choices on them.

If you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian, it’s important to do a little research first and make sure you maintain a healthy diet. I have met so many junk-food vegetarians (a self-proclaimed vegetarian who doesn’t eat meat, but doesn’t eat anything healthy or remotely close to a vegetable), that I’m not surprised most people think eating vegetarian isn’t healthy.

3. According to paragraph 1, how did Julie’s mother react to her daughter’s decision to become a vegetarian?

1) She tried to talk Julie out of doing it.

2) She refused to cook separately for Julie.

3) She expressed anger about Julie’s decision.

4) She reminded Julie how tasty hamburgers were.

4. According to paragraph 4, what was Julie so amazed by?

1) her mother’s friend’s length of hair.

2) the variety of organic vegetables.

3) the existing difference between organic and non-organic vegetables.

4) the discovery of soymilk.

5. What finally persuaded Julie to try vegetarianism?

1) her love for animals and nature

2) her visits to a dairy farm

3) her discovery of organic foods

4) her research on healthy diets

6.According to the text, which of the following is the most essential to be a vegetarian?

1) to grow your own vegetables

2) to know much about healthy dieting

3) to consume food supplements

4) to buy food in a Natural Food Store

7. According to the text, all of the following statements about vegetarians are true EXCEPT __.

1) Vegetarians can find a lot of substitutes for meat today

2) Some vegetarians have unhealthy eating habits

3) Vegetarians consume soymilk to have healthy hair

4) A lot of people become vegetarians in their teens

8. It is stated in the text that Julie __

1) accepts other people’s eating habits

2) criticizes her family for eating junk-food

3) encourages her friends to be vegetarian

4) takes an active part in nutrition studies

9. According to the text, why do most people think eating vegetarian isn’t healthy?

1) they misunderstand a vegetarian diet.

2) they are sure people can’t live without meat.

3) they had sad experience in their lives.

4) they think a vegetarian diet doesn’t contain enough vitamins.

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

How the brain decides what to learn

10. Now, Stanford biologists report Oct. 26 in Science, they think they__________________ out how animals sort through the details. ( FIGURE)

11. A part of the brain called the paraventricular thalamus, or PVT, __________________ as a kind of gatekeeper, (SERVE)

12. __________________ sure that the brain identifies and tracks the most salient details of a situation. (MAKE)

13. Although the research, funded in part by the Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute's Neurochoice Initiative, __________________ to mice for now, the results could one day help researchers better understand how humans learn or even help treat drug addiction, said senior author Xiaoke Chen, an assistant professor of biology. " (CONFINE)

14. The results are a surprise, Chen said, in part because few__________________ the thalamus could do something so sophisticated.(SUSPECT)

15. "We __________________ showed thalamic cells play a very important role in keeping track of the behavioral significance of stimuli, (SHOW)

16. which nobody __________________ before," said Chen, who is also a member of Stanford Bio-X and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. (DO)

Deciding what to learn

17. Psychologists and neuroscientists have studied this aspect of learning __________________ and even traced it to specific parts of the brain that process feedback and drive learning. (EXTENSIVE)

18. Still, that picture of learning is __________________ , Chen said.( COMPLETE)

19. Even in relatively uncomplicated laboratory experiments, let alone life in the real world, humans and other animals need to figure out what to learn from --__________________ , what's feedback and what's noise. Despite that need, it's an issue psychologists and neuroscientists have not paid as much attention to.(ESSENTIAL)

20. To start to remedy that, Chen and colleagues taught __________________ to associate particular odors with good and bad outcomes. One odor signaled a sip of water was coming, while another signaled the mouse was about to get a puff of air to the face. (MOUSE)

21. __________________ , the researchers replaced the air puff with a mild electric shock -- something that would presumably command a bit more attention. (LATE)

22. The team found that neurons in the PVT tracked that change. During the air-puff phase, two-thirds of PVT neurons responded to both odors while an__________________ 30 percent were activated only by the odor signaling water. In other words, during this phase the PVT responded to both good and bad outcomes, but there was greater response to good. (ADD)

Прочитайте текст с пропусками, обозначенными номерами 23-29. Эти номера соответствуют заданиям 23-29, в которых представлены возможные варианты ответов. Запишите цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Dream machine

This could be the answer to our dreams: a new exercise machine that claims to squash an hour's training (23) _______ a mere four-minute fit of activity. The Timeworks exerciser (24) _______ each of the body's muscle groups to be exercised simultaneously. Use it four times a week for four minutes and you are (25) _______ better fitness, weight loss and body toning. Sounds great, but does it work?

According to a study at New York University, it does. Dr Roberts says: 'Fitness improves (26) _______ to the metabolic effect of exercising every muscle group, and fat is burned more (27) _______ .'

But don't rush out and buy one just yet. Apart (28) _______ being a bit pricey,

British experts aren't so sure.

'Four minutes' exercise four times a week isn't enough,' says Dr Warren. 'And you don't need expensive equipment to exercise — walking or visiting a sports centre are (29) _______ valuable ways of keeping fit.'

23. 1) through 2) from 3) into 4) with

24. 1) gives 2) affords 3) lets 4) allows

25. 1) achieved 2) given 3) reached 4) promised

26. 1) thanks 2) due 3) because 4) -

27. 1) quickly 2) effectively 3) skillfully 4) efficiently

28. 1) from 2) to 3) that 4) for

29. 1) neither 2) either 3) too 4) both

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

Are exams a fair way of testing students?

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 10

Part 1. Reading

1. Unique Species Lost

2. The Great Change Is Coming

3. The Cultural Mix

4. Creation of Fierce Nature

5. The Role in Commercial Exchanges

6. Unbelievable story

7. The Perfect Place for One’s Vacation

8. Many Names for One Place

A. Over ten million years ago, the waters of the Indian Ocean boiled. Massive volcanoes erupted miles underneath the surface. Huge amounts of lava were forced up. This violence and force gave birth to a series of islands, today called the Mascarene Islands, located over 500 miles to the East of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. These include the islands of Reunion, Rodrigues and the most famous of all — Mauritius.

B. Mauritius is just 42 miles long and 29 miles wide, and has only been inhabited since the 17th Century, but already has a rich and varied history and is famous for many things. Early Arabic maps called the island Dina Mashriq (Eastern Island), the Portuguese called it the Island of the Swan when they first discovered it in the early 1500’s. The Dutch, who were the first to try to live there, renamed it Mauritius after Prince Maurice of Nassau, and under French rule from 1715, Ile de France was the name. With British rule in 1810 the name changed back to Mauritius, and has remained so, even after independence in 1968.

C. Historically, Mauritius was an important location on trade routes, and was one of the first countries in the world to produce postage stamps. The Blue Penny stamp from 1847 is one of the rarest in the world. However, it was (and is) sugar, introduced to the island in the 1600’s, that made the island. Mauritius has a perfect climate for growing sugar cane, it now covers much of the island, and Mauritian sugar is exported throughout the world.

D. Today Mauritius is also a famous holiday location for tourists wishing to relax on a beautiful paradise island. The coral reef surrounding much of it makes it ideal for water sports, diving and fishing. Its tropical climate means there are many exotic plants and flowers to see, such as the orchid or palm tree. Its volcanic origins have also created a fascinating landscape, with volcanic peaks, craters, coloured earths and waterfalls.

E. Because the island was isolated, many plants and animals developed there unlike anywhere else in the world, the Dodo being the most famous of these. This large, flightless bird was described by the first Dutch settlers, but by the time they left the island in 1710, all Dodos were gone. There are many theories for this, as the Dodos themselves were not good to eat, but most people now think that the animals the sailors brought with them (goats, pigs, rats) were the cause of this extinction — as they ate the bird’s eggs on the forest floor.

F. Mauritius has been called a rainbow nation because of its huge number of different ethnic groups. Different nationalities coming to the island over the centuries have brought their own culture, language, traditions, and added it to the Mauritian mixture — from India, China, France, England, and other African countries. There are over 80 different religious denominations and more than 20 languages spoken. Unsurprisingly, there are 11 official public holidays; from the Chinese New Year to the Hindu, Maha Shivaratree festival, part of which involves walking to a lake in the crater of an extinct volcano.

G. In the 1970’s and 80’s the Government encouraged the growth of the clothing industry in the country and the economy grew as a result. Now there is a far greater project underway; an effort to turn Mauritius from a sugar-island to a cyber-island. A state-of-the-art ‘cyber-city’ is being built to provide IT, computing and communication technologies for local and international companies. Cyber city is focused around a 12-storey high-tech tower with excellent computing resources and internet connections. When completed, it will also contain more high-tech offices, a large supermarket and a housing development.

New Spider Species

A new spider species in India has been given a name A______ Harry Potter fans. The spider, Eriovixia gryffindori, just 7 millimeters (0.28 inches) long, was named as such because its shape reminded its discoverers of the magical "sorting hat" in the Harry Potter books. (B______, the hat comes to life and determines C______ at the school for young wizards. It was originally owned by the wizard Godric Gryffindor.)

Mumbai researchers discovered the spider in the Kan forest of the Western Ghats, a mountainous region in southwest India. According to the scientists, the hat shape helps the spider blend in D______ protect itself from predators.In a paper published in the Indian Journal of Arachnology, Mumbai researchers E______ wrote that its name was "an ode from the authors, for magic lost, and found, in an effort to draw attention to the fascinating, but often overlooked world of invertebrates, and their secret lives."

"As a youngster, I was very fond of reading Harry Potter books. So, F______, Ithought of the magical hat," lead author of the study, Javed Ahmed, told the Times of India

1. who discovered the new arachnid

2. when I encountered this tiny spider

3. with dried leaves during daylight hours in order to

4. that are every bit as capable as hunters

5. that's sure to be a winner with

6. which house the student should belong to

7. when placed upon a new Hogwarts student's head

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 3-9. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

The Famous Holiday On Ice

Holiday on Ice originated in the United States in 1943, and was the brainchild of Emery Gilbert of Toledo, Ohio, an engineer and builder who created a portable ice rink. He took his idea of a traveling show to Morris Chalfen, a Minneapolis executive, who supplied the financing, and George Tyson, who used his theatrical background to create the show. Since then over 300 million people have seen the show and it has become the most popular live entertainment in the world.

The shows focus more on music rather than glamour, which has changed from broadway scores to pop and rock. Novelty acts such as acrobats have been added regularly to the main production numbers in recent years, and the backstage atmosphere is an odd mix of gym class and workplace. A curtained-off section at the back of the arena, called the girls' dressing room, is where the girls have a small area for their make-up. It would be more accurately described as a corridor, with beige, cracked walls and cheap temporary tables set up along the length of it.

By no stretch of the imagination could anyone call it an interesting place to work, especially if they saw the rows of dirty blue and brown plastic seating and the grey and mucky area round the ice-rink. But this is a complete contrast to the show itself. The lights come from Texas, the audio system from California,

Montreal supplies the smoke effects and former British Olympic skater Robin Cousins, MBE, is now creative director for the company.

He has a simple theory to describe what he wants to do. He wants to give the people what they want to see, but in a way that they did not expect, leaving them stunned and amazed. The music is used to stimulate the audience, but more importantly to inspire the skaters, who have to repeat the show every night. His aim is to make sure everyone gets to exactly the right place on the ice at the right time, because the banks of lights in the ceiling are set to those places, and if the skaters are all half a metre out, they'll be illuminating empty ice. Finally, he needs to produce something that can be sold in a number of countries at the same

time.

Professional ice skating is not very well paid and Cousins had to skate for the show himself when he stopped competing because he was financially unable to retire. He learnt the hard way that it was impossible to give championship winning performances every night, and had to compromise by giving about 75 %

regularly. So, even though he does what he does to pay the rent, his enthusiasm is unmistakable. He also makes the point that many of the moves in the show can never be seen in competition because the rules don't allow them.

So, if you ever get the chance to see Holiday on Ice, don't miss it, because it's impossible not to be swept up in the whole thing and you'll have to try pretty hard not to enjoy it.

3. Who is the author of the idea of the Holiday on Ice?

1) Morris Chalfen

2) George Tyson

3) Emery Gilbert

4) All three of them

4. What is the most important element of the Show?

1) make-up

2) dancing

3) music

4) backstage atmosphere

5. What is TRUE about the Show according to paragraph 3?

1) The employers find their work very interesting.

2) The creative director of the Show is not American.

3) The design of the ice-rink is luxurious.

4) The ice-rink has perfect location.

6. Which point is NOT mentioned as a part of Robin Cousins’ theory?

1) Skaters should be motivated.

2) Music is of great importance.

3) The audience should be excited.

4) The ice should be sparkling.

7. Why did Robin Cousin decide to skate for the show himself?

1) He became too old to compete but he needed money.

2) He couldn’t live without skating even after retiring.

3) He wanted to give shows that are not allowed at the competitions.

4) He was afraid of losing his skill.

8. What is the author’s attitude towards Show On Ice?

1) negative

2) positive

3) indifferent

4) sceptical

9. What does the phrase “swept up” mean?

1) bored

2) nervous

3) disappointed

4) absorbed

Ответ:

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

The Academy Awards

10. The Academy Awards, informally known as The Oscars,__________________ a set of awards given annually for excellence of cinematic achievements. The Oscar statuette is officially named the Academy Award of Merit and is one of nine types of Academy Awards. (BE)

11. Organized and overseen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the awards__________________ each year at a formal ceremony. (GIVE)

12. The awards firstly__________________in 1929 at a ceremony created for the awards, at the Hotel Roosevelt in Hollywood. (GIVE)

13. Over the years that the award has been given, the categories presented__________________ ; currently Oscars are given in more than a dozen categories, and include films of various types. (CHANGE)

14. As one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world, the Academy Awards ceremony__________________ live in more than 100 countries annually.(TELEVISE)

15. While the Oscar is under the ownership of the recipient, it is essentially not on the open market. Since 1950, the statuettes__________________ by the requirement that neither winners nor their heirs may sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for US$1. (ENCUMBER)

16. If a winner__________________ to agree to this stipulation, then the Academy keeps the statuette. Academy Awards not protected by this agreement have been sold in public auctions and private deals for six-figure sums. (REFUSE)

Mr. Bean

17. Mr. Bean is a series of fourteen 25-minute__________________ written by and starring Rowan Atkinson. (EPISODE)

18. This British situation comedy television program is based on a character__________________ developed by Atkinson while he was studying for his master's degree at Oxford University. (ORIGINAL)

19. The series features__________________ situations occurring in the life of Mr. Bean. (FUN)

20. The__________________ was described by Atkinson as "a child in a grown man's body". (LATE)

21. Mr. Bean tries to solve various problems presented by everyday tasks and often causes__________________ in the process .(DISRUPT)

22. Bean rarely speaks, and the largely physical humor of the series is derived from his interactions with other people and his__________________ solutions to situations. (USUAL)

National Tom Sawyer Days

What do Tom Sawyer and jumping frogs have in 23 ______? Stories about 24 ______ of them were created by one man: Mark Twain. Born Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain was his 25 ______ name). Twain was 4 when his family moved to Hannibal, Missouri, located on the west bank of the Mississippi. Twain grew up there and was fascinated with life along the river — the steamboats, the giant lumber rafts, and the people who worked on them.

"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is one of Twain's best-loved short stories, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of his most famous novels. Both these works are celebrated by events 26 ______ during National Tom Sawyer Days every fourth of July. There's also a fence-painting contest to see who can paint the fastest. The idea for this contest comes from a scene in Tom Sawyer, in which Tom has been told to paint the fence in front of the house he lives in. It's a beautiful day, and he would 27 ______ be doing anything else. As his friends walk by, he convinces them it's fun to paint, and they join 28 ______ the "fun". By the end of the day, the fence has three coats of paint!

29 ______ the story of Tom Sawyer is fiction, it's based on fact. If you go to

Hannibal, you'll see the white fence, which still stands at Twain's boyhood home.

23. 1) general 2) similar 3) addition 4) common

24. 1) all 2) both 3) each 4) every

25. 1) pen 2) imaginary 3) given 4) first

26. 1)made 2)created 3)held 4)located

27. 1) better 2) rather 3) prefer 4) like

28. 1) to 2) on 3) for 4) in

29. 1) Thus 2) Therefore 3) Furthermore 4) Although

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

It's more enjoyable to live in a big family.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 11

Part 1. Reading

1. Christmas Shopping

2. Crime at Christmas

3. Christmas Traditions

4. Christmas — a Family Celebration

5. Christmas in Russia

6. Christmas Dinner

7. Christmas Weather

8. New Year’s Celebrations

More than intelligence needed for success in life

this century, it will be warmer air -- B___________________ -- that plays the largest role in driving Antarctica's contributions to sea level rise.

Understanding and being able to predict the occurrence of such processes is crucial for scientists F____________________ , and the risks posed to coastal dwellers around the world.

1. from field teams on the ground

2. which buttress inland ice

3. and the possibility of more widespread surface

4. sitting frozen atop the continent

5. and affect the ice's flow into the ocean

6. who want to understand global sea level rise

7. rather than warmer ocean water

Great Grandad

It was a funny thing, a surprising thing, that brought Grandad back to me. It was algebra.

Their hands would go up — “Miss! Miss!” — and mine never did. The homework reduced me to tears.

“I don’t see the point of it,” I wailed. “I don’t know what it’s for!”

Grandad, as it turned out, liked algebra, did know what it was for. But he sat opposite me and didn’t say anything for a while. Considering my problem in that careful, expressionless way of his.

Eventually he said, “Why do you do PE at school?” “What?” “PE. Why do they make you do it?”

“Because they hate us?” I suggested.

“And the other reason?”

“To keep us fit, I suppose.”

“Physically fit, yes.” He reached across the table and put the first two fingers of each hand on the sides of my head.

“There is also mental fitness, isn’t there?”

And what I found wasn’t the barren tumbleweed landscape that I’d imagined. It was not like that at all.

I’d known for a long time that he was fond of puzzles. When I was younger he used to send me letters with lots of the words replaced by pictures or numbers.

3. Algebra made the girl (narrator) feel

1) confident

2) happy

3) miserable

4) proud

4. All her classmates

1) were eager to answer

2) were reluctant to answer

3) hesitated to answer

4) were slow to answer

5. The words 'mental fitness' mean

1) health

2) intelligence

3) strength

4) endurance

6. The grandfather helped the girl because

1) he did her homework

2) he made her work hard

3) he explained that algebra was useful

4) he taught her a new approach to the subject

7. When the narrator says 'the barren tumbleweed landscape', she means

1) her grandfather’s inner world

2) the wasteland behind their house

3) their badly kept garden

4) an unpleasant view

8. The grandfather sent his granddaughter letters with puzzles because he wanted her

1) to be better educated

2) know something new

3) to share his interests

4) understand algebra better

9. The grandfather was very much interested in

1) changes

2) fluids

3) multiple meanings of things

4) tennis

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

What's next for smart homes: An 'Internet of Ears?'

10. The technology of interconnecting commercial, industrial or government buildings, someday even entire communities,__________________ to as the "Internet of Things," or IoT. ( REFER)

12. "We __________________ to make a building that is able to 'listen' to the humans inside," said Ming-Chun Huang, an assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science. (TRY)

15. Huang and Mandal__________________ details of their research in October at the IEEE Sensors conference in New Delhi, India. (PUBLISH)

16. A longer version of their results__________________ in the journal IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement early next year. (APPEAR)

Smarter AI: Machine learning without negative data

17. Classifying things is critical for our __________________ lives. (DAY)

19. The __________________with this technology is that it requires both positive and negative data for the learning process, and negative data are not available in many cases. (DIFFICULT)

То the North of London

And if you make your way through the town you can visit the Watford Museum in the High Street which has materials on printing and paper-making on (26) _______ .

23.1) remain 2) support 3) hold 4) maintain

24.1) confused 2) affected 3) bothered 4) disturbed

25.1) condition 2) situation 3) circumstance 4) case

26.1) presentation 2) display 3) demonstration 4) exhibition

27.1) remains 2) wastes 3) wreckage 4) reminders

28.1) praised 2) approved 3) appreciated 4) regarded

29.1) dates 2) returns 3) follows 4) comes

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

In any occupation discipline is more important than talent.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 12

Part 1. Reading

1. Different Meanings of the Same Words.

2. Proof Positive — Extra.

3. Complicated Problems.

4. No definite Conclusions.

5. Incomprehensible Notions.

6. A way of Socializing.

7. Roots in History.

8. The Setting of the Book

Time for a second vote?

1. in the hopes of securing fresh concessions

2. of holding a second Brexit referendum

3. she’ll put it to the House

4. after he reportedly called her demands “nebulous”

5. of breaking the parliamentary deadlock

6. thereby risking an accidental no-deal outcome

7. that she remained committed to winning support

How it all began

3. The Santa Lucias were dangerous because...

1) robbers were hiding there.

2) earthquakes were frequent.

3) they were in the west.

4) a lot of mountaineers had found their death there.

4. The farmers and the ranchers hated the Salinas Valley...

1) when it rained a lot.

2) when the dry years came.

3) when the wind was too strong.

4) when it was too hot.

5. The Spanish priests were sent to the place by their king...

1) to find gold.

2) collect insects, nuts, and shellfish.

3) admire the beautiful views.

4) to spread Christianity.

6. The Americans came because...

1) they needed land for farming.

2) they wanted to build roads.

3) they wanted to protect the topsoil from the wind.

4) they had growing families.

7. The narrator must depend on stories, old photographs, and memories because...

1) he would not be able to tell his story without them.

2) no story could be told without them.

3) he liked them a lot.

4) his grandfather had told him to use them.

8. The Hamiltons came to the Salinas Valley...

1) to escape from the British police

2) to leave the hardships behind

3) for no obvious reasons

4) to forget the troubles he had in Ireland

9. ‘Green land’ here means...

1) Ireland.

2) The Salinas Valley.

3) fields of grass.

4) the foothills.

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

New insight makes CRISPR easier to use

10. A STORM of criticism met claims last month that a Chinese scientist__________________ the world’s first genome-edited children.(CREATE)

13. Paola Scaffidi of the Francis Crick Institute in London__________________these mutations might not be fully random. (SUSPECT)

14. To find out, her team used the CRISPR technique to mutate 1500genome sites in human cells growing in a dish, and__________________ a simple pattern.(FIND)

Deciding what to learn

17. Every year I promise myself that next year, my Christmas shopping will be __________________; every year I fail. (GOOD)

18. In my mind’s eye, I imagine myself walking from charming local store to charming local store, buying __________________, wholesome presents for my friends and family.( THOUGHT)

19. In practice, without fail, three-quarters of them come from Amazon, trailing an odour of tax __________________ and dystopian “fulfilment centres”.(AVOID)

Memories

Washington DC said they saw a white van near to the scene of last year's sniper shootings. In fact, the snipers used a dark car and no white van was involved.

Where did that white van come from? It came from the fact that someone talked to the media and suddenly the whole country is looking for a white van that perhaps did not exist,' she said.

23. 1) poor 2) bad 3) false 4) artificial

24. 1) participated 2) saw 3) experienced 4) witnessed

25. 1) with 2) of 3) the 4) to

26. 1) foresee 2) explain 3) tell 4) predict

27. 1) up 2) over 3) In 4) out

28. 1) force 2) make 3) have 4) let

29. 1) reach 2) touch 3) shake 4) move

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

A person can have only 1 true friend.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 12

Part 1. Reading

1. Different Meanings of the Same Words.

2. Proof Positive — Extra.

3. Complicated Problems.

4. No definite Conclusions.

5. Incomprehensible Notions.

6. A way of Socializing.

7. Roots in History.

8. The Setting of the Book

Time for a second vote?

1. in the hopes of securing fresh concessions

2. of holding a second Brexit referendum

3. she’ll put it to the House

4. after he reportedly called her demands “nebulous”

5. of breaking the parliamentary deadlock

6. thereby risking an accidental no-deal outcome

7. that she remained committed to winning support

How it all began

3. The Santa Lucias were dangerous because...

1) robbers were hiding there.

2) earthquakes were frequent.

3) they were in the west.

4) a lot of mountaineers had found their death there.

4. The farmers and the ranchers hated the Salinas Valley...

1) when it rained a lot.

2) when the dry years came.

3) when the wind was too strong.

4) when it was too hot.

5. The Spanish priests were sent to the place by their king...

1) to find gold.

2) collect insects, nuts, and shellfish.

3) admire the beautiful views.

4) to spread Christianity.

6. The Americans came because...

1) they needed land for farming.

2) they wanted to build roads.

3) they wanted to protect the topsoil from the wind.

4) they had growing families.

7. The narrator must depend on stories, old photographs, and memories because...

1) he would not be able to tell his story without them.

2) no story could be told without them.

3) he liked them a lot.

4) his grandfather had told him to use them.

8. The Hamiltons came to the Salinas Valley...

1) to escape from the British police

2) to leave the hardships behind

3) for no obvious reasons

4) to forget the troubles he had in Ireland

9. ‘Green land’ here means...

1) Ireland.

2) The Salinas Valley.

3) fields of grass.

4) the foothills.

Part 2. Grammar and vocabulary

New insight makes CRISPR easier to use

10. A STORM of criticism met claims last month that a Chinese scientist__________________ the world’s first genome-edited children.(CREATE)

13. Paola Scaffidi of the Francis Crick Institute in London__________________these mutations might not be fully random. (SUSPECT)

14. To find out, her team used the CRISPR technique to mutate 1500genome sites in human cells growing in a dish, and__________________ a simple pattern.(FIND)

Deciding what to learn

17. Every year I promise myself that next year, my Christmas shopping will be __________________; every year I fail. (GOOD)

18. In my mind’s eye, I imagine myself walking from charming local store to charming local store, buying __________________, wholesome presents for my friends and family.( THOUGHT)

19. In practice, without fail, three-quarters of them come from Amazon, trailing an odour of tax __________________ and dystopian “fulfilment centres”.(AVOID)

Memories

Washington DC said they saw a white van near to the scene of last year's sniper shootings. In fact, the snipers used a dark car and no white van was involved.

Where did that white van come from? It came from the fact that someone talked to the media and suddenly the whole country is looking for a white van that perhaps did not exist,' she said.

23. 1) poor 2) bad 3) false 4) artificial

24. 1) participated 2) saw 3) experienced 4) witnessed

25. 1) with 2) of 3) the 4) to

26. 1) foresee 2) explain 3) tell 4) predict

27. 1) up 2) over 3) In 4) out

28. 1) force 2) make 3) have 4) let

29. 1) reach 2) touch 3) shake 4) move

Part 3. Writing

30. Comment the following statement. (150 words)

A person can have only 1 true friend.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?

Use the following plan:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion and give 2–3 reasons for your opinion

– express an opposing opinion and give 1–2 reasons for this opposing opinion

– explain why you don’t agree with the opposing opinion

– make a conclusion restating your position.

Variant 13