Экзаменационный материал по английскому языку (группа Астаховой О.Б.). За курс основной школы (9 класс)
Examination Cards
Card No.1
1) Speak about Russia and Russian people.
1. Where is Russia situated?
2. What is the natural border between Europe and Asia?
3. What is the longest river in Europe?
4. What is Russia rich in?
5. What do you know about the Russian national flag?
6. Why have its colours always been symbolic?
7. What do you know about the birch tree?
8. What can you say about Russian people?
9. What Russian writers (musicians, composers) are famous all over the world?
10. What discoveries have Russian people made?
2) Read the text about the history of London (the Romans, London Bridge, Part 1, Ex.11, p.130)?
1. When did the Romans come to Britain?
2. What did they build on the River Thames?
3. What did the Romans build in Britain?
4. When did the Romans leave Britain?
5. What has always been part of London’s history?
6. Why did the old London Bridge look very strange?
7. How many bridges are there over the Thames now?
Card No.2
1) Speak about the places to visit in London.
1. What is the heart of London?
2. What was the Tower of London?
3. Who built the Tower of London? When?
4. Why do people keep black ravens in the Tower?
5. Who built St Paul’s Cathedral?
6. How long did it take Sir Christopher Wren to build it?
7. What is the centre of London?
8. What monument is in the middle of Trafalgar Square?
9. What is one of the best picture galleries in the world?
2) Read the text “The Wild West” (Part 2, p.118) and answer the questions:
1. When did the first colonies appear in America?
2. Were all the colonies English?
3. How many colonies were there in America in 1733?
4. Why did Americans begin to fight for their independence?
5. Where did Americans go in the 18th -19th centuries and why?
6. Why did Americans have to wear guns?
Card No.3
1) Speak about Westminster.
1. What is the political centre of London?
2. Where does the British Prime Minister live?
3. What is Whitehall?
4. What is Big Ben?
5. What bridge is near the Houses of Parliament?
6. Where is Westminster Abbey?
7. What is Westminster Abbey famous for?
8. Where does the Queen of England live?
9. What monument is in front of Buckingham Palace?
10. Which places would you like to visit in London?
2) Read the text “Russia in the War of 1812” (Part 2, p.157) and answer the questions:
1. Why was Russia in great danger in 1812?
2. Why was the Russian army moving back at the beginning of the war?
3. Why was the battle of Smolensk terrible?
4. Who became the head of the Russian army?
5. What was the greatest battle in the war of 1812?
Card No.4
1) Speak about hobbies.
1. What is a hobby?
2. Why is collecting stamps interesting? What can you learn when you collect stamps?
3. What is a thematic collection? Are people proud of their collections?
4. What else do people collect?
5. What can you say about such hobbies as reading/travelling/playing musical instruments/gardening/playing sport games?
6. What is your hobby? What are you fond of?
7. What are your parents/brothers/sisters/friends fond of?
8. What hobbies are popular with young people/old people?
9. Why is it good to have a hobby?
2) Read the text “The History of London. The Great Fire of London” (Part 1, p. 137) and answer the questions:
1. What did people build houses of?
2. When was the Great Fire of London?
3. Why did the fire begin?
4. Where did the fire begin?
5. What did people do after the Great Fire?
Card No.5
1) Speak about travelling and transport.
1. Why is travelling popular with people of all ages?
2. What do we enjoy when we travel?
3. What is the fastest way of travelling?
4. What do you have to do if you want to travel by plane?
5. Where can you buy tickets if you want to travel by plane
6. Is it interesting to travel by train? Why?
7. Why is travelling by car very popular nowadays?
8. Do you often go on school trips with your classmates? Describe your last trip.
9. Where did you travel in summer? With whom did you travel? Describe your journey.
10. Where would you like to go?
2) Read the text “Native Americans” (Part 2, p.110-111) and answer the questions.
1. Where did Native Americans come from?
2. How did they travel?
3. Where did they live? What did they eat?
4. What did Native Americans believe in?
5. Where do Native Americans live now?
Card No.6
1) Speak about Thanksgiving Day.
1. When do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day?
2. How do Americans celebrate this holiday?
3. How do they decorate their houses?
4. What food do they prepare?
5. When did the first colonists come to America?
6. What was the colonists’ life like?
7. When did the colonists have their first harvest?
8. Why did the colonists decide to have a special thanksgiving dinner? How long did it last? What did they want to thank God for?
9. Why has the turkey become the symbol of Thanksgiving Day?
2) Read the text “Famous Russian Generals” (Part 2, p.163) and answer the questions:
1. What kind of man was Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov?
2. Why did the soldiers love him?
3. What did he teach his soldiers and officers?
4. What was Michael Kutuzov good at?
5. How long did it take Kutuzov to win the war of 1812 completely?
Card No.7
1) Speak about the discovery of America and the first English settlements in America.
1. What does the word “America” mean?
2. Who discovered America?
3. What do we know about Christopher Columbus?
4. Why did Columbus decide to sail west?
5. What did people begin to call the new continent?
6. When did the first English settlements appear in America?
7. Who came to America in 1620? Where did they come from?
8. How long did the voyage last?
9. What did they set up in America?
2) Read the text “The Russian Capitals” (Part 1, p.152-153) and answer the questions:
1. How old is Moscow?
2. Where is Moscow situated?
3. Who founded Moscow? When?
4. When was Moscow larger than London? Who wrote about it?
5.Who moved the capital of Russia to a new city?
Card No.8
1) Speak about American Symbols.
1. What is the American flag called?
2. What can you say about the American flag (its colour, fifty stars, thirteen stripes)?
3. Where can you see the American flag?
4. Which country gave the Statue of Liberty to America as a symbol of friendship? When did it happen?
5. Where is the Statue of Liberty?
6. What is the official symbol of America? Can you describe it?
7. What is “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
2) Read the text “Walt Disney’s World” (Part 2, p.70-71) and answer the questions:
1. Why is Walt Disney famous all over the world?
2. When did he begin to draw pictures?
3. What famous character did he create?
4. What could Mickey Mouse do?
5. What is Disneyland? Where is it?
УТВЕРЖДЕНО
Приказ Министра образования
Республики Беларусь
от 29.12.2017 № 842
для проведения обязательного выпускного экзамена
по завершении обучения и воспитания на III ступени
общего среднего образования учащихся при освоении содержания
образовательной программы среднего образования,
образовательной программы специального образования
на уровне общего среднего образования,
в том числе для проведения экзамена в порядке экстерната,
по учебному предмету ”Иностранный язык“
(английский)
2017/2018 учебный год
Предисловие
Выпускной экзамен по учебному предмету «Иностранный язык» по завершении обучения и воспитания на III ступени общего среднего образования проводится по билетам, утвержденным Министерством образования Республики Беларусь, и включает собеседование по содержанию прочитанного текста, собеседование по содержанию прослушанного текста и беседу по ситуации общения.
Вопросы для беседы по ситуации общения разрабатываются педагогическими работниками учреждения общего среднего образования и утверждаются его руководителем не позднее чем за две недели до начала выпускного экзамена. При подготовке вопросов учитывается уровень изучения учебного предмета «Иностранный язык» на III ступени общего среднего образования. Требования к уровню овладения иностранным языком учащимися, изучающими иностранный язык на базовом уровне, отличаются от требований, предъявляемых к уровню овладения иностранным языком учащимися, изучающими иностранный язык на повышенном уровне, объемом продуктивного и рецептивного лексического и грамматического материала, степенью сложности решаемых коммуникативных задач.
При организации и проведении выпускного экзамена по учебному предмету «Иностранный язык» по завершении обучения и воспитания на III ступени общего среднего образования следует руководствоваться:
Постановлением Министерства образования Республики Беларусь от 20.06.2011 № 38 «Об утверждении Правил проведения аттестации учащихся при освоении содержания образовательных программ общего среднего образования и признании утратившими силу некоторых постановлений Министерства образования Республики Беларусь»;
Постановлением Министерства образования Республики Беларусь от 07.07.2017 № 74 «Об установлении перечня учебных предметов, по которым проводятся выпускные экзамены, форм проведения выпускных экзаменов при проведении в 2017/2018 учебном году итоговой аттестации учащихся при освоении содержания образовательных программ общего среднего образования, образовательной программы специального образования на уровне общего среднего образования»;
Учебными программами:
Вучэбная праграма па вучэбным прадмеце «Замежная мова (англійская, нямецкая, французская, іспанская, кітайская)» для X класа ўстаноў агульнай сярэдняй адукацыі з беларускай мовай навучання і выхавання // Вучэбныя праграмы па вучэбных прадметах для ўстаноў агульнай сярэдняй адукацыі з беларускай мовай навучання і выхавання. X клас (базавы ўзровень). — Мінск: Нацыянальны інстытут адукацыі, 2015;
Учебная программа по учебному предмету «Иностранный язык (английский, немецкий, французский, испанский, китайский)» для X класса учреждений общего среднего образования с русским языком обучения и воспитания // Учебные программы по учебным предметам для учреждений общего среднего образования с русским языком обучения и воспитания. X класс (базовый уровень). — Минск: Национальный институт образования, 2015;
Вучэбная праграма па вучэбным прадмеце «Замежная мова (англійская, нямецкая, французская, іспанская, кітайская)» для X класа ўстаноў агульнай сярэдняй адукацыі з беларускай мовай навучання і выхавання // Вучэбныя праграмы па вучэбных прадметах для ўстаноў агульнай сярэдняй адукацыі з беларускай мовай навучання і выхавання. X клас (павышаны ўзровень). — Мінск: Нацыянальны інстытут адукацыі, 2015;
Учебная программа по учебному предмету «Иностранный язык (английский, немецкий, французский, испанский, китайский)» для X класса учреждений общего среднего образования с русским языком обучения и воспитания // Учебные программы по учебным предметам для учреждений общего среднего образования с русским языком обучения и воспитания. X класс (повышенный уровень). — Минск: Национальный институт образования, 2015;
Вучэбная праграма для ўстаноў агульнай сярэдняй адукацыі з беларускай мовай навучання і выхавання «Замежная мова: англійская, нямецкая, французская, іспанская, кітайская. X-XI класы» (базавы і павышаны ўзроўні). - Мінск: Нацыянальны інстытут адукацыі, 2017;
Учебная программа для учреждений общего среднего образования с русским языком обучения и воспитания «Иностранный язык: английский, немецкий, французский, испанский, китайский. X-XI классы» (базовый и повышенный уровни). - Минск: Национальный институт образования, 2017.
При подготовке к экзамену также необходимо руководствоваться Методическими рекомендациями по организации и проведению обязательного выпускного экзамена по учебному предмету «Иностранный язык» по завершении обучения и воспитания на III ступени общего среднего образования (www.edu.gov.by).
АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК
Are you proud of being Belarusian?
I am Belarusian because my parents who gave me life and brought me up are Belarusian. And what if I were born in a different country on a different continent? In my opinion, a sense of pride in your country, a sense of belonging to a particular nation develops in a person with time. Therefore at my age, by the way I am 18, I can say quite positively, that I am proud to live in Belarus.
The real treasure of Belarus is its wonderful nature. The country has hundreds of wild forests, rolling hills, green valleys, sweet-scented meadows and golden fields. Beloveshzkaya Pushcha is the only place where you can meet mighty European bison in the wild. Belarus is also famous for its clear lakes and ribbon-like rivers, that’s why it’s called a blue-eyed one. The resorts of lakes Naroch and Braslav are open all year round and let tourists experience the unforgettable peaceful atmosphere.
I am proud of the rich heroic history of my country and its people. Although for many centuries we were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1 , the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwelth 2 and then the Russian Empire 3 we have managed to stay united and haven’t lost our uniqueness. Many foreigners admit that our people are extremely sociable, hospitable, and generous and we are welcoming with visitors. We are also described as resourceful and peaceful. When socializing, Belarusians are open, warm-hearted, fun-loving, humorous and outgoing in spite of all the difficulties they face in their life.
Of course I’m proud of our national holidays and traditions, especially those which are deep-rooted and typical of our nation such as Kalyady, Maslenitsa, Dazhynki. They are unique and make us stand out. Besides, they are of particular interest for tourists because they reflect our culture.
In conclusion, I’d like to say that I’m proud of my country and its people. Each time I go abroad I tell foreigners about our great past and achievements. Each time I leave the country I want to come back again, because I miss it. If I were a talented painter, I would start drawing pictures with its beautiful landscapes; if I could compose verses, I would write lyric poems about it. Belarus is the place where my heart will always belong to!
1 the Grand Duchy of Lithuania [ˈɡrænd ˈdʌtʃɪ əv ˌlɪθjʊˈeɪnɪə] Великое Княжество Литовское
2 the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwelth [ˈpəʊlɪʃ ˌlɪθjʊˈeɪnɪən ˈkɒmənwelθ] Речь Посполитая - федерация Королевства Польского и Великого Княжества Литовского
3 the Russian Empire [ˈrʌʃn ˈempaɪə] Российская империя
2. When did the author understand that he/she is proud of being Belarusian? Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What makes the author be proud of his/her Motherland?
4. What would the author do if he/she were a creative person?
II. Listen to the story about a girl and answer the questions below.
1. Why was Whitney worried about going to college?
2. How did she find a friend?
3. What lesson did Whitney learn?
I. 1. Read the newspaper opinion column and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
UNESCO World Heritage 1 List
Belarus joined UNESCO in 1954. For many years, Belarus has been building up fruitful and dynamic relations with international organizations. Belarus programme of UNESCO activities includes numerous interesting projects in the fields of education, science, information, communications, and, of course, culture. In October 1988, Belarus joined the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Today four Belarusian sites have already been included into the UNESCO World Heritage List .
In 1992, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, a natural heritage object and a unique European forest reserve which has been protected since the 14th century, was the first one to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
In 2000, the Mir Castle Complex , which was built at the beginning of the 16th century, was also added to . The successful combination of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture 2 makes Mir Castle one of Europe’s most impressive castles. In 2005, two more sites were included into the UNESCO World Heritage List . They are the Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwills in Nesvizh and the Struve Geodetic Arc points 3 .
For centuries the Nesvizh Palace used to be the residence of the Radziwills, one of the richest families in Europe. Today the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Nesvizh is a wonderfully restored castle, which is visited by hundreds of tourists from all parts of the world. No wonder, it has become a landmark of Belarus.
The Struve Arc is a world famous construction. The same sorts of points are in ten countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, all together 265 points. According to the historical data, there were 31 geodesic points in Belarus, and only 19 survived.
Belarus is going to propose to add Independence Avenue in Minsk for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Socialist Postwar Architecture in Central and Eastern Europe .
1 heritage [ˈheritidʒ] культурное наследие
2 Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture [ˈɡɒθɪk, bəˈrɒk, rɪˈneɪsəns ˈaːkɪtektʃə] архитектура готики, барокко и ренессанса
3 the Struve Geodetic Arc points [ˈstruːv ˌdʒiːəʊˈdetɪk ˈaːk ˈpɔɪnts] Геодезическая дуга Струве, представляющая собой цепь опорных пунктов наблюдения
2. Belarus is a member of UNESCO. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. Which Belarusian sites are included on the list for protection?
4. What other sites does the Belarusian government want to be on the UNESCO List?
II. Listen to the career counsellor speaking about choosing a career and answer the questions below.
1. Why is choosing the right job very important?
2. Which jobs are popular among young people at present?
3. What advice does the speaker give?
III. Let’s talk about the education.
I. 1. Read the newspaper opinion column and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
My ideal secondary school is a safe haven 1 . It shouldn’t be a place you hate going to, but a place you enjoy attending. I believe it should be social, as well as educational experience. A school should always have a soul… there should always be laughter ringing through the corridors. (Angela, 15, Moscow)
My ideal school is a school quite unlike any school we’ve heard of. This school consists of a large library and basic recreational facilities. There are no classrooms. The school is built on the idea of active learning. No student is forced to learn. (Tanya, 14, Rome)
School is the mould 2 , which shapes our future. It’s where we spend most of our valuable time — childhood. Yet I know from firsthand experience that many aspects should be changed: the impersonal attitude of some teachers who do everything only for results, instead of creating happy moments and valuable life experience for young people. These young people are far from being an ‘empty pot’ who are ready to be filled with knowledge. They are simply locked boxes full of potential which should be discovered by caring and encouraging teachers. (Anna, 15, Riga)
Schools may be getting good results but they are not helping the students as individuals. It seems to me that it’s the learner who should ask questions. Give us the freedom to ask questions and do help us to find answers. Don’t you see we learn more from our experience and when people trust and respect us? We learn from our mistakes as well. (Hero Joy, 14, Kent)
I think differences make the world go around. Good teachers know it more than Maths rules. I think school must teach differences. And at the moment some schools are doing the opposite, trying to make everyone normal. (Kate, 13, London)
Schools should develop creativity and dreams. When schools teach people not to seek knowledge on their own, people become passive. Everybody has the right to be free and choose what to be and what not to be, schools do not give that option, they have a ‘well organised’ systematic life for you, in which you have to fit. (Luis, 15, Boston)
1 a safe haven [ˈheɪvn] надёжное, безопасное место
2 a mould матрица, шаблон
2. One of the children says that school should have a soul. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What do the children want to change at school?
4. Why do the children want more freedom?
1. What is wrong with the accommodation?
2. Why did the boy oversleep?
3. What agreement did he reach with the person on Reception?
III. Let’s talk about the environment.
I. 1. Read the part of a diary and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 1942
Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because I’ve never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the thoughts of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. I feel like writing, and I have an even greater need to get all kinds of things off my chest 1 .
“Paper has more patience than people.” I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands. I was bored and wondering whether to stay in or go out. I finally stayed where I was and decided to start a diary. Yes, paper does have more patience, and since I’m not planning to let anyone else read this notebook, unless I should ever find a real friend, it probably won’t make a bit of difference.
Now I’m back to the point that prompted me to keep a diary in the first place: I don’t have a friend. Let me put it more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteen-year-old girl is completely alone in the world. And I’m not. I have loving parents and a sixteen-year-old sister, and there are about thirty people I can call friends. I have a bunch of admirers who can’t keep their adoring eyes off me and who constantly try to catch a glimpse 2 of me in the classroom. I have a family, loving aunts and a good home. No, on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend.
All I think about when I’m with friends is having a good time. I can’t bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary everyday things. We don’t seem to be able to get closer, and that’s a problem. Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t trust each other. In any case, that’s just how things are. That’s why I started the diary.
To enhance 3 the image of this long-awaited friend in my imagination, I don’t want to write only about facts, but I want the diary to be my friend, and I am going to call this friend Kitty.
1 to get off one’s chest чистосердечно признаться в чем-либо, облегчить душу
2 to catch a glimpse [ɡlɪmps] увидеть (на мгновение)
3 to enhance [ɪnˈhaːns] усилить
2. The author writes when she decided to keep a diary. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What close people did Anna have?
4. Why did Anna start writing in a diary?
II. Listen to Alice speaking about her first job and answer the questions below.
1. What job did Alice do?
2. What difficulties did she have?
3. What kind of knowledge and skills did she get at her first job?
Be kind and stay safe
Everybody knows that we should be polite and kind to people in real life and online. Unfortunately this doesn’t always happen. Where can you report online abuse 1 or unkind messages to yourself or your friends? Do you know how to report and complain about harmful information online? For example, if you see an inappropriate tweet on Twitter you can click on ‘more’ and then choose ‘Report tweet’. You can then block all further tweets from that user.
Even celebrities can be cyberbullied 2 . Tom Daley, the British Olympic diver, was abused online. His father died during the 2012 Olympic Games and Tom received some very cruel tweets about his indifference towards his father’s health.
Here are our top tips for staying safe online:
1. Be nice! Treat people online as you do in real life.
2. Don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t want people in real life to see.
3. Check your privacy and security settings on social media sites and keep them as private as possible. Make sure you know exactly who can see your posts.
4. Don’t ever post personal information like your home address, your email or your phone number.
5. If you see something online that worries or upsets you, tell an adult about it straight away.
6. Take part in Safer Internet Day.
Safer Internet Day, or SID for short, tries to help people to use the Internet correctly. SID started in 2004 and is organised in February every year in 74 countries around the world to promote safe and responsible use of online technology and mobile phones. Each year there is a different topic such as cyberbullying or social networking. The focus for SID’s next campaign is “Let’s create a better internet together”. SID organisers want children and young people, parents and teachers, as well as businessmen and politicians to work together to build a better internet for all of us, but particularly for children.
There are special lessons prepared for schoolchildren on Safer Internet Day in Britain. You can find out about SID on this website: http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/.
1 abuse [əˈbjuːs] оскорбление
2 to be cyberbullied [ˈsaɪbəbʊlɪd] быть преследуемым в киберпространстве
2. The journalist writes how to stop bad messages on Twitter. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What can we do to stay safe online?
4. Why is SID a good way to stop abuse on the Internet?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where does the conversation take place?
2. What is the man interested in?
3. How much do you need to pay monthly?
III. Let’s talk about Great Britain.
Just before Christmas in 1944, a letter arrived at our house in Philadelphia. The postmark was from Tuskegee, Alabama, so we all knew who it was from. We excitedly gathered around Mother as she opened it.
My Dear Mother,
I did not get the leave I expected for Christmas. I will miss all of you. Please leave the Christmas tree up until I make it back. I hope to be home by March.
Love from your son,
Clifton.
I was 17 years old at the time. My heart sank. I felt a deep sadness that my favourite brother would not be home for Christmas. He was one of the Tuskegee Airmen 1 and was responsible for maintaining 2 the airplanes flying off to fight in World War II. My mother, being the optimist, said, “Well, it looks like we’ll get to have two Christmases this year!” After Christmas, my sister and I worked together to make sure we kept that Christmas tree looking as pretty as possible. This was no easy feat.
By mid-January, the branches dropped so low to the ground that they became a sliding board for the decorations. Each day, ornaments would come crashing to the ground and there were new pine needles 3 all over the wooden floor. My sister and I took turns sweeping them up. We moved the ornaments to the stronger branches on the tree, hoping they would stay on.
Each time we freshened that tree up, my sister and I were full of thoughts about Clifton and how happy we would be to see him again. It made us feel that he was close by, even though he was hundreds of miles away. On March 5, the doorbell rang. We ran to the door and gave Clifton a big hug. As he hugged Mother, I could see him looking over her head at the Christmas tree.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “Thank you.” Clifton opened his presents and told us all sorts of stories about his work in Tuskegee. That night as we slept, we heard a crash in the living room. We all ran to see what had happened. The tree had toppled 4 onto the sofa and there were needles and broken ornaments everywhere.
We all had a good laugh. It was fortunate that Clifton got home!
1 Tuskegee Airmen пилоты из Таскиги
2 to maintain обслуживать, готовить
3 a pine needle [ˈpaɪnˌ niːdl] сосновая иголка
4 to topple [ˈtɒpl] опрокинуться, свалиться
2. The family got a message from Clifton. Find the extract which says about it and read it aloud.
3. What was Clifton’s job?
4. Which facts show that all the family loved Clifton very much?
II. Listen to three teenagers talking about homework and answer the questions below.
1. Why does the first speaker dislike doing homework?
2. What does the second speaker have regrets about?
3. What are the benefits of doing homework according to the third speaker?
III. Let’s talk about science and modern technologies.
I. 1. Read the story and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
The Condemned Room 1
Dear Mom,
I am working very hard on cleaning my room. But I want to go to Katy’s this afternoon to work on our Halloween costumes. Can I finish tomorrow? I would get up early and do it before breakfast and I’ll do a good job. Please, write back.
Love, The Prisoner in Tower # 3
Dear Prisoner, No.
Love, Mom.
For days Sam’s mother never came up to her room. And then one day Sam came home from school and found the Condemned sign on her door. Her mother had made the sign. It said: “The room is condemned. Its owner may not go anywhere or do anything until the area is restored”. In other words, Sam was to stay in until she cleaned her room.
It wasn’t fair. She was always getting the Condemned sign. Her brother hardly ever did. And his room was really disgusting, with posters of rock stars and basketball stars and movie stars wearing tiny bikinis covering every inch of his walls. But, her mother pointed out, his floor was clean and his desk as well. That was all she cared about.
Sam had been in her room for three hours now. She sat on the floor, looking at everything she was supposed to be putting away. It was possible she might be there all day. There were her clothes, lying high on her chair and overflowing onto the floor. Dirty shoes. An umbrella from when it rained on Tuesday. Library books. Magazines with pictures of cool teen-movie stars that Rebecca had given her. Her piano music from yesterday’s lesson. And different little things: nail polish remover, cotton balls, a tennis-ball, a note pad from Katy, rocks from rock collection they were making for science, pencils, chewing gum. And about twelve dirty handkerchiefs.
The thing to do, Sam decided, was sort everything into piles. A pile of dirty laundry, a pile of her dresser drawers, a pile to throw away. That was how her father, the organization man, would do it. She sighed. It was impossible to imagine she couldn’t leave her room all weekend. She decided to paint her finger nails instead.
1 a condemned room комната, признанная небезопасной для проживания
2. The author tells us about her brother’s room. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What made Sam’s Mum write a message?
4. Is Sam going to clean the room? Why do you think so?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where was Tina going to?
2. What happened at the airport?
3. Why was Tina scared during the flight?
III. Let’s talk about art.
I. 1. Read the story and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
It was a funny and surprising thing that brought Grandad back to me. It was algebra. I couldn’t cope with algebra in my first year at secondary school, and it made me mad. “I don’t see the point of it,” I screamed. “I don’t know what it’s for!”
Grandad, as it turned out, liked algebra and 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 1 at school?”
“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 head.
“It’s to keep what is in here healthy. PE is 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 2 .”
And it worked. Not that I fell in love with algebra. But I did come to see that it was possible to enjoy it. Grandad taught me that maths signs and symbols were not just marks on paper. They were not flat. There were three-dimensional, and you could approach them from different directions. 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 helped me to discover my Grandad. Algebra turned out to be the key that opened the invisible door he lived behind and let me in.
Now I learnt that Grandad’s world was full of miracles and mazes 3 , mirrors and misleading signs. He was fascinated by riddles and codes and labyrinths 4 , 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. I discovered My Grandad.
1 PE [ˌpiːˈiː] физкультура
2 to take our brains for a jog [əˈdʒɒɡ] шевелить мозгами
3 a maze путаница
4 a labyrinth [ˈlæbərɪnθ] лабиринт
2. The author says she had problems with algebra. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. How did the girl’s Granddad help her understand the subject?
4. What else did the author understand about her Granddad?
II. Listen to the member of the Greenpeace organisation telling a story about whales and answer the questions below.
1. How did Uncle Roger explain to the boy why the whales were on the beach?
2. How did the people help them?
3. How did this event affect the story-teller’s life?
I. 1. Read the interview with a British businessman and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Journalist: Do people in your country depend a lot on technology for communication?
Businessman: Yes. Everybody’s using all kinds of phones, mobiles and Internet services. I think the benefits of the computers cannot be denied. They save valuable time and space. Time-consuming tasks such as checking bank accounts can now be done in a matter of minutes and a large volume of information is economically stored on tiny disks. In addition, with immediate access to the Internet, we can always keep up with global and current issues and explore the world from the comfort of our homes.
Journalist: Do you manage to keep up with the development of technologies?
Businessman: I think the fact that methods in business have moved ahead at such speed has meant that we generally have to keep up with it all, whether we want to or not. Otherwise, we’ll be left behind. In fact this need to keep up has also entered the home, where a lot of people spend much money on computer equipment when all they do is play games.
Journalist: How different would everyday life be without technological means of communication?
Businessman: Of course, life would be very different without all these means of communication. For those working in the world of business, life would be much more difficult as it would take much longer to get in touch with other companies and to come to agreement on important matters. Basically, if we didn’t have email systems at home or mobile phones, etc., it wouldn’t be the end of the world. I mean, we survived before, didn’t we?
Journalist: How do you feel about mobile phones?
Businessman: I personally find them useful and necessary. They’re convenient if there’s an emergency on a business trip or when you’re in the middle of nowhere or need to contact the police or your family for example. Though, I do feel that they are overused in many cases. Think about how many people spend hours just chatting about silly, unimportant things or looking through sites for no special reason even at work.
2. What are the benefits of the computers? Read aloud the extract which describes them.
3. How do businessmen benefit from using technological means of communication at their workplace?
4. When are technological means of communication misused?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. Where does the action take place?
2. What happened to the furniture in the grandmother’s room?
3. Why were Martin and his friend scared?
1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
What is a good family?
Building a successful family is like building a house. Both need a plan. The best way to be organised as a family is to talk about family matters. By doing this, families enjoy a special closeness and stability. Choosing to spend time with your family sends a message more powerful than words.
How much time should families spend together? That varies from family to family. Families with young children usually spend most of their time together because young children need a great deal of physical care and guidance. Families with teenagers may spend less time together because teens naturally want to spend more time with their friends. Healthy families keep a good balance between ‘too much’ and ‘not enough’ time together. They spend enough time to satisfy all family members.
Nothing unites a family more than its traditions which include different norms, ways of behavior, customs and views. In united families these traditions are deep-rooted and passed from generation to generation.
Strong families take time to be together and talk to one another. They share their hopes and dreams, feelings and concerns over common meals. Members of successful families feel they really belong to their family. They celebrate their victories and help each other learn from their mistakes. They do their household chores together and go to the theatre. At the same time, strong families adapt relationships and family rules when needs arise. Since no family knows what tomorrow will bring, being adaptive is a good trait for family members to develop.
Recent studies affirm the importance of love in families. Research shows that expressions of affection towards children reduce behaviour problems and help children’s development. Strong families notice and share positive aspects of each member. They notice the talents, skills and achievements, special qualities and characteristics that make the other person unique. They find ways to be positive even when another family member makes a mistake and make an effort to develop closeness and show love at home.
2. The author explains what makes a successful family. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What makes a family united?
4. How much time should family members spend together?
II. Listen to the girl speaking about her eating habits and answer the questions below.
1. What problem does the girl have?
2. What makes the girl think that her habit is harmful?
3. Why can’t she stop eating chocolate?
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Pythagoras is often described as a very important mathematician, yet we know little about his achievements. What we do know is that he was the leader of a society which was half scientific and half religious. It was a secret society and today Pythagoras is still a mysterious figure.
It is believed that Pythagoras was born on the Greek island of Samos. His father was a merchant, and as a child, Pythagoras travelled with him selling their goods. Pythagoras was well educated. He learned music and poetry and had three philosophers to teach him who introduced Pythagoras to mathematics and advised him to travel to Egypt to learn more about mathematics and astronomy. So in 535 BC, Pythagoras travelled to Egypt where he visited many temples and took part in discussions with priests. Many of the customs he learnt in Egypt he came to adopt. For example, the Egyptian priests refused to eat beans and wear animal skins, as did Pythagoras later in his life.
In 525 BC the King of Persia invaded Egypt. Pythagoras was taken prisoner and was transported to Babylon. It was here, taught by the Babylonians, that he reached perfection in arithmetic and music. When Pythagoras returned to Samos he founded there a school which was called ‘The Semicircle’. It seems that the people of Samos did not appreciate the teaching methods of Pythagoras and they treated him rudely and improperly. Furthermore, they wanted to involve Pythagoras in local politics against his will. For these reasons, he went to Italy.
Pythagoras believed that numbers rule the universe and that numbers are present in all things. He also connected mathematics to music and recognized the healing power of music. He used it as a kind of therapy to help those who were ill. Another of his beliefs was that there are three types of men: those who love wisdom, those who love honour and those who love wealth.
Pythagoras was a mathematician, an astronomer, and a philosopher. Today we remember him best for his famous geometry theorem, known as Pythagoras’ theorem. 2
1 Pythagoras Пифагор
2 Pythagoras’ theorem теорема Пифагора
2. Where did Pythagoras go to learn mathematics and astronomy? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. Why did Pythagoras go to Italy?
4. What are the three types of men according to Pythagoras?
II. Listen to the interview with Mr Ron Cansler taken by the Youth Magazine and answer the questions below.
1. How old is Mr Cansler?
2. What kind of life did he have when he was young?
3. What does he recommend listeners to do?
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Possibly the most famous female pilot ever, Amelia Earhart was born in 1897 in Kansas, the USA. Amelia had a difficult and unsettled childhood. Her family travelled a great deal so her father could find work. Although she often missed school, Amelia was nevertheless considered to be very bright academically. She enjoyed reading and poetry as well as sports, especially basketball and tennis.
After graduating from high school, instead of going to college, Amelia decided to study nursing. During the First World War, she worked as a military nurse in Canada. When the war ended she became a social worker back in America and taught English to immigrants. In her free time, Amelia enjoyed going to air shows and watching aerial stunts 1 , which were very popular during the 1920s. Her fascination with flying began when, at one of those shows, she took a ten-minute ride, and from that moment on she knew she had to learn to fly.
Amelia took on several odd jobs to pay for the flying lessons and after a year, she had saved enough money to buy her own plane. She organised cross-country air races for women pilots and formed a now famous women pilots’ organisation, called the ‘Ninety-Nines’. One day Amelia received an invitation to be the first woman ever to make the flight across the Atlantic from Canada to Britain. Amelia made the flight in 1928 and, although she was only a passenger and two men flew the plane, it made her a celebrity. She also met there her future husband, George Putman, a publisher, who arranged the flight and organised all the publicity.
In 1932 Amelia and George decided Amelia should make the Atlantic crossing from America to Britain alone. She broke several records on this flight; she became the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo, the only person to have flown it twice and she established a new transatlantic crossing record of 13 hours and 30 minutes. Understandably, she became even more famous as a result earning respect for women pilots all over the world by proving that women could fly as well as men, if not better.
1 an aerial stunt [ˈeərɪəl ˈstʌnt] фигура высшего пилотажа
2. How did Amelia get interested in flying? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What invitation did Amelia receive one day?
4. Why did Amelia become famous?
II. Listen to the conversation between Nancy and her mum and answer the questions below.
1. What do Nancy’s parents worry about?
2. Why does Nancy refuse to do household chores?
3. What arguments does Mum use to make Nancy clean the room?
III. Let’s talk about the mass media.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
THE STRESS OF COMMUTING 1
In today’s modern world, people are constantly looking for ways to avoid stress and improve their lifestyle. Too much stress can lead to a variety of illnesses from headaches to high blood pressure. Simple things, such as driving to and from work on a daily basis, can be such a stressful experience that many people are left feeling totally exhausted. Cars can give normally peaceful people a feeling of power that can make them more aggressive.
Fortunately, there are various means of public transport to choose from within modern towns and cities. Sometimes, all we need to do is to change a few of our long-standing habits in order to discover a much more comfortable way of life. By simply planning journeys, not only can we save time and money, but we can also reduce stress levels dramatically. By using public transport everybody wins. Most towns and cities are well-covered by bus, tram and metro services. While making use of these services, you are also helping against increasing levels of pollution.
Public transport systems have improved considerably in recent years and there is now more focus on environmentally friendly forms. For example, old tram systems have been reintroduced into many European cities, making movement across large areas much faster and ‘cleaner’.
Another way of reducing levels of both stress and pollution is an introduction of an environmentally friendly network of cycle tracks. The aim of building cycle tracks is to motivate people to use their bicycles instead of their cars. So, next time you see your neighbor or colleague waiting at a bus stop as you drive by, don’t feel sorry for him because he will, no doubt, arrive at the office much earlier than you as you will still be fighting to find a parking space.
Or you might consider another way of getting to work. Carpooling 2 is a relatively new and convenient system when several people arrange to share one private car to get to work. And some companies have already introduced a plan where those who carpool get preferential parking in the company garage.
1 commuting ежедневные поездки на работу в город из пригорода и обратно
2 to carpool [ˈkaːpuːl] ездить на одной машине, подвозить по очереди
2. The network of public transport has improved lately. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. How can we help reduce pollution?
4. Why is carpooling convenient?
II. Listen to the advice how to make a good friend and answer the questions below.
1. How do people feel if they have no friend?
2. What qualities does a good friend have?
3. Why is it good to be a real friend?
III. Let’s talk about international cooperation.
№ 14
I. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
In April 2007, a 16-year-old English boy named Charlie McDonnell was studying for his exams. But he was bored, so he turned on his computer and started surfing the web. He soon found a website called YouTube and within minutes he was watching a video of another teenager sitting in his bedroom and talking to his computer about how bored he was. ‘I could do better than that!’ thought Charlie. So, using a cheap computer and a webcam, he made his first video blog and posted it on YouTube under the name Charlieissocoollike.
A few days after the first video Charlie found that he had 150 subscribers. Encouraged by this, he went on to make more videos. A month later Charlie’s audience grew and he started to get hundreds of video messages from his fans. “It was really strange,” says Charlie. “I’d been talking to my computer for a month and suddenly my computer started talking back to me!”
His next big success came a few months later when Oprah Winfrey, the famous American TV host, showed one of Charlie’s comedy videos called How to be English on her programme, which made him popular in the USA too.
Charlie also realised he could use his fame to help people less fortunate than himself. To celebrate his 18th birthday, he raised £5,000 for cancer research. He raised four times as much when he co-presented a live show on the Internet. He stayed awake for 24 hours performing challenges from viewers. All the money went to the children’s charity UNICEF 1 .
But what is the secret of his popularity? “I just make videos that I would want to watch,” he says, “and I’m not trying to sell anything. I’m just trying to talk with people and that’s it for me.” His honesty and modesty are perhaps the main reasons why Charlie is so well liked. And of course, he is a talented song writer, camera man, actor and singer.
And if you were wondering how Charlie did in his exams back in 2007...well, he passed with nine A grades and one B! He says that he wants to go on to study at university in the future but decided to try and make a career on YouTube before that.
1 UNICEF [ˈjuːnɪsef] Детский фонд ООН
2. Charlie says how the idea of making a video crossed his mind. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. How did he become popular?
4. Why do people like Charlie?
II. Listen to Huan, a Chinese man, speaking about moving out and answer the questions below.
1. Why do young people prefer to live with their parents in Hong Kong?
2. How did Huan’s parents react to his decision?
3. What are the advantages of living on your own?
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
MAKE YOUR HOME GREENER
Residential buildings are responsible for consuming 27% of the total amount of energy consumed within Europe and are the biggest source of global warming in the world. This is a fact that has, until recently, been overlooked by lawmakers trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, who have concentrated their efforts on industry and transport. The EU has now passed a new law which intends to cut considerably carbon dioxide emissions 1 from buildings. This means that each of us can now save the planet from the comfort of our own homes.
The first things we can do are simple and easy. We can block up draughts 2 , switch off unnecessary lights and make sure cold and hot water taps are not left running. The next step requires more planning and some expense, but as well as saving energy, we will also save on bills. Many homes have window and roof insulation 3 but it is rarely enough. Full insulation can have a dramatic effect on energy consumption. We should use energy efficient light bulbs. These are usually expensive to buy but consume less than half the energy of standard bulbs. These bulbs last much longer than conventional light bulbs reducing the consumption of resources. Also, thermal solar panels are very efficient. They are capable of providing all the hot water you need.
We can install a ‘grey’ water recycling system. At present water used to flush the toilets is of the same drinkable quality that comes out of the taps 4 . This is an unnecessary waste of energy used in water purification. A grey water recycling system cleans water that has been used for washing and sends it through the toilet system reducing the use of clean drinking water.
New buildings have more energy saving features in their design. They can have a wooden structure, extensive insulation, electronic environmental controls, triple glazing 5 , a non-polluting heating system and a turf 6 roof. However, it is how we deal with our present homes that will determine housing’s contribution to global warming. It’s down to each of us, so get insulating!
1 carbon dioxide emissions [ˈkaːbən daɪˈɒkˈsaɪd ɪˈmɪʃnz] выбросы углекислого газа
3 insulation [ˌɪnsjʊˈleɪʃn] изоляция, утепление
4 a tap кран
5 glazing [ˈɡleɪzɪŋ] вставка стекoл
6 turf торф
2. What energy saving features in the design of the building are used nowadays? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What can we do to cut carbon dioxide emissions from buildings?
4. What is considered to be an unnecessary waste of energy used in water purification?
II. Listen to the tour guide and answer the questions below.
1. What sort of tour is it?
2. What will the tourists see on the tour?
3. Why does the tourist ask to return the money?
III. Let’s talk about outstanding people.
I. 1. Read the extract and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
MR WEMMICK’S “CASTLE”
Wemmick’s house was a little wooden cottage in the middle of a large garden. The top of the house had been built and painted like a battery loaded with guns. I said I really liked it. I think Wemmick’s house was the tiniest I had ever seen. It had very few windows and the door was almost too small to get in.
‘Look,’ said Wemmick, ‘after I have crossed this bridge, I raise it so that nobody can enter the Castle.’
The ‘bridge’ was a plank 1 and it crossed a gap about four feet 2 wide and two feet deep. But I enjoyed seeing the smile on Wemmick’s face and the pride with which he raised his bridge. The gun on the roof of the house, he told me, was fired every night at nine o’clock. I later heard it. Immediately, it made an impressive sound.
‘At the back,’ he said, ‘there are chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits. I’ve also got my own little vegetable garden and I grow cucumbers. Wait until supper and you’ll see for yourself what kind of salad I can make. If the Castle is ever attacked, I will be able to survive for quite a while,’ he said with a smile, but at the same time seriously.
Then Wemmick showed me his collection of curiosities. They were mostly to do with being on the wrong side of the law: a pen with which a famous forgery 3 had been committed, some locks of hair, several manuscript confessions written from prison.
‘I am my own engineer, my own carpenter, my own plumber and my own gardener. I am my own Jack of all Trades 4 ,’ said Wemmick, receiving my compliments. Wemmick told me that it had taken many years to bring his property to this state of perfection.
‘Is it your own, Mr. Wemmick?’
‘Oh yes, I have got a hold of it a bit at a time. I have absolute ownership now. You know, the office is one thing, and private life is another. When I go to the office, I leave the Castle behind me, and when I come to the Castle, I leave the office behind me. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to do the same. I don’t want to talk about my home in a professional manner’.
1 plank брус, доска
2 feet — мн. ч. от foot — мера длины, равная 30,48 см
3 а forgery [ˈfɒdʒərɪ] подделка документа
4 Jack of all Trades мастер на все руки
2. ‘An Englishman’s home is his castle’. Read aloud the extract which proves this idea.
3. What do we understand about Wemmick’s home life?
4. Why does Wemmick call himself Jack of all Trades?
II. Listen to a part of the interview with a thirteen-year old writer, Sally Myers, and answer the questions below.
1. What made Sally write the book?
2. What did Sally’s Dad think about the book?
3. How did Sally’s life change after publishing the book?
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Mother Teresa was a simple nun 1 . She never wanted to be famous, but everyone in the world knows who she is.
Mother Teresa was born in 1910 in what is now Macedonia 2 . She was the youngest of three children. Agnes’ 3 father died when she was a child. Her mother made dresses to support the family. Agnes’ mother also liked to do charity work, such as visiting the sick. Agnes often went with her, and she enjoyed helping these people.
Even as a child, Agnes wanted to be a nun. When she was 18 years old, she joined a group of nuns in India. There, she chose the name Teresa. Then she went to Calcutta to work at St. Mary’s School, in a convent 4 . Sister Teresa worked there for 20 years and eventually became the principal.
One day in 1946 Sister Teresa was riding on a train to Darjeeling 5 . She looked out of the window and saw dirty children wearing rags and sleeping in doorways. Sick and dying people were lying on dirty streets. At that moment, she believed God sent her a message. She decided to go to work with the poor.
Two years later, Sister Teresa left the convent and opened a school for the kids from poor families. Though at the very beginning the school had no roof, no walls, and no chairs, later it became well-known all around India. In 1948, Sister Teresa started her own group of nuns. They were called the Missionaries of Charity. The nuns lived in the slums 6 with people who were poor, dirty, and sick. It was hard work and the days were long. But many young nuns came from around the world to join Mother Teresa.
Later, she started homes for children without families. She also started clinics. Over the years, news of her work spread around the world. Many people sent her donations of money, others came to work with her. By 1990 the Missionaries of Charity were working in 400 centres around the world.
Mother Teresa got the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. But she always said her greatest reward was helping people. Her message to the world was: ‘We can do no great things — only small things with great love’.
1 a nun монахиня
2 Macedonia [ˌmæsəˈdəʊnɪə] Македония
3 Agnes [ˈæɡnɪs] Агнес
4 a convent [ˈkɒnv(ə)nt] монастырь
5 Darjeeling Дарджилинг (город)
6 slums трущобы
2. The author writes about Mother Teresa’s family. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. Why did Mother Teresa decide to devote her life to people in need?
4. What did Mother Teresa do for people?
II. Listen to the interview and answer the questions below.
1. What does Jackie want to become?
2. Why has she chosen this profession?
3. Why is it important for students to do sport at school?
III. Let’s talk about accommodation.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
The most mystique 1 picture
Every hour about 1,500 people visit the Louvre Museum in Paris with the specific intention of seeing one particular painting: the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Most of these visitors look at the painting for about three minutes before they walk back to the tourist buses outside.
Leonardo loved the painting very much and people say that he took it everywhere with him. The painting was originally ordered by a rich businessman in Florence, who wanted a portrait of his wife, Lisa. Leonardo began the painting in 1503 and he finished it about three or four years later. The fact that Leonardo wanted to keep the painting himself, adds to the Mona Lisa’s mystique.
Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile has fascinated everyone who has ever seen the painting. In his Lives of the Artists , written just a few years after Leonardo’s death, Giorgio Vasari wrote, ‘While painting Mona Lisa Leonardo employed singers and musicians to keep her happy and so avoid the sadness that painters usually give to portraits. As a result, there was a smile that seemed divine 2 rather than human; and those who saw it were amazed to find how alive and real it appeared.’
Modern art critics also emphasise how the portrait seems alive and real. ‘She is like a living person,’ writes art historian E.H. Gombrich, ‘She seems to change before our eyes. Even in photographs we can experience this strange effect. Sometimes she seems to be looking down on us, and sometimes we can detect sadness in her smile. All this sounds rather mysterious, and it is; that is so often the effect of a great work of art.’
The Mona Lisa is certainly a masterpiece, a magnificent work of art, but it is also a part of modern popular culture. Her image appears on plates, T-shirts, mouse pads and in advertisements. Perhaps for this reason, officials at the Louvre Museum placed the painting in a specially built area in a room with other great 16th century Italian paintings. In this way, visitors have a better chance to appreciate the painting as a work of art rather than as a tourist attraction.
1 mystique таинственный
2 divine божественный
2. Why is Mona Lisa smiling? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What makes the Mona Lisa so special?
4. Why is the painting displayed in an exceptional way?
1. What does Christian want to become?
2. Why does Kate need to learn English?
3. What piece of advice does Christian give to his friend?
III. Let’s talk about your family.
I. 1. Read the book review and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
1 have certainly changed a lot in the last 60 years. The first Guinness Book was published in August 1955 in London, in Britain. Most editions were small paperbacks printed in black-and-white and contained more text than photographs. Now, there are colour pictures on every page — and the book also includes 3-D images.
This fascinating collection of records is divided into chapters on Space, The Living Planet, Being Human, Human Achievements, Spirit of Adventure, Modern Life, Science & Engineering, Entertainment, Sports , and the Gazetteer 2 .
Here you will see and read about extremes: for example, the world’s tallest, oldest, shortest, and tiniest — people, plants, animals, buildings. Some have set records for pulling buses, kissing, swimming, ironing clothes, running, and for having the longest legs, the smallest waist, etc.
Some images are a bit strange to look at for too long — check out the woman with the longest fingernails in the world. Also, one man had 14 operations to make himself look like a cat.
There’s a wide range of amazing facts contained on these pages. What is the world’s most expensive hamburger? — It is available in a New York restaurant for $120. Who had the most hit singles on the US music charts? — Elvis Presley, of course, with 151 between 1956 and 2003 (and he died in 1977!). One of the most colourful sections shows records related to space, including some fantastic photographs of Jupiter. Take a look at the top movies such as the first summer blockbuster of all time, the first movie with Dolby sound, and the first to be more expensive than $100 million.
As always, there’s a helpful index in the back of the book, in which you can find subjects of interest in alphabetical order.
Please note that some stunts 3 in this book would be quite dangerous — or at least terribly painful — for you to attempt to meet or beat them. Therefore, please don’t attempt to set any world records that would cause risk to you or to others!
1 the Guinness [ˈɡɪnɪs] Books of World Records [ˈrekɔ:dz] Книга рекордов Гиннесса
2 Gazetteer [ˌɡæzəˈtɪə] географический справочник
3 a stunt опасный трюк
2. The author describes how The Guinness Books of World Records changed with time. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What information will you find in this book?
4. Why can this book be interesting for the reader?
II. Listen to the young man describing where he lived and answer the questions below.
1. Why did the man’s family have to rent a flat for about a year?
2. What was their flat in the capital like?
3. How many people is he sharing the flat with at present?
III. Let’s talk about your future career.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
ARE YOU READY TO BE INDEPENDENT?
Angela Rowlands recently tested her teenage children’s ability to do basic household jobs in the house. When Angela and her husband Ben went to Spain for a few weeks’ holiday on the Costa Brava, their son Mark, aged 18, and daughter Frances, aged 16, stayed at home to look after the house. The parents wanted to see how Mark and Frances would manage in the house on their own.
So when they left the house, they did not tell the children that they had prepared a few tests for them. “We took the plug 1 off the microwave and took out some good light bulbs 2 and put in light bulbs that did not work. We also made sure that there were other problems in the house: with an Italian coffee machine and one of the taps 3 in the bathroom,” says Dr Rowlands.
When Dr Rowlands returned from her holiday, she found, as she had expected, that her children had failed the independence test. Mark and Frances had asked an electrician to change the plug on the microwave and to change the light bulbs. They also paid a specialist for repairing the bathroom tap. When they saw that the coffee maker was broken, they went to buy a new one. They even did not think to look for the missing part in the cupboard.
Dr Rowlands was not surprised by the results of her experiment. “A lot of young people today are not able to solve simple problems in the house,” she says. “They often throw things away when they are broken. This is wrong because it shows that young people do not understand how things work or are made. It can also be very expensive because you have to pay other people to do the work for you.”
But repairing broken things is only part of the problem. A lot of young people cannot cook at all. If there is no ready-made meal in the fridge, or if there is nothing to warm up in the microwave, then there is no food. This can cause health problems.
The truth is that many young people do not want to learn basic household skills as they find them boring. Though, if people want to be prepared for independent life they should learn how to do simple jobs about the house.
1 a plug штепсельная вилка
2 a light bulb [ˈlaɪt bʌlb] лампочка
3 a tap кран
2. Why did Dr Rowlands decide to test her children? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What did the parents prepare for their children?
4. Do you think the children passed the test? Why do you think so?
II. Listen to Tom speaking about his day off and answer the questions below.
1. How did Tom spend his day off?
2. What went wrong?
3. What made Tom feel frightened?
III. Let’s talk about Belarus.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Technology is everywhere. We see it any place we go to and, in fact, almost all of us carry some piece of technology with us every time we leave the house. We can’t imagine our life without them. But what we always forget, though, is just how useful and powerful technology can be when we want to help others.
There is not a single room in my house that does not have some gadget lying around in it. Whenever I am at home, providing that I am not sleeping, I am almost always using at least one electronic device. If you walked into my living room on any given day, you would find that, first, I have the television on (along with the other related appliances, such as the DVD player or my current favourite games console 1). At the same time, even though multi-tasking is definitely not my strong point, I usually have my laptop resting on my knee, or I will be using my tablet or mobile phone. In the background, the technology that I am not using will most likely be on charge somewhere in the house. Even when I’m not at home I am constantly using my phone. At work or in cafés, I sit down and connect to the local wireless network on my laptop. I must admit that I waste a lot of time on the computer. Instead I could spend it doing some online volunteering.
The technology we carry about everywhere can have a great power to do good for the world and to help others and recently I discovered just how much online volunteering there is to do in the world. From using your language skills to do translations, to developing and managing projects and helping with IT work, there is so much that so many people can do to help people in their own countries and across the world. The United Nations, in fact, has a huge page on its website designed for recruiting volunteers.
This work can support the poor and help charities who otherwise would not have the funding to pay for staff. Many organisations only require you to work an hour a week — some even less. And the support provided by online volunteers can really help make a difference to those in need.
1 games console [ˈɡeɪmz ˈkɒnˈsəʊl] игровая приставка
2. The author disapproves of the way people use electronic devices. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What electronic devices does the author often use?
4. How can online volunteering help people?
II. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.
1. What is the flat like?
2. What do Anna and Carlos like and dislike about the flat?
3. What have they decided to do?
III. Let’s talk about any Enlglish-speaking country.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
From librarian to political reporter
The Pretenders is a very successful and popular TV series. In each programme there is a contestant who has just four weeks to learn to do a completely new job. At the end of the month the contestant has to do a ‘test’, where he or she has to do the new job together with three other professionals. Three judges have to identify the one who pretends.
Jessica Winters is a 26-year-old librarian. She studied English Literature at the University of Bath before getting a job at the local library. She didn’t know that two of her friends had sent her name to the TV company to take part in The Pretenders. ‘When someone from the company called me, I thought it was a joke,’ said Jessica. ‘First of all, I said ‘no’, in the end my friends and my family persuaded 1 me and I agreed.’
Jessica had four weeks to turn from a quiet, shy librarian into a confident TV reporter. At the end of the month she had to interview the Minister of Education. It was her test.
An experienced political journalist, Adam Bowles, had to transform Jessica into a professional. He wasn’t very optimistic when he met her. ‘Jessica needs to be a lot harder, even aggressive. She is much too sweet and shy’, said Adam. ‘Politicians will eat her alive.’ They had just 28 days to teach her how to interview people, how to be confident, how to speak clearly.
Jessica was terrified at the beginning. She watched a lot of live interviews with politicians. Adam made her read the political sections of all the newspapers. It was boring for her and she felt exhausted. Later as soon as she began making progress, she felt more relaxed.
During the interview Jessica felt nervous but well-prepared as she had done much research and had practised a lot. ‘When it was all over, came the worst part, I had to wait while the judges decided which of us they thought wasn’ t a professional’. The judges gave their verdict: they were all professional reporters.
For Jessica it was a great experience and she was pleased how she did it, but actually she doesn’t feel like changing her work.
1 to persuade убедить
2. The Pretenders is a famous TV programme. Read aloud the extract about it.
3. How did Jessica make it into the programme?
4. Why was it an exciting and useful experience for Jessica?
II. Listen to three people talking about their favourite countries and answer the questions below.
1. What country does the first speaker like most?
2. What makes Italy a favourite place for the second speaker?
3. Why does the third speaker like Argentina?
III. Let’s talk about national character and stereotypes.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
Mi Luna is a restaurant in the Rice Village. The atmosphere is lively, and the food is delicious. It is a Spanish cuisine restaurant that you will soon consider one of your favourite restaurants.
There are many reasons why this restaurant is special. One is that they make a wonderful dish called Pulpo con Patatas . It’s a delicious Spanish seafood dish which has the following ingredients: octopus, potatoes, salt, olive oil, and chilepiquin . (Chilepiquin is a special kind of chili that looks like red powder and is very hot.)
Another reason is the place itself. Once you are in the restaurant, you feel a Spanish atmosphere; it is painted with the classical colours that are used in Spain — red, yellow, white, and black. The way this place is decorated is really very impressive. On the walls, there are photos of Spanish bullfighters, taken at the perfect moments of their performances.
On one of the walls, you can enjoy a photo of the famous classical Spanish dance called Flamenco 1 . In it, the dancers are wearing the traditional clothes, and the lady has in her hands the most famous Spanish musical instrument called castanets 2 .
The service is pleasant, caring and quick. It makes you want to come back. The waiters just keep looking at your table to find out if you need something. If they see an empty glass, they immediately ask you if you want something else to drink. At all time, they are friendly and ready to clear all the used dishes from your table. They are always smiling because they are trying to make you feel comfortable and happy. They know each dish, so they are able to explain it to you.
On their menu, they serve a large variety of foods, and there is a section on the menu that I like most. In Spain, these dishes are called tapas 3 . Tapas or appetizers are dishes that have a small amount of food. In this way you will be able to try a lot of different Spanish dishes.
By the time you leave Mi Luna , you are sure to be entirely satisfied and have very good memories of the visit. It is a great place for any occasion, but it is very busy, so don’t forget to book a table first.
1 Flamenco фламенко (испанский танец)
2 castanets [ˌkæstəˈnets] кастаньеты (традиционный испанский ударный музыкальный инструмент)
3 tapas [ˈtæpəs] тапас (закуска)
2. The service in Mi Luna is very good. Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What makes Mi Luna look very Spanish?
4. Why should visitors make reservations in Mi Luna in advance?
II. Listen to the conversation between two friends and answer the questions below.
1. What does Margaret complain about?
2. Why does Peter need new clothes?
3. What piece of advice does Margaret give to her friend?
III. Let’s talk about youth and society.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
WE ARE YOUNGER THAN WE EVER WERE
If you belong to the older generation, Elderhostel is a good place to live.
Elderhostel , founded in 1975, is the world’s largest educational and travel organisation for older adults. Its aim is to excite people’s minds and enrich people’s lives promoting and encouraging different activities among the older generation. There are no examinations or marks. All that you need, in order to enroll on a programme, is enquiring mind 1 and an adventurous spirit. Also, of course, you need to believe that learning and discovery continue all your life. There are expert instructors and experienced group leaders for field trips and cultural excursions.
Elderhostel offers a large number of programmes in a huge variety of areas. Amongst other things, it provides simple, online information on activities and services. First of all, there are traditional programmes. Here, people study ancient history, literature, and art, and can learn about different cultures, modern people and issues.
Also, Elderhostel believes that physical activity helps people to keep a positive self-image and contributes to the sense of well-being both mental and physical. Many programmes have keep-fit equipment and a large number of social and cultural events take place there, as well as sporting activities. Regular physical activity can prevent many common illnesses, such as high blood pressure and asthma and it helps people who already have such illnesses. Alongside the usual sports like swimming, hockey and cricket, bowling and tennis, you will find “Dog Clubs” and “Flying Clubs”. Then there is a group of adventure programmes involving activities like hiking, kayaking 2 , biking and studying whales.
There are also programmes which give people the chance to help communities in different ways, such as protecting endangered species, tutoring school children and building affordable housing.
Finally, there are programmes which take place aboard a boat, anywhere from Antarctic to the Mississippi River.
The word ‘old’ has a very different and very positive meaning in Elderhostel !
1 enquiring mind [ɪnˈkwaəɪrɪŋ maɪnd] пытливый, проницательный ум
2 a kayak [ˈkaɪæk] каяк (лодка)
2. What kind of organisation is Elderhostel ? Read aloud the extract which says about it.
3. What activities does Elderhostel offer?
4. Why does the word ‘old’ have a positive meaning in Elderhostel ?
II. Listen to three people speaking about how they met their partners and answer the questions below.
1. Why was the first speaker surprised?
2. When did the second speaker ask the girl out?
3. Why did the third speaker think that the girl was awful when they first met?
III. Let’s talk about education.
I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.
QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION
The Internet nowadays is like a huge city full of many different kinds of places and people. As in a real city, there are certain places which are suitable for youngsters and others which need to be avoided.
The Internet neither belongs to nor is controlled by any one person, organisation or government. It gives all of us the opportunity to create materials for others to see. On the other hand, as in ordinary life, there are those who might use it for illegal purposes. The freedom of the Net offers exciting opportunities for youngsters and, by being aware of the possible dangers and taking steps to avoid them, they can happily explore that online world in safety.
The Internet has enabled and advanced new forms of human interactions through instant messaging, Internet forums, and social networking. Common sense will certainly help children to use the Internet safely. It is preferable, for example, for parents to get to know who their children are meeting online and make sure they never give out personal information about themselves. Although it is an excellent tool for learning, playing and communicating with others, youngsters should not be allowed to become so involved that they forget other activities important to their development. How often do we hear of youngsters spending all their free time in front of the computer, isolating themselves from other people their age? Computers are admirable tools that improve the quality of life, but when used sensibly. Steve Jobs said: “Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them”. Obviously, surfing as a family activity is the best solution, so that any problems that are found can be discussed together.
Parents need to think about safety issues and agree on a set of rules. Just as youngsters are given instructions on road safety, they also need to be instructed on how to travel safely along that superhighway.
2. The author says that the Internet offers exciting opportunities for youngsters. Find this extract and read it aloud.
3. What is surfing the Internet compared to?
4. Why is it important to use the Internet sensibly?
II. Listen to three people speaking about their work-life balance and answer the questions below.
1. What does the first speaker complain about?
2. How has the life style of the second speaker changed?
3. What does the third speaker think about his way of life and the typical Japanese work-life balance?
III. Let’s talk about tourism.
Экзаменационный материал
для промежуточной аттестации по английскому языку
6 класс
2015-2016 учебный год
Пояснительная записка
Данный экзаменационный материал содержится в форме билетов. Содержания билетов охватывает вопросы по английскому языку за курс 6 класса. В него вошли топики на темы о себе, о здоровой еде, о спорте, о знаменитых людях, страноведение. А также задание на перевод и понимание текста.
Целью проведения экзаменационных работ является определение степени освоения обучающимися учебного материала по английскому языку за 6 класс 2015/2016 учебный год.
Развитее коммуникативных умений в четырех основных вида речевой деятельности (говорении, аудировании, чтении и письме).
Овладение новыми языковыми средствами в соответствии с темами и ситуациями общения, отобранными для основной школы; освоение знаний о языковых явлениях изучаемого языка, разных способах выражения мысли в родном и иностранном языках;
Приобщение к культуре, традициям, реалиям стран/страны изучаемого языка в рамках тем, сфер и ситуаций общения, отвечающих опыту, интересам, психологическим особенностям учащихся основной школы на разных ее этапах;
Формирование у учащихся потребности изучения иностранных языков и овладения ими как средством общения, познания, самореализации и социальной адаптации в поликультурном полиэтническом мире в условиях глобализации на основе осознания важности изучения иностранного языка и родного языка как средства общения и познания в современном мире.
Билеты для экзамена по английскому языку
Билет №1.
1.Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2.Устная тема «Здоровая еда».
Билет №2.
2. Устная тема «Мой друг».
Билет №3.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема «Мой рабочий день».
Билет №4.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема «О себе».
Билет №5.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема «Достопримечательности Лондона».
Билет №6.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема «Знаменитые люди ».
Билет №7.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема «Великобритания».
Билет №8.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема « Спорт».
Билет №9.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема «Праздники в Великобритании».
Билет №10.
1. Прочтите и переведите текст. Передайте краткое содержание текста.
2. Устная тема «Английские традиции».
| Тексты |
| Canada Canada is the second largest country in the world. Only Russia has a greater land area. Canada is situated in North America. Canada is slightly larger than the United States, but has only about a tenth as many people. About 28 million people live in Canada. About 80 % of the population live within 320 km of the southern border. Much of the rest of Canada is uninhabited or thinly populated because of severe natural conditions. Canada is a federation of 10 provinces and 2 territories. Canada is an independent nation. But according to the Constitution Act of 1982 British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is recognized as Queen of Canada. This symbolizes the country"s strong ties to Britain. Canada was ruled by Britain completely until 1867, when Canada gained control of its domestic affairs. Britain governed Canada"s foreign affairs until 1931, when Canada gained full independence. |
| Seasons and clothes. There are four seasons in the year. Each of them brings different weather and different dresses. When it is hot people wear T-shirts and shorts, light blouses and skirts, sport shoes, socks and sandals. In summer people dress like this in Africa, Russia, Canada, Ireland, Great Britain and America. In cold weather people usually put on warm clothes: jeans and trousers, sweaters and jackets, overcoats and caps. In winter they wear fur coats and fur caps, high boots and mittens or gloves. The proverb says: there is no bad weather, there are bad clothes. Another proverb says: everything is good in its season. When you think what to wear, choose the right dress. Think what is good at the sports ground and what is good at the party and why a long dress looks beautiful on a woman but is funny on a little girl. When you buy clothes, try them on, make sure that they are your size, that they suit you well and that you like their color. |
| My Mother’s Birthday My name is Kate. My family is a typical Russian family. There are four of us. I have got a mother. Her name is Ann. She is a teacher. She is very kind. Her hobbies are singing and shopping. My mother is fond of reading detective stories. My father`s name is Peter. He is a driver. He is clever and sporty. My father is fond of fishing. My brother Nick is small. He is only four. He likes playing with his toys. We are a close and friendly family. We like to spend time and holidays together. Tomorrow it will be my mother’s birthday. My brother and I will go shopping together with our father. We are going to buy our mum a birthday present. It will be a nice scarf. She would like to have a white one. And we shall buy flowers for her, too. |
| My Family My name is Polly. I am ten. I am a schoolgirl. I go to school. I like learning English and playing puzzles. I would like to tell you about my family. It is neither big nor small. There are four of us.I have got a mother. Her name is Jane. She is a teacher. She is very responsible and creative. She likes her work. Her hobbies are singing and shopping. My mother is fond of reading detective stories. I have got a father. His name is Jack. He is a doctor. He is clever and hardworking. My father likes playing golf. He goes in for sport to be healthy and strong. He is fond of fishing too. My brother Nick is small. He is only four. He likes playing toys. Usually we get on well with him, but sometimes he is very naughty. On Saturdays and Sundays we like to be together. Last Sunday we went to the country. We had a good rest. |
| Stephan’s family. This is my dad. He is the head of the family. He is a computer programmer. He is brave, strong, athletic and friendly. He likes travelling and doing outdoor activity. Mum works in the Science Museum in London. She is a guide. She likes to be well-dressed. Her favourite colors are green and light-blue. She is very kind and loving. She likes reading, cooking, and spending her free time with me and my little sister Ann. Ann is five years old. She is curious and talkative. Usually she is obedient but sometimes she is naughty. She likes butterflies and everything that is pink and purple. Paul is my uncle. He is my father’s brother. He is a taxi driver. He is very smart and intelligent. He doesn"t like formal clothes at all. He prefers to wear jeans, pullovers and trainers. He enjoys life with his beautiful wife, Amy, and their cute puppy Sadie. |
| Animals in Great Britain People in Great Britain like animals. There are even special hospitals, which help wild animals. There are a lot of television films about wildlife. They are very popular with children and grown ups. A lot of British families have "bird tables" in their gardens. Birds can eat from them during the winter months. The "bird table" should be high because cats can eat birds. The British often think their animals are like people. For example in Britain animals can have jobs like people. British Rail has cats and pays them for their work. Their job is to catch mice. There is usually one cat per station. They get food and free medical help. The cats don"t catch a lot of mice but they are very popular with the British Rail staff and travellers. |
| What is the UK? There are three countries in Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. But the United Kingdom has four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK). The UK is in Europe. The area of the UK is 244,880 square kilometres. The population of the UK is approximately 60,5 million. There are four main nationalities: English, Scots, Welsh and Irish*. The capital of the UK and England is London; the capital of Scotland is Edinburgh; the capital of Wales is Cardiff and the capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast. To the north and east of the UK is the North Sea. To the west and south is the Atlantic Ocean. The most famous river is the Thames in London, but it is not i the longest. The river Severn is 354 kilometres (km) long. The two highest mountains are Ben Nevis in Scotland and Snowdon in Wales. The largest lakes are Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland and Loch Ness in Scotland. |
| The Cat and the Mice A cat lives in a small house. In the kitchen of the cat’s house live little mice. The cat is very big and every day she eats one or two mice. But on her birthday the cat does not eat mice. Every year all the mice in her house come to the cat’s birthday party. Of course, the cat is very glad to see the mice. They give her birthday presents: cakes, bottles of milk and interesting toys. The toys are made of paper and cotton. The cat likes the cakes and milk. She likes the toys too. Last year the mice came to the cat’s birthday party and said “Here is blue ribbon with a small bell for you”. The cat was glad because the ribbon was nice, it was made of silk. The cat took the ribbon, put it on and said “Thank you. I like the ribbon with the bell very much. I am going to wear it all the time”. The mice were happy for they knew when the cat came. When the mice heard the bell, they ran away from the kitchen. |
| Schools in Great Britain In Great Britain boys and girls begin to go to school when they are five years old. Some boys and girls go to school till they are fifteen years old, others go up to sixteen or eighteen. English schools are open five days a week. On Saturdays and Sundays there are no lessons. There are primary and secondary schools in Great Britain. English children begin to go to a secondary school when they are eleven or older. There are different kinds of secondary schools in Britain. Some secondary schools are only for boys, some are only for girls and some are for boys and girls. Some schools prepare pupils for work, others for the university. The pupils of all schools have uniforms. The boys wear dark grey, dark green or dark blue uniforms. The girls in some schools wear blouses and skirts, in others they wear dresses. |
| Russia Russia is one of the largest countries in the world. It occupies about one seventh part of dry land.). The vast territory of Russia lies in the Eastern part of Europe and in the northern part of Asia. Russia is washed by twelve seas and three oceans: the Atlantic, the Arctic, the Pacific. Russia is a land of long rivers and deep lakes. The Volga River is the longest river in Europe (3690 km). Russia is rich in natural resources. 19). It has deposits of coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, nickel, etc. Russia borders on fourteen countries, including the former Republics of the USSR, which are now independent states. The population of Russia is about 150 million people. Today the state symbol of Russia is a three coloured banner. It has three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. |
ЭКЗАМЕНАЦИОННЫЕ МАТЕРИАЛЫ ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ ДЛЯ ВСТУПИТЕЛЬНЫХ ЭКЗАМЕНОВ 2000 ГОДА
TF – 5
1. From the hotel there is a good _____ of the mountains.
A. vision
B. view
C. sight
D. picture
2. I’m sorry, I haven’t got ____ change. Why don’t you try the bank?
A. some
B. lots
C. any
D. all
3. If it _____ fine, I shall go out.
A. was
B. is
C. were
D. will be
4. We’ve ____ of time to catch the train so there’s no need to rush.
A. very much
B. enough
C. great deal
D. plenty
5. I can’t make _____ what’s happening.
A. away
B. out
C. do
D. over
6. He’s left his book at home: he’s always so _____.
A. forgetting
B. forgotten
C. forgettable
D. forgetful
7. Driving a car with faulty brakes is ____ quite a risk.
A. putting
B. setting
C. taking
D. being
8. If we had known your new address, we _____ to see you.
A. came
B. will come
C. would come
D. would have come
9. A small _____ of students was waiting outside the class to see the teacher.
A. gang
B. crowd
C. team
D. group
10. Jenny and her sister are so _____ they could almost be twins.
A. likeness
B. alike
C. same
D. the same
1. Next Saturday Friends of Barston Hospital (collect)_____ money in the High Street to buy more equipment for the hospital. “We (hope)_____ that by the end of the day we (raise)_____ at least $800”, (say)_____ the organizer.
2. Missing schoolgirl Sheila Patterson, aged eleven, (find) _____ alive and well in Leicester. Sheila, who (disappear)_____ two days ago, said she (leave)_____ home to join a circus.
3. A: Do you feel like (dine out)_____ or would you rather (have)_____
dinner at home?
B: I’d like (go out)_____. I always enjoy (have)_____ dinner in a restaurant.
4. Hello! I (try)_____ to telephone you all week. Where you (be)_____?
5. A: He’s only sixteen but he wants to leave school at the end of
the term.
B: If he (leave)_____ now he (be)_____ sorry afterwards.
6. I (arrive)_____ in England in the middle of July, I (tell)_____ that England (be)_____ shrouded in fog all year round, so I (be)_____ quite surprised to find that it was merely raining.
7. A: Why we (wait)_____?
B: John isn’t here yet. I (expect)_____ he (have)_____ trouble with his car again.
8. When I last (see)_____ him, he (live)_____ in London. He (tell)_____ me then that he (think)_____ of (emigrate)_____ to Australia, and he may well (do)_____ so by now.
9. I (live)_____ in London for a long time but I still (not know)_____ many of the streets in my district. The other day I (go out)_____ late at a time when the fog (grow)_____ thicker and I soon (lose)_____ my way.
10. We’ll go out as soon as the shops (open)_____.
1. Он не был уверен, найдут ли они это место, если им не опишут его точно.
2. Когда они вернулись домой, Тед еще не лег спать и слушал музыку в своей комнате.
3. – Когда здесь последний раз шел
дождь?
– Прошлым летом.
4. Я не знаю, сколько людей сейчас на стадионе. Мы ожидаем, что несколько тысяч болельщиков (fans) придут на этот матч.
5. – Почему ей пришлось отказаться от
катания на велосипеде (to cycle)?
– Тогда в ее районе было слишком сильное уличное
движение.
At the age of sixty-five, Laura Ingalls Wilder began writing a series
of novels for young people based on her early experiences on the American frontier. Born
in the state of Wisconsin in 1867, she and her family were rugged pioneers. Seeking better
farm land, they went by covered wagon to Missouri in 1869, then on to Kansas the next
year, returning to Wisconsin in 1871, and traveling on to Minnesota and Iowa before
settling permanently in South Dakota in 1879. Because of this constant moving, Wilder’s
early education took place sporadically in a succession of one-room schools. From age
thirteen to sixteen, she attended school more regularly, although she never graduated.
At the age of eighteen, she married Almanzo James Wilder. They bought a small farm in the
Ozarks, where they remained for the rest of their lives. Their only daughter, Rose, who
had become a nationally-known journalist, encouraged her mother to write. Serving as agent
and editor, Rose negotiated with Harper’s to publish her mother’s first book, Little
House in the Big Woods. Seven more books followed, each chronicling her early life on the
plains. Written from the perspective of a child, they have remained popular with young
readers from many nations. Twenty years after her death in 1957, more than 20 million
copies had been sold, and they had been translated into fourteen languages. In 1974, a
weekly television series, “Little House on the Prairie”, was produced, based on the
stories from the Wilder books.
1. What is the main topic of the passage?
A. American pioneer life
B. Children’s literature
C. A weekly television series
D. Wilder’s career
2. Laura Ingalls Wilder began writing novels
A. when she was a child on the frontier
B. right after she moved to the Ozarks
C. when she was a young mother
D. after her sixty-fifth birthday
3. The author mentions all of the following as events in the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder EXCEPT
A. She went west by covered wagon.
B. She graduated from a one-room school.
C. She married Almanzo Wilder.
D. She had one daughter.
4. The word “sporadically” in line 8 is closest in meaning to
A. with great success
B. for a long time
C. at irregular intervals
D. in a very efficient way
5. The word “they” in line 18 refers to
A. the plains
B. many nations
C. more books
D. young readers
KEY:
TF – 5
I . 1. B; 2. C; 3. B; 4. D; 5. B; 6. D; 7. C; 8. D; 9. D; 10. B
II. 1. will be collecting/are collecting; hope; will have raised; said
2. has been found; disappeared; had left
3. dining out; have; to go out; having
4. have been trying; have you been
5. leaves; will be
6. arrived; had been told/was told; would be, was
7. are we waiting; expect; is having
8. saw; was living; told; was thinking/had been thinking of
emigrating; have done
9. have lived/have been living; do not know; went out; was
growing; lost
10. open/have openedIV. 1. D; 2. D; 3. B; 4. C; 5. C
TF – 6
I. Обведите кружком номер правильного ответа.
1. My mother was ____of making a cake when the front door bell rang.
A. at the centre
B. on her way
C. in the middle
D. halfway through
2. _____ you do better work than this, you won’t pass the exam.
A. Although
B. If
C. Unless
D. When
3. If you want to join the History Society, you must first _____ this application form.
A. make up
B. write down
C. fill in
D. do up
4. He has just taken an examination _____ chemistry.
A. on
B. about
C. for
D. in
5. The police have asked that _____ who saw the accident get in touch with them.
A. somebody
B. someone
C. one
D. anyone
6. It was impossible for her to tell the truth so she had to _____ a story.
A. invent
B. combine
C. manage
D. lie
7. The car had a _____ tyre, so we had to change the wheel.
A. broken
B. cracked
C. bent
D. flat
8. She applied for training as a pilot, but they turned her _____ because of her poor eyesight.
A. back
B. up
C. over
D. down
9. The only feature _____ to these two flowers is their preference for sandy soil.
A. similar
B. same
C. shared
D. common
10. The play was very long, but there were two _____.
A. intervals
B. rests
C. interruptions
D. gaps
II. Раскройте скобки, заполнив пропуски нужными грамматическими формами.
1. A: What you (make)_____, Pamela? It (smell)_____ really nice.
B: Well, I (try)____ a recipe my mother gave me. It (sound)____ meat and vegetables and
then you just (add)____ a few herbs. When she (make)_____ it, it (taste) _____ really
delicious.
2. A: Let’s (go)_____ (fish)_____today. There’s a nice wind. What
about (come)_____ with us, Ann?
B: No, thanks. I’m very willing (cut)_____ sandwiches for you but I’ve no intention of
(waste)_____ the afternoon (sit)_____ in a boat (watch)_____ you two (fish) _____.
3. Tourist: I (be)___ glad when I (get)____ to the top!
Guide: When you (see)____ the view you (be)____ glad you made the effort.
4. Warning: No part of this book (modal verb ) be reproduced without the publisher’s permission.
5. The popular novelist Barbara Bartlett (open)_____ the new extension to Barston Library next Wednesday afternoon. Miss Bartlett, who (write)___ more than twenty best-selling novels, (sign)___ copies of her latest book from three to four o’clock.
6. A: I don’t think we (meet)_____ before?
B: Well, I (see)_____ you once at a party, but we (not introduce)_____ then.
7. We are very proud of our firm’s record. We (make)_____ biscuits since before 1815 and (gain)_____ many awards for our product. My great-great-grandfather (found)_____ the firm.
8. He (play)_____ the guitar outside her house when someone opened the window and (throw out)_____ a bucket of water.
9. He used (have)_____ a day off once a week and on that day he was used to (get up)_____ early, (have)_____ a hasty breakfast and (set out)_____ for the river.
10. He said he (not want)____ (see)____ the film as he (hear)____ that it (be)_____ not as good as the critics (suggest)_____.
III. Переведите с русского языка на английский следующие предложения.
1. Он должен был купить новые джинсы, так как разорвал старые, когда убегал от собаки.
2. – Почему он выглядит так расстроено?
– Разве ты не знаешь? Его последнюю книгу
критикуют во всех газетах и передачах.
3. Интересно, поднимет ли он этот вопрос на следующем собрании, если ни один из двух оппонентов (opponent) не будет там присутствовать?
4. Кто из вас позволил ей взять ключи от зала № 3 в прошлое воскресенье?
5. – Почему он читает эту книгу так
долго?
– Он говорит, что в ней много полезных советов
для молодых бизнесменов.
IV. Прочтите текст и ответьте на следующие за ним вопросы, обведя номер правильного варианта кружком.
In the spring of 1934, storms swept across the Great Plains, but they
were not rainstorms. They were the result of sun and drought and a terrible wind that blew
millions of tons of topsoil from 300,000 square miles in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma,
Colorado, and New Mexico. This was the Dust Bowl. It buried fences, fields, and homes. It
choked cattle and sickened the people who stayed. Three hundred and fifty thousand
settlers fled, many becoming part of a slow, sad caravan along Route 66 to California.
But wind and drought were not the only factors that combined to create the Dust Bowl. Only
fifty years earlier, a carpet of buffalo grass had covered the Great Plains, protecting
the soil and retaining the moisture in the ground. By the turn of the century, farmers had
settled, homesteading in regions that had been used as range land. The increased demand
for wheat during World War I encouraged farmers to plow and plant even wider areas. Forty
percent of the land that they plowed up had never been exposed to rain, wind, or sun
before. When the drought and wind came, the land had been prepared for disaster.
1. With which of the following topics is the passage primarily concerned?
A. The Dust Bowl
B. The Great Plains
C. Homesteading
D. World War I
2. Where did many of the homesteaders go when they abandoned their farms?
A. To Kansas
B. To New Mexico
C. To Texas
D. To California
3. The author mentions all of the following as having contributed to the disaster EXCEPT
A. wind
B. drought
C. homesteading
D. rain
4. The word “fled” in line 7 is closest in meaning to which of the following phrases?
A. passed away
B. became ill
C. ran away
D. gave up
5. The word “It” in line 5 refers to
A. topsoil
B. the Dust Bowl
C. wind
D. result
KEY:
TF – 6
I. 1. C; 2. C; 3. C; 4. D; 5. D; 6. A; 7. D; 8. D; 9. D; 10. A
II. 1. are you making; smells; am trying; sounds; add; makes; tastes
2. go fishing; coming; to cut; wasting; sitting; watching; fish
3. ’ll be; get; see; ’ll be
4. may
5. will open/is to open; has written; will be signing/will sign
6. have met; saw; were not introduced
7. have been making/have made; have gained; founded
8. was playing; threw out
9. to have; getting up; having; setting out
10. didn’t want to see/wouldn’t want to see; had heard; was; had suggested/suggestedIV. 1. A; 2. D; 3. D; 4. C; 5. B
to be continued
Submitted by Vladimir Pavlov
Уже в этом году предстоит сдать выпускной экзамен по английскому? Чтобы ты зря не волновался и на самом испытании чувствовал себя уверенно, расскажет о структуре экзамена, где найти билеты по английскому языку, и даст полезные советы, как вести себя в присутствии комиссии.
Коротко об экзамене
Испытание проходит в устной форме. Его цель — проверить навыки общения на английском, которые ты приобрёл за время обучения в школе. Подготовиться к экзамену лучше заранее: билеты по английскому языку продаются в книжных магазинах или заказать на сайте OZ.by . Аудиоприложение к билетам можно скачать на сайте издательства «Аверсэв» . В аудиторию, где проходит экзамен, приглашают по четыре человека. Если ученик затрудняется ответить по билету, он может перетянуть его. Снижается ли в таком случае отметка? Это остаётся на усмотрение комиссии.
Помни: испытание начинается с того момента, когда ты вошёл в кабинет. Переступил порог — забудь русский язык, представь себя коренным англичанином. Поздоровайся с присутствующими: «Good morning!» Никаких «Hello!» и «Hi!». Ещё один важный момент: экзаменационный билет по-английски звучит как «examination card», а не «ticket». И не забудь назвать номер своего билета: «My examination card is number five» or «The number of my examination card is number five».
Экзамен по английскому языку состоит из трёх этапов
Тебе предстоит пройти аудирование, беседу по прочитанному тексту и на предложенную тему. Последовательность этапов определяет комиссия. Каждый блок заданий оценивается отдельно, итоговая отметка выводится как средняя арифметическая.
Беседа по прочитанному тексту
По номеру билета, который ты вытянешь, комиссия предлагает текст (научно-популярный, публицистический или художественный). Даётся примерно 20 минут на его прочтение и осмысление, так что будь внимателен. Перечитай текст несколько раз, обрати внимание на пояснения к нему (при наличии таковых), спроси себя, всё ли ты понял. Если увидел незнакомое слово, попробуй определить его значение по контексту.
Когда пойдёшь отвечать, листок с текстом будет у тебя перед глазами — подсматривай структуру предложений и отдельные слова, но не забывай отрывать глаза от написанного. Комиссия может спросить, о чём этот текст, какова его основная мысль, задать уточняющие вопросы.
Если не понял вопрос или отдельное слово, переспроси. Воспользуйся следующими выражениями: «Could you repeat the question / that, please?», «Could you say it once again, please?», «I didn’t understand / get it». Нужна буквально секунда, чтобы сориентироваться по ответу, — не впадай в ступор! Фразы «May I have a minute», «Let me think» помогут учителям понять, что ты собираешься с мыслями. Давай развёрнутые ответы, опираясь на содержание прочитанного. Но не сиди уткнувшись в текст, это произведёт плохое впечатление на комиссию.
Аудирование
Перед тем как приступить к прослушиванию записи, ты получаешь листок с вопросами, на которые потом будешь отвечать комиссии. Аудиозапись длится полторы минуты и представляет собой фрагмент радиопередачи, диалог, рассказ или интервью. На подготовку отводится 10 минут. Имена собственные и сложные для распознавания на слух слова даются в печатном виде.
Внимательно прослушай текст два раза: в первый пойми суть текста, во второй найди ответы на вопросы. Чтобы не тратить время на дословную запись, делай пометки, по которым сможешь дать развёрнутый ответ.
Беседа на предложенную тему
К разговорной части экзамена по английскому ты не готовишься заранее. На данном этапе проверяется умение излагать свою точку зрения, поддерживать беседу.
Не употребляй те слова, в значении или произношении которых ты не уверен. Замени их синонимами или перестрой фразу. Старайся разговаривать непринуждённо, улыбайся. Внимательно слушай вопросы учителей, переспрашивай, когда не понимаешь, отвечай развёрнутыми предложениями.
В конце экзамена поблагодари комиссию за внимание и попрощайся: «Thank you for your attention», «Thank you for taken time», «See you!», «Bye!», «Have a nice day!». Вежливость сыграет в твою пользу! Тренируйся на уроках английского языка, чтобы на экзамене чувствовать себя like a fish in water. А если нужна помощь профессионалов, чтобы прокачать уровень английского, .
Если материал был для тебя полезен, не забудь поставить «мне нравится» в наших соцсетях
