ЕГЭ ФИПИ Reading

Раздел «Чтение»
Задание №10 (первое в разделе Чтение)

В первом задании вам надо установить соответствие между заголовком (темой) и
небольшим текстом. Дается семь коротких текстов и восемь заголовков (тем), один
заголовок (тема) - лишний. За каждое правильно установленное соответствие вы
получаете 1 балл, максимум за успешное выполнение этого задания - 7 баллов.
Золотые правила
1. Ознакомьтесь с вариантами заглавий и выделите те, на которые, как вам
кажется, вы сможете дать ответ сходу, после первичного прочтения.
2. Бегло прочитайте все отрывки и постарайтесь понять основную идею
каждого.
Не тратьте на этот пункт плана более 3 минут, ваша задача понять, что все отрывки
связаны общей темой, и зацепить взглядом слова, которые вы знаете и можете каким-
либо образом сгруппировать.
3.Подчеркните так называемые “параллельные конструкции” (синонимы) в

каждом первом предложении абзаца и предполагаемом варианте заголовка.
ВНИМАНИЕ
Обычно каждый абзац текста организован таким образом, что весь основной смысл
отражается в первом предложении.
А так как заглавие, которое нужно соотнести с отрывками, также выражает главную
идею повествования, то иногда достаточно понять и проанализировать первые
предложения абзацев и найти их синонимы в ответах.
Вот так должен выглядеть правильно заполненный бланк к этому заданию. Обратите
внимание, мы делаем задание 10 и ответы заполняются в строчку, а не в столбик.
Text 1
Установите соответствие между заголовками 1–8 и текстами A–G. Занесите свои ответы в таблицу.
Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.
1. First computers 5. Professional sport

2. Risky sport 6. Shopping from home
3. Shopping in comfort 7. New users
4. Difficult task 8. Digging for the past
A. A group of university students from Brazil have been given the job of discovering and locating all the
waterfalls in their country. It is not easy because very often the maps are not detailed. The students have to
remain in water for long periods of time. Every day they cover a distance of 35 to 40 kilometers through the
jungle, each carrying 40 kilos of equipment.
B. For many years now, mail-order shopping has served the needs of a certain kind of customers. Everything
they order from a catalogue is delivered to their door. Now, though, e-mail shopping on the Internet has opened
up even more opportunities for this kind of shopping.
C. Another generation of computer fans has arrived. They are neither spotty schoolchildren nor intellectual
professors, but pensioners who are learning computing with much enthusiasm. It is particularly interesting for
people suffering from arthritis as computers offer a way of writing nice clear letters. Now pensioners have
discovered the Internet and at the moment they make up the fastest growing membership.
D. Shopping centres are full of all kinds of stores. They are like small, self-contained towns where you can find
everything you want. In a large centre, shoppers can find everything they need without having to go anywhere
else. They can leave their cars in the shopping centre car park and buy everything in a covered complex,
protected from the heat, cold or rain.
E. Not many people know that, back in the fifties, computers were very big, and also very slow. They took up
complete floors of a building, and were less powerful, and much slower than any of today’s compact portable
computers. At first, the data they had to process and record was fed in on punched-out paper; later
magnetictape was used, but both systems were completely inconvenient.
F. Potholing is a dull name for a most interesting and adventurous sport. Deep underground, on the tracks of
primitive men and strange animals who have adapted to life without light, finding unusual landscapes and
underground lakes, the potholer lives an exciting adventure. You mustn’t forget, though, that it can be quite
dangerous. Without the proper equipment you can fall, get injured or lost.
G. Substantial remains of an octagonal Roman bath house, probably reused as a Christian baptistry, have been
uncovered during a student training excavation near Faversham in Kent. The central cold plunge pool was five
metres across, and stood within a structure which also had underfloor heating and hot pools, probably originally
under a domed roof.
Запишите в таблицу выбранные цифры под соответствующими буквами.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
слово перевод слово перевод
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 2
1. Supercomputer 5. Intelligent machines in our life

2. Human intelligence test 6. Computer intelligence test
3. Man against computer 7. Computers change human brains
4. Robotic industry 8. Electronic film stars
A. Artificial intelligence is the art of making machines that are able to ‘think’. We often don’t notice it, but
artificial intelligence is all around us. It is present in computer games, in the cruise control in our cars and the
servers that direct our e-mail. Some scientists believe that the most powerful computers could have the power
of the human brain. Machines have always been excellent at tasks like calculation. But now they are better than
humans in many spheres, from chess to mixing music.
B. The world’s most powerful computer is ASCI Purple, made by IBM in 2004. It can carry out 100 trillion
operations per second and has the size of two basketball courts. A computer with double power is expected in
the next two years. A spokesman for IBM said that ASCI Purple is near the power of the human brain. But some
scientists believe our brains can carry out almost 10,000 trillion operations per second.
C. The possible dangers of intelligent machines became the stories of many science fiction films. In The
Terminator (1984), a computer network uses nuclear weapons against the human race in order to rule the
world. This network then makes intelligent robots called ‘Terminators’ which it programs to kill all the humans.
In The Matrix (1999) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003), a machine dominates humanity, using people as batteries
to power itself.
D. In 1997, then the world chess champion Garry Kasparov played against IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer –
and lost. After six games, the world-famous Kasparov lost 2.5 to 3.5 to the computer. In February 2003,
Kasparov restored human reputation by finishing equal against the Israeli-built supercomputer Deep Junior.
Kasparov ended the game with the score 2-2 against US company X3D Technologies’ supercomputer X3D Fritz in
November 2003, proving that the human brain can keep up with the latest developments in computing (at least
in chess).
E. There are a number of different methods which try to measure intelligence, the most famous of which is
perhaps the IQ, or ‘Intelligence Quotient’ test. This test was first used in early 20th century Paris. The modern
day IQ test measures a variety of different types of ability such as memory for words and figures and others.
Whether IQ tests actually test general intelligence is disputable. Some argue that they just show how good the
individual is at IQ tests!
F. Analysis shows that human intelligence is changing. We are gaining abilities in some areas of intelligence,
while losing them in others, such as memory. So this generation may not remember the great number of poems,
their abilities are greater in other areas. It has been discovered that wide use of video games improves reaction
time. But we could only dream of computing without calculators as fast as our grandparents did.
G. In 1950, mathematician Alan Turing invented a test to check machine intelligence. In the Turing Test, two
people (A and B) sit in a closed room, a third person (C), who asks questions, sits outside. Person A tries to
answer the questions so that person C doesn’t guess who they are: men or women, while person B tries to help
him (C) in their identification. Turing suggested a machine take the place of person A. If the machine fooled the
human, it was likely to be intelligent.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 3
1. Party Dessert 5. Giving a party

2. Outdoor Game 6. Party animals
3. Taking care of a pet 7. Fun on the way
4. Collecting things 8. Party game
A. Ask your parents for permission to have a party. Decide what kind of party you want and whether it will be
held indoors or outdoors. Send written invitations to your friends. Tell them what kind of party you are having,
at what time, where, and whether or not the guests should wear costumes. Make a list of games you would like
to play. Ask your mother to help you prepare refreshments. Ice cream, cake, cookies, and lemonade are good
for any party.
B. This activity makes everybody laugh. Have the guests sit around the room. Choose one person to be a
pussycat. The pussy must go over to a guest and do his/her best to make the guest laugh. He/she can make
funny meows and walk around like a cat. The pussy goes from one guest to another until someone laughs. The
first one to laugh becomes the new pussy.
C. It’s easy to make a cake from a cake mix that you get from the grocery store. You usually add only water or
milk. Cake mixes come in many flavours, such as chocolate, lemon, banana, vanilla and others. When you make
a cake from a mix, always follow the directions on the package carefully. Then you can be sure that your cake
will turn out right and your guests will enjoy it. Many mixes have a small envelope of powdered frosting hidden
inside the flour.
D. As you ride on a bus with your friends, get someone to start singing. Everyone joins in. At the first crossroad,
another person starts a different song, and everyone joins in. Keep changing songs at every crossroad.
E. Looking after cats is easy. They wash themselves every day and eat almost any food. Cats like to drink milk
and cream. But they need to be fed fish, beef, liver, and other kinds of meat. They need a clean, dry bed at
night. You can use a basket or a cardboard box for your cat’s bed. Cats like to play with a rubber ball or chase a
string.
F. You can have a whole army of toy soldiers made of tin, wood or plastic. Some may be dressed in fancy
uniforms, some may be sitting on horses. Others may be ready for battle, carrying guns and shoulder packs. You
can have soldiers from other countries, or only Civil War soldiers or only modern soldiers. If you get two soldiers
that are alike, trade your extra soldier with another toy soldier lover.
G. Even animals get involved in elections. The donkey and elephant have been political symbols in the USA for
more than 100 years. Why? In 1828, Democrat Andrew Jackson ran for president. Critics said he was stubborn as
a donkey. The donkey has been the symbol of the Democratic Party ever since. In the 1870s, newspaper
cartoonists began using the elephant to stand for the Republican Party.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 4
1. Places to stay in 5. Different landscapes
2. Arts and culture 6. Transport system
3. New country image 7. National languages
4. Going out 8. Eating out
A. Belgium has always had a lot more than the faceless administrative buildings that you can see in the outskirts
of its capital, Brussels. A number of beautiful historic cities and Brussels itself offer impressive architecture,
lively nightlife, first-rate restaurants and numerous other attractions for visitors. Today, the old-fashioned idea
of ‘boring Belgium’ has been well and truly forgotten, as more and more people discover its very individual
charms for themselves.
B. Nature in Belgium is varied. The rivers and hills of the Ardennes in the southeast contrast sharply with the
rolling plains which make up much of the northern and western countryside. The most notable features are the
great forest near the frontier with Germany and Luxembourg and the wide, sandy beaches of the northern
coast.
C. It is easy both to enter and to travel around pocket- sized Belgium which is divided into the Dutch speaking
north and the French-speaking south. Officially the Belgians speak Dutch, French and German. Dutch is slightly
more widely spoken than French, and German is spoken the least. The Belgians, living in the north, will often
prefer to answer visitors in English rather than French, even if the visitor’s French is good.
D. Belgium has a wide range of hotels from 5-star luxury to small family pensions and inns. In some regions of
the country, farm holidays are available. There visitors can (for a small cost) participate in the daily work of the
farm. There are plenty of opportunities to rent furnished villas, flats, rooms, or bungalows for a holiday period.
These holiday houses and flats are comfortable and well-equipped.
E. The Belgian style of cooking is similar to French, based on meat and seafood. Each region in Belgium has its
own special dish. Butter, cream, beer and wine are generously used in cooking. The Belgians are keen on their
food, and the country is very well supplied with excellent restaurants to suit all budgets. The perfect evening out
here involves a delicious meal, and the restaurants and cafes are busy at all times of the week.
F. As well as being one of the best cities in the world for eating out (both for its high quality and range), Brussels
has a very active and varied nightlife. It has 10 theatres which produce plays in both Dutch and French. There
are also dozens of cinemas, numerous discos and many night-time cafes in Brussels. Elsewhere, the nightlife
choices depend on the size of the town, but there is no shortage of fun to be had in any of the major cities.
G. There is a good system of underground trains, trams and buses in all the major towns and cities. In addition,
Belgium’s waterways offer a pleasant way to enjoy the country. Visitors can take a one-hour cruise around the
canals of Bruges (sometimes described as the Venice of the North) or an extended cruise along the rivers and
canals linking the major cities of Belgium and the Netherlands.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 5
1. Female bobsleighing 5. Participating countries
2. What you need for bobsleighing 6. The dangers of bobsleighing
3. Safety rules 7. The newest rules
4. Bobsleighing techniques 8. From the history of bobsleighing
A. Bobsleighing was originated in Switzerland. In the late 19th century, the Swiss first started doing it by attaching two skeleton sleighs
together with a steering mechanism added to the front sleigh in order to control the direction. The first bobsleigh races took place in
normal snow covered roads whereas the first bobsleighing club was founded in St. Moritz, Switzerland in 1897 and the first specially
designed race track was developed outside of St. Moritz in 1902.
B. Bobsleighing is mostly played in Europe along with North America and Russia because of the proper climate for the icy track. The
United States of America, Germany and Switzerland have long been the most successful bobsleighing nations based on their incredibly
successful track record in all formats of competitive sports including World Cups and Olympic Championship. Presently, more than fifty
countries take part in various international bobsleighing events all over the world.
C. Bobsleighing is considered the most expensive winter sport as the equipment used in it, including the safety equipment as well as
bobsleigh parts, are quite costly. The most important equipment in bobsleighing is the sleigh. Besides this other protective guards are
also used. The length of the sleigh must be a maximum of 3.80 metres (12.5 feet) for four-man sports and 2.70 metres (8.9 feet) in
case of two-man sports. Bobsleigh crews are supposed to weigh heavy to ensure high speed.
D. In fact, two-man and four-man types of bobsleigh are very much similar. As weight plays a vital role for the speed of the sleigh, four-
man sleighs are much faster than two-man types. However, even a simple mistake at the initial push-off or, say, during the steering, on
decisions of the driver during the turns may largely affect the final race. The thing is, air passing through the sleigh slows the sleigh
down. In order to avoid these drags, wind tunnels are usually added to the sleigh.
E. One may think bobsleighing is a risky sport but actually not only men are fond of it. Women do it too. In case of women
bobsleighing, the sleighs for women were originally very much similar to those of men. But with time so many problems came out as
women are shorter than men and many players injured their hips as well as back. These traumas prompted the organizers to change
the interior sleigh designs for women bobsleighing. Now women can do it safely and successfully enough.
F. Bobsleighing competitions gather crowds of people who want to watch their favourite sportsmen compete with one another.
However, even though bobsleighing is quite an interesting sport, the risks attached to it certainly cannot be avoided. Till now more
than ninety three players have died in crashes or accidents during the game. In order to reduce the chances of accidents and to
prevent the risks, officials have made certain rules and regulations about the uses of sleighs and the structure of the track.
G. There are a lot of risks connected with bobsleighing. Bobsleighers need to wear high tech plastic made helmets in order to prevent
head injuries as well as goggles for eyes. Racers wear tight uniforms to increase aero-dynamicity and spiked shoes to gain traction on
the ice. The brakeman wears a Kevlar vest in order to avoid third degree burns during the sleigh’s friction with ice. The next bobsleigh
doesn’t start until the previous team has left the track because of security reasons.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 6
Установите соответствие между заголовками 1–8 и текстами A–G. Занесите свои ответы в таблицу. Используйте
каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.
1. It had its finest hour 5. Ideas on sale
2. A long way to popularity 6. Brilliant ideas and brave deeds
3. A stairway to heaven 7. Borrowed ideas
4. Extraordinary combinations 8. Revolutionary materials
A. Born in 1743, Thomas Jefferson helped shape the new American nation and also shaped some of the country’s most
famous buildings. The twentieth century architects who designed the circular Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. drew
inspiration from Thomas Jefferson’s architectural ideas. And from where did Jefferson get his ideas? The Pantheon in
Rome! This building with its classical portico became a model that influenced Western architecture for 2,000 years.
B. Postmodern architecture evolved from the modernist movement, yet contradicts many of the modernist ideas.
Combining new ideas with traditional forms, postmodernist buildings may startle, surprise, and even amuse. Familiar
shapes and details are used in unexpected ways. Philip Johnson’s AT&T Headquarters is often cited as an example of
postmodernism. Like many buildings in the international style, this skyscraper has a classical facade.
C. The Industrial Revolution in Europe brought about a new trend: the use of metals instead of wood and stone in
construction. Built in 1889, the Eiffel Tower is perhaps the most famous example of this new use for metal. For 40 years,
the Eiffel Tower measured the tallest in the world. The metal latticework, formed with very pure structural iron, makes the
tower both extremely light and able to withstand tremendous wind forces.
D. By the early 1800s, Belfast had become a major port at the beating heart of the region’s industry. The launching of the
Titanic from the ship ways was attended by an estimated 100,000 people, showing how important this event was for
Belfast. Many more impressive ships would leave the yard in the coming years before the decline of the shipbuilding
industry began in the 1950s, but the Titanic marked the zenith of the great shipbuilding era in Belfast.
E. Thomas Andrews was the chief naval architect at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast during the early 1900s. He
brought the idea of ‘Olympic class’ ocean liners to life. The most famous of these was Titanic, which he joined on its first
voyage. His actions when the ship sank on 15 April 1912 are believed to have saved many lives, but at the cost of his own.
In his home town of Comber, the life of Thomas Andrews is commemorated by the Memorial Hall, opened in 1915.
F. An e-book or «electronic book» is available digitally downloaded, and accessed through a device such as a computer, a
smart phone or, popularly, a portable e-book reader. In 1971, Michael Hart began storing vast contents of libraries in
electronic formats. Hart named his efforts Project Gutenberg, after the inventor of the printing press. Libraries were early
adopters of the technology. But it took nearly thirty years for the idea of the e-book to take firm hold with the consumer.
G. The Frankfurt Book Fair is held in October of each year. It usually hosts more than 7,300 exhibitors from 100 countries
ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe. For the American book publishing industry, the Frankfurt Book Fair is predominantly a
trade fair, that is, a professional meeting place for publishers, editors, librarians, book subsidiary rights managers,
booksellers, film producers, authors and many others who are involved in the creation and licensing of book content.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 7
1. The best viewpoints 5. Carnival’s music
2. Plan beforehand 6. Styles of dancing
3. Carnival roots 7. A music group for a street
4. The time to attend the Carnival 8. The time for pleasure
A. Carnival is the most famous holiday in Brazil and has become a world-famous annual celebration. It is celebrated
in towns and villages throughout Brazil for almost a week 40 days before Easter, which is usually in February, the
hottest month in the Southern Hemisphere. Officially, it starts on Saturday and finishes on Fat Tuesday with the
beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, during which some Christians give up something that they enjoy.
B. The most colourful events take place in the Carnival World Capital, Rio de Janeiro. It was the original place where,
in 1723, Portuguese immigrants went out onto the streets soaking each other with buckets of water and throwing
mud and food, often ending up in street brawls and riots. The concept kept changing throughout the 1800s with
more organized parades, where the Emperor with a group of aristocrats joined in masks with luxurious costumes and
music.
C. Now the parade varies from state to state. It is a mixture of arts. The music played during Rio Carnival is samba —
a unique Brazilian music originating from Rio. It’s also a dance form that was invented by the poor Afro-Brazilians as a
type of ritual music. The word «samba» meant to pray to the spirits of the ancestors and the gods of the African
Pantheon. As a noun, it could mean a complaint or a cry.
D. Even today, the most involved groups in Rio Carnival are the poorest, the so-called «favelas», where houses are
made of cardboard or other metal remains, and there is often no water, electricity or sewage system. However, the
favelas’ residents always join in the festivities and actually make the Carnival, which really means a lot to them.
Because, for once during the year, they get to go out and have as much fun as they can.
E. Residents of the favelas are often members of local samba schools and are deeply involved with the performance
and costumes of their groups. Each neighborhood in Rio has its favorite Carnival street band. There are more than
300 of them in Rio nowadays, and each year this number increases. Each band has its place or street for its parade
and the big ones usually close the streets to the traffic.
F. Rio de Janeiro is usually divided into three zones. The so-called Zona Sul is by far the most pleasant place to stay in
Rio, as it is by the sea and is the most civilized part of the city. Districts Copacabana and Ipanema together form a big
stage offering a carnival happening at every corner. Leblon, being a bit more upscale, is also an excellent location.
G. Except the industries, malls and the carnival-related workers, the country stops completely for almost a week and
festivities are intense, day and night. If you plan to go to watch the Carnival, you should organize your trip well in
advance. The best hotels, especially in the Zona Sul, are booked up early, so it’s a good idea to make a reservation at
least 3 or 4 months in advance.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 8
1. Inspired by noble goals 5. Hard to see and to believe
2. Protected by law 6. Hard to explain how they could
3. Small size — great opportunities 7. Breathtaking just to watch
4. Little experience — big success 8. From travelling to discovery
A. Charles Darwin’s five-year voyage on H. M. S. Beagle has become legendary and greatly influenced his
masterwork, the book, On the Origin of Species. Darwin didn’t actually formulate his theory of evolution while
sailing around the world aboard the Royal Navy ship. But the exotic plants and animals he encountered
challenged his thinking and led him to consider scientific evidence in new ways.
B. The 19th century was a remarkable time for exploration. Vast portions of the globe, such as the interior of
Africa, were mapped by explorers and adventurers. It was the time when David Livingstone became convinced
of his mission to reach new peoples in Africa and introduce them to Christianity, as well as free them from
slavery.
C. Louis Pasteur’s various investigations convinced him of the Tightness of his germ theory of disease, which
holds that germs attack the body from outside. Many felt that such tiny organisms as germs could not possibly
kill larger ones such as humans. But Pasteur extended this theory to explain the causes of many diseases —
including cholera, ТВ and smallpox — and their prevention by vaccination.
D. Frederick Law Olmsted, the architect who designed New York City’s Central Park, called the Yosemite Valley
«the greatest glory of nature.» Californians convinced one of their representatives, Senator John Conness, to do
something about its protection. In May 1864, Conness introduced legislation to bring the Yosemite Valley under
the control of the state of California. President Abraham Lincoln signed the bill into law.
E. The Maya thrived for nearly 2,000 years. Without the use of the cartwheel or metal tools, they built massive
stone structures. They were accomplished scientists. They tracked a solar year of 365 days and one of the few
surviving ancient Maya books contains tables of eclipses. From observatories, like the one at Chichen Itza, they
tracked the progress of the war star, Mars.
F. Bali has been a surfing hotspot since the early 20th century, and continues to attract surfers from all over the
world. The island’s small size and unique geography provides wonderful surfing conditions, in all seasons, for
surfers of any level of experience. Inexperienced surfers might like to try Kuta’s kind waves, while more able
surfers will try Nusa Dua’s powerful waves.
G. Base jumping is an extreme sport, one which only very adventurous travelers enjoy. Some base jumpers leap
off bridges, others off buildings and the most extreme off cliffs in Norway. Once a year, base jumpers in the US
get to leap off the New River Bridge in West Virginia. During the annual Bridge Day, hundreds of jumpers can go
off the bridge legally. Thousands of spectators show up to watch.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 9
1. First in everything 5. Influenced by an accident
2. A historic moment 6. Astronauts’ pastimes
3. Completely different from Earth 7. Various names
4. How to become an astronaut 8. Astronauts’ meals
A. Astronauts spend most of their time doing science experiments that can only be done in outer space. Even though
they work long hours, astronauts do get breaks. They may use their breaks to play games with their crewmates, read,
watch movies, or talk to their families on Earth. One of the favourite ways for astronauts to spend their breaks is by
just sitting and looking out the window. Seeing the Earth from a distance is a very rare treat that most people don’t
get to see.
B. The very first astronauts who went up into space ate some interesting things. A lot of their food was ground up
and put in tubes that looked like toothpaste. Today though, astronauts have food choices that are pretty much the
same ones we have. Eating in space is a bit tricky because there is no gravity. Food packages have to be attached to
trays. Salt and pepper actually come in a liquid form because if you shook salt and pepper in space, it would all just
float away in the air.
C. Sleeping on the space station is a lot different than sleeping down on Earth. Astronauts have only tiny rooms to
sleep in and often sleep in small compartments or in sleeping bags. The biggest difference between sleeping on Earth
and sleeping in space is gravity. Without gravity, there isn’t really any up or down so sometimes astronauts sleep
standing up. Also, astronauts often strap their sleeping bags to the walls so that they don’t float away.
D. People who want to work in space have to go through lots of training. Most astronauts study things like
engineering, math, science, or computer technology. Many astronauts have also had military training. Besides,
astronauts need to be in good physical shape and must be good at working with others. Men and women who meet
the requirements enter a competitive application process and, if selected, then train for several years before taking
off into space.
E. The term “astronaut” derives from the Greek words astron, meaning “star”, and nautes, meaning “sailor”.
Although the word “astronaut” is often widely used to talk about someone who works on a spacecraft, it is
sometimes used to describe someone who works for the United States’ space program. Astronauts from other
countries are sometimes called differently; for example, in Russia they are cosmonauts and in China they are
taikonauts.
F. After Mr. Armstrong took his famous first steps on the moon, he was joined several minutes later by his fellow
astronaut, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, while the third man on their mission, Michael Collins, orbited their spacecraft around
the moon and prepared the team for their victorious return to Earth. Upon taking his first steps onto the moon,
Armstrong said the famous words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
G. The third of four children, Yuri Gagarin was born on March 9, 1934, in a small village a hundred miles from
Moscow. As a teenager, Gagarin saw a Russian Yak fighter plane make an emergency landing near his home. Years
later, when offered a chance to join a flying club, he eagerly accepted, making his first solo flight in 1955. Only a few
years later, he submitted his request to be considered a cosmonaut.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 10
1. Chocolate mania 5. Friend or enemy
2. History of chocolate 6. Safe sweetness
3. Love of sweet from your father 7. Help to dentists
4. Balanced diet 8. Problems with weight
A. Chocolate is made from the seeds of the tree Theobroma cacao. The ancient Aztecs used the beans of the cacao
tree as a form of money. The Aztecs discovered that by crushing the beans into a paste and adding spices, they
could make a refreshing and nourishing drink. This drink was very bitter, not like our chocolate drinks today. 16th
century European explorers brought the drink back from their travels, added sugar, and soon it was popular as an
expensive luxury.
B. You can receive a ‘sweet tooth’ from your parents. Recent study at New York University suggests there is a
genetic reason why some people prefer sugary foods. The study was based on two groups of mice. The parents of
the first group were given sweetened water and the parents of the second – unsweetened water. The team found
the gene that was different in the two groups of mice and then looked for similar genetic chains in humans.
C. All modern chocolate products have large amounts of sugar, a fact which may partly explain why it becomes a
sort of drug for some people. An ability to recognize sweet things, and a tendency to like them was very useful for
our forefathers. Such a genetic quality made prehistoric humans look for energy-rich, healthy and tasty food such
as fruit, and helped them avoid bitter-tasting poisonous plants.
D. Like other sweet food, chocolate helps endorphins, natural hormones, that give us the feelings of pleasure and
well-being, to appear in our body. Chocolate also makes us feel good by reacting with our brains. Scientists say that
some people may develop chocoholism — a dependency on chocolate. So it’s just possible that, with every bar of
chocolate, your brain changes step by step in order to make you love chocolate more and more!
E. Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, many scientific works were written explaining the advantages of chocolate
for medicine, and today it’s a regular food in army rations. Chocolate could help prevent tooth decay, according to
scientists at Japan’s Osaka University. The cocoa beans from which chocolate is made have an antibacterial agent
that fights tooth decay. These parts of the beans are not usually used in chocolate production, but in future they
could be added back in to chocolate to make it friendly for teeth.
F. Californian scientist Professor Carl Keen and his team have suggested that chocolate might help fight heart
disease. They say that it contains chemicals called flavinoids, which thin the blood. Researchers at Harvard
University have carried out experiments that suggest that if you eat chocolate three times a month you will live
almost a year longer than those who don’t do it. But it’s not all good news — chocolate has much fat, which means
that eating too much of it may lead to obesity.
G. Being very fat, or obese, is linked to many health problems including heart disease and diabetes. The causes of
obesity are not yet fully understood. Both genes and the environment play a role. The recent growth of the number
of fat people seems to be linked to environmental factors: people are much less active nowadays, fatty and sugary
foods like chocolate are cheap, people eat larger portions of food, and the calories per person have increased.
A B C D E F G
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Text 11
1. Dangerous amount of drink 5. To stop stealing
2. Fast growth of popularity 6. Recycling the leftovers
3. The same effect 7. The tradition of hospitality
4. Pictures in the cups 8. Unclear motivation
A. Coffee is not just a drink. The coffee industry employs millions of people around the world through its growing,
processing and trading. Five million people in Kenya are dependent on coffee industry to make a living. That is why
it’s vital for the country to overcome an epidemic of theft, which is sweeping the production of coffee. A special
police force has been set up to deal with the problem and coffee growers even have to sleep in their fields to stand
up to possible thieves.
B. Scientists have found that some plants, like the coffee plant, use caffeine to manipulate the memory of bees.
Caffeine which improves the long-term memory of bees making them return to the plants. Caffeine impacts human
neurological activity in a similar way, but on a very fundamental level. Although bees and humans are very
different, some experts suggest it to be as old as the common ancestors we might have.
C. A coffee ceremony is a ritualised form of making and drinking coffee. Coffee is offered when visiting friends,
during festivities, and in a daily life. The coffee ceremony, bunna, is a key part of any Ethiopian social life. It is a
standard way to welcome visitors at home. In Ethiopian culture the coffee ritual is practiced only by women and
from a young age the girls are taught how to perform it. Recently the ceremony has been offered in Ethiopian
restaurants in the USA and the UK.
D. You may need a cup of coffee to kick-start the day and honeybees also get their buzz from drinking flower nectar
containing caffeine. The excessive use of coffee can lead to an addiction. It happens when people have six or more
cups of coffee per day. Caffeine, like any drug, is toxic in large doses. But the lethal dose of caffeine would require
about 100 cups of coffee, but even the water from drinking that much coffee in one go would kill you before the
caffeine did.
E. England first became acquainted with coffee in 1637 when a Turk introduced the drink to Oxford. It quickly
became popular among students and teachers. Coffee was served in coffee houses around the country and already
by the mid-1660s only in London alone there were 82 of them! Coffee houses were also the meeting places of the
scientific and literary worlds, frequented by people like Isaac Newton, Robert Hooke, Samuel Johnson, and
Alexander Pope.
F. Coffees of the world have many distinct taste characteristics. The annual World Coffee Cup Championship takes
place in France and latte art is among the most impressive contests. Using nothing, but hot milk and espresso, latte
artists work to create complicated designs on the surface of the drink. Swirls and leaves are popular, but some
artists produce pictures of dragons, cartoon characters, and even adorable teddy bears!
G. We drink more than 600 billion cups of coffee every year. But only about 20 % of the coffee contributes to the
drink. The rest is tasteless plant fiber which makes thousands tons every day. Scientists are working hard to find a
useful way for this waste and one of the options is to turn spent coffee grounds into fuel. Some coffee production
companies already send their waste to biomass plants to be burned along with wood.
A B C D E F G
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Text 12
1. Personal style in a uniform 5. A hobby that carries away
2. Old but dear 6. Meaning without words
3. Get a holiday spirit 7. The number is not guilty
4. Dance competition 8. Yes to school uniform
A. Dance is in my heart, in my blood and in my mind. I dance daily. The seldom-used dining room of my house
is now an often-used ballroom. The CD-changer has five discs at the ready: waltz, rock-and-roll, swing, salsa,
and tango. Tango is a complex and difficult dance. I take three dancing lessons a week, and I am off to Buenos
Aires for three months to feel the culture of tango.
B. Clothes play an important role in my life. My passion for fashion began when I was in elementary school. I
attended a private school with uniformed dress code. At first I felt bad that I could not wear what I wanted, but
soon I learned to display my creativity and style through shoes and accessories. They can make each of us each
of us unique, in a uniform or not.
C. I believe that music has a bigger place in our society than it is given credit for. The single word ‘music’ covers
so many styles. Rock bands and classical musicians make listeners get the meaning from the music. Music tells
stories about life and death, expresses feelings of love, sadness, anger, guilt, and pain without using words.
D. Even as an eighteen year old young adult, I still feel the magic of Christmas. I believe in a real Christmas
tree. My family has had a real Christmas tree every year of my life. When you get home and smell the sweet
pine needles, something magical goes into your soul, raises your spirits. Every year we buy a real tree to fully
embrace the spirit of Christmas.
E. People often try to get rid of the number thirteen. Many hotels and office buildings across the world do not
have a 13th floor! I believe that the number thirteen is not an unlucky number. I was born on January, 13 and
do not consider myself unlucky in any way at all! I believe that this number should have all the rights and
respect we give the rest of the numbers.
F. Many kids that go to public schools don’t wear a uniform. They like to show off the new expensive clothes
and often have trouble picking out outfits for school in the morning. They are more worried about whether
their shirt matches the belt, rather than if the homework is completed. I believe that this is a fault of our
school system and only causes problems.
G. They say that the music of your youth is the soundtrack of your life. I am 50; I enjoy new artists and new
music, but I still find words of wisdom in singles of sixties and seventies, still believe that «you can’t always get
what you want, but sometimes, you get what you need,» that «all you need is love.» I like to listen to the songs
I grew up with.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 13
1. Education 5. Places to stay in
2. Way of life 6. Favourite food
3. Public transport 7. Hot spots for kids
4. Geography 8. Nightlife
A. Denmark, a small kingdom in northern Europe, has a lot of interesting places for tourists with children. For
example, Legoland, a theme park, has become the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside its capital
Copenhagen. And Copenhagen itself is world famous for its Tivoli Gardens amusement park, which opened in
1843 in the heart of the city. The park offers ballet and circus performances, restaurants, concerts, and
fireworks displays.
B. Denmark is the smallest Scandinavian country, consisting of the Jutland peninsula, north of Germany, and
over 400 islands of various sizes, some inhabited and linked to the mainland by ferry or bridge. Throughout the
country, low hills provide a constant change of attractive views; there are also cool and shady forests of beech
trees, large areas of open land covered with rough grass, a beautiful lake district, sand dunes and white cliffs
on the coast.
C. More than four-fifths of all Danes live in towns. The main cities represent a combination of medieval
buildings, such as castles and cathedrals, and modern office buildings and homes. Denmark’s high standard of
living and wide-ranging social services guarantee that the cities have no poor districts. Most people in the cities
live in flats. But in the suburbs many also live in single-family houses.
D. Denmark’s fine beaches attract many visitors, and there are hotels and pensions in all major seaside resorts.
Besides, excellent inns are to be found all over the country. Some are small and only serve local travellers, but
others are adapted to the tourist and have established reputations for both international dishes and local
specialities. There are also private rooms to let, usually for one night, and chalets all over Denmark.
E. There is a wide selection of places to go out in the evening, particularly in Copenhagen. Jazz and dance clubs
in the capital city are top quality and world-famous performers appear regularly. There are numerous cafes,
beer gardens and speciality beer bars. Entertainment available includes opera at the recently opened opera
house in Copenhagen, ballet and theatre at a number of places in the larger cities, and live music of all kinds.
F. Most Danes eat four meals a day — breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a late-evening supper. Breakfast generally
consists of cereal, cheese, or eggs. Dinner, which includes fish or meat, is usually the only hot meal. A
traditional Danish dinner consists of roast duckling stuffed with apples, served with red cabbage and boiled
potatoes. The other Danish meals consist mostly of sandwiches.
G. Almost all adult Danes can read and write. Danish law requires children to attend nine years of school.
Primary school consists of the first seven grades, and secondary school lasts from three to five years. A five-
year secondary school student can enter a university. Denmark has three universities. The University of
Copenhagen is the oldest and largest. It was founded in 1479 and has about 24,000 students.
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Text 15
1. Music from every corner of the world 5. Famous religious celebrations
2. From pig to pork 6. See them fly
3. Perfect time for a picnic 7. Animal races and shows
4. From a holiday to a sport 8. Diving into history
A. Diali is a five-day festival that is celebrated in October or November, depending on the cycle of the moon. It
represents the start of the Hindu New Year and honors the victory of good over evil, and brightness over darkness. It also
marks the start of winter. Diwali is actually celebrated in honor of Lord Rama and his wife Sita. One of the best places to
experience Diwali is in the «pink city» of Jaipur, in Rajasthan. Each year there’s a competition for the best decorated and
most brilliantly lit up market that attracts visitors from all over India.
B. The Blossom Kite Festival, previously named the Smithsonian Kite Festival, is an annual event that is traditionally a
part of the festivities at the National Cherry Blossom Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Kite enthusiasts
show off their stunt skills and compete for awards in over 36 categories including aerodynamics and beauty. The Kite
Festival is one of the most popular annual events in Washington, DC and features kite fliers from across the U.S. and the
world.
C. The annual Ostrich Festival has been recognized as one of the «Top 10 Unique Festivals in the United States» with its
lanky ostriches, multiple entertainment bands and many special gift and food vendors. It is truly a unique festival, and
suitable for the entire family. The Festival usually holds Ostrich Races, an Exotic Zoo, Pig Races, a Sea Lion Show, a Hot
Rod Show, Amateur Boxing and a Thrill Circus.
D. Iceland’s Viking Festival takes place in mid-June every year and lasts 6 days, no matter what the weather in Iceland
may be. It’s one of the most popular annual events in Iceland where you can see Viking-style costumes, musical
instruments, jewelry and crafts at the Viking Village. Visitors at the Viking Festival see sword fighting by professional
Vikings and demonstrations of marksmanship with bows and muscle power. They can listen to Viking songs and lectures
at the festival, or grab a bite at the Viking Restaurant nearby.
E. Dragon Boat Festival is one of the major holidays in Chinese culture. This summer festival was originally a time to ward
off bad spirits, but now it is a celebration of the life of Qu Yuan, who was a Chinese poet of ancient period. Dragon boat
festival has been an important holiday for centuries for Chinese culture, but in recent years dragon boat racing has
become an international sport.
F. The Mangalica Festival is held in early February at Vajdahunyad Castle in Budapest. It offers the opportunity to
experience Hungarian food, music, and other aspects of Hungarian culture. The festival is named for a furry pig
indigenous to the region of Hungary and the Balkans. A mangalica is a breed of pig recognizable by its curly hair and
known for its fatty flesh. Sausage, cheese and other dishes made with pork can be sampled at the festival.
G. Hanami is an important Japanese custom and is held all over Japan in spring. Hanami literally means «viewing
flowers», but now it is a cherry blossom viewing. The origin of hanami dates back to more than one thousand years ago
when aristocrats enjoyed looking at beautiful cherry blossoms and wrote poems. Nowadays, people in Japan have fun
viewing cherry blossoms, drinking and eating. People bring home-cooked meals, do BBQ, or buy takeout food for
hanami.
A B C D E F G
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Text 16
1. Education: the way to the top 5. Things worth learning
2. From agony to love 6. The right word can bring
changes
3. Teaching to learn 7. What my father taught me
4. Learning that never stops 8. The power of numbers
A. Education has the power to transform a person’s life. I am the living example of this. When I was on the
streets, I thought I was not good at anything but I wrote a poem, and it got published. I went back to school to
learn. I have learned the benefit of research and reading, of debate and listening. One day soon a group of
fresh-faced college students will call me professor.
B. Language has the capacity to change the world and the way we live in it. People are often afraid to call
things by their direct names, use taboos not to notice dangerous tendencies. Freedom begins with naming
things. This has to happen in spite of political climates, careers being won or lost, and the fear of being
criticized. After Helen Caldicott used the word ‘nuclear arms race’ an anti-nuclear movement appeared.
C. I never wanted to be a teacher. Yet years later, I find myself teaching high school English. I consider my job
to be one of the most important aspects of my life, still I do not teach for the love of teaching. I am a teacher
because I love to learn, and I have come to realize that the best way to learn is to teach.
D. One day my sister and I got one and the same homework. My sister finished the task in 2 minutes and went
off to play. But I could not do it, so I went into my sister’s room and quickly copied her work. But there was one
small problem: my father caught me. He didn’t punish me, but explained that cheating makes people feel
helpless. And then I was left feeling guilty for cheating.
E. Lifelong learning does not mean spending all my time reading. It is equally important to get the habit of
asking such questions as ‘what don’t I know about this topic, or subject?’, ‘what can I learn from this moment
or person?’, and ‘what more do I need to learn?’ regardless of where I am, who I am talking to, or what I am
doing.
F. Math has always been something that I am good at. Mathematics attracts me because of its stability. It has
logic; it is dependable and never changes. There might be some additions to the area of mathematics, but once
mathematics is created, it is set in stone. We would not be able to check emails or play videogames without
the computer solving complex algorithms.
G. When my high school English teacher asked us to read Shakespeare, I thought it was boring and too difficult.
I agonized over the syntax — I had never read anything like this. But now I am a Shakespeare professor, and
enjoy teaching Hamlet every semester. Each time I re-read the play, I find and learn something new for myself.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 17
1. Types of mass media 5. Air in danger
2. World in danger 6. World language
3. Danger of smoking 7. Wonderful trip
4. English in schools 8. Types of travelling
A. English is very popular nowadays. It’s the language of computers, science, business, sport and politics.
English is an amazing language, the language of great literature. Half of the world’s scientific literature is
published in English. Nearly half of the world’s business deals in Europe are conducted in English. It’s the
language of sports and glamour, being the official language of the Olympic Games and the Miss Universe
Competition. English is the official voice of the air and the sea.
B. Millions of people all over the world spend their holidays travelling. They travel to see other countries and
continents, modern cities and the ruins of ancient towns. Some travel to enjoy picturesque places or just for a
change of scene. It’s always interesting to try different food, to listen to different musical rhythms. Those who
live in the country like to travel to a big city while city-dwellers usually prefer spending a quiet holiday by the
sea or in the mountains, with nothing to do but walk and bathe.
C. Global warming is the term used to describe the relatively dramatic rise in the world’s average temperature
during the 20th century. According to some environmentalists, global warming is a result of the industrial
revolution and that if it continues, it will destroy civilization as we know it. Global warming is a problem, and
people must take any steps they can in order to prevent it.
D. Speaking English gives people many privileges in society, enabling them to communicate successfully with
those who don’t know your mother-tongue. In order to possess these privileges school teachers and
methodologists propose to introduce six hours of learning English a week for all Russian schools and introduce
this subject from the first year in primary schools. Learning English should become more intensive to make
Russian citizens more communicative.
E. Air pollution is a very serious problem in the world. In Cairo just breathing the air is life threatening – it
equals smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. The same holds true for Mexico City and 600 cities of the former
Soviet Union. Industrial enterprises emit tons of harmful substances. These emissions have disastrous
consequences for our planet.
F. The press, radio, television and Internet are various types of mass media that keep people informed on the
topical issues of the day. The mass media do much to excite an interest in every aspect of life and play an
important role in reflecting the life of society. The mass media draw the public attention to the most serious
political, economic, social and ecological problems.
G. Last year my brother and I went to Turkey. This trip left the best impression on me. We took advantage of
the excellent weather and went on different tours, for example, rafting. We took ourselves by a raft and a
kayak through the picturesque mountainous region of Southern Turkey. Besides, we found new places, saw
impressive sights and got acquainted with new people.
A B C D E F G
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Text 18
1. Earth is not enough 5. Taste of culture
2. The word came first 6. Not only exercising
3. Challenging the skillful 7. To preserve and respect
4. Coloured stereotype 8. Follow the idol
A. Entering the English language in the late nineteenth century, the word safari meant a trip to Africa for a big-
game hunt. Today the term refers to a trip taken not to hunt, but to observe and photograph the animals and
other wildlife. This activity had become so popular that it has originated a certain style of fashion. It includes
khaki clothing, belted bush jackets, helmets and animal skin prints, like leopard’s skin, for example.
B. The purpose of ecological tourism is to educate the traveler, provide funds for conservation and promote
respect for different cultures and human rights. The participants of ecotourism want the environment to stay
relatively untouched by human intervention, so that coming generations can experience it fully. That is why
ecotourism appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals, who don’t mind volunteering.
C. People who like seeing dangerous places, such as mountains, jungles and deserts, participating in dangerous
events, and experiencing extreme sport definitely appreciate extreme tourism or shock tourism. This type of
tourism is based on two key factors. The first one is an addiction to adrenaline caused by an element of risk.
And another one is the opportunity to show a high degree of engagement and professionalism.
D. Culinary tourism is something you can enjoy if you like good food and want each of your dishes to be a
unique and memorable experience. But culinary tourism also considers food to be a vital component of
traditions and history of any country, region or city. The tourists believe that by experiencing each other’s
foods people can learn something new about each other’s lives.
E. Space tourism used to mean ordinary members of the public buying tickets to travel to space and back. That
is why many people find this idea revolutionary. But over the past few years a growing volume of work has
been done on the subject, and it’s clear that commercial space tourism is a realistic target for business today.
Market research has shown that many people in the developed countries would like to take a trip to space if it
were possible.
F. The sports tourism industry has earned an international reputation because it is open to everyone:
amateurs, fans, and professional athletes with their trainers and coaches who come for a range of activities
from training camps through friendship games to international championship competitions. Sport tourism
combines the opportunity for athletes and sportspeople to benefit from sports activities with a relaxing and
enjoyable vacation.
G. To go to Tunisia to explore the place where the film Star Wars was made or to New Zealand after The Lord
of the Rings is very easy for those who practice pop-culture tourism and like to travel to locations featured in
literature, films, music, or any other form of popular entertainment. But pop-culture tourism is not only about
going to popular destinations. In some respects it is very similar to a pilgrimage, only the places are new, for
example Elvis Presley’s Graceland.
A B C D E F G
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Text 19
In which place сan visitors:
1. buy souvenirs? 4. see a very old building?
2. lie in the sun? 5. eat Irish food?
3. do water sports? 6. see a friendly sea animal?
A. From Dalkey, a pretty village in beautiful surroundings, one can take a trip on a boat out to Dalkey Island,
where climbing the ruined watch tower will provide stunning views of Killiney Bay. The coastal waters are
perfect for swimming, and there is a long, clean white sandy beach called Killiney Bay which is great for
sunbathing.
D. Bray is 20 km from Dublin city and used to be a holiday resort for people from Dublin and Britain. It’s
popular for its mile long sea walk, but its best days have passed. A few kilometres south of Bray will bring you
into some of the nicest countryside in Ireland, including the impressive Powerscourt Waterfall.
C. The attractive Gaelic speaking Aran Islands are a perfect place for a few days holiday. This is the original
donkey-and-cart landscape, so beloved of the postcard industry. The famous woolen white Aran sweaters
come from here. The largest of the three islands, Inishmore, boasts one of the only buildings in Western
Europe, which dates from 500 BC.
D. Dingle Peninsula is a Gaelic speaking area known for the beauty of the Atlantic landscape. The most famous
resident is not human at all, but a dolphin called Fungi. The dolphin has lived in Dingle harbour for the past
seven years, offering friendship to all who swim near him, particularly children.
E Kilkenny is a large busy market town and the most attractive in the midlands. It is much loved by tourists. The
narrow winding streets with small shops give an old-world atmosphere to the place. The Kilkenny Shop is one
of many which has a wide range of goods that tourists usually buy: Irish-made clothes and crafts.
F. Enniskerry is a pretty little village and only a bus ride from Dublin. It offers access to the Wicklow Mountains
where you’ll find good home-cooked food in Poppies, a famous restaurant. Smoked salmon, Irish farmhouse
cheeses, handmade chocolates are always served here.
G. Cork is Ireland’s largest county. It is best loved for the coastal fishing villages which come alive in the
summer months. One of them is Cobh which was the main emigration port during the Great Famine of the
1840s. Plenty of sailing, windsurfing and boat trips are available around the harbour. Another is set in a thickly
wooded valley. It is commemorated in poems for richness of the vegetation, influenced by the warm Gulf
Stream current.
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Text 20
1. Health benefits of hobbies 5. Time out with a purpose
2. Dangerous hobby 6. Finding a hobby that suits you
3. Look to your past 7. Finding time for your hobby
4. Finding excitement 8. Making new friends
A. Hobbies provide work-free and responsibility-free time in your schedule. This can be especially useful for
people who feel stressed by all that they have to do and need to recharge their batteries. For some of us it may
be difficult to give ourselves permission to just sit and relax. Having a hobby, however, can provide a break and
help people feel that they’re not just ‘sitting around’ but are using their free time for something productive.
B. Are there things you enjoyed as a child that you might still enjoy as an adult? Maybe you had a fantastic
record collection, loved to make clothes for your dolls or were always out on your bike. Those are all things
you could pick up again as an adult that would make great hobbies. Or there may be hobbies in your home
right now that you started but have recently forgotten about. Maybe it’s time to finish that crochet project or
pick up the guitar again.
C. If you’re adding a new thing into your life, you have to take time and focus away from something else. The
good news is that most of us have a lot of time we’re not using well, either because we’re spending a lot of
time online or watching TV or just wasting time we could be spending on our hobbies. See if you can spend a
half hour or so every other day to explore your interest. This way it would be best in case you find that hobby
isn’t for you after all.
D. Of course, everyone is different and your personality does play a role in what sorts of hobbies you’ll like. If
you don’t have a lot of patience you might feel that knitting is too much for you, but exploring quick sewing
projects might be a better choice. Maybe you really like being with friends, so you need to take a class or have
an interest that you can do with a group. If you travel a lot, something portable or that you can do anywhere is
helpful.
E. One study found that those who engage in physical leisure activities for at least 20 minutes once a week are
less likely to have a fatigue. Other research found that enjoyable activities performed during leisure time were
associated with lower blood pressure, total cortisol, and body mass index, and feelings of better physical
function. Such activities were also associated with higher levels of positive psychosocial states and lower levels
of depression.
F. When you look for material or equipment for your hobby, you are likely to find people who have the same
hobby as you. You may be surprised to know how serious some people are about their hobbies and therefore
would have great knowledge of their chosen pastime. Instead of meeting people from your work or college or
those whom you have grown apart with, it is a great way to meet people with whom you have something in
common.
G. For those who aren’t very stressed and may actually be understimulated, hobbies provide a nice source of
eustress, the healthy kind of stress that we all need to remain feeling happy about life. If the rest of your life is
somewhat dull or uninspiring, hobbies can provide meaning and fun, and can break up a boring schedule,
without feeling like work. In other words, hobbies can provide just the right amount of challenge.
A B C D E F G
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Text 21
1. Not just fun 5. Team work in sport and life
2. Running for heart and mind 6. Next year we win
3. United by the game 7. Learning from father
4. I want to be a coach 8. School between practices
A. I believe playing sports is more than an activity to fill your day, it can teach important life lessons. When I
was a child, my dad spent a lot of time teaching me how to play different sports. He told me that if I can
succeed in sports, I can succeed at anything in life. He used to say, ‘It’s not about how good you become. It’s
about working hard to get where you want to be.’
B. I like bicycles. Group rides help me to get new skills and make new friends. I try to apply the tactics of group
riding to team work in the real world. In the perfect group ride, each rider takes a turn leading the pack, while
the others enjoy the benefits of drafting. I think this way of working is a great method for approaching a group
task anywhere.
C. I believe in the power of running. Running should not be a battle for your body but rather a rest for your
mind. I felt this last fall, when I was running in the park. Suddenly I felt as if I could have run forever, as if I
could use running as a source of therapy for my body. Running allows the body to release different types of
stress and even change our understanding of life.
D. My father coached basketball every day of his life, and I was right there with him in the gym watching him
work his magic. Basketball appears entertaining and exciting. But the path to success is not simple. My father
always told me, ‘Nothing is free.’ I took this advice and ran with it. I truly believe that only practice and
determination lead to success.
E. Baseball is so much more than a sport. One of the powers of baseball is that it brings people together. It
unites fans of all ages, genders, and nationalities. No matter who you are, you can be a baseball fan. My mom
and I have one unspoken rule: no matter what has been going on before, no fighting at the game.
F. I believe that you must always be loyal to the sport teams you support. The teams I follow in the United
States generally lose many more than they win. The start of each season brings dreams of victory in baseball,
basketball or football, dreams that fade away soon. But then there is always next year. It will be our year for
sure.
G. I was determined to join the swim team. I knew I would get my strengths and learn my weaknesses there.
Waking up early for 6:30 a.m. practices is what swim team is all about, as it helps us get into state. On a long
school day you think about the practice in the pool after school. You want to hear the crowd cheering you,
telling you that you have to do more than your best.
A B C D E F G
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Text 22
1. Problems with teaching methods 4. Communication problems
2. Making it easier to understand 5. Examination results
3. Studying with or without a teacher 6. English people’s mistakes
A. I’m a 24-year-old business student from Malaysia and I’ve been going to English classes at night school for
the past 5 years. Up to now I’ve thought that I’m a good student. Last month I went to Britain. Nobody could
understand me and I couldn’t understand them. What went wrong? My English teacher is very good and I
always get the highest mark for my grammar test.
B. I’m writing to ask your opinion on my problem. My English teacher never corrects my mistakes when I’m
speaking. Isn’t that her job? How am I going to learn to speak better? Also she’s always telling me that I should
forget all the rules of grammar that I learnt when I was younger.
C. I am looking after two small English children. I love my job but the way that English people speak is a little
surprising. For example, I often hear them say things like ‘more friendlier’, and I thought it should be ‘more
friendly’. Many of them say ‘we was’ instead of ‘we were’. Can you explain this? Would it be impolite of me to
correct them?
D. I have been studying English for three years. I’m quite good at reading and writing but listening is very
difficult for me. My teacher suggested that I listen to the BBC World Service every day in order to understand
English better. The problem is that it’s hard for me to understand every word. Do you have any ideas about
how to make listening to the radio less difficult? I like to listen to news very much.
E. I have studied English for five years at school but for the past six months I have been using the Internet and
books to learn. There are lots of materials to choose but I’m not sure what is best for me and how I should use
them. I really would like to take some international examination but don’t know how to study without help.
Should I take a course in my local school – which is a little expensive for me now – or is it possible to prepare
for the exam on my own?

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Text 23
1. Dance 5. Imaginary person
2. Souvenirs 6. Shops
3. Food and drink 7. Language
4. Material
A Irish hand-made tweed is famous all over the world for its individual look, its quality and different colours.
This cloth is made from wool and widely used for caps, hats, skirts, trousers, and jackets. Tweeds can be
bought in most of the larger cities as well as in the specialist tweed shops. The most famous place for tweed
production in Ireland is Donegal.
B. Ceili consists of hundreds of people. They join arms together, dance up and down a hall at high speeds to
the fast sounds of Irish traditional music. Men and women move so quickly turning round and round, that if
they don’t fall at least once, it means that they are not trying hard enough.
C. Gaelic is not widely used today in Ireland. With hundreds of years of colonisation by the British it lost its
significance and was used less and less. It wasn’t allowed to be taught in the schools, and it became impossible
to use Gaelic in most jobs.
D. Irish products are very popular. Irish hand-made farmhouse cheeses, chocolates and wild smoked salmon
taste so nice that they are known everywhere. Many people like Irish coffee which is a hot drink made with
coffee, whiskey, and cream. Baileys, a cream liqueur, is becoming known internationally. We must also
mention Guinness, is a type of beer, which for many years has been as the meal in a glass.
E. Children in Ireland love to listen to stories about leprechaun, a small wizard with magic powers who could
make impossible things happen. He is dressed in green velvet and wears a shiny black belt and magic shoes. He
is very small, no more than half a metre tall. He has a pot of gold and gets very angry if he thinks someone is
trying to steal it.
F. Irish products are of great value and high quality. They can always tell a story of the history, culture and
geography of the place where they were made. Most visitors know of Aran sweaters, Irish lace, Ulster linen
table-cloths and bed covers, Galway glasses, Tara plates and cups. Hardly any visitor leaves the country
without buying something which will remind them of the country later.
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Text 24
1. Pets can teach 5. Friends in need
2. Different pets, different characters 6. Reading dog stories
3. Where to get a pet 7. A global problem and its
solution
4. Having fun together 8. A long-term treatment
A. It has become clear that stress affects our mental and physical health and, sadly, our world has become
more stressful than ever. We live in the environment that can easily wear us out. Luckily, there are certain
methods to reduce stress and have control. One of the best is to own a pet. Pets require attention and
dedication, but those are small prices to pay for the amount of benefits they bring into our lives.
B. Pets provide support because they are always available to listen (without any judgment) or rub up against
your hand, which can help you relax after a hectic day. They can help you see the situation differently and let
out some steam. Moreover, when you are feeling under the weather, there is nothing like a sweet pair of eyes
that immediately get your mind off thoughts that are making you sad and depressed.
C. Companionship with a loving pet is a real source of entertainment. Pets are constantly giving off love and
gratitude, and they are happy to be in your presence. You can be yourself around pets. You can dance silly or
talk silly, and they will not criticize you. In fact, they will love the silliness and get silly themselves. Cats and
dogs are fantastic companions to sit down and watch TV at night.
D. Studies have shown that communicating with a pet boosts the immune system, improves heart health,
reduces physical pain, and improves mental health as well. One man with tuberculosis says that the cat he
received after his diagnosis kept him going for 21 years with little pain and very few physical issues. He talked
to his cat which helped him walk through his troubles. That proves the power of true love that animals have.
E. Pets are living creatures that have habits and personalities. They can surprise you. Dogs, cats, and birds are
probably most known for having distinct personalities. However, one snake owner says that her snake had his
own unique personality. He got excited when she came into the room, and she would often put him in the
bathtub where he would do all sorts of funny tricks while splashing around.
F. No matter what type of pet you get, it will require you to take care of it. Being responsible for another living
being can help you be more responsible in the rest of your life too. This is especially true for kids who are
learning the value of good habits. However, adults can benefit from the consistent responsibility as well.
Responsible pet owners are kind to pets and remember they are their pets’ world.
G. With millions of cats and dogs killed in shelters in the United States every year, adopting a pet instead of
buying one saves at least one animal’s life. Adoption saves not only the animal you adopt, but also the new
animal the shelter can take in. Adopting from a shelter helps both ends of the problem: fewer animals will be
bred, and more animals can go to a good home.
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Text 25
1. Danger for space missions 5. Entertaining worker
2. Costly problem of space junk 6. Rapid transportation
3. How it all started 7. Looking for easier ways
4. Do-It-Yourself device 8. Tiny but informative
A. Launched in December 1961, OSCAR 1 was the world’s first non-governmental satellite. It was built for only
63 dollars by a group of amateur radio operators and operated for nearly 20 days, testing radio reception from
space. OSCAR 1 marked the beginning of a program that continues to this day. The program has led to
innovations in spacecraft design and enabled radio enthusiasts to participate in satellite communications.
B. Having a small satellite launched into orbit might sound strange, but over the past few decades a unique
class of satellites has been created that seems ideal for space operations: CubeSats. The most common
CubeSat is a 10 cm cube. Within their compact bodies these miniature satellites are able to place sensors and
communications receivers/transmitters that enable operators to study the Earth from space, as well as space
around the Earth.
C. A CubeSat is a small satellite that weighs just 1 kilogram. The design of these satellites has been so simplified
that almost anyone can build them. More than that, the instructions are available for free online. They are
quite easy to understand. After you build one, you can also test and launch it. CubeSats can be combined to
make larger satellites if you need to carry heavier weights. Is it expensive to build one? Typically less than
$5,000.
D. Australian scientists have successfully tested a new kind of jet aircraft that can move seven times faster than
the speed of sound. It can bring hypersonic or ultra-fast travel a step closer to reality. Hypersonic jet engine
that could be used to fly people from Sydney to London in just two hours is planned to make its first flight in
2018, according to the Australian scientists and engineers working on the project.
E. A robot-cook, which is created by the programmers of the company-resident of the business incubator of
Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics, will be able to replace workers of fast food
restaurants in making hot dogs, candy floss and other foods. The authors of the idea believe that the robot will
be popular with restaurant-keepers, especially as a marketing tool to attract customers.
F.. Since the birth of space flight in 1957, the number of man-made objects orbiting the Earth has grown every
year. There are now more than 15,000 such objects larger than 10cm, at least those that we know of. Even
very small particles can pose a risk to spacecraft, because of the high relative speeds at which they travel.
Space trash can affect not only critical equipment such as communications satellites, but it can also be
problematic for space flights.
G. National space agencies and private satellite and communications companies have an interest in reducing
the amount of space trash or so-called debris in orbit. If one organisation removes debris, it will help everyone
in space. But because doing so will be complex and very expensive, the best option for anyone of these players
is to wait for somebody else to have a go first. That would give them a cleaner space without paying for
clearing it up.
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Text 26
1. Always in a hurry 5. Saving the variety
2. The city of skyscrapers 6. Getting around the city
3. Winning and losing 7. For the holiday and more
4. Unknown side of the city 8. Nickname for a building
A. New York is really the melting pot of the world. Over 30 percent of its residents have come from abroad. It is
believed that the city has the greatest linguistic diversity on the planet. There are over 800 different languages
divided among its people. As some of these languages are nearly extinct, the City University of New York has begun
a project called the Endangered Language Alliance. Its aim is to preserve rare languages like Bukhari, Vhlaski, and
Ormuri.
B. New Yorkers love to think they know everything about their city: where to find the best fruit, how to avoid
paying full price at museums, what route to take to avoid traffic. But New York City can reveal new treasures even
to its veterans. Beyond the city where New-Yorkers work, eat, play and commute every day lies a hidden New York:
mysterious, forgotten, abandoned or just overlooked. There are places about which you’re not likely to read in any
guidebook.
C. The Chrysler Building was in a race with the Bank of Manhattan for getting the title of the tallest skyscraper in the
world. The Bank was likely to triumph, with its height of 282 meters. But the spire of the Chrysler Building was
constructed in secret inside the tower. Just one week after the Bank of Manhattan was finished, it was put in place,
making it 318 meters tall and beating the Bank. It wouldn’t keep this title for long: one year later the Empire State
Building was erected.
D. The Flatiron Building was constructed between 1901 and 1903 at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue.
It was designed by Chicago’s Daniel Burnham as a steel-frame skyscraper covered with white terra-cotta. Built as
the headquarters of the Fuller Construction company, the skyscraper was meant to be named Fuller Building. But
locals soon started calling it “Flatiron” because of its unusual shape. The name stuck and soon became official.
E. How does Rockefeller Center manage to find the perfect fur-tree each Christmas season? They do aerial searches
by helicopter, of course, and bring it to the city during the night when there isn’t much traffic on the streets. After
the tree is taken down for the year, it continues to be useful. For example, in 2005 Habitat for Humanity used the
wood to make doorframes for houses for the poor and in 2012 the paper was used to publish a book.
F. In New York life never stands still. People have to call cabs, ride subway cars, do business of all kinds, eat pizzas
and sandwiches for lunch. When you multiply that by more than eight million people in less than 500 square miles,
you get the idea: everyone goes everywhere as fast as it is humanly possible. Whatever you do, don’t stop in the
middle of the sidewalk or you’ll make everyone around you incredibly angry.
G. New York is extremely easy to navigate. Manhattan is divided into numbered streets from north to south and
avenues from east to west. It’s almost impossible to get lost there. Buses are useful to travel around Manhattan,
and the subway is the best means of transport to the other parts of the city. At some stage you’ll definitely use a
yellow taxi. Try to get one on an avenue that’s going in the same direction you are – you’ll save time and money.
And don’t forget to leave a tip for the driver.
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Text 27
1. New Zealand population 5. What to do in New Zealand
2. Getting to New Zealand 6. Geography of New Zealand
3. New Zealand climate 7. New Zealand traditions
4. Some facts from history 8. Education in New Zealand
A. New Zealand is made up of three main islands as well as many other smaller islands. The main islands of New
Zealand are, as their names suggest, the North and South Islands. Stewart Island is the third, much smaller island,
located at the far bottom of the South Island. The South Island is larger than the North, however it is less densely
populated. Here you will find vast alpine ranges, wide flat plains and cascading glaciers. Christchurch is the largest
city in the South Island.
B. The islands of New Zealand lie between 37 and 47 degrees south of the Tropic of Capricorn, in the Southern
Hemisphere of the world. New Zealand enjoys a moderate, maritime weather and temperatures. The North Island
is warmer than the South Island, with sub-tropical weather in the far north of the North Island. The warmest
months in New Zealand are December, January and February (summer), and the coldest are June, July and August
(winter).
C. New Zealand has an unlimited range of tourist attractions and activities, located throughout the country.
Whether you are looking for adrenaline-pumping adventure, or a relaxing game of golf, there is an activity or
attraction to suit everyone’s tastes, age, culture and budget. Attractions and activities in New Zealand include
bungy jumping, sky diving, glacial hiking, horse trekking, health and beauty relaxation treatments, scenic flights,
fishing and so much more.
D. The Maori are believed to be the native people of New Zealand, immigrating here from Polynesia on canoes
around 800 AD. These Polynesian people settled in New Zealand and became known as the Maori. They formed
their own unique culture, language and traditions. Land wars broke out with the arrival of the European settlers. In
1840, several Maori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi which gave the British monarchy control over parts of New
Zealand.
E. New Zealand has a reputation as a provider of excellent study opportunities and support services in a safe
learning environment. It is fast becoming a popular choice for international students. Academic, profession and
vocation studies are offered at universities, polytechnics, colleges, secondary schools and private training
establishments. A number of English Language Institutes and private English Language Schools are also throughout
the country.
F. For many tourists travelling to New Zealand will include a long haul flight and at least 1 stop en-route. Depending
on the length of your flight you can either split the journey up and include a “stop over” staying one night or more
in another country on the way or just travel straight through only stopping for a few hours at an airport before
departing again. The choice of “stop over” countries will depend on what country you are travelling from and the
company you are flying with.
G. While the land masses of the North Island and South Island are similar, approximately two thirds of the country’s
people live in the North Island and the remainder in the South Island. The majority of New Zealand’s inhabitants is
of European decent while Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand, is the most ethnically diverse in the country
and has the largest number of Polynesians of any city in the world.
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Text 28
1. Reasons to be afraid 5. Visiting for wild life and animals
2. A place of wonders 6. It’s never late to learn
3. Fight your fear 7. Reading non-verbal language
4. How to say thank you 8. Learn to be grateful
A. Nowadays when it’s all too easy to send an email or text, the best way to show that you are grateful to
somebody is to actually mail a hand-written card. The person who gets it will know you took the extra time and
thought to write a card and put it in the mail with a nice stamp. That person will appreciate your efforts much
more. Plus, you’ll get the added bonus of feeling grateful a little longer than usual as you write out each note
and wait for it to arrive.
B. Music is a noble passion, and people who can play a musical instrument have always been seen as
intelligent people. Learning how to play a musical instrument is far more efficient if you do it in childhood.
However, there are millions of adults who learn to enjoy music throughout their lives. Moreover, they don’t
focus on just one instrument, but specialize in two or even more, if they have the time and the necessary
ambition.
C. Millions of people avoid air travel each year because of their fear of flying. The fear of accidents happening
is probably the most common fear among air travellers. It is an understandable fear, since there have been
many aviation accidents throughout history. Some people may have a fear that the plane has some type of
malfunction or breakdown, while others may have a fear that the weather or turbulance will affect the plane.
D. Try to understand that being scared is just an illusion that makes you limited and miserable. Take control of
your mind and don’t let your imagination create frightening pictures in your head. If you cannot deal with it,
you should make attempts to leave your comfort zone. Choose things and activities you are afraid of and meet
your worries face to face, because it is impossible to run away from them. Just face your troubles no matter
how powerful they may seem.
E. When you get chronically bored with something, your mind gets used to seeing the world negatively. It is
necessary to break the chain of negative thoughts and train your mind to notice the best. Just write down 5
things you are thankful for. This way, your mind will change for the better in a while. The thankfulness will
open your eyes to the beauty of the world around you and will help you to focus on positive moments in your
life.
F. If you go to Ireland, go to isolated distant places in the country, talk to the locals and they will tell you the
stories about the mythical Irish place, called the Otherworld. They believe that it is the land of paradise and
happiness. In Irish poetry and tales, it is described as a series of islands near Ireland where the various fairytale
creatures lived. Also the Otherworld seemed to be able to move from one location to another.
G. Many people can understand the nature of character without talking to the person they are interested in.
The gestures and postures usually reflect the mood and the level of the person’s confidence. It’s easy to notice
a highly confident person even in a big group of people. They stand in one place without constant moving from
place to place, and they always make eye contact with the person they are talking to.
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Text 29
1. Hotel 5. Safety rules
2. Climate 6. Parks
3. Parking 7. Sightseeing
4. Newspapers
A. On most downtown Manhattan streets people are not allowed to leave their cars. Midtown car parks and
garages are about $6.75 an hour. Some restaurants and hotels have free car parks. If you are staying at a hotel
with this service, it is easiest to leave your car in the garage and use public transport or taxis.
B. Start your day with a laugh, enjoy the funniest pictures in The New York Daily News. Turn over the pages of
The NY Times which has won a total of 108 Pulitzer prizes. Read 11 English and foreign language papers which
come out every day and you will be in touch with serious problems in the world and in the country.
C. Seasons in New York are distinct. Summers are generally hot and humid, with practically no difference
between daytime and evening temperatures. Winters tend to be bitter, although snow and sleet are not that
often. Spring and autumn are mild in the day time and cool at nights.
D. This is a great way to see New York. Drivers are experienced and you will feel safe; buses are comfortable
and you will feel fine in any weather. They are all air-conditioned. You are offered different excursions. The all-
day excursions visit the top tourist attractions and other excursions which last from 2 to 4 hours can be
interesting for people with different tastes.
E. No visit to Long Island is complete without the Marriot. Centrally located near Roosevelt Raceway and
Roosevelt Field Indoor Mall, it offers expensive and comfortable rooms, fine restaurants, a lively nightclub with
an indoor pool. You will be offered outstanding service and hospitality. For information and reservation call
(800)228-9290.
F. Drivers, front seat passengers and all back seat passengers younger than 10 must fasten their seat belts
around themselves. The state law takes these precautions to protect people against possible trouble. Drivers
pay if their passengers are younger than 16 and not wearing seat belts.
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Text 30
1. Named after a politician 5. Modern pronunciation
2. Too lengthy to stay 6. Named after the river
3. In hope for a good future 7. Named after a wrong person
4. Named after a tsar 8. Bringing back the first name
A. One local legend claims that the city of Orlando is named after the character in Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”,
but the more commonly accepted version is that a man named Orlando Reeves owned a plantation and a sugar mill
a bit north of what later became the city. Early settlers found where Reeves had carved his name in a tree and
thought that it was a grave marker to a soldier, a hero who died in the Seminole War and mistakenly named their
settlement after him.
B. When Arizona city began expanding in the late 1860s, settlers realized that their little town needed a name. The
founder of the city Jack Swilling, a Confederate veteran, wanted to name the town Stonewall in honour of
Stonewall Jackson, but Darrell Duppa found out that their site had been a Native American settlement centuries
earlier. He offered the name Phoenix. He believed that their new city would rise from the ruins of the former
civilization like the legendary bird.
C. In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip discovered a supply of fresh water for his thirsty armada in a cave near Port
Jackson, today’s Sydney Harbor. Later he started a settlement there. The place needed a name. Though originally
he had planned to name his new freshwater-filled settlement Albion – a poetic name for England – instead he
decided to call the bay Sydney Cove after the Secretary of State, Lord Sydney. The fact that the guy had never even
set foot in Australia didn’t stop him.
D. The Russian capital sits on the Moscva River, which is obviously where the city’s name comes from. However,
there are a couple of theories as to where the name Moscva comes from. The first states that it is a derivative of a
Finno-Ugric name meaning river of either cows, or bears, or darkness. Nobody is really sure which of the three
exactly, but all of them seem quite possible. The other, more popular theory, says that the name comes from a
Slavic word meaning dank, swampy river.
E. It’s widely known that the City of Angels got its name from Spanish settlers. The beauty of the place impressed
them so much that they considered it heaven on Earth. The original name, however, was a lot longer: El Pueblo de
Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porcincula, or “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of the Little
Portion”. They realized there would be a lot of letters to fit on a hat they wore, so they just shortened it to Los
Angeles.
F. Have you ever wondered why in a restaurant we never order Beijing duck, but instead call it Peking like our
grandmas did? Well, since Chinese characters don’t much lend themselves to transliteration, English interpretations
of how the name is pronounced have changed over the years. The name was given to the city during the Ming
Dynasty by Zhu Di, who moved his capital there. “Beijing” is about as close as we can get now to saying it like the
Chinese.
G. St. Petersburg was founded on May 16, 1703, when the foundation of the Peter and Paul Fortress was laid. Since
its foundation, the city’s name has changed several times. Originally, it was named after the Apostle Peter as tsar
Peter, the Apostle’s namesake, relied on this saint’s patronage. For a decade in the 1900’s it was called Petrograd.
This was from 1914–1924. After Lenin died, Petrograd was renamed Leningrad. St. Petersburg resumed its original
name in 1992.
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Text 31
1. Staying inside for fun 5. Time for planning
2. A book versus the Net 6. Time for physical activity
3. Reflect on your morning 7. Spend time outdoors
4. Sharing lunch and work 8. Do the things you enjoy
A. One of the best things to do during lunch break is to exercise. It still may sound a bit strange, but experts
say that combining fitness and lunch is one of the best ways to incorporate exercise into a busy lifestyle. Who
said that exercise is only for losing weight? Start exercising during your lunch hour and you will feel better and
full of energy to accomplish your difficult tasks. Even if it’s just going for a walk or doing a few sit-ups, your
body will thank you!
B. During your lunch break you may do lots of things. You might think that reading a book isn’t a healthy thing
to do during your lunch break, but it’s much better than surfing the Internet. Unlike the Net, it does not only
keep our mind active, but it also improves speaking, writing, and reading skills. If we had a hard day at work,
reading a book without looking at the screen will help keep our mind distracted from problems.
C. Many people don’t leave their workplaces during a lunch break, but it’s a huge mistake. Your lunch break
should be a sacred time. A time when you can step away from your computer. No matter whether you like or
hate your job, leave the building and sit on a nearby bench. You can also take a short walk. You will feel much
better when you are back from a lunch break and you will have more energy and motivation to accomplish
your tasks.
D. Managing school and work is never an easy task. It might seem impossible to balance all of these
responsibilities, but it can be done nevertheless. If you have plenty of tasks, you can spend 15-20 minutes of
your lunch hour working on them and have more free time in the evening. Just make sure you don’t spend the
whole lunch hour doing your lessons, because having a healthy snack and doing some exercises are still
essential.
E. Having busy days we hope to manage time somehow and complete all the things we need to do. A lunch
hour is a great time to plan your weekly meals and food shopping lists, because planning is good for your
wallet and your health as well. You can also plan your lunch meals to avoid eating unhealthy food. Your lunch
hour is also a wonderful time to plan your everyday jobs and social calendar and you can do it sitting on a
nearby bench.
F. Lunch break is such a period in your life which we can name ‘eternal’. Use your lunch break for something
you like most of all, such as going shopping, seeing your friends, or visiting the park or some other lovely spots.
Just make sure that you meet positive people during your lunch hour and it will improve your mood and
refresh you till the rest of the day. You’ll go back to the office with absolutely different mindset and you’ll work
much better.
G. A lunch break is the perfect time to evaluate what you have done before noon. Try to self-reflect on tasks
you’ve accomplished and this will help you feel proud of yourself. Notice what needs to be done, and
concentrate on those things. If you haven’t accomplished some tasks, don’t worry, you’ll have enough time to
accomplish them after your lunch break just keep a positive attitude since stress doesn’t solve anything.
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Text 32
1. Controlled by voice commands 5. Services for smartphones
2. Smartphones keep an eye on you 6. Computers based on neurons
3. Manufactures will make changes 7. Some computers will disappear
4. Disadvantages of smartphones 8. Why smartphones are
convenient
A. Over the last five years, smartphones have proved that they are immensely capable. They will represent
more than 50 per cent of the mobile phone market in 2015. In 10 years, tablets will be archaic. Desktops and
laptops, having already begun their slide into antiquity, will soon be nothing more than dusty relics and
museum exhibits. The last and only bastion of consumer computing will be the smartphone.
B. Some arguments for a larger device, such as the laptop, may still remain. For example, the interface. The
keyboard is still the best way of inputting data, and some activities simply can’t be performed on a 4-inch
smartphone screen. Besides, there will always be people who need or want faster computers to speed up their
workflow. Supercomputers which do calculations at the speed of nanoseconds are definitely not the size of
smartphones.
C. The reasons for keeping a laptop, desktop, or tablet may disappear because Apple and Google have
developed speech recognition programs which can replace keyboard input. Usual displays will be replaced by
head-up displays or wireless contact lens displays. Brain-computer interfaces will appear in the near future. A
solid, immovable screen will not be in the centre of our interaction with multimedia any longer.
D. Just think what it would be like if your smartphone was your only computer. You would always have your
computer with you. All of your documents, photos, games, apps, and utilities would always be in your pocket,
accessible at any time. If you want to check your messages, watch TV on the train, or edit a photo, just go to
the menu. Moreover, you could use your smartphone as a passport or a credit card.
E. With the help of a smartphone and a few apps, you just slide your phone in your pocket before your
workout, and let the app track your speed and activity. Smartphones track your movements, and then pass the
data off to commercial apps, or helpful services like Google Now. With additional sensors, they constantly
monitor your activity and overall health. The dream of wearable computing will become true.
F. There is a worldwide shift to mobile computing. Computers are becoming smaller and more efficient. If
smartphones are the only consumer-oriented computers, production lines and equipment have to be updated
to meet new requirements. With an atomic computing platform, smartphones would be cheaper and much
more capable than they are today. Cloud computing would satisfy needs of those who want faster computers.
G. It is important to develop our brains as well. Computer can do many complex tasks at the same time
(“multitasking”) that are difficult for the brain. For example, counting backwards and multiplying two numbers
at the same time. However, the brain also does some multitasking using the autonomic nervous system. For
example, the brain controls breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and at the same time it performs mental
tasks.
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Text 33
1. Colours for royal families 5. Colours around you
2. Origin of the toy’s name 6. Toys for all ages
3. Popular names 7. Lovely animals
4. Personal names
A People say that red, yellow and orange are “warm”, and that blue and green are “cool”. But if you touch a
red wool sweater, it doesn’t feel warmer than a blue wool sweater. Scientists have taken the temperature of
colours with a special instrument called a thermopile and have found that reds and oranges are warmer than
blues and greens.
B. Pandas are wonderful. They look so nice, rather like soft furry toys. No wonder people love them. At any zoo
they are always the centre of attention. The most striking thing about pandas is their black and white
colouring. Pandas are strict vegetarians. They eat only young bamboo stems and nothing else. Pandas are
peaceful, friendly and harmless. They have no enemies.
C. Imagine being arrested and thrown into prison for wearing a certain colour! It could have happened back in
the days when kings and emperors ruled. In ancient Rome only the emperor and his wife could have purple or
gold clothes. In China, only the emperor could wear yellow. And in France, in the past, only a princess could
wear a scarlet dress.
D. Today we can hardly imagine a world without this eager listener and loyal friend, the teddy bear. But why is
it called Teddy? The story goes back to 1902, when Theodore Roosevelt was President of the United States.
The press and the people fondly called him Teddy. Once on a hunting trip, he couldn’t bring himself to shoot a
defenseless bear cub. The owners of a candy store in New York made a little toy bear cub and put it in their
shop window with a handwritten notice saying “Teddy’s bear”. The bear became a hit with the public.
E. Pet names, like human ones, go in and out of fashion. According to Bairbre O’Malley, a London vet, they
reflect larger trends in society. The computer boom, for example, has produced dogs called Mac, Apple and,
for smaller breeds, Microchip, or Laptop. Hollywood’s influence has inspired names like Conan and Terminator
for bull terriers and other strong breeds. Mr O’Malley also remarked that many animals he treated after road
accidents were called Lucky.
F. One of the most popular tourist attractions today is Legoland Windsor, the newest theme park in Europe. It
is a theme park and the theme is bricks. Lego bricks, to be specific. You know those little plastic toy bricks
children use to build castles, bridges, all sorts of things. Some grown-ups play with Lego bricks, too. One
hundred of them worked for two and a half years to design buildings, trains, cars, boats, fountains and people
for Legoland Windsor.
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Text 34
1. Why extreme sports are popular 5. Known to everybody
2. Combination of two sports 6. Taken from literature
3. Competition with food 7. Danger in the snow
4. Sport or performance? 8. A skill not used
A. Poohsticks is a sport first mentioned in “The House at Pooh Corner”, a Winnie-the-Pooh book by A. A.
Milne. It is a simple sport which may be played on any bridge over running water. Each player drops a stick on
the upstream side of a bridge and the one whose stick first appears on the downstream side is the winner. The
annual World Poohsticks Championships have been held at Day’s Lock on the River Thames in the UK since
1984.
B. Chess boxing is a hybrid sport that consists of chess and boxing in alternating rounds. The sport was
invented by French artist and filmmaker Enki Bilal in his comic book “Froid Equateur” in 1992. The first real
event of chess-boxing was organized by Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh in 2003. Chess boxing is a fast growing sport.
The sport alternates between games of boxing and chess after each round – waiting for a checkmate or
knockout to decide the match.
C. In heliskiing people pay a large sum of money to get helicoptered to a remote snow-covered area only to ski
down the white slope. These skiers spend hundreds of dollars to ski down a natural landscape unlike the
artificial slopes of a ski-resort. Most obviously, the natural environment involves greater risks and discomfort.
Even the journey into the interior part of a mountainous area has often been life-threatening in the past.
D. Cheese rolling is something that has been around for over 200 years and is still practiced today. During the
Spring Bank Holiday in England, people gather at the top of Coopers Hill and prepare for something very
exciting. At the top of the hill, a judge rolls a round of cheese down the slope and the participants follow.
People try to run down the slope but often end up rolling down like the cheese. The winner of the race wins
the round of cheese as well as a few bruises and scars.
E. It’s possible that extreme sports became trendy in the late 20th century as a reaction to the greater safety of
modern life. Lacking a feeling of danger in their everyday activities, people wanted more excitement or risk.
Another reason is improved sports technology. For example, the invention of sticky rubber-soled climbing
shoes and artificial climbing walls increased the appeal of rock climbing. And advances in ski design allowed
more skiers to try extreme feats.
F. Extreme Ironing is an extreme sport and a performance art. People who play this unusual sport go to a
remote location and iron clothes! They call themselves “ironists”, and get a thrill from taking their ironing
board, unplugged iron and some of their clothes to some extreme places and photograph themselves doing it.
Such places that they have reached include extreme altitude, underwater, hanging from cliffs, and on top of
vehicles.
G. Approximately 65 thousand people in the United States alone do not know how to swim. Many of them
learned as young children but never go to a pool, lake, river, or ocean anymore and have forgotten how to
swim over the years. Others were never taught and continue to avoid the activity altogether. It was once
thought that knowing how to swim was important for safety reasons, but now it is pretty much left up to the
individual.
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Text 35
Which place:
1. is rich in building material? 4. is a birthplace of a famous
poet?
2. was a publishing centre? 5. was described in many books?
3. was an important medical centre? 6. is a centre of making medical
tools?
A. Rochester was originally called the «Flour city» because of its milling industries. Rochester also became
known as the «Flower City» because of its rich gardening areas. It has the nation’s largest film and camera
plant and leads in the manufacture of surgical instruments, needed for rare operations, optical and dental
goods.
B. Herkimer was settled in 1725. It has had a long history. It began as a dairying centre producing butter and
cheese, then during the early 1800s it became a centre of state politics and meetings. In 1865 Warner Miller
improved the process of making paper from wood and they began to print newspapers and books there.
Theodore Dreiser wrote his novel An American Tragedy carefully studying what took place in the town.
C. Cooperstown was founded in 1786 by Judge William Cooper, father of James Fenimore Cooper, who wrote
The Last of the Mohicans and other works. Otsego Lake in a beautiful setting of hills and forests is the setting
for many Cooper’s novels. Many of the town’s buildings and homes have been carefully kept so that they look
as in Cooper’s time.
D. Saranac Lake was first settled in 1819. Because of good climatic conditions it very soon became an
important treatment centre for people who were ill with tuberculosis, an infectious disease during the late
1800s and early 1900s. Many treatment centres from those days still stand along Saranac Lakes streets. Now
it’s a popular vacation place.
E. Potsdam was settled in 1803 by Benjamin Raymond, a land agent for the Clarkson family. The family ran a
variety of businesses. They founded the Thomas Clarkson College of Technology, built a schoolhouse, which
became part of the state university system in 1949. Sandstone dug in the area has been used for structures in
New York City and other cities of the USA.
F. Huntington has seen several historic events. The famous American poet Walt Whitman was born here. The
farmhouse where he was born is furnished in period, with a library and changing exhibits. The British hanged
Nathan Hale, an American, here as a spy in 1776. The memorial Monument marks the spot where he was
captured.
G. Panama Rocks consist of an erupted Paleozoic ocean floor made of ocean quartz. The rocks are huge and
some are more than 60 feet high. Geologic features include small caves, hundreds of passageways and
thousands of cracks.
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Text 36
1. An office at home 5. Saving energy
2. Computers for making films 6. Saving space
3. “No” to computer games 7. Driving in the future
4. Computers for building up team spirit
A. Safe, comfortable and, above all, green. Electric-powered cars will not produce any substances which are
dangerous for either people or the environment. In 10-20 years all cars will have their own built-in computers.
These computers will help choose the best way to go and avoid accidents. You can even sit back and let the
computer do the driving!
B. As you know personal computers use a lot of power. In fact, with their printers and monitors, computers in
the USA use each year as much electricity as the whole state of Oregon. Not to waste electricity, new “green”
computers are being developed by more than a hundred personal computer firms in the USA. When left on but
unused for more than a few minutes, they go down to a standby, using 80 per cent less energy. At a command
the PCs return to full power.
C. Nowadays, people working in offices use computers, which contain hundreds of documents. Do you know
how much space these documents would take up, if they were printed on paper? They’d occupy whole rooms!
In many offices computers are linked in a network. This way, employees can exchange information and
messages without moving from their tables.
D. Technology has allowed more and more people to work from the place where they live. Using a modem on
a telephone line connected to their computer, everyone can be linked to the company computer. In this way,
they don’t waste so much time, because they don’t have to go to the office every day. It also means less
pollution in the atmosphere caused by transport.
E. Good-bye, pencils! Farewell, sheets of paper! These days cartoons are being made with a computer. The
first-ever cartoon to be created by computer was “Toy Story” produced by Steve Jobs. A typical Walt Disney
cartoon usually needs up to 600 designers. “Toy Story” was made using only 100. So, like so much of modern
life, today’s cinema seems to be falling more and more into the hands of the computer.
F. If someone asked you about the negative aspects of a computer game, probably the first thing that would
come to your mind is that it isolates a person from other people. Now the first virtual reality computer game
has appeared which can be played in a group of 6 people at the same time. The game is called “The Loch Ness
Expedition.” Each player is given a role in the underwater expedition. Players have to cooperate to achieve the
goal.
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Text 37
1. Tasty tourism 5. Supernatural tourism
2. For those keen on science 6. Immigration tourism
3. For brave ones only 7. A difficult choice
4. For true sports fans 8. Appealing to all fans
A. Soccer tourism has been around for a few decades but back in the 1980s it was seen (and probably actually
was to some extent) as a form of “hooliganism.” Nowadays, soccer tourism is considered one of the most
profitable forms of tourism. It usually involves individuals who travel to different cities and countries to see
their favourite teams’ museums and trophies or follow them in their international matches.
B. Many people may have a problem understanding the difference between culinary tourism and ordinary
tourism since tasting as many local dishes as possible is a must for the average tourist. But there are lots of
people who visit a place exclusively for its food and everything related to eating. Plus, in culinary tourism
dining out seems to be the equivalent of having cocktails and partying in everyday tourism so there are a few
differences after all.
C. If you’re a European citizen over 25 then there’s a good chance you remember this term, which in reality
was politically motivated. The phrase “benefit tourism” was invented in the 1990s. It was later used for the
perceived threat that a huge number of citizens from the new, poorer nations who were given membership in
the EU would move to the richer states such as France or Sweden to benefit from their social welfare systems
rather than work.
D. Tolkien tourism has become a growing trend thanks to the huge success of the “Lord of the Rings” books
and films. It has expanded and diversified to such an extent that now it offers enough places to visit so that
even the most detailed curiosity of the most demanding Tolkien fan is sure to be satisfied. That makes New
Zealand the best hotspot because it’s the main location where the films were shot.
E. The name “shark tourism” says it all, and you probably can’t get a scarier or more dangerous type of tourism
than this. Shark tourism is actually a subgenre of another type of tourism – eco-tourism. It attracts all these
people who love sharks and their bloody jaws. Anything related to the Great White shark (and other) is what’s
on offer. Experienced divers and protective cages are must-haves for this adventurous kind of tourism.
F. Atomic tourism is a type of tourism that appeared after the beginning of the Atomic Era. Curious tourists
fascinated with the Atomic Era can visit places important to the history of the Atomic Age where significant
incidents related to atomic power happened. There are museums that specialize in atomic weapons, but
naturally the most visited sites are the actual places where atomic bombs were dropped or detonated.
G. A fascination with ghosts drives some people to travel in search of the paranormal. Behind many famous
landmarks is a great ghost story and indeed, popular tours in places like Dublin, Florida, Quebec City and
Brisbane explore historic, “haunted” city quarters. Locations of “ghost tourism” include proverbial ghost towns
across America, Canada and Australia as well as notorious places like Jonestown, Guyana, and parts of
Transylvania.
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1. A job for anybody 5. Zoopsychologist
2. Start your business 6. Night work
3. A job with a high salary 7. Working with your hands
4. Choosing a job 8. Working for royals
A. Some people can’t get out of the house easily to shop, don’t have the time to do it or just don’t enjoy shopping. If
shopping is something you enjoy, turn it into a self-employed career. Personal shoppers give advice to customers and
suggest products that may suit their needs. This can be anything from gifts to household goods to clothing. Advertise
your services at locations such as senior citizens’ centres, community centres, shopping malls and grocery stores. Meet
with the clients and find out what items (groceries, clothing, etc.) they need and how often.
B. The market is changing very fast. In fact, there may be careers that exist when a student gets out of college that simply
didn’t exist when they started. So rather than asking, “What do I want to be?,” pose these questions: “What skills do I
have? What kinds of people do I like to work with? In what kind of environment?” This is a way to think about a career
without necessarily naming it. You describe yourself in a functional way and then figure out what that’s called and if
people get paid to do it.
C. The regulations define this as the period between 11 pm and 6 am although this agreement can be slightly varied
between employers and workers. Generally, people who work for at least three hours within the period must be offered
a free health assessment before they begin their work duties and on a regular basis. Workers, however, do not have to
accept this check. In general, workers must be over 18, although there are some exceptions to this rule. Teenagers aged
16 and 17, for example, can work according to this schedule, but only for 40 hours per week.
D. When your dog won’t roll over or your cat is making a mess, you might have to call someone who specialises in pet
behaviour to solve your problems. This person analyses the pet’s confidence and security inside and outside the home to
find the source of the problem. By studying their instincts and social rituals in their natural habitat as well as around
humans, they modify the unwanted behaviour. It is all about helping dogs, cats and horses feel safe and confident and
secure inside and outside our homes.
E. Being a queen’s piper involves playing the bagpipes for 15 minutes at 9 am under the Queen’s window when she is in
residence at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse or Balmoral Castle. The piper is also
responsible for the co-ordination of the 12 Army pipers who play around the table after State Banquets. It’s important to
be presentable and patient enough when escorting the Queen to the various audiences that she has throughout the day.
F. A surgeon starts with a Bachelor’s degree, specializes in medicine and finally, surgery and then spends up to seven
years as an intern or a resident. If you want to cut people open, they want to be really sure you know what you are
doing. The field will be growing, as people now live longer. This is one of the highest demand and best paid jobs in the US
because it takes so much skill and precision. Wages vary depending on the type of surgery, but on average this was the
highest paid medical job in 2015.
G. Imagine you’re an electrician, you’re installing a pipe and have to bend around the corners to make everything line up.
This kind of work requires improvisation and creativity. Besides, the wages of manual workers are greater than in many
office jobs. For instance, a skilled mechanic usually earns more than a sociology graduate working in publishing. Besides,
the job offers small moments of joy, like when the bike you’re mending starts up and runs. But not everything about
manual work is rosy. Furniture making, for example, is not a good career move.
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1. industry 5. а city
2. science 6. transport
3. toys 7. canals
4. costumes
A. Step inside this magical 1850s »Cinema» for an exciting tour of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. As the
lights go down a brilliant moving image of the capital appears before you, while the guide tells the story of
Edinburgh’s historic past.
B. The National Waterways Museum of Gloucester brings to life the time when Britain’s waterways were dug
between towns. Transport by these ways was cheaper than transport by land. Many exhibits give visitors the
chance to relive the Age which helped to revolutionize Britain’s water system.
C. Black Country Museum is an open-air museum. Your visit there is always exciting and enjoyable. Guides in
national costumes and working demonstrators tell visitors a story of the time when different machines were
invented in Britain and factories began to develop very quickly.
D. Travel through time and discover the colourful story of travel. See shiny buses, tube trains and trams of
different centuries. As you step into the past you’ll meet people who’ve kept London moving for 200 years.
Hold tight as you put yourself in the driving seat and enjoy your journey.
E. This museum is full of wonderful models of trains, buses, ships and cars. See the 1920s model Story Land
Park and play the old slot-machines. It also has a nursery of the beginning of the 20th century. The wonderful
collection of dolls contains different marionettes from Ancient Roman Gladiator doll to figures of today.
F. This museum illustrates the development of human knowledge through different instruments. The museum
has a clockwork model of the solar system from1750 as well as microscopes, telescopes, navigation
instruments, electrical machines and tools.
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Text 40
1. For information and urgent help 5. A built-in charger
2. To monitor and treat the disease 6. World without buttons
3. Big brother is watching you 7. Phone always on you
4. Disadvantages of tech 8. Key under your skin
A. Sure, we’re virtually connected to our phones 24/7 now, but what if we could be literally plugged in to our
phones? That’s already starting to happen. Last year, for instance, artist Anthony Antonellis had a chip put in
his arm that could store and transfer data to his handheld smartphone. And researchers are already
experimenting with sensors that turn human bone into living speakers.
B. In the future patients will be able to use implantable technologies to diagnose and even treat diseases.
Scientists in London are developing swallowable capsule-sized chip that will control fat levels in obese patients
and generate genetic material that makes them feel “full”. It has potential as an alternative to surgery to
handle obesity. Also it can monitor blood-sugar levels for diabetics.
C. The U.S. military has programs to identify any person using face scanning device. Some people see it as a
doubtless advantage: improved crime fighting, secure elections and never a lost child again. However, such
technologies can hammer against social norms and raise privacy issues. And one day there might be a
computer to see all, know all and control all.
D. One of the challenges for implantable tech is delivering power to devices which are inside human bodies.
You can’t plug them in as you do with your phone or computer. You can’t easily take them out to replace a
battery. A team in Cambridge is working on specific bio batteries that can generate power inside the body,
transfer it wirelessly where needed, and then simply melt away.
E. Soon tattoos will not only make you look cool but will be able to perform useful tasks, like opening your car
or entering smartphone codes with a fingerpoint. Researchers have made an implantable skin fibers thinner
than a human hair. Scientists are working on the chip that can be put inside a finger through a tattoo-like
process, letting you unlock things or enter codes simply by pointing.
F. The British research team is developing pills with microprocessors in them that can text to hospitals directly
from inside your body. The pills can share inside info to help doctors know if you are taking your medication
properly and if it is having the desired effect. Moreover, in case of emergency, it can send a signal to the
computer and the ambulance will come straight away.
G. Lately touchscreens are everywhere – from computers, phones, tablets to car systems and vending
machines. Even doorbells now include touch screen controls. One has to wonder: are we moving to a world of
only touchscreen devices? And the answer is probably yes. We are coming to an age where every flat or even
curved surface could be made a touchscreen and we can operate from it.
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Text 41
1. Places to stay in 5. Camping holidays
2. Public transport 6. Contacts with neighbours
3. Cultural differences 7. Different landscapes
4. Nightlife 8. Eating out
A. Sweden is a land of contrast, from the Danish influence of the southwest to the Laplanders wandering freely with
their reindeer in the wild Arctic north. And while Sweden in cities is stylish and modern, the countryside offers
many simpler pleasures for those who look for peace and calm. The land and its people have an air of reserved
calm, and still the world’s best-selling pop group Abba, which used to attract crowds of hysterical fans, come from
Sweden.
B. Historically, Sweden has an interesting story. Its dealings with the outside world began, in fact, during Viking
times, when in addition to the well- known surprise attacks of the nearby lands, there was much trading around the
Baltic, mostly in furs and weapons. Swedish connections with the other Scandinavian countries, Norway and
Denmark, have been strong since the Middle Ages. The monarchies of all three are still closely linked.
C. Sweden’s scenery has a gentler charm than that of neighbouring Norway’s rocky coast. Much of Sweden is
forested, and there are thousands lakes, notably large pools near the capital, Stockholm. The lakeside resort in the
centre of Sweden is popular with Scandinavians, but most visitors prefer first the Baltic islands. The largest island,
Gotland, with its ruined medieval churches, is a particular attraction.
D. Sweden boasts a good range of hotels, covering the full spectrum of prices and standards. Many of them offer
discounts in summer and at weekends during the winter. In addition, working farms throughout Sweden offer
accommodation, either in the main farmhouse or in a cottage nearby. Forest cabins and chalets are also available
throughout the country, generally set in beautiful surroundings, near lakes, in quiet forest glades or on an island in
some remote place.
E. Living in a tent or caravan with your family or friends at weekends and on holiday is extremely popular in Sweden
and there is a fantastic variety of special places. Most are located on a lakeside or by the sea with free bathing
facilities close at hand. There are over 600 campsites in the country. It is often possible to rent boats or bicycles,
play mini-golf or tennis, ride a horse or relax in a sauna. It is also possible to camp in areas away from other houses.
F. Swedes like plain meals, simply prepared from the freshest ingredients. As a country with a sea coast and many
freshwater lakes, fish dishes are found on all hotel or restaurant menus. Top-class restaurants in Sweden are
usually fairly expensive, but even the smallest towns have reasonably priced self-service restaurants and grill bars.
Many restaurants all over Sweden offer a special dish of the day at a reduced price that includes main course, salad,
soft drink and coffee.
G. Stockholm has a variety of pubs, cafes, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres but in the country evenings tend
to be very calm and peaceful. From August to June the Royal Ballet performs in Stockholm. Music and theatre
productions take place in many cities during the summer in the open air. Outside Stockholm in the 18th-century
palace there are performances of 18th-century opera very popular with tourists.
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Text 42
1. Inspired by nature 5. Different at different time
2. Wonderful combination 6. Chosen as the best among hundreds
3. Restoring old traditions 7. The closest to the sky
4. Protecting the environment 8. Saved from being pulled down
A. Sydney Opera House was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 as one of the most iconic buildings in the
world. Its planning began in the 1940s, as the existing building for large theatrical productions was not large enough. The
Opera House was designed by a Danish architect Jorn Utzon whose design was selected as the winning one among 232
other entries in an international design competition. The formal inauguration of the building took place on 20 October
1973.
B. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 in Paris. It was designed as an entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair and named after
the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. However, initially the plan was to make it
stand for only twenty years since its construction. The City had planned to tear it down in 1909, but as the tower proved
to be valuable for the image of the city, it was allowed to remain. Now it has become the symbol of the city, seen as one
of the World’s wonders.
C. The Electric Forest Festival, which started less than a decade ago, is a four-day multi-genre event, held in Rothbury,
Michigan. The main focus of the event is upon electronic and jam bands. But what captures the eyes is a special
atmosphere during this festival. The surrounding environment becomes a kaleidoscope of laser light shows. The mixture
of electronic lights and the sounds appeal to different senses and together create a unique, surreal, magical experience.
D. Casa Mila, designed by the architect Antoni Gaudí, is one of Barcelona’s World Heritage sites and is one of the most
visited attractions the city has to offer. The building is also known as “La Pedrera” translated as the Stone wave, because
of the facade which is made up completely with natural stones and does not have any straight lines. Gaudi explained it
by the fact that straight lines cannot be found anywhere in the wild landscape and it can be made only by men.
E. To mark the end of the Christmas season, Shetland in Scotland celebrates a variety of fire festivals every year. The
most interesting of them is held at the capital, where this practice was born as early as in 1876, when strong men
dragged barrels with burning tar on sledges. Today, thousands of people dress up in period-clothes. The procession
burns down the model of a Viking ship. The brightness of the fire and men in clothes of the long-gone era make a
spectacle show.
F. Burj Khalifa is an 829.8 m skyscraper in Dubai. It is the tallest structure in the world. There are hotels, residences and
observational laboratories in the 163 floors of the building. It’s not only the tallest building in the world, it is also the
tallest freestanding structure in the world, has the highest number of stories in the world, highest occupied floor in the
world, highest outdoor observation deck in the world, and an elevator with the longest travel distance in the world.
G. The Taj Mahal is an architectural marvel made of white marble situated on the banks of the river Yamuna in Agra,
India. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Nowadays around 8
million tourists visit the Taj Mahal every year. They come to see the changing colors of the Taj Mahal, which change from
pink in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden at night when lit by the moon.
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Text 43
1. From the history of the game 5. Countries good at table tennis
2. The first tennis competitions 6. Table tennis equipment
3. The rules of table tennis 7. Why watch tennis
4. Similar yet different 8. Both for men and women
A. Table tennis is a ball game similar in principle to lawn tennis. It’s played on a flat table divided into two equal courts
by a net fixed across its width at the middle. The task is to hit the ball so that it goes over the net and bounces on the
opponent’s half of the table in such a way that the opponent cannot reach it or return it correctly. The lightweight
hollow ball is propelled back and forth across the net by small rackets. The game is popular all over the world, among
people of different age.
B. Table tennis is a relatively young sport. In fact, it was invented in England in the early days of the 20th century and was
originally called Ping-Pong. The name “table tennis” was adopted in 1921 or 1922 when the old Ping-Pong Association
formed in 1902 was revived. Led by representatives of Germany, Hungary, and England, the International Table Tennis
Federation was founded in 1926. By the mid-1990s more than 165 national associations were the members of this
association.
C. Table tennis is really a sport for everyone. You don’t need to spend much money or buy many things to play table
tennis. The table is rectangular, 9 feet by 5 feet, its upper surface a level plane 30 inches above the floor. The net is 6
feet long, and its upper edge along the whole length is 6 inches above the playing surface. The ball, which is spherical
and hollow, was once made of white celluloid. Since 1969 a plastic similar to celluloid has been used. The racket may be
any size, weight, or shape.
D. It’s easy to understand how tennis is played. A tennis match consists of the best of any odd numbers of games, each
game being won by the player who first reaches 11 points or who, after 10 points each, wins two clear points ahead. A
point is scored when the server fails to make a good service, when either player fails to make a good return, or when
either player commits a specified infraction. Service changes hands after every two points until 10-all is reached, when it
changes after every subsequent point.
E. Table tennis may be played with one player at each end of the table or with two players at each end who may be both
men or both women or one of each. Worldwide, the women’s game is comparable in organization to the men’s, and
women take part in world championships and all other organized events. The first female tournament took place in
1909, but women are known to have been playing tennis since 1874, which is obvious from old pictures and photos
which survived the test of time.
F. The first world championships were held in London in 1927, and from then until 1939 the game was dominated by
players from central Europe, the men’s team event being won nine times by Hungary and twice by Czechoslovakia. In the
mid-1950s Asia emerged as a breeding ground of champions, and from that time the men’s team event has been won by
either Japan or China, as has the women’s event, though to a lesser extent; North Korea also became an international
force.
G. People eagerly come to the stadiums to see a game of tennis live or switch on their TVs when an exciting match is on.
The interest to the spectator lies in observing the ability of one player to defeat another by some well-thought-out
strategy. Increasing the speed of the game, slowing it down, varying the direction of or imparting different spin or pace
to the ball are just some of the tactics that may be used to support the strategy planned by a sportsman. Thus, a game of
tennis can be a real show.
A B C D E F G
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Text 44
1. More advantages at the job market 5. Cheaper than usual
2. How long does it take? 6. Fewer possibilities
3. Using different resources 7. Types of distance learning
4. Available to everybody 8. Not for everybody
A. Thanks to technology innovation, distance learning has always involved more than reading texts and writing essays or
assignments. Virtual microscopes, interactive laboratories and online collaborations have taken the place of home
experiment kits sent by post, while late night TV programmes have been replaced by DVDs and online interactive videos.
Distance teaching universities can nowadays choose from many methods to support learning.
B. The delivery method of distance learning programmes varies. Although many courses are taught entirely online, some
schools also give students an opportunity to meet face-to-face with tutors and classmates several times a year. In other
situations, students will do all their work online and are only required to attend specific locations for exams. Others may
attend weekly lectures in addition to completing work online. This combined system is known as blended learning.
C. Employers can be especially impressed by people who have studied for a distance learning qualification. The CEO of a
large international consulting firm recently commented that he would value more favourably a graduate from a distance
learning MBA who had achieved the same results as a graduate from similar on-campus programme because it takes
more commitment, enthusiasm, time and energy from the student to achieve this result.
D. Distance learning requires self-discipline and determination and would not suit someone with no motivation to study
on his or her own, who needs the structure of a traditional learning environment, or with simply no time for studying.
Although it is possible to still have time for family and professional commitments while attending a distance education
school, it does not mean there will be less work than at residential school.
E. The length of online university courses varies depending on whether you’ll be studying full- or part-time, the level of
the qualification, and the subject of study. For the majority of full-time undergraduate programmes, the timeframe is
similar to a traditional bachelor’s course of three or four years. For part-time courses, your studies may take additional
two or three years. Most online university courses will give a specific time period within which students must complete
their studies.
F. One of the leading providers of online education in the UK is the Open University. Fees at the Open University vary
depending on whether you study part-time or full-time, but the average cost for full-time is £5,264 annually for three
years. This is approximately £3,700 less per year than enrolling at a campus-based UK university as a home student, and
considerably less than the amount international students would pay to study in the UK.
G. In the last few years another type of online education has appeared – MOOCs (massive open online courses). These
are free online education programmes that anyone can sign up to, typically offered by well-known universities. They now
cover a wide range of subjects. As MOOCs are free and open to all with access to the internet, they are useful for people
of all ages and professional backgrounds who are keen to learn a new skill or gain information about a particular subject.
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Text 45
1. Through ages and cultures 5. TV jokes are the best
2. Who were the first ‘fools’ 6. Evolution of the holiday jokes
3. Real danger, not a joke 7. Who introduced different
dates
4. Ready for a joke? 8. A tip for a good joke
A. The 1st of April has no official recognition, but for a long time it has been known as a day to celebrate
foolishness. Even though we don’t care where April Fools’ Day comes from, we hold this tradition of making
other people look stupid with practical jokes. It’s a day for pranks of all kinds, even online, TV or radio pranks.
There is definitely some merriment for those who put their sense of humor into gear and get prepared.
B. According to the most common theory, in the 16th century, Pope Gregory XIII issued a decree about a new
standard calendar for Christian Europe. The calendar took his name and centuries later became the standard
used internationally. Prior to the 16th century, Europe’s nations operated using the Julian calendar. The
Gregorian calendar moved New Year’s Day from the end of March to January 1, among other changes.
C. Catholic monarchies were the first to follow the changes in the calendar. Protestants followed later.
However, some Europeans didn’t like these changes and continued celebrating the New Year between March
25 and April 1. April fools were those who still celebrated the holiday in the spring, and were the subject of
pranks by those who had observed the New Year months ago. This practice became an annual tradition of April
1 prank-playing.
D. April Fools’ Day was introduced to the American colonies by British and French settlers. There were other
occasions resembling this tradition. Ancient Romans held a festival known as Hilaria to honor the god Attis.
Hilaria, of course, resembles the word ‘hilarity’ in English. The modern equivalent of Hilaria is called Roman
Laughing Day. In India, people play jokes and throw colorful dyes at each other to celebrate Holi, a Hindi
festival.
E. Some pranks and practical jokes can be very old and hackneyed. Some other pranks are off the beaten track.
To try something new it is advised to buy a box of donuts in a supermarket and replace them with some
Brussel sprouts or other non-delicious food. When the sprouts are put into the box, the closed box should be
left on the counter or in a café for any victims to find! This is quite a harmless practical joke.
F. A space rock may have visited the Earth on April Fools’ Day. The news about its flyby was no prank. The
asteroid passed within 230,000 kilometers of the Earth during its closest approach, which is just over half the
distance between the Earth and the moon’s orbit. Another space rock flew by the Earth on April 4 when it
passed at a range just beyond the orbit of the moon. It reminded of real dangers that threaten the humanity
without kidding.
G. The style of April Fools’ jokes has changed over the years. Modern pranks tend to center more around sham
telephone calls and media-driven foolery. To sum up, April Fools’ Day is a ‘for fun only’ observance, a time
when nobody is expected to buy gifts, receive cards or spend money. The primary force behind any pranks is
that they should not be harmful but able to be enjoyed by everyone … especially the person upon whom the
joke is played.
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Text 46
1. Shades make difference 5. Deceiving likeness
2. Recipes for all tastes 6. Secrets of storing for better
taste
3. Secrets of popularity 7. From fields to tables
4. Element of culture 8. From local use to international
trade
A. The first mentioning of coffee goes as far back as the ninth century. At first, coffee remained largely
confined to Ethiopia, where its native beans were first cultivated. But the Arab world began expanding its
trade horizons, and the beans moved into northern Africa and were mass-produced. From there, the beans
entered the Indian and European markets, and the popularity of the beverage spread.
B. While processing, a coffee bean absorbs heat, and the color shifts from green to yellow and then to varying
shades of brown. Depending on the color, the beans are labeled from light to very dark. Darker beans are
generally smoother, because they have less fiber content and the flavor is more sugary. Lighter beans have
more caffeine, which result in a slight bitterness, and a stronger flavor.
C. Coffee is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages. People often have it in the morning, when
they feel tired or want to stay awake in the evening. Many office workers take a coffee break when they have
low energy. It happens because coffee contains caffeine, a bitter, white crystalline chemical that has a vitalizing
effect in humans.
D. For the best quality of brewed coffee it is necessary to buy whole beans and grind them before brewing. If
you keep an open package of beans in the freezer it remains fresh for a month. Ground coffee should be used
up within two weeks and also kept in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator. But an absolutely fresh
coffee can be made from green beans that just need to be roasted first.
E. For occasions when one wants to enjoy the flavor of coffee with almost no stimulation, decaffeinated coffee
is available. It is processed from beans while they are still green by either soaking beans in hot water or
steaming them. Decaffeinated coffee usually loses some flavor over regular coffee, but it looks the same and
can easily mislead inexperienced users by its smell and even taste.
F. The Adoption of coffee created a unique social atmosphere that depends heavily upon coffee, espresso in
particular. Coffeehouses, the places where people can get together, have traditionally been used not only for
drinking coffee, but also as artistic and intellectual centers. For examples cafes of Paris which are popular
tourist attractions because they are also associated with artists, intellectuals and writers.
G. A coffee bean is the seed of the coffee plant, which ripens around eight months after the emergence of the
flower, by changing color from green to red, and they should be harvested. In most countries, the coffee crop
is picked by hand. After this coffee beans are wet processed and then dried. Finally the last layers of dry skin
are removed; the beans are sorted by size and density, roasted and sold to consumers throughout the world.
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Text 47
1. Too many neighbours 5. Made of rock
2. Various uses 6. Built to annoy
3. Environment-friendly 7. A house from a book
4. Not according to the plan 8. Uncomfortable to be in
A. The Heliotrope is Germany’s first eco and energy-friendly house. Designed by architect Rolf Disch, this is the
first PlusEnergy house in the world. The architect created this house as his private residence in 1994. This
house produces more energy than it uses and the energy it produces is emissions free. The house rotates to
track the sunlight and harness maximum energy of the sun in the form of heat and light.
B. If you wish to trouble your neighbours, the Skinny House is a nice idea. It was originally built as a Spite
House – to upset the neighbours. Located in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts, this house is the
narrowest house in the city. There is no clear evidence to support the reason of its construction. However,
according to a legend, one of the neighbors built it to block the sunlight and air of another neighbour.
C. Nikolai Smirnov began building this ‘wooden skyscraper’ in Arkhangelsk with the intention of making it only
a two-story building. But a trip to see wooden houses in Japan and Norway convinced him that he hadn’t used
roof space efficiently enough, so he kept building. “First I added three floors but then the house looked
strange, like a mushroom,” he said. “So I added another and it still didn’t look right so I kept going. What you
see today is a happy accident.”
D. Polish businessman and philanthropist Daniel Czapiewski built The Upside Down House as a statement
about the end of the world. The house stands on its roof while visitors walk on the ceilings. It took 114 days to
build because the workers were so disoriented by the angles of the walls. It certainly attracts its fair share of
tourists to the tiny village of Szymbark, who often become dizzy after just a few moments inside.
E. It seems a crazy idea, but it is a house. The Stone House is situated in the Fafe mountains of Portugal.
Sandwiched between two stones the house is said to have been inspired by the American “Flintstones”
cartoon series. Although it may seem rustic, there are some amenities, which include a fireplace and a
swimming pool – carved out of one of the large stones. The house draws many tourists every year.
F. The Hobbit House in Wales sure makes for some delightful photographs! It’s not surprising since a
photographer is responsible for creating this house. With some help from his father-in-law, he was able to
build this house using all natural materials and only $5,200. His goal was to create a living space that
resembled houses from the fantasy novel “Lord of the Rings”, and within 4 months the dream was a reality.
G. Berlin-based architect Van Bo Le-Mentzel has created “One Square Metre House” – probably the smallest
house in the world. It’s a wooden structure, which uses only one square meter of space and can be used as a
dwelling place, mobile kiosk or even an extra room inside your apartment. Because of the flipping mechanism,
it can be used both vertically or horizontally. It consists of a wooden frame, slide window and a lockable door.
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Text 48
1. A happy comeback 5. Return of the popularity
2. Dangerous when rare 6. From Eastern to Western culture
3. Recovery of a masterpiece 7. They come back in spring
4. Back and deep into the past 8. Return to the market
A. The Mona Lisa, also known as La Giaconda, became world famous after it was stolen from the Louvre in 1911.
The painting was missing for two years before police traced the theft to Italian painter, Vincenzo Peruggia, who
stole the work to return it to its country of origin. The Louvre Museum in Paris built a separate room to house the
Mona Lisa, giving up to five million visitors a year the chance to see the painting.
B. The tradition of telling stories with a series of sequential images has been a part of Japanese culture long before
Superman comic strips. The earliest examples of pre-manga artwork that influenced the development of modern
Japanese comics are commonly attributed to Toba Sojo, an 11th-century painter-priest with an odd sense of humor.
Toba’s animal paintings satirized life in the Buddhist priesthood by drawing priests as rabbits or monkeys engaged
in silly activities.
C. When the story in which Holmes died was published in a popular magazine in 1893, the British reading public
was outraged. More than 20,000 people canceled their subscriptions. The demand for Holmes stories was so great
that Conan Doyle brought the great detective back to life by explaining that no one had actually seen Holmes go
down the Reichenbach Falls. The public, glad to have new tales, bought the explanation.
D. Caviar refers to the salted eggs of the fish species, sturgeon. At the beginning of the 19th century, the United
States was one of the greatest producers of caviar in the world. Because of overfishing, commercial sturgeon
harvesting was banned. Today, mostly through farm-raised varieties, caviar production has returned in America.
Some American caviar is very high in quality and has been compared favorably to wild Caspian caviar.
E. T.S. Eliot wrote in his poem, «The Waste Land,» that April was the «cruelest month.» He was living in England at
the time, and the weather there can be dreadfully rainy and cold during spring. But from a cook’s point of view,
April is anything but cruel. The month brings us some of the freshest, most wonderful foods. Consider the first ripe
strawberries, asparagus, artichokes, tiny peas, and so much more.
F. When the eruption of Vesuvius started on the morning of 24 August, 79 AD, it caught the local population
completely unprepared. The catastrophic magnitude of the eruption was connected with the long period of
inactivity that preceded it. The longer the intervals between one eruption and another, the greater the explosion
will be. Luckily, the frequent but low-level activity of Vesuvius in recent centuries has relieved the build-up of
pressure in the magma chamber.
G. Iron Age Britain can only be understood from the archaeological evidence. There are few spectacular ruins from
Iron Age Britain. Unlike in Classical Greece or Ancient Egypt, in Iron Age Britain there was no construction of major
cities, palaces, temples or pyramids. Rather, it was an essentially rural world of farms and villages, which had no
economic or religious need to build palaces, cities, major tombs or ceremonial sites.
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Text 49
1. New rules to follow 5. A visit to the zoo
2. New perspectives 6. Perfect for an active holiday
3. Perfect for a quiet holiday 7. Difficult start
4. Land of nature wonders 8. Bad for animals
A. The mountains of Scotland (we call them the Highlands) are a wild and beautiful part of Europe. A golden
eagle flies over the mountains. A deer walks through the silence of the forest. Salmon and trout swim in the
clean, pure water of the rivers. Some say that not only fish swim in the deep water of Loch Ness. Speak to the
people living by the Loch. Each person has a story of the monster, and some have photographs.
B. Tresco is a beautiful island with no cars, crowds or noise — just flowers, birds, long sandy beaches and the
Tresco Abbey Garden. John and Wendy Pyatt welcome you to the Island Hotel, famous for delicious food,
comfort and brilliant service. You will appreciate superb accommodation, free saunas and the indoor
swimming pool.
C. The Camel and Wildlife Safari is a unique mixture of the traditional and modern. Kenya’s countryside suits
the Safari purposes exceptionally well. Tourists will have a chance to explore the bush country near Samburu,
to travel on a camel back or to sleep out under the stars. Modern safari vehicles are always available for those
who prefer comfort.
D. Arrival can be the hardest part of a trip. It is late, you are road-weary, and everything is new and strange.
You need an affordable place to sleep, something to eat and drink, and probably a way to get around. But in
general, it’s a wonderful trip, full of wonderful and unusual places. Whether it is the first stop on a trip or the
fifth city visited, every traveller feels a little overwhelmed stepping onto a new street in a new city.
E. No zoo has enough money to provide basic habitats or environments for all the species they keep. Most
animals are put in a totally artificial environment, isolated from everything they would meet in their natural
habitat. Many will agree that this isolation is harmful to the most of zoo inhabitants, it can even amount to
cruelty.
F. A new London Zoo Project is a ten year project to secure the future for the Zoo and for many endangered
animals. The plan has been devised by both animal and business experts to provide world-leading
accommodation for all our animals, to more fully engage and inform people about conservation issues, to
redesign certain aspects of Zoo layout.
G. Leave-no-trace camping is an increasingly popular approach to travel in wilderness areas. As the term
suggests, the goal is for the camper to leave as little impact as possible on the place he is visiting. One of its
mottos is “Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints.” Its simplest and most fundamental rule is:
pack it in, pack it out, but it goes beyond that.
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Text 50
1. Presents begin to enrich the collection 5. Shift towards history
2. Reason for extension 6. Location of the museum
3. First famous exhibits 7. New collections for the new
building
4. One on the basis of two 8. New field for the old museum
A. The present Ashmolean Museum was created in 1908 by combining two ancient Oxford institutions: the
University Art Collection and the original Ashmolean Museum. The older partner in this merger, the University
Art Collection, was based for many years in what is now the Upper Reading Room in the Bodleian Library.
B. The collection began modestly in the 1620s with a handful of portraits and curiosities displayed in a small
room on the upper floor. In the 17th century there were added notable collections of coins and medals later
incorporated into the Ashmolean coin collection. The objects of curiosity included Guy Fawkes’ lantern and a
sword given by the Pope to Henry VIII, and a number of more exotic items.
C. In the 1660s and 70s, the collection grew rapidly and, in 1683, the Bodleian Gallery was left to develop as a
museum of art. At first, it was a gallery of portraits of distinguished contemporaries, but from the mid 1660s, it
began to acquire a more historical perspective with the addition of images of people from the past: college
founders, scientists, soldiers, monarchs, writers and artists.
D. In the eighteenth century, seve ral painters donated self-portraits. They also added a number of landscapes,
historical paintings and scenes from contemporary life. Other donors, former members of the University,
added collections of Old Masters so that by the early nineteenth century, it had become an art gallery of
general interest and an essential point of call on the tourist map. The public was admitted on payment of a
small charge. Catalogues were available at the entrance and the paintings were well displayed in a large
gallery.
E. It was only with the gift of a collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary from the Countess of Pomfret in
1755 that the need for a new art gallery became urgent. The marble figures were too heavy to be placed in an
upstairs gallery and were installed in a dark ground-floor room in the library pending the creation of a new
museum.
F. Before the new museum was finished, a major group of drawings by Raphael and Michelangelo was
purchased by public subscription for the new galleries, establishing the importance of the Oxford museum as a
centre for the study of Old Master drawings. The new museum also attracted gifts of paintings. In 1851, a
collection of early Italian paintings, which included Uccello’s «Hunt in the Forestone of the museum’s major
works of art was presented.
G. In the 1850s, the University established a new Natural History Museum, which is now known as the Oxford
University Museum of Natural History. And all the natural history specimens from the Ashmolean were
transferred to the new institution. Having lost what had become the most important element in its collection,
the Ashmolean was to find a major new role in the emerging field of archaeology.
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Text 51
1. Old word – new meaning 5. For travellers’ needs
2. Not for profit 6. For body and mind
3. Generosity to taste 7. Under lock and key
4. New word – old service 8. Cheap yet safe
A. The residents of the southern United States are particularly warm to visitors, ready to welcome them to
their homes and to the South in general. Food places an important role in the traditions of southern
hospitality. A cake or other delicacy is often brought to the door of a new neighbor as a means of introduction.
When a serious illness occurs, neighbors, friends, and church members generally bring food to that family as a
form of support and encouragement.
B. Destination spas exist for those who only can take a short term trip, but still want to develop healthy habits.
Guests reside and participate in the program at a destination spa instead of just visiting it for a treatment or
pure vacation. Typically over a seven-day stay, such facilities provide a program that includes spa services,
physical fitness activities, wellness education, healthy cuisine and special interest programming.
C. When people travel, stay in a hotel, eat out, or go to the movies, they rarely think that they are experiencing
many-sided, vast and very diverse hospitality industry. The tourism industry is very challenging for those who
work there, as they should be able to meet a wide variety of needs and to be flexible enough to anticipate
them. The right person to help us feel at home likes working with the public, and enjoys solving puzzles.
D. Ten years ago, with the help of friends and family, Veit Kühne founded Hospitality Club as a general-purpose
Internet-based hospitality exchange organization. Now, it is one of the largest hospitality networks with
members in 226 countries. This is a completely free organization, which involves no money. The core activity is
the exchange of accommodation, when hosts offer their guests the possibility to stay free at their homes.
E. To the ancient Greeks and Romans, hospitality was a divine right. The host was expected to make sure the
needs of his guests were seen to. In the contemporary West, hospitality is rarely associated with generously
provided care and kindness to whoever is in need or strangers. Now it is only a service that includes hotels,
casinos, and resorts, which offer comfort and guidance to strangers, but only as part of a business relationship.
F. A bed and breakfast is a type of overnight accommodation with breakfast offered in someone’s private
home. This type of service was established in Europe many years ago and its roots lie a long way back in history
when monasteries provided bed and breakfasts for travelers. But the term appeared in the UK only after
World War II, when numerous foreigners needed a place to stay and local people opened their homes and
started serving breakfast to those overnight guests.
G. Hostels are nothing more than budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, and
share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. But somehow there are misconceptions that a hostel is a
kind of homeless shelter, a dangerous place where young people can face potential threat. This does not
reflect the high quality and level of professionalism in many modern hostels.
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1. Back from the seas 5. Not a bank but …
2. A museum of popular drinks 6. Still moving along
3. Magic as attraction 7. A brand new shore museum
4. One tool museum 8. To play any tune
A. The Salem Witch Museum brings you back to Salem of 1692 for a dramatic overview of the Witch Trials,
including stage sets with life-size figures, lighting and a narration. There is also a possibility to go on a candlelight
tour to four selected homes. The museum is open all year round and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New
Year’s Day. Salem is also famous for its Haunted Happenings, a 24-day Halloween festival.
B. The Discover Sea Shipwreck Museum opened its doors in 1995, and has one of the largest collections of
shipwreck and recovered artifacts in the Mid-Atlantic. It contains about 10,000 artifacts from local and worldwide
locations, including an intact blown-glass hourglass from a 200-year-old shipwreck, which is also the world’s
deepest wooden wreck at the heart of the Bermuda Triangle.
C. The Seashore Trolley Museum is the oldest and largest electric railway museum in the world. It was founded in
1939 with one open trolley car, No. 31 from the Biddeford & Saco Railroad Company. The Seashore Trolley Museum
contains over 250 transit vehicles, mostly trolleys, from the United States, Canada and abroad. Visitors can even
take a trip along the Maine countryside aboard a restored early-1900s electric streetcar.
D. American Hop Museum is dedicated to the brewing industry and located in the heart of the Yakima Valley’s hop
fields, which gather the best harvest for producing beer. It chronicles the American hop industry from the New
England colonies to its expansion into California and the Pacific Northwest, and includes historical equipment,
photos and artifacts that pay tribute to hop, the everlasting vine that is still an integral part of the brewing industry.
E. The Money Museum in Colorado Springs is America’s largest museum dedicated to numismatics (the study of
collecting coins and metals). The collection contains over 250,000 items from the earliest invention of money to
modern day, with items including paper money, coins, tokens, medals, and traditional money from all over the
world. Highlights include the 1804 dollar, the 1913 V Nickel, the 1866 no motto series, a comprehensive collection
of American gold coins, and experimental pattern coins and paper money.
F. The Kenneth G. Fiske Museum of Musical Instruments in California has one of the most diverse collections of
musical instruments in the United States. This museum is home to over 1,400 American, European and ethnic
instruments from the 17th–20th centuries. Selections from all parts of the world also include keyboards, brass,
woodwind, stringed, percussion, mechanical and electronic instruments. Other highlights are rare pieces from the
violin and viola families, reed organs and instruments from the Orient and Tibet.
G. The Hammer Museum in Alaska is the world’s first museum dedicated to hammers. The Museum provides a view
of the past through the use of man’s first tool. You will find over 1500 hammers on display, ranging from ancient
times to the present. The museum does not have any paid staff, and it is run by volunteers. This quaint and quirky
museum is an interesting and informative stop for the whole family.
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1. Measuring the distance 5. Expanding the function
2. Multiple differences 6. To smell pleasant
3. Easy to use 7. An ancient mail
4. An important vegetable 8. A mistake in the origin
A. The Babylonians invented their number system in the second millennium B.C., and it still affects us. They
created a system where one column indicated multiples of 1, one column indicated multiples of 60, and one
column indicated multiples of 3,600. Since the system was not difficult to calculate, it was applied to the
concept of time, giving us 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute.
B. Even though they were responsible for a number of great works like the Great Pyramids, the Egyptians also
developed the first breath mints, the prototype of a modern chewing gum. Faced with the odor resulting from
bacterial growth and tooth decay they mixed various ingredients, including frankincense and cinnamon, which
were then boiled in honey and shaped.
C. While many people incorrectly attribute the invention of the parachute to Leonardo da Vinci, it was actually
the ancient Chinese who came up with this idea. The stories talk about Chinese acrobats who were using
parachute-like equipment to entertain the nobility more than 1,700 years before da Vinci’s supposed
“invention.”
D. Even though the Aztecs didn’t technically invent popcorn, it played a large role in Aztec culture and was one
of the key components in their society. The Aztecs often used it to make necklaces or headdresses, and it was
commonly used to decorate religious statues. The later introduction of popcorn to the world was the result of
the Spanish invasion.
E. The odometer, a measurement tool for travelling, is believed to be invented by an ancient Roman named
Vitruvius. He explained how a wheel with teeth would be turned by a gear attached to the main wheel and a
stone would be dropped into a box, indicating a Roman mile. He called this idea an odometer, the derivation
from the Greek words for “way” and “measure.”
F. Assyria, a major Semitic civilization, was responsible for the creation of the first postal service in the world.
Most likely created sometime in the ninth century B.C., the postal service utilized mules in order to transport
letters between cities. Certain letters would even be sent with voice messengers to ensure that the tone of the
writer’s words came across correctly.
G. Since the hourglass was one of the few reliable methods of measuring time at sea, it was in use from early
Middle Ages. During the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan around the globe, his vessels kept 18 hourglasses per
ship. However, from the 15th century they were already used not only at sea, but also in the church, in
industry and in cooking.
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Text 54
1. Perm’s industry 5. Traditionally liberal
2. Beneficial location 6. The greatest achievement
3. City’s cultural life 7. Natural resource as attraction
4. Too important to be left alone 8. Where the name comes from
A. The word “Perm” first appeared in the 12th century in the Primary Chronicle, the main source describing the
early history of the Russian people. The Perm were listed among the people who paid tribute to the Rus. The origin
of the word “Perm” remains unclear. Most likely, the word came from the Finno-Ugric languages and meant “far
land” or “flat, forested place”. But some local residents say it may have come from Per, a hero and the main
character of many local legends.
B. Novgorodian traders were the first to show an interest in Perm. Starting from the 15th century, the Muscovite
princes included the area in their plans to create a unified Russian state. During this time the first Russian villages
appeared in the northern part of the region. The first industry to appear in the area was a salt factory, which
developed on the Usolka river in the city of Solikamsk. Rich salt reserves generated great interest on the part of
Russia’s wealthiest merchants, some of whom bought land there.
C. The history of the modern city of Perm starts with the development of the Ural region by Tsar Peter the Great.
Perm became the capital of the region in 1781 when the territorial structure of the country was reformed. A special
commission determined that the best place would be at the crossroads of the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which runs
east-west and the Kazan line, which runs north-south. This choice resulted in Perm becoming a major trade and
industrial centre. The city quickly grew to become one of the biggest in the region.
D. Perm is generally stable and peaceful, so the shocks of 1917 did not reach it right away. Neither did they have
the same bloody results as in Petrograd. Perm tried to distance itself from the excesses and did not share the
enthusiasm for change of its neighbours. Residents supported more moderate parties. They voted for the
establishment of a west European style democracy in Russia. Unfortunately, the city could not stay completely
unaffected, as both the White and the Red armies wanted its factories.
E. Perm’s desire for stability and self-control made the region seem like a “swamp” during the democratic reforms
of the 1990s. Unlike other regions, there were no intense social conflicts or strikes. Nevertheless, Perm was always
among the regions that supported the democratic movement. In the 1999 elections, the party that wanted to
continue the reforms won a majority in the region. So the city got an unofficial status of “the capital of civil society”
or even “the capital of Russian liberalism”.
F. During the Second World War many factories were moved to Perm Oblast and continued to work there after it
ended. Chemicals, non-ferrous metallurgy, and oil refining were the key industries after the war. Other factories
produced aircraft engines, equipment for telephones, ships, bicycles, and cable. Perm press produces about 70
percent of Russia’s currency and stamped envelopes. Nowadays several major business companies are located in
Perm. The biggest players of Russian aircraft industry are among them.
G. Perm has at least a dozen theatres featuring productions that are attracting audiences from faraway cities, and
even from abroad. The broad esplanade running from the city’s main square has become the site of almost
continuous international art, theatre and music fairs during the summer. Even the former prison camp with grim
walls outside town was converted into a theater last July for a production of “Fidelio”, Beethoven’s opera about
political repression. The performance was well-reviewed.
A B C D E F G
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1. Musical performance 5. Film for all ages
2. Attractive landscape 6. Exciting hobby
3. Perfect holidays 7. Colourful festival
4. Portrait of a girl 8. Interesting book
A. This is a full-length (ninety minutes) cartoon, which is entertaining for both adults and children over six. The
animation and colour are of very high quality and the story has lots of fun and excitement. The plot is quick
moving and full of surprises. There’s romance, action, comedy, music and lots of fantastic songs and dances.
B. This is a full-blooded magnificently written portrait of history’s most fascinating woman. Readers will lose
themselves for hours in this richly entertaining novel full of dramatic twists and turns. From the spectacular era
that bears her name comes the spellbinding story of Elizabeth I – her tragic childhood, her confrontation with
Mary, Queen of Scots and her brilliant reign.
C. The young woman is shown in a “shepherdess” hat and white dress, recalling a classical chiton. The
background landscape, common in such paintings, seems to indicate the heroine’s closeness to nature, to the
ordinary joys of life. The painter’s colour range – at times us translucent as porcelain, at others muted like
mother-of-pearl – is based upon subtle plays of gray and green, light blue and pink.
D. In this picture one is struck by artist’s absolute mastery in portraying natural details, whether the dry, sandy
soil of the forest, the clear stream of water in the foreground, the yellow bark and fluffy needles of the pines,
or the sense of a bright, clear, calm summer day. The artist managed to create an image familiar to anyone
who has seen a Russian forest.
E. Have a good time on the most lively and exciting island in the Caribbean. Relax under a palm tree on the
white sandy beaches. Swim in the clear, blue sea. Listen to the bands playing Calypso music. Or get really
adventurous and go scuba diving for sunken treasure on the sea bed. Join in the many cultural celebrations we
offer, for example the sugar harvest festival.
F. This event is considered the greatest attraction for visitors to the Isle of Man. No definite date can be given,
but it is normally held between 5th and 15th July. The Pageant begins at about 8 p.m. First we are given a
glimpse of village life in Celtic times. Then suddenly Viking long ships appear and then there are scenes of war.
Then Celts and Vikings unite, and the Manx nation is born. The actual Pageant is followed by a grand torchlight
procession and firework display.
G. Do you like Latin American dancing? Do you want to dance like you see in the films and on the stage? Do
you want to feel the rhythm of the music in your body and in your soul? Do you want to meet other people
who have a love for the same music as you? If you have answered “Yes” to any of these questions, join our
Latin dance classes on Thursday night between seven and ten. All are welcome.
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1. A taste of everything 5. Activities for the adventurous and
hardy
2. Shop till you drop 6. On the crossroads of religions
3. City’s tourist attractions 7. For the body, mind and soul
4. Ancient traditions live on 8. From the high peaks to the deep seas
A. Today Jakarta has much to offer, ranging from museums, art and antique markets, first class shopping to
accommodations and a wide variety of cultural activities. Jakarta’s most famous landmark, the National
Monument or Monas is a 137m obelisk topped with a flame sculpture coated with 35 kg of gold. Among other
places one can mention the National museum that holds an extensive collection of ethnographic artifacts and
relics, the Maritime Museum that exhibits Indonesia’s seafaring traditions, including models of sea going
vessels.
B. Sumatra is a paradise for nature lovers, its national parks are the largest in the world, home to a variety of
monkeys, tigers and elephants. Facing the open sea, the western coastline of Sumatra and the waters
surrounding Nias Island have big waves that make them one of the best surfer’s beaches in Indonesia. There
are beautiful coral reefs that are ideal for diving. For those who prefer night dives, the waters of Riau
Archipelago offer a rewarding experience with marine scavengers of the dark waters.
C. Various establishments offer professional pampering service with floral baths, body scrubs, aromatic oils,
massages and meditation; rituals and treatments that use spices and aromatic herbs to promote physical and
mental wellness. Various spa hotels are extremely popular. Indonesians believe that when treating the body
you cure the mind.
D. Jakarta has a distinctly cosmopolitan flavor. Tantalize your taste buds with a gastronomic spree around the
city’s many eateries. Like French gourmet dining, exotic Asian cuisine, American fast food, stylish cafes,
restaurants all compete to find a way into your heart through your stomach. The taste of Indonesia’s many
cultures can be found in almost any corner of the city: hot and spicy food from West Sumatra, sweet tastes of
Dental Java, the tangy fish dishes of North Sulawesi.
E. In the face of constant exposure to modernization and foreign influences, the native people still faithfully
cling to their culture and rituals. The pre-Hindu Bali Aga tribe still maintains their own traditions of
architecture, pagan religion, dance and music, such as unique rituals of dances and gladiator-like battles
between youths. On the island of Siberut native tribes have retained their Neolithic hunter-gathering culture.
F. Whether you are a serious spender or half hearted shopper, there is sure to be something for everybody in
Jakarta. Catering to diverse tastes and pockets, the wide variety of things you can buy in Jakarta is mind
boggling from the best of local handicrafts to haute couture labels. Modern super and hyper markets, multi-
level shopping centers, retail and specialty shops, sell quality goods at a competitive price. Sidewalk bargains
range from tropical blooms of vivid colors and scents in attractive bouquets to luscious fruits of the seasons.
G. The land’s long and rich history can’t be separated from the influence of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and
Christianity. There is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Java, the majestic Buddhist ‘monastery on the hill’,
Borobudur, the largest Buddhist monument in the world. About 17 km away from this monastery is a 9th
century temple complex built by the Sanjaya dynasty. Prambanan complex is dedicated to the Hindu trinity:
Ciwa, Vishnu and Brahma. The spread of Islam also left interesting monuments such as the 15th century
Minaret Mosque in Kudus.
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Which place:
1. is home to the competitions between two nations? 4. gave the name to a suit?
2. was home to the man who became a national symbol? 5. was a good start for a famous
business?
3. was a famous novel created in? 6. can be visited by kids every day?
A. Troy is an industrial city. In the early 1800s Samuel Wilson lived there. He was a thin man with a big hat,
which had many stars on it. His dress had the colours of the US flag and he later began to symbolize the US.
Where did «Uncle Sam» come from? During the war of 1812 he was a meat packer and supplied the Army with
beef which he stamped with the letters to show that the meat belonged to the US government. But people
connected it with Uncle Sam and jokingly called it ‘Uncle Sam’s Beef.’
B. Tuxedo was established in the 1880s by Pierre Lorillard IV for very rich people. The huge attractive looking
houses were home to well-known people who were very fashionable. The formal dinner jackets and trousers
that men had to wear became known as tuxedos. Every year the New York Renaissance Festival takes place.
Festival visitors are invited in formal dress.
C. In 1779 General Sullivan defeated the Indians at a decisive battle and nine years later the first settlers built
their cabins on the place that is now known as Elmira. Mark Twain married Olivia Langdon, who lived in Elmira,
and spent many summers there. The world-famous The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and others of his
classic works were written in this place.
D. The Frederick Remington Art Museum displays bronzes, oil paintings and sketches by Frederick Remington,
famed for his depictions of the American frontier. It is the largest collection of the artist’s works. The museum
recreates the artist’s studio where many famous works were created.
D. Central Park contains wooded and landscaped grounds, lakes, two outdoor skating rinks where figure
skating competitions take place, a swimming pool and fields for playing different games. Among the park’s
attractions is the Children’s Zoo which contains small animals. It is open daily 10–4.30.
F. This small town was home to F.W. Woolworth, a well-known businessman, who during a county fair in 1878
tested the idea of selling things which all cost 5 cents. It was a great success, and now Woolworth stores are
well-known in many countries.
G. Saranac Lake surrounded by the mountains is a popular place for holidaymakers. Every year the Alpo
International Sled Dog Races takes place in January, and the American-Canadian Rugby Tournament in July.
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1. Pluses and minuses 5. Why they win
2. Difficult to prove 6. Useful signs
3. Strategy for success 7. Genre differences
4. Choosing one’s lifestyle 8. Fresh start
A. What sets a musical and an opera apart is that in opera, music is the driving force; in musical theatre, words come
first. While listening to an opera, it usually doesn’t matter what language it’s sung in if you know the basic plot – but in
musical theatre, the details come from the lyrics. This explanation clarifies why opera stars often sing in a different style
than Broadway performers do, why operas and musicals are typically about different subjects, and why musical
composition and orchestration vary between the two disciplines.
B. When the Internet was invented, nobody really thought about security. The main aim was to connect computer
networks over great distances. Although a lot of money have been spent on making the Internet safer, security has
actually become worse. Experts say that the whole net has become so unsafe that it would be best to start all over again.
Nobody knows what a new Internet would look like but users would have to give up their anonymity for a bit more
safety. Today’s Internet might end up as a bad neighbourhood you just wouldn’t pass through.
C. In the past decades African runners have dominated marathons all over the world. The Ethiopian Abebe Bikila ran
barefoot to his first gold medal in the 1960 Olympic Games. He repeated his victory four years later. Experts think that
African runners are better because they train in higher places in their home countries. Their legs may also be stronger
than ours and they may have the ability to collect and store more oxygen. All of these help them become very good
runners.
D. Watching TV shows is a great way to learn spoken English, slang words, understand culture reference and humour.
However, people on TV shows sometimes speak with grammar mistakes, which is often a part of character development.
Characters talk with an accent, using non-standard English and pronouncing words in a way that is difficult to
understand. While it is a great way to practice listening and talking in everyday life, it is probably not a good source for
“proper English”.
E. When you are running a marathon it is very important to drink a lot so that your body does not dehydrate. You should
run at a steady pace. Don’t start too fast or you will become tired very quickly and won’t be able to continue. This is
called “hitting the wall”. In most cases runners then give up completely. On the other hand, you shouldn’t start too
slowly or else you won’t reach the time limit you want to achieve. After a marathon most runners feel pain in their
muscles. This is normal and it may take a few days before your body becomes normal again.
F. In ancient times, people could only use the power of observation to tell what the weather would bring. They could
observe the changing patterns of the seasons. This taught them when to plant and when the crops would grow. People
also observed animals and the growing cycles of plants to predict changes in the weather. They could tell when a rainy
season was coming and when it would get cold. People used their senses to see and smell changes in the weather. The
migration of animals was also a good indication of change.
G. It is not clear who was the first to reach the North Pole. A US explorer called Frederick Cook insisted on having walked
there in 1908, but nobody could support his claim. Another American called Robert Peary announced that he had
reached the Pole in 1909, but because his men were not trained navigators, none of them could be sure. Because the
Arctic is made of ice that floats on the sea, rather than snow and ice on rock like the Antarctic, any evidence of visiting
the North Pole will quickly be swallowed up by water.
A B C D E F G
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1. Ordering in 5. Lucky escape
2. Too much choice 6. Long journey
3. Fast food is unhealthy 7. Growing in popularity
4. A new way to buy 8. Good way to meet
A. When you are tired and don’t want to cook, just pick up the phone. Restaurants are expensive and take
some time and effort to reach if you don’t live in the centre of town. Ordering food for home delivery is cheap
and these days there is a huge choice. Indian and Chinese are the most popular but I prefer to get in a pizza.
B. A school group on a skiing holiday to Italy narrowly avoided disaster when their coach left the road and fell
eighty meters into a valley. Trees slowed down the falling coach and because of the fresh new snow the
vehicle landed quite softly. Amazingly no one was injured.
C. A teenager from London is making news around the world. On his recent holiday in Australia he set off
without his mobile phone. Experts are amazed that he is still alive after walking for fourteen days, surviving
extreme temperatures and living off the land. However, a lot of Australians are unhappy with him. The rescue
cost is estimated at more than 100,000 dollars.
D. You can buy almost anything, new or second hand, on the internet. On one site you can offer the price you
want to pay for something. Whoever offers the highest price can buy that item. Recently I made the highest
offer for a nearly new pair of skis. However, I only paid half of what they would have cost new in a shop.
E. Making new friends on the internet makes so much sense. You can see someone’s photo and read if they
share your interests and opinions. The important thing is you can spend time getting to know people who are
attractive to you and looking for the same things in life that you are. Still, for personal safety, most sites
recommend that in person you meet initially in a public place like a cafe or a gallery.
F. I like eating out but some restaurants have huge menus. And usually every item sounds mouth watering. The
trouble is I like to read about everything on offer and sometimes waiters wait for me rather than on me! The
other issue is how they can offer so much whilst maintaining quality? I’d rather take one of five options
knowing that each one was brilliant.
G. “Facebook” is a social networking website that has 250 million members and despite lots of criticism by
employers, governments and media, continues to attract thousands of new users daily. In spite of claims of
concerns about privacy, safety and wasting time at work, “Facebook” is one of the most rapidly establishing
phenomena of recent years.
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1. The beginning of animation 5. Keep it simple
2. Language differences 6. Different parts in one
3. Fewer than in real life 7. Drawn secretly
4. Important rules 8. The best drawn character
A. While all of the characters and places in Disney’s animation film “Hercules” have Greek names, there’s one
character that doesn’t: Hercules! Like “Mars” is for “Ares” and “Neptune” is for “Poseidon”, “Hercules” is
actually the Roman name for the Greek figure “Heracles”. If the movie was consistent, the movie’s main
character and title would be “Heracles”. However, Disney executives chose the Roman “Hercules” because
they said it was more familiar to the general public.
B. In 1888, French scientist Charles-Emile Reynaud invented a device called the Theatre Optique. It could
project a strip of pictures onto a screen. Reynaud painted individual images onto flexible strips of gel to run
through the projection system. He made three animated short films to demonstrate his invention. The first
was a 12-15 minute film called “Poor Pierrot”, which was shown in 1892. Some consider this to be the first
animated movie.
C. The most common mistake which beginner animators make when they think of a story idea is that their plot
is too detailed and long. It’s great to have an imagination and visualization of an epic storyline that involves
lots of characters and several plot lines. But it’s important to keep in mind that the time frame and the
available resources are usually limited. For a beginner, it’s more sensible to work on a story that is not too
complicated and easy to follow.
D. One of the most difficult tasks in making “Beauty and the Beast” film was the animation of the beast. In the
end, the character’s face and body represented a combination of several animals. Glen Keane, an experienced
Disney animator, included the mane of a lion, the beard and head shape of a buffalo, the tusks and nose bridge
of a wild boar, the strongly-muscled brows of a gorilla, the legs and tail of a wolf, and the big and bulky body of
a bear.
E. A lot of cartoon characters have four fingers on their hands instead of five. The reason is simple – hands with
four fingers are easier to draw and animate. Cartoon characters are always simplified versions of their real life
equivalents. Four-fingered hand saves a lot of time in animating and it really does not make any difference to
us while watching. It all started with the very first Mickey Mouse cartoon. Walt Disney said that this was both
an artistic and financial decision.
F. Animators have hidden representations of Mickey Mouse in most of the Disney films and all of the parks. It
started as a joke between Walt Disney and other animators and became a tradition carried out for decades.
“Hidden Mickeys” usually consist of three circles drawn to represent Mickey’s head and ears, but sometimes
they draw Mickey in a crowd scene. Nowadays people have made a game out of searching for Hidden Mickeys
in Disney movies.
G. Disney’s Twelve Basic Principles of Animation is a set of principles of animation introduced by the Disney
animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas in their 1981 book “The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation”.
Johnston and Thomas based their book on the work of the leading Disney animators, and their effort to
produce more realistic animations. The book and some of its principles have been adopted by some traditional
studios. Many people call it the “Bible of animation”.
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1. Hard to stay inside 5. Long and fast
2. Tongue that bites 6. The smallest
3. The longest 7. A nose or a fork?
4. The biggest 8. Best for brushing
A. The chameleon possesses an unusual tongue adapted for rapidly striking prey that is within striking
distance. This remarkably long tongue can be twice the chameleon’s own body length and extends out faster
than the human eye can follow, hitting prey in about 30 thousandths of a second. The tip of the tongue is
muscular and cup shaped. Once the tip sticks to a prey insect, the tongue is quickly drawn back into the mouth.
B. If you thought the chameleon had a big tongue, check out the giant anteater’s, which can reach 60 cm in
length. The anteater coats its tongue in sticky saliva during feeding and can rapidly flick its tongue from its
mouth up to 150 times per minute. After breaking into insect colonies and tree trunks using their long sharp
claws, anteaters employ their tongues to collect eggs and adult insects, a few thousand of which they can eat
in just minutes.
C. Instead of using their tongues to munch on prey, snakes use them to sniff prey out. Smell is a snake’s means
of tracking its victims: its forked tongue is used to collect airborne particles that are then passed onto special
organs in the mouth for analysis. It all sounds very scientific. The tongue gives the snake a directional sense of
both smell and taste. By constantly keeping the tongue in motion, snakes can detect the presence of other
animals.
D. Another beast with a beast of a tongue, the giraffe can extend its 45 cm mouth muscle to clean off bugs
from its face or to feed. The specially adapted tongue is extremely tough to cope with tree thorns that are part
of the giraffe’s diet. When removed from their natural environment and kept in captivity, sometimes giraffes
show abnormal behaviours and start licking nearby objects. Such tongue needs work!
E. After hunting, a cat will groom itself thoroughly to erase all evidence of the recent brutal murder. The rows
of hooked, backwards-facing spines on a cat’s tongue known as papillae act like the bristles of a hairbrush to
help clean and detangle fur, so that licking means grooming. This probably makes a cat’s tongue far more vital
to its well-being than ours are to us. When was the last time you used your tongue for that just-stepped-out-
of-the-salon look?
F. The blue whale is big. Phenomenally big: it’s almost the size of a space shuttle orbiter, or if you don’t know
how big that is, just go to your local basketball court. The blue whale is longer than it. They’re also mysterious:
despite their size, blue whales are so rare that even experts know little about them. In fact, their tongue alone
weighs as much as an elephant. About 100 people can fit in a blue whale’s mouth.
G. The arapaima, or pirarucu as it is known in Brazil, is one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world. Its
local name derives from the indigenous words for red and fish, which is a reference to the striking red flecks on
the scales. In common with other fish belonging to the bony-tongued fish, the arapaima has a tongue with
sharp, bony teeth that together with teeth on the roof of its pallet are involved in catching prey.
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1. Fun in theory, boring in reality 5. Benefits of being outdoors
2. Deficit of activity problems 6. Ready to help
3. Saving rare animals 7. Original style
4. Contrary to popular belief 8. Similar sounds – different emotions
A. In addition to being highly intelligent, elephants are capable of a remarkable amount of empathy. During a natural
disaster, elephants are able to understand that something dangerous is happening. They can understand that a person is
in trouble and that the situation is unsafe. Elephants have good sense of smell and there have been cases when they
alerted rescuers to people trapped in a building. Elephants have been observed saving their young from drowning and
also been filmed trying to save people they see at risk of drowning.
B. A lot of studies suggest that green spaces enhance mental health and learning capacity, both immediately and over
time, by lowering stress levels and restoring attention. Greenery restores attention by drawing the eye and at the same
time calms the nervous system, creating an ideal state for learning. Similarly, studies show that spending time in the
sunlight can reduce attention deficit symptoms, while bright light first thing in the morning can improve mood and the
quality of sleep.
C. Why are hyenas known for laughing? There is even a phrase we use: “to laugh like a hyena”. Zoologists will tell you
that the unique sounds they make are actually no laughing matter. Hyenas indeed make loud barking noises that sound
like laughter, but it’s not because they’re amused by anything. Instead, a hyena’s “laughter” is actually a form of
communication used to convey frustration, excitement, or fear. Most often, you’ll hear this unique vocalization during a
hunt or when the animals are feeding on prey as a group.
D Zoologists believe that boredom isn’t a uniquely human emotion – animals can be bored, too. Animals which live in
captivity (in zoos, for example) and don’t have to take care of their survival may experience boredom and try to find
ways to overcome it. They may come up with some “creative” activities which they wouldn’t normally do in their natural
environment. As for the pets at home, they may also suffer from the lack of stimulation. That’s why we need to make
sure we give them enough time, attention and toys regularly.
E. While most dogs jump eagerly into the water to swim, cats don’t usually do that, and many believe that cats have a
phobia of water. But some pet groomers insist that it’s not true and getting a cat to trust you enough to bathe is quite
possible, with some patience and skill. Most cats are not afraid of water like so many people may think. They are actually
afraid of loud noises and of drowning, rather than water itself. Cats drink water every day, lots of cats even play with
water or follow people into the shower.
F. Videogame testers spend most of their time testing the game long before it’s finished and long before it starts to
become a fun experience. Even after the game is developed enough to start being fun, the testing tasks often aren’t
entertaining at all. Testers may have to walk their character around a forest, for example, to look for trees that aren’t
drawn well. They then record the coordinates so an artist can fix them later. It’s monotonous work and can take days to
finish. So if testing video games seems like a fun, easy job to you, think again.
G. Claude Monet’s impressionist paintings were all about nature. In his works he tried to capture nature as it appeared to
him at the moment. He also experimented with light and shadow and how they changed during different times of the
day. Some artists of the time criticized Monet because his works lacked detail and didn’t resemble finished paintings.
Monet used strong colours, which he did not mix. He painted them onto the canvas in short brush strokes. He was also
criticized for not using classical painting techniques.
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1. Don’t forget to rest 5. Set realistic targets
2. Write down and revise 6. Study plans per week
3. Information and technology 7. Find a place to your liking
4. Never put off till tomorrow 8. More important at college
A. Today’s young generation will also need to master a new skill – digital literacy. Digital literacy can be defined as “the
ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet”. Digital
literacy, by this definition, encompasses a wide range of skills, all of which are necessary to succeed in an increasingly
digital world. Students who lack digital literacy skills may soon find themselves at a disadvantage. As technology changes,
students also need to keep updated.
B. The key to becoming an effective student is learning how to study smarter, not harder. This becomes more and more
true as you advance in your education. An hour or two of studying a day is usually sufficient to make it through high
school with satisfactory grades, but when college arrives, there aren’t enough hours in the day to squeeze all your
studying in if you don’t know how to make your study efficient without skipping sleep or meals. The vast majority of
successful college students achieve their success by developing and applying effective study habits.
C. Ever find yourself up late at night expending more energy trying to keep your eyelids open than you are studying? If
so, it’s time for a change. Successful students typically space their work out over shorter periods of time and rarely try to
cram all of their studying into just one or two sessions. If you want to become a successful student, then you need to
learn to be consistent in your studies and to have regular, yet shorter, study sessions, with periods of rest in between.
That will give your brain time to process the new information.
D. Successful students schedule specific times throughout the week when they are going to study – and then they stick
with their schedule. Students who study sporadically and whimsically typically do not perform as well as students who
have a set study schedule. Сreating a weekly routine, where you set aside a period of time a few days a week, to review
your courses will ensure you develop habits that will enable you to succeed in your education long term. You won’t get
stressed or overwhelmed by portioning your workload.
E. It is very easy, and common, to put off your study session because of lack of interest in the subject, because you have
other things you need to get done, or just because the assignment is hard and needs effort and perseverance. Successful
students do not procrastinate studying. If you procrastinate your study session, your studying will become less effective
and you may not get everything accomplished that you need to. Procrastination also leads to rushing, and rushing is the
number one cause of errors.
F. Always make sure to take good notes in class. Before you start each study session, and before you start a particular
assignment, review your notes thoroughly to make sure you know how to complete the assignment correctly. Reviewing
before each study session will help you remember important subject matter learned during the day, and make sure your
studying is targeted and effective. Successful students also look through what they have written down at their lectures
and seminars during the week over the weekend.
G. Everyone gets distracted by something: TV, or maybe family. Some people actually study better with a little
background noise. When you’re distracted while studying you lose your train of thought and are unable to focus – both
of which will lead to very ineffective studying. Before you start, find a place where you won’t be disturbed. For some
people this is a quiet cubical in the recesses of the library. For others it is in a common area where there is little
background noise. For some it may be a park or a garden – there are so many options to choose from!
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1. How did they do it? 5. Building materials
2. Comfortable living 6. Invented by accident
3. Designing a building 7. Safe travel
4. The longest on Earth 8. Why seasons change
A. Most of Africa’s rural peoples use natural resources that are locally available for their homes. In grasslands, people
typically use grass to cover the walls and roofs. In forested areas, they use hardwoods as well as bamboo and raffia palm.
Earth and clay are also major resources used in construction. In areas with few natural resources, people often live as
nomads, moving from place to place. Instead of making permanent homes, they usually use simple shelters or tents
made of animal skins and woven hair.
B. An architect must consider how a structure will be used and by whom. An apartment building, a palace, a hospital, a
museum, an airport, and a sports arena all have different construction requirements. Another factor is the ideas the
structure should communicate. For example, some buildings are made to impress people with a display of power and
wealth; others – to make everyone feel welcome. Other things to consider are the location and surrounding
environment, including weather, and the cost of materials.
C. Did you know that an eleven-year-old child first created the Popsicle? The boy’s name was Frank Epperson. In 1905,
Frank left a mixture of water and powdered soda out on his porch by mistake. It also contained a stir stick. That night,
fortunately for Frank, the temperatures fell to a record low. As a result, he discovered the substance had frozen to the
stick, and a frozen fruit flavoured ice treat was created. He decided to call it the epsicle, which was later patented by him
and named as Popsicle.
D. As Earth goes around the sun, the North Pole points to the same direction in space. For about six months every year,
the North Pole is tilted towards the sun. During this time, the Northern Hemisphere gets more direct sunlight than the
Southern Hemisphere and more hours of daylight. During the other six months, the North Pole is tilted away from the
sun. When the Northern Hemisphere gets the most sunlight, it experiences spring and summer. At the same time, the
Southern Hemisphere gets autumn and winter.
E. In southern Peru, there is an isolated plateau where the wind almost never blows. Here, around the year 400 to 650
AD, the people of the Nazca culture created the famous Nazca lines, by removing the red stones covering the ground so
that the white earth beneath was visible. These Nazca lines are actually portraits of animals such as monkeys, birds or
fish. It is a mystery how such a primitive civilization could create such artwork with precision when they had no means of
viewing their work from the air.
F. Antarctica, which is the southernmost and fifth largest continent, does not have twenty-four-hour periods divided into
days and nights. In the South Pole, the sun rises on about September 21 and moves in a circular path until it sets on
about March 22. This “day”, or summer, is six months long. During this period, if the weather conditions are good, the
sun can be seen twenty-four hours a day. From March 22 until September 21, the South Pole is dark, and Antarctica has
its “night”, or winter.
G. Any ship that hits an iceberg can be damaged. The most famous iceberg in history sank the “Titanic”, a ship travelling
in the northern Atlantic Ocean, on April 15, 1912. The ship’s side scraped the iceberg, which tore holes in the hull. Within
three hours, the ship was at the bottom of the ocean. After the loss of the “Titanic”, several nations worked together to
establish the International Ice Patrol. Today the U.S. Coast Guard runs the patrol, which warns ships about icebergs
floating in Atlantic shipping routes.
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1. Preparing for danger 5. Nice to look at and good for you
2. Technology and medicine 6. Central structure
3. Interesting sightseeing 7. Indoors and outdoors
4. Unusual and extremely difficult 8. Cold variety
A. All Souls College is one of the most mysterious institutions at Oxford University. It was founded in the 1400s and
stopped accepting undergraduates in the 19th century. Instead, the college accepts applications only from those who
have already achieved the best undergraduate degrees in the country, and asks its applicants to take an entrance exam,
which is thought to be the hardest in the world. For example, before 2010 one of the tasks was to write an essay on a
single word. Previous words have included “water”, “style”, “innocence”, and “conversion”.
B. In the 1900s, scientists began using electronic devices to treat living things. They developed special instruments to
help people with disabilities. Some devices, such as hearing aids and kidney dialysis machines, operate outside the body.
Doctors place other electrical devices inside the body. For example, pacemakers help keep hearts beating steadily. In
addition, scientists learned how to cut and rejoin genes which is called genetic engineering. This may help cure human
diseases.
C. Water from hot springs very often contains minerals dissolved from the rocks. Such springs are called mineral springs.
Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water. The minerals and
organisms that grow in the water give beautiful colors to the pools and wet rocks around hot springs. Since ancient times
people have thought that such springs were good for their health. They have traveled there to drink and bathe in the
waters. Many spas and resorts grew up around these picturesque springs.
D. As it is well known, snow consists of tiny crystals of ice. Snowfall is made up of both single ice crystals and clumps of
ice crystals, which are called snowflakes. The way that ice crystals join together gives every snowflake a unique design.
Even so, most snowflakes have six points or six sides. They form seven basic shapes: stars, needles, dendrites (having
branches), plates, columns, columns capped with plates, and irregular (damaged). What shape a snowflake takes
depends on the temperature and the amount of moisture in the cloud.
E. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, may cause deadly ocean waves called
tsunamis. By the time a tsunami reaches shore, it has gained tremendous size and power which is enough to destroy
entire coastal villages or towns. Tsunamis cannot be stopped, but there are ways to defend against them. Scientists
around the world watch for early signs of earthquakes. They also note unusual changes in ocean levels. With this
information, scientists can warn people to leave areas that a tsunami might hit.
F. In order to study things under controlled conditions, some ecologists work in laboratories. For example, they can
experiment to see how plants react to different amounts of light or water. Such studies are harder in a natural setting
because weather and other natural conditions cannot be controlled. However, many ecologists do work in natural
settings. They look at all the different factors that affect ecosystems, or communities of living things. Studies in the
outdoors are useful because they show what is actually happening in the environment.
G. Several cities in Russia were built around fortresses called kremlins. A kremlin was often located along a river. A wall, a
moat, and towers usually separated it from the surrounding parts of the city. Kremlins contained cathedrals and palaces
for princes and bishops as well as government offices and weapons of war. The most famous kremlin is in central
Moscow, which is often called just the Kremlin. It has long been a symbol of Russia’s power. UNESCO declared the
Kremlin and Red Square a World Heritage site in 1990.
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1. Famous cats 5. Cats in cinematography
2. Books about cats 6. Why keep a cat?
3. Figuratively speaking 7. A cat in your mobile
4. Cats through history 8. A cat or a dog?
A. Cats are among the most popular pets in the world. People love them because they are very smart, agile, sly and
independent. The most common reasons why people choose cats as pets are because they are beautiful, clean, low
maintenance and mostly self-sufficient. Cats may not demonstrate their love and affection for their master openly but
they do it in very subtle ways. Cats can sense your mood, especially your depression, and try to help you to get out of
this bad emotional state.
B. Cats have been around humans for centuries and their perception by humans has varied over time. In ancient Egypt,
for example, cats were almost considered gods. We know of Bastet, a domestic feline goddess of motherhood. Killing a
cat, even by accident, was a serious crime. Still, there were times when cats were considered to bring bad luck, like in
Europe in the Middle Ages. So, from country to country and from epoch to epoch, the attitude of people to cats has
changed greatly.
C. Among the most enjoyable of reads are adult fiction cat stories. There is a certain something about cat characters.
They demonstrate resourcefulness like no human can. Their inventiveness and creativity are magical and they can do
incredible things. One of top book cats is Oliver from the story The Cat Who Saved Christmas by Sheila Norton. Another
author who loves writing fictional stories about cats is Rita Mae Brown. Share these ones with kids – they’ll love them!
D. Cats rule the Internet, but not all cats were created equal. Some of the cats are A-listers whether they are famous for
their good looks or their remarkable stories. One of such cats is The Grumpy Cat as it always looks annoyed. There is also
the Business Cat Emilio that lives in one of the offices of a big corporation and wears a collar and a tie. It’s supposed to
bring luck to the firm. The Queen of the Internet is Venus, a cat whose face is half black half red plus its eyes are blue and
green.
E. Not every parent is eager to get a cat as a pet for their kids. However, children, especially girls, want to get a cat so
much that they buy fluffy cat toys and everything with cats on it – dresses, handbags, notebooks and so on. Now a cat
lover can download a special App in their mobile and enjoy washing, feeding and stroking a virtual cat. The cat may even
talk to you and play games with you. That seems to be a good solution for those who are not inclined to get a real cat.
F. Everybody likes cats, so these fluffy creatures are often featured in films, sometimes even as one of the main
characters. In fact, cats are as much loved as dogs, so it’s a safe bet to make a film about cats. Still, cats are much more
difficult to train than dogs so there also tend to be fewer cat movies compared to dog movies. Cat lovers also enjoy
fictional cats and cats in cartoons. Actually, in some people’s opinion, cartoons about cats are even better than feature
films.
G. Learning English you come across a lot of idioms with the word cat. The meaning of many such expressions can be
easily guessed by a non-native speaker of English. For example, you hear the phrase to let the cat out of the bag, you
immediately understand it means a secret has been revealed. Some of these expressions, though, are difficult to
understand. For example, if a person is a cool cat, he or she is fashionable, and a fat cat means a person who is quite
rich.
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1. Mad about ponies 5. From a job to a sport
2. A great imitation 6. Figuratively speaking
3. Fairy-tale horses 7. Horses treating kids
4. The origin of horses 8. The importance of horses
A. The horse is a large animal which was domesticated about 5,000 years ago. Now it’s impossible to imagine our life
without horses. There are more than 300 different breeds and 60 million horses in the world today that are used as
working animals (to pull the ploughs in the field and transport heavy loads), for racing, competitions and shows, for
recreation and so on. In the USA alone, 4.6 million Americans work in the horse industry which earns 39 billion dollars
per year.
B. Rodeo is a very popular competitive sport which developed from horse farming in Mexico and later continued in many
other countries. It came out of the daily practices and tasks performed by ranch workers who spent long hours with
horses. Actually, a rodeo is based on the skills required of the working cowboys. Now it is a professional sport that
consists of several events organized to show the skill and speed of the participants, cowboys and even cowgirls.
C. With The American Rodeo computer game you’ll find yourself right in the middle of the rodeo arena. Finally here is a
chance for you to try this sport with this incredibly realistic new software. The horse will start jumping when you press
the «GO» button. Your task in this game is to keep the rider on the horse all the time until the end of the game,
otherwise you lose. Of course, you can replay as many times as you want, just fix the mouse cursor on the rider’s body as
long as you can.
D. Children with certain health or behavioral problems often have a low self-esteem and difficulties connecting with
other people. Sometimes they are also unable to express their feelings. Working with a horse is an effective way for such
children to work through some of their problems because it’s easy for kids to project their own needs onto an animal, to
tell their own stories from an animal’s point of view, and then to be able to find healthier solutions to their personal
problems.
E. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is a children’s animated fantasy TV series based on Hasbro’s line of toys and
animated works. Its creative director Lauren Faust managed to create attractive characters and adventurous settings that
are now loved by girls all over the world. The main character is the unicorn pony named Twilight Sparkle and she learns
about friendship in the town of Ponyville with five other ponies. The series has become a major commercial success with
kids.
F. As My Little Pony series became the most highly rated original production in the Hub Network’s broadcast history, it
opened new merchandising opportunities for Hasbro. Now girls go crazy about anything with an image of the cartoon
characters on it – books, clothing, collectible trading cards, puzzles, and comics. Mind you, anything with a picture of
Pinkie Pie or Applejack on it will be much more expensive than the regular thing, but this doesn’t stop either kids or their
parents.
G. People domesticated horses so long ago that it’s no wonder we have so many idiomatic expressions with the word
horse in many languages of the world. English is certainly not an exception here. For instance, if you are flogging a dead
horse, it means you are wasting your time trying to do something when it is impossible. A dark horse is a candidate that
is unknown to the public or a person who surprises people by doing something that they do not expect. It’s fun to learn
such phrases.
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1. Meeting the locals 5. Preparations
2. On bike from train 6. Severe adventures
3. Weather considerations 7. Follow the rules
4. Joys of biking 8. Beware of thieves
A. If you want to see Europe on $30 a day you might prefer to stay at hostels and shop at farmers’ markets, but you
definitely will not be able to do it without the help of a bike as it is one of the most economical ways to see Europe. But
most bikers choose to pedal for the sheer joy of it. Just imagine riding up a beautiful mountain road, going to the very
top, hearing birds singing in the treetops, and enjoying a well-earned and glorious downhill run.
B. The most important thing to do before you go for a long ride is to learn which tools to bring for basic repair work, such
as patching a flat. If possible, first take a weekend camping trip with everything you’ll need with you. If you don’t already
know how to fix your bike, you can ask about classes at your local bike shop. Although you can buy a good touring bike in
Europe, you’re better off bringing a bike that you’re sure is the right fit for you as well as your own racks and panniers.
C. Expect rain and bring good bikers’ rain equipment. You’ll also be exposed to the sun, so plan on using plenty of
sunscreen. Even if you never ride at night, you should bring a back light for long and unavoidable tunnels. Always wear a
helmet as well as biking gloves to guard against unsightly road rash. Beware of the silent biker who might be right behind
you, and use hand signals before stopping or turning. Stay off the freeways; smaller roads are nicer for biking, anyway.
D. Use a bike lock to secure your bike and never leave your pump, bag or laptop on your bike if you’re going to step
away, even for a moment. Keep your bike inside whenever possible. At hostels, ask if there is a locked bike room, and, if
not, ask for a place to put your bike inside overnight. Remember that hotels and many pensions don’t really have rules
against taking a bike up to your room. Just do it quietly so the owners and other guests aren’t disturbed.
E. The most rewarding aspect of bicycling in Europe is having the chance to get to know and communicate with new
people. Europeans love bicycles, and they are often genuinely impressed when they see a tourist who rejects the view
from a tour-bus window in favor of riding through their country on two wheels. Your bike provides an instant topic for
conversation, the perfect bridge over cultural and language barriers.
F. A bell is generally required by law in Europe, so you should have one on your bike for giving a multilingual “Hi!” to
other bikers as well as for saying “Look out, here I come!” Some countries, such as the Netherlands, have directions and
signs just for bikers. For example, a bike in a blue circle indicates a bike route and this sign will get you through even
some of the most complicated highway interchanges. A bike in a red circle indicates that bikes are not allowed.
G. Not all tourists use their bikes for long-distance European trips. For example, you can take the train from Paris to
Amsterdam, and then use your bike for a few days to get around the city and out to the tulip fields and windmills. In
many countries, especially France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, train stations offer bikes with very
easy rental plans making it possible to pick them up in one place and drop them off somewhere else.
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1. How people used to treat them 5. How they confuse the scientists
2. How they get their food 6. When they scare the people
3. Where they live 7. How they breed
4. How people start to collect their images 8. What endangers them
A. Flamingos are very social and often live in large groups, called colonies, throughout the world. They are
found in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The American Flamingo is the only one that lives in the
wild in North America, and on many Caribbean islands such as the Bahamas, Cuba, and Hispaniola. It also lives
in northern South America, the Galapagos Islands, and parts of Mexico.
B. Flamingos fish while walking in shallow water and mud. When a flamingo notices its potential dinner (for
example, shrimp, snails, and plantlike water organisms), it plunges its head into the water, twists its head
upside down, and scoops the fish up using its upper beak like a shovel. Flamingos get their pink coloring from
the carotenoid pigment in their food, which is the same pigment that makes carrots orange.
C. Flamingos build nests that look like mounds of mud along waterways. The parents take turns sitting on the
egg to keep it warm and after about 30 days the egg hatches. Young flamingos are born white, with soft,
downy feathers and a straight bill. Both adult birds look after the newborn flamingo. The young leave the nest
after about five days to join other young flamingos in small groups, returning to their parents for food.
D. Scientists aren’t 100% sure why flamingos stand on one leg, but they have some theories. One theory says
that it is to keep one leg warm. Another idea is that flamingos are drying out one leg at a time. A third theory
states that it helps them deceive their catch, because one leg looks more like a plant than do two. Whatever
the reason, it is truly amazing that these top heavy birds can balance on one leg for hours at a time.
E. Ancient Egyptians believed that flamingos were the living representation of the god Ra. In the Americas, the
Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped nature and paid a great deal of attention to these birds and often
depicted flamingos in their art. However, Andean miners killed flamingos for their fat, which is believed to be a
remedy for tuberculosis, and in Ancient Rome their tongues were considered a delicacy.
F. Many people have plastic flamingos in their yards as ornaments. This is a fun and inexpensive way to add
some elegance to one’s landscaping. In many parts of the world flamingos are popular collectibles, appearing
in the form of magnets, water globes, and jewelry. They are also said to be an image that people find to be
calming and exciting at the same time. For these purposes people buy millions of plastic flamingos annually all
around the world.
G. Flamingos have been affected in many ways by global warming. One of the biggest concerns is making nests
and laying eggs. Flamingos depend on rainfall to help them mate and without adequate rain they won’t engage
in it. Many researchers find that global warming reduces the chance of rain and can cause drought in some of
the areas where they live. This could mean a significant reduction of offspring in the years ahead.
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1. How dreaming helps 5. When we don’t sleep
2. Why dreams can be scary 6. How we remember dreams
3. How we forget dreams 7. When we dream
4. Not only for humans 8. What we feel dreaming
A. Even though our dreams may feel like they last for hours and hours, we hardly spend more than two hours
dreaming each night, which means a person spends a total of nearly six years dreaming throughout a lifetime.
In general there are four phases of the sleep cycle and all dreaming occurs practically at the final phase. Each
of these sleep cycles lasts approximately 60 to 90 minutes and may repeat several times throughout the night.
B. Anxiety is the most popular emotion experienced in dreams. Many people dream of falling, which is often
connected to something in our lives that is going in the wrong direction. In addition, dreams of being chased
are very common and are linked to avoidance. Also people report dreams about their teeth falling out, which is
related to the words and communication we might have in real life.
C. Dreaming helps people make sense of the information and events that occur in their lives. Dreams play an
important role in processing and remembering information that we absorb daily. Also, they help reduce stress
and even solve problems. It’s very possible to work through real-life problems while dreaming at night. In
addition, dreams provide a lot of important content and meaning that can be used to inspire and direct our
lives during the day.
D. Nearly 5 to 10% of adults have nightmares. There are several reasons for it, for example when people start
taking certain medications or when they withdraw from drugs. Some physical conditions, such as stress or
illness, can also be a trigger. However, in some cases adults may have frequent nightmares that are unrelated
to their everyday lives, which may signify that they are more creative, sensitive, and emotional than the
average person.
E. There is no person who does not have dreams, but not everybody recalls them. The most vivid dreams
happen during the Rapid Eye Movement sleep stage when the brain is extremely active and the eyes move
back and forth quickly underneath the eyelids. Although dream recall varies from person to person, some
people have little or no recollection of the content, and around 90% of dreams are gone following the first 10
minutes of waking up.
F. Scientists have found that animals also dream and their subconscious thoughts are connected to real
experiences. Animals’ dreams are complex, containing long sequences of events. Animals’ brains share the
same series of sleeping states as the brain of human beings. Analyzing animals’ dreams and the content of
their dreams may help scientists treat memory disorders and develop new ways for people to learn and retain
information more effectively.
G. Only five minutes after the end of a dream and half of the content is likely to vanish from our memories. It’s
not that dreams aren’t important enough to keep in mind, but other things tend to get in the way. Dream
researcher L. Strumpell believes that dreams disappear from our memories for a number of factors. For
example, we may not recall dream images that lack intensity, association or repetition, which are usually
needed for dream recall.
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1. For adventurous skiers 5. Like an island in heaven
2. Especially good in autumn 6. Film-makers like it
3. For the rich and lazy 7. Looking down from up there
4. Not just for gamblers 8. Probably the best one of five
A. If you go to the Insular Mountain Range of Vancouver Island and face the open Pacific Ocean, be ready to
experience the magnificent natural and cultural heritage of Canada’s west coast. If you decide to go deeper
into the island, you will find a lush coastal rainforest that gives way to bountiful and diverse intertidal and
subtidal areas. And to top it all off, there are breathtaking beaches that make this an island paradise.
B. The resort town of Whistler is about a two-hour drive from Vancouver. Whistler offers visitors fine food and
spas, but mostly it is popular among tourists for the opportunities it offers for adventure. Whistler and
Blackcomb Mountains make Whistler one of the best destinations in the world for first-class skiing. The
passage between the two mountains creates a unique terrain one mile above the village, providing a year-
round skiable territory.
C. A prized national treasure, Banff National Park is one of five national parks in the Canadian Rocky
Mountains. It attracts millions of visitors each year for camping, hiking, biking, skiing, fishing or just relaxing. A
full range of accommodation, restaurants and shops can be found in the resort. Two of the most famous and
historic Canadian hotels, the Fairmont Banff Springs and the Chateau Lake Louise, are located in these towns
as well.
D. Niagara Falls is maybe the most famous in the world, attracting millions of tourists each year. However, it
has a certain reputation for being partly a small-scale Las Vegas and a theme park, because in addition to
Niagara Falls the tourists can visit a casino resort with fine hotels and restaurants. Although this area is
improving very quickly and everyone can easily find what they like, the Niagara region as a whole is worth
deeper exploration.
E. Tourists are naturally drawn to tall buildings where they can get a bird’s eye view of a city. The CN tower,
located in downtown Toronto, is the tallest free standing structure in the world. Unfortunately, elevated
observation usually comes at an equally elevated price, and the CN Tower is no different. However, tourists
love it and the glass elevator takes them to the glass-floored outdoor observation deck which is a real thrill for
both kids and grown-ups.
F. The 300 km long Cabot Trail is famous for its panorama views of the Atlantic Ocean. The trail is especially
popular in the fall when the views are the most spectacular. Even though the drive into this area usually takes
a few hours, once there, tourists can spend a day or two stopping in at one or two of the towns along the trail,
relaxing and enjoying the magnificent nature all around.
G. By North American standards, Vancouver is a young city. But what it lacks in history it compensates for with
its unique blend of urban and natural features. Thanks to its high-fashion boutiques, it has earned the
nickname “North Hollywood.” Vancouver’s breathtaking views are often chosen as the setting for popular
television shows and major motion pictures. Often tourists are surprised to recognize landmarks from their
favorite films and shows.
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1. How we got that mark 5. Size matters
2. From a million pounds to thousands of dollars 6. Money string changes source
3. What in a colour 7. Free to choose from
4. Weight of money 8. Before money comes in
A. In early societies people developed barter as a form of proto-money, when they used the things that
everyone agreed to accept in trade. Various items have been used by different societies at different times.
Thus, for example, Aztecs used cacao beans, Norwegians used butter, the early U.S. colonists used tobacco
leaves, and Roman soldiers were paid a salary of salt. On the island of Nauru, the islanders even used rats for
this purpose.
B. The first coins were made in the Kingdom of Lydia, located on the territory of Turkey in the 7th century B.C.
The Lydians used weighed lumps of metal and stamped them with pictures to confirm their weight (the shape
of the coins was unimportant). The process of stamping was called “minting”. In fact, the stamp on the coin
was a seal that identified the person who had guaranteed the weight of that coin.
C. The well-known dollar sign has various explanations. Perhaps one of the most widely accepted is that it was
the result of the evolution of the Mexican or Spanish “Ps” which was used for pesos. This theory explains that
the “S” gradually came to be written over the “P”, developing a close equivalent to the American dollar “$”
mark. It was widely used even before the adoption of the United States dollar in 1785.
D. The largest banknote ever issued by the Bank of England was the £1,000,000 note. Designed for use by the
UK government only, the notes were canceled after just a few months, allowing very few to escape into private
hands. However, just because the notes are out of service nowadays doesn’t mean that they are valueless. In
2008, one of two known surviving notes was sold at auction for almost $120,000.
E. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s largest banknote is the 100,000-peso note,
which is of the size of a standard sheet of paper. It was created by the government of the Philippines in 1998
to celebrate a century of independence from Spanish rule. The note was offered only to collectors, who could
purchase one of the limited-edition notes for 180,000 pesos, or about $3,700.
F. American Indians used to have strings of clamshells, which they called wampum and used as money. The
process to make wampum was very labor intensive, which increased their value among the European traders.
However, the Dutch colonists began to manufacture wampum themselves and eventually became the primary
source of wampum, thereby destroying the system which had functioned for centuries.
G. Why are U.S. notes green? No one is really sure. However, in 1929, when the Bureau of Printing and
Engraving began making smaller size currency, green continued to be used because its pigment was readily
available in large quantities. Green is also relatively high in its resistance to chemical and physical changes, and
it has been psychologically identified with the strong and stable credit of the government.
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1. Women doing men’s jobs 5. The best profession for a lady
2. Holidays — the best time to visit 6. A festival to a season
3. Ideal to grow a man 7. Words for all times
4. A costume for a mythic sea creature 8. Best clothes for burial
A. Mary is a professional dress-maker specializing in exotic costumes. She devotes many hours to crafting
mermaid tails and hand-made tops. Her professional mermaid costume includes a tail and a top. A tail is made
of the finest silicone that bends naturally with movement and looks beautifully on film and in print. Out of the
depths of the water her costume shines with hundreds of pearls, crystals, and gemstones.
B. Today’s well-educated person uses about 18,000 words. Shakespeare, whose plays written for a small
theatre are now performed in more countries than ever before, used over 34,000 different words, thousands
of which he made up. For example: accessible, roadway, schoolboy, and watchdog. Many of his phrases have
fallen into everyday use in our language today, including, “A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!” by
Richard III.
C. The Celtic division of the year was into two parts. The winter half was considered the beginning of the year,
and the summer half the second part. There were two further sub-divisions, so the year was finally divided into
the standard four seasons. At each of these four stages, a Fire Festival was celebrated. It involved religious
ceremonies, music, storytelling, and poetry. These great festivals were regarded to be the best time.
D. As symbols of respect and courage, knights turned out to be an intriguing mix of all the things that made
males the best, as their education included the most effective sorts of exercises for the brain and the human
body. Knight tournaments were a good way for the knights to try out the actual travails of fighting and never
having to go through the pain and troubles of having to look after themselves, and of their kingdoms.
E. Were there any women pirates in Renaissance England? They were in the minority, but they were never the
less there and very able. Lady Mary was a daughter of a pirate and married to a pirate. When her husband
died, she recruited her castle staff and went to sea herself. Her luck ran out when she captured a German
captain, who was a friend of Queen Elizabeth. So Lady Mary quit piracy … and started selling stolen goods.
F. Russia is an amazing holiday destination. It should be visited during the festival season, as it reveals the rich
cultural tradition and fascinating customs of its people. While the festivals come from the Christian legacy
Russia shares with Europe and America, the manner of celebration is unique. Enthusiastic travelers suggest
planning a Russian holiday during the festival time and to be sure that the memories will last a lifetime!
G. Normally very fine textiles are found in graves. Obviously, the quality of clothing worn in the Middle Ages
would reduce with lower ranks, but even the slaves did not wear cloth as rough as people thought in the past
and some still do today. Slaves would probably wear their master’s clothes, which may have been very thin in
places and not decorated. They would usually receive the underclothes to be worn as overclothes.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 74
1. See a snake crawling down 5. Lost city
2. Natural wonder 6. The really cool place
3. Created to protect 7. Go there now
4. Mysterious rocks 8. Ancient sculptures
A. Eight thousand feet above sea level, this five-century-old pre-Columbian site was once home to the Incas.
Until American historian Hiram Bingham publicized his findings of the area in a book called “Across South
America,” the mountain-top ruins were widely unknown to anyone living outside of the UrubambaValley. Since
Spanish colonialists had no idea of Machu Picchu’s existence, Incan architecture and design of the buildings
were preserved.
B. Does the arrangement of the 25-ton sandstone blocks at Stonehenge suggest some sort of spiritual
prediction? No one really knows. Theories about the nearly 5,000-year-old circular stone structure vary. The
most intriguing time to visit Stonehenge is at sunset when a yellow-orange glow can be seen through the
magnificent towers’ arches making some people believe that it was originally a place of healing, while others
think it was used for ancestor worship.
C. The 1,500-year-old pyramids, located near the town of Merida, may be less popular than their equivalents in
Egypt, but they are just as remarkable. Although there are many structures there like the Temple of the
Warriors or the Wall of Skulls, the main attraction is El Castillo, the 78-foot, 91-step central pyramid. The
absolute best time to travel to El Castillo is at sunset when shadows give the illusion that a large serpent is
sliding down the pyramid.
D. The Earth’s southernmost point, Antarctica, is the driest and coldest of the seven continents. For a place
that is 98 per cent covered in one-mile-deep ice, it is hard to imagine why anyone would want to visit it at all.
But there is a strange beauty about Antarctica that is incomparable to anywhere else on the planet. Anyway,
while Antarctica has no permanent residents, there are often up to 5,000 researchers working there at a time.
E. It is believed that hundreds of years ago the natives of Easter Island carved massive heads out of stone to
honor their ancestors. Today, there are 887 “moai,” as the statues are called, which create a mysterious, yet
intriguing landscape on this Polynesian island, which is a four-and-a-half hour flight from Lima, Peru. The tallest
statue on the island, named Paro, is 33 feet high and weighs 82 tons.
F. North America’s Red Canyon is 277 river miles long, eighteen miles wide, and one mile deep, and if it doesn’t
make your mouth drop with surprise, then you might not be human! Most tourists go there by car and there
are plenty of spots along the way to pull the car over and have a look from the top. You can also go down into
the canyon’s depths and experience the very heart of the canyon by going rafting on the Colorado River, and
even spend the night at a hotel below the rim.
G. Thousands of miles long, the Great Wall of China is the largest cultural object humans have ever built. It
majestically snakes through China, winds around rising and falling hills, twists through an enormous
countryside, and stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Lake in the west. However, the wall was
constructed more than 2,000 years ago not to amaze people, but in an attempt to keep out invading tribes
from the north.
A B C D E F G
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Text 75
1. Good enough for the royal family 5. From childhood and on
2. From women to the military 6. From movie stars to every woman
3. The company moves overseas 7. Changes in cinematography, changes in
make-up
4. New products, new leaders 8. New place, new make-up
A. Max Factor is often called the father of modern make-up. The success story started in Max’s early years. He
was born Max Faktorowicz in Lodz, Poland, near the Russian border, around 1877. With 10 children, his
parents could not afford formal education for their children, so at the age of eight Max was placed in an
apprenticeship to a pharmacist. Years of mixing potions for the pharmacy developed his fascination with
cosmetics.
B. Eventually, Max opened his own shop in a suburb of Moscow, selling hand-made cosmetics. “Health and
beauty products” became an important business for him. A traveling theatrical troupe bought and wore Max’s
make-up and wigs while performing for Russian nobility. Soon Max became the official cosmetic expert for
members of the Russian court, the Imperial Grand Opera and the Ballet.
C. In 1904, Max and his family moved to the United States. Max Faktorowicz was now Max Factor, the name
given to him at Ellis Island by immigration officials. Now Max Factor was dreaming of movie actors and
actresses using his products. He moved his family to Los Angeles. In 1914, Max Factor created a make-up
specifically for movie actors that, unlike thick theatrical make-up, would not crack.
D. The development of color film production required the Max Factor company to develop a new line of
products. The existing make-up reflected surrounding colors. As a result of how bad they looked, many actors
and actresses refused to appear in color films. At this time Frank Factor, Max’s son, took the lead and
developed a suitable product. It had a solid cake form and was applied with a damp sponge, which concealed
skin imperfections.
E. Soon actresses and other women working on movies sets were stealing new make-up to use in their
personal lives. Its only disadvantage for everyday use was that it made the skin too dark under regular lights,
having been designed for the powerful lights used in film studios. Frank Factor began developing lighter
shades. In 1937, new “Pan-Cake” make-up was released to the public and it became one of the fastest selling
cosmetic items.
F. After Max Factor’s death, Frank Factor took the name Max Factor, Jr., and expanded the still private
cosmetics firm. The company began development of a smear-proof lipstick which would not fade. A special
machine was constructed to test the formula’s resistance. The result was “Tru-Color” lipstick in six shades of
red. During World War II, Max Factor developed make-up shades for use by the US Marine Corps in
camouflaging faces.
G. Max Factor, Jr., continued his commercially successful developments, such as cream make-up supplied in
stick form. Soon the company offered shampoo for men and its first perfume called “Electrique”. The early
1960s saw the company go public and list its stock on the New York Stock Exchange. This period also saw the
third generation of the Factor family rise to senior positions within the company.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 76
1. Varieties of theatre 5. Stars for a repertoire
2. A step to a wider variety 6. Modern problems
3. Not the least important 7. Origin of theatre
4. Theatre and politics 8. Ladies enter
A. Modern Western theatre comes in large measure from ancient Greek drama, from which it takes technical
terminology, classification into genres, and many of its themes, stock characters, and plot elements. The
Greeks also developed the concepts of dramatic criticism, acting as a career, and theatre architecture. The
theatre of ancient Greece consisted of three types of drama: tragedy, comedy, and the satyr play.
B. Western theatre developed and expanded considerably under the Romans. The Roman historian Livy wrote
that the Romans first experienced theatre in the 4th century BC. The theatre of ancient Rome was a thriving
and diverse art form, ranging from festival performances of street theatre, nude dancing, and acrobatics, to
the staging of broadly appealing situation comedies, to the high-style, verbally elaborate tragedies.
C. Theatre took on many different forms in the West between the 15th and 19th centuries, including
commedia dell’arte and melodrama. The general trend was away from the poetic drama of the Greeks and the
Renaissance and toward a more naturalistic prose style of dialogue, especially following the Industrial
Revolution. Theatre today, broadly defined, includes performances of plays and musicals, ballets, operas and
various other forms.
D. The eighteenth century in Britain introduced women to the stage, which would have been extremely
inappropriate before. These women were looked at as celebrities but on the other hand, it was still very new
and revolutionary that they were on the stage and some said they were unladylike and looked down on.
Charles II did not like young men playing the parts of young women, so he asked that women play their own
parts.
E. Theatre took a big pause during 1642 and 1660 in England because of Cromwell’s Interregnum. Theatre was
seen as something sinful and the Puritans tried very hard to drive it out of their society. Because of this
stagnant period, once Charles II came back to the throne in 1660, theatre (among other arts) exploded
because of a lot of influence from France, where Charles was in exile the years previous to his reign.
F. Stagecraft is a term referring to the technical aspects of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes
constructing scenery, hanging and focusing of lighting, design and procurement of costumes, makeup, props,
stage management, and recording and mixing of sound. Considered a technical rather than an artistic field, it is
equally crucial for the practical implementation of a designer’s artistic idea.
G. While most modern theatre companies rehearse one piece of theatre at a time, perform that piece for a set
“run”, retire the piece, and begin rehearsing a new show, repertory companies rehearse multiple shows at one
time. Repertory theatre generally involves a group of similarly accomplished actors, and relies more on the
reputation of the group than on an individual star actor.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 77
1. Physical characteristics 5. Water-related diseases
2. Personal measure 6. Worrying statistics
3. Ways of using 7. Hard to get
4. More than survival 8. Natural threats
A. Water is the most important resource for mankind. It is a condition for all life on our planet, a factor for any
social and technological development, a possible source of welfare or misery, cooperation or conflict. 97
percent of it is undrinkable because it’s saltwater. Only 3 percent of the world’s water supply is fresh water,
and 77 percent of that is frozen. Of the 23 percent that is not frozen, only a half a percent is available to supply
everyone with all the water they need to survive.
B. Natural disasters like earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes and other types of incidents can disrupt drinking
water and wastewater systems. Water consumers, water and wastewater utilities, and private well and septic
owners should be informed on what to do in emergency. It is important to be prepared because drinking water
and wastewater disruptions can directly threaten your health, the health of your family, and the health of your
community.
C. Water security is about fighting poverty and hunger, and protecting the environment. It is about saving
children from disease. It is about allowing girls to go to school instead of walking kilometers to fetch water. It is
about providing women and men with access to sanitation, wherever they live. Fundamentally, it is about
peace. When we talk about water security, we are really talking about human rights, human dignity, and the
development of all societies.
D. Water is the only substance that occurs naturally as a solid (ice), a liquid and a gas (water vapor). It covers
about 70 percent of the Earth for approximately 1,386 million cubic kilometers. In its purest form, it’s odorless,
nearly colorless and tasteless. Water molecules are naturally attracted and stick to each other like magnets.
This is the reason behind many of water’s special properties, such as the fact that it’s denser in its liquid state
than in its solid state (ice floats on water).
E. You use water to clean yourself, your clothes, your dishes, your car and everything else around you. You can
travel on it or jump in it to cool off on hot summer days. Many of the products that you use every day contain
water or were manufactured using it. It seems pretty simple, and yet there are a lot of things about it that
scientists still don’t fully understand.
F. Every day you lose water. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply. So how
much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine
determined that an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters a day. The intake for women is 2.2 liters a day.
But in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where
you live.
G. Around 1.1 billion people globally do not have access to clean water supply sources whereas 2.4 billion
people do not have bathrooms with running water. About 2 million people die every year due to water-related
diseases, most of them are children less than 5 years of age. The most affected are people in developing
countries, living in extreme conditions of poverty.
A B C D E F G
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Text 78
1. Pets can teach 5. Friends in need
2. Different pets, different characters 6. Reading dog stories
3. Where to get a pet 7. A global problem and its
solution
4. Having fun together 8. A long-term treatment
A. It has become clear that stress affects our mental and physical health and, sadly, our world has become
more stressful than ever. We live in the environment that can easily wear us out. Luckily, there are certain
methods to reduce stress and have control. One of the best is to own a pet. Pets require attention and
dedication, but those are small prices to pay for the amount of benefits they bring into our lives.
B. Pets provide support because they are always available to listen (without any judgment) or rub up against
your hand, which can help you relax after a hectic day. They can help you see the situation differently and let
out some steam. Moreover, when you are feeling under the weather, there is nothing like a sweet pair of eyes
that immediately get your mind off thoughts that are making you sad and depressed.
C. Companionship with a loving pet is a real source of entertainment. Pets are constantly giving off love and
gratitude, and they are happy to be in your presence. You can be yourself around pets. You can dance silly or
talk silly, and they will not criticize you. In fact, they will love the silliness and get silly themselves. Cats and
dogs are fantastic companions to sit down and watch TV at night.
D. Studies have shown that communicating with a pet boosts the immune system, improves heart health,
reduces physical pain, and improves mental health as well. One man with tuberculosis says that the cat he
received after his diagnosis kept him going for 21 years with little pain and very few physical issues. He talked
to his cat which helped him walk through his troubles. That proves the power of true love that animals have.
E. Pets are living creatures that have habits and personalities. They can surprise you. Dogs, cats, and birds are
probably most known for having distinct personalities. However, one snake owner says that her snake had his
own unique personality. He got excited when she came into the room, and she would often put him in the
bathtub where he would do all sorts of funny tricks while splashing around.
F. No matter what type of pet you get, it will require you to take care of it. Being responsible for another living
being can help you be more responsible in the rest of your life too. This is especially true for kids who are
learning the value of good habits. However, adults can benefit from the consistent responsibility as well.
Responsible pet owners are kind to pets and remember they are their pets’ world.
G. With millions of cats and dogs killed in shelters in the United States every year, adopting a pet instead of
buying one saves at least one animal’s life. Adoption saves not only the animal you adopt, but also the new
animal the shelter can take in. Adopting from a shelter helps both ends of the problem: fewer animals will be
bred, and more animals can go to a good home.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 79
1. Controlled by voice commands 5. Services for smartphones
2. Smartphones keep an eye on you 6. Computers based on neurons
3. Manufactures will make changes 7. Some computers will disappear
4. Disadvantages of smartphones 8. Why smartphones are convenient
A. Over the last five years, smartphones have proved that they are immensely capable. They will represent
more than 50 per cent of the mobile phone market in 2015. In 10 years, tablets will be archaic. Desktops and
laptops, having already begun their slide into antiquity, will soon be nothing more than dusty relics and
museum exhibits. The last and only bastion of consumer computing will be the smartphone.
B. Some arguments for a larger device, such as the laptop, may still remain. For example, the interface. The
keyboard is still the best way of inputting data, and some activities simply can’t be performed on a 4-inch
smartphone screen. Besides, there will always be people who need or want faster computers to speed up their
workflow. Supercomputers which do calculations at the speed of nanoseconds are definitely not the size of
smartphones.
C. The reasons for keeping a laptop, desktop, or tablet may disappear because Apple and Google have
developed speech recognition programs which can replace keyboard input. Usual displays will be replaced by
head-up displays or wireless contact lens displays. Brain-computer interfaces will appear in the near future. A
solid, immovable screen will not be in the centre of our interaction with multimedia any longer.
D. Just think what it would be like if your smartphone was your only computer. You would always have your
computer with you. All of your documents, photos, games, apps, and utilities would always be in your pocket,
accessible at any time. If you want to check your messages, watch TV on the train, or edit a photo, just go to
the menu. Moreover, you could use your smartphone as a passport or a credit card.
E. With the help of a smartphone and a few apps, you just slide your phone in your pocket before your
workout, and let the app track your speed and activity. Smartphones track your movements, and then pass the
data off to commercial apps, or helpful services like Google Now. With additional sensors, they constantly
monitor your activity and overall health. The dream of wearable computing will become true.
F. There is a worldwide shift to mobile computing. Computers are becoming smaller and more efficient. If
smartphones are the only consumer-oriented computers, production lines and equipment have to be updated
to meet new requirements. With an atomic computing platform, smartphones would be cheaper and much
more capable than they are today. Cloud computing would satisfy needs of those who want faster computers.
G. It is important to develop our brains as well. Computer can do many complex tasks at the same time
(“multitasking”) that are difficult for the brain. For example, counting backwards and multiplying two numbers
at the same time. However, the brain also does some multitasking using the autonomic nervous system. For
example, the brain controls breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and at the same time it performs mental
tasks.
A B C D E F G
Vocabulary
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Text 80
1. For information and urgent help 5. A built-in charger
2. To monitor and treat the disease 6. World without buttons
3. Big brother is watching you 7. Phone always on you
4. Disadvantages of tech 8. Key under your skin
A. Sure, we’re virtually connected to our phones 24/7 now, but what if we could be literally plugged in to our
phones? That’s already starting to happen. Last year, for instance, artist Anthony Antonellis had a chip put in
his arm that could store and transfer data to his handheld smartphone. And researchers are already
experimenting with sensors that turn human bone into living speakers.
B. In the future patients will be able to use implantable technologies to diagnose and even treat diseases.
Scientists in London are developing swallowable capsule-sized chip that will control fat levels in obese patients
and generate genetic material that makes them feel “full”. It has potential as an alternative to surgery to
handle obesity. Also it can monitor blood-sugar levels for diabetics.
C. The U.S. military has programs to identify any person using face scanning device. Some people see it as a
doubtless advantage: improved crime fighting, secure elections and never a lost child again. However, such
technologies can hammer against social norms and raise privacy issues. And one day there might be a
computer to see all, know all and control all.
D. One of the challenges for implantable tech is delivering power to devices which are inside human bodies.
You can’t plug them in as you do with your phone or computer. You can’t easily take them out to replace a
battery. A team in Cambridge is working on specific bio batteries that can generate power inside the body,
transfer it wirelessly where needed, and then simply melt away.
E. Soon tattoos will not only make you look cool but will be able to perform useful tasks, like opening your car
or entering smartphone codes with a finger-point. Researchers have made an implantable skin fibers thinner
than a human hair. Scientists are working on the chip that can be put inside a finger through a tattoo-like
process, letting you unlock things or enter codes simply by pointing.
F. The British research team is developing pills with microprocessors in them that can text to hospitals directly
from inside your body. The pills can share inside info to help doctors know if you are taking your medication
properly and if it is having the desired effect. Moreover, in case of emergency, it can send a signal to the
computer and the ambulance will come straight away.
G. Lately touchscreens are everywhere – from computers, phones, tablets to car systems and vending
machines. Even doorbells now include touch screen controls. One has to wonder: are we moving to a world of
only touchscreen devices? And the answer is probably yes. We are coming to an age where every flat or even
curved surface could be made a touchscreen and we can operate from it.
A B C D E F G
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Text 81
1. Fun in theory, boring in reality 5. Benefits of being outdoors
2. Deficit of activity problems 6. Ready to help
3. Saving rare animals 7. Original style
4. Contrary to popular belief 8. Similar sounds — different emotions
A. In addition to being highly intelligent, elephants are capable of a remarkable amount of empathy. During a natural
disaster, elephants are able to understand that something dangerous is happening. They can understand that a person is
in trouble and that the situation is unsafe. Elephants have good sense of smell and there have been cases when they
alerted rescuers to people trapped in a building. Elephants have been observed saving their young from drowning and
also been filmed trying to save people they see at risk of drowning.
B. A lot of studies suggest that green spaces enhance mental health and learning capacity, both immediately and over
time, by lowering stress levels and restoring attention. Greenery restores attention by drawing the eye and at the same
time calms the nervous system, creating an ideal state for learning. Similarly, studies show that spending time in the
sunlight can reduce attention deficit symptoms, while bright light first thing in the morning can improve mood and the
quality of sleep.
C. Why are hyenas known for laughing? There is even a phrase we use: “to laugh like a hyena”. Zoologists will tell you
that the unique sounds they make are actually no laughing matter. Hyenas indeed make loud barking noises that sound
like laughter, but it’s not because they’re amused by anything. Instead, a hyena’s “laughter” is actually a form of
communication used to convey frustration, excitement, or fear. Most often, you’ll hear this unique vocalization during a
hunt or when the animals are feeding on prey as a group.
D. Zoologists believe that boredom isn’t a uniquely human emotion – animals can be bored, too. Animals which live in
captivity (in zoos, for example) and don’t have to take care of their survival may experience boredom and try to find
ways to overcome it. They may come up with some “creative” activities which they wouldn’t normally do in their natural
environment. As for the pets at home, they may also suffer from the lack of stimulation. That’s why we need to make
sure we give them enough time, attention and toys regularly.
E. While most dogs jump eagerly into the water to swim, cats don’t usually do that, and many believe that cats have a
phobia of water. But some pet groomers insist that it’s not true and getting a cat to trust you enough to bathe is quite
possible, with some patience and skill. Most cats are not afraid of water like so many people may think. They are actually
afraid of loud noises and of drowning, rather than water itself. Cats drink water every day, lots of cats even play with
water or follow people into the shower.
F. Videogame testers spend most of their time testing the game long before it’s finished and long before it starts to
become a fun experience. Even after the game is developed enough to start being fun, the testing tasks often aren’t
entertaining at all. Testers may have to walk their character around a forest, for example, to look for trees that aren’t
drawn well. They then record the coordinates so an artist can fix them later. It’s monotonous work and can take days to
finish. So if testing video games seems like a fun, easy job to you, think again.
G. Claude Monet’s impressionist paintings were all about nature. In his works he tried to capture nature as it appeared
to him at the moment. He also experimented with light and shadow and how they changed during different times of the
day. Some artists of the time criticized Monet because his works lacked detail and didn’t resemble finished paintings.
Monet used strong colours, which he did not mix. He painted them onto the canvas in short brush strokes. He was also
criticized for not using classical painting techniques.
A B C D E F G
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Задание №11 (второе в разделе Чтение)
В следующем задании раздела “Чтение” на письменной части ЕГЭ Вам предстоит
вставить 7 вырванных из текста кусочков предложений обратно в текст с 6 пропусками.
Как всегда, один кусочек лишний и придуман специально так, чтобы подходил в
определенный пропуск. За каждый правильный ответ – 1 балл. Итого за задание 6
баллов.
1. При выполнении задания 11 рекомендуется сначала прочитать и перевести все
варианты ответа, а также прикинуть, что может стоять до и после вырванного
куска текста (если, конечно, в конце не стоит точка)
2. Здесь нужно обращать внимание на грамматическое строение предложения
и учиться выявлять в тексте однородные члены, сложносочиненные
предложения и различные виды придаточных.
Вот так должен выглядеть правильно заполненный бланк к этому заданию. Обратите
внимание, мы делаем задание 10 и ответы заполняются в строчку, а не в столбик.
Text 1
Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A–F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1–7.
Одна из частей в списке 1–7 — лишняя. Занесите цифры, обозначающие соответствующие части
предложений, в таблицу.
America’s fun place on America’s main street
If any city were considered a part of every citizen in the United States, it would be Washington, DC. To many,
the Old Post Office Pavilion serves (A) ______. If you are in the area, be a part of it all by visiting us — or ( В)
______. Doing so will keep you aware of the latest musical events, great happenings and international dining,
to say the least.
Originally built in 1899, the Old Post Office Pavilion embodied the modern spirit (С) ______. Today, our
architecture and spirit of innovation continues to evolve and thrive. And, thanks to forward-thinking people,
you can now stroll through the Old Post Office Pavilion and experience both (D) ______ with international
food, eclectic shopping and musical events. All designed to entertain lunch, mid-day and after work audiences
all week long.
A highlight of the Old Post Office Pavilion is its 315-foot Clock Tower. Offering a breath-taking view of the city,
National Park Service Rangers give free Clock Tower tours every day! Individuals and large tour groups are all
welcome. The Old Post Office Clock Tower also proudly houses the official United States Bells of Congress, a
gift from England (E) ______. The Washington Ringing Society sounds the Bells of Congress every Thursday
evening and on special occasions.
Visit the Old Post Office Pavilion, right on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol. It is
a great opportunity (F) ______, this is a landmark not to be missed no matter your age.
1. by joining our e-community

2. that are offered to the visitors
3. its glamorous past and fun-filled present
4. that was sweeping the country
5. to learn more about American history
6. as a landmark reminder of wonderful experiences
7. celebrating the end of the Revolutionary War
A B C D E F
Vocabulary
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Text 2
Arizona’s world class cruise
Spectacular Canyon Lake is situated in the heart of the Superstition Mountains in Arizona, giving home to the
Dolly Steamboat. The Dolly Steamboat, (A) ______, now cruises the secluded inner waterways of this beautiful
lake. It is worth exploring this favourite destination of President Theodore Roosevelt who declared, «The
Apache Trail and surrounding area combines the grandeur of the Alps, the glory of the Rockies, the
magnificence of the Grand Canyon and then adds something (В) ______.» You will marvel as you travel up to
the national forest, which provides the most inspiring and beautiful panorama (С) ______. Every trip brings
new discoveries of rock formations, geological history, and the flora and fauna distinct to the deserts of
Arizona.
Once aboard the Dolly Steamboat, you may view the majestic desert big horn sheep, bald eagles and a host
bird of other wildlife, water fowl, (D) ______. Experience the unique sound harmony that is created by the
waters of Canyon Lake. Stretch out and relax at one of the tables or stand next to the railings on the deck.
There is plenty of leg room on the Dolly. You will get a unique chance to listen to the captain (Е) ______.
All the passengers are treated with outstanding service and personal attention to every need. Feel free to ask
questions, move about and mingle with the crew. So enjoy an unforgettable vacation cruise and see (F)
______, like a ride on Arizona’s Dolly Steamboat.
1. that none of the others have

2. who pays much attention to children’s safety
3. continuing a tradition of cruising since 1925
4. hovering over the magnificent lake
5. that nature has ever created in the wild
6. who retells the legends of the mysterious past
7. for yourself why there is nothing quite
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Text 3
Archaeology done underwater
Nautical archaeology is the science of finding, collecting, preserving, and studying human objects that have
become lost or buried under water. It is a fairly modern field of study since it depends on having the
technology to be able to remain underwater for some time to do real work. Whether it is conducted in
freshwater or in the sea, (A) ______, nautical archaeology is another way of learning more about the human
past.
Although some use the words nautical archaeology to mean a specialized branch of underwater archaeology,
(B) ______, most consider the term to mean the same as the words underwater archaeology or marine
archaeology. All of these interchangeable terms mean simply (C) ______.
Once real trade began, it is safe to say (D) ______ was probably transported over water at some point in time.
By studying submerged objects, we can learn more about past human cultures. In fact, studying ancient
artifacts is the only way to learn anything about human societies (E) ______. Being able to examine the actual
objects made and used by ancient people not only adds to the written records they left behind, but allows us
to get much closer to the reality of what life was like when they lived. Also, if we pay close attention to how
the objects were made and used, we begin to get a more realistic picture of (F) ______.
1. what those people were really like

2. and what was discovered underwater
3. that nearly every object made by humans
4. and whether it finds sunken ships or old cities
5. that existed long before the invention of writing
6. that it is the study of archaeology done underwater
7. which is concerned only with ships and the history of seafaring
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Text 4
Australia
Australia is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse nations. Nearly a quarter of the people who live in
Australia (A) ______. They come from the United Kingdom and other European countries, but also from China,
Vietnam, North Africa, and the Middle East.
First people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago. They (B) ______ land bridges when sea levels were
lower. The next to land in Australia were Dutch explorers. They came in 1606. In 1788 the British began to
settle there. Many settlers (C) ______ as punishment. For a short time, the newcomers lived peacefully with
the Aboriginal people.
In 1851, gold was discovered in Australia. A rush to find riches brought (D) ______ 1859, six separate colonies
were created which later became part of the British Commonwealth.
Australian culture is founded on stories of battlers, bushrangers and brave soldiers. Today (Е) ______ its
Aboriginal heritage, vibrant mix of cultures, innovative ideas and a thriving ecosystem.
Australia’s ecosystem is an unusual one because of its remote location. As a result, there are (F) ______ and
nowhere else in the world, such as kangaroo and koala.
One of Australia’s most amazing sites rises like an enormous whale’s back from a flat desert called the Red
Center. It is a sacred natural formation at the heart of the country and the largest rock in the world!
1. Australia is one of the most
2. were born in other countries
3. Australia also defines itself by
4. many animal species that occur here
5. may have travelled from Asia across
6. thousands of new immigrants, and by
7. were criminals sent to live in Australia
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Text 5
Australia
Australia is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse nations. Nearly a quarter of the people who live in
Australia (A) ______. They come from the United Kingdom and other European countries, but also from China,
Vietnam, North Africa, and the Middle East.
First people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago. They (B) ______ land bridges when sea levels were
lower. The next to land in Australia were Dutch explorers. They came in 1606. In 1788 the British began to
settle there. Many settlers (C) ______ as punishment. For a short time, the newcomers lived peacefully with
the Aboriginal people.
In 1851, gold was discovered in Australia. A rush to find riches brought (D) ______ 1859, six separate colonies
were created which later became part of the British Commonwealth.
Australian culture is founded on stories of battlers, bushrangers and brave soldiers. Today (Е) ______ its
Aboriginal heritage, vibrant mix of cultures, innovative ideas and a thriving ecosystem.
Australia’s ecosystem is an unusual one because of its remote location. As a result, there are (F) ______ and
nowhere else in the world, such as kangaroo and koala.
One of Australia’s most amazing sites rises like an enormous whale’s back from a flat desert called the Red
Center. It is a sacred natural formation at the heart of the country and the largest rock in the world!
1. Australia is one of the most

2. were born in other countries
3. Australia also defines itself by
4. many animal species that occur here
5. may have travelled from Asia across
6. thousands of new immigrants, and by
7. were criminals sent to live in Australia
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Text 6
Beautiful cities of Italy
The political and cultural centre of Italy is the ‘Eternal City’, Rome. Ever since the Roman Empire, as its capital,
Rome has become famous as a centre of European culture. The most striking sights of Rome are, of course, the
Colosseum and the Forum. Once the Colosseum was able to receive about 50 thousand spectators, (A) ______
and concert halls. The Pantheon, the old temple of all gods, (B) ______, is also located in Rome.
The second most important town in Italy is Milan. Milan is the capital of fashion and (C) ______, exhibitions
and conferences. The main attraction of Milan is its Cathedral Square, where the monument to the King Victor
Emmanuel II is installed. Theatre fans will not be left disappointed by visiting the Theatre of La Scala.
The most popular city among tourists is Venice. The city is unique because it has more than 120 islands, (D)
______ and 400 bridges. Venice has been known for more than fifteen hundred years, and for (E) ______. The
main area of the city is Saint Mark’s Square with the Cathedral of San Marco. One of the most beautiful
buildings in Venice is the Palace of Doges. The other famous attraction is the Grand Canal (F) ______.
In addition to this, there are such beautiful cities in Italy as Naples, Turin, Florence, Genoa, Pisa and the islands
of Sardinia and Sicily. All of them are outstanding places to visit.
1. that is the largest in Venice
2. which was built in the early I century
3. that everyone is dreaming about this trip
4. which is comparable with modern stadiums
5. which are connected by more than 150 canals
6. the venue for major international festivals
7. that time it produced a lot of attractions
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Text 7
Burns Night
Each year Scottish people across the world celebrate a unique dinner known as “Burns Night”. This is (A)
______ called Robert Burns. Traditionally it happens on his birthday, the 25th January. Scotland can be very
dark and cold at this time of year, so it’s (B) ______ with friends and family. Burns is still an important figure in
Scotland and even though he died in 1796 at the age of 37, he was recently voted “The Greatest Scot”. His
birthday has become as important as Scotland’s national day, St Andrew’s Day.
The idea for (C) ______ soon after his death, and these days is actually quite a complicated affair. To start
people are sat down at the table and the host reads a poem called “The Selkirk Grace”. It’s normally done in a
Scottish dialect which even English people find difficult to understand. Although Burns probably didn’t actually
write this, he is known (D) ______. Next, soup is served. The highlight though is listening to a bagpiper playing
as the main course of haggis arrives.
Haggis is a special dish made from a mixture of sheep heart, lung and liver and oats, which is a bit like a giant
sausage and surprisingly tasty. So tasty in fact that Robert Burns wrote (E) ______. After dinner there’s a
speaker, who may recite more poetry and a toast is made to the memory of Robert Burns. Next (F) ______
about ladies and a female guest replies with a funny speech about men. Throughout the rest of the night there
is even more of Burns’ poetry.
1. to have read it at a dinner
2. the next course is served which is
3. a male guest makes a funny speech
4. to remember a famous Scottish poet
5. an excellent reason to enjoy a large dinner
6. a poem about it called ‘Address to a Haggis’
7. a dinner started over two hundred years ago
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Text 8
Changing image
For more than 200 years Madame Tussaud’s has been attracting tourists from all over the world and it
remains just as popular as it ever was. There are many reasons for this enduring success, but at the heart of it
all is good, old-fashioned curiosity.
Madame Tussaud’s original concept has entered a brand new era of interactive entertainment (A) ______.
Today’s visitors are sent on a breathtaking journey in black cabs through hundreds of years of the past. They
have a unique chance to see the great legends of history, (В) ______ of politics.
Much of the figure construction technique follows the traditional pattern, beginning whenever possible with
the subject (С) ______ and personal characteristics. The surprising likeliness of the wax portraits also owes
much to many stars (D) ______, either by providing their stage clothes, or simply giving useful advice.
The museum continues constantly to add figures (E) ______ popularity. The attraction also continues to
expand globally with established international branches in New York, Hong Kong, Amsterdam and many other
cities. And they all have the same rich mix of interaction, authenticity and local appeal.
The museum provides a stimulating and educational environment for schoolchildren. Its specialists are working
together with practicing teachers and educational advisors to create different programmes of activities, (F)
______.
1. that reflect contemporary public opinion and celebrity

2. as well as resources on art, technology and drama
3. ranging from special effects to fully animated figures
4. as well as the idols of popular music and the icons
5. who are eager to help in any possible way they can
6. ranging from all kinds of souvenirs to sports equipment
7. who is sitting to determine exact measurements
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Text 9
City of fountains
Peterhof is a monument of world architecture and palace and park art. Peterhof includes a palace and park
ensemble of the 18-19th centuries, (A) ______. Peterhof is a city of fountains as it contains 173 fountains and 4
cascades (B) ______. Each year up to 3 million people come here to enjoy the splendour of numerous
fountains and the unique parks of Peterhof.
The name Peterhof was first mentioned in 1705. It was a coastal manor, close to which the construction of a
grand country residence began. The original plan belonged to Peter the Great. After the brilliant victory of
Russian troops over the Swedes, security of St. Petersburg both from the land (C) ______. Since that time, the
construction of the Peterhof residence grew immensely in scope.
According to the plan of Peter the Great, on the one hand, Peterhof was meant to be equal in splendour with
the most famous royal residences in Europe, (D) ______ to access the Baltic Sea. Both were successfully done.
The Great Palace was built on a natural hill here, (E) ______. Following the plan of Peter the Great, (F) ______,
the Grand Cascade with the famous Samson fountain was constructed. This is still one of the most spectacular
fountains in the world. In 1990 the palaces and parks of Peterhof were included in the list of the world heritage
of UNESCO.
1. and from the sea has been firmly ensured
2. which is a former royal countryside residence
3. who designs many royal residences in Europe
4. and then rebuilt in the baroque style in the 18th century
5. who wanted to decorate the main entrance with waterfalls
6. that are located in the park on the coast of the Gulf of Finland
7. and on the other hand, to become a monument of Russia’s struggle
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Text 10
Do you speak English?
When I arrived in England I thought I knew English. After I’d been here an hour I realized that I did not
understand one word. In the first week I picked up a tolerable working knowledge of the language and the
next seven years convinced me gradually but thoroughly that I (A) ______, let alone perfectly. This is sad. My
only consolation being that nobody speaks English perfectly.
Remember that those five hundred words an average Englishman uses are (B) ______. You may learn another
five hundred and another five thousand and yet another fifty thousand and still you may come across a further
fifty thousand (C) ______.
If you live here long enough you will find out to your greatest amazement that the adjective nice is not the only
adjective the language possesses, in spite of the fact that (D) ______. You can say that the weather is nice, a
restaurant is nice, Mr. Soandso is nice, Mrs. Soandso’s clothes are nice, you had a nice time, (E) ______.
Then you have to decide on your accent. The easiest way to give the impression of having a good accent or no
foreign accent at all is to hold an unlit pipe in your mouth, to mutter between your teeth and finish all your
sentences with the question: “isn’t it?” People will not understand much, but they are accustomed to that and
they will get a (F) ______.
1. whatever it costs
2. most excellent impression
3. you have never heard of before, and nobody else either
4. in the first three years you do not need to learn or use any other adjectives
5. would never know it really well
6. far from being the whole vocabulary of the language
7. and all this will be correct
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Text 11
Double-decker Bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two levels. While double-decker long-distance buses are in widespread
use around the world, (A) ______. Double-decker buses are popular in some European cities and in some parts
of Asia, usually in former British colonies. Many towns around the world have a few that specialize in short
sight-seeing tours for tourists because, as William Gladstone observed, «the way to see London is from the top
of a ‘bus'».
Double-decker buses are taller than other buses. They are extensively used in the United Kingdom, (B) ______,
removed from normal service in December 2005 — they still operate on heritage routes. Elsewhere in Europe,
double-deckers are used throughout the Dublin Bus network in Ireland, where they are making a comeback on
Dublin’s outer suburban routes and also the streets of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. They are a
common sight in Berlin, where the BVG makes extensive use of them. Double-decker long-distance coaches
are also in widespread use throughout Europe.
Most buses in Hong Kong and about half in Singapore are double-deckers as well. The only areas in North
America that (C) ______ are the western Canadian province of British Columbia and the United States city of
Las Vegas. They are currently being tested in Ottawa on the express routes. The city of Davis, California, in the
United States uses vintage double-decker buses for public transport. Davis, California is also home to the first
vintage double-decker bus converted from diesel gasoline to run on CNG. The city of Victoria, BC, the city of
Vancouver, British Columbia, and a couple of others use Dennis Tridents. A few are also used as tour buses,
especially in New York. Double-deckers are have also been used in Mumbai since 1937.
In Brazil, (D) ______, some companies use double-decker buses. Double-deckers are not a good option for use
outside the towns (most roads in Brazil are in very poor condition), and (E) ______.
Double-decker buses are in widespread use in India in many of the major cities. Some double-decker buses (F)
______, with no roof and shallow sides. These are popular for sightseeing tours.
1. double-deckers are adored by thousands of tourists

2. use double-decker buses for public transport
3. double-decker city buses are less common
4. where perhaps the most famous was the London Routemaster
5. their use is being discouraged by transportation authorities
6. have an open upper deck
7. where buses are sometimes the only interstate transport

A B C D E F
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Text 12
Duration of life and its social implications
The world’s population is about to reach a landmark of huge social and economic importance, when the
proportion of the global population over 65 outnumbers children under 5 for the first time. A new report by
the US census bureau shows (A) ______, with enormous consequences for both rich and poor nations.
The rate of growth will shoot up in the next couple of years. The (В) ______ a combination of the high birth
rates after the Second World War and more recent improvements in health that are bringing down death rates
at older ages. Separate UN forecasts predict that the global population will be more than nine billion by 2050.
The US census bureau was the first to sound (С) ______. Its latest forecasts warn governments and
international bodies that this change in population structure will bring widespread challenges at every level of
human organization, starting with the structure of the family, which will be transformed as people live longer.
This will in turn place new burdens on careers and social services providers, (D) ______ for health services and
pensions systems.
“People are living longer and, in some parts of the world, healthier lives,” the authors conclude. “This
represents one of the greatest achievements of the last century but also a significant challenge (E) ______
population.”
Ageing will put pressure on societies at all levels. One way of measuring that is to look at the older
dependency ratio, (F) ______ that must be supported by them. The ODR is the number of people aged 65 and
over for every 100 people aged 20 to 64. It varies widely, from just six in Kenya to 33 in Italy and Japan. The UK
has an ODR of 26, and the US has 21.
1. change is due to
2. a huge shift towards an ageing population
3. as proportions of older people increase in most countries
4. while patterns of work and retirement will have huge implications
5. which recently replaced Italy as the world’s oldest major country
6. the alarm about these changes
7. which shows the balance between working-age people and the older

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Text 13
Earth-sheltered homes
Earth-sheltered or simply underground homes are one of those creations by man, which brings him closer to
nature. Unlike the normal traditional houses that (A) ______, these earth-sheltered homes are built using the
shelter of the ground. Earth-sheltered homes can be easily made in hilly areas.
The basic idea behind the construction of such a house is that they are built with the idea of (B) ______ and
each of these homes is built entirely different from each other.
The construction of these homes is usually done according to the shape of the area where the house is built.
Their designs (C) ______ to the nature. The early earth houses which were initially built lacked windows.
Modern day earth-sheltered homes though have windows as well as any other facility that the people living
there might require.
Some of the major benefits of earth-sheltered homes are that they are naturally insulating. This makes them
cool in the summer and cozy and warm in the winter. Another advantage (D) ______ and are well protected
from earthquakes as well as wind-storms. Many earth-sheltered homes are also defended against intruders
since there is usually only one entry.
As everything has its pros and cons, earth-sheltered homes also do. The interior decoration of these homes,
like placing the furniture or huge paintings, (E) ______. These homes also have dark spaces inside and for this
reason, lots of lighting is essential.
Earth-sheltered homes are one of the greenest housing designs that combines Mother Nature with eco-
friendly (F) ______.
1. are built on the ground

2. are usually very organic
3. is being built facing south
4. being environmentally friendly
5. building materials and lifestyle
6. is that these homes are safe from fire
7. can be difficult due to the construction
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Text 14
Europe’s best hidden gems
There are incredible destinations in Europe known worldwide, such as Amsterdam and its canals, London and
its museums, its shopping and atmosphere, or Paris, the City of Light. Europe also has thousands of hidden
treasures. There is a wide selection of the finest unknown destinations in Europe, from Lugano in Switzerland
(A) ______.
Lugano is an international city, the crossroads and melting pot of European culture. It constitutes one of the
most interesting regions to be discovered. Lugano is not only Switzerland’s third most important financial
centre, (B) ______ old buildings.
The area of Cinque Terre in Italy represents one of the best preserved natural sights of the Mediterranean.
Human activity has contributed to creating a unique landscape in which the development of typical stone walls
is so extensive (C) ______. All this, (D) ______, makes the Cinque Terre an increasingly popular location among
Italian and foreign tourists.
Sintra is a jewel set between the mountains and the sea, waiting to be discovered by tourists (E) ______,
luxuriant nature and cosmopolitan cultural offer. Sintra has a wonderful charm that left a deep impression on
the soul and work of the writers (F) ______. Sintra is truly the capital of Romanticism. It is a place to be
experienced by everyone!
1. but showed evidence of an early human housing

2. to Cinque Terre in Italy and Sintra in Portugal
3. as to equal that of the famous Great Wall of China
4. but also a town of parks and flowers, villas and
5. who want to be lost in its majestic historical heritage
6. combined with the beauty of a crystal clear sea
7. who pioneered the Romantic spirit in the eighteenth century
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Text 15
Fire Crews Hunt Escaped Hamster
Eight firefighters have been called in to help find an escaped hamster. Two crews used a chocolate-covered
camera and a vacuum cleaner (A) ______, called Fudgie, at the home of a six-year-old girl in Dunbar, Scotland.
The girl’s mother said: ‘We came down for breakfast and discovered Fudgie had opened the top lid of her cage
and had made her way into the kitchen and we think she has gone (В) ______.’
The fire crews spent five hours trying to recover the pet after it ran down a hole in the kitchen floor. But, the
hamster still refused (С) ______.
In the search for Fudgie, the firefighters took the family cooker and gas pipes apart. They also dropped a mini-
camera coated with chocolate under the floorboards. They then hoped to take out the hamster using a
vacuum cleaner. Despite all their efforts, they failed to find Fudgie.
In the end, the firefighters put another camera down the hole (D) ______, connected to the screen of the
family home computer, to see if Fudgie appeared. Besides, the girl and her parents regularly dropped food (E)
______.
At last, after eight days the hamster returned to her cage safe and sound. She crawled from the hole in the
kitchen floor early in the morning. It was the girl’s father who first found Fudgie (F) ______.
The girl said that day it was like Christmas morning for her. Her parents added that they too felt extremely
happy when Fudgie had finally returned.
1. through a small hole in the floor

2. through the hole for the hamster
3. and locked the runaway hamster
4. to come out of the hole
5. to look after the pet
6. to try and locate the missing hamster
7. and left it under the floorboards
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Text 16
Friendship and Love
A strong friendship takes a significant amount of time to develop. It will not just magically mature overnight. A
friendship involves committing oneself to help another person (A) ______. I believe that, nothing can replace a
true friend, not material objects, or money, and definitely not a boy.
I met this guy a couple summers ago who I ended up spending almost all of my free time with. His parents did
not approve of our dating because of our age difference, (В) ______. He had told me the day we met that he
had joined the air force and would leave for overseas that coming October. After three months had past, the
time came when he had to leave. This left me feeling completely alone.
I turned to my friends for support, but to my surprise, (С) ______. I had spent so much time with this guy and
so little time with them, that they did not feel sorry for me when he left. For so long they had become the only
constant in my life, and I had taken them for granted over something (D) ______.
When my boyfriend came back, our relationship changed. I tried to fix all the aspects in my life that had gone
so wrong in the previous six months.
This experience taught me that true friendships will only survive if one puts forth effort to make them last.
Keeping friends close will guarantee that (E) ______. When a relationship falls apart, a friend will always do
everything in their power to make everything less painful. As for me, I try to keep my friends as close as I can. I
know they will always support me in whatever I do, and to them, (F) ______.
1. but we did anyway.

2. whenever a need arises.
3. they did not really care.
4. whenever they need your help.
5. I could not guarantee would even last.
6. I am eternally grateful for a second chance.
7. someone will always have a shoulder to cry on.
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Text 17
Grant-making agency
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent grant-making agency of the United
States government. Established in 1965, it is one of the largest sources of grant funds for humanities projects
and programs in the U.S. NEH promotes knowledge of the history, thought, and culture, not only of the United
States, (A) ______.
NEH grants facilitate research and original scholarship, strengthen teaching and learning in the humanities in
American schools and colleges, give opportunities for citizens to engage in lifelong learning, (B) ______.
The Endowment is directed by a chairman, (C) ______ and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a term of four
years. Advising the chairman is the National Council on the Humanities, a board of 26 distinguished private
citizens (D) ______ with the advice of the Senate. The National Council members serve six-year terms.
NEH grants are typically awarded to U.S. cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges,
universities, and public television and radio stations, (E) ______. Eligibility is limited to U.S. non-profit
institutions and to U.S. citizens and foreigners (F) ______ prior to the time of application. Grants are awarded
through a competitive process. The chairman takes into account the advice provided by the review process
and, by law, makes all funding decisions.
1. who is appointed by the president

2. but of other countries of the world
3. but in every aspect of social sciences
4. who are also appointed by the president
5. who have been living in the U.S. for three years
6. as well as to individual scholars of the humanities
7. as well as provide access to cultural and educational resources
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Text 18
Harry Potter course for university students
Students of Durham University are being given the chance to sign up to what is thought to be the UK’s first
course focusing on the world of Harry Potter. Although every English-speaking person in the world knows
about Harry Potter books and films, few have thought of using them as a guide to … modern life.
The Durham University module uses the works of JK Rowling (A) ______ modern society. “Harry Potter and the
Age of Illusion” will be available for study next year. So far about 80 undergraduates have signed (В) ______ a
BA degree in Education Studies. Future educationalists will analyse JK Rowling’s fanfiction from various points
of view.
A university spokesman said: “This module places the Harry Potter novels in a wider social and cultural
context.” He added that a number of themes would be explored, (С) ______ the classroom, bullying, friendship
and solidarity and the ideals of and good citizenship.
The module was created by the head of the Department of Education at Durham University. He said the idea
for the new module had appeared in response (D) ______ body: “It seeks to place the series in its wider social
and cultural context and will explore some fundamental issues (E) ______ . You just need to read the academic
writing which started (F) ______ that Harry Potter is worthy of serious study.”
1. up for the optional module, part of

2. such as the moral universe of the school
3. to examine prejudice, citizenship and bullying in
4. including the world of rituals, prejudice and intolerance in
5. to emerge four or five years ago to see
6. such as the response of the writer
7. to growing demand from the student
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Text 19
Healthy School Meals
Children at Southdown Infants School in Bath enjoy tasty homemade meals such as roast turkey with fresh
vegetables, chicken, salad and fresh fruit for pudding. Vegetables are (A) ______. Instead of crisps, chocolate
and sweets, the school canteen serves organic carrots, dried fruit and fresh seasonal fruit in bags for 10p, (B)
______.
Southdown’s healthy eating initiative began four years ago with the start of a breakfast club.
Now Ms Culley, the head teacher of the school, says that the teachers very clearly see the link between diet
and concentration. “Children’s concentration and behaviour (C) ______.” The teachers would also like to give
the children the experience of eating together. It turned out that some children weren’t used to that.
Pupils are also encouraged to find out more about where their food comes from by (D) ______. Parents are
also involved and are invited in to try school dinners on special occasions, (E) ______.
The efforts of staff, pupils and parents to create a healthy eating environment were recognized earlier this
month (F) ______ the Best School Dinner award.
Ms Culley said: “We are happy to win this award. Healthy eating is at the centre of everything we do. It’s really
rewarding to see so many children enjoy real food.”
1. such as Easter and Christmas

2. visiting a local farm
3. local, fresh and organic where possible
4. provide good quality food
5. definitely improve after a good meal
6. and about 100 bags are sold each day
7. when the school was awarded
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Text 20
Hi-tech brings families together
Technology is helping families stay in touch like never before, says a report carried out in the US.
Instead of driving people apart, mobile phones and the Internet are (A) ______. The research looked at the
differences in technology use between families with children and single adults. It found that traditional families
have more hi-tech gadgets in their home (B) ______. Several mobile phones were found in 89% of families and
66% had a high-speed Internet connection. The research also found that 58% of families have more (C) ______.
Many people use their mobile phone to keep in touch and communicate with parents and children. Seventy
percent of couples, (D) ______, use it every day to chat or say hello. In addition, it was found that 42% of
parents contact their children via their mobile every day.
The growing use of mobile phones, computers and the Internet means that families no longer gather round
the TV to spend time together. 25% of those who took part in the report said they now spend less time (E)
______. Only 58% of 18-29 year olds said they watched TV every day. Instead the research found that 52% of
Internet users who live with their families go online (F) ______ several times a week and 51% of parents
browse the web with their children.
«Some analysts have worried that new technologies hurt families, but we see that technology allows for new
kinds of connectedness built around cell phones and the Internet,» said the report.
1. than any other group

2. watching television
3. in the company of someone else
4. than two computers in the home
5. communicated with their families
6. helping them communicate
7. owning a mobile
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Text 21
Kazan
The exact date of Kazan foundation is unknown. According to the opinions of some historians, it was founded
in the second half of the 13th century, but other specialists believe (A) ______. It is located on the banks of the
Volga River. Since 1438 the city was the capital of Kazan Khanate, (B) ______ Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible.
Nowadays, Kazan is the capital of the Tatarstan republic. Kazan is a large industrial centre of the region. It
witnessed many important historical events. Kazan is a very interesting city from the architectural point of
view. Here one can see old buildings, (C) ______ to the present day, for example, the Kremlin with different
constructions, the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Marjani Mosque.
The Kazan Kremlin is definitely one of the most attractive places in the city. It is a unique mixture of historical
and architectural monuments. The real fortress, with a history lasting through the ages, and its buildings
absorbed pieces of Slavic and Turkic cultures, (D) ______ Muslim and Christian civilizations. On the territory of
the Kazan Kremlin tourists will find a complex of old buildings, (E) ______, sandstone constructions of the 16–
18th centuries, as well as some modern museums. Tourists will have a chance to visit a real fortress and feel a
breath of ages while walking inside a unique historical monument, (F) ______ World Heritage Sites in 2000.
1. and in 1552 it was conquered by

2. that the city was founded in 1177
3. which have been carefully preserved
4. that the city has many tourist attractions
5. which were created in the 10-15th centuries
6. taking the best parts of urban planning from
7. which was included in the list of the UNESCO
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Text 22
Laughing and evolution
The first hoots of laughter from an ancient ancestor of humans could be heard at least 10 million years ago,
according to the results of a new study. Researchers used recordings of apes and babies being tickled (A)
______ to the last common ancestor that humans shared with the modern great apes, which include
chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.
The finding challenges the opinion (В) ______, suggesting instead that it emerged long before humans split
from the evolutionary path that led to our primate cousins, between 10m and 16m years ago.
“In humans, laughing can be the strongest way of expressing how much we are enjoying ourselves, but it can
also be used in other contexts, like making fun of someone,” said Marina Davila Ross, a psychologist at
Portsmouth University. “I was interested in (С) ______.”
Davila Ross travelled to seven zoos around Europe and visited a wildlife reserve in Sabah, Borneo, to record
baby and juvenile apes (D) ______. Great apes are known to make noises that are similar to laughter when
they are excited and while they are playing with each other.
Davila Ross collected recordings of laughter from 21 chimps, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos and added
recordings of three babies that were tickled to make them laugh.
To analyze the recordings, the team put them into a computer program. “Our evolutionary tree based on these
acoustic recordings alone showed (E) ______, but furthest from orangutans, with gorillas somewhere in the
middle.” said Davila Ross. “What this shows is strong evidence to suggest (F) ______.”
1. that laughter is a uniquely human trait

2. to create the evolutionary tree linking humans and apes
3. while their caretakers tickled them
4. that laughing comes from a common primate ancestor
5. to trace the origin of laughter back
6. whether laughing emerged earlier on than humans did
7. that humans were closest to chimps and bonobos

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Text 23
Letniy Sad
Letniy Sad (The Summer Garden) is a park ensemble, a monument of landscape art of the 18th century. Letniy
Sad is the oldest park in St. Petersburg. The park was founded by Peter I in 1704. The Tsar dreamed of his own
Versailles and drew its original plan himself. He planned to create a regular, architectural park with accurate
layout and straight paths. Prominent architects and gardeners took part in its creation. The park was supposed
to become a place of relaxation, (A) ______.
Letniy Sad is surrounded by water. Natural boundary of the park from the north and east are the Neva and
Fontanka Rivers, (B) ______.
Peter I brought sculptures from Italy for the park and was very proud of them. In the 18th century there were
more than two hundred sculptures, (C) ______, or moved to suburban royal residences and the Hermitage.
Now Letniy Sad is decorated with 90 sculptures – copies made of artificial marble.
In May, 2012 Letniy Sad was opened after reconstruction. The reconstruction work had been going on for
about three years, (D) ______ Letniy Sad as it was in the 18th century. Among the new items in Letniy Sad,
there is the Archaeological Museum, (E) ______ during the restoration of the park. Visitors can take a tour of
the park (F) ______ on Sundays.
1. and restorers have done everything possible to keep

2. combining the features of urban and suburban estates
3. which are planned to be the centre of scientific research
4. which contains interesting objects found by archaeologists
5. but later many of them were either destroyed in the flood
6. and enjoy the exhibitions and performances of a brass band
7. and from the south and west – the Moika River and the Lebyazhiy Canal
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Text 24
Lindsay Wildlife Museum
Lindsay Wildlife Museum is a unique natural history and environmental education centre where visitors can
listen to the cry of a red-tailed hawk, go eye-to-eye with a grey fox and watch a bald eagle eat lunch. More
than fifty species of native California animals are on exhibit here.
Thousands of school children learn about the natural environment in their classrooms (A) ______ of the
museum. Nature- and science- oriented classes and trips are offered for adults and children. More than 600
volunteers help to feed and care for wild animals, (В) ______. Volunteers are active in the museum’s work,
contributing (С) ______.
The museum was founded by a local businessman, Alexander Lindsay. Sandy, as friends knew him, started
teaching neighborhood children about nature in the early 1950s. Initially housed in an elementary school, the
museum began offering school-aged children summer classes, (D) ______.
After nearly a decade of the museum operation, it became apparent (E) ______. With a new 5,000 square-foot
home, the museum could now develop and display a permanent collection of live, native wildlife and natural
history objects.
People came to the museum for help with wild animals (F) ______ urban growth. In response, a formal wildlife
rehabilitation programme — the first of its kind in the United States of America — began in 1970.
1. that needed public attention and a new building

2. through education programmes and on-site tours
3. many hours of service to wildlife care and fundraising
4. that a permanent, year-round site was necessary
5. as well as field trips focused on the natural world
6. that had been injured or orphaned because of intense
7. as well as teach children and adults about nature
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Text 25
London Zoo
London Zoo is one of the most important zoos in the world. There are over 12,000 animals at London Zoo and
(A) ______! Its main concern is to breed threatened animals in captivity. This means we might be able to
restock the wild, should disaster ever befall the wild population.
Partula Snail, Red Crowned Crane, Arabian Oryx, Golden Lion Tamarin, Persian Leopard, Asiatic Lion and
Sumatran Tiger are just some of the species London Zoo is helping to save.
That is why it is so important that we fight to preserve the habitats that these animals live in, as well as
eliminate other dangers (В) ______. But we aim to make your day at London Zoo a fun and memorable time,
(С) ______.
In the Ambika Paul Children’s Zoo, for instance, youngsters can learn a new love and appreciation for animals
(D) ______. They can also learn how to care for favourite pets in the Pet Care Centre.
Then there are numerous special Highlight events (E) ______ unforgettable pony rides to feeding times and
spectacular animal displays. You will get to meet keepers and ask them what you are interested in about the
animals they care for, (F) ______ .
Whatever you decide, you will have a great day. We have left no stone unturned to make sure you do!
1. because they see and touch them close up

2. such as hunting exotic animals and selling furs
3. as well as the ins and outs of being a keeper at London Zoo
4. that is not counting every ant in the colony
5. which demand much time and effort
6. which take place every day, from
7. despite the serious side to our work
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Text 26
Lots of fun in Cardiff
As you would expect of a capital city, Cardiff offers a huge choice of exciting sport and entertainment
throughout the year.
Every March the city celebrates St. David, Wales’ patron saint, with parades and music. August sees the
International Festival of Street Entertainment, with the heart of the city (A) ______. Family fun days in the
parks and at the waterfront are part of this sensational summer scene. Brass and military bands are often to be
seen on Cardiff s streets. Between May and October the world’s only seagoing paddle steamer cruises from
Cardiff’s seaside resort.
In autumn the fun continues with Cardiff s Festival of the Arts (В) ______. Music is at the centre of the festival,
with international stars (С) ______. Christmas in Cardiff is full of colour and festivities. The truly spectacular
Christmas illuminations have earned Cardiff the title of «Christmas City». And there is entertainment for all the
family, (D) ______.
There is always something happening in Cardiff. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National
Opera can both be heard here. Cardiff previews many London «West End» shows (E) ______.
The city’s range of accommodation facilities is truly impressive, (F) ______. And with a city as compact as
Cardiff there are places to stay in all price brackets.
1. joining some of Wales’ most talented musicians

2. having their summer holidays in Cardiff
3. beating with dance and theatrical performances
4. from pantomimes to Christmas tree celebrations
5. which features music, film, literature and graphics
6. from international names to family-run guest houses
7. that usually attract hundreds of theatre lovers
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Text 27
Mobile phones
On New Year’s Day, 1985, Michael Harrison phoned his father, Sir Ernest, to wish him a happy new year. Sir
Ernest was chairman of Racal Electronics, the owner of Vodafone, (A) ______.
At the time, mobile phones weighed almost a kilogram, cost several thousand pounds and provided only 20
minutes talktime. The networks themselves were small; Vodafone had just a dozen masts covering London.
Nobody had any idea of the huge potential of wireless communication and the dramatic impact (В) ______.
Hardly anyone believed there would come a day when mobile phones were so popular (С) ______. But in 1999
one mobile phone was sold in the UK every four seconds, and by 2004 there were more mobile phones in the
UK than people. The boom was a result of increased competition which pushed prices lower and created
innovations in the way that mobiles were sold.
When the government introduced more competition, companies started cutting prices to attract more
customers. Cellnet, for example, changed its prices, (D) ______. It also introduced local call tariffs.
The way that handsets themselves were marketed was also changing and it was Finland’s Nokia who made (E)
______. In the late 1990s Nokia realized that the mobile phone was a fashion item: so it offered
interchangeable covers which allowed you to customize and personalize your handset.
The mobile phone industry has spent the later part of the past decade reducing its monthly charge (F) ______,
which has culminated in the fight between the iPhone and a succession of touch screen rivals.
1. that there would be more phones in the UK than there are people
2. the leap from phones as technology to phones as fashion items
3. and his son was making the first-ever mobile phone call in the UK
4. the move to digital technology, connecting machines to wireless networks
5. trying to persuade people to do more with their phones than just call and text
6. that mobile phones would have over the next quarter century
7. and relying instead on actual call charges
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Text 28
Moscow Metro
The Moscow Metro is a rapid transit system serving Moscow and the neighbouring Moscow region towns of
Krasnogorsk and Reutov. This is the second in intensity metro system in the world after the Tokyo subway. The
system consists of 12 lines with a total length of 298.8 km, with 182 stations.
The first line was opened on May 15, 1935 (A) ______ to the station “Park Kultury”, with a branch to the
station “Smolenskaya”. The Moscow Metro was originally named after L. Kaganovich. Almost from the first
years of the Moscow Metro, it was intended (B) ______. In April 1941 it was declared (C) ______ a mass bomb
shelter. During World War II thousands of Muscovites were hiding there from air strikes.
The Moscow Metro is known for the rich decorative design work of many stations with samples of art of
socialist realism. Moscow metro stations are also called “underground palaces of Moscow” (D) ______.
The underground complexes are decorated with statues and reliefs, monumental and decorative compositions
such as paintings, mosaics and stained-glass windows, (E) ______ the country. For instance, stations
“Pushkinskaya” and “Ploschad Revolyutsii” are decorated with 76 bronze sculptures by M. Manizer, and
“Kropotkinskaya” (F) ______. Many stations belong to the most interesting monuments of architecture of
1930–1950. Some of them are officially protected by the state.
1. to be used for civil defence

2. that the Metro was to be used as
3. and ran from the station “Sokolniki”
4. as they look like magnificent palace halls
5. which were created by the leading artists of
6. which was considered a masterpiece of architecture
7. and “Komsomolskaya-Koltsevaya” with mosaics by P. Korin
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Text 29
My Stage
My family moved to Rockaway, New Jersey in the summer of 1978. It was there that my dreams of stardom
began.
I was nine years old. Heather Lambrix lived next door, and she and I became best friends. I thought she was so
lucky (A) ______. She took tap and jazz and got to wear cool costumes with bright sequences and makeup and
perform on stage. I went to all of her recitals and (В) ______.
My living room and sometimes the garage were my stage. I belonged to a cast of four, which consisted of
Heather, my two younger sisters, Lisa and Faith, and I. Since I was the oldest and the bossiest, I was the
director. Heather came with her own costumes (С) ______. We choreographed most of our dance numbers as
we went along. Poor Faith … we would throw her around (D) ______. She was only about four or five … and so
agile. We danced around in our bathing suits to audiocassettes and records from all the Broadway musicals.
We’d put a small piece of plywood on the living room carpet, (E) ______. And I would imitate her in my
sneakers on the linoleum in the hall. I was a dancer in the making.
My dad eventually converted a part of our basement into a small theater. He hung two “spotlights” and a
sheet for a curtain. We performed dance numbers to tunes like “One” and “The Music and the Mirror” from A
Chorus Line. I sang all the songs from Annie. I loved to sing, (F) ______. I just loved to sing. So I belted out
songs like “Tomorrow”, “Maybe” and “What I Did For Love.” I knew then, this is what I wanted to do with my
life.
1. and I designed the rest

2. and I was star struck
3. because she got to go to dance lessons
4. like she was a rag doll
5. whether I was good at it or not
6. wished I, too, could be on stage
7. so Heather could do her tap routine
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Text 30
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art was created in Washington D.C. for the people of the United States in 1937. It
started with the gift of the financier and art collector (A) ______. His gift also included a building to house the
new museum, to be constructed on the National Mall. Opened to the public in 1941, this grand building, (B)
______, was at the time the largest marble structure in the world.
The newly created National Gallery soon attracted similar gifts from hundreds of other collectors. This tradition
of generosity continues to this day with gifts from private donors and artists (C) ______.
The gallery’s East building contains the collection of modern and contemporary painting, sculpture, (D)
______. The East and West buildings are connected by an underground tunnel with a moving walkway.
The National Gallery enjoys federal support, (E) ______, to fulfill its mission to exhibit and interpret great
works of European and American art in the nation’s collection. Since its founding, federal funds have fostered
the protection and care of the art collection and have supported the gallery’s work, ensuring (F) ______.
Private funding helped to create a renowned collection of works of art and to construct the two landmark
buildings. Private support makes possible to arrange a changing programme of special exhibitions.
1. which is now called the West building

2. that the gallery brings daily profit to the country
3. who are willing to share their possessions with the public
4. who presented old master paintings and sculptures to the country
5. as well as partnership with private organizations
6. that the gallery is open daily and free of charge
7. as well as an advanced research centre and an art library
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Text 31
Natural Links In a Long Chain of Being
I believe we are not alone. Even if I am on the other side of the world from the farmhouse I live in, I still dream
of the ancient vines out the window, and the shed out back that my grandfather’s father built in 1870 with
eucalyptus trunks. As long as I can recreate these images, (A) ______.
All of us need some grounding in our modern world of constant moving, buying, selling, meeting and leaving.
Some find constancy in religion, others in friends or community. But we need some daily signposts that we are
not different, not better, (B) ______.
For me, this house, farm, these ancient vines are those roots. Although I came into this world alone and will
leave alone, I am not alone.
There are ghosts of dozens of conversations in the hallways, stories I remember about buying new plows that
now rust in the barnyard and ruined crops from the same vines (C) ______.
All of us are natural links in a long chain of being, and that I need to know what time of day it is, what season is
coming, whether the wind is blowing north or from the east, and if the moon is still full tomorrow night, (D)
______.
The physical world around us constantly changes, (E) ______. We must struggle in our brief existence to find
some transcendent meaning and so find relief in the knowledge (F) ______.
You may find that too boring, living with the past as present. I find it refreshing. There is an old answer to
every new problem, that wise whispers of the past are with us. If we just listen and remember, we are not
alone; we have been here before.
1. I never quite leave home

2. but human nature does not
3. that we are now harvesting
4. but we as well as our heart did not
5. not worse than those who came before us
6. just as the farmers who came before me did
7. that our ancestors have gone through this before
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Text 32
Nenets culture affected by global warming
For 1,000 years the indigenous Nenets people have migrated along the 450-mile- long Yamal peninsula in
northern Russia. In summer they wander northwards, taking their reindeer with them. In winter they return
southwards.
But this remote region of north-west Siberia is now being affected by global warming. Traditionally the Nenets
travel across the frozen River Ob in November (A) ______ around Nadym. These days, though, this annual
winter migration is delayed. Last year the Nenets, together with many thousands of reindeer, had to wait until
late December (В) ______.
“Our reindeer were hungry. There wasn’t enough food,” Jakov Japtik, a Nenets reindeer herder, said. “The
snow is melting sooner, quicker and faster than before. In spring it’s difficult for the reindeer to pull the
sledges. They get tired,” Japtik said.
Herders say that the peninsula’s weather is increasingly unpredictable — with unseasonal snowstorms (С)
______, and milder longer autumns. In winter, temperatures used to go down to -50°C. Now they are normally
around -30°C, according to Japtik. “Obviously we prefer -30°C. But the changes aren’t good for the reindeer (D)
______,” he said, setting off on his sledge to round up his reindeer herd.
Even here, in one of the most remote parts of the planet, (E) ______. Last year the Nenets arrived at a regular
summer camping spot and discovered that half of their lake had disappeared. The water had drained away
after a landslide. The Nenets report other curious changes — there are fewer mosquitoes and a strange
increase in flies. Scientists say there is unmistakable evidence (F) ______.
1. when the reindeer give birth in May

2. that Yamal’s ancient permafrost is melting
3. that the impact on Russia would be disastrous
4. when the ice was finally thick enough to cross
5. the environment is under pressure
6. and set up their camps in the southern forests
7. and in the end what is good for the reindeer is good for us

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Text 33
Nevsky Prospect
Nevsky Prospect is the main and most famous street of St. Petersburg. The unique architectural ensemble of
Nevsky Prospect was formed during the 18th – early 20th centuries. It starts from the bank of the Neva River,
runs through the centre of the city and ends at the Neva River. The whole history of St. Petersburg can be seen
in the history of the avenue. The length of Nevsky Prospect is 4.5 km, the width is 25-60 m. The narrowest
section is located from the Admiralty to the Moika River, (A) ______.
After the construction of the Admiralty in 1704 and the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in 1710, it was decided to
build a road (B) ______ each other and with the Novgorod Path, which was used by Russian merchants. The
construction began on both sides at the same time, the roads were laid through the wood, and in 1760s they
were connected into one road, (C) ______, but with a turn at the Vosstaniya Square. Nevsky Prospect got its
name only in 1783. The road was paved with cobble stones, (D) ______. It was the first street in St. Petersburg
with gas lighting. By the early 20th century Nevsky Prospect had become the financial centre of Russia (E)
______ had their offices there.
Nowadays, Nevsky Prospect is the centre of cultural and social life of St. Petersburg. There are museums,
theatres, exhibition halls, cinemas, restaurants, cafés, shops (F) ______.
1. and hotels there or nearby the avenue

2. showing the original width of the avenue
3. which was not as straight as it was planned
4. which were built by famous architects and
5. connecting these two important structures with
6. and a few rows of trees were planted along the street
7. as the 40 largest banks of Russia, Europe and America
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Text 34
Orient Express
In the early 1860s, trains were the preferred way to travel. They weren’t particularly comfortable, however,
until American engineer George Mortimer Pullman decided to make trains more luxurious.
By the late 1860s, trains furnished not only sleeping cars, but kitchen and dining facilities, where (A) ______.
This was innovative for the time, and was aimed to encourage people (В) ______. The first of these Pullman
trains in England ran from London to Brighton and used electricity for illumination.
In 1881, another railway entrepreneur, George Nagelmacker, introduced the use of a restaurant car onboard,
and the first Orient Express train service was begun. Running from Paris to Romania the route included
Strasbourg, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest.
Thanks to the 12 mile Simplon Tunnel, (С) ______, the Orient Express expanded, including a route to Istanbul,
and the legendary romance of the Orient Express was in full swing.
Everyone in the social register, including royalty, chose to travel on the wheels of that luxury hotel (D) ______
in wealthy surroundings. Legends, stories, and intrigue surrounded those trips to exotic places, and those
famous people (E) ______.
Unfortunately, during World War II this luxury travel was closed for the most part, and later, after the war, (F)
______ to start it again. Within the next few years airplane travel became popular, and train passenger service
declined.
1. which connected Switzerland and Italy

2. there was no money
3. that served dishes and wines
4. elegant meals were served to passengers
5. who rode the train
6. to use trains for long distance travel and vacations
7. who wrote about it
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Text 35
Peter and Paul Fortress
The Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, located on small Hare Island, is the historic core of the city. The
history of St. Petersburg begins with the history of the fortress.
Since 1700 Russia had been fighting the Northern War against Sweden. By 1703 the lands by the Neva River
were conquered. To protect them from the attacks of the Swedes it was necessary to build a strong outpost
here. The fortress was founded on Hare Island 16 (27) May, 1703 by joint plan of Peter I and French engineer
Joseph-Gaspard Lambert de Guerin. This day is well known (A) ______.
The fortress stretches from west to east with six bastions (B) ______. The Peter’s Gate on the east side, (C)
______, has remained since the time of Peter I. The Peter and Paul Cathedral, (D) ______ emperors and the
monument of Russian baroque, was completed after the death of the emperor, in 1733. The weathervane as a
golden angel with a cross, (E) ______, is one of the main symbols of the city. On the opposite side of the
cathedral, there is the Mint building, constructed in the time of Paul I by architect A. Porto. Coinage was
moved to the fortress (F) ______ in the time of Peter I. The Peter and Paul Fortress has never directly
participated in any fighting. From the very beginning of its existence it was used as a political prison. Since
1924 the Peter and Paul Fortress has been a part of the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.
1. that are located at the corners

2. which was designed by D. Trezzini
3. as the most protected part of the city
4. which was the burial place of Russian
5. as the day of the birth of St. Petersburg
6. and reminding of the rich history of the city
7. which is located on the spire of the cathedral
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Text 36
Saint Petersburg
A city of palaces and museums, broad avenues and narrow canals, St. Petersburg’s short history is rich in
architectural and artistic treasures. Alongside world-famous attractions such as the Hermitage and St. Isaac’s
Cathedral, the city has a lot of equally interesting buildings (A) ______. St. Petersburg is considered to be
Russia’s cultural capital. It reflects the country’s extraordinary fate like no other city.
St. Petersburg is a relatively young city, by both Russian and European standards, as (B) ______. Despite its
short life, the city has a rich history. From the early days of Peter the Great to modern times, the city has
always bustled with life and intrigue.
Lying across the delta of the Neva River, St. Petersburg, the Venice of the North, is a city (C) ______, some of
which are well-known for their unique history. Bridges are an essential part of the city’s architectural make-up.
Among the city’s over 500 bridges, there are numerous technological masterpieces. The centre of the city
offers vast areas of green space, (D) ______.
St. Petersburg is a beautiful and fascinating holiday destination and one (E) ______. Whether to visit the city in
a romantic and snowy Russian winter (F) ______, visitors will be spellbound by St. Petersburg’s culture and
beauty.
1. that is built on hundreds of islands

2. or during the dazzling white nights in summer
3. it was only founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great
4. or considering a variety of the trip accommodation offers
5. that reveal the mysterious and tragic genius of St. Petersburg
6. of the most intriguing and historically significant cities in Europe
7. including beautiful historic gardens and extensive leisure parks
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Text 37
Saturday jobs: memories of weekend working
Research has shown a sharp fall in the number of teenagers who do Saturday jobs. It seems such a shame —
my Saturday job as a kitchen porter was something of a rite of passage. I’ll never forget long hours (A) ______,
scouring grease off huge saucepans and griddles. Working atmosphere there helped me grow a thicker skin,
develop quicker banter and, most importantly, taught me the value of hard work. It also resulted in a steady
supply of cash, (В) ______. I’m not the only one who has strong memories of weekend work. DJ Trevor Nelson
said everyone should be able to have a Saturday job: «It taught me a lot, (С) ______.»
The link between the type of Saturday job a celebrity performed and their later career is sometimes obvious.
Dragon’s Den star and businessman Peter Jones, for example, showed early promise by starting his own
business. «I passed my Lawn Tennis Association coaching exam, (D) ______,» he explains. «At the start I was
coaching other kids, (E) ______, for which I could charge £25-30 an hour. While my friends on milk rounds
were getting £35 a week, I was doing five hours on a Saturday and earning four times as much.»
Skier Chemmy Alcott got a job working for the Good Ski Guide, on the advertising side. «It became clear to me
what my personal value to companies could be. It led directly to me finding my head sponsor … and it offered
me an eight-year contract. That gave me the financial backing (F) ______.»
As part of its response to the Saturday job statistics, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills said a lack
of early work opportunities makes it harder for young people to acquire experience for their СVs.
1. but soon I got adults wanting to book lessons

2. which I would happily spend as I liked
3. which let me know he approved of me
4. and things would be different if everyone was given the chance
5. which I needed to become a professional skier
6. that I spent in the kitchen of a busy country pub in East Sussex
7. and I persuaded my local club to let me use a court on Saturdays
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Text 38
Scouting moves ahead
The Scout Movement, which is also known as the Boy Scouts has changed massively in more than 100 years,
though many people do not realise this.
For many people in Britain the word “scouting” evokes images of boys in short trousers (A) ______. Many
people imagine that the Scout Association and its female counterpart the Guides Association are old-
fashioned. They think these associations are for people (B) ______ than the future, people who just like
camping in the rain and washing in cold water.
It’s quite easy to understand why Scouts and Guides have this sort of image. The “Boy Scouts” were founded
over 100 years ago by Robert Baden-Powell, a retired English army general; the “Girl Guides” followed three
years later. They were organised in an almost military manner. Young people had to learn discipline and how
to do things as a group. They (C) ______ in difficult conditions, learnt to make campfires and, yes, they
certainly had to get used to washing in cold water. In those days though, that (D) ______ many people washed
in cold water.
Nevertheless, even at the start, there was much more to scouting than that. Scouts and Guides also learned
the value of solidarity. Right from the start, they had to cope with difficult situations, (E) ______, and play a
useful part in society. Baden-Powell’s organisations were inclusive, and never exclusive; any young person
could become a Scout or a Guide, regardless of race, background or religion.
Though the Scout and Guide movements began in England, they soon spread to other countries, and within 50
years, scouting (F) ______ with young people all over the world.
1. who are more interested in the past

2. and girls in blue uniforms
3. that were generally better
4. was not particularly unusual as
5. went on camping expeditions
6. interact with other people
7. had become a popular activity
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Text 39
Scouting moves ahead
The Scout Movement, which is also known as the Boy Scouts has changed massively in more than 100 years,
though many people do not realise this.
For many people in Britain the word “scouting” evokes images of boys in short trousers (A) ______. Many
people imagine that the Scout Association and its female counterpart the Guides Association are old-
fashioned. They think these associations are for people (B) ______ than the future, people who just like
camping in the rain and washing in cold water.
It’s quite easy to understand why Scouts and Guides have this sort of image. The “Boy Scouts” were founded
over 100 years ago by Robert Baden-Powell, a retired English army general; the “Girl Guides” followed three
years later. They were organised in an almost military manner. Young people had to learn discipline and how
to do things as a group. They (C) ______ in difficult conditions, learnt to make campfires and, yes, they
certainly had to get used to washing in cold water. In those days though, that (D) ______ many people washed
in cold water.
Nevertheless, even at the start, there was much more to scouting than that. Scouts and Guides also learned
the value of solidarity. Right from the start, they had to cope with difficult situations, (E) ______, and play a
useful part in society. Baden-Powell’s organisations were inclusive, and never exclusive; any young person
could become a Scout or a Guide, regardless of race, background or religion.
Though the Scout and Guide movements began in England, they soon spread to other countries, and within 50
years, scouting (F) ______ with young people all over the world.
1. who are more interested in the past

2. and girls in blue uniforms
3. that were generally better
4. was not particularly unusual as
5. went on camping expeditions
6. interact with other people
7. had become a popular activity
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Text 40
Skip the sun, get a glow the healthy way
Everyone at some point has wanted a “healthy glow,” whether it’s a must-have for summer, or a vacation, the
thought of tan skin has crossed the minds of millions. If you are pale, it (A) ______. There is wild excitement
when after a day in the sun your skin is tan, not burnt. Surely everyone is familiar with the famous
conversation upon the realization that you got fried at the beach. Your friends reassure you with “Don’t worry
it (B) ______.” It may all seem like fun and games at the time, but alarming new research (C) ______.
Some tan-seekers do it the old-fashioned way, grab a towel and hit the pool or beach. Recently, millions of
young girls (D) ______ instead. Regardless of how the tan is achieved, any change in skin coloring is evidence
of skin cell damage. This can lead to cancer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, melanoma, or skin
cancer, among people aged 18 to 39 has risen dramatically. In the United States the number of skin cancer
cases due to tanning, is higher than the number of lung cancer cases due to smoking.
While it is true that being outside and active is great for your body and the sun does provide vitamin D,
everyone’s health still needs protecting. However, it’s (E) ______, limit time spent in direct sunlight, between
the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and wear sunscreen at all times. A fashionable option is the sun hat: both
elegant and fun. Big floppy hats may seem ridiculous at first, but (F) ______.
Another advice is to look into sunless tanners: They are cheap and in no way endanger the lives of users. So,
fake it, don’t bake it!
1. takes a lot of time and effort to tan

2. have been turning to tanning beds
3. they are actually quite classy accessories
4. better to avoid indoor tanning
5. have inspired people to get their skin checked
6. will eventually turn into a tan
7. has taken the healthy out of healthy glow

A B C D E F
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Text 41
Speed of eating is ‘key to obesity’
If you eat very quickly, it may be enough to increase your risk of being overweight, research suggests.
Osaka University scientists looked at the eating habits of 3,000 people. Just about half of them told researchers
that they (A) ______. Compared with those who did not eat quickly, fast-eating men were 84% more likely to
be overweight, and women were 100% more likely to (В) ______.
Japanese scientists said that there were a number of reasons why eating fast (С) ______. They said it could
prevent the work of a signalling system which tells your brain to stop eating because your stomach is full. They
said: ‘If you eat quickly you basically fill your stomach before the system has a chance to react, so you (D)
______.
The researchers also explained that a mechanism that helps make us fat today, developed with evolution and
helped people get more food in the periods when they were short of it. The scientists added that the habit of
eating fast could be received from one’s parents genes or (E) ______.
They said that, if possible, children should be taught to (F) ______, and allowed to stop when they felt full up
at mealtimes. ‘The advice of our grandmothers about chewing everything 20 times might be true — if you take
a bit more time eating, it could have a positive influence on your weight.
1. just overfill your stomach

2. could be bad for your weight
3. have a habit of eating quickly
4. linked to obesity
5. eat as slowly as possible
6. put on weight
7. learned at a very early age
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Text 42
State Hermitage Museum
The Hermitage is St. Petersburg’s most popular visitor attraction, and one of the world’s largest and most
prestigious museums. It is a must-see for all first-time travellers to the city. With over 3 million items in its
collection, it also rewards repeat visits, (A) ______ of the riches on offer here, from Impressionist masterpieces
to fascinating Oriental treasures. It was estimated (B) ______ on display for just one minute. So many visitors
prefer a guided tour to ensure (C) ______ highlights. Art-lovers, however, may find it more rewarding to seek
out for themselves the works (D) ______.
The bulk of the Hermitage collection is housed in the Winter Palace, (E) ______. However, there are a number
of other sites that constitute part of the Hermitage, including the recently opened Storage Facility in the north
of St. Petersburg. It offers guided tours through some of the museum’s vast stocks. The magnificent General
Staff Building opposite the Winter Palace is most famous for its central triumphal arch, (F) ______ Nevsky
Prospekt. The General Staff Building contains a number of unique exhibitions. It includes the Modern European
Art, probably the most visited section of the Hermitage with well-known collections of Picasso and Matisse, as
well as a wealth of popular Impressionist paintings.
1. that they are particularly interested in

2. that they have time to catch all the collection’s
3. and new-comers can only hope to get a brief taste
4. which brings pedestrians out on to Palace Square from
5. that one would need eleven years to view each exhibit
6. which was the official residence of the Russian emperors
7. and the exhibition was often visited by military historians
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Text 43
Number of teenagers with Saturday job drops
The number of teenagers with Saturday jobs has dropped. Young people do not acquire any experience for
their CVs — a crucial step towards getting full-time work. The proportion of teenagers combining part-time
jobs with school or college has slumped from 40% in the 1990s to around 20% now, according to the UK
Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), a government agency. Latest figures show that only (A)
______ in 1997.
The trend is not just recession-related, but the result of an increasing expectation (В) ______ well as a falling
number of Saturday jobs, according to the report. Many of the jobs that young people do, such as bar work,
are in long-term decline, and are forecast to decline further over the next decade.
«Recruiters place significant emphasis on experience (С) ______,» the report says. Word of mouth is the most
common way to get a job, (D) ______ young people are unable to build up informal contacts, it adds.
Ms. Todd, a commissioner at the UKCES, said: «There’s more emphasis on doing well at school, young people
are finding less time to do what they would have done a few years ago.» «I think it’s also the changing
structure of the labour market. Retail is still a big employer, (E) ______. As a consequence, we need to think
about how we get young people the work experience they need.»
A new initiative to send employees into state schools to talk about their careers was also launched recently.
The scheme, Inspiring the Future, is meant to give state schoolchildren access to the kind of careers advice
that private schools offer. The deputy prime minister said: «The power of making connections (F) ______ and
can be life-changing.»
1. that young people should stay on at school, as

2. that inspire young people is immeasurable
3. but an increasing shortage of work experience means
4. but a lot more of it is being done online
5. 260,000 teenagers have a Saturday job compared with 435,000
6. that it was researching the system of funding education after 16
7. but young people are leaving education increasingly less experienced
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Text 44
The Bonfire Night
The 5th of November has always had a very special place in my heart. More important than New Year’s Eve,
but probably less important than the Olympics ceremonies, the 5th of November every year is (A) ______ all
over the country to go wild!
The night of the 5th is often cold and damp and parents wrap up their children in layers of jumpers, coats,
hats, scarves and gloves. They fuss over the littlest (B) ______ aren’t scared. They comfort their pets and give
them a safe place to curl up inside, away from the cacophony about to start outside.
Outside the bonfire is (C) ______ up your nose. If you’re lucky, there might be some pumpkin soup left over
from Halloween to warm you up, because in spite of all the layers and the excitement, you’ll still need
warming up until the bonfire gets going!
When it’s absolutely dark and the bonfire is blazing, the children and parents huddle together in groups,
staring up at the sky. What are they waiting for? The screech of the first firework deafens them all and (D)
______. The “oohs” and “aaahs” of the crowd keep perfect time with the “kabooms” of the rockets. With
every firework that lights up the sky, parents watch the delight grow on their children’s faces and sigh with
relief.
After the grand finale, they make their way home with the noises still echoing in their ears. An extra special
treat (E) ______! Waving them through the chilly air, spelling out names and drawing pictures, even the oldest
members of the family remember how to be kids!
This is what the 5th of November means to me. Every year, it (F) ______ such bright and colourful fireworks
and heard such loud bangs. I really hope I never grow out of it!
1. differences in traditions
2. children and hope that they
3. the day for fireworks lovers
4. the explosion lights up the sky
5. feels like the first time I’ve seen
6. waits at home though: sparklers
7. lit and the smell of smoke creeps
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Text 45
Living nature in Madeira
Right in the middle of the Atlantic, the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo are a haven of natural beauty. The
exotic colours of the flowers stand out from among the blue sea and the emerald green vegetation. This is an
archipelago where the big territory is a protected area and (A) ______ is located.
The Madeira Natural Park was created in 1982 to preserve this vast natural heritage, a worldwide rarity. The
park is classified as a Biogenetic Reserve, (B) ______, with some rare species such as the mountain orchid,
unique in the world, and also some exotic large trees. To visit this park is to discover Nature! The park covers
about two-thirds of the island, making Madeira a truly ecological destination.
The springtime temperature, (C) ______, cries out for open air activities. Visitors can go for a walk in the park,
visit the city of Funchal or roam freely around the island. Boat rides are an excellent way of (D) ______. In such
a naturally welcoming environment, balance and well-being are taken for granted. Madeira offers various
tourist complexes (E) ______.
Popular feasts, (F) ______, are opportunities to appreciate traditional gastronomic flavours and see Madeira
partying, especially for the Carnival parades, the Flower festival, the Atlantic festival and, above all, the end-of-
year fireworks display.
1. which is felt all year round

2. which take place in Madeira all year round
3. where the largest laurel forest in the world
4. admiring the coastline from a different perspective
5. where one can find a unique range of flora and fauna
6. choosing this holiday destination for its natural beauty
7. that have prime conditions for boating and scuba diving
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Text 46
The Hubble Space Telescope
Before the Hubble Space Telescope was launched, scientists thought they knew the universe. They were
wrong.
The Hubble Space Telescope has changed many scientists’ view of the universe. The telescope is named after
American astronomer Edwin Hubble, (A) ______.
He established that many galaxies exist and developed the first system for their classifications.
In many ways, Hubble is like any other telescope. It simply gathers light. It is roughly the size of a large school
bus. What makes Hubble special is not what it is, (B) ______.
Hubble was launched in 1990 from the “Discovery” space shuttle and it is about 350 miles above our planet,
(C) ______.
It is far from the glare of city lights, it doesn’t have to look through the air, (D) ______.
And what a view it is! Hubble is so powerful it could spot a fly on the moon. Yet in an average orbit, it uses the
same amount of energy as 28100-watt light bulbs. Hubble pictures require no film. The telescope takes digital
images (E) ______.
Hubble has snapped photos of storms on Saturn and exploding stars. Hubble doesn’t just focus on our solar
system. It also peers into our galaxy and beyond. Many Hubble photos show the stars that make up the Milky
Way galaxy. A galaxy is a city of stars.
Hubble cannot take pictures of the sun or other very bright objects, because doing so could “fry” the
telescope’s instruments, but it can detect infrared and ultra violet light (F) ______.
Some of the sights of our solar system that Hubble has glimpsed may even change the number of planets in it.
1. which is above Earth’s atmosphere.

2. which are transmitted to scientists on Earth.
3. which is invisible to the human eye.
4. who calculated the speed at which galaxies move.
5. so it has a clear view of space.
6. because many stars are in clouds of gas.
7. but where it is.
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Text 47
The life of Pi
“The Life of Pi” published in 2001 is the third book by the Canadian author Yann Martel. It has (A) ______, won
several prizes and been translated into forty-one languages.
At the start of the book, we (B) ______ in India. His father owns the city zoo and the family home is in the zoo.
When they aren’t at school, Pi and his brother help their father at the zoo and he learns a lot about animals.
When Pi is sixteen, his parents decide to close the zoo and move to Canada. They travel by ship taking the
animals with them. On the way, there is (C) ______. Sadly, Pi’s family and the sailors all die in the storm, but Pi
lives and finds himself in a lifeboat with a hyena, zebra, orangutan and an enormous tiger. At first, Pi is scared
of the animals and jumps into the ocean. Then he remembers there are sharks in the water and decides to
climb back into the lifeboat. One by one, the animals in the lifeboat kill and eat each other, till only Pi and the
tiger are left alive. Luckily for Pi, there is (D) ______, but he soon needs to start catching fish. He feeds the tiger
to stop it killing and eating him. He also uses a whistle and (E) ______ and show it that he’s the boss.
Pi and the tiger spend 227 days in the lifeboat. They live through terrible storms and the burning heat of the
Pacific sun. They are often hungry and ill. Finally, they arrive at the coast of Mexico, but you will have to (F)
______ in the end!
1. a terrible storm and the ship sinks

2. received an award for being strong
3. some food and water on the lifeboat
4. sold seven million copies worldwide
5. read the book to find out what happens
6. learn about Pi’s childhood in Pondicherry
7. his knowledge of animals to control the tiger
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Text 48
The Power of ‘Hello’
I work at a company where there are hundreds of employees. I know most of them and almost all of them
know me. It is all based on one simple principle: I believe every single person deserves to be acknowledged, (A)
______.
When I was about 10 years old, I was walking down the street with my mother. She stopped to speak to Mr.
Lee. I knew I could see Mr. Lee any time around the neighborhood, (В) ______. After we passed Mr. Lee, my
mother said something that has stuck with me from that day until now. She said, ‘You let that be the last time
you ever walk by somebody and not open up your mouth to speak, because even a dog can wag its tail (С)
______.
That phrase sounds simple, but it has been a guidepost for me and the foundation of who I am. I started to see
that when I spoke to someone, they spoke back. And that felt good. It is not just something I believe in — (D)
______. I believe that every person deserves to feel someone acknowledges their presence, no matter how
unimportant they may be.
At work, I always used to say ‘hello’ to the founder of the company and ask him how our business was doing.
But I was also speaking to the people in the cafe, and asked how their children were doing. I remembered after
a few years of passing by the founder, I had the courage to ask him for a meeting. We had a great talk.
At a certain point, I asked him (E) ______ . He said, ‘If you want to, you can get all the way to this seat.’ I have
become vice president, but that has not changed the way I approach people. I speak to everyone I see, no
matter where I am. I have learned that speaking to people creates a pathway into their world, (F) ______ .
1. it has become a way of life.

2. when it passes you on the street.
3. when you see him and talk to him.
4. and it lets them come into mine, too.
5. so I did not pay any attention to him.
6. however small or simple the greeting is.
7. how far he thought I could go in his company.
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Text 49
The Science of Sound
The science of sound, or acoustics, as it is often called, has been made over radically within a comparatively
short space of time. Not so long ago the lectures on sound in colleges and high schools dealt chiefly with the
vibrations of such things as the air columns in organ pipes. Nowadays, however, thanks chiefly to a number of
electronic instruments engineers can study sounds as effectively (A) ______. The result has been a new
approach to research in sound. Scientists have been able to make far-reaching discoveries in many fields of
acoustics (B) ______.
Foremost among the instruments that have revolutionized the study of acoustics are electronic sound-level
meters also known as sound meters and sound-intensity meters. These are effective devices that first convert
sound waves into weak electric signals, then amplify the signals through electronic means (C) ______. The
intensity of a sound is measured in units called decibels. “Zero” sound is the faintest sound (D) ______. The
decibel measures the ratio of the intensity of a given sound to the standard “zero” sound. The decibel scale
ranges from 0 to 130. An intensity of 130 decibels is perceived not only as a sound, but also (E) ______. The
normal range of painlessly audible sounds for the average human ear is about 120 decibels. For forms of life
other than ourselves, the range can be quite different.
The ordinary sound meter measures the intensity of a given sound, rather than its actual loudness. Under most
conditions, however, it is a quite good indicator of loudness. Probably the loudest known noise ever heard by
human ears was that of the explosive eruption in August, 1883, of the volcano of Krakatoa in the East Indies.
No electronic sound meters, of course, were in existence then, but physicists estimate that the sound at its
source must have had an intensity of 190 decibels, (F) ______.
1. and finally measure them.

2. since it was heard 3,000 miles away.
3. and they have been able to put many of these discoveries to practical use.
4. since a loud sound is of high intensity.
5. as they study mechanical forces.
6. as a painful sensation in the ear.
7. that the unaided human ear can detect.
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Text 50
The Show Begins
My Uncle Jim took me to all the Broadway shows in New York City, and I was star struck! Actually he wasn’t
my real uncle – that’s just what we called him. He was a close friend of my parents. He was a bit stocky with
red hair, (A) ______.
I remember the theaters on Broadway, (B) ______. The curtains were made of this real heavy, dark red
material. There were huge chandelier lights hanging from the ceiling. The walls were dark, paneled wood. The
seats were red and cushy (C) ______.
The orchestra sat at the base of the stage in a pit. I usually went down to the front to see the musicians (D)
______. They were all crammed into such a tiny space. I played the flute myself and my dad kept encouraging
me that if I kept it up, (E) ______. But truly, I didn’t want to be tucked away down there. I wanted to be on top,
front and center.
Most people dressed rather finely, and certain fragrances took center stage as various women passed by. The
sounds of the audience (F) ______ at their seats were clearly heard while last minute patrons filled in. There
was electricity in the air and then the lights would go down and up, and you knew it was time for the show to
get started. The lights dimmed. The music began. And you were swept up into a whole new world. I loved it!
1. I could be playing down there someday

2. and set real close together
3. which were so old and posh
4. and he had a beard and moustache
5. I wasn’t that good at music
6. getting ready and warming up
7. laughing and chattering away
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Text 51
Tourism in Kamchatka
The range of tourist activities in Kamchatka is really wide. The most wide-spread type of tourism is
ecotourism, (A) ______ and resources of Kamchatka. Fishing, medicinal, cultural and ethnographical tourism
are popular as well. Kamchatka offers almost unlimited possibilities for those (B) ______ and gives the chance
to climb not only mountains, but volcanoes as well.
Moreover, many rivers in Kamchatka are good for rafting. In winter one should be prepared for heli-skiing and
skiing. In summer trekking, diving, photo safari and bird watching are at one’s service. Besides, this region has
a good recreational potential, (C) ______ take some rest and improve health, thanks to the presence of almost
every kind of mineral curative water. Visitors should not forget to try famous Kamchatka dishes, (D) _______
and other seafood, for example of salmon, which Kamchatka is really famous for.
Many tourist camps were built in Kamchatka in the past few years. Tourist infrastructure is getting better and
better nowadays. As for natural wonders, tourists should not miss the famous rock “three brothers” protecting
the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The city is located on the bank of the bay, (E) ______ bays in the world.
There is only one way to get there by plane from the European part of Russia – from Moscow. The ticket price
is quite high, (F) ______ as possible.
1. who are fond of extreme tourism

2. and tourists may just go there to
3. which are often made of local fish
4. who wants to enjoy the nature as long
5. so one should plan for the journey as early
6. and it is clearly explained by the unique nature
7. which is considered to be one of the most beautiful
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Text 52
Veliky Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod, one of the most ancient cities of Russia, was founded in the 9-10th centuries. Veliky
Novgorod was a political centre of vast territories stretching up from Baltic lands to the Urals. For a long time
the city had been the largest centre of culture in Russia, (A) ______. Many outstanding monuments of
medieval architecture and painting have been preserved in the city.
The Kremlin is one of the most popular sights. It was built in 1044 by order of Prince Jaroslav the Wise. It is
surrounded by a wall 1487 metres long. It once had 12 towers, (B) ______. The particular characteristic of the
Kremlin is a large number of churches on the area. The architecture represents the style of the 15th century.
The area around the Kremlin is very well-kept (C) ______. From the bastions one will have a wonderful view
over the whole city.
The outdoor Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Folk Wooden Architecture is a haven to the people (D) ______ with
massive skyscrapers, business centres and shopping malls. The museum presents some excellent examples of
wooden structures from different parts and suburbs of Veliky Novgorod. The scenery here is so quiet (E)
______ and will just enjoy the stunning view of the Russian village.
The visit to the city helps to get acquainted with the history and the way of life of common country folk (F)
______ in different times.
1. and has a lot of green places

2. but now only 9 of them still exist
3. that they are protected by the state
4. where chronicles and books were created
5. who are tired of modern urban architecture
6. that one will easily forget about all the troubles
7. who lived on the territory of Novgorod principality
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Text 53
Visiting the Royal Parks
London has a well-deserved reputation as one of the greenest cities in Europe, with a huge number of open
spaces across the center of the city. Tourists (A) ______ can always relax in a lovely, quiet London park.
The Royal Parks, such as St James’s, Green Park, the Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Richmond, Greenwich, Bushy
Park and Kensington Gardens, are beautifully maintained and popular with locals and visitors alike. Many are
former hunting estates of English monarchs, preserved as open space (B) ______. They are ideal places to relax
and sunbathe in summer, enjoy gorgeous flower beds in spring (C) ______.
The Royal Parks provide fantastic green routes in London (D) ______ and through some of the most attractive
areas of the capital. Picnics in the parks are also a popular activity especially during the busy summer months.
Dogs are welcome in all the Royal Parks, although there are some places (E) ______. These are clearly
indicated within each park and are usually ecologically sensitive sites, children’s play areas, restaurants, cafes
and some sports areas. Ground nesting birds are particularly sensitive to disturbance by dogs and people. So it
is necessary to observe the warning signs (F) ______. In Bushy Park and Richmond Park dogs should be kept
away from the deer.
The Royal Parks are for everyone to enjoy.
1. that take cyclists away from traffic

2. while the city has grown up around them
3. and admire the changing leaves as autumn arrives
4. that are displayed during the nesting season
5. who does not know the route to the place of destination
6. where they are not allowed or should be kept on a lead
7. who are tired of the noise, crowds and excitement of sightseeing
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Text 54
Visiting the Royal Parks
London has a well-deserved reputation as one of the greenest cities in Europe, with a huge number of open
spaces across the center of the city. Tourists (A) ______ can always relax in a lovely, quiet London park.
The Royal Parks, such as St James’s, Green Park, the Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Richmond, Greenwich, Bushy
Park and Kensington Gardens, are beautifully maintained and popular with locals and visitors alike. Many are
former hunting estates of English monarchs, preserved as open space (B) ______. They are ideal places to relax
and sunbathe in summer, enjoy gorgeous flower beds in spring (C) ______.
The Royal Parks provide fantastic green routes in London (D) ______ and through some of the most attractive
areas of the capital. Picnics in the parks are also a popular activity especially during the busy summer months.
Dogs are welcome in all the Royal Parks, although there are some places (E) ______. These are clearly
indicated within each park and are usually ecologically sensitive sites, children’s play areas, restaurants, cafes
and some sports areas. Ground nesting birds are particularly sensitive to disturbance by dogs and people. So it
is necessary to observe the warning signs (F) ______. In Bushy Park and Richmond Park dogs should be kept
away from the deer.
The Royal Parks are for everyone to enjoy.
1. that take cyclists away from traffic

2. while the city has grown up around them
3. and admire the changing leaves as autumn arrives
4. that are displayed during the nesting season
5. who does not know the route to the place of destination
6. where they are not allowed or should be kept on a lead
7. who are tired of the noise, crowds and excitement of sightseeing
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Text 55
Welcome to the Smithsonian
When you visit any of the Smithsonian’s 19 museums and galleries or the National zoo, you are entering the
largest museum complex in the world. This complex holds about 137 million unique objects in its trust for the
American people.
The Smithsonian was established in 1846 with funds given to the United States by James Smithson, an English
scientist. The main idea was to increase and spread knowledge for free. And now all Smithsonian institutions
are still devoted to public education, (A) ______ history.
Ten Smithsonian museums and galleries are located in the centre of the U.S. capital. Six other museums and
the National zoo are nearby in the Washington metropolitan area, (B) ______.
The 19th and the newest museum (C) ______ is the National Museum of African American history and culture.
It is now operating in the form of a virtual museum. Its key feature is the memory book, (D) ______. These
diverse memories are linked to each other and to the museum content, (E) ______.
The Smithsonian complex is home to the world’s foremost research centres in science, the arts and the
humanities. Besides the basic research (F) ______, there are a number of special facilities. Conservation centre
at the zoo studies rare and endangered species, environment centre carries out research in ecosystems in the
coastal area.
1. that is carried on regularly in each of the museums

2. providing different materials in the arts, science and
3. placing a spotlight on people and events in African American history
4. that has been established within the Smithsonian complex
5. which allows website visitors to upload their own stories or images
6. and visitors can enjoy watching rare exhibits on
7. and two museums are situated in New York City
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Text 56
Wild animals in cities
Have you ever seen bears in Vancouver parks, leopards on the streets of Mumbai or wild pigs in gardens in
Berlin? Recently, there (A) ______ on TV about big animals coming into towns and cities. What happens when
wild animals come into our cities? Is it dangerous for us and the animals?
Wild animals usually come into cities to look for food. In Cape Town, South Africa, baboons sometimes come
into the suburbs. They eat fruit from gardens and go into people’s kitchens and take food from cupboards and
fridges! Baboons are (B) ______ children and fight with pet dogs. Many people do not like them, but the city
can be dangerous for baboons too. Sometimes, baboons are (C) ______ human food can be very bad for their
teeth. The city council in Cape Town has a team of Baboon Monitors whose job is to find baboons (D) ______
to the countryside. This makes the city safer for people and is healthier for the baboons. However, the main
problem is that a lot of baboons will come back to the city to find food again.
In Berlin, Germany, groups of wild pigs have come into the city for hundreds of years, but now the winters are
warmer, there are even more pigs than in the past. Pigs eat flowers and plants and dig in gardens and parks in
the city. They also (E) ______ accidents. Some city residents like the pigs and give them food. But the city
council is worried about the traffic accidents, so they (F) ______ have put up fences to stop the pigs coming
into the city.
1. cause lots of problems

2. in the city and take them back
3. walk in the street and cause traffic
4. hurt in car accidents and the sugar in
5. strong animals and sometimes they scare
6. have been many reports in newspapers and
7. have told people to stop giving the pigs food and
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Text 57
Unique nature of Kamchatka
Kamchatka is a peninsula located in the north-eastern part of Russia. It is surrounded with the Okhotskoye
Sea, the Beringovo Sea and the Pacific Ocean. This region has a very unique environment (A) ______ one is
looking for picturesque views, unforgettable travels and unity with nature.
Kamchatka is famous for its volcanoes, (B) ______. Volcanoes are represented on Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky,
the most eastern city in the northern hemisphere, coat of arms as well. There are more than 300 volcanoes in
Kamchatka, from 28 up to 36 of them are active, or potentially active. Kamchatka volcanoes are included in the
list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The region is also known (C) ______ – rivers and lakes. Many Kamchatka rivers spring from mountain tops and
glaciers, that is why they are very clean, and it is wonderful for those (D) ______. In general, there are up to 14
thousand rivers and streams, 100 thousand lakes and 414 glaciers in Kamchatka.
Kamchatka is a home to the Valley of Geysers, (E) ______ geysers in the world, after Icelandic geyser fields. It is
not easily accessible, as long as it is too unique to be opened for tourists all the time. The Valley of Geysers’
ecosystem is very vulnerable, (F) __________ and regulate the visiting. In fact, the larger part of Kamchatka is
preserved. There are many nature reserves and nature parks in Kamchatka.
1. that makes it a place to visit when

2. to be a place of many water sources
3. so it is necessary to monitor it all the time
4. which are depicted on most souvenirs there
5. who love fishing, including Kamchatka bears
6. which has the second largest concentration of
7. to be a popular nature reserve and health resort
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Text 58
Santa Claus
The man we know as Santa Claus has a history all to his own. Today, he is thought of mainly as the jolly man in
red, but his story (A) ______ the 3rd century to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was
born sometime around 280 AD in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his kindness, St. Nicholas (B) ______.
It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick.
Over the course of many years, Nicholas’s popularity spread and he became known as the protector of
children and sailors. His feast day (C) ______ his death, December 6. This was traditionally considered a lucky
day to make large purchases or to get married. By the Renaissance, St. Nicholas was the most popular saint in
Europe.
St. Nicholas first (D) ______ at the end of the 18th century. The name Santa Claus evolved from a Dutch
shortened form of Sint Nikolaas. As his popularity grew, Sinter Klaas was described as everything from a jocker
with a blue three-cornered hat, red waistcoat, and yellow stockings to a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat
and a huge pair of Flemish trousers.
In the 19th centuries big stores (E) ______ using images of the newly-popular Santa Claus. In 1841, thousands
of children visited a Philadelphia shop to see a life-size Santa Claus model. It (F) ______ before stores began to
attract children, and their parents, with the lure of a peek at the “real-life” Santa Claus with his famous white
beard and red gown.
1. was only a matter of time

2. stretches all the way back to
3. is celebrated on the anniversary of
4. became the subject of many legends
5. appeared in American popular culture
6. began dressing up unemployed men in
7. began to advertise Christmas shopping

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Text 59
Russian souvenirs
Russia is famous for its diversity, as well as its hospitality. The best way to show Russia to someone is to bring
home something special. Matryoshka and balalaika are quite stereotypical presents. There are many other
goods (A) ______.
Woolen shawls have always been popular in Russia because of cold winters. The shawls made in Pavlovsky
Posad, (B) ______, are considered to be a traditional Russian gift. Woolen shawls and scarves have been made
there since 1795. A wide shawl with a beautiful original pattern on it may be used like a blanket. It is nice to
cover oneself up with it sitting in the armchair, watching a movie, (C) ______. The Pavlovsky Posad
manufacture produces scarves for men as well. They can be bought through the Internet, or in brand stores,
(D) ______.
Belyovskaya pastila is a souvenir (E) ______. It has been made since the 19th century in the town of Belyov
near Tula. This is a very special kind of Russian confection. Though it is called “pastila”, it is not a marshmallow
style delicacy. Belyovskaya pastila is made of dried apples. After they have been dried, they are mixed with egg
whites and sugar and whipped. Belyovskaya pastila is similar to a cake, (F) __________ of apples. It is
considered to be a natural product, and it is not of average price. Tourists can buy this kind of sweet at some
confectioner’s shops throughout Moscow.
1. although it has a slightly sour taste

2. reading a book, or drinking coffee or tea
3. riding a bike around the villages in Russia
4. that pleases the people with a sweet tooth
5. that one may buy in Moscow as a souvenir
6. which is a town not very far from Moscow
7. which are situated in the centre of Moscow
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Text 60
Tourism in Altai
Hundreds of tourists come to Altai every year. The most popular kinds of activities are climbing, snowboarding
and hiking around the legendary routes. Cycling, diving, rafting, kayaking, sailing, swimming and fishing are
widely enjoyed as well. Many people come there for more passive relaxation, such as spa, and feasting their
eyes upon the flower of maralnik, (A) ______, blossoming in spring. Eco tourists are often attracted by
collecting healing herbs, horse riding and participating in cultural events, such as the famous “Votetno” in
summer, (B) ______.
Tourist season is in the full swing there usually in the summer. And there is no doubt that it is the perfect time
for people (C) ______ different activities. In summer, one may do the full scope of season activities, from
collecting herbs (D) ______ – all those kinds of hot season entertainment for tourists.
Winter season begins in the region of Altai in December and ends in March. It is the perfect option (E) ______.
Winter activities are skating and mountain skiing, riding Russian three horses (“troika”), driving snowmobiles
and winter fishing. Everybody will find an entertainment to one’s taste. The most popular city for skiing is
Belokurikha.
Another original way of staying in Altai is housekeeping and taking care of one’s own house and animals. It is
the best option for those (F) ______ of busy cities.
1. which is a kind of rhododendron

2. for celebrating winter holidays there
3. who prefer peaceful life to the noise
4. who would like to be involved in many
5. to climbing, sailing, rafting and fishing
6. and enjoy many traditional winter sports
7. which is a local festival at the end of July
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Text 61
London’s skyscraper
The Shard is a modern glass skyscraper in London. The skyscraper is situated in the London Bridge Quarter in
Southwark. It is right near the heart of London and only the river separates it from the City of London. The area
is full of history: a bridge was built there by the Romans around 50 AD (A) ______.
The plans for the London Bridge Tower, as the building was initially called, caused a strong protest from people
(B) ______ for a historic neighbourhood with mostly low-rise brick buildings. They claimed the tower would cut
through the neighbourhood like a shard of glass. The name “shard” stuck (C) ______ – “The Shard”.
When it was completed the Shard held the record as Europe’s tallest skyscraper with a height of almost 310
metres. Only a couple of months later, it was surpassed in height by Moscow’s Mercury City Tower. The Shard
towers over the neighbourhood and is visible from afar. The iconic skyscraper looks particularly spectacular at
night (D) ______.
The building is multifunctional, with offices and a hotel on the lower floors (E) ______. The top floors of the
Shard are home to the “View from the Shard”, an observation deck (F) ______ of the city. On a clear day one
can see as far as sixty kilometres. At a height of 245 metres, this is the highest public viewing gallery in London,
almost twice as high as the London Eye.
1. when seen from across the river Thames

2. who is concerned about the city’s heritage
3. and the developers even renamed the tower
4. who considered the glass tower inappropriate
5. and residential apartments on the upper floors
6. that offers visitors spectacular 360 degree views
7. and in 1836 the first railway station opened there
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Text 62
Chinese tea house in Moscow
The bright building on Myasnitskaya Street in Moscow stands out among others and attracts the attention of
passers-by with its non-typical elements for Russian architecture. The tea house resembles a Chinese pagoda
and it is considered to be the real office of a company that was involved in tea trade.
This house in the Chinese style was built for the tea merchant Sergei Vasilievich Perlov (A) ______ in order to
establish his own business. He bought the land on Myasnitskaya Street in the centre of Moscow in 1875, (B)
______ in 1891. The construction was finished by 1893. The first floor was for Perlov’s tea shop, (C) ______
profitable apartments for rent and the host’s own family.
The front side of the newly built house was redecorated in the Chinese style after several years. A little tower
in the form of a pagoda appeared (D) ______ molded dragons, snakes, Chinese umbrellas and lanterns. Some
materials for decoration were even brought directly from China. It was made before the visit of the Chinese
Ambassador Li Hongzhang, (E) ______ Nikolai II and Alexandra Fyodorovna coronation. The merchant Perlov
thought that it might be useful for his tea business (F) ______ at this house. He preferred the house of Perlov’s
brother and competitor. But thanks to this case now there is a beautiful exotic building right in the city centre,
as if it came right from another part of the world.
1. who was going to visit Moscow for

2. who left the family tea trade company
3. and the other two floors were used for
4. and began to build the new house on it
5. and the front side was decorated with
6. which was imported mainly from China
7. but the Ambassador did not in fact stay
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Text 63
Unusual tourist attractions
The Kremlin is always the first thing to see in Moscow. Earlier, there was only one route available for visitors
to the Kremlin. It includes (A) ______ with the entrance to Alexandrovsky Garden. Since the end of 2016,
tourists have another option to access the Kremlin. The starting point is at Spasskaya Tower in Red Square. The
new route features archaeological discoveries, displaying the basements of the demolished monasteries, (B)
______, as well as the Maly Nikolaevsky Royal Palace.
Boat cruises are very popular in Moscow, (C) ______. Many enclosed and heated boats with panoramic
windows and ice-breaking equipment can be found on the Moscow River. On their way tourists will see the city
sights such as Stalin’s skyscrapers and the Kremlin.
For the last five years a lot of Moscow streets have become pedestrian zones. The city authorities ordered the
construction of cosy European-style promenades with street lamps, benches and flower beds, (D) ______.
Russians are the greatest fans of winter, (E) ______ to the beginning of March. One of the main Muscovites’
leisure activities is skating at popular public places like Red Square, Gorky Park and VDNKh, (F) ______. At the
end of 2016 the new skating-rink started operating on the roof of Moscow City’s 85-floor OKO tower at a
height of 354 metres. The view is breathtaking.
1. visiting the museums of the inner area

2. which is from the end of November
3. dating back to the 14th and 16th centuries
4. and winter activities range from ice-skating
5. and river transportation season never stops
6. which were designed for everyone to enjoy
7. where the Europe’s biggest skating-rink is located
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Text 64
The importance of language
The language we speak helps to define who we are. The many languages A_____________________ are
spread across the continent in a vast mosaic pattern. The European Union (EU) recognizes this right to identity
and promotes our freedom to speak and write our own language, while it continues to pursue its goal of closer
integration among its member countries. These aims are complementary, B_____________________.
There are 23 official EU languages. When a new country becomes a member of the EU, the national language
of that country normally becomes an official EU language. The decision on this is taken by the EU Council of
Ministers. This ensures that individual EU citizens are able to use the same language in their communication
with the EU as they do when C_____________________.
All new legislation adopted by the EU is translated into all official languages so D____________________ what
a new law is about and how it affects them. All language versions of an EU law have the same legal value.
In this way, the EU ensures E_____________________ whose languages are spoken by a large number of
people and those using less widely spoken languages. In the European Parliament members are free to address
the assembly in the language of the people they represent. Slovenian members are just as entitled as German
ones to speak the language of those F_____________________. Translation and interpretation are therefore
major EU responsibilities.
1. who voted for them in their elections

2. embodying the EU’s motto of “United in diversity”
3. that there is no discrimination between citizens
4. dealing with their national authorities at home
5. who debates political issues in the mother tongue
6. that are spoken by 500 million citizens of the European Union
7. that any interested citizens across the Union know immediately

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Text 65
Running a multilingual European Union
The use of 23 official languages is the public face of the European Union (EU). The reasons
A________________ are not hard to identify: they are democracy, transparency and the right to know. New
legislation must be published and made available in a language all EU citizens can understand. The use of all
official languages also makes it easier for people to participate in public debates and consultations
B_____________________.
Its law-making function and the direct involvement of its citizens explain C_____________________ like the
United Nations or NATO, which operate only at the intergovernmental level with no legislative function. The
United Nations, with more than 190 members, uses only six languages. The Council of Europe,
D__________________, publishes official documents only in English and French, as does NATO.
Running a multilingual EU comes at a price. But it is a modest price when set against the results. The annual
cost of translation and interpretation is about 1% of the EU budget, E____________________. The total cost
has risen by only a small margin despite the arrival of 12 new countries since 2004.
The EU institutions have adjusted their procedures over the years to handle the rising number of official
languages. Translators work with written texts, and interpreters with the spoken word. But they must be able
to translate or interpret into their main language, F_____________________, from at least two other EU
languages.
1. with more members than the EU

2. which is usually their mother tongue
3. that the EU launches, often online
4. which is a little over € 2 for every citizen
5. why the EU uses so many official languages
6. that was earlier translated into three main languages
7. why the EU uses more languages than multinational bodies
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Text 66
Promoting language learning
The European Union (EU) is committed to supporting the rights of its citizens to personal and professional
mobility, and their ability to communicate with each other. It does so by A_____________________ to
promote the teaching and learning of European languages. These programmes have at least one thing in
common: they cover cross-border projects involving partners from two, and often three or more, EU countries.
The EU programmes are designed to complement the national education policies of member countries. Each
government is responsible for its own national education policy, B_____________________. What the EU
programmes do is to create links between countries and regions via joint projects, C_____________________.
Since 2007 the main programmes have been put under the overall umbrella of the EU’s lifelong learning
programme. All languages are eligible for support under this programme: official languages, regional, minority
and migrant languages, D_____________________. There are national information centres in each country,
E_____________________.
The cultural programmes of the EU also promote linguistic and cultural diversity in a number of ways. The
“Media” programme funds the dubbing and subtitling of European films for F_____________________. The
“Culture” programme builds cross-cultural bridges by supporting the translation of modern authors into other
EU languages.
1. funding a number of educational programmes

2. and encouraging people to learn new languages
3. which includes language teaching and learning
4. and the languages of the EU’s major trading partners
5. where details about the application procedures are given
6. where details about the application procedures are given
7. which enhance the impact of language teaching and learning
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Text 67
Junior Achievement
Preparing the workforce of the future, Junior Achievement (JA) of Kentuckiana (USA) is the region’s leading
provider of life-changing economics programs for students. JA has made the commitment to serve every
student in the region four times in his/her school career. JA evaluated the programs A____________________,
and chose those in grades that got the highest impact results: – Math in the 3rd grade, in upper elementary
grades, in middle school, and in high school.
In these troubled economic times, it is clearer than ever B_____________________ the basics of financial
literacy in order to become prosperous and productive citizens. JA is at the forefront of the region’s recovery
from the current economic crisis. The recent recession has demonstrated C_____________________. Though
JA reaches more than 44,000 students each year in Kentuckiana, there are still countless students
D_____________________ that they both need and deserve to succeed in a global economy.
JA is a partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers, E____________________

succeed. JA’s hands-on, experiential programs teach the key concepts of work readiness and financial literacy.
Volunteers embody the heart of JA. By donating 45–60 minutes of time for 5–7 weeks, volunteers help JA
become a successful bridge between education and business. Comprehensive classroom materials and a
thorough training process prepare volunteers to F_____________________.
1. who grow up without the education

2. that were available at several school levels
3. who works hard to build up one’s career
4. that all members of society need to understand
5. enter the classroom and teach JA programs
6. that there is a vital need for work readiness education
7. who work together to inspire students to dream and
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Text 68
The languages of integration
Every year the European Day of Languages is marked on 26 September. The idea behind the event is to raise
public awareness of all the languages spoken in Europe and the importance of language learning in
A______________. The European Day of Languages celebrates linguistic diversity as one of Europe’s strengths,
B_______________ of school.
The European Union is convinced C_____________________ compared with the professional and personal
opportunities lost due to inadequate language skills. That is why many national governments encourage
people to learn languages at all educational levels and at all ages during their working life.
Many local authorities provide immigrants with language training, familiarization courses on local society and
culture, D_____________________. The latter elements are often provided in the immigrants’ own languages.
One example is from the Flemish city of Ghent in Belgium, E_____________________ including 1200 hours of
Dutch, plus 75 hours of civic orientation courses. Hungary developed its national integration policy on the basis
of a six-month pilot project called Matra F_____________________, 700 hours of cultural and legal
orientation, and financial assistance with living expenses. The Finnish education system supports the
maintenance and development of the mother tongues of immigrants to ensure what it calls functional
bilingualism.
1. and assistance in finding jobs in a new country

2. spreading tolerance and mutual understanding
3. upbringing healthier and more athletic children
4. that the cost of promoting language learning is modest
5. that included 1200 hours of language teaching for immigrants
6. and encourages lifelong language learning in and out
7. where immigrants are offered an introductory programme
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Text 69
Singing can help when learning a foreign language
It is a source of national embarrassment – despite hours of lessons and listening to foreign language tapes,
most of us A_____________________. However, a new study suggests there may be hope for those who have
difficulty with a foreign language – they should try singing it instead.
Research found that adults who sang words or short phrases from a foreign language while learning were
twice as good at speaking it later. It is thought that by listening to words that are sung, and by singing them
back, the technique takes advantage of the strong links between music and memory.
Although not clearly understood, music is known to help students B_____________________ recall.
Dr Overy said singing could lead to new approaches to learning a foreign language. She said: “Most people
C_____________________from songs they have heard and songs are sometimes used by language teachers
with young children.”
Dr Overy and her colleagues used recordings of Hungarian words to teach 60 adults. They chose Hungarian as
the participants D_____________________language.
The participants either listened to words that were spoken and then had to repeat them back, much like a
standard teach-yourself tape, or the words were said rhythmically or sung.
After a 15-minute learning period, they were then given several tests to see how well they had learned the
words. Those E_____________________scored highest. They were also better at recalling the words correctly
in tests of long term memory. Interestingly, they did not sing the words when they recalled them.
Dr Ludke said the findings could help those F_____________________.
1. when studying and can help to start memory

2. who struggle to learn foreign languages
3. had no experience of learning this
4. have experience of remembering words
5. who had used the “listen and sign” approach
6. can barely order a simple drink while abroad
7. facilitate verbatim memory for foreign languages
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Text 70
Finding your sportsman spirit
Doing sports, we can really test our physical fitness in contest, and it is one of the only ways that nations clash
peacefully. Sportsmen and sportswomen are today’s warriors – the contests A_____________________on the
pitches and courts are the closest things we have to gladiatorial fighting.
If sportsmen are like warriors, then the ‘sportsman spirit’ could be considered the closest thing we have to a
warrior’s code – to bushido or to chivalry. If you develop good sportsmanship then this means that you take
joy in the contest and at the same time B_____________________,that you win graciously and that you don’t
cheat.
If you have put time and effort into training then you are aware of the blood, sweat and tears that the
opposition has put in as well. They will have had the same dedication to their game as you have and you will
know precisely C________________. In this way you are brothers (or sisters) and the only difference between
you is D_____________________ different teams. For this reason they deserve your respect.
There are many traditions in many sports to help us retain good relationships with our opponents. This means
things like shaking hands at the end of a tennis match, and this is E_____________________ and honourable
rather than just being muddy skirmishes.
You might have performed brilliantly on the pitch, but you are kidding yourself if you believe
F_______________ of your own doing. If nothing else, the weather and luck will have played a role in the
outcome, and if you’re playing a team sport then you are only one cog in a machine.
1. what keeps sports civil

2. who can’t keep their temper
3. that you chose
4. that you respect your opponent
5. that your victory was entirely
6. that are played out
7. what they have been through
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Text 71
The discovery of three planets
In 1781, William Herschel, viewing the sky, recognized that an object in the constellation of Gemini was
moving against the background of stars. At first, he thought he was looking at a new comet, but upon further
investigation realized A_____________________.
Herschel named his discovery ‘the Georgian planet’ after his patron, George III. Other names proposed
included Herschel and Uranus. Eventually Uranus became the universally accepted name. Uranus is similar in
composition to Neptune, and both B_____________________ larger gas giants Jupiter and Saturn.
In the 19th century it became evident that the orbit of Uranus did not follow Newton’s law of Gravitation.
Many astronomers began to question whether Newton’s theory applied to an object so far from the sun.
However, two astronomers, John Couch Adams in England and Urbain Le Verrier in France, both independently
came up with the theory C_____________________ by a more distant planet.
Working to Le Verrier’s calculations, astronomers at the Berlin Observatory D_____________________. They

had discovered the eighth planet of the solar system, Neptune. It was observed on 23 September 1846 by
Johann Galle, and its largest moon, Triton, was discovered shortly thereafter, though none
E_____________________ telescopically until the 20th century.
After the discovery of Neptune, astronomers F_____________________ the solar system for a ninth planet. In
1930, an American astronomer discovered the last of the known worlds of our solar system, Pluto.
1. of them realized
2. were able to identify this planet
3. that he was looking at a new planet
4. that the orbit of Uranus had been disturbed
5. started to look further into the depths of
6. are of different chemical composition than the
7. of the planet’s remaining 12 moons were located
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Text 72
A Young Mayor
This is a very unusual case, but as you will see, unusual doesn’t mean impossible.
An 18-year-old school girl has become the youngest mayor of a British town in history. Amanda Bracebridge,
A_____________________, won leadership of Clun village council in a dramatic election last night. The tiny
village only has 122 voters and Amanda won the election by just two votes from the only other candidate, 69-
year-old Fred Gardner of the Conservative party. Amanda, B_____________________, was an independent
candidate. She was surprised by her success, C_____________________. “My election promise was to make
sure D_____________________,” she told us. She was referring to the plans from a large company to buy up
farmland and build flats there. “We live in one of the most beautiful villages in Shropshire and I want to make
sure it stays that way.”
Amanda, who is in her last year at nearby Bishop’s Castle High School, E_____________________ and her
exams which she takes in two months. “It’s going to be a pretty busy few months,” she said. “But when the
exams are over I will be able to concentrate completely on helping my village”.
Amanda had plans to go to university but is now going to start a year later F_____________________. “I’ve
talked to Leeds University and they say my place will wait for me”. And what is she going to study? Politics?
“No, actually, I am going to do sociology and economics”.
1. who is not a member of any political party

2. but it was not a total shock to her
3. being a politics student at the university
4. that our village would be protected from outside interests
5. so she can do her job as mayor properly
6. will have to find time for her work as mayor
7. who is only just old enough to vote herself
A B C D E F
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 73
Is there enough to say?
They only appeared about ten years ago but already they are everywhere, everyone’s got one. They are the
wonder of the modern age – mobile phones, or cell phones, A_____________________. Apparently, mobile
phones are now used by about 2.5 billion people worldwide, and about one billion new mobile phones are sold
every year worldwide. Go back to 1997, and only 100 million were sold. As we can see, the mobile phone
business B_____________________.
And the developments keep on coming. Once we could only make phone calls; now mobile phones
C_____________________ and do many other useful things. Once we had to hold our mobile phones in our
hand; now we can use throat microphones. What next? We are told that soon, tiny microphones will be
implanted into our lips. We’ll be able to dial numbers just by saying them.
But surely we need to ask ourselves: What’s good about this? OK, we can talk to other people almost all the
time now – but is that so great? Watch and listen to people when a plane has landed. Anxious
D_____________________, dial a number, and then: “It’s me, I’m here. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Is this
communication? Is this what all these years of technology have brought us to?
In the early days of communication there were letters. When they arrived at your house, you knew they had
been delivered by a man E_____________________.
In those days, people would think very hard before they wrote a letter. You had to have a good reason to write
– communication was serious. Now it’s not – people phone each other F_____________________. Once the
phone was a way for people far away from each other to talk – now it’s just an excuse to talk.
1. can also be used to take and send photos

2. riding halfway across the country on a horse
3. as Americans call them
4. not understand why they are doing it for
5. just because they can
6. has been developed very quickly
7. fingers immediately switch on the mobile phone

A B C D E F
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Задания №12-18 (третье в разделе Чтение)
Последнее задание этого раздела заслуженно считается самым сложным, потому что
здесь могут встретиться не только тексты, чей уровень залезает в С1, но и ответы на
некоторые вопросы могут быть неоднозначными – составители теста думают так, а мне
логика подсказывает вот так. В заданиях 12 – 18 раздела “Чтение” нужно понимать
детали текста и вчитываться в нюансы предоставленной информации. Как и в третьем
задании аудирования, в тексте могут оговариваться все 4 предложенных варианта
ответа, так что нужно быть предельно внимательным и максимально переводить.
Максимальный результат 7 баллов.
1. Для корректного выполнения этого задания советую сначала быстро
пробежать глазами весь текст, для общей картины, а потом читать каждое
задание, максимально точно переводить его и варианты ответа, а потом
искать в тексте место, где упомянут ответ. Все ответы на задания идут
линейно, то есть не бывает такого, что ответ на задание 18 в тексте находится
перед ответом на задание 17. Хотя ответ на последний вопрос иногда можно
найти, прочитав весь текст.
2. Что делать, если в задании непонятные слова? Идти по методу “от
противного”, вычеркивая все, что точно не подходит. Что-то вы же точно
будете знать. Если ответ на какое-то задание все-таки остается неясным,
вычеркните те, которые точно не подходят, и попробуйте угадать среди
оставшихся.
Text 2
Прочитайте рассказ и выполните задания 1–5. В каждом задании обведите букву A, B, C или D,
соответствующую выбранному вами варианту ответа.
I had first become acquainted with my Italian friend by meeting him at certain great houses where he taught
his own language and I taught drawing. All I then knew of the history of his life was that he had left Italy for
political reasons; and that he had been for many years respectably established in London as a teacher.
Without being actually a dwarf – for he was perfectly well-proportioned from head to foot – Pesca was, I
think, the smallest human being I ever saw. Remarkable anywhere, by his personal appearance, he was still
further distinguished among the mankind by the eccentricity of his character. The ruling idea of Peska’s life
now was to show his gratitude to the country that had given him a shelter by doing his utmost to turn himself
into an Englishman. The Professor aspired to become an Englishman in his habits and amusements, as well as
in his personal appearance. Finding us distinguished, as a nation, by our love of athletic exercises, the little
man, devoted himself to all our English sports and pastimes, firmly persuaded that he could adopt our
national amusements by an effort of will the same way as he had adopted our national gaiters and our
national white hat.
I had seen him risk his limbs blindly unlike others at a fox-hunt and in a cricket field; and soon afterwards I
saw him risk his life, just as blindly, in the sea at Brighton.
We had met there accidentally, and were bathing together. If we had been engaged in any exercise peculiar
to my own nation I should, of course, have looked after Pesca carefully; but as foreigners are generally quite
as well able to take care of themselves in the water as Englishmen, it never occurred to me that the art of
swimming might merely add one more to the list of manly exercises which the Professor believed that he
could learn on the spot. Soon after we had both struck out from shore, I stopped, finding my friend did not
follow me, and turned round to look for him. To my horror and amazement, I saw nothing between me and
the beach but two little white arms which struggled for an instant above the surface of the water, and then
disappeared from view. When I dived for him, the poor little man was lying quietly at the bottom, looking
smaller than I had ever seen him look before.
When he had thoroughly recovered himself, his warm Southern nature broke through all artificial English
restraints in a moment. He overwhelmed me with the wildest expressions of affection and in his exaggerated
Italian way declared that he should never be happy again until he rendered me some service which I might
remember to the end of my days.
Little did I think then – little did I think afterwards – that the opportunity of serving me was soon to come;
that he was eagerly to seize it on the instant; and that by so doing he was to turn the whole current of my
existence into a new channel. Yet so it was. If I had not dived for Professor Pesca when he lay under water, I
should never, perhaps, have heard even the name of the woman, who now directs the purpose of my life.
12. Peska taught 14. Peska tried to become a true 16. The author didn’t look after
A) drawing. Englishman because he Peska carefully because
B) Italian. A) was thankful to the country A) they both had been engaged in
C) English. that had adopted him. the peculiar English exercise.
D) politics. B) enjoyed Englishman’s pastimes B) foreigners were generally
and amusements. bathing not far from the shore.
C) loved the way the English did C) the author was sure that Peska
athletic exercises. would learn swimming on the
D) was fond of the eccentric spot.
fashions of the English. D) the author was sure that Peska
was a very good swimmer.
13. Peska impressed people by 15. ‘… risk his limbs blindly’ means 17. Peska wanted to do the
being Peska author some favour as
A) well-built. A) didn’t look where he went. A) it was in his warm nature.
B) well-mannered. B) was unaware of danger from B) the author had saved his life.
C) strange. others. C) the author was his best friend.
D) ill-mannered C) caused a problem for others. D) he wanted to look English.
D) acted rather thoughtlessly.
18. Peska managed to
A) change the author’s life

completely.
B) become English to the core.
C) meet a woman who later
directed his life.
D) turn his existence into a new
channel.
This excerpt is from the novel The Woman in White, written by Wilkie Collins (1860)
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
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Text 3
Pitcher, a confidential clerk in the office of Harvey Maxwell, allowed a look of mild interest and surprise when
his employer briskly entered at half-past nine in company with a young lady. Miss Leslie had been Maxwell’s
stenographer for a year. She was beautiful in a way that was decidedly unstenographic. On this morning she
was softly and shyly radiant. Her eyes were dreamily bright, her expression a happy one, tinged with
reminiscence. Pitcher, still mildly curious, noticed a difference in her ways this morning. Instead of going
straight into the adjoining room, where her desk was, she stayed for a while, slightly irresolute, in the outer
office. Once she moved over by Maxwell’s desk near enough for him to be aware of her presence.
The man sitting at that desk was no longer a man; it was a machine, moved by buzzing wheels and uncoiling
springs.
“Well – what is it? Anything?” asked Maxwell sharply.
“Nothing,” answered the stenographer, moving away with a little smile.

This day was Harvey Maxwell’s busy day. Messenger boys ran in and out with messages and telegrams.
Maxwell himself jumped from desk to door sweating. On the Exchange there were hurricanes and
snowstorms and volcanoes, and those powerful disturbances were reproduced in miniature in Maxwell’s
office. The rush and pace of business grew faster and fiercer. Share prices were falling and orders to sell them
were coming and going and the man was working like some strong machine. Here was a world of finance, and
there was no room in it for the human world or the world of nature.
When the luncheon hour came, Maxwell stood by his desk with a fountain pen over his right ear. His window
was open. And through the window came a delicate, sweet smell of lilac that fixed the broker for a moment
immovable. For this odour belonged to Miss Leslie; it was her own, and hers only. She was in the next room –
twenty steps away.
“By George, I’ll do it now,” said Maxwell half aloud. “I’ll ask her now. I wonder why I didn’t do it long ago.” He
dashed into the inner office and charged upon the desk of the stenographer. She looked at him with a smile.
“Miss Leslie,” he began hurriedly, “I have but a moment to spare. I want to say something in that moment.
Will you be my wife? I haven’t had time to approach you in the ordinary way, but I really do love you.”
“Oh, what are you talking about?” exclaimed the young lady. She rose to her feet and gazed upon him,
round-eyed.
“Don’t you understand?” said Maxwell. “I want you to marry me. I love you, Miss Leslie. I wanted to tell you,
and I snatched a minute. They are calling me for the phone now. Tell them to wait a minute, Pitcher. Won’t
you, Miss Leslie?”
The stenographer acted very strangely. She seemed overcome with amazement; then tears flowed from her
wondering eyes; and then she smiled sunnily through them.
“I know now,” she said softly. “It is this old business that has driven everything else out of your head for the
time. I was frightened at first. Don’t you remember, Harvey? We were married last evening at 8 o’clock in the
Little Church Around the Corner.”
12. Harvey Maxwell was 13. Pitcher was mildly interested 14. It was Harvey Maxwell’s hard
A) a stenographer. and surprised because day because
B) a clerk. A) Miss Leslie moved decidedly to A) he had no one to help him.
C) Pitcher’s boss. Maxwell’s desk. B) all messenger boys had gone.
D) Pitcher’s partner. B) Miss Leslie arrived with C) the weather was hot.
Maxwell. D) the Exchange was a busy place.
C) Maxwell came late at half past
ten.
D) Maxwell looked irresolute that
morning.
15. ‘On the Exchange there were 16. Maxwell dashed into the 17. Harvey Maxwell made a
hurricanes and snowstorms and inner office at lunch time because proposal between phone calls
volcanoes’ means A) he liked the lilac smell. because he
A) the Exchange was about to be B) the smell reminded him of A) was rather pressed for time.
destroyed. Miss Leslie. B) used to make business
B) the financial situation was C) Pitcher called him for a phone proposals in such a way.
difficult. call. C) always acted very strangely.
C) natural disasters often D) he needed to send a message. D) was afraid Miss Leslie would
happened in that area. leave him
D) those were powerful
disturbances of nature.
18. Miss Leslie was astonished by

the proposal because
A) she had never heard anyone
make it in such a way.
B) she had never expected it from
Harvey Maxwell.
C) she had married the man the
day before.
D) it came too quickly and without
warning.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 4
The London Marathon celebrates its 23rd birthday. That is 23 years of stresses and strains, blisters and sore
bits, and incredible tales. Somehow, yours truly has managed to run four of them. And I have medals to prove
it. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I watched the inaugural London Marathon on March 29th, 1981. It
seemed extraordinary that normal people would want to run 26 miles and 385 yards. And, it must be said,
they looked strange and not quite steady at the end of it all. There are, indeed, terrible tales of people losing
consciousness by the time they reach that glorious finishing line. But I was captivated. I knew I had to do it.
Three years later I was living in London, not far from Greenwich where the event begins, and it seemed the
perfect opportunity to give it a go. I was only a short train ride from the starting line, but more than 26 miles
from the finish. “Who cares?” I thought. By the end I did. The moment I crossed that finishing line, and had
that medal placed around my neck, was one of the finest in my life. The sense of achievement was immense.
It was a mad thing to do, and ultimately pointless. But knowing that I’d run a Marathon – that most historic
of all distant races – felt incredible.
London provides one of the easiest of all the officially sanctioned marathons because most of it is flat. Yes,
there are the cobblestones while running through the Tower of London, and there are the quiet patches
where crowds are thin and you are crying out for some encouragement – those things matter to the alleged
“fun” runners like myself, the serious runners don’t think of such things.
This year London will attract unprecedented number of athletes, a lot of title holders among them. It is set to
witness what is probably the greatest field ever for a marathon. In the men’s race, for example, among
numerous applicants there’s the holder of the world’s best time, Khalid Khannouchi of the USA; the
defending champion El Mouriz of Morocco; Ethiopia’s Olympic bronze-medallist Tesfaye Tola. And, making
his marathon debut, is one of the finest long distance runners of all time Haile Gebrselassie.
Since 1981, almost half a million people have completed the London Marathon, raising more than $125
million for charity. For the majority of the runners, this is what it is all about. It is for charity, for fun, for self-
development. It is a wonderful day. I have run it with poor training, with proper training. And I have always
loved it.
It’s crazy, and it’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. If you want to feel as though you’ve achieved
something, run a marathon.
12. Participation in the London 13. When the author watched the 14. The reason for the author’s
Marathon resulted for the author end of the first marathon he saw participation in the marathon was
in people who were the fact that he
A) stresses and strains. A) extraordinary steady. A) was fascinated by it.
B) blisters and sore bits. B) feeling weak and exhausted. B) lived not far from its finishing
C) memorable medals. C) losing consciousness. line.
D) incredible tales. D) having a glorious time. C) wanted to receive a medal.
D) wanted to do something
incredible.
15. “By the end I did” means that 16. According to the author, the 17. “… the greatest field ever for a
the author London Marathon is one of the marathon” means that the
A) found the distance suitable. easiest because marathon
B) found the distance challenging. A) it goes through the Tower of A) will take place on a big field.
C) decided to take part in the London. B) is to be run by the famous
marathon. B) there are quiet patches without runners only.
D) eventually took a train to the crowds. C) will be witnessed by more
finish. C) many “fun” runners participate people.
in it. D) will welcome a huge number
D) its course does not slope up or of sportsmen.
down.
18. According to the author, one

should run the London Marathon
to
A) raise money for charity.
B) get some training.
C) feel self-fulfillment.
D) have fun in a crazy way.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
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Text 5
Harry had come to Canada from Poland at the age of eight. The family was sent to a Jewish farming village in
Manitoba. His father had been a merchant in the old country, but he was allowed into Canada on condition
that he took up agriculture. In the village, they lived in a small wooden house.
When he was sixteen Harry moved to Winnipeg to work for his cousin Albert in the fur business. He was paid
fifteen dollars a week for sixty or seventy hours of work. This arrangement continued for two years, and then
Harry asked for a raise or a reduction in working time. His cousin said no; that was when Harry began his own
family fur business. After his parents sold their farm and moved into the city, he operated out of their North
Winnipeg basement.
I was introduced to Harry through a friend of mine, a local city planner. Harry now owned properties in the
exchange district, so named because it was where the grain and fur exchanges started. My friend had been
encouraging Harry to renovate these buildings. The city was trying to save its architectural past. Much
remained that would have been torn down in other Canadian cities.
The three of us walked to a restaurant called Bottles. Looking at the menu, Harry said he didn’t want anything
rich. He had had problems with his stomach since he was eighteen. “Poor eating,” he explained. There had
not been enough money for decent food.
“I don’t know what’s happened to Winnipeg,” Harry said. “Thirty years ago Portage Avenue was full of life.
Now in the evening the whole downtown is dead.”
Harry had bought his first raw pelts in 1952. There had been a thousand people employed in the fur trade
when he began. Now he thought there might be a hundred. The fur manufactures in Montreal and Toronto,
many of them Greek immigrants, had taken over the business. “We used to work like dogs. One of my
parents’ neighbours reported us – we weren’t supposed to work out of a house – so we had to rent space
downtown. People said we’d be broke very soon. But slowly we expanded.”
Harry was among the inter-war immigrants who had given Winnipeg’s north end its special character. Then
North Winnipeg had been a seat of political ferment and of Jewish immigrant culture. Its history had acquired
a patina because so many talented people had escaped its poverty and gone into business or the arts
professions. But Harry was one of the last. Many of the old Jewish families had moved across the river into
more expensive neighbourhoods. There was a new underclass made up of Filipinos, Vietnamese, and
Canadian Indians.
12. Harry’s father was permitted 13. Harry stopped working for his 14. A local city planner wanted
to come to Canada if he cousin Albert because Harry to
A) didn’t work in agriculture. A) he returned to his father’s A) tear down the old buildings.
B) became a farmer. farm. B) own the buildings.
C) remained a merchant. B) he went to Poland to start his C) exchange the buildings for fur.
D) returned to Poland after some own business. D) restore the buildings.
years. C) his cousin refused to pay him
more money.
D) his cousin wanted to increase
working hours.
15. Harry had some problems 16. One of Harry’s parents’ 17. “People said we’d be broke
with his stomach because in his neighbours told the police about very soon” means that people
childhood he them because they expected them to
A) had eaten too much. A) used to work like dogs. A) go bankrupt soon.
B) had not been able to eat B) rented a place downtown. B) destroy their house.
proper food. C) ran their business at home. C) have a breakthrough in
C) used to starve. D) had expanded their business. business.
D) had liked rich food. D) break their back due to hard
work.
18. “Last” in “Harry was one of

the last” refers to
A) the political figures who gave
Manitoba its special character.
B) those who had moved into
more expensive neighbourhood.
C) successful immigrants who still
lived in North Winnipeg.
D) those who had chosen the
profession of the arts.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 6
I wanted to find my niche. I wanted to fit so badly with some group, any group in high school. Sports didn’t
really work for me. In fact, I dreaded those times in PE when the captains picked teams. Fights sometimes
happened between captains about who would have the misfortune of ending up with me on their team. But
one day, I saw a girl I liked go into the marching band office to sign up. Okay, sure, the uniforms looked stupid
and being in the band didn’t exactly give you the best reputation at school, but there was Jaclyn. I would later
learn that many of the greatest musicians of our time were motivated to music by some girl whose name
they most likely don’t remember anymore.
The first thing to learn was how to hold the drum and play it. Holding the drum and playing it is not as easy as
it might look. I did, after several private lessons, learn the rhythm. Next, as if that weren’t difficult enough, I
had to learn how to play it while not only walking, but marching. At the end of the summer, our uniforms
arrived. The band uniform is a sacred attire. It is not only carefully sized to fit the individual, long-sleeved and
hand sewn, acquired through a lot of fund raising activities, and cleaned after each use. It is worn with pride.
It is also 100 percent wool.
I forgot to mention something. In addition to an inability to play sports, I was also not so good at marching. If
you were not in step, the band director would yell in a loud and embarrassingly annoyed voice, “OUT OF
STEP!” It was at that point that I began to question my decision to join the band. How do playing music and
marching around in silly formations, all “in step”, go together?
The day of our first competition finally arrived. Although it didn’t start until 9 a.m., we had to meet at 6 a.m.
to get our uniforms from the “band boosters” – those selfless, dedicated parents who provided comfort and
assistance to the members of the band. I was not really in existence. I could walk and talk, but inside my brain
was fast asleep. I was standing around waiting for my hat to be cleaned when I noticed a big container of
coffee. I poured myself a cup – my first-ever cup of coffee. It tasted pretty bitter, but I had to wake up.
Finally, they lined us all up and off we went. I had had my coffee, so I marched and beat the rhythm out with
all my heart. Then, suddenly all my energy drained away. I began to feel sleepy and I fell “OUT OF STEP.” No
one noticed at first and I tried to skip back into step. But nothing worked. Then I saw one of the band
boosters talking to another one and pointing at me. Then they motioned for me to leave the formation. I
walked over to them as the band marched on. They told me what I already knew, I was “OUT OF STEP”, and
would have to stay out of the formation until the band passed the judging stand.
I couldn’t believe it. Now I had to climb over the lawn chairs, popcorn and arms and legs of my fellow
townspeople for the next mile to keep up with the band, carrying my drum and wearing my uniform. This was
the most humiliating moment of my life.
12.When the narrator was in high 13. The reason why the narrator 14. “The band uniform is a sacred
school he decided to sign up for the band attire” means it is
A) wanted badly to belong to was his A) carefully sized to fit the
some sports team. A) dream to become a musician. individual.
B) looked forward to PE classes. B) wish to get a better reputation. B) long-sleeved hand sewn pure
C) sometimes had fights with C) attraction to a girl. wool.
team captains picking teams. D) liking the band uniform. C) cleaned after each use.
D) longed to have something in D) highly respected and symbolic.
common with other students.
15. The narrator began to 16. The narrator had a cup of 17. When the narrator fell “OUT
question his decision to join the coffee before marching because OF STEP” he
band because he he A) just kept on marching.
A) saw no connection between A) sometimes liked to have some. B) expected the band boosters to
playing music and marching. B) didn’t want to feel sleepy. encourage him.
B) suddenly found out that he was C) had got tired of waiting. C) worked hard to improve the
not so good at marching. D) liked its bitter taste. situation.
C) had a bad ear for music. D) looked forward to leaving the
D) got frightened by the yells of formation.
the band director.
18. When the narrator was told to

leave the formation he felt
A) frightened that the band
director would scold him.
B) miserable because he knew he
would be a laughing stock.
C) relieved because he did not
have to march any more.
D) happy that he could join his
fellow townspeople.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
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Text 7
I like my house and my bed and my shower. I do not like camping. I guess that means I’m weird. Men are
supposed to like camping. When I was eight, my father took me on our first and last camping trip together. It
was the worst weekend of my life. It was freezing cold. It rained. We went for a hike, and I got lost. My dad
had tried to teach me how to use a compass. We walked for a mile while he talked about north, south, east
and west. I was cold and bored, so I didn’t listen very well. He left me with the compass and told me to find
my way back. My dad says I wasn’t lost for very long. It felt like a whole day.
My company recently transferred me to Denver, Colorado. My new co-workers have invited me to go hiking
or camping several times since I arrived. I keep making excuses, because I do not want to tell them the truth.
My buddy from Texas thinks I should go over it, because I’m not eight anymore. I’m afraid that if I go, I will
make a complete fool of myself. If I don’t go, they will quit asking. If they quit asking, I won’t have any
buddies to hang out with. Back home my buddies and I played golf every other Saturday. I miss golf. But here
wilderness stuff is what people do for fun.
I finally decided I would give it a try. They made plans to hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park this
weekend. After work, I found the nearest wilderness shop. The salesperson thought I had lost my mind, but
boy he had a big smile on his face. I bought one of almost everything, just in case. I even bought a wilderness
guide. I think I could survive on Mount Everest wearing the coat he sold me. I went home and read all the
manuals. I practiced setting up a tent in the backyard. I wore my new hiking boots around the house until I
got a blister.
After packing my car Friday morning, I could not see out the back of my Jeep Cherokee. Everything I bought
was crammed inside. We decided to caravan to Estes Park and then hike up Beaver Meadow Trail. I
wondered if we would get lost. But I just wanted to play it cool and follow along.
After work, we went in the parking lot to discuss who would lead the caravan. As soon as they saw my Jeep,
they started giving me a hard time. “Are ya movin’ in, Tom?” “Movin’ in where?” “To the woods”. They all
laughed. “Oh that. Just wanted to be prepared.” They raised their eyebrows and gave me the OK sign. I felt
like a complete idiot. “You should have told us. We would have left everything we own at home”. “Very
funny. Bunch of comedians.”
On the way to Estes Park, I tried to relax. I tried to think macho thoughts. And then it started to rain. I
panicked. All I could think about was being eight years old, alone in the woods, cold and hungry. The guys
didn’t seem bothered by the rain. In fact, they seemed to enjoy it. We all put on our backpacks. Once again, I
stood out. My backpack looked bright and spotless. I forgot to rub it in the dirt and stomp on it. The price tag
was still hanging from the zipper. My backpack was the only one dripping with gadgets. They all stared at me.
On the way up Beaver Meadow Trail, the rain started to pour. It was cold and harsh. I removed the Mount
Everest coat from my waist and put it on. One of my gadgets was a small, sturdy umbrella. I pulled it off the
hook, opened it, and held it in front of my face. The waterproof gloves I bought felt toasty warm. I looked
around at my macho friends. They were checking out my backpack. I suddenly felt more confident. They
looked miserable, and I almost felt sorry for them. When it started to hail, we moved off the trail.
I removed my backpack. A rolled up tent was attached to the bottom with straps of Velcro. They didn’t laugh
this time. It took us 30 minutes, but we finally put the tent together. It was not big enough for five people.
Somehow, we squeezed inside anyway. After several awkward moments, someone said “So what else you
got in that backpack, Tom?” We spent the next hour joking and laughing and eating beef jerky. I told them all
about my first camping experience. I also told them that I miss playing golf. They said they would give it a try
sometime. I decided camping might not be so bad after all.
12. Tom believes that he is weird 13. Tom got lost on a hike 14. Tom isn’t quite happy in
because he because Denver because
A) expects to sleep in a A) his father hadn’t explained to A) he feels a complete fool in the
comfortable bed when camping. him how to use a compass. company of his co-workers.
B) didn’t like camping when he B) his father had left him alone to B) he dislikes the leisure time
was eight years old. teach him a lesson. activities of his new colleagues.
C) doesn’t like the thing other C) he wanted to make his father C) his new colleagues have quit
people expect him to enjoy. feel sorry for him. inviting him to go hiking or
D) didn’t like to spend weekends D) he had paid no attention to camping.
with his father in his childhood. D) there are no men whom he
what his father was telling him. would like to become his buddies.
15. The salesperson thought Tom 16. Tom’s colleagues started 17. When everyone stared at his
had lost his mind because giving him a hard time because backpack Tom wished he
A) Tom wanted to climb Mount they A) had bought a cheaper one.
Everest without any previous A) thought he had too many B) had removed some of the
experience. things in his jeep. gadgets.
B) Tom had bought a lot of B) were envious of his Jeep C) hadn’t bought such a bright
unnecessary things. Cherokee and hiking equipment. one.
C) no one had ever bought so C) believed he was a complete D) had made it look old and used.
many manuals. idiot.
D) Tom had bought outrageously D) thought he couldn’t lead the
expensive hiking equipment. caravan.
18. Tom found his camping

experience not so bad after all
because
A) it taught him to appreciate
nature’s beauty.
B) he realized that camping might
go well with playing sports.
C) he enjoyed the company of his
co-workers.
D) he liked eating beef cooked
over a campfire.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
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Text 8
Whilst travelling in 2001, I had my first but definitely not last go at snowboarding. Rhona and I went to the
Cardona ski resort, a couple of hours from Queenstown in New Zealand. We had been staying in Queenstown
for a couple of weeks and had tried a couple of the local ski resorts. They had been so popular, that there was
almost no room to stay. The problem for me with this was that with so many people moving around me, my
eyes were constantly re-focusing. This meant that I couldn’t see a thing! As I had never snowboarded before,
we decided that it was going to be a problem. A guy at one of the local ski rental shops recommended that
we should try Cardona.
On arrival I went straight to the Ski Patrol and explained my situation. They suggested that I should wear a
vest, that they supplied, with the words ‘BLIND SKIER’ on the front and back on top of my jacket. They told
me that this was more for the benefit of the other skiers around me. I must admit, I wasn’t very keen to do
this, but thought I would give it a try.
Once onto the slopes, I put my vest on and began to practise my limited skills. Because I have done some
other board sports, i. e. skateboarding, surfing, etc., it wasn’t too hard to learn the basics. Once I was
comfortable with this, I headed off for the ski lift and the big slopes. As I stood in the queue I could hear
people talking about that ‘poor blind guy’. This niggled me a bit, but I decided to try to ignore it. At the top of
the lift I stepped off and strapped my feet onto the board.
As we headed off I could hear more people talking about the vest. I was starting to get paranoid. Then as I
gathered speed and Rhona would shout directions, I realized that the people who saw the vest were getting
out of my way. Fantastic! This was better than a white stick in a crowd. We picked up speed turning left, then
right, hitting a few bumps, but mainly going really well. I even managed to control the snowboard. Well, sort
of control it. Before I knew it, we had zipped down a long straight slope and had come to the end of the run.
The adrenaline was buzzing and I was ‘high as a kite’. What a feeling. I got back on the ski lift and headed
back up. This time I was going to do the run solo!
I had memorized the slope from my first run and felt very confident. As I came off the lift, I rushed to get
started. Again, I could hear people talking about me, but now it didn’t matter. The vest was a definite benefit
for the novice snowboarder! I took the first stage at a steady pace, looking for my first left bend. No problems
there. I found that easy enough. I was now looking for my fast approaching right bend. I missed this one
completely and ended up in the safety netting at the edge of the run.
At this point, I decided I was not the world’s best snowboarder and would have to take things a little slower.
As the day progressed, so did my skills. I had a great time. Even taking ‘air’ on quite a few occasions. However
this was not deliberate! I was now very wary about that bend I had missed, so I started to take it a bit earlier.
Unfortunately, this meant that I would leap about 2 metres into the air. And what was more surprising than
being airborne, was the fact that on half a dozen occasions, (out of about 30), I landed on my feet and carried
on downhill. The rest of the time I fell on my bottom. I heard some people comment on how brave ‘that blind
guy’ was. Little did they know it was lack of skill rather than bravery.
We boarded at Cardona for two days and had a fantastic time. Because it is a bit of a drive away from most of
the tourist places, it is not as busy as the other ski resorts. It is mostly visited by the locals and I think that
says something. If you get the chance, I would definitely recommend Cardona. I would also like to thank the
Ski Patrol for that great suggestion. Without the vest, I am sure there could have been some crashes, caused
by me. But with the vest , everyone just got out of the way. However, I think that if I was to get a vest for
myself, it would probably read “BLIND &DAFT”.
12. The narrator and his 13. The Ski Patrol suggested that 14. When the narrator was
companion decided to choose the the narrator should wear a vest in standing in the queue he
Cardona ski resort because order to A) felt annoyed by people’s
A) it was a short distance from A) make it easier for them to comments.
Queenstown. locate the narrator in case of an B) felt comfortable in his vest.
B) they couldn’t find a room at accident. C) tried to focus his eyes on the
other resorts. B) make the narrator feel more track.
C) somebody said that it was confident during his first go at
worth going to. snowboarding. D) tried to ignore his fear.
D) it was popular with C) keep an eye on him on the
snowboarders. slope.
D) prevent other people from
colliding with him on the slopes.
15. “This” in “This was better than 16. The narrator did the second 17. The narrator believes that his
a white stick in the crowd” refers run solo and he successful leaps into the air and
to A) tried to memorize all the landing on his feet were due to
A) the fact that people were bends. A) his personal courage.
getting out of the narrator’s way. B) failed to go round one of the B) people’s encouragement.
B) the narrator’s moving at a high bends. C) his intensive practising.
speed down the slope. C) tried not to listen to Rhona’s D) pure chance.
C) the fact that Rhona was giving directions.
the narrator directions. D) fell down and was injured.
D) the narrator’s hearing more
people talking about the vest.
18. The narrator recommends the

Cardona ski resort because
A) of the Ski Patrol efficient
service
B) skiers are supplied with vests
there.
C) it is less crowded than other
places.
D) there are few crashes on the
slopes.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
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Text 9
The introduction to a new biography of Gannibal by the author
Alexander Pushkin was not only Russia’s greatest poet, but he was also the great-grandson of an African
slave. The slave, whose godfather was Peter the Great, claimed to have royal blood of his own. Certainly his
Russian descendants believed that he was an African prince. His descendants have included members as well
as close friends of the English royal family. So the legend goes on.
Pushkin told the story of his black ancestor in “The Negro of Peter the Great”, but this biography tells a
different version. The main difference is between fact and fiction. The Russian poet hoped to discover a
biographical truth by sticking to the facts, only to discover that facts are slippery and not always true. His
biography turned into a novel. Even then, it was left unfinished after six and a half chapters. The scrawled
manuscript comes to an end with a line of dialogue – ‘Sit down, you scoundrel, let’s talk!’ — and a line of
dots. Pushkin could be speaking to himself. In any case, it’s now time to stand up and carry on with the story.
I have tried to join up the dots.
This is a book, then, about a missing link between the storyteller and his subject, an African prince; between
the various branches of a family and its roots; between Pushkin and Africa; Africa and Europe; Europe and
Russia; black and white. It is the story of a remarkable life and it poses the question: how is such a life to be
explained?
My own explanation began in 2001, while I was living in Russia and working there as a journalist. The first
draft was written during the war in Afghanistan, on the road to Kabul, but it describes my journey to the
frontline of a different kind of war in Africa between the armies of Ethiopia and Eritrea. According to legend,
Pushkin’s ancestor was born there, on the northern bank of the River Mareb, where I was arrested for taking
photographs and compass readings, on suspicion of being a spy. Understandably my captors didn’t believe
that I was only a journalist researching the life of Russia’s greatest writer. At the military camp, where I was
held for a number of hours, the commandant looked me up and down when I asked, in my best posh English
accent, ‘I say, my good man, can you tell me, basically, what is going on here?’ ‘Basically,’ he replied, with
distaste, ‘you are in prison!’ The incident taught me something. Journalists, like biographers, are meant to
respect facts, and by retracing Gannibal’s footsteps, I hoped to find a true story.
Some of those journeys lie behind the book, and are used whenever it is helpful to show that the past often
retains a physical presence for the biographer – in landscapes, buildings, portraits, and above all in the trace
of handwriting on original letters or journals. But my own journeys are not the point of the book. It is
Gannibal’s story. I am only following him.
Descriptions of Africa and the slave trade result from my journeys, but this is not a book about a ‘stolen
legacy’, nor certainly about the intellectual wars that have been part of black history in recent years.
Biographers, like novelists, should tell stories. I have tried to do this. I should, however, point out from the
outset that Gannibal was not the only black face to be seen in the centre of fashionable St Petersburg at that
time. Negro slaves were a common sight in the grand salons of Millionaires’ Street and they appeared in a
variety of roles, such as pets, pages, footmen, mascots, mistresses, favourites and adopted children. At the
Winter Palace, so-called court Arabs, usually Ethiopians dressed in turbans and baggy trousers stood guard
like stage extras in the marble wings.
12. The slave’s Russian 13. According to the narrator, the 14. The narrator’s objective in
descendants believe that the biography of Pushkin’s ancestor writing the book was to
slave turned into a novel because A) write a new version of the
A) had Russian royal blood in him. Pushkin novel “The Negro of Peter the
B) was Peter the Great’s A) didn’t like the true biographical Great”.
godfather. B) continue the story from where
C) belonged to the royal family in facts he had discovered. it was left unfinished.
his native land. B) found it impossible to stick to C) interpret’s attitude to his
D) was a close friend of the the facts that were doubtful. ancestor.
English royal family. C) could not do without D) prove that Pushkin’s ancestor
describing fictional events. was an African prince.
D) found the true facts of the
slave’s biography uninspiring.
15. The narrator says that his 16. The lesson that the narrator 17. The narrator thinks that his
research for the book learnt from his arrest was journeys
A) brought him to Russia to work A) not to use a camera and A) helped him find some visible
as a journalist. compass at the frontline. traces of the past.
B) made him go to the war in B) to avoid speaking to people in B) made him to feel sympathy to a
Afghanistan. his best posh English accent. “stolen legacy”.
C) led him to take part in the war C) not to distort information C) deepened his understanding of
in Africa. about real events. the concept of intellectual wars.
D) brought him to a river bank in D) never to tell people about his D) turned out to be the main
Africa. research. contents of his book.
18. The narrator points out that

at the time of Gannibal
A) negro slaves played a variety of
roles in the theatre.
B) black slaves were like stage
extras in royal processions.
C) many Africans made a brilliant
career at the court.
D) Africans were not a novelty in
the capital of Russia.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
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Text 10
A good night’s sleep – An impossible dream?
Tonight, do yourself a favor. Shut off the TV, log off the Internet and unplug the phone. Relax, take a bath,
maybe sip some herbal tea. Then move into the bedroom. Set your alarm clock for a time no less than eight
hours in the future, fluff up your pillows and lay your head down for a peaceful night of restorative shut-eye.
That’s what American doctors advise.
American sleep experts are sounding an alarm over America’s sleep deficit. They say Americans are a
somnambulant nation, stumbling groggily through their waking hours for lack of sufficient sleep. They are
working longer days – and, increasingly, nights – and they are playing longer, too, as TV and the Internet
expand the range of round-the-clock entertainment options. By some estimates, Americans are sleeping as
much as an hour and a half less per night than they did at the turn of the century – and the problem is likely
to get worse.
The health repercussions of sleep deprivation are not well understood, but sleep researchers point to ills
ranging from heart problems to depression. In a famous experiment conducted at the University of Chicago
in 1988, rats kept from sleeping died after two and a half weeks. People are not likely to drop dead in the
same way, but sleep deprivation may cost them their lives indirectly, when an exhausted doctor prescribes
the wrong dosage or a sleepy driver weaves into someone’s lane.
What irritates sleep experts most is the fact that much sleep deprivation is voluntary. “People have regarded
sleep as a commodity that they could shortchange,” says one of them. “It’s been considered a mark of very
hard work and upward mobility to get very little sleep. It’s a macho attitude.” Slumber scientists hope that
attitude will change. They say people have learned to modify their behavior in terms of lowering their
cholesterol and increasing exercise. Doctors also think people need to be educated that allowing enough time
for sleep and taking strategic naps are the most reliable ways to promote alertness behind the wheel and on
the job.
Well, naps would be nice, but at the moment, employers tend to frown on them. And what about the
increasing numbers of people who work at night? Not only must they work while their bodies’ light-activated
circadian rhythms tell them to sleep, they also find it tough to get to sleep after work. Biologists say night
workers have a hard time not paying attention to the 9-to-5 day because of noises or family obligations or
that’s the only time they can go to the dentist. There are not too many dentists open at midnight.
As one might imagine, companies are springing up to take advantage of sleeplessness. One of the companies
makes specially designed shift-work lighting systems intended to keep workers alert around the clock. Shift-
work’s theory is that bright light, delivered in a controlled fashion, can help adjust people’s biological clocks.
The company president says they are using light like a medicine. So far, such special lighting has been the
province of NASA astronauts and nuclear power plant workers. He thinks that in the future, such systems
may pop up in places like hospitals and 24-hour credit-card processing centers. Other researchers are
experimenting with everything from welder’s goggles (which night workers wear during the day) to human
growth hormones. And, of course, there is always what doctors refer to as “therapeutic caffeine use,” but
everyone is already familiar with that.
So, is a good night’s sleep an impossible dream for Americans? Maybe so.
12. The advice of American 13. Americans are referred to as a 14. Experiments with sleep
doctors is all about “somnambulant nation” because deprivation proved that
A) ways to reduce negative effect they A) it inevitably leads to death.
of modern technologies. A) need special help to fall asleep. B) its repercussions have finally
B) complex measures that ensure B) are sleepwalkers. become predictable.
healthy sleep. C) it is likely to result in cardio or
C) positive effect of herbal C) regularly wake up at night. nervous problems.
therapy. D) don’t get enough sleep to D) animal and human reaction are
D) the process of restoring from function effectively. almost alike.
unexpected psychological stress.
15. There is a tendency to sleep 16. Having naps during the day 17. People who work at night can
less because would be nice, but hardly
A) people want to look tough at A) doctors do not find them A) fulfill traditional family
any cost. effective. obligations.
B) people think they can reduce B) people won’t take them B) consult doctors when needed.
sleeping hours without any harm . voluntarily. C) socialize to their liking.
C) people have learned to cope C) bosses are against this. D) ever sleep without ear-plugs.
with less sleep just as they have D) it is difficult to arrange.
learned to lower cholesterol.
D) otherwise they lose career and
social opportunities.
18. The main aim of specially

designed shift-work lighting
system is
A) to help people feel alert at
night.
B) to provide better lightning.
C) to prevent heart diseases.
D) to stimulate human growth
hormones.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 11
Abby’s tidy drawer
One Saturday morning, Abby’s Mum came upstairs to see Abby in her bedroom. There was a big mess on the
floor and Abby sat in the middle of it all reading a book.
“What a mess,” Mum said. “You need to have a clear up in here. Because things get broken or lost when
they’re all willy-nilly like this. Come on, have a tidy up now.”
“But I’m very busy,” Abby argued, “and it’s boring doing it on my own. Can’t you help me?”
“No I can’t, I’m busy too. But I’ll give you extra pocket money if you do a good job.”
When Mum came back later all the toys and clothes and books had disappeared.
“I’m impressed,” said Mum. “But I’ll inspect it properly later.”
“It was easy,” said Abby. “Can I have my extra pocket money now?”
“All right. Get it out of my change purse. It’s in the kitchen tidy drawer.”
In the kitchen, Abby went over to the dresser and pulled open the tidy drawer. She hunted for the purse.
“It must be somewhere at the bottom,” Mum said. “Let’s have a proper look.”
She pulled the drawer out and carried it over to the table. Abby looked inside. There were lots of boring
things like staplers and string, but there were lots of interesting things as well.
“What’s this?” Abby asked, holding up a plastic bottle full of red liquid.
“Fake blood, from a Halloween party years ago. Your Dad and I took you to that, dressed up as a baby
vampire. You were really scary.”
Abby carried on looking through the drawer. She found some vampire teeth, white face paint, plastic witch
nails and hair gel. Mum pulled out a glittery hair band. It had springs with wobbly balls on the top that flashed
disco colours! Abby found some sparkly hair elastics to match the hair band. She made her Mum put lots of
little bunches all over her head so she looked really silly.
“I remember this,” Abby said as she pulled out a plastic bag. “This is from my pirate party.” Inside there was a
black, false moustache and some big gold earrings.
“Come here,” Mum said and smeared white face paint all over Abby’s face. She dribbled the fake blood so it
looked as if it was coming out of Abby’s eyes and mouth. She put gel all over Abby’s hair and made it stand
up into weird, pointy shapes. Abby put in the vampire teeth and slipped on the witch fingers. She made scary
noises at Wow-Wow, the cat. He ignored her and carried on washing himself on the seat next to her.
Abby came to sit on her Mum’s knee.
“It’s fun doing this together,” she said.
“Maybe. But we still haven’t found the change purse.”
“Well, you know things will get lost, or broken, when they’re all willy-nilly.”
“You cheeky monkey!” Mum laughed. “But what shall I do with it all?”
“I know, it’s easy,” Abby said and began to remove everything off the table into her arms. She put it all back
in the kitchen drawer.
Mum looked at her suspiciously.
“Let’s go and inspect your bedroom, shall we?”
Abby followed her upstairs and into her bedroom. Wow-Wow was sitting in front of her fish tank looking
hungrily at the goldfish. He dashed under the bed when he saw Mum and Abby. Mum kneeled down and
lifted the bed cover to get him out. Underneath were heaps of Abby’s toys, books, tapes, clothes and shoes,
empty plastic cups, wrappers and a half-eaten sandwich on a plate.
“Abby! What’s all this?”
“It’s my tidy drawer,” Abby said. She wrapped her arms around her Mum and gave her a kiss. “Let’s sort this
one out together now.”
12. When Mum came to Abby’s 13. Abby agreed to tidy up her 14. Where did Abby find many
room she saw room because Mother interesting things?
A) her daughter reading at her A) promised to take her to the A) In her Mother’s change purse.
table. Halloween party. B) Under her bed.
B) the cat looking at the fish. B) offered to give her extra pocket C) On the kitchen table.
C) a terrible mess all over the money. D) In the tidy drawer in the
place. C) promised to help her. kitchen.
D) Abby dressed up as a vampire. D) said that she would punish her.
15 Abby’s parents used most of 16. Abby put on the vampire 17. Abby’s Mother decided to
the interesting things teeth, witch nails and other things inspect Abby’s bedroom
A) when they dressed themselves from the tidy drawer because A) after she had seen Abby tidy up
up for Halloween parties. A) she wanted to scare the cat. the kitchen table.
B) as presents for Halloween B) she was going to a Halloween B) because she had promised she
parties. party that evening. would do that.
C) to dress her up for different C) she enjoyed dressing up with C) before Father came home from
parties. her Mother. work.
D) when they wanted to play D) she had to dress up for a pirate D) when they heard some strange
tricks on Abby. party. noise from it.
18. When Abby’s Mother looked

under her daughter’s bed she saw
A) the cat eating a sandwich.
B) the tidy drawer from the
kitchen.
C) her change purse.
D) all the Abby’s things.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 12
Mr. Sticky
No one knew how Mr. Sticky got in the fish tank.
«He’s very small,» Mum said as she peered at the tiny water snail. «Just a black dot.»
In the morning Abby jumped out of bed and switched on the light in her fish tank.
Gerry, the fat orange goldfish, was dozing inside the stone archway. It took Abby a while to discover Mr.
Sticky because he was clinging to the glass near the bottom, right next to the gravel.
At school that day she wrote about the mysterious Mr. Sticky who was so small you could mistake him for a
piece of gravel. Some of the girls in her class said he seemed an ideal pet for her and kept giggling about it.
«I think he’s grown a bit,» Abby told her Mum at breakfast the next day.
«Just as well if he’s going to be eaten up like that,» her Mum said, trying to put on her coat and eat toast at
the same time. «But I don’t want him to get too huge or he won’t be cute anymore. Small things are cute
aren’t they?»
«Yes they are. Now hurry up, I’m going to miss my train.»
At the weekend they cleaned out the tank. «There’s a lot of filth on the sides,» Mum said. «I’m not sure Mr.
Sticky’s quite up to the job yet.»
They took the fish out and put them in a bowl while they emptied some of the water. Mr. Sticky stayed out of
the way, clinging to the glass while Mum used the special ‘vacuum cleaner’ to clean the gravel. Abby cleaned
the archway and the filter tube. Mum poured new water into the tank.
«Where’s Mr. Sticky?» Abby asked.
«On the side,» Mum said. She was busy concentrating on the water.
Abby looked on all sides of the tank. There was no sign of the water snail.
«He’s probably in the gravel then,» her mum said. She put the fish back in the clean water where they swam
round and round, looking baffled.
That evening Abby went up to her bedroom to examine the tank. The water had settled and looked lovely
and clear but there was no sign of Mr. Sticky. She went downstairs.
Her mum was in the study surrounded by papers. She looked impatient when she saw Abby in the doorway
and even more impatient when she heard the bad news.
«He’ll turn up.» was all she said. «Now off to bed Abby. I’ve got masses of work to catch up on.»
Abby felt her face go hot and red. It always happened when she was furious or offended.
«You’ve poured him out, haven’t you,» she said. «You were in such a rush.»
«I have not. I was very cautious. But he is extremely small.»
«What’s wrong with being small?»
«Nothing at all. But it makes things hard to find.»
«Or notice,» Abby said and ran from the room.
The door to the bedroom opened and Mum’s face appeared. Abby tried to ignore her but it was hard when
she walked over to the bed and sat next to her. She was holding her glasses in her hand. «These are my new
pair,» she said. «Extra powerful, for snail hunting.» She smiled at Abby. Abby tried not to smile back.
«And I’ve got a magnifying glass,» Abby suddenly remembered and rushed off to find it.
They sat beside each other on the floor with the tank between them and peered into the water.
«Ah ha!» Mum suddenly cried.
There, perfectly hidden against the dark stone, sat Mr. Sticky. And right next to him was another water snail,
even smaller than him.
«Mrs. Sticky!» Abby breathed.

They both laughed. Then Abby put her head on her mum’s chest and smiled.
12. Mr. Sticky was 13. Abby didn’t want Mr. Sticky to 14. When helping her mother to
grow too big because clean out the tank Abby
A) a goldfish. A) there wouldn’t be enough A) polished the walls of the tank.
B) a piece of gravel. space in the fish tank. B) used a vacuum cleaner.
C) a snail. B) he would eat too much. C) poured fresh water into the
D) a turtle. C) he would leave a lot of dirt on tank.
the walls of the fish tank. D) cleaned the filter tube of the
D) she found small things to be fish tank.
very pretty.
15. Abby came to her mother’s 16. Abby was angry with her 17. Mother came to Abby’s room
study Mum because to look for Mr. Sticky with
A) to tell her that Mr. Sticky A) mother ignored her. A) her new glasses.
hadn’t turned up. B) mother didn’t like Mr. Sticky. B) a filter tube.
B) when she had found Mr. and C) she thought that her mother C) a magnifying glass.
Mrs. Sticky. had poured out Mr. Sticky. D) a vacuum cleaner.
C) because she didn’t want to go D) mother was very strict.
to bed.
D) to say goodnight.
18. Abby felt happy and laughed

because
A) mother came to help her look
for Mr. Sticky.
B) they found Mr. Sticky in the
fish tank.
C) the water in the fish tank was
very clear and clean.
D) her mother was trying to make
her laugh.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 13
A Gifted Cook
If there is a gene for cuisine, Gabe, my 11-year-old son, could splice it to perfection. Somewhere between
Greenwich Village, where he was born, and the San Francisco Bay area, where he has grown up, the little kid
with the stubborn disposition and freckles on his nose has forsaken Boy Scouts and baseball in favor of
wielding a kitchen knife.
I suppose he is a member of the Emeril generation. Gabe has spent his formative years shopping at the
Berkeley Bowl, where over half a dozen varieties of Thanksgiving yams, in lesser mortals, can instill emotional
paralysis. He is blessed with a critical eye. “I think Emeril is really cheesy,” he observed the other night while
watching a puff pastry segment. “He makes the stupidest jokes. But he cooks really well.”
With its manifold indigenous cultures, Oaxaca seemed the perfect place to push boundaries. Like the mole
sauces for which it is justly famous, the region itself is a subtle blend of ingredients – from dusty Zapotec
villages where Spanish is a second language to the zocalo in colonial Oaxaca, a sophisticated town square
brimming with street life and vendors selling twisty, one-story-tall balloons.
Appealing to Gabe’s inner Iron Chef seemed like an indirect way to introduce him to a place where the artful
approach to life presides. There was also a selfish motive: Gabe is my soul mate, a fellow food wanderer who
is not above embracing insanity to follow his appetite wherever it leads.
Months ahead of time, we enrolled via the Internet in the daylong Wednesday cooking class at Seasons of My
Heart, the chef and cookbook author Susana Trilling’s cooking school in the Elta Valley, about a 45-minute
drive north to town. In her cookbook and PBS series of the same name, Ms. Trilling, an American whose
maternal grandparents were Mexican, calls Oaxaca “the land of no waste” where cooking techniques in some
ancient villages have endured for a thousand years.
I suspected that the very notion of what constitutes food in Oaxaca would test Gabe’s mettle. At the
suggestion of Jacob, his older brother, we spent our second night in Mexico at a Oaxaca Guerrero baseball
game, where instead of peanuts and Cracker Jack, vendors hawked huge trays piled high with chapulines,
fried grasshoppers cooked in chili and lime, a local delicacy. Gabe was bug-eyed as he watched the man next
to him snack on exoskeletal munchies in a paper bowl. “It’s probably less gross than a hot dog,” he admitted.
“But on the rim of the bowl I saw a bunch of legs and served body parts. That’s revolting!”
Our cooking day began at the Wednesday market in Etla, shopping for ingredients and sampling as we went.
On the way in the van, Gabe had made friends with Cindy and Fred Beams, fellow classmates from Boston,
sharing opinions about Caesar salad and bemoaning his brother’s preference for plain pizza instead of
Hawaiian. Cindy told Gabe about a delicious sauce she’d just had on her omelet at her B & B. “It was the best
sauce – to die for,” she said. “Then I found out the provenance. Roasted worms.”
The Oaxacan taste for insects, we’d learn – including the worm salt spied at the supermarket and the “basket
of fried locusts” at a nearby restaurant – was a source of protein dating back to pre-Hispanic times.
When our cooking class was over I saw a flicker of regret in his face, as though he sensed the world’s infinite
variety and possibilities in all the dishes he didn’t learn to cook. “Mom”, he said plaintively, surveying the
sensual offerings of the table. “Can we make everything when we get home?”
12. Gabe’s mother thinks that he 13. Gabe is supposed to 14. The narrator wanted to take
is represent the Emeril generation Gabe to Oaxaca because
A) lazy. because he A) he could speak Spanish.
B) determined. A) is fond of criticizing others. B) there are a lot of
C) selfish. B) feels happy being alone. entertainments for children there.
C) he knew a lot about local
D) thoughtful. C) is interested in cooking. cultures.
D) is good at making jokes. D) he was the best to keep her
company.
15. Gabe was struck when he 16. The Oaxacan people eat 17. At the end of the class Gabe
A) was told that local cooking insects because this kind of food felt regret because
techniques were a thousand A) tastes pleasant. A) there were a lot of dishes he
years old. B) is easy to cook. could not make on his own.
B) saw the man next to him eat C) contains an essential B) the dishes he made were not
insects. nutritional element. tasty.
C) did not find any dish to satisfy D) helps to cure many diseases. C) he did not want to go back
his appetite. home.
D) understood that a hot dog was D) he had not managed to master
less gross than a local delicacy. all the dishes he liked.
18. In paragraph 3 “brimming

with” means
A) lacking.
B) being filled with.
C) astonishing with.
D) beckoning with.

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Text 14
A School Story
It happened at my private school thirty odd years ago, and I still can’t explain it. I came to that school in
September and among the boys who arrived on the same day was one whom I took to. I will call him McLeod.
The school was a large one: there must have been from 120 to 130 boys there as a rule, and so a
considerable staff of masters was required. One term a new master made his appearance. His name was
Sampson. He was a tall, well-built, pale, black-bearded man. I think we liked him. He had travelled a good
deal, and had stories which amused us on our school walks, so that there was some competition among us to
get a chance to listen to him.
Well, the first odd thing that happened was this. Sampson was doing Latin grammar with us. One of his
favourite methods was to make us construct sentences out of our own heads to illustrate the rules he was
trying to teach us. Now, on this occasion he ordered us each to make a sentence bringing in the verb memlnij
‘I remember.’ Well, most of us made up some ordinary sentence such as ‘I remember my father, ’ but the boy
I mentioned — McLeod — was evidently thinking of something more interesting than that. Finally, very
quickly he wrote a couple of lines on his paper, and showed it up with the rest. The phrase was “Remember
the lake among the four oaks.” Later McLeod told me that it had just come into his head. When Sampson
read it he got up and went to the mantel-piece and stopped quite a long time without saying anything
looking really embarrassed. Then he wanted to know why McLeod had put it down, and where his family
lived, and if there was such a lake there, and things like that.
There was one other incident of the same kind. We were told to make a conditional sentence, expressing a
future consequence. We did it and showed up our bits of paper, and Sampson began looking through them.
All at once he got up, made some odd sort of noise in his throat, and rushed out. I noticed that he hadn’t
taken any of the papers with him, so we went to look at them on his desk. The top paper on the desk was
written in red ink — which no one used — and it wasn’t in anyone’s handwriting who was in the class. I
questioned everyone myself! Then I thought of counting the bits of paper: there were seventeen of them on
the desk, and sixteen boys in the form. I put the extra paper in my bag and kept it. The phrase on it was
simple and harmless enough: ‘If you don’t come to me, I’ll come to you.’ That same afternoon I took it out of
my bag — I know for certain it was the same bit of paper, for I made a fingermark on it — and there was no
single piece of writing on it!
The next day Sampson was in school again, much as usual. That night the third and last incident in my story
happened. We — McLeod and I — slept in a bedroom the windows of which looked out at the main building
of the school. Sampson slept in the main building on the first floor. At an hour which I can’t remember
exactly, but some time between one and two, I was woken up by somebody shaking me. I saw McLeod in the
light of the moon which was looking right into our windows. ‘Come,’ he said, — ‘come, there’s someone
getting in through Sampson’s window. About five minutes before I woke you, I found myself looking out of
this window here, and there was a man sitting on Sampson’s window-sill, and looking in.’ ‘What sort of man?
Is anyone from the senior class going to play a trick on him? Or was it a burglar?!’ McLeod seemed unwilling
to answer. ‘I don’t know,’ he said, ‘but I can tell you one thing — he was as thin as a rail, and water was
running down his hair and clothing and/ he said, looking round and whispering as if he hardly liked to hear
himself, ‘I’m not at all sure that he was alive.’ Naturally I came and looked, and naturally there was no one
there.
And next day Mr. Sampson was gone: not to be found, and I believe no trace of him has ever come to light
since. Neither McLeod nor I ever mentioned what we had seen to anyone. We seemed unable to speak about
it. We both felt strange horror which neither could explain.
12. Why did schoolchildren like 13. How did Mr. Sampson teach 14. Why did McLeod write the
the new teacher, Mr. Sampson? Latin grammar? phrase ‘Remember the lake
A) They liked his appearance. A) He told the pupils to learn the among the four oaks?’
B) He often went for a walk with rules by heart. A) There was a place like that in
them. B) He asked the pupils to make up his native town.
C) He organized competitions for example sentences. B) He wanted to show his
them. C) He illustrated the rules with knowledge of Latin grammar.
D) They enjoyed listening to his pictures. C) The phrase suddenly came to
stories. D) He made up interesting his mind.
sentences to illustrate the rules D) He wanted to embarrass the
teacher.
15. What did Mr. Sampson do 16. What was wrong with the 17. Who did McLeod see on Mr.
after reading the examples of paper written in red ink? Sampson’s windowsill?
conditional sentences? A) It didn’t illustrate the rule that A) Nobody.
A) He left the classroom was studied. B) A stranger.
immediately. B) It had finger-marks on it. C) One of his schoolmates.
B) He put the papers with the C) It didn’t belong to anyone in D) Mr. Sampson.
examples into his bag. the class.
C) He asked who had written the D) It had many grammar
example in red ink. mistakes.
D) He gave marks to the pupils.
18. Why did the boys never tell

anyone about the incident at
night?
A) They were not asked about it.
B) Mr. Sampson asked them not
to tell anyone.
C) They agreed to keep it secret.
D) They were afraid to speak
about it.

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Text 15
First Train Trip
I must have been about eight when I made my first train trip. I think I was in second grade at that time. It
was midsummer, hot and wet in central Kansas, and time for my aunt Winnie’s annual vacation from the
store, where she worked as a clerk six days a week. She invited me to join her on a trip to Pittsburgh, fifty
miles away, to see her sister, my aunt Alice. ‘Sally, would you like to go there by train or by car?’ aunt Winnie
asked. ‘Oh, please, by train, aunt Winnie, dear! We’ve been there by car three times already!’
Alice was one of my favourite relatives and I was delighted to be invited to her house. As I was the youngest
niece in Mother’s big family, the aunties all tended to spoil me and Alice was no exception. She kept a
boarding house for college students, a two-storey, brown brick building with comfortable, nicely decorated
rooms at the corner of 1200 Kearney Avenue. She was also a world-class cook, which kept her boarding
house full of young people. It seemed to me that their life was so exciting and joyful.
Since I’d never ridden a train before, I became more and more excited as the magic day drew near. I kept
questioning Mother about train travel, but she just said, ‘Wait. You’ll see.’ For an eight-year-old, waiting was
really difficult, but finally the big day arrived. Mother had helped me pack the night before, and my little
suitcase was full with summer sundresses, shorts and blouses, underwear and pyjamas. I was reading Billy
Whiskers, a fantastic story about a goat that once made a train trip to New York, and I had put that in as well.
It was almost midnight when I could go to bed at last.
We arrived at the station early, purchased our tickets and found our car. I was fascinated by the face-to-face
seats so some passengers could ride backwards. Why would anyone, I thought, want to see where they’d
been? I only wanted to see what lay ahead for me.
Finally, the conductor shouted, ‘All aboard!’ to the people on the platform. They climbed into the cars, the
engineer blew the whistle and clanged the bell, and we pulled out of the station.
This train stopped at every town between my home in Solomon and Pittsburgh. It was known as the ‘milk
train’ because at one time it had delivered goods as well as passengers to these villages. I looked eagerly at
the signs at each station. I’d been through all these towns by car, but this was different. The shaky ride of the
coaches, the soft brown plush seats, the smells of the engine drifting back down the track and in through the
open windows made this trip far more exotic.
The conductor, with his black uniform and shiny hat, the twinkling signals that told the engineer when to stop
and go, thrilled me. To an adult, the trip must have seemed painfully slow, but I enjoyed every minute.
Aunt Winnie had packed a lunch for us to eat along the way as there was no dining car in the train. I was
dying to know just what was in that big shopping bag she carried, but she, too, said, ‘Wait. You’ll see.’
Midway, Aunt Winnie pulled down her shopping bag from the luggage rack above our seats. My eyes
widened as she opened it and began to take out its contents. I had expected lunch- meat sandwiches, but
instead there was a container of fried chicken, two hardboiled eggs, bread and butter wrapped in waxed
paper, crisp radishes and slim green onions from Winnie’s garden, as well as rosy sliced tomatoes. She had
brought paper plates, paper cups and some of the ‘everyday’ silverware. A large bottle of cold tea was well
wrapped in a dishtowel; the ice had melted, but it was still chilly. I cautiously balanced my plate on my knees
and ate, wiping my lips and fingers with a large paper napkin. This was living!
When we had cleaned our plates, Aunt Winnie looked into the bag one more time. The best treat of all
appeared — homemade chocolate cakes! Another cup of cold tea washed these down and then we carefully
returned the remains of the food and silverware to the bag, which Aunt Winnie put into the corner by her
feet.
‘Almost there,’ said my aunt, looking out of the window at the scenery passing by. And sure enough, as we
pulled into the Pittsburgh station we immediately caught sight of aunt Alice, waiting for us, a smile like the
sun lighting up her face, arms wide open. We got off the train and she led us past the taxi rank and the bus
stop to her car that was parked near the station. And all the way to her home she was asking about my
impressions of my first train trip and I could hardly find the words to express all the thrill and excitement that
filled me.
12. The first time Sally travelled 13. Aunt Alice made her living by 14. Sally was waiting for her first
by train was when she A) working as a cook. train trip so impatiently that she
A) had to move to her aunt Alice. B) keeping a boarding house. A) packed her things long before
B) had a summer vacation at
school. C) decorating houses. the trip.
C) went to Pittsburgh for the first D) working as a teacher at B) lost her appetite a week before
time in her life. college. the trip.
D) visited her aunt Alice together C) asked her Mother many
with aunt Winnie. questions about train trips.
D) couldn’t sleep the night before
the trip.
15. Sally didn’t like the idea of 16. The trip to Pittsburgh by train 17. Sally thought that at
riding backwards because seemed so exotic to Sally because lunchtime they would have
A) it could make her sick. A) she had never travelled so far A) meat sandwiches.
B) she could miss her station. from her native town. B) bread and butter with coffee.
C) she could miss .the conductor. B) travelling by train was very C) fried chicken, eggs and
D) she wanted to see where she different from a car ride. vegetables.
was going. C) she had never travelled in D) tea with chocolate cakes.
comfort.
D) she had never travelled
without her parents.
18. Aunt Alice was waiting for
Sally and aunt Winnie
A) at home.
B) in her car.
C) on the platform.
D) at the bus stop.

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Vocabulary
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Text 16
Sisters
“Dear Kathy! Chance made us sisters, hearts made us friends.” This quote is at the center of a collage of
photographs – covering our twenty-something years – that now hangs in my office. My sister, Susie, made it
for me as a wedding present. It probably cost very little to make (she is a starving college student, after all),
but it means more to me than any of the more “traditional” wedding presents my husband and I received
from family and friends last June. Whenever I look at the collage, it reminds me of my sister and what a true
friend she is.
Susie and I weren’t always close friends. Far from it, in fact. We shared a room for nearly fifteen years when
we were younger, and at the time I thought I couldn’t have asked for a worse roommate. She was always
around! If we argued and I wanted to go to my room to be alone, she’d follow me right in. If I told her to go
away, she’d say right back, “It’s my room, too! And I can be here if I want to.” I’d consult my mother and she
usually agreed with Susie. I suppose being three years younger has its benefits.
When we were kids, she’d “borrow” my dolls without asking. (And no toy was safe in her hands.) When we
got older, Susie quit borrowing my toys and started borrowing my clothes. That was the final straw. I couldn’t
take it anymore. I begged my parents to let me have a room of my own – preferably one with a lock on the
door. The answer was always a resounding “no.” “Please?!” I’d beg. My parents would just shake their heads.
They didn’t agree with each other on much, but for some reason they had a united front on this issue.
To crown it all, she had this habit of doing everything I did. Choirs, rock bands, sports teams, dance studios:
There was no place where I was safe. “She looks up to you,” my mom would say. I didn’t care. I just wanted a
piece of my life that didn’t involve my little sister. When I complained to my mother, she’d just smile and say,
“One day you’ll want her around.” Sure.
It’s strange how mothers have this habit of being right about everything. When I was sixteen and my sister
was thirteen, we went through a series of life-changing events together that would forever change our
relationship. First, my parents announced that they were divorcing. My dad packed up and moved to an
apartment in New Hampshire – more than a half hour drive away from our cozy house in Massachusetts. He
bought me my first car and I often went with Susie to his place when we missed him a lot. During those trips
we started discussing our troubles and making plans about how to reunite the family again. But a year later,
our father met his future second wife and moved again; this time to Indiana. This meant we could only see
him once or twice a year, as opposed to once every few weeks. That was hard.
Yet those few months changed my relationship with my sister forever. We started having more heart-to-
heart talks as opposed to silly fights. Over time, she became my most cherished friend. It’s not uncommon for
us to have three-hour-long telephone conversations about everything or about nothing—just laughing over
memories from childhood or high school.
She’s the only person who’s been through all of the tough stuff that I’ve been through, and the only person
who truly understands me. Susie and I have shared so much. She’s been my roommate, my friend, and my
partner in crime. We’ve done plays together, gone to amusement parks, sang, and taken long road trips
together. We’ve laughed until our sides hurt, and wiped away each others’ tears.
Even though distance separates us now, we’re closer than ever. Sisters share a special bond. They’ve seen all
of your most embarrassing moments. They know your deepest, darkest secrets. Most importantly, they love
you unconditionally. I’m lucky to be able to say that my little sister is my best friend. I only wish everyone
could be so fortunate.
12. Why is the collage of 13. Why was Kathy against 14. What did Kathy call the final
photographs more important for sharing a room with her sister? straw in paragraph 3?
Kathy than the other wedding А) They always quarreled. А) The fact that Susie often
presents? B) Susie never left her alone. borrowed Kathy’s toys.
А) It reminds Kathy of her C) They were of different age. B) The fact that Susie never asked
wedding. D) Susie said it was her own for the things she borrowed.
B) Kathy didn’t like the other room. C) The fact that Susie began to
wedding presents. wear Kathy’s clothes without her
C) It was the most expensive permission.
present. D) The fact that Susie broke all
D) Kathy’s sister made it for her. the toys she played with.
15. What was Kathy’s greatest 16. When did the relationship 17. What are Kathy’s relationships
wish that she mentioned in between Susie and Kathy start to with Susie now?
paragraph 4? change? А) They hate each other.
А) To have a separate life from А) When they moved to a new B) They are close friends.
her sister. house. C) They are business partners.
B) To live in peace and safety. B) After their father married the D) They do not see each other.
C) To never part with her sister. second time.
D) To have the same hobbies as C) After their parents divorced.
her sister. D) When Kathy’s father bought
her a car.
18. Why do the sisters understand
each other?
А) They have got the same
hobbies.
B) They have similar sense of
humour.
C) They love each other very
much.
D) They have similar life
experience.

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Vocabulary
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Text 17
To Become Wealthy
As a kid, I always wanted to become wealthy. I knew if I could achieve this, I would be able to consider
myself successful. At the time, I had no worries and felt my happiness would be based on whether I could
fulfill all my needs and wants. My simple philosophy of that time was if I was rich, I would definitely be
content with my life.
My father always stressed his belief that happiness includes much more than money. I can remember him
lecturing me about how money does not make an individual happy; other things in life such as: health, family,
friends, and memorable experiences make a person genuinely happy. At this time in my life, I took what my
dad said for granted and did not give any thought to his words. All I could see was the great life my cousins
had because they had everything a kid ever dreamed of.
At a young age, I noticed society was extremely materialistic. The media seemed to portray the wealthy as
happy people who add value to our society. My opinions did not change; in high school I still sought a career
that would eventually yield a high salary. I still felt that the possibility of living life from paycheck to paycheck
would automatically translate into my unhappiness. However, things changed when I decided to take an
internship in the accounting department for the summer after my second year of college.
Starting the first day on the job in the accounting department, I found myself extremely bored. I was forced
to do monotonous work, such as audit eight thousand travel and expense reports for a potential duplicate. In
addition, I had to relocate away from friends and family in order to accept the position. I was earning the
money I always wanted; however, I noticed that having money to spend when you are by yourself was not
satisfying.
I began to think back to what my dad always said. After a few months in the job, I truly realized that money
does not bring happiness. A more satisfying experience for me would have been doing an ordinary summer
job for far less money. For me to understand that concept, it took an experience as painful as this one. I often
contemplated how much money it would take me to do this as my everyday job. I concluded, whatever the
salary for this position I would never be capable of fulfilling a happy life and making a career out of this job.
As I looked forward to the summer to draw to a close, I truly comprehended the meaning of my dad’s words.
Contrary to my prior beliefs, I firmly believe through experience that money cannot make a person happy.
The term “wealth” is a broad term, and I believe the key to happiness is to become wealthy in great
memories, friends, family, and health. This I believe.
12. In his childhood the narrator’s 13. The narrator heard what his 14. From his early childhood till
idea of happiness was to father used to say, but did not he finished school the narrator
А) get what he wanted. А) believe him. was convinced that
B) live an interesting life. B) agree with him. А) society was extremely unfair.
C) be an influential person. C) understand him. B) media added value to society.
D) make other people happy. D) think over his words. C) money was the only thing that
ensured happiness.
D) the wealthy could not spend
money properly.
15. After the second year in the 16. The narrator’s internship 17. It became obvious to the
college the narrator decided to proved that narrator that he
А) start to work. А) it was not a money-making job. А) needed to think of another
B) quit his studies. B) he had chosen the wrong job. career.
C) change the college. C) he could not cope with B) would like to work only in
D) take a summer course. professional tasks. summer.
D) he had to get rid of his family C) would like to have a higher
and friends to keep the position. position.
D) preferred ordinary non-
professional work.
18. The summer for the narrator
was
А) monotonous and lonely.
B) dragged out and boring.
C) dynamic and satisfying.
D) difficult but inspirational.
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Text 18
The Joy and Enthusiasm of Reading
I believe in the absolute and unlimited liberty of reading. I believe in wandering through the huge stacks of
books and picking out the first thing that strikes me. I believe in choosing books based on the dust jacket. I
believe in reading books because others dislike them or find them dangerous, or too thick to spend their free
time on, or too difficult to understand. I believe in choosing the hardest book imaginable. I believe in reading
what others have to say about this difficult book, and then making up my own mind, agreeing or disagreeing
with what I have read and understood.
Part of this has to do with Mr. Buxton, who taught me Shakespeare in the 10th grade. We were reading
Macbeth. Mr. Buxton, who probably had better things to do, nonetheless agreed to meet one night to go
over the text line by line. The first thing he did was point out the repetition of motifs. For example, the
reversals of things (‘fair is foul and foul is fair’). Then there was the association of masculinity with violence in
the play.
What Mr. Buxton did not tell me was what the play meant. He left the conclusions to me. The situation was
much the same with my history teacher in 11th grade, Mr. Flanders, who encouraged me to have my own
relationship with historical events and my own attitude to them. He often quoted famous historians in the
process. I especially liked the one who said, ‘Those who forget their history have no future.’
High school was followed by college, where I read Umberto Eco’s Role of the Reader, in which it is said that
the reader completes the text, that the text is never finished until it meets this careful and engaged reader.
The open texts, Eco calls them. In college, I read some of the great Europeans and Latin Americans. All the
works I read were open texts. It was an exciting experience. Besides, I got familiar with wonderful works of
literary criticism.
There are those critics, of course, who insist that there are right ways and wrong ways to read every book.
No doubt they arrived at these beliefs through their own adventures in the stacks. Perhaps their adventures
were not so exciting or romantic. And these are important questions for philosophers of every character. But
yet I know only what joy and enthusiasm about reading have taught me, in bookstores new and used. They
have taught me not to be afraid of something new, unusual or non-traditional, not to deny it but embrace it
and try to understand even if you cannot agree with it.
Not to stay within the boundaries but always seek for something new and enjoy every second of this creative
process and be happy every time you get some result, no matter how positive or negative.
I believe there is not now and never will be an authority who can tell me how to interpret, how to read, how
to find the pearl of literary meaning in all cases. There exist thousands of versions, interpretations, colours
and shadows. You could spend a lifetime thinking about a sentence, and making it your own. In just this way,
I believe in the freedom to see literature, history, truth, unfolding ahead of me like a book whose spine has
just now been cracked.
12. The unlimited liberty of 13. The narrator thinks that his 14. The narrator gives credit to
reading for the narrator means love of reading Mr. Buxton for teaching him how
A) access to different types of A) is an inborn quality. to
books. B) developed early at school. A) love classical literature.
B) freedom in choosing and C) was initially fostered by Mr. B) read Shakespeare aloud.
interpreting books. Buxton. C) interpret stylistic devices.
C) possibility to challenge other D) is all due to the efforts of his D) find the meaning of a book for
opinions on the book. Shakespeare teacher. oneself.
D) opportunity to select what to
read according to the mood.
15. The history teacher quoted 16. According to Umberto Eco, an 17. Some critics say about text
famous historians to prove that open text is a text interpretation that
people A) commented on by the author. A) only philosophers should
A) are often blind or deaf to B) plus the reader’s attitude to it. interpret texts.
learning. C) that the author has not B) people should enjoy books but
B) understand historical texts too finished. not interpret them.
literally. D) with different variants of an C) there are several ways to
C) can’t understand the meaning end. interpret a text.
of historical events. D) there is the right interpretation
D) should learn from history not to every book.
to make similar mistakes.
18. The narrator believes that
A) it is impossible to interpret
good writers.
B) interpreting is collective
intellectual work.
C) authorities in interpreting will
appear in future.
D) one should find a proper
interpretation by oneself.

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Text 19
Unleashing the Power of Creativity
I have always been an optimist and I suppose that is rooted in my belief that the power of creativity and
intelligence can make the world a better place. And the life did not disappoint me – many times it proved me
right.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved learning new things and solving problems. So when I sat down at
a computer for the first time in the seventh grade, I was hooked. It was a clunky old Teletype machine and it
could barely do anything compared to the computers we have today. But it changed my life.
When my friend Paul Allen and I started Microsoft 30 years ago, we had a vision of «a computer on every
desk and in every home,» which probably sounded a little too optimistic at a time when most computers
were the size of refrigerators and cost as much as a new modern Japanese car. But we believed that personal
computers would change the world. And they have.
And now, after 30 years, I am still as inspired by computers as I was back in the seventh grade.
I believe that computers are the most incredible tool we can use to feed our curiosity and inventiveness – to
help us solve problems that even the smartest people could not solve on their own.
Computers have transformed how we learn, giving kids everywhere a window into all of the world’s
knowledge. And the only thing these youngsters should do is make the right choice, which is not always an
easy choice. Computers are helping us build communities around the things we care about and to stay close
to the people who are important to us, no matter where they live — next door or on the other side of the
world.
Like my friend Warren Buffett, I feel particularly lucky to do something every day that I love doing. He calls it
«tap-dancing to work.» My job at Microsoft is as challenging as ever, but what makes me «tap-dance to
work» is when we show people something new, like a computer that can recognize your handwriting or your
speech, or gestures, or one that can store a lifetime’s worth of photos or home videos and they say, «I didn’t
know you could do that with a PC!»
But for all the cool things that a person can do with a PC, there are lots of other ways we can put our
creativity and intelligence to work to improve our world. There are still far too many people in the world
whose most basic needs go unmet. Every year, for example, millions of people die from diseases that are
easy to prevent or treat in the developed world.
I believe that my own good fortune brings with it a responsibility to give back to the world. My wife, Melinda,
and I have committed ourselves to improving health and education in a way that can help as many people as
possible.
As a father, I believe that the death of a child in Africa is no less bitter or tragic than the death of a child
anywhere else. And that it does not take much to make an immense difference in these children’s lives.
I am still very much an optimist, and I believe that progress on even the world’s toughest problems is possible
– and it is happening every day. We are seeing new drugs for deadly diseases, new diagnostic tools, and new
attention paid to the health problems in the developing world.
I am excited by the possibilities I see for medicine. And I believe that through our natural inventiveness,
creativity and willingness to solve tough problems, we are going to see some amazing achievements in this
area in my lifetime.
12. The narrator considers 13. After the narrator first used a 14. The initial dream of the
himself an optimist as he computer he narrator and his friend proved to
А) has a strong religious belief. А) got fascinated with its size. be
B) believes the world is perfect. B) used it to solve his problems. А) naïve.
C) believes in the power of human C) could no longer do without it. B) manageable.
mind. D) was amazed at its unlimited C) wishful thinking.
D) knows how to develop one’s possibilities. D) optimistic but unreal.
creativity.
15. The narrator believes that 16. The narrator «tap-dances to 17. The narrator believes that
computers are perfect to work» because he enjoys А) a lot of people in the world
А) be human friends. А) meeting new people. need help.
B) create new fields of B) watching dancing contests. B) it is impossible to make the
knowledge. C) teaching people basic world better.
C) provide people with creative computer skills. C) people in the world have too
ideas. D) doing his job very much many needs.
D) be used as an instrument to D) the computer is the only way
solve human problems. to improve the world.
18. The narrator sees the
development of
А) new unknown diseases.
B) new methods in education.
C) new technologies in medicine.
D) new creative ways of thinking.

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Text 20
The Slob’s Holiday
My husband and I went to Reno for our holiday last year. “Isn’t that place where people go to get a quickie
divorce?” asked my second son? ‘Yes’, I said, trying to look enigmatic and interesting. ‘You are not getting
divorced, are you?’ he asked bluntly. ‘No,’ I said, ’we are going to an outdoor pursuit trade fair. The children
sighed with relief and slouched away, muttering things like ‘boring’. I call them children, but they are all
grown up. My eldest son has started to develop fine lines around his eyes – fledgling crow’s feet. A terrible
sight for any parent to see. Anyway, the piece isn’t about children. It’s about holidays.
The first thing to be said about holidays is that anybody who can afford one should be grateful. The second
thing is that planning holidays can be hard work. In our household it starts with somebody muttering, ’I
suppose we ought to think about a holiday.’ This remark is usually made in July and is received glumly, as if
the person making it has said ‘I suppose we ought to think about the Bolivian balance of payment problems.’
Nothing much happens for a week and then the potential holiday-makers are rounded up and made to
consult their diaries. Hospital appointments are taken into consideration, as are important things to do with
work. But other highlights on the domestic calendar, such as the cat’s birthday, are swept aside and
eventually two weeks are found. The next decision is the most painful: where?
We travel abroad to work quite a lot but we return tired and weary, so the holiday we are planning is a slob’s
holiday: collapse on a sunbed, read a book until the sun goes down, stagger back to hotel room, shower,
change into glad rags, eat well, wave good-bye to teenagers, have a last drink on hotel terrace, go to bed and
then lie awake and wait for hotel waiters to bring the teenagers from the disco.
I never want to be guided around another monument, as long as I live. I do not want to be told how many
bricks it took to build it. I have a short attention span for such details. I do not want to attend a ‘folk evening’
ever, ever again. The kind where men with their trousers tucked into their socks wave handkerchiefs in the
direction of women wearing puff-sleeved blouses, long skirts and headscarves.
I also want to live dangerously and get brown. I want my doughy English skin change from white sliced to
wheat germ. I like the simple pleasure of removing my watch strap and gazing at the patch of virgin skin
beneath.
I don’t want to make new friends – on holidays or in general; I can’t manage the ones I have at home. I do not
want to mix with the locals and I have no wish to go into their homes. I do not welcome tourists who come to
Leicester into my home. Why should the poor locals in Holidayland be expected to? It’s bad enough that we
monopolize their beaches, clog their pavements and spend an hour in a shop choosing a sunhat that costs
the equivalent of 75 pence.
So, the slob’s holiday has several essential requirements: a hotel on a sunny beach, good food, a warm sea,
nightlife for the teenagers, a big crowd to get lost in, and the absence of mosquitoes.
As I write, we are at the planning stage. We have looked through all the holiday brochures, but they are full
of references to ‘hospitable locals’, ‘folk nights’, ‘deserted beaches’, and ‘interesting historical sights’. Not our
cup of tea, or glass of sangria, at all.
12. The parents’ choice of holiday 13. The narrator’s words ‘A 14. When the need for holiday
destination made the narrator’s terrible sight for any parent to planning is first announced in the
children feel see’ refer to narrator’ family, it
A) jealous. A) the way children behave. A) is regarded as an important
B) excited. B) the fact that children are political issue.
C) alarmed. aging. B) is met with enthusiasm by all
D) indifferent. C) the way children change their the family.
image. C) seems like an impossible task.
D) the fact there is a generation D) is openly ignored.
gap.
15. To find a two-week slot for a 16. The slob’s holiday is the type 17. When the narrator says ‘I also
holiday potential holiday-makers of holiday for people, who want to live dangerously’, she
have to A) do not want to go on holiday means
A) negotiate the optimum period abroad. A) getting lost in the crowd.
for travel. B) go on holiday with teenagers. B) going sightseeing without a
B) cancel prior business C) do not like public life. guide.
appointments. D) prefer peaceful relaxing C) choosing herself the parties to
C) re-schedule individual summer holidays. go to.
plans. D) lying long hours in the sun on
D) make a list of the things to be the beach.
taken into account.
18. The main reason the narrator
doesn’t want to mix up with locals
is because she
A) doesn’t let tourists to her
house at Leicester.
B) doesn’t want to add to their
inconveniencies.
C) is afraid to make friends with
local people.
D) values her own privacy above
all.

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Text 21
Reunion
The last time I saw my father was in Grand Central Station. I was going from my grandmother’s in the
Adirondacks to a cottage on the Cape that my mother had rented, and I wrote my father that I would be in
New York between trains for an hour and a half, and asked if we could have lunch together. His secretary
wrote to say that he would meet me at the information booth at noon, and at twelve o’clock sharp I saw him
coming through the crowd.
He was a stranger to me – my mother divorced him three years ago and I hadn’t been with him since – but as
soon as I saw him I felt that he was my father, my flesh and blood, my future and my doom. I knew that when
I was grown I would be something like him; I would have to plan my campaigns within his limitations. He was
a big, good-looking man, and I was terribly happy to see him again.
He struck me on the back and shook my hand. «Hi, Charlie,» he said. «Hi, boy. I’d like to take you up to my
club, but it’s in the Sixties, and if you have to catch an early train I guess we’d better get something to eat
around here.» He put his arm around me, and I smelled my father the way my mother sniffs a rose. It was a
rich compound of whiskey, after-shave lotion, shoe polish, woollens, and the rankness of a mature male. I
hoped that someone would see us together. I wished that we could be photographed. I wanted some record
of our having been together.
We went out of the station and up a side street to a restaurant. It was still early, and the place was empty.
The bartender was quarrelling with a delivery boy, and there was one very old waiter in a red coat down by
the kitchen door. We sat down, and my father hailed the waiter in a loud voice. «Kellner!» he shouted.
«Garcon! You!» His boisterousness in the empty restaurant seemed out of place. «Could we have a little
service here!» he shouted. Then he clapped his hands. This caught the waiter’s attention, and he shuffled
over to our table.
«Were you clapping your hands at me?» he asked.
«Calm down, calm down,» my father said. «It isn’t too much to ask of you – if it wouldn’t be too much above
and beyond the call of duty, we would like a couple of Beefeater Gibsons.»
«I don’t like to be clapped at,» the waiter said.
«I should have brought my whistle,» my father said. «I have a whistle that is audible only to the ears of old
waiters. Now, take out your little pad and your little pencil and see if you can get this straight: two Beefeater
Gibsons. Repeat after me: two Beefeater Gibsons.»
«I think you’d better go somewhere else,» the waiter said quietly.
«That,» said my father, «is one of the most brilliant suggestions I have ever heard. Come on, Charlie.»
I followed my father out of that restaurant into another. He was not so boisterous this time. Our drinks came,
and he cross-questioned me about the baseball season. He then struck the edge of his empty glass with his
knife and began shouting again. «Garcon! You! Could we trouble you to bring us two more of the same.»
«How old is the boy?» the waiter asked.
«That,» my father said, «is none of your business.»
«I’m sorry, sir,» the waiter said, «but I won’t serve the boy another drink.»
«Well, I have some news for you,» my father said. «I have some very interesting news for you. This doesn’t
happen to be the only restaurant in New York. They’ve opened another on the corner. Come on, Charlie.»
He paid the bill, and I followed him out of that restaurant into another …
12. The narrator was looking 13. The narrator’s request to 14. The narrator wanted to be
forward to meeting with his meet was accepted by his father photographed with his father
father because he A) with great pleasure. because
A) expected to get a valuable B) unwillingly. A) he was proud of his father’s
present from him. C) in business-like manner. good looks.
B) missed the feeling of being D) with much hope and B) he wished to remember their
with him. expectation. moments together.
C) wanted to stay with him in C) it was the happiest time of his
New York. life.
D) hoped that his parents would D) he wanted to boast of his
get back together. father to his friends.
15. The father did not invite his 16. The father’s behaviour in the 17. The waiter in the next
son to his club because first restaurant was inappropriate restaurant refused to bring them
A) the son was pressed for time as he more drinks as
to catch a train. A) was too boisterous in an empty A) the restaurant was closing
B) it was a closed club with no restaurant. soon.
children allowed. B) tried to boast of his knowledge B) the son looked pale and faint.
C) the man feared that his son of foreign languages. C) the boy was too young to drink
would not behave properly. C) could not afford to pay the bill. alcohol.
D) it was necessary to book in D) treated the waiter in a rude D) the waiter got angry with the
advance to enter the club. manner. son.
18. The title of the story

“Reunion” actually implies that
the
A) son found his lost father after
decades of separation.
B) son now would be living
together with his father.
C) “father – son” relations is what
both sides feel the need for.
D) son made an attempt to re-
establish relations with his father.

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Text 22
In Ecuador rainforests
I arrived at the cloud forest in Ecuador ten days ago. I was one of a group of twelve volunteers that wanted
to save the rainforest. My reasons for going on this trip were twofold: firstly, I wanted to collect and bring
back alive some of the fascinating animals, birds and reptiles that inhabit this region; secondly, I had long
cherished a dream to see South America: not the inhabited South America with its macadam roads, its
cocktail bars, its express trains roaring through a landscape denuded of its flora and fauna by the beneficial
influences of civilization. I wanted to see one of those few remaining parts of the continent that had escaped
this fate and remained more or less as it was when America was first discovered: I wanted to see its
rainforests, its vast lands of untouched, pure, natural wildlife. We were working together with local people
and scientists and we were learning and seeing new things every day. Our lodge was comfortable, had
breathtaking views and was in the middle of the rainforest. It was a two-hour walk from the nearest road,
and it was even further to the nearest village.
The rainforest is truly an astonishing place. There are thousands of species of plants here and more than 700
species of birds. There are millions of insects and scientists think there may be around forty mammal species
that haven’t even been discovered. But what I was really amazed at how everything depends on everything
else for survival.
Every tree in the rainforest is covered in a species of another kind. The black wasp uses the tarantula as a
nest for its eggs, plants need monkeys for seed dispersal, and the clouds are necessary for the survival of the
whole rainforest. This is because they provide moisture. The problem is, climate change is causing the clouds
to rise by 1-2 meters every year. What will happen to the plants that need this moisture? What will happen
to the animals that need those plants?
Our job was to watch this changing ecosystem. One of my favourite projects was the bird survey. Every day a
group of us set out at around five o’clock with a local scientist. At this time of the morning the air was filled
with the sound of bird song. We had to identify the birds we hear and see and write down our findings. Later,
we entered all our information into a computer at the lodge.
We also set up cameras to record pumas, spectacled bears and other large mammals. It was always exciting
to see pumas because it meant there were other animals around that they would normally hunt. We fixed
the cameras to trees around the reserve, and every day a team of volunteers collected the cameras memory
cards.
There was a lot to do in the rainforest, but at least I felt like we were making a difference.
However, soon I started collecting some animals and insects. I realized that as soon as the hunting got under
way and the collection increased, most of my time would be taken up in looking after the animals, and I
should not be able to wander far from camp. So I was eager to get into the forest while I had the chance.
Nevertheless, I should mention the fact that without the help of the natives you would stand little chance of
catching the animals you want, for they know the forest, having been born in it. Once the animal is caught,
however, it is your job to keep it alive and well. If you left this part of it to the natives you would get precious
little back alive.
12. Which reason for the trip to 13. Who did NOT take part in the 14. According to the narrator
the rainforest was NOT work in rainforests? scientists believe that
mentioned? A) People living in the area. A) there is a number of unknown
A) Gathering a collection. B) Researchers. types of animals in the rainforest.
B) Thirst for adventures. C) Zoo keepers. B) they should study animals
C) Saving rainforests. D) Volunteers. without catching them.
D) Dream of visiting South C) plants in the rainforest do not
America. need so much water.
D) it’s impossible to control the
animals and birds in the forest.
15. What type of work did the 16. The phrase “we were making 17. Why did the narrator go to
volunteers have to do? a difference” in paragraph 6 the forest any time he had a
A) Observe the changes in the means chance to?
wildlife. A) they made life in the forest A) He wouldn’t have enough time
B) List the types of plants in the more diverse. for that later.
rainforest. B) their job would help in saving B) He had to feed animals that he
C) Study the birds’ singing. the forest. had caught.
D) Search for pumas and bears. C) they were improving fauna of C) He didn’t have chance to do
the rainforest. any other work.
D) they were changing the D) He liked hunting with local
ecosystem of the place. people.
18. According to the narrator he
worked with local people because
they
A) protected the animals.
B) knew animals better.
C) saved his life.
D) were familiar with the place.

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Text 23
Lily and I had planned a movie marathon weekend. I was exhausted from work and she was stressed out
from her classes, so we’d promised to spend the whole weekend parked on her couch and subsist solely on
pizza and crisps. No healthy food. No diet Coke. And absolutely no strict, official clothes. Even though we
talked all the time, we hadn’t spent any real time together since I’d moved to the city.
We’d been friends since the eighth grade, when I first saw Lily crying alone at a cafeteria table. She’d just
moved in with her grandmother and started at our school in Avon, after it became clear that her parents
weren’t coming home any time soon. The day I found her crying alone in the cafeteria was the day her
grandmother had forced her to chop off her dirty dreadlocks and wear a dress, and Lily was not very happy
about it. Something about the way she talked, the way she said, “That’s so nice of you,” and “Let’s just forget
about it”, charmed me, and we immediately became friends. We’d been inseparable through the rest of high
school, and lived in the same room for all four years at Brown College. Lily hadn’t yet decided whether she
preferred girlish dresses or rough leather jackets, but we complemented each other well. And I missed her.
Because with her first year as a graduate student and my exhausting work, we hadn’t seen a whole lot of
each other lately.
Lily was studying for her Ph.D. in Russian Literature at Columbia University and working odd jobs every free
second she wasn’t studying. Her grandmother barely had enough money to support herself, and Lily had to
pay for the studies on her own. However, she seemed to be fond of such a way of life. She loved Russian
culture ever since her eighth-grade teacher told her that Lily looked how he had always pictured Lolita, with
her round face and curly black hair. She went directly home and read Nabokov’s “Lolita”, and then read
everything else Nabokov wrote. And Tolstoy. And Gogol. And Chekhov. By the time we finished school, she
was applying to Brown College to work with a specific professor who had a degree in Russian Literature. On
interviewing a seventeen-year-old Lily the professor declared her one of the most well-read and passionate
students of Russian literature he’d ever met. She still loved it, still studied Russian grammar and could read
anything in its original.
I couldn’t wait for the weekend. My fourteen-hour workdays were registering in my feet, my upper arms, and
my lower back. Glasses had replaced the contacts I’d worn for a decade because my eyes were too dry and
tired to accept them anymore. I’d begun losing weight already as I never had time to eat properly, although I
was drinking an enormous amount of coffee. I’d already weathered a flue infection and had paled
significantly, and it had been only four weeks. I was only twenty-three years old. And my boss hadn’t even
been in the office yet. I knew I deserved a weekend.
Saturday afternoon found us particularly motivated, and we managed to saunter round the city center for a
few hours. We each bought some new clothes for the upcoming New Year’s party and had a mug of hot
chocolate from a sidewalk café. By the time we made it back to her apartment, we were exhausted and
happy and spent the rest of the night watching old movies and eating pizza.
This passage is from the novel The Devil Wears Prada, written by Lauren Weisberger (2003)
12. What did the girls hope to do 13. When the girl first met her 14. Lily was crying when the girl
that weekend? friend, Lily first met her because
A) Have a quiet weekend in. A) lived with her parents. A) her grandmother had cut her
B) Go to the cinema. B) visited her grandmother. hair short.
C) Have some more studies that C) just came to live in Avon. B) she missed her parents.
weekend. D) had just lost her parents. C) her grandmother didn’t like the
D) Talk all the weekend. way she talked.
D) she had to wear clothes she
didn’t like.
15. Why did the girl become 16. “We complemented each 17. Why did Lily have to do some
friends with Lily? other well” in paragraph 2 means occasional jobs?
A) She wanted to comfort her. that they A) She had to pay for her studies.
B) She liked Lily’s dress. A) found а common language. B) She had to support her
C) She became fascinated with B) were a perfect match. grandmother.
her. C) supported each other. C) She spent a lot on her clothes.
D) They had common problems. D) liked the same things. D) She liked to change jobs.
18. The girl “couldn’t wait for the

weekend” because she
A) wanted to eat properly at last.
B) wanted Lily to have a break
from her studies.
C) needed a rest from her job.
D) needed to get well after a flue
infection.
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Text 24
Corfu
Scarcely had we settled into the Strawberry-pink Villa before my mother decided that I was running wild, and
that it was necessary for me to have some sort of education. As usual when a problem arose, the entire
family flung itself with enthusiasm into the task of solving it. Each member had his or her own idea of what
was best for me.
Sitting under the open window in the twilight, I had listened with interest, not unmixed with indignation, to
the family discussion of my fate. Finally my mother decided that George would be a good teacher for me.
Now it was settled, I wondered vaguely who George was, and why it was so necessary for me to have lessons.
But the dusk was thick with flower-scents, and the olive-groves were dark, mysterious, and fascinating. I
forgot about the imminent danger of being educated, and went off with Roger to hunt for glow-worms in the
sprawling brambles.
Later I discovered that George was my brother’s friend and he had come to Corfu to write. There was nothing
very unusual about this, for all Larry’s acquaintances in those days were either authors, poets, or painters.
My new teacher came over to the villa to discuss my education with Mother, and we were introduced. We
regarded each other with suspicion. George was a very tall and extremely thin man with a brown beard and a
pair of large spectacles. He had a deep, melancholy voice, a dry and sarcastic sense of humor. However, he
was not upset by the fact that there were no school-books available on the island; he simply looked through
his own library and appeared on the appointed day armed with his own selection of books. He patiently
taught me Geography from the maps in the back of an ancient copy of Pears Encyclopedia, English from
books that ranged from Wilde to Gibbon, French from the book called “Le Petit Larousse”, and mathematics
from memory. From my point of view the most important thing was that we devoted some of our time to
natural history, and George carefully taught me how to observe and how to note down observations in a
diary. At once my enthusiastic interest in nature became focused, for I found that by writing things down I
could learn and remember much more. The only morning that I was ever on time for my lessons were those
which were given up to natural history.
Every morning at nine George would come into the little dining-room of the villa, sit at the table methodically
arranging the books. He would droop over the exercise-book pensively, pulling at his beard. Then in his large,
clear writing he would set the task for me to solve.
“If it took two caterpillars a week to eat eight leaves, how long would four caterpillars take to eat the same
number? Now, apply yourself to that”.
While I was struggling with the apparently insoluble problem of the caterpillar appetites, George was
practicing some dancing moves in the hall as at that time he was engaged in learning some of the local
dances, for which he had a passion. Through all this I would be watching him, fascinated, the exercise-book
lying forgotten in front of me. Mathematics was not one of our successful subjects.
In geography we made better progress, for George was able to give a more zoological tinge to the lesson. We
drew giant maps and then filled in the various places of interest, together with drawings of the most exciting
animals and birds to be found there.
This passage is from the novel My Family and Other Animals, written by Gerald Durrell (1956)
12. In paragraph 1 “I was running 13. How did the boy’s family react 14. George was
wild” means that the boy to the problem of his education? A) a teacher.
A) had an unhealthy lifestyle. A) Actively discussed the B) a dancer.
B) led an uncontrolled life. situation. C) a writer.
C) became very angry. B) Showed no desire in solving it. D) a mathematician.
D) hardly spent any time at home. C) Avoided any disputes on this
topic.
D) Felt indifferent.
15. How did the boy and George 16. Why did the boy enjoy his 17. The boy couldn’t solve the
feel when they first met? lessons of natural history? mathematics problem because he
A) They didn’t trust each other. A) He finally learnt how to write. A) didn’t like to make any effort.
B) They liked each other very B) He got very interested in the B) was not interested in
much. subject. caterpillars.
C) They were upset about their C) He remembered much more C) refused to do mathematics in
studies. from those lessons. general.
D) They treated the situation with D) He learned how to focus on D) was distracted by his teacher’s
humor. the lesson. dances.
18. The geography lessons were

more successful because
A) the boy was fond of drawing
maps of the continents.
B) the boy knew lots of
interesting places already.
C) George knew geography better
than mathematics.
D) George also managed to
involve the boy’s interest in
fauna.
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Text 25
Hazlitt’s Hotel
I took a cab to Hazlitt’s Hotel on Frith Street. I like Hazlitt’s because it’s intentionally obscure — it doesn’t
have a sign or a plaque or anything at all to betray its purpose — which puts you in a rare position of strength
with your cab driver. Let me say right now that London cab drivers are without question the finest in the
world. They are trustworthy, safe and honest, generally friendly and always polite. They keep their vehicles
spotless inside and out, and they will put themselves to the most extraordinary inconvenience to drop you at
the front entrance of your destination. There are really only a couple of odd things about them. One is that
they cannot drive more than two hundred feet in a straight line. I’ve never understood this, but no matter
where you are or what the driving conditions, every two hundred feet a little bell goes off in their heads and
they abruptly lunge down a side street. And when you get to your hotel or railway station or wherever it is
you are going, they like to drive you all the way around it so that you can see it from all angles before
alighting.
The other distinctive thing about them, and the reason I like to go to Hazlitt’s, is that they cannot bear to
admit that they don’t know the location of something they feel they ought to know, like a hotel, which I think
is rather sweet. To become a London cab driver you have to master something titled The Knowledge—in
effect, learn every street, hospital, hotel, police station, cricket ground, cemetery and other notable
landmarks in this amazingly vast and confusing city. It takes years and the cabbies are justifiably proud of
their achievement. It would kill them to admit that there could exist in central London a hotel that they have
never heard of. So what the cabbie does is probe. He drives in no particular direction for a block or two, then
glances at you in the mirror and in an overcasual voice says, “Hazlitt’s —that’s the one on Curzon Street,
innit, guv? Opposite the Blue Lion?” But the instant he sees a knowing smile of demurral forming on your lips,
he hastily says, “No, hang on a minute, I’m thinking of the Hazelbury. Yeah, the Hazelbury. You want Hazlitt’s,
right?” He’ll drive on a bit in a fairly random direction. “That’s this side of Shepherd’s Bush, innit?” he’ll
suggest speculatively.
When you tell him that it’s on Frith Street, he says. “Yeah, that the one. Course it is. I know it – modern place,
lots of glass”.
“Actually, it’s an eighteenth-century brick building.”
“Course it is. I know it.” And he immediately executes a dramatic U-turn, causing a passing cyclist to steer
into a lamppost (but that’s all right because he has on cycle clips and one of those geeky slip stream helmets
that all but invite you to knock him over). “Yeah, you had me thinking of the Hazelbury” the driver adds,
chuckling as if to say it’s a lucky thing he sorted that one out for you, and then lunges down a little side street
off the Strand called Running Sore Lane or Sphincter Passage, which, like so much else in London, you had
never noticed was there before.
This passage is from the novel Notes from a Small Island, written by Bill Bryson (1995)
12. The narrator said that he liked 13 Which of the following 14. A reason why the narrator
London cab drivers because they statements about London cab liked to go to Hazlitt’s was that
A) know all the hotels and streets drivers is true according to the A) it was in the center of the city.
in the city. narrator? B) cab drivers didn’t know where
B) can be trusted and nice to deal A) They have little bells in their it was.
with. cars. C) cab drivers liked driving there.
C) can drive in a straight line. B) They let you see your hotel D) it was an old brick building.
D) make friends easily. from all angles.
C) They prefer side streets to
main streets.
D) They prefer driving in a straight
line.
15. According to the narrator, to 16. According to the narrator, if 17. According to the narrator,
be a London cab driver, one has to the cab driver did not know a when the driver finally knows
A) know all streets and places in hotel in London he would where to go, he would
London. A) panic. A) speed up.
B) be proud of the city. B) ask the passenger. B) turn the car in the opposite
C) be knowledgeable. C) never admit it. direction.
D) be ready to study the city for D) use a map. C) admit he was confused at first.
years. D) say you are lucky he knew the
place.
18. What is the narrator’s general

attitude towards London cab
drivers?
A) Ironic.
B) Critical.
C) Aсcusatory.
D) Supportive.

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Text 26
Llandudno
Llandudno is truly a fine and handsome place, built on a generously proportioned bay and lined along its
broad front with a huddle of prim but gracious nineteenth-century hotels that reminded me in the fading
light of a lineup of Victorian nannies. Llandudno was purpose-built as a resort in the mid-1800s, and it
cultivates a nice old-fashioned air. I don’t suppose that Lewis Carroll, who famously strolled this front with
little Alice Liddell in the 1860s, would notice a great deal of change today.
To my consternation, the town was packed with weekending pensioners. Buses from all over were parked
along the side streets, every hotel I called at was full, and in every dining room I could see crowds – veritable
oceans – of nodding white heads spooning soup and conversing happily. Goodness knows what had brought
them to the Welsh seaside at this bleak time of year.
Farther on along the front there stood a clutch of guesthouses, large and virtually indistinguishable, and a
few of them had vacancy signs in their windows. I had eight or ten to choose from, which always puts me in a
mild fret because I have an unerring instinct for choosing badly. My wife can survey a row of guesthouses and
instantly identify the one run by a white-haired widow with a fondness for children, and sparkling bathroom
facilities, whereas I can generally count on choosing the one run by a guy with a grasping manner, and the
sort of cough that makes you wonder where he puts the phlegm. Such, I felt, would be the case tonight.
All the guesthouses had boards out front listing their many amenities –COLOUR TV, HOSPITALITY TRAYS, FULL
CENTRAL HEATING, and the coyly euphemistic EN SUITE ALL ROOMS, meaning private bathrooms. One place
offered satellite TV and a trouser press, and another boasted CURRENT FIRE CERTIFICATE – something I had
never thought to look for in a B&B. All this heightened my sense of unease and doom. How could I possibly
choose intelligently among such a variety of options?
I selected a place that looked reasonable enough from the outside – its board promised a color TV and coffee
making facilities, about all I require these days for a Saturday night – but from the moment I set foot in the
door I knew it was a bad choice. I was about to turn and flee when the owner emerged from a back room and
stopped my retreat with an unenthusiastic «Yes?» A short conversation revealed that a single room with
breakfast was for £ 9.50. It was entirely out of the question that I would stay the night in such a dismal place
at such an exorbitant price, so I said, «That sounds fine,» and signed in. Well, it’s so hard to say no.
My room was everything I expected it to be – cold and cheerless with laminated furniture, grubbily matted
carpet, and those mysterious ceiling stains that bring to mind a neglected corpse in the room above. There
was a tray of coffee things but the cups were disgusting, and the spoon was stuck to the tray.
The bathroom, faintly illuminated by a distant light activated by a length of string, had curling floor tiles and
years of accumulated dirt packed into every corner. I peered at the yellowy tile around the bath and sink and
realized what the landlord did with his phlegm. A bath was out of the question, so I threw some cold water
on my face, dried it with a towel that had the texture of shredded wheat, and gladly took my leave.
12 Llandudno is described as a 13. The phrase “veritable oceans” 14. When choosing a guesthouse
A) beautiful growing resort. in paragraph 2 refers to the narrator was worried because
B) place famous for its A) old people dining in cafes. he
comfortable hotels. B) hotel dining rooms. A) did not know what to look for.
C) fashionable 19th century C) hotel guests wearing white B) missed his wife for help.
resort. hats. C) could not find a place run by a
D) place where Lewis Carroll lived. D) buses crowded with old Welsh kind old widow.
people. D) wasn’t good at making the
right choice.
15. The narrator thought that the 16. Why did the narrator agree to 17. Why was the bath out of the
choice of a guesthouse used to be the room? question?
easier because A) There was a TV and a coffee A) There was no hot water.
A) there were fewer options on maker. B) There was no light.
offer. B) He felt sorry for the landlord. C) The bathtub was dirty.
B) there were fewer guest houses. C) It was really cheap. D) The water was too cold.
C) all hotels had a private D) He could not refuse the offer.
bathroom.
D) they were all of B&B type.
18 What is the narrator’s attitude
towards the room he stayed in?
A) Indifferent.
B) Critical.
C) Surprised.
D) Positive.

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Text 27
For almost 125 years, the secrecy surrounding the recipe for Coca-Cola has been one of the world’s great
marketing tricks. As the story goes, the fizzy drink’s famous ‘7X’ formula has remained unchanged since it was
developed in 1886. Today, the recipe is entrusted only to two Coke executives, neither of whom can travel on
the same plane for fear the secret would go down with them.
Now, one of America’s most celebrated radio broadcasters claims to have discovered the Coke secret. Ira
Glass, presenter of the public radio institution This American Life, says he has tracked down a copy of the
recipe, the original of which is still supposedly held in a burglar-proof vault at the Sun Trust Bank in Atlanta,
Georgia.
The formula was created by John Pemberton, an Atlanta chemist and former Confederate army officer who
crafted cough medicines in his spare time. In 1887, he sold the recipe to a businessman, Asa Griggs, who
immediately placed it for safekeeping in the Georgia Trust Bank.
Glass came across a recipe that he believes is the secret formula in a back issue of Pemberton’s local paper,
the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, while he was researching an entirely different story. Tucked away on an
inside page of the 8 February 1979 edition, he stumbled on an article that claimed to have uncovered the
closely guarded 7X formula.
The column was based on information found in an old leather-bound notebook that belonged to
Pemberton’s best friend and fellow Atlanta chemist, RR Evans. Glass was intrigued and, after some digging,
found that the notebook had been handed down over generations until it reached a chemist in Georgia called
Everett Beal, whose widow still possesses it.
The rediscovered recipe includes extract of coca leaves, caffeine, plenty of sugar (it specifies 30 unidentified
units thought to be pounds), lime juice, vanilla and caramel. Into that syrup, the all-important 7X ingredients
are added: alcohol and six oils – orange, lemon, nutmeg, coriander, neroli and cinnamon. The formula is very
similar to the recipe worked out by Mark Pendergrast who wrote a history of the drink in 1993 called For
God, Country & Coca-Cola.
Coke’s secret recipe is, in fact, partly a myth. The soda has changed substantially over time. Cocaine, a legal
stimulant in Pemberton’s day, was removed from the drink in 1904 after mounting public unease about the
drug. Extract of coca leaves is still used but only after the cocaine has been removed.
In 1980, the company replaced sugar, squeezed from beet and cane, with the cheaper corn sweetener that is
often found in American food and drink. Coke fans were not impressed.
Despite such occasional controversies, one element has remained constant: Coke’s commitment to keeping
its own secret. Speculation about the recipe has been a popular talking point for more than a century,
proving good for business. The company has reacted to the This American Life story in a way that has been
typical of its commercial strategy since the 19th century. “Many third parties have tried to crack our secret
formula. Try as they might, they’ve been unsuccessful,” Coca-Cola’s Kerry Tressler said.
12. The best title reflecting the 13. Who is supposed to know the 14. How did Ira Glass learn about
message of the story probably is Coke secret recipe nowadays? the recipe?
A) The History of Coca-Cola A) Certain Coca-Cola executives. A) Talking to a relative of John
company. B) A broadcaster. Pemberton.
B) Coca-Cola secret recipe C) The director of Atlanta Sun B) Working in Atlanta archives.
revealed? Trust Bank. C) Accidentally reading an article
C) Tracking down the famous D) RR Evans. in an old Atlanta paper.
recipe. D) Studying an old notebook that
D) The secret recipe is a fraud. belonged to Pemberton.
15. Which of the following does 16. Why might the secret recipe 17. What disappointed Coca-Cola
NOT belong to the famous 7X be considered a myth? fans in 1980?
ingredients? A) The recipe has never existed. A) Sugar was removed from the
A) Orange oil. B) It has never been a secret. drink.
B) Caffeine. C) The company has been B) The price of the drink went up
C) Nutmeg oil. regularly changing the with the price of sugar.
D) Alcohol. ingredients. C) Beet and cane sugar was
D) The quality of the ingredients replaced with the corn one.
has been changing. D) The recipe of the drink was
revealed.
18. The phrase “proving good for
business” in the last paragraph
means that the rumors about the
recipe …
A) provided unnecessary
problems for the company.
B) helped the company’s sales.
C) were supported by the
company.
D) helped to keep the recipe in
secret.

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Text 28
Family Fortune
In 1840, times were hard for Bentley Harcourt. He had a farm in Yorkshire, but it didn’t make money. He
wanted to marry but decided to wait until better times came along. Better times did not come along. One
day, he saw a newspaper article about the American West. It sounded like the land of milk and honey. He
thought about it. He had no family. Nobody cared if he lived or died. Why not make a new life in the New
World? He sold his farm and immigrated to America. After a year of drifting he found himself in Texas. He
loved it. He loved the fact that you could travel for days and not meet another soul. He used his savings to
buy some land. That year he died.
In 1910, an oil company moved on to his land and found oil. They took millions of barrels of oil out of the
ground, all the profits due to the owner of the land were paid into a bank account in Houston, where they
waited for a relative to claim them. The money sat in the bank for years. By 1975, the amount stood at two
billion dollars.
In 1975, in Bradford, England, a man called David Kingsley took up a new hobby – tracing his family tree. He
studied church records, visited museums, checked every reference to families called Kingsley. He also
checked on his mother’s family. They were called Harcourt. He discovered one day that his mother’s great-
great uncle, a man with the splendid name of Bentley Harcourt, had sailed from Liverpool to America.
In the same year, shortly after learning about his great-great uncle, Kingsley read a magazine article about a
fortune that lay unclaimed in a Texas bank. This article told the story of a lonely immigrant called Bentley
Harcourt, and about how he had died shortly after buying his dream ranch in Texas. The magazine promised
to pay the legal expenses of anyone who could claim to be a descendant and who might be entitled to the
fortune. Kingsley read the story with mounting excitement. Surely, this must be the same Bentley Harcourt
that he had come across during his research into his family tree! He talked the matter over with his wife and
then wrote to the magazine.
As it turned out, Kingsley was not the only one who claimed to be a descendant. By the end of 1977, over 60
people were claiming they were entitled to the fortune. The arguments, the quarrels, and the court cases
went on, and on, and on. In the end, Kingsley did not get the money, but, funnily enough, he didn’t mind. He
had found something much more important. He had a great-great uncle named Bentley Harcourt, there was
no doubt about that. But, amazingly, it was a different Bentley Harcourt. It seemed impossible that there
could be two people with such an unusual name, but it was true. This Bentley Harcourt had settled in Orange
Country, California, and had made his fortune in fish canning. He married a hardworking Swedish girl, and
they had thirteen children. David Kingsley had found a different treasure: a branch of his family across the
Atlantic. The two families wrote to each other. Later, they visited each other. They became the best of
friends.
And the fortune of the other Bentley Harcourt? It is still unclaimed. As I write this, the sum stands at 2.3
billion dollars. This may be a good moment to start tracing your family tree!
12. What did Bentley Harcourt 13. Why did the oil company 14. How did David Kingsley learn
think about the American West decide to send part of the profits about the unclaimed money in
when he read the newspaper to the bank? the Texas bank?
article? A) The money belonged to the A) He found the information in
A) He thought it was a land with a owner of the land. church records.
lot of free food. B) It was required by the owner of B) His great-great uncle wrote to
B) He thought he might find the land. him about it.
himself a wife there. C) They wanted to hide it from C) He learned it from his mother’s
C) He thought it was a land where the owner of the land. relatives.
life was easy and wonderful. D) They wanted to buy the land D) He found the story in a
D) He thought he could hide out for that money. magazine.
himself there from people.
15. David Kingsley thought that 16. Why was David Kingsley 17. David Kingsley never got
the owner of the Texas ranch was surprised to find another Bentley Bentley Harcourt’s money
A) of no relation to him. Harcourt who had left for because he
B) related to his mother. America? A) didn’t want to quarrel with
C) related to his father. A) Bentley Harcourt had not many other candidates.
D) related to the Harcourt from close relatives and descendants. B) didn’t prove in court that its
Orange Country. B) The name was too unusual for owner was his relative.
there being two of them. C) decided that the other
C) He didn’t come across him in descendants deserved it more.
the family tree. D) thought that that money was
D) Harcourt’s relatives had never not important.
contacted him.
18. Why does the narrator advise
the readers to study their family
trees?
A) They may find relatives who
would turn into best friends.
B) Some of them might still be
Bentley Harcourt’s relatives.
C) There is a chance to find some
rich relatives.
D) This study may become a very
profitable hobby.

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Text 29
Chronic lack of sleep affects one in three British workers
One in three British workers suffers from poor sleep, research shows, with stress, computers and taking work
home blamed for the lack of quality sleep. Some employees get fewer than five hours sleep a night, only one
in seven feels completely refreshed when they wake and more women have poor shut-eye than men. The
alarming findings emerged from a study of self-assessments completed by 38,784 staff working in the UK for
firms such as telecoms firm, O2, drugs developer, Quintiles and medical technology manufacturer,
Medtronic.
A third were dissatisfied with the amount and quality of their sleep, with 8.4% saying they were «very
unhappy» with it, and another 24.4% describing themselves as «unhappy». When asked how they felt 30
minutes after getting up, only 15.5% said «refreshed». Of the others, 3.3% said they were «exhausted», 24%
said «unrefreshed» and 57.2% were still «a little tired».
While experts say that everyone should ideally get seven to eight hours sleep a night, only 38.5% of the
38,784 respondents did so. More had between five and seven hours (45%), only a lucky 10% reported
sleeping for eight to nine hours and one in 100 enjoyed more than nine hours.
When researchers combined those results to give each respondent an overall «sleep score» out of 100, some
33.8% got a mark of less than 30 — the lowest category. That means someone either has, or is at high risk of
developing, a sleeping problem. «This research is telling us that a large number of working adults, one in
three in the UK, has a sleeping problem,» said Dr Tony Massey, medical director of Vielife, the health and
productivity firm that carried out the assessments between 2009 and 2011. «A very concerning number of
British workers get too little sleep.» Britain is near the top of an international league table for lack of sleep. A
Vielife study of 116,452 staff in America found that 23.4% scored poorly for sleep.
The extent of inadequate rest has prompted fears that many people are too tired to do their jobs properly,
with some so sleep-deprived their brains are as confused as if they had consumed too much alcohol.
«Too few people practice sleep hygiene,» said Massey. «That involves little things that people can do without
professional help, like ensuring your room is dark and quiet, getting to bed at the same time every night —
just like a two-year-old — reading a book, which is a proven relaxant, and not looking at bright screens, such
as the TV or computer, for an hour before you go to bed as that will disturb your sleep.»
The growing tendency for employees to do extra work in the evenings and at weekends, which may have
risen in the recession, also seems to be linked to poor sleep. «More people are scrunching the golden hour
before they go to sleep, and they are paying the price in that their sleep isn’t refreshing and they end up in a
vicious cycle of fatigue, poor productivity and then feeling that they have to do the same again the next day
to compensate,» said Massey.
The best guarantee of good quality shut-eye is to work five days a week and sleep seven to eight hours a
night. Five-days-a-week staff had the best sleep score, while those getting seven to eight hours a night scored
72.7.
«These are very worrying findings because lack of sleep is a risk factor for a whole range of serious health
problems, such as stroke and heart disease,» said Massey.
12. Which of the following is 13. According to the research, 14. Paragraph 4 stresses that …
mentioned among the reasons for just about … percent of people A) the “sleep score” in Britain is
poorer sleep? have the recommended number relatively low.
A) Work for telecom firms. of sleeping hours. B) many people in Britain are
B) Consumption of drugs. A) forty unaware of sleeping disorders.
C) Work done at home. B) twenty C) the number of Britons who
D) Lack of communication. C) thirty don’t get enough sleep is
D) ten alarming.
D) British workers get more sleep
than American ones.
15. The inadequate nighttime rest 16. What does “sleep hygiene” 17. The phrase “vicious cycle” in
of employees might result in … NOT involve? paragraph 7 means …
A) brain damage. A) Professional help. A) a sudden wave of tiredness.
B) inefficiency at work. B) A darkened room. B) a course of everyday events.
C) lack of job satisfaction. C) A relaxing book. C) a large amount of extra work.
D) problems with alcohol. D) Regular bedtime. D) a repetitive cycle of poor sleep
consequences.
18. What, according to the article,
is important for good quality
sleep?
A) Higher productivity at work.
B) A five-day working week.
C) Five to seven hours of
nighttime sleep.
D) Absence of health problems.

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Text 30
Do you believe in climate change?
This may seem like an odd question for a climate scientist to ask, but it is one I am constantly asked now. The
typical discussion starts: «I know that the climate is changing, but hasn’t it always changed through natural
cycles?» Then they will often give an example, such as the medieval warm period to prove their point.
Those asking the question include a wide range of people I meet in the pub, friends, politicians and,
increasingly, even some of those active in sustainable development and the renewable energy businesses.
What I find interesting is that I have known many of these people for a long time and they never asked me
this before.
Recent studies show that public acceptance of the scientific evidence for man-made climate change has
decreased. However, the change is not that great. The difference I find in talking to people is that they feel
better able to express their doubts.
This is very hard for scientists to understand. The scientific evidence that humanity is having an effect on the
climate is overwhelming and increasing every year. Yet public perception of this is confused. People modify
their beliefs about uncomfortable truth, they may have become bored of constantly hearing about climate
change; or external factors such as the financial crisis may have played a role.
Around three years ago, I raised the issue of the way that science can be misused. In some cases scare stories
in the media were over-hyping climate change, and I think we are paying the price for this now with a
reaction the other way. I was concerned then that science is not always presented objectively by the media.
What I don’t think any of us appreciated at the time was the depth of disconnect between the scientific
process and the public.
Which brings me to the question, should you believe in climate change? The first point to make is that it’s not
something you should believe or not believe in – this is a matter of science and therefore of evidence – and
there’s a lot of it out there. On an issue this important, I think people should look at that evidence and make
their own mind up. We are often very influenced by our own personal experience. After a couple of cold
winters in the UK, the common question was: «Has climate change stopped?» despite that fact that many
other regions of the world were experiencing record warm temperatures. And 2010 was one of the warmest
years on record. For real evidence of climate change, we have to look at the bigger picture.
You can see research by the Met Office that shows the evidence of man-made warming is even stronger than
it was when the last report was published. A whole range of different datasets and independent analyses
show the world is warming. There is a broad consensus that over the last half-century, warming has been
rapid, and man-made greenhouse gas emissions are very likely to be the cause.
Ultimately, as the planet continues to warm, the issue of whether you believe in climate change will become
more and more irrelevant. We will all experience the impacts of climate change in some way, so the evidence
will be there in plain sight.
The more appropriate questions for today are how will our climate change and how can we prepare for those
changes? That’s why it’s important that climate scientists continue their work, and continue sharing their
evidence and research so people can stay up to date – and make up their own minds.
12. Paragraph 1 says that people 13. According to recent studies of 14. What is meant by
… public attitude to climate change, “uncomfortable truth” in
A) think that the climate is not more and more people … paragraph 4?
changing. A) refuse to accept the scientific A) Scientific reports on climate.
B) doubt that climate change is proof of warming. B) Evidence of man-made climate
man-made. B) know that there is no clear change.
C) believe that in medieval times evidence of climate change. C) World financial crisis.
climate was harsh. C) think that scientists are wrong D) People’s personal beliefs.
D) tend to ask strange questions about climate warming.
about climate change. D) have stopped trusting climate
science.
15. What does “this” in 16. The author gives the example 17. How does the author feel
paragraph 5 refer to? of cold winters in the UK to point about the evidence of climate
A) Scientific evidence of climate out that … change?
change. A) the weather in Britain has A) It’s not enough yet.
B) Negative public attitude to always been unpredictable. B) It’s not very convincing.
climate change. B) the Met Office doesn’t make C) It soon would become
C) The way the climate change public the evidence it collected. conclusive.
used to be presented. C) there is evidence that the D) It’s irrelevant so far.
D) The historical impact of climate change has stopped
climate change. finally.
D) people draw conclusions based
on their own experience rather
than scientific evidence.
18. The author wants climate
scientists to continue their work
because …
A) they have not shared their
findings with the public.
B) people need to know how to
get ready for changes.
C) society demands more
research in this field.
D) people don’t want to make up
their own minds.

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Text 31
Women and the maths problem
Women’s underachievement in maths may not be due to their poor self-image in the subject, a new report
suggests. Researcher Dr. Gijsbert Stoet at the University of Leeds says that the so-called «stereotype threat»
theory – which holds that women perform worse than men because they expect to do badly – «does not
stand up to scrutiny».
Earlier research had serious flaws, he says, with improper use of statistical techniques and methodology.
Clearly, those who carried out this research need to review their own competence in maths. Stoet believes
the gender gap may simply be that men and women have different interests from an early age, and says the
answer to getting more women into maths and engineering is probably a matter of motivation.
According to last year’s results, even though girls perform as well as boys in their maths GCSEs, 60% of A-
levels in the subject are taken by boys, who achieve 60% of grade As.
I am an engineer, who has worked in the chemical industry for most of my working career. When I graduated
in the 80’s, I assumed we were at the start of a new era for women in science: I studied alongside intelligent
and motivated women, opportunities seemed aplenty, in-roads had been made.
But 20 years down the line, only 8.7% of British engineers are women, the lowest proportion in Europe,
compared with 25% in Sweden. So what has happened?
One of the main problems is that careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (known as Stem) are
not sufficiently promoted in schools, with fewer children taking up these subjects at GCSE and A-level. Year
in, year out, we are told that Britain has a skills shortage. The general lack of interest among schoolchildren in
maths and science subjects, together with the underlying social conditioning that still remains – that science
subjects «aren’t really for girls» – has led to a double-whammy effect, reducing female entrants even further.
Over the past few years, I have been involved in Stemnet, an organization dedicated to promoting these
careers by getting people who work in jobs from biologists to builders to talk to schoolchildren about what
they do. It’s an attempt to debunk the myth that maths and sciences are too difficult or too boring. I was
amazed to see hundreds of schoolboys and girls at a recent event at the Science Museum, presenting a range
of experiments and projects they had prepared. And the ones prepares by girls were equally challenging and
sophisticated.
I agree with the new study that rather than focusing on the problems of stereotyping, we should devote
more time to encouraging girls into science and technology: they clearly respond.
But encouraging schoolgirls into university and careers is not all. As is typical in most sectors, I see a number
of female engineers at the entry and mid-levels of companies, but precious few at the top. This is a huge
waste of talent. It also raises the issue of certain professional inequality and a biased attitude towards
women. The report has done well to challenge the myths behind women’s underachievement in schools, but
more work still needs to be done to address the problem of women’s lack of achievement in the workplace.
At least in the spheres closely related to science and engineering.
12. Dr. Gijbert Stoet claims that 13. Last year’s A-levels maths 14. Which of the following
women do worse than men at results show that … statements is NOT true, according
maths because they … A) more girls take the subject. to paragraphs 5 and 6?
A) are not encouraged to do the B) girls do better than boys. A) The author has worked in
subject. C) boys get more A grades. engineering for over 20 years.
B) do not believe in their own D) boys are more likely to fail. B) The prospects for women in
competence. science are best in Sweden.
C) use improper methods in C) The author’s expectations
problem-solving. about women in science have not
D) employ wrong stereotypical come true.
techniques. D) Britain has fewer women
engineers than other European
countries.
15. According to the author, 16. “They” in “to talk to 17. According to the final
social conditioning taking place in schoolchildren about what they paragraphs, which of the factors
Britain implies that … do” (paragraph 7) may refer to … discouraging girls from careers in
A) boys are smarter than girls. A) scientists. science appears to be most
B) science could be interesting. B) schoolchildren. important?
C) science is for boys. C) careers. A) Lack of opportunities in career
D) math is an optional skill. D) experiments. growth.
B) Academic underachievement.
C) Social stereotypes.
D) Lack of encouragement.
18. The author’s attitude to the
problem may be called …
A) impartial.
B) biased.
C) negative.
D) interested.

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Text 32
The Difference Engine: No more addresses
REMEMBER the panic over the “millennium bug”, when computers everywhere were expected to go haywire
on January 1st, 2000, thanks to the way a lot of old software used just two digits to represent the year
instead of four? Doomsters predicted all sorts of errors in calculations involving dates when the clocks rolled
over from 99 to 00. In the event, the millennium dawned without incident. That may have been because of
the draconian preparations undertaken beforehand. Or perhaps, as many suspected, the problem was grossly
exaggerated in the first place, as it often happens. Certainly, the computer industry made a packet out of all
the panic-buying of new hardware and software in the months leading up to the new millennium. And who
would blame them for this? Business is business.
Well, something similar is about to happen in the months ahead. This time, the issue concerns the exhaustion
of Internet addresses – those four numbers ranging from 0 to 255 separated by dots that uniquely identify
every device attached to the Internet. According to Hurricane Electric, an Internet backbone and services
provider based in Fremont, California, the Internet will run out of bulk IP addresses sometime next week –
given the rate addresses are currently being gobbled up.
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) will then have doled out all its so-called «slash-eight» blocks
of addresses to the five regional Internet registries around the world. In turn, the registries are expected to
have allocated all their remaining addresses to local network operators by October at the latest. After that,
any organization applying for new addresses will be told, “Sorry, none left”.
The issue is real and has been a long time in the making. The Economist first warned about it ten years ago.
The problem concerns the address space of the existing version of the Internet protocol (IPv4), which is only
32 bits wide. The total number of binary addresses possible with such an arrangement is 4.3 billion. Back in
the 1980s, when the Internet connected just a couple of dozen research institutes in America, that seemed
like a huge number. Besides, the Internet was thought at the time to be just a temporary network anyway.
But with the invention of the Web in 1990 came an explosion in popular demand. It was soon clear that it
was only a matter of time before the Internet would exhaust its supply of addresses. Work on a replacement
for IPv4 began in the early 1990s, with IPv6 finally being made available around 1998. By giving the new
internet version an address space of 128 bits, the designers pretty well guaranteed that it would not run out
of unique identifiers for decades, or even centuries, to come.
Two raised to the 128th power is an astronomical number. That will come in handy when the «Internet of
things» becomes a reality. Already, some two billion people have access to the Internet. Add all the
televisions, phones, cars and household appliances that are currently being given Internet access – plus,
eventually, every book, pill case and item of inventory as well – and a world or two of addresses could easily
be accounted for. And yet, the solution of any problem begins with its verbalization. We are forewarned and
it means – forearmed.
12. The fears of the users about 13. Which of the following was 14. The number of available IP
the “millennium bug” were … NOT the reason why the addresses is limited by …
A) justified. “millennium bug” didn’t work? A) address space of the Internet
B) unrealistic. A) The users took necessary protocol.
C) overestimated. precautions. B) the Internet protocol version.
D) suppressed. B) The manufacturers had C) the number of organizations
improved software. applying.
C) The new hardware had been D) the number of computers
installed. connected to the Internet.
D) The problem never existed.
15. The solution of the problem 16 The existing version of the 17. The phrase “Internet of
with the lack of IP addresses is to protocol was believed things” refers to …
… appropriate because … A) personal computers of the
A) restrict the number of users. A) the net was not popular. users.
B) improve the current Internet B) the addresses were not B) appliances with access to the
protocol. permanent. Web.
C) add a temporary network. C) no one expected the demand C) things ordered through the
D) speed up research. to grow. Internet.
D) another network was being D) a new network replacing the
developed. current Internet.
18. Speaking of the future of the
world-wide web, the author
appears to be …
A) doubtful.
B) hopeful.
C) overexcited.
D) pessimistic.
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Text 33
Why I sent Oxford a rejection letter
A little over a month ago, I sent Oxford a rejection email that parodied the thousands that they send each
year. Much to my surprise, it has become a bit of an Internet hit, and has provoked reactions of both horror
and amusement.
In my letter I wrote: «I have now considered your establishment as a place to read Law (Jurisprudence). I very
much regret to inform you that I will be withdrawing my application. I realize you may be disappointed by
this decision, but you were in competition with many fantastic universities and following your interview, I am
afraid you do not quite meet the standard of the universities I will be considering.»
I sent the email after returning from my interview at Magdalen College, Oxford, to prove to a couple of my
friends that Oxbridge did not need to be held in awe. One of them subsequently shared it on Facebook
because he found it funny.
I certainly did not expect the email to spread as far as it has. Varying between offers of TV interviews and
hundreds of enthusiastic Facebook messages, it has certainly been far-reaching. Many of my friends and
undoubtedly many strangers were unable to comprehend that I’d sent such an email to this bastion of
prestige and privilege. Why was I not afraid of damaging my future prospects as a lawyer? Didn’t I think this
might hurt my chances with other universities?
For me, such questions paint a picture of a very cynical society. I do not want to study law because I want to
be rich, or wear an uncomfortable wig and cloak. Perhaps optimistically, I want to study law because I am
interested in justice.
To me, withdrawing my application to an institution that is a symbol of unfairness in both our education and
the legal system (which is so dominated by Oxbridge graduates) makes perfect sense, and I am reluctant to
be part of a system so heavily dominated by such a narrow group of self-selecting elites.
So, why did I apply in the first place? If you’re achieving high grades at A-level (or equivalent), you can feel
quite a lot of pressure to «prove yourself» by getting an Oxbridge offer. Coupled with the fact that I grew up
on benefits in council estates throughout Bristol – not a type of heritage often associated with an Oxbridge
interview – I decided to give it a try.
It was only at the interview that I started to question what exactly I was trying to prove. I was well aware that
fantastic candidates are often turned down, and I did not believe that this was a true reflection of their
academic potential.
Although I share concern that not going to Oxbridge gives you a «chip on your shoulder«, I did not write to
Oxford to avoid the risk of being labeled as an «Oxbridge reject»: I already am one. Last year I made an
(admittedly weak) application to Cambridge and was inevitably rejected post-interview.
A year ago, I was in awe of the beautiful buildings of Oxbridge, but today I am in awe of the sheer number of
people who, like me, have managed to not take it so seriously. Ultimately, I am not harming Oxford by
laughing at it, and it is an amazing feeling to realize that so many people are enjoying my email. Actually, I
was amazed to know how many people of different ages bothered to read it and even to leave their
comments about it in Facebook. I had fun reading some of them, too.
12. The email letter the author 13. The letter caused so much 14. The author accuses society of
sent to Oxford was meant to be … response because people … cynicism because …
A) respectful. A) fully agreed with the message. A) people supported Oxbridge.
B) mocking. B) were outraged with the letter. B) lawyers do their job for high
C) regretful. C) wanted to defend Oxbridge. incomes.
D) desperate. D) found the topic very C) universities are very selective.
interesting. D) people seem to be more
worried about reputations.
15. Judging by paragraph 7, the 16. The author believes that the 17. The expression “chip on your
author comes from a family selection to Oxbridge … shoulder” in paragraph 9 means …
which is … A) is unfair. A) record of achievements.
A) big. B) reveals candidates’ abilities. B) below-average performance.
B) aristocratic. C) is hard to understand C) reflection of one’s potential.
C) not very rich. D) needs improvement. D) feelings of unfair treatment.
D) educated.
18. “It” in ‘have managed to not
take it so seriously’ in the last
paragraph refers to …
A) university interview.
B) university studies.
C) Oxbridge rejection.
D) Oxford.

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Text 34
Meat eaters – you are daredevils or dumb. Or both.
I am a vegetarian as well as my parents and all my family members. I’ve been a vegetarian for as long as I can
remember. There have been times during my years of vegetarianism when I’ve wondered if I may indeed
grow out of it. I’ve wondered if there might come a day when I’ll put aside my childish aversion to the
thought of dead stuff travelling through my intestines, like a corpse on a raft ride.
However, it could never happen, and not because I’m so enlightened, sensitive or any of the other
euphemisms for «whining hippie» usually dumped on vegetarians. My conversion to flesh-eating couldn’t
happen because, frankly, I’m not stupid enough. As in, I can read.
Analysis of more than 6,000 pancreatic cancer cases published in the British Journal of Cancer says that
eating just 50g of processed meat a day (one sausage or a couple of slices of bacon) raises the likelihood of
pancreatic cancer by a fifth. 100g a day (the equivalent of a medium burger) raises it by 38%, 150g by 57%.
Men are worst hit, as they tend to eat the most processed meat. And while pancreatic cancer is not the most
common of cancers, it’s frequently diagnosed late, with four-fifths of sufferers dying within a year of
diagnosis.
It should be pointed out that this is about processed meat. However, many past studies have stated a
probable link between too much meat and all manner of cancers and heart problems, as well as links to other
conditions, from diabetes and high blood pressure to obesity and Alzheimer’s.
If, by now, you’re thinking that I’m out to shock you, then you couldn’t be more wrong. I’d be shocked if any
of this was considered new enough to shock anyone. This information has popped up regularly for years in all
forms of popular media – newspapers and numerous TV and radio programs, to say nothing of the Internet.
Indeed, in this era of info overload, if you’ve never come across the «burgers and kebabs are unhealthy»
revelation, one would have to presume you’ve been lying in a coma.
Sympathy is in short supply these days. You can’t move for people being blamed for their own miserable
situations: smokers who «burden» the NHS; alcoholics who don’t «deserve» liver transplants; obese people
who «should» pay more for flights. By this logic, people who’ve been regularly informed of the dangers of
meat, particularly the cheap processed variety, but who continue to wolf it down should be held just as
accountable.
Yet if these meat eaters are mentioned at all, it’s in general poor lifestyle terms, as an afterthought to
drinking, smoking, and lack of exercise. You just don’t get people making emotional pronouncements about
bacon lovers not deserving cancer treatment or kebab fans burdening the NHS.
It’s not as if they haven’t been warned countless times about the dangers – how willfully ill-informed can
people be? Or maybe they’re just hard. In fact, when I say I’m not dumb enough to eat meat, I should
probably add brave enough. With so much frightening information, so readily available for so long, the
modern committed carnivore must have nerves of steel. And yet, we should admit it, meat eaters still
predominate and even grow in number. Must all of them be deaf and blind, and immune to a general sense
of self-safety?
12. Speaking about her 13. According to the author, how 14. “This” in paragraph 4 stands
vegetarianism, the author admits much of processed meat a day is for …
that … enough to raise the chance of A) information.
A) it was provoked by the sight of pancreatic cancer by more than a B) pancreatic cancer.
corpses. half? C) diagnosis.
B) there were times when she A) Less than 50 g. D) death.
thought she might abandon it. B) 50–100 g.
C) it is the result of her childhood C) 100–150 g.
experiences. D) From 150 g.
D) she became a vegetarian out of
fashion.
15. Why does the author think 16. Saying “sympathy is in short 17. The author is disappointed
that her information can’t be supply these days”, the author that eating meat is not …
shocking? means that … A) considered as bad as drinking
A) It’s not proven. A) meat eaters do not deserve and smoking.
B) It’s not news. her sympathy. B) officially prohibited.
C) It’s outdated. B) overweight people should pay C) related to a poor lifestyle.
D) It’s too popular. more. D) recognized as a major life-
C) people tend to blame sick risking habit.
people in their sickness.
D) society neglects people who
have problems.
18. The author believes that meat

eaters are very …
A) pessimistic.
B) ill-informed.
C) aggressive.
D) irresponsible.

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Text 35
Shape it up: tips you can follow for a healthier campus diet
Rushing up and down the streets, I often have days when I wonder how I will find the time to eat. This is
when it becomes easy for students to turn to fast food. Once you stop living close by or have awkward time
gaps between classes, fast food is available at almost every on-campus eatery.
There’s no doubt that the university tries to make healthier food readily available. Some cafes have organic
foods ready to go and Greenhouse allows students to make almost any kind of fresh salad they can think of.
But I have to wonder, why is there so much fast food available? For many students, it’s difficult to choose an
expensive salad from Greenhouse over a meal from Taco Bell.
To solve the problem of finding healthy food on campus without having to eat salad daily, I do three things:
take advantage of meal options I previously disregarded, completely ignore any fast food place and get
creative in the dining halls.
First, I take advantage of meal options I had previously disregarded at on-campus restaurants. Being both a
vegetarian and interested in a fair-trade diet has made it somewhat challenging to arrange an eating plan
while living on campus. With limited options, food gets old fast. I looked closely at menus to see what options
I overlooked. On campus, I eat oatmeal and fresh fruit instead of getting smoothies. I try the soup at
Greenhouse instead of salad. If I have time in the morning I use an extra swipe and pack a lunch. By including
this, I now have something new to eat each day, and I can go an entire school week without repeating a
lunch.
As I create a pattern of eateries to maintain a healthy diet without losing interest in the food, it is clear I
cannot include every on-campus restaurant in my plan.
This is where my second solution comes in. I have learned to completely ignore fast food. If I linger in front of
Panda Express or Sbarro too long, temptation takes over. I started ignoring these places in the middle of fall
quarter, and now I can walk by them without a thought. The only way I know to accomplish this is willpower.
Of course, that does not mean in any way that you should never allow yourself the occasional visit to these
restaurants. Everyone deserves a treat sometimes. I know I can never give up animal-style fries completely.
Finally, I have learned to get creative in dining halls. This can’t easily be done outside a dining hall, so it isn’t
exactly an “on-the-go” solution to eating on campus. Just the same, it can help make meals less boring. I
often take a veggie patty and make a wrap out of it, and I use the salad bar to throw on any other toppings I
want. I use the microwave to heat up whatever I want in it. If you are a meat lover, you can put the bacon
bits from the salad bar or slice a grilled chicken breast to put in soup or pasta.
When living on a college campus, it can be difficult to find a way to eat what you like and what’s good for you
while trying to avoid a repetitive diet. There are a limited number of options available and the dominance of
fast food can be hard to ignore. But if you try out as many places as you can, use willpower and turn on your
creativity, you can certainly design your own healthy meal plan that won’t feel as if you eat the same thing
every day.
12. According to the author 13. What does the author think 14. What is the author’s method
students turn to fast food when … about eating opportunities on of maintaining a healthy diet?
A) they are short of time. campus? A) Trying new dishes on the
B) they have no willpower. A) She thinks they do a great job menu.
C) their schedule is well adjusted. providing salads at a reasonable B) Carefully choosing an on-
D) they live close to the campus. price. campus restaurant.
B) She can’t understand why they C) Eating less.
offer so many fast food choices.
C) She believes they need to D) Changing a restaurant daily.
provide more organic food.
D) She thinks that meals from
Taco Bell are too expensive.
15. What is NOT characteristic of 16. What is, according to the 17. What does “it” in paragraph 7
the author’s eating habits? author, the best way to stop refer to (“Just the same, it can
A) She studies the menus eating fast food? help…”)?
attentively. A) Not to walk near fast food A) Creativity in a dining hall.
B) She tries to vary the food she restaurants. B) Cooking your own meals.
eats. B) To stick to the decision not to C) Finding a perfect solution to
C) She misses lunches. eat it. eating on campus.
D) She avoids eating meat. C) To replace it with the animal- D) Eating outside of dining halls.
style fries.
D) Visit fast food restaurants not
more than once a year.
18. What is the purpose of the
article?
A) To convince the reader that
eating the same food every day is
unhealthy.
B) To classify on-campus eateries.
C) To prove that daily
consumption of fast food is
harmful.
D) To give advice on eating
healthy food on campus.

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Text 36
Start of college life: how I coped with fear
For the last two years I’ve been working really hard to pass all my exams successfully and to get accepted to
college. And yet college seemed to be the scariest thing that I could think of. Whenever I thought about it,
my stomach would immediately begin to spin in circles. Although I was ready to go off and be by myself and
meet new people, I was scared to death at the same time. I pictured hard classes that I wouldn’t be able to
keep up with, people that wouldn’t like me, long hikes to get to my classes, and horrible food. I couldn’t
imagine leaving the security of my own room, my own stuff where I want it, my friends that I’ve spent
practically my whole life with, my family who put up with all my little quirks.
Everyone else that I talked to, however, didn’t seem to have this problem. They all were thrilled at the
thought of being on their own and not having to worry about their parents telling them what to do or not to
do all the time. And, sure, the thought was extremely exciting to me as well, but how would I survive without
my family and friends and the things that had taken me eighteen years to get used to?
The summer before I came to college was probably the most fun my friends and I ever had. We all knew that
in September things would never be the same again and we had to make the most of it while we still could.
As the end of August rolled around we knew that it was time to say goodbye and be on our way to our own
independence. I packed up the memories of the last eighteen years of my life into about five suitcases and
was ready to go. I still didn’t feel like I was just as mature as my older college friends and I thought that I still
looked like I was twelve years old.
We finally made it to the doors and began unloading my clothes and the eight million bags of food that my
mom had packed for me. I still was unsure about sharing my room and not being able to have the privacy
that I had back home. I was worried that the little habits that I had might annoy my roommate and that my
roommate might have just as many annoying little habits that I might not be able to handle as well.
After I had all my things unpacked and put exactly where I wanted, my roommate and I decided to go around
our hall and see whom we would be living with for the next two semesters. As we went around to different
rooms and met different people my nervousness seemed to diminish. I began to realize that not everyone
here knew everyone else and most were just as anxious and nervous about being here as I was. It worked. I
started to feel better and was actually kind of excited about living here all by myself.
I still miss the security of living at home (and I wonder who would blame me for this feeling) and, most of all,
home-cooked meals that are nonexistent here and the friends that I grew up with. But I know that we’ve all
changed and those memories are just that – memories, no matter how pleasant they might be. And when
times get too tough, my mom is just a phone call away. But I’m not too quick to call her and have her solve
my problems. I’ve learned that I can usually work things out by myself. I’m glad that I’ve gone through these
changes in myself and it makes me realize that I don’t need to fear change, that it’s just a part of life that
everyone has to go through sometime.
12. How did the author feel about 13. The main problem for the 14. Why was the summer before
the beginning of her college life? author was that … college such a fun time for the
A) Insecure. A) her parents wouldn’t help her author?
B) Confident. with advice. A) Her old friends were very
C) Disgusted. B) nobody seemed to understand funny.
D) Ready for new life. her feelings. B) She made fun of her friends’
C) she would miss her family and fears.
friends a lot. C) She and her friends made a
D) she was not ready for the point of enjoying each other’s
classes. company.
D) She was feeling like a very
young child.
15. The author was worried about 16. Upon arrival on campus the 17. What does the word
having to … author found out that … ‘nonexistent’ refer to in the last
A) eat too much food. A) she did not have enough place paragraph?
B) live with a stranger. for all her things. A) Memories.
C) phone her mother too often. B) her roommate was a very nice B) Home meals.
D) change her habits. person. C) College security.
C) she knew most of the people D) Old friends.
there.
D) other students felt a similar
way.
18. How has becoming a college
student changed the author?
A) She has got used to eating out.
B) She has learned how to make
new friends.
C) She has become more attached
to her mother.
D) She has become more
independent.

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Text 37
Avoidance activity
I am in Birmingham, sitting in a cafe opposite a hairdresser’s. I’m trying to find the courage to go in and book
an appointment. I’ve been here three quarters of an hour and I am on my second large cappuccino. The table
I’m sitting at has a wobble, so I’ve spilt some of the first cup and most of the second down the white trousers
I was so proud of as I swanked in front of the mirror in my hotel room this morning.
I can see the hairdressers or stylists as they prefer to be called, as they work. There is a man with a ponytail
who is perambulating around the salon, stopping now and then to frown and grab a bank of customer’s hair.
There are two girl stylists: one has had her white blonde hair shaved and then allowed it explode into
hundreds of hedgehog’s quills; the other has hair any self-respecting woman would scalp for: thick and
lustrous. All three are dressed in severe black. Even undertakers allow themselves to wear a little white on
the neck and cuffs, but undertakers don’t take their work half as seriously, and there lies the problem. I am
afraid of hairdressers.
When I sit in front of the salon mirror stuttering and blushing, and saying that I don’t know what I want, I
know I am the client from hell. Nobody is going to win Stylist of the year with me as a model.
‘Madam’s hair is very th …’,they begin to say ‘thin’, think better of it and change it for ‘fine’—ultimately,
coming out with the hybrid word ‘thine’. I have been told my hair is ‘thine’ many times. Are they taught to
use it at college? Along with other conversational openings, depending on the season: ‘Done your Christmas
shopping?’ ‘Going away for Easter?’ ‘Booked your summer holiday?’ ‘You are brown, been way?’ ‘Nights are
drawing in, aren’t they?’ ‘Going away for Christmas?’
I am hopeless at small talk (and big talk). I’m also averse to looking at my face in a mirror for an hour and a
half. I behave as though I am a prisoner on the run.
I’ve looked at wigs in stores, but I am too shy to try them on, and I still remember the horror of watching a
bewigged man jump into a swimming pool and then seeing what looked like a medium sized rodent break the
surface and float on the water. He snatched at his wig, thrust it anyhow on top of his head and left the pool. I
didn’t see him for the rest of the holiday.
There is a behavior trait that a lot of writers share—it is called avoidance activity. They will do anything to
avoid starting to write: clean a drain, phone their mentally confused uncle in Peru, change the cat’s litter tray.
I’m prone to this myself, in summer I deadhead flowers, even lobelia. In winter I’ll keep a fire going stick by
stick, anything to put off the moment of scratching marks on virgin paper.
I am indulging an avoidance activity now. I’ve just ordered another cappuccino, I’ve given myself a sever
talking: For God’s sake, woman! You are forty-seven years of age. Just cross the road, push the salon door
open, and ask for an appointment!
It didn’t work. I’m now in my room, and I have just given myself a do-it-yourself hairdo, which consisted of a
shampoo, condition and trim, with scissors on my Swiss army knife.
I can’t wait to get back to the Toni & Guy salon in Leicester. The staff there haven’t once called my hair ‘thine’
and they can do wonders with the savagery caused by Swiss army knife scissors.
2. The narrator was afraid to 13. Watching the stylists, the 14. The narrator calls herself ‘the
enter the hairdresser’s because narrator concluded that they client from hell’ mainly because
she A) were too impulsive. she
A) had spilt coffee on her white B) had hair anyone would envy. A) doesn’t like to look at herself in
trousers. C) had strange hair-dos the mirror.
B) doubted the qualification of themselves. B) never knows what she wants.
local stylists. D) attached too much importance C) is too impatient to sit still.
C) was strangely self-conscious. to their ‘craft’. D) is too demanding.
D) was pressed for time.
15. The narrator doesn’t like 16. According to the narrator the 17. The narrator finally
stylists as they avoidance activity is A) talked herself into going and
A) are too predictable in their A) common to all writers. fixing an appointment.
conversation. B) mostly performed in winter. B) got her hair done at a hotel.
B) have once suggested that she C) talking to oneself. C) cut her hair after shampooing
should try a wig. D) a trick to postpone the it.
C) are too insensitive to clients beginning of work. D) spoilt her hair completely.
wishes.
D) are too talkative.
18. The last paragraph means that
the Toni &Guy salon in Leicester is
the
A) only hairdresser’s she has ever
risked going to.
B) salon she trusts and is not
afraid to go to.
C) place where she is a special
client.
D) the first place she has ever
tried.

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Text 38
Honey as medicine
When I get a sore throat, I always find a cup of tea with some honey very soothing. But I always assumed
that the restorative power of honey was in my head. Historically, honey has been prescribed as a folk remedy
for millennia. So I’ve been content to accept that honey is a tasty placebo or a silly substitute for real
medicine. Now, my convictions are being challenged, as researchers are getting new evidence of honey’s
medical benefits making honey a surprisingly effective cure-all.
Honey’s main effects come primarily from its antimicrobial properties. Most bacteria cannot grow in honey. I
found this quite surprising, because bacteria love sugar. Honey contains around 40% fructose and 30%
glucose making it a great treat for microbes. However, honey is also acidic and acids prevent the growth of
bacteria. Although honey contains a fair amount of water, it’s supersaturated with sugar and does not
provide support for bacterial growth.
Honey also contains a substance called glucose oxidase. When combined with water and oxygen, glucose
oxidase forms gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide. In other words, diluted honey can serve as an excellent
antiseptic, while being far less likely than ordinary hydrogen peroxide to harm already-damaged tissue. In
practical terms, this means that honey applied on a wound promotes healing just as well as, or in many cases
better than, conventional ointments and dressings. So, it not only prevents infection, but it also functions as
an anti-inflammatory agent, reducing both swelling and pain and even scarring. So, honey has been shown to
be extraordinarily effective in the treatment of wounds, burns, and surgical incisions.
Honey can be used not only outside of the body. It can help with many internal problems too. Thanks to its
antimicrobial action, it soothes sore throats and kills the bacteria that sometimes cause them. There’s also
the suggestion that it can reduce tooth decay. Moving down the esophagus and through the digestive tract,
honey can help to heal ulcers and upset stomachs. It also regulates intestinal functions, alleviating both
constipation and diarrhea. Honey also contains a variety of antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Now that we’ve looked into the gleeful frenzy over the miraculous properties of honey, I want to temper
your enthusiasm a bit. The bad news, if you can call it that, is that not all honey is created equal. The
chemical composition of honey to a great extent depends on the source that makes the basis of honey. For
example, honey from manuka, a bush in New Zealand, contains an antibacterial component, which is even
more useful than ordinary honey in combating infections. Honeys vary not only in color and flavor, but in
their medicinal properties, with some varieties being much more potent than others. But, because it’s
impossible to regulate the comings and goings of millions of bees, there’s no way to guarantee that honey
from any location will be chemically the same from year to year or free of contamination from pollutants the
bees may have found their way into.
But it is important not to feed honey to a child under one year of age because honey sometimes contains
botulinum spores. By the time of a child’s first birthday, there are usually enough beneficial bacteria in the
digestive tract to make it be eaten safely. But anyway, honey supplies must be tested thoroughly and
regularly.
12. The author’s skeptical attitude 13. The author was surprised 14. According to the text, diluted
towards honey was based on the about antibacterial properties of honey has the chemical qualities
… honey because … that …
A) excessive public attention paid A) it contains a lot of sugar. A) don’t reveal themselves under
to it. B) he didn’t know about its acidic the direct sun light.
B) lack of reliable information nature. B) don’t make it possible to use it
about it. C) he thought it contained too in ointments.
C) poor results of treatment with much water. C) help to cure skin problems.
it. D) he thought it was ideal for D) make it compete with
D) position of official medicine. growing bacteria. traditional skin remedies.
15. Which of the following is NOT 16. The healing properties of 17. It can be implied that the
mentioned as a problem honey honey greatly depend on … healing qualities of honey from
can help to heal? A) the health of bees. certain location …
A) Heart diseases. B) proper maintenance of A) depend on its colour.
B) Tooth cavities. beehives. B) are difficult to predict.
C) Joint pain. C) the plants from which bees C) are related to its flavour.
D) Stomach illness. produce it. D) may be regulated.
D) weather conditions and
humidity.
18. When speaking about honey
and children the author
underlines that …
A) newborn children should not
be given honey.
B) honey helps to grow useful
bacteria in children.
C) honey is the best present for a
child’s first birthday.
D) children should be fed honey
under medical guidance.

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Text 39
The lure of the screen
I used to tell my parents that the first cell phone I will allow my own children to have will be a flip phone,
incapable of Internet access and certainly without the ability to use “apps.” I argued that their first phones
would have only the capabilities of my first phone – texting and calling – used primarily to contact their
parents, and once in a while classmates to ask about homework. Isn’t it primarily what we think kids need
phones for?
It took me a while to realize how impractical this was because if the first piece of a given technology that I
possessed had been the same as my parents’, I would have been walking around with a cassette player in a
world of iPods (incidentally, I loved my Sony Walkman CD player).
So maybe it was a little ridiculous for me to suggest this, but I think my point was (and is) valid. I look at
young kids today and see that they’re as attached to mobile devices as their adult counterparts. It has come
to the point where kids would rather sit inside and play games on their parents’ (or their own) iPads than go
outside and play hide-and-seek, or catch, well, do anything.
And while I recall my parents telling me to drop the Legos or even the PlayStation controller and head
outside, I, unlike these children, often actually did it, and when I didn’t, at least I was capable of breaking
away to utter a response.
Today, however, youngsters are becoming so attached to technology at such a young age, as young as 3 or 4,
that they are forgetting – if they ever learned in the first place – how to have fun without an iPad – literally.
In April, The Telegraph quoted North Ireland teacher Colin Kinney, who said his colleagues, “have concerns
over the increasing numbers of young pupils who can swipe a screen but have little or no manipulative skills
to play with building blocks or the like, or the pupils who cannot socialize with other pupils but whose
parents talk proudly of their ability to use a tablet or smartphone.”
Kinney goes on to say that the “brilliant computer skills” these children possess is “outweighed by their
deteriorating skills in pen and paper exams because they rely on instant support of the computer and are
often unable to apply what they should have learned from their textbooks.”
It is true that we are moving into a world in which the ability to understand the language of computer coding
is more important than the ability to read and write cursive. This, however, is not an excuse for the extent to
which young children have become as addicted (or more so) to their mobile devices as their parents.
LeapFrog, the popular children’s brand is set to unveil a product called the Leap Band; the first wearable tech
catered specifically toward children. And although the wristwatch-like product is designed to get kids up and
moving, it raises a question for me: How young is too young?
I read that Google is considering allowing online accounts for children under the age of 13 (though giving
their parents control over how the service is used).
Because of this cross-generational addiction, this week has been designated as “Screen Free Week” in schools
around the country. The week is aimed at getting every member of the family away from computer and
device use for just one week and head outside.
For parents, technology is now a dilemma: Give it to their kids at a young age so they are in line with their
classmates in terms of computer prowess or withhold it and allow them the gift of social skills … only time
will tell, but I fear the former is gaining ground.
12. What kind of a phone does 13. Which of the following 14. What does the author
the author want her children to statements reflects the author’s remember about her childhood?
have first? views? A) She didn’t like to play outside.
A) An old-type phone. A) Parents shouldn’t allow their B) She enjoyed PlayStation more
B) A modern phone. children to play games on iPads. than Lego.
C) Something like her parents’ B) Children are more attached to C) She went for a walk outside
phone. technology than adults. whenever her parents told her.
D) Something like her “old” C) Children now prefer their D) She preferred to ignore her
phone. gadgets to outdoor games. parents when she played.
D) It’s hard to imagine the
modern life without mobile
devices.
15. Teacher Kinney is worried 16. “This” in paragraph 8 (“This, 17. What does the author imply
about children’s … however, is not an excuse …”) by asking “How young is too
A) communicative skills. refers to … young”?
B) computer skills. A) addiction to technology. A) Leap Band is inappropriate for
C) parents’ attitudes. B) computer language. young children.
D) writing skills. C) importance of computers. B) Technology may enter
D) literacy skills. children’s life too early.
C) Leap Band products suit any
child.
D) Wristwatch-like products are
for older children.
18. How, according to the author,
will the parents solve the
technological dilemma?
A) In favour of communication
skills.
B) In favour of both the computer
and communication skills.
C) They will try to refrain from
making the decision.
D) In favour of the computer
skills.

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Text 40
Experience: I founded my own country
My father wasn’t a king, he was a taxi driver, but I am a prince – Prince Renato II, of the country Pontinha, an
island fort on Funchal harbour. It’s in Madeira, Portugal, where I grew up. It was discovered in 1419; Captain
James Cook was here, and there are paintings of his visit.
In 1903, the Portuguese government didn’t have enough money to build a harbour port, so the king sold the
land to a wealthy British family, the Blandys, who make Madeira wine. Fourteen years ago the family decided
to sell it for just €25,000 (£19,500). It was of no use to them. But nobody else wanted to buy it either. I met
Blandy at a party, and he told me about Pontinha. He asked if I’d like to buy the island. Of course I said yes,
but I have no money – I am just an art teacher.
I tried to find some business partners, but they all thought I was crazy to want to buy what is essentially a
large rock: it has a small cave, a platform on top, and no electricity or running water. So I sold some of my
possessions, put my savings together and bought it. Of course, my wife, my family, my friends – they all
thought I was mad.
When the King of Portugal originally sold the island in 1903, he and all the governors signed a document,
selling all the “possessions and the dominions” of the island. It means I can do what I want with it – I could
start a restaurant, or a cinema, but nobody thought that someone would want to start a country. So that’s
what I did.
When I bought it, I went to speak to the governor of Madeira. I introduced myself and explained that I was a
Madeiran citizen and was also now the ruler of his neighbour state. He immediately asked to buy my island.
Of course, I said no. He said that unless I sold it back to the state, he wouldn’t let me connect to any
electricity. So now, as long as I don’t cause any trouble (for instance, trying to charge cruise ships that dock
here) they will leave me alone. I have a solar panel and a small windmill, and maybe in the future I’ll be able
to generate power from the ocean around Pontinha. I am a pacifist, and I don’t need any money.
I have both a Portuguese passport and a passport for Pontinha (where my passport number is 0001). There
are four citizens: me, my wife, my son and my daughter. I am the police, the gardener, everything. I am
whatever I want to be – that’s the dream, isn’t it? Of course, my power is only absolute here, where I am the
true sovereign.
The Portuguese gastronomic specialty is bacalhau. But we are running out of cod in our oceans now, and we
buy it from another country. So my country’s specialty is takeaway.
I don’t live in my country full time, but I am often there. My family sometimes drops by, and other people
come every day because the country is free for tourists to visit; I never close for bad weather. Sometimes I
am alone, on the days I feel more troubled by the excessive power of the Portuguese state. Sometimes I
come here when I’m feeling lively.
Madeira is surrounded by water, but for some reason we all have to pay to swim in the ocean now, at the
swimming spots. How did that happen? Still, I have my island, which means I can come swimming whenever I
want – it’s as if someone has given me the key to the waters.
Our lives are gone in a flash. My son is 27 and if I were his age, I would probably sell the island and buy a
Ferrari. But I am 56 years old, and I want to enjoy everything I have. Pontinha means “a point”. All change in
the world begins with something very small, and this is my country – just a little point.
12. What do we learn about 13. How did Renato get the 14. How does Renato explain his
Renato’s origin? money for the island? decision to found a country?
A) He is a James Cook descendant. A) He sold some of his belongings. A) He followed the advice from
B) He comes from a royal family. B) He found business partners. the governor of Madeira.
C) His parents worked for the C) His friends helped him. B) He didn’t see any formal
Portuguese government. D) He borrowed from Blandy. objections to it.
D) He comes from a simple family. C) He obeyed the order of the
King of Portugal.
D) He thought of it as a way to
avoid starting a restaurant.
15. How may the reaction of the 16. We may conclude that 17. What does Renato say about
governor of Madeira to the news bacalhau … his attitude towards tourists?
of Renato’s decision be A) is Renato’s favourite food. A) They are always welcome on
described? B) is made with fish. his island.
A) Indifference. C) is imported from Pontinha. B) He prefers to stay alone.
B) Anger. D) was invented by Renato C) He doesn’t like it when they
C) Worry. come in bad weather.
D) Disbelief. D) He treats them as his own
family.
18. What are Renato’s plans
about his island?
A) He wants to pass it to his son.
B) He wants to sell it.
C) He wants to die on the island.
D) He wants to keep it.

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Text 41
Driverless cars
Driverless cars are expected to be rolling into the streets within the next 20 years. In fact, they’ve legally
been on the roads for the past years, approved for testing purposes. It is predicted that driverless vehicles
will be commercially available at a high cost within 7 years, but it may take another 8 years for prices to drop
enough to spur mass consumption.
Today, the discussions focus primarily on the shifting of accident liability to manufacturers and all the
goodness that comes along with reducing accidents. A truly driverless road would not be accident-free as
there would still be a number of accidents caused by mechanical or computer errors, weather conditions,
pedestrians and sheer random chance. But it would make the now-routine loss of life on the roads far rarer.
The concept of a “driver” will be replaced with that of an “operator”, who simply programs the vehicle’s GPS
to arrive at the desired destination and pushes the “Start” button to begin the trip. Since judgment will no
longer be required of the operator, they won’t need a driver’s license. Theoretically, a 10-year-old child could
independently take the car to school in the morning.
Computer-operated cars will eventually reshape the car design as things like windshields will become less
necessary. Drivers will be able to sit wherever they’d like in their cars. There will be no need for gas and
brake pedals as speed will be automatically controlled by the computer. The steering wheel and the turn
signal arm can also be eliminated once the public gets used to reliability of these vehicles.
Each passenger will have a personal video display informing about a current location, the distance to your
destination, speed and personal entertainment selections. The concept of ‘distracted driving’ will disappear
as there will be no reason to pay attention to where you are going.
Vehicle owners will no longer buy collision insurance since manufacturers will be solely responsible for
damage. Owners will only need theft insurance and coverage for hail, falling objects or floods. To take this
one step further, personal vehicle ownership may dramatically diminish. Car dealers will have lots full of
vehicles for hire on a daily or hourly basis instead of vehicles for sale. When you need a car, you’ll summon
one using your mobile phone. The closest unmanned vehicle will be dispatched to your home to take you
where you need to go. When done, you’ll simply push the button for the unmanned vehicle to drive itself
back to the rental lot.
The social and cultural impact of driverless cars could cause far more upheaval than any of us could imagine.
Perhaps, it would be even greater than the impact the Internet had on commerce and communication.
Obviously, the picture being painted is the one that assumes total adoption, which is far from realistic. You
will always have transitional delays caused by the lack of free cars, the longevity of today’s vehicles and
cultural resistance.
This resembles the historical factors that affected the transition from horse to the automobile. At the
moment, the driverless car seems like a novelty. However, it will open up new prospects. The prospect of
flying cars may soon become a reality. With computer-controlled vehicles that strictly follow traffic rules,
three-dimensional roads become far less scary and more a matter of simply solving the technological
challenge.
Where we’re going, we may not need roads at all.
12. According to the author 13. Which of the following 14. To operate a driverless car,
driverless cars will become cheap statements is TRUE, according to their owners will be required to …
enough for most people to buy the text? A) have a special license.
within the following … A) The driverless cars will be B) set the destination on the GPS.
A) 7 years. voice-activated. C) obtain a collision insurance.
B) 8 years. B) The age required to operate a D) have experience in
C) 15 years. driverless car is likely to rise. programming.
D) 20 years. C) Driverless cars may increase
the number of road accidents.
D) A driverless car operator won’t
be responsible for accidents.
15. Which of the following, 16. The author claims that with 17. According to the author,
according to the author, will a the introduction of driverless cars driverless cars will be …
driverless car have? … A) enthusiastically accepted by
A) Video displays. A) the number of vehicles on the the people.
B) A steering wheel. roads will diminish. B) operated without transitional
C) Gas and brake pedals. B) personal vehicle ownership will delays.
D) A turn signal arm. increase. C) as important socially as the
C) people will rent vehicles Internet.
instead of buying them. D) used by people with caution at
D) vehicle owners will spend first.
more money on insurance.
18. The attitude of the author
towards the driverless cars may
be described as …
A) optimistic.
B) indifferent.
C) negative.
D) unsure.

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Text 42
The truth about bananas
When I was in college, I had a professor who had some strange habits. Every now and then, this professor
came to class with the sticker from a banana on his shirt. One day a student asked him what was with the
stickers. He replied, solemnly, “Oh. Yeah. Well, whenever I have a banana for breakfast that has a sticker on
it, I put the sticker on my shirt to remind me of the suffering of the banana pickers in Latin America, who
sometimes earn just 50c for a 12-hour day of work in grueling conditions. I wear it to show my solidarity with
them, as a silent protest for better treatment.” From that day on, we saw the professor in a completely new
light and we started thinking about bananas differently too. As I was later to discover, almost nothing about
bananas is as it seems.
On a trip to Costa Rica, the major exporters of bananas, I saw endless banana plantations and visited a
botanical garden where a botanist shared some fascinating details about banana trees. He said there are
about 300 varieties of banana, but only a small fraction is cultivated commercially. The edible type of banana
grown in Costa Rica is a hybrid that is larger and sweeter than its naturally occurring ancestors.
Among the other interesting tidbits we learned was that banana “trees” are not even trees – they’re the
world’s largest perennial herbs. The distinction is not merely academic; the stems, which may appear to be
solid trunks, are simply multiple layers of very large leaves that could be cut through with a regular knife. In
fact, the stems often break under the weight of the bananas and need to be supported with poles.
Bananas also have an unusual life cycle. Normally, the primary reason for a plant to bear any sort of fruit in
the first place is to propagate itself, since the fruit contains the seed. Modern, commercial strains of banana
don’t have seeds. Seedless fruit-bearing plants normally propagate only with human help, because the plant
has no natural way to regenerate when it dies. Each banana plant produces just one bunch of fruit over its
lifetime of about a year and then dies or at least appears to. But the stem above ground is just a portion of
the plant, the so-called pseudostem. There is also an underground stem, called a rhizome, which produces
new shoots at the base of the visible stem. These begin growing into new, flowering stems just as the old one
is dying. The new plant, then, really isn’t new at all, and is genetically identical to its predecessor.
These peculiarities aside, bananas are simply tasty. They are also an excellent source of potassium and are
extremely good for keeping scoops of ice cream aligned in a dish. Bananas have been referred to as “the
world’s most popular fruit,” “the world’s most popular tropical fruit,” “America’s most popular fruit,” and a
variety of other designations in the upper strata of fruit stardom, based on different metrics for assessing
popularity. In any case, Americans, and much of the rest of the world, certainly consume immense quantities
of bananas.
But what about banana pickers? I’m sorry to say it’s true. The life of the average banana picker is still rather
bleak. But if the producers paid their workers a living wage, bananas would become so expensive that few
people would buy them, thus reducing demand, and so on. For my part, I wear banana stickers just as my
professor did, not because I think it will have any tangible impact, but to remind myself of the real price of
bananas.
12. The professor wore the 13. We learn that banana trees … 14. According to the text, we
banana stickers on his shirt to … A) are actually not trees. mostly consume the bananas
A) protest against his life B) are grown on special herbs. which …
conditions. C) live a year only. A) were grown in botanical
B) express his support for banana D) first were found in Costa Rica. gardens.
pickers. B) were picked on plantations in
C) remind himself to buy some Costa Rica.
bananas. C) ripe naturally on banana trees.
D) make his students curious. D) are specially cultivated.
15. The stems of bananas trees 16. Bananas life cycle is unusual 17. Which of the following is NOT
need support because … because … a reason for the popularity of
A) they grow too tall and thin. A) it’s too short. bananas, according to the text?
B) there are not enough B) the plants produce just one A) Their good taste.
branches. fruit in a lifetime. B) The long expiry term.
C) their structure is fragile. C) they don’t propagate C) Presence of nutritional
D) they bear too many bananas. themselves with seeds. elements.
D) they multiply underground. D) Their culinary features.
18. According to the author, one

of the reasons that banana
pickers are underpaid is …
A) the need to keep the price of
bananas low.
B) the greediness of banana
producers.
C) the low level of the support for
them.
D) the low demand for bananas in
the market.

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Text 43
Russian and American cuisines
Within the first few weeks of living in Russia, I lost about 10 pounds (4.5 Kilos). It did not take me long to gain
all of it back, when I returned home … now I am on a diet (typical American cycle). No, this article is not going
to talk about why Americans are so obese, but I merely wanted to use my scenario as an illustration for what
I rediscovered about American food when I came home. It’s a contradictory statement, but American food is
probably some of the best food in the world, as well as some of the worst food in the world. How can this be,
you ask? Don’t worry, I will elaborate on this in full detail.
First of all, let me clear up one misconception about Americans and our cuisine. We do not only eat food
from McDonald’s and Burger King. In fact, the last time I was in a McDonald’s was in Russia. Yes, we have a
lot of fast food and chain restaurants to accommodate our busy lifestyles, but a lot of Americans (myself
included), choose not to poison our bodies by eating at them on a regular basis. Fast food restaurants are one
example of why American cuisine is some of the worst in the world, not only because they sell unhealthy
food, but also because, here in the States, they are driven by the livestock and corn industries – powerful
lobbies that are poisoning our foods and wreaking havoc on the environment.
You see, the biggest difference between American cuisine and Russian food can be summed up in one simple
truth: we don’t make anything from scratch. Everything we eat or cook at home comes in packages, and they
are loaded with ingredients whose names I cannot even pronounce. Fortunately, many Americans are
beginning to catch on to the fact that the food industry and science have been poisoning our food for years
and many of us are becoming vegetarian, eating organic and avoiding foods with GMO’s. The market is finally
beginning to shift to accommodate a healthier diet.
So then how is American food some of the best food in the world? It’s simple really. We are one of those
countries that has been blessed with a diverse ethnic population and we get the benefit of adopting all of
their cuisines. Russia also has this advantage, but there still remains a distinct “Russian” cuisine. Nothing we
eat is truly “American” (okay, maybe hamburgers and Coca Cola). We’ve got every cuisine you could possibly
imagine and we get to experiment with them all and see how they will taste with a new American twist – in
fact, we’ve coined this cuisine American Nouveau.
We’ve also developed very strong regional cuisines. America is big and food varies as you travel from state to
state. I grew up in Maine, a coastal state known for its lobster. The southern states are known for having
heavy, fattening foods that taste delicious. Louisiana has a heritage of French and Creole cuisine that is out-
of-this-world and loaded with flavor. The New York tri-state area is a smorgasbord of ethnic and reinvented
cuisines – it is the culinary capital of our country. Texans like barbeque, Chicago cuisine has a lot of Polish
influence, and California produces amazing seafood. In a small nutshell, real American cuisine has strong
regional and cultural ties and is always open to experimentation.
American cuisine vs. Russian cuisine … sorry, but I’m going to root for my own country on this one, mostly
because we have a larger variety. Nevertheless, I will always have a place in my heart for Russian cuisine, as it
was all a part of the cultural learning experience.
12. The author speaks about her 13. “This” in paragraph 1 (“… I will 14. According to the author,
losing and gaining weight to show elaborate on this in full detail.”) American fast food …
that … refers to … A) is more popular in Russia.
A) a lot of Americans need to go A) weight problems in the USA. B) is a common part of everyday
on a diet. B) contrasts in American food. diet.
B) obesity is a serious problem in C) difference between Russian C) suits American lifestyle.
the USA. and American food. D) breaks stereotypes of the US
C) American food is too fattening. D) the author’s eating experience culture.
D) she has changed her opinion of in Russia.
American food.
15. What is the major difference 16. It can be inferred that the 17. Which is NOT true about the
between American and Russian biggest advantage of American regional varieties of American
food, according to the author? cuisine is its … food?
A) There are more vegetarians in A) innovative character. A) Food in most American regions
the USA. B) lack of cultural identity. is high calorie.
B) American food contains less C) typical American character. B) New York is the center of food
GMO’s. D) good quality. experiments.
C) Pre-made food is less popular C) European influence is
in Russia. noticeable in some regions.
D) Americans rarely cook at D) Geography determines food
home. preferences.
18. What conclusion does the
author come to?
A) Russian cuisine is more diverse.
B) It is hard to compare the two
cuisines.
C) Russian cuisine has deep
cultural roots.
D) She prefers American cuisine.

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Text 44
Lazy summer days vs. landscapers
Whether you’re a first grader proud of the fact you survived your first year of full-day education or a grad
student desperate for a study break, summer vacation means one thing to everybody: sleeping in on
weekday mornings. There is no alarm to hit at 6:30 and no bus to chase after. And while days might be filled
with summer jobs and day camp, those never seem to start quite as early.
So why is there a conspiracy working against students the minute the final bell rings and the last exam is
turned in? And the culprit is visible in any given apartment complex, condo community or public park:
landscapers.
I have lived in many towns and in homes of different shapes and sizes in my short, 23 years on Earth. And
yet, no matter where I call home, I am faced with the same hardship: trying to sleep in on lazy, summer
mornings while the lawn mowers are hard at work on public and private yards.
The townhouse neighborhood I called home when I was a little girl was a jam-packed street. We had more
than 250 houses on my block alone. One of the things my mom loved about that house was its tiny yard.
My mother does not have a green bone in her body. She has killed every herb garden my sister and I have
ever given her. So my mother was thrilled that our front yard was the size of a postage stamp. It, like every
other yard on the block, only needed to be trimmed once a month to look good. And yet, every Monday and
Thursday at 7:30 a.m., the city-contracted landscaping team would drive down our street and unload two or
three industrial mowers and go to work on the little patches of public grass around mail boxes and trees.
Later, when I moved to Michigan, my family and I lived in a condominium complex our first year. As part of
the deal, every yard was landscaped with big bushes and tulip patches. But to keep the yards all looking nice
and healthy, the owners had full-time landscapers keep up with the maintenance. My mother was thrilled to
have a full garden without worrying about killing each plant one by one.
Never having to before, I was thrilled I didn’t have to mow this new yard that was 100 times bigger than the
postage stamp one we had before. But I was not so thrilled when the mowers showed up on Saturday
mornings. Saturdays! Were they serious? Mowing every yard on the street starting at 7 a.m. on a Saturday.
As an adult out on my own, I like that apartments don’t come with yards I have to maintain. I am just getting
the hang of remembering to buy groceries and having my own mailbox to check. If I had to add watering
flowers to my to-do list, I would forget. But what I’m not so thrilled about is that Friday mornings is my
building’s scheduled mowing day. I live on the first floor of my building, with no way to muffle the roar of the
mower against the side of the building when it is directly outside my window. No sleep for me.
I am not so selfish that I don’t understand why mowers work in the morning. Landscapers have multiple
customers to serve on any given day, and the earlier they start the earlier they can be done. Plus, it is cooler
in the morning, and preferable, rather than at noon when the sun is high in the sky. But students work hard
all year and look forward to a break from books, tests and alarm clocks.
So, in order to find a common ground between landscapers and students, I send this challenge out into the
universe: whoever can build a silent lawn mower will get my undying gratitude, love and affection and
whatever else they want, I promise!
12. What does the author like 13. What is the author 14. The phrase “does not have a
about summer holidays? complaining about mentioning green bone in her body” in
A) She сan have a summer job. the landscapers? paragraph 5 (“My mother does
B) She has no school. A) The noise they make. not have a green bone in her
C) She does not have to get up B) The quality of their work. body”) is closest in meaning to …
early. C) The size of the yards.
D) She works at a day camp. D) The plants they tend to. A) hates planting flowers.
B) is not good at gardening.
C) does not eat greens.
D) does not look after her garden.
15. Which is NOT true about the 16. What does the author say 17. Landscapers start their work
author’s place in Michigan? about her independent adult life? early because …
A) Owners had to hire A) She forgets about checking her A) it feels more comfortable.
landscapers. mailbox. B) they have a very packed
B) Their yard was much more B) She misses her Michigan big schedule.
spacious. yard. C) it’s a customers’ requirement.
C) Her mother did not like the C) She is glad to be living without D) it is better for watering the
garden. a yard. flowers.
D) The mowers worked on D) She suffers from the lack of
weekend mornings. sleep.
18. What would be the best
solution to the problem,
according to the author?
A) Houses without yards.
B) Special agreement with
landscapers.
C) Student protests.
D) Invention of a soundless
mower.

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Text 45
Sarah Hagan has a passion for math, and the pi-shaped pendant to prove it
The 25-year-old teaches at Drumright High School in Oklahoma. The faded oil town is easy to miss. Fewer
than 3,000 people live there, and the highway humps right around it. There are no stoplights, no movie
theater and no bowling alley anymore. Just a clutch of small houses and hearty businesses such as a funeral
home.
That makes it hard enough to attract good teachers, says Judd Matthes, Hagan’s principal. But it gets worse.
“We don’t pay a lot in Oklahoma for beginning teachers,” he says, laughing. Matthes wonders why a National
Merit Scholar who had gotten a full ride to the top-notch university would want to start her teaching life in a
place like that.
Hagan, now in her third year at Drumright High, hadn’t planned on working in such a poor, rural district and
was shocked when she arrived. “The first time I saw my classroom,” she says, “it was the most depressing
thing I’d ever seen. There was no dry-erase board or bulletin boards.”
And the floorboards squealed. They still do, but the rest of her room is now an unrecognizable riot of color.
Decorations hang wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling. A poster of Albert Einstein. Paper pompoms. This is the first
key to understanding Sarah Hagan: She’s a visual person.
Hagan is also remarkably self-assured. When she arrived, the school had ordered new math textbooks, but
Hagan had already decided – as a student-teacher – that she wasn’t going to use textbooks. “I don’t want to
be stifled by that. I mean, I teach a lot of things in a totally different order than a textbook would,” she says.
She simply left the new books in their boxes. Instead, in a standard lesson, she uses everything in the
classroom but a textbook: a flower pot, a garbage can, a roll of tape, loose spaghetti. It’s all part of Hagan’s
do-it-yourself approach to teaching and learning.
As for the textbooks they make, her students begin with blank composition notebooks. Each day, Hagan
hands out a lesson she has written herself or open-sourced from other teachers. It’s usually printed on
colored paper and requires some kind of hands-on work: drawing, coloring, cutting. Students then glue the
results into their notebooks. Eventually, the books look like dog-eared, bulging relics from an Indiana Jones
movie. Hagan argues that if students are allowed to be creative, they’re more likely to remember what
they’ve learned.
That afternoon, in Algebra II, Hagan comes up with a creative way to get her students to memorize the
quadratic formula. She sings it.
“She really tricks us into learning,” says sophomore Jake Williams. “There’s so much fun involved in the
classroom that we actually understand it and grasp it.”
“You do puzzles and all kinds of stuff,” says senior Krissy Hitch. “So it doesn’t even really seem like you’re
learning. But then, when you take the test, you realize: “Wait, when did I even learn all this stuff?”
Making it fun matters. Algebra is high-stakes. A student who can’t pass the state test can’t graduate.
Her colleagues worry that the young math teacher could burn out. Hagan admits – sometimes – the work
wears her down: “Yeah, there’re days when I complain. And the people I complain to think I’m insane
because I haven’t left this place. But these kids deserve better.”
And so she stays, at least for now. Even in her scant free time, Sarah Hagan doesn’t really leave the
classroom. She writes a blog about teaching called “Math Equals Love.”
12. The place Sarah Hagan works 13. What does Sarah Hagan’s 14. What did Sarah Hagan do to
in can be best described as … principal think about her starting improve her classroom space?
A) crowded. work at Drumright? A) She put textbooks away.
B) promising. A) He is skeptical. B) She hung colorful posters.
C) uninhabited. B) He is surprised. C) She fixed the floors.
D) unfrequented. C) He is worried. D) She bought bulletin boards.
D) He is critical.
15. Sarah Hagan doesn’t use the 16. The verb “burn out” in 17. What do Sarah Hagan’s
textbooks because … paragraph 11 (“Her colleagues students say about her math
A) they are too complicated. worry that the young math lessons?
B) she is a student-teacher. teacher could burn out”) is A) They play too much.
C) they limit her academic closest in meaning to … B) They feel disappointed.
freedom. A) get exhausted. C) They find the class engaging.
D) she uses other teachers’ notes. B) leave a job. D) They do not learn enough.
C) become ill.
D) change her mind.
18. The name Sarah Hagan chose
for her teaching blog
characterizes her as …
A) an enthusiast.
B) a dreamer.
C) a fascinating person.
D) a true professional.

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Text 46
Just how golden is silence?
For the British, it’s a well known social law that in several, if not most, public spaces, silence is key. Those
who dare speak in a London tube carriage, particularly during rush hours, are condemned to receive dirty
looks from other passengers for the duration of their journey.
Waiting for a bus? No, now is simply not the time to discuss last night’s soap opera. And beware, the poor,
poor individual who fails to stifle his or her sneeze in an art gallery.
Yet in recent years, it would appear that the ascent of the portable electronic devices has meant that the
world is no longer merely our oyster, but also our … office. We’re able to reply to e-mails, finish our essays
and fill out tax returns just about anywhere. As a result of this modernization, we find ourselves placing
excess value on the level of quiet. As students, I’m sure we’ve all been there. Ever tried to study in a coffee
shop and found yourself infuriated by the precise details of your neighbour’s health?
Today’s smartphones, tablets and lightweight laptops allow us to blur the boundary between work and play,
which in many respects is fantastic. However, this ease of use sometimes prevents us from being our natural,
social selves at times when this is required. Just ask Alex Haigh, the Australian founder of the humorous
website stopphubbing.com. This site campaigns against the ‘phubbing’ phenomena – a term coined by Haigh
which hybridises ‘phone snubbing’.
Whatever happened to the beauty of mundane conversation? You know, of the glorious ‘Would you look at
the weather!’ or the ‘How’s your dog?’ variety? I for one have sat through many an awkward mid-tutorial
break, twiddling my thumbs as those around me reach for their iPhones. Eventually, I cave, too. Clearly
everyone in the room is extremely sociable – if this can be judged by a sky-high score in video messaging
applications. Yet through some unfortunate twist of fate, it just so happens that the exact individuals my
pupils absolutely must speak to are anywhere but our current classroom.
Spontaneous phone-enthusiasm is most definitely a 21st century malady. And it’s one we’ve prescribed
ourselves to avoid our dreaded fear of awkward silences. Of course, conversation with near-strangers (or
even friends) can be difficult.
When asked how I am, I often struggle to think of a more varied answer than merely ‘fine’. Sometimes, I am
not fine, and instead concerned with various job applications, endless seminar reading and a formidable pile
of washing up in my kitchen. However, actually managing to expand on my current state of mind usually
leads to a conversation I don’t regret having.
Chit-chat is rather like going to the gym – arduous at first, but afterwards you’re pleased you made the effort.
However, a sudden and excessive interest in any technology we have on our person gives those around us
the impression that it’s them we want to avoid, not the ‘er …’ that may result from wondering what to say
next.
Of course, being quiet is entirely appropriate in a number of situations. However, the small talk which
develops into a great conversation is at risk of being phased out by easily accessible 3G. After all, it is the
opportunity to totally relax and engage with our peers, as well as the exciting possibilities that just might
arise from a polite ‘How are you?’, that should remain truly golden.
12. At the beginning of the article 13. What did portable electronic 14. “Phone snubbing” in
the author says that it used to be devices change in our lives, paragraph 3 (“…a term coined by
polite in Britain to … according to the author? Haigh which hybridises ‘phone
A) avoid looking at people. A) We now need silence more snubbing’.”) is synonymous with
B) keep silence in public places. than ever. …
C) talk while travelling. B) We work mostly outside an A) making jokes.
D) sneeze in public places. office. B) using phone.
C) We do school tasks in a hurry. C) campaigning.
D) We are getting angry with D) being rude.
people around.
15. When everybody around uses 16. According to the author, 17. Chatting is compared to a
phones during mid-tutorial ‘phone-enthusiasm’ is the result physical exercise because the
breaks, the author … of … author thinks it is …
A) starts sending video messages. A) talking with strangers. A) a rewarding experience.
B) begins to talk about the B) feeling embarrassed. B) enhanced by technology.
weather. C) exchanging awkward greetings. C) impressive for people around.
C) follows their example. D) a stressful lifestyle. D) an exercise for your brain.
D) tries to speak to her pupils.
18. What is the author’s message,
as stated in the last paragraph?
A) Spend more time with friends.
B) Try not to make noise.
C) Find good 3G connection.
D) Do not be afraid of small talk.

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Text 47
Do different languages confer different personalities?
The advantages of bilingualism include better performance at tasks which involve the brain’s ability to plan
and prioritize, better defense against dementia in old age and the ability to speak a second language. One
advantage wasn’t mentioned, though. Many multilinguals report different personalities, or even different
worldviews, when they speak their different languages.
It’s an exciting notion, the idea that one’s very self could be broadened by the mastery of two or more
languages. In obvious ways (exposure to new friends, literature, etc.) the self really is broadened. Yet it’s
different to claim to have a different personality when using a different language. So what’s going on here?
Benjamin Lee Whorf, an American linguist, held that each language encodes a worldview that significantly
influences its speakers. This idea has its sceptics but there are still good reasons to believe language shapes
thought.
This influence isn’t necessarily linked to the vocabulary or grammar of a second language. Most people aren’t
symmetrically bilingual. Many have learned one language at home from parents, and another later in life,
usually at school. So bilinguals usually have different strengths and weaknesses in their different languages –
and they aren’t always best in their first language. For example, when tested in a foreign language, people
are less likely to fall into a cognitive trap (answering a test question with an obvious-seeming but wrong
answer) than when tested in their native language. In part this is because working in a second language slows
down the thinking. No wonder people feel different when speaking them. And no wonder they feel looser,
more spontaneous, perhaps more assertive or funnier or blunter, in the language they were reared in from
childhood.
What of bilinguals raised in two languages? Even they don’t usually have perfectly symmetrical competence.
But even for a speaker whose two languages are very nearly the same in ability, there’s another big reason
that person will feel different in the two languages. This is because there is an important distinction between
bilingualism and biculturalism.
Many bilinguals are not bicultural. But some are. And of those bicultural bilinguals, we should be little
surprised that they feel different in their two languages. Experiments in psychology have shown the power of
‘priming’ – small unnoticed factors that can affect behavior in big ways. Asking people to tell a happy story
will put them in a better mood. The choice between two languages is a huge prime. Speaking Spanish rather
than English, for a bilingual and bicultural Puerto Rican in New York, might conjure feelings of family and
home. Switching to English might prime the same person to think of school and work.
We are still left with a third kind of argument. People seem to enjoy telling tales about their languages’
inherent properties. A group of French intellectuals once proposed that French be the sole legal language of
the EU, because of its unmatchable rigour and precision. Some Germans believe that frequently putting the
verb at the end of a sentence makes the language especially logical. But language myths aren’t always self-
flattering: many speakers think their languages are unusually illogical or difficult – “Only in English do you
park on a driveway and drive on a parkway; English must be the craziest language in the world!” What such
pop-Whorfian stories share is a tendency to exoticize languages. We also see some unsurprising overlap with
national stereotypes and self-stereotypes: French, rigorous; German, logical; English, playful. Neo-Whorfians
continue to offer evidence and analysis that aims to prove that different languages push speakers to think
differently. But strong Whorfian arguments don’t need to be valid for people to feel differently in their
different languages.
12. Introducing the idea that 13. In paragraph 4 the author 14. “This” in “This is because
speaking a second language gives claims that bilinguals … there is an important distinction
one a different personality the A) usually master both languages …” (paragraph 5) refers to …
author appears to be … equally. A) a new language to be acquired.
A) interested. B) do tests in their first language B) general competence of a
B) skeptical. more efficiently. person.
C) concerned. C) think faster when using their C) ability to learn a second
D) persuasive. first language. language.
D) improve their second language D) variations in feelings of a
at school. bilingual person.
15. Bicultural bilinguals feel 16. According to the article, the 17. According to the author, the
different in their languages choice between languages for a inherent properties of the
because … bilingual person … languages are …
A) their knowledge of the A) is not important in A) imaginary.
languages is not equal. communication. B) funny.
B) languages are associated with B) may influence his/her mood. C) obvious.
different social situations. C) is of primary importance. D) complicated.
C) their upbringing affects their D) may be very problematic.
behavior and speech.
D) they are happier at home than
at school or at work.
18. The author concludes that
there is evidence that …
A) a second language will turn
you into a different person.
B) a second language improves
your chances to socialize.
C) one’s world outlook depends
on one’s native language.
D) people may feel differently
working in different languages.

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Text 48
Game theory
An 11-year-old boy taps furiously on a laptop, blasting enemies as he goes through a maze. They wipe him
out before he can reach the end – game over. Frustrated, he opens the game’s programming window,
changes the gravity setting, and this time beats the baddies. Victory!
This could be the future of American education, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Quest to Learn
school opened last September in Manhattan, welcoming the first class of sixth-graders who will learn almost
entirely through videogame-inspired activities, an educational strategy designed to keep kids engaged and
prepare them for high-tech careers.
Ever since Pong, videogames have outperformed teachers in one key way: They command attention for
hours. “Games are exceptionally good at engaging kids,” says Quest’s main designer Katie Salen, a game
designer and technology professor at the New School University. “They drop kids into complex problems
where they fail and fail, but they try again and again.” She knew, though, that when kids face tough problems
in school, they sometimes just give up, which is partly why only a third of eighth-graders earn ‘proficient’
math scores on national assessment tests.
With this in mind, three years ago Salen started the Institute of Play, a nonprofit collaboration of game
designers and learning experts who create games to teach school material. After successful tests in city
classrooms, the group worked with the New York City Department of Education to open Quest to Learn.
This year’s 72-student class is split into four groups that rotate through five courses during the day:
Codeworlds (math/English), Being, Space and Place (social studies/English), The Way Things Work
(math/science), Sports for the Mind (game design), and wellness (health/PE). Instead of slogging through
problem sets, students learn collaboratively in group projects that require an understanding of subjects in the
New York State curriculum. The school’s model draws on 30 years of research showing that people learn best
when they’re in a social context that puts new knowledge to use. Kids learn more by, say, pretending to be
Spartan spies gathering intel on Athens than by memorizing facts about ancient Greece.
Most sixth-graders don’t expect to ever need to identify integers, but at Quest, it’s the key to a code-breaking
game. In another class, when creatures called Troggles needed help moving heavy objects the class made a
video instructing how long a ramp they should build to minimize the force they needed to apply. “They’re
picking concepts up as well as, if not better than, at other schools,” says Quest’s math and science teacher
Ameer Mourad. Beyond make-believe, Quest is the first middle school to teach videogame design. Salen says
building games teaches students about complex systems, which will prepare them for growing fields such as
bioinformatics.
The plan is for this class to attend Quest through high school, adding more sixth-graders every year. Although
students must pass the annual standardized tests that all public students do to keep a school open, educators
so far are impressed.
Salen has pilot studies to back up that risk; however, she won’t know if the school prepares kids for real-
world success until the first class graduates. But Quest has already proved itself in one area: The kids love it.
“It’s fun,” says student Nadine Clements. Her least favourite part of school? “Dismissal.”
12. Quest to Learn school is 13. According to the text, 14. The word “They” in “They
unusual because the students videogames outperform teachers drop kids into complex problems
there … at … …” (paragraph 3) refers to …
A) learn to play videogames A) giving students challenging A) teachers.
professionally. tasks. B) tests.
B) learn who videogames were B) keeping students’ attention. C) students.
designed by. C) preparing students for D) games.
C) play videogames instead of standardized tests.
learning. D) entertaining students.
D) learn through videogame-
based tasks.
15. Which of the following 16. In paragraph 5, the task to 17. According to Katie Salen,
statements about studying at gather information on Athens learning to design videogames …
Quest to Learn is NOT true, (“Kids learn more …”) is probably A) prepares students for their
according to paragraph 5? an example of how students future careers.
A) Its curriculum is based on the study … B) teaches students to use their
New York State curriculum. A) maths. imagination.
B) At Quest to Learn students B) English. C) motivates students to study
study four main subjects. C) game design. bioinformatics.
C) Students learn by putting new D) history. D) helps students to make video
knowledge into practice. instructions.
D) Group work is one of the main
forms of learning.
18. According to the writer, how
well Quest to Learn prepares
students for the real life will be
known …
A) when new students start the
school.
B) after students pass their end-
of-the-year tests.
C) after the graduation of the first
class of students.
D) when educators and
government have approved it.

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Text 49
What I learned about Russians
People’s first question when they hear that I’ve just returned from a winter in Moscow is usually: “What on
earth drove you to go there?” The answer is not an easy one. I landed at Sheremetyevo Airport in January
with dreams of balalaikas, samovars and golden domed churches. It did not take me long to realize that living
in Moscow was less about folklore and literary romanticisms and more about surviving a harsh climate and an
arduous routine.
When I, looking for work, contacted Dasha, our family friend, she instantly wrote back saying that her family
would love to take me on as an au pair. An au pair is someone, usually a young woman, who lives with a
family in a foreign country and helps with the children and housework in exchange for the opportunity to
learn the language. So for 3,000 rubles a week, I was to care for Dasha’s children, Sonya, 3, and Lyova, 2, and
teach her husband Valera English.
The family lived in a small apartment in Zheleznodorozhny, an industrial town 21 kilometers east of Moscow.
The apartment was also home to Dasha’s elder brother and a dog and a rabbit. The place was never quiet,
and there’s certainly no room for secrets.
With so many families wanting their children to learn English, native English teachers are very much in
demand and are paid handsomely. Subsequently, I soon found myself braving the commuter trains into the
Moscow outskirts to teach a group of Dasha’s colleagues. But for a young family living off a modest salary in
Zheleznodorozhny, employing an English girl was a real innovation.
Au pairing was a novelty for me, too. My attitude toward children has never been particularly positive, but
Sonya and Lyova were adorable. I instantly fell for their miniature hands, infectious laughter and funny little
walks.
The arrival of an English nanny in the area did not go unnoticed. People’s reactions at my lack of
comprehension were mixed. Some were impatient, others were kind and helpful. Indeed, the language
barrier was an obstacle for some time.
This irritation, however, did not exist with the children. They accepted me, with my funny accent and tea-
and-milk quirks, for what I was: their nanny. They didn’t care if it took me 10 minutes to read them a
sentence from their favorite storybook. Nor did they particularly mind if I gave them sausages when they’d
asked for ice cream.
On the surface, living with a Russian family was quite different from living with an English one. Together, we
celebrated the spring festival of Maslenitsa and other national holidays such as Women’s Day. I ate copious
amounts of pelmeni, caviar and blini. My Russian family interacted like any other family. They had their
arguments and conflicts and squabbles. But they also loved each other unconditionally and worked tirelessly
to provide and protect. It was such a privilege to be welcomed into such a lovely and generous family.
I left them in April in heavy tears and with promises to join them next summer. Through them, I was able to
experience the real Moscow region, not the shiny version of Moscow that most people see within the limits
of the Garden Ring. I witnessed the daily hardships that normal people endure with indifference.
Most important, I had the chance to separate stereotype from reality. I concluded that Russia has its share of
absurdities but that the typical Russian is not that different. He’s just a little stronger.
12. When the author told people 13. The town where the author 14. The apartment where the
about her Russian experience, stayed in Russia is described as … author stayed is described as …
they … A) comfortable. A) overpopulated.
A) got interested in the Russian B) manufacturing. B) comfortable.
culture. C) exciting. C) peaceful.
B) asked about the transport she D) peaceful. D) spacious.
used.
C) were rather indifferent.
D) expressed great surprise.
15. The author considered the 16. The word “braving” in 17. Which of the following is NOT
language barrier to be … paragraph 4 (“… I soon found true about the author’s host
A) impossible to overcome. myself braving the commuter family?
B) irrelevant when dealing with trains …”) is closest in meaning to A) They were overprotective of
the children. … the author.
C) irritating during her whole A) trying. B) They introduced the author to
stay. B) missing. the local culture.
D) completely unnoticed. C) having to deal with. C) They quarreled from time to
D) avoiding. time.
D) They did their best to earn a
living.
author come to?
A) Russians are mostly
indifferent.
B) She had a lot of stereotypes
about Russia.
C) Moscow region is very
beautiful.
D) She had a glimpse of the true
Russia.
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Text 50
Time to get off the phone
Last week, while I was trying to enjoy my manicure, I watched in horror as the two women across from me
talked on their phones the entire time they were getting their nails done. They employed their head nods,
eyebrow raises, and finger-pointing to instruct the manicurists on things like nail length and polish choices.
I really couldn’t believe it. I’ve had my nails done by the same two women for ten years. I know their names,
their children’s names, and many of their stories. They know my name, my children’s names, and many of my
stories. When I finally made a comment about the women on their cell phones, they both quickly averted
their eyes. Finally, in a whisper, the manicurist said, “They don’t know. Most of them don’t think of us as
people.”
On my way home, I stopped at Barnes & Noble to pick up a magazine. The woman ahead of me in line bought
two books, applied for a new “reader card”, and asked to get one book gift-wrapped without getting off her
cell phone. She plowed through the entire exchange without making eye contact or directly speaking to the
young woman working at the counter. She never acknowledged the presence of the human being across
from her.
After leaving Barnes & Noble, I went to a drive-through fast food restaurant to buy a Diet Coke. Right as I
pulled up to the window, my cell phone rang. I wasn’t quite sure, but I thought it might be my son’s school
calling, so I answered it. It wasn’t the school – it was someone calling to confirm an appointment.
In the short time it took me to say, “Yes, I’ll be at my appointment,” the woman and I had finished our soda-
for-money transaction. I apologized to her the second I got off the phone.
I must have surprised her because she got huge tears in her eyes and said, “Thank you so much. You have no
idea how humiliating it is sometimes. They don’t even see us.”
I don’t know how it feels for her, but I do know how it feels to be an invisible member of the service industry.
I worked my way through undergrad and some of graduate school by waiting tables and bartending. I worked
in a very nice restaurant that was close to campus and a hot spot for wealthy college kids and their parents.
When the customers were kind and respectful, it was OK, but one ‘waiter as object’ moment could tear me
apart. Unfortunately, I now see those moments happening all the time.
I see adults who don’t even look at their waiters when they speak to them. I see parents who let their young
children talk down to store clerks. I see people rage and scream at receptionists, then treat the
bosses/doctors/bankers with the utmost respect.
When we treat people as objects, we dehumanize them. We do something really terrible to their souls and to
our own. Martin Buber, an Austrian-born philosopher, wrote about the differences between an I-it
relationship and an I-you relationship. We create an I-it relationship when we treat people like objects –
people who are simply there to serve us or complete a task. I-you relationships are characterized by human
connection and empathy.
I’m not suggesting that we engage in a deep, meaningful relationship with the man who works at the
cleaners or the woman who works at the drive-through, but I’m suggesting that we stop dehumanizing
people and start looking them in the eye when we speak to them. If we don’t have the energy or time to do
that, we should stay at home.
12. The author watched the two 13. The word exchange in 14. The phrase human being in
women on their cell phones in paragraph 3 means the … paragraph 3 refers to the …
horror because they … A) interaction between the A) author.
A) ignored their manicurists. woman and the cashier. B) woman working at the counter.
B) talked on their phones too B) money that the cashier gave C) woman talking on her cell
loudly. back to the woman. phone.
C) talked to their manicurists C) conversation the woman had D) next person in the queue.
rudely. on her cell phone.
D) didn’t know their manicurists’ D) process of choosing purchases
names. at the shop.
15. The author answered her cell 16. The woman at the fast-food 17. Which of the following
phone while she was at the fast- restaurant got tears in her eyes statements is TRUE about Martin
food restaurant because she … because she was … Buber’s teaching?
A) always answers her cell phone. A) insulted. A) There are two ways people
B) thought it was an important B) worried. communicate with each other.
phone call. C) grateful to the author. B) We choose between two types
C) knew it would be a short phone D) unhappy about her job. of relationships depending on
call. who we think we are.
D) didn’t think it could be C) There can only be I-it
impolite. relationships between customers
and service staff.
D) I-you relationships are more
difficult than I-it relationships.
18. The main message of the
article is that …
A) talking on the cell phone in
public is always impolite and
irresponsible.
B) we should treat people with
respect regardless of their social
status.
C) it’s important to stand up for
shop assistants who are
mistreated by customers.
D) all people are equal regardless
of their jobs and how well they do
them.

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Text 51
Mind over mass media
New forms of media have always caused moral panic: the printing press, newspapers, and television were all
once denounced as threats to their consumers’ brainpower and moral fiber. So too with electronic
technologies. PowerPoint, we’re told, is reducing discourse to bullet points. Search engines lower our
intelligence, encouraging us to skim on the surface of knowledge rather than dive to its depths. Twitter is
shrinking our attention spans.
But such panic often fails basic reality checks. When comic books were accused of turning juveniles into
criminals in the 1950s, crime was falling to record lows. The decades of television, transistor radios and rock
videos were also decades in which I.Q. scores rose continuously.
For a reality check today, take the state of science, which demands high levels of brainwork. These days
scientists are never far from their e-mail, rarely touch paper and cannot lecture without PowerPoint. If
electronic media were hazardous to intelligence, the quality of science would be plummeting. Yet discoveries
are multiplying like fruit flies, and progress is dizzying.
Critics of new media sometimes use science itself to press their case, citing research that shows how
“experience can change the brain”. But cognitive neuroscientists roll their eyes at such talk. Experience does
not remake the basic information-processing capacities of the brain. Speed-reading programs have long
claimed to do just that, but the verdict was rendered by Woody Allen after he read “War and Peace” in one
sitting: “It was about Russia.”
Moreover, the effects of experience are highly specific to the experiences themselves. If you train people to
do one thing, they get better at doing that thing, but almost nothing else. Music doesn’t make you better at
math. Accomplished people immerse themselves in their fields. Novelists read lots of novels, scientists read
lots of science.
The effects of consuming electronic media are also likely to be far more limited than the panic implies. Media
critics write as if the brain takes on the qualities of whatever it consumes, the informational equivalent of
“you are what you eat”. As with primitive peoples who believe that eating fierce animals will make them
fierce, they assume that reading Twitter postings turns your thoughts into Twitter postings.
Yes, the continual arrival of information packets can be distracting or addictive. But distraction is not a new
phenomenon. The solution is to develop strategies of self-control. Turn off Twitter when you work and put
away your smartphone at dinner time.
And to encourage intellectual depth, don’t rail at PowerPoint or Google. It’s not as if habits of deep reflection
or thorough research ever came naturally to people. They must be acquired in universities, and maintained
with constant analysis, criticism and debate. They are not granted by propping a heavy encyclopedia on your
lap, nor are they taken away by efficient access to information on the Internet.
The new media have caught on for a reason. Knowledge is increasing exponentially; human brainpower and
waking hours are not. Fortunately, the Internet and information technologies are helping us manage and
search our collective intellectual output at different scales, from Twitter to e-books and online encyclopedias.
Far from making us stupid, these technologies are the only things that will keep us smart.
12. At the beginning of the article 13. What has life proved about 14. According to the author, the
the author reminds that the new electronic technologies according arguments of the critics of new
media technologies … to the author? media make neuroscientists feel
A) could make people less A) They don’t disrupt brainwork. …
intelligent. B) They could increase the crime A) surprised.
B) turn our attention off morals. level. B) confused.
C) used to frighten the majority of C) Television influences C) annoyed.
people. intelligence. D) amused.
D) improve human brainpower. D) Scientists can’t do without
them.
15. What does the example of 16. The phrasal verb “takes on” in 17. Which negative effect of
Woody Allen’s reading of “War “Media critics write as if the brain information flood does the author
and Peace” illustrate? takes on the qualities …” recognise?
A) Speed-reading programs (paragraph 6) is closest in A) Shallow mindedness.
improve information-processing. meaning to … B) Inefficient access to data.
B) Scientific research of brain A) changes. C) Lack of self-control.
supports critics of new media. B) acquires. D) Continuous distraction.
C) Experience with technology is C) adapts.
significant for intellectual D) rejects.
abilities.
D) Technology hardly influences
the way brain deals with
information.
18. What idea is expressed in the
last paragraph?
A) Human knowledge is
developing too fast.
B) New media help us keep up
with life.
C) New media are the result of
collective brainwork.
D) There are different ways to
manage knowledge.

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Text 52
How a Paris abbey became a science museum
A trip to Europe without visiting museums would be like a trip to Fiji without visiting a beach. It just seems
wrong to ignore such an embarrassment of riches. So when I was in France last year, I dutifully walked
through museums, but I soon noticed a strange phenomenon. Every time I think about going to a museum, it
seems like a fascinating way to spend an afternoon, but once I get there, I almost always find myself getting
very sleepy by the time I get to the second gallery. I try to be enthusiastic … but usually I’m no match for the
long halls of display cases.
There is an exception to this rule, though: science museums. I love inventions and gadgets, getting to know
how things work and how people went about solving very difficult problems. I can stay awake in a good
science museum indefinitely. So while in Paris, I visited the Conservatory of Arts and Trades. Part of this
centuries-old institution is a museum that’s open to the public, and it contains a fascinating variety of objects
and exhibits including the original Foucault’s Pendulum.
The Conservatory is off the beaten path; most English guidebooks don’t even mention it. It does, however,
attract a certain number of pilgrims who were fascinated by Umberto Eco’s novel Foucault’s Pendulum, part
of which takes place there. In the novel, a secret passage under the floor of the nave connects with the Paris
sewers. That isn’t the case in reality, but truth is perhaps more interesting than fiction. There is something
under the floor of the nave, a curious part of the building’s long and strange history.
The foundation for the abbey church of St. Martin of the Fields was laid around 1059, about the time of the
Norman conquest. Over the next centuries, numerous additions and renovations were undertaken. All that
changed in the French Revolution when under the name of Conservatory of Arts and Trades, it became a
depository for machines, models, tools, drawings, descriptions and books in all the areas of the arts and
trades. It officially opened in 1802.
The museum closed for a renovation in 1993, and as part of the process, archaeological excavations were
undertaken beneath the floor of the nave. For the entire history of the church, there had been stories that
the site on which it stood was once a Merovingian funerary basilica, but this had never been proven. What
archaeologists discovered was a large necropolis dating from the 6th or 7th century with about 100 plaster
coffins inside. The tales were indeed true.
When the museum reopened a few years later, it was a typical shiny and up-to-date science museum. But it
was decided that their thousands of additional articles should be made available to scholars even when
they’re not on exhibit. So they opened a satellite facility in the nearby town of Saint-Denis, where by
appointment only qualified researchers can go to examine the rest of the museum’s collection.
I’ve been to the Conservatory in 2000 and in 2003. As a science museum I found it a sheer delight. The
former abbey is only a portion of the museum, and the museum is only a portion of the Conservatory. But all
the history of the building and the institution seems to be concentrated in the large nave with its bones
beneath and gadgets above. The odd contrast of centuries of monastic simplicity with centuries of
technological progress tickles me in a way I can’t easily describe. Perhaps the Pendulum says it best: as a
scientific wonder that’s also meditatively simple, it symbolically bridges the illusory divide between
technology and spirituality.
12. According to the author, 13. What does the author think 14. Which of the following does
visiting museums in Europe is about museums? NOT explain the author’s love for
considered to … A) The European museums are science museums?
A) become more and more the best. A) He loves history of gadgets.
popular. B) He finds most of them to be B) There is a chance to see how
B) be an integral part of any boring. mechanisms work.
journey. C) There should be only science C) It’s possible to touch the things
C) show the level of one’s museums. that he likes.
education. D) He thinks they are a waste of D) The author likes stories of
D) be the evidence of general money. inventions.
curiosity.
15. According to the author, the 16. The reason the archaeological 17. “A satellite facility” in phrase
Conservatory is popular with the excavations started was the need “… they opened a satellite
… to … facility” (paragraph 6) refers to …
A) local people. A) find Merovingian treasures. A) a minor educational site.
B) fans of a famous book. B) solve some construction B) a research area.
C) English guides. problems. C) a place for additional exhibits.
D) scholars. C) strengthen the basement. D) the museum’s laboratory.
D) prove the story of the site.
18. Visiting the museum the
author is impressed by …
A) its size, history and facilities.
B) the number of technological
exhibits.
C) the mixture of material and
immaterial in its environment.
D) the symbols he finds there.

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Text 53
Tablets out, imagination in
In the heart of Silicon Valley is a nine-classroom school where employees of tech giants Google, Apple and
Yahoo send their children. But despite its location in America’s digital centre, there is not an iPad,
smartphone or screen in sight. The fact that parents working for the biggest technology companies are
questioning the value of computers in education begs the question – is the futuristic dream of high-tech
classrooms really in the best interests of the next generation?
A global report by the OECD organisation suggests that there is no link between excessive use of computers
and high results for reading, maths and science. What is more, those students who use tablets and
computers often tend to do worse than students who use them less frequently.
Beverly Amico from the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America explains that their teachers
encourage students to learn subjects by expressing themselves through artistic activities such as painting and
drawing, rather than consuming information downloaded onto a tablet. The idea is to get rid of the
distraction of electronic media and to encourage stronger communication between teacher and pupil during
lessons.
Amico claims one of the reasons parents who work in the digital industry are choosing a low-tech, no-tech
education for their children is that it teaches students innovative thinking skills. And these are what many
employers desire. She adds that students weaned on technology often lack the ability to think outside the
box and solve problems.
Sarah Thorne, head of the London Acorn school, also questions the belief that limiting or removing the use of
technology in class will make the students less competitive on the job market.
Students under the age of 12 at the school in Morden, London, are banned from using smartphones and
computers, and watching TV or films at all times, including during holidays. The school’s students are allowed
to watch TV once they reach 12 years old and then only documentaries that have been previously vetted by
parents. They cannot watch films until they are 14. The Internet is banned completely for everyone under 16,
both at home and at school. And computers are only to be used as part of the school curriculum for students
who are at least 14.
It may sound draconian, but Thorne believes taking a more considered approach to the use of technology in
class allows teachers to help students develop core skills such as leadership, decision making and creativity.
Besides, much of the technology which is cutting edge today is likely to appear primitive in tomorrow’s world.
Thorne claims feedback from students about the restrictions has been positive. Younger pupils relish the
chance to play and even teenagers who have come from a typical school admit they are happier.
Restricting the use of technology is also a challenge for the 21st century teachers, who are used to the easy
accessibility of resources and information, thanks to interactive whiteboards and computers. “It is hard
work,” admits Ian Young, a class teacher. “You definitely have to be a lot more creative in how you deliver a
lesson,” he says. “You have to work with your voice more, whether it is loud or quiet, to give them incentive.
You need to make sure you keep them interested in what’s coming next.” He adds: “I don’t think we are
doing children any favours by teaching them through machines at that young age.”
12. What question does the 13. What does the OECD report 14. Both Beverly Amico and Sarah
author pose in the first suggest? Thorne think that limiting
paragraph? A) Students should not use technology in the classroom will …
A) What will education be like in computers in their studies. A) help students concentrate
the future? B) The more the students use the better.
B) Is high-tech really very useful computers the worse their results B) boost students’ creativity.
in education? could be. C) develop students’
C) How will the parents from C) Superabundant use of communication skills.
technology companies educate computers doesn’t influence D) better prepare students for the
their children? students’ achievements. job market.
D) Should the hi-tech gadgets be D) Results in Reading, Maths and
allowed in the classroom? Science benefit from use of
computers.
15. At the age of fourteen the 16. The word “relish” in 17. The word “they” in paragraph
students of Morden are allowed paragraph 8 “… younger pupils 8 “… admit they are happier”
to … relish the chance …” means … refers to …
A) watch films. A) enjoy. A) younger pupils.
B) use the Internet. B) ignore. B) restrictions.
C) watch TV. C) envy. C) teenagers.
D) use smartphones. D) inspire. D) teachers.
18. Ian Young believes that the
21st century demands that a
teacher becomes more …
A) creative.
B) hardworking.
C) entertaining.
D) informative.

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Text 54
A year without social media: lessons learned
I have been on an extended vacation from millennial life: I deleted my primary social media accounts –
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – last December and spent the past year essentially disconnected from the
social media world.
It happened on a family trip to Florida in December 2014, when I was more excited about the fresh photos
and videos I would post instead of the actual vacation. Finally, on the last night of our trip, one of my videos
did not upload correctly, and I reached my breaking point. I was frustrated with the pressures of maintaining
a double life and afraid of how a device consumed and controlled me. I was annoyed and defeated, from
chasing this perfect life online when I was facing so many struggles in real life.
I was feeling anxious and depressed and worthless and inadequate. I was far from OK, but on social media I
was forced to say I was OK. I had reached the bottom of my suffering, and as a result, no action seemed too
drastic. Getting off social media seemed like the easiest way to get a fresh start. Even though my former self,
an eighth-grader who had begged her father for a Facebook profile, would have been astonished and angry.
At first, it was a little confusing. Suddenly I did not have Twitter or Instagram to rely on during times of
boredom or awkward situations. I continued to constantly and desperately check my phone despite the lack
of notifications.
By quitting mainstream social media, I was also more open to other “drastic” lifestyle choices. I graduated a
semester early from high school, and although it had a positive impact on my life, I certainly would have
regretted it or wavered on my decision had I been active on social media. I also began practicing yoga and
started a new job working with children, both monumental for my healing. Without social media, they
became things I did for me, not for the showing off or the photo opportunities.
My lifestyle without social media was enlightening, peaceful and uncomplicated because I had basically
created a safe bubble for myself. I did not judge new friends based on their online profiles, and vice versa. I
did not experience significant events through the lens of my camera. I did not rely on likes and favorites for
self-validation and gratification.
At the time, escaping the online world was a necessary step to find peace and healing; however, I am ready
to return to it.
Life without social media is simple, but it is safe. In the past year, I disassociated myself with the negative
aspects of social media, but I also missed out on the benefits. I lost the creativity it takes to entertain an
audience in 140 characters. I lost the need to capture important moments. I lost a subtle, but very significant
social bond that ties us together.
I recently re-entered the public sphere, and it feels a lot like starting my life over from scratch. I am back to
consuming news about my peers, back to wishing people “Happy Birthday” because Facebook said to do so,
and back to collecting the Likes. But most importantly, I am back. Maybe I just have to learn to accept those
flaws.
I used to view social media as this fake, easy solution to the difficulties of real life, but perhaps avoiding social
media altogether was the easy way out. Living in a bubble was easier, and while I will miss the quiet, I know it
does not reflect the real world. The real world is loud and messy and complicated, and sometimes we need a
break from it to fully appreciate the beauty of chaos.
12. Which is NOT mentioned 13. The word “drastic” in “no 14. The author claims that her
among the reasons for giving up action seemed too drastic” former self of the eighth grade
social media in paragraph 2? (paragraph 3) is synonymous to … would … her decision to quit
A) Feeling scared that her device A) helpful. social media.
had too much power over her. B) effective. A) be against
B) Realizing that real life was C) positive. B) understand
more enjoyable than the online D) extreme. C) support
one. D) be indifferent to
C) Having to pretend online that
she was leading an ideal life.
D) Becoming more interested in
social media than in real life.
15. The author says that in the 16. The author believes that if she 17. The author describes her life
beginning her life without social had not quit social media, her without social media as …
media was … decision to graduate early would A) the best time of her life.
A) not what she had expected it have been … B) extremely boring.
to be. A) supported by others. C) quite enjoyable.
B) really simple and enjoyable. B) different. D) a creative one.
C) strange, but easily acceptable. C) harder to make.
D) quite difficult to get used to. D) made sooner.
18. Judging by the last paragraph,
the author now believes that
staying away from social media
means …
A) living a harder life.
B) avoiding the real world.
C) seeing the beauty of the world.
D) having more difficulties.

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Text 55
Coffee decaffeination processes
Every day it seems that medical researchers come out with a new study about coffee, how it is extremely
unhealthy for you and/or full of amazing benefits. The focus of most of these studies is more particularly
about the effects of caffeine on human health. As caffeine, coffee’s most potent element, is a stimulant, it
can produce both positive and negative effects. It can wake you up in the morning, but it can also lead to
sleeplessness, a racing heartbeat, and anxiety.
It is therefore no surprise that many people have decided to cut caffeine out of their diets. As for me, I have
grown to like the taste of coffee, but to me the main purpose of drinking it is to get an extra jolt of energy.
That is why I will admit to a certain prejudice against decaf, perhaps prompted by bad experiences with weak
and tasteless brew, because it is true that the actual process of removing caffeine from coffee can degrade
the taste beyond repair.
Early decaffeination attempts involved soaking the green beans in water and then using various solvents to
separate the caffeine in the resulting water solution. The beans were then re-introduced to the caffeine-free
solution in order to absorb some of the flavor they had lost. Solvents used included benzene, chloroform, and
trichloroethylene, all of which were later found to have toxic effects. In the 1970s, dichloromethane came
into use to replace the earlier solvents before it too was deemed possibly carcinogenic.
In response to these concerns about solvents, some coffee companies began to run the water solution
through charcoal filters as a means of removing the caffeine. The so-called Swiss Water Process, developed in
Switzerland in the 1930s, goes one step further. After a batch of coffee beans has been steeped in hot water,
that water is filtered, and then is used to soak the next batch of beans to be processed. In this way, the beans
lose caffeine as they soak, but lose less of their flavor.
Yet another method that aims to safely remove caffeine from coffee beans involves a fascinating compound
procedure. The solvent used in this method is neither water nor one of the earlier toxic solvents. Instead,
caffeine in the coffee beans is dissolved by means of carbon dioxide. In order to accomplish this, the carbon
dioxide must become a supercritical fluid, created when it is compressed and heated to the point that it has
the same density in liquid and gaseous forms.
As this supercritical CO2 is passed through the beans, it can penetrate them because of its gaseous
properties, and yet is able to dissolve the caffeine they contain because of its liquid properties.
In 2004, Brazilian scientists identified a new strain of coffee beans with a naturally low level of caffeine. They
found three coffee plants from Ethiopia that contain almost no caffeine as they seem lack an enzyme
necessary to caffeine production. If these plants can be crossed with commercial strains of coffee plants, we
may one day see more coffee on the market that is naturally low in caffeine.
With these advances, and the current methods of decaffeination, decaf junkies are sure to be able to get
their fix of coffee that not only tastes great, but won’t keep them up half the night.
As for me, I do want to stay up half the night, so I’ll stick to my full-strength brew.
12. According to the text 13. The author believes that 14. We learn that the early
(paragraph 1), the effects of caffeine in coffee … decaffeination processes …
caffeine … A) is part of a healthy diet. A) were too complicated.
A) have not been studied well B) is quite low. B) improved the taste of coffee.
enough. C) can’t be removed completely. C) were not effective.
B) can be of opposite character. D) may determine its taste. D) could be dangerous for health.
C) are very dangerous.
D) are not strong.
15. The Swiss Water Process is 16. The pronoun “its” in “… its 17. It can be implied that at
described as … liquid properties” (paragraph 6) present the beans from low-
A) a cheaper method of refers to … caffeine plants …
decaffeination. A) caffeine. A) cannot be used for big-scale
B) a way to avoid using charcoal. B) carbon dioxide. sales.
C) a method to save coffee’s C) coffee. B) taste poorly.
flavour. D) coffee bean. C) are very vulnerable.
D) the easiest method of D) lack necessary properties.
decaffeination.
18. Even though decaffeinated
coffee has been improved, the
author …
A) is for the ban of decaffeination.
B) believes that it’s bad for health.
C) still prefers the regular one.
D) doesn’t like its taste.

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Text 56
Turning as an Obstacle
When I first read about a sport called parkour, I thought it was about fluid, elegant, and graceful motions.
But in practice, parkour is considered an “extreme” sport; as its participants dash around a city, they may
vault over fences, run up walls, and even jump from rooftop to rooftop. So you won’t see senior citizens
doing it in the park on Sunday mornings, but if you do witness it, you may think you’re watching a stunt
person on a movie set.
Le parkour is a French term, related to the verb parcourir, “to run over or through”. It was created by David
Belle, Sebastien Foucan, and a group of their friends when they were teenagers living in the Paris suburb in
the late 1980s. Belle’s father had been a soldier in Vietnam, and his preparatory programme included
navigating obstacle courses. Belle picked up many of the moves from his father and, along with his friends,
developed them into an art form.
Parkour combines elements of running, gymnastics, dance, and martial arts into a breathtaking way of
moving from place to place. The general idea is to move quickly and gracefully, treating buildings, walls,
handrails, rocks, and whatever objects you come across as elements in an obstacle course. The only real rule
is that you should not move backwards and that you should do it with as much efficiency and style as
possible.
The only equipment required for parkour is a good pair of shoes. Participants, who call themselves traceurs,
wear no protective gear but typically invest a great deal of time in training and preparation in order to
execute the necessary moves safely. The first thing any participant learns is how to cushion the impact of a
jump by rolling. Although parkour is ultimately about clever improvisation rather than choreographed moves,
there are a couple dozen or so standard maneuvers that almost all traceurs learn, including several methods
for getting over tall walls.
Some traceurs participate merely for the fun or the challenge, but others treat parkour as a more serious art,
similar to some martial arts. As a philosophy, the movements metaphorically represent becoming one with
your environment, learning how to overcome obstacles without effort, and finding creative paths – all things
with practical value outside the sport.
Even though parkour has reached international popularity, there is already an offshoot sport that has led to a
great deal of bitterness and division among parkour proponents. Co-founder Sebastien Foucan, in a 2003 BBC
documentary called “Jump London,” referred to the sport as “free-running” and that term caught on in the
media. However, parkour purists feel that the direction in which Foucan has taken the activity is entirely
different from what he and Belle had originally developed.
The biggest difference has to do with theatrics. Free-running involves a lot of trick moves, particularly mid-air
flips and spins. Because these moves are merely showy, not economical, they’re considered contrary to the
nature of parkour. A free-runner may also move backwards in order to make a move as flashy as possible.
But it’s not simply a matter of differing styles. Manufacturers are capitalizing on the growing interest in
parkour and free-running by introducing special shoes, designer clothing, and so on; free-running
competitions are also beginning to appear.
12. The author claims that 13. The origins of parkour moves 14. According to the author, the
parkour … could be found in … rules of parkour are …
A) represents an elite sport. A) a military training programme. A) very complicated.
B) requires a lot of effort. B) European art. B) difficult to follow.
C) is very affordable. C) the games of Paris teenagers. C) not defined.
D) has been popularized by the D) the Vietnamese culture. D) limited to one only.
media.
15. According to the author, a 16. According to the author, for 17. According to the text, the
parkour participant begins with … some participants parkour introduction of free-running …
A) buying a pair of shoes. expresses … A) is widely supported by
B) acquiring protection gear. A) the power of creativity. enthusiasts.
C) learning how to fall safely. B) an effortless life. B) will ultimately replace parkour.
D) taking choreography lessons. C) the beauty of movement. C) has had little impact on
D) unity with nature. traditional parkour.
D) is not accepted by some
parkour fans.
18. Comparing parkour and free-
running, the author claims that …
A) free-running is more showy.
B) parkour is more popular.
C) their rules don’t differ.
D) free-running is more
competitive.
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Text 57
Edible Gold
I like to think of myself as an open-minded person, someone who is tolerant to those with different beliefs,
however wacky they may seem to me. Every rule has its exceptions, though.
A few years ago while traveling in England, I met a woman who asked me if I’d heard of edible gold. I replied
that I had, as I’d seen a TV show about chefs using gold leaves as a decorative but edible garnish on dishes. I
assumed that’s what she was talking about. But she seemed very surprised and in a hushed, conspiratorial
tone, began excitedly talking about how the ancient Egyptians had discovered that by eating powdered
gold, one could become immortal. Very clearly, she believed this too. OK. I felt that all my good intentions
of open-mindedness went out the window – that was just way too strange for me.
Later, when I consulted Google to see if I could learn more about this outrageous claim, I was shocked and
dismayed to find thousands of Web pages describing, with great seriousness, a miraculous substance
usually referred to as white powder gold. Even though I can’t claim the slightest expertise in this esoteric
field, I thought I’d make an attempt to distil the essence of these claims for your consideration.
Let’s begin with culinary gold. If you walk into your nearest gourmet supply store, you can probably find, for
about US$20, a box of gold leaf manufactured expressly to enable you to impress your friends at your next
dinner party. These unbelievably thin pieces of nearly pure gold add an impressive touch to chocolates,
soups, sushi, or just about anything else you can think of. Because the quantity of gold is so small, the price
is reasonable; yet these gold highlights make a meal appear to be extravagant and give restaurants an
excuse to charge exorbitant prices.
Some purveyors of mineral supplements sell a gold colloid: a suspension of extremely tiny particles of
metallic gold in water. In a gold colloid, each particle contains nine atoms of gold. Its daily dose is enough to
provide a wide range of health benefits. Here, at least, there is some research behind it. A few studies found
the product to be effective in managing rheumatoid arthritis and also, intriguingly, increasing I.Q. scores.
These claims are at least plausible.
Our next step is one decidedly outside the realm of scientific certainty. David Hudson, a farmer living in
Arizona, was trying to extract gold and silver from the tailings of an abandoned mine in the mid-1970s. In
the process, he found a mysterious substance that defied analysis, despite years of experimentation by
reputable laboratories, undertaken at great personal expense. Hudson eventually concluded the white
powder was gold in a monatomic state and it has some amazing properties: when heated it can levitate and
has a long list of incredible health benefits.
Hudson even received patents in Britain and Australia, though not in the USA. I should interject that the
awarding of a patent does not mean that a government agency has successfully reproduced the invention in
question, or even that they have validated it as being scientifically sound. Interested in alchemy Hudson
became convinced that his white powder gold was the stuff of many legends. He equated it with “the
philosopher’s stone”, and “the food of the gods”, among other things. Hudson believed he had rediscovered
an ancient alchemical formula. And, naturally, numerous companies sell solid or liquid forms of “white
powder gold” supposedly created using variants of Hudson’s recipe.
12. The author describes the 13. The phrase “… make an 14. Which of the following is NOT
meeting with the woman as … attempt to distil” in “… make an mentioned as a reason why
A) the funniest event in his life. attempt to distil the essence of restaurants use culinary gold?
B) a challenge to his open- some of these claims” (paragraph A) It can be used on various
mindedness. 3) means to … dishes.
C) a source of his knowledge of A) try to explain. B) It appears to be an exotic
edible gold. B) stress. decoration.
D) a very mysterious event. C) find the origin. C) It adds a particular flavour to
D) try to analyze. meals.
D) It allows them to raise prices.
15. The author tends to trust the 16. The author refers to the 17. David Hudson thinks that the
information about gold colloid substance found by David substance he discovered …
because … Hudson as “mysterious” because A) is not gold.
A) the number of atoms in … B) is the thing mentioned in
particles is known. A) it has unusual properties. legends.
B) it helped with his rheumatoid B) its health benefits are C) doesn’t need a patent.
arthritis. magnificent. D) is not for distribution in the
C) he’s a specialist in colloids. C) it was discovered by chance. USA.
D) it’s backed by some research. D) it can be used for any human
need.
18. From the last paragraph it can

be implied that …
A) it’s very difficult to get a
patent in the USA.
B) Hudson made alchemy popular
again.
C) Hudson’s discovery wasn’t
scientifically validated.
D) Britain and Australia have
similar scientific traditions.

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Text 58
Challenges for foreigners in Russia
If you are moving from an English-speaking country to another, some of the problems of the new location
will be minimized, but moving to a foreign language country is probably one of the hardest things to do. You
will probably experience culture shock and will definitely have your ups and downs. Here’s a list of
challenges you can expect to run into while you adjust to Russia.
Language, of course, is a no-brainer, but I couldn’t leave it off the list! I strongly advise learning at least the
alphabet before coming to Russia to avoid feeling completely isolated. While going anywhere where you
don’t speak the language can knock you down for a while, Russian is especially difficult with its complex
grammar structure (cases, verb aspect, prefixes), unpredictable word stress, and difficult pronunciation (the
letters ы, ь, and й always get me) … which also means your successes will be especially triumphant!
Effective communication is an essential part of our lives that we often overlook when it comes so naturally,
but the first time you can’t answer a cashier’s simple question or can’t properly vent to your host family
about your day, you will never underestimate the power of words again.
The second challenge is expressing emotions. Most people are familiar with the stereotype that “Russians
don’t smile”. From my observation, Russians tend to show little emotion outside of home. Surrounded by
strangers, often in harsh or unpleasant weather, there is no reason to emote freely. Of course, you see
friends laughing and couples kissing and people arguing, but for the most part (excluding driving), emotions
stay on the inside. Until you get home, when Russians are comfortable and around people they trust,
passions run strong.
In the United States, the expression of our emotions tends to vary little in different circumstances, but when
expressed, Russian emotions can be even stronger and perhaps even more genuine and heartfelt than
Americans are used to.
In addition, if you are a foreign student in Russia, the biggest challenge is a different education system.
Russian higher education is very different from that in the United States. For the most part, universities are
buildings scattered throughout a city, not the centralized micro-cities that many US students are used to.
Russians generally take 9–11 classes per semester that meet less frequently than American courses would,
and it is not uncommon to skip a class almost entirely and just cram for the final from other students’ notes
or a study guide. Professors are also less available – no office hours, they don’t always give out a school e-
mail address, and in general they treat students more like colleagues.
It can be a shock going from a campus plastered with student event flyers to a cluster of half-empty
academic buildings, but don’t worry – Russians make up for it by hosting a plethora of clubs and
organizations for the city in general. Especially in St. Petersburg and Moscow there are hundreds of clubs to
join from language (be a star in the English conversation club; meet other foreigners in the Russian club),
sports, acting, dancing, singing, board games, movie-watching, and more! Try making some searches on the
Russian social network V Kontakte to start out.
Going abroad for a long period of time has its difficulties no matter where you choose to go, but the better
prepared you are for the challenges you’ll face in Russia, the faster you will adjust and be able to call this
northern empire your second home.
12. What are people sure to 13. The author believes that 14. It is implied that your
experience when coming to stay going to a foreign country communication skills are … when
in a different country, according without knowing its language is you live abroad.
to the author? … A) improved naturally
A) Both good and bad emotions. A) hard. B) challenged
B) Language barrier. B) useful. C) more effective
C) Confusion. C) stupid. D) often ignored
D) Loneliness. D) common.
15. According to the author, 16. The author thinks that 17. “It” in “… Russians make up
expressing emotions in the compared to the USA, in Russian for it by hosting …” (paragraph 7)
Russian culture … universities … refers to the …
A) is untypical of many people. A) final exams are more difficult. A) variety of student clubs.
B) differs depending on B) education process is more B) social networking.
circumstances. centralized. C) student activities.
C) is forbidden in public places. C) teachers are more D) quality of academic buildings.
D) is similar to the American professional.
culture. D) students could disregard some
classes.
18. What is the main idea
expressed in the last paragraph?
A) The adaptation period to a
foreign culture depends on an
individual.
B) Living in Russia for a long time
is rather challenging for
foreigners.
C) The longer you stay abroad,
the better prepared you become.
D) Preparation can smooth your
adaptation period in Russia.

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Text 59
The culture shock of being an international student
For any student, moving away from home can be a bit scary. But I did not expect student life in Scotland to
be all that different from my home of the Netherlands. After all, we get the same news and TV shows
online. Many students find the northwest climate can affect them a lot. You may find the grayness and
dampness, especially during the winter months, difficult to get used to. However, when I moved from
Amsterdam to study at the University of Stirling, I began to realise that a few minor issues were catching me
off balance. I was suffering a minor cultural shock.
In my first year, I quickly found out my English was not as good as I had assumed. Most of my roommates
were born and raised in Scotland, and I constantly found myself having to ask people to repeat themselves.
Their Scottish accents did not help and I was mispronouncing names and places all the time. I also got
confused about minor cultural things. Much to my flatmates’ amusement, it took me two Christmases to
figure out that mince pies are not actually filled with minced beef.
The linguistic barrier meant that public transport was tricky at first. I found the lack of information about
bus prices and how and where to get tickets really surprising. It turned a simple 15-minute journey into a
daunting task.
Then I had to adjust to a new social life. I was surprised by the campus culture in the UK – in the
Netherlands, most universities don’t have one main campus where you can attend university, as well as live
and exercise all in the same place. But here, you never have to leave campus if you don’t want to. I had to
adapt to everyone being so close to each other all the time.
Parties are different here too. In the Netherlands, the less effort you put into getting ready, the better. I’d
normally slip on my trusty Converse shoes, along with some clothes I could get away with wearing to class
tomorrow, and wear minimal make-up. But, in my experience, partying is more formal in the UK. Your
make-up needs to be flawless and your hair needs to be immaculate. You’ll preferably be wearing a dress
and heels, too. I was constantly having to borrow clothes off my friends just to fit in. Parties finish early and
everyone just wanders off, whereas in my country that would be the time I’d leave the house.
But it is not all early closing times and strange pastries. Social behaviours may also confuse, surprise or
offend you. For example, you may find people appear cold, distant or always in a hurry. Cultures are built on
deeply-embedded sets of values, norms, assumptions and beliefs. It can be surprising and sometimes
distressing to find that people do not share some of your most deeply held ideas, as most of us take our
core values and beliefs for granted and assume they are universally held.
However, I have found lots of pleasant surprises in the UK too – and so have many other international
students I know. My friend Agnes was taken aback by how sociable people are. She says she was shocked
when complete strangers started talking to her at the bus stop. I, personally, was surprised by how smartly
male students in Sterling dress compared to my home country.
Culture shock can knock your confidence in the beginning. But you are not alone in taking time to adapt,
and soon you start to come to grips with all experiences. Studies suggest that taking a gap year or studying
abroad can positively influence your brain to make you more outgoing and open to new ideas. Looking
back, most of the ones I experienced made good stories to tell my friends.
12. When she moved to Scotland, 13. Which of the following was 14. The word “daunting” in “ … a
the student was mostly confused NOT mentioned as a reason for daunting task” (paragraph 3) is
by … author’s culture shock? closest in meaning to …
A) small unexpected things. A) Language problems. A) extremely easy.
B) television shows. B) Local food. B) impossible.
C) the weather. C) Living on campus. C) discouraging.
D) the local food. D) Traffic jams. D) comfortable.
15. In paragraph 4 “Then I had to 16. According to the author, 17. Which of the following
adjust to …” the author stresses parties she got used to in the statements, according to the
that it was difficult for her to get Netherlands … author, is TRUE about
used to … A) made her feel uncomfortable. international students in Stirling?
A) living in the same place all the B) required greater expenses. A) They don’t dress up as well as
time. C) started and finished earlier. locals.
B) doing sports where she lived. D) allowed for casual clothing. B) They may experience many
C) always being around the same positive cultural surprises.
people. C) They don’t talk to strangers.
D) having few social activities. D) Their eating habits are
different.
18. The expression “the ones” in
“… most of the ones I
experienced …” (paragraph 8)
refers to …
A) culture shocks.
B) gap years.
C) studies abroad.
D) feelings about friends.

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Text 60
In search for a graduate job
As I write this, exhausted, fingers on the keys of an equally tired laptop, closing the twenty-something open
windows before me, I find myself a little sad. Sitting here, sifting through a Google search muddle of:
“Graduate job Scotland”, “Graduate schemes UK”, “Graduate work, anywhere, please?”, “Soon to be
extremely poor graduate, HELP!”, I realize that I might never find the elusive placement I’m after.
Melodramatic Googling aside, the job crisis is real, and it could be hitting us harder in 2017 than ever
before. These attempts – vague Internet searches, seemingly empty threads towards one highly competitive
position at a company hundreds of miles away, never ending applications – are rather disappointing.
Granted, this may not apply to those smart enough who found a job from day one. But, for the rest of us,
the uncertain majority, it is increasingly clear that a university education alone is not the life-affirming trip
to professional work that it once was.
Where it is fair to say that degrees are still highly regarded in the working world, they are no longer a
golden ticket. In fact, last year statistics stated that around 58% of graduates are in jobs deemed to be
“non-graduate” positions. Another survey revealed that graduates from the wealthiest 20% of families were
still earning 30% more than the rest ten years after leaving higher education. Clearly then, despite my own
fruitless search on career websites, there are positions out there. But with the majority of graduates
entering into jobs without a degree requirement, and the elite minority remaining the UK’s top earners, are
we experiencing a turn in graduate opportunity?
Something I have found really striking about application process is simply how costly it is. I spent the past
four years building a solid CV, working in and out of university to refine my own professional skills and felt
rather confident in my ability to find relevant work in Scotland. However, as filling in forms leads to booking
trains or planes, arranging serial interviews, checking into inns, choosing transport routes, it seems that
opportunity is twinned with your financial situation. Well, my card was recently declined in the library café,
so this is something that is weighing on my mind.
While the wealthiest of graduates continue to snag the high earning positions after University, the rest of us
face new competition, as graduate vacancies are once again streamlined by the rise of apprenticeships. But,
where does it leave us, the soon to be un-qualified, over-qualified degree holders of 2017 that have slipped
through the employment net? Is it back to full-time education for the rest of our lives? Working “for now”,
saving until your dream becomes financially viable? Applying anyway? Taking out another loan (or five)?
Truth is, it’s probably all of these things.
It’s probably sticking it out, demanding to be listened to, building up a CV that you are proud of and staying
true to your own aspirations. It’s probably all the things we were told at the Careers Fairs, in interviews, by
our parents and preached ourselves. University might no longer be the only slipway into professional work,
but it is a weighted way in, and that degree (which, by the way, you will get) is something you have earned
and something that will open doors for you, even if you can’t see them just yet and even if, in 2017, there is
a bit more of a queue.
12. How did the author feel while 13. What does the author think 14. What does statistics show
searching the Internet? about a university education? about graduate jobs?
A) Satisfied. A) Application process is very A) The minority of students are
B) Pessimistic. competitive. content with their work.
C) Energetic. B) Intelligent students benefit B) The cleverest students ensure
D) Frightened. most from it. the best jobs.
C) It makes you sure about your C) Most of the graduates get low-
future. qualified positions.
D) It doesn’t guarantee you a D) Graduates of elite universities
good job. get the highest salaries.
15. What worries the author 16. The expression “have slipped 17. Which option for graduates
about job application process? through employment net” does the author NOT discuss?
A) Finding suitable work is time- (paragraph 5) is used to refer to A) Accepting an unsuitable
consuming. … position.
B) Arranging interviews is quite A) job applicants. B) Continuing an unsuitable
difficult. B) recent graduates. training.
C) You have to pay to improve C) working students. C) Applying for non-degree jobs.
your CV. D) employees in general. D) Taking money from a bank.
D) Applying for a job turns out
rather expensive.
author come to?
A) University education is no
longer necessary.
B) Graduating from a university
will benefit you anyway.
C) Careers fair is a good way to
enter professional world.
D) The competition to get a job
will be even tougher.

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Text 61
Change your food choice
While recycling and refillable water bottles were once the most popular fad among the environmentally
conscious, there is now a more pressing matter for humans to turn their attention to in order to slow global
climate change: the animal industry.
When you navigate to the university website on campus sustainability, you find a list of all of the ways the
University is making an effort to “go green”. A plan to increase levels of recycling on campus? Great!
Printers that reduce paper waste? Fantastic! A garden to collect excess rainwater? Amazing! Let’s go one
step farther.
If we’re not actively educating students about the immense ways our food choices influence the
environment, then we’re not doing enough to really serve the causes we claim to support. It’s not only
about giving students the option to eat less meat but telling them how these choices can influence the
future of the environment and create sustainable change. The question of whether eating meat is bad for
the environment is not a question anymore. And the issue isn’t that people are unwilling to try more plant-
based foods or unaware of the perils the environment is currently in, but rather, it’s that people aren’t
aware of the effects their demand for meat has on the earth.
Lean and Green, a student initiative that strives to promote sustainability on campus through
environmentally friendly and healthy diet choices, conducted a study that showed students don’t fully
understand the impact their eating habits have on the environment.
The livestock industry of chickens, cows and pigs produces more greenhouse gas emissions that all cars and
trucks combined, according to Greenpeace. So as we eat more meat, the demand for meat likewise goes up
and increases those gases. But when we eat more meat alternatives instead, like nuts or tofu, we can make
a big difference. According to Walter, if a person went vegetarian for a year, they would produce three
times less carbon than if they were to purchase a hybrid car.
And interestingly, more than 92 percent of responders said they would like to see more plant-based foods
in the university dining halls. So it’s clear that students are willing to eat less meat and explore more veggie-
friendly options. But what’s not clear for students is why these options are imperative for making choices
that help our planet.
With the student population of about 34,000, the University has the capability to make significant changes
for the future of the environment. Give the students want they want – which is more diverse plant-based
options – but also tell them why they should want it. Informing students about why these options are
environmentally favorable can only inspire students to choose them more often. Posters throughout the
dining halls, informational email campaigns, programs in residence halls and even financial incentives can
help inform students and shape their knowledge and decision-making.
In conjunction with offering more vegetarian options, letting non-vegetarian students know about the
sustainable benefits that come from choosing these foods can encourage them to eat them more often.
The animal industry is only going to grow if people keep eating meat. If our university wants to have an
impact and keep up its reputation as environmentally conscious, it should ensure its students know how
they can do their part to help the earth.
12. What should people consider 13. The author thinks that the 14. The author thinks that her
to cut in relation to the climate university’s environmental university can affect the
change, according to the author? efforts are … environmental campaign by …
A) Use of refillable bottles. A) incomplete. A) reducing meat options in
B) Meat production. B) irregular. menus on campus.
C) Level of environmental C) naive. B) creating and offering new
consciousness. D) too specific. vegetarian dishes.
D) Development of eco-industry. C) educating students about
ecological problems.
D) increasing awareness of the
harm the meat industry may
incur.
15. The study conducted by Lean 16. The author used the 17. “It” in “… why they should
and Green showed that the Greenpeace data to show that … want it” (paragraph 7) refers to …
students … A) the animal industry harms the A) ecological action.
A) initiate environmental environment greatly. B) vegetarian food.
campaigns on campus. B) transport is the main source of C) informed choice.
B) are ready to change their greenhouse gases production. D) dietary change.
eating habits. C) hybrid cars can reduce
C) prefer environmentally greenhouse gas emissions.
friendly food options. D) vegetarian food is much
D) are unaware of dangerous healthier for a person.
effects of a meat diet.
18. What does the author say in
the last paragraph?
A) The university should become
environmentally friendly.
B) Environmentally conscious
people should stop eating meat.
C) The university should educate
its students about meat industry.
D) Ecological education can
improve the university’s
reputation.

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Text 62
Cultural cooperation
I work as a volunteer director of the food pantry of the Islamic center and a few weeks prior, I received an
email from a fellow student and recreational cyclist Sean, who wanted to hold a unique community event to
benefit refugees and other food-insecure individuals. As an avid biker, he proposed a bike scavenger hunt –
an alleycat.
“Alleycat” is cyclist slang for a bike race with no set course. Instead, there are checkpoints set up in a certain
area and the racers get to choose what route they want to take. The end of the race isn’t a finish line either
– you finish when you arrive back at the start with proof of having stopped at every checkpoint. So, Sean
envisioned bikers stopping at grocery stores as checkpoints and purchasing food to drop off at the food
pantry afterwards.
Bringing bikers and mosque-goers together in a race to help feed people is a novel and fresh idea. I’ve
frequently attended both interfaith and cross-cultural discussions, and while these events are enjoyable,
they tend to attract the same crowd – one that is familiar with discussions between cultures. As a result, the
conversations become repetitive and tired. The alleycat was different. This race engaged groups of people
who likely have not spent time together. When people who don’t normally interact work together and have
fun, there is more opportunity for learning and engagement.
After a couple weeks of preparation, the alleycat finally arrived. Despite the biting cold, about fifteen bikers
signed in. I saw racers from different backgrounds, from the obvious students in blue and gold shirts to the
average community members. But every racer had one thing in common – an empty backpack that they
would soon fill with donations.
When the race kicked off, I hurried back to my station, where racers were to come once they’d collected
food from the grocery stores along the way. In light of the recent wave of refugees out of the Arab world
and beyond, we wanted to make the event educational. So, in addition to providing food for refugees at the
food pantry, the racers had another task – familiarizing themselves with Arabic. It was an exciting routine. A
racer would speed up to the front of the center, then drop their bike on the lawn, run through the doors
and unload their backpack with the food they’d purchased at their previous stops.
After choosing a phrase or two from an array of index cards at the table, the volunteers helped them
practice. Then, after a quick and sweet goodbye, the biker was off again, zooming down the boulevard
towards the square. Their final test? A recall of their Arabic phrases at the finish line.
I was amazed by the bikers’ recall, first of all – to be able to remember phrases in a foreign language is
impressive enough, let alone during a bike race in the whipping cold. Many of the bikers who came to the
race had never been to a mosque, let alone spoken Arabic. But by the end of their race, they all had done
both. All of us involved made new friends, had fresh conversations and helped feed their community.
For the alleycat, the cause was simple – get food for people who are hungry. But its implications reach far
beyond the stomachs of those that were fed. If building bridges between cultures doesn’t sound worth it, at
least it got people excited about exercise in the winter. But I have a feeling that when leaving the finish line,
their sore legs were the last thing on the racers’ minds.
12. Sean proposed … 13. Sean planned the end of the 14. The author thought that
A) opening a low-cost food shop. race at … crosscultural discussions were …
B) donating money to the food A) its beginning point. A) exciting.
pantry. B) a grocery store. B) engaging.
C) donating bikes to refugees. C) the food pantry. C) interactive.
D) conducting a charity cycling D) a checkpoint. D) ineffective.
event.
15. What was the educational 16. “Them” in … the volunteers 17. Why did the bikers surprise
aspect of the race? helped them practice” the author?
A) Learning a bit of a foreign (paragraph 6) refers to the … A) They never attended a Muslim
language. A) index cards. service.
B) Getting acquainted with Arabic B) bike racers. B) They were good at memorizing
traditions. C) Arabic phrases. Arabic.
C) Collecting food for people in D) center workers. C) They could continue the race
need. despite the cold.
D) Meeting refugees from the D) They finished the race very
Arab countries. quickly.
18. What was the main goal of
the race?
A) Increasing intercultural
awareness.
B) Popularizing sport in winter.
C) Feeding the people who were
hungry.
D) Educating community of Arab
speakers.

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Text 63
An end to second-hand coffee
To the naked eye, this farm is just like any other. But it doesn’t take long to realise that the farm of Jesus
Martin, though not huge, is anything but ordinary.
Martin grew up like many others in the Santa Ana Valley – known as the Coffee Triangle of Colombia – on a
coffee farm owned by his father and grandfather. “I am the youngest of six children and we all worked the
farm,” Martin said. “My parents focused their energies on teaching us the agricultural trade, but also the
love behind it.” Despite this great dedication to coffee and respect for his family business, he ended up
pursuing a different career altogether: law and business management. It didn’t come easy to him as coffee
was never far away.
During every visit to his family’s humble farm, the rich aromas of beans roasting and the smell of his
mother’s carrot cake caused his heart to beat faster. Coffee was his life, and in 2004, after years practicing
law, he found a way to combine his legal knowledge, business education and family’s lifeline into what he
called “the coffee dream project”.
Despite growing some of the most coveted beans in the world, most Colombians have never even tasted
the Colombian coffee that is renowned around the world. Instead, local people drink what they call
“second-hand coffee”, which is made from berries that haven’t fully ripened, have been over-roasted or
even infected with insects and diseases. Like most businesses in struggling economies, the farmers only
make profits on exports – so they save their best stuff for higher paying countries. “Farming coffee for a
profit is very challenging,” Martin explained, tossing a few berries in his hand. “The coffee trade
intermediaries, exporters, roasters and big multinational companies are the ones that benefit the most in
the coffee-trade chain.” Martin’s dream project, however, was to turn this process around, bringing
specialty coffee back to Colombia.
The project, however, was a total surprise for his family. “When I first informed them, they told me I was
crazy, they said it was a wild goose chase.”
Even with his background in farming, starting the project from the ground up was difficult. Convincing his
workers to focus on quality was his biggest concern; most only cared about quantity since their wage was
dependent on how many beans they picked. Martin recalled many hours, days and weeks training local
farmers to understand the process, from the colours of the raw berries to the smell and taste of the beans
once they’d been dried and sorted.
Once the farmers understood the importance of quality, it was onto phase two: bring the roasting process
in-house, instead of paying for the beans to be roasted elsewhere. Buying his own roaster – one of the only
five in the entire country – was expensive, but the purchase offered a huge saving in roasting, packaging
and exporting costs.
By 2008, his passion started to pay off; he opened his flagship store Café Jesus Martin in Salento. The shop
and its team of trained baristas, Martin said, have done much to teach the locals about enjoying specialty
coffee. The look on their face when they take their first sip is what keeps him motivated. “They are reacting
so positively; they’re discovering something entirely different than what they’re used to consuming,” Martin
said. “When they discover the difference in quality of their coffee, they start to care more about where and
whom it’s coming from.”
12. The author introduces the 13. The phrase “It didn’t come 14. The phrase “… caused his
farm where Jesus Martin grew up easy to him” in Paragraph 2 heart to beat faster” (Paragraph
as … refers to Martin’s … 3) shows that Martin …
A) a quite typical one. A) career choice. A) missed his mother.
B) a rather special one. B) dedication to coffee. B) easily got very excited.
C) an extremely small one. C) management abilities. C) liked the life on the family
D) a very profitable one. D) respect for his family business. farm.
D) drank too much coffee.
15. Martin’s inspiration for the 16. How did Martin’s family react 17. The most difficult thing for
“coffee dream project” came to the idea of his project? Martin in the beginning was to
from … A) They fully supported it. make his workers …
A) his wish to own a coffee B) They didn’t believe in its A) care about the product
roaster. success. standards.
B) the desire to benefit from the C) They thought it would take too B) pick bigger quantities of
big multinational corporations. much time and effort. beans.
C) his ability to cope with the D) They thought he didn’t have C) undergo special training.
challenges of the coffee market. proper background for it. D) agree to lower wages.
D) his love of coffee and
education.
18. We may conclude from the
last paragraph that Martin’s store
…
A) is what Martin’s project was all
about.
B) serves coffee that is very
different from what the
Columbians were used too.
C) is only the first in the line of
many more.
D) is the thing he cares about
most now.

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Text 64
How to turn failure to success
A lot of authors speak about how true success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful. But that is
easier said than done. We all face situations where we fail and it feels like everything is going wrong. That
coveted job interview that does not result in a call back, that amazing person who doesn’t reciprocate
romantic interest, that close friend who is not keen on hanging out anymore feature in all of our lives.
Somewhere these experiences chip away at one’s sense of self, slowly eroding our self-worth.
Carrie Fisher, who had immortalised Princess Leia in Star Wars, had said it beautifully, “take your broken
heart and make it into art”. That is exactly what
18-year-old Londoner Claudia did. She had received a rejection letter from Oxford, like many other
students, in response to her application for a Classics course. However, she was not dejected by it. By the
time her mother got home from work, Claudia had cut up the letter and transformed it into a beautiful
piece of art.
When her mum posted Claudia’s art on Twitter, it touched a chord among thousands and went viral in a
matter of days, having been liked and retweeted more than two hundred thousand times.
Claudia explained her motivations in such a way: “I just thought I had this letter, it’s not often that you get a
letter dedicated to you from Oxford. So,
I thought it would be funny if I made it into something.” The letter is pretty much summarised in the
phrases stuck into the painting: delivering the news, apologising, wishing her well.
She created the painting very quickly, explaining, “I suppose some of my feelings about the letter went into
the artwork. Obviously I didn’t know it would go viral as I painted it for myself – but I think the message that
it’s associated with now is that Oxbridge doesn’t determine your worth as a person, and I love that.”
A lot of people are saying Oxford should now take Claudia on an art course but that’s not really how it
works.
She is joining another premier institution – Durham university – soon, leaving behind her brief
disappointment from Oxford as she embarks on the new phase of her life. However, there are life lessons
that this young girl can teach us on how to cope with rejection.
It always feels a bit hurtful to be rejected, but when you can turn your disappointment into art, it helps you
to move on. After all, closed doors hide open ones. It’s impossible that things go well all the time. Even for
those who seem super successful, there are still low points and adverse situations they have had to tackle.
But brooding over what did not work out will only lead to missing out newer opportunities. Success and
failure can truly be understood only in retrospect. What seems like heart-breaking rejection might turn out
to be the start of the best thing ever to happen to you in another five years.
Letting go is important but what is even more important is letting go beautifully. As the proverb goes – “In
the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go
of things not meant for you”.
Failure is a part of life. You can call it whatever you want – a setback, an emotional let down, a breakup, a
loss, but part of the reason why the experience is so painful is because at some level you feel you failed. The
solution here is being open to the bigger lessons of life. After all, learning a new way to see situations can be
the very key to your next success.
12. According to the article, 13. To deal with her failure, 14. The phrase “touched a chord”
disappointing experiences could Claudia … in paragraph 3 is close in
result in … A) applied to Oxford once again. meaning to …
A) a deserved success. B) destroyed the rejection letter. A) agitated.
B) a broken heart. C) took art therapy session B) instilled hope.
C) a lack of confidence. online. C) evoked compassion.
D) coping with one’s fears. D) tried to express her feelings D) was reposted in media.
creatively.
15. In her own words, Claudia 16. Claudia’s work has come to 17. Which of the following,
used the letter for a piece of art mean that … according to the article, is NOT
because she … A) a university does not define the lesson Claudia’s case can
A) wanted to remember the your value. teach us?
event. B) Oxford and Cambridge are not A) Love and be loved.
B) believed it was a good idea. for anyone. B) Failure is natural.
C) was overfilled with emotions. C) people should love themselves C) All happens for the best.
D) thought the letter was funny. as they are. D) Keep your face.
D) when you fail always hope for
the best.
A) Try to find a solution to any
problem.
B) Failure is painful unless you
share it with somebody.
C) There are a lot of different
kinds of failures.
D) Take every disappointment as
a learning experience.

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Text 65
Philanthropy
Philanthropy is defined as the love of humanity. A modern definition is “private initiatives, for the public
good, focusing on quality of life”, which combines an original humanistic tradition with a social aspect
developed in the 20th century.
Growing up in this state, I dreamed of attending a college one day. On fall Saturdays at the stadium, I caught
a glimpse of the brick buildings and tree-lined walkways. I knew they led to information, knowledge, and a
whole tribe of new minds to connect with. When the day finally came to unpack my few belongings in the
residence hall, I knew I was finally where I had always wanted to be. My years on campus certainly lived up
to the anticipation. The classes, professors, friends, and opportunities created a life-changing experience.
Philanthropy is a critical part of the life and success of the whole local community, and college in particular.
As a board member of the Center for Advancement, I have seen firsthand the joy of our alumni and friends
as they make a difference in the life of this institution. They are delighted to pay it forward as they
understand what college means to them. As a student, one does not always value how much the path was
paved by those who have gone before, those who have an ability to give back. Now that my friend and I
have made this community our family’s home, we have a much better understanding of how vital the long-
term success of the college is for our entire state.
Through my involvement with the Center for Advancement, I truly witness the breadth of areas one can
support. This institution is doing incredible researching, educating, and programming in so many areas. And
our donors can discover their passion and connect in a meaningful way that goes beyond the dollars given.
Whether it is the joy of the written word, the connection to first-generation college students, the
atmosphere of a football Saturday, or a desire to support the cure for a hereditary medical condition, our
donors become a part of the life of the college.
I have also seen philanthropy directly affect the life of the college from my experience in the Department of
Finance. I work with students who have the opportunity to attend college because of the financial
assistance they receive from our donors. Continued support has fostered the enhanced facility we work in
today which has been reconfigured to remain relevant to today’s needs. The educational experience is
much richer because of the generosity of others. Our new auditorium is one shining example that we are
proud to support. Not only is this facility a marvel of world-class architecture and programming, it also
strives to make the arts accessible to all citizens. These experiences spark curiosity and imagination in
audiences, young and old, to remind us what it means to be alive in this era of technology and separation.
Different funds provide a real-life working experience that is as relevant as any internship. Through
philanthropy, students and faculty are able to use technology that could not be supported with tuition
dollars. Private gifts also allow us to assist our faculty, who are the life of the institution, and provide our
students a top-notch education.
Every dollar of support to the university today replays itself over and over as successive generations of
learners have an opportunity to develop the skills they need to save lives, shape minds, and transform our
future. One of the values we hope to instill in our children is the understanding of the value of giving back.
12. The author’s childhood 13. The pronoun They, as used 14. Working in the Center for
dream was to … throughout paragraph 3, refers to Advancement allowed the author
A) enter a college. … to …
B) change her life. A) future graduates. A) appreciate donors’ aid.
C) leave the state she grew up in. B) former students. B) become more successful.
D) visit a college campus. C) board members. C) make lots of new friends.
D) the author’s friends. D) make a big difference in
students’ lives.
15. Which of the following did 16. It is implied that the new 17. It is implied that college
the college donors NOT do? auditorium supports an teachers …
A) Communicate with students. education program in … A) have relevant experience.
B) Attend college sport clubs. A) programming. B) lack technology skills.
C) Write for college publications. B) architecture. C) are paid regularly.
D) Sponsor health treatment. C) arts. D) may be supported by private
D) technology. gifts.

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Text 66
iGeneration: teenagers affected by phones
One day last summer, around noon, I called Athena, a 13-year-old who lives in Houston, Texas. She
answered her phone – she has had an iPhone since she was 11 – sounding as if she’d just woken up. We
chatted about her favorite songs and TV shows, and I asked her what she likes to do with her friends. “We
go to the mall,” she said. “Do your parents drop you off?” I asked, recalling my own middle-school days, in
the 1980s, when I’d enjoy a few parent-free hours shopping with my friends. “No – I go with my family,” she
replied. “We’ll go with my mom and brothers and walk a little behind them. I just have to tell my mom
where we are going. I have to check in every hour or every 30 minutes.”
Those mall trips are infrequent – about once a month. More often, Athena and her friends spend time
together on their phones, unchaperoned. Unlike the teens of my generation, who might have spent an
evening tying up the family landline with gossip, they talk on Snapchat, a smartphone app that allows users
to send pictures and videos that quickly disappear. They make sure to keep up their Snapstreaks, which
show how many days in a row, they have Snapchatted with each other. She told me she had spent most of
the summer hanging out alone in her room with her phone. That is just the way her generation is, she said.
“We didn’t know any life other than with iPads or iPhones. I think we like our phones more than we like
actual people.”
Some generational changes are positive, some are negative, and many are both. More comfortable in their
bedrooms than in a car or at a party, today’s teens are physically safer than teens have ever been. They are
markedly less likely to get into a car accident and, having less of a taste for alcohol than their predecessors,
are less susceptible to drinking’s attendant ills.
Psychologically, however, they are more vulnerable than Millennials were: rates of teen depression and
suicide have skyrocketed since 2011. It is not an exaggeration to describe iGen as being on the brink of the
worst mental-health crisis in decades. Much of this deterioration can be traced to their phones.
However, in my conversations with teens, I saw hopeful signs that kids themselves are beginning to link
some of their troubles to their ever-present phone. Athena told me that when she does spend time with her
friends in person, they are often looking at their device instead of at her. “I’m trying to talk to them about
something, and they don’t actually look at my face,” she said. “They’re looking at their phone, or they’re
looking at their Apple Watch.” “What does that feel like, when you’re trying to talk to somebody face-to-
face and they’re not looking at you?” I asked. “It kind of hurts,” she said. “It hurts. I know my parents’
generation didn’t do that. I could be talking about something super important to me, and they wouldn’t
even be listening.”
Once, she told me, she was hanging out with a friend who was texting her boyfriend. “I was trying to talk to
her about my family, and what was going on, and she was like, ‘Uh-huh, yeah, whatever.’ So I took her
phone out of her hands and I threw it at the wall.”
Though it is aggressive behavior that I don’t support, on the other hand – it is a step towards a life with
limited phone use. So, if I were going to give advice for a happy adolescence, it would be straightforward:
put down the phone, turn off the laptop, and do something – anything – that does not involve a screen.
12. According to the author, in 13. Which of the following does 14. For Athena’s peers spending
her childhood she used to … Athena do monthly? time alone in their rooms seems
A) do the shopping with her A) Invites friends to her place. …
friends. B) Uses the Snapchat. A) natural.
B) go to the mall with her family. C) Goes to the mall with her B) difficult.
C) call her mother every half an
hour. family. C) awkward.
D) watch TV a lot. D) Changes her iPhone. D) soothing.
15. Which of the following is NOT 16. That in “I know my parents’ 17. The fact that Athena threw
true about iGen teenagers, generation didn’t do that” away her friend’s phone proves
according to the author? (paragraph 5) refers to … that …
A) They prefer loneliness to A) behaving in a mean way. A) her friend thought she was
company. B) discussing their problems. doing the right thing.
B) It is easy to hurt them C) listening attentively to friends. B) smartphones make teenagers
psychologically. D) being glued to their phones. more aggressive.
C) Most of them feel extremely C) teenagers know the problems
unhappy. caused by phones.
D) They have more physical D) smartphones can cause
health problems. mental health problems.
18. What does the author suggest

in her article?
A) Smartphones are not safe.
B) Phone use by young people
should be limited.
C) Smartphones cause violent
behavior.
D) There are good and bad sides
in using smartphones.

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Text 67
Punctuality
There are few habits as infuriating as someone making us wait. But, despite what may be running through
your mind as you’re kept waiting again, it’s unlikely your friends and colleagues are just being selfish or do
not care about the time. A look into the causes of lateness (or tardiness) offers a glimpse into a mind that
may be malfunctioning.
Perceptions of unpunctual people are almost always negative. “It is easy to perceive them as disorganised,
chaotic, rude and lacking in consideration for others,” says Harriet Mellotte, a behavioural therapist in
London. “Outside of my clinical practice, others being late can particularly get under my skin!”
But, many late people are at least somewhat organised and want to keep friends, family and bosses happy.
The punctually-challenged are often excruciatingly aware and ashamed of the damage their lateness could
do to their relationships, reputations and careers. Some excuses are fairly universally accepted – an
accident or ailment, for example. But others aren’t so easy to swallow. Some late people will pass it off as a
symptom of being concerned with loftier matters than time-keeping or having the body clock of a night owl
rather than a lark.
Personality differences could also dictate how we experience the passing of time. Jeff Conte, a psychology
professor at San Diego State University, ran a study in which he separated participants into Type A people
(ambitious, competitive) and Type B (creative, reflective, explorative). He asked them to judge, without
clocks, how long it took for one minute to elapse. Type A people felt a minute had gone by when roughly 58
seconds had passed. Type B participants felt a minute had gone by after 77 seconds. “Being consistently late
might not be your fault. It could be your type. The punctually-challenged often share personality
characteristics such as optimism, low levels of self-control, anxiety”, he says.
Dr Linda Sapadin, a psychologist from New York, says some persistent lateness comes from “an obsessive
thinking problem”. The procrastinator focuses on a fear attached to the event or deadline for which they
are running late. Rather than figuring out how to get beyond the fear, the fear becomes the excuse –
usually expressed with a ‘but’ statement. For instance, you might tell yourself, “I wanted to be on time for
that event but I couldn’t decide what to wear; I started to write an article but I was afraid my colleagues
would find it not good enough,” she explains. “Whatever comes after the ‘but’ is what counts,” says
Sapadin. She suggests changing the word ‘but’ to ‘and’. ‘But’ denotes opposition and blockage; ‘And’
denotes connection and resolution, she explains, so “the task becomes less frightening.”
Dr Sapadin started on her path to punctuality by identifying and adapting the very thing that seemed to
always make her late. “Instead of getting angry or upset because a friend or a loved one is always late, you
can take a stand and set boundaries,” she says. “Talk about what you will do if the other person isn’t on
time. Tell your late friend you’ll go into the movie without them if they’re more than ten minutes late. Tell
that colleague who never turns his part of the project in on time that it just won’t be included next time –
and the boss will know about it.”
For me, a turning point came when a good friend drew her line in the sand. I was an hour late for a run in
our local park. “That was it,” she said. “The truth is, I’m not going to make any more plans with you.” And so
she set in motion the best thing for me: she put an end to my perpetual lateness.
12. According to the author, the 13. The expression “get under 14. Which of the excuses for the
cause of unpunctuality is likely to my skin” (paragraph 2) means … unpunctuality is NOT mentioned
be that a person … A) disappoint. by the author?
A) doesn’t care about other B) irritate. A) Biological rhythms.
people. C) depress. B) Health problems.
B) is unaware of the time. D) surprise. C) Important business.
C) has psychological problems. D) Clock failure.
D) is ill-mannered and
undisciplined.
15. According to professor Jeff 16. Dr Linda Sapadin suggests 17. According to Dr Linda
Conte, punctually-challenged that changing the word ‘but’ to Sapadin, if people are unable to
people … ‘and’ in people’s excuses for meet deadlines you should …
A) are concentrated on their being late will … A) explain to them what the
careers. A) make the excuses more consequences will be.
B) prefer competitive sports. correct. B) do their part of the project
C) are often optimistic. B) explain more clearly why they yourself.
D) don’t particularly enjoy life. were late. C) stop communicating with them
C) make them try harder coping altogether.
with their problems. D) tell them how disappointed
D) help them appear less rude. you are.
A) To keep friends one should
work on one’s problems.
B) People must have friendship.
C) It is hard to have unpunctual
friends.
D) Always tell your friend the
truth.

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Text 68
How Harry Potter saved one small town
Mallaig is far from the prettiest of Highland settlements, even when the weather is fine. Several rows of
what could be prewar council houses stretch across the hill beyond the harbour. A mishmash of car parks,
jetties and workaday buildings squats close to the railway terminus. When I last stayed in Mallaig, it was
known as the biggest herring port in Europe.
Today, the herring have vanished, and yet Mallaig remains a busy place. Ferries come and go and fishing
boats land shellfish, which is driven away in lorries to the markets of France and Spain. None of this activity,
however, explains the hundreds of people who can be seen roaming Mallaig’s few streets every afternoon
between the beginning of May and the end of October, or the presence of so many restaurants. What do
explain them are two enthusiasms, one for low fact and the other for high fiction, which are kindled in
childhood and among many adults never entirely disappear.
The railway reached Mallaig from Fort William and the south in 1901. It was among the last big lines to be
built in Britain, late enough to have its viaducts built of concrete. It traversed one of Europe’s most
spectacular and emptiest landscapes, with hardly anything large enough to be called a village along its 40-
mile length.
The construction needed a large government subsidy, but the traffic never grew much beyond the two or
three trains a day that carried fish boxes and a few dozen travellers to and from the Hebrides. It made little
economic sense. Only 60 years after the line opened, it began to be threatened with closure. Few people
would have guessed then that its commercial salvation would be owed to a novel and a film, and first of all,
to a hobby.
Railways became an amateur pastime as well as a means of transport during the last decades of the 19th
century. Then professional men such as vicars and lawyers began to see the large variety of trains and their
technical progress as a hobby offering a similar kind of pleasure to philately and butterfly-hunting. By the
end of the century they had their own magazine and their own club, the Railway Club, the world’s first
society for railway enthusiasts. It was founded in London in 1899 and had its own premises with a library
and leather armchairs. It was from these elite beginnings that the 20th century’s great cult of trainspotting
spread, reinforcing a more general fondness for steam locomotives that many people had without knowing
quite why. So a sense of loss ran through Britain when, in the 1960s, it became clear that their day was
nearly done.
Hundreds of them were saved from the scrapyards and restored to working order; dozens of branch lines
repaired and reopened so that in the holidays Britain could be charmed by how it once was. It’s hard to
think that anywhere in the world has seen a more popular or successful preservation movement, or at least
one run and largely funded by volunteers. Out of this business grew the West Coast Railway Company,
which hires out engines, coaches and crew for steam excursions.
A film producer looking to shoot a fantastical train in a dramatic location would naturally turn to such a
company, and so in three Harry Potter films the train to Hogwarts is seen crossing Glenfinnan’s viaduct.
Today, the Jacobite Express fills with Potter fans from all parts of the globe and always stops for a photo
opportunity at Glenfinnan, which is where the real Bonnie Prince Charlie really raised his standard in ’45
and marked as such by a real memorial. All of which reality is cast into shadow by the film of a modern
fairytale.
12. Which adjective could best 13. The word mishmash in “A 14. Which of the following
describe Mallaig as presented by mishmash of car parks …” statements is TRUE about the
the author? (paragraph 1) means … railway line?
A) Derelict. A) a ruin. A) It was the last big line
B) Beautiful. B) a mixture. constructed in Europe.
C) Abandoned. C) a sight. B) The traffic on it was busy at
D) Unsightly. D) a queue. the beginning.
C) It finally became profitable.
D) It was closed shortly after its
opening.
15. The author compares the 16. The author mentions a library 17. The word them in “Hundreds
enthusiasm for trains to philately and leather armchairs in order to of them …” (paragraph 6) refers
and butterfly hunting because … illustrate … to …
A) it turned into a pastime. A) how important trains were for A) people.
B) they all require patience. the country. B) locomotives.
C) they all became unpopular. B) how successful the Railway C) train spotters.
D) they all are fashionable. Club became. D) lines.
C) the amount of corruption at
the club.
D) the number of members it
had.
18. How does, judging by the last
paragraph, the author feel about
Glenfinnan remembered through
Harry Potter rather than the
Bonnie Prince Charlie?
A) Enthusiastic.
B) Indifferent.
C) Sad.
D) Outraged.

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Text 69
What volunteering taught me
Today I am member of the UN Global Education First Youth Advocacy Group. Many young people have
come to me to ask how I got to be in such an initiative. It has always been a pleasure for me to share my
volunteer experiences, and it is because of these experiences that I was selected out of 500 applications to
serve in this group. It all started when I was in secondary school. I was engaged in student affairs as the
president of the UNESCO club, a school platform that brings students together to discuss school matters and
the pressing current issues concerning them.
After secondary school, I started volunteering within non-governmental organizations. It was at this
moment that I began to understand a lot about community development. I was involved in projects and
activities relating to peace, human rights and the environment. It was a great pleasure for me to contribute
to the development of my community through volunteering because the impact was visible.
I had many obstacles while volunteering because people don’t value volunteer work. In Cameroon and
especially in my community, people consider volunteering as waste of time and resources. They cannot
conceive the fact that someone can work without remuneration or a salary. My friends and family advised
me on several occasions to stop volunteering. I felt very discouraged at some point, but I could not stop
because I loved doing it. Volunteering was the top priority in my life. I decided not to pay attention to their
advice but to concentrate on my work.
By spending time with host families in various regions I got used to cultural differences, which was really
helpful during the projects. I learned a lot about what belonged to the norms and values of the local people.
For example, how to dress appropriately, eat and even how to shower and go to the bathroom the local
way. Most of the things are totally different than in my area, so it took some time to adapt.
In Nigeria I taught English conversation, 3 times a day. I had the opportunity to come up with my own ideas
for the classes and tried to be as creative as possible making my lessons not only informative, but also fun.
Apart from having conversations, we also cooked food, listened to English music and painted. Having a lot
of conversations in English on different topics, I understood how to look at things from a different
perspective. It also made me think in a more creative way, out of the box, one can say. I think this will help
me in the future, looking at things through different glasses.
One day, a group of young people came to me and said they had something to say. I was very surprised.
They said they were all grateful for the changes I brought into their lives through peer education. I was so
happy to hear this that it aroused joy in my heart. This experience made me understand that only volunteer
work can have such a profound impact on people’s lives.
There are three elements that permitted me to succeed in a life dedicated to volunteering: passion,
determination and patience. Volunteering helped me become a job creator, not a job seeker.
My advice to my peers is that we cannot succeed in life overnight. We have to work hard to enjoy the fruits
of our labor. Even if you have a diploma from the best school in the world, it is not enough because what
matters most is your skills, your talent. The best way to discover who you are in order to integrate yourself
into society is to volunteer. Volunteering not only allows you to offer your services, but to learn and
discover new things and improve your skills. One secret in volunteer work is to avoid thinking about money
because that is where the problem is. Young people expect to be paid as they are volunteering.
12. The author was chosen for 13. Why did the author enjoy her 14. Why did the author have
her current position because of … work in community difficulties when volunteering?
A) her passion for volunteering. development? A) People did not understand the
B) the advice she gave others. A) She took part in interesting purpose of volunteering.
C) her volunteering background. events. B) Employers did not want to pay
D) her leadership skills. B) She became part of the volunteers.
community. C) She spent too much time
C) She developed her skills. volunteering.
D) She saw the results of her D) Her family did not approve of
work. her work.
15. The main idea expressed in 16. The pronoun this in “I was so 17. The word profound in
paragraphs 4 and 5 is that happy to hear this …” (paragraph “volunteer work can have such a
volunteering … 6) refers to the … profound impact …” (paragraph
A) develops creativity and talent. A) offer to study together. 6) means …
B) becomes more adaptive and B) young men’s gratitude. A) significant.
flexible. C) surprising information. B) instant.
C) helps build closer relations D) advice on how to change her C) severe.
with locals. life. D) visual.
D) helps understand other
cultures and lifestyles.
18. Which piece of advice about
volunteering does the author
NOT give to her peers?
A) Do not to expect quick results.
B) Develop through volunteering.
C) Become part of a social group.
D) Do not count on earning
money.

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Text 70
What are soft skills?
Every career has a job description. Employers like to make clear the experience, education and skills they
are looking for in an employee, so they can ensure a good fit. But in addition to “hard skills” that come from
your education and work experience, employers want to know if you have the personality and character it
takes to do well in the workplace and in your specific role. These less-technical skills are called “soft skills”.
Unlike other parts of your job duties, soft skills are traits that aren’t trained. They are interpersonal skills
like communication, empathy, collaboration, problem solving and conflict resolution. These skills are all
essential for employees in any organization. We all work with people in a variety of ways, and teams are the
norm in almost every company. Hiring professionals and supervisors need to know you will get along with,
support and effectively connect and collaborate with co-workers to complete tasks.
Simply put, hard skills may get you an interview, but soft skills can help you get the job and keep it. The soft
skills that set you apart from others may also lead to future incentives or promotions.
Soft skills are an excellent way for you to differentiate yourself in a job search. If your technical skill is on a
par with other candidates, your ability to communicate and build a connection with hiring managers can be
the decisive factor.
You’re probably wondering which soft skills will set you apart from other applicants. Most hiring managers
agree that communication skills are at the top of their list. While you don’t have to be an amazing speech-
deliverer, employers want to know that you can handle disagreements, portray ideas in presentations or
conversations and write coherently.
Conflict resolution and collaboration are other key areas hiring managers value. But don’t be fooled –
working well with others isn’t just about keeping a calm office. The ability to develop relationships that
benefit both parties is a big part of becoming an influential and effective employee. While it is true that
many of these traits are ingrained, don’t worry too much if these don’t come naturally to you. There are
plenty of ways to learn and grow as you prepare for a job.
Showing your soft skills isn’t impossible, it just takes a little work. Not only do you have to emphasize your
soft skills in interviews but share specific examples to illustrate how you apply them in your life and on the
job. You can recall times when you worked on a team project where members had conflicting views and
share how you handled it.
Were you the leader who made sure all voices were heard, and then helped mediate and resolve the
conflict? Maybe you were one of the team and you took the role of helping evaluate each view and coming
to consensus. Maybe you were the one to support the person whose idea was not used but was successful
afterwards. These are all examples that can be highly relevant to employers making hiring decisions.
When it comes to your résumé, leveraging your soft skills may sound tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. In
fact, how you communicate on your resume and cover letter are great examples of your soft skills. Start by
making sure your résumé and cover letter are typo-free and grammatically sound. Remember to show, and
not just tell. Saying you’re an excellent communicator has much less impact than giving concrete examples
of times where your communication ability was excellent. Anyone can say they are amazing. It’s up to you
to prove it.
12. According to the text, soft 13. Why are proper soft skills 14. The expression on a par with
skills are the … necessary? in “If your technical skill is on a
A) skills you get when in A) They make you an interesting par with other candidates …”
professional education. personality. (paragraph 4) means …
B) individual traits that influence B) They help establish contact A) similar to.
your job performance. with bosses. B) different from.
C) skills that allow you to work C) They allow you to do tasks C) superior to.
with technology. quickly. D) secondary to.
D) only skills employers look for D) They may give you an
in the employees. advantage over others.
15. Which of the following, 16. The pronoun it in “share how 17. Which of the following is NOT
according to the text, is one of you handled it” (paragraph 7) mentioned as an example of how
communication skills? refers to … soft skills could be
A) Brief and logical A) resolving a disagreement in demonstrated?
argumentation. teamwork.
B) Clear and reasoned writing. B) speaking about your skills at A) Taking everyone’s opinion into
C) Non-verbal communication. an interview. account.
D) Active and supportive C) inability to demonstrate your B) Encouraging people to come
listening. skills. to an agreement.
D) having an opinion different C) Setting a goal and reaching it.
from others. D) Backing an undervalued
suggestion.
18. The general advice the
author’s gives in the last
paragraph is …
A) “take quick decisions when
applying for a job”.
B) “include the list of your soft
skills in your résumé”.
C) “try to impress the employer
at the interview”.
D) “in an interview provide
examples of your soft skills in
use”.

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Text 71
When I Grow Up
When I was in kindergarten, my class was asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Colorful
crayons danced across sheets of paper to illustrate our dream occupations and cherished jobs. Our
drawings were hung in the school hallway for our parents to see at Back to School Night. I remember
looking down the line and seeing pictures of pretty ballerinas dancing, brave firefighters putting out a blaze,
and fearless astronauts leaping across the moon – admirable careers that were seen as typical dreams of
five-year-old kids.
My picture showed a stick figure with brown disheveled hair holding a carton of orange juice over a large
rectangle that was supposed to be a counter. Underneath was my barely legible handwriting: “When I grow
up, I want to work at the Market Basket because it would be fun to swipe orange juice across the scanner
and talk to customers.” To this day my parents won’t let me forget that out of everything I could have
aspired to be, my five-year-old self wished to work at the local grocery store.
When we are young, questions of what we want to be when we grow up are common. Yet we are not
expected to respond with an answer that is likely to come true. However, when we become teenagers, we
are asked the very same question twice as often. The difference is, now we are supposed to answer with
confidence.
Teenagers are expected to know exactly what they want to be and how they are going to achieve that goal.
Not all of us can be so sure at this age. Even though I am in high school, I cannot answer convincingly. But I
don’t consider that a bad thing. How am I supposed to know what I will want to spend my time doing at the
age of thirty or forty?
When I think about the future, I definitely don’t see myself working at the counter of the Market Basket,
but in reality, if that was what would make me happy, I would do it. So, the next time someone asks me
what I want to be when I grow up, I will simply say, “I want to be happy.” And it is hope that drives us in this
direction.
“Hope is not a grain of sand,” the Gambian poet, Lenrie Peters, echoes, but no matter how tiny it is, it would
still be sufficient to keep the youth alive and sane in most extreme circumstances. It is hope that spurs the
youth on, to be up and doing. It is hope that keeps the youth going no matter how hard it is. Nelson
Mandela as a youth hoped against all hope for the liberation of his people and he actually lived to see his
hope being fulfilled. Robinson Crusoe, cast away on an uninhabited island, hoped against all hope for
survival and this propelled him to start from scratch and build a compound and large farm single-handedly.
Far away in “Another Country: the Land of Literature,” Sister Eileen Sweeney sums up through her writings
that Hope is the anchor that keeps “the ship” called “youth” steadfastly held together no matter the high
and stormy sea of passion, pain, distress or tribulation that batter against it.
Happiness is a destination for everyone. We may want to walk different paths in life, narrow or wide,
crooked or straight, but we all want to be happy wherever we end up. Choose your path, but don’t worry
too much about choosing wisely. Make a mistake or two and try new things. But always remember, if you’re
not happy, you’re not at the end of your journey yet.
12. In what way did the children 13. Why did the author want to 14. According to the author,
in the kindergarten answer the work in the local grocery store? when you grow up the questions
question about their dream A) It seemed to be an enjoyable about career choice become …
occupation? occupation. A) less convincing.
A) They described their parents’ B) It was quite a realistic career B) less common.
actual occupation. goal. C) more frequent.
B) They took pictures of parents C) Her parents spoke a lot about D) more stressful.
at the Back to School Night. it.
C) They drew people of their D) She liked to make orange
dream careers in action. juice.
D) They made up a list of the
most common and wide-spread
professions.
15. “That” in “But I don’t 16. What would the author most 17. Examples with Nelson
consider that a bad thing” probably like to do in the future? Mandela and Robinson Crusoe
(paragraph 4) refers to … A) Write poems about difficulties are mentioned by the author to …
A) knowing in your teens exactly of youth. A) illustrate wise and successful
what you want to be. B) Work as an independent career choices.
B) working at the counter of the farmer. B) prove how important it is not
Market Basket grocery store. C) Work for a local supermarket to lose hope.
C) being unsure of your future chain. C) inspire teenagers to believe in
career when in high school. D) Do a job that brings her their own effort.
D) having a definite idea of how satisfaction. D) show what to do in extreme
to achieve one’s career goal. circumstances.
author make?
A) Make a wise choice when
thinking of your future
profession.
B) Look for an activity that makes
you happy.
C) Do not forget about the
happiness of other people.
D) Be careful not to make a
mistake when trying new things.

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Text 72
The Definitive Guide To Scotland
During the London Olympics, when excited sports fanatics (and their unfortunate relatives) flooded through
the arrival gates of nearly all British airports and engaged in such thrilling activities as taking pictures of red
phone boxes and riding the bus, it came to my attention (and the attention of many other British citizens, I
dare say), that many tourists arrive to the U.K. with certain erroneous expectations of what awaits them.
The disappointment is evident on tourists’ faces as they travel through the country, discovering that the
Queen does not walk her Corgis up The Mall, our policemen will very rarely (if ever) say “Allo, allo,” and that
most of us will not ask a stranger in for a cup of tea and a biscuit when you arrive on our doorstep. That
said, however, nothing really disappoints a tourist more than a visit to the mysterious land of Scotland.
Having lived in Scotland for all of my 16 years, I have come to believe that I am an expert in all things
Scottish, and therefore I think it is only right that I help the youth of America (and elsewhere) obtain a more
realistic view of what to expect when visiting “up North.”
A good starting place in Scottish culture, I believe, is haggis. Haggis is a ghastly concoction of oatmeal,
onions, pepper, suet, and, oh yes, sheep organs. That’s right, haggis includes sheep’s stomach, heart, liver,
lungs, and windpipe. This delightful dish is normally served on Robert Burn’s Night, when we all stand
around in kilts and sing to it.
This brings me to the subject of kilts. Michael McIntyre once joked that the Scottish invented the kilt in
order to look the complete opposite of the English, who wore trousers. This may be true; I don’t know.
What I can tell you is that I am not currently wearing a kilt, nor is anyone in my family. Perhaps if I were to
drive into a big town, I would find a man playing bagpipes in a kilt, or maybe see some guests in kilts at a
wedding, but the average Scottish person does not wear a kilt on a daily basis.
Next, we have the aforementioned bagpipes. Pretty much everyone believes that all Scottish people love
bagpipes. I do not. When played in a large field during, say, the Highland Games, I don’t mind them. That’s
fine. It’s quite jolly, everyone feels patriotic, and all is well. However, when they are played in a small room
while someone is carrying a haggis to the table and my ears feel like they are about to bleed, I must say that
I’m not very fond of them. The average tourist will see and hear bagpipes during their visit, but you
probably won’t see any young Scottish teenagers involved.
Finally, we have the Scottish citizen in general. Most people imagine Scots to be ginger (meaning having red
hair, which I don’t), freckly (I am), bearded (I am not), and grumpy (I dare say that this is true – after all, it’s
always raining here). Sure, you may find some people during your visit who fit that description, but you may
be surprised to find that most Scottish people look like your average non-Scottish person. Are you shocked?
I thought so.
There you go, a definitive guide to Scotland, as written by a very sarcastic teenager. I do hope it helps;
please share it with your friends as I really don’t want to have to hear another tourist say, “It’s just like
England, isn’t it?”
12. What inspired the author to 13. According to the author, why 14. The purpose of the text is to
write the text? were the tourists disappointed in …
A) Love for Olympics. Britain? A) reveal the mysteries of the
B) London’s attractions. A) They failed to meet the Scottish land.
C) Conversations with sports fans. Queen. B) encourage tourists to visit
D) Visitors’ views on Britain. B) police officers were not Scotland.
friendly. C) give a true account of Scottish
C) The famous English tea was culture.
not tasty. D) share a 16-year experience of
D) Their anticipations were not living in Scotland.
met.
15. The phrase “up North” in “… 16. Which of the following 17. In what way is the author
what to expect when visiting “up statements about bagpipes is similar to a typical image of a
North.” (paragraph 3) refers to … NOT true, according to the text? Scottish person?
A) Scotland. A) They can make you feel proud A) He has red hair.
B) north of England. of your country. B) He is cheerful.
C) northern islands. B) They may raise spirits during C) He has freckles.
D) North America. big sports events. D) He has a beard.
C) They are popular among
young Scottish people.
D) Visitors are likely to hear them
played.
18. Why does the author quote a
tourist at the end of the text?
A) To expressa sarcastic attitude
to Scottish sights.
B) To underline the annoyance at
tourists’ disappointments.
C) To encourage people to read
and share the article.
D) To stress the differences
between Scotland and England.

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Text 73
Internet safety issues
The fact is that 93 percent of kids are online.
Even if parents limit or ban internet access, kids have access at school, through a friend’s smart phone,
libraries, and schools. The internet is a tool that our children need to use and master with wisdom
dispensed by parents. We need tech-savvy youth who will grow up to be leaders of the community.
Many schools use websites such as EdModo to connect students and teachers. My friend Reem is the vice
principal of an Islamic School. She says that many teachers assign work from school that children need to
research online. Some of the best homeschooling resources are online.
Far too many parents do not allow their children monitored access to the internet, leading to two scenarios.
Their children end up lying and using it behind their back; or are so sheltered that they do not know how to
conduct themselves online when they finally do get access.
On the other hand, more often than not, there are parents who freely give unmonitored access.
But caretakers raising children in today’s world need to think about several issues:
How does a parent know if his/her child is engaging in inappropriate Internet activities?
How would a parent know if his/her child is cyber-bullied if he or she does not tell them?
According to Common Sense Media, “Young teens don’t yet have an “off” switch in their brains. That means
that they often act impulsively. This lack of impulse control, combined with online anonymity, could lead
toward dangerous behaviors: cyber-bullying, inappropriate photo or video uploads, illegal downloads,
meeting strangers – even cheating. Because socializing is so important to young people, online interactions
can become pretty intense – whether they’re playing games, chatting with friends, or sharing work.”
Using open communication and thoughtful intervention, parents can help their wired offspring learn how to
maneuver electronic gadgets and the World Wide Web. Here are some tips on how to give children
monitored access to the Internet:
spendtime with your children online.

ask to see their Facebook page, their Instagrams, and Twitter feed. It may seem like a foreign territory, but
it is imperative that parents talk to their children about social media. At this stage, it is not our job to try to
protect them by isolating them. It is our job to teach them how to deal with information and with people.
younger children often play on websites such as Movie Star Planet, Moshi Monsters, and new ones pop up
every day. Most of these sites teach extreme consumerism as children ‘play’ to accumulate points or
currency and use it to ‘buy’ stuff: furniture, VIP passes, etc.; urging your child to become ‘Rich and Famous.’
As responsible parents, we need to prevent children from becoming mindless consumers. If you do allow
your child to visit these sites, then watch them while they play.
teach them not to talk to or chat with random strangers. That person with a name Girlie45 could, possibly,
be a middle-aged predator. Teach them that everything that they put online is there forever. Anyone can
cut, copy and paste pictures and text. Teach them how to be safe online because today it is as important as
safety basics about locking the door or not playing with matches.
12. What does the author think 13. What way of using internet in 14. What, according to the
about educational value of education does the author author, can the parents’ refusal
prohibiting children from mention (paragraph 2)? to allow their children supervised
internet? A) Finding ready-made research internet access lead to?
A) It is useless. papers. A) Children become
B) It is important. B) Online instruction by school overprotected.
C) It is effective. administration. B) Children use internet in
D) It is advisable. C) Communication platform for schools under teacher’s control.
teachers and students. C) Children turn to misconduct in
D) Teaching from home. schools.
D) Children start cheating on
their parents.
15. What does the phrase ‘don’t 16. According to the text, the 17. The danger of online games
have an “off” switch in their best way to protect children from is, according to the author, in …
brains’ (paragraph 5) mean? internet hazards is to… A) the possibility of losing one’s
A) They are unable to restrain A) monitor their accounts in money.
from spontaneous actions. social networks. B) availability of VIP passes.
B) They are making reckless B) follow them online. C) getting used to spending
decisions. C) ban them from using social money easily.
C) They are acting anonymously networks. D) their accessibility.
online. D) limit their access to computer.
D) They are considering the
consequences of their actions.
18. What idea is emphasized in
the last paragraph?
A) Chatting with strangers online
can be dangerous.
B) Nicknames conceal the real
identity of a person online.
C) Learning internet security is
essential for young people.
D) Pictures should be uploaded
wisely.

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Text 74
Space could solve water problems
Have you ever tasted saltwater? I guess you have and if so, you will agree with me that it’s not very
refreshing. In fact, drinking more than a few cups worth can kill you.
According to the United States Geological Survey, whose mission is to collect and disseminate reliable,
impartial, and timely information that is needed to understand the nation’s water resources, about ninety-
seven percent of the water on our planet is saltwater; the rest is stored in lakes, rivers, glaciers and aquifers
underground. Moreover, only about one-third of the world’s potential fresh water can be used for human
needs. As pollution increases, the amount of usable water decreases.
Water is the most precious and taken-for-granted resource we have on Earth. It is also one of the most
threatened resources. Increased population and possible climate change will put more and more strain on
supplies of this vital resource as time goes on. What could we do in this situation? Though it may seem like
science fiction, the solution could lie in outer space.
I’m not saying we’re going to be teleporting to a spring on the other side of the galaxy or colonizing another
planet just to have longer showers – it’s much more mundane than that. What we could achieve realistically
in this century is the successful use of the solar system’s rare metals and water, barring the invention of the
matrix.
You may be surprised to learn that the metal in your keys, coins, cell phone, computer, car and everywhere
else, originally came to this planet from space. When Earth formed, the heavy metals sank to the center and
formed a solid core. The lighter elements formed the mantle and the crust we live on. Asteroids and comets
that struck the Earth brought water and metals to the surface.
There are thousands of asteroids orbiting near Earth. Most asteroids are made of rock, but some are
composed of metal, mostly nickel and iron. Probes could be sent out to these to identify useful ones. Then
larger probes could push them towards the Earth where they can be handled in orbit.
In order to fuel ships and probes, we simply need to find a source of water, such as a comet or the surface
of the moon. We collect the water and pass an electric current through it from a solar panel. The water
separates into oxygen and hydrogen, which in liquid form is a powerful rocket fuel.
Is this really possible? We may soon find out. Private company SpaceX has already started delivering
equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is proof that countries once at each other’s
throats, like America and Russia, can work together and pull off multi-billion dollar projects.
Recently, a company called Planetary Resources Inc. made the news for getting big names like Google and
Microsoft to invest in exploring asteroids for material gain. Although it will take many decades, it is wise to
put the gears in motion now.
We’ve already landed probes on the surface of asteroids and taken samples from them. We can put
something as large as the ISS, which weighs just short of 500 tons, according to National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA), in orbit.
We can make a half-million-mile round-trip to get rocks from the moon. We can do all of these things
already. They just need to be applied and developed in a smart way.
12. What problem is raised in the 13. According to the author, the 14. The author thinks that outer
article? information published in the US space …
A) Cooperation in space. Geological Survey is meant to … A) is dangerous because of
B) Threats of climate change. A) help to monitor the state of asteroids.
C) Danger of drinking salt water. the country’s water resources. B) is not studied properly.
D) Lack of water supplies on B) assure the nation that there is C) should be colonized.
Earth. still enough of usable water. D) is a source of important
C) warn the public about the supplies.
dangers of water pollution.
D) demonstrate the quality of
water the nation uses.
15. According to the author, the 16. The Google and Microsoft 17. The expression “put the gears
space water sources may be used (paragraph 9) are mentioned to in motion” in “…it is wise to put
for … … the gears in motion now”
A) the production of electricity. A) show that space research is (paragraph 9) means …
B) fuel production. important for computer science. A) to move.
C) moon exploration. B) prove that asteroids can be B) to explore.
D) water supplies for spaceships. commercially attractive. C) to begin.
C) explain how Planetary D) to invest.
Resources Inc. became famous.
D) that asteroids can interfere
with the Internet.
18. What idea is stressed in the
last two paragraphs?
A) Asteroids are unique objects
for scientific research.
B) International Space Station is
the heaviest object in space.
C) There is room for further
achievements in space
exploration.
D) Only smart administration can
manage space programs.

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Text 75
Magnificent mysteries
“Dynasty and Divinity”, the first big exhibition devoted to African sculpture from the Kingdom of Ife (in
present-day Nigeria), begins an 18-month tour of America. The show, which consists of a number of works
in stone, terracotta and metal made between the 9th and 15th centuries, is a genuine revelation and a rare
treat. Art from dramatically different cultures is often hard to connect with, as is their languages, traditions
and ways, but these sculptures are naturalistic and remarkably accessible.
More than 100 works are on display. Some have been abroad before, some have left Africa for the first
time. Text and photo murals on the walls instruct visitors about the ancient kingdom, which had been an
unbroken monarchy for more than 800 years.
The background information is interesting but limited. The art itself makes a powerful impact. Some of it is
unnerving. A few of the terracotta heads are gagged; others are deformed either by birth defects or disease.
A dozen or more heads in copper alloy are exciting in a less complicated way; their faces radiate serenity.
Ten of them are life-sized. The three that are somewhat smaller are topped by gorgeous crowns decorated
with what appears to be rings of beads. These heads are beautiful, technically sophisticated and compelling.
Some of the objects in the exhibition definitely used to play a part in rituals. But were they made for that
purpose? There is no answer as Ife has no written early history. Many of the works were chance discoveries.
There is no archaeological record to help scholars find answers to the many questions that they raise. Were
the copper-alloy heads the work of a single artist or workshop? Are the heads portraits or idealised images?
It is almost impossible to be sure of the sex of one or two.
In the 15th century metal casting in Ife stopped abruptly. The reasons are quite clear. This was when the
Portuguese arrived on West Africa’s coast to colonise it. The neighbouring Kingdom of Benin supplanted
inland Ife as a trading centre and the metal casters, as other craftsmen, may have moved to where they
were more likely to find patrons. For this speaks the fact that the best of Benin’s famous, more stylised
samples of bronze were made between the 15th and 18th centuries. But the memory of the greatness
survived, and Ife remained and still remains the spiritual home of the Yoruba-speaking people.
In 1910 Leo Frobenius, a German explorer, saw Ife’s superbly modelled terracotta sculptures and a single
brass head. He was so stunned that thought they were too good to have been made by Africans and
concluded that the sculptors must have been survivors of Atlantis, the submerged island of Greek legend.
Along with expressions of excitement, there were echoes of this reaction in 1938 when Europeans first saw
a cache of newly unearthed brass heads.
Now these reactions seem shockingly bigoted or, at best, quaintly narrow-minded: the skill and imagination
of African artists is generally recognised. Ife sculpture is seen to be sophisticated, not primitive.
Appropriately, the show is touring art, rather than ethnographical, institute. Its last stop before returning to
Nigeria will be in the handsome new building of New York’s African art museum.
12. Which statement DOES NOT 13. The heads make a powerful 14. In paragraph 4 the author
refer to the content of paragraph impact because they are … argues that …
1? A) masterfully made. A) the casts were made from
A) The sculpture in the exhibition B) technologically complicated. female models.
is rich and diverse. C) richly decorated. B) the exhibits were discovered
B) The exhibition pieces come D) shocking to look at. by chance.
from different countries. C) the exhibition leaves many
C) The exhibition leaves a positive questions to be answered.
impression. D) the heads were made for
D) Art presented is easy to religious purposes.
understand.
15. Saying “the neighbouring 16. According to Leo Frobenius, 17. The author’s attitude to Leo
Benin supplanted inland Ife as a the terracotta sculptures … Frobenius’ opinion appears to be
trading centre” the author means A) were brought to Africa from …
that Benin … somewhere. A) neutral.
A) undermined the importance of B) were made by Atlantis B) positive.
Ife. masters. C) negative.
B) bought the casts from Ife. C) represented the citizens of D) unsure.
C) conquered the neighbouring Atlantis.
Ife. D) were figures from a Greek
D) replaced Ife as a cultural legend.
centre.
18. In general, it may be said that
the article is about …
A) an exciting art show.
B) a prejudiced opinion.
C) the history of Africa.
D) the art of sculpture.

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Text 76
Imperial treasures from Vienna
It is small – it’s just a ring, after all. It is also surprising and breathtaking. The colour and purity of the stone
and the shield-like shape that forms the front of the object give the sapphire ring the kind of cool elegance
that can, however, be reproduced in photographs. But its amazing hot halo of shooting blue, purple and
pink lights is visible only in person. The entire ring is masterfully carved from a single, unbroken hunk of the
precious gem. It’s unique – there is nothing quite like it anywhere else. Made in 1400, the ring is the earliest
of the 60 treasures on view in “Splendour and Power”, which just opened at the Fitzwilliam Museum in
Cambridge. It is a perfect example of the exhibition’s purpose, which is to delight visitors while also
explaining why rulers collected these very expensive, ornate and masterfully crafted objects. In this case the
collectors were the dynasty of the Habsburgs, who ruled the Holy Roman Empire from their Austrian base
for centuries.
Surprisingly, these pieces may occasionally mimic the shapes of useful objects, like drinking cups, but they
were never meant to be utilitarian. That is not to say they lacked purpose. Indeed, they were designed to
“enchant the senses, delight the eye and inspire the intellect,” writes Sabine Haag, the curator of this show,
which was loaned from Vienna’s Kunsthistoriches Museum (KHM), in the excellent catalogue.
Some of the precious objects were prized as exotic messengers from far-off lands. These include a carved,
pale jade Ming bowl, mounted with rubies from the Ottoman court (possibly as a diplomatic gift). When it
made its way to the Habsburgs it joined other spectacular objects in the Kunstkammer (art chamber),
collected to further legitimise and enhance the power of the ambitious owner.
It was only in the 19th century that art was split into “high” and “low». Anything decorative fit into the
latter category, regardless of beauty or technical expertise. As a result, some may find it difficult to look at
these rock-crystal vessels, jewels and perfume flasks as works of art. The single piece in this exhibition that
should succeed in repairing this ill-judged high/low divide is the ivory cup made by Bernhard Strauss in
Augsburg around 1660. It is so deeply carved with classical gods and goddesses – Apollo with his lyre, Diana
with her alert dog – that the piece has become translucent. It seems Strauss brought Olympus to life.
Elsewhere in the Fitzwilliam paintings and sculpture are exhibited in rooms decorated with fine Oriental
rugs, warm wood furniture and tick-tocking Thomas Tompion clocks. But never mind. Benefactions from the
Monument Trust have allowed the Fitzwilliam to commission new display cases of non-reflective glass. The
welcome illusion is that nothing separates the ogler from the ogled.
The Kunstkammer at the KHM can boast of the greatest surviving princely treasure in the Western world. It
has been closed for refurbishment since 2002, making this loan – the largest for half a century – possible.
The Kunstkammer is expected to reopen at the end of next year, after which decades will surely pass before
its objects leave home again. For those within striking distance of Cambridge, enough said
12. According to the author, the 13. “It” in “It is a perfect example 14. Saying “they were never
beauty of the exhibited sapphire of the exhibition’s purpose” meant to be utilitarian” the
ring can be fully appreciated … (paragraph 1) refers to the … author means that the exhibits
A) in a photograph. A) ring. were supposed to be …
B) at the exhibition. B) exhibition’s collection. A) useful.
C) in special light. C) exhibition’sorigin. B) expensive.
D) where it was carved. D) exhibition’scatalogue. C) decorative.
D) unusual.
15. According to the author 16. “Some” in “some may find it 17. The Monument Trust helped
(paragraph 4), some objects may difficult to look at these rock- to provide …
be seen as … crystal vessels, jewels and A) better attendance of the
A) common things. perfume flasks as works of art” exhibition.
B) poorly manufactured. (paragraph 4) refers to the … B) better decorated rooms.
C) spoiltin repairs. A) exhibits. C) furniture for the exhibition
D) collected ill-advisedly. B) visitors. rooms.
C) artists. D) better conditions for viewing
D) owners. the exhibits.
18. The article was written to …
A) advertise Vienna’s
Kunsthistoriche Museum.
B) prove that the exhibits are
works of art.
C) attract more visitors to the
exhibition.
D) describe the treasures of the
Hapsburgs.

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Text 77
Esperanto
In some heavily multilingual areas of the world, most people learn a lingua franca – a regional trade
language – in addition to their mother tongue. But when someone proposes English or French, say, as a
trade language, objections inevitably arise. These languages are notoriously difficult to learn, with strange
spellings and numerous grammatical rules and exceptions. But more importantly, they’re loaded with
historical and cultural baggage. The only hope for a truly universal language would seem to be an artificial
one – a language that is designed to be free from cultural biases and easy to learn. This was precisely the
goal of Esperanto.
L. L. Zamenhof grew up in the late 1800s inWarsaw,which was a part of Russia at that time. While still in
high school he set out to design a universal artificial language that would facilitate communication within
his linguistically diverse community. By the time he finished this side project ten years later, Zamenhof was
a practicing ophthalmologist. In 1887, Zamenhof published the first guide in Russian to the new language,
which he called “Lingvo Internacia”, meaning “international language”. Zamenhof wrote the textbook under
the pseudonym “Esperanto,” meaning “a person who is hoping” in Lingvo Internacia. Fans of the language
decided that “Esperanto” had a nicer ring to it, and they soon adopted it as the informal name of the
language.
Esperanto was designed to be both easy to learn and culturally neutral. According to some sources, an
English speaker can learn Esperanto up to five times faster than Spanish. For starters, Esperanto uses strictly
phonetic spelling – a given letter always makes exactly the same sound. Second, the structure of Esperanto
is very simple, with only sixteen basic grammatical rules that need to be learned – and no exceptions to the
rules such as irregular verbs. And third, Esperanto has a very small core vocabulary; new words are
constructed by combining words and adding prefixes and suffixes.
The vocabulary of Esperanto will have a familiar ring to anyone who knows a European language, as roots
were borrowed from French, German, and Spanish, among other languages. For examples: “bona” means
“good”; “porko” means “pig”; “filo” means “son”; “hundo” means “dog.” One could argue that this
selection represents not so much cultural neutrality as Euro-neutrality, but this hasn’t prevented Esperanto
from becoming popular in China and some other parts of Asia.
For all its merits, Esperanto has not reached the level of acceptance its creator foresaw more than a century
ago. There may be as many as two million people who speak Esperanto with at least a moderate level of
proficiency, but probably no more than a few hundred who learned Esperanto at home as their first
language and no known speakers over the age of three or so who speak only Esperanto. Ironically, the
cultural neutrality that is touted as such a benefit of the language also serves to limit its growth, because
languages tend to spread with the cultures that gave rise to them. Alas, unless or until the number of
Esperanto speakers reaches a larger critical mass, it will be of little value as a trade language, and without a
clear value, it will be difficult to convince people to learn it.
12. According to the text, an 13. Zamenhof started to work on 14. At first, the word “Esperanto”
artificial language should … a new language because … was used as the …
A) be similar to the mother A) it was his school home A) name of the new language.
tongues of the majority of assignment. B) pen-name of the new
speakers. B) he wanted to improve language designer.
B) be based on cultural and communication in his multilingual C) title of the book about the
historical traditions. environment. new language.
C) have clear grammatical rules C) it was an important D) name of the place where the
and exceptions. requirement for his job. new language was designed.
D) be simple and culturally D) he had problems with studying
neutral. Russian in Warsaw.
15. According to the text, it is 16. According to the text, 17. The phrase “level of
NOT true that … Esperanto represents Euro- acceptance” in “Esperanto has
A) grammatical system of neutrality because it is … not reached the level of
Esperanto is easy. A) designed for the Europeans. acceptance its creator foresaw
B) Esperanto is easier for the B) based on European culture. …” (paragraph 5) means the level
speakers of English. C) based on different European at which the language is …
C) Esperanto has a simple languages. A) known.
phonetic system. D) designed to be used within B) developed.
D) the new words in Esperanto Europe. C) spoken as the first language.
are built up by joining words. D) used.
18. The purpose of the text is to

…
A) encourage people to learn
Esperanto.
B) give a general overview of
Esperanto.
C) present grammar principles in
Esperanto.
D) tell the story of the word
“Esperanto”.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 78
Your amazing brain
You carry around a three-pound mass of wrinkly material in your head that controls every single thing you
will ever do. From enabling you to think, learn, create, and feel emotions to controlling every blink, breath,
and heartbeat – this fantastic control center is your brain. It is a structure so amazing that in the foreword
to Discovering the Brain, famous scientist James Watson wrote, “The brain is the most complex thing we
have yet discovered in our universe. It contains hundreds of billions of cells interlinked through trillions of
connections. The brain confuses the mind.” Obviously to understand brain function, we need to confront its
complexity.
Imagine your kitten is on the kitchen counter. She’s about to step onto a stove. You have only seconds to
act. Accessing the signals coming from your eyes, your brain quickly calculates when, where, and at what
speed you will need to dive to intercept her. Then it orders your muscles to do so. Your timing is perfect and
she’s safe. No computer can come close to your brain’s awesome ability to download, process, and react to
the flood of information coming from your eyes, ears, and other sensory organs.
Your brain contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons – so many it would take you over
3,000 years to count them all. Whenever you dream, laugh, think, see, or move, it’s because tiny chemical
and electrical signals are racing between these neurons along billions of tiny neuron highways. Believe it or
not, the activity in your brain never stops. Countless messages zip around inside it every second like a
supercharged pinball machine. Your neurons create and send more messages than all the phones in the
entire world. And while a single neuron generates only a tiny amount of electricity, all your neurons
together can generate enough electricity to power a low-wattage bulb.
Neurons send information to your brain at more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour. For example, a
bee lands on your bare foot. Sensory neurons in your skin relay this information to your spinal cord and
brain at a speed of more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour. Your brain then uses motor neurons to
transmit the message back through your spinal cord to your foot to shake the bee off quickly. Motor
neurons can relay this information at more than 200 miles (322 kilometers) per hour.
Riding a bike seems impossible at first. But soon you master it. How? As you practice, your brain sends “bike
riding” messages along certain pathways of neurons over and over, forming new connections. In fact, the
structure of your brain changes every time you learn, as well as whenever you have a new thought or
memory.
It is well known that any exercise that makes your heart beat faster, like running or playing basketball, is
great for your body and can even help improve your mood. But large-scale efforts of scientists from a group
of institutes from the National Institutes of Health have recently showed that for a period of time after
you’ve exercised, your body produces a chemical that makes your brain more receptive for gaining new
knowledge. So if you’re stuck on a homework problem, go out and play a game of soccer, then try the
problem again. You just might discover that you’re able to solve it.
12. According to the text, the 13. The claims that the brain is 14. According to the text, the
most distinctive characteristic of better than any computer work of brain neurons influences
the brain is its … because it … …
A) ability to control the body. A) processes more information. A) electricity production.
B) elaborateness. B) works faster. B) our dreams.
C) size. C) can download information C) everything we do.
D) weight. from different sources. D) character of messages we
D) reacts to information more send.
adequately.
15. The narrator compares the 16. Comparing sensory and 17. The structure of brain
work of neurons to a pinball motor neurons, we can make a changes when …
machine to … conclusion that … A) our memory fails.
A) show the character of brain A) motor neurons transmit B) new neurons appear.
work. information faster. C) we are riding a bike.
B) raise the awareness of the B) there are more motor D) we acquire new knowledge.
brain’s nature. neurons.
C) stress the amount of C) sensory neurons transmit
information that the brain information faster.
processes. D) there are more sensory
D) illustrate the shape of the neurons.
neuron highways.
18. Physical exercises proved to
be good for …
A) the production of brain
chemicals.
B) solving homework problems.
C) giving the brain a rest.
D) maintaining a good mood.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 79
Ordeal by water
It is tempting to see the river Thames as another artery in London’s integrated transport system, the same
colour blue on the map as the Victoria Underground line. In this ideal world, passengers move effortlessly
from river ferry to train, bus or Tube, continuing their seamless journey carefree.
Unfortunately, that is not exactly how it is. Father Thames is not as kind and even-tempered as it might
seem as one is looking at the map. It is a muddy, tidal creek whose flukish currents insidiously rip round the
base of bridges. Navigation is hard. And the river is not straight: it does giant loops, especially around the
Canary Wharf financial district. A passenger alighting from a river ferry often has to walk five or ten minutes
to the nearest land connection.
With London’s Tube and buses bursting at the seams, a succession of entrepreneurs have braved these
negatives and tried unsuccessfully to set up commuter services on this natural highway. Sean Collins
reckons he is the 15th since 1905 – but this time things may have changed. His business, which started as
Collins River Enterprises in 1999, shows every sign of surviving its second decade, despite the economy’s
woes and volatile fuel costs. Thames Clippers, as the firm is called these days, carried 3.2m passengers in
2009, running fast catamarans between Woolwich, downriver of the city centre, and Waterloo.
Perhaps Mr. Collins, now its managing director, simply was lucky enough to pick the right time. The past
decade has been kind to the Thames. Big property developments have sprung up on both sides of the river,
and more are on their way before the 2012 Olympic games. And so far, at least, Canary Wharf seems to be
weathering the financial storm. But there has been still another advantage: both public and private backing
for the firm have been crucial.
Thames Clippers gets a small subsidy from Transport for London (TfL), part of the Greater London Authority.
A big step towards welcome integration came in November, when passengers were first allowed to use
their TfL Oyster fare cards on Thames Clippers, too. And recently, Greenwich Council agreed to pay
£269,000 for guaranteed service between Greenwich and Woolwich over the next four years.
One big problem is the jumbled ownership and management of landing piers: TfL owns 7 of the 13 in central
London and various property developers the rest. At piers used jointly, the situation does not favour the
ferries trying to stick to a timetable. They can be delayed by tourist boats hanging on for passengers. To
have more control of its schedule, Thames Clippers took over the lease of the privately-owned London
Bridge City Pier in November.
Another impediment is the unnecessarily rigid restriction on speed. The Port of London Authority (PLA)
imposes a 12-knot limit west of Wapping, which means that boats can show their exhilarating 30-knot
cruising speed only on the eastern stretches of the river.
The PLA supports the plan to get more people on the river but insists that safety is paramount. It also points
out that tourists and freight, not just commuters, use the Thames. So for the moment, Thames Clippers’
civilised catamarans to and from Waterloo remain a secret pleasure for the cognoscenti.
12. According to paragraphs 1 13. The words “the natural 14. Which was the most
and 2, the Thames is … highway” in “tried unsuccessfully important factor for Thames
A) fully integrated into London’s to set up commuter services on Clippers’ success?
transport system. this natural highway” (paragraph A) Huge numbers of passengers.
B) not perfectly fit for solving 3), stand for … B) The luck of the owner.
London’s transport problems. A) the city centre. C) Private and public
C) an ideal way to travel round B) the railway. investments.
the city. C) the Tube. D) New and fast catamarans.
D) providing a shorter journey D) the Thames.
than on-land transport.
15. “Their” in “allowed to use 16. Which impediment for 17. Calling the catamarans “a
their TfL Oyster fare cards on Thames Clippers operations is secret pleasure for the
Thames Clippers, too” (paragraph NOT mentioned in the text? cognoscenti”, the author means
5) refers to … A) Inadequate fares for boat that …
A) Transport for London. trips. A) they are not very suitable.
B) the passengers. B) Uncertainty about the B) they offer a good way to spend
C) Greenwich Council. timetable. your free time.
D) Thames Clippers. C) Joint ownership of the piers. C) there are few of them
D) Speed limit for river transport. compared to the tourist boats.
D) the possibility to use them is
not appreciated by everybody.
18. According to the title of the
article, the author thinks that the
river transport …
A) needs improvement.
B) is not very promising.
C) is suitable only for tourists.
D) provides big business
opportunities.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 80
Internet
Internet is one of the greatest tools we have today. Billions of bits of information, unlimited ways to
connect, games to play, videos to watch, things to learn. There’s something for everyone. We Facebook,
tumble, stumble, and tweet more now than ever. Social media is connecting us in incredible ways. You can
create communities of like-minded people that would never meet before on the Internet. But, due to this,
we are spending copious amounts of time on the World Wide Web, and it’s slowly changing who you are as
a person.
I went for a long period of time where I didn’t read a book. I finally got around to picking up a few new
books and as soon as I started reading them, I struggled. I couldn’t hold concentration like I used to. I would
read a whole paragraph with my mind elsewhere or had this constant anxious feeling to do something else,
even when there was absolutely nothing else to do. My mind would jump from one thought to another and
I barely could read a chapter in one sitting. A talked to a few people about this, and I even looked to the
trusty Internet for my solution. I found that I’m not alone, many people report the same type of
concentration shift. The reason for this is the information overload via Internet.
We take in 34 gigabytes of information each day now. That is 5 times more than we did 20 years ago. There
is so much going on in our minds that we rarely spend any time on one particular bit of information because
there is always something new and more intriguing just around the corner. When we land on a webpage,
we spend the average of about 50 seconds, if that, and know that there are at least 5 other links we can
click on the page. We can still concentrate, but our minds would much rather be focused on a series of
things, not one thought.
Not only is it altering our concentration on reading long works, but it’s changing “how” we read. We no
longer read; we skim. This is our way of adapting to this information overload. It would take too long to
process all this information and we don’t need everything. We sift through the information and get to the
main point or relevant material.
The way things are written online is changing for us as well. For anyone who has written a blog post, it’s a
much different style of writing compared to novels and even newspaper articles. The things we read online
are as clear and concise as possible. Adjectives are a thing of the past. The information is usually already
condensed for you, and is separated into neat headlines that make it easy to scan the page in a few
seconds. We don’t focus on comprehension anymore, we know what we’re looking for and we find it
quickly.
The way we are reading things is just the start, the way we are thinking is changing too. Before, we had
calm linear thoughts, one thing led to another. Now, our thoughts are jumping back and forth between so
many things. We have one thought, which leads to four or five other non-related thoughts, and then some
time later we return to the original thought. This is a direct result of our attention being focused on so many
things for so little time on the web. There is always a link that can take us somewhere new and start a new
train of thoughts.
We’ve developed a much more fluid way of thinking. And it’s not a bad thing. It’s making us more creative.
You are much more efficient at combing and filtering through ideas, which in essence is what inspiration is.
Linear thought is very organized and does not leave room for new ideas.
So, the Internet has become an essential part of our daily lives. But it’s also important to disconnect for a
while and to take care of your body and mind. Create a balance of time online and in the real world, so you
can reap the positive cognitive abilities the Internet is giving you and avoid forming an unhealthy set of
habits that will cost you later in life.
12. According to the author, 13. Why does Internet, according 14. Which of the following is NOT
Internet changes people because to the author, influence reading a feature of an online text?
… concentration? A) Lots of descriptive words.
A) of the amount of information A) It leaves less time for reading. B) Informative headline.
it provides. B) It provides excessive C) Reduced size.
B) it adds lots of friends. information. D) Clarity.
C) they spend too much time C) The information there changes
online. too fast.
D) it helps to create new D) The bits of information there
communities. are very short.
15. The way people read has 16. According to the author the 17. The author calls for …
changed because … new way of thinking helps people A) allowing more time for
A) they had to read faster. … personal life.
B) they lost interest in serious A) filter useless information. B) giving equal attention to real
literature. B) choose right things. world and Internet.
C) they don’t need all the C) develop creativity. C) a healthy life style.
information they read about. D) browse the Internet D) developing thinking abilities.
D) they had to adjust to new effectively.
conditions.
18. It can be implied from the
text that the author’s attitude
towards Internet is sooner …
A) positive.
B) neutral.
C) skeptical.
D) negative.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 81
Travelling
I’ve spent the last year wandering around the globe and exploring this wondrous thing called life. Through
26 flights, I’ve managed to circle the globe twice, and touch 5 of the 7 continents. It’s been an incredible
experience. The journey led me from scuba diving for a month in Thailand to hitchhiking in African country.
I’ve learned about the world and myself more than any book, teacher or person could tell me.
I’ve learned that the timing will never be perfect because rarely are we blessed with the perfect time to do
something. When I was planning on leaving to travel for a year, it was never the “right time” when
everything was going to be put on hold for my travels. I needed more money, or I would lose my job. I
realized that I was never going to be “ready” to drastically change my life, as I was always going to have
some new commitment or excuse. So I left at the “wrong time” in life and it turned out to be the best thing
that happened to me. But once I got sick of missing out on things I wanted to do and see, I started to just do
them anyway.
I’ve also learned that friendships are everything. I heard this one a lot before, but never really believed it
that much. When I started looking back on my travels, I started to think “Wow, I’ve seen a heck of lot of
cool places”. I tried to think back to my favorites, which ones did I enjoy the most? They were always the
ones where I had the best friends and really had nothing to do with where I was. The people around you
contribute a great deal to your overall happiness. It was only when I had no friends that I realized their
importance.
When travelling, you have complete freedom to literally do anything you want. You can relax everyday on
the beach, you can be alone every day in your room, you can eat ice cream for breakfast every day, and you
can drink all the time. This freedom can be quite liberating, but many people have a tough time balancing
the party/drinking/vacation aspect with truly seeing and experiencing each country, because you have no
responsibilities and no one around to tell you when you can’t do something. I too fell into a similar kind of
trap. I indulged in so many aspects of life. I took everything to the extreme until it had lost its excitement. I
realized that balance was the key.
Another lesson I have learned is that life doesn’t have to be “normal”. Go to school, get a job, or buy a big
house. When anyone strays from this path they are considered to be not “normal”. It’s only when I started
traveling that I saw that a fulfilling and happy life isn’t always a respectable job, with a big house and lots of
money. I began to meet interesting characters from all over the world and saw first-hand how they had
gone “against the grain” and succeeded. There are tons of other ways to live a fulfilling and happy life, but
most of us have only seen the “big house” scenario. I saw and experienced how happy people are doing
something completely different than normal jobs, because they get to wake up every day and do what they
want to do in the place they want to be.
So, while travelling I realized that you can read about things, watch them on TV, or hear stories from a
friend, but nothing comes close to first-hand human experience. You get a whole new perspective on what
really matters and you feel this sense of adventure and excitement that reminds you just how many
possibilities you have in life. To anyone who has not travelled, do it. And to those who have, continue to do
so. It will teach you more about yourself and the world around you than you could ever imagine.
12. According to the author 13. The time for the author “was 14. The most important thing the
travelling helps you … never right” because … author learned during his travels
A) understand yourself. A) he was afraid of new was about …
B) learn new skills. experiences. A) responsibilities.
C) see the world. B) there always was an excuse B) balance.
D) enjoy the life. not to do something. C) freedom.
C) he wanted to act according to D) friendship.
a plan.
D) his travels were poorly
organized.
15. According to the author 16. The author is sure that 17. During his travels the author
complete freedom … ‘normal’ life is … realized the importance of …
A) needs control. A) impossible. A) adventures.
B) is to be avoided. B) too dull. B) direct experiences.
C) is very relaxing. C) not necessary. C) education.
D) is tempting. D) very rare. D) independence.
18. It can be implied from the
text that the author will …
A) write books about his
adventures.
B) teach about travelling.
C) continue travelling.
D) try to live a ‘normal’ life.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________
Text 82
The lure of the screen
I used to tell my parents that the first cell phone I will allow my own children to have will be a flip phone,
incapable of Internet access and certainly without the ability to use “apps.” I argued that their first phones
would have only the capabilities of my first phone – texting and calling – used primarily to contact their
parents, and once in a while classmates to ask about homework. Isn’t it primarily what we think kids need
phones for?
It took me a while to realize how impractical this was because if the first piece of a given technology that I
possessed had been the same as my parents’, I would have been walking around with a cassette player in a
world of iPods (incidentally, I loved my Sony Walkman CD player).
So maybe it was a little ridiculous for me to suggest this, but I think my point was (and is) valid. I look at
young kids today and see that they’re as attached to mobile devices as their adult counterparts. It has come
to the point where kids would rather sit inside and play games on their parents’ (or their own) iPads than go
outside and play hide-and-seek, or catch, well, do anything.
And while I recall my parents telling me to drop the Legos or even the PlayStation controller and head
outside, I, unlike these children, often actually did it, and when I didn’t, at least I was capable of breaking
away to utter a response.
Today, however, youngsters are becoming so attached to technology at such a young age, as young as 3 or
4, that they are forgetting – if they ever learned in the first place – how to have fun without an iPad –
literally.
In April, The Telegraph quoted North Ireland teacher Colin Kinney, who said his colleagues, “have concerns
over the increasing numbers of young pupils who can swipe a screen but have little or no manipulative skills
to play with building blocks or the like, or the pupils who cannot socialize with other pupils but whose
parents talk proudly of their ability to use a tablet or smartphone.”
Kinney goes on to say that the “brilliant computer skills” these children possess is “outweighed by their
deteriorating skills in pen and paper exams because they rely on instant support of the computer and are
often unable to apply what they should have learned from their textbooks.”
It is true that we are moving into a world in which the ability to understand the language of computer
coding is more important than the ability to read and write cursive. This, however, is not an excuse for the
extent to which young children have become as addicted (or more so) to their mobile devices as their
parents.
LeapFrog, the popular children’s brand is set to unveil a product called the Leap Band; the first wearable
tech catered specifically toward children. And although the wristwatch-like product is designed to get kids
up and moving, it raises a question for me: How young is too young?
I read that Google is considering allowing online accounts for children under the age of 13 (though giving
their parents control over how the service is used).
Because of this cross-generational addiction, this week has been designated as “Screen Free Week” in
schools around the country. The week is aimed at getting every member of the family away from computer
and device use for just one week and head outside.
For parents, technology is now a dilemma: Give it to their kids at a young age so they are in line with their
classmates in terms of computer prowess or withhold it and allow them the gift of social skills … only time
will tell, but I fear the former is gaining ground.
12. What kind of a phone does 13. Which of the following 14. What does the author
the author want her children to statements reflects the author’s remember about her childhood?
have first? views? A) She didn’t like to play outside.
A) An old-type phone. A) Parents shouldn’t allow their B) She enjoyed PlayStation more
B) A modern phone. children to play games on iPads. than Lego.
C) Something like her parents’ B) Children are more attached to C) She went for a walk outside
phone. technology than adults. whenever her parents told her.
D) Something like her “old” C) Children now prefer their D) She preferred to ignore her
phone. gadgets to outdoor games. parents when she played.
D) It’s hard to imagine the
modern life without mobile
devices.
15. Teacher Kinney is worried 16. “This” in paragraph 8 (This, 17. What does the author imply
about children’s … however, is not an excuse …) by asking “How young is too
A) communicative skills. refers to … young”?
B) computer skills. A) addiction to technology. A) Leap Band is inappropriate for
C) parents’ attitudes. B) computer language. young children.
D) writing skills. C) importance of computers. B) Technology may enter
D) literacy skills. children’s life too early.
C) Leap Band products suit any
child.
D) Wristwatch-like products are
for older children.
18. How, according to the author,
will the parents solve the
technological dilemma?
A) In favour of communication
skills.
B) In favour of both the computer
and communication skills.
C) They will try to refrain from
making the decision.
D) In favour of the computer
skills.

12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Vocabulary
Мой балл___________________________________________

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Раздел «Чтение»

Задание №10 (первое в разделе Чтение)

3.Подчеркните так называемые “параллельные конструкции” (синонимы) в

1. First computers 5. Professional sport

1. Supercomputer 5. Intelligent machines in our life

1. Party Dessert 5. Giving a party

Запишите в таблицу выбранные цифры под соответствующими буквами.

1. by joining our e-community

1. that none of the others have

1. what those people were really like

1. Australia is one of the most

1. that reflect contemporary public opinion and celebrity

1. double-deckers are adored by thousands of tourists

Запишите в таблицу выбранные цифры под соответствующими буквами.

Запишите в таблицу выбранные цифры под соответствующими буквами.

1. are built on the ground

1. but showed evidence of an early human housing

1. through a small hole in the floor

1. but we did anyway.

1. who is appointed by the president

1. up for the optional module, part of

1. such as Easter and Christmas

1. than any other group

1. and in 1552 it was conquered by

1. that laughter is a uniquely human trait

Запишите в таблицу выбранные цифры под соответствующими буквами.

1. and restorers have done everything possible to keep

1. that needed public attention and a new building

1. because they see and touch them close up

1. joining some of Wales’ most talented musicians

1. to be used for civil defence

1. and I designed the rest

1. which is now called the West building

1. I never quite leave home

1. when the reindeer give birth in May

Запишите в таблицу выбранные цифры под соответствующими буквами.

1. and hotels there or nearby the avenue

1. which connected Switzerland and Italy

1. that are located at the corners

1. that is built on hundreds of islands

1. but soon I got adults wanting to book lessons

1. who are more interested in the past

1. who are more interested in the past

1. takes a lot of time and effort to tan

Запишите в таблицу выбранные цифры под соответствующими буквами.

1. just overfill your stomach

1. that they are particularly interested in

1. that young people should stay on at school, as

1. which is felt all year round

1. which is above Earth’s atmosphere.

1. a terrible storm and the ship sinks

1. it has become a way of life.

1. and finally measure them.

1. I could be playing down there someday

1. who are fond of extreme tourism

1. and has a lot of green places

The Royal Parks are for everyone to enjoy.

1. that take cyclists away from traffic

The Royal Parks are for everyone to enjoy.

1. that take cyclists away from traffic

1. that is carried on regularly in each of the museums

1. cause lots of problems

1. that makes it a place to visit when

1. was only a matter of time