Friendship in the modern world

FRIENDSHIP IN THE MODERN WORLD

People often say that our modern way of life, with its individualism and fast speed, has made the world a lonely place. So many of us live and work surrounded by people, but it is hard to find true friendship. The faces we see each day are like pictures in a gallery; the talk that we hear is just sound. Perhaps this is why the websites like ‘Facebook’, ‘Contacts’ are so popular these days. They allow people to communicate and even become close without meeting up. It seems that many people’s idea of friendship has changed nowadays. But what is friendship?

Aristotle was the first western philosopher to discuss friendship in a detailed way. He said that people who chose to live alone were either like animals or gods. He probably meant that it is natural to want friends. Certainly, people who choose to live without friends are frequently regarded as having problems. We either pity them or else we view them as strange.

Aristotle also said that there are three different categories of friends. In the first category, we are friends with people because of some advantage that the friendship gives us. In other words, the friendship has a practical value. Friends in this category would include bosses at work or some of our colleagues.

Aristotle’s second category of friendship is based on the idea of pleasure. Friends in this category enjoy doing things together and they have a lot of interests in common.

The third category of friendship is the highest form of friendship. In this category, people are friends on a deeper level. The friendship does not depend on anything other than the friends themselves. The relationship is so close that it seems that one soul belongs to two bodies, Aristotle said.

Aristotle also said that close friends must have eaten salt together. In other words, they must have shared some of life’s good and bad experiences. Most people today would probably agree that these are a fundamental part of true friendship.

2. Read aloud the extract which says about the changes in the modern society.

 

3. What do people think about people who have no friends?

 

4. What does Aristotle say about the three types of friendship?

 

Билет №3 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to the radio programme and answer the questions below.

1. What are the three main ingredients of the great British breakfast?

 

 

2. What is a new trend or fashion in London’s top restaurants?

 

 

3. What are the key ingredients of a breakfast in a London cafe?

 

Script:

Hello, I’m Amber, in London Life today, we find out what the traditional British breakfast is made of, and why it is becoming more and more popular, especially in London. Let’s listen to three people.

Speaker 1: It’s a meal that everyone outside of England has heard of, and dreams about, and we don’t know what it is, but when we come here, we want to eat it.
I got here, and I went to a cafe and there was the bacon, eggs and fried potatoes, and I thought — is this all there is?!

Speaker 2: I think it’s very important to start a day. If I’ve got a long day at work, I try and eat egg and bacon in the morning because it’s protein — it keeps you going all day. Now in London, there’re lots more people having business meetings in top restaurants and it’s getting very fashionable to have breakfast.

Speaker 3: I would say the cafe experience is very important, you know, it’s less than 50 % the food, as it is. In a good cafe, they’re not going to hurry you out. There are the smells, there are the sounds — you are just listening to the world go by.

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about family relationship.

 

Билет № 4

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Билет № 4 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to the radio programme and answer the questions below.

1. How long has Brian lived on his boat?

 

 

2. Why did he decide to leave London?

 

 

3. What can he do with his boat that he couldn’t with a house?

 

Script:

Jackie: Hello, I’m Jackie Dalton. Have you ever wanted to do something completely different? Well, one man now lives on his boat. Brian, welcome.

Brian: Hello!

Jackie: How long have you been living on the boat and why did you move there?

Brian: I’ve been down here now for about 12 years. I used to live in London. The family had grown up, the wife had died. I had this big house… and I thought who for? I’m going to go and live on the boat.

Jackie: Are you glad you decided to leave London and live on a boat in
Brighton?

Brian: Best decision I’ve ever made.

Jackie: Brian, what can you do on a boat that you can’t do in a house?

Brian: All these boats have got all the comforts that are required for living on board: microwaves, televisions, fridges... If you don’t like your neighbours, you can go to another place. There’s a lot going for living on board. I love everything that’s down here. I love these lovely nights, the lovely sunsets. People pay for this, you know, they ask me silly questions like “Where do you go for your holiday?” and I look out here and I look at them and I think: “Every day is a holiday!”

III.(тема)

 Let’s talk about friendship and relationship with friends.

 

 

Билет № 5

I.1. Read the magazine article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Unknown Arthur Conan Doyle

Like the great detective Sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle also had many wonderful talents. Many people do not know that he wrote many other kinds of books: science fiction, historical adventures, horror stories and stories of the supernatural. He also wrote factual books on history and politics. In everything he did, he showed his incredible creative energy.

Conan Doyle came from an artistic family and he was a natural writer. His father was a talented artist and his mother was a very good story­teller. In his autobiography, Conan Doyle wrote: “The stories that my mother told me when I was a child stand out more powerfully than the real facts of my life.”

Conan Doyle went to boarding school when he was nine years old. At school, he entertained his school friends with stories that he had invented. After graduation from Edinburgh University he had his own medical practice in London, but he did not have many patients, so he was not earning a lot of money as a doctor. That’s why Conan Doyle made good use of his free time by writing stories. Soon, Conan Doyle began to have his stories published. He now began to understand that writing could provide a better income than medicine.

Conan Doyle was not satisfied with being just a writer of original and entertaining stories. He was also a great man of action. When he was a young man, he sailed as a ship’s doctor on voyages to the Arctic and to West Africa. When the Boer War1 in Africa started, Conan Doyle volunteered to fight. He was not accepted because he was too old (he was 40). However, he still went to South Africa as a doctor to treat the wounded2 and the sick. He later wrote a history of the Boer War.

Conan Doyle was determined to do some good in society. He tried to enter Parliament, but he wasn’t successful. Conan Doyle was more successful in his work to improve the law system. He worked very hard to help people who had been wrongfully sent to prison.

Conan Doyle did many things in his life, but he will naturally be remembered most as a writer, a creator of Sherlock Holmes.

1 the Boer War — англо­бурская война                     2 the wounded — раненые

2. Conan Doyle had many talents. Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. How did his writing talent develop?

 

4. Which facts prove that Conan Doyle took an active part in social life?

Билет № 5 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование)  Listen to the programme and answer the questions below.

1. How did the dolphins help a 10-year-old boy?

 

2. How does swimming with dolphins help the children?

 

 

3. Why are some people not very enthusiastic about dolphin therapy?

 

Script:

A 10­year­old boy has been helped by dolphins to talk for the first time in his life. Now, after taking part in a dolphin interaction programme he has begun to use words to communicate. He is just one of the many children who have been helped by dolphins.

Dolphin therapy began some 20 years ago. How does it all work? Close contact with the dolphins works as a motivator. Swimming with the dolphins is an experience that reaches deep down and demands the levels of concentration that are necessary for learning.

Despite its evident success at helping children, not everyone is enthusiastic about dolphin therapy. Animal rights groups warn that it is a myth that dolphins are harmless creatures. They are wild animals with wild instincts.

Other people point out the harm done to the dolphins. Captive1 dolphins must be used for the therapy of course. This creates problems when the animals are returned to the wild. It is partly for this reason that some therapy centres only use dolphins that have been rescued from the wild.

Although dolphin therapy has shown itself to be of great value to many sick and disabled children, the right measures must be taken to ensure the protection both of the dolphins and the children who swim with them.

1 captive — находящийся в неволе

III.(тема)

 Let’s talk about education.

 

Билет № 6

I.1. Read the magazine article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Hand made chocolates

Jane Turner began her chocolate making business in a village near the seaside resort of Torquay about three years ago, before that she had worked for a large food processing company in south­west England. We talked to her about her experiences.

Why did you decide to make such a big change of lifestyle?

“First of all, I was not happy in my job. Though it was a well­paid job, the work was very stressful and I had to work long hours. I just wanted to improve the quality of my life. I also wanted to live by the sea again. I knew that it would be difficult to find a good job in this area, so I decided to set up my own business.”

How did the chocolate making begin?

“It had always been my dream. I found a suitable building in a village and installed all the equipment. My sister and a couple of her friends came to work with me and about six months later we were ready to start making cakes. After the cake business had begun to do well and we were supplying hotels and restaurants on a regular basis, I began trying to make my own chocolates. It is not easy to make good chocolate as there are so many factors involved: creativity, the quality of ingredients, even the temperature of the room. When I had developed a good enough range of chocolates, I sent some to the hotels and restaurants. They liked them and ordered more. That is how the chocolate making grew.”

Have you made any mistakes?

“Oh, yes, a lot. Perhaps the biggest mistake was trying to sell our cakes and chocolates over the internet. It was a disaster. First of all, it was expensive to get a professionally designed website set up. Then it was difficult and expensive to deliver cakes and chocolates to places that were far away. We had to use special packaging to protect the cakes and chocolates, which was also expensive. Sometimes, the chocolates arrived late, or despite everything they were damaged. Then we had to deal with some very angry customers!”                                                  What are your plans for the future?                                                                                                             “We are thinking of setting up our own shop in Torquay with cake and chocolate making facilities inside.”

2. Why did Jane Turner start her business? Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. How did her chocolate business develop?

4. What mistakes did she make?

Билет № 6 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование)  Listen to the radio programme and answer the questions below.

1. Why did Arthur Conan Doyle stop writing stories about Sherlock Holmes?

 

2. What worried Mr Horowitz before starting a book?

 

 

3. Why was writing the book about Sherlock Holmes easier than Mr Horowitz thought?

 

Script:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed Sherlock Holmes when writing the stories took up too much of his time. Now, 80 years after the author’s death, Britain’s most famous detective is being brought back to life with a new novel by Anthony Horowitz.

The character of Sherlock Holmes was originally created by Arthur Conan Doyle, who featured him in four novels and more than 50 short stories.

But it’s the first time that the Arthur Conan Doyle estate has officially asked an author to write a new novel. He has been named as Anthony Horowitz and is best known for his Alex Rider children’s series. So, was he afraid of the challenge?

Anthony Horowitz:

“Well obviously, it was exciting to deal with probably the most famous detective in the whole history of literature. And I didn’t want to disappoint the fans, and people who love these books.

But to be honest with you, I found it fairly easy to write because I have always loved those books, I’ve read them two or three times during the course of my lifetime — in fact, my whole life as a writer of crime fiction was inspired by Doyle and I find the book not so scary as I thought it might be.”

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about studying at school.

 

 

Билет № 7

I.1. Read the magazine article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Мysterious disappearance

Agatha Christie wrote some of the best detective stories in English. Her own life also contains a mystery that has only recently been solved.

The story began like this. At 9.45 pm on December 3rd 1926, Agatha Christie left her home in the south of England, saying that she was going out for a drive in her car. The next morning, her car was found quite far away crashed. The front end of the car was in some bushes, the headlights2 were still on. Inside, there were only some women’s clothes and Agatha Christie’s driving license.

The detective in charge of the case, William Kenward immediately organized a big search of the area. Policemen came from different parts of the country to help in the search, even some famous detective writers were asked to help.

Archie Christie, Agatha’s husband, told everyone that his wife was suffering from amnesia3. However, soon the police discovered that the marriage between Archie and Agatha Christie was not a happy one, and that Archie and Agatha were having problems. But he could not admit that his marriage was in trouble because people might have thought that he had had something to do with her disappearance.

At this point, the police received a letter. In the letter, Agatha told Archie’s brother that she was going away to rest in Yorkshire, Harrogate. The police now went there and looked for her at all the hotels. But they did not find Agatha Christie as she had not checked in using her real name. Instead, she had introduced herself as Neele, a visitor from South Africa.

The situation was very upsetting for the police as they didn’t find her. Instead, the musicians in the dance band at the hotel recognized her.

It was not an easy story to believe and most people did not in fact believe it. But all what we know now is that she did not do it for publicity. She did it as she was going through an unhappy time with her husband. Later, in fact, their marriage broke up and they got divorced. However, her disappearance did make Agatha Christie the most popular crime writer in the country.                                                                                                                                                                            1 mysterious — таинственный, загадочный      2 headlights — фары    3 amnesia — потеря памяти, амнезия                                                                                       

2. How did the story begin? Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. What are the details of the police investigation?

4. Why did Agatha Christie disappear according to the article?

Билет № 7 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.

1. What does the boy want to do?

 

2. What does his mother want to do?

 

 

3. Why can’t they make a decision?

 

Script:

James: Morning, mum.

Mother: Good morning, James. Will you, please, help me to get breakfast ready?

J: Sure, mum. Oh, by the way, mum, what will we do this Sunday?

M: Well, there are a lot of things we can do, but I think we have to talk to dad about it first. I’m afraid he’ll want to stay home.

J: Oh well, if he wants to stay in I’ll go and see a football match then. MU’s playing with Chel­sea!

M: We’ll see about it. We may drive to the country and can all take a long walk in the wood! Then have a picnic by the lake! We haven’t done it for a long time.

J: Oh no! It’s so boring! I never enjoy those walks. Besides, they forecast bad weather for the weekend! I’d better stay in town and see a match with the friends. It’ll be great fun I am sure!

M: All right. But let’s talk about it later. It’s only Wednesday today!

J: But it will be too late then. The boys are buying tickets for the match now.
I won’t be able to get it later!

M: Let’s wait for father anyway.

J: OK. When will he be back?

M: I am not sure but I hope he’ll be back at 8 pm.

J: All right, then. I do hope he’ll let me go to the football match.

III.(тема)

 Let’s talk about school traditions.

Билет № 8

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He experimented in many different styles and changed the world of art during his time.

Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain in 1881. His father was a drawing teacher. At 10 Pablo became his father’s pupil and at the age of 13 he held his first exhibition. His family moved to Barcelona in 1895 where Pablo joined an art academy. In his early period the young artist painted life as he saw it around him — in cafes and on the streets. Then they moved to Paris, the centre of art and literature.

In 1901 a close friend of Picasso shot himself. This had a great influence on Pablo. He was very sad and began painting his pictures in grey and blue tones instead of bright, vivid colours. This part of his career is called his Blue Period (1901—1904).

Later on, he changed his painting style and started using more earth colours — rose, pink or brown. He liked to paint pictures of circus life with dancers and acrobats. This Rose Period lasted until 1907.

When Picasso started working with his friend and fellow painter Georges Braque in Paris they started experimenting with a new style that was called cubism. Picasso and Braque didn’t want to show nature as it really was. They thought that all objects in nature had geometric2 forms. In cubism, objects were cut into many flat shapes, which looked like a puzzle. All the sides of a person’s face, for example, were shown at once, maybe even with three eyes instead of two.

In 1936 Civil War broke out in Spain. During this period he painted his masterpiece Guernica3. It shows the terrified people of the ancient Spanish town which was bombed during the Civil War. Picasso was shocked by this inhuman act and in his painting he shows people running in the streets and screaming with their mouths wide open. To display his sadness and anger he used only black and white as well as shades of grey.

He continued his work up to his death in 1973. For his great imagination and skill he is called ‘El Maestro’ of modern art.                                                                                                                   1 Pablo Picasso — Пабло Пикассо             2 geometric — геометрический                      3 Guernica — Герника

2. The most famous painting of Picasso is Guernica. Read aloud the extract about it.

3. Where did Picasso learn to paint?                            4. Picasso worked in different styles. Which styles are mentioned in the article? What are their typical characteristics?

Билет № 8 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to the interview and answer the questions below.

1. What is Kerry’s typical day?

 

2. Why doesn’t Kerry follow a diet or go to the gym?

 

 

3. What piece of advice does Kerry give to beginners?

 

Script:

Interviewer: For most of us, childhood dreams of becoming a dancer stopped at about the time we became teenagers but not for Kerry Jay. Now at the age of 24 she is a dancer in one of the West End’s musicals. Kerry, what’s a typical day?

Kerry: I’m usually not in bed before 2 am, so I get up about 10 am. I go to the gym or occasionally a jazz class. I meet friends who don’t work by day either — it’s my main chance to socialise. We get to the theatre by 6.15 and put on our make­up. Then we’ll get our hair done and put our costumes on.

I: Do you have to exercise to keep your figure?

K: Not at all! I don’t look after myself as well as I should do! I don’t need to do diets or go to the gym daily — just watch what I’m eating. I eat completely normally, including sweets and chocolates but not much.

I: How do you see your future?

K: I can’t imagine myself doing anything else! I’d love to get one of the main roles in ‘Chicago’ eventually. As for getting older in the business, I know a lot of dancers in their mid­30s who are in main parts and doing well.

I: Any advice for beginners?

K: Be confident and keep practising — patience is rewarded!

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about choosing a career.

 

 

Билет № 9

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Good news for chocolate lovers!

It would be difficult to find someone who does not like chocolate. In the United States, chocolate is bought more often than any other kind of sweet. In Britain, each person eats an average of 11 kg of chocolate per year. That is a lot of chocolate! In the US people eat about 200 chocolate bars per second as a matter of fact. People love chocolate so much that they often think it is a bad habit. But there is good news for all chocoholics: eating chocolate does less harm to you than you might think.

People often believe that chocolate causes a number of health problems including bad teeth, obesity1 and skin problems such as acne2. Studies carried out in the United States, however, give no support to this idea.

Specific tests were carried out. One group of people who suffer from acne was given regular amounts of chocolate, while another group of similar sufferers had no chocolate at all. At the end of the test period the two groups were compared. No difference in the condition of the acne sufferers was noticed.

Chocolate contains fat and sugar, so if you ate a lot of chocolate you would probably put on weight. But reasonable amounts of chocolate in your diet will not make you fat. People usually get fat because they eat too much food in general, especially if they are not very active.

What about the effect on your teeth? Chocolate can damage your teeth, but the danger is less than many people believe. It is good to know that eating a certain amount of chocolate may even be good for you. Chocolate contains protein, vitamins and minerals. Scientists believe chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that it can help you fight off illness. The important thing is not the chocolate in itself, but the pleasure that it gives you. Even the smell of chocolate can have a positive effect on your immune system. It is nice to smell chocolate of course, but it is much better to eat it. And the great thing is that you can eat it without fear.

                               1 obesity — ожирение              2 acne — угревая сыпь                                                                                                                                      

2. People eat a lot of chocolate. Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. What health problems do people traditionally connect with eating chocolate?

4. What facts prove that chocolate can be good for our health?

 

Билет № 9 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.

1. What is Alex thinking about?

 

2. Why does he want to bring soldiers as a gift for his parents?

 

 

3. What will Alex buy for his brother?

Script:

Kelly: Hi, Alex. Alex? Are you sleeping?

Alex: No, I’m not sleeping, just thinking.

Kelly: About what?

Alex: Well, I’ll be going back home to visit my family for a couple of weeks.

Kelly: That’s great. So, you must be thinking about how happy you’ll be to see them again.

Alex: Yes, that’s true. But I’m also thinking about what kinds of gifts I should bring back from England for everyone.

Kelly: Of course, you want to bring back some traditional things, don’t you? You could bring back some toy soldiers from the Royal Ceremonial Collection.

Alex: Kelly, you’re a genius! Royal Guard soldiers are not only very colourful, they represent English traditions too! My parents will really like them. Okay, now I have to think of something to buy for my sister. That’s a tough one!

Kelly: Don’t be so pessimistic, Alex. Does she like drinking tea? You could bring back an English teapot.

Alex: Of course! Another great idea! Now the toughest person to shop for — my brother. What in the world could I bring back for him?

Kelly: Didn’t you tell me that your brother is studying English now?

Alex: Yes, that’s right.

Kelly: So why not buy him a DVD so that he can watch a f ilm in English?

Alex: Sure, he’d love that. You amaze me, Kelly!

III. (тема) Let’s talk about life in the city and in the country.

Билет № 10

I.1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about different types of houses.

 

Билет № 11

I.1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Family history

“Researching family history is a true passion rather than just a hobby for many people”, says Julie Mason. “It is wonderfully exciting when you learn more about the ancestors1.”

Julie began researching her family’s past in order to find out her roots2. She says: “When you discover your roots, it gives you understanding who you are.” John Paul Thompson has a different reason for wanting to research his family’s history. “After my father died I found myself with photo albums full of old photographs with no labels. I wanted to find out more about the others.”

Some of the things that people discover about their families can be very surprising. When Jean Sandwell researched her family history she had a very big shock. She found out that she had been adopted as a baby. After she had accepted this situation, Jean tried to find her real parents. “I discovered that my mother emigrated to Australia in 1966,” says Jean. “In 1982 I went to Australia to meet her. It was a very emotional experience for both of us.”

So what is the best way to start researching your family history? “Interview all your family members before it is too late,” says Julie Mason. “Make a basic family tree of your close family and step by step make it bigger. Of course, it is not easy to have accurate information from relatives about things that happened in the distant past. It is quite normal for different family members give different versions of the same events. It is very important to check everything.”

Public records in local libraries and in national archives3 are also important to the family historian. Old newspaper reports are often kept on in local libraries. Sometimes, researching your family history can be lonely work. Remember that you can find a lot of help on the internet.

Of course, it is not easy to trace your family history a long way back and you must be very patient. Believe me, in the future, your children, and their children may be very grateful to you for recording it.

1 an ancestor — предок                           2 roots — корни                            3 an archive — архив

2. Jean Sandwell made a shocking discovery. Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. Why do people start tracing their family histories?

 

4. What recommendations does the author give to discover your roots?

Билет № 11 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование)  Listen to the conversation and answer the questions below.

1. How many runners are going to take part in the race?

 

2. Where would they like to organize the starting line?

 

 

3. Why do they need to have first-aid points?

 

Script:

Mike: Well, Jane, we’ve only got two weeks left before the run so I really think we have to finalise the route of the race today.

Jane: Yes, Mike. Now, how many runners do you estimate1 will register for the race?

Mike: Well, it’s hard to say what the final number will be — at the moment we have 150 applicants2 but I fully expect there will be 200 by the race itself.

Jane: Fine. I’ll make a note of that.

Mike: Where will the starting line be?

Jane: I think you have to start somewhere that has a place to warm up. How about the Town hall as the car park there is big enough for the runners to do their exercises?

Mike: Actually, that’s a good point. Let’s start there and then we could have the first­aid point nearby. But look, we should have another first­aid point somewhere on the route in case the runners have problems.

Jane: You’re probably right! Em, do you think the athletes need somewhere to take a break if they are feeling tired? We could use the entrance to the library. It’s ideal as it has such a huge portico where the athletes could relax in the shade.

Mike: Good idea.

1 to estimate — полагать

2 an applicant — участник

III.(тема)

 Let’s talk about Belarusian national cuisine.

 

Билет № 12

I. 1. Read a part of the interview with Audra Mari, Miss Teen USA, taken by the magazine “Seventeen” and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Вullying Again?

Seventeen: What was your experience with bullying1 in high school?

Audra Mari: One Sunday, I came home and there was a big picture on the door. It was basically making fun of me because I’m tall. Once the girls prepared a slogan to support a football team. The slogan wishing good luck faced the team, but the back of the slogan read “Go Home Mari”. And the whole student section saw it. One time during lunch, I was sitting with all my friends, and a girl came up to me and threw a paper lunch bag at me. She said, “You can eat this for lunch, it is for horses.”

Seventeen: What was going through your head when all of this was happening?

AM: At first, I tried to keep it in and not tell anyone except for my friends because I thought that it’d finish after the first few weeks, but this happened all year. So finally, I told my mum, I told her everything. She talked to the administration, and they brought the girls in and talked to them about it. The girls were punished. So you just have to bring it to the attention of adults.

Seventeen: In spite of all this, you still managed to make it to the Miss Teen USA competition and win it. How did you find the confidence to go for it?

AM: You just have to ignore it and have confidence2 in yourself. I was a three­sport athlete — hockey, soccer, and volleyball — and I gave them up to do my modelling career.

Seventeen: What’s your advice for girls dealing with bullies today?

AM: Stay confident and know that this is not the end of the world, that you are not going to be in high school for the rest of your life. There are mean girls wherever you go, but you don’t need to be with them when you get older. You’re not in a classroom with them, you’re not eating lunch with them, so look past it and know that it’s going to end. Looking back, I’d say you just need to focus on what you want to achieve and not let people get in your way or upset you. Also, tell a trusted adult, tell all your friends, tell anyone you can. If you keep it inside, it’s just going to eat you.

                            1 to bully — дразнить, запугивать                 2 confidence — уверенность

2. Mary was cruelly bullied. Read aloud the extract which says about it.

3. How did she react to bullying?                                                                                4. What advice does she give to other children?

Билет № 12 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование)  Listen to the talk between two friends and answer the questions below.

1. What are Maggy’s favourite places in London?

 

2. What are they going to do in the evening?

3. Why does Alex want to go to a cafe?

Script:

Maggy: Hey, Alex! I’ve got an idea. I can show you my favourite place in London.

Alex: Sure, Maggy, I’d like to see that, but where is it exactly?

Maggy: Look beyond the people. What do you see?

Alex: Well, there’s a beautiful building over there! It looks like a palace. What is it?

Maggy: It’s Buckingham Palace! And all those people are waiting for the Changing of the Guard. It’s 11 o’clock so the ceremony will start soon.

Alex: Does this ceremony take place every day?

Maggy: It’s held daily only from April to August, when there are lots of tourists. But we aren’t going to watch it right now; we’re going to the park which is opposite the palace.

Alex: Let me guess. We must be in St. James’s Park now!

Maggy: Good guess! You’re right, it’s St. James’s Park, which is a popular place to walk, feed the ducks or watch the pelicans.

Alex: Those people on the lawn seem to be having a picnic. Is it possible to have picnics in London parks?

Maggy: Sure, but you should follow certain rules.

Alex: Okay. What is the magnificent style building opposite the lake?

Maggy: This is St. James’s Palace. And behind it, there is an entertainment area of Piccadilly Circus with lots of pubs and cafes. If you like, we can go there later in the evening.

Alex: That’s a wonderful idea! But honestly, I’m starving and wouldn’t mind having a bite right now.

Maggy: Then let’s go to the cafe and have a snack.

III. (тема)  Let’s talk about national cuisine of an English­speaking country.

Билет № 13

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Shakespeare’s portrait?

A painting has been discovered that experts say is a picture of one of the world’s best­known writers, William Shakespeare. He is thought to have written at least 36 plays, which include the world­famous Hamlet, Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet. Yet surprisingly little is known about Shakespeare’s life, the way he worked, or what he looked like.

Shakespeare was born in the town of Stratford-­upon-­Avon in England in 1564. He left the town when he was about 20, leaving behind a wife and three children. After this period he worked as an actor and writer of plays in London. In 1594 he helped form a new theatre company and wrote plays for the next 20 years. After this he retired to Stratford-­upon-­Avon where he died in 1616. He is buried in a local church.

Several portraits exist that are supposed to be those of Shakespeare’s. Yet many experts think these paintings are probably pictures of someone else, or were painted at least 100 years after Shakespeare died.

The Shakespeare expert and the owner of the newly­-discovered painting say they are 90 % sure it is of William Shakespeare. Alec Cobbe owns the painting. It has been in his family’s possession since the early 1700s. They did not know who the person in the painting was. A few years ago Mr Cobbe went to a Shakespeare exhibition and saw a painting of Shakespeare called the Janssen portrait. He was amazed by how similar it was to the painting owned by his family.

He took his painting to a Shakespeare expert. Since then it has been dated and X-­rayed. They now believe it was painted in 1610, when Shakespeare was 46 years old — six years before he died. Mr Cobbe thinks he could prove the portrait was originally owned by the Earl of Southampton, who supported Shakespeare when he was writing his plays.

Other experts are not so sure whether it really is a portrait of Shakespeare. This, they say, is because there is no proof the Janssen portrait is actually a picture of Shakespeare either!

2. The author gives some facts about Shakespeare’s life. Find this extract and read it aloud.

 

3. What facts prove that the painting can be a portrait of William Shakespeare?

 

4. Why do some people doubt that this is a portrait of Shakespeare?

Билет № 13 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to three speakers talking about travelling and answer the questions below.

 

1. Why do many people travel today according to the first speaker?

 

2. How does the second speaker describe people who never travel?

 

 

3. What can a person gain travelling to other countries according to the third speaker?

 

Script:

Speaker 1: Lots of people believe that travel broadens the mind. A friend of mine went to Cyprus and when he came back, he complained that he could not find English food and everything was so foreign! If one travels with that kind of attitude, one never learns anything about other places and people. Today many people travel not in order to learn, but to ‘have a good time’ and usually on their terms.

Speaker 2: I’ve just got back from a trip to Japan and what I learned by just being there is more than I’ve ever learned on the internet. Talking to some locals, I learned more than school, or internet could teach me. Travel lets you see other people’s lives, cultures, customs and traditions from different parts of the world. Travel educates you and makes you knowledgeable1. I think that people who never leave their countries are narrow­minded and ignorant.

Speaker 3: I feel sad for those people who have never travelled outside of their own hometown. There’s a whole world of different cultures to meet out there, nineteen per cent of which you can’t have by just sitting in the living room in front of the TV. When you travel to other countries you can see, feel and touch other ways of living. Some places will shock you, others will please you. You will then appreciate your own life and see things in a different way.

1 knowledgeable — хорошо осведомленный, знающий

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about shopping.

 

 

Билет № 14

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

SHOPPING IN LONDON

John tells us a bit more about shopping in London… “When I visit London one of my favourite things to do is shopping! I really enjoy hunting around for a bargain1 in the sales, buying something new to wear out on a Saturday night. Or alternatively, a bit of window­shopping — it doesn’t cost a penny. Sometimes I’ll spend hours just wandering around a market having a chat with my friends.

There are loads of different places to go shopping in London. You can go to Oxford Street, but be warned, it gets too busy sometimes; it can be difficult to go anywhere! Alternatively for a less crowded, more relaxing shopping experience, go to Covent Garden, you can have an expensive cappuccino, and watch some (free) street theatres at the same time.

Some people like shopping in department stores, the most famous one in London is ‘Harrods’, but for me, it’s not modern enough, and too expensive, the sort of place your parents shop. But just down the road is ‘Harvey Nics’, much more up­to­date, but not cheap. The best of all the big department stores is ‘Selfridges’ in Oxford Street, it’s a shopper’s paradise, nice clothes, and the prices. Well I can look, can’t I?

You can also try Camden, it’s busy, exciting, trendy, and there are lots of bargains! You can buy cheap jeans and cool second hand clothes in the morning and then get a tattoo and a body piercing later on! If all that shopping is too tiring, you can get some Chinese or Thai food for 2 or 3, sit by the canal and have a drink. What could be better?

If Camden is not cultured enough, you might prefer a day in Greenwich — a world heritage site. This is a much more relaxing day out. You can have a walk round the market and shops, and then take in a bit of London’s history — it was the birthplace of Henry VIII, Queen Mary and Elizabeth I. There’s also the park, the ‘Cutty Sark’ (an old tea clipper ship), the meridian line (where east meets west), and the old observatory… so much to do, but don’t forget the shopping!”

                   1 a bargain — выгодная покупка

2. The author describes some department stores that are popular with shoppers. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What does John like about shopping?

 

4. Why is Greenwich interesting to visit?

Билет № 14 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to three speakers talking about losing weight and answer the questions below.

1. What does the first speaker advise to do if you want to lose weight?

 

2. What is the mistake many people make trying to lose weight?

 

 

3. Why is it necessary to exercise according to the third speaker?

 

 

Script:

Speaker 1: Throw away gas or electric cooker. Also throw away salt. Get as many fruit and vegetables as you can. Try to drink as much water as possible as it increases the rate at which you burn calories. Cut out soda and limit fruit juices, most of which are high calorie. Carry on normal work. I followed this diet continuously for six months. In the end I lost 23 kg. I did morning walks, cycling, but no other physical exercise.

Speaker 2: You should know that there is no safe way to lose weight quickly, the mistake is if you lose weight very quickly, you will be a lot less likely to keep it off. So, definitely try to lose weight gradually, but don’t plan on losing overnight. This is the most important and the first aspect of getting your perfect body shape. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try for 5 pounds, relax a bit, then go for 5 more.

Speaker 3: The first thing I would suggest is to believe in yourself, and love yourself. The key to weight loss is simple — you should burn more than you take in! Walk the dog, join a health club, take up jogging. Whatever you do, you’ve got to move your body as much as possible if you want to lose weight.

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about leisure time.

 

Билет № 15

I.1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

University celebrates

One of the world’s leading universities has just begun to celebrate its 800th anniversary.

Cambridge University, in the UK, was founded in 1209. On 17th January it held a special outdoor celebration to launch a year of events marking its 800th birthday.

The University was founded by scholars from another English university, Oxford. Nobody is exactly sure why they moved to Cambridge. One record shows it happened when two Oxford scholars were arrested and then convicted1 of murdering a local woman. Other students protested their arrest by leaving the university and going to other towns. It was a group of these scholars that set up a university in Cambridge.

Originally only men were allowed to study at Cambridge. From 1869 women were permitted to study there, but they were not awarded degrees. Women at Cambridge were first awarded degrees in 1947.

Some of the most important discoveries in history have been made by people studying at Cambridge University. The jet engine was invented there. Scientists at Cambridge discovered the structure of human DNA. More than 80 winners of the Nobel Prize, and 15 of Britain’s prime ministers, have been graduates of Cambridge University.

Many students from Cambridge University have become famous for becoming among the best in their fields of work. Authors C. S. Lewis, who wrote the Narnia books, and A. A. Milne, who wrote Winnie-­the-­Pooh, also studied at the university.

On 17th January about 7,000 people gathered in the centre of Cambridge to watch a light show celebrating the anniversary. Images and illustrations were projected onto one of the famous university buildings, the Senate House. A piece of music containing exactly 800 notes was played from the nearby Great St Mary’s Church.

Cambridge is usually ranked among the top five universities in the world for its standard of research and teaching. Today, around 18,000 students study at Cambridge University.

          1 to convict — осудить, признать виновным

2. The author says how the university was founded. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What important discoveries were made at Cambridge?

 

4. Why is Cambridge University considered one of the best in the world?

Билет № 15 (продолжение)

II. Listen to the recording and answer the questions below.

1. What does Sara want to become?

 

2. How did she find out about the audition?

 

 

3. Why was this performance special for Sara?

 

 

Script:

Sara has always wanted to be famous. When she was only four years old, she said to her parents “I’m going to be a star when I grow up.” Her parents laughed. Sara’s dreams were just dreams for years, but now those dreams are coming true, thanks to the power of television.

Sara is lucky: she is an attractive young woman, and she can sing. She has taken singing and dancing lessons since she could walk. When she was seventeen, Sara’s big chance came. She saw an advertisement in a national newspaper: “Singers wanted for a new musical band. This is going to be bigger than the Spice Girls!” Sara rang the number straight away. The first audition was in London, and she was there at six o’clock in the morning, practising her song. She had been to auditions1 before but this one was different — it was on TV! People all over the country watched Sara singing. She didn’t mind the cameras — she was too excited about being on TV. Sara was the viewers’ favourite.

Some people think that the band will never be successful. “It’s not a real band,” they say. But Sara isn’t worried about her future. “I’m famous now, and it doesn’t matter how I got here. I’m here to stay!”

1 an audition — прослушивание

II. (тема)

Let’s talk about Belarusian customs and traditions.

 

 

Билет № 16

I.1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

World Digital Library opens

A new worldwide digital library has opened on the internet. The library website has taken four years to put together. It was officially launched at the headquarters of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Paris, the capital of France, on 21st April.

The digital library lets people see rare items from around the world, including some of the earliest written works. These include ancient books and maps. For example, you can see a digital image of a 1,000­year­old Japanese novel, believed to be the oldest in the world, and the very first European map to include America. The map was drawn in 1562.

The library contains images of some of the earliest known Chinese writing, which is about 3,000 years old. Another item on display is called the Devil’s Bible. It’s the largest medieval book in the world. The book, which contains a copy of a collection of Jewish and Christian texts first put together by scholars 1,700 years ago, was handwritten in the 13th century. It gets its name because it also contains a large illustration of the Devil. It is now kept in a museum in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

The World Digital Library was the idea of James H Billington. He is the head librarian of the USA’s Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. Mr Billington hopes the new digital library will be used by young students and teachers everywhere to discover more about the world’s cultural history. The library contains about 1,200 items from 26 libraries in 19 countries. An explanation of each item is available in seven languages — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.

Visitors can search the library in different ways. They can enter historical dates to see what items were made in the world at that time. They can also sort their searches by similar topics or by country.

You can visit the new World Digital Library at www.wdl.org

2. The author tells us about the person who created the library and why he decided to do it. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. What ways are used to search the library?

 

4. Why is it a good idea to create such a library?

Билет № 16 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование)  Listen to the interview with Roy Tomlinson, who invented the sign @ and email, and answer the questions below.

1. How do people call the sign @ in different countries?

 

2. How did Roy Tomlinson invent email?

 

 

3. Does it trouble him that he is not very famous?

 

Script:

Presenter: Today we talk to Roy Tomlinson, the man who invented the sign @ and email. In English this sign is called simply ‘at’ but what about other countries?

Roy: Other languages have more interesting names. In South Africa it is ‘monkey’s tail2’; in Greece ‘little duck’; in Poland ‘little trunk3’; in Russia ‘little dog’; in Sweden it is ‘elephant’s trunk’ and Turkish e­mailers call it simply ‘ear’.

Presenter: When and why did you invent email?

Roy: It was in 1971 and I am not sure there was a real reason for inventing it. It was a fun thing to try out and it took three to six hours to do. I can’t remember exactly how long it took.

Presenter: How did you feel about spam and viruses?

Roy: I get annoyed when I get spam or viruses. It is a hard problem but we are going to solve it. So far our actions are not working — they either filter too much or not enough. We must find a better way to stop spam or viruses.

Presenter: Does it bother you that you are not a household name?

Roy: No, it doesn’t bother me. Computer fans know what I have done. I get letters from people who say: “It’s great, what you did.” It is not the centre of my life.

1 @ —символ в адресе электронной почты

2 a tail — хвост

3 a trunk — хобот

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about customs and traditions of an English­speaking country.

Билет № 17

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about a healthy way of life.

 

Билет № 19

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

Mobile phones

From children to senior citizens, mobile phones have become a craze1 as a way of staying ahead with the technology. With our fast lifestyles, we have no time to meet our relatives or friends and are left with the only option of talking over the phone. Here comes the need of mobile phones, which allow us to stay connected wherever we are and whenever we need to.

Everybody today owns at least a basic mobile phone. What makes it easy to use is its user­friendly nature, small size and its numerous attractive features. However, people are always eager to replace their mobile phones with the latest models having more advanced fea­tures.

As the technology is scaling new heights, mobile phones are becoming cheaper and cheaper and the customer is getting more for less. A great way of amusing yourself is by playing games on your mobile phone. If you want to store your precious moments, you can use its video recording feature. Mobile phones can become expressions of who we are by get­ting mobile ringtones, wallpapers, which turn your phone into a unique device.

Whatever may be said against mobile phones their advantages have always scored over their disadvantages. They have proved useful for every purpose. Nothing is as comfortable as a mobile phone for communicating over a distance. You cannot be present at the same time at more than one place, but if required you can just make use of your mobile phone and get your work done.

Mobile phones have def initely become the most vital part of our lives. It is hard to imagine life without mobiles. Indeed, mobile phones keep you connected round the clock. They are now inexpensive, easy to use, comfortable and equipped with almost every latest feature you desire. Today, a technologically advanced mobile phone can perform as many tasks as well as that of a personal computer. Even remote countries have started having mobile phone services.

1 a craze — идея фикс, пунктик

 

2. The author explains why people need mobile phones nowadays. F ind this extract and read it aloud.

 

3. What features can be found in modern mobile phones?

 

4. Why are mobile phones a vital part of our life?

Билет № 19 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to Tina talking about a nasty experience she had and answer the questions below.

1. Who did Tina go to the skating-rink with?

 

 

2. What happened to her there?

 

 

3. How was she saved?

 

Script:

When I was eleven years old, I had an accident. I get scared even now when
I think about it. I went ice­skating near my house. It was the first time that I’d gone ice skating, so I was nervous and I wasn’t sure how to skate.

I went with a friend who was very good at it, and she spent some time teaching me, but I didn’t make much progress. I think she got fed up with me, so she left and I went off skating by myself. As soon as she left, I fell over, then again and again. In the end I got bored, so I took off my skates and just walked around on the ice in my shoes.

Suddenly, I stepped on something that wasn’t hard. What was it? It was a weak place in the ice! When I stepped on it, the ice broke and I fell in — I sank under the ice. I struggled and struggled but couldn’t get out. I was getting very frightened. Then, fortunately, a man came to help me. He grabbed1 my arms and pulled2 me up out of the water onto the ice. So I’m still alive today, but even now, whenever I think about that time, I feel uncomfortable.

And I don’t want to go skating again.

1 to grab — схватить

2 to pull — тянуть

III. (тема)

Let’s talk about sport.

 

Билет № 20

I. 1. Read the article and say in 2—3 sentences what it is about.

How I got to the top

I was either ten or eleven when I wrote my first song. I don’t remember. My mum was struggling financially and emotionally, so I didn’t talk a lot. Finally, she told me if I couldn’t talk about what was bothering me, I should write about it. So she gave me a notebook, and my poems turned into lyrics.

I grew up in a very hardworking family. But we didn’t have lots of money. I was the kid whom friends’ parents bought Christmas presents for. One year, though, when I was in the sixth grade, my mom got a bonus at work, and instead of paying off bills, she bought me a CD player and four CDs.

I eventually got several college music scholarships but passed on them to move to Los Angeles in 2001. Everyone thought I was crazy to do it, but I moved to California anyway and got work singing backup1. A friend and I lived in a house with some other people, and we finally saved enough money to get our own place. The day we moved into our apartment, the building burned down. I stayed in my car for a few days so I could get enough money to drive back to Texas. When I got home, a friend told me about the American Idol audition2 in Dallas.

Looking back on the show, I find it strange going back and performing on Idol last spring. Everyone was always supportive and nice. But I think they were so nice because no one thought I was going to win. Members of the crew came up to me after the finale and told me they didn’t think I could have won.

I recently gave a self­esteem workshop for Girl Scouts in Nashville, and I told the girls that I wasn’t a role model for my weight. Sometimes I’m thicker when I’m around my family and I’m eating more. Sometimes I’m thinner because I’m on the road and that takes a lot out of me. But I do feel it’s important to talk to girls about weight. They see these images, and there’s no way they’ll ever live up to them.

Everyone says I’m down­to­earth. It would be very hard for me to keep up any sort of celebrity persona. It’s just not me. I’m comfortable in my skin. I’m outspoken. I don’t know any other way to be.

           1 a backup — подпевка                  2 an audition — проба, прослушивание

2. The author explains what made her write songs. Find this extract and read it aloud.

3. Why were all the people nice to her during the show?

4. What did she talk to Girl Scouts in Nashville about?

Билет № 20 (продолжение)

II. (аудирование) Listen to Ann speaking about a holiday that went wrong and answer the questions below.

1. What holiday did Ann want to have?

 

 

2. What problems did she have to face?