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Здесь находится ряд упражнений на чтение текстов научно-популярного характера на английском языке. Все тексты озвучены для самопроверки правильности чтения. Чтение отрывка текста является одним из заданий устной части ЕГЭ по английскому языку.

Задание формулируется следующим образом:

Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.

Представьте, что вы готовит проект со своим другом. Вы нашли интересный материал для презентации и хотите прочитать его другу. У вас полторы минуты для чтения текста “про себя”, потом будьте готовы прочитать его вслух. На чтение у вас будет не более полутора минут.

Задание 1 на чтение отрывка

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Six of Earth’s seven continents are inhabited on a large scale. Asia is the most populated continent, with its 4.3 billion inhabitants. This accounts for 60% of the worlds population. The two most populated countries of the world are China and India. These countries together constitute about 37% of the whole population of our planet. Africa is the second most populated continent. It is home for about one billion people. This makes 15% of the world’s population. Europe has 733 million people and this makes up 12%. Latin American and Caribbean regions are home to around 600 million people (9 %). Northern America, primarily consisting of the United States and Canada, has a population of around 352 million (5%), and Oceania, the least populated region, has about 35 million inhabitants (0.5%). What about Antarctica? Though it is not permanently inhabited by anybody, Antarctica has a small, changing international population, living in polar science stations.

Задание 2 на чтение отрывка

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Medicine has existed for thousands of years. At first, medicine was rather an art than science. It was little based on skills and knowledge but, instead, it had connections to the religious beliefs. At the early stages of medicine, doctors relied on religious rituals in the same way as on medication. For example, a medicine man would apply herbs and say prayers for healing. The first physicians thought that bloodletting was the best treatment of all. In recent centuries, since the advent of science, most medicine has become a combination of art and science. Much depends on the talent of the doctor and on the efficiency of drugs and surgery. Nowadays, we come to understand more and more about our body and to know what is going on inside the cells. Also, genetic engineering opens up new perspectives for treating inherited diseases. And, of course, new medical technologies have already saves millions of lives.

Задание 3 на чтение отрывка

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Early in the morning, Evenki natives in the hills northwest of Lake Baikal observed a column of blue light. It was nearly as bright as the Sun, and it was moving across the sky. About ten minutes later, there was a flash and a sound similar to artillery fire. Eyewitnesses reported that the source of the sound was moving from the east to the north following the movement of the blue light. The sound was accompanied by a shock wave that knocked people off their feet and broke windows in the houses hundreds of kilometres away. As it often happens, eyewitnesses’ accounts varied regarding the sequence and duration of the events. On that day the legendary Tungus meteorite or a small comet fell on the Earth near the river called Podkamennaya Tunguska in Siberia. It happened at about seven o’clock in the morning, on the 30th of June 1908. The first expedition came to the site only ten years later.

Задание 4 на чтение отрывка

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Throughout the history of education the most common means of maintaining discipline in schools was corporal punishment. While a child was at school, a teacher was expected to act as a parent, with the same means of making children obey as the parents had. This often meant that school students were often punished with a cane if they did something wrong. Corporal punishment at schools has now disappeared from all European countries. Thirty-one US states have banned it, but the other nineteen states (mostly in the South) continue to allow corporal punishment in schools. Teachers have the right to apply corporal punishment, although many choose not to do so. Official corporal punishment, often by caning, remains commonplace in schools in some Asian, African and Caribbean countries. Generally speaking, most countries retain punishment for misbehavior, but it usually takes non-corporal forms such as detention after the lessons. In Russia corporal punishment in schools was banned in 1863.

Задание 5 на чтение отрывка

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A female chimp has learned how to use the Arabic numerals, 1 to 9, to memorise the order of five numbers. She, unlike males, was able to remember the sequence of at least five numbers. This is the same or even more than pre-school children can do. It comes as no surprise to scientists who discover something else that chimpanzees can do every year, bringing them closer to us. People can normally remember a sevendigit number at first sight. This is our brain’s “magic number”. A chimp’s brain is only half the size of ours. Yet, they remember five digits. In an experiment, a chimp was shown five numbers on a computer screen. Her task was then to touch each number in the correct order. In order to perform the task successfully, she had to memorise all the numbers. And she did. She got the fourth number correct 90 % of the time, and the fifth number correct 65 % of the time.

Задание 6 на чтение отрывка

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Human evolution is a lengthy process of change by which people originated from their apelike ancestors. The traits that we today recognize as human evolved over a period of approximately six million years. One of the earliest human traits was the ability to walk on two legs. This ability evolved some four million years ago. A large and complex brain, the ability to use tools and the capacity for language have developed more recently. Some studies lead us to believe that humans have some relationship to another group of primate species, the apes. Scientists say that humans and the great apes of Africa — chimpanzees and gorillas — share a common ancestor who lived between 8 and 6 million years ago. However, researchers do not all agree about how these species are related to the modern human. Genetic research into this relationship has produced some controversial results and more discoveries, perhaps sensational ones, are to be expected.

Задание 7 на чтение отрывка

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Cheating in tests is becoming more sophisticated. These cases are referred to as exam-room cheating. The statistical findings show that between 3-5% of exam candidates are likely to be cheating with almost none of these pupils being caught. A recent trend has been for more friends, helping their peers to see questions in advance. This has been prompted by increasingly high demands on the learners to perform well. If the supervision in exam rooms becomes lax, cheating is always on the rise. Cheating appears to be a global phenomenon with little cultural variation. Originally it was thought that cheating was more typical for the so called “face-saving” cultures where the observable behaviour is not the same as unobserved actions. Wherever the stakes are high and there is an advantage and an opportunity to cheat, it seems to happen everywhere. Highly industrialised and poor nations think alike.

Задание 8 на чтение отрывка

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Here is some advice about good manners and etiquette when eating food. If you are invited to dinner and you cannot eat a certain type of food, tell your host several days before the dinner party. If you are a guest, it is polite to wait until your host starts eating or when your host shows you in some way that you can start eating without waiting for him or her. Mind that is good manners to chew and swallow the food that is in your mouth and only then should you take a drink. Remember to show your appreciation of the food from time to time. It is a popular mistake that chicken can be eaten with your fingers. In fact, a piece of chicken or a slice of pizza can be eaten with your fingers if you are at a barbecue or in an informal company. Otherwise always use a knife and a fork. It is useful to note that when eating bread rolls, break off a piece of bread and only then use the knife for buttering the bread. If you are using the knife, do not lick or put your knife in your mouth even though there is something delicious on the blade. You will certainly not put your elbows on the table and you will never reach for food over somebody’s plate. Always ask for something you need to be passed over to you. And, you had better not talk with food in your mouth to tell others something interesting.

Задание 9 на чтение отрывка

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The less children play video games, or watch television, the less aggressive they become, suggests a scientific study. The American research looked at the effects of reducing the amount of computer games played, or television watched by third and fourth graders, who are aged approximately eight or nine. It was found that the more television and computer games the children had seen, the more aggressive they were. This means that television, and, more recently, games have a direct influence on such behaviour. There are potential benefits in reducing the amount of access children have to TV or computer games. This is supported by the findings of reductions in physical and verbal aggression in children who have limited exposure to television, video and computer games. Watching aggressive behaviour shapes the way children see the world and their behaviour. They learn that angry people do aggressive things and start to imitate if the circumstances prompt similar solutions.

Задание 10 на чтение отрывка

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Every nation has its customs. Modern Americans are very serious about body hygiene while in the 19th century washing one’s body frequently was considered bad for health as it “removed protection from the skin”. Most Western people think it proper to enter a house without changing shoes, while in Korea it is a desecration of the house. An American, greeting a stranger by saying “Hi mate, great to meet you!” may not be favourably regarded in a country where more formal modes of address are usual. In the West, business cards are given a cursory glance. In Japan, they are regarded with respect. In Britain, most business presentations would include a joke, which is unheard of at conferences in Japan or China. Small talk and relationship building are considered important in the Arab world between a seller and a customer. British people prefer talking about the weather. The Japanese value silence while the Italians like to express emotions.

Задание 11 на чтение отрывка

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People experience stress when they have much work to do, when they receive a promotion at work, when their car has a flat tire, when their dog gets sick, when they are worried about getting laid off their job or about having enough money to pay their bills, when their best friend and his wife come to stay at their house for a week and on many other occasions. If you are used to thinking that stress is something that makes you worry, you have the wrong idea of stress. Very hot or very cold climate can be stressful. Change of hormones in teenagers can cause stress. Taking responsibilities for other people is one of the major stressors in those who work as managers. Many people carry enormous stress and do not even realize it. To our body stress is synonymous with change. Anything that causes some change in your life causes stress.

Задание 12 на чтение отрывка

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It’s not at all easy to say what a fairy-tale is or why some stories are called fairytales. Fairy-tales do not have to be stories about fairies. Fairy-tales are part of folklore, but folktales are not necessarily fairy-tales. Fairy-tales are similar to myths and legends but are not myths and legends. Fairy-tales come from oral storytelling tradition but fairy-tales have been written down on paper by many authors. Sometimes a literary fairy-tale comes first on paper and only then it is taken back into oral tradition and becomes folklore. Simply put a fairy-tale is a story about magic with something supernatural and mysterious. Usually a fairy-tale is a story that happens in the past. If it happens sometime at the beginning of the world, then it is a myth. If this story names a specific person described as “real”, then it is a legend.

Очень хочется написать о том, почему устная часть ЕГЭ не отражает реальных разговорных навыков ученика, но сдержусь. Вместо этого обсудим более актуальные вопросы – из чего состоит говорение на Едином государственном экзамене и как его победить.

Задания устной части

Устная часть Единого государственного экзамена состоит из 4-х заданий:

1. Чтение текста
2. Диалог-расспрос с опорой
3. Ответ на вопросы
4. Устный проект

На все это отводится 20 минут. За правильное выполнение всех заданий можно получить 20 баллов.

Особенностью этой части экзамена является то, что он сдается на компьютере. Вы приходите в специально оборудованный класс и получаете диск с программой. Запускаете программу на компьютере, надеваете гарнитуру и следуете указаниям на экране. Посмотреть, как это будет выглядеть на экзамене, можно в онлайн тренажере тут. На дисплее вы будете видеть таймер, который поможет самостоятельно отслеживать время ответа.

Если с программой возникают какие-то сложности, вам поможет ассистент, который присутствует в классе. После записи каждого задания ученик сможет прослушать себя. Обратите внимание, что если ответ не записался, или записался с сильными помехами, нужно обязательно сказать об этом ассистенту! Если вы этого не сделаете, неправильно записанный ответ уйдет на оценку эксперту.

Чтение текста

Задание 1 устной части экзамена представляет собой чтение текста научно-популярной тематики. Легенда гласит, что вы готовитесь к докладу на иностранном языке и репетируете его перед другом.

На подготовку  к заданию дают 1.5 минуты, и на чтение текста также отводится 1.5 минуты. Текст небольшой, так что вполне реально уложиться в это время.

Вот пример такого задания:

Критерии оценивания

За задание можно получить всего 1 балл, если “речь воспринимается легко: необоснованные паузы отсутствуют; фразовое ударение и интонационные контуры, произношение слов  без нарушений нормы. Допускается не более пяти фонетических ошибок, в том числе одна-две ошибки, искажающие смысл”.

Ошибкой, искажающей смысл, считается:

1. Замена звука, которая приводит к изменению смысла слова. Например, live произносится с долгой гласной – leave, cut – как cart. Или put произносят с гласной “а” в середине, а science – с двумя согласными в начале.
2. Неправильная постановка пауз при чтении текста.

К простым фонетическим ошибкам относят:

1. Неправильное чтение предложений с перечислением (должно быть с восходящей интонацией)
2. Неправильная интонация утвердительных предложений (должна быть с нисходящим тоном)
3. Неправильная постановка логического ударения (оно должно падать на слова, несущие основной смысл в предложении – скорее всего, это существительное или глагол)
4. Неправильное произношение звуков, типичных для английского языка, подмена их произношения на русские звуки: [θ], [ð], [w], [h], [ŋ], [ɜ:]
5. Отсутствие «связующего r» (linking r) – то есть, озвучивание конечной r/re в позиции перед гласной, если с гласной начинается следующее слово (например, where is…, there are … )

Внимание! Задание оценивается в 0 баллов, если:

• участник экзамена не сумел (не успел) прочитать весь текст в отведенное за это время, за исключением случая, если экзаменуемый не успел дочитать одно-два слова, в этом случае оценка будет зависеть от качества прочтения текста;
• участник экзамена при чтении пропустил строку или ее часть;
• участник экзамена допустил более пяти фонетических ошибок или 1-2 фонетические ошибки, искажающие смысл.

Подготовка

На самом деле, получить за первое задание максимум – 1 балл – не представляет труда.

Как я тренирую чтение вслух с учениками:

1. Выбираю текст (беру тексты для чтения из учебников Solutions уровня Intermediate и Upper-Intermediate – они там озвучены), слушаем.
2. Общими силами разбираем непонятные места.
3. Ищем подходящий по размеру отрывок.
4. Просматриваем его и отмечаем смысловые паузы вертикальными черточками – | .
5. Подчеркиваем слова, несущие смысл (все служебные – артикли, предлоги, местоимения, вспомогательные глаголы – игнорируем).
6. Слушаем отрывок еще раз и повторяем за диктором, потом ученик читает сам.

Потом задаю на дом этот же алгоритм и слушаю ученика на уроке. Ниже пример разобранного таким макаром текста:

Про правила чтения, которым я уделяю внимание при подготовке, я уже писала в этой, этой и этой статье. Это статьи про ОГЭ, первое задание в обоих экзаменах очень похоже. Также по ссылкам вы найдете упражнения на изученные звуки.

Советы

• Купите книгу по устной части – в ней найдете больше упражнений для тренировки этого задания.
• Тренируйтесь дома с диктофоном, прослушивайте себя и отмечайте ошибки. Так как на экзамене вы столкнетесь с шумовыми помехами в лице других студентов, которые начнут говорить вместе с вами и будут вас раздражать, советую еще при тренировке включать телевизор или радио для имитации этого самого раздражителя.
• Если вы не знаете, как читается слово (например, shallow) – вспоминайте, как читаются похожие слова (narrow) и читайте по аналогии. При подготовке настойчиво рекомендую произношение всех трудных слов сверять со словарем
• Делайте паузы на знаках препинания и выделяйте интонацией самостоятельные части речи
• Не торопитесь! 90 секунд вполне достаточно, чтобы в спокойном темпе прочитать весь текст
• Если вы поняли, что прочитали какое-то слово неправильно – перечитайте его правильно. Засчитан будет только последний вариант прочтения слова.
• Перед устной частью экзамена с утречка проговорите один вариант дома

Для подготовки к этой части экзамена я, как всегда, рекомендую задания с сайта ФИПИ.

Если вы этого еще не сделали – покупайте план ЕГЭ, который помог более 1.000 преподавателей по английскому подготовить своих учеников на высокие баллы

P.S. Про разделы и стратегии выполнения заданий ЕГЭ можно почитать статьи:

Аудирование или задания 1 — 9
Чтение или задания 10 — 18
Грамматика или задания 19 — 25
Словообразование или задания 26 — 31
Лексика или задания 32-38
Личное письмо или задание 39
Проект или задание 40
Устная часть, задание 2
Устная часть, задание 3
Устная часть, задание 4

ELTgram от Ирины Кузнецовой

Джалолова Светлана Анатольевна, учитель английского языка Высшей квалификационной категории. Победитель конкурсного отбора на соискание Гранта Москвы в сфере образования 2010г. Старший эксперт ГИА ЕГЭ по английскому языку. Победитель Всероссийской Олимпиады учителей английского языка «Профи-край» 2015 год. Почетная грамота Министерства образования РФ 2014 г., Грамота победителя конкурса лучших учителей РФ 2007г., Диплом победителя конкурса на соискание Гранта Москвы 2010 г.. Стаж работы — 23 года.

Недашковская Наталья Михайловна, Учитель английского языка Высшей квалификационной категории. Победитель ПНПО 2007 г. Победитель конкурсного отбора на соискание Гранта Москвы в сфере образования 2010г. Эксперт ГИА ОГЭ по английскому языку. Проводила педагогическую экспертизу учебных изданий при РАО 2015-2016. Почетная грамота Министерства образования РФ 2013 г., Грамота победителя конкурса лучших учителей РФ 2007г., Диплом победителя конкурса на соискание Гранта Москвы 2010 г. Стаж работы — 35 лет.

Подвигина Марина Михайловна, Учитель английского языка Высшей квалификационной категории. Победитель ПНПО 2008 г. Победитель конкурсного отбора на соискание Гранта Москвы в сфере образования 2010г. Старший эксперт ГИА ЕГЭ по английскому языку. Проводила педагогическую экспертизу учебных изданий при РАО 2015-2016. Почетная грамота Министерства образования РФ 2015 г., Грамота победителя конкурса лучших учителей РФ 2008г., Диплом победителя конкурса на соискание Гранта Москвы 2010 г. Стаж работы — 23 года.
Трофимова Елена Анатольевна, Учитель английского языка Высшей квалификационной категории. Старший эксперт ГИА ЕГЭ по английскому языку. Почетная грамота Министерства образования РФ 2013 г. Стаж работы — 15 лет.

Раздел 2 «Чтение» включает в себя 3 задания

Задания данного раздела проверяют понимание основного содержания текста, понимание структурно-смысловых связей в тексте, полное и точное понимание информации в тексте. Рекомендуемое время выполнения данного раздела — 30 минут. Максимальный результат — 20 баллов.

1. Задание под номером 10, за которое дается максимальное количество баллов — 7, сформулировано следующим образом:

Даются 8 заголовков и 7 текстов. Под установлением соответствий подразумевается подбор подходящих заголовков к каждому тексту. Это задание проверяет умение понимать основную идею (содержание) каждого текста, отделять главное от второстепенного, игнорировать избыточную информацию и незнакомые слова, не мешающие пониманию основного содержания.

Для успешного выполнения задания предлагаем вам следующим алгоритм действия:

1. Прочитайте заголовки (темы или краткие утверждения) и определите: что в них общего и чем они отличаются друг от друга: проблемой, отношением к проблеме и т.д.
2. В процессе ознакомления с заголовками целесообразно подчеркнуть в них ключевые слова или сделать другие пометки.
3. Глядя на заголовки, попытайтесь предугадать основное содержание текста, подобрать слова/словосочетания, которые необходимы для раскрытия данной темы/ проблемы/ ситуации.
4. Просмотрите каждый текст, игнорируя незнакомые слова и выражения, с тем, чтобы понять его основную идею.
5. По мере прочтения каждого текста отмечайте все возможные варианты ответа рядом с текстом, помечая заголовок в списке как использованный. (Не забывайте, что на бланках КИМ разрешается делать любые пометки.)
6. При возникших затруднениях с определением соответствия текста заголовку (теме, краткому утверждению), прочтите текст еще раз и попытайтесь сформулировать его основную идею самостоятельно, затем выберите наиболее близкий вариант по содержанию из оставшихся и отметьте его.
7. Если текст кажется совсем непонятным, отложите его. Подобрав заголовки к другим текстам и действуя методом исключения, у вас останется два заголовка и один текст — шансов даже просто угадать уже гораздо больше.
8. Вернитесь к тем текстам, где изначально были выбраны несколько возможных соответствий.
9. Продумайте и обоснуйте самому себе выбор того или иного соответствия с опорой на текст.
10. Проверьте правильность других выбранных соответствий. Убедитесь, что вы не использовали одну и ту же букву дважды.
11. Удостоверьтесь, что оставшийся заголовок не подходит ни к одному тексту.
12. Запишите окончательный вариант ответа в таблицу после задания.

Давайте проверим, насколько наша тактика работает на примере. Даны следующие заголовки для соотнесения с текстами: 

 Выделяем ключевые слова в каждом из них:

Читаем тексты и определяем основную мысль каждого из них. Выделяем ключевые слова и выражения в заголовках. Соотносим заголовки с текстами, находя синонимичные слова и фразы в тексте и заголовках:

A. Moscow has always been a multicultural city. If we look back at its history, we will see that there were several foreign communities living in Moscow on a permanent basis. We all know about German people inhabiting the banks of the Yauza river, where little Peter, the future tsar of all Russia, ran around, made friends and got his first ideas of learning about ships and fleets. But what do we know about the British community of Moscow? Did it even exist?

(Ответ 3: — multicultural city — 3. A truly international place)

B. The first ties between Russia and Britain were formed in the middle of the 16th century in the time of Ivan the Terrible. It was then that some wealthy British merchants founded the Muscovy Company which held a monopoly on trade between Britain and Russia until 1698. The building of its Moscow headquarters was granted to the company by the tsar in 1556 and can be still visited at 4, Varvarka Street, known to us now as The Old English Court.

(Ответ 8: — first ties — 8. The initial steps of commerce. Возможен также вариант 4 — 4.Textile business links. Оставляем оба до конца работы с текстом.)

С. Beginning from the time of Peter the Great, several talented British military men moved to Russia. Many of them served as army generals and navy admirals, defending Russian borders in different wars and battles. Among the most famous ones were Field Marshall James Bruce, Field Marshall Barclay de Tolly and Admiral Thomas Mackenzie, all of them of Scottish origin.

(Ответ 2 — defending Russian borders in different wars and battles — 2.Country’s brave defenders)

D. In the 18th century, British industrialists made themselves known in Russia. One of the most outstanding figures was Robert McGill, who lived in Moscow and served as an intermediary between Lancashire mill engineers and the Russian cotton industry, and built over 150 mills (cotton factories) in Russia. Robert McGill had a house in Spiridonovka Street and together with his wife Jane was a prominent member of the British community in Moscow.

(Ответ 6 — intermediary between Lancashire mill engineers and the Russian cotton industry — Textile business links, т.е. вариант уходит из текста В, поскольку в том тексте нет информации о текстиле, а в этом говорится о хлопке)

E. If you talk to Moscow concert musicians who were active between the 1960s and the 1990s, they will tell you of the fantastic acoustics of the “Melodiya” recording studio at 8, Voznesensky Lane, which they lovingly called ‘kirche’, mistakenly thinking it was a German church. This building, designed in the English neo-gothic architectural style, was in fact built in 1885 by Robert McGill and is St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, which was used as a recording studio in Soviet times.

(Ответ 7 — fantastic acoustics — 7. A nice-sounding building)

F. Another spectacular example of British architecture in Moscow is the old building of TsUM next to the Bolshoy and Maly theatres. Built in the early 1900s, it was back then the biggest department store in Moscow. It was owned by Scottish merchants Andrew Muir and Archie Mirrielees. Mayakovsky mentions Muir&Mirrielees in several of his poems, while Chekhov named his dogs after its two owners.

(Ответ 1 — department store — 1. A shop that inspired writers)

G. In 1887, two other cotton industrialists from Lancashire, Clement and Harry Charnock, moved to work at a cotton factory in Orekhovo-Zuevo, near Moscow. They were both great football fans and decided to introduce this game to the workers of the factory. This resulted in the first professional football team in Russia which after the Revolution became the core of Moscow Dynamo team.

(Ответ 5 — the first professional football team — 5. Birth of a popular sport)

Лишний заголовок — 7. Governesses of rich children. Действительно, нет ни одного текста с информацией о гувернантках и богатых детях.

Заносим варианты в таблицу:

Перейти в каталог продукции по английскому языку

2. Задание под номером 11 повышенного уровня, за которое дается максимальное количество баллов — 6, сформулировано следующим образом:

Предлагается текст (газетная или журнальная статья) с шестью пропусками, обозначенными буквами (A-F), и семь фрагментов предложений для заполнения пропусков, обозначенных цифрами (1-7). Один фрагмент предложения — лишний. Надо установить соответствие между частью текста и пропущенным фрагментом предложения. Это задание проверяет понимание структурно-смысловых связей текста.

Для правильного выполнения задания следует:

1. Просмотреть весь текст (без выделенных фрагментов), определить его тему и основное содержание, не обращая внимания на незнакомые слова и выражения.

Surviving in a Desert
A desert is defined as a place that gets less than 250 mm of rain each year. It differs sharply from the climate of a rain forest, A _________________. Arid desert lands cover about one third of the earth’s surface. Most deserts are covered with sand, B __________________. There are also usually a lot of rocky areas. This combination of sand and rock means that the soil is not very fertile. C ___________________, some living things are able to do well in this setting. Many plants have changed and developed in ways D ________________. These changes have become apparent in a number of ways. Some plants are able to grow very quickly E ______________. They turn green and produce flowers within just a few days. Other desert plants simply stop growing in very dry weather. They appear to be dead, but when the rain returns, they come back to life and begin growing again. Desert animals have also developed many characteristics that help them to survive in arid environment. Camels can go for a very long time without drinking. Other animals, such as snakes and rats, find cool places to sleep during the day and come out only at night. The extremely long ears of desert rabbits help them F ________________. Changes like these have allowed some animals and plants to grow and develop successfully in a very challenging ecological system: the desert. There are countless books in the world, and whoever you are, whatever you’re feeling, there is definitely a book out there, just waiting for you to discover it.

2. Обратить внимание на пропуски в тексте и попытаться предугадать пропущенную информацию. Например, в приведенном выше тексте, пропусках А и В вероятно изъяты придаточные определительные предложения, начинающиеся со слова which.

3. Прочитать выделенные фрагменты и определить структурные особенности начала фрагмента (с точки зрения использования грамматических и лексических норм сочетаемости), если таковые имеются.

1) which is often in the form of hills called sand dunes
2) whenever it rains
3) to find water as far as 25 metres away
4) which can receive up to 10,000 mm of rain annually
5) to better distribute their body heat and stay cool
6) even though the desert environment is very dry and hot
7) that help them to live in the desert

Например, информация пункта 6 обычно занимает место в начале предложения и выделяется запятой, в тексте этому требованию соответствует пропуск С. Фрагменты пунктов 1 и 4 грамматически подходят к буквам  А и В.

4. Читать текст последовательно, обращая особое внимание не только на пунктуацию, но и на последнее слово или выражение перед каждым пропуском. Если это слово или выражение требует определенного согласования или управления (использование герундия, инфинитива, предлога, союза и т.д.), надо искать соответствующее начало в выделенном фрагменте. Например, глагол help, предшествующий пропуску F, используется с инфинитивом, с которого начинаются фрагменты 3 и 5. 
5. Если одна и та же грамматическая структура используется в начале нескольких выделенных фрагментов, необходимо учитывать смысловое содержание предложения с пропуском, а также предыдущих и последующих предложений. В случае с пропуском F речь идет о пустынных зайцах, следовательно, пункт 5 больше подходит, так как в нем присутствует информация о теле, что больше подходит к животным.
6. По ходу чтения отмечать все возможные варианты соответствий, указывая нужные буквы рядом с цифрой пропуска или нужные цифры рядом с буквами, обозначающими выделенные фрагменты,
7. Делать нужные исправления по ходу чтения, исключая уже использованные варианты.
8. Если остаются пропуски с двумя вариантами соответствий, следует обратить внимание на грамматические и лексические нормы сочетаемости и содержание текста.
9. Проверить правильность других выбранных соответствий.
10. Прочитать полученный текст с точки зрения смысла, логики и грамматики.
11. Записать окончательный вариант ответа в таблицу после задания.
12. Определить, насколько лишний фрагмент не подходит ко всем пропускам.

Проверим правильность нашей тактики на тексте. Внимательно читаем все предложение в тексте, где содержится первый пропуск. Определяем, что не хватает придаточного предложения, начинающегося со слова which. Из вариантов 1 и 4 выбираем 4 пропуск, так как предыдущая информация посвящена количеству дождя.

It differs sharply from the climate of a rain forest, A _4 ( which can receive up to 10,000 mm of rain annually).

Пропуск В также сочетается с придаточным определительным предложением, но здесь речь идет о песке, т.е. подходит вариант 1

Most deserts are covered with sand, B _1 (which is often in the form of hills called sand dunes).

Как мы уже отмечали ранее, пропуску С соответствует пункт 6 по месту в предложении и наличию запятой. Проверяем по смыслу, подходит.

This combination of sand and rock means that the soil is not very fertile. C _6 (even though the desert environment is very dry and hot, some living things are able to do well in this setting).

В пропуске D также должно быть определительное придаточное предложение, отсутствие запятой дает нам возможность выбрать пункт 7, так как по правилу ограничительных и распространительных определительных предложений that используется только в  ограничительных предложений, не выделяемых запятой.

Many plants have changed and developed in ways D _7 (that help them to live in the desert).

В предложении с пропуском Е отсутствует информация либо об образе действия, либо о цели, либо о причине, т.е. подходит пункт 2.

Some plants are able to grow very quickly E _2 (whenever it rains).

Для пропуска F, как говорилось выше, соответствует пункт 5 по смыслу и с точки зрения грамматических связей.

The extremely long ears of desert rabbits help them F_5 (to better distribute their body heat and stay cool). 

Прочитываем восполненный текст, проверяем смысловые, логические и грамматические связи и заносим ответы в таблицу.

Ответ:    

Перейти в каталог продукции по английскому языку

3. Задание под номерами 12-18, за которое дается максимальное количество баллов — 7 (по 1 баллу за каждый правильный ответ), сформулировано следующим образом:

В третьем задании (А12-А18) части раздела чтения предлагаются семь тестовых заданий с четырьмя вариантами ответов (1-4), из которых только один является правильным. Как правило, это либо начало предложения, к которому предлагается четыре возможных варианта окончания, либо вопрос, к которому дается четыре варианта ответа. Это задание проверяет умение полностью понять содержание прочитанного, умение определять логические связи в предложении и между частями текста; умение делать выводы из прочитанного («читать между строк»), а также умение догадаться о значение слова (выражения) по контексту.

Чтобы правильно выполнить задание, рекомендуется:

1. Быстро прочитать весь текст, не углубляясь в подробности для понимания общего содержания и основных событий рассказа.
2. При выполнении каждого задания внимательно перечитывайте только ту часть, где должен быть ответ. Выполняйте задание последовательно. Помните, что последовательность тестовых вопросов связана с последовательностью развития сюжета текста.
3. Прочитайте первый вопрос, подчеркните ключевые слова и найдите тот фрагмент текста, где должен быть ответ. Этим фрагментом может быть одно слово, выражение, целое предложение или абзац.
4. Выберите правильный ответ, обязательно найдя и подчеркнув то место в тексте, которое подтверждает ответ.
5. Не пытайтесь найти точно такие же слова и выражения, которые содержатся в вопросе, в самом тексте. Вам нужно найти синонимичные способы выражения одной и той же мысли.
6. Если не получается определить правильный ответ, действуйте методом исключения.
7. Если не можете осознанно выбрать ни один из предложенных вариантов, не понимаете сути вопроса, выбирайте ответ интуитивно, не оставляйте задание без ответа.
8. Таким же образом работайте со всеми остальными вопросами.

Например, дан текст:

Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science-fiction TV series that follows the adventures of a time-traveling alien, called the Doctor, and his human companion, as they travel through time and space in a spaceship, called the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space), and courageously save the world time and time again. Doctor Who first aired on BBC on 23 November, 1963 and was one of the first science-fiction stories to appear on screen: 3 years before Star Trek and 14 years before the Star Wars franchise. In 1989, due to falling popularity, the show was suspended. But 16 years later, in 2005, it was brought back to the screen with a whole new cast of actors and has been ongoing ever since. It is considered to be the longest running sci-fi show in the world, having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013. But how has Doctor Who managed to survive for this long? What sets it apart from other amazing shows that are now over? What makes Doctor Who really unique, is that it does not have to rely on any particular actor to continue. When the Doctor is close to death, he is able to start a biological process within himself, called regeneration, that changes every single cell in his body, while still leaving his mind intact. Essentially, he becomes a different person: new looks, new personality, new everything. But one thing that never changes is his genius, and his sense of humor. This means, that every four years or so, when the actors playing the Doctor decide to move on to different projects and leave the show, the producers can find a new actor to take on the iconic role. So far twelve actors have played the Doctor. Another reason the show has been running for so long is that there is no main storyline, it is very much episodic, each episode telling a story of a separate adventure. So as long as the writers of the show keep coming up with new planets for the Doctor and his companion to visit, and new alien villains for them to defeat, the show can continue forever. Doctor Who has an unbelievably huge fan base all over the world, so big in fact, that the 50th anniversary episode aired in 94 countries simultaneously, earning it a Guinness World Record. There is also a large amount of music, inspired by Doctor Who, and since the series’s renewal, a music genre called Trock (Time Lord Rock) has appeared. The most famous Trock band is Chameleon Circuit. They produce music exclusively about Doctor Who, and so far have released two albums. Soon after Doctor Who’s appearance in 1963, novels surrounding the series started to appear. The first ever novelization came out on 12 November, 1964, almost exactly a year after the first episode came out. Since then over 150 novelizations and 200 spin-off books have been published, including some written by Neil Gaiman. Doctor Who has been an important part of popular culture for over half a century now. The show is limitless, filled with possibility: you can go to Victorian London, or to Pompeii, or to the 51st century. It can be any genre: comedy, horror, fantasy, drama, sometimes all of them at the same time. It’s clever, and funny, and sad, and makes you think. The plots are well written, and sometimes you feel like you’re twisting your brain into a knot, trying to figure out the paradoxes. But most importantly it’s kind-hearted and beautiful. No doubt Doctor Who will remain a fan-favorite for many years to come.

12. The first Star Wars movie came out in

1) 1963
2) 1966
3) 1977
4) 1989.

Обращаем внимание, что вопрос не о сериале “Doctor Who”, а о фильме “Star Wars”, находим во 2 абзаце информацию, производим необходимые расчеты и получаем год — 1977, т.е. правильный ответ — 3.

13. Which of the following is NOT the reason why Doctor Who has been around for so long?

1) It is easy to change the actors playing the main character
2) The TV series is extremely popular all over the world
3) Separate episodes and seasons are not connected by plot
4) The writers of Doctor Who keep writing new stories.

Первые три пункта представлены в тексте как причины долгой жизни сериала, последний, четвертый, вариант является не причиной, а следствием, результатом. Т.е. выбираем правильный ответ — 4.

14. Which of the following words does NOT apply to the Doctor as a character?

1) clever
2) human
3) funny
4) brave

При описании персонажа находим в тексте характеристики: genius, sense of humor, которые синонимичны словам 1) clever, 3) funny. А то, что главный герой борется со злодеями, свидетельствует о том, что он смелый — 4) brave. Остается правильный ответ — 2) human.

15. Which word is closest in meaning to the word ‘iconic’ at the end of the third paragraph?

1) difficult
2) famous
3) religious
4) desirable

Слово ‘iconic’ имеет смысл культовый, иконный. В соответствии с общим смыслом абзаца, речь не идет о религиозном смысле слова, остается культовый, или знаменитый, поэтому ответ — 2) famous.

16. Which of the following statements is true?

1) Trock is a music genre that first appeared in the middle of the 1960s
2) Chameleon Circuit rock group writes music for the Doctor Who TV series
3) Both albums of Chameleon Circuit are centered around Doctor Who
4) The music genre that is used in the Doctor Who TV series is called Trock.

В тексте дана информация о группе “Chameleon Circuit”.

They produce music exclusively about Doctor Who, and so far have released two albums.

Правильный ответ — 3.

Проверяем, почему не подходят остальные варианты. В первом — неправильная дата. Во втором сказано, что музыка пишется ДЛЯ сериала, а в тексте говорится о том, что она пишется О главном герое. В четвертом пункте говорится, что в сериале используется жанр музыки Trock, а, согласно тексту, этот жанр возник под влиянием самого сериала, то есть нарушена причинно-следственная связь.

17. In the 6th paragraph the author implies that

1) the Doctor Who TV series inspired writers to create novels about the Doctor
2) every Doctor Who episode later gets published in the format of a book
3) Neil Gaiman has written some episodes for the Doctor Who TV series
4) Doctor Who is based on more than 150 books by different authors.

Слова surrounding, spin-off имеющие значение сопутствующий, дополнительный, побочный, а также даты  говорят о книгах, появившихся после сериала, поэтому правильный ответ – 1.

Ответ 2 не подходит, поскольку в тексте нет информации о том, что каждая серия потом описывается в книге. Ответ 3 не подходит, так как из текста следует, что он не писал сценарий для сериала, а его книги были написаны по мотивам сериала. Ответ 4 неверен, так как цифра 150 относится к количеству книг, написанных по мотивам сериала. Это, так называемые, distractors (отвлекающие факторы).

18. Which choice is closest in meaning to the phrase ‘you feel like you are twisting your brain into a knot’ in the last paragraph?

1) You are trying very hard to solve a problem
2) You come to a dead-end while solving a problem
3) You give your brain some good training
4) You are using intuition rather than your brain.

Правильный ответ — 1, так как во втором пункте “come to a dead-end” имеет отрицательную коннотацию — зайти в тупик, третий говорит о тренировке ума, а не о решении проблемы, четвертый пункт ставит во главу угла интуицию, а не мыслительную деятельность.

CARD 1

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                           HELPdesk.com

THE GIANT PANDA

An endangered species, the giant panda can only be found in the mountain bamboo forests of Western China. There are only about 1,000 wild giant pandas left in the world. Giant pandas are members of the bear family, and they are mammals. Even though giant pandas look just like bears, they certainly do not behave like bears. Unlike their meat-eating relatives, giant pandas are vegetarians for the most part of their time. Their favourite food is bamboo. Giant pandas must eat a lot of bamboo everyday to get enough nourishment. In fact, they spend at least 12 hours everyday eating about 33 pounds of bamboo. However, if they are extremely hungry and bamboo is nowhere to be found, giant pandas may eat grass, fruits, or sometimes, small animals like chicken.

Giant pandas do not live in groups. They are loners! They only leave their territory from March to May to look for a mate. Female giant pandas usually give birth to twins. Baby giant pandas are very small, blind, pinkish, and weigh about 5 ounces at birth. Strangely, mother giant pandas tend to choose to raise just one baby and leave the other to die. Mother giant pandas feed their babies with milk. A baby giant panda opens its eyes at six to seven weeks. It starts to learn how to walk when it is about three or four months old. Mother giant pandas look after their babies for about 18 months. Once the young is strong enough, it bids farewell to its mother and moves out

to live independently. (1201)

II Read the text and say why the books by Agatha Christie have been always popular.

Speak about your favourite authors and your favourite books.

THE QUEEN OF MYSTERY

                                                                                                                         tolearnenglish.com

Agatha Christie was probably the most successful writer in history. She wrote 78 crime novels, six other novels, 150 short stories, four non-fiction books and 19 plays.

Christie became a writer by accident. She was bored when her husband was away in the First World War. Agatha was working in a hospital dispensary. She decided to write a novel to pass the time. She chose a detective novel because she loved reading them. Her first novel was a great success. Readers loved the books, particularly because Christie always gave the readers all the information they needed to find the solution.

Christie loved travelling. When she became rich she could go all over the world. She used the travels in her writing. Agatha Christie died in 1976, but her stories are still very popular.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You want to do a course of English at a language school. You are phoning a language school to find out about the courses they offer. Ask questions about the location of the language school, how long the courses are, how much the courses cost, what is necessary to do to register for the courses.

CARD 2

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

DIFFERENT  ENGLISH                                              5 minute English

English is spoken as a first language by several countries including Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and the United States. While all of these countries share the same mother tongue, there are some differences in the way they speak and write.

The first difference is in the accent. Each country has its own accent. And within each country there are a variety of accents called regional accents.

Another difference is the spelling of some words, like ‘color’ and ‘colour’, or ‘theater’ and ‘theatre’.

And a third difference is that some of the words are not the same at all. For example, Americans say restroom, Canadians say washroom, and the British say W.C. (water closet.) But all of these words have the same meaning (the room where the toilet is located.)

So which English is the best English to learn? Well, there is no best English. They are all equally good and correct. But two things may help you decide which one is best for you to study.

First of all, where do you live? If you are from South America, for example, you will probably have more exposure to North American English. If you live in Europe, most likely you will be more exposed to British English.

But no matter where you study English or whether it’s British, American, Australian, or whatever, it’s good to know a little about English in other countries. (1123)

II Read the text and say what the first human music was like.  Say if  music is your hobby. Speak about your bobby (hobbies).

Early Music

There was music before there were people to listen to it. Birds sang. Wind whistled, and ocean waves crashed in a steady rhythm. People have probably made music since their earliest days on earth too. Maybe the first human music imitated the sounds of nature. Humans may have created songs in imitation of the sounds of other creatures. As people had words to speak, maybe they also had words for songs. Simple hunting tools might have served as early percussion instruments. Simple flutes made from hollowed bones have been found that date back to 10,000 BC Archaeologists have found evidence that music was played in ancient civilizations including ancient Egypt and Babylonia. As early music was not written down, the earliest evidence of music is in the form of pictures showing musicians and musical instruments.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You and your foreign friend, who is on a short visit in Moscow, are discussing what you are going to do at the weekend. Ask him/her when he/she isn`t busy, what he/she would like to do during his stay in Moscow, why.  

CARD 3

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

THANKSGIVING DAY                                                                            Internet Public Library

The story of America’s Thanksgiving begins with the Pilgrims. Early in the 17-th century, the Pilgrims left England in search of religious freedom. In 1608, they sailed to Holland. Then, in 1620, they crossed the Atlantic by ship called the Mayflower.

After sailing for many weeks, the Pilgrims landed at a place now called Massachusetts. They planted the seeds they had brought from England. But the seeds didn’t grow well, and there was so little food for the Pilgrims that many of them starved to death.

Luckily for the Pilgrims, some nearby Indians came to rescue. They taught the Pilgrims to grow native food such as corn. Without this help, the Pilgrims would not have survived.

After the first harvest, the governor of Plymouth Colony — William Bradford — suggested that the Pilgrims hold a feast of thanksgiving. And to their thanksgiving feast the Pilgrims invited the Indians. The Pilgrims were grateful to the Indians for helping the Colony survive. In addition, they hoped that the celebration would strengthen their friendship with the Indians.

Nobody knows the date of the first Thanksgiving feast. But we do know that the Pilgrims and Indians enjoyed a huge feast of deer, goose, duck, oyster, eel, bread, fruit, and corn meal pudding.

In 1789 George Washington declared that Thanksgiving would be a national celebration. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. (1163)

II Read the text and comment on the situation described in the text. Say if you like watching TV, what programmes you and the members of your family prefer, why.

Television                                                                                                                       ESL reading

My mother used to tell me how she and her family got their first television when she was a teenager. Of course it was black and white. When I was young we had only about 3 or 4 different channels. My bothers and sisters and I would sometimes fight about which channel to watch. Nowadays we can get hundreds of channels on TV. There are channels with only old movies, and channels with only cooking, and channels with only fishing. It’s amazing! There is a channel for everything. I wonder how much my brothers and sisters and I would fight if we had hundreds of channels when I was a child. Of course we had only one television set. These days I notice families with 2 or 3 or more television sets in their homes. I guess it stops people from arguing over which channel to choose from.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You and your foreign friend, who is on a short visit in Moscow, are going on an excursion.  Discuss when and where it would be better to go; who you’d invite to go with you.

CARD 4

I Read the text and answer your teacher’s questions.

ENDANGERED  ANIMALS                                                                HELPdesk

What do the following animals have in common: pandas, rhinoceros, loggerhead turtles, Californian condors, pink pigeons, small tooth sawfish, and Siberian sturgeons? They are all endangered animals! Animals become endangered for a variety of reasons. Sadly, humans are behind every one of them! Here are three reasons.

Hunting: for centuries, humans have hunted elephants for their impressive tusks, killed tigers for their beautiful furs, and scooped up sturgeons to make caviar. While we still have elephants, tigers, and sturgeons in the wild, we cannot say the same about many others that have simply disappeared!

Loss of habitats: humans and animals have always competed for land and other natural resources. We clear an area of a forest for farming. We cut down trees and build beautiful houses. At the same time that we are trying to make our life comfortable, we inadvertently destroy the habitats of wild animals.

Pollution: more than once we have seen on televisions that rescue workers are trying to save seabirds soaked in spilled oil. More than once we have heard about how carbon dioxide and other gases have raised the Earth temperature and caused global warming. Pollution has a long lasting, and usually irreversible, effect. If we choose to do nothing and continue to pollute our planet Earth, our next generations will have to bear the consequences of abnormal weather and polluted environment. (1187)

II Read the text and say if the problems in Russian families are different or the same. Speak about your family.

Family Problems                                                                                                                BBCnews

 Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast. The two children take the bus to school, and mother stays at home cooking and cleaning until father and the kids return home in the evening. This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain. But is it true today? The answer is — no!

The biggest change has been caused by divorce. The large rise in divorces has meant many women need to work to support themselves and their children. In addition, women are no longer happy to stay at home raising children, and many have careers earning as much as or even more than men. Although it is difficult to be a working mother, it has become normal and it’s no longer seen as a bad thing for the children.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You are to write an article on environmental problems for your school English Magazine.

You and the editor of the magazine are discussing what problems to mention in the article,

what title for the article to choose, and when the article must be published.

CARD 5

I Read the story and answer your teacher’s questions.

The Musical Glass   By Jane Runyon

Mary Elizabeth loved music. She was happy when she heard lovely sounds. She waited to hear the birds sing outside her window in the spring. She listened for the cricket’s song when she swept the hearth in her mother’s kitchen. The horses passing her papa’s store made a «clip clop» sound. That was a song to Mary Elizabeth. These songs made her heart fill with joy.

Mary Elizabeth had only one wish. She wanted to make music on her own. She couldn’t sing very well. Her brother, Matthew, had said, «You sound like the cat when Nana stepped on its tail.»  She loved music so much. Why couldn’t she make music on her own?

Mary Elizabeth knew where to go when she was sad. Her Uncle Ben Franklin could always make her smile. Best of all, Uncle Ben loved music just like Mary Elizabeth. One morning, Mary Elizabeth stood outside Uncle Ben’s workshop. She could hear him humming to himself. She knew something fun was going to happen. She opened the door and saw Uncle Ben at his work table. Oh, no! What had happened? Broken glasses were everywhere. There were big glasses, little glasses, and middle sized glasses spread out on his table. Wait a minute. Only the stems that held the glasses up were broken off. What was Uncle Ben doing? Uncle Ben saw the puzzled look on Mary Elizabeth’s face. «Come, little songbird,» he said. «I will show you how we can make beautiful music. We will use what is broken. We can turn it into something good.» (1178)

II Read the text and say why Lake Baikal is one of the most poplar attractions in our country. Say if you are proud of  Russia and its capital, why.

The Peal of Siberia                                                                                                            Speak Out

Lake Baikal is the most ancient lake on earth. Lakes rarely live longer than a million years but the ‘Pearl of Siberia’, as it is often called, is more than 25 million years old! The lake holds one-fifth of the planet’s fresh water – and it is still clean!

Lake Baikal is one of the most beautiful places on earth. This wonder of the natural world is difficult to describe. The waters of the lake are amazingly transparent – and they change colours all the time. Lake Baikal is a living museum of water plants and animals. You can see many of them nowhere in the world.

The lake is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The Baikal Mountains and the taiga are protected as a national park.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

As the winners of a contest, your class was rewarded a grant. Explain to a foreign journalist why you were given a grant, who was the grant given by, and what you are going to spend it on.

CARD 6

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

Shopping on the Internet                                                                Book of the Future

Shopping on the Internet, or shopping on-line is becoming more and more popular. More and more people are using the internet to buy things. Why do people use the Internet to shop? Some people say it is more convenient. They don’t have to leave their homes to order something, and they can shop for anything they want at any time, day or night. Other people say they can find things for sale that they can’t find in the stores near their homes. Still other people say they can find better prices on the Internet.

If you want to buy something on the Internet, you need a credit card. You have to type your credit card number and information on the website and send it to the store over the Internet. You have to be sure that the store will not use your information in the wrong way. You don’t want someone to get your credit card number and charge something to your account. Of course, you always have to be careful with your credit card number, because people sometimes steal credit card numbers from stores and restaurants too.

For people who are too nervous to shop on-line, the Internet is a good place to go window-shopping. Window-shopping is when you go to a store and look at the things for sale, but don’t plan to buy anything. Window-shopping is easy on the Internet. You can see what kinds of products are available and how much they cost. You can visit stores with branches near you, or you can visit stores that are only on the Internet. (1183)

II Read the text and prove that Paralympics Games have become more popular than ever.

Speak about the importance of sport in people’s lives.

                                                                                                                            SOON online magazine

Paralympics Games

Just a few weeks after the Olympic Games, it’s time for the Paralympics. They are the Olympic event for athletes with physical and mental disabilities.

The idea of Paralympics Games was born in 1948, when Sir Ludwig Guttmann organised a sports competition in England for World War II veterans with physical disabilities. Four years later, the event became international when participants from Holland joined in. In 1960 the Paralympics finally became an Olympic event. Four hundred athletes came to the first Paralympics Games in Rome in 1960. In Athens in 2004, more than 3800 athletes from all over the world competed in 19 different sports.

By the way, ‘para’ is a Greek word meaning ‘alongside/beside’. So the word Paralympics means ‘the Games parallel to the Olympic Games’.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Your friend has just returned from an English-speaking country. Ask him about the places of interest he/she was able to see there, and which of them he/she was impressed by.

Card 7

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

THE FIRST WOMAN IN BUSINESS                                                   David Evance

At the start of the twentieth century the idea of women in business seemed crazy. In those days men held all the positions of power and made all the decisions about money. They believed that a woman` s place was at home, looking after her children, cooking for her family and managing the house. If a woman needed to work she could perhaps find a job in a shop or in a factory, but she had no chance of working as a businesswoman or a banker, or a lawyer.

Women` s fashions in the USA and Europe at that time supported their position in society. Fashionable women wore long dresses that almost touched the ground. This made it difficult for them to drive a car, ride a horse or even walk quickly.

But many women were not happy with their position in society, and they didn’t like the clothes they had to wear. One of those people was a French woman called Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel. When she went into business in 1910, she planned to change clothes that women wore. But over the next sixty years she did much more than that, as she became the richest and the most successful businesswoman.

Coco Chanel had no experience of business when she opened her first hat shop in Paris in 1910. She was only twenty-seven years old and she came from an ordinary family.  Many of Coco`s customers in her first shop were her young women friends. They loved the simple but beautiful hats and dresses that Coco made for them, and soon her shop started to do well. (1181)

II Read the text and say how football has changed in the course of time. Speak about the most popular sports in Britain.  

About Football                                                                                                    5minute ENGLISH

People have played games like football for thousands of years.

In ancient China they played a special game for the emperor’s birthday. Soldiers kicked balls made of animal skin into a net between two posts. These posts were ten metres high.

In the Pacific Islands they played games using hands and feet. They used coconuts and oranges as balls.

In the Nineteenth Century football began to be played in English public schools. The public schools were very expensive private schools attended by the sons of the rich and powerful.

The headmasters of three schools — Rugby, Eton and Harrow – began to develop new versions of football. The game became less violent, less dangerous and easier to control. It became a game for young gentlemen.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re on an excursion abroad. You’ve got lost in a city. Ask a passer-by how you can get to the hotel you’re staying at; which is the fastest and the most convenient means of the city transport, how long it will take you to get to the hotel.

CARD 8

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

EDINBURGH                                                                                ESL reading

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second-largest city in the nation with the population of 448,624. It is located in the east of the country, just seventy kilometres apart from Glasgow, the first largest city of Scotland. Though the two cities are equally famous, Edinburgh has long established itself as the more popular tourist destination and there are many reasons for this.

The city of Edinburgh is divided into two areas, the Old Town (its historical centre) and the New Town (the city’s main shopping and commercial area). The Old Town includes picturesque streets, monuments and many wonderful cathedrals and churches. The most famous landmark of Edinburgh is Edinburgh Castle. The castle is open to the public and includes a number of museums too.

The New Town was first developed in the late 1700s. In its centre is Georges Street, and the city’s two main shopping areas Princes Street and Queens Street. The city contains many museum, public parks, markets, cafes, bars restaurants and has something really special to offer all its visitors.

Every year Edinburgh hosts a number of major festivals, none more famous than the Edinburgh International Festival, which takes place from August to early September. The festival attracts performers and audiences from all over the world and offers a mixture of theatre, films, music and comedy amongst other things. (1162)

II Read the text and say how the bully is helped in English school. Say if there is bullying in Russian schools,  what problems Russian teenagers have.

SAYING «NO» TO BULLIES!                                                                                           BBC news

Bullying is when someone continually insults or hurts you. Many young people are bullied at school. But there are some positive ways to solve the problem, for example, a «bully box». It is    a box in school where students put notes about bullying. The important thing is to tell an adult about the bully. Psychologists suggest discussing the problem openly with the bully.

Teachers usually learn how to recognise when kids are being bullied and try to help them. Most bullies are stopped by the kids themselves.  In some schools martial arts are taught for self-defence, not for fighting – if you know you can defend yourself, you are not afraid of the other person.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re doing the shopping in one of European cities. Now you’re in the department of ready-made clothes. You’d like to buy some new things for summer wear. Ask a shop assistant for advice about the clothes you’re going to buy: if they fit you, if you should buy them. Ask her how much the clothes cost.

CARD 9

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                   The Presidents                                     ESL reading

George Washington was born February 22, 1732. He was the first president of the United States, elected by people in 1789. People call him the Father of their nation. He was one of the people who fought in the Revolutionary War and later helped write the United States Constitution. There is a famous story about George Washington when was a young boy. It says that he chopped down his father’s cherry tree with an axe. When his father asked, «Who did this?» young George replied «I cannot tell a lie. I did it.» Many children have heard this story and are encouraged to tell the truth.

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809. He became president in 1860. His presidency was difficult. The states in the north and the south were divided because of slavery. White people in the south owned black people. The north did not like it. A civil war began between the two sides. In the end, the northern states won and President Lincoln helped to free the slaves. He gave a very famous speech about how everybody had the right to be free and how all people were equal.

Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were very famous presidents in the United States. Today you can see their faces on American money. George Washington is on the one dollar bill and Abraham Lincoln in on the five dollar bill. Many schools and some cities are named after each president. And the State of Washington and Washington D.C. were both named

after President Washington. (1196)

II Read the text and say what kinds of newspapers and magazines there are in the USA.

Speak about newspapers and magazines you and the members of your family read.

American Newspapers                                                                                                 ESL reading

The first American newspaper was published in Boston in 1690. Now lots of magazines and newspapers are published in the USA. They bring the world of events into people’s homes.

Magazines and newspapers can be divided into two large groups — mass and specialized. Mass magazines and newspapers are intended for large groups of people, living in different places and having many different interests. Among them are newspapers and magazines for teachers, for cat lovers, for stamp collectors. In fact, there is a magazine and a newspaper to fit any interest.

Most U.S. cities today have only one newspaper publisher. In more than 170 American cities, a single publisher produces both a morning and an evening newspaper. But some cities (fewer than 30) have different owners.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re going to give a talk about one of the English-speaking country. Ask your teacher for advice: what to speak about, how you can make your report more interesting, how long you are allowed to speak at the lesson.

CARD 10

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                                                     B B Cnews

A Teenage Businessman        

When most 14-year-old boys are playing football or computer games after school, James Kenyon from Manchester is running his own successful business. “I’ve heard of a company in Scotland selling homemade bath products and thought it was a good idea.

My dad said I could do that, so I decided to take a chance,” James explains. That was two and a half years ago.

James started selling bath products to his friends and neighbours, but soon he began working for two local shopkeepers. Since he started his own soap company, selling homemade soap, bath salt and other bath products, James has earned over & 4,500.

James is proud of his success in business but he thinks there are more important things in his life. “I’ve learnt lots and I’m really enjoying it, but my school work always comes first.

James` s parents are proud of their son, they think that he plans everything really well – he does homework and he can focus on the business in his spare time. James says his parents have been a big support.

In 2006 James became a finalist in the Enterprising Young Brit Award. James is just one of an extraordinary group of enterprising young British businessmen who have innovative ideas and enthusiasm for business. Age and experience is certainly no obstacle to their success; their ambition and energy inspires them to create their money-making ideas. (1119)

II Read the text and say what Americans prefer for breakfast, if it is healthy food.  Speak about healthy habits.

Big Eaters                                                                                                                     ESL reading

Americans, in general, are big eaters and one of the greatest pleasures of the day is sitting down to a hearty breakfast. Most neighbourhood diners and cafeterias offer breakfast specials. Some can be as simple as buttered toast with coffee. Others can almost be equivalent to a full course meal which can provide enough calories for the entire day. This kind of breakfast may start with a glass of orange or tomato juice and then proceed to two eggs with toast, jam, butter and coffee. The menu shows that the eggs are served «any way you like them.» This means they can be prepared scrambled, boiled, poached or fried. For those who can’t eat eggs, there is a wide variety of other choices. Corn flakes with bananas, waffles with butter, pancakes with maple syrup and French toast are all good alternatives.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re talking to your foreign friend on the phone. He/She says he/she is going to Moscow soon. He/She wants you to meet him/her at the airport. Ask him/her when he/she is arriving, and what the number of the flight is. Ask what he/she’d like to see in Moscow and where to go.

CARD 11

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

Black Taxis, Red Buses                                                           Encyclopaedia Britannica

London has five airports in or near the city. The most important airport is Heathrow; it situated twenty four kilometres from the city centre. The city has eight big train stations, too. You can catch a train from London to Paris or Brussels now. Many people live outside London and come into the city for work every day. Children know about King’s Cross station because it is the train station in Harry Porter books.

In the UK people drive their own cars, that` s why the traffic is heavy on the roads. Drivers in the UK drive on the left side of the road! As there are a lot of cars in London, journey can take a very long time at the wrong time of day. But the city is famous for its black taxis and red buses. You can see some of London` s red buses today, and there are other buses, too. London’s taxi driver have to remember 25000 streets in London. Before they can start driving people, they study maps and drive round the city for about two years; have to answer difficult questions about the best ways across London.

You can move across London by the Underground. Londoners also call these underground trains ‘the Tube’. The London Underground is the oldest in the world. People first used it in 1863. Now it is about 410 kilometres long. There are three hundred stations, and some of them are nearly sixty metres under the streets.

You can, of course, walk around London! No cars or buses can go across London newest bridge. (1173)

II Read the text and say where people prefer to travel and why. Say if you like travelling, why/why not.

Travelling

Have you ever had the desire to see the world and see what was out there? While some people prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home, others are looking forward to travelling and can’t wait to explore the world. Exotic places call to them. «Come visit me and I will show you my mysteries,» they say.

Every year millions of people pack their suitcases or put on backpacks and flock to visit the seven continents of the world. They wander through the castles and museums of Europe, and the cities and natural wonders of North and South America. Some visit the vast exotic cultures of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Why do people want to explore the world? It gives them a better perspective about the earth and the people living on it. It opens their minds, it gives them a feeling of accomplishment, and it makes them feel alive

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’re visiting your foreign friend. Both of you want to join a sports club. Discuss what sport you’d like to take up and why. Choose the most convenient days to go to the sports club.

CARD 12

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                     ‘It’s Only Me’                                  Just Funny Stories

After her husband had gone to work, Mrs Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too excited to do any housework that morning, because in the evening she would be going to a fancy dress party with her husband. She intended to dress up as a ghost and she had made her costume the night before. Now she was impatient to try it on. Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was very effective. Mrs Richards put it on , looked in the mirror, smiled and went downstairs. She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear.

Just as Mrs Richards was entering the dining-room, there was a knock on the front door. She knew that it must be the baker. She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table. Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Mrs Richards quickly hid in the small store-room under the stairs. She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall. Suddenly the door of the store-room was opened and a man entered. Mrs Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the meter. She tried to explain the situation, saying ‘It’s only me’, but it was too late. The man let out a cry and jumped back several paces. When Mrs Richards walked towards him, he ran away, slamming the door behind him. (1110)

II Read the text and say how this school is different from most other schools. Speak about your school. Say what you’d like to change in it and why.

FREE SCHOOL                                                                                                      English Textbook

At White Lion Street Free School there is no punishment for missing classes. But many kids spend more time here than other children spend in their schools. This school is open in the evenings and at weekends. The kids complain if holidays last longer than two weeks. There are no compulsory lessons. Each child has one adult who follows his progress through school. Together they decide what he needs to learn next, and the child does this in his own time. Sometimes kids work on their own, sometimes with an adult, sometimes in a group.

A lot happens outside school. The teachers think you can’t learn everything in one building. They visit local factories, markets, shops, fire and police stations.

Now there are very few Free Schools in England.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’d like to do a course of a foreign language. Your friend thinks it` a waste of time as there are interpreters who can help you if necessary.

You don` t agree with him/her. Try to persuade your friend that foreign languages are very important today.

CARD 13

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                              Eddie Ogan

The Rich Family in Church

I’ll never forget Easter of 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy was 12, and my elder sister Darlene was 16. We lived at home with our mother; our dad had died five years before, leaving Mom with three school kids to raise and no money.

A month before Easter the pastor of our church asked everyone to save money and help a poor family.

When we got home, we talked about what we could do. We decided to buy 50 pounds of potatoes and live on them for a month.  When we thought that if we kept our electric lights turned out as much as possible and didn’t listen to the radio, we’d save money on that month’s electric bill. Darlene got as many house and yard cleaning jobs as possible, and both of us babysat for everyone we could.

Every day we counted the money to see how much we had saved. At night we’d sit in the dark and talk about how the poor family was going to enjoy having the money the church would give them.

The day before Easter, Ocy and I walked to the grocery store and the manager gave us three $20 bills and one $10 bill for all our change. We had never had so much money before.

We could hardly wait to get to church. When the pastor was taking money, Mom gave him a $10 bill, and each of us, kids, $20.

As we walked home after church, we sang all the way. Later that afternoon the minister drove up in his car. Mom went to the door and then came back with an envelope in her hand. She opened the envelope and out fell a bunch of money. There were three $20 bills, one $10 and seventeen $1 bills. (1219)

II Read the text and say what languages are spoken in Great Britain. Say if it’s important to learn a foreign language, why/why not.  Speak about your foreign language lessons at school.

What Languages do the British Speak?                                                English Learning Magazine

English is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it` s a first language for the majority of its citizens. However, visitors to the UK are often surprised that they have difficulties in understanding the language. In Britain every part of the country has its own way of speaking English. Most people in Britain can guess where someone comes from by the way they speak, either their accent or by words they use.

People in Wales speak a different language completely. About 25% of people there still speak their native Celtic language called Welsh. In some regions of Scotland Gaelic is used as a first

language. All over Scotland the accent is strong, some words are different but overall it is not difficult to understand. In Northern Ireland about 7% of people are bilingual and speak English and Irish Gaelic.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin a conversation.

You’re taking an interview from a foreign singer. Ask him when and why he became a musician;  

what are his further plans.

CARD 14

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                                                                 Encyclopaedia Britannica

                                                   FOOTBALL  IN  ENGLAND            

Football is the most popular game in England – you understand it if you come to one of the important matches. Rich and poor, young and old, one can see them all there, shouting and cheering for one side or the other. Football matches are also watched by millions of people on TV.

One of the most surprising things about football in England to a stranger is the greatest knowledge of the game. Even the smallest boy can tell you the names of players in most of the important teams; he has photographs of them and knows the results of large number of matches. He will tell you, who he expects will win such and such a match, and his opinion is usually as good as of men three or four times older.

Most schools in England take football seriously –much more seriously than nearly all European schools. In England, it is believed that education is not only a matter of filling a boy’s mind with facts in the classroom: education also means character training; and one of the best ways of training character is by means of games, especially team games, where the boy has to learn to work with others for his team, instead of working selfishly for himself alone.

The school therefore arranges games and matches for its pupils. Football is a good team game, it is good exercise for the body, it needs skill and a quick brain, it is popular and it is cheap: as a result, it is a schools` favourite game. (1137)

II Read the text and say which facts are for reading book and which are against it. Say if the  technological progress is important to people.

The Book or the Computer?

The death of the book has been predicted for centuries. Cinema, radio and television have all been presented as the murderers of books and reading. With the development of computing and the Internet books were replaced by electronic media. Who wants to use a twenty-volume encyclopaedia if you can take the necessary information from a small CD-ROM? It is, of course, the greatest revolution! But no one will lie in bed reading a novel from CD-ROM. Reading and the books, magazines and newspapers are still important in our lives. They continue to teach us lessons, amuse and broaden our minds.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Discuss with your foreign friend what is necessary to become successful: a good education, a lucky marriage, a special talent for something.  Give your opinion and ask about your friend’s opinion of this problem.

CARD 15

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                        THE SPIDER                                        FirstScience

Have you ever seen a small animal with four pairs of legs, a body that is divided into two parts?

This is a spider. Spiders live all over the world. They do not live only in the coldest places. You may find them on land: on grass, bushes, trees, and on pools, rivers, seas. There are 15,000 different kinds of spiders. The smallest spider is less than 1 mm in body length, and the biggest one can have body length up to 90 mm.

The spider spins its web to catch insects for food. It spins its web all its life. The process of spinning a web is very long.  People say that the spider is very persistent in its work. If you destroy its web, a spider will begin to spin a new web.

There is a story about a spider and a Scottish hero Robert Bruce (1274-1329). Robert Bruce was at the head of the Scottish army in the fight for the independence of Scotland against the English kings, Edward the First and Edward the Second. .

Once Robert Bruce was watching a spider spinning the web. Robert Bruce destroyed the web, and the spider began to spin a new web. Several times Robert Bruce destroyed the web, and each time the spider began its work from the beginning.

Watching the persistent work of the spider, Bruce decided to be as persistent as the spider and continue the fight for the independence of Scotland. And he defeated the English.

It was many years ago, but Scottish people still remember their great victory, and their great leader Robert Bruce. (1179)

II Read the text and say which of the English-speaking countries have a plant as an emblem, and which – an animal. Speak about one of the English-speaking country and its capital.

National Symbols                                                                                            BBC Learning English

Countries often have national symbols or emblems. Britain is usually shown as a lion or a bulldog. The USA has an eagle as its symbol. Australia uses a kangaroo.

Countries have their own national colours, too. These are usually the colours of their national flag. The patriotic colours in Britain and the USA are red, white and blue.

Different parts of Britain have their own emblems, too. They are all plants: a red rose in England, a thistle in Scotland, a shamrock in Northern Ireland and a leek in Wales. Each country has its own colour. They are used, for example, for football or rugby teams: white in England, blue in Scotland, red in Wales and green in Northern Ireland.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You foreign friend often goes to MacDonald’s. Tell him/her that the food people eat there isn’t healthy, give your reasons.  Give him/her advice about the healthy eating.

CARD 16

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                MANUSCRIPTS                               by Lack London

When Martin Eden returned to San Francisco, he began to write. He sent his works to newspapers and magazines, but the editors sent his manuscripts back. Martine continued to write and study at the same time. Martine slept five hours: only a man in very good health could work for nineteen hours a day.

The weeks passed. All Martin’s money was spent and publishers continued to send his manuscripts back. Martin sold his coat, then his watch.

One morning the postman brought him a short thin envelop. There was no manuscript in that envelope, therefore, Martin thought they had taken the story. It was The Ring of the Bells. In the letter the editor of a San Francisco magazine said that the story was good. They would pay the author five dollars for it. And he would receive the check when the story was published.

Martin thought that five dollars for five thousand words was very little. After a few weeks the story was published, but the check didn’t` arrive. Martin had waited for about a month before he decided to go and get the five dollars from the editor.

He entered the office and said that he wanted to see Mr Ford – the editor. “I`m Martin Eden,” Martin began the conversation. He wanted to ask for his five dollars, but it was his first editor and he didn` t want to make a bad impression on him. To his surprise Mr Ford quickly stood up with the words “You don` t say so!” and the next moment, with both hands was shaking Martin` s hand. (1184)

II Read the text and say what the environmental organisations usually do. Say why it is very important to protect the environment.

Environmentally Friendly                                                                                           FirstScience

There are several groups in Britain which try to protect the environment. The most famous group is Greenpeace, which campaigns in many countries around the world. They have campaigned against hunting whales, pollution in the North Sea, nuclear power, and many other issues.

Another important environmental group is Friends of the Earth. They campaigned against global warming, the destruction of the rain forest, and the hole in the ozone layer.

There are many other groups which are worried about the environment. The oldest is the National Trust which was set up in 1895 to protect parks, buildings and monuments in Britain.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Your foreign friend thinks that computers are harmful.  You don` t agree with him. Prove that he/she is wrong. Give a few examples to show that computers can be very helpful.

CARD 17

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE                                                   BBC Learning Tnglish

About one hundred years ago many educated people learned and spoke French when they met people from other countries. Today most people speak English when they meet foreigners. It has become the new international language. There are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak English as a first language. Why is this?

There are many reasons why English has become so popular. One of them is that English has become the language of business. Another important reason is that popular American culture (like movies, music, and McDonald’s) has quickly spread throughout the world. It has brought its language with it.

Is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly? I don’t know. It’s important to have a language that the people of the earth have in common. Our world has become very global and we need to communicate with one another. On the other hand, English is a fairly complicated language to learn and it brings its culture with it. Do we really need that?

Scientists have already tried to create an artificial language that isn’t too difficult and doesn’t include any one group’s culture. It is called Esperanto. But it hasn’t become popular. But maybe the popularity of English won’t last that long either. Who knows? There are more people in the world who speak Chinese than any other language. Maybe someday Chinese will be the new international language. (1176)

II Read the text and say why Queen Boadecia and Robert the Bruce became national heroes. Speak about a person or people you admire.

National Heroes

All countries have their national heroes and heroines. We usually learn about these people through out our history lessons at school. Heroes and heroines are often leaders who fought against a more powerful enemy. The earliest leader in British history was Queen Boadicea, who led a rebellion against the Romans. There is a statue of her on Westminster Bridge in London.

In Scotland, the most famous leader is Robert the Bruce. He defeated the English in one of the many wars between England and Scotland which took place before two countries were united.

Not all national heroes and heroines are leaders. Some are inventors, explores or pioneers in particular field.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You’ve invited your foreign guests to a school party which your classmates are planning to celebrate Moscow City Day. Discuss with your teacher when and how to organise the party.

CARD 18

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                                                                                Inventions That Changed the World

                                                              FLIGHT              

For many centuries people watched birds and dreamed that they could fly. We cannot fly like birds: we don` t have enough strength in our arms to move wings up and down. We also really need the power of an engine to drive up forward. Many people died learning these lessons, before controlled flight became possible.

The first flying machine which could carry a human being was built in the in Spain in 875.  Reports tell us that the inventor flew some distance, but the landing was hard: the man hurt his back badly and was never able to fly again.

It was possible that the news of his flight reached England, carried there by men returning from war in the Middle East. Whether this is true or not, in 1010 a man called Oliver jumped off a church roof in Mulmesbury. This time we know the distance of his flight — 125 steps.

In the last years of the 15th century, the Italian Leonardo da Vinci studied the flight of birds and made a number of drawings of flying machines. His early machines tried to copy the movement of birds` wings, which he didn’t fully understand. But less than 10 years before his death in 1519, he drew a machine with wings that didn’t move. One of the machines was built and it did fly.

In 15 36 in France, Denis Bolor returned to the idea of moving wings. He tried to fly using wings that were moved up and down. The idea didn` t work and he fell to his death. (1122)

II Read the text and say how many bank holidays there are in all the countries of the UK.

Speak about holidays in Russia.

What are ‘bank’ holidays?

British bank holidays are Public Holidays and have been recognized since 1871. The name Bank Holiday comes from the time when banks were shut and so no trading could take place.

There are currently eight permanent bank and public holidays in England, Wales and Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland. These include Christmas Day and Good Friday, which in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are common law holidays (they are not specified by law as bank holidays but have become customary holidays because they are celebrated by everybody.

Even though banks are still closed on these days many shops today now remain open. Shops, museums and other public attractions, such as historic houses and sports centres, may close on certain public holidays, particularly Christmas Day.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

In October you’re going to England. Speak to your foreign friend, who lives there, and ask him/her what the weather is usually like there in October; how often it changes. Ask your friend to recommend you what clothes to take with you.

CARD 19

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                       DAILY  BREAD              by O`Henry

Miss Martha was 40 years old but she was not married. She had her own shop where she bread, both fresh and stale which was cheaper.  

There was a customer who called at her shop two or three times a week. The man was not young but he was very pleasant. He wore heap clothes but they always looked nice on him. He always brought stale bread and never fresh. Miss Martha decided that he was very poor.

She often thought of him and was always sorry that she couldn’t invite him to have dinner with her. She wanted to talk to him, to know more about him. She liked the man and began wearing her best dress. She wanted to help the ppr man but didn’t know how tot do it.

Once when her customer called on her to buy stale bread, Miss Martha had an idea and a good one, as she thought, to help him. She put some butter in the stale bread.

The next day two men came into the shop. One of them was her customer and the other – a young man. The customer was very angry and couldn’t speak to her. So the young man told Miss Martha everything. “We work together in the same office”, he said. “We use stale bread to take away to pencil lines from our plans.  We have worked at a plan of a new district for six months. We finished it this morning and began taking away pencil lines from it with your bread. You see, as there was butter in the bread the plan is good for nothing, and we can` t show this plan to anybody now.”

When the men left, Miss Martha went to her room, took off her best dress and put on her old one.

(1201)

II Read the text and say how the British spend their holidays. Say how you usually spend your winter and summer holidays.

The British on Holiday

Schools close for the summer in the UK about the middle of July and open again at the beginning of September, so most families go on holiday in July and in August.

Many families go to the Mediterranean to get two weeks of the sun. The most popular destination in Europe is Spain. Outside Europe, Florida in the USA is the top destination.

Many families stay in the UK for their summer holidays. Popular seaside resorts are Scarborough and Blackpool, some places in Devon and Cornwell.

But even if the sun shines, the sea never gets very warm. A new alternative is to go to a leisure complex like Centre Parcs , which has heated swimming pools under a big glass dome and many indoor and outdoor activities like cycling, horse riding and archery.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

Your friend is in a bad mood. Ask him/her why he/she feels upset, and if you can help him/her.

Give him/her advice how to cope with the situation.

CARD 20

I Read the article and answer your teacher’s questions.

                                                                HOGMANY                   Encyclopaedia Britannica

Many national and local celebrations took place in Scotland in the past and some survive to this day. They start on January 1st and finish on the major celebration on the Scottish calendar – Hogmanay, New Year’s Eve, on December 31st. Hogmanay, the celebration of bringing in the New Year is a more important festival in Scotland than Christmas.

The origin of the word ‘Hogmanay’ is lost in the past. Historians believe that the Scots inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than they themselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day.

The Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event. There are traditions such as cleaning the house (known as «redding») on  December  31st (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common); visiting friends and relatives immediately after New Year’s Eve, in the early hours of the morning of January 1st. First footing after the bells have rung in the New Year is still common — the «first foot» in the house after midnight should be male, dark, and handsome and should carry symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun (a spiced cake) and, of course, whisky.

And Scotland is the only part of the UK that has a statutory holiday on January 2nd as well as  January 1st — so they can recover from the excesses of December 31st!  (1136)

II Read the text and say what you think of the manager selling the book. Say where you would like to work in the future, what you are going to do to realize your ambitions.

Mr Sellyer Is Selling Books                                                                                  after S.Leacock

One day I went to a bookshop to look through the new books. While I was looking through the books, I could watch Mr Sellyer, manager of the shop, and see some of his methods.

Every customer who entered the shop went away with the book Golden Dreams. To one lady the manager sold this book as the reading for a holiday, to another as the book to read after a holiday. One man bought it to read on a rainy day and another one as the right book for a fine day.  Every time Mr Sellyer recommended the book to his customers he added that his wife said that Golden Dreams was the best book of the season.

I asked the manager, “Do you like the book yourself?” He answered, “Dear me! I’ve no idea of the book”. “And did your wife really like the book?”, I asked. “I’m not married, sir”, answered the manager smiling.

III Speak to your teacher. You begin the conversation.

You and your friend are going to prepare a project about one of the English-speaking countries.

Discuss what country you are going to speak about, what is necessary to do in order to make the project interesting; what each of you is going to prepare for the presentation.