I had first become acquainted with my italian ответы егэ

Задание №9542.
Чтение. ЕГЭ по английскому

Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

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Peska managed to
1) change the author’s life completely.
2) become English to the core.
3) meet a woman who later directed his life.
4) turn his existence into a new channel.

Решение:
Peska managed to change the author’s life completely.
Песке удалось полностью изменить жизнь автора.

«… and that by so doing he was to turn the whole current of my existence into a new channel.»

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Источник: ФИПИ. Открытый банк тестовых заданий

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Тест с похожими заданиями

Прочитайте журнальную статью о книге и выполните задания 1 – 5, выбирая
букву A, B, C или D. Установите
соответствие номера задания выбранному вами варианту ответа.

«A good
book for children should simply be a good book in its own right.» These are
the words of Mollie Hunter, a well-known author of books for youngsters. Born
and bred near Edinburgh,
Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. She
firmly believes that there is always and should always be a wider audience for
any good book whatever its main market. In Mollie’s opinion it is essential to
make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story, which is what every
writer should be doing: »If you aren’t telling a story, you’re a very dead
writer indeed,» she says.

When Mollie
was a child her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry
fields – sadly now covered with modern houses. «I was once taken back to
see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood.
I’ll never go back,» she said. «Never.» »When I set one of my
books in Scotland,»
she said, «I can recapture my romantic feelings as a child playing in
those fields, or watching the village blacksmith at work. And that’s important,
because children now know so much so early that romance can’t exist for them,
as it did for us.»

To this day,
Mollie has a lively affection for children, which is reflected in the love she
has for her writing. «When we have visitors with children the adults
always say, «If you go to visit Mollie, she’ll spend more time with the
children.» Molly believes that parents don’t realize that children are
much more interesting company and always have something new and unexpected to
say.

1. In Mollie’s opinion a good book should

А) be attractive to a wide audience.

B) be attractive primarily to
youngsters.

C) be based on original ideas.

D) include a lot of description.

2. How does Mollie feel about what has
happened to her birthplace?

А) confused

B) ashamed

C) disappointed

D) surprised

3. In comparison with children of earlier
years, Mollie feels that modern children are

А) more romantic.

B) better informed.

C) less keen to learn.

D) less interested in fiction.

4. Mollie’s adult visitors generally discover
that she

А) is a lively person.

B) is interesting company.

C) talks a lot about her work.

D) pays more attention to their
children.

5. Mollie thinks that the parents

А) are not aware of their children’s
gifts.

B) overestimate their children’s
talents.

C) sometimes don’t understand what
their children say.

D) don’t spend much time with their
children.

Задание
2.Прочитайте отрывок из романа и выполните задания 1 – 7,
выбирая букву A,
B, C или D. Установите
соответствие номера задания выбранному вами варианту ответа.

I had first become acquainted with
my Italian friend by meeting him at certain great houses where he taught his
own language and I taught drawing. All I then knew of the history of his life
was that he had left Italy
for political reasons; and that he had been for many years respectably
established in London
as a teacher.

Without being actually a dwarf – for
he was perfectly well-proportioned from head to foot – Pesca was, I think, the
smallest human being I ever saw. Remarkable anywhere, by his personal appearance,
he was still further distinguished among the mankind by the eccentricity of his
character. The ruling idea of Peska’s life now was to show his gratitude to the
country that had given him a shelter by doing his utmost to turn himself into
an Englishman. The Professor aspired to become an Englishman in his habits and
amusements, as well as in his personal appearance. Finding us distinguished, as
a nation, by our love of athletic exercises, the little man, devoted himself to
all our English sports and pastimes, firmly persuaded that he could adopt our
national amusements by an effort of will the same way as he had adopted our
national gaiters and our national white hat.

I had seen him risk his limbs
blindly unlike others at a fox-hunt and in a cricket field; and soon
afterwards I saw him risk his life, just as blindly, in the sea at Brighton.

We had met there accidentally, and
were bathing together. If we had been engaged in any exercise peculiar to my
own nation I should, of course, have looked after Pesca carefully; but as
foreigners are generally quite as well able to take care of themselves in the
water as Englishmen, it never occurred to me that the art of swimming might
merely add one more to the list of manly exercises which the Professor believed
that he could learn on the spot. Soon after we had both struck out from shore,
I stopped, finding my friend did not
follow me, and turned round to look for him. To my horror and amazement,
I saw nothing between me and the beach but two little white arms which
struggled for an instant above the surface of the water, and then disappeared
from view. When I dived for him, the poor little man was lying quietly at the
bottom, looking smaller than I had ever seen him look before.

When he had thoroughly recovered himself,
his warm Southern nature broke through all artificial English restraints in a
moment. He overwhelmed me with the wildest expressions of affection and in his
exaggerated Italian way declared that he should never be happy again until he
rendered me some service which I might remember to the end of my days.

Little did I think then – little did
I think afterwards – that the opportunity of serving me was soon to come; that
he was eagerly to seize it on the instant; and that by so doing he was to turn
the whole current of my existence into a new channel. Yet so it was. If I had
not dived for Professor Pesca when he lay under water, I should never, perhaps,
have heard even the name of the woman, who now directs the purpose of my life.

1. Peska taught

A) drawing.

B) Italian.

C) English.

D) politics.

2.
Peska impressed people by being

A) well-built.

B) well-mannered.

C) strange.

D) ill-mannered.

3.
Peska tried to become a true Englishman because he

A) was thankful to the country that had
adopted him.

B) enjoyed Englishman’s pastimes and
amusements.

C) loved the way the English did
athletic exercises.

D) was fond of the eccentric fashions
of the English.

4.
‘… risk his limbs blindly’ means Peska

A) didn’t look where he went.

B) was
unaware of danger from others.

C) caused
a problem for others.

D) acted rather thoughtlessly.

5.
The author didn’t look after Peska carefully because

A) they both had been engaged in the
peculiar English exercise.

B) foreigners were generally bathing
not far from the shore.

C) the author was sure that Peska would
learn swimming on the spot.

D) the author was sure that Peska was a
very good swimmer.

 6.
Peska wanted to do the author some favour as

A) it was in his warm nature.

B) the author had saved his life.

C) the author was his best friend.

D) he wanted to look English.

7.
Peska managed to

A) change the author’s life completely.

B) become English to the core.

C) meet a woman who later directed his
life.

D) turn his existence into a new
channel.

Задание 3. Прочитайте отрывок из
романа и выполните задания 1 – 7, выбирая букву A, B, C или D. Установите
соответствие номера задания выбранному вами варианту ответа.

Pitcher, a confidential clerk in the
office of Harvey Maxwell, allowed a look of mild interest and surprise when his
employer briskly entered at half-past nine in company with a young lady. Miss
Leslie had been Maxwell’s stenographer for a year. She was beautiful in a way
that was decidedly unstenographic. On this morning she was softly and shyly
radiant. Her eyes were dreamily bright, her expression a happy one, tinged with
reminiscence. Pitcher, still mildly curious, noticed a difference in her ways
this morning. Instead of going straight into the adjoining room, where her desk
was, she stayed for a while, slightly irresolute, in the outer office. Once she
moved over by Maxwell’s desk near enough for him to be aware of her presence.

The man sitting at that desk was no
longer a man; it was a machine, moved by buzzing wheels and uncoiling springs.

“Well – what is it? Anything?” asked
Maxwell sharply.

“Nothing,” answered the
stenographer, moving away with a little smile.

This day was Harvey Maxwell’s busy
day. Messenger boys ran in and out with messages and telegrams. Maxwell himself
jumped from desk to door sweating. On the Exchange there were
hurricanes and snowstorms and volcanoes, and those powerful disturbances
were reproduced in miniature in Maxwell’s office. The rush and pace of business
grew faster and fiercer. Share prices were falling and orders to sell them were
coming and going and the man was working like some strong machine. Here was a
world of finance, and there was no room in it for the human world or the world
of nature.

When the luncheon hour came, Maxwell
stood by his desk with a fountain pen over his right ear. His window was open.
And through the window came a delicate, sweet smell of lilac that fixed the
broker for a moment immovable. For this odour belonged to Miss Leslie; it was
her own, and hers only. She was in the next room – twenty steps away.

“By George, I’ll do it now,” said
Maxwell half aloud. “ I’ll ask her now. I wonder why I didn’t do it long ago.”
He dashed into the inner office and charged upon the desk of the stenographer.
She looked at him with a smile.

“Miss Leslie,” he began hurriedly,
“I have but a moment to spare. I want to say something in that moment. Will you
be my wife? I haven’t had time to approach you in the ordinary way, but I
really do love you.”

“Oh, what are you talking about?”
exclaimed the young lady. She rose to her feet and gazed upon him, round-eyed.

“Don’t you understand?” said
Maxwell. “I want you to marry me. I love you, Miss Leslie. I wanted to tell
you, and I snatched a minute. They are calling me for the phone now. Tell them
to wait a minute, Pitcher. Won’t you, Miss Leslie?”

The stenographer acted very
strangely. She seemed overcome with amazement; then tears flowed from her
wondering eyes; and then she smiled sunnily through them.

“I know now,” she said softly. “It
is this old business that has driven everything else out of your head for the
time. I was frightened at first. Don’t you remember, Harvey? We were married last evening at 8
o’clock in the Little Church Around the Corner.”

1. Harvey Maxwell was

A) a stenographer.

B) a clerk.

C) Pitcher’s boss.

D) Pitcher’s partner.

2. Pitcher was mildly interested and
surprised because

A) Miss Leslie moved decidedly to Maxwell’s desk.

B) Miss Leslie arrived with Maxwell.

C) Maxwell came late at half past ten.

D) Maxwell looked irresolute that morning.

3. It was Harvey Maxwell’s hard day because

A) he had no one to help him.

B) all messenger boys had gone.

C) the weather was hot.

D) the Exchange was a busy place.

4. ‘On the Exchange there were hurricanes and
snowstorms and volcanoes’ means

A) the Exchange was about to be
destroyed.

B) the financial situation was
difficult.

C) natural disasters often happened
in that area.

D) those were powerful disturbances
of nature.

5. Maxwell dashed into the inner office at
lunch time because

A) he liked the lilac smell.

B) the smell reminded him of Miss
Leslie.

C) Pitcher called him for a phone
call.

D) he needed to send a message.

6. Harvey Maxwell made a proposal between
phone calls because he

A) was rather pressed for time.

B) used to make business proposals
in such a way.

C) always acted very strangely.

D) was afraid Miss Leslie would
leave him.

7. Miss Leslie was astonished by the proposal
because

A) she had never heard anyone make
it in such a way.

B) she had never expected it from
Harvey Maxwell.

C) she had married the man the day
before.

D) it came too quickly and without
warning.

Ответы к заданиям по
чтению ( высокий уровень)

1. 1-A, 2-C, 3-B, 4-D, 5-A
2. 1-B; 2-C; 3-A; 4-D; 5-D; 6-B; 7-A
3. 1-C; 2-B; 3-D; 4-B; 5-B; 6-A; 7-C

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…

я впервые познакомился с моим итальянского друга, встретив его на некоторых великих домов где он научил его собственный язык и я учила рисовать.все, что я тогда знал историю его жизни заключается в том, что он покинул италию по политическим причинам, и что он уже в течение многих лет респектабельно, учрежденного в лондоне как учитель.

без фактического гнома — он вполне соответствует с головы до ног – Pesca был, я думаю, самый человек которого я когда — либо видел.замечательный, куда, по его личной явки, он был еще один уважаемый среди человечества эксцентриситет его характера.постановление о peska жизнь теперь состоит в том, чтобы показать свою признательность стране, которая дала ему жилье, делая все возможное, чтобы превратить себя в англичанина.профессор мечтает стать англичанина в его привычками и развлечений, а также в его личной явки.найти нас, уважаемый, как нации, нашей любовью спортивных упражнений, маленький человек,посвятил себя все наши английский спорт и игры, твердо убеждена в том, что он может принять наши национальные забавы усилием воли так же, как он принял нашу национальную гетры и нашей национальной белых.

я видел его риск его конечности вслепую, в отличие от других на лису хант и в крикет на местах; и в ближайшее время после этого я видел его рисковать своей жизнью, как и слепо, в море на брайтон.

мы встретились не случайно, и купания вместе.если мы участвовали в любом мероприятии, характерные для моей страны, я должен, конечно, смотрели после Pesca тщательно; но как иностранцы, как правило, являются весьма также способны позаботиться о себе в воду, как англичане,мне никогда не приходило в голову, что искусство плавание может лишь добавить еще один в список таких учений, которые профессор считает, что он может учиться на месте.вскоре после того, как мы обе облажались с берега, я остановился, найти мой друг не
за мной и развернулся, чтобы найти его.мой ужас и изумление,
я не видел ничего между мной и пляж, но две маленькие белые оружия, который боролся за мгновение над поверхностью воды, а затем скрылся из виду.когда я вышла за него, бедного мальчика было тихо лежали на дне, если меньше, чем я когда — либо видел его взгляд прежде.

, когда он тщательно опомнился,теплые южные характер сломала все искусственные английский ограничения в один момент.он мне даже не с выражения любви и в его преувеличенные итальянский способ заявил, что он не должен быть счастливым до тех пор, пока он делает мне некоторые услуги, которые я могу вспомнить до конца своих дней.

мало думаю ли я, что потом — не думаю, что после этого – возможность выступать в меня скоро вернуться, что он с готовностью использовать его на мгновение, и что, таким образом, он был в свою очередь весь текущий моего существования в новый канал.но так оно и было.если я не нырял за профессор. когда он лежал под водой, я бы никогда, наверное, слышали даже имя женщины,кто сейчас руководит цель моей жизни.

I had first become acquainted with my Italian friend by meeting him at certain great houses where he taught his own language and I taught drawing. All I then knew of the history of his life was that he had left Italy for political reasons; and that he had been for many years respectably established in London as a teacher.
Without being actually a dwarf – for he was perfectly well-proportioned from head to foot – Pesca was, I think, the smallest human being I ever saw. Remarkable anywhere, by his personal appearance, he was still further distinguished among the mankind by the eccentricity of his character. The ruling idea of Peska’s life now was to show his gratitude to the country that had given him a shelter by doing his utmost to turn himself into an Englishman. The Professor aspired to become an Englishman in his habits and amusements, as well as in his personal appearance. Finding us distinguished, as a nation, by our love of athletic exercises, the little man, devoted himself to all our English sports and pastimes, firmly persuaded that he could adopt our national amusements by an effort of will the same way as he had adopted our national gaiters and our national white hat.
I had seen him risk his limbs blindly unlike others at a fox-hunt and in a cricket field; and soon afterwards I saw him risk his life, just as blindly, in the sea at Brighton.
We had met there accidentally, and were bathing together. If we had been engaged in any exercise peculiar to my own nation I should, of course, have looked after Pesca carefully; but as foreigners are generally quite as well able to take care of themselves in the water as Englishmen, it never occurred to me that the art of swimming might merely add one more to the list of manly exercises which the Professor believed that he could learn on the spot. Soon after we had both struck out from shore, I stopped, finding my friend did not
follow me, and turned round to look for him. To my horror and amazement,
I saw nothing between me and the beach but two little white arms which struggled for an instant above the surface of the water, and then disappeared from view. When I dived for him, the poor little man was lying quietly at the bottom, looking smaller than I had ever seen him look before.
When he had thoroughly recovered himself, his warm Southern nature broke through all artificial English restraints in a moment. He overwhelmed me with the wildest expressions of affection and in his exaggerated Italian way declared that he should never be happy again until he rendered me some service which I might remember to the end of my days.
Little did I think then – little did I think afterwards – that the opportunity of serving me was soon to come; that he was eagerly to seize it on the instant; and that by so doing he was to turn the whole current of my existence into a new channel. Yet so it was. If I had not dived for Professor Pesca when he lay under water, I should never, perhaps, have heard even the name of the woman, who now directs the purpose of my life.

A15. Peska taught

A) drawing.

B) Italian.

C) English.

D) politics.

A16. Peska impressed people by being

A) well-built.

B) well-mannered.

C) strange.

D) ill-mannered.

A17. Peska tried to become a true Englishman because he

A) was thankful to the country that had adopted him.

B) enjoyed Englishman’s pastimes and amusements.

C) loved the way the English did athletic exercises.

D) was fond of the eccentric fashions of the English.

A18. ‘… risk his limbs blindly’ means Peska

A) didn’t look where he went.

B) was unaware of danger from others.

C) caused a problem for others.

D) acted rather thoughtlessly.

A19. The author didn’t look after Peska carefully because

A) they both had been engaged in the peculiar English exercise.

B) foreigners were generally bathing not far from the shore.

C) the author was sure that Peska would learn swimming on the spot.

D) the author was sure that Peska was a very good swimmer.

A20. Peska wanted to do the author some favour as

A) it was in his warm nature.

B) the author had saved his life.

C) the author was his best friend.

D) he wanted to look English.

A21. Peska managed to

A) change the author’s life completely.

B) become English to the core.

C) meet a woman who later directed his life.

D) turn his existence into a new channel.

Задание 1.

 Прочитайте журнальную статью о книге и выполните задания 1 – 5, выбирая букву A, B, C или D. Установите соответствие номера задания выбранному вами варианту ответа.

«A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right.» These are the words of Mollie Hunter, a well-known author of books for youngsters. Born and bred near Edinburgh, Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. She firmly believes that there is always and should always be a wider audience for any good book whatever its main market. In Mollie’s opinion it is essential to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story, which is what every writer should be doing: »If you aren’t telling a story, you’re a very dead writer indeed,» she says.

When Mollie was a child her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields – sadly now covered with modern houses. «I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I’ll never go back,» she said. «Never.» »When I set one of my books in Scotland,» she said, «I can recapture my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields, or watching the village blacksmith at work. And that’s important, because children now know so much so early that romance can’t exist for them, as it did for us.»

To this day, Mollie has a lively affection for children, which is reflected in the love she has for her writing. «When we have visitors with children the adults always say, «If you go to visit Mollie, she’ll spend more time with the children.» Molly believes that parents don’t realize that children are much more interesting company and always have something new and unexpected to say.

1. In Mollie’s opinion a good book should

А) be attractive to a wide audience.

B) be attractive primarily to youngsters.

C) be based on original ideas.

D) include a lot of description.

     2. How does Mollie feel about what has happened to her birthplace?

А) confused

B) ashamed

C) disappointed

D) surprised

1. In comparison with children of earlier years, Mollie feels that modern children are

А) more romantic.

B) better informed.

C) less keen to learn.

D) less interested in fiction.

1. Mollie’s adult visitors generally discover that she

А) is a lively person.

B) is interesting company.

C) talks a lot about her work.

D) pays more attention to their children.

1. Mollie thinks that the parents

А) are not aware of their children’s gifts.

B) overestimate their children’s talents.

C) sometimes don’t understand what their children say.

D) don’t spend much time with their children.

Задание 2.

Прочитайте отрывок из романа и выполните задания 1 – 7, выбирая букву A, B, C или D. Установите соответствие номера задания выбранному вами варианту ответа.

I had first become acquainted with my Italian friend by meeting him at certain great houses where he taught his own language and I taught drawing. All I then knew of the history of his life was that he had left Italy for political reasons; and that he had been for many years respectably established in London as a teacher.

Without being actually a dwarf – for he was perfectly well-proportioned from head to foot – Pesca was, I think, the smallest human being I ever saw. Remarkable anywhere, by his personal appearance, he was still further distinguished among the mankind by the eccentricity of his character. The ruling idea of Peska’s life now was to show his gratitude to the country that had given him a shelter by doing his utmost to turn himself into an Englishman. The Professor aspired to become an Englishman in his habits and amusements, as well as in his personal appearance. Finding us distinguished, as a nation, by our love of athletic exercises, the little man, devoted himself to all our English sports and pastimes, firmly persuaded that he could adopt our national amusements by an effort of will the same way as he had adopted our national gaiters and our national white hat.

I had seen him risk his limbs blindly unlike others at a fox-hunt and in a cricket field; and soon afterwards I saw him risk his life, just as blindly, in the sea at Brighton.

We had met there accidentally, and were bathing together. If we had been engaged in any exercise peculiar to my own nation I should, of course, have looked after Pesca carefully; but as foreigners are generally quite as well able to take care of themselves in the water as Englishmen, it never occurred to me that the art of swimming might merely add one more to the list of manly exercises which the Professor believed that he could learn on the spot. Soon after we had both struck out from shore, I stopped, finding my friend did not
follow me, and turned round to look for him. To my horror and amazement,
I saw nothing between me and the beach but two little white arms which struggled for an instant above the surface of the water, and then disappeared from view. When I dived for him, the poor little man was lying quietly at the bottom, looking smaller than I had ever seen him look before.

When he had thoroughly recovered himself, his warm Southern nature broke through all artificial English restraints in a moment. He overwhelmed me with the wildest expressions of affection and in his exaggerated Italian way declared that he should never be happy again until he rendered me some service which I might remember to the end of my days.

Little did I think then – little did I think afterwards – that the opportunity of serving me was soon to come; that he was eagerly to seize it on the instant; and that by so doing he was to turn the whole current of my existence into a new channel. Yet so it was. If I had not dived for Professor Pesca when he lay under water, I should never, perhaps, have heard even the name of the woman, who now directs the purpose of my life.

     1. Peska taught

A) drawing.

B) Italian.

C) English.

D) politics.

1. Peska impressed people by being

A) well-built.

B) well-mannered.

C) strange.

D) ill-mannered.

1. Peska tried to become a true Englishman because he

A) was thankful to the country that had adopted him.

B) enjoyed Englishman’s pastimes and amusements.

C) loved the way the English did athletic exercises.

D) was fond of the eccentric fashions of the English.

1. ‘… risk his limbs blindly’ means Peska

A) didn’t look where he went.

B) was unaware of danger from others.

C) caused a problem for others.

D) acted rather thoughtlessly.

      5. The author didn’t look after Peska carefully because

A) they both had been engaged in the peculiar English exercise.

B) foreigners were generally bathing not far from the shore.

C) the author was sure that Peska would learn swimming on the spot.

D) the author was sure that Peska was a very good swimmer.

1. Peska wanted to do the author some favour as

A) it was in his warm nature.

B) the author had saved his life.

C) the author was his best friend.

D) he wanted to look English.

1. Peska managed to

A) change the author’s life completely.

B) become English to the core.

C) meet a woman who later directed his life.

D) turn his existence into a new channel.

Задание 3. 

Прочитайте отрывок из романа и выполните задания 1 – 7, выбирая букву A, B, C или D. Установите соответствие номера задания выбранному вами варианту ответа.

Pitcher, a confidential clerk in the office of Harvey Maxwell, allowed a look of mild interest and surprise when his employer briskly entered at half-past nine in company with a young lady. Miss Leslie had been Maxwell’s stenographer for a year. She was beautiful in a way that was decidedly unstenographic. On this morning she was softly and shyly radiant. Her eyes were dreamily bright, her expression a happy one, tinged with reminiscence. Pitcher, still mildly curious, noticed a difference in her ways this morning. Instead of going straight into the adjoining room, where her desk was, she stayed for a while, slightly irresolute, in the outer office. Once she moved over by Maxwell’s desk near enough for him to be aware of her presence.

The man sitting at that desk was no longer a man; it was a machine, moved by buzzing wheels and uncoiling springs.

“Well – what is it? Anything?” asked Maxwell sharply.

“Nothing,” answered the stenographer, moving away with a little smile.

This day was Harvey Maxwell’s busy day. Messenger boys ran in and out with messages and telegrams. Maxwell himself jumped from desk to door sweating. On the Exchange there were hurricanes and snowstorms and volcanoes, and those powerful disturbances were reproduced in miniature in Maxwell’s office. The rush and pace of business grew faster and fiercer. Share prices were falling and orders to sell them were coming and going and the man was working like some strong machine. Here was a world of finance, and there was no room in it for the human world or the world of nature.

When the luncheon hour came, Maxwell stood by his desk with a fountain pen over his right ear. His window was open. And through the window came a delicate, sweet smell of lilac that fixed the broker for a moment immovable. For this odour belonged to Miss Leslie; it was her own, and hers only. She was in the next room – twenty steps away.

“By George, I’ll do it now,” said Maxwell half aloud. “ I’ll ask her now. I wonder why I didn’t do it long ago.” He dashed into the inner office and charged upon the desk of the stenographer. She looked at him with a smile.

“Miss Leslie,” he began hurriedly, “I have but a moment to spare. I want to say something in that moment. Will you be my wife? I haven’t had time to approach you in the ordinary way, but I really do love you.”

“Oh, what are you talking about?” exclaimed the young lady. She rose to her feet and gazed upon him, round-eyed.

“Don’t you understand?” said Maxwell. “I want you to marry me. I love you, Miss Leslie. I wanted to tell you, and I snatched a minute. They are calling me for the phone now. Tell them to wait a minute, Pitcher. Won’t you, Miss Leslie?”

The stenographer acted very strangely. She seemed overcome with amazement; then tears flowed from her wondering eyes; and then she smiled sunnily through them.

“I know now,” she said softly. “It is this old business that has driven everything else out of your head for the time. I was frightened at first. Don’t you remember, Harvey? We were married last evening at 8 o’clock in the Little Church Around the Corner.”

1. Harvey Maxwell was

A) a stenographer.

B) a clerk.

C) Pitcher’s boss.

D) Pitcher’s partner.

2. Pitcher was mildly interested and surprised because

A) Miss Leslie moved decidedly to Maxwell’s desk.

B) Miss Leslie arrived with Maxwell.

C) Maxwell came late at half past ten.

D) Maxwell looked irresolute that morning.

3. It was Harvey Maxwell’s hard day because

A) he had no one to help him.

B) all messenger boys had gone.

C) the weather was hot.

D) the Exchange was a busy place.

4. ‘On the Exchange there were hurricanes and snowstorms and volcanoes’ means

A) the Exchange was about to be destroyed.

B) the financial situation was difficult.

C) natural disasters often happened in that area.

D) those were powerful disturbances of nature.

5. Maxwell dashed into the inner office at lunch time because

A) he liked the lilac smell.

B) the smell reminded him of Miss Leslie.

C) Pitcher called him for a phone call.

D) he needed to send a message.

6. Harvey Maxwell made a proposal between phone calls because he

A) was rather pressed for time.

B) used to make business proposals in such a way.

C) always acted very strangely.

D) was afraid Miss Leslie would leave him.

7. Miss Leslie was astonished by the proposal because

A) she had never heard anyone make it in such a way.

B) she had never expected it from Harvey Maxwell.

C) she had married the man the day before.

D) it came too quickly and without warning.

Задание 4.

Прочитайте отрывок из романа и выполните задания 1 – 7, выбирая букву A, B, C или D. Установите соответствие номера задания выбранному вами варианту ответа.

The London Marathon celebrates its 23rd birthday. That is 23 years of stresses and strains, blisters and sore bits, and incredible tales. Somehow, yours truly has managed to run four of them. And I have medals to prove it. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I watched the inaugural London Marathon on March 29th, 1981. It seemed extraordinary that normal people would want to run 26 miles and 385 yards. And, it must be said, they looked strange and not quite steady at the end of it all. There are, indeed, terrible tales of people losing consciousness by the time they reach that glorious finishing line. But I was captivated. I knew I had to do it.

Three years later I was living in London, not far from Greenwich where the event begins, and it seemed the perfect opportunity to give it a go. I was only a short train ride from the starting line, but more than 26 miles from the finish. “Who cares?” I thought. By the end I did. The moment I crossed that finishing line, and had that medal placed around my neck, was one of the finest in my life. The sense of achievement was immense. It was a mad thing to do, and ultimately pointless. But knowing that I’d run a Marathon – that most historic of all distant races – felt incredible.

London provides one of the easiest of all the officially sanctioned marathons because most of it is flat. Yes, there are the cobblestones while running through the Tower of London, and there are the quiet patches where crowds are thin and you are crying out for some encouragement – those things matter to the alleged “fun” runners like myself, the serious runners don’t think of such things.

This year London will attract unprecedented number of athletes, a lot of title holders among them. It is set to witness what is probably the greatest field ever for a marathon. In the men’s race, for example, among numerous applicants there’s the holder of the world’s best time, Khalid Khannouchi of the USA; the defending champion El Mouriz of Morocco; Ethiopia’s Olympic bronze-medallist Tesfaye Tola. And, making his marathon debut, is one of the finest long distance runners of all time Haile Gebrselassie.

Since 1981, almost half a million people have completed the London Marathon, raising more than $125 million for charity. For the majority of the runners, this is what it is all about. It is for charity, for fun, for self-development. It is a wonderful day. I have run it with poor training, with proper training. And I have always loved it.

It’s crazy, and it’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. If you want to feel as though you’ve achieved something, run a marathon.

1. Participation in the London Marathon resulted for the author in

A) stresses and strains.

B) blisters and sore bits.

C) memorable medals.

D) incredible tales.

2. When the author watched the end of the first marathon he saw people who were

A) extraordinary steady.

B) feeling weak and exhausted.

C) losing consciousness.

D) having a glorious time.

3. The reason for the author’s participation in the marathon was the fact that he

A) was fascinated by it.

B) lived not far from its finishing line.

C) wanted to receive a medal.

D) wanted to do something incredible.

4. “By the end I did” means that the author

A) found the distance suitable.

B) found the distance challenging.

C) decided to take part in the marathon.

D) eventually took a train to the finish.

5. According to the author, the London Marathon is one of the easiest because

A) it goes through the Tower of London.

B) there are quiet patches without crowds.

C) many “fun” runners participate in it.

D) its course does not slope up or down.

6. “… the greatest field ever for a marathon” means that the marathon

A) will take place on a big field.

B) is to be run by the famous runners only.

C) will be witnessed by more people.

D) will welcome a huge number of sportsmen.

7. According to the author, one should run the London Marathon to

A) raise money for charity.

B) get some training.

C) feel self-fulfillment.

D) have fun in a crazy way.

Ответы к заданиям

1. 1-A, 2-C, 3-B, 4-D, 5-A
2. 1-B; 2-C; 3-A; 4-D; 5-D; 6-B; 7-A
3. 1-C; 2-B; 3-D; 4-B; 5-B; 6-A; 7-C
4. 1-C; 2-B; 3-A; 4-B; 5-D; 6-D; 7-C