1) Установите соответствие между заголовками 1 — 8 и текстами A — G. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.
1. Grand heights
2. Life down below
3. Seaside living
4. The wettest settlement
5. Grand metropolis
6. Desert survival
7. Below zero living
8. Dense living
A. The famous island of Aruba is located in the Caribbean Sea. Its approximately 100,000 residents live mostly along the coast, although there are a few inland settlements. Compared with the rest of the Caribbean Islands, the inhabitants of Aruba live in a considerably drier climate. The island is strewn with cactus plants, and it’s relatively flat compared with neighbouring land masses.
B. Although it doesn’t exist anymore, at one point Kowloon Walled City had more people living in it per square kilometre than any other city in the world. Over 30,000 people lived in the settlement, which was only the size of one city block. It was a dangerous place to live, full of health hazards and shoddy building standards. This is why the Chinese government eventually tore it down.
C. Antarctica is not a continent many people have visited, or probably ever will. Almost completely covered in ice for the entire year, there are no towns or cities there, and the only permanent inhabitants are penguins, seals and other ocean-faring creatures. Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth, with temperatures plummeting to almost -90 degrees Celsius in winter. Despite its icy surface, it hardly receives any rain.
D. Los Angeles may seem like a glamorous place, but its motorways are jam-packed. Still, they’re the best way to get around the city, as the underground, although improved, is not always useful, and the bus system is complicated. Thus, it’s essential to have a vehicle to get around, but to get right across the city could take more than two hours, even driving at high speeds on the motorway.
E. The village of Mawsynram, northeast India, has a special distinction to accompany its name. It receives more rainfall than any other place in the world. On average, almost 12 metres of rain fall in Mawsynram each year. That’s metres, not inches or centimetres. The village lies amongst hills where monsoon winds from southern India converge. It’s highly recommended to bring an umbrella if you visit!
F. Believe it or not, there is life at the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Seven miles below the surface, it’s pitch black because no sunlight reaches that far. There is little for anything to eat down there, and temperatures are not far above freezing point. What could possibly exist down there? And yet, this is the home of many small, fish-like creatures.
G. Mount Everest is generally thought to be the tallest mountain in the world, but it depends on how you measure things. If you start from the very bottom of the base of a mountain, even if it’s below the sea, then Hawaii’s Mauna Kea would qualify as the tallest. From the sea floor to its peak, it’s 10,203 metres high, compared to Mount Everest’s 8,848 metres.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
2) Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A — F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1 — 7. Одна из частей в списке 1—7 лишняя.
Pavlovsk Palace
Pavlovsk Palace near St Petersburg has a remarkable story. In its over 200 years of existence, it has been ravaged by fire, ___ (A). But its survival of World War II is perhaps the most interesting period in its history.
The palace was built in the late 18th century on land that belonged to Catherine the Great. She had passed the land down to her son, Paul I, and his wife, Maria, upon the birth of their son, Alexander I of Russia. Scottish architect Charles Cameron, a lover of Greek and Roman architecture, was hired to design the palace. His relationship with Catherine the Great was quite close, ___ (B).
The three of them had competing interests for the interiors, each one disliking the others’ tastes. Eventually the palace was finished, and after Catherine the Greats passing, Paul I made it the official royal residence. His death in 1801 meant Alexander I would become emperor, ___ (C).
The palace stayed in royal hands up until the Russian Revolution, when the royal family fled the country. They left the palace to Alexander Polovotsoff, a prominent museum director, who fought to have it saved as a museum. His success meant that the palace survived, ___ (D).
Just before its seizure, the museum staff hurried to save the art contained in the museum. Furniture was dismantled and shipped off, ___ (E).
Perhaps the cleverest trick involved the statues. They were too heavy to evacuate, so the staff buried them in the gardens. They sank them three metres into the ground, ___ (F). They were right; after the occupation was over, the statues still remained.
1. occupied by foreign troops and nearly completely destroyed
2. and large antiquities were stored in a basement and walled up
3. but it would be seized by the Germans years later and used for military purposes
4. and he designated the house as his mother Marias official residence
5. believing the palace would best serve the country as a museum
6. but clashes would erupt between him, Paul and Maria over style issues
7. thinking the Germans wouldn’t dig that deep to look for them
| A | B | C | D | E | F |
3) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Показать текст. ⇓
Before Martin moved to Bali, he…
1) was very unhappy with his life in general.
2) spent some time working there to see if he would like it.
3) was only thinking of the positive aspects of life there.
4) expected life there to be full of inconveniences.
4) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Показать текст. ⇓
What did Martin think about lying on the beach and sitting by a pool?
1) It wasn’t something he’d ever be able to do.
2) It was the only thing to do in Bali.
3) It would be something he’d find very boring.
4) It would have to be an occasional thing.
5) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Показать текст. ⇓
Martin’s dream jobs were all…
1) educational.
2) sporty.
3) travel-related.
4) hospitality-related.
6) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Показать текст. ⇓
What kind of living arrangements did Martin want to secure?
1) A luxurious sort of place.
2) Anything he could find.
3) Something in a good location.
4) A modern type of place.
7) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Показать текст. ⇓
‘This’ in ‘None of this was as a result of not trying’ in the sixth paragraph refers to…
1) the place Martin found.
2) the results of Martin’s endeavours.
3) the island life.
4) the rent he had to pay.
Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Показать текст. ⇓
How did Martin feel about the power being cut in the beginning?
1) It didn’t bother him very much.
2) He became really annoyed.
3) He worried about being disconnected.
4) He thought he’d get used to it.
9) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Показать текст. ⇓
What does the phrase ‘cry over spilt milk’ in the last paragraph mean?
1) Get upset about spoiled food.
2) Worry about unimportant things.
3) Imagine serious health problems.
4) Give up on dreams.
Совсем недавно на сайте ФИПИ появился открытый вариант ЕГЭ английский 2021. Это прекрасная возможность оценить уровень сложности предстоящего экзамена и, конечно же, дополнительная практика. А она ой как нужна, ведь экзамен уже не за горами, поэтому мы решили посвятить нашу новую статью детальному разбору ключевых разделов открытого варианта ЕГЭ. Не будем вас больше томить и приступим.
Читайте, берите на заметку и делитесь со своими друзьями. Поехали!
Грамматика и лексика
Абсолютно точно открытый вариант ЕГЭ английский 2021 порадовал, особенно в части грамматика и лексика, ведь задания 19-25 оказались на редкость простыми. Задания по словообразованию 26-31 и лексике 32-38 тоже сложными не назовешь, если знать алгоритм их выполнения. О нем мы рассказывали в одной из наших статей. Так что если вы еще ее не читали, то советуем обязательно прочесть.
Задания 19-25: детальный разбор и ответы
19. Сначала посмотрим на структуру предложения.
Many people think snakes enjoy __________________ to music. (listen)
В нем уже есть и подлежащее snakes, и сказуемое enjoy. Это говорит о том, что здесь не нужна личная форма глагола.
Что такое личная форма? Это такая форма, которая используется в качестве сказуемого и связана с выполняющим действие субъектом или, проще говоря, это спрягаемая форма глагола.
В данном предложении нужна неличная форма глагола. К неличным формам глагола относятся герундий (V-ing), Past Participle (V3) и инфинитив.
Чтобы понять, какая из неличных форм потребуется, вернемся к сказуемому в предложении, то есть к глаголу enjoy. По правилу после него ставится герундий (V-ing), поэтому получается listening.
Ответ: listening.
20. Работая с глаголами, первое, на что следует обращать внимание — это маркеры, которые указывают на определенное время. Давайте посмотрим, есть ли в предложении таковой.
People __________________ this myth for a long time. (believe)
Да, в конце предложения видим for a long time. Такой временной маркер характерен для Present Perfect Continuous или Past Perfect Continuous. Но поскольку повествование ведется в настоящем, что видно из предыдущих предложений, то рассматриваем только первый из предложенных вариантов. Но есть еще одно НО. Глагол believe является исключением и не употребляется в аспекте Continuous, поэтому мы выберем просто Present Perfect, где также есть этот маркер for a long time.
При выборе между Present Perfect (PP) и Present Perfect Continuous (PPC) руководствуемся следующим правилом:
если глагол показывает процесс, то выбираем PPC, а если это глагол относится к глаголам состояния (stative verbs), то выбираем PP.
Получаем have believed.
Ответ: have believed
21. Начнем с того, что посмотрим на структуру предложения.
In fact, snakes __________________ music or sounds and react only to your movements. (not hear)
Есть подлежащее во множественном числе — snakes и есть одно из однородных сказуемых после союза and – react. Форма этого глагола подсказывает нам и линейку времен — это Present и аспект — это Simple. Остается вспомнить, как строить отрицательные предложения в Present Simple. Это делается следующим образом: do + not + инфинитив. Получается do not hear.
Ответ: do not hear
22. Если на полях видите количественное числительное, то нужно образовать порядковое.
She was the__________________ woman to become the professor of
mathematics. (one)
Получается first.
Ответ: first
23. Переведем предложение и заодно посмотрим, есть ли маркеры.
However, few people know that Sofia __________________ interested in mathematics at a very early age. (get)
Однако немногие знают, что София начала интересоваться математикой с ранних лет.
Видим, что событие в придаточном предложении происходило в прошлом и есть даже временной указатель at a very early age, поэтому ставим глагол get в Past Simple, для которого как раз важно, когда конкретно произошло событие. Глагол get имеет форму got.
Ответ: got
24. Повествование о детстве Софии Ковалевской продолжается, значит и линейка времен по-прежнему Past, аспект Simple. Число глагола будет единственным.
There __________________ enough wallpaper for her room and her parents put some sheets of paper instead. (not be)
При работе с оборотом there is число глагола определяется по слову, стоящему после него. В данном предложении — это неисчисляемое существительное wallpaper, которое в английском языке употребляется с глаголом в единственном числе. Получается was not.
Ответ: was not
25. Если видите указательное местоимение this или that, нужно поставить их во мн.ч. This – these, that – those.
__________________ sheets turned out to be notes of lectures of a famous Russian mathematician.
Ответ: these
Задания 26-31: детальный разбор и ответы
26. Если на полях стоит certain, то обычно требуется наречие certainly со значением «несомненно, безусловно».
Capilano Suspension Bridge is __________________ one of them. (certain)
Ответ: certainly
27. Начнем с того, что посмотрим, где находится пропуск.
It is a __________________ bridge in Canada, located near Vancouver. (beauty)
Он — между неопределенным артиклем «a» и существительным «bridge». В этом случае нужно прилагательное, а именно beautiful.
Ответ: beautiful
28. Смотрим на место пропуска и что до него.
Going over this bridge is quite an adventure for __________________. (tour)
Перед ним стоит предлог, следовательно нужно существительное. А так как мы не видим неопределенного артикля после предлога, то скорее всего нам нужно будет существительное во множественном числе. Реже это может быть неисчисляемое существительное в единственном числе.
Остается вспомнить, какие существительные можно образовать от слова tour. Это tourism и tourist. Подставив оба варианта в пропуск, видим, что подходит tourist, но как мы говорили выше, оно должно быть во мн.ч. — tourists.
Going over this bridge is quite an adventure for tourism/tourists. — Пройти по мосту — это самое настоящее приключение для туризма/для туристов.
Ответ: tourists
29. От существительного wind можно образовать только прилагательное windy. Именно это и будет правильным ответом.
If the weather is __________________, the bridge sways from side to side. (wind)
Ответ: windy.
30. Как обычно смотрим на место пропуска и на слово после него. Это поможет определить необходимую часть речи.
People come here for the fresh and clean air, the scent of pine needles and __________________ attractions on the other side of the bridge. (vary)
Пропуск перед существительным, значит нужно прилагательное. От глагола vary – это various.
Ответ: various
31. Так как пропуск — это последнее слово в предложении, следовательно смотрим, что перед ним.
There is a park there with all sorts of entertainment and great boutiques for enthusiastic __________________.
Там стоит прилагательное, значит после него должно быть существительное. Поскольку артикля перед прилагательным нет, то нам нужно либо существительное во мн.ч. — shoppers, либо неисчисляемое существительное shopping.
Чтобы понять, какое из них будет правильным, посмотрим на прилагательное перед пропуском. Это enthusiastic — восторженный, увлеченный. Такое прилагательное, исходя из его перевода, может употребляться исключительно с одушевленным существительным, поэтому выбираем shoppers.
Переведем последнее словосочетание, чтобы все-таки убедиться в правильности выбранного слова.
…great boutiques for enthusiastic shoppers – великолепные магазины для страстных шопоголиков
Ответ: shoppers
Задания 32-38: детальный разбор и ответы
32. Среди предложенных глаголов есть только один, после которого предложение строится таким образом и имеет управление of.
It was a masterpiece, and he could see that it 32 ______ William of Lily and Emily.
Ответ:
- reviewed
- reminded
- recorded
- remembered
Это reminded.
remind smb of smb/smth — напоминать кому-то о ком-то/чем-то
Более подробно о разнице между remind и remember мы рассказываем здесь. А если вы уже ее знаете, то вам не помешает практика. Специально для этого мы приготовили для вас тест.
Ответ: reminded
33. Приступим к следующему заданию и посмотрим на предложенные варианты ответов.
Lincoln had told William he needed to speak to him privately, and they had 33 ______ to meet here.
Ответ:
- arranged
- managed
- coordinated
- established
Начнем с глагола coordinated. Обычно говорят coordinate smth with smb — согласовать что-то с кем-то. К данному контексту он не подойдет
Теперь посмотрим на established.
establish smth — учреждать что-то, устанавливать
Также не подходит.
На заметку: если среди вариантов ответа предлагают managed, то он обычно и является правильным.
Чтобы это проверить, достаточно взглянуть на слова после пропуска, где мы видим to + инфинитив. Глагол managed как раз требует после себя инфинитива с частицей to:
managed to do smth — удалось что-то сделать
Но все же стоит проанализировать и остальные глаголы. Возможно, составители дадут еще один или несколько глаголов, которые так же как и managed требуют инфинитива с частицей to.
Среди предложенных вариантов есть и еще один arranged, который как и managed, может употребляться с to+инфинитивом.
arranged to do smth — договориться что-то сделать
Остается подставить в контекст, чтобы посмотреть, что подойдет по смыслу.
Lincoln had told William he needed to speak to him privately, and they had 33 ______ to meet here. — Линкольн сказала Уильяму, что ему нужно поговорить с ним с глазу на глаз, и поэтому они договорились встретиться здесь/им удалось встретиться здесь.
По контексту видим, что ранее эти герои не встречались, поэтому выбираем вариант arranged.
Ответ: arranged
34. Посмотрим на следующее предложение с пропуском и варианты ответа.
Suddenly William entered the room and apologized for 34 ______ him waiting.
Ответ:
- holding
- keeping
- fixing
- carrying
Здесь проверяется знание выражения keep waiting. Оно переводится как «заставлять ждать».
Ответ: keep
35. Нам предстоит выбрать один глагол из синонимичного ряда. Чтобы это сделать правильно, посмотрим на слова после пропуска.
«You 35 ______ rather serious, even sad,» William said.
Ответ:
- watch
- glance
- see
- look
Там словосочетание rather serious «довольно серьезный». Возникает вопрос: после какого глагола может стоять прилагательное? Ведь мы знаем, что обычно наречие характеризует глагол. Ответ прост — это глагол look в значении «выглядеть». Он является исключением и, как и глагол be, требует после себя прилагательного.
Ответ: look
36. Перейдем к следующему заданию.
In 36 ______, he tried several times with no success.
Ответ:
- fact
- time
- place
- point
В данном задании проверяется знание вводной фразы in fact «в действительности».
Ответ: fact
37. Снова составители хотят подловить нас на устойчивом выражении get in touch with «связаться с кем-либо». Единственно, в предложении глагол стоит в Past Simple.
That’s why he finally got 37 ______ touch with me.
Ответ:
- by
- at
- on
- in
Ответ: in
38. При выполнении этого задания важна лексическая сочетаемость: a car accident – ДТП.
He said that there was a terrible car 38 ______ sometime last night.
Ответ:
- incident
- occasion
- accident
- event
Ответ: accident
Множество тематических тестовых заданий из раздела 32-38 вы можете найти в нашей рубрике «Задания 32-38». А еще больше подобных разборов ищите в нашей новой рубрике «ФИПИ ответы».
Следите за обновлениями и совершенствуйте свой английский вместе с ABC.
The world is home to many large deserts, with some of them receiving less than 200 mm of precipitation every year. The driest place on earth is the Atacama Desert in Chile. It is a plateau that occupies a 600 mile strip of the Pacific coast on the western side of Andes Mountains. It is the only true desert on Earth that receives lower moisture than all the polar deserts. It occupies an area of about 41,000 square miles and is mainly made up of sand, salt lakes, and rough terrain. The lack of precipitation in the desert is because of the two mountains (the Chilean coast range and Andes Mountains) that block the advection of moisture from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, creating a 2-sided rain-shadow. Although the lack of moisture is the main feature of this desert, there are a few instances when it has received some precipitations. The Antarctic front reached the desert in July 2011 and brought 31 inches of snow which affected many residents, especially in Bolivia. The San Pedro de Atacama was flooded by the Altiplano winter in 2012. The southern region of the desert was affected by heavy rainfall on March 25, 2015. The desert is the driest non-polar area on earth, particularly the regions surrounding Yungay town (deserted area), Chile are extremely dry. The typical rain received annually in the Atacama Desert is 0.6 inches, although numerous places like Iquique and Arica experience between 0.04 inches to 0.12 inches. Various weather stations are yet to receive rainfall while other sites in the central part of the desert have registered durations of 4 years without rain. Evidence confirms that this place might not have received significant rain for over four centuries. The Atacama is the oldest continuously dry place in the world which has experienced extreme aridity for over three million years. The desert is too arid that all the surrounding high mountains surrounding it are glacier free. Llullaillaco, Monte Pissis, and Ojos del Salado are the only mountains with permanent snow on their peaks. Research conducted by British scientists suggest that some of the rivers in the Atacama have been dry for over 120,000 years. Other locations may see marine fogs which provide enough precipitation for lichens and algae to grow. Despite the climatic conditions in the desert, over five hundred plant species thrive on the border of the desert. Some of the species include salt grass, Ilareta, thyme, and in regions with sufficient humidity, trees like leafy Algarrobo, Pimiento tree, and Chanar thrive can be found. The Atacama is home to various cacti species including Cardon and Candelabro which attain a diameter of about 28 inches and height of 23 feet. The desert climate prevents many animals from thriving, and some regions of Atacama are too arid for any animal or plant to survive. During the humid and warm seasons, desert butterflies and wasps can be found on the hills. Some of the animals living in the desert include Atacama toads, lava lizards, iguanas, and salt lizards. The largest group of animals living in the desert is the birds. Humboldt penguins reside in the coastal area and nest on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Other birds include Chilean woodstar, sparrows, and hummingbirds. Viscacha and the South-American gray fox, Darwin’s leaf-eared mouse, and vicunas and guanacos also inhabit some parts of the desert. 
Climate
Aridity
Flora And Fauna
Earth, the blue planet: the oceans combined with the atmosphere makes the planet look blue. So its color mainly comes from water. About 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, in fact, Earth is still the only planet we know where water can exist in liquid form on the surface. Water is also vital for all known forms of life. But there are numerous places on Earth that receive rainfall less than even 0.76 mm annually. One place even receives absolutely no rainfall. Here are the top ten driest places on Earth.
10. Aoulef, Algeria
Average rainfall per year: 12.19 millimeters (0.48 inches)
Aoulef is a town and commune and capital of Aoulef District, in Adrar Province, south-central Algeria. It has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with long, extremely hot summers and short, very warm winters. Aoulef is often quoted as one of the hottest spots worldwide. Daytime temperatures are known to consistently approach 50 °C (122 °F) in summer and nighttime temperatures routinely remain above 30 °C (86 °F). July average is 46.8 °C (116.2 °F).
The average annual rainfall is extremely low, with only 12.19 millimeters (0.48 inches). The sky is nearly always clear throughout the year and cloudy days are extremely rare.
9. Pelican Point, Namibia
Average rainfall per year: 8.13 millimeters (0.32 inches)
Pelican Point is in Namibia and a famous place among wave surfers. It is at the end of a long, flat peninsular of sand that stretches into the South Atlantic Ocean and protects the port of Walvis Bay. There’s also a lodge stands on it.
8. Iquique, Chile
Average rainfall per year: 5.08 millimeters (0.2 inches)
Iquique (pronunciation: ee-kee-kay) is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region.
Iquique has a rare mild desert climate (Köppen BWn) with low extremes of temperatures all year round and almost no rainfall. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal which is part of Atacama Desert. Iquique also counted among Chile’s premier beach resorts.
7. Wādī Ḥalfā, Sudan
Average rainfall per year: 2.45 millimeters (0.096 inches)
Wādī Ḥalfā is a city in the Northern state of Sudan on the shores of “Lake Nubia” (the Sudanese section of Lake Nasser). It is the terminus of a rail line from Khartoum and the point where goods are transferred from rail to ferries going down the lake. As of 2007, the city had a population of 15,725.
One of the driest places in the world, Wādī Ḥalfā has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) typical of the Nubian Desert, which makes a part of the greater Sahara Desert, the world’s largest hot desert. This little town is the sunniest place on Earth.
Wādī Ḥalfā receives each year the highest mean amount of bright sunshine. with an extreme value of 4,300 hours/year which is equal to 97-98 % of sunlight beaming down on land yearly. Clouds are also extremely rare over there. In addition to this, the town receives a mean annual amount of rainfall that barely reaches 2.45 millimeters and many years usually pass without any rainfall falling on the ground.
Wādī Ḥalfā experiences a long, torrid summer and a short, really warm winter. The annual mean temperature is about 27 °C (80.6 °F). From May to September, inclusively, the averages highs exceed 40 °C (104 °F). The annual mean rate of potential evaporation is also among the highest found throughout the world, with as much as 5,930 mm.
6. Ica, Peru
Average rainfall per year: 2.29 millimeters (0.09 inches)
The city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. It lies on the border of the Atacama desert and has one of the driest climates in the world Köppen BWh with only around 2.29 millimeters (0.09 inches) of rainfall for the whole year. Temperatures are hot during the summer months (December – March) and warm through the winter months (June – September).
This area was not dry 30 million years ago: in 2007, scientists found fossil evidence of a 4.5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and sported a foot-long (0.3-meter-long) giant species of penguin that used to inhabit the area. The study also describes a smaller ancient penguin species found in the same region. Now the region’s dry air makes pre-Columbian mummies prevalent, as human remains don’t decompose without humidity.
5. Luxor, Egypt
Average rainfall per year: 0.862 millimeters (0.034 inches)
Luxor is a city in Upper (southern) Egypt. It is one of the hottest, sunniest and driest cities in the world. Average high temperatures are above 40 °C (104 °F) during summer (June, July, August) while average low temperatures remain above 22 °C (71.6 °F).
Summers are long, prolonged and extremely hot. During the coldest month of the year, average high temperatures remain above 22 °C (71.6 °F) while average low temperatures remain above 5 °C (41 °F).
Winters are short, brief and extremely warm. Wintertime is very pleasant and enjoyable while summertime is unbearably hot with blazing sunshine although desert heat is dry.
The climate of Luxor is extremely dry year-round, with less than 1 mm of average annual precipitation. The desert city is one of the driest ones in the world, and rainfall doesn’t occur every year. The air is mainly dry in Luxor but much more humid than in Aswan. There is an average relative humidity of 39.9%, with a maximum mean of 57% during winter and a minimum mean of 27% during summer.
The climate of Luxor is extremely clear, bright and sunny year-round, in all seasons, with a low seasonal variation, with about some 4,000 hours of annual sunshine, very close to the maximum theoretical sunshine duration.
In addition, Luxor, Minya, Sohag, Qena, and Asyut have the widest difference of temperatures between days and nights of any city in Egypt, with almost 16 °C (29 °F) difference.
The hottest temperature recorded was on May 15, 1991, which was 50 °C (122 °F) and the coldest temperature was on February 6, 1989, which was -1 °C (30 °F).
4. Aswan, Egypt
Average rainfall per year: 0.861 millimeters (0.0338 inches)
Aswan, formerly spelled Assuan, is a city in the south of Egypt, the capital of the Aswan Governorate. It has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) like the rest of Egypt. Aswan and Luxor have the hottest summer days of any city in Egypt. Aswan is one of the hottest, sunniest and driest cities in the world. Averages high temperatures are consistently above 40 °C (104.0 °F) during summer (June, July, August and also September) while averages low temperatures remain above 25 °C (77.0 °F).
Summers are long, prolonged and extremely hot. Averages high temperatures remain above 23 °C (73.4 °F) during the coldest month of the year while averages low temperatures remain above 8 °C (46.4 °F). Winters are short, brief and extremely warm. Wintertime is very pleasant and enjoyable while summertime is unbearably hot with blazing sunshine although desert heat is dry.
The climate of Aswan is extremely dry year-round, with 0.861 mm (0.0338 in) of average annual precipitation. The desert city is one of the driest ones in the world, and rainfall doesn’t occur every year, as of early 2001, the last rain there was seven years earlier. Aswan is one of the least humid cities on the planet, with an average relative humidity of only 26%, with a maximum mean of 42% during winter and a minimum mean of 16% during summer.
The sky of Aswan is extremely clear, bright and sunny year-round, in all seasons, with a low seasonal variation, with about some 4,000 hours of annual sunshine, very close to the maximum theoretical sunshine duration. Aswan is one of the sunniest places on Earth.
The highest record temperature was 51 °C (124 °F) on May 22, 1973, and the lowest record temperature was -2 °C (28 °F) on January 6, 1989.
3. Kufra, Libya
Average rainfall per year: 0.860 millimeters (0.0338 inches)
Kufra (Al-Kufrah) is a basin and oasis group in the Kufra District of southeastern Cyrenaica in Libya. It also played a minor role in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. In the middle of the Sahara Desert, Kufra is the driest point in Africa and one of the driest places on Earth.
At the beginning of the 1970s, Libya launched in Kufra a great cultivation project aimed at developing agriculture in the desert. LEPA irrigation is provided by fossil water beneath the ground surface, the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, a non-renewable source and the only accessible water resource in the area. Rotors (high sprinkler that rotates) provide irrigation and the obtained circles have a diameter of about 1 km and can be observed from space.
This is one of Libya’s largest agricultural projects. Because only about 2 percent of Libya’s land receives enough rainfall to be cultivated, this project uses the underground aquifer. The green circles in the desert frequently indicate tracts of agriculture supported by center-pivot irrigation.
The agricultural project is an easy-to-recognize landmark for orbiting astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The Libyan government also has a project called the Great Manmade River to pump and transport these groundwater reserves to the coast to support Libya’s growing population and industrial development. As of December 2011, the excessive exploitation of the aquifer has provoked the complete drying up of the lake in the oasis.
2. Arica, Chile: the driest city on Earth
Average rainfall per year: 0.761 millimeters (0.03 inches)
Arica is a commune and a port city with a population of 196,590 in the Arica Province of northern Chile’s Arica y Parinacota Region. It is Chile’s northernmost city, is located only 18 km (11 mi) south of the border with Peru.
The city is the capital of both the Arica Province and the Arica and Parinacota Region. Arica is located at the bend of South America’s western coast known as the Arica Bend or Arica Elbow. At the location of the city two lush valleys that dissect the Atacama Desert converge: Azapa and Lluta. These valleys provide fruit for export.
Arica is known as the driest inhabited place on Earth, at least as measured by rainfall: average annual precipitation is 0.76 mm (0.03 inches), as measured at the airport meteorological station. Despite its lack of rainfall, humidity and cloud cover are high. With humidity levels similar to those of equatorial climates the sunshine intensity is similar to the Sahara desert regions in the Northern Hemisphere (like the Cape Verde islands).
Oxford geographer Nick Middleton’s book on people who live in extreme climates, Going to Extremes (ISBN 0-330-49384-1), discusses his visit to this city. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Arica features the rare mild desert climate, abbreviated “Bwn” on climate maps. Unlike many other cities with arid climates, Arica seldom sees extreme temperatures throughout the course of the year.
Usually regarded as the driest place on Earth (which is not true), the surrounding Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on Earth, as well as the only true desert to receive less precipitation than the polar deserts, with some areas, have not received rain in more than 500 years.
But, there’s an interesting phenomenon occurs in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth: the “flowering desert“. The phenomenon consists of the blossoming of a wide variety of flowers between the months of September and November in years when rainfall is unusually high. Normally the region receives less than 12 mm (0.47 in) of rain a year.
The blossoming occurs when the unusual level of rainfall reach the seeds and bulbs that have been in a latent or dormant state and causes them to germinate and flower in early spring. It is accompanied by the proliferation of insects, birds and small species of lizard. At its height, the phenomenon can be seen from just south of the city of Vallenar to just north of the city of Copiapó throughout the coastal valleys and Chilean Coast Range from September to November.
Climatically, the event is related to the El Niño phenomenon, a band of anomalously warm ocean water temperatures that occasionally develops off the western coast of South America, which can lead to an increase in evaporation and therefore precipitation.
The flowering desert is a popular tourist attraction with tourists visiting the phenomenon from various points around the southern Atacama, including Huasco, Vallenar, La Serena, Copiapó, and Caldera.
After El Niño brought the heaviest rainfall in two decades earlier this year, the phenomenon occurred again.
1. McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica: the driest place on Earth
Average rainfall per year: 0 millimeters (0 inches)
It is hard to believe that the Earth’s driest place is in one of its poles, but this is the truth. It’s in Antarctica: the McMurdo Dry Valleys – they are a row of snow-free valleys located within Victoria Land west of McMurdo Sound. The region is one of the world’s most extreme deserts and includes many features including Lake Vida and the Onyx River, Antarctica’s longest river. The Friis Hills in Taylor Valley, one of the McMurdo Dry Valleys haven’t seen water in 14 million years. (Source)
The Dry Valleys are so named because of their extremely low humidity and their lack of snow or ice cover. They are also dry because, in this location, the mountains are sufficiently high that they block seaward flowing ice from the East Antarctic ice sheet from reaching the Ross Sea. At 4,800 square kilometers (1,900 sq mi), the valleys constitute around 0.03% of the continent and form the largest ice-free region in Antarctica.
The unique conditions in the Dry Valleys are caused, in part, by katabatic winds; these occur when cold, dense air is pulled downhill by the force of gravity. The winds can reach speeds of 320 kilometers per hour (200 mph), heating as they descend, and evaporating all water, ice and snow.
Sources
- Aoulef on Wikipedia
- Iquique on Wikipedia
- Wadi Halfa on Wikipedia
- Ica, Peru on Wikipedia
- Luxor on Wikipedia
- Aswan on Wikipedia
- Kufra on Wikipedia
- Arica on Wikipedia
- Valle de la Luna (Chile) on Wikipedia
- Atacama Desert on Wikipedia
- McMurdo Dry Valleys on Wikipedia
- Average rainfalls are taken from Live Science
- Author
- Recent Posts
I am a software developer, a former road racing cyclist, and a science enthusiast. Also an animal lover! I write about the planet Earth and science on this website, ourplnt.com. I also take care of stray cats & dogs. Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
Antarctica is the coldest, emptiest, and driest place on Earth. Ninety-nine percent of Antarctica is covered by ice about 5 metres thick. The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was minus 89.2 degrees Celsius, registered on July 21, 1983, at Antarctica’s Vostok station. This continent is dry, windy, and very cold. 1)
There is an area called Dry Valleys that has not had rain for more than a million years!
The existence of Antarctica was completely unknown until the continent was first discovered in 1820. Antarctica doesn’t have a government and belongs to no country. 2)
There are 30 various countries that operate 80 research stations located around the continent. In summer, more than 4000 scientists from all over the world work in research stations. Tourists arrive here, too. 3)
Antarctica has no trees or bushes. The only plants that can live in such a cold place are algae, moss, and fungi. 4)
They live close together in large colonies and build their nests on the ice. In the ocean around the continent, you can see seals, whales, and orcas, but there are no big or large native land animals on the continent. 5)
Тест №01 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Christmas
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B11 |
Christmas is the most important annual festival in both Britain and North America. In its origins, it combines the Christiancelebration of the birth of Christ, on 25 December, with the ancient tradition of a winter feast during the darkest period of the year. |
CELEBRATION |
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B12 |
Christmas carols — a special kind of religious songs — are an important part of it. You may hear them countless times over the radio but it is quite different when you listen to people sing carols around you in church. |
COUNT |
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B13 |
At this time, too, many carol singers make door-to-door visits to people at home, collecting money for this or that charity. |
SING |
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B14 |
Many weeks before Christmas, shops start selling various Christmas cards and Christmas gifts. |
VARY |
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B15 |
Shop owners decorate their shops with holly, mistletoe, candles and colourful paper chains and lanterns. |
OWN |
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B16 |
All kinds of traditional Christmas food are also widely available. |
WIDE |
Тест №02 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Arbor Day and Earth Day
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B11 |
The first Arbor Day took place in April, 1872 in Nebraska. It was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan. |
POLITICS |
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B12 |
When he became a member of Nebraska’s state board of agriculture, he proposed that a special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting and increasing awareness of the importance of trees. Nebraska’s first Arbor Day was an amazing success. More than one million trees were planted. |
AWARE |
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B13 |
On April 22, 1970, Arbor Day activitieswere modified to emphasize the critical importance of the environment. |
ACTIVE |
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B14 |
It was a time when cities were buried under their own smog and polluted rivers caught fire. Earth Day was created to remind people of their responsibility to protect the planet. |
RESPONSIBLE |
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B15 |
Now Earth Day is celebrated annuallyaround the globe. |
ANNUAL |
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B16 |
What started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a worldwide campaign to protect our globalenvironment. |
GLOBE |
Тест №03 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Tourism in Britain
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B11 |
Every year more than eleven million tourists visit Britain. Most visitors come in the summer months when they can expect good weather. |
VISIT |
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B12 |
Tourists usually spend a few days in London, then go on to other well-known cities. |
USUAL |
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B13 |
Perhaps the least visited places in England are old industrial towns. |
INDUSTRY |
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B14 |
But many people think that nineteenth-century cities show the reality of Britain. |
REAL |
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B15 |
The greatness of the past is to be still seen in their old streets. |
GREAT |
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B16 |
The cheap, concrete buildings of the 1960s look old and dirty, but for the adventuroustourists these cities are full of life and colour. |
ADVENTURE |
Тест №04 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Australia
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B11 |
Australia is an island continent and the world’s sixth largest country. The continent and the island of Tasmania, off its south-eastern coast, make up the Commonwealth of Australia. |
SOUTH-EAST |
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B12 |
Australia is a federation of six states and two territories. The largest State, Western Australia, is about the same size as Western Europe. The country has a parliamentarysystem of administration modelled on the British one, and the state and federal structures are broadly similar. |
PARLIAMENT |
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B13 |
Australia’s system of administration is based on the democratic tradition. |
DEMOCRAT |
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B14 |
Australia is still a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, but although Britain’s king or queen is the Australian Head of State, Australia is fully autonomous. |
FULL |
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B15 |
The British sovereign is represented by the governor-general and state governors, whose nomination for the post is ratified by the monarch of the day. |
NOMINATE |
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B16 |
Ministers of the government are elected for a maximum of three years. Voting is by secret ballot and is compulsory for persons 18 years of age and over. |
GOVERN |
Тест №05 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Global Language
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B11 |
It is difficult to tell exactly how many languages there are in the world today. Scientists say there are about 2,700 languages, but no one has ever made a more definite count. |
SCIENCE |
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B12 |
In most countries there are at least two native languages, and in some cases — as in Cameroon — there are hundreds. The number of languages naturally changes as tribes die out or linguistic groups are absorbed. |
NATURAL |
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B13 |
Nowadays, globalization influences thedevelopment of languages. New words appear, existing words acquire new meanings, native words give way to international terms. |
DEVELOP |
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B14 |
Almost all languages change. A rare exception is written Icelandic, which has changed so little that speakers of modern Icelandic can read sagas written a thousand years ago. |
SPEAK |
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B15 |
If you drew a map of Europe based on languages, it would be different from a conventional map. For example, Switzerland would practically disappear, becoming part of the surrounding areas of French, Italian, and German. |
APPEAR |
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B16 |
Italy, too, would appear on the map not as one language, but as a whole variety of broadly related but often mutually incomprehensible dialects. |
VARY |
Тест №06 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
The Power of the Great Pyramid
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B11 |
In the 18th century a large number of foreigners came to the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. One of the most powerfulpeople of that time, Napoleon Bonaparte, also visited the Pyramid. |
POWER |
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B12 |
His expedition to Egypt in 1798 was not only military but archeological as well. He took with him specialists in different spheres of science. The scientist measured, explored and made many drawings of Egyptian pyramids. |
SCIENCE |
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B13 |
One day Napoleon with several servantscame to the Great Pyramid of Cheops. There he wanted to be left alone. |
SERVE |
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B14 |
He ordered everyone to leave him and went into the darkness alone. |
DARK |
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B15 |
When he came out he was pale. ‘Are you all right, sir?’ asked the guide. Napoleon was silent. Then he said sadly, ‘Never mention this matter again. Ever!’ |
SAD |
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B16 |
Years later, his friend Tomblier asked him what he had seen in the Great Pyramid. Napoleon stared at Tomblier for a while, then said only two words, Something impossible!’ He never spoke about it again. |
POSSIBLE |
Тест №07 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Russia in space
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B11 |
Some of the greatest and most prominent inventions in the quest to explore space have a Russian connection. The father of theoretical astronautics, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, was a Soviet. His works have been an inspiration toleading Russian rocket engineers Valentin Glushko and Sergev Korolyov. |
LEAD |
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B12 |
Soviet scientists paved the way to the well-known success of the Russian space program. Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite orbiting the Earth, was launched in 1957. |
SCIENCE |
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B13 |
On April 12, 1961, Yury Gagarin successfullymade the first human trip to space. |
SUCCESS |
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B14 |
Since then, many other Russian and Soviet records in space exploration followed. |
EXPLORE |
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B15 |
Even now, Russia continues to be the leaderin satellite launching. |
LEAD |
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B16 |
It is also the sole transport provider for spacetourism/tourists. Other Soviet contributions to the development of space flights include the invention of space food, space suits, human spaceflight, and human space orbit. |
TOUR |
Тест №08 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Scottish inventions
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B11 |
Do you know how the refrigerator was invented? It is one of the most importantcontributions of the Scots to the world. |
CONTRIBUTE |
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B12 |
If James Harrison (1816-1893), a Scottish immigrant to Australia, didn’t accidentallypush ether gas into a metal tube, people might still be using boxes filled with blocks of ice to cool their food. |
ACCIDENTAL |
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B13 |
The main problem was how to overcome the need for ice in the refrigeration process. |
REFRIGERATE |
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B14 |
Ice had to be cut fresh from frozen lakes and stored inside an underground house until it was ready to be used as a cooler. |
COOL |
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B15 |
Australians had difficulty gaining access tonatural ice since Australia does not enjoy that many lakes. |
NATURE |
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B16 |
Harrison’s discovery was beneficial the world over, but especially important for Australia because now it could export frozen meat to Europe. He even tried one such journey to Europe, but the ether had leaked during the voyage and ruined the entire cargo. Harrison went bankrupt but his legacy meant a huge difference to the Australian economy. |
DIFFER |
Тест №09 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
The heart of Bangkok
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B11 |
Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. Its numerous high-rise buildings, heavy traffic congestion, intense heat and naughty nightlife may not immediately give you the best impression. |
BUILD |
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B12 |
Don’t let that mislead you. |
LEAD |
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B13 |
It is one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities with impressive temples and palaces, authentic canals, busy markets and a vibrant nightlife that has something for everyone. |
IMPRESS |
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B14 |
The heart of Bangkok is probably its magnificent Grand Palace, which is one of the architectural wonders of the world. |
PROBABLE |
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B15 |
It is a collection of highly decorated holy temples and monuments. |
COLLECT |
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B16 |
Its asymmetry and eclectic styles are due to its organic development, with additions and rebuilding being made by successive reigning kings over 200 years of history. It is worth spending at least a full morning or afternoon there. At night the palace is lit up and glows in vivid colour. |
DEVELOP |
Тест №10 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
The most important liquid on Earth
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B11 |
Water is a vital element in each of our lives. Not only is it essential to our health, but we also use it for various household tasks. Every day we use water for cooking, bathing, and cleaning, and drinking; but how often do we think about its source? |
VARY |
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B12 |
Consumers receive their water from one of two sources: a private well, or a community water system. |
CONSUME |
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B13 |
Approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population relies on individually owned and operated sources of drinking water, such as wells, cisterns, and springs. The majority of household wells are found in rural areas. |
INDIVIDUAL |
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B14 |
Those who receive their water from a private well are solely responsible for the safety of the water. |
RESPONSE |
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B15 |
Private wells are not subject to different federal regulations and are generally regulated on a very limited basis by states. |
REGULATE |
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B16 |
Local health departments may assist well owners with periodic/periodical testing for bacteria or nitrates, but the bulk of the responsibility for caring for the well falls on the well owner. |
PERIOD |
Тест №11 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Can animals think?
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B11 |
In his quarters at the University of Arizona, Alex is commenting on all that he sees. “Hot!” he warns as a visitor picks up a mug of tea. Alex spots a plateful of fruit and announces his choice: “Grape.” Alex is an African grey parrot. |
VISIT |
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B12 |
For the last 16 years, biologist Irene Pepperberg has been exploring the degree to which the bird understands what he is saying. |
BIOLOGY |
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B13 |
Alex also communicates what appear to bevarious feelings. |
VARY |
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B14 |
Are the parrot’s words merely a collection of sounds he emits when frustrated, or does this one-pound bird know what he is saying? |
MERE |
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B15 |
For centuries, philosophers argued thatthinking and language separate humans from other species. Later, scientists had reason to be critical of claims concerning animal intelligence. |
THINK |
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B16 |
Today innovative probes of animal intelligence have convinced most scientists that other species really share with humans some higher mental abilities. |
ABLE |
Тест №12 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
UK: Conservation and Environmen
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B11 |
Going for a walk is the most popular leisure activity in Britain. Despite its high populationdensity, the UK has many unspoilt rural and coastal areas. |
POPULATE |
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B12 |
Twelve National Parks are freely accessible to the public and were created to conserve thenaturalbeauty, wildlife and cultural heritage they contain. |
NATURE |
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B13 |
Most of the land in National Parks is privately owned, but administered by an independent National Park Authority which works to balance the expectations of visitors with the need to conserve these open spaces for future generations. |
VISIT |
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B14 |
The UK also works to improve the global environment and has taken global warmingseriously ever since specialists discovered the hole in the ozone layer. |
SERIOUS |
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B15 |
In 1997, the UK subscribed to the Kyoto Protocol binding developed countries to reduce emissions of the six main greenhouse gases. The Protocol declares environmentalprotection. |
PROTECT |
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B16 |
Nowadays British scientists are taking part in one of the largest international projects that is undertaken to protect endangered species. |
SCIENCE |
Тест №13 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Chicago from above
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B11 |
Following a recent renovation, the new Hancock Observatory invites you to enjoy Chicago’s best views from the city’s highest open-air Skywalk. It has quickly gainedpopularity with both Chicagoans and visitors of the city. |
POPULAR |
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B12 |
Skywalk is Chicago’s highest open-air viewing area. It is 1,000 feet in the air! Everyone here can feel the strong wind and hear the dynamic buzz of the city below. The friendly staff willcertainly tell the real story behind Chicago’s “Windy City” nickname. |
CERTAIN |
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B13 |
For those who feel uncomfortable about such a great height there are more relaxing indoor audio Sky Tours. |
COMFORT |
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B14 |
These 30-minute personal audio tours give a unique “overview” of Chicago’s wonderful sights and remarkable history! Sky Tours are available in English, Spanish and German. |
REMARK |
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B15 |
History Wall is another popular attraction. More than 100 photos on a great 80-foot display show Chicago’s rise from a small settlement to a great city. |
ATTRACT |
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B16 |
As a tour guide I have been to the Skywalkcountless times and still I can’t help admiring it. |
COUNT |
Тест №14 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Ray Bradbury
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B11 |
Ray Douglas Bradbury is a US writer of fantasy, horror, science fiction and mystery. He is widely considered to be one of the 20thcentury’s greatest and most popular writers of science fiction. |
WIDE |
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B12 |
His works have been translated into more than 40 languages and have sold tens of millions of copies in different countries. His popularitycontinues in the 21st century. |
POPULAR |
|
B13 |
During his long writing career, Bradbury has written almost 600 short stories, eleven novels, as well as various poems and plays. |
VARY |
|
B14 |
He first became famous for his Martian Chronicles, a collection of short stories concerning colonization of the planet Mars. In it, Bradbury portrayed the strengths andweaknesses of human beings as they encountered a new world. |
WEAK |
|
B15 |
Bradbury won countless literary awards, the most important of them coming from the National Institute of Arts and Letters. |
COUNT |
|
B16 |
Millions of science fiction readers all over the world are grateful to Ray Bradbury for his outstanding achievement / achievements in the field of fantasy and science fiction. |
ACHIEVE |
Тест №15 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Animals
|
B11 |
The importance of animals in British life is reflected in many ways. In the past, landowners liked to be portrayed with their dogs and horses. Countless pictures of this kind can be seen in art galleries and private residences. |
COUNT |
|
B12 |
Animals are widely used in advertising in magazines and on television. |
WIDE |
|
B13 |
The Royal Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is one of the largest charities in Britain. |
PREVENT |
|
B14 |
RSPCA is a part of a more generalmovementin support of animal rights that has emerged recently in Britain and the USA. |
MOVE |
|
B15 |
Animal rights organizations use varioustactics: picketing stores that sell furs, harassing hunters in the wild, or breaking into laboratories to free animals. |
VARY |
|
B16 |
Their main aim is to ban the cruel treatment and killing of animals both in laboratory experiments and in factory farming. The irresponsible and neglectful treatment of animals by some zoo and pet owners is also their concern. |
OWN |
Тест №16 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Why do we sleep?
|
B11 |
A recent study may have an answer to one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in science — what is the purpose of sleep? The work suggests it’s really about making animals function more efficiently in their environments. |
REAL |
|
B12 |
Scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles, conducted a study of the sleep times of a broad range of animals. They discovered much variation. |
SCIENCE |
|
B13 |
You may think it impossible but some migrating birds canfly non-stop for up to 90 hours. |
POSSIBLE |
|
B14 |
Pythons and bats are among the longestsleepers at over 18 hours a day. |
SLEEP |
|
B15 |
Human babies need 16 hours and their health and intellectual development depend on sleeping properly. |
DEVELOP |
|
B16 |
Most of us probably feel we need around eight hours sleep to function well. Some people have difficulty/difficulties in getting enough sleep and this may lead to serious health problems. |
DIFFICULT |
Тест №17 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Future population
|
B11 |
The United Nations (UN) has published its prediction about the size and age of the world’s population three hundred years from now. This report can help environmentalscientists and policy-makers to understand dramatic changes in the world’s population in the future. |
SCIENCE |
|
B12 |
The report suggests that if the birth rates stay the same, there’ll be a huge expansion of theglobal population. |
GLOBE |
|
B13 |
You may think it isimpossible but three centuries from now there may be over one hundred and thirty trillion people. |
POSSIBLE |
|
B14 |
The report says that the world’s population is likely to be significantly older. The average age will be fifty while today it is twenty six. |
SIGNIFICANT |
|
B15 |
Almost a quarter of all the inhabitants of the planet will live in Africa. |
INHABIT |
|
B16 |
Researchers think that India, China and the United States will continue to be countries with the biggest population. |
RESEARCH |
Тест №18 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Invention of Potato Chips
|
B11 |
The potato chip was invented in 1853 by George Crum who was a chef at a restaurant in New York. Fried potatoes were popular at the restaurant because they were ratherinexpensive, but one day a visitor complained that the slices were too thick. |
EXPENSIVE |
|
B12 |
Crum made thinner slices, but the nervouscustomer was still dissatisfied. |
NERVE |
|
B13 |
Crum finally made fries that were too thin to eat with a fork, hoping to annoy theextremely difficult customer. |
EXTREME |
|
B14 |
But the customer was happy — and that was the invention of potato chips! |
INVENT |
|
B15 |
Industrial manufacturing of potato chips began in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1895. |
INDUSTRY |
|
B16 |
The chips gained even more popularity in 1926 when a wax paper potato chip bag was invented that helped to keep them fresh and crisp. |
POPULAR |
Тест №19 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Tourism in Australia
|
B11 |
The growth of tourism infrastructure related to the base of Ayers Rock, or Uluru began in the 1950s. Soon it started to produce adverse environmental impacts. |
ENVIRONMENT |
|
B12 |
It was decided in the early 1970s to remove all accommodation-related tourist facilities and re-establish them outside the park. In 1975, a reservation of 104 square kilometres of land beyond the park’s northern boundary was chosen as the site for a new resort. |
RESERVE |
|
B13 |
A year or two later, the development of a tourist facility and an associated airport, to be known as Yulara started. |
DEVELOP |
|
B14 |
The camp ground within the park was closed in 1983 and the motels closed in late 1984, coinciding with the opening of the luxurious resort. In 1992, the majority interest in the Yulara resort held by the Northern Territory government/governorwas sold and the resort was renamed Ayers Rock Resort. |
GOVERN |
|
B15 |
Since listing the park as a World Heritage Site, the annual number of visitors rose to over 400,000 people by the year 2000. |
VISIT |
|
B16 |
Increased tourism provides regional and national economic benefits. It also presents an ongoing challenge to balance conservation of cultural values and tourists’ needs. |
CULTURE |
Тест №20 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
The World’s Language
|
B11 |
The English language is famous for the richness of its vocabulary. Webster’s New International Dictionary lists 450,000 words, and the new Oxford English Dictionary has 615,000, but that is only part of the total. Technical and scientists terms would add millions more. |
SCIENCE |
|
B12 |
The wealth of existing synonyms means thatspeakers of English have two words for something denoted by one word in a different language. The French, for instance, do not distinguish between house and home, between mind and brain. The Spanish cannot differentiate a chairman from a president. |
SPEAK |
|
B13 |
In Russia, there are no native words for efficiency, challenge and engagement ring. Of course, every language has areas in which it needs, for practical purposes, to be more expressive than others. |
PRACTICE |
|
B14 |
The Eskimos have fifty words for types of snow, though there is no word for just plain snow. Naturally, African languages have no native word for snow. |
NATURAL |
|
B15 |
Nowadays, globalization influences thedevelopment of languages. |
DEVELOP |
|
B16 |
Some native words disappear, giving way to international terms. |
APPEAR |
Тест №21 по ЕГЭ. Английский язык
Entertaining guests
|
B11 |
The most usual way to entertain friends at home is to invite them for a meal, either in the evening or at lunch-time on a Sunday. When guests are invited for a meal, they often sit and chat while they have a drink before the meal, and coffee is usually served afterwards. |
USUAL |
|
B12 |
Several close friends are sometimes invited at once to make a small party to celebrate a birthday, a child’s coming of age or some special achievement/achievements. |
ACHIEVE |
|
B13 |
These parties are almost always informal, there is no dress code and in summer, when the weather is fine, people may hold a barbecue in the garden. |
FORMAL |
|
B14 |
Formal occasions, official receptions for foreign visitors, when written invitations are sent, rarely take place in people’s homes, although they did in the past. |
INVITE |
|
B15 |
The host often provides various kinds of entertainment, or at least entertains guests with interesting stories and merry jokes. |
VARY |
|
B16 |
The tasty meal is often followed by party games or dances which are intended to amuse or interest people in a way that gives them pleasure and make them enjoy the party. |
TASTE |