READING

TASK 1

Read the text below. For questions (1-6) choose T if the statement is true ACCORDING TO the text, F if it is false.

     The county town of West Sussex and its only city, Chichester is an attractive market town, which began life as a Roman settlement, and the Roman street plan is still evident in its symmetrical layout. The city has built itself up as one of southern England’s cultural centres, hosting the Chichester Festival in early July with a fairly interesting programme of plays, though the studio theatre is a bit more adventurous. The track for racing horses at Goodwood Park, north of the city, hosts one of England’s most fashionable racing events at the same time. The Gothic cathedral is the main tourist attraction in the city, but two miles west of the town are the restored Roman ruins of Fishbourne, one of the most visited, largest and best-preserved Roman palaces in the country. An audio-visual programme gives a fuller picture of the palace as it was in Roman times.
     Covering about 144 square miles the New Forest is one of southern England’s main rural playgrounds. About eight million visitors come here every year to enjoy a breath of fresh air, often after spending hours in traffic jams. The name of the New Forest is misleading, for much of this region’s woodland was cleared long before the Normans came. Some wooded areas still remain and they are around Lyndhurst, “the capital” of the New Forest. To get the best of the region, you need to walk or ride through it, avoiding the places cars can reach. There are 150 miles of car-free gravel roads, making cycling a good idea. The region has ten campsites run by the Forestry Commission, all of them closed between October and Easter. In Lyndhurst you can pick up numerous walking books and natural history guides.

1. Chichester was founded by the Romans.

2. Three cultural events take place in Chichester in summer.

3. Tourists can get a good idea of what the original palace looked like.

4. There are few forests left in the New Forest.

5. The best way to explore the region is by car.

6. Tourists can go camping all the year round.

TASK 2

Read the texts below. Match choices (7-12) to texts (A-G). There is one choice you do not need to use.

In which place сan visitors...

7. ...buy souvenirs?
9. ...do water sports?
10. ...see a very old building?
11. ...eat Irish food?
12. ...see a friendly sea animal?

A From Dalkey, a pretty village in beautiful surroundings, one can take a trip on a boat out to Dalkey Island, where climbing the ruined watch tower will provide stunning views of Killiney Bay. The coastal waters are perfect for swimming, and there is a long, clean white sandy beach called Killiney Bay which is great for sunbathing.

B Bray is 20 km from Dublin city and used to be a holiday resort for people from Dublin and Britain. It’s popular for its mile long sea walk, but its best days have passed.

A few kilometres south of Bray will bring you into some of the nicest countryside in Ireland, including the impressive Powerscourt Waterfall.

C The attractive Gaelic speaking Aran Islands are a perfect place for a few days holiday. This is the original donkey-and-cart landscape, so beloved of the postcard industry. The famous woolen white Aran sweaters come from here. The largest of the three islands, Inishmore, boasts one of the only buildings in Western Europe, which dates from 500 BC.

D Dingle Peninsula is a Gaelic speaking area known for the beauty of the Atlantic landscape. The most famous resident is not human at all, but a dolphin called Fungi. The dolphin has lived in Dingle harbour for the past seven years, offering friendship to all who swim near him, particularly children.

E Kilkenny is a large busy market town and the most attractive in the midlands. It is much loved by tourists. The narrow winding streets with small shops give an old-world atmosphere to the place. The Kilkenny Shop is one of many which has a wide range of goods that tourists usually buy: Irish-made clothes and crafts.

F Enniskerry is a pretty little village and only a bus ride from Dublin. It offers access to the Wicklow Mountains where you'll find good home-cooked food in Poppies, a famous restaurant. Smoked salmon, Irish farmhouse cheeses, handmade chocolates are always served here.

G Cork is Ireland's largest county. It is best loved for the coastal fishing villages which come alive in the summer months. One of them is Cobh which was the main emigration port during the Great Famine of the 1840s. Plenty of sailing, windsurfing and boat trips are available around the harbour. Another is set in a thickly wooded valley. It is commemorated in poems for richness of the vegetation, influenced by the warm Gulf Stream current.


TASK 3

Read the texts below. Match choices (A-H) to (13-19). There is one choice you don't need to use.

A. Musical performance
B. Attractive landscape
C. Perfect holidays
D. Portrait of a girl
Е. Film for all ages
F. Exciting hobby
G. Colourful festival
H. Interesting book

13. This is a full-length (ninety minutes) cartoon, which is entertaining for both adults  and children over six. The animation and colour are of very high quality and the story has lots of fun and excitement. The plot is quick moving andfull of surprises. There's romance, action, comedy, music and lots of fantastic songs and dances.

14. This is a full-blooded magnificently written portrait of history's most fascinating woman. Readers will lose themselves for hours in this richly entertaining novel full of dramatic twists and turns. From the spectacular era that bears her name comes the spellbinding story of Elizabeth I her tragic childhood, her confrontation with Mary,Queen of Scots and her brilliant reign.

15. The young woman is shown in a "shepherdess" hat and white dress, recalling a classical chiton. The background landscape, common in such paintings, seems to indicate the heroine's closeness to nature, to the ordinary joys of life. The painter's colour range — at times as translucent as porcelain, at others muted like mother-of-pearl — is based upon subtle plays of gray and green, light blue and pink.

16. In this picture one is struck by the artist's absolute mastery in portraying natural details, whether the dry, sandy soil of the forest, the clear stream of water in the foreground, the yellow bark and fluffy needles of the pines, or the sense of a bright, clear, calm summer day. The artist managed to create an image familiar to anyone who has seen a Russian forest.

17. Have a good time on the most lively and exciting island in the Caribbean. Relax under a palm tree on the white sandy beaches. Swim in the clear, blue sea. Listen to the bands playing Calypso music. Or get really adventurous and go scuba diving for sunken treasure on the sea bed. Join in the many cultural celebrations we offer, for example the sugar harvest festival.

18. This event is considered the greatest attraction for visitors to the Isle of Man. No definite date can be given, but it is normally held between 5th and 15th July. The Pageant begins at about 8 p.m. First we are given a glimpse of village life in Celtic times. Then suddenly Viking long ships appear and then there are scenes of war. Then Celts and Vikings unite, and the Manx nation is born. The actual Pageant is followed by a grand torchlight procession and firework display.

19. Do you like Latin American dancing? Do you want to dance like you see in the films and on the stage? Do you want to feel the rhythm of the music in your body and in your soul? Do you want to meet other people who have a love for the same music as you? If you have answered "Yes" to any of these questions, join our Latin dance classes on Thursday night between seven and ten. All are welcome.


TASK 4

Read the text below. For questions (20-26) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

ABBY'S TIDY DRAWER

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

20. When Mum came to Abby's room she saw
A) her daughter reading at her table.
B) the cat looking at the fish.
C) a terrible mess all over the place.
D) Abby dressed up as a vampire.

21. Abby agreed to tidy up her room because Mother
A) promised to take her to the Halloween party.
B) offered to give her extra pocket money.
C) promised to help her.
D) said that she would punish her.

22. Where did Abby find many interesting things?
A) In her Mother's change purse.
B) Under her bed.
C) On the kitchen table.
D) In the tidy drawer in the kitchen.

23. Abby's parents used most of the interesting things
A) when they dressed themselves up for Halloween parties.
B) as presents for Halloween parties.
C) to dress her up for different parties.
D) when they wanted to play tricks on Abby.

24. Abby put on the vampire teeth, witch nails and other things from the tidy drawer because
A) she wanted to scare the cat.
B) she was going to a Halloween party that evening.
C) she enjoyed dressing up with her Mother.
D) she had to dress up for a pirate party.

25. Abby's Mother decided to inspect Abby's bedroom
A) after she had seen Abby tidy up the kitchen table.
B) because she had promised she would do that.
C) before Father came home from work.
D) when they heard some strange noise from it.

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

TASK 5

Read the text below. For questions (27-34) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

Your Future World

    What will you be doing in 2025? Will you be living in an undersea research station? Will you be the chief engineer (27)______ a bridge across the Atlantic Ocean? Will you be leading an (28)______ to the planet Mars? Will you be ...?
    You can daydream, of course, but nobody knows exactly what the world will be (29)______ But scientists have made some guesses.
    Based on the advances made, they believe people will be healthier. Diphtheria, malaria, tuberculosis, polio and many other killers are under control now. These diseases are on the way out, (30)______ to germ-killing chemicals, new ways of finding out about our bodies, and  new ways of providing clean, safe (31)______ and water.
    Healthier people live longer, so we can expect the world's population to (32)______ sharply. It may double in the next forty years! This brings up a serious problem: how will we find food, water and minerals for such a huge population?
    Scientists are at work on some (33)______. From the ocean they hope to get new fertilizers to increase the yield of the soil; new chemicals to kill crop-destroying insects without (34)______ other animals, new sources of water or supplies of food.

27. A) inventing         B) designing               C) scheming               D) doing

28. A) exploration      B) expenditure           C) expedition             D) exhibit

29. A) like                  B) alike                     C) likely                     D) likable

30. A) as a result        B) because                C) on account             D) thanks

31. A) eat                   B) feed                     C) food                       D) cooking

32. A) decrease          B) distract                C) dissolve                  D) increase

33. A) solutions          B) alternatives           C) preference              D) questions