Listening

Task 1. For each of the questions 1 — 10 decide which of the statements are true or
false on the basis of what is stated or implied in what you have heard and put a "+" if a
statement is true and а "-" if a statement is false next to the corresponding number on
your answer sheet.

Remember: you are NOT allowed to take notes at ANY time when the text is being
read to you.

1.   The text mainly tells about ordinary events in history.

2.   At the beginning of the story, the farmer was bathing in a river.

3.   There must have been an accident with a little boy.

4.   The action takes place nowadays.

5.   The farmer's children were all girls.

6.   The little boy's father wanted to give the farmer a sum of money.

7.   The farmer seemed to know the importance of knowledge.

8.   The nobleman's prediction did not come true.

9.   The boy glorified his family name.

10. Sometimes wonderful coincidences happen in life.

Task 2. For each of the questions 11—20 decide which of the answers (a, b, с or d)

11. It may be inferred from the text that the         Fleming family lived:

a) in the south of Great Britain;        b) in the north of Great Britain;

c) in the centre of Great Britain;       d) outside Great Britain.

12. The farmer must have been:

a) kind and wealthy;                         b) noble and proud;

c) hardly able to make ends meet;     d) idle and suspicious.

13. One can make a conclusion that the saved boy's father was:

a) a successful farmer;                      b) a good hunter;

14. The farmer's son must have been:

a) worth pride;                                  b) a wonder kid;

c) a nobleman;                                  d) from Ireland.

15. The nobleman's offer was:

a) rather stupid;                                b) just and generous;

c) not worth considering                   d) never accepted.

16. After receiving his education, young Fleming was supposed to:

a) work with customers;                   b) sell medicines;

c) look for criminals;                         d) treat patients.

17.    Alexander Fleming discovered:

a) a penny ceiling;                             c) penicillin;

b) a pan sealing;                                d) pennies while pealing.

18.    Fleming's discovery made him:

a) cruel and dangerous;                     b) famous worldwide;

c) thrilling and exciting;                     d) quite boring.

19. The word "sir" before Fleming's name may mean that he:

a)         became as noble as Churchill;     c) performed in a circle;

b)        came from Syracuse;                            d) was a sergeant in the British Army.

20.      One can infer from the text that:

a)         the Flemings and the Churchills were close friends;

b)        Alexander Fleming may not necessarily have seen Winston Churchill after the
childhood accident;

c)         Winston Churchill almost died from the medicines given by Fleming;

d)        Alexander Fleming was Winston Churchill's personal doctor.

Ключі до тестових завдань

11. b, 12. с, 13. с, 14. а, 15. b, 16. d, 17. с, 18. b, 19. а, 20. b.

ЧИТАННЯ

Directions: For each of the questions 1-10 decide which of the answers (a, b, c or
d) best complete the statements on the basis of what is stated or implied in the text and
mark the corresponding letter (a, b, с or d) with a "+" on your answer sheet

American English spelling differs from British English spelling largely because of
one man, American lexicographer Noah Webster. In addition to his well-known
American Dictionary of the English Language, Webster published The American
Spelling Book (1783, with many subsequent editions), which became one of the most
widely used schoolbooks in American history. Webster's books sought to standardize
spelling in the United States by promoting the use of an American language that
intentionally differed from British English. The development of a specifically American
variety of English mirrored the new country's separate political development. Webster's
most successful changes were spellings with or instead of our (honor, labor for the
British honour, labour); with er instead of re (center, theater for the British centre,
theatre); with an s instead of а с (defenses license for the British defence, licence); with
a final ck instead of que (check, mask for the British cheque, masque); and without a
final k (traffic, public, now also used in British English, for the older traffick, publick).
Later spelling reform сreated a few other differences, such as program for British
programme. Canadian spelling varies between the British and American forms, more
British in eastern Canada and more American in western Canada.

Statments

1. The passage mainly discusses:

a)         Noah Webster's literary heritage;

b)        the varieties of spelling;

c)         Webster's political preferences;

d)        popular schoolbooks in America.

2. The passage implies that written British and American words:

a) look absolutely different;              b) are absolutely the same;

c) may differ;                                    d) come from Canada.

3. It may be inferred from the passage that Webster's scientific interest was in:

a) standards;                                     b) vocabulary;
 c) editing books;                               d) political reforms.

4. The changes between American and British English were generated:

a) on purpose;                                  b) by accident;

c) in Canada;                                     d) by politicians.

5. The word "subsequent" in line 4 may most probably mean the following:

a) different;                                       b) expensive;

c) following;                                      d) literary.

6. One can make a conclusion that Webster's changes:

a)         simplified the language;

b)        were of no importance;

c)         made the language more difficult for understanding;

d)        developed the language used in Great Britain.

7. The word "mirrored" in line 8 is closest in meaning to:

a) portrayed;                                     b) reflected;

c) generated;                                      d) prevented.

8. It can be seen from the passage that the changes brought into American English
must have:

a)         developed a completely new language;

b)        stopped using dictionaries;

c)         required spelling books;

d)        influenced the original British English.

9. The passage states that дп Canada:

a)         people use the only variety of the English language;

b)        people live only in the east and the west of the country;

c)        there may be language misunderstanding between people from different

d)        people use different grammar rules compared to the US.

a)         neither was published;

b)         both were printed at the same time;

c)          the Spelling Book was published before the Dictionary;

d)         the Dictionary was published before the Spelling Book.

Writing
Choose one of the three suggested topics and comment on it.

1.   Television and computer games will soon lead to disappearing of books.

2.   People don't need sport to live happily.

3.   There is no ideal school in the world.