Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Reading A2+
Reading A2+
TESTING READING
ГОТУЄМОСЬ ДО ТЕСТУВАННЯ З АНГЛІЙСЬКОЇ - ЧИТАННЯ
1. AMAZING OTTERS
2. SONG BIRDS MUST HIТ HIGHER NOTES TO SURVIVE IN CITY
3. PROTESTERS GIVE STARS' FUR COATS TO THE HOMELESS
4. THE SIGHTING
5. PULLING OUR LEGS
6. ANOREXIA
7. THE ART OF JACK LEMMON
8. GEORGE HARRISON, ROCK PIONEER
9. THE MAKING OF MAUVE
10. MICE PASS THE CHEESE FOR SIREN SCENT OF СHОСОLATE
11. DENTIST "DRILLED HEALTHY TOOTH TO PUNISH PATIENT"
12. MONA LISA
13. WHAT A COMEBACK
14. HOW TO SKIVE
15. MAGICAL BEASTS
16. THE BAG WE LIVE IN
17. THE STORY OF RUBBER
18. THE LUCKIEST SANDWICH IN THE WORLD
19. RIP VAN WINKLE
20. GARDEN ART
21. RACE AGAINST DEATH
22. TRAPPED
23. WARNING OF RSI RISK IN COMPUTER GAMES
24. A LESSON IN HONESTY
25. HOME LESSONS FOR GIRLS UPBRAIDED OVER HAIR EXTENSIONS
26. KILLER ROBOTS
27. DARKNESS AND LIGHT
28. TEENAGERS ARE BULLIED BY TEXT MESSAGES
29. AWAY FROM IT ALL
30. THE LIVER
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31. RIVER OF LIFE: BLOOD
32. KINGDOM FUNGI
33. ALIEN INVASION
34. WHY RABBIT HAS NO FIERCE CLAWS
35. DIAMONDS
36. DESERT
37. DELAWARE INDIANS
38. THE ATOCHA
39. CRICKET AND MOUNTAIN LION
40. JOAN OF ARC
41. THE BULLYING EPIDEMIC
42. SCHOOLS TOLD TO LET PUPILS TAKE WATER INTO LESSONS
43. DOWDY WOMEN "PREFER WIMPS"
44. SCHOOLS IN FIZZY DRINKS SCANDAL
45. A MIRACLE CURE
46. THE DINNER PARTY
47. THE KING IS DEAD: LONG LIVE THE KING!
48. USEFUL DEVICES
49. HITTING THE JACKPOT
50. BACTERIA
51. WEAR A HELMET
52. PEGASUS
53. PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN
54. PLATYPUS
55. LONDON'S TEENS
56. ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER
57. JACQUES COUSTEAU: A REMARKABLE MAN
58. THE JUMPING FROG
59. PALMISTRY
OTHER TESTS - A2
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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1. AMAZING OTTERS Level A2+ pre-intermediate
Sea otters are amazing creatures. Even though they are mammals, they spend almost their
entire lives in the sea.
Otters' bodies are built to swim in the water. All sea otters have fine, soft fur to keep them
warm when they are wet. To help them swim, they have webbed back feet which look a little like
flippers. Sea otters have an unusual way of eating. They can find food by diving deep into the
water. When it is time to eat, they float on their backs.
They place flat rocks on their chests or bellies and crack clams and crabs against the rocks to
open them.
Sea otters do everything in the water - even sleep! They sleep in the water by floating on their
backs and wrapping themselves in seaweed.
That way, the water won't carry them away as they doze.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. According to the text sea otters are not....
a) remarkable divers
b) skillful hunters
c) amazing creepers
d) very surprising creatures
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4. THE SIGHTING
I will never forget the first time I saw the glowing, orange lights in the night sky. I was ten
years old, and it was just after a late family dinner. It was my turn to take out the garbage, so I
was walking to the garage when it happened. I heard a rumbling that sounded like thunder, but
there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
I looked up and that's when I saw the lights. They were orange and hovering in the sky
above my head. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up, and a chill ran down my spine.
It wasn't the last time I would see the lights.
But years later, I found out that military helicopters were being tested at the naval base near
my house!
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6.ANOREXIA
Anorexia is a dangerous eating disorder which often starts in the teenage years. In Britain 5 %
of girls are anorexic and four out of ten teenage girls skip meals so that they can be thin like
fashion models and pop stars.
Anorexia is a medical condition and its full name is anorexia nervosa. People with anorexia
try not to eat and they lose a lot of weight. They often feel fat even when they are very thin. They
use other ways of staying thin, too, like taking laxative tablets (which make you go to the toilet
more often) or by doing too much exercise. Anorexia is serious. Anorexics can become very weak
and die. About 20 % of anorexics don't live more than twenty years after the anorexia starts and
only 60 % of anorexics get better completely.
Celebrities are particularly vulnerable because people are always judging their appearance.
Christina Aguilera's video for the song Beautiful shows the effect of the pressure on young
people to be thin. Scientists say that overweight teenagers should exercise, not diet, to become
thinner. This is because even teenagers who diet sensibly are more likely to become anorexic than
teenagers who don't diet at all.
2. According to the text, everything is true about anorexics, except they ... .
a) try not to eat
b) want to lose weight
c) take sedative pills
d) don't live more than twenty years after anorexia starts
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7.THE ART OF JACK LEMMON
Jack Lemmon, one of the finest, funniest and most popular movie actors of the second half of
the last century, was the uncoolest of icons. He squirmed for our sins. Lemmon was the
personification of the beleaguered, white-collar American male, compromised but lovable.
Jack reached a peak in his career on stage in Eugene O'Neil's tragedy "Long Day's Journey
into Night". Lemmon was applauded for the conviction he brought to a character's bitter confession
of destroying a career by sacrificing artistic attainment for popular acclaim.
Lemmon's own vast popularity was bought not by abandoning art, but rather by using the art
that conceals art. He was a young pro before he was an old pro.
Lemmon was a consummate farceur. Sometimes the comic material flickered with innuendo,
but Jack somehow kept what was unsavory in proportion with a usually hapless character's efforts to
be less hapless.
The son of a doughnut-company executive, Lemmon had a privileged Must Coast upbringing,
graduating from Phillips Andover Academy and Harvard. In cutthroat Hollywood, he was known for
his graciousness, diligence and class. There was never a hint of scandal attached to his name. He
married his second wife, actress Felicia Farr, in 1962, and they were together nearly 40 yours.
June 27, 2001, this glorious bundle of nerves finally came to rest, succumbing to cancer at the
age of 76 in Los Angels.
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8. GEORGE HARRISON, ROCK PIONEER
By Lynne Margolis
There's hardly a wedding band on the planet that doesn't owe a dept to George Harrison. As
author of the elegant "Something" —which early Beatle hater Frank Sinatra called the most
beautiful love song ever written — his place in history would be cemented even if he hadn't been in
the world's most influential rock band.
Sinatra's accolade impresses even more because Harrison was constantly eclipsed by
bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Beatles albums rarely contained more than two
Harrison's compositions, yet they were often gems.
Не introduced Western audiences to "world music" with his use of tabla, sitar, and Indian
scales — and to Eastern spiritual thought through his immersion in Indian culture. With his Concert
for Bangladesh, he pioneered the use of star-laden rock concerts as fundraisers. When Harrison's
masterpiece, "All Things Must Pass", was reissued early this year, listening to it felt like revisiting a
long-lost friend, one with whom the bond is so deep, it doesn't matter how much time has elapsed. Bob
Geldof, Harrison's friend and organiser of the massive Live-Aid concert, says he regards "All Things"
as the best solo album released by any Beatle.
He's right. Not only did it allow Harrison to fully express his spiritual quest, and earn him the
distinction of being the first artist to truly meld religion and rock, but also it gave his songwriting and
playing some much deserved limelight.
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11. DENTIST "DRILLED HEALTHY TOOTH TO PUNISH PATIENT"
By Graham Tibbetts
A dentist drilled away almost half of a healthy tooth to punish a patient who owed him
money, a disciplinary hearing was told yesterday.
Neville Kan had not been paid $60 following the woman's previous visit to his surgery in
Chiswick, west London, five years earlier.
The General Dental Council in London heard that the patient, referred to as Mrs B, returned to
the practice for treatment in January last year after losing a filling during a trip to Switzerland.
Kan advised her that she also needed a small filling on the adjacent eye-tooth.
But Mrs В said she was "horrified" to discover that he had bored away almost half of the
eyetooth.
"He said, 'Nothing lasts forever, I am not going to last forever...nothing in life is free. You
owe me money'."
Although her instinct was to flee, she said she was unable to do so because her gold crown was
now drilled down to the root. "I couldn't run away from this man who was hurting me," she said. "I
felt really degraded, dirty. It was almost like he had raped me," she said.
"It was absolutely terrible. There were times I wanted to commit suicide."
Kan who qualified in New Zealand 44 years ago, denies serious professional misconduct. The
hearing continues.
5.In fact...
a) the dentist confused a sick tooth with a healthy one
b) a woman wished to tempt the doctor
c) Mrs В once abused the dentist's trust
d) the doctor was going to rape Mrs В
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12. MONA LISA
By Cristina Peri Rossi
The first time I saw Gioconda, I fell in love with her. She dressed in black (a fabric, which
was nevertheless, transparent) and I think someone told me she had lost a son. I saw her from a
distance, like an apparition, and from that moment on, I became extremely sensitive about
everything relating to her. I learned that she lived in another city, and sometimes, she would take
short walks to alleviate her grief. Immediately — and sometimes, very slowly — I learned about
the things she preferred; I elicited her pleasures without even knowing what they were and
endeavored to surround myself with objects that pleased her.
I discovered that Giocondo, her husband, was in a dispute with a painter. He was a wealthy
and crude businessman and, like all the people of his class, would set out to surround himself with
expensive objects, even though he would haggle over their price.
She lived in an old house, rebuilt palace, on whose facade Giocondo had commissioned gold
inlays.
The loss of her son is still recent and she can't find any consolation.
Giocondo tries to cheer her up by hiring musicians who sing and dance in the garden, but she
doesn't seem to hear them.
Gioconda is listless. (Translated from Spanish by Harry Morales)
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13. WHAT A COMEBACK
Watch out; boomerangs are back. No pun intended. The resurgence of the sport appeals to
my inherent laziness — for once you're thrown a boomerang, you can remain rooted to the spot
and it will return to you. No more running after the Frisbee or hunting for a lost ball. I just needed
a lesson.
My brother advised me: "Put some effort into it. Flick your wrist. Look after your
fingernails". But his main observation was that I "throw like a girl". I'd be in for a hard time.
Wooden, banana-shaped and rather heavy, his boomerang was the real thing, handmade by
aborigines in the traditional manner. Thousands of years ago, the boomerang was an ideal
weapon: if the thrower missed his target, the missile would return to him; if he made a hit, he got
lunch.
In retrospect, I think my brother's boomerang was supposed to be ornamental. After hours
of practice, it didn't come back to us once. So it was not with confidence that I met up with
boomerang maestro David Strang for my lesson. I brightened up, however, when he told me that
his "Rangs" are guaranteed to return when thrown as directed, that kids as young as eight are
great at it, and that I'd be proficient after half an hour.
David went over the technique several times: face the wind, turn 45 degrees to the right of it,
keep the boomerang vertical and hurl it straight to the horizon. I chucked it as hard as I could.
After a dozen or so poor throws, my elbow was hurting but so was my pride. David's
encouragement kept me going. I want to get better at it. I want to prove that it's not just a boy
thing.
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15. MAGICAL BEASTS
In every land people tell stories about magical beasts. The strangest beasts of all lived in
Ireland. They were called the Fomoriens. The Fomoriens were strange because each one was
different. One might have the body of a fish. He would walk with his tail. Another might have only
one leg. He would have to hop. Some Fomoriens had no ears. Some had only one eye. But others
had three eyes. That kept things even.
Most Fomoriens were just plain ugly. But some of them were beautiful. They had golden hair
and nice smiles. They looked like real people. But inside they were still strange beasts.
These beasts went to war against people. They won the war. For many years they ruled the
land. Those were terrible years. The leader of the Fomoriens had a magic eye. It could kill with
just one look.
Then the people found a hero. He had beautiful golden hair and a sweet smile. Yes, he was
part man and part Fomorien. In fact his grandfather was the one with the magic eye! He led the
people to war against the Fomoriens. Finally the people won. Only four of the beasts were still
alive. The rest had all been killed. The hero drove the last Fomoriens far away.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The Fomoriens lived ....
a) on a large island west of Great Britain
b) in caves
c) on a large island east of Great Britain
d) on a continent
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16. THE BAG WE LIVE IN
Our skin is like a bag that we live in. Inside the bag we are mostly water. Our water is like
water in the sea. It is very salty. Like the ocean, we can lose water. Our skin bag keeps our body's
ocean from drying up.
Our skin keeps out sunshine. Too much sun can hurt us. Skin also keeps out dirt. That's
important, because some kind of dirt can make us sick. Our skin feels things. It feels warm things,
cold things, things it touches, and things that hurt it.
Our hair is really just a special kind of skin. It helps keep things out of our eyes, ears, and
noses. Hair is also good for keeping us warm. When we get goose bumps, our body hairs stand up.
Then the hairs hold air close to our skin like a thin blanket.
Our nails are like very hard skin. They help keep our fingers and toes from getting hurt. Our
nails aren't as strong as the nails that animals have. But they are good for scratching backs and
picking up dimes.
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17. THE STORY OF RUBBER
Rubber was brought from South America by travellers. At first people knew just one way to
use it. They would use balls of rubber to rub out pencil marks on paper. And that's how rubber got
its name!
In those days rubber was shipped in pieces shaped like bottles. Workers would make cuts in
the rubber trees. Then they would catch the rubber juice in glass bottles. Soon the juice would get
hard. Then workers would break the glass. The hard rubber would stay in the bottle shape.
A man came up with good ideas about how to use rubber. His name was Macintosh. He found
a way to melt hard rubber back into rubber juice. He would pour the rubber juice onto some cloth.
He would spread it very thin and let it dry. This cloth did not get wet. Macintosh named this cloth
after himself. Soon everyone was using mackintosh cloth. People used it to make raincoats and
boots.
People poured rubber juice into new shapes. Then it got hard again. In this way people made
things like water hoses and bicycle tires. They even made parts of machines. Rubber became very
important. In just twenty years it changed everyone's life.
6. Rubber....
a) improves everyone's life
b) makes everyone's life worse
c) was useless
d) became very expensive
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18. THE LUCKIEST SANDWICH IN THE WORLD
Mr Freidman was in a shopping centre in Birmingham the other day when he suddenly felt
very hungry. He decided to buy himself a sandwich, but when he took his wallet out he
discovered that he only had a $50 note. It was six o'clock in the evening, he was really hungry
and nowhere else was open. Then he had a crazy idea! He'd buy some lottery tickets and the
sandwich. He never did stupid things like that and in fact he never bought lottery tickets. It was
the first time in his life.
Mr Freidman was a cleaner and his wife was a secretary and they didn't have much money,
so when he got home his wife was very angry. "We look after our money," she said, "and you go
throw it away on lottery tickets! We're saving for holiday in Brighton!"
That Saturday they watched the results on TV.
They won millions. It's going to change their lives.
Mr Freidman says that it was the luckiest sandwich in the world, and it was the luckiest
crazy decision! And Mrs Freidman has forgiven him for wasting their money. They're going to
go on that holiday, but not to Brighton.
6. Mrs Freidman showed mercy to her husband for ... their money.
a) losing b) making bad use of
c) saving d) increasing
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19. RIP VAN WINKLE
One day Rip Van Winkle went hunting. Just as he was starting home, someone called his
name. He was afraid. But he followed the sound.
Soon he met a little old man. The man asked him to carry a small barrel. Rip and the old
man walked for a long time. Finally they met some people who were bowling. Rip poured some
water from the barrel for everyone. It smelled funny, but he was very thirsty. So he poured
some for himself. After he took a drink, he felt very strange. All at once he fell asleep.
When Rip woke up, no one was around. His new gun was dirty and worn out. He thought
the strange people were playing a trick. "They took my gun and left me this old one", Rip thought.
But he picked it up and went home. When he got to the town, everyone laughed. "Look at those
funny old clothes!" they said.
Then Rip walked through the town. There were new houses he'd never seen before. Nothing
was the same. He couldn't find people he knew.
"Doesn't anyone know Rip Van Winkle?" he cried.
"Yes, I know him", said one old man. "Why, you are Rip! But where have you been for twenty
years?" he asked. Rip told everyone about the strange mountain people.
Rip never went back into the mountains again.
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20. GARDEN ART
If you're looking at a tree in the shape of a bear, it's a topiary. A topiary is a tree or a bush that
is trained into a shape. Topiaries are a kind of sculpture. Growing a topiary garden takes both time
and skill. The first thing a topiary gardener does is make a drawing. The drawing shows the form
the gardener would like a tree or bush to take. The gardener then chooses the bush for the topiary.
In June of the plant's first year, the gardener looks for new leaves. When the leaves grow, then it
is time to shape the bottom of the bush. The gardener shapes the bottom of the bush for about five
years. The top is not trimmed during this time.
In the fifth year the gardener begins to shape the whole bush. Sometimes branches are bent
to form a shape. The gardener wires the branches in place.
Once a topiary has been started, it needs care all year: in the summer it must be clipped many
times to keep its shape, in the winter the bushes don't grow. But the gardeners still have to brush
snow off the plants. Snow can hurt the flat parts of the plants.
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21. RACE AGAINST DEATH
The temperature was about thirty degrees below zero. Sharp winds whipped the city. Thick snow
made it impossible to see. January of 1925 was a cruel month in Nome, Alaska.
The weather wasn't the only problem in Nome that winter. Diphtheria was spreading through
the city. Diphtheria is a terrible disease that people rarely get today. But in 1925 many children had
caught it, and some had even died. Somehow doctors had to get some medicine to stop this disease.
There was none in Nome. The nearest place to get it was Anchorage, far away in another part of
the state.
In those days no railroads led to Nome. The only way to travel in winter was in sled pulled by
big dogs.
Officials had no choice. Quickly they made a plan. The medicine would go by train from
Anchorage to the town of Nenanna. Dogs and sleds would have to take it from there to Nome.
When the medicine reached Nenanna, a sled team was ready to leave for Nome. The team
stopped along the way to change dogs and drivers.
After 500 miles, the team was met by another team that had started out from Nome.
Now the going got rough. It took three teams to cover the last lap. Finally the last brave team
pulled into Nome.
The sick children were saved.
2. Diphtheria is a ....
a) horrible malady b) terrible curse
c) painful suffering d) painless treatment
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22. TRAPPED
It was December 1984. A large herd of hungry white whales were chasing codfish. The
whales chased the codfish from the sea into the Senyavin Strait.
An angry east wind blew up. The water of the strait began to freeze. Only small pools of
open water remained. The whales were trapped!
A hunter spotted the whales and saw that they were in trouble. White whales can break
through thin ice, but this ice was too thick. The hunter knew that whales must come to the
water's surface to breathe, There was not enough room for thousands of ten-foot whales to
breathe. Soon helicopters were on the scene. They dropped frozen fish to feed the whales. But the
whales still couldn't breathe. They were beginning to die. A special ship was sent for to ram
through the ice.
The captain had to get the whales to follow the ship out to sea. Several days passed, and the
whales didn't leave. Finally someone remembered that porpoises like music. Whales are related to
porpoises. So, the crew of the ship played all kinds of music on the deck. Slowly they began to
follow the ship. After a while the whales got used to the ship. By February, the white whales were
safely in the sea once more.
2. A hunter....
a) sported with the whales b) noticed the whales
c) hunted the whales d) chased the whales
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23. WARNING OF RSI RISK IN COMPUTER GAMES
A doctor warned parents yesterday of the dangers of "nintendonitis" after treating a schoolboy
who suffered an arm injury because he spent too much time playing computer games.
Dr Diana Macgregor believes the 11-year-old could be the first reported case of computer-
induced REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY (RSI) in a child.
His mother took him to hospital after a teacher expressed concern that he was experiencing
pain while writing on his return to school following the Christmas holidays last year.
He was examined at hospital and no swelling, bruising or reddening of the skin was found, and
there was no bone or soft tissue tenderness.
It emerged that he had been given a computer as a Christmas present and had been using his
dominant left hand to manipulate the controls.
Dr Macgregor said: "The child reluctantly agreed to stop using his computer for a week and
his symptoms disappeared". Dr Macgregor suggested that "hand care" should be taught in school to
young computer game enthusiasts.
In America RSI was reaching "epidemic proportions". Schools had already introduced hand
care instruction.
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24. A LESSON IN HONESTY
A thief who dropped a winning lottery ticket at the scene of his crime has been given a
lesson in honesty. His victim, who picked up the ticket, then claimed the $25,000 prize,
managed to trace him, and handed over the cash.
The robbery happened when maths professor was changing a tire on an Italian motorway.
Another motorist, who stopped "to help" stole a suitcase from his car and drove off. The
professor found the dropped ticket and stuffed it in his pocket before driving home.
Next day, he saw the lottery results on TV and, uncrumpling the ticket, realised it was a
winner. Then began a battle with his conscience. Eventually, he decided he could not keep the
money despite having been robbed.
Не advertised in newspapers and on radio. Professor Sabbatucci received hundreds of calls.
But there was one voice he recognised — and he arranged to meet the man in a park. The robber,
a 35-year-old unemployed father of two, gave back the suitcase and burst into tears. He could not
believe what was happening. "Why didn't you keep the money?" he asked.
The professor replied: "I couldn't because it's not mine". Then he walked off, spurning the
thief's offer of a reward.
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25. HOME LESSONS FOR SCHOOLGIRLS UPBRAIDED OVER HAIR EXTENSIONS
Two schoolgirls facing GCSE exams are being taught at home after being banned from
classrooms by a headmaster who considered their hairstyles to be "attention-seeking". They have
been told they will not be allowed to study with other pupils until they either tie their hair in
buns or take out the plaits.
The 15-year-olds paid $85 each to have chest-length extensions braided into their last
month. After their hairstyles went unmentioned for two weeks, they were ordered into
"seclusion", studying by themselves in a separate room. Their parents were so appalled by the
decision to keep them from other pupils that they are now helping the girls to study at home,
"...the school is willing to impede Faye's results by punishing her during the run-up to her GCSE
exams", Faye's mother said.
Ted Rowley, the headmaster, said yesterday: "The school rules say that extreme or attention-
seeking hairstyles are inappropriate. It is a matter of judgment after that, of course, as to what
constitutes attention seeking...
The school is a community and its members have to conform to a set of standards. With
1,000 pupils, the others can be very quick to pick up when someone is flouting those rules. It is up
to the parents to decide if their children are going to support the standards we have set. If they do
not, they are free to send them to other schools with different standards to our own".
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26. KILLER ROBOTS
Robots are taking over many hazardous jobs, but they are also creating new hazards,
according to a report by the International Labour Office (ILO).
Being struck by a robot arm in motion, being trapped between the robot and another
object, and being hit by an object dropped by an overloaded robot gripper are the main hazards
that robots pose to humans, according to the report of Safety in the Use of Industrial Robots. In
many cases, workers are in the way when the robot makes a sudden, unexpected movement or
starts when it isn't supposed to. Such miscues may result from software problems, electrical
interference, or faults in the hydraulic, electrical, or pneumatic controls.
The first robot-related death occurred in Japan in 1981, and one survey of robot use in
Japan showed a total of 10 fatalities reported by the end of April 1987. The causes were the
victim's error in four cases and "spontaneous start of robot" in other six, according to Japan's
Ministry of Labour. Each year, approximately five or six workers injured in robot accidents in
Japan, and there have been many more "near-misses". Even when robots are used safely, other
problems may develop, says the report. When robots create unemployment of humans, workers
may suffer from ulcers, colitis, and emotional stress. New jobs created by robotisation generate
stress, too, such as anxiety in trying to keep with a robot's work pace.
"In general, while technological innovation may free people from physical labour, it may
give rise to mental load", the report notes, "and it is thought likely that new occupational
diseases may arise in time."
6. The phrase "to keep pace with" in line 21-22 could be replaced by ....
a) not to surrender b) not to lose
c) to give up d) not to lag behind
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27. DARKNESS AND LIGHT
The life of Vincent Van Gogh
In April 1899, Van Gogh had checked himself into the asylum in
the monastery, looking for relief from the epilepsy that had tormented
him in Aries, where he had threatened his friend Paul Gauguin with a
razor and had cut off his own left ear lobe during a fit.
When the voices drove him to Saint Remy, Van Gogh was in one
of the most productive periods any artist has ever had, creating in the
last 21/2 years of his life the work that most people know him by. But
there were times in Saint Remy, after he ate paint, when his doctors
wouldn't let him near the artist's palette.
It's quite remarkable,, then, that during his year in the asylum he
managed to create a series of beloved masterpieces.
Van Gogh was the most autobiographical artist, and: his works
reveal much about the last years of his passionate life.
Vincent Van Gogh was the eldest son of a priest; his formal
education was patchy, but he was a great reader who loved literature
and biography.
At 16 he went to work for an art dealer, a job that his younger
brother, Theo, followed him into. At 23, Vincent was fired. He then
wandered through odd jobs before he decided to become an artist.
"I want to paint drawings that will touch people", he wrote to Theo
in 1882. "What I want to express, in both figure and landscape, isn't
anything sentimental or melancholy, but deep anguish. In short, I want
to get to the point where people see my work and say: that man feels
deeply, that man feels keenly."
But poverty and the pain of having sold only a few of his paintings
pressed in on Van Gogh as his health failed.
Some years later Van Gogh shot himself.
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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. The word "asylum" as used in line 1 is closest in meaning to which of the
following:
a) a hotel;
b) a pantry;
c) a place where people who are mentally ill could be cared for;
d) a place for keeping robbers.
3. Why did Vincent cut off his own left ear lobe?
a) Because he wanted to hurt himself.
b) Because of a sudden attack of the illness.
c) Because he was fit.
d) Because of Paul Gauguin.
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30
28. TEENAGERS ARE BULLIED BY TEXT MESSAGES
31
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. What intimidates persons in their teens?
a) Letters. b) Gossips.
c) News. d) A piece of information.
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32
29. AWAY FROM IT ALL
33
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
▲ ☺
34
30. THE LIVER
35
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. The liver is ....
a) the largest cell in the body
b) the largest organ which secretes substances having special
functions in the body
c) the largest gland of the stomach
d) the largest filter of digestive juice
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36
31. RIVER OF LIFE: BLOOD
For centuries, evil spirits in the body were thought to be the cause
of illnesses. Bloodletting was a process used to drain blood of these
evil spirits. Until the nineteenth century, bloodletting was the
treatment for many illnesses. Barbers were the most common
"surgeons". When people felt ill, they went to a barber for
bloodletting. A striped pole and basin were the signs of the
barbershop. The white stripe stood for the bandage and the red stripe
stood for the blood. Today the barber pole is a reminder of the time
when bloodletting was an important part of a barber's job.
Blood is one of the most important tissues in the body. It
transports materials such as digested food, water, and oxygen to our
cells. It carries wastes from the cells to the parts of the body where
they are released.
There are two main parts to whole blood — a liquid part and a
solid part. About half of whole blood is clear, yellowish-coloured
liquid called plasma. Most of plasma is water.
Plasma proteins fight disease and help clot the blood. The disease-
fighting plasma proteins are called antibodies.
The solid part of the blood consists of red blood cells, white blood
cells, and platelets. Red blood cells are round, somewhat like donuts
without holes. Mature red blood cells contain hemoglobin. It gives
the red blood cells their red colour. The function of hemoglobin is to
combine with oxygen in the lungs and carry it to the cells.
White blood cells are larger than red blood cells. There are fewer
white blood cells than red blood cells. White blood cells attack
foreign invaders faster than the antibodies. For this reason, the white
blood cells are known as the body's "first line" of defense.
Platelets are tiny, colourless particles that help form blood clots,
which stop the bleeding from a cut or injury.
Blood is often called the "gift of life". Many lives are saved each
year by blood transfusions.
37
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Bloodletting was a process used to ....
a) let evil spirits drain blood of people
b) make blood flow away from patient's body
c) treat vampires until the nineteenth century
d) make the barbershop crowded
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38
32. KINGDOM FUNGI
Some fungi make us sneeze, others dirty our bathtubs, and many kinds spoil our food. These
are some of the ways that fungi affect our lives. Most members of the kingdom Fungi are
multicellular organisms with a complex cell structure, cell walls, and no chlorophyll. You can find
them growing both inside and on top of their food. Fungi eat by releasing digestive chemicals
into their food and absorbing the digested nutrients into their bodies. The fungi are divided into
groups based on their body structure and how they produce reproductive structures called spores.
Have you ever noticed a black or gray powdery substance growing on bread? These are the
spore capsules of bread mould, an example of a threadlike fungus.
By the way, penicillin was discovered, quite by chance, by Alexander Fleming when he
noticed some mould on his plate.
Mushrooms, puffballs, and bracket fungi are members of Club Fungi group. These familiar
structures grow on the surface of soil or on dead trees. They come in a variety of shapes and
colours. The members of Sac Fungi group resemble a wrinkled mushroom. Many of them are
parasites that attack and cause diseases in several kinds of trees, such as elms and chestnut. Some
even cause diseases in humans.
3. Very small cells that are produced by some fungi and that develop into new fungi are called ....
a) seeds
b) mould
c) powder
d) spores
4. Sac Fungi....
a) grow on bread b) wrinkle mushrooms
c) absorb soil d) look like a wrinkled mushroom
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39
33. ALIEN INVASION
A group of tiny aliens left their ship in Mobile, Alabama. Their bodies were red and shiny,
and they walked on six legs. The aliens looked around and then quietly crawled off to make homes
in their new land.
In 1918, fire ants were accidentally imported to the USA in a freighter ship from South
America. In their new environment, the imported fire ants had no natural predators or competitors.
In addition, these ants are extremely aggressive, and their colonies can harbour many queens,
instead of just one queen like many other ant species. With all these advantages it is not surprising
that the ants have spread like wildfire.
Imported fire ants have done a lot of damage as they have spread across the USA. Because
they are attracted to electrical currents, these ants chew through wire insulation, causing shorts in
electrical circuits. The invaders have also managed to disturb the natural balance of native
ecosystems. In some areas, they have killed off 70 % of the native ant species and 40 % of other
native insect species. Each year, about 25,000 people seek medical attention for painful fire-ant
stings.
Although about 157 chemicals, including ammonia, gasoline, extracts from manure, and
harsh chemical pesticides, are registered for use against fire ants, most have little or no success.
Unfortunately, many of these remedies harm the environment.
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40
34. WHY RABBIT HAS NO FIERCE CLAWS
According to an Iroquois legend, when Rabbit was being created, he asked for long hind
legs, long ears, sharp fangs, and fierce claws. Raweno, who made the animals, didn't mind making
Rabbit the way he wanted to be.
Raweno was forming Rabbit's legs when Owl interrupted and demanded a long neck, red
feathers, a long beak, and a crown of plumes. Raweno, now shaping Rabbit's ears, scolded, "Be
quiet. Close your eyes. Don't you know that no one is allowed to watch me work?"
But Owl disobeyed, saying, "I like watching you, and watch I will". That made Raweno so
angry that he pulled Owl from his branch, stuffed his head into his body, pulled on his ears until
they stuck straight up, and shook him so hard that his eyes grew big. Owl flew off, and his body
stayed that way. Raweno returned to his work, but Rabbit was gone. He had run away in fright
before Raweno could finish. And the Rabbit is still nervous to this day.
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41
35. DIAMONDS
Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance and also one of
the most valuable natural substances. Because of its hardness, the diamond
is the most enduring of all gemstones. In Europe and America the diamond
is the traditional jewel for engagement and wedding rings. Diamonds are
also used in industry for cutting, grinding, and boring other hard materials.
Diamonds are crystals formed almost entirely of carbon. Scientists believe
diamonds were formed millions of years ago when carbon was subjected to
great heat and pressure.
A diamond must be used to cut another diamond. But a diamond can be
separated or broken with a severe blow because of its cleavage. A diamond
will not dissolve in acid. But it can be destroyed when it is subjected to
intensive heat. If a diamond is heated in the presence of oxygen, it will burn
and form carbon dioxide. If it is heated without oxygen, it will turn to
graphite. Some diamonds glow when they are exposed to ultraviolet light.
Diamonds are among the most costly jewels in the world, partly because
they are rare. Gem diamonds are graded according to weight, purity, colour,
and cut. The largest diamond ever discovered was found in Pretoria, South
Africa, by a diamond miner who first thought it was a big chunk of glass. It
weighed 3106 carats — about half a kilogram — and measured 5x6 x 1 0 cm.
It was named the Cullinan Diamond after the founder of the mine. The
diamond was sent to Joseph Asscher, a famous diamond cutter in
Amsterdam. The task of cutting it was truly nerve-wracking. The first cut on
large diamonds is often made by cleaving the diamond along its grain. The
difficulty with this is that the grain is invisible. Asscher studied the diamond
for months and finally decided on his line of cleavage. The tension was
almost unbearable. If his line of cleavage was not correct, the world's largest
diamond could shatter completely. He brought the hammer down, and,
strangely, the metal rule broke in two! The diamond was still intact, but
Asscher's nerves were shattered. He went to hospital to recover.
When he finally had the strength and courage to try again, Asscher brought
his physician with him. This time, his mallet struck cleanly, and the diamond
cleaved perfectly. Asscher himself didn't learn of his success until some time
afterwards, for he had fainted the moment he struck the blow!
42
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. The diamond can continue to exist for a long time because of its ....
a) rareness b) value
c) toughness d) purity
2. In industry diamonds are not used for ... other hard materials.
a) drilling
b) cutting
c) smelting
c) grinding
5. Why v/as the task of cutting the diamond so difficult? Because ....
a) the natural direction of lines in the diamond couldn't be seen
b) the grain was wracked
c) there was an invisible cleft in the diamond
d) the cutter was an amateur
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43
36. DESERT
Desert is generally thought of as a hot, barren region that receives little rainfall. Rainfall is
scarce in all desert regions, but deserts are not barren wastelands. Deserts have a wide variety of
land formations and soil substances, and most of them have at least one permanent stream. Deserts
cannot support the abundant plant and animal life found in humid climates. Scientists do not agree
on a single definition for deserts. Some classify a desert as any region that receives an average of
less than 10 inches of rain annually. Other scientists use the type of soil or vegetation to determine
whether a region is a desert. Still others consider all these factors. They define a desert as a region
that can support little vegetation because of both insufficient rainfall and dry soil. Most deserts are
in warm climates, but some regions near the North and South Poles are also considered deserts.
These areas are so cold that moisture freezes there and can't stimulate plant growth.
Deserts do not support large numbers of people. People who do live in a desert region
must adjust to the hot, dry climate. In North American deserts many Indians and Mexicans live in
adobe or mud houses that provide insulation from the heat. Many desert dwellers in Africa and
Asia are herders. They live in tents and wrap themselves in long cloth robes for protection
against the scorching sun and blowing sand. Air-conditioning and irrigation projects have made
life more comfortable for other desert dwellers.
5. According to the text, what doesn't stimulate plant growth in cold deserts?
a) Humidity. b) Sun.
c) Wind. d) Cold.
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44
37. DELAWARE INDIANS
Delaware Indians is the English name of a tribe that lived in what are now Delaware, New
Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. These Indians called themselves Lenni-Lenape, which means
genuine people. Their English name came from the Delaware River, which flowed through their
land. The tribe farmed, hunted, and fished.
In 1682, the Delaware signed a treaty of friendship with the English colonial leader W.Penn.
Despite the treaty, however, Europeans began to take the Indians' land and gradually pushed them
westward.
During the 1760s, a religious leader known as the Delaware Prophet preached that Indians
should abandon the use of firearms, steel, and other European inventions. He told the Indians they
could gain the power to expel the Europeans from their land by returning to traditional tribal ways
of life. The Delaware Prophet influenced an Ottawa Indian leader named Pontiac, who tried to
unite the Delaware and other Indians in an attempt to drive out the intruders. The British defeated
Pontiac in 1763.
In 1818, the Delaware surrendered all their land east of the Mississippi River to the
government.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. How did Delaware Indians call themselves?
a) Brave people. b) Unfeigned people.
c) Healthy people. d) Wise people.
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45
38. THE ATOCHA
By Gail Gibbons
It is 1622. The Atocha, with its fleet of sister ships, makes its way back from South America
to Spain. The Atocha is a treasure ship, laden with gold, jewels, silver bars, and thousands of coins.
The fleet makes a stop in Cuba and then sets off again. As the ships near Florida, a hurricane
gathers strength.
Wind rips at the Atocha's sails. Spray washes across the deck. The 265 people aboard the
ship are terrified. Suddenly, a huge wave lifts the ship and throws it against a reef.
The hull breaks open, and the Atocha — along with several of its sister ships — sinks beneath
the waves. All but five aboard the Atocha drown.
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46
39. CRICKET AND MOUNTAIN LION
By J.L.Curry
Cricket was proud of his house. It was small and round and snug,
and sat in a shady spot safely away from the deer trail. Cricket had
built it himself of mud and dung and fine grass, then rolled.
He placed it beside a rotten log, and settled in.
One day Mountain Lion, out hunting, came stepping softly
down the deer trail. Not far from Cricket's house his nose told him
that a rabbit had crossed the path a moment before, and so he turned
aside. As he padded past the rotten log, Mountain Lion heard a tiny
shout. "Hey, friend Lion! Stop where you are and step aside! One
step more and your paw will crush my house."
"Miserable little creature!" Lion screamed. "I'm strong and smart
and swift, the forest is mine. And yet you dare to tell me where to
step!"
"You may rule the forest, Big Paws", piped Cricket, "but I'm
Chief in my house and ruler of the land it sits on. So step aside. I
don't care to have my house flattened."
Mountain Lion was amazed at Cricket's daring.
Cricket gave an angry hop. "Take care. I may be small but I have
a cousin who is a great fighter. So take care!"
Mountain Lion laughed. "I must meet this brave warrior, little
boaster. Bring your cousin to this place tomorrow and we'll fight."
The next day at noon Mountain Lion came back. "Hey, small
boaster! I'm here. Where is your fierce little cousin?"
Cricket didn't answer. Soon there came a buzzing by Lion's ear,
loud and then louder still. And then a sharp, stabbing sting.
"Oh-ho-yo!" roared Mountain Lion. "Get out of my ear!"
But Cricket's cousin went on stinging. At last poor Mountain Lion
threw himself upon the ground and groaned. Cricket spoke up. "Tell
me, friend Lion. Do you mean to leave me and my house alone?"
"I will", moaned Lion. "Only call your cousin out of my ear."
So Cricket called Mosquito, and they sat together on the log and
laughed to see Mountain Lion run away as fast as he could go.
He never came back.
47
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. According to the text, choose the odd one.
a) Great boast, small roast.
b) Fortune favours the brave.
c) Little bodies may have great souls.
d) If you can't beat them, join them.
5. One day Mountain Lion found himself at Cricket's house because he....
a) lost his path
b) hunted a deer
c) looked for shelter
d) chased a rabbit
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48
40. JOAN OF ARC
Joan of Arc was a simple peasant girl who led the French army to victory
at the siege of Orleans in 1429. She has been called the Maid of Orleans ever
since.
Joan was born at Domremy, France in 1412. Like most girls of her time,
she never learned to read and write. But she learned all that her devout mother
could teach her of sacred things.
Visions, which she felt sure, were from heaven made her believe that she
was chosen to liberate her oppressed country from the English. At the age of
17, she left her home to fulfill that task.
Young King Charles VII of France, who was then uncrowned, lived at the
castle of Chinon. When he heard of the young girl, he had a glimmer of hope.
But first Charles tested her. He let one of his nobles occupy the throne, and he
slipped into the ranks of his courtiers. When Joan came in, she gave the man
on the thrown only a glance. Then she turned away, walked up to Charles, and
curtsied to him as to the king. Even then Charles was only half convinced.
But when she told him exactly what he had asked of God when he had prayed
alone in the palace chapel, he believed in her. She then received a sword, a
banner, and a command over the king's troops.
At first, the French commanders didn't want to obey her. But soon they
saw that all went well when they followed her and that nothing succeeded
when they disregarded her orders.
Joan's mission ended when the crown was placed on Charles' head in
the city of Reims. Her voices were silent now, and she wished to return to
Domremy. But the king wouldn't let her go. She gave in to him and led an
attack to Paris, which the English still held. The attack failed, and Joan was
badly wounded and captured. Joan represented the soul of French resistance
to the English. So, they put her in prison, where she suffered many insults.
Then she was tried as a witch and a heretic. The court condemned her to be
burned at the stake.
Thousands of people stood at the market place of the city of Rouen to
watch her die on May 30, 1431. They wept at the dreadful sight. A terrified
English noble said: 'We are undone; we've burned a saint". The final insult of
the English was to refuse to bury her ashes. Her ashes were gathered up and
thrown into the Seine River.
In 1920, Pope Benedict XV declared her a saint.
49
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Joan believed she was an envoy of God because of her....
a) holiness b) dreams c) visions d) intuition
2. Joan... in 1429.
a) led the English army to victory b) raised the siege of Orleans
c) laid the siege of Orleans d) fled at the siege of Orleans
3. Joan wasn't....
a) illiterate b) devout c) brave d) insane
4. How did Joan show Charles she knew he was the king? She ....
a) greeted Charles, bending her knees
b) walked up to Charles and kissed his arm
c) foretold Charles' future
d) curtsied to the man on the thrown
5. The French commanders obeyed Joan because they ....
a) took an oath to their king
b) considered her the soul of French resistance to the English
c) were convinced of her success
d) did their duties
6. According to the text, everything is true, except....
a) everything scored when the French commanders followed Joan
b) the attack failed because Joan's voices were silent
c) Joan's duty was to free her country
d) Joan was a very determined and plucky person
7. The phrase "We are undone" in line 32 is closest in the meaning to ....
a) we are mad
b) we are defeated and without any hope for the future
c) we'll be punished by God
d) we'll be cursed by descendants
8. The verb "gave in" in line 24 may be best replaced with ....
a) resisted b) argued
c) agreed d) gave up
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50
41. THE BULLYING EPIDEMIC
ByL.C.Cool
Harassment is more common and serious than most parents realise. Each day,
about 160,000 American kids skip school because they are afraid of bullies. In
some cases the targets of abuse are afraid to tell their parents or teachers, so
they put up with it until they start to think about revenge.
Unlike teasing, bullying involves repeated harassment intended to cause
physical or psychological harm. 13 % of kids in grades six through ten had
taunted, threatened or been physically aggressive towards classmates, while 11
% had been the targets of such behaviour. 6 % said they'd bullied others and
had been bullied themselves.
The researchers found key differences between the sexes: boys were more
likely to be bullies or victims of bullying. Girls were more frequently the
targets of malicious rumours, sexual harassment and jeers.
While the stereotype is that bullies have low self-esteem, they're actually
often self-confident. Bullies are often popular and tend to make friends easily.
But if a bully feels slighted, s/he may be tempted to take it out on someone
who can't fight back. Why? That's the coping mechanism s/he's familiar with;
some bullies come from homes where they're harassed themselves. Bullies pick
on kids when teachers aren't around to stop them. Bullies tend to perform
poorly at school and by age 24, 60 % of former bullies have been convicted of
a crime, according to a study conducted in Norway. Victims, on the other
hand, generally have poor social skills and few friends. These children may be
physically smaller than their peers, may look or act differently or have
different abilities. The psychological trauma of recurring harassment puts
victims at risk of suffering from depression or low self-esteem as an adult —
and, in a small but significant number of cases, may cause them to become
violent or suicidal. A bullied child is having trouble sleeping, cries for no
apparent reason, has unexplained injuries, has torn clothing or missing
possessions, has lost his/her appetite, has a sudden aversion to school or has
become sullen, withdrawn or clingy.
The younger the child, the more likely s/he is to suffer from bullying.
On the other hand, older kids are less likely to tell an adult when they're
bullied. When the bullying takes the form of ridicule, even fewer students will
admit to being subjected to it.
What makes the pervasiveness of bullying alarming is the link to school
violence. Why has bullying become more serious? Violent entertainment is
blamed. We're seeing more aggression than we did 15 years ago because kids
complicated problems being solved by weapons on TV and in the movies.
No adult would put up with being stalked, beaten up and verbally harassed
at work. Why should children have to endure a climate of fear at school?!
51
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. What can't harassed kids do?
a) Skip meal. b) Take vengeance on bullies.
c) Quit bullying. d) Commit suicide.
▲ ☺
52
42. SCHOOLS TOLD TO LET PUPILS TAKE WATER INTO LESSONS
53
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
▲ ☺
54
43. DOWDY WOMEN "PREFER WIMPS"
By R.Highfield
Beautiful women go for more rugged males while more dowdy females really do
prefer wimps.
A study shows that a woman's taste in men depends on how attractive she thinks
she is. The findings come after research on birds, guppies, sticklebacks and other
creatures that attempts to answer the most fundamental question of all: what is it
about a male that attracts a female, and vice versa?
From the cold-eyed perspective of Darwinian evolution, wooing has but one
aim: reproduction, to pass our genes to the next generation and ensure that they
survive.
But the work published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society by Prof
David Perrett and his team at St Andrews show that we also value whether a male
will hang around to be a good father.
Male beetles are ruthless about changing partners if they do not measure up to
expectations, said Mr Little.
The team reasons that beautiful women go for masculine men because they are
driven by the urge to have beautiful children while their less attractive peers are more
driven by the urge to find a partner who was "least likely to desert them".
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A woman's taste in men correlates with her ....
a) brains b) thoughts about men
c) appraisals of her beauty d) appearance
2. Beautiful women prefer ... men.
a) strongly built b) generous
c) wealthy d) smart
3. According to the text, people shouldn't... each other to pass their genes to the next
generation.
a) woo b) court c) insure d) tempt
4. The word "ruthless" in line 14 means ....
a) considerate b) hard and cruel
c) pitiful d) compassionate
5. Scientists do not refer to ... in their research work.
a) fish b) birds c) monkeys d) beetles
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55
44. SCHOOLS IN FIZZY DRINKS SCANDAL
General practitioners are calling for stricter controls on the sale of fizzy drinks in
schools, reports the Daily Mail. Doctors are concerned that head teachers are
installing money-making machines in schools to boost their funds, despite the
possible health and behavioural side-effects. "It is very difficult to stop kids spending
their money on fizzy drinks when machines are prominently displayed," said GP Tom
Yerburgh. "Many schools have lucrative commercial arrangements with fizzy drinks
manufacturers... The situation is completely unacceptable. There are definite links to
obesity, tooth decay, brittle bones and increasing incidences of diabetes in later life."
The National Association of Head Teachers estimates that 95 % of state secondary
schools have at least one vending machine. Sales can be worth up to $10,000 a year.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Apparently, vending machines ....
a) produce drinks b) sell drinks
c) make drinks fizzy d) blend drinks
2. Doctors speculate that children drinking fizzy drinks will....
a) wax fat
b) have poor grades at school
c) be sound
d) have supple bones
3. Everything is true about fizzy drinks, except they ....
a) strengthen the financial state of manufacturers
b) increase accidents
c) have bubbles of gas in
d) affect the health of children
4. The word "prominently" in line 6 can be best replaced with ....
a) chaotically b) accessibly
c) deliberately d) irresponsibly
5. Doctors call us to ....
a) get rid of fizzy drinks
b) reduce the production of fizzy drinks
c) limit the consumption of fizzy drinks
d) cut down the finances of companies which produce fizzy drinks
6. According to the text, some head teachers ....
a) ban the sale of fizzy drinks in schools
b) have unprofitable commercial arrangements with fizzy drinks manufacturers
c) earn money on the sale of fizzy drinks
d) boost the sale of fizzy drinks in schools
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56
45. A MIRACLE CURE
More and more people are turning away from their doctors and,
instead, going to individuals who have no medical training and who
sell unproven treatments. They go to quacks to get everything from
treatments for colds to cures for cancer. And they are putting
themselves in dangerous situations.
Many people don't realise how unsafe it is to use unproven
treatments. During the time the person is using the product, his or
her illness may be getting worse. This can even cause the person to
die.
So why do people trust quacks? People want the "miracle cure".
They want the product that will solve their problem quickly, easily,
and completely. A patient may be so afraid of pain, or even of dying,
that he or she will try anything. The quack knows this and offers an
easy solution at a very high price.
Quacks usually sell products and treatments for illnesses that
generally have no proven cure.
How can you recognise a quack? Sometimes it's easy because he
or she offers something we know is possible. These people lie,
saying that their product was made because of a recent scientific
discovery. Many quacks will say their product is good for many
different illnesses, not just for one thing. They usually like to offer
money-back guarantees if their treatment doesn't work.
Unfortunately, the guarantee is often also a lie. Finally, clinic will
often be in another country.
Quacks try to sell their products in similar ways. They will invite
you to read testimonials, letters written by satisfied customers. These
frauds will also promise quick, exciting cures. Often they say the
product is made in a secret way or with something secret in it which
can only be bought from a particular company.
57
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. In fact, quacks ....
a) hazard people's lives b) cut people's pains
c) boost people's immune system d) help people heal
7. Quacks do not....
a) offer "panacea" b) disappoint people's hopes
c) give money-back guarantees d) satisfy customers
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58
46. THE DINNER PARTY
By N.Monsarrat
Thirty years ago I was fifteen. My uncle Octavian was then (in 1925) a very rich man. He
was a charming host whose villa on the Cote d'Azur was a meeting place of the rich, and he was a
very hospitable man, until January 3, 1925.
There was nothing special about that day, in the life of my uncle Octavian, except that it was
his fifty-fifth birthday. As usual on such a day, he was giving a dinner party for twelve people.
All of them were old friends; two of them, indeed, were what they call them "old flames ". It was
exciting for me to be in such company, which included besides the two "old flames", and their
husbands, a newspaper proprietor and his American wife; a recent prime minister of France and a
well-known statesman of post-war Germany, and a Habsburg prince and princess.
Towards the end of a wonderful dinner when the servants had left, my uncle leaned forward
to have a look at a beautiful diamond ring on the princess's hand. She turned her hand gracefully
towards my uncle.
Across the table, the newspaper proprietor leant across and said: "May 1 also have a look,
Therese?" She smiled and nodded. Then she took off the ring and held it out to him. "It was my
grandmother's", she said. "I have not worn it for many years. It is said to have once belonged to
Genghis Khan."
There were exclamations of surprise. The ring was passed from hand to hand. For a moment
it was in my hand. Then I passed it on to my next-door neighbour. As I turned away again, I
thought I saw her pass it on. At least I was almost sure I saw her.
It was some twenty minutes later when the princess stood up and said: "Before we leave you,
may I have my ring back?"
Then there was a pause, while each of us looked expectantly at his neighbour. Then there
was silence.
When no one answered her, and the silence continued, I still thought it could only be a joke,
and that one of us — probably the prince himself— would produce the ring with a laugh. But
when nothing happened at all, I knew that the rest of the night would be awful.
I am sure you know what followed. There was the awkwardness of the guests — all of them
old friends. There was the fact that no one would meet anyone else's eye. The guests overturned
the chairs, examined the carpet and then the whole room.
The ring had vanished.
No servants had entered the room. No one had left it for a moment. The thief was one of us,
one of my uncle Octavian's old friends.
I remember it was the French cabinet minister who wanted to be searched, indeed, he had
already started turning out his pockets, before my uncle held up his hand and stopped him.
Uncle Octavian's face was pale when he said: "There will be no searching. Not in my house.
You are all my friends. The ring can only be lost. If we do not find it" — he bowed towards the
princess — "I will make amends myself.
My uncle Octavian remained true to his words that no one was to be searched. I myself went
to England, and school, a few days later. I was very glad to leave the place. I could not bear the
sight of my uncle's face and the knowledge of his overturned world. All that he was left with,
among the ruins of his way of life, was a question mark: which of his friends was the thief?
I do not know my uncle "made amends". I know that, to my family's surprise, he was
rather poor when he died. He died, in fact, a few weeks ago, and that's why I feel I can tell the
story.
It would be wrong to say that he died a broken man, but he did die a very sad man who never
gave a single lunch or dinner party for the last thirty years of his life.
59
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. According to the text
a) the princess showed the ring unwillingly
b) the nephew of uncle Octavian was the last person to hold the ring
c) the princess never took the ring off
d) it was expected that the prince would make the ring appear from
somewhere
61
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
6. "All her life she was very close to Elvis." It means his mother ....
a) took over his career
b) lived not far from him
c) liked and understood him
d) had a lot in common with Elvis
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48. USEFUL DEVICES
Canned drinks were first introduced in the 1930s in the USA. The early
cans were cone-shaped and they were made of steel. The modern aluminium
drink can with the ring-pull opening system was invented in 1963. Today,
over 200 billion cans are manufactured every year.
The first zip fastener, which was invented in 1881, was a complicated
steel device. It was renamed a zip in 1920. In 1937, French fashion designers
used the zip to close trousers and it immediately became more popular than
buttons, which had been used until then. Today zips are popular fabric
fasteners and they are made of both plastic and steel.
The paperclip was invented by a Norwegian scientist called John Vaaler
in 1899. Until then, straight pins had been used to hold papers together.
Vaaler's design has changed very little over the years and his oval wire clip is
still being used in offices all over the world.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Until 1899 a ... had been used to close trousers.
a) snapper b) buckle c) zipper d) button
2. The word "it" in line 7 refers to ....
a) fashion b) zip c) designers d) trousers
3. In the 1930s in the USA drinks were sold in ....
a) cone-shaped buckets
b) containers that narrow evenly from a flat circle at one end to a point
at the other
c) triangular mugs
d) conical jugs
4. Pins had been used for ....
a) opening cans b) fastening clothes
c) holding paper together d) closing trousers
5. What can't be bought in a stationary department?
a) Drawing pins. b) Zips. c) Paperclips. d) Ballpoint pens.
6. A paperclip is a device that/for ....
a) makes things sharp
b) cuts holes in paper
c) fastening together pieces of fabric
d) holds loose sheets of paper together
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63
49. HITTING THE JACKPOT
By K. Casey
64
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
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65
50. BACTERIA
Bacteria are very small one-celled organisms that form a major group of the
Protist Kingdom.
Bacteria were among the "wee beastis" discovered by Leeuwenhock as he
examined drops of pond water. Biologist believe that bacteria are among the
oldest types of life. Bacteria can live anywhere life can exist. Bacteria even
survive in hot springs and in glacial ice.
Bacteria are different from viruses in several ways. Bacteria do have cell
parts such as cytoplasm and cell membranes. However, they do not have a
definite nucleus. The nuclear material is distributed throughout the cytoplasm.
Bacteria also have cell walls and some contain chlorophyll.
Scientists have found three basic shapes among these cells. They may be
rod-like, round and spiral.
Because there are only three shapes, other characteristics are used to group
bacteria. Many bacteria live in clusters called colonies. The shape and colour of
these colonies, the types of food they eat, and the wastes they secrete are all
used to classify bacteria.
Some bacteria are able to make their own food. Those that contain
chlorophyll are able to use the sun's energy to do this. Other types use energy
from certain chemical changes to make food.
Most bacteria cannot make their own food. They obtain it from living or
dead organisms. Some bacteria are called parasites. Their presence in or on an
organism, they obtain food or protection.
Those bacteria that obtain their food from dead or decaying organisms are
called saprophytes. Many of these types of bacteria are important to life. They
help to break down the tissues of dead organisms into simpler compounds.
These compounds are released into the environment where they can be reused.
Bacteria reproduce by simple cell division. Under ideal conditions their
reproduction is very rapid. One bacterium divides to form two.
These two divide to form four. In a few hours, these could be millions of
bacteria.
Some bacteria are very useful to humans. They are used to make such foods
as cheese, sour cream, yogurt, vinegar, and tea. They are also used in tanning
hides and making medicines.
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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Bacteria are classified according to ....
a) the duration of life
b) the way they move
c) the types of food they secrete
d) the wastes they produce
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51. WEAR A HELMET
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69
52. PEGASUS
Pegasus was an immortal winged horse in Greek mythology. He was the offspring
of Medusa, a monstrous, snake-haired woman, and Poseidon, god of horses and of sea.
The hero Perseus slew Medusa by cutting off her head. Pegasus sprang full-grown
either from her head or neck, or from her head or neck, or from the blood from her
neck.
The hero Bellerophon wanted to tame Pegasus. A prophet advised him to sleep
on the altar of the goddess Athena. There, Bellerophon dreamed that the goddess
gave him a golden bridle and ordered him to make a sacrifice to Poseidon. When he
awoke, Bellerophon found a bridle on the altar. 1 le sacrificed a bull and later came
upon Pegasus at a spring, waiting to be bridled.
Bellerophon rode Pegasus on many adventures. Their most famous feat was
destroying the fire-breathing Chmera. Bellerophon attempted to ride Pegasus up to
Mount Olympus, the heavenly home of the gods. Zeus, the king of the gods, was
angered by the mortal's presumption in attempting to reach the heavens. Zeus sent a
gadfly to sting Pegasus. The horse bucked, throwing Bellerophon down to earth and
permanently crippling him. Pegasus arrived on Olympus without a rider. The horse
remained there, carrying Zeus's lighting and thunderbolts.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Pegasus didn't have (a)....
a) mane b) hoofs c) wings d) horn
2. Bellerophon ....
a) wanted to overthrow Zeus b) was slain by the prophet
c) dreamed of Athena d) intended to train Pegasus to obey him
3. Athena gave Bellerophon a ....
a) set of bands put around a horse's head
b) golden whip
c) shaped piece of gold that is fixed onto the bottom of a horse's foot
d) golden saddle
4. The word "offspring" means ....
a) sibling b) child c) foal d) centaur
5. According to the text, everything is true, except —
a) Bellerophon met Pegasus near a stream
b) a prophet gave Bellerophon a hand
c) Bellerophon slew the creature that had a lion's head, a goat's body, a
snake's tail and breathed fire
d) Olympus was subjected to Bellerophon
6. Bellerophon....
a) was immortal b) died because of arrogance
c) made a sacrilege d) was stung
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70
53. PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN
Pied Piper of Hamelin is a mythical character who was made famous by
Robert Browning in a poem based on a legend. According to the legend, rats
infested the German town of Hamelin (now Hameln). One day, a man dressed
in a suit of many colour walked into Hamelin and offered to rid the town of
the pests for a sum of money. When the mayor agreed, the man drew out a
pipe and walked along the streets playing a haunting tune. All the rats came
tumbling out of the houses and followed the Piper to the Weser River, where
they drowned. When the Piper claimed his reward, the mayor refused to pay
him. The Piper swore vengeance. One more he walked along the streets
playing his strange melody. This time all the children ran from their homes
and followed him to a cave in the nearby Koppen Hill. The cave closed
upon them, and the children were never seen again.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The Piper saved the city from (a)....
a) rodents b) children
c) moths d) mayor
2. The Piper's melody was ....
a) haunted
b) sad and beautiful in a way that cannot be forgotten
c) produced by the soul of a dead person
d) a sailors' march
3. The Piper wore a ... suit.
a) variegated b) faded
c) patchy d) moldy
4. The mayor broke his promise and the Piper decided to ....
a) bring all the rats back b) avenge the fraud
c) enchant the mayor d) curse the children
5. The children followed the Piper because they
a) were intimidated b) wanted to know his secret
c) were promised his pipe d) were bewitched
6. According to the story, we may say that the Piper was not a ....
a) deliver b) stranger c) magician d) sage
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71
54. PLATYPUS
Platypus is a mammal that lays eggs. Platypuses are often called duckbills
because they have a broad, flat hairless snout that resembles the bill of a duck.
Platypuses live along streams in Australia. They have webbed feet and a broad,
flat tail that aid in swimming. The platypus uses its bill to scoop up worms, small
shellfish, and other animals from the bottom of the streams. Adult platypuses lack
teeth. They crash their food with horny pads at the back of the jaws. Platypuses weigh
about 5 pounds but appear heavier because of their thick coat of brown fur.
The platypus has claws on its front and hind feet, but the webs on the front feet can
be extended beyond the claws. The platypus folds these webs against the palms when
walking on land or digging in the ground. Male platypuses also have a hollow clawlike
spur behind each ankle. The spurs are connected to poison glands, which enlarge
during the mating season. Scientists believe the spurs might be used for defense.
Platypuses live in burrows that they dig in the banks of streams. Except for female
platypuses with their young, each animal lives in its own burrow. During the mating
season, the female builds a nest of leaves and grass at the end of her burrow. Before
laying her eggs, she blocks the entrances to the burrow with dirt. Female platypuses
lay from one to three eggs at a time. The eggs measure about 1.3 cm in diameter and
have a leathery shell. They hatch after about 10 days. Young platypuses remain in the
burrow for about four months and feed on their mother's milk.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. According to the text, ....
a) platypuses are heavier than five pounds because of their thick fur
b) adult platypuses use their horns to crash their food, as they are toothless
c) platypus is a mammal that does not give birth to live young
d) the female platypuses use spurs to protect their nests during the mating season
2. What do platypuses use as a rudder?
a) Snout. b) Web. c) Tail. d) Spur.
3. The platypus uses its ... to scoop up worms.
a) teeth b) front feet c) beak d) claws
4. How many spurs do platypuses have?
a) 4 b) 2 c) 6 d) It is unknown.
5. The word "aid" in line 5 is most similar to which of the following?
a) To cause. b) To use. c) To help. d) To hinder.
6. What do all platypuses do?
a) Burrow. b) Lay the eggs.
c) Live in one big burrow. d) Hatch the eggs.
7. The female ....
a) folds its web when having a baby b) closes up the burrow with stones
c) uses mud to protect its nest d) disguises a burrow with leaves and grass
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72
55. LONDON'S TEENS
"Goth" is short for gothic but most teen Goths say the way they
dress and the music they listen to is why they are Goths; it has nothing
at all to do with religion. People associate Goths with Marilyn Manson
and anti-religion but for most, the attraction is the music. "Quite a lot
of people watch Buffy and really like it. They think it's cool to dress in
black, they can't stand all the clones in the charts and they want
something different. They feel isolated that they are not into what the
other kids are," explains Fabienne, 16. "I like it because Goths are
such nice people. Usually they are into art and books. They are
sincere, kind and often a bit shy." Of all the teen "tribes" Goths seem
to be the ones people find the weirdest because of their hair which
they have dyed black and their pale make-up.
The most common place to see Ragga Girl is South London.
Their attitude to clothing is sexy and classy. It should be tight.
Scruffy is not acceptable. Even more important than clothing is
accessories — rings, chains and bracelets are essential, not just for
the girls but the boys too. Raggas like to look their best and demand
that anyone they go out with looks as good as they do but without
showing off. "I can't stand boys who walk around with their
motorbike helmet or car keys to impress people."
Camden cool kids are into a variety of things. They have their
hair dyed different colours — crimson is a popular one at the
moment. They want to save the environment and often hang out in
London's second-hand clothing shops, hunting for a bargain. They
tend to mix quite expensive clothes with cheap ones. They look
scruffy but in a very clean way! Their T-shirts often show their
heroes who consist of people from cult TV programmes from the
1970s or people who have fought for human rights. The attraction of
Camden is the market with its clothing stalls, selection of T-shirts
with sparkling designs, ethnic accessories.
73
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Raggas prefer ... clothing.
a) cheap b) torn c) expensive d) classical
5. Camden cool kids differ from Raggas because they wear... clothing.
a) clean b) expensive c) scruffy d) cheap
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56. ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER
75
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. In London Mr Green ....
a) lent some cash b) stole $50 from the bank
c) took some cash from a bank account d) found $50 in the bank
2. One evening ....
a) Mr Green gave a lift to a hitchhiker on his way back
b) a man in badly-fitting clothes broke out of prison
c) on the outskirts of London he picked up a man in shabby clothes
d) at the loneliest part of the road a smuggler stopped Mr Green's car
3. Mr Green exceeded the speed limit because he wanted to ....
a) get home as soon as possible b) make an accident
c) be taken to the police station d) get rid of a fellow-traveller
4. According to the text, Mr Green's passenger ....
a) was charged with robbery b) forged money
c) intimidated Mr Green d) stole the policeman's wallet
5. Mr Green....
a) was asked to show his identity card b) tried to bribe the policeman
c) had his fingerprints taken d) was warned by the policeman
6. The stranger stole the policeman's pocket book ....
a) because he was a thief b) in token of his gratitude
c) because he hated cops d) he was in need
7. The word "break out" in line 7 may be best replaced with "... from".
a) set free b) escape c) dismiss d) expel
8. The passage mainly deals with the problems of....
a) criminality b) traffic laws
c) morals d) safety on the roads
9. The word "outskirts" in line 24 means ....
a) the parts of a city where skirts are made
b) the overcrowded parts of a city
c) the parts of a city where the richest people live and work
d) the parts of a city that are furthest from the centre
10. It may be inferred from the passage that (we)....
a) must trust people c) should use credit cards instead of cash
b) can't rely on police d) it's dangerous to pick up strangers
11. Mr Green's fellow-traveller didn't wear ... clothes.
a) discarded b) scruffy c) old-fashioned d) worn
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57. JACQUES COUSTEAU: A REMARKABLE MAN
77
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Being a child, Cousteau had ....
a) bright mind b) delicate health
c) strong will d) heart attacks
2. In a car accident he ....
a) injured his spine b) hurt his eyes
c) burnt his arms d) broke his extremities
3. During World War II Cousteau collaborated with ....
a) British troops b) French Resistance
c) German antifascists d) Russian partisans
4. His first film was ... long.
a) eighteen minutes b) half an hour
c) eighty minutes d) an hour and eight minutes
5. Cousteau's book was titled ....
a) "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau"
b)"The Silent World"
c) "The Hidden Depths of the Ocean"
d)"The Wonders of Underwater World"
6. Cousteau highlighted the problems of....
a) Global warming b) rare species
c) over fishing d) the destruction of underwater caves
7. Cousteau developed underwater breathing equipment
a) to extend his underwater investigations
b) having no certain goals
c) to gain fame
d) to achieve commercial success
8. During World War II Cousteau ....
a) experimented with mines b) tested underwater photography
c) raised sunken ships d) bought a ship Calypso
9. The Cousteau Society didn't....
a) protect the oceans b) lead an expedition to Atlantida
c) raise ships from the sea bed d) discover new species
10. Jacques promoted the ....
a) consumption of new species b) conservation of German mines
c) sinking of German ships d) destruction of German mines
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78
58. THE JUMPING FROG
After M. Twain
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80
59. PALMISTRY
4.The Sighting
1-b, 2-b, 3-є, 4-d, 5-е, 6-а.
12.Mona Lisa
1-b, 2-е, 3-а, 4-d, 5-d, 6-а.
▲
13.What a Comeback
1-е, 2-b, 3-a, 4-а, 5-b, 6-е.
14.How to Skive
1-d, 2-е, 3-b, 4-а, 5-d, 6-е,
15.Magical Beasts
1-а, 2-е, 3-b, 4-е, 5-b, 6-е.
20.Garden Art
1-е, 2-е, 3-b, 4-е, 5-е, 6-е.
84
22.Trapped
1-е, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d, 5-b, 6-b.
▲
23.Warning of RSI Risk in Computer Games
1-b, 2-а, 3-c, 4-b, 5-е, 6-а.
26.Killer Robots
1-е, 2-d, 3-b, 4-а, 5-е, 6-d.
30.The Liver
1-b, 2-е, 3-a, 4-е, 5-d, 6-е.
▲
45.A Miracle Cure
1-а, 2-d, 3-a, 4-е, 5-b, 6-d, 7-d.
46.The Dinner Party
1-d, 2-е, 3-b, 4-е, 5-d, 6-b.
47.The King Is Dead: Long Live the King!
1-d, 2-е, 3-a, 4-b, 5-d, 6-е.
86
48.Useful Devices
1-d, 2-b, 3-b, 4-е, 5-b, 6-d.
50.Bacteria
1-d, 2-b, 3-a, 4-а, 5-b, 6-b.
51.Wear a Helmet
1-d, 2-b, 3-a, 4-b, 5-е, 6-d.
52.Pegasus
1-d, 2-d, 3-a, 4-b, 5-d, 6-b.
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87
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.Betta L., Sardinas C. North Star. Focus On Reading And Writing. Intermediate. Longman, 1998.
2.Cassidy J., Roettger D., Karen K. Wixson. Reaching High. Scribnerlaidlaw, New York, 1989.
3.Club. Mary Glasgow Magazines, # 3, 2003.
4.Current. Mary Glasgow Magazines, # 1, 2001.
5.Davies E., Whitney N. Task Reading. Cambridge University Press 1990.
6.Digest # 3,2005.
7. Fair R.C., Strickland D.S. Sea of Wonder. Treasury of Literature. Harcourt Brace and Company, 1995.
8.ForMat, Cambridge University Press, 2001.
9.Ladies'Home Journal. September, 2001.
10. Ramsey W.L., Gabriel L.A., McGuirk J.F. Holt Life Science. Holt, Rinehart and Winston Publishers,
1982.
11. Science Plus. Technology and Society. Red Level.
12. The World Book Encyclopedia, USA, World Book Inc., Volume 5, 1986.
13. The World Book Encyclopedia, USA, World Book Inc., Volume 11, 1986.
ЛЮДМИЛА КУЛАКОВА
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