The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories.

Чтение 1

Прочитайте текст. Определите, какие из приведённых утверждений 10–17 соответствуют содержанию текста (1 – True), какие не соответствуют (2 – False) и о чём в тексте не сказано, то есть на основании текста нельзя дать ни положительного, ни отрицательного ответа (3 – Not stated). В поле ответа запишите одну цифру, которая соответствует номеру правильного ответа.

Two sports brands

The small town in Bavaria is very famous in Germany, because there is the home of the Dassler brothers. They started two well-known sports brands: Adidas and Puma. But their story is not about peace, it's about war, disagreement and competition.

In 1924 Adolf and Rudolf started making shoes and soon had a small shoe business. The elder brother, Rudolf (or Rudi), was a veteran of World War I. He was a good businessman and knew how to sell things. The younger brother, Adolf (or Adi) was more thoughtful and creative. The brothers had 25 workers at the factory and they made 100 pairs of sports shoes every day.

During the 1936 Olympics, Adi Dassler drove to the Olympic village with a suitcase full of sports shoes. He asked an American sprinter Jesse Owens to wear and run in them. Owens won 4 gold medals and at once the Dassler shoes became popular. The Dasslers were selling 200,000 pairs of shoes each year before World War II.

We don't know much about their lives at the time of World War II. However, in the 1940s they refused to work together any more. Rudolf left the company, moved to the other bank of the river and started a competing shop there. At first he wanted to name his company Ruda, but then he thought about a graceful, quick animal – the puma. And so Puma was born.

Adi stayed with family business and renamed the company Adidas. He developed the 3-stripe logo in 1941 and registered it as Adidas' brand. Adi wanted to make a symbol that could be easily recognized by other people and three stripes was a good idea. The stripes show a mountain. You have to climb it if you want to reach the peak or achieve anything.

The serious conflict between the brothers divided the town into two: the Adidas bank and the Puma bank of the river. It was like a silent war. Only the bravest people could wear their Puma shoes and cross the river to the Adidas side of the town. When people met in the street, they first looked down at each other's shoes. It helped them to decide if that person was an enemy or a friend. What's more, Puma people didn't marry Adidas people. There were Adidas and Puma schools, pubs, shops, restaurants and hotels.

The brothers never became friendly again or even spoke to each other. Rudi died in 1974 and left Puma to his son. The family sold the company in 1989. Adi died in 1978, his son was the head of Adidas till his death in 1987. Today Puma is controlled by a big French company and Adidas is owned by a number of companies.

The "war" was declared completely over in 2009. Employees and workers of both companies shook hands and then played a football match in the Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach. The match was the first joint event for the two companies since 1948. The match ended 7–5 but the teams were not divided into Adidas and Puma. Each team was a mix of Adidas and Puma players.

10. The brands Adidas and Puma were started in the USA.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. One of the brothers advertised the first sports shoes with the help of a famous athlete.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. Both brothers called their new company by their own names.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. A trip to the mountain gave Adi the idea for Adidas logo.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. The people of the town were involved in the brothers’ quarrel.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. In Bavaria most people preferred Adidas shoes to Puma shoes.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. Now Adidas and Puma belong to the Dassler family.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. The results of the football match caused a new outbreak of the war between the Adidas and Puma companies.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 2

Fast Food

When people all over the world are looking for a quick, easy meal, fast food is the most common choice. With good service, low prices and a relaxed atmosphere, fast food looks like the ideal choice. In fact, over 25 percent of Europeans eat fast food every day. Fries and hamburgers are sold everywhere: in big cities, small towns, shopping malls, airports, bus stations, schools, and even hospitals! There are 31,000 McDonald's worldwide.

However, fast food companies make clients eat more. They offer over-sized burgers, extra-large French fries, and big portions of Coke. What's more, these “large versions” are usually cheaper. The products have lots of calories, sugar and fat. A typical hamburger at a fast food restaurant weighs 170 grams. In 1957, it was just 50 grams. According to scientists, your fast food meal is like three ordinary meals.

Fast food doesn't spoil. This is because it has lots of “special” ingredients. There's a video on YouTube that illustrates this. It is based on a true story. In 1991, an engineer from the USA, Tom Scarvell, met with friends for New Year's Eve. They stopped at McDonald's on the way home. He bought some cheeseburgers, ate one and put the other in his coat pocket. Then he forgot about it. A year later, he took the coat out of the wardrobe, put it on and discovered the cheeseburger in his pocket from New Year's Eve. It looked exactly the same. He was absolutely shocked. He told his friends and family but nobody believed him. So he decided to start a “burger museum” to show everyone that these cheeseburgers and hamburgers don’t decompose.

He started collecting burgers, one every year. He kept them on bookshelves in his living room in the open air. These burgers looked exactly the same, the bun, the meat, the cheese, the special sauce, the cucumber, even the lettuce. They all kept their shape and colour for over five years!

It is surprising that although most people don't think that fast food is the best choice they can't stop going to fast food restaurants, like McDonald’s. The chain has healthy dishes on the menu, such as fruit and vegetables. Why not order them? But you don’t go to McDonald’s for a green salad or a yoghurt! The unhealthy hamburgers, French fries and milkshakes are more common and attractive and to many people they are tastier than low calorie dishes.

There is no problem with eating fast food from time to time. If you really are dreaming about a hamburger, go and get it. But if you're having a stressful day, remember that lunch in a fast food restaurant is not a good choice. Doctors strongly recommend avoiding all fast food and takeaways these days. You can occasionally allow yourself a fast food meal. However, if you are eating it more than once a week, think of giving up.

Fast food should play a small role in your life. If you don't have a way out, have a fast food meal in one of McDonald’s restaurants but choose the healthier dishes. You should be aware of what you eat and try to develop healthy eating habits.

10. McDonald’s is the main fast food chain in the world.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. Nowadays fast food portions are getting smaller.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. Burgers look the same for a long time.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. «The burger museum» showed hamburger making equipment.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. The collection of hamburgers was kept in a large fridge.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. It’s possible to find some healthy food in McDonald’s.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. Fast food dishes can help when you feel stressed out.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. McDonald’s is cheaper than other fast food restaurants.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 3

Halloween

Halloween dates back to an ancient Celtic festival. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area of Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on 1st November. This day showed that the summer was over and winter had come. Because of the cold and darkness, winter was associated with human death.

Celts believed that on Halloween night the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. With their help, the Druids or Celtic priests, could predict the future. It was important because people depended on the natural world which was dangerous and changeable. They wanted to know what their life would be like in the next year.

For this event the Druids built big bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals. It was a gift to the Celtic gods. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes made of animal heads and skins. They sang, danced and listened to the stories the Druids told them. When the celebration was over, they went home and brought burning pieces of wood with them. They lit their fires and hoped it would ensure good fortune and protect the family during the winter.

The first celebrations of Halloween in America were public events. Neighbours got together to celebrate the harvest and tell each other stories of the dead. They also sang and danced. By the middle of the nineteenth century, these autumn festivals were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, lots of immigrants started coming to America. They helped to make the celebration of Halloween a popular national event. Americans began to dress up in frightening costumes and go from house to house asking for food or money. The most popular characters were witches, ghosts, and vampires. Everyone tried to look as ugly and scary as possible.

Halloween is closely associated with the Jack-o’-lantern, a pumpkin with a candle inside that shines through the holes to make a horrible face. Most people think that the Jack-o’-lantern is an American tradition. However, the original Jack-o’-lantern was not a pumpkin but a man who, according to the old Irish legend, played a trick on the devil himself. He was punished for that and was accepted neither to heaven nor to hell. The Irish people shared the legend with the Americans and showed them how to make Jack-o’-lantern out of the pumpkin.

By the 1930s, Halloween had been celebrated with parades, town-wide parties and lots of other entertainment. Later a new tendency appeared. By the 1950s, Halloween had changed into a holiday directed mainly at children. On that evening children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats (such as some sweets, a small present or a few coins) with the question “Trick or treat?” The trick is a threat (usually not working) to perform mischief on the owner of the house if no treat is given. “Trick or treat?” has become a traditional practice on Halloween in many countries.

10. For the Celts Halloween was associated with the change of the seasons.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. The Celts paid the priests for their predictions.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. In ancient times fires were prohibited on Halloween night.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. The church strongly disapproved of Halloween celebration in America.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. Halloween came to the USA only in the 20th century.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. The Irish immigrants taught Americans how to use pumpkins for Halloween ceremonies.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. From the middle of the 20th century, children have taken an active part in Halloween celebrations.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. “Trick or treat” means “we wish you good luck”.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 4.

Tea

Everybody knows that Britain is a tea-drinking nation. Tea is more than just a drink to the British – it is a way of life. Many people drink it first with breakfast, then mid-morning, with lunch, at tea-time (around 5 o’clock), with dinner and finally just before bed. As a nation, they go through 185 million cups per day! No less than 77% of British people are regular tea drinkers; they drink more than twice as much tea as coffee.

A legend says that tea was discovered in China in the third millennium BC. When a Chinese Emperor was having breakfast in his garden, a tea leaf fell into his cup with hot water. The water became coloured and the Emperor was delighted with the taste of the new drink. To Britain, tea came much later. It happened in the 17th century, when the British ships landed on the shore of China and came back with a load of tea.

Tea drinking became fashionable in England after Charles II married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza. She adored tea and introduced it to the royal court. Just as people today will copy celebrities, people in the 17th and 18th centuries copied the royal family. Tea drinking spread like wildfire, starting first among the nobles and then spreading to wealthy businessmen who liked to sit down for a nice “cuppa” in coffee houses. Tea was an expensive product. It was only for the rich and often kept under lock and key.

In the 17th century the British really had two daily meals – breakfast and dinner. Dinner was the heaviest meal of the day, and was usually served in the afternoon. The custom of eating a regular “afternoon tea” began during the 1700’s, as people began serving dinner later and later in the evening. For the aristocracy, or at least for the Duchess Anna Maria of Bedford, 6 hours between meals was simply too long. She began to ask for a cup of tea and light snacks to be served around 5 pm, and then began to invite guests to join her. The custom of “afternoon tea” was born, and it spread among the upper classes and then among the workers, for whom this late afternoon meal became the main of the day.

The first tea shop for ladies was opened by Thomas Twining in 1717 and slowly tea shops began to appear throughout England making the drinking of tea available to everyone. The British appreciated the new drink for its taste. It was also believed that tea cured lots of diseases. However, the most important thing was that drinking tea prevented lots of diseases – to make the drink people used boiled water and drank less raw water.

For centuries now, tea has been the national drink of Great Britain. Tea has so thoroughly integrated itself into British culture that during World War II the government was seriously afraid that the country’s morale could suffer from the lack of tea and made a special decision to ration it.

Tea has worked its way into language too. Nowadays people have tea breaks at work, even if they drink coffee or cola. Many people call the main evening meal tea, even if they drink beer with it. When there is a lot of trouble about something very unimportant, it is called a storm in a tea cup. When someone is upset or depressed, people say they need tea and sympathy. In fact, tea is the best treatment for all sorts of problems and troubles.

10. In Britain coffee is more popular than tea.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. In the 17th century a Chinese Emperor sent tea to the British royal family as a present.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. At first the tea was drunk only by the royal family and the wealthy people.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. The “afternoon tea” tradition was started by a woman.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. The working people never joined the “afternoon tea” tradition.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. In the first tea shops tea was sold as a medicine for lots of diseases.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. During World War II the British government prohibited drinking tea.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. Tea has influenced the English vocabulary.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 5.

Pirates

There have always been people who robbed ships in the open sea. We know them as pirates or corsairs. Many of them were sailors who lost their jobs, others were just young men and women looking for adventure. Thousands of pirates were active from 1650–1720. These years are sometimes known as the 'Golden Age' of piracy. Probably the most famous pirates of this period are Blackbeard, Henry Morgan, William 'Captain' Kidd, and the Barbarossa brothers.

The “Jolly Roger” is the well-known pirate flag. There are a number of theories about its origin. It is thought that the first pirates used a red flag, which was common in sea attacks. A red flag told other ships that there would be no pity and no prisoners would be taken. This red flag was called Joli Rouge (pretty red) in French. Most probably, English people pronounced it in their own way “Jolly Roger”. Another theory says that “old Roger” was another name for the devil.

Another popular image from the pirate world is a parrot, sitting on the captain's shoulder. Well, there's no historical proof of that. No doubt, pirates often travelled to faraway exotic lands and brought unusual animals as souvenirs with them. Parrots were particularly popular because they were colourful, could be taught to speak, and were easier to care for than, say, monkeys. However, you can't imagine a pirate fighting with a bird on the shoulder. This image possibly began with the book “Treasure Island”. In the book, the ever famous Long John Silver carried a parrot as a pet.

Before joining a ship each pirate signed an agreement called “Articles”. This explained the rights and laws on board the ship, how much a person was paid, what to do in case of emergency, etc. For example, playing cards for money was not allowed. For breaking the rules a pirate would be shot or left on a desert island with a bottle of water and a gun.

A pirate ship was organized democratically. After a successful attack they divided the treasures equally, only the captain and the cook got more. They sometimes decided together which ship to attack or where to sail next. Most pirates were paid four times more than they had when they were sailors. But on land they were criminals and lots of money was offered to those who caught them.

However, for some time the English government supported pirates. There were lots of pirates in the sixteenth century when England was at war with Spain and the Dutch Republic. Queen Elizabeth I ordered them to rob Spanish ships and bring gold, silver and jewels to the country. Sir Francis Drake was one of the most famous pirates. He brought lots of treasures to England and also was the first Englishman to sail all the way around the world. Because of this, he was made a knight by Queen Elizabeth I.

10. Professional sailors never became pirates.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. The flag “Jolly Roger” meant death for ships’ sailors and passengers.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. The name for the flag “Jolly Roger” is of English origin.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. Parrots brought luck to pirates at sea.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. "Articles" regulated pirates’ behaviour at sea.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. After the attack the captain took all the treasures.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. In the past pirates did some jobs for the English queens and kings.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. Francis Drake was the richest English pirate.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 6.

Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver is a genius in the world of food and one of Britain's most famous cooks. He has encouraged people to spend more time in the kitchen and enjoy it. His programmes are shown in over 100 countries including the USA, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Japan and Iceland. They were translated into over 30 languages, Jamie Oliver's cookery books are bestsellers not only in the UK but across the world.

Jamie Oliver was born in 1975 in England. From an early age he got interested in food. His parents had a pub where he often helped them in the kitchen. He actually began working there at the age of eight. Jamie cut vegetables like any other ordinary worker in the pub.

Jamie Oliver left school at 16 without any official certificate. He went to Westminster College to study economics and after that travelled to France. Jamie knew that in France cooking was a kind of art. And he wanted to master that art. It was no doubt the best place to study if he wished to become a professional chef.

After returning from France, Jamie worked in a number of British restaurants. At that time there was a programme on the telly about the café where Jamie worked. TV producers were impressed by the young chef. The next day Jamie received calls from five different TV companies wishing to work with him. He soon became the best-liked celebrity chef on television and his programme was a real revolution in cooking shows. Thanks to an informal and friendly manner Jamie Oliver won crowds of fans around the world.

However, Jamie devotes his time not only to cooking. He's a family man, with a wife and four children. He also works on a number of projects. For example, Jamie Oliver created the “Fifteen Foundation”. Each year, fifteen young people are trained and taught to work in the restaurant business. It's interesting that they are not common people. They are from unhappy families, they are unemployed. Some of them were in prison or took drugs. In this way Jamie Oliver tries to help them start a new life.

Another project by Jamie Oliver was connected with school dinners and lunches. He wanted school children to begin eating healthy food instead of junk food. The British government supported the project. It spent extra 280 million pounds to improve school meals. Part of the money was spent on training cooks and buying modern cooking equipment for schools.

It's really hard to name all the TV programmes, shows, projects that Jamie Oliver had and is still having. He's so creative and imaginative, that there's no end to new ideas and projects. Except television, Jamie Oliver is a writer. His every book immediately becomes a bestseller. It's interesting that he became the best-selling author in the country after JK Rowling, the “Harry Potter” writer.

10. Jamie Oliver has made cooking popular in different countries.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. Jamie’s parents wanted their son to be a cook.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. Jamie went to France to continue studying economics.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. Jamie Oliver has become a well-known personality due to his TV show.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. Jamie’s wife was against his project �Fifteen Foundation�.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. Jamie’s project the “Fifteen Foundation” gives people a chance to improve.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. The British government ignored Jamie’s school meals project.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. Jamie Oliver is a talented and successful writer.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 7.

School uniform

A great fight still goes on. The question is: should students wear school uniform? As with most things, there are two sides to the debate. Some people say that all schools should introduce uniforms. Others are sure that school uniforms are old-fashioned. However, both arguments have experts on their side. There is no clear answer. Let's look at the pros and cons of it.

Many experts believe that students who wear school uniforms study much better than those who don’t. This is because you don't have to worry about what you are wearing each day. As a result, your attention improves and you learn to concentrate better on your studies. Wearing a uniform in calming colours makes you feel more serious and responsible.

They say if you wear a uniform then you won't behave in a violent or inappropriate way at school. A uniform is a rule and rules must be obeyed. Research showed that students in uniforms don't play as many tricks on their classmates, tease or bully them as much as their casually dressed mates.

Everyone wants to look their best and better than their classmates. Everybody wants to be popular and wear the latest fashions. However, not all students have enough money to buy stylish clothes. Uniforms make them all equal, social differences are not seen. No one wears expensive brands. Everyone wears the same thing, exactly the same brand. With a uniform, there is less competition in class.

School uniforms, however, are not always cheap for parents, especially if there are two or more children in a family and they all go to school. Parents can't buy any skirt or trousers they want. They can't shop in the sales either. What is more, many schools have several uniforms such as an everyday uniform, a formal uniform for special events and a uniform for P.E. classes.

Students in uniforms look the same. Uniforms don't give students individuality so they have to look for other opportunities to express themselves. For example, they might start using make-up early, behaving badly or wearing bright accessories as a reaction against it. It’s not the answer.

Finally, there's comfort. Lots of students complain that they feel uncomfortable when they wear uniforms in class. Some children have sensitive skin and like to wear 100% cotton clothes. Uniforms are often made from synthetics, such as polyester which is harmful for a child’s skin, especially if the child spends the whole day at school.

And we are back to the question: to wear or not to wear? You decide.

10. There are different opinions about school uniform.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. A school uniform can improve students’ marks.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. Grey is the best colour for a school uniform.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. A uniform makes students aggressive.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. Fashion designers create collections of school uniforms.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. Uniforms can be expensive for parents.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. Students in uniforms try to find ways to look different.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. All uniforms are made of natural materials.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 8.

Cambridge University

Cambridge University is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world (after the University of Oxford) and the seventh-oldest in the world.

The story of Cambridge University begins in 1209 when several hundred students arrived in the little town of Cambridge after having walked 60 miles from Oxford. These students were all churchmen and had been studying in Oxford at that city's well-known schools. It was a hard life at Oxford for there was constant trouble, even fighting, between the citizens of the town and the students. Then one day a student accidentally killed a man of the town. The Mayor arrested three other students who were innocent and they were put to death. In protest, many students left Oxford, some of them went to Cambridge. And so the new University began.

It was Cambridge University. Of course, there were no Colleges in those early days and student life was very different from what it is now. Students were of all ages and came from anywhere and everywhere. Life in College was strict. Students were forbidden to play games, to sing (except sacred music), to hunt or fish or even to dance. Books were very rare and all the lessons were in the Latin language which students were supposed to speak even among themselves.

In 1440 King Henry VI founded King's College, and other colleges followed.

Nowadays there are more than 30 different colleges, including five for women students and several mixed colleges, in the University. The number of students in colleges is different: from 30 to 400 or 500.

The training course lasts 4 years. The academic year is divided into 3 terms. The students study natural and technical sciences, law, history, languages, geography, medicine, economics, agriculture, music and many other subjects. After 3 years of study a student may proceed to a Bachelor’s degree, and later to the degrees of Master and Doctor.

There are many ancient traditions that are still observed at Cambridge. Students are required to wear gowns at lectures, in the University library, in the street in the evening, for dinners in the colleges and for official visits. One more tradition is to use Latin during public ceremonies of awarding degrees.

All the students must pay for their education, examinations, books, laboratories, university hostel, the use of libraries. The cost is high. It depends on college and university speciality. Very few students get grants.

Many great men studied at Cambridge, for example, Bacon (the philosopher), Milton and Byron (the poets), Cromwell (the soldier), Newton (the outstanding physicist), Darwin (who is famous for his theory of evolution) and Kapitsa (the famous Russian physicist).

10. Cambridge University was started by the students of Oxford University.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. In early days of Cambridge University the students were taught in English.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. The first students of Cambridge University got only religious education.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. There are several female colleges in Cambridge University.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. The students of the University study Oriental languages.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. The students wear uniform in the University.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. The education at Cambridge University is free.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. There are famous scientists among the graduates of Cambridge University.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 9.

Shakira

Shakira Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977, in Colombia. She was the only daughter of a well-respected jeweller and his wife. In naming the newborn daughter, her mother chose from several names, containing the letter “K”. She thought about Karime and Katiuska but finally chose Shakira. It’s an Arabic name which comes from the word “Shukram” meaning “Grace”. So Shakira’s full name is translated as “a woman of Grace”.

When Shakira was a child, her mother discovered that the girl had a gift for learning. Shakira knew the alphabet by the age of eighteen months and at three she knew how to read. By the time she was four, she was ready for school. School was not just a place where little Shakira learnt her arithmetic and geography. There she began to understand such great things as kindness, love, trust, and other human ideals. She realized what real friendship was and how much her family meant to her. Later it helped her to decide what to do with the big money she earned.

Shakira loved attention and wished to find a way to get it. She sang a lot for her schoolmates and teachers. However, the music teacher told her that she sounded “like a goat”. Shakira wasn’t too upset about it and soon found a more original way to become the centre of attention. It was dancing. It helped her to express herself and become famous in school. What is interesting is that no one had ever taught her to dance.

In school Shakira was disciplined, but absent-minded. She was usually writing lyrics for her songs on the back of her notebooks. However, Shakira was a good student because she was a quick learner and could understand her teachers’ explanations faster than others.

As soon as the bell rang after class, Shakira was the first one to run and get in line for the cafeteria. She usually bought a pepsi, a hamburger and something sweet, like a muffin or a piece of cake. She seldom took a packed lunch from home. Though Shakira was a lover of fast food, she had no weight problems, as she loved dancing.

When she was eight, Shakira's father lost all his money because his business went bankrupt. For a while Shakira had to stay with her relatives in Los Angeles. When the girl returned, she was shocked to see almost everything that her family had had been sold. She later said: "In my childish head, this was the end of the world."

To show her that things could be worse, her father took her to a local park to see the homeless children. What she saw shocked her deeply and she said to herself: "One day I’m going to help these poor kids when I become a famous singer or dancer".

Between the ages of ten and thirteen Shakira was invited to various dance events and became very popular in the area. It was at this time that Shakira met a local theatre producer, who was impressed with her performance and as a result tried to help her career. This woman organized a meeting with the managers of the Sony company. After Shakira sang, they decided to sign a contract for three albums with the talented girl.

10. Shakira’s name was chosen by her father.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. Shakira went to one of the most well-known schools in Columbia.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. At school Shakira was more successful in dancing than in singing.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. Shakira published her first lyrics in a youth magazine.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. At school Shakira was careful to eat only healthy food.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. Shakira was upset when she learnt about the family’s financial problems.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. When Shakira became a famous singer, she set up a charity fund to help homeless children.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. The meeting with Sony managers went successfully.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 10.

Helen Keller

Life is not always easy. Sometimes it presents us with serious problems that make us sad and even depressed. When it comes to this, you may remember the example of Helen Keller, born in a small American town in 1880.

The illness struck Helen Keller when she was a baby and left her deaf and blind before she learned to speak. As a child Helen was wild and disobedient. She seemed not to understand what was going on in the world around her. In spite of Helen’s illness her parents decided that she should have some education and started looking for a teacher.

Helen Keller's new life began on a March day in 1887 when she was seven years old. On that day Anne Mansfield Sullivan, a 20-year-old graduate of the Perkins School, came to the town to be her teacher. From that day, the two of them – teacher and pupil – were inseparable.

Miss Sullivan began her first lesson by handing Helen a doll and pressing “d-o-l-l” into the child's hand. In this way she hoped to teach Helen to connect objects with letters. Helen quickly learned to form the letters correctly and in the correct order. In the days that followed, she learned to spell lots of different words.

Helen Keller was a talented pupil and quickly learnt how to read and write. She enjoyed reading books written for blind children. In 1890, when she was just 10, she decided to learn to speak. Somehow she had found out that a little deaf-blind girl in Norway managed to do it.

At first Helen had difficulty with speaking, but with the time and help from Anne she developed a clear voice. Later, she was able to speak in public for large crowds which came to her whenever she gave her lectures. There was usually a storm of applause after her every lecture.

After school Helen went to college and graduated it with honours. She got a Bachelor of Arts degree. Throughout those years and until her own death in 1936, Anne Sullivan was always by Helen's side. She pressed book after book and lecture after lecture into her pupil's hand.

One of Helen’s professors was so deeply impressed by her essays in English that he suggested the girl writing the story of her life. Helen followed the advice and wrote the book while still at college. It was a cheerful account of how a young girl was able to live a happy life in spite of her terrible misfortunes. Later she wrote several books more. In her books and lectures Helen did everything possible to help and encourage those who were blind. For the rest of her life, Helen Keller worked for improving education for the blind and deaf.

Helen Keller lived in many different places – Alabama; Cambridge and Wrentham, Massachusetts; Forest Hills, New York, but perhaps her favorite residence was the house in Easton, which she called “Arcan Ridge”. She moved to that white house in 1936, after her beloved teacher's death. And it was “Arcan Ridge” she called home for the rest of her life. She died in 1968.

10. Helen Keller was born deaf and blind.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. Helen’s parents found a young teacher for their daughter.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. First Miss Sullivan taught Helen to count.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. Helen’s favourite books were about animals and nature.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. Helen’s lectures were popular.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. Helen Keller finished college successfully.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. Helen’s book about her life was translated in many languages.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. Helen never left her home town.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 11.

Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury Festival is the largest open air music and arts festival in the world. It became an example which other festivals followed. Of course, Glastonbury is best known for modern music, but its programme also includes dance, comedy, theatre, circus and other arts.

The festival organiser, Michael Eavis, was a common farmer. In 1970 he visited an open air concert which greatly impressed him. So he decided to organise a big festival outdoors in the same year. He knew, it wouldn’t bring any money, but it didn’t matter. At the first festival there were more than one thousand people. Each of them paid £1 for the ticket. The price also included free milk from the farm. Later on, the festival took place almost every year and grew in size and audience.

The festival takes place in southwest England on a farm. It's a beautiful and mystical place called the “Valley of Avalon”. It is surrounded with a lot of legends, symbols, myths, and religious traditions dating back many hundreds of years. Legends say that here King Arthur's sword was made and the king himself was buried there. No wonder that the main stage of the festival, Pyramid Stage, has the form of a pyramid. Many believe that this is a very powerful structure, which gets energy from the stars and gives it to people.

In many ways, Glastonbury is like a mix of different festivals, which take place in the countryside and last for a weekend. Each area of the Festival has its own character, its own fans and its own special attractions. For example, dance lovers go to the “Dance Village”. There is also a big cinema area, “Theatre and Circus”. Children can have fun in the “Kids’ Field”. Some people spend the whole weekend in their favourite area. However, most of them prefer walking about and trying lots of different things.

Most people who stay at Glastonbury Festival live in tents. There are lots of different camping areas, each one with its own atmosphere. You can choose where to stay: in a quiet place or a lively one. There are also places for families and disabled people. Anyway, you should remember to bring a tent with you. Of course, it's possible to rent one, but it's quite expensive.

Glastonbury Festival supports Greenpeace and has a number of programmes. There are hundreds of rubbish bins on the territory. All cans, glass, paper, electrical and electronic equipment, wood and waste are separated and recycled. Visitors are asked to clean after themselves and not to leave rubbish. The Festival supports those who come by public transport or by bicycle, not by car.

If you're thinking about visiting Glastonbury, you should book tickets in advance. Today an average ticket is about £200 for three days which is quite expensive. Nevertheless the tickets are sold out in two or three hours. So be quick to catch them. There are usually more people wishing to get to the festival than tickets. Registration for the 2013 festival began in June 2011.

10. Glastonbury festival presents different kinds of art.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. Michael Eavis started the festival to earn money.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. Nowadays Glastonbury festivals are held in King’s Arthur museum.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. Famous musicians and singers take part in Glastonbury festival.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. Most guests stay in the hotels during the festival.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. Glastonbury Festival is environmentally-friendly.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. The only transport allowed on the territory of the festival is the bicycle.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. It’s advisable to reserve tickets to Glastonbury festival beforehand.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 12.

“The 1900 House”

“The 1900 House” was a reality television programme in Britain. It took people back a hundred years to the time of Queen Victoria, when there were no computers, mobile phones or the Internet. The idea of the show was to give people an experience of living in the past.

A modern family, the Bowler family, spent three months living like people at the beginning of the 20th century. There were the parents (Paul and Joyce) and their four children (three daughters and a son). The cameras recorded them every day. The house didn't have a telephone, a fridge, a TV set or even central heating. The Bowlers wore clothes from 1900 and ate the food that existed in England at that time. There wasn't much to choose from. The main dishes on the table were meat and fish, and the day usually started with a cup of tea and porridge.

The father of the family, Paul Bowler, still went to work but in an old-fashioned uniform. He couldn't read newspapers or use a computer. The mother, Joyce, became a housewife and stayed home. She did all the cleaning, washing and cooking. The children still went to school, but they changed their clothes on the way to and from school so their classmates wouldn’t know anything about this unusual project.

The Bowlers noticed that life at the beginning of the century was much slower. It was rather hard for them to get used to the new speed. For example, it took 28 minutes to boil water and make a cup of tea. And can you imagine cleaning the house without a vacuum cleaner or washing clothes without a washing machine? There wasn't any toothpaste or modern shampoo. Without central heating nobody thought about a warm bath or a shower in the morning. Toothbrushes were made of pig and horse hair. Toothpaste was expensive so most people cleaned their teeth using salt or soda. The children thought it was horrible.

11-year-old Hilary said: "The most difficult thing was finding entertainment. We couldn't go to the cinema or to a café. It was a new experience to be with the family for half a day or more. It was new and hard to be nice to each other all the time. But I really think we all became closer."

17-year-old Kathryn remembered that she couldn't wear any make-up. She had to wear a corset every day and had only three sets of clothes: one to wear every day, the second – to wear while cleaning, and the third was for special events, like celebrations.

When the show was over the Bowlers were asked: what did you miss most from the modern world? The father said it was a hot shower. The mother had longed to have a quick cup of tea. The daughters said it was the music, the hot water, shampoo and “normal sounds like the washing machine” which they missed. For the son it was pizza and the computer.

It's interesting that the family was allowed to keep anything they wanted after the project. Joyce took her corset and each of the children took something from the house to remind them of their experience.

10. “The 1900 House” is a programme about Queen Victoria.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. The family didn't like the food and clothes they had.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. The children kept the project a secret from their classmates.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. The family didn't have any modern equipment in the house.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. During the project Mr Bowler took a hot shower in the morning.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15.Because of the project Hilary had to spent more time with her family.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. Kathryn changed her clothes three times a day.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. The family bought a new house after the project.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 13.

Peer pressure

“Peer pressure”* is very strong, especially among young people. Almost everyone can remember a moment when they did something because their friends were doing it. Teenagers often buy something just because their friends have it, and this thing comes into fashion. If teenagers didn’t imitate their friends’ behavior, there would be fewer social problems: smoking, crime and so on.

On the other hand, “peer pressure” can also produce positive results. Youth crime and vandalism in one of the districts of Bristol, a city in England, fell by 20% last year. Why? Because young people stopped doing stupid and anti-social things. Now they are trying to keep out of trouble. And it's all the result of a new project.

Two Bristol policemen organised a football league for teenagers in one of the poorest parts of the city. The idea is to prevent teenagers from committing crimes. They want to show teenagers how they can spend their free time in a better way.

The policemen introduced a system in which football results are connected to young people's behaviour outside the football grounds. Teams get points for winning their matches, but lose points if any team-member does anything he shouldn't on the football field or off it! For example, teams get ten points for winning a match, but if any player is arrested, the team loses ten points. If a member is caught doing an act of vandalism, such as spraying graffiti, the team loses five points. Three points are lost for less serious crimes.

The results in Bristol are great. None of the teenagers playing in the football league has been arrested by the police. Instead of doing antisocial things and causing problems these teenagers are trying to behave properly!

The idea is already getting popular in other parts of Britain, and similar programmes will be started in other cities. Social workers are also trying to use “peer pressure” to get other positive results. If some more original ways are found, levels of crime among young people will soon be falling quickly.

Some people also think that a similar system should be used for professional footballers. If a professional player gets into a fight on the football ground, his team loses points. In this way footballers will try to behave with more respect to other players.

Another example of positive “peer pressure” is that there are fewer teenagers who smoke or take drugs. This is the result of the growing popularity of mobile phones. A mobile has become a new symbol of growing up. Teenagers no longer need to smoke to show that they are adults. Now they want to get a phone as cool as their classmates have.

*Peer pressure – the strong influence of a group, especially of children, on the members of that group to behave as everyone else does.

10. Teenagers try to follow their friends’ habits.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. The Bristol football league for teenagers was started by a social worker.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. The aim of the project is to prepare professional footballers.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. The results of football matches are sent to school.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. The football team loses points when its member commits a crime.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. Social workers are against using “peer pressure” method.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. Professional players fight a lot on the football ground.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. Mobile phones make teenagers give up bad habits.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 14.

Supermarkets

It is believed that the idea of supermarkets first belonged to an American businessman who opened a self-service grocery store in 1916. The main advantage of the new American store was that the goods were stocked on the shelves, so the customers could take their own goods and bring them to the front of the store to pay for them. Although there was a high risk of stealing, the owner found the new shop’s organisation more effective because it allowed him to reduce the number of shop assistants. Later the new shop organisation spread widely throughout European countries.

Nowadays supermarkets are as British as football and cricket. In the UK 90% of all food is bought at five different supermarket chains. That makes these companies extremely powerful, especially when they deal with small businesses, for example, farmers. Milk is a good example. Supermarkets like to use things such as milk and bread, which are at the top of almost everyone’s shopping list, to attract customers. To offer the lowest price the supermarkets need to buy milk from dairy farmers very cheaply, so big supermarket chains agree on a very low price and dictate it to farmers. If the farmers don’t agree to that price, supermarkets start to look for the cheapest possible products abroad instead.

The consumers are of course happy to get cheaper products, but they should also keep in mind the influence supermarkets have on the environment. First of all, there’s packaging. Supermarkets like all the products to be packed because it makes it easier to put them neatly on the shelves. Consequently, supermarkets produce nearly 10 million tons of waste packaging in the UK every year, less than 5% of which is recycled. Some supermarkets put large recycling bins in their car parks, trying to create the image that they are environmentally friendly. However, that is just an image.

To reach the supermarket shelves the products often have to travel half the globe. Due to preservatives even milk products can stay unspoiled for months. It’s a great advantage for the supermarket as yoghurt bought from a farmer can’t be kept for longer than 2 days. That is why many small farmers do not even get a chance to compete with long-lasting imported goods.

When a new supermarket is planned, everyone says that a lot of new jobs will be created. In reality the number of jobs lost in the area is greater than the number of new positions in the supermarket. Within a 15km radius of every new supermarket that opens the number of people working in the food business goes down. It happens because all the small shops nearby are forced to close.

10. The first supermarkets appeared in the USA.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

11. Most British people buy their food in supermarkets.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

12. Supermarkets offer local farmers good prices for their products.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

13. People prefer to buy food in bright packages.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

14. All the waste packaging of supermarkets is recycled.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

15. Supermarket managers change the price of the products every month.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

16. Supermarkets prefer fresh products from local farmers to imported goods.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

17. New supermarkets reduce the number of jobs in the local food industry.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

Чтение 15.

Прочитайте текст. Определите, какие из приведённых утверждений 10–17 соответствуют содержанию текста (1 – True), какие не соответствуют (2 – False) и о чём в тексте не сказано, то есть на основании текста нельзя дать ни положительного, ни отрицательного ответа (3 – Not stated). В поле ответа запишите одну цифру, которая соответ ствует номеру правильного ответа.

Marathons

Many Americans enjoy running marathons – a forty-two kilometer race. More than three hundred marathons were held in the United States last year and that number is expected to grow.

The New Yor

The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories.

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