You have 30 minutes to do this task. You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen friend, Ben.

Task 1. You are going to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Do you know why it is hot in the summer and cold in the winter? Most people believe that it is because the Earth is closer to the Sun in the summer and farther from it in the winter. But it is not like this at all! In fact, the distance between the Earth and the Sun is largest in July and smallest in January! Scientists suggest that the reason for different summer and winter temperatures is the angle of the Sun’s rays. In the summer, the rays reach the Earth almost at a right angle. Due to this, the rays are not spread out and a smaller area of the planet's surface gets the energy. In the winter, the angle changes and the Sun’s rays are spread out over a larger area. Besides this, the long nights and short days do not give enough time for the land to warm up.

Task 2. You are going to take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

READING HABBITS 1. What kind of books do you lake to read? 2. Who is your favorite writer? 3. How often do you borrow books from the library? 4. Why do you think teenagers are reading less and less now? 5. How can reading English books help students improve their English? 6. What book would you recommend to your friend who wants to read something for pleasure and why?

Task 3. You are going to give a talk about the place where you live. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

Remember to say:

· what your city, town or village is famous for;

· what your favourite place in your city, town or village is, and why you like it;

· whether you are going to stay in your city, town or village after leaving school or move to another place, and why.

You have to talk continuously.

	A	B	C	D

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LISTENING

1. On board a plane

2. At home

3. In the theatre

4. At a railway station

5. In a restaurant

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	A	B	C	D	E

1. The speaker talks about his/her recent trip.

2. The speaker describes the hotel room.

3. The speaker talks about his/her travelling plans.

4. The speaker explains why he/she likes travelling.

5. The speaker talks about his/her favourite transport.

6. The speaker talks about his/her job responsibilities.

3. Frank is going to miss the party because

1) he feels unwell.

2) it’s his grandmother’s birthday.

3) his grandmother is visiting him.

Конец формы

Начало формы

4. Kate is against going to the pizzeria because

1) she’s afraid of putting on weight.

2) she dislikes pizza.

3) the pizzeria is too far away.

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5. Kate

1) ignores sports.

2) does sport regularly.

3) watches sports on TV.

6. Frank’s dog is

1) a nice little puppy.

2) a large and powerful dog.

3) an old and clever dog.

Конец формы

7. Frank walks his dog

1) once a day.

2) twice a day.

3) three times a day.

Начало формы

8. Kate and Frank agree to meet

1) near the park.

2) near Kate’s house.

3) at the bus stop.

King of the wild

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G

Different from the others

Early years

Hunting habits

A big family

Team work

The lion’s responsibilities

Their essential diet

A. Lions have caught people’s imagination for centuries. They are stars in documentary movies and books; their images can be found on emblems, coats of arms and shields. Lions live in the jungle, open woodlands or thick grasslands where they hunt. In their environment, lions are at the top of the food chain - adult lions have no natural enemies. If we call a person ‘ a lion ’ it means he is strong, aggressive and important.

B. Lions do not look the same as other members of the large group of cats: tigers, leopards, and jaguars. Adult male lions are much larger and have thick brown hair around their neck, which is called a mane. No other cats have manes. The mane makes the lion look more impressive and protects the animal in fights with other lions for territory.

C. Lions live in large social groups called ‘ prides ’. A pride can have up to thirty female lions and their children. Inside the pride there are mothers, sisters, and cousins. The pride has a close relationship and never accepts a stranger. They mark their territory by scent. There are very strict rules in the pride and everyone has to observe them.

D. Lions and lionesses have different roles in the pride. Females do most of the hunting. Together, lionesses guard and look after their cubs. The little ones feel safer and more confident with so many ‘nannies’ around. It also reduces the chance that they are left hungry. The females usually exchange their hunting and home duties during the day.

E. Male lions spend most of their day sleeping or relaxing. While it may look like the lionesses do all the work in the pride, lions play an important role too. Though they bring less food and hunt less, they mark their territory and protect it from strangers. A lion from outside the pride is very dangerous for cubs. If he gets into the pride, he may kill all the little ones there.

F. When new lions are born, they are not shown to the rest of the pride for a month, until the cubs become strong enough. Later they start playing together and have a lot of playmates. If needed, any lioness becomes their nurse and teacher. Small lions have to learn hunting and survival skills. When they are two years old, male lions leave the pride to live on their own. The females may stay with their mothers for the rest of their lives.

G. In the wild, lions eat mainly meat. That’s why they greatly depend on hunting. Their favourite dishes are zebras, deer, and even young elephants and rhinos. When hungry, they chase mice, birds and reptiles. Very rarely they may eat fruit and vegetables, but it is never their first choice. In zoos and national parks, where the lions cannot hunt, they are offered special meals made of beef and chicken.

A Christmas Story

It happened a few days before Christmas. John and Alice were on their way home from visiting their daughter at college. The drive was long and exhausting. Alice was thinking about the money they had given for their daughter’s last semester. It was a big sum for their family. Alice realized that they had no money for the next semester fee. She was in despair.

On their way home they stopped at a small town market. Alice got out of the car to walk a little. Suddenly an old woman approached her. She asked Alice to buy an old brass teapot*. Alice took the heavy teapot and gave the woman the money that she had asked for.

Alice, got into the car and placed the teapot on the back seat. She didn’t need the teapot but she could not refuse the old woman. The car set off and the rest of the way John and Alice argued about the money. John was angry with Alice because of her last purchase.

John’s arguments were powerful. The family’s budget was not at all promising. They had a lot of electric and gas bills to pay. What’s more, they had recently bought a new refrigerator. And the college fee ate up a good part of their budget. Alice kept silent.

When they arrived home, Alice decided to make tea. She found out that their electric tea kettle was broken and put the new brass teapot on the stove. When the tea was getting ready, they heard a door bell. It was Mr. Ramson, their neighbour. The old man lived alone and there were no relatives and friends to support him in town.

Alice invited Mr. Ramson in for some tea. At the table Mr. Ramson asked Alice and John if they could lend him some money. His only granddaughter, whom he loved dearly, lived far away and he wanted to visit her for the coming Christmas. Alice sighed but John, suddenly, nodded his head in agreement. Mr. Ransom thanked John and went home happy.

Alice was alone in the kitchen washing up after tea. She was thinking how to cut down their expenses if they gave the money to the old man. Suddenly she heard a sound of something dropping into the teapot. Alice took the teapot and, to her great surprise, she found two £50 notes inside. She called John to ask if he had by mistake dropped them into the teapot. John looked at her in surprise but answered that he had not.

At that moment Alice knew what to do. She removed the banknotes from the teapot and ran to Mr. Ramson.

When she came home, John smiled and gave her a warm kiss. The same dropping sound repeated. It came from the teapot. When Alice opened the top, she found a banknote inside. Christmas Magic! They could not understand how it worked, but the teapot produced some banknotes every time they were kind to each other and helped people around.

They put the brass teapot on the shelf in the kitchen and never used it for making tea. When their daughter came for Christmas, she could hardly recognize the house. The furniture was the same but the house looked warmer and cozier than before. Her parents did not argue about money any more.

When she asked where the money for her education had come from, they said it was a Christmas present from old Mr. Ramson.

*A brass teapot –– медный чайник

10. Alice was upset because they had failed to pay for her daughter’s studies.