Задания 1 – 4. Ответьте на вопрос, выбрав одну букву, соответствующую правильному ответу, обводя ее кружком.




Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 1 – 5.

There are still some rich people in the world. Many of them lead lives of particular pleasure. But rich people do have their problems. They are seldom problems of finance, since most rich people have enough sense to hire other people to take care of their worries. But there are other, more genuine problems. They are the problems of behaviour.

Let me tell you a story which happened to my uncle Octavian a full thirty years ago. At that time I myself was fifteen. Uncle Octavian was then a rich man. He was a charming host whose villa was very popular among the great. He was a hospitable man until January 3, 1925.

There was nothing special about that day in the life of Uncle Octavian, except that it was his fifty-fifth birthday. As usual on such a day he was giving a party for twelve people. All of them were old friends.

I, myself, aged fifteen, was deeply privileged. As a special surprise on this happy day, I was allowed to come down to dinner. It was exciting for me to be admitted to such company, which included a newspaper editor of exceptional intelligence and his fabulous American wife, a recent prime-minister of France and a German prince and a princess. Even today, 30 years later, one may fairly admit that the company was unbelievably great. But I should also stress that they were all old and close friends of Uncle Octavian.

Towards the end of a wonderful dinner, when dessert had been brought in and the servants had left, my uncle leant forward to admire a magnificent diamond ring on the princess's hand. She was a pretty woman. She turned her hand gracefully towards my uncle. Across the table, the newspaper editor leant across and said: "May I also have a look?" She smiled and nodded. Then she took off the ring and held it out to him. "It was my grandmother's – the old empress," she said. "I have not worn it for many years. It is said to have once belonged to Genghis Khan".

There were exclamations of delight and admiration. The ring was passed from hand to hand. For a moment it rested on my own palm, gleaming splendidly. Then I passed it on to the neat person. As I turned away again, I saw her pass it on.

It was some 20 minutes later when the princess stood up and said: "Before we leave you, may I have my ring back?" There was a pause, while we looked expectantly at each other. Then there was silence. The princess was still smiling, though less easily. She was unused to asking for things twice. The silence continued, I still thought that it could only be a practical 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 dreadful.

I am sure that you can guess the sort of scene that followed. The guests were really confused – all of them, old and valued friends. There was a nervous search of the whole room. But it did not bring the princess' ring back again. It had vanished – a priceless thing, worth possibly two hundred thousand pounds – in a roomful of twelve people, all known to each other.

No servants had entered the room. No one had left it for a moment. The thief was one of us, one of Uncle Octavian's close friends.

I remember it was the French cabinet minister who had already started to turn out his pockets, before my uncle stopped him. "There will be no search in my house," he commanded. "You are all my friends. The ring can only be lost. If it is not found" – he bowed towards the princess – "I will naturally repay its cost myself."

The ring was never found, it never appeared, either then or later.

To our family's surprise, Uncle Octavian was a comparatively poor man, when he died. And I should say that he died with the special sadness of a hospitable host who never gave a single lunch or dinner party for the last thirty years of his life.

Задания 1 – 4. Ответьте на вопрос, выбрав одну букву, соответствующую правильному ответу, обводя ее кружком.

1. What kind of man was Uncle Octavian thirty years ago?

a) Uncle Octavian was a rich and snobbish man.

b) Uncle Octavian was a rich man and a charming host.

c) Uncle Octavian was a comparatively poor man who liked to invite rich people.

d) Uncle Octavian was a rude and greedy man.

2. In what way did he want to celebrate his fifty-fifth birthday?

a) He decided to invite his relatives.

b) He wanted to celebrate his birthday in a small group of three-four close friends.

c) He was giving a party for twelve people who were old and close friends of his.

d) The whole city was going to celebrate Uncle Octavian’s birthday.

3. What was peculiar about the princess’ ring?

a) Her grandmother had not worn it for many years since the princess was born.

b) The prince produced this ring at the party as a present to the princess.

c) It was a useless thing of no worth at all.

d) It was a magnificent diamond ring once belonged to an outstanding woman.

4. Who was the thief?

a) The thief was Uncle Octavian because he wanted to repay the cost of the lost ring.

b) The thief was the French cabinet minister because he tried to turn out his pockets.

c) The thief was the prince himself because he wanted to make a joke.

d) The ring was never found because Uncle Octavian didn’t want to search his close friends.

Страноведческий тест

Установите, о каких национальных эмблемах Великобритании (темы A – E) идет речь в текстах 1 – 4. Используйте каждую букву только один раз. В задании одна тема лишняя.

А. ROSE D. SHAMROCK (клевер)

B. DAFFODIL (нарцисс) E. LILAC (сирень)

C. THISTLE (чертополох)

1. It is the national flower of Wales. One sort of this flower grows only in a small area around Tenby. In Wales it is traditional to wear this flower on Saint David's Day (March 1). This has led to suggestions that the name of the plant may have been influenced by the name "Dafydd," a Welsh form of "David". In some other countries the yellow variation of the flower is associated with Easter.

2. It is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty. Henry Tudor took the crown of England from Richard III in battle. That was the end of the Wars of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. His father was Edmund Tudor from the House of Richmond, and his mother was Margaret Beaufort from the House of Lancaster; he married Elizabeth of York to stop all conflicts. The symbol is often depicted in two colours – white on red and is always described, heraldically, as "proper".

3. It is a symbol of Ireland. It is a three-leafed old white clover. The plant was traditionally used for its medical properties. According to the legend it was used by Saint Patrick to illustrate the idea of the Trinity (the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Organizations, businesses and places around the world with links to Ireland often use this plant to advertise their connections.

4. It has been the national emblem of Scotland since the time of Alexander III (1249–1286) and was used on silver coins. According to the legend, the Norse army tried to attack the Scots army at night. During this operation one Norseman, who had no boots on, stepped upon this plant and cried with pain. The Scots woke up and met the Norse army. The plant prefers dry summer; it grows in sandy soils which are rich in salts. It may grow along roadsides, in fields, and agricultural areas.

Ответьте на вопросы, обводя правильный вариант кружком:

1) Which of these plants comes from the word "David"?

2) Which of these plants was traditionally used for its medical properties?

3) Which of these plants origins from the Tudor dynasty?

4) Which of these plants woke up the Scots?

5) Which of these plants illustrates the idea of the Trinity?

6) Which of these plants is often depicted in two colours?

7) Which of these plants grows in sandy soils?

8) Which of these plants is associated with Easter?

1) A B C D E

3) A B C D E

5) A B C D E

7) A B C D E

2) A B C D E

4) A B C D E

6) A B C D E

8) A B C D E

Почта для отправки олимпиадных заданий: mashunk@bk.ru



Поделиться:




Поиск по сайту

©2015-2024 poisk-ru.ru
Все права принадлежать их авторам. Данный сайт не претендует на авторства, а предоставляет бесплатное использование.
Дата создания страницы: 2021-02-02 Нарушение авторских прав и Нарушение персональных данных


Поиск по сайту: