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Open Bank Gia English. Basic reading strategies to help you manage your time during the exam. What does it consist of and how does it work?

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Demo version of the OGE-2019 in English with analysis of tasks

Demo version, codifier and specification of the OGE 2019 in English from the official website of FIPI.

Download the demo version of the OGE 2019 along with the codifier and specification from the link below:

Follow the information about our webinars and broadcasts on the YouTube channel; very soon we will discuss preparation for the OGE in English. The textbook is intended to prepare graduates of the 9th grade of educational organizations for the basic state exam in English language. It contains 30 training options exam papers

and one control version, compiled in full accordance with the requirements of the OGE. Each option includes tasks of different types and levels of difficulty for all sections of the English language course, which allows you to quickly master the skills and abilities necessary to successfully pass the exam. At the end of the book there are texts for listening, texts for the oral part of the exam and answers to all practical tasks, as well as criteria for assessing the completion of tasks in writing and speaking.

Section 2 (Reading OGE 2018) Section 2

(reading tasks) contains 9 tasks for understanding the texts read. The recommended time to complete the tasks in this section is 30 minutes.

Methodical hint

Read the headings, translate them, try to find what they have in common (topic, problem, situation, keyword, etc.) and how they differ from each other (different aspects of the topic, problem, attitude to the problem, etc.) .

Highlight keywords as you read the headings.

Try to predict what the text will be about, its main content, and select words/phrases that are necessary to cover this topic.

Try to formulate the main idea of the text yourself, then choose the answer that is closest in content from the proposed options and mark it. If it is difficult to immediately determine which title suits the text, you can skip this point and read the next passage, then return to that place.

Check whether the choice of one or another correspondence is justified and whether other correspondences are correctly established.

Make sure the extra header is selected correctly.

If the text seems unclear, put it aside. Match the headings to other texts and use the method of elimination; having 2 texts, the chance of even guessing the correct answer is much higher.

Make sure you don't use the same letter twice.

Record your final answer in the table after the task.

When reading the text, determine for yourself the main idea, separate the main from the secondary, ignore unnecessary information and unfamiliar words that do not interfere with understanding the main content.

Task 9

Read the texts and establish a correspondence between the texts and their headings: for each text marked with the letters A–G, select the corresponding heading marked with numbers 1–8. Use each number only once. There is one extra heading in the task.

A huge diamond of water
A famous Russian toy
Named after a famous scientist
Getting higher than the sky
The fresh air producer
Famous for its size
A great source of knowledge
Spoken all over the world

A. Russia, also officially known as the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world. Its territory is 17,075,400 square kilometers. According to scientists, the country’s territory would almost cover the surface of the planet Pluto. It is the only country which is washed by 3 oceans and 12 seas. Russia is considered to be a European country, but two-thirds of the country are in Asia. However, most of the population lives in the European part of Russia.

We highlight keywords in the text, determine the main idea, and find the appropriate title. The main idea of the text is to show how great Russia is. Information about the size of the country is found in figures and is emphasized by comparison with the surface of the planet Pluto. Having discarded secondary information, we choose the correct answer.

(Correct answer is A-6 –Famousforitssize)

B. Siberian Lake Baikal is the largest pool of fresh water on the planet. All the 12 major rivers of the world(the Volga, the Don, the Yenisei, the Ob, the Ganges, the Amazon, etc.) would need to flow almost a year to fill a pool equal to the volume of Lake Baikal. Another impressive fact is that even if all the rest of the planet’s fresh water supply were to disappear, there would be enough fresh water left in Lake Baikal to supply the people of the earth for up to 50 years.

We highlight keywords in the text, determine the main idea, and find the appropriate title. The main idea of the text is that Lake Baikal is the largest body of drinking water in the world. What is shown in the comparison of Lake Baikal with 12 main rivers in the world.

(CorrectanswerIN-1 A huge diamond of water)

S. Russia is the country with the largest forest reserves in the world. 45% of its territory is covered in green forests. The forests are located in the European north of the country, in Siberia and in the Far East. Forests play an important role in the life and welfare of people. Russian forests are the biggest ‘lungs’ of the Earth. They produce oxygen and clean the atmosphere of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

We highlight keywords in the text, determine the main idea, and find the appropriate title. The main idea of the text is that on the territory of Russia there is the most a large number of forests (45% of its territory is covered in green forests). The text contains a comparison with the word ‘lungs’, which is synonymous with the word ‘air producer’. ( Correctanswer- WITH-5 The fresh air producer)

D. There are more than five thousand languages in the world. Russian is one of the five major world languages. 280 million people around the world speak English and it is one of the most widely spoken native languages in Europe. The United Nations uses Russian as one of the official languages of the organization. It is also used in international commerce, politics, academic and cultural life.

We highlight keywords in the text, determine the main idea, and find the appropriate title. The main idea of the text is that the Russian language is one of the most popular languages in the world, as evidenced by the information in the text (Russian is one of the five major world languages.). Russian is spoken by 280 million people around the world speak Russian, which fully corresponds to the title number 8). The answer is obvious.

(CorrectanswerD-8 Spoken all over the world)

E. For its collection of books, the Russian State Library is considered to be the biggest in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The Russian State Library was founded in 1862, in Moscow. The library has over 275 km of shelves with more than 43 million items, including books, journals and magazines, art publications, music scores and sound records, maps and other things. There are items in 247 languages of the world.

We highlight keywords in the text, determine the main idea, and find the appropriate title. Don't forget that we have already crossed out 4 answers! The entire paragraph contains precise data on how big the Russian State Library is. This is evidenced by numerical information (275 km of shelves, 43 million items, 247 languages of the world). (CorrectanswerE-7 A great source of knowledge)

F. Russia is known all over the world for its space programs. In 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite in the world. Four years later, in 1961, human space flight was accomplished. Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first man to journey into space. He orbited the Earth and landed the same day. There are other impressive space achievements of the country like the first long space flight, the first woman cosmonaut in space, and the first spacewalk.

We highlight keywords in the text, determine the main idea, and find the appropriate title. The main idea of the text is in Russia's achievements related to space, which clearly has a connection with the title.

(CorrectanswerF-4 Getting higher than the sky)

G. One of the most popular souvenirs tourists buy in Russia is the Matryoshka. It is a doll made of wood and painted with colorful ornaments. Although the Matryoshka is called a doll, it is actually a set of dolls of different sizes placed inside one another. A traditional Russian Matryoshka has big black eyes, red healthy cheeks and a friendly smile. She wears a national Russian costume, and often has some flowers or a basket of fruit in her hands.

Let's complete the task. We read the text and determine the main idea. From the first sentence we get information that fully corresponds to the title about the famous Russian toy.

(CorrectanswerG-2 A famous Russian toy)

Tasks 10–17

Read the text. Determine which of the given statements 10–17 correspond to the content of the text (1 – True), which do not correspond (2 – False) and what is not said in the text, that is, based on the text, neither a positive nor a negative answer can be given (3 – Not stated). In the answer field, write down one number that corresponds to the number of the correct answer.

Carefully, slowly, read the entire text, understand its main content. If some individual words are not clear, try to guess their meaning based on the context.

Read each question sequentially (Remember that questions are usually asked in the order in which the plot of the text develops) and work through them in the following order:

determine the essence of the issue, i.e. what should be the answer: a word, phrase, sentence, paragraph and or the entire text;

Try not to look at the answer options and answer the question yourself.

Find the place (paragraph) in the text to which the question relates, re-read it and find confirmation of your option. Understand how the suggested answer options differ from each other.

If you can’t make a choice right away, discard the obviously incorrect options and determine the most likely answer using the method of elimination.

Make sure the other options don't apply.

You need:

Full understanding of the text, separating the main from the secondary, the ability to answer questions reasonably and/or logically come to the correct answer.

How to write down the answer: one number in each paragraph of the form. For each correctly chosen answer, 1 point is given; maximum - 8 points.

Task 10

The Australian Tourism Office employs a new caretaker twice a year.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

The information written in the sentence is not mentioned in the text. The correct answer is 2 (Not stated).

Task 11

There was no Internet on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

In the third paragraph of this text, in the fourth sentence, the information “his responsibility includes writing a weekly Internet blog” is given, from which we understand that the responsibility of the candidate for the position will be to maintain a weekly Internet blog. This sentence is a refutation of the information (there is no Internet on the islands) given in the assignment. The correct answer is 2 (False).

Task 12

People from different countries applied for the job.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

This statement is true, as evidenced by the second sentence of the fifth paragraph (And told, 34,000 people of all different nationalities applied.) This sentence states that 34,000 people of different nationalities applied for the vacancy. This is an absolute match with the sentence in the task. The correct answer is 1 (True).

Task 13

Ben Southall was a good swimmer.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

In this task there are several clues in the text. Firstly, one of the criteria for hiring this job was the ability to swim (The job description also requires...swim...). Secondly, in the fifth paragraph in Ben’s direct speech, we understand that he is like a fish in water (Every time I dived or went underwater, I forgot about all the troubles above water and concentrated on lining in the moment.) The correct answer is 1 (True).

Task 14

While working as a caretaker Ben Southall had lots of free time.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

In the sixth paragraph, the second sentence tells us the radically opposite about Ben’s work (It was very busy, busier than most people imagined…busier than Ben himself had imagined). The correct answer is 2 (False).

Task 15

To do his job Ben Southall had to communicate with journalists.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

In the description of Ben's responsibilities (sixth paragraph) we see a sentence confirming the fact of communication with journalists (...Ben had lots of meetings, press conferences and interviews.) The correct answer is 1 (True).

Task 16

Ben Southallwas taken to hospital after a shark attack.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

In this task, the main thing is to notice that he was bitten not by a shark, but by a jellyfish (...the most dangerous thing was a small jellyfish about the size of a little finger. It's considered to be extremely poisonous and Ben was stung by it.) The correct answer is – 2 (False).

Task 17

Ben Southall is going to make a film about his work on the islands.

1) True 2) False 3) Not stated

The information written in the assignment is not mentioned in the text. The correct answer is 3 (Not stated).

In 2016, the oral part of the OGE (GIA) in English will include three tasks:

Exercise 1- reading aloud a short text of a popular science nature. Preparation time: 1.5 minutes.
Task 2- conditional dialogue-questioning. You need to answer six questions heard in the audio recording.
Task 3- a monologue statement on a specific topic based on a plan. The plan is the questions in the assignment. Preparation time: 1.5 minutes.

Total time answer from one OGE participant, including preparation time - 15 minutes. Unlike the GIA format of previous years, when students communicated directly with the teacher-examiner, starting from 2016, students also complete this part on the computer. Tasks appear on the screen as the previous one is completed. So, first you will be shown the text from task 1, the preparation time will be counted down, after which the recording will immediately start. Once your answer is completed (automatically), the next task begins.

I will dwell on the tasks in more detail.

Task No. 1 - reading aloud a short text

You will have 1.5 minutes to prepare and you must have time to read the text in 2 minutes. The maximum number of points for this task is only 2, and you will receive them if your speech is easily understood by experts, there are no unreasonable pauses in it, and you make no more than 5 phonetic errors, two of which may even distort the meaning of the text.

To practice this skill, the advice is simple - long live the good old reading aloud!

Task No. 2 - conditional dialogue-questioning

This task presents 6 logically related common theme questions in the form of a public opinion poll.

For example, the demo version 2016 contains the following questions on the topic of sports:

How old are you?

How many times a week do you do sports?

What sport is the most popular with teenagers in your region?

What sports facilities are available in the place where you live?

Why do you think it is importanat to keep fit?

What would you advise a person who wants to keep fit?

Interestingly, here each question is worth 1 point. And you will not receive it if the answer to the question is not given at all, if the answer does not correspond to the question, if the answer is given in the form of a word or phrase (attention to lovers of monosyllabic answers!), if the answer contains errors that prevent its understanding.

So, 6 questions for which you can get a maximum of 6 points. The time limit for each answer is 60 seconds.

Task No. 3 - monologue based on the text of the task

Here you have only 1.5 minutes to prepare, and your monologue should last at least 2 minutes.

In general, it is this task in the speaking section of the State Academic Examination in English that has undergone the least changes in 2016.

You still need to speak coherently on all three criteria presented in the task.

For example, this is what we are asked to talk about in the demo version of the task:

Remeber to say:

why people like taking pictures

why taking photos is more popular today than it was in the past

what the best photo you have ever taken is

This subsection of the oral part is assessed according to three criteria: solution of a communicative task (here it is extremely important to talk in detail about all three aspects mentioned in the task, and not ignore the questions why?/why?), organization of the statement (the statement must be logically structured and combined into a single whole with the help of connectives, there must be an introductory and final phrase) and linguistic design (required to demonstrate a variety lexicon and various grammatical structures corresponding to the A2 language level (pre-intermediate) for the GIA.

As before, with a zero for solving a communicative task, 0 points out of 7 possible for this oral part task are assigned. And it’s not at all difficult to earn this zero; it’s enough, for example, to ignore two keys in a support task, that is, answer only one question out of three proposed.

It is interesting that in the new format (the format of the oral part of the 2015-2016 academic year), those taking the exam will talk to a computer and, naturally, this part of the exam will be audio and video recorded for subsequent evaluation by experts.

However, to successfully pass the oral part of the GIA exam in English, practice, experience and self-confidence are required!

Good day everyone!

We continue to prepare for the OGE exam.

Today we will perform reading assignments (Section 2) from the Demo version of the OGE 2017, presented on the FIPI website.

As always, first we get acquainted with the format of the tasks and useful tips that will help you successfully complete these tasks.

Assignment format

Task 9– test to establish correspondence between headings and text

Maximum score – 7 points

Tasks 10 – 17– a test to establish the correspondence of the given statements to the text read ( True/ False/ Not stated)

Maximum score – 8 points

Maximum score for correctly completing all tasks in Section 2 (Reading) – 15 points

Basic reading strategies to help you manage your time during the exam.

- when reading texts, try to grasp the main idea of the text

- highlight (underline) keywords

- do not panic if you encounter unfamiliar words; learn to ignore vocabulary that is new to you, focusing on the main content of the presented text

— when reading, pay attention to the organization of the text: first and last sentences of a paragraph, because most often it is from them that you can choose a title that matches the text

- after reading the paragraph, try to formulate its main content in one sentence or phrase

In tasks of this type, you need to connect headings (or questions / or statements to the text) with the text.

Number of texts – 7

Number of titles – 8

Start this task by reading the headings and try to guess what the text might be about.
When you are sure that you fully understand the headings, move on to reading the texts. During the first reading no need to immediately select headings for texts, since the information in the texts may differ slightly and there is a high probability of making a mistake.
On your second reading, begin to match passages of text with headings (or statements, or questions).
If the headings are close in meaning, you need to choose the most suitable one, i.e. most accurately reflecting the content of the passage read.
After you have finished the task, make sure that the title you did not use does not match any of the texts.

In this task, you need to determine whether a given sentence agrees with the information you read in the text.

1) First, read the text completely and try to understand its content as accurately as possible. Determine whether the sequence of events presented in the text corresponds to the statements given.

2) Then find the place in the text that corresponds to each statement. Please note that this will not be a complete match, but a transfer of information in other words. For this, it is very useful to know a synonymous series of words. For example, to like doing smth = to enjoy doing smth = to be interested in smth = to be keen on smth = to be fond of smth

3) It is very important to learn to distinguish the absence of information in the text ( Not stated ) from its inconsistency ( False ).

- you choose the answer True , if it appears in the text this information, but at the same time different vocabulary used

- you choose False , if it is stated in the text, but the statement has opposite meaning of the text

- you choose Not Stated , if the text says so not clearly stated although the statement does not contradict the general content of the text

5) You need to learn to feel the difference between the facts that you read in the text and your own conclusions (inferences) that you made based on the content of the exam text.

In conclusion, I would like to say that, despite the advice to “ignore unfamiliar vocabulary,” I still believe that it is necessary to learn new words while preparing for an exam, especially if the word occurs frequently and is key to understanding the content of the text. Good vocabulary will help you succeed in more than just reading assignments. You can also write an excellent letter (read the article) and easily cope with .

Demo version of OGE 2017 FIPI

Section 2 (Reading Assignments)

Task 9

Read the texts and establish correspondence between the texts and theirheadings: for each text marked with letters A–G, selectthe corresponding heading, indicated by numbers 1–8. Useevery digit just one time. The assignment contains one extra header .

The scientific explanation
The real shape
A lucky sign
Some tips
Places without rainbows
A personal vision
A bridge between worlds
Impossible to catch

A.Two people never see the same rainbow. Each person sees a different one. It happens because the raindrops are constantly moving so the rainbow is always changing too. Each time you see a rainbow it is unique and it will never be the same! In addition, everyone sees colors differently according to the light and how their eyes interpret it.

B. A rainbow is an optical phenomenon that is seen in the atmosphere. It appears in the sky when the sun’s light is reflected by the raindrops. A rainbow always appears during or immediately after showers when the sun is shining and the air contains raindrops. As a result, a spectrum of colors is seen in the sky. It takes the shape of a multicolored arc.

C. Many cultures see the rainbow as a road, a connection between earth and heaven (the place where God lives). Legends say that it goes below the earth at the horizon and then comes back up again. In this way it makes a permanent link between what is above and below, between life and death. In some myths the rainbow is compared to a staircase connecting earth to heaven.

D. We all believe that the rainbow is arch-shaped. The funny thing is that it"sactually a circle. The reason we don’t see the other half of the rainbow is because we cannot see below the horizon. However, the higher we are above the ground, the more of the rainbow’s circle we can see. That is why, from an airplane in flight, a rainbow will appear as a complete circle with the shadow of the airplane in the centre.

E. In many cultures there is a belief that seeing a rainbow is good. Legends say that if you dig at the end of a rainbow, you"ll find a pot of gold. Rainbows are also seen after a storm, showing that the weather is getting better, and there is hope after the storm. This is why they are associated with rescue and good fortune. If people happen to get married on such a day, it is said that they will enjoy a very happy life together.

F.You can never reach the end of a rainbow. A rainbow is all light and water. It is always in front of you while your back is to the sun. As you move, the rainbow that your eye sees moves as well and it will always 'move away' at the same speed that you are moving. No matter how hard you try , a rainbow will always be as far away from you as it was before you started to move towards it.

G. To see a rainbow you have to remember some points. First, you should be standing with the sun behind you. Secondly, the rain should be in front of you. The most impressive rainbows appear when half of the sky is still dark with clouds and the other half is clear. The best time to see a rainbow is on a warm day in the early morning after sunrise or late afternoon before sunset. Rainbows are often seen near waterfalls and fountains.

Write down the selected numbers in the table under the corresponding letters.

Vocabulary

rainbow - rainbow

arch-shaped /ɑːtʃ/ – in the shape of an arc

arc /ɑːk/ – arc

horizon /həˈraɪzən/ – horizon

cloud – cloud

sunrise - sunrise

sunset - sunset

waterfall - waterfall

fountain - fountain

phenomenon /fɪˈnɒmɪnən/ – phenomen phenomenon a(pl.) – phenomena

English language. Grade 9 Used with answer sheets

Tasks 10 – 17

Read the text. Determine which of the following statements 10–17 correspond to the content of the text (1 – True) which ones do not correspond (2 – False) and what is not said in the text, that is, based on the text, neither a positive nor a negative answer can be given (3 – Not stated). In the answer field, write down one number that corresponds to the number of the correct answer.

The Best Job in the World

Have you ever heard of the Great Barrier Reef? It is the world's largest coral reef system along the eastern coast of Australia. In February 2009 an extraordinary position was advertised by the Australian Tourism Office. The advertisement ran that the Great Barrier Reef needed a caretaker for half a year. It was for a special person who would look after the Reef.

The job offered a large salary, free accommodation in a luxury villa, and transportation there and around the islands. All expenses would be paid: the winner wouldn't need to spend any extra money on anything.

The job's duties were pretty simple. You could only dream of such requirements. First, the person had to speak English and swim well. Second, on the island his responsibility included writing a weekly Internet blog. That's right, weekly, not even daily! The job description also required the successful applicant to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, make friends with the locals and generally enjoy the tropical climate and lifestyle. A real dream!

Within the first 2 days of the contest, the tourism office received more than seven thousand online applications. All told , 34,000 people of all different nationalities applied. Each made and presented a 60-second video summary. They had to be creative and they were. In the end 16 people were chosen, who flew to Australia for the final selection. The candidates were interviewed and the winner was Ben Southall from the UK.

Ben greatly enjoyed the dream job he had got. He realized that people knew very little about planet earth and its treasures. Living in big cities, they forgot how important the flora and fauna of this world were. Every time Ben went outdoors, he could discover something new. “Every time I dived or went underwater, I forgot about all the troubles above water and concentrated on living in the moment. “It was a good way to clean the mind and build respect for the natural world,” Ben said.

Ben's life on the island was not just fun. It was very busy, busier than most people imagined, and certainly busier than Ben himself had imagined. He worked seven days a week and up to 19 hours a day. The Best Job included traveling to over 60 islands of the Reef almost every day. It was not just looking after the Reef Ben had a lot of meetings, press conferences and interviews. He was getting a lot of attention all the time and he couldn't get away from it. That was probably the hardest part of the job.

Moreover, any adventure has a certain degree of risk. Swimming and diving on the Great Barrier Reef was not different. Ben had to deal with whales, sharks and other huge sea creatures. Surprisingly the most dangerous thing was a small jellyfish about the size of a little finger. It"s considered to be extremely poisonous and Ben was stung by it. He had to spend a couple of days in hospital but luckily recovered after a course of antibiotics.

Ben often says that the project has taught him a few valuable lessons. Working with the Internet is one of those jobs you can do 24 hours a day. Ben realized it was hard to separate life and work, but this he had to do. He also said: “I"ve learned that we get one life on earth so we have to use it. There"ll always be other countries to visit, other people to meet and other adventures to meet. This is what I wish to do. I "m planning to go to Asia in a few years time."

10. The Australian Tourism Office employs a new caretaker twice a year.

Answer:

11. There was no Internet on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Answer:

12. People from different countries applied for the job.

Answer:

13. Ben Southall was a good swimmer.

Answer:

14. While working as a caretaker Ben Southall had lots of free time.

Answer:

15. To do his job Ben Southall had to communicate with journalists.

Let's prepare for the OGE together!

FIPI open task bank

Section 2 Reading Assignments

Assignment format

Task 9– test to establish correspondence between headings and text

Maximum score – 7 points

Tasks 10 – 17– a test to establish the correspondence of the given statements to the text read ( True/ False/ Not stated)

Maximum score – 8 points

Maximum score for correctly completing all tasks in Section 2 (Reading) – 15 points

Task 9

Read the texts and establish a correspondence between the texts and their headings: for each text indicated by the letters A–G, select the corresponding heading indicated by numbers. Use every number just one time. The assignment contains one extra heading.

The birthplace of the city
Multifunctional construction
The first traffic jams
A perfect location
Safety gates
Defeating pollution
Navigation season
The royal birds

A. Almost 2,000 years ago, the army of Ancient Rome landed on the coast of Britain and headed north. Soon they came to a wide, deep river. The army could neither walk across it nor find an alternative route. The only solution was building a bridge. The Romans found a place where the river was relatively narrow and built a bridge. Then they founded a settlement, which they called Londinium. Today it is known as London.

B. The Romans soon discovered that Londinium was an ideal site for a port. Their bridge prevented large ships from going up the river, so all ships trading had to stop and unload at Londinium. It made Londinium an important trading center and stimulated the growth and development of the city.

C. The first London bridge over the Thames was built of wood – and then rebuilt time and time again. Later, a stone bridge was constructed. By the 1350s there were nearly 200 houses and shops on top of the bridge, and the road across it was very narrow. It was very difficult for carriages, horses and people to move across the bridge. They often couldn’t pass one another and had to spend hours on the bridge.

D. When the Thames flooded, it covered London with water. After a bad flood in 1953, people began to look for a way to control the river. In 1982 the Thames Barrier was opened. When its gates are raised, they form a steel wall more than half a kilometer long across the Thames. It prevents flood water from reaching London. More than 90 times, the Thames Barrier has saved the capital from flooding.

E. Nowadays, Tower Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. The walkway between the two bridge towers provides a perfect sightseeing platform to enjoy a magnificent view over London. Inside the towers there is an exhibition, which tells the history of the bridge via photos, films, and other media. Tower Bridge also performs its original function of providing a road across the River Thames.

F. In Britain, swans have privileged status. Since the 1100s, all unmarked swans on any public lakes or rivers in the country have belonged to the Crown. The swans on the River Thames are called Mute Swans. They have a bright orange beak with a black spot on the top. Every July, a special ceremony called “Swan Upping” takes place on the Thames at Windsor. All the swans are caught and their markings are checked and recorded.

G. Nowadays, the River Thames is the cleanest river in the world that flows through a big city. This is a great achievement because only fifty years ago the river was so dirty and poisoned that it was declared biologically dead. Special plants to clean the water were built in the 1950s. Soon, special laws were issued to stop factories letting their dirty water go into the river. Strict government measures have saved the river.

Write down the selected numbers in the table under the corresponding letters.

Tasks 10 – 17

Read the text. Determine which of the following statements 10 –17 correspond to the content of the text (1 –True) which ones do not correspond (2 –False) and what is not said in the text, that is, based on the text, neither a positive nor a negative answer can be given (3 –Not stated). In the answer field, write down one number that corresponds to the number of the correct answer.

Sports in Great Britain

It is interesting how many of today’s sports games originated in Britain – football, rugby, tennis, boxing, rowing and horse racing among them. Of course, horse racing was popular with the Greeks and Arabs long before the British began to put them into practice; and people had been playing football in one form or another for thousands of years all over the world. But it was the British who created special rules for these sports and sports games.

Football is a good example. In the Middle Ages people in Europe, Japan and Asia all played some forms of the game. A sort of football was also very popular in England, especially as a contest between villages. But at that time there were very few rules. When the students of English schools started to play football, rules then became necessary. They were changed several times and by the middle of the 19th century football had become very much the game that we know and like today. By the way, the first serious football rules were written at Cambridge University.

A similar story can be told about some other sports. Why did this happen in Britain before other countries? There are some possible explanations: after the Norman invasion of 1066, Britain was quite a peaceful country. As a result people had time to develop sports. Later, after Britain’s industrial revolution, English factories were based on highly organized work and strict time keeping. The same discipline was applied to sport. So uniforms, referees and punishments were introduced to football and other games. British authorities thought that team games were good training for future military and industrial careers.

Every country has its own list of favorite sports. What is the British list? There are lots of games apart from football. Schoolgirls, for example, play a game which seems a lot like basketball. It is called netball. Netball is different from basketball in many details: for example, the ball is lighter, the court is bigger and netball has seven players in each team (not five). There is something very strange about netball – it is never played by boys. There is no biological reason for this, it is simply a tradition. It is popular throughout the English-speaking world, and the Australians and New Zealanders usually win the competitions.

But the most famous and popular British sport is cricket. Cricket is an important part of English summer life. You can watch it all day on TV or even listen to it on the radio. News programs keep you up-to-date with the score. Men, when they meet, always exchange a few words about the state of the game.

One of cricket's distinguishing features is that the games are very long. In an ordinary game at a boys’ school it takes up to a whole afternoon. But the big international games are up to five days long.

10. Football was the most popular game in the Ancient World.

Answer:

11. The rules for modern football were created in Great Britain.