Esperanto Esperanto is an artificial language which was invented at the end of the 19th century. Esperanto Day is celebrated on 15th December. The date for the birthday of the language was not chosen by chance. It is the birthday of its creator – the Polish doctor and linguist L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof wanted to create a politically neutral language that would promote peace and international understanding between people who speak different languages. He hoped that his new language would be an international language, that is, many people's second language. L. L. Zamenhof didn’t want to replace any national tongue. Thinking up a new language L. L. Zamenhof tried to make it simple, so that any person can learn it. Esperanto is based on Latin and modern European languages like French, English and Polish. However, Zamenhof’s language has none of the complicated grammar rules of many existing languages. As for the vocabulary of the language, L.L. Zamenhof chose word roots which a lot of people could recognize. In this way, anyone who speaks a European language already knows a large number of words in Esperanto. All words are spelled as pronounced. The language is easy to read and speak. Nowadays, Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world. Up to 2 million people worldwide speak Esperanto. It is particularly popular in Europe, East Asia, and South America. The World Esperanto Association has members in 120 countries. Most people learn Esperanto on their own. They use teach-yourself books or email courses. Most learners gain impressive skills in this language and can use it in real life. Through Esperanto they make contacts with people from around the world. They read books and magazines from other countries and listen to international radio broadcasts. There are over 25,000 original and translated books in Esperanto and over a hundred Esperanto magazines. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos and television and radio stations in Esperanto. You can find lots of online discussions in Esperanto about different topics on the Internet. People can use Esperanto versions of the social network Facebook and other websites. Several computer programmes have an Esperanto version. Learning a logical language can be a great way to exercise the brain and prepare for learning other languages. Several studies were carried out in Europe, United States, and Australia. In one study, a group of European secondary school students studied Esperanto for one year, then French for three years. The test showed that they had a better command of French than the students who studied only French for all four years. Similar results have been found in other studies. Mark the statements True/False/Not Stated. Esperanto was designed to be easy to learn.
ПОЛУЧИТЬ ОТВЕТ Esperanto Esperanto is an artificial language which was invented at the end of the 19th century. Esperanto Day is celebrated on 15th December. The date for the birthday of the language was not chosen by chance. It is the birthday of its creator – the Polish doctor and linguist L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof wanted to create a politically neutral language that would promote peace and international understanding between people who speak different languages. He hoped that his new language would be an international language, that is, many people's second language. L. L. Zamenhof didn’t want to replace any national tongue. Thinking up a new language L. L. Zamenhof tried to make it simple, so that any person can learn it. Esperanto is based on Latin and modern European languages like French, English and Polish. However, Zamenhof’s language has none of the complicated grammar rules of many existing languages. As for the vocabulary of the language, L.L. Zamenhof chose word roots which a lot of people could recognize. In this way, anyone who speaks a European language already knows a large number of words in Esperanto. All words are spelled as pronounced. The language is easy to read and speak. Nowadays, Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world. Up to 2 million people worldwide speak Esperanto. It is particularly popular in Europe, East Asia, and South America. The World Esperanto Association has members in 120 countries. Most people learn Esperanto on their own. They use teach-yourself books or email courses. Most learners gain impressive skills in this language and can use it in real life. Through Esperanto they make contacts with people from around the world. They read books and magazines from other countries and listen to international radio broadcasts. There are over 25,000 original and translated books in Esperanto and over a hundred Esperanto magazines. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos and television and radio stations in Esperanto. You can find lots of online discussions in Esperanto about different topics on the Internet. People can use Esperanto versions of the social network Facebook and other websites. Several computer programmes have an Esperanto version. Learning a logical language can be a great way to exercise the brain and prepare for learning other languages. Several studies were carried out in Europe, United States, and Australia. In one study, a group of European secondary school students studied Esperanto for one year, then French for three years. The test showed that they had a better command of French than the students who studied only French for all four years. Similar results have been found in other studies. Mark the statements True/False/Not Stated. According to the research, Esperanto helps learn other foreign languages.
Esperanto Esperanto is an artificial language which was invented at the end of the 19th century. Esperanto Day is celebrated on 15th December. The date for the birthday of the language was not chosen by chance. It is the birthday of its creator – the Polish doctor and linguist L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof wanted to create a politically neutral language that would promote peace and international understanding between people who speak different languages. He hoped that his new language would be an international language, that is, many people's second language. L. L. Zamenhof didn’t want to replace any national tongue. Thinking up a new language L. L. Zamenhof tried to make it simple, so that any person can learn it. Esperanto is based on Latin and modern European languages like French, English and Polish. However, Zamenhof’s language has none of the complicated grammar rules of many existing languages. As for the vocabulary of the language, L.L. Zamenhof chose word roots which a lot of people could recognize. In this way, anyone who speaks a European language already knows a large number of words in Esperanto. All words are spelled as pronounced. The language is easy to read and speak. Nowadays, Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world. Up to 2 million people worldwide speak Esperanto. It is particularly popular in Europe, East Asia, and South America. The World Esperanto Association has members in 120 countries. Most people learn Esperanto on their own. They use teach-yourself books or email courses. Most learners gain impressive skills in this language and can use it in real life. Through Esperanto they make contacts with people from around the world. They read books and magazines from other countries and listen to international radio broadcasts. There are over 25,000 original and translated books in Esperanto and over a hundred Esperanto magazines. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos and television and radio stations in Esperanto. You can find lots of online discussions in Esperanto about different topics on the Internet. People can use Esperanto versions of the social network Facebook and other websites. Several computer programmes have an Esperanto version. Learning a logical language can be a great way to exercise the brain and prepare for learning other languages. Several studies were carried out in Europe, United States, and Australia. In one study, a group of European secondary school students studied Esperanto for one year, then French for three years. The test showed that they had a better command of French than the students who studied only French for all four years. Similar results have been found in other studies. Mark the statements True/False/Not Stated. Esperanto Day is held in winter.
Esperanto Esperanto is an artificial language which was invented at the end of the 19th century. Esperanto Day is celebrated on 15th December. The date for the birthday of the language was not chosen by chance. It is the birthday of its creator – the Polish doctor and linguist L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof wanted to create a politically neutral language that would promote peace and international understanding between people who speak different languages. He hoped that his new language would be an international language, that is, many people's second language. L. L. Zamenhof didn’t want to replace any national tongue. Thinking up a new language L. L. Zamenhof tried to make it simple, so that any person can learn it. Esperanto is based on Latin and modern European languages like French, English and Polish. However, Zamenhof’s language has none of the complicated grammar rules of many existing languages. As for the vocabulary of the language, L.L. Zamenhof chose word roots which a lot of people could recognize. In this way, anyone who speaks a European language already knows a large number of words in Esperanto. All words are spelled as pronounced. The language is easy to read and speak. Nowadays, Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world. Up to 2 million people worldwide speak Esperanto. It is particularly popular in Europe, East Asia, and South America. The World Esperanto Association has members in 120 countries. Most people learn Esperanto on their own. They use teach-yourself books or email courses. Most learners gain impressive skills in this language and can use it in real life. Through Esperanto they make contacts with people from around the world. They read books and magazines from other countries and listen to international radio broadcasts. There are over 25,000 original and translated books in Esperanto and over a hundred Esperanto magazines. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos and television and radio stations in Esperanto. You can find lots of online discussions in Esperanto about different topics on the Internet. People can use Esperanto versions of the social network Facebook and other websites. Several computer programmes have an Esperanto version. Learning a logical language can be a great way to exercise the brain and prepare for learning other languages. Several studies were carried out in Europe, United States, and Australia. In one study, a group of European secondary school students studied Esperanto for one year, then French for three years. The test showed that they had a better command of French than the students who studied only French for all four years. Similar results have been found in other studies. Mark the statements True/False/Not Stated. You can find an Esperanto Wikipedia on the Internet.
Esperanto Esperanto is an artificial language which was invented at the end of the 19th century. Esperanto Day is celebrated on 15th December. The date for the birthday of the language was not chosen by chance. It is the birthday of its creator – the Polish doctor and linguist L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof wanted to create a politically neutral language that would promote peace and international understanding between people who speak different languages. He hoped that his new language would be an international language, that is, many people's second language. L. L. Zamenhof didn’t want to replace any national tongue. Thinking up a new language L. L. Zamenhof tried to make it simple, so that any person can learn it. Esperanto is based on Latin and modern European languages like French, English and Polish. However, Zamenhof’s language has none of the complicated grammar rules of many existing languages. As for the vocabulary of the language, L.L. Zamenhof chose word roots which a lot of people could recognize. In this way, anyone who speaks a European language already knows a large number of words in Esperanto. All words are spelled as pronounced. The language is easy to read and speak. Nowadays, Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world. Up to 2 million people worldwide speak Esperanto. It is particularly popular in Europe, East Asia, and South America. The World Esperanto Association has members in 120 countries. Most people learn Esperanto on their own. They use teach-yourself books or email courses. Most learners gain impressive skills in this language and can use it in real life. Through Esperanto they make contacts with people from around the world. They read books and magazines from other countries and listen to international radio broadcasts. There are over 25,000 original and translated books in Esperanto and over a hundred Esperanto magazines. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos and television and radio stations in Esperanto. You can find lots of online discussions in Esperanto about different topics on the Internet. People can use Esperanto versions of the social network Facebook and other websites. Several computer programmes have an Esperanto version. Learning a logical language can be a great way to exercise the brain and prepare for learning other languages. Several studies were carried out in Europe, United States, and Australia. In one study, a group of European secondary school students studied Esperanto for one year, then French for three years. The test showed that they had a better command of French than the students who studied only French for all four years. Similar results have been found in other studies. Mark the statements True/False/Not Stated. L.L.Zamenhof wanted people all over the world to use Esperanto instead of their own languages.
Esperanto Esperanto is an artificial language which was invented at the end of the 19th century. Esperanto Day is celebrated on 15th December. The date for the birthday of the language was not chosen by chance. It is the birthday of its creator – the Polish doctor and linguist L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof wanted to create a politically neutral language that would promote peace and international understanding between people who speak different languages. He hoped that his new language would be an international language, that is, many people's second language. L. L. Zamenhof didn’t want to replace any national tongue. Thinking up a new language L. L. Zamenhof tried to make it simple, so that any person can learn it. Esperanto is based on Latin and modern European languages like French, English and Polish. However, Zamenhof’s language has none of the complicated grammar rules of many existing languages. As for the vocabulary of the language, L.L. Zamenhof chose word roots which a lot of people could recognize. In this way, anyone who speaks a European language already knows a large number of words in Esperanto. All words are spelled as pronounced. The language is easy to read and speak. Nowadays, Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world. Up to 2 million people worldwide speak Esperanto. It is particularly popular in Europe, East Asia, and South America. The World Esperanto Association has members in 120 countries. Most people learn Esperanto on their own. They use teach-yourself books or email courses. Most learners gain impressive skills in this language and can use it in real life. Through Esperanto they make contacts with people from around the world. They read books and magazines from other countries and listen to international radio broadcasts. There are over 25,000 original and translated books in Esperanto and over a hundred Esperanto magazines. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos and television and radio stations in Esperanto. You can find lots of online discussions in Esperanto about different topics on the Internet. People can use Esperanto versions of the social network Facebook and other websites. Several computer programmes have an Esperanto version. Learning a logical language can be a great way to exercise the brain and prepare for learning other languages. Several studies were carried out in Europe, United States, and Australia. In one study, a group of European secondary school students studied Esperanto for one year, then French for three years. The test showed that they had a better command of French than the students who studied only French for all four years. Similar results have been found in other studies. Mark the statements True/False/Not Stated. It is impossible to learn Esperanto without a teacher.
Esperanto Esperanto is an artificial language which was invented at the end of the 19th century. Esperanto Day is celebrated on 15th December. The date for the birthday of the language was not chosen by chance. It is the birthday of its creator – the Polish doctor and linguist L. L. Zamenhof. L. L. Zamenhof wanted to create a politically neutral language that would promote peace and international understanding between people who speak different languages. He hoped that his new language would be an international language, that is, many people's second language. L. L. Zamenhof didn’t want to replace any national tongue. Thinking up a new language L. L. Zamenhof tried to make it simple, so that any person can learn it. Esperanto is based on Latin and modern European languages like French, English and Polish. However, Zamenhof’s language has none of the complicated grammar rules of many existing languages. As for the vocabulary of the language, L.L. Zamenhof chose word roots which a lot of people could recognize. In this way, anyone who speaks a European language already knows a large number of words in Esperanto. All words are spelled as pronounced. The language is easy to read and speak. Nowadays, Esperanto is the most widely spoken artificial language in the world. Up to 2 million people worldwide speak Esperanto. It is particularly popular in Europe, East Asia, and South America. The World Esperanto Association has members in 120 countries. Most people learn Esperanto on their own. They use teach-yourself books or email courses. Most learners gain impressive skills in this language and can use it in real life. Through Esperanto they make contacts with people from around the world. They read books and magazines from other countries and listen to international radio broadcasts. There are over 25,000 original and translated books in Esperanto and over a hundred Esperanto magazines. There are also many websites, blogs, podcasts, videos and television and radio stations in Esperanto. You can find lots of online discussions in Esperanto about different topics on the Internet. People can use Esperanto versions of the social network Facebook and other websites. Several computer programmes have an Esperanto version. Learning a logical language can be a great way to exercise the brain and prepare for learning other languages. Several studies were carried out in Europe, United States, and Australia. In one study, a group of European secondary school students studied Esperanto for one year, then French for three years. The test showed that they had a better command of French than the students who studied only French for all four years. Similar results have been found in other studies. Mark the statements True/False/Not Stated. People use Esperanto for different purposes.
Read the text and put + AND - in the correct place Charles Dickens can be considered to be the first celebrity author in the world. He had become popular by the age 25 and he was treated just like rock stars and movie stars are treated today. Everywhere he went, there were crowds 0f people cheering him, shaking hands, and asking for his autograph. His fans in the US even cut bits of fur from his coat for souvenirs. He was so famous that when he died at the age of 58 he was buried at Westminster Abbey. A great novelist, short story writer, journalist, he was also an editor - and a father of 10 children! Dickens’s life was much like that of his many characters, a rag-to-riches story. Born in Portsmouth on the 7th of February, 1812, he was the second of eight children. When he was 10 years old his family moved to London. But there were serious money problems and his father went to prison for debt. His family later joined him. It was common in those days for the family of a debtor to live with him in prison. Charles was taken out of school and sent to work in a blackening factory where he put labels on bottles of shoe polish. He worked long hours for very little money and lived away from his family, alone in London. Charles never forgot this. Even as a famous and successful adult, he carried a deep memory of the grief, humiliation and hopelessness he had felt. Later he went to school again, and left it at 15 to become a reporter. His genius for describing comical characters and his anger about social injustice were soon noticed. In 1836, he began The Pickwick Papers. The book was so popular that by the age of 25 Charles was the most popular novelist in both Britain and America. Charles Dickens’ novels were funny and exciting, but they had a very serious message. He described the hard life of poor people and attacked injustice, hypocrisy and other social ills of Victorian England. He often wrote about real people and real events. His stories were so powerful that Parliament sometimes passed laws to change things for the better. For example, after publishing Nicholas Nickleby, some of the cruel boarding schools in England were closed down. London was Dickens’ muse. Throughout his life, he both loved and hated the city. When he was a boy, it filled him with horror and wonder. As a man, he regularly walked ten to twenty miles across the city, working out his plots. The city always inspired him, and when he was away from it he often found it difficult to work. He called it his ‘magic lantern’, and never failed to spark his imagination. Dickens is read and remembered today for the unique characters he created. Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Uriah Heep, Ebenezer Scrooge, and many, many more live in our memories as real people. When Dickens created his characters, he often ran to the mirror and acted their movements and facial expressions. Probably that’s why they are so memorable. One his most famous characters is Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. Today, this name is part of the English language: we often call a mean person a ‘scrooge’. Dickens is as popular today as he was during his lifetime. To mark his birthday, there are celebrations all over the English-speaking world – performances, exhibitions, festivals and even parades!
Read the text and complete the sentences Lily and I had planned a movie marathon weekend. I was exhausted from work and she was stressed out from her classes, so we'd promised to spend the whole weekend parked on the couch and subsist solely on pizza and crisps. No healthy food. No diet Coke. And absolutely no strict, official clothes. Even though we talked all the time, we hadn't spent any real time together since I'd moved to the city. We'd been friends since the eighth grade, when I first saw Lily crying alone at a cafeteria table. She'd just moved in with her grandfather and started at our school in Avon, after it became clear that her parents weren't coming home any time soon. The day I found her crying alone in the cafeteria was the day her grandmother had forced her to chop off her dirty dreadlocks and wear a dress, and Lily was not very happy about it. Something about the way she talked, the way she said, «That's so nice of you,» and «Let's just forget about it», charmed me, and we immediately became friends. We'd been inseparable through the rest of high school, and lived in the same room for all years at Brown College. Lily hadn't yet decided whether she preferred girlish dresses or rough leather jackets, but we complemented each other well. And I missed her. Because with her first year as a graduate student and my exhausting work, we hadn't seen a whole lot of each other lately. Lily was studying for Ph.D. in Russian Literature at Columbia University and working odd jobs every free second she wasn’t studying. Her grandmother barely had enough money to support herself, and Lily had to pay for the studies on her own. However, she seemed to be fond of such a way of life. She loved Russian culture ever since her eighth-grade teacher told her that Lily looked how he had always pictured Lolita, with her round face and curly black hair. She went directly home and read Nabokov’s “Lolita”, and then read everything else Nabokov wrote. And Tolstoy. And Gogol. And Chekhov. By the time we finished school, she was applying to Brown College to work with a specific professor who had a degree in Russian Literature. On interviewing a seventeen-year-old Lily the professor declared her one of the most well-read and passionate students of Russian literature he’d ever met. She still loved it, still studied Russian grammar and could read anything in its original. I couldn’t wait for the weekend. My fourteen-hour workdays were registering in my feet, my upper arms, and my lower back. Glasses had replaced the contacts I’d worn for a decade because my eyes were too dry and tired to accept them anymore. I’d begun loosing weight already as I never had time to eat properly, although I was drinking an enormous amount of coffee. I’d already weathered a flue infection and had paled significantly, and it had been only four weeks. I was only twenty-three years old. And my boss hadn’t even been in the office yet. I knew I deserved a weekend. Saturday afternoon found us particularly motivated, and we managed to saunter round the city center for a few hours. We each bought some new clothes for the upcoming New Year’s party and had a mug of hot chocolate from a sidewalk café. By the time we made it back to her apartment, we were exhausted and happy and spent the rest of the night watching old movies and eating pizza. What did the girls hope to do that weekend?
We visited........interesting exhibition yesterday
........English people speak English
My brother is........curious child
I go to........cinema every week
They were playing........piano at 5 o'clock yesterday
People speak........Chinese in China
Choose the correct answers.
You are going to watch a video about two countries where English is an official language. Watch the video and write one word in each gap. Write down your answers separated by commas. South Africa The Tourist Office is at ___________Hill. People need English to get a ___________. English is the language of business, ____________ and the media. Wales The Welsh flag is ___________, white and green. At Glantaf school, all the teaching is in ____________ except for ______________ and French. Students usually speak _________________ together.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 12. Which of the following was NOT the reason why Polina didn’t want to move to 1) She was afraid of doing badly at school. 2) She didn't want to part with her friends. 3) She was reluctant to change her lifestyle. 4) She was afraid of Texan climate.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 13. In America, Polina's family lived 1) in an apartment in central Houston. 2) together with her aunt Katy’s family. 3) in a house in the outskirts of Houston. 4) on a cow farm in the desert.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 14. Polina felt bad sitting at home because 1) she was bored and couldn't think of anything to do. 2) it was really hot in the house they lived in. 3) she was suffering from allergies. 4) that was how air-conditioning made her feel.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 15. The cashier in the convenience store was 1) worried about Polina's health. 2) friendly and tried to make small talk with Polina. 3) wondering whether Polina had lost her cat. 4) trying to sell her an item she didn’t need.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 16. Polina couldn't find her house because 1) she'd left the map of her neighborhood at home. 2) she didn’t know her street address. 3) she ended up in the wrong neighborhood. 4) the cashier in the store gave her the wrong directions.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 17. Right before losing consciousness Polina thought about cows because 1) she was thirsty and was craving milk. 2) the cows were the last thing she’d seen before fainting. 3) the heat stroke she was suffering from made her hallucinate. 4) she thought that cows would have helped her find her home.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 18. According to the nurse, people in Texas don’t go on walks because they 1) think it can be dangerous for their health. 2) are too lazy to walk. 3) are afraid of the criminal activity in the neighbourhood. 4) are too busy making money.
Read the text and fill in the gaps with the names of people. Teacher: I know that you have just come back from different English-speaking countries. Tell me where you have been. What can you say about the places you have visited? Kate, would you like to begin? Kate: I have been to Canada. It is a large country in North America. It is the world’s second largest country. Only Russia is bigger. It is the country which is bilingual. For many people English and French are native languages. By the way Canada has one of the highest standards of living in the world. I have been to the capital of Canada. It’s Ottawa. Teacher: What about you, Mike? Mike: Oh, I was not far from Kate all the time. I was in North America too, but in a different country. It borders on Canada. I was there with my parents. We didn’t visit any big cities. We spent a week in California, on its sandy beaches. Teacher: And you, Sergey, where have you been? Sergey: I’ve been to England. I have visited Scotland too. We stayed in London for four days and I was able to see Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. It was really fantastic! Teacher: Good. Now, what can Stella tell us about her trip? Stella: I have been to the most faraway English-speaking country. It is a very unusual country which is a continent and an island at the same time. It is the country which is hot and dry too. In some parts of it, it doesn’t rain for years. The kangaroo, the animal that everybody knows, lives there. It is a very interesting country, popular with tourists. We wanted to go to New Zealand too but didn’t.
Read the text and mark the statements True, False or Not stated. An Exchange Student at 17 It almost feels like as if it was just yesterday when I was on my own on a plane not really knowing what to expect but excited for what the future had for me. Now I’m back home with a ton of memories, e-mails to answer, and a lot of stories to share. So I will write about my experience of being an exchange student in Appleton, Wisconsin for a whole school year. I’ve wanted to be an exchange student my whole high school life. I read about summer programs in a brochure from IFS. Having friends from another country would be the coolest thing in the world. I would be on my own, have my own Indiana Jones adventure. At the end of my senior year I was applying to IFS. I had meetings in the weekends about rules, how to survive, homesickness, etc. I was placed with the greatest host family in the whole world. They treated me like their own. I had a host mom, a host dad, a brother and sister. Ben would always be sweet and give me hugs and kisses. I loved every minute of it because I never had a younger brother before. Through e-mails we established that I was going to call them Mom and Dad. I felt super loved. They hugged me when I needed to be hugged, let me stay out late at night with my friends, and even let me have parties in the basement. I went to an American co-ed public high school, and that was a big adjustment coming from an all-girl private Catholic school. I have never met so many kinds of people in just one place. I was scared during the first day of school. I didn’t know anyone, I got lost since the school was huge. But pretty soon I started to get comfortable. It was funny how people always got surprised by how good I was at speaking in English. They were like, “Wow, you even speak better English than me”. I had the chance to take fun classes like Spanish, photography, and art, so I met people with similar interests as me and got to go to field trips. My favourite one was going to Chicago. I was giving a talk about the Philippines for the school’s Global Awareness Week. I made a lot of friends and met so many people. Friends took me out to movies, hockey games, restaurants, road trips, rock shows and concerts. I got to do my first American prank, which was writing on boys’ cars with lipstick. Everyone was warm, open. I never really got homesick because I had friends who made sure I was okay. They were all always there for me and helping me. I will forever remember all the fun times I had with them. Every month, I met with other exchange students in our area. I made friends with people from Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, England, Hungary, etc. It was fun when we were together because we saw how language, skin color or height didn’t matter. We were all the same. We talked about the differences at home, school, and out countries. I learned so many things about other cultures. Being away for 10 months and living alone in a completely different world has taught me a lot of things. I now can say that I am independent, appreciate my family and friends here more, open to new ideas, and more confident about myself. Having my own adventure has proven to me that anything is possible and that I can do anything.
Read the text and mark the sentences True, False or Not stated. Charles Dickens Charles Dickens can be considered to be the first celebrity author in the world. He had become popular by the age of 25 and he was treated just like rock stars and movie stars are treated today. Everywhere he went, there were crowds of people cheering him, shaking his hand, and asking for his autograph. His fans in the US even cut bits of fur from his coat for souvenirs. He was so famous that when he died at the age of 58 he was buried at Westminster Abbey. A great novelist, short story writer, journalist, he was also an editor - and a father of 10 children! Dickens’s life was much like that of his many characters, a rags-to-riches story. Born in Portsmouth on the 7th of February, 1812, he was the second of eight children. When he was 10 years old, his family moved to London. But there were serious money problems and his father went to prison for debt. His family later joined him. It was common in those days for the family of a debtor to live with him in prison. Charles was taken out of school and sent to work in a blacking factory where he put labels on bottles of shoe polish. He worked long hours for very little money and lived away from his family, alone in London. Charles never forgot this. Even as a famous and successful adult, he carried a deep memory of the grief, humiliation and hopelessness he had felt. Later, he went to school again, and left it at 15 to become a reporter. His genius for describing comical characters and his anger about social injustice were soon noticed. In 1836, he began The Pickwick Papers. The book was so popular that by the age of 25 Charles was the most popular novelist in both Britain and America. Charles Dickens’s novels were funny and exciting, but they had a very serious message. He described the hard life of poor people and attacked injustice, hypocrisy and other social ills of Victorian England. He often wrote about real people and real events. His stories were so powerful that Parliament sometimes passed laws to change things for the better. For example, after publishing Nicholas Nickleby, some of the cruel boarding schools in England were closed down. London was Dickens’s muse. Throughout his life, he both loved and hated the city. When he was a boy, it filled him with horror and wonder. As a man, he regularly walked ten to twenty miles across the city, working out his plots. The city always inspired him, and when he was away from it he often found it difficult to work. He called it his ‘magic lantern,’ and it never failed to spark his imagination. Dickens is read and remembered today for the unique characters he created. Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Uriah Heep, Ebenezer Scrooge, and many, many more live in our memories as real people. When Dickens created his characters, he often ran to the mirror and acted out their movements and facial expressions. Probably that’s why they are so memorable. One of his most famous characters is Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. Today, this name is part of the English language: we often call a mean person a ‘scrooge’. Dickens is as popular today as he was during his lifetime. To mark his birthday, there are celebrations all over the English-speaking world — performances, exhibitions, festivals and even parades!
Read this text about Shakespeare. Match the headings to the paragraphs.
Read the text about Shakespeare. Choose if the statements are true or false. William Shakespeare is one of the world's greatest writers. He wrote plays for the theatre. He wrote poetry too. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, in England. Later, he went to London, to be an actor. But he became famous for writing plays. His friends said he was the best writer of his time. Most people now say he was the best of all time. Shakespeare lived more than 400 years ago. Yet people still go to see his plays. They are performed all over the world. Students study Shakespeare in school and at university. People write books about Shakespeare. There are Shakespeare theatres and Shakespeare festivals. Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays. The plays were first printed as books in 1623. Shakespeare also wrote some long poems, and lots of short poems called sonnets. In his plays, people speak in poetry too. Shakespeare used more English words than any other writer. He also made up words and expressions. The English language has changed since Shakespeare's time. So, he is not always easy to read. But it's worth the effort.
Read the text and choose the correct answer. English is an international language spoken by an increasing number of people around the world. In many English-speaking countries, though, English isn’t the only language. In the UK, for example, people speak Welsh, Gaelic and a few other old languages. Because these languages aren’t international, people pay less attention to them. So, what does this mean for children who grow up speaking them as their mother tongue? I grew up in Wales. My family spoke English, but the Welsh language was everywhere. When you were driving around Wales, all the road signs were in English and Welsh. As a child, I hated reading everything twice! We had Welsh television programmes too. While everyone in England was watching fashionable American TV shows, we were learning about local farming in Welsh! At secondary school I was dreaming of going to live in Paris, when I realized that instead of Welsh lessons, I needed French lessons. No one spoke Welsh outside Wales. Now I feel differently. Welsh is a part of my identity and, besides, we have better Welsh TV now! In parts of Scotland, some children grow up in families where grandparents still speak Gaelic. Gaelic has even fewer speakers than Welsh, and few are confident that this part of their culture will survive. It’s difficult when English is everywhere else in the country, but teaching subjects in Gaelic in schools helps. However, often there aren’t enough Gaelic-speaking teachers. Unless families continue to speak the language at home too, these languages won’t survive. Between 1950 and 2010, 230 languages went extinct, nowadays, a third of the world’s languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers left. Every two weeks a language dies with its last speaker, 50 to 90 percent of them are predicted to disappear by the next century. Many old languages are disappearing in the UK. People on the Isle of Man spoke Manx for centuries until the last native speaker died in the twentieth century. The same thing happened to Cornish. There was a language spoken by smugglers who were bringing goods into the country illegally, or travellers and criminals. It allowed them to keep secrets from the police, but it too has disappeared. Languages, even if they are spoken by very few people, have a history and culture, and it’s a shame to see them go. When humanity loses a language, we also lose the potential for greater diversity in art, music, literature, and oral traditions. If we care about saving forests and animals, we should care about saving languages too.
Read this text about Shakespeare. Match the headings to the paragraphs.
Who was William Shakespeare? William Shakespeare is one of the world's greatest writers. He wrote plays for the theatre. He wrote poetry too. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, in England. Later he went to London, to be an actor. But he became famous for writing plays. His friends said he was the best writer of his time. Most people now say he was the best of all time. Why is Shakespeare so famous? Shakespeare lived more than 400 years ago. Yet people still go to see his plays. Shakespeare's plays are performed all over the world. Students study Shakespeare in school and at university. People write books about Shakespeare. There are Shakespeare theatres and Shakespeare festivals. Shakespeare's plays and poems Shakespeare wrote (or helped write) at least 38 plays. The plays were first printed as books in 1623. His friends wanted to stop other people selling bad copies of the plays, full of mistakes. Shakespeare wrote some long poems, and lots of short poems called sonnets. In his plays, people speak in poetry too. The language of Shakespeare Shakespeare used more English words than any other writer. He made up words and expressions too. When someone says quick as a flash or I haven't slept a wink, you are listening to Shakespeare. The English language has changed since Shakespeare's time. So, he is not always easy to read. But it's worth the effort.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 12. Which of the following was NOT the reason why Polina didn’t want to move to 1) She was afraid of doing badly at school. 2) She didn't want to part with her friends. 3) She was reluctant to change her lifestyle. 4) She was afraid of Texan climate.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 13. In America, Polina's family lived 1) in an apartment in central Houston. 2) together with her aunt Katy’s family. 3) in a house in the outskirts of Houston. 4) on a cow farm in the desert.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 14. Polina felt bad sitting at home because 1) she was bored and couldn't think of anything to do. 2) it was really hot in the house they lived in. 3) she was suffering from allergies. 4) that was how air-conditioning made her feel.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 15. The cashier in the convenience store was 1) worried about Polina's health. 2) friendly and tried to make small talk with Polina. 3) wondering whether Polina had lost her cat. 4) trying to sell her an item she didn’t need.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 16. Polina couldn't find her house because 1) she'd left the map of her neighborhood at home. 2) she didn’t know her street address. 3) she ended up in the wrong neighborhood. 4) the cashier in the store gave her the wrong directions.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 17. Right before losing consciousness Polina thought about cows because 1) she was thirsty and was craving milk. 2) the cows were the last thing she’d seen before fainting. 3) the heat stroke she was suffering from made her hallucinate. 4) she thought that cows would have helped her find her home.
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа. Lost in the Heat Polina didn't want to move to America. At the age of 12, she was very set in her ways and did not welcome change. She had a group of friends whom she had known since nursery school and enjoyed hanging out with. She also could hardly speak any English, so she doubted she would be able to make any new friends. Her father was selected to be a Russian representative for the International Space Station project to NASA. They were moving to Houston, Texas, for a year. First, she imagined Texas to be a desert with cowboys riding around on horses. When she found out that Houston was a big city, however, she imagined skyscrapers. The reality turned out completely different. Nobody actually lived in the city. It was surrounded by many suburbs, which were really just small towns. They lived in a suburb called Katy, in a neighborhood with houses that all looked the same as if stamped out by identical cookie-cutters. She had really been afraid of the heat. On the big wall map they had in Moscow she had seen that Houston was the same latitude as Africa. But now she barely noticed it because of the blasting freezing air-conditioning everywhere: in the car, in every store, and at home. Every time she stepped outside, however, she was assaulted by the overpowering heat. Her parents were off at work, so she found herself alone most of the time. She tried watching TV but couldn't understand anything. She thought about chatting with her friends back in Moscow, but then remembered that it was the middle of the night on account of the time difference. That was when she decided to go for a walk. She knew it would be scorchingly hot, but she felt suffocated sitting inside. So she lathered up with sunscreen, laced up her sneakers and went outside. The full force of the heat was like a blazing furnace. But after a while she got used to it. She walked along the street, thinking about how strange it was here. In Moscow, everyone lived in apartment buildings with courtyards. In the summer, there would be lots of people out strolling, enjoying themselves. Here she didn't see a single person. An occasional car passed by but that was it. She kept walking aimlessly until she stumbled upon a highway. To her left, there was a field with cows. Beyond this small oasis of country life, other housing communities were visible in the distance, mirroring the one she lived in. Further down the highway was a small convenience store. She was thirsty so she walked there to get a drink. When she opened the door, she felt frosty relief from the heat. The cashier looked up, smiled and said, "How’re you doing? It sure is a scorcher today, ain't it?" Polina had no idea what he was talking about, so she just stared at him. "What's wrong, little darling, cat got your tongue?" he asked, but she just paid and left. She didn't notice which direction she was going and ended up in a neighborhood she assumed was hers. Everything looked familiar. It was only when she couldn't find her house that she knew she was totally lost. She was sweating and feeling dizzy and when everything started going black, she remembered the cows. She should have looked for the field with cows to get back. That was her last thought... When she woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her mom and dad were there. “What happened?” she inquired. A nurse didn't understand the language, but guessed her question. "You're lucky to be alive little lady, you had a heat stroke. Guess you know now why people don't go on walks in the Texas heat!" 18. According to the nurse, people in Texas don’t go on walks because they 1) think it can be dangerous for their health. 2) are too lazy to walk. 3) are afraid of the criminal activity in the neighbourhood. 4) are too busy making money.
Read the text. Put each sentence into the correct group. 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 favourite 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 programmes 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.
Read the text and decide if the statements are True, False or Not Stated. Why I decided to spend a year studying abroad Well, generally I thought it would be an adventure and a great learning opportunity to live in a totally different culture. I chose Mexico because I have been learning Spanish now for three years and I wanted to improve my language skills. The best part of my experience It’s very difficult to choose just a few, but one of the best things has definitely been the experience of living with a host family. Mexicans are very warm, outgoing people and my hosts have been treating me like part of their family. During my first week, they invited their whole family for dinner to meet me, and it was fun but quite overwhelming trying to answer all their questions in Spanish. I’ve also been learning to slow down and relax and take an afternoon siesta after a big lunch, like the rest of the family! It’s been fantastic living in one of Mexico’s oldest cities, too, with its beautiful 16th century architecture. It’s a great feeling when you start to feel like you belong in a foreign place. Little things like knowing the answer when strangers ask you directions or getting around without getting lost are so rewarding. Challenging parts of staying abroad Well, I’ve been struggling a bit to get used to the hot weather, but now I wear a hat. It was also difficult to get used to the spicy food, but now I’m really enjoying it. I still have difficulty understanding social etiquette. Last week, for example, a new Mexican friend invited me for dinner and I turned up exactly on time. My host seemed a bit surprised. I found out later that Mexicans usually turn up for an appointment at least half an hour later. Without a doubt, this has been the best experience of my life so far. I’ve become more self-confident, patient and outgoing, and my Spanish has improved even more than I expected. Steven Marshall
