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Тренировочные задания.

Олимпиада №1 ( сентябрь )                    

Время выполнения заданий – 90 минут

Максимально возможный результат за все задания олимпиады –118 баллов

READING

Task 1

 Read the text. For questions 1-8, choose the answer А, В, С or D which you think fits best according to the text.

                                                  INCIDENT OUTSIDE THE CAFÉ ROYAL

Colonel Mathurin was one of the greatest experts in crime: he had committed, amongst countless other horrific crimes, a daring bank robbery in  Detroit, which had involved the violent death of the bank manager. It was generally believed by the police that Rossiter, who was behind several bank frauds in Melbourne,  was none other than the notorious Mathurin. For some years, the mysterious criminal had successfully avoided capture. As a matter of fact, few people could have identified him  if they had met him face to face. One of the very few who would have known him was the Detroit bank manager whom he had shot with his own hand and murdered before the very eyes of his fiancée, so the story of how he was eventually arrested and convicted is a strange one.

It was about half past one, on a bright and pleasant day, that a young woman was driving slowly down Regent Street in a taxi. Just outside the Cafe Royal, she noticed several men standing on the steps and immediately recognized one of  them. 'Stop here,' she said to the taxi driver, 'I've changed my mind.' The taxi driver drew up to the kerb. There was a hint of an American accent in her voice as she paid the  fare and thanked the driver, giving him an excellent tip. The woman followed the men into the restaurant and sat down at a nearby table. 'Excuse me, Madam,' said the waiter, 'This table is set for four. Would you mind ... ?'

'I guess I'll stay where I am,' said the woman, pressing a large banknote into the waiter's hand.

After ordering a cold drink, the woman asked the waiter for a sheet of writing paper and her bill. When they arrived, the woman wrote a few lines carefully on it, folded the paper and put it in her purse, which she then put in her pocket. A few minutes later, one of the men she had followed into the restaurant  paid his bill and started walking towards the exit. She hurriedly followed him. The man halted for a moment on the steps outside the café. Suddenly, the woman, who was now standing close behind him, slipped her hand into his jacket pocket, pulled out his wallet and put it in her own handbag. The man quickly swung round and felt in his  pocket. The doorman, who had witnessed the whole incident, ran after the woman and stopped her. He invited her to come back and explain to the man what had happened. A policeman appeared on the scene and she was asked, together with the man she had robbed, to accompany him to the nearest police station.

The woman firmly denied that she had been guilty of committing any crime and was led off to a room for an interview with a female police officer. The moment the door was closed, the woman took the man's wallet out of her pocket and laid it on the table. 'Now,' she said. 'Take my purse out of my handbag and read the note inside it.' The police officer looked rather puzzled but did as she was told. On the sheet of paper which the waiter had given her, the woman had written these words, which the officer read out.  I am going to steal this man's wallet as this is the best way of getting him to a police station without violence. He is Colonel Mathurin, alias Rossiter, and he is wanted in Detroit, Melbourne and London. Be careful as you arrest him - he is armed and dangerous. I am a member of the New York Police Department - Nora Van Snoop. 'Show that to your boss. Straight away!' said Miss Van Snoop. The officer disappeared and returned almost immediately with the inspector. 'But how do you know? Can you be so sure?' asked the inspector.

'Good heavens!' cried Miss Van Snoop. 'Didn't I see him shoot Will Stevens with my own eyes? And didn't I join the police just to hunt him down?' The inspector left. An angry shout was heard outside. Five minutes later he returned.

'I think you're right,' he said. 'We've found enough significant evidence on him to identify him. But why didn't you hand him over to the police in the restaurant?'

 'I wanted to arrest him myself,' said Miss Van Snoop, 'and I have.' With that, she sank into a chair and started sobbing, 'Oh, Will.'

Half an hour later she telephoned the head of the New York Police Department and handed in her resignation. She had, after all, accomplished what she had set out to do.

1. What did the police suspect had happened to Colonel Mathurin?

1. He had probably died a violent death.
2.  He had changed his name to avoid detection.
3.  He had joined forces with a man called Rossiter.

D)  He had committed a murder in Melbourne.

2.  Why had Mathurin been able to avoid capture for so long?

A)  Not many people knew what he looked like.

В)  No one knew where he was living.

С)  He had gone to live in another country.

 D) He was too violent for the police.

3. Why did the woman not stay in the taxi?

A)  She decided to go for lunch at the Café Royal.

В) She did not have enough money to pay the driver.

С) She saw something that attracted her attention.

D) She decided to walk as it was a beautiful day.

4. What did the woman do after she had written the note?

A) She sat down at her table.

В) She ordered a cold drink.

С) She left the restaurant.

   D) She asked for her bill.

5. What happened after the woman stole something from the man's pocket?

A) The man caught hold of her.

В) The doorman prevented her escaping.

С) The man called the police.

D) The woman ran back inside the building.

6. The female police officer was surprised by the fact that the woman

A)  had asked her to do something.

В)  had given herself up so easily.

С)  had stolen the man's wallet.

D)  had admitted taking the wallet.

7. The note the woman gave the police officer explained

A)  who the man had met at the Café Royal.

 В)  why the man was at the Café Royal.

С) why the man's wallet had been stolen.

D)  who had murdered the bank manager.

8. What point is the writer trying to make about dangerous criminals?

         A) They are always caught in the end.

В) They can only be caught by a clever trick.

С) They are often caught by pure chance.

D) They are not always difficult to catch.                             (8 points)

Task 2

Уои are going to read a magazine article about intelligence. Eight sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A-I the one which fits each gap (9-15). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).

What makes someone intelligent?

1.  This may seem remote from everyday concerns, but does illustrate what the human brain is capable of.
2. One example is the idea of 'multiple intelligences', which was developed in the 1980s by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner.
3. The tests were meant to select bright but socially-disadvantaged children, to ensure that they got a good education.
4.  Until now, that is, for the discovery of a gene linked to intelligence has made the experts think again.
5.  He lists Alexander the Great, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein as examples.
6.  Professor Michael Rowe, who has written a book called Genius Explained, is one of these.
7.  However, there is a lot more research to be done, and  Plomin himself is cautious at this early stage.
8.  On the other hand, if differences in their IQs were found, this would point to background or environmental factors.
9. In short, what you have in your head has never been more important.       ( 7 points)       

Use of English

TASK 1

 Use one of the words in its correct form to complete the sentences below. Some words may be used more than once

A         say        talk        speak                tell

1. You do ………….. nonsense sometimes.
2. I can’t ………….. the difference between them.
3. My sister ………….. French fluently.
4. I’m going to………….. sorry because I haven’t done anything wrong.
5. Did Fabella ………….. you what time she was coming back from the party?

B         put up with sth        put sb off                put sb up        put sb out

6. I'm staying at a hotel rather than with Marissa. I don't want to ………….. her ………….. .         

7. We ………….. the barbecue because of the bad weather.

      8. His wife complains the whole time. I don't know how he ………….. her.

      9. Give Jim a ring - I'm sure he'd ………….. you ………….. at his flat for a few nights.

     10. Jerry is ill so we’ll  ………….. the party till next month.

C         warn                advise                persuade        suggest

11. There's a sign over there………….. people not to go into the long grass because of the snakes.

12. As it was a lovely day, I………….. going out for a picnic.

       13. Laura couldn't understand the contract, so I ………….. her to discuss it with a lawyer.

       14. At first he wanted to stay at home, but in the end I managed to………….. him to come with us.

       15. Shall we go to that restaurant that Sue…………..?

D        admit                deny                confess        refuse

       16. The thief…………..stealing the money and showed the police where it was hidden.

 17.  In the interview, the singer…………..to being rather unhappy about his latest album.

       18.  The police accused the man of driving dangerously, but he         …………..the charge.

       19. I turned to an old friend for help, but he …………..to do anything for me.

       20. She…………..telling lies, saying that she was never dishonest.              (40 points)

TASK 2

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in capitals, adding a prefix to make them negative.

      21. I'm coming, I'm coming. For heaven's  sake stop being so  …………..                PATIENCE

      22. It's very …………..that you failed the exam, but you can always try again.         FORTUNE

      23. I was fined £20 for parking the car  …………..                                        LEGAL

      24. The company lost money because they’re so  …………..                                        EFFICIENCY                 

      25. Leaving the children alone was very  ………….. of you                                    RESPONSIBILITY

      26. I complained because I was………….. with the service I had received.                SATISFY

      27. Because of a ………….., we didn't meet as we had planned.                            UNDERSTAND                 

                                                                                                                                             (7 points)

    TASK 3

     For questions 28-42, read the text below and look carefully at each line. Tick () the lines which are correct and underline the unnecessary words. There are two examples at the beginning (0) and (00).

                             JUST LIKE THE REAL THING

0……….. It may look earthbound, but the simulator has sky-high virtual

00…………..         reality at the flick of a button. You find by yourself seated inside

      28…………..  an exact copy of a plane cockpit. All the controls and switches can

29………….. be operated just so as they would be if you were flying a real plane.

30………….. You can feel it every movement of the aircraft. If the simulator

31………….. is asked to create dangerous weather conditions, everything shakes

32………….. dramatically and you are more glad you were shown how to fasten

33…………..  the safety harness before taking off. If too rain is required, your

34………….. windscreen is soon too far wet to see out of. You hear life-like

35………….. sounds inside and outside the simulator and you accept without

36………….. question the fact that computers will create instant day or night for

37………….. you. Even real-life pilots regularly use to these simulators for

38…………..  retraining. Every emergency such exercise can be practised in

            39………….. complete safety but the fear on the pilots' their faces is real enough!

40………….. The experience is not very intended to be a sort of computerized

41………….. show. It is there to provide some training for those with who have

42………….. already flown up a light aeroplane and are thinking about becoming pilots with larger commercial airlines                                                                                  (15 points)

 TASK 4

For questions 43-57, read the text below and decide which word or phrase А, В, С or D best fits each space.

Example: (0) D

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?

Many of the UFO stories that we read about in the papers are based on the reports of people who

have been on their own when they (0) ……D…….the event occurred, (43) ………….we only have their

word that what they saw really happened. (44) ………….,  when mystery lights (45) ………….in

the distance over the sea in Lincolnshire, the police, the Air Force, coastguards and a tanker out at sea

(46) ………….to witness what occurred. It was 3.14 in the morning when police reported

(47) ………….an unrecognizable red and green rotating light in the sky. It made no sound. At 3.31 am, the

RAF confirmed that there were in fact two unidentified objects. At 7.08 am, it became (48) ………….

that a civil aircraft had also seen these strange lights. Several fascinating facts were revealed                   (49) …………. this investigation. (50) …………. man-made flying objects carry 'transponders' which     (51) ………….them to  be identified but these mystery objects had (52) ………….The crew of the         (53)        …..….tanker, who had the best view of the objects, (54) ………….watching the lights for 4 to 5 hours and rejected the idea that they could have been (55) ………….by weather conditions. There was no storm in the area which would have (56) ………….them from seeing clearly. So were they really UFOs? You'll have to (57) …………. your own mind!

                                                                                                                                                   (15 points)

      TASK 5

CROSSWORD

CHECK YOUR IDIOMS

                                                               (26 points)                                 

TRANSFER YOUR ANSWERS TO THE ANSWER SHEET

ЭТАПЫ ПРОВЕДЕНИЯ ОЛИМПИАДЫ

Этап 1. Listening Comprehension

Число заданий    -   20,   максимальный балл -   20.

Этап 2.  Reading Comprehension

Предъявлено 20 заданий.

Максимальный балл – 20.

Этап 3. Use of English

Максимальный балл – 20  с учётом коэффициента = 0,5 (40 позиций * 0,5).

Этап 4. Writing

Максимальный балл – 20.   (Критерии оценки прилагаются).

Этап 5. Oral  Interaction.

Монолог и диалог по заданной ситуации.

Максимальный балл – 20.  (Критерии оценки  прилагаются)

Максимальный балл --  100.

Олимпиада №2

Part I.  Listening

Task 1   

You will hear  a talk about languages in Luxemburg. Decide which of the statements (1 - 10) are true  (A), false  (B) and which  information is not stated (C). You will hear the recording one time.

1.    Currently, Luxemburg has three official languages.

2.   In the country of the 14th century Luxembourgish functioned as one of the Germanic dialects.

3.    French used to be the language of  politics  as long as a century.

4.  People of upper classes preferred to speak French because they had well-established relationships with   France.

5.  Throughout history, in their everyday life common citizens chose to speak Luxembourgish.

6.    French and German were the languages of instruction at schools up to the 19th century.

7.    Luxembourgish legally became the official language in late 19th century.

8.    Nowadays Luxembourgers can only communicate with their  authorities in one language.

9.    By law, children leaving school are obliged to know 3 languages.

10.   Young citizens in Luxemburg have good starting  opportunities  for a career in languages.

Task 2 

You will hear someone  talking on the radio about food and restaurants in the local area. For items 11-14, choose options A , B  or  C . You will hear the recording twice.

11.  The market is now situated

A     under a car park.

B     beside the cathedral.

C     near the river.

12.  On only one day a week the market sells

A     antique furniture.

B     local produce.

C     hand-made items.

13. The area is well known for

A      ice-cream.

B      a cake.

C      a fish dish.

14. What change has taken place in the harbour area?

A     Fish can now be bought from the fishermen.

B     The restaurants have moved to a different part.

C     There are fewer restaurants than there used to be.

 Task 3   

Now listen to the continuation of the same talk. Choose SIX  answers from the box and write the correct letter (A-H)  next to questions  15-20.  There are  TWO  extra options.

TRANSFER ALL YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR ANSWER SHEET

Part II.  Reading

         Time:  45  min.

Task  1

Read the quotes made by representatives of various animal welfare organizations (A-D)  and choose the statements most suitable for each of them from the list below (1-8).

REPRESENTATIVE    A:

We take in injured, harmed, unwanted, run over shot, mentally damaged animals of all kinds. If a bird's lost a wing, we don't count it as a reason why it should die. The only difference between this sanctuary and others is, if you bring us a heap of bones which is bird, by the time you've got back into your car, we have decided how we're going to make it into a bird again, and we won't have wrung its neck before you get home.

REPRESENTATIVE    B:

If somebody finds, say, a rabbit that's been run over and has a broken leg, the last thing one should do is take it to a vet and waste money on trying to pin it together and then put it in a cage. The kindest thing to do is knock it on the head. Now that would horrify the average town dweller, but what we're trying to do is  preserve genuine rural habitats. I'm afraid the trouble is, and it  may seem unkind to say it in this  way, but certain people are merely over-sentimental about animals, and  it really tells you more about the people concerned than it does about the well-being of wildlife.

REPRESENTATIVE   C:

As far as we're concerned the important thing is quality of life. If we feel an animal can be repaired relatively quickly, and returned to the wild, then we'll help it What we hate is keeping animals in captivity, and if we think that's going to be the case, we'd rather put it to sleep. If an animal hasn't got its freedom, its whole reason for being has completely gone and it's unlikely to be happy or lead a proper life. People are very good at projecting their emotions onto animals and looking at them and deciding whether they're happy or not. An animal may look happy if you throw some food in to its cage, but if that animal's natural instinct is to hunt for It, this will not feel right for the animal. Living in captivity is really stressful for animals. It has to be.

REPRESENTATIVE   D:

It was only during the oil spill off the coast that we really began to get involved in animal rescue. And we were using about 160  litres  of water per bird to get them cleaned up so that they could be released again. We actually did some very rough sums and came up with a figure of about £35 per bird to wash it, and, of course, this whole operation was quite outside our normal sphere of activity. But, as a wildlife organization we couldn't just sit there and watch the birds suffer what would be a lingering death. So we hope that people will help us to pay for clearing up that mess, by lending financial support to our regular study programmes, which suffered as a result.

Task  2

For questions  9-14,  read the text  Adam’s wine  and complete it with the missing parts of  the  sentences  from the box below (A-H).  There are two  extra options.

ADAM’S  WINE

          Water is the giver and, at the same time, the taker of  life. It covers most of the surface of the planet we live on and features large in the development of the human race.                     9 ……………..  , it is an element that is set to assume even greater significance.

          Throughout history, water has had a huge impact on our lives. Humankind has always had a rather ambiguous relationship with water, on the one hand, receiving enormous benefit from it, not just as a drinking source, but as a provider of food and a means whereby to travel and to trade. But forced to live close to water in order to survive and develop, the relationship has not always been peaceful or beneficial. In fact, it has been quite the contrary. What has essentially been a necessity for survival 10  ……………….. .

          Through the ages, great floods alternated with long periods of drought have assaulted people and their environment. The dramatic changes to the world                       11  ……………….. are not exactly new: fields that were once rich are now infertile; lakes and rivers that were once teeming with life are now long gone; savannah has been turned to desert. What perhaps is new is our naïve wonder when faced with the forces of nature.

          Today, we are more aware of climatic changes around the world. Floods are instant news across the planet. Perhaps those events make us feel better as we face the destruction of our own property by various natural disasters.

          In 2002, many parts of Europe suffered severe flood damage running into billions of euros. Properties across the continent  collapsed into the sea as waves pounded the coastline ruining everything on their way. But it was not just the seas. Rivers                     12  ………………….. carried large volumes of water that wrecked many communities.

          Building stronger and more sophisticated river defences is the expensive short-term answer. There are simpler ways.  13 .………………………..  , in places like the Himalayas, is a cheaper and more attractive solution. Progress is already being made in convincing countries that the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is causing considerable damage to ecology.

          And the future? If we are to believe the forecasts, it is predicted that two-thirds of the world population will lack fresh water by 2025. But for a growing number of areas this future is already there: scarcity of  water supply is causing conflict putting a region against a region as they fight for water sources.  14 ……………………….  , there is talk of water being the new oil. On the contrary, coastal regions and some low-lying islands will in all probability be covered by the sea as the polar ice melt. Popular exotic destinations may become no-go areas for tourists. The impact on the environment is alarming and the cost to life depressing. People must feel more responsibility for this.

Task  3

For questions  15-20,  choose the best ending  (A, B or C) to the  statements about the text Adam’s wine..

15.  The writer believes that water

          A.     is gradually becoming of greater importance.

          B.     is something we will need more than anything else.

          C.     will have even a more serious impact on our lives in the future.    

16.  The writer suggests that

          A.     we are scared by the news we see on TV every day.

          B.     dramatic change to the environment leaves us speechless.

          C.     our surprise at the environmental change is something new.  

 17.  According to the text, planting trees

          A.     is a less expensive answer to flooding than building river defences.

          B.     is more sophisticated than building river defences.

          C.     has to be co-ordinated internationally.      

 18.  By 2025, it is projected that

          A.     the majority of the world population will have fresh water.

          B.     one-third of the world population will have fresh water.

          C.     at least half the world population will fight for water sources.

 19.  According to the text, in many regions

          A.     water is poisoned by oil.

          B.     water is becoming more and more precious.

          C.     people prefer to consume less water.  

20.  It is considered that  the attitude of people towards environment

          A.     should be more conscientious.

          B.     is  highly favourable.

          C.     is depressing.

TRANSFER ALL YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR ANSWER SHEET

Part III.  Use of English

                                                            Time:  50  min.

Task 1

For questions  1 - 15,  complete  the  text  with  ONE  appropriate  word  in each space.

PASSIVE  SMOKING

             Even  (1)… you have never touched a cigarette in your life you still run the risk of getting smoking-related diseases if you live, work or travel with smokers. When people share the (2) … room, the non-smokers  cannot avoid breathing in some  (3)… the smokers’ tobacco.

        People’s awareness of the dangers of smoking  (4)… increased a lot in recent years. More people  (5)… giving up than ever before. Smoking has (6)… banned from most forms of public transport, and nearly all public buildings have (7)… ‘smoke-free zones’. However, in the workplace many people are still exposed  (8)… the danger and discomfort of passive smoking.

       (9)…  are many benefits to an employer  taking action to create a smoke-free environment. For a (10)… , the company has a better, cleaner image. Secondly, the workforce are healthier and happier, less likely to take time  (11)… due to illness, and more likely to stay with the company. Thirdly, cleaning costs are greatly reduced for  (12)… the employer and the employee,  (13)… of them have to go home in clothes that stink of smoke.

      When a non-smoking policy is first introduced, there is usually some protest  (14)… the smokers. But eventually even they come to appreciate the benefits of working in a smoke-free environment, and many are encouraged to (15)… up smoking altogether.  

Task 2

For questions 16-27, fill in the gaps with the name of the appropriate part of the body.

Task 3

For questions 28-34, find the missing words of Mrs Black’s (B) conversation with a receptionist  (B).

Then unscramble  the hidden word ( * ).

Hidden word:  _  _  _  _  _  _  _ _  _

Task 3

For questions 35-40, form new sentences with a meaning similar to the original ones. Do not change the words

given in italics.  

35.  I’d prefer you not to wear jeans to the office.

rather

I’d …………………………………………………… wear jeans to the office.

36.  Mother asked Emily and Denise about the missing ring.

both

Mother  asked  ………………………………….. about the missing ring.

37.  Helen and Peter were not happy with my idea of spending the summer at the farm.

nor

Neither Helen  …………………………….…… my idea of spending the summer at the farm.

38. I regret selling my car.

Wish

I  ………………………………………………..  my car.

39.  Despite his bad headache, Frank still completed the exam successfully.

had

Although ……………………………….…………….. he still completed the exam successfully.

40.  The film was so funny that I burst out laughing.

a

It was ………………………………………… ……..that I burst out laughing.

TRANSFER  ALL  YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR ANSWER SHEET

                                                   Part IV.            Writing

Time:  45 min.

THE   ENGLISH  LANGUAGE  AND  CULTURE  FESTIVAL

Task 1.  Programme

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Task 2.  Write a letter to your friend from another school who can participate in the Festival events. Explain the details of your programme and invite him/her to contribute with one of his/her talents (singing, dancing, acting, reciting, etc.). Specify the event you would like him/her to take part in.  Use 100-120 words.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                   Part V.            Speaking

PARTICIPANT  1

Task 1. 

Task 2. 

                                                   Part V.            Speaking

PARTICIPANT  2

Task 1. 

Task 2. 

PARTICIPANT’S  ID  NUMBER

ANSWER SHEET

Listening comprehension

ANSWER SHEET

Reading  comprehension

ANSWER SHEET

Use of English

ОЛИМПИАДА №3

2013 год

Всероссийская олимпиада школьников по английскому языку

Муниципальный этап

Listening

(5 min.)

Task 1.

Part 1. Listen to each noise sentence and the accompanying noise. Repeat each sentence as you hear it. Try to guess the meaning of the following words from the listening context.

Part 2. Now, look at the following sentences (1 - 10). In each one there’s a missing “noise word/s”. Listen to the sound on the CD, then write in the correct word that describes the sound. Choose from the words above. Transfer your answers to your answer sheet.

1. He was ___________ his tea.
2. Our manager was ____________ on and on during the meeting.
3. He introduced himself then _____________ loudly.
4. The cat was happy because it was __________.
5. The little child was ___________ his fingers.
6. He was _____________ heavily because he had walked up the stairs.
7. It was the first day of spring and the birds were _________.
8. He was ___________ because he was angry about the price.
9. There was the sound of a shot gun _________.
10. The stone went _________ when it hit the water.

Integrated Listening & Reading

Task 2.

Part 1.

Read the text. Find the synonyms to the following words and expressions in the text. (11 - 18)

(10 min.)

1. hasten (v.)
2. belongings, goods & chattels (n.)
3. offcast (adj.)
4. worried (adj.)
5. grasp (v.)
6. amazing (adj.)
7. doubt / apprehension (n.)
8. lawyer, attorney at law (n.)

'Heathrow is my home': Meet one of the 100 homeless people who live at the airport^[1]

With pink lipstick and freshly brushed hair, an attractive woman queues to buy a cup of coffee at a restaurant overlooking the departure hall of Britain's biggest and busiest airport.

It is just before 7am, and the passengers ahead of her at Costa will soon be rushing to catch their flights all over the world. Yet Eram Dar has no passport and no ticket. What's more, she isn't in a hurry to go anywhere. Eram's home is Heathrow's Terminal One. Over the past year and a half, she has lived at the airport with all her possessions in a blue canvas bag.

Today, she plans to do a bit of window shopping at the airport's stores and, perhaps, buy a bowl of pasta for lunch. She often finds a discarded newspaper and reads it to while away the day.

As night falls, she will sleep on the floor between an American Express currency exchange booth and a Wall's ice-cream vending machine on a corridor that leads to Terminal One from the underground.

She says simply and in a middle-class English accent: 'Living at Heathrow is like being in a good hotel. It is warm, very clean and you don't get bothered. I think I'm very lucky to be here. I sleep in the same spot every night, if another person hasn't grabbed it first. Sometimes the airport passengers peer down at me as they walk by. The night cleaners mop and brush around me. I just close my eyes and put my scarf over my head to block them all out.'

Eram is one of an astonishing number of people who, it was revealed this week, live at Heathrow. Over the past three months, it has been discovered that 111 people are sleeping permanently at Heathrow, and the numbers are growing  -  20 homeless are believed to be living at Gatwick and more are expected.

Airports are seen as warm, comfortable havens and safer than sleeping rough. Yet charity workers say the homeless have to play a 24-hour-a-day cat-and-mouse game to avoid detection by police and airport security and being thrown out onto the streets.

Some of the homeless deliberately put on floral shirts, as though they are about to fly to a holiday in the sun, to help escape suspicion. Most also have a suitcase on wheels, which makes them fit in with the crowds. Some even pose as businessmen in suits, hiding behind newspapers if the security staff come their way, or lie on benches covered with a coat as if they are waiting for a delayed flight.

So what of Eram? At last Eram sits up. It is 6.30am and a passenger has just bought an ice-cream from the machine beside her head. There is a jangle of coins, and then a thud as the carton drops down. It is enough to wake the dead. 'I couldn't help hearing that,' she tells me. Soon, she is relating the story of how she became one of Heathrow's homeless.

Eram was born into a middle-class home in Enfield, a suburb of North London. Her father was an entrepreneurial businessman with an insurance broking business. Her mother was proud to be a housewife. She had four half-sisters and a one half-brother.

Eram went to a good school, St Andrew's secondary in Enfield. She passed five O-levels and studied law, intending to become a solicitor. In the end, she did not finish her training and became a legal secretary. With a good income, she moved out of home and rented her own flat.

But, then she became ill. 'I've had skin problems, psoriasis, since I was 16,' she explains. 'It flared up 20 years later and I couldn't go to work very easily. It was all over my arms and my hands.' She pulls up her sleeves to show me. 'I had problems paying the rent, and then I was evicted by the private landlord. I ran back to my flat from the court and packed my bag. I only took what I could carry.' By now, Eram's father had died, her mother had Alzheimer's disease and she was put in sheltered council housing. The family house had been sold. Meanwhile, her four half-sisters didn't want to help, and her elder half-brother had emigrated to Canada. It took her some years to hear about Heathrow.

'I liked it here immediately. I have never felt lonely because there are so many people. I don't mix much with the other homeless, although they are of all ages and from every walk of life. I am not the only middle-class one here. 'We all recognise each other, but I just like to keep myself to myself. The airport feels quite secure. In fact, you could say that it's cheap and cheerful.'

Eram goes to the local library in Hounslow to borrow books. Somehow, she has acquired a Freedom Pass (normally available to the over-60s but also given to the homeless in London) which means she can travel anywhere in the city by bus. Once a week, she travels to the Samaritans headquarters in central London to collect a Giro cheque of £60 in benefits.

Sometimes, there is a police sweep to rid the airport of the homeless. Eram has been marched out and driven away before. 'The officers left me on the Bath Road, just nearby, and I came back again,' she says with a hint of laughter.

'The builders who work overnight at the airport are very kind and don't report the homeless to the authorities. The cleaners turn a blind eye, too.

'I try to make plans for the future, but that's difficult when you have next to nothing and live at an international airport. Yet most of the time I am happy.' Is she just putting on a brave face? Eram is 42, although she looks ten years younger. She has no family, no boyfriend, almost nothing apart from the contents of the blue bag. It doesn't seem much of a life.

'I don't really see a different future,' she admits, slowly and in a quiet voice. 'I try to count my blessings. I don't take drugs, I don't drink, I don't have any mental problems. I am not down and out, yet. In fact, I could be living at Heathrow forever.'

Read the text again and explain the meaning of the following expressions: “turn a blind eye”, (19), “just putting on a brave face”(20) (5 min)

Read the text ‘Heathrow is my home’ again. For questions 21 – 25 choose the correct answer (A, B, C, or D) (5 min)

21. What problem does the writer focus on in the text?

1. what Heathrow airport is like at night
2. what Eram Dar does at night
3. what the homeless at Heathrow are like
4. how to spot homeless people at Heathrow

22. Heathrow’s homeless have to pay attention to

1. their belongings.
2. their behaviour.
3. their speech.
4. their appearance.

23. What does the writer find surprising about Eram?

1. how she spends her days
2. her attitude towards her situation
3. her background
4. how she became homeless

24. The phrase ‘cat-and-mouse game’ refers to

1. the fact the authorities pretend not to see Eram
2. the difficulties Eram faces every day to survive
3. the fact that Eram is breaking the law
4. Eram’s struggle to avoid being caught by authorities

25. What is Eram’s attitude towards her future?

1. She is hopeful that her life will get better.
2. She expects her situation to get worse.
3. She doesn’t know how to help herself.
4. She doesn’t see her situation changing.

Part 2. (20 min) Now listen to a part of the story^[2] on the same topic and then do the tasks, comparing the text above and the listening. You will notice that some ideas coincide and some differ in the reading “Heathrow is my home’: Meet one of the 100 homeless people who live at the airport” and in the listening on the same topic. Answer questions 26 – 30 by choosing A if the idea is expressed in both materials, B if it can be found only in the audio-recording, C if it can be found only in the reading text, and D if neither of the materials expresses the idea. You will hear the story twice. Transfer your answers to answer sheet.

26. The usual sleeping point for Eram is between an American Express currency exchange booth and a Wall’s ice-cream vending. _______

27. The food and drinks in the airport are rather expensive for Eram. _______

28. Health problems were the starting point of her troubles. ______

29. Eram isn’t as desperate as some other homeless people. ______

30. Eram’s parents refused to help her in troubles. _______

TRANSFER ALL YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR ANSWER SHEET

Script.

Heathrow is my home^[3]

As dusk approaches at Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport quietens down for the night. Night cleaners begin their shifts and passengers waiting for delayed flights curl up on benches in the departure hall. One woman, Eram Dar, has found a cosy spot on the floor next to a vending machine. There is nothing to distinguish her from the waiting passengers leave the terminal. For well over a year now, it has been her home and she isn’t the only one. Eram is one of well over 100 people who live permanently at Heathrow airport.

Most people would have difficulty in telling these permanent residents of Heathrow apart from the thousands of travelers that pass through the terminals each day. Wheeling suitcases full of their only belongings, they dress in Hawaiian-style holiday shirts or even business suits in order to give the impression that they are on a business trip or flying to a sunny destination.

         Eram, a middle-aged ex-law student who became homeless after she could no longer pay her rent, actually considers herself fortunate to live in Heathrow. She says, “I like it here immediately. I have never felt lonely because there are so many people. I don’t mix much with the other homeless, although there are of all ages and from every walk of life. We all recognize each other, but I just like to keep to myself.” There are showers in every terminal where Eram can stay clean and representable. She can sometimes help herself to food passing by the caterers, and while away her time reading magazines and newspapers left behind by passengers.

        It’s difficult not to suspect that Era is just putting on a brave face. It’s hard to believe she’s truly satisfied with this way of life. Once a week, she travels to London to pick up a cheque for £60 from a charity. “The cash goes nowhere,” she says. “Buying food at the airport is expensive. I don’t eat anything at breakfast because, if I do, it makes me feel more hungry.” Living in Heathrow isn’t easy for Eram. Besides being awakened by the jangle of coins as a passenger buys something from the machine, loud announcements and bustling passengers, she has to engage in a full-time cat-and-mouse game with the police and security staff. It’s illegal to sleep at Heathrow unless you have a flight to catch, so along with the rest of Heathrow’s homeless population, Eram has to wash and change her clothes every morning in order not to stand out from the crowd and be detected. If she is, she faces a night in the cold bus terminal or worse, being thrown out into the rain. “The builders who work overnight at the airport are very kind and don’t report the homeless to the authorities,” she says. “The cleaners turn a blind eye too.”

        Night workers aren’t the only ones trying to help this unusual group of people. Broadway, a homeless charity, visits the airport weekly to offer the airport’s homeless temporary accommodation, help to get travel documents for migrant workers and attempt to reconnect people with their families. But, as a Broadway worker points out, “Homelessness is a way of life. It can be very difficult to convince people to receive help.” Like the passengers escaping to sunny holiday destinations, many of Heathrow’s homeless are also in search of escape from debts, legal problems or family responsibilities.

         The saddest fact is that unless they are arrested or fall ill, many of Heathrow’s homeless will stay there for the foreseeable future. “I don’t really see different future,” Eram Dar admits. “in fact, I could be living at Heathrow forever.”

Всероссийская олимпиада школьников по английскому языку

II (муниципальный )этап

        9 - 11 form        Use of English (max - 25)

Time – 15 min

Task 1. Complete the sentences 31 – 38 with the collocations / expressions (A - J) in the box below.^[4]

1. Get your lines / wires crossed
2.  Beat about / around the bush  
3. Speak your mind
4. Not get a word in edgeways  
5. A slip of the tongue
6. A heart-to-heart
7. Spread the word  
8. Bore someone to death  
9. Time and time again  

31.  He was _______ me to death, taking non-stop about his really ‘exciting’ job.

32. She was talking non-stop and I could _________.

33. I’m not interested in what you did on the weekend. Stop _____and get to the point.

34. I thought the party was on 3rd March, and Mary thought it was on 5th – think we ____.

35. He’ll tell you exactly what he thinks. He’s never afraid to __________.

36. We had a good ______ and sorted out all our problems.

37. Did I say twenty? Sorry, ____. I meant to say thirty.

38. There’s a party on Saturday so _____.

Task 2. Each sentence below (39 - 46) has one or more major errors. The errors may be in capitalization, punctuation, or verb usage. You may find sentence fragments, run-on sentences, wordy sentences, clichés, or inconsistent verb tenses. There may be misplaced or dangling modifiers or incorrect pronouns. Rewrite each sentence correctly in space below it.  Transfer your answers to your answer sheet.^[5]

        TRANSFER ALL YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR ANSWER SHEET        

2013 год

Всероссийская олимпиада школьников по английскому языку

Муниципальный этап

Time – 30 min

You do some voluntary work at a local children’s hospitable and the director wants to make it more pleasant place for the children. You have been asked by the director to write a report making some suggestions (e.g. staff, facilities / resources, general environments, etc.) Write your report (120 – 180 words).

Follow the plan:

- state purpose and content of report;

- discuss each point under subheadings;

- summarise main points; give your opinion and recommendations

YOU MAY USE THE OPPOSITE SIDE

ОЛИМПИАДА №1

                                                                                ОТВЕТЫ (КЛЮЧИ)

Время выполнения заданий – 90 минут

Максимально возможный результат за все задания олимпиады -  118 баллов

READING SECTION.

USE OF ENGLISH SECTION.

CROSSWORD

  Across :  1. Bacon  3.Fish  6. Around  8 Sleeping 10. Handle 12.Sticky  13.Storm 15. Drag       16. Cheek 17. Peas 18.Linen 19. Tongue 20. Straw 21. Greek

Down : 2. Ants 3. Finger 4.Spade 5. Dead 7. Nowhere 9. Peeping 11. Limb 14. Towel 15. Drain 16. Chance 17. Poles 19. Throw    

ОЛИМПИАДА №4

ШКОЛЬНАЯ ОЛИМПИАДА  ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ.                          2013 год.

THE 11TH FORM.                                             80 POINTS.

USE OF GRAMMAR                   ЛЕКСИКО-ГРАММАТИЧЕСКИЙ ТЕСТ    

I. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.

Last week police (1) _______________ (to arrest) Paul Dawson. They (2) _______________ (to suspect) him of being the leader of a gang of robbers who (3) _______________ (to steal) art treasures from museums and homes since last January. Prior to his arrest, Dawson (4) _______________ (to spend) two years in prison for theft. They (5) _______________ (to release) him only 16 months ago. The police (6) _______________ (to try) to find the gang’s hideout for months. They feel sure they (7) _______________ (to arrest) the rest of the gang by the end of the month. This (8) _______________ (to be) the biggest art theft operation to be uncovered since 1974 when police (9) _______________ (to catch) a gang which (10) _______________ (to steal) over a million pounds worth of paintings from galleries all over the country.

II. Read the text below and decide which word A, B, C, or D best fits each space.

HOMES

Some of the (0)    very    first homes were caves, which had walls and ceilings that (1) ________ wind, rain and prowling animals, and floors where people could sit or sleep.

Gradually, as the centuries (2) ________ people learned to build different kinds of homes. They needed homes that were (3) ________ for the place where they lived, and they used (4) ________ that were available locally. In dry places, houses were made of mud or clay. Where there was (5) ________ of wood, people built houses of logs or boards. On grassy (6) ________, they built homes of dry grass. People who lived near rivers made rafts or houseboats, or houses raised above the ground on stilts.

Homes today are (7) ________ built bearing the local environment and conditions in (8) ________. Residents of very hot places need houses that will keep them (9) ________, while people in the frozen north need houses that protect them from the cold. Indeed, the climate affects many of the (10) ________ of a house, such as the size, position and number of windows. Where weather conditions are extreme, for example, windows tend to be smaller. Our homes, comprising modern blocks of flats, (11) ________ a lot in common with those first caves, since they protect us against the weather and give us (12) ________ safe place to sleep.

III. Make the right choice.

1. The strata (contains / contain) fossils.
2. Please, fill in the form (by / at / with / in) pencil first. Then check it.
3. He hardly recognized you, (hadn’t he / didn’t he / did he)?
4. People (by / at / on / in) large were dissatisfied with the government’s decision.
5. He cut the wood-logs (by / without / at / with) an axe.
6. The Rainforests are (impassable / impenetrable / non-passible) in some places.
7. The audience (were / was) throwing flowers and jewelry onto the stage.
8. Jam or cake (are / is) available.
9. (The / A / —) President Bush is popular in the USA.
10. (— / The / A) certain Mr. Gibson wants you on the phone.

IV. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Use the word given and other words to complete each sentence. You must use between two and five words. Do not change the word given.

1. He smoked a lot, so he had a very bad cough.
DUE

His very bad cough _________________________________________ a lot.

2. I’m sure he wasn’t sincere when he said he liked mice.
CAN’T

He _____________________________________ when he said he liked mice.

3. You ought to find a job.
TIME

It _______________________________________________________ a job.

4. The decorators were still painting the flat when I moved in.
PAINTED

The flat _________________________________________ when I moved in.

5. The phone isn’t working I’m afraid.
OUT

The phone ____________________________________________ I’m afraid.

6. If he hadn’t reacted so quickly, we would have been killed.
REACTION

But ____________________________________ we would have been killed.

7. I don’t mind being alone at weekends.
ON

I don’t mind ________________________________________ at weekends.

8. Can I speak to you in private?
WORD

Can I ________________________________________________ in private?

9. Please check this document for misprints.
SURE

Please __________________________________ misprints in this document.

10. Although he is rich, he is mean.
WEALTH

In __________________________________________________ he is mean.

V. For questions 1–10, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the space.

0. EXIST 1. CHARACTER  2. RECOGNIZE,       3. CEREMONIOUS, 4. DEPEND, 5. ORDINARY,6.  RIGID, 7. ZEAL,           8. CONSERVE,9. ROUND,10.INCREASE

The Desire to Know.

Curiosity goes back to the dawn of human (0) existence. This irrepressible                

desire to know is not a (1) ____________________ of inanimate objects.               

 Nor does it seem to be attributable to some forms of living organism which, for that very reason, we can scarcely bring ourselves to consider alive. A tree, for example, does not display (2) ____________________ curiosity, nor does a sponge or even an   oyster. If chance events bring them poison, predators or parasites, they die as    (3) ____________________ as they lived.                                                                          

Early in the scheme of life, (4) ___________________ motion was developed by   

some organisms. It meant an (5) ____________________ advance in their control of    the environment.  A moving organism no longer waited in stolid (6) ______________ for food to come its way, but went out after it. The individual that hesitated in the (7) ____________________ search for food, or that was overly  (8) ____________________ in its investigation, starved.   As organisms grew more complex, more messages of greater variety were received from and about the (9) ____________________ environment. At the same     time, the nervous system, the living instrument that interprets and stores the data collected by the sense organs, became (10) ____________________ complex.

VI. For questions 1–6, think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences. Here is an example (0).

Example:

0.      Some of the tourists are hoping to get compensation for the poor state of the hotel, and I think they have a very _______________ case.

There’s no point in trying to wade across the river, the current is far too _______________.

If you’re asking me which of the candidates should get the job, I’m afraid I don’t have any _______________ views either way.

0. strong

1.    When he was in his nineties, the famous writer’s health began to _______________.

If the potato crop were to _______________, it would create any problems for the local people.

Please do not _______________ to check the safety precautions for this device.

2.    In the _______________ term, this new proposal could mean a property tax with substantial rebates for the poor.

Running up the stairs left her _______________ of breath.

The kids made _______________ work of the cakes and ice-cream at the party.

3.    Sven was the star _______________ in the school review with his impersonation of all the teachers.

It’ll be my _______________ to cook meal for both of us next weekend.

Don’t drive too fast as you approach the next _______________ because there’s a sharp embankment.

4.    When you take into _______________ the difficulties they faced, you must admit the team did well to come second.

After he had visited the theme park, Trevor gave us a detailed _______________ of the attractions.

Clara asked the shop assistant to charge the jacket to her _______________.

5.    I thought I had a good solution to the problem, but my plan was _______________ by the director, who said it would be too expensive.

In many parts of the country, black clouds completely _______________ out the sun, and whole towns were cast into semi-darkness.

Enrico had to take a different route home because the main road was _______________ by a lorry which had overturned.

6.    When I hesitated over the price, the salesman came up with a special _______________.

There’s a great _______________ of rubbish at the bottom of the garden.

The two sides tried and failed to come to a _______________.

VII. Read the text. Some of the lines are correct and some have a word which should not be there. If a line is correct, put a tick (V) in the space provided. If a line has a word which should not be there, write it in the space provided.

VIII. Complete each of the idioms below.

1. I want everything ____________________ before I sign anything.
2. He’s quiet, sensible, and ____________________.
3. We were discussing politics when, ____________________, she started talking about her daughter’s boyfriend.
4. The child is so ____________________ that it’s tiring to be with him.
5. I’m ____________________ —I think I’d better go to bed.
6. After his wife’s death he left town ____________________.
7. ____________________, my plan is to buy land.
8. What I think about him is ____________________.

IX. Multicultural knowledge. Circle the right variant.

1. What is the nickname of a British policeman?

a) Cop                         b) Bobby                    c) Charley               d) Willy

Find an American writer.

a) Agatha Christie b ) Charles Dickens  Oscar Wilde       d) O ’Henry

Мною допущено ____________________________________ исправлений.

(числом и прописью)

ШКОЛЬНАЯ ОЛИМПИАДА  ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ.

2013 год.

THE 11TH FORM.

ТЕСТ ДЛЯ АУДИРОВАНИЯ

LISTENING-COMPREHENSION TEST

Listen to an interview with Charlotte First and fill in the blanks with the missing information.

1. Charlotte’s mother is English and her father is ______.

 2. Charlotte was brought up in Nepal, where she went to a good ______ school.

 3. In her first job, Charlotte worked as a _____ with the BBC.

 4. While in Africa, Charlotte studied for her PhD, which was on ______.

 5. Charlotte says that making a TV programme was like talking to a _____ about her subject.

 6. Charlotte likes television work because she doesn’t have to use ______ language.

 7. Charlotte’s most frightening experience was being chased by ______ in the jungle.

 8. On one occasion, a young gorilla— Charlotte and then a second gorilla sat on her.

 9. From her research, Charlotte has become more aware of the way humans use in ______ communication.

 10. Charlotte says the future of chimpanzees is threatened because baby chimpanzees are being sold as _____.

ШКОЛЬНАЯ ОЛИМПИАДА  ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ.                         2013 год.

THE 11TH FORM.

LISTENING-COMPREHENSION TEST.        SCRIPT.                 ТЕКСТ ДЛЯ АУДИРОВАНИЯ

Interviewer: With us today in the Studio is the television wildlife expert Charlotte Uhlenbroek. Charlotte, you’ve spent much of your life travelling round the world – where would you say is home?

 Charlotte: It’s hard to say. I was born in England and my mother comes from there but my father works for the United Nations and he’s Dutch. When I was five we went to Nepal: I lived there for ten years and I suppose I still think of Nepal as home in a way, as that’s where I grew up and went to school.

 I: To an English school?

 С: Well, American actually, but it was good because it had such a mixture of students, they came from all over the world.

 I: And where does your interest in animals come from?

 С: I’ve always loved them – when we were living in Nepal I used to wander the streets trying to rescue stray dogs. Anyway, I did zoology and psychology at university, then when I left, I got a job at the BBC.

 I: So is that how you became a TV presenter?

 С: No, at that stage I was working as a researcher. Then one evening a friend asked if I’d heard that volunteers were wanted to work on a project in Africa, and I phoned up straightaway.

 I: So then you returned to Africa?

 С: Yes, I spent four years there studying chimpanzees, and at the same time I was working for my PhD… it was on the subject of animal communication. And then the BBC invited me to take part in a programme about the project.

 I: Did you find TV presenting was a big challenge? : .

 С: Well, not really. Because it was my subject it was quite easy, like telling a friend what was going on. I didn’t feel as if I was talking to millions of people. And I enjoyed it because it was so different from academic research, where you always have to communicate everything in a very formal way. I don’t think that science always needs to be like that. You don’t become inaccurate just by using normal language.

 I: Charlotte, you’ve spent years out in the wild with dangerous animals. You must have had some alarming experiences. Did you ever really feel you were in danger?

 C: Well, I think probably my worst experience was when I was pursued by killer bees through the jungle, and I fell 30 metres down onto a narrow ledge, with another 50-metre drop below me. But in general, if you learn about the way animals communicate and their social structure, you’re generally safe enough. I was watching a pair of young gorillas once and they decided to show off. The younger one walked up, kicked me, and looked at his brother as if to say, ‘What

 did you think of that?’ The other one started beating his chest and then just knocked me down and sat on me.

 I: Weren’t you terrified?

 C: No, not really, because I could see that they wouldn’t hurt me. They were just teenage gorillas showing off.

 I: Mmm. So is there anything you’ve learned from animal communication that you’ve been able to apply to human relationships?

 C: Well, when we’re communicating with other people we tend just to take notice of the words we hear, but in fact we’re also unconsciously picking up clues on body language all the time and I think studying animals has made me more aware of this.

 I: And finally what about the future of primates such as chimpanzees.

 C: It doesn’t look good: Hunters are killing the females for their meat and selling the babies to traders nowadays. They’re adorable, but they should never be bought as pets. There’s a tendency to think of them as amusing caricatures of humans. But they are sophisticated animals in their own right. In the wild, they can live until they are 50 years old and they can become four times stronger than man – if only they’re allowed to.

 I: Charlotte, thank you.

Cитуации для устной речи, 10-11 класс

1. First impressions are most lasting. What are your memories of your school years?
1) Recall your first day at school. What or who impressed you then?
2) Are you looking forward to leaving school?
3) Do you think you will miss your school when you leave it?
4) Do you get on well with your schoolmates?

2. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
1) What do you think of the value of friendship?
2) Can you confide your secrets to your friend?
3) What qualities do you think your friend appreciates about you?
4) Are you ready to give your friend a helping hand. Give an example.

3. Imagine your life without modern inventions.
1) Is the computer an essential thing in your life?
2) Do you spend much time watching TV / playing computer games / chatting on line?
3) Which reality shows are you familiar with? (You can name them in Russian).
4) Is the mobile phone a blessing or a curse (проклятье)?

4. When there’s a will, there’s a way.
1) Can you force yourself to do something you hate doing? Give an example.
2) What achievement of yours are you proud of?
3) Are you a determined person in a difficult situation?
4) Is it easy for you to overcome laziness?

5. The power of art.
1) What is your favourite kind of art?
2) Are you a creative person?
3) How often do you go to the theatre / a museum?
4) Even ancient people decorated their caves with drawings. Why did they do it?

6. Learning a language is an everlasting process.
1) What do you find most difficult in mastering a foreign language?
2) What activities do you like most of all in your language class?
3) Is it difficult to keep to a high standard of the command of a language?
4) Do you employ additional means of learning English besides your school homework?

7. You cannot climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.
1) What is your greatest career ambition?
2) Will it be hard to achieve it?
3) Can you characterize yourself as a strong-willed person?
4) Think of a person whose career achievements are an example for you to follow?

8. Teachers open the door but you must enter by yourself.
1) What is more effective : encouraging learners or punishing them?
2) Have you ever tried teaching anything to somebody?
3) Have you learned to do something by yourself?
4) Do you employ additional means of learning English besides your school homework?

9. It is never too late to learn.
1) Have you mastered any new skills besides your regular school subjects?
2) Are you a quick learner?
3) What would you like to learn?
4) Are you able to teach yourself or do you need someone to guide you?

10. Why do people do sport?
1) Are you keen on sport?
2) What is more important for you to win or to participate?
3) Does physical education at school help you to keep fit?
4) Do you exercise by yourself?

11. Light is better than darkness, knowledge is better than ignorance.
1) Is it possible to make a successful career without knowledge?
2) What are the best ways to acquire knowledge?
3) What people achieve better results in learning: those who have natural abilities or those who work hard?
4) Is it easy for you to choose your future career?

12. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
1) Why is reading compared to physical exercise?
2) Do you think that young people don’t read much these days?
3) What book would you take with you on a long journey?
4) What English writers make the pride of English literature?

13. Choosing one’s career is great responsibility.
1) Is it easy to choose your career?
2) What attracts you in your future profession?
3) How would you know whether your choice is made correctly?
4) Would you rather take up an interesting but not very well -paid job or a monotonous well-paid job?

14. The more I see of other countries, the more I love my own.
1) What places do you think are so beautiful in Belarus that you would like to show to a visitor to our country?
2) Do you know our country well? Have you been to many places in Belarus?
3) What places in Belarus remind you of the outstanding people of the country?
4) What is the dearest place in Belarus to you?

15. When I think about the United Kingdom, I immediately think of..
1) What places in the United Kingdom attract many tourists?
2) What places would you visit first if you had a chance to be in London?
3) What royal traditions attract tourists in London?
4) Do you think the British really like talking about weather?

16. Sport is for pleasure, not for profit. Do you agree with it?
1) Has the role of sport in everyday life changed over the recent years?
2) Would you like your children to take up sport as a career?
3) Should vicious sport (such as boxing, wrestling without rules) be banned?
4) What qualities are necessary to become a good sportsman?

17. If you really want to win in sport, cheating may help. Do you agree?
1) Have you ever taken part in sport competitions? Have you won?
2) What should one do to win in sport competitions?
3) What kind of sport would you recommend to take up to keep fit?
4) Have you ever cheated in an exam?

18. All things are difficult before they are easy.
1) What school subjects do you find most difficult?
2) What do you do to cope with the difficulties?
3) Have you ever tried anything new that needed much effort?
4) If you happen to face difficulties do you give up or try to overcome the difficulties?

19. Everyone wants to be attractive. What’s your idea of being attractive?
1) When you first meet people what do you look at first? What does this tell you about the person?
2) What kind of people do you dislike?
3) What features of character do you find most important in a friend?
4) What unpleasant qualities of your future spouse (husband or wife) are you ready to put up with?

20. Shopping can be both a revealing experience and boring routine. What is it for you?
1) Some people find window shopping a waste of time. And you?
2) Shopping is fun when you can afford everything you want, isn’t it?
3) Do you trust TV commercials that promote new goods?
4) Do you like doing shopping on your own or in company of your friends or family?

21. When a friend asks for help there’s no tomorrow.
1) Do you remember any difficult situation that your friend helped you to overcome?
2) What is your best friend like?
3) What makes people become friends?
4) What features do you value most in friends?

22. Books and friends should be few but good.
1) Is reading books important in modern life or can it be substituted by TV, Internet etc.?
2) What helps you choose a book for reading?
3) What Belarusian writer would you recommend to read first to a person who wants to get acquainted with Belarusian literature?
4) What English writers make the pride of English literature?

23. The country I would like to visit in future.
1) If the time of your visit to the country of your dream is limited what will you chose to see there?
2) Have you ever been to a foreign country?
3) Do you have any relatives or friends who don’t live in Belarus?
4) What are the main attractions for the visitors who come to our country?

24. Recall an interesting episode from your travelling experiences.
1) Why do people travel?
2) What means of travelling do you prefer?
3) What is traveling for you: a pleasure or necessity?
4) What professions involve lots of travelling?

25. Many people prefer to live in big cities, others dream of small towns. What are your preferences?
1) Do you sometimes feel like”-”getting” away from hustle and bustle of city life?
2) What are the most important advantages of living in a big city?
3) If you were choosing any city or town in the world to live in what would be your choice?
4) What do you admire your native town for?

Olympiad “Across Britain”

PART 1: THE BRITISH ISLES QUIZ (50 points)

1. What countries does the United Kingdom consist of?

        a) England, Scotland, Wales

               b) Great Britain and Northern Ireland

        c) England and Scotland

               d) Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

2. What countries does Great Britain include?

               a) England, Scotland and Wales                

               b) England and Northern Ireland

               c) England and Scotland                 

               d) England and Wales

3. What is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom?

                a) Ben Nevis

               b) Snowdon

                c) the Cheviot Hills Mountains

               d) the Rocky Mountains

4. Where is the mountain Ben Nevis situated?

               a) in England

               b) in Wales  

               c) in Northern  Ireland  

               d) in Scotland

5. What river is the longest in Britain?

               a) The Thames

               b) the Severn

               c) the Tay

               d) the Tweed

6. What is the capital of Scotland?

               a) Belfast

               b) Glasgow

               c) Edinburgh

               d) Cardiff

7. What river is Glasgow situated on?

               a) the Severn

               b) the Taff

               c) the Tay

               d) the Clyde

8. What is the largest city in Scotland?

               a) Glasgow

               b) Edinburgh

               c) Aberdeen

               d) Dundee

9. What is the residence of the Queen when she is in Edinburgh?

               a) Edinburgh Castle

               b) Holyrood Palace

               c) Buckingham Palace

               d) Windsor Castle

10. What is the longest river in Scotland?

               a) the Clyde

               b) the Tay

               c) the Spey

               d) the Tweed

 11. What is the emblem of Scotland?

               a) a daffodil

               b) a rose

               c) a shamrock

               d) a thistle

12. How is the flag of Scotland called?

              a) the Union Jack

              b) the St. David’s Cross

              c) the St. Patrick’s Cross

              d) the St. Andrew’s Cross

13.What colour is the  cross on the Scottish flag?

              a) red

              b) white

              c) blue

              d) purple

14. Where does the Scottish Parliament sit?

               a) in Glasgow

               b) in Edinburgh

               c) in Dundee

               d) in Aberdeen

15. What is the loch?

               a) a person

               b) a valley

               c) a lake

               d) a drink

16. Scottish surnames begin with………..

               a) O’

               b) Mac or Mc

               c) de

               d) Von

17. What is the Scottish national drink?

               a) tea with lemon

               b) coca-cola

               c) beer

               d) whisky

18. Where does the famous Scottish monster live in?

               a) Loch Lomond

               b) Loch Ness

               c) Loch Tay

               d) the river Clyde

19. Who wrote 29 novels, many of which are about Scotland and its heroes?

               a) Walter Scott

               b) Robert Burns

               c) Robert Louis Stevenson

               d) Jonathan Swift

20.  What is the ancient name of Scotland given it by the Romans?

               a) Ulster

               b) Caledonia

               c) the Emerald Isle

               d) Stonehenge

21. What is the tartan?

               a) a group of people

               b) a woolen cloth

               c) a Scottish village

               d) the name of the festival

22. Who discovered penicillin?

               a) Alexander Graham Bell

               b) David Livingstone

               c) Alexander Fleming

               d) Arthur Conan Doyle

23. How often does Edinburgh Festival take place?

               a) twice a year

               b) every four years

               c) every five years

               d) once a year

24. Edinburgh is known as ……….

               a) the “Granite City”

               b) Athens of the North

               c) the “Silver City with the Golden Sands”

               d) Venice of the North

25. What is the capital city of Wales? 

a) Cardiff                

b) Swansea                                                

c) Newport                                        

d) Houston

26. What flower is an emblem of Wales? 

a) a rose

b) a daffodill                        

c) a thistle                        

d) a shamrock

27. An Eisteddfod is …….

              a) a sports competition                

              b) a sort of Welsh cake        

              c) a festival of the arts

              d) a dance

28. Who is the patron saint of Wales?

             a) St.David

             b) St. Andrew

             c) St. George

             d) St.Patric

29. The traditional Welsh musical instrument is……….

             a) a harp                  

             b) a flute                 

             c) a penny whistle      

             d) a trumpet

30. What sort of language is Welsh?

             a) Greek                  

             b) Celtic                

             c) Roman                    

             d) Chinese

31. What is the nickname given to a Welshman?

             a) Taffy        

             b) Toffee        

             c) Welshie                

             d) Welshman

32. What precious metal is still mined in Wales?

             a) coal        

             b) gold        

             c) silver                

             d) steel

33. When is the national day of Wales?

              a) May 1        

              b) August 1        

              c) March 1        

              d) September 1

34. What is the national game in Wales?

            a) basketball        

              b) hockey    

              c) rugby      

              d) boxing

35. What is the Welsh name for Wales?

              a) Cymru              

              b) Croeso    

             c) Diolch    

              d) Bore da

36. What is the name of the river that flows through Cardiff?

              a) Severn            

              b) Taff          

              c) Thames  

              d) Tay

37. What country in Britain is called a “Land of Song”?

              a) Wales

              b) England

              c) Scotland

              d) Northern Ireland

38. What is the financial centre of London?

             a) the West End

             b) the City

             c) the East End

             d) Westminster

39. Wimbledon is associated with…….

             a) horse-racing  

             b) soccer

             c) tennis

             d) cricket

40. The oldest university in Britain is…

             a) London      

             b) Cambridge        

             c) Oxford        

             d) Edinburgh

41. What bird is the national bird of the UK?

             a) blackbird  

             b) sparrow  

             c) Robin Redbreast  

             d) starling

42. Northern Ireland is also called……..        

             a) North Ireland        

             b) Albion

             c) West Britain        

             d) Ulster

43. Where does the British Prime-Minister live?

             a) Oxford Street

             b) Fleet Street

             c) Downing Street

             d) Green Street

44. The Great Fire of London broke out in…….

             a) 1066

             b) 1106

             c) 1766

             d) 1666

45. Which part of Britain is not in the flag of the UK?

             a) England

             b) Wales

             c) Scotland

             d) Northern Ireland

46. The Beefeater guards the……..

             a) Buckingham Palace

             b) Westminster Abbey

             c) Tower

             d) Tate Gallery

47. Cambria is the Roman name for ……….

             a) Ireland

             b) England

             c) Scotland

             d) Wales

48. Hibernia is the Roman name for ………

             a) Ireland

             b) England

             c) Scotland

             d) Wales

49. The Irishmen are called Mick or

a) Paddy

b) Jock

c) Dai

d) Taffi

50. Lady Godiva, according to a legend, asked her husband to lower the taxes from the people of Coventry. He said he would do it if she...
            a) cut her hair
           b) sold her gold
           c) rode her horse naked through the town

            d) divorced from him

                             PART 2: THE USA QUIZ (50 points)

1. How many of the 50 United States begin with the letter "M"?

            a) 8
           b) 6
           c) 7
           d) 5

2. Washington, D.C., is situated on the ………river

            a) Columbia
           b) Potomac
           c) Saint Lawrence River

            d) Colorado

3. The oldest American university is…..
            a) Harvard 
            b) Yale
           c) Princeton
           d) Columbia

4. The Civil War (1861-1865) began because of……

            a) the fact that the northern states did not want to abolish slavery

            b) the fact that the southern states wanted to be a part of Britain

            c) great social and economic differences between the north and the south

            d) religious differences between the north and the south

5. The seat of both houses of the U.S. Congress is:

            a) the White House

            b) the Pentagon

            c) the National Mall

            d) the Capitol

6.  In which month is Thanksgiving Day celebrated?

        a) December

        b) February

        c) November

        d) August

7. The statue of Liberty was a gift from…

        a) Italy

        b) England

        c) France

        d) Russia

8. The term ‘Big Apple’ refers to……
a) Los Angeles    

b) San Francisco
c) Manhattan      

d) New York

9. The most recent state to join the union was ....

        a) Hawaii

        b) Alaska

        c) Puerto Rico

        d) Canada

10. Which state of the USA is called Sunshine State?

        a) Arizona

        b) California

        c) Florida

        d) Kentucky

11. What are the members of the Conservative Party called?

        a) Labour

        b) Republicans

        c) Tories

        d) Whigs

12. New York was founded in 1625 by……
a) the British        

b) the French
c) the Dutch         

d) the Spanish

13. How many of the 50 United States have two-word names?

a) Five

b) Eight

c) Seven

d) Ten

14. This state has the only state flag with a picture of a president. Nicknamed "The Evergreen State", its state tree is the Western Hemlock.

a) Washington

b) South Dakota

c) Oregon

d) Pennsylvania

15. Where is Alcatraz?

a) in New York Harbor

b) in San Francisco Bay

c) in Sydney Harbor

d) on the South coast of Florida

16. Which river runs through the Grand Canyon?

a) the Colorado

b) the Hoover

c) the Niagara

d) the Mississippi

17. The national anthem (hymn) of the USA is:
            a) the Stars and Stripes
        b) the Star-Spangled Banner
        c) We Shall Survive
        d) God Save America

18. The Golden Gate Bridge, one of the world's most famous suspension bridges, is situated in…..
         a) Los Angeles
        b) Boston
        c) Philadelphia
        d) San Francisco

19. The three biggest cities are ______________.

a) New York, Los Angeles and Houston

b) New York, Los Angeles and Chicago

c) New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia

d) New York, Chicago and Philadelphia

20. The Mt. Rushmore Monument is in _____________.

a) South Dakota

b) Iowa

c) Nevada

d) Wyoming

21. What is the second largest state in the United States?

a) Alaska

b) Texas

c) California

d) Washington

22. Who was the first man to walk on the moon?

a) Joseph A. Flye

b) James Crockett

c) Neil Armstrong

d) Thomas Stringfellow

23.   What is the capital of Georgia?

        a)  Atlanta

        b)  San Francisco

        c)  Los Angeles

        d)  Boston

24. Who were the first Europeans to settle Manhattan?

        a)  The Dutch

        b)  The Spaniards

        c)  The English

        d)  The Italians

25. The Land of Lincoln is……

a) Washington                                    

b) Kansas        

c) Illinois                                              

d) New York

26. The longest-serving US President (the only president to be elected three times) was:
         a) G. Washington    

b) A. Lincoln                          

c) F.D. Roosevelt  

d) J.F.Kennedy
27. Broadway is famous for …..
         a) financial institutions which have their offices there
        b) a theatre and cinema district
        c) the headquarters of the United Nations
        d) skyscrapers
28. The Congress of the USA consists of ….
        a) 100 Senators and 435 Representatives
        b) 100 Senators and 435 Commons
        c) 100 Senators and 435 Electors
        d) 100 Senators and 50 Governors

29. The original name of that city was New Amsterdam. Today the city is called……..
         a) Philadelphia

         b) New York

         c) Gettysburg

         d) Pittsburg

30. The seat of both houses of the U.S. Congress is…..
         a) the White House
        b) the Pentagon
        c) the National Mall
        d) the Capitol

31. The $1 banknote has the portrait of____ on it.
         a) Franklin
        b) Lincoln
        c) Jefferson
        d) Washington

32. Where is Hollywood, the center of the US film business? Not far from…….

         a) New York                                          

         b) San Francisco

c) Detroit                                              

d) Los Angelis

33. What are the two major parties in the USA?

         a) The Republicans and the Democrats

         b) The Republics and the Socialists

         c) The Democrats and the Socialists

         d) The Conservationists and the Democrats

34. Which state is Yellowstone National Park located in?

              a) Iowa          

b) California
c) Wyoming

d) New Mexico

35. What's the capital of Florida?

a) Tallahassee        

b) Miami

c) Orlando

d) St. Petersburg

36. What is the hottest place in the USA?

a) Death Valley    

b) Key West

c) The Grand Canyon

d) The Great Salt Lake

37. What does Uncle Sam represent?

a) U.S. Supreme Court                        

b) U.S. Navy

c) U.S. Congress

d) U.S. government

38. The _______ was the ship that carried the Pilgrims to America in 1620.

        a) Mayflower

b) Pinta

        c) Santa Maria

        d) Queen Elizabeth

39. What was the bloodiest war in U.S. history?

        a) The Civil War

        b) World War II

        c) The Vietnam War

        d) The Korean War

40. In what year did the Boston Tea Party take place?

        a) 1772

        b) 1773