Good for work and entertainment

 

A.          

Iceland is a small country to the north-west of Europe close to the Arctic. It has a unique landscape with small lakes and fast rivers, volcanoes, snow and ice peaks. These striking panoramas exist in gorgeous harmony. The fact that the relief of the country is still developing makes Iceland a country of extraordinary nature and breathtaking views.

B.           

In spite of its hard northern climate, the island is very attractive to tourists. Many people who have visited the country once want to go there again and again. The country turns skeptics into poets and optimists. It’s not only because of the views but also because of the local people. Icelanders are friendly and hospitable and welcome guests. It really compensates for the cold harsh climate!

C.           

An adventurous traveller would never mistake Iceland’s scenery for any other because of the boiling water fountains and the steam coming from the earth. Smoking volcanoes attract the bravest tourists. Iceland is the only place in the world where you can hike up a volcano and even go inside. There are guided walks to the glaciers, large masses of slowly moving ice, too.

D.          

Icelandic weather is unpredictable throughout the year. Bright sunshine can easily change to cold and miserable weather within a few hours. In the summer, rain is typical in Iceland. From September to May, when the temperature falls, it often snows, especially on the south and west coasts.

E.           

Horses are widely used in Iceland for farming and for tourists. From the Viking Age they have become a part of Iceland’s culture. They look like My Little Pony toys but they are exceptionally strong, so they can do heavy work and survive cold winters. The horses are good-natured, which is perfect for new riders. Guesthouses and travel companies across the country offer horse rides and tours.

F.           

If you decide to visit Iceland, you’ll never regret your decision. The only thing that can spoil your trip is the weather. That’s why it’s very important to get a reliable weather forecast whatever season it is. If you wear appropriate clothes and have some smart heating devices, neither rain nor snow can ruin your trip.

G.          

Hengill, a place near Reykjavik, is a famous landmark of the country. It is a field of more than 7 thousand hot springs. The water from the springs is used to warm the houses and to fill the open pools in the capital of Iceland. The water comes from below the earth where the temperature is about seven thousand degrees.

Чтение 4 1.

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King of the wild

Different from the others

Early years

Hunting habits      

A big family

Team work

The lion’s responsibilities

Their essential diet

A.          

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

B.           

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

C.           

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

D.          

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

E.           

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

F.           

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

G.          

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

 

Чтение 42

Прочитайте тексты и установите соответствие между текстами и их заголовками: к каждому тексту, обозначенному буквами А–G, подберите соответствующий заголовок, обозначенный цифрами 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании есть один лишний заголовок.

 

Like the others do

Unclear origin

Eco-friendly people

Keeping traditions

A warm welcome

Dishonest business

A long-lasting name mistake

A deadly misfortune

 

A.          

The Native Americans were the first inhabitants of the Americas. They were the first environmentalists. To them, every part of the natural world, whether it was an animal, vegetable or mineral, had a spirit. American Indians viewed nature as a gift from the Gods, which should be treated with great respect at all times. They gratefully took food and clothes from nature, but they never exceeded the limits.

B.           

The Native Americans inhabited different regions of the country and there is no reliable evidence of where they come from. The Native Americans claim that they have lived there since the beginning of time. There is also an opinion that they migrated there in prehistoric times via the Bering Strait Land Bridge. Some researchers believe that they came from Siberia or Asia. All these are still only hypotheses.

C.           

When Christopher Columbus landed, he thought he had reached India and called all the native people Indians. The name, though it was wrong, stuck to the local people and has been used to the present day. In fact, there were lots of different independent tribes with their own distinct cultures and languages. But they all became known to common public as Indians.

D.          

The Pilgrims, who sought religious freedom and crossed the Atlantic in the Mayflower in 1620, were treated kindly by the Indian tribe in Massachusetts. The native inhabitants generously shared their knowledge with the newcomers. They showed the Pilgrims how to plant corn, beans, and pumpkins, and where to hunt and fish. In fact, the Indians were excellent fishermen and even invented a special canoe. A widely celebrated holiday of Thanksgiving still reminds us of this gesture of goodwill.

E.           

However, this harmonious relationship was short-lived. Native Americans had lived in isolation for centuries and they had no protection against such European diseases as smallpox, typhus and measles. Unfortunately, the newcomers introduced these diseases to them. For those in regular contact with European settlers, the effects were destructive: it is estimated that in some tribes up to 90% of Native Americans died during the first century of contact with the Europeans.

F.           

Then things moved from bad to worse. European settlers drove the Indians away from their lands as settlers moved westward. Treaties were often signed after Indian leaders were given alcohol. Whether through war or lies, the Native Americans' lands were systematically taken. Indians were forced to move to separate areas, known as Indian Reservations. Most of the lands were unsuitable for cultivation and didn't have any valuable resources.

G.          

Many visitors to the USA ask about how they can visit an Indian Reservation. They could hardly do it! Nowadays very few natives live in reservations or in the traditional dwellings of their ancestors. Most Indian families live in homes that are not very different from any other houses in the USA, and their lifestyle does not differ much from contemporary American lifestyle.

 

 

Чтение 43.

 

Прочитайте тексты и установите соответствие между текстами и их заголовками: к каждому тексту, обозначенному буквами А–G, подберите соответствующий заголовок, обозначенный цифрами 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании есть один лишний заголовок.

 

Beware of thieves