Getting acquainted with the islands’ history

Living in harmony with nature

Pirate's treasure

The main city

Islands’ profile

Using environmentally friendly sources

A.          

About 250 miles off the coast of South America lie the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory. In terms of size, the Falkland Islands' land area measures up to be about the same as that of Northern Ireland. About 3,000 people live on the islands; they mostly make a living from sheep farming and fishing. Like most isolated communities around the world, the people of the Falkland Islands are always pleased to welcome tourists.

B.           

Stanley is home to over three quarters of the population. Everything outside Stanley is known locally as ‘Camp’, and is home to numerous farms and settlements spread across the islands. Although one of the smallest capitals in the world, Stanley provides a variety of supermarkets, excellent restaurants and hotels, a swimming pool, gym and golf course.

C.           

Open whenever tour ships are in port, the Falkland Islands Museum contains artifacts from everyday life, natural history samples and a fine collection relating to the islands’ shipwrecks. Outside displays include the Reclus Hut, originally made in Stanley, then shipped to Antarctica and set up there in 1956. Forty years later the famous house was brought back.

D.          

The government provides equipment and supplies for learning throughout the Islands. There are only about 380 children of school age living there! For them, there is a primary and a secondary school in Stanley, and three small settlement schools on large farms. Other rural pupils are taught by ‘travelling’ teachers. Schooling is free and compulsory for children between five and sixteen years of age. The government pays for older students to attend colleges, usually in the UK.

E.           

The deep waters of the South Atlantic are rich in marine life, key to the survival of a variety of species breeding on the archipelago. The Falkland Islands are home to five different species of penguin. People may notice whales or dolphins in the harbour, sea lions lying on the rocks, or some of the 227 bird species that fill the skies. It’s a rare place on earth where people and wildlife seem to co-exist happily.

F.           

The Falkland Islands government is taking advantage of cheap, green energy – wind power. Since 1996, the government has been investing in the development of alternative sources of energy and can already enjoy the results. The Islands have experimented with other forms of energy, including hydro-electric and solar power. However, these forms cannot match the effectiveness of wind power yet.

G.          

The Falklands War was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom. It started with the Argentine invasion and occupation of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The war lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine defeat. It resulted in the deaths of 257 British and 649 Argentine soldiers and sailors, and the deaths of three civilian Falkland Islanders. However, Argentina still has not fully given up its claim to the territory of the islands.

 

 

Чтение 53.

 

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

 

It’s responsible for love

A sweet medicine

Literary fans

An alternative holiday      

It’s not only for people

It’s important to see the right bird

The meaning of the name

A message sent by flowers

A.          

The most common present on St Valentine’s Day is a box of chocolates. The tradition goes back to the 1800s when doctors made patients eat chocolate to make them feel happier. This might also be the reason why in the 1860s Richard Cadbury produced his heart-shaped box of chocolates exclusively for Valentine’s Day.

B.           

St Valentine’s Day is a perfect occasion to express your deepest feelings to the person you love. On Valentine's Day lovers, friends, and family members exchange Valentine’s Day Gifts as symbols of love. However, statistics say that nearly 9 million people prefer celebrating Valentine’s Day with their pets and give them presents. The reason is that most pet owners consider animals to be more grateful and loyal than humans.

C.           

The red heart is the main Valentine symbol. Red is traditionally associated with the colour of blood. At one time, people thought that the heart, which pumps blood, was the part of the body that generates love. In fact, when the Egyptians mummified their dead for burial, they removed every organ but the heart because they believed the heart was the only part of the body necessary for the trip through eternity.

D.          

Each rose sent on Valentine’s Day has some meaning. For example, a red rose means love and respect, pink says, “I am having sweet thoughts about you” and a white rose states, “I am worthy of you”. Besides, it is believed that 1 rose stands for love at first sight, 11 flowers mean that the receiver is truly and deeply loved, 108 roses are recommended for marriage proposals and 999 roses mean “We’ll always be together.”

E.           

Some superstitions about seeing birds on Valentine’s Day are really funny. Once it was believed that if a woman saw a flying robin on Valentine’s Day, she would get married to a sailor. However, if she saw a sparrow, her future husband would be poor. Meanwhile, if she saw a goldfinch, then she would marry a millionaire. However, there is no answer who she would marry if she saw a pigeon, as history does not say anything about pigeons.

F.           

The two characters, Romeo and Juliet, from the play by William Shakespeare are remembered all over the world as the emblem of romance. The young lovers lived in the Italian city of Verona. On every Valentine’s Day this city still receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet. The fictional character is still alive for many people who believe in romantic and immortal love.

G.          

Started by a group of feminists, ‘Quirkyalone Day’ is celebrated on February 14 as an opposite to Valentine’s Day. The new holiday started in 2003 as a celebration of romance, freedom and individuality. It’s a day to celebrate the things you enjoy doing alone. Ways to celebrate include: buying yourself a new dress, taking a long walk without your mobile phone, exploring a new part of town, trying a new recipe etc.

 

 

Чтение 54.

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

 

A day for shopaholics