Keeping their names a secret

 

A.          

Street art can be described as art that is developed in public spaces and above all in the street. It can mean a lot of different things including graffiti, poster art, wall paintings, and just about any artwork that is displayed in public places. Typically, street art is used to separate public-space artwork from illegal graffiti and vandalism.

B.           

The start of street art is closely connected to graffiti, which appeared in New York in the 1970s. The American artists soon became an inspiration for a number of other young street artists all over the world. For the following ten years graffiti grew more and more popular and was soon joined by new forms of street art including street installations, street sculptures and 3D pavement illusions.

C.           

Street artists are often associated with opposition. Their artwork is considered a crime and vandalism and the artists may be arrested for damaging property, so the artists prefer to use nicknames and create their drawings mostly at night. They are not looking for fame, especially in countries where graffiti is still illegal.

D.          

Kurt Wenner was the one who developed an absolutely new form of street art. That is 3D pavement art. He started his career as a graphic artist, but after moving to Italy he worked on a new technique. Wenner attracted the attention of the entire world with his remarkable 3D artwork and he also inspired a future generation of 3D pavement street artists.

E.           

Banksy is probably the most famous English street artist who has already become a legendary figure. It’s still true that no one knows who the person really is. However, his works are exhibited in galleries across the world. An American magazine even named him among the top most influential people in the world. However, he was the only one whose photo the magazine could not publish.

F.           

The motivations and ideas that inspire street artists are as different as the artists themselves. Some street artists, by creating certain works, want to draw attention to social and political problems. For other artists, street art is just a form of self-expression. And there are those who enjoy the challenge and risks which are connected with working illegally in some city areas.

G.          

Traditional graffiti has recently been used as a successful method for advertising. Lots of companies agree that traditional advertising on city streets is too boring and common, so many people simply ignore it. However, graffiti adverts catch your attention, creating a memorable image. Big companies find this quite useful and try to include more elements of graffiti in their advertising campaigns.

 

Чтение 27.

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.

 

Learn and play

A less popular subject

Never too late to learn

The essential piece of uniform

Keeping the tradition

The advantages of learning together

Choosing the place to learn

School exchange programmes

A.          

Christ's Hospital school was founded in the 16th century. Its uniform at that time consisted of a long blue coat, a leather belt and yellow socks. Today students still wear the same uniform because they think it's a symbol that unites them. There was some talk about making the uniform more modern, but it was decided to keep the original uniform.

 B.          

Nola Ochs from the USA is the world's oldest university graduate. She says she has always loved learning and has never lost her taste for knowledge. She started university when she was over 90. Her example proves that age is not important if you want to be a student. You can acquire new skills at any age.

 C.          

The Dublin College of English offers one, two or three week Football and English Programmes. They are for young people who are interested in both learning English with native speakers and practising football. The students enjoy the friendly, inspiring atmosphere in the classrooms, after which they improve their skills on the school football pitch.

D.          

Harrow is a prestigious boys' school in northern London with a strict uniform policy. You can easily recognise a Harrow student by his hat, which is part of the uniform. All boys have to wear their hats every day when going to or from lessons. Some students are allowed to wear a different scarf, tie or jumper but the hat should always be there. Wearing it remains a must.

E.           

One of the recent trends is the growing number of elderly students in universities and colleges. It is believed that the elderly and the young can benefit from studying in a mixed class. The older ones are quicker at detailed and logical tasks. On the other hand, younger students can often help their older classmates with new gadgets and technologies.

F.           

When it comes to studying English abroad, try to get as much information about the school as possible. Asking the right questions will help you save money, time, and avoid culture shock. Remember that the school should provide you both with good teaching and with an unforgettable experience, so besides everyday classes, social activities should be part of the programme.

G.          

In most British schools children start studying a foreign language at 11, but many are happy to give up languages completely at 14. Research suggests that students think that it is more difficult to get good marks in Modern Foreign Languages than in other subjects such as Science or History. They also say that foreign languages are less fun than other lessons like PE or Art.

 

Чтение 28.

 

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.

 

The scientific explanation

The real shape

A lucky sign

Some tips

Places without rainbows

A personal vision

A bridge between worlds

Impossible to catch

A.          

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

B.           

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

C.           

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

D.          

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

E.           

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

F.           

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

G.          

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

 

 

Чтение 29.

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.

 

A convenient food

Good for health

Part of culture

Unclear origins

Pasta ingredients

A useful invention

Classless food

An expensive food

A.          

You can enjoy pasta on any budget, and you can have a different and delicious low-cost meal every day of the week. Just serve it with a different sauce. It’s easy to make a healthy meal in minutes that will satisfy your whole family. Pasta tastes good and it's healthy. It also has a long shelf life, so you can keep it in the kitchen cupboard until you need to cook a meal.

B.           

It's rather difficult to find out where pasta comes from. Archeologists believe that cooking noodles was already quite a common practice in Arabic countries in the 5th century AD. At the same time, the Chinese were also making a noodle-like food. The way it reached Europe is still a mystery, though there are many theories – some believe that Arabs from Central Asia were responsible for bringing early forms of pasta to the West.

C.           

Despite its reputation, pasta is a low-calorie dish which is good for you. With only 200 calories per cup and a gram of fat, it is perfect even for those on a strict diet. Pasta is naturally packed with vitamins and necessary minerals, so it is heart-healthy as well. Pasta may help people to control their blood sugar and weight, so it is recommended as part of a well-balanced diet.

D.          

It seems that pasta was first introduced to Italy in the eighth century. Its ‘home’ was the southern island of Sicily. Prior to its wide use in the 13th century, pasta was considered to be a luxury product in Italy. The reason was that it took a lot of time to make it as all the work was done by hand. By 1400, pasta was sold in shops, but at night a guard was kept to protect the high-priced goods.

E.           

Only in the 16th century did pasta become popular and affordable to all classes of people. In the city of Naples a machine was made that allowed huge quantities of pasta to be produced. It turned pasta into a cheap food. The number of pasta shops in Naples grew to three hundred. From Naples pasta began to conquer the rest of the country.

F.           

By the 17th century, machine-made pasta had become part of the daily meal among both rich and poor. Pasta was sold as street food by people called maccaronaros, who cooked it over an open fire. It was eaten on the spot with bare hands, with no sauce. The wealthy, who did not eat with their hands, preferred fresh pasta with cheeses and meat. With the introduction of the fork pasta began to be served at special occasions all over Italy.

G.          

When most people talk about pasta, they usually think of Italy and its cooking traditions. The country and its dish have become synonymous. When Italians immigrated to different countries all over the world, they took their pasta with them to each area that they inhabited along with other customs and habits and thus pasta has become the world's favourite food.

 

 

Чтение 30.

 

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.

 

Our never sleeping part