An easy way to pay for the trip

A healthy form of transport

A contrast to the dark city

Why driving on the other side

 

A.          

The London Underground is the quickest and easiest way of getting around the city. Today it is as important a landmark of the capital as Big Ben or the London Eye. The underground is often called the Tube because of its shape: tube shaped tunnels, stations and trains. The Tube became an official name for the first time in the early 1900s, after the Central London Railway (now the Central Line) was named the Twopenny Tube.

B.           

In 1956 the red London double-decker bus appeared on the London streets for the first time. At that time, the London buildings had gone black because of smoke from the coal used for heating. What’s more, due to the local climate and lack of wind, there was always fog in the city. Under such gloomy circumstances, the bright-red London double-decker bus became a sensation! In the past 50 years, the red double-decker has become an icon of London.

C.           

Oyster is an electronic smart card ticket. Regardless of whether you live in London, or you are a tourist, a day trip visitor, or a regular visitor to the capital, the Oyster Card is definitely the easiest way to travel around the London Transport system. Simply touch the card on the yellow reader to get through the Tube gates or board other London public transport. The card doesn't even need to be removed from your purse or wallet to work.

D.          

The London Transport Museum is worth visiting. Entrance is not free but the price of £15 for a year pass is more than reasonable. The exhibitions displayed in the museum present London transport in its historical context. There are more than 80 vehicles, including a red London bus and the world's first Underground train. The galleries are full of interactive exhibits for young people to play on – including real buses and trains!

E.           

In London there are around 23 000 taxis. The taxi drivers know every corner of London because all of them have to take an exam, called the Knowledge. This exam supposes that the candidate driver can recognize most of the 20 000 London streets and knows how to choose the shortest route between two points. Each taxi driver should also know all the parks, cinemas, theatres and museums in the city.

F.           

Over the last few years, cycling around London has been getting more and more popular. The reasons are obvious - there is no ‘carbon waste’ and it prevents obesity and heart disease. For tourists, it is often also the quickest and the easiest way to see London, with the bonus of getting some exercise. The casual user hires a bike at one of the numerous bike stations, rides it where he or she wants and then returns it to any of the docking stations.

G.          

If you’ve ever been to Britain, one of the first things you will have noticed is that the British drive on the wrong side of the road. They drive on the left! The reason for this goes back to the days when people travelled on horses. Most people are right-handed and the left is the natural side to ride on if you are on horseback - you need your right hand to hold a sword in case of any trouble.

Чтение 36.

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 landmark for the new millennium

Extra entertainment

An international project

Safety rules on the wheel

A family project

Lighting up the night

A favourable location

Appropriate for all ages

 

A.          

The Merlin Entertainments London Eye is usually called the London Eye. It is the tallest observation wheel in Europe and it was opened on 31st December, 1999. The designers originally planned it to be a part of the great celebration for the coming of the year 2000. Since then it has been a great tourist attraction - more than three million people visit it every year.

B.           

It took more than a year and a half to complete the wheel. Over 1700 tonnes of metal were used in the structure. Several countries contributed to the project. The egg-shaped capsules, which can take up to 25 passengers, were transported from France by train across the English Channel. The central part of the wheel was made in the Czech Republic.

C.           

The London Eye is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It lies between Westminster Bridge and Hungerford Bridge, in the very heart of the city. The passengers have a fantastic view over London. They can clearly see many famous landmarks like Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament.

D.          

The London Eye was designed by two architects, David Marks and Julia Barfield, husband and wife. They took part in a competition for the best millennium landmark and suggested the idea of a large observation wheel. Actually, none of the participants won the competition, but the couple managed to get the financial support of British Airways that sponsored the construction.

E.           

The observation wheel turns rather slowly. The London Eye is perfect for families with children. Parents can even bring babies on board as the capsule is completely enclosed. The wheel does not usually stop to take on new passengers - the slow motion allows passengers to walk on and off the capsules at ground level. Even elderly tourists find the wheel comfortable.

F.           

Since 2005, the London Eye has been the main location for New Year celebrations and impressive firework displays. Every coming year is marked by a 10-minute firework show, welcomed by Londoners. Fireworks can also be fired from the wheel itself. Additionally, since 2006, the London Eye has been lit by thousands of lamps, which have made night trips on the wheel extremely popular.

G.          

The growing popularity of the London Eye makes tourists line up for tickets. In 2009, the owners of the attraction suggested new features, which were included in the price of the tickets. They introduced a new ticket hall where people can watch a 4D film before they get on the wheel. 

Чтение 37.

 

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.

 

Alaska in the past

Hopes seldom come true

Close neighbours

A mistaken opinion

Winter sporting activities

The deal of the century

Back to nature

Popular tourist routes

 

A.          

Alaska and Russia are less than 3 miles apart at their closest point in the Bering Strait. In winter, it is possible to walk across the ice from one country to the other. Alaskan and Russian natives on either side of the Bering Strait carry on active border trade and visit each other. Nowadays the University of Alaska has more Russian students than any other university in the United States.

B.           

The name of the largest American state comes from the Aleut language for ‘great land’. Native American people - Inuits, Yupik Inuits and Aleuts - have lived in Alaska for thousands of years. Life in Alaska has always been difficult, but they learned to adapt to the harsh climate. They lived by hunting seals, whales and bears and by fishing. They used sledge pulled by dogs to travel over the snow-covered land, and lived in igloos - houses made of snow.

C.           

The territory of Alaska was purchased from the Russians for $7.2 million (very cheaply). Alaska was considered to be a frozen wasteland and nobody could imagine that it would turn out to be one of the United States' richest resources for gold and oil. For many years the Americans called the buying of Alaska ‘Seward's Folly’, after Secretary of State William H. Seward, who arranged the purchase in 1867.

D.          

Most tourists expect to find the Alaskans still living in igloos and leading an isolated life on the snowy plain. To their surprise, the Alaskans’ daily life does not differ much from life in the central parts of the country. Most Alaskans live in modern homes, drive cars, watch TV, and shop in modern stores. Alaska’s communities have restaurants, theatres, museums, and modern health care facilities. The real life in Alaska is much less exotic than it is described in books and films.

E.           

The discovery of gold in 1896 started a huge Gold Rush that brought thousands of people to Alaska. All the adventurers wanted to make a fortune, but many died of cold and hunger on their way to the gold-field. And very few of those who survived managed to find the gold. The famous writer Jack London tried his chance in Alaska too, and many of his books were influenced by his personal experience.

F.           

The small Alaskan town of Gustavus is an interesting community. The town's 400 citizens are a mix of professional people - doctors, lawyers, former government workers and artists. For various reasons they decided to drop out of the stressful city life and live on their own in the middle of the woods. Electricity only arrived in the early 1980s and in some homes they still get water from a pump and make a fire to heat water to wash in.

G.          

Iditarod, one of Alaska’s most famous events, takes place in early March. It is the 1,100-mile sled dog race from Anchorage, the capital of Alaska, to Nome, a city on the coast of the Bering Sea. The race is very popular and the winners and their teams of dogs become local celebrities. Downhill and cross-country skiing as well as skijoring (when skiers are pulled by one or two dogs) are very popular in Alaska too.

 

Чтение 38.

 

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.

 

Useful in many ways

An unusual material

A real enthusiast

Ambitious sales plans

А road test

A cycling competition

Excellent qualities

The right kind of bamboo

 

A.          

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth. Some people think bamboo is a tree, but it is not – bamboo is grass, though some species can grow over 30 meters! People use bamboo for different purposes: to build and decorate houses, to produce textiles and paper, to make food and drinks. Recently, a new practical application for bamboo has been suggested: in the bicycle industry.

B.           

More and more Londoners prefer to use bicycles to get to their offices in the city centre. The latest model of this popular form of transport was presented at the motor show in Birmingham. It was made from bamboo. The designers, from Oxford Brooks University, say they have invented a bamboo bike not only for ecological reasons. According to them, bamboo is as safe as metal.

C.           

The new bikes will be produced in Yorkshire. At the beginning the price of a bike might be rather high – about 1700 pounds. Nevertheless, the designers expect that the model will be successful on the market. Its growing popularity will finally bring down the price. By the year 2014, the company was planning to produce five hundred thousand bamboo bikes for the British.

D.          

One of the inventors of the new technology, James Bruton, teaches at the University. During one of his seminars, students were testing different materials and chose bamboo. They discovered that its characteristics were ideal for long journeys because it stopped vibration. The whole journey becomes more pleasant than on a metal bike and the cyclist will be less tired.

E.           

Not everyone, however, believed in the safety of bamboo. Skeptics doubted if it could stand long distances. They argued that a metal frame helped the wheels turn faster. As a result, engineers decided to test the bamboo in a real situation. They rode twenty kilometers in the hills. The experiment was successful in spite of the difficult conditions.

F.           

During the project, designers had to solve another problem: what sort of bamboo to use, as not all of them were suitable for making a bike. Finally, from more than a thousand varieties, the scientists chose only one. Another important detail is that the bamboo should be cut at a definite stage of growth.

G.          

The director of the Raw Bikes Company, Rachel Hammond, says she would support the idea of a bamboo farm. She has been interested in bamboo bikes for a long time. Once she rode the bike, she felt comfortable and happy. Now Rachel has an idea to make bamboo bikes for import. Although production takes several days, she is sure the model is attractive and will have a long life.

 

Чтение 39

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.