Part 2 (30 minutes)
Maximum points - 10
| Read the passage below. |
The Green House Effect
(A) Saving the world begins at home. The energy we use to power our daily domestic lives and drive our cars produces almost half of our output of carbon dioxide, the gas which is the main contributor to the problem of global warming. The way in which we use energy is not only polluting but also incredibly wasteful. But there is nothing to stop us greatly reducing our energy consumption and creating a more comfortable world.
(B) Redesigning the home to bring our lifestyles more into balance with what the environment can cope with the need not involve expensive or painful changes. Most of the technology to make the changes is already available. When the changes have been made, the home of the future will be a better place to live in. So what will it be like?
(C) We will have switched from ‘fossil fuels’ - coal, gas and oil - to sources of power which are non-polluting such as windmills or using the power of tides. Houses will be heavily insulated and heating systems made much more efficient. In addition, our future homes will use low-energy light bulbs.
(D) With water costs rising enormously, most houses will trap rainwater and store it in a large, well-insulated tank in the cellar. This tank also serves to save energy: heat is recycled from other parts of the house to maintain a high water temperature for washing and central heating.
(E) Recycling waste will be much more common than it is today. Tins, bottles, plastic, and paper will be put into vents in the wall from where they will fall into divided bins for collection. All vegetable matter will go straight on to a compost heap in the garden.
(F) The home will be a cleaner place. Air conditioning will do much more than keep you cool. It will improve air quality by filtering out contaminating dust mites and by controlling moisture and condensation.
(G) Outside the home as well, life will have become more pleasant. The car will no longer be the threat to our health that it is today: it will run on hydrogen or a mixture of battery and safer petrol. It won’t be allowed to clog up our cities: people will use the tram, a clean, fast, and quiet form of city transport which many cities are already reintroducing.
(H) This picture of the future is one which should appeal to all of us. It’s one that our grandchildren could take for granted, not believing that people lived any other way, that people went around polluting, destroying, wasting resources, and apparently not caring. But if we want our grandchildren to have a world which is cleaner and safer, we have to start to change our ways. The picture of the future can become a reality but only if we do something about it. And we should do something about it soon.
Below you will find four headings. Each heading describes the contents of one of the paragraphs in the passage. However, since there are eight paragraphs and only four headings, four of the paragraphs will not fit any of the headings below.
You need to choose which heading best describes which paragraph. Write the letter of a paragraph next to the number of the heading 11 -14 on the separate answer sheet.
11. Homes of the future will be more hygienic.
12. We ought to change the way we live.
13. The way we live now damages the world.
14. Future energy needs will be lower and not cause pollution.
Choose option A, V, C or D which best answers the question. Circle the correct letter in boxes 15-20 on your answer sheet.
15. The author’s intention in writing the above article was to show...
A. the sort of future we can expect for our grandchildren.
B. why we should reduce pollution and use energy more efficiently.
C. why we have taken steps to reduce pollution and improve our use of energy.
D. how changes in house design will encourage people to use less polluting energy.
16. Which of the following statements is the author most likely to agree with?
A. In the future, houses will be much healthier.
B. In the future, people will produce much less waste.
C. In the future, very few people will own their own car.
D. In the future, the problem of global warming will be better understood.
17. In the passage the author explains...
A. why using less energy has become more popular.
B. why sources of energy are going to become more scarce.
C. how savings could be made in the way energy is used.
D. how, unless we use less energy, energy costs will rise.
18. In the passage the author DOES NOT explain...
A. how our cities could be made cleaner.
B. why our use of energy needs to change.
C. why water costs will rise in the future.
D. how the way we live produces global warming.
19. According to the author, one of the differences between our way of life and that of people in the future might be that...
A. cars will be much cheaper to maintain.
B. fewer people will travel in the cities.
C. cars will have much more safety features.
D. cars will be used less than they are today.
20. The passage describes the homes of the future. Such homes, according to the author, might NOT be built if we...
A. could not afford the necessary technology.
B. could not find alternative sources of energy.
C. were unable to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
D. failed to agree to make necessary changes in our lives.
Part 3 (15 minutes)
Maximum points - 20
Use of English
Fill in the gaps in the text choosing an appropriate word from the column on the right. Choose one word only. There are two extra words in the right column which you don’t have to choose. Write the letter which marks the word next to the number of the gap on the answer sheet.
| An 11-year-old piano prodigy from Indonesia will appear at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival after taking the American jazz (21) __________ by storm. Joey Alexander, who releases his debut album My Favorite Things this week, has attracted high (22) __________ from trumpeter and director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis, who has said: "There has never been anyone that you can think of who could play like that (23) __________ his age. I loved everything about his playing his rhythm, his confidence, his understanding of the music." Marsalis said he found out about Bali-born Alexander after a friend suggested he watched a YouTube clip of the then 10-year-old (24) __________ tunes by John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Chick Corea. Now, to (25) __________ his debut album, Alexander is set to play at the Montreal and Newport jazz festivals. Newport producer George Wein says he "s always been reluctant to (26) __________ so-called child prodigies, but he made an exception after Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, tennis legend Arthur Ashe"s widow, brought Alexander over to his Manhattan apartment to ( 27) __________ for him. "The thing that differs him from most young players is the maturity of his harmonic approach," Wein told AP reporter Charles J Gans. "His playing is very contemporary but he also has a (28) __________ of the history of the music." Alexander's parents were jazz fans and he himself admires the playing (29) __________ Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans and Brad Mehldau. He also loves the Avengers and SpongeBob Squarepants. "For me jazz is a calling. “I love jazz because it"s about freedom to express yourself and being spontaneous, full of rhythm and full of improvisation," said the young pianist. "Technique is important, but for me first when I play it"s from the (30) __________ and feeling the groove. I want to develop by practicing and playing, and challenging myself to get better every day," said Alexander. | A) at |
| B) book | |
| C) for | |
| D) heart | |
| E) of | |
| F)performing | |
| G) play | |
| H)praise | |
| I) promote | |
| J) pushing | |
| K)scene | |
| L)sense |
| For items 31-40, Read the text below. Use the given word in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). |
| When you have made the (0) ... to begin exercising, | DECIDE |
| you need more than just enthusiasm - you need to use (31) ... | EQUIP |
| which is high quality, safe and (32)...The Classic Home | RELY |
| Cycle is a basic model with a (33) ... distance meter and timer. | MECHANIC |
| It has a strong construction and enclosed flywheel for (34) ... | SAFE |
| and both the seat and handlebars are (35) ... to different | ADJUST |
| (36)... so the user can pedal in the most comfortable position. | HIGH |
| With a rowing machine you can (37) ... the arms and legs as | STRONG |
| well as exercise the back. Brisk rowing is just as (38) ... for | EFFECT |
| burning calories as running at 11 km an hour. The (39)... | REASON |
| priced Classic Rower has a seat which moves smoothly (40) ... the whole rowing program, and is suitable for all home exercisers. | THROUGH |
Part 4 (30 minutes)
Maximum points - 10
Comment on the following problem: Modern libraries in the digital age should be different from the libraries of the past.
In your comment use the information from the Internet below.
Modern Libraries
Many people, when asked about libraries, imagine old buildings with heavy bookshelves and dimmed light. Libraries around the world are heading into the future, creating for their patrons a more dynamic, multi-level environment for learning and pleasure.
Enjoy the most amazing examples of how modern libraries are shaping the way we learn and enjoy reading in the digital age.
| LiYuan Library, China Built in 2011 in a small village of Huairou on the outskirts of Beijing, this beautiful nature-inspired library was designed by Li Xiaodong. The 175-square-meter building’s interior is spatially diverse by using steps and small level changes to create distinct places. The wooden sticks temper the bright light and spread it evenly throughout the space to give a perfect reading ambience. The library has no electricity supply and closes at dusk. | Ballyroan Library, Ireland Designed by Box Architecture, the new library in South Dublin opened in early 2013. The new library offers extensive seating and a large study area with many public access computers, as well as printing and photocopying facilities. Free internet is available throughout the building. |
Write 100-120 words. Remember to
Make an introduction;
Express your personal opinion on the problem and give reasons for your opinion;
Express your attitude towards the information from the Internet;
Make a conclusion.
Write in your own words.
Related information.
LISTENING
Time: 20 minutes
Listen to four people each take an item back to shop. Match each person with the item they are returning
A) Jane B) Pete C) Henry D) Karen
1. an all-in-one printer
2. a computer game
3.a mobile phone
4.an MP4 player
Listen to the receptionist tell Beata about the range of services offered at the medical practice. Write true (T) or false (F) for each sentences.
5. You can only make an appointment by phone.
6. Usually you can see a doctor in less than 24 hours.
7. Only a doctor can give vaccinations.
8. You have to call before ten thirty if you want a home visit.
9. A nurse or doctor is available seven days a week too give advice by phone.
10. there is a Well Person Clinic twice a week.
11. There is no special clinic for people with hay fever.
12. You have to ask two days in advance for a repeat prescription.
Time: 20 minutes
Read the text and mark statements 13-20 below as T (true) or F (false).
Every day Peru"s Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, is rediscovered by at least 1,000 tourists who are slowly destroying one of the wonders of the world. More people now come to this sacred citadel in a week than ever lived there in Its 15th-century prime. The attempt to improve facilities for international visitors -better hotels, a helicopter service, and a planned cable car to replace the bus trip up the mountain -has only made the wear and tear worse. For nearly 500 years Machu Picchu was covered by impenetrable rainforests until in 1911, an American scholar-explorer, Hiram Bingham, stumbled upon it while he was looking for Vilacamba, the last refuge of the Incas from the Spanish conquerors. It"s easy to see why so many want to flock here. The sight of the emerald green grass slopes and stone colored remains of Machu Picchu, flanked by its awesome, snow-capped peaks, is utterly breathtaking. It seems now, however, that Machu Picchu is a falling victim to its own success. The primary concern is that the high volume of visitors is harming the site's infrastructure. A survey by Japanese geologists at Kyoto University has suggested the earth beneath the city is moving at a rate of up to one centimeter per month. There are also fears for the welfare of the porters who carry travelers" backpacks in all weathers along the high altitude Inca Trail. As a result, the United Nations cultural agency wants visitor numbers more than halved, which means that visitors must now wait four to five days before getting a place on a trek. Despite this, Machu Picchu remains the number one must-see in South America. And, as such, the hunt is now on for new Inca ruins as a viable, ecologically sound alternative.
13. Machu Picchu used to have a population of over 7,000.
14. The improvement of facilities for tourists is causing environmental damage.
15. Hiram Bingham set out to discover Machu Picchu in 1911.
16. Machu Picchu is surrounded by mountains.
17. Machu Picchu has been too successful as a tourist destination.
18. Tourists must carry their own bags while they are walking along the Inca Trail.
19. The United Nations cultural agency would like to reduce the number of tourists who visit Machu Picchu.
20. Machu Picchu is no longer the most popular tourist attraction in South America because many tourists have now found some more ecological ruins to visit.
Read the text, for each question choose the correct answer: A, B, C, or D.
Dear Editor
I am writing with regards to the article "Is the TV Dead?" that appeared in your newspaper on the 4th March. The author claimed that with the rise of the Internet, the TV was becoming less and less significant in our lives.
I find it very difficult to agree with this view. The TV is still the main way most of us get our entertainment at home. It offers us the chance to see top musical artists, great films and documentaries and occasionally, thanks to important televised events, it has the power to bring the whole nation and all ages together in a way the Internet never could.
Your article was particularly critical of the TV for the poor quality of programs available on the many channels we now have. It is certainly true that many of the channels offer nothing more than repeats or low budget programmes. However, I would argue that the majority of content on the Internet is also of questionable quality. I agree with the writer that it is easy to keep up-to-date with the latest news on the Internet, but I"m sure most of us still enjoy sitting down to the News on TV in the evening just as much.
The writer is correct in stating that the Internet has become our major source for research and I think this is its main strength. However, criticizing the TV for not being as good is totally unfair. Information programs like documentaries are made for their potential as entertainment not as research tools and as such will continue to be popular with viewers.
So in conclusion I don"t think the writer should be so quick to write the TV off. On the contrary, I think it has many more years left in it!
Yours sincerely
Samantha Johnson
Why is the person writing this letter to the newspaper?
| A to make a complaint |
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| B to offer a different point of view |
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| C to people encourage to watch more TV |
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| D to persuade people not to use the Internet What do we learn about the writer's opinion of TV?
|
TRANSFER YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR ANSWER SHEET
USE OF ENGLISH
Time: 10 minutes
Read the text below and choose the correct word for each space. For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
School in 15th century England
How different was life for school children in Tudor England, over 400 years ago? The biggest difference is that not many children (26) had the chance to go to school. Those that went were mainly boys (27) rich families could afford to pay the fees. Girls were (28) kept at home to help with housework or sent out to work to (29) some money. They weren't (30) to go to school. At school, boys often had to speak in Latin. There were very few books, so each pupil read from a wooden board (31) . They attended school six days a week, and teachers were very (32) – boys were punished if they broke the school (33) . When boys left school, they could go to university, with some boys as (34) as fourteen attending classes. (35) , at that time there were only two universities – Oxford and Cambridge
A even B never C just D only
A who B which C whose D what
A neither B or C such D either
A collect B bring C earn D win
A approved B allowed C agreed D admitted
A altogether B meanwhile C otherwise D instead
A heavy B strict C annoyed D exact
A rules B duties C laws D orders
A soon B small C early D young
A Although B However C Despite D Because
Put the verbs into the right form.
Dear Anita,
Thank you for your entertaining letter, which (36 arrive) yesterday. I (37 begin) to feel much better now although my leg still (38 hurt) if I (39 walk) too far. Last weekend I (40 see) some friends who (41 spend) their summer holidays just up the road from here. They"re very nice. I hope you"ll meet them if you come here next month. I (42 get) to their house quite easily, but while I (43 come) home, my leg (44 begin) to ache really badly. So this week I (45 be) more careful.
I"m very pleased you (46 manage) to find that book about Indian music that you (47 look) for. I have some cassettes you can borrow if you (48 want)
I must stop now, because 1 (49 feel) rather tired.
Please white again and send me some books. This is a lovely place, but you know me, I (50 get) bored very quickly!
White much love,
TRANSFER YOUR ANSWERS TO YOUR ANSWER SHEET
Time: 20 minutes
Comment on the following statement.
Is the Internet the best source of information?
What is your opinion? Do you agree with this statement?
Write 100 -120 words.
Make an introduction
Express your personal opinion and give reasons for your opinion
Make a conclusion
Name: ____________________________________________________________
School: ____________________________________________________________
READING
You are going to read a magazine article about working in offices. Choose the most suitable heading from the list A-I for each part (1-8) of the article. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use.
A problem often overlooked
Get regular rest
C Managing your meals
DMore than just keeping fit
E Changing your mind
F Effects on others
G A variety of health problems that can be solved
H Learning to enjoy exercise
I A modern problem
Find your energy again
1 ________
The offices that most of us work in aren’t the most healthy places in the world. If you work in a building that is more than 50 years old, it may not be perfectly designed for the office environment but it is probably healthier than one built recently. Even the best designed of today’s offices represent an artificial environment where it can be difficult to stay positive and bursting with energy.
2 ___________
Complaints about feeling tired, no energy, no interest in food, headaches and backache are commonplace. Office workers often say that these health problems are the inevitable consequences of working in an office. However, this is not the case. While there may be little you can do about the ever-ringing phones or the tempers of your colleagues, you needn’t feel unwell. There is plenty you can do to restore those energy levels and feelings of well-being.
3 ___________
The first thing you must address is tiredness. If at the weekend you stay up all night dancing or going to dinner parties and sleep all the following morning, you can’t expect your body to adjust on a Monday morning to a completely different routine. Some people seem to keep this lifestyle up without any trouble but for most of us it isn’t a good idea.
4 ___________
Our diets are another way we mistreat ourselves. Many office workers say they don’t have breakfast — but you really should eat something, however small, before you leave the house. And if you’re busy over lunch or have to go shopping, it’s possible to forget that too. So you get to the evening and suddenly realize how hungry you are. This is a disastrous way to manage (or not manage) your diet. Nothing is more important than eating and drinking regularly.
5 __________
You should also do a session of exercise once or twice a week in the evenings. This will help you to get to sleep and wake up refreshed in the morning. Recent American research has established that regular, vigorous exercise is a good way of improving your mood and that the effects last far longer than the session itself. It does have to be vigorous though -walking or tennis have to be kept up for at least an hour to have a positive effect.
6 ___________
All the advice on exercise says that you should choose something which you like doing. To this, many people reply: but I don’t like doing any form of exercise! Most people start off with the intention of exercising but soon lose interest. The answer here is you must do it until you get so used to doing it that you miss it when you don’t do it. In order to motivate yourself, you need to keep reminding yourself of the advantages.
7___________
If you’re working in an office with no natural light, you should go out for a walk for at least half an hour a day, even when the weather is dull and rainy. The importance of spending some time in daylight is often ignored. We now know that lack of sunlight can cause depression. It is, however, something that needn’t happen because it can easily be overcome.
8 ___________
You may be bothered by some of your colleagues’ bad temper or lateness. Think about how their behavior influences your own state of mind and remember that you don’t need to behave in the same way. You are much more likely to enjoy your evening or weekend if you leave work feeling positive and it’s the same for your colleagues.
Municipal stage
in English language
9-11 grades
2010
The English Language Olympiad includes the following sections:
I. Letter.(45 minutes)
Participants are asked to write an essay on a specific topic. The volume of the essay should not exceed 200-250 words.
II. Lexico-grammatical test. (45 minutes)
The test consists of two parts A and B. In the first part, participants are asked to choose the only correct answer from four options. The second part requirestransform words printed in capital letters in brackets so that they grammatically and lexically correspond to the content of the text.
III. Reading. (60 minutes)
The first part (A) is aimed at a complete understanding of the proposed plot text by completing the task of choosing the correct option.
The second part (B) is a regional studies test with tasks for partial understanding.
IV. Listening (30 minutes)
Participants are asked to listen to the text and complete a task to determine the truth of the statement.
V. Oral speech.
Oral speech is presented in two parts: a monologue statement and a dialogue on the proposed topics.
Evaluation criteria
Letter – 20
Lexico-grammatical test – 20
Reading - 20
Listening – 20
Oral speech – 20
Maximum points- 100
Municipal stage
All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren
in English language
9-11 grades, 2010
Part 1. Letter
It is no wonder that the Internet has become one of the most important things of our everyday life. It suggests a lot of social projects like “Odnoklassniki”, “In the Contact”, “Facebook”, etc.
Answer the question:“What are the advantages and drawbacks of such type of communication and the way of making friends?”and write an essay (200 – 250) words.
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Municipal stage
All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren
in English language
9-11 grades, 2010
Part 2. Lexico-grammatical test
Choose the correct answer by circling it.
1. This money ______ not enough to buy the book.
a) are c) have
b) is d) has
2. She made her husband ______ the tree.
a) to cut down c) to have cut down
b) cut down d) cutting down
3. You _______ nothing unless you ______ a microscope.
It is the most interesting specimen I ______.
a) see, don't use, ever see c) will see, use, have ever seen
b) will see, don"t use, have ever seen d) won"t see, won"t use, ever saw
4. You ______ to prepare the room for our guests. They _____ arrive tomorrow or the day after.
a) must, must c) can, can
b) may, may d) need, might
5. She looks ______ today.
a) happily c) happy
b) nicely d) beautifully
6. His hands are dirty. He ______ the car.
a) repaired c) will repair
b) repairs d) has been repairing
7. The ______ document worries me.
a) lost c) losing
b) being lost d) having lost
8. It was far ______ than he expected, so he made up his mind to spend twice as ______ money as he had wanted.
a) cheaper, more c) the cheapest, the most
b) more cheap, a lot d) cheaper, much
9. It is ______ how ideas come, like a _______ of lightening.
a) funnily, stroke c) funny, clap
b) funny, flash d) funnily, bit
10. Near the center of _____ City there stand ____ St. Paul's Cathedral, ____ Bank of England, ____ Royal Exchange, ____ Stock Exchange, and the rest of ____ London's financial district.
a) the, the, the, the, the, the c) ____, _____, the, _____, _____, the
b) the, _____, the, the, the, _____ d) ____, the, ____, _____, _____, _____
eleven . They don't think so, ______.
a) so do you c) neither I do
b) so I do d) neither do I
12. Nobody knew where ______ at the moment.
a) she was c) she is
b) she has been d) she had been
13. She kept ______ they must be economic ______ they were not rich.
a) on saying, though c) saying, since
b) say, till d) to say, as
14. _____ computers are used extensively in scientific _____ to solve mathematical problems, display complicateddata, or model systems that are too ______ or impractical to build.
a) The, researches, cost c) ____, research, costly
b) The, research, cost d) ____, researches, costly
15. Is _______ knocking at the door?
a) nobody c) somebody
b) anybody d) some
16. Alaska _____ to the United States since 1867, when it _____ from Russia by Secretary of State William H. Seward.
a) belonged, has been bought c) has been owned, was bought
b) had belonged, has been bought d) has belonged, was bought
17. Tourism is _____ important; the country _____ 1.2 million visitors in 1998.
a) increasingly, has had c) increasingly, had
b) more often, had d) the most increasing, has had
18. Their house is ______ to the school.
a) close c) nearby
b) nearly d) closely
19. Have you had your lunch _______? – No, I'm going to do it now.
a) already c) just
b) still d) yet
20. They were designed to serve ______ all-inclusive textbooks and thus differed _____ modern encyclopedias, which serve chiefly _____ reference sources.
a) as, in, as c) like, in, like
b) like, from, like d) as, from, as.
Transform the words printed in capital letters in brackets so that they are grammatically and lexically consistent with the content of the text.
Scarlet fever is an (1) ______ (INFECTION) disease, caused by bacteria, which usually enter the body through the nose or mouth. The disease most(2) _____ (COMMON) affects children between the ages of two and ten.The typical (3) _____ (INITIALIZE)symptoms of the disease are headache, sore throat, chills and fever. Fromtwo to three days after the first (4) ______ (APPEAR) of symptoms, red spots may emerge on the tongue, called “straw”berry tongue.” A characteristic skin (5) ______ (ERUPT) appears on thechest and usually spreads over the entire body except theface. The fever, which frequentlyruns as high as 40° to 40.6°C, generally lasts only a few daysbut may extend to a week or (6) _____ (LONG). The rash usually fades ina week, and at that time the skin begins to peel. Other diseases may become (7) ______ (COMPLICATE) of s carlet fever, for example, pneumonia. Since the introduction of penicillin, however, scarlet fever can be cured w ithout the (8) ______ (OCCUR) of permanent after-effects.
Municipal stage
All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren
in English language
9-11 grades, 2010
Part 3. Reading
Read the text and complete tasks 1 – 5.
There are still some rich people in the world. Many of them lead lives of particular pleasure. But rich people do have their problems. They are rarely problems of finance, since the richest people have enough sense to hire other people to take care of their worries. But there are other, more genuine problems. They are the problems of behavior.
Let me tell you a story which happened to my uncle Octavian a full thirty years ago. At that time I myself was fifteen. Uncle Octavian was then a rich man. He was a charming host whose villa was very popular among the great. He was a hospitable man until January 3, 1925.
There was nothing special about that day in the life of Uncle Octavian, except that it was his fifty-fifth birthday. As usual on such a day he was giving a party for twelve people. All of them were old friends.
I, myself, aged fifteen, was deeply privileged. As a special surprise on this happy day, I was allowed to come down to dinner. It was exciting for me to be recognized to such a company, which included a newspaper editor of exceptional intelligence and his fabulous American wife, a recent prime-minister of France and a German prince and a princess. Even today, 30 years later, one may fairly admit that the company was unbelievably great. But I should also stress that they were all old and close friends of Uncle Octavian.
Towards the end of a wonderful dinner, when dessert had been brought in and the servants had left, my uncle leant forward to admire a magnificent diamond ring on the princess's hand. She was a pretty woman. She turned her hand gracefully towards my uncle. Across the table, the newspaper editor leant across and said: “May I also have a look?” She smiled and nodded. Then she took off the ring and held it out to him. “It was my grandmother”s – the old empress," she said. "I have not worn it for many years. It is said to have once belonged to Genghis Khan."
There were exclamations of delight and admiration. The ring was passed from hand to hand. For a moment it rested on my own palm, glaming splendidly. Then I passed it on to the neat person. As I turned away again, I saw her pass it on.
It was some 20 minutes later when the princess stood up and said: "Before we leave you, may I have my ring back?" There was a pause, while we looked expectantly at each other. Then there was silence. The princess was still smiling, though less easily. She was unused to asking for things twice. The silence continued, I still thought that it could only be a practical joke, and that one of us – probably the prince himself – would produce the ring with a laugh. But when nothing happened at all, I knew that the rest of the night would be dreadful.
I am sure that you can guess the sort of scene that followed. The guests were really confused – all of them, old and valued friends. There was a nervous search of the whole room. But it did not bring the princess" ring back again. It had vanished – a priceless thing, worth possibly two hundred thousand pounds – in a roomful of twelve people, all known to each other.
No servants had entered the room. No one had left it for a moment. The thief was one of us, one of Uncle Octavian's close friends.
I remember it was the French cabinet minister who had already started to turn out his pockets, before my uncle stopped him. "There will be no search in my house," he commanded. "You are all my friends. The ring can only be lost. If it is not found" – he bowed towards the princess – “I will naturally repay its cost myself.”
The ring was never found, it never appeared, either then or later.
To our family"s surprise, Uncle Octavian was a comparatively poor man, when he died. And I should say that he died with the special sadness of a hospitable host who never gave a single lunch or dinner party for the last thirty years of his life.
Tasks 1 – 4. Answer the question by choosing one letter that corresponds to the correct answer, circling it.
1. What kind of man was Uncle Octavian thirty years ago?
a) Uncle Octavian was a rich and snobbish man.
b) Uncle Octavian was a rich man and a charming host.
c) Uncle Octavian was a comparatively poor man who liked to invite rich people.
d) Uncle Octavian was a rude and greedy man.
2. In what way did he want to celebrate his fifty-fifth birthday?
a) He decided to invite his relatives.
b) He wanted to celebrate his birthday in a small group of three-four close friends.
c) He was giving a party for twelve people who were old and close friends of his.
d) The whole city was going to celebrate Uncle Octavian’s birthday.
3. What was peculiar about the princess’ ring?
a) Her grandmother had not worn it for many years since the princess was born.
b) The prince produced this ring at the party as a present to the princess.
c) It was a useless thing of no worth at all.
d) It was a magnificent diamond ring once belonged to an outstanding woman.
4. Who was the thief?
a) The thief was Uncle Octavian because he wanted to repay the cost of the lost ring.
b) The thief was the French cabinet minister because he tried to turn out his pockets.
c) The thief was the prince himself because he wanted to make a joke.
d) The ring was never found because Uncle Octavian didn’t want to search his close friends.
Task 5. Give a detailed answer to the following question: “Problems of behavior – what are they? Have you ever run across them? What do you know about them?”
Municipal stage
All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren
in English language
9-11 grades, 2010
Country studies test
Identify which British national emblems (Topics A – E) are discussed in Texts 1 – 4. Use each letter only once. There is one topic that is redundant in the assignment.
A. ROSE D. SHAMROCK (clover)
B. DAFFODIL (narcissus) E. LILAC (lilac)
C. THISTLE(thistle)
1. It is the national flower of Wales. One sort of this flower grows only in a small area aroundTenby. In Wales it is traditional to wear this flower onSaint David's Day(March 1). This has led to suggestions that the name of the plant may have been influenced by the name "Dafydd," a Welsh form of "David". In some other countries the yellow variation of the flower is associated withEaster.
2. It is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of Englandand takes its name and origins from theTudor dynasty. Henry Tudor took the crown of England from Richard IIIin battle. That was the end of theWars of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. His father was Edmund Tudor from the House of Richmond, and his mother was Margaret Beaufortfrom the House of Lancaster; he marriedElizabeth of Yorkto stop all conflicts. The symbol is often depicted in two colors – white on red and is always described, heraldically, as “proper”.
3. It is a symbol of Ireland. It is a three-leafed old white clover. The plant was traditionally used for itsmedicalproperties. According to the legend it was used bySaint Patrickto illustrate the idea of theTrinity(the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Organizations, businesses and places around the world with links to Ireland often use this plant to advertise their connections.
4. It has been the national emblem of Scotland since the time of Alexander III(1249–1286) and was used onsilver coins. According to the legend,the Norsearmy tried to attack the Scots army at night. During this operation one Norseman, who had no boots on, stepped upon this plant and cried with pain. The Scots woke up and met the Norse army. The plant prefers dry summer; it grows in sandysoilswhich are rich in salts. It may grow along roadsides, in fields, and agricultural areas.
Answer the questions by circling the correct option:
1) Which of these plants comes from the word"David" ?
2) Which of these plants was traditionally used for itsmedical properties ?
3) Which of these plants origins from the Tudor dynasty?
4) Which of these plants woke up the Scots?
5) Which of these plants illustrates the idea of the Trinity?
6) Which of these plants is often depicted in two colors?
7) Which of these plants grows in sandy soils?
8) Which of these plants is associated with Easter?
1) A B C D E | 3) A B C D E | 5) A B C D E | 7) A B C D E |
2) A B C D E | 4) A B C D E | 6) A B C D E | 8) A B C D E |
Municipal stage
All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren
in English language
9-11 grades, 2010
Part 4. Listening
Listen to the text and determine which of the proposed statements are true.
The story of the Native Americans – or the American Indians – is unique, tragic and inspiring. It is unique because the Indians were the original inhabitants of the American continent and experienced every phase of its European settlement. It is tragic because the conflict between the Indians and white people was parallel to the process of coming in contact with other industrialized societies. It is an inspiring story because the Native Americans, although lost much of their land in the 19th century, have survived, have defended their political and economic rights, and have succeeded in saving their identity and culture despite the knocks of modern civilization.
Today the Native Americans are full citizens of the United States. They are proud of their own cultural treasure, which they are trying to protect and maintain.
Marks of that treasure can be found all over the United States. Many of the proper names on the map of the United States – Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, Kansas – are Indian words. The Indians taught the Europeans how to cultivate crops such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, tobacco.
About half of the Indians in the United States live in large cities and rural areas throughout the country. The rest of them live in about 300 federal reservations (land set for their use).
Today, there are about 1.4 million Native Americans, which was believed to be more than there were when the first European explorers arrived in the New World.
True or False?
1. The story of the Native Americans is one of the funniest in the history of the mankind.
2. The Indians were the original inhabitants of the American continent.
3. The Native Americans have managed to retain their identity and culture.
4. It "s almost impossible to find any marks of the Indians" culture in the USA nowadays.
5. Today all Indians live in federal reservations.
1) True False | 2) True False | 3) True False | 4) True False | 5) True False |
Part 5. Oral speech
Monologue statement
Formulate your idea of the possibility of additional income for young people by answering the question “What is true: concentrate on studying while at school or earn some money working part-time?”
Dialogue
Many people have to work day and night without having a rest to eat properly. Discuss the problem of fast food and answer the questions:What are the reasons of fast food popularity in Russia? What effects may fast food make on our health? Where do you prefer to have a bite?
Municipal stage
All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren
in English language
9-11 grades, 2010
Keys:
Part 2
- – infectious 5. – eruption
- – commonly 6. – longer
- – initial 7. – complications
- – appearance 8. – occurrence
Part 3
1. – b
2. – c
3. – d
4. – d
IN .
False
3) True False
4) True False
5) True False
Scale of criteria for assessing assignments in the “Speaking” section
Maximum points: 20
Attention! If the score is 0 for the “Content” criterion, the overall score is 0.
POINTS | (maximum 10 points) | Interaction with the interlocutor and presentation of speech (maximum 10 points) | |||
Interaction with your interlocutor (maximum 4 points) | Lexical design of speech (maximum 2 points) | Grammatical formatting of speech (maximum 2 points) | Phonetic design of speech (maximum 2 points) |
||
9-10 | The communicative task is fully accomplished: the goal of communication has been successfully achieved, the topic has been covered to the specified extent. Participant expressesinteresting and original ideas. | 4 points The participant is able to conduct a conversation logically and coherently: the participant follows the order when exchanging remarks, if necessary, the participant starts first or maintains the conversation, and restores the conversation in case of failure. | 2 points There are no lexical errors in the participant’s speech; The participant’s vocabulary is rich, varied and adequate to the task. | 2 points There are no grammatical errors in the participant’s speech; The participant’s speech is rich in a variety of grammatical structures. | 2 points There are no phonetic errors in the participant's speech. |
The communicative task is fully accomplished: the goal of communication has been successfully achieved, the topic has been covered to the specified extent, but the presentation is not distinguished by originality of thought. | |||||
The communicative task is not fully completed: the goal of communication is basically achieved, but the topic is not fully disclosed: the statements made are not sufficiently reasoned. | 3 points In general, the participant is able to conduct a conversation logically and coherently: the participant observes the turn when exchanging remarks, but does not always take the initiative in maintaining the conversation. | 1 point The participant's vocabulary generally corresponds to the task, but there is some difficulty in selecting words and/or there are inaccuracies in their use. | 1 point The participant’s speech contains grammatical errors that do not impede understanding or monotonous grammatical structures are used. | 1 point The participant’s speech is generally understandable; the participant makes some phonetic errors. |
|
The communicative task has been partially completed: the goal of communication has not been fully achieved, the topic has been covered to a limited extent: the positions expressed are few and they are not substantiated. | 2 points The participant is not able to conduct a conversation logically and coherently: he does not start or strive to maintain it, and is largely dependent on help from the interlocutor. | ||||
The communicative task is not completed: the goal of communication is not achieved, the content does not correspond to the communicative task. | 1 point The participant in the dialogue is not able to conduct a conversation. | 0 points Vocabulary is not sufficient to communicate in accordance with the task. | 0 points The participant's speech contains grammatical errors that make understanding difficult. | 0 points Understanding the participant’s speech is difficult due to a large number of phonetic errors. |
|
Refusal to answer | 0 points Refusal to complete a dialogue task |
Assessment scheme for written assignments
Points | Communication tasks | Language means |
18-20 | Full implementation of communication tasks | Coherent text, adequate use of lexical and grammatical means, their wide range. Language errors are not significant. Correct use of written formulas. |
16-17 | A fairly coherent, natural text, the perception of which may be difficult due to incorrect use (or absence) of connecting elements. Complex syntactic structures are used, but their types are not diverse. |
|
11-15 | Almost all communication tasks have been implemented, but their implementation is extremely simplified. | The texts contain gross grammatical or lexical errors that distort the meaning of sentences, but their number is not large (no more than 3). The structural and lexical ranges are noticeably limited, the coherence of the text is impaired, and there are some violations associated with the norms of writing. |
8-10 | Communication tasks are generally implemented, since the general meaning of the text is clear. | Insufficiently correct control of sentence structure, a large number of gross lexical and grammatical errors. Perception of the text is difficult. |
Partially successful attempts to implement communicative tasks are noted, but understanding the text is hampered by numerous gross errors. | The text is difficult to understand due to frequent lexical and grammatical errors, simplified sentence construction, and non-compliance with punctuation rules, leading to inconsistency in the text. |
|
Inconsistency between the content and the assigned tasks | The text is practically “unreadable”, a collection of individual phrases and sentences with a large number of errors. |
1 - 2 points can be deducted for
- spelling errors in words of active vocabulary, or in simple words
careless design of the manuscript.