A. LISTENING

You will hear an interview with a young tap-dancer called Jodie Markfield. For questions 1 - 10, complete the sentences.

JODIE MARKFIELD: TAP-DANCER

1. Jodie says that tap-dancers are often thought of as ________as well as dancers.

2. Jodie first got work as a tap-dancer thanks to her _______ .

3. The first show that Jodie appeared in was called ________ .

4. Jodie says that tap-dancing has both African and _______ origins.

5. Classical tap-dancers tend to use their _______ more than other tap-dancers do.

6. Jodie says that tap-dancers need to keep their _______ and ankles relaxed.

7. Beginners are often told to imagine they are dancing on a ______ floor.

8. Jodie says it's important that tap-dancing shoes aren't too ______ .

9. Jodie says that being in a touring show is not as ______ as it sounds.

10. The only school subject that Jodie's parents can't help her with is _______ .

B. READING

I. You are going to read a newspaper article about young pop stars. For questions 1 - 15, choose from the people (A - E). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person says

they realised it would be difficult to change the band's image?
it is important to develop in your role as a member of a band?
their favourite time was when the band was first together?
they nearly lost the opportunity to stay in the band?
they can't imagine giving up making music?
they were not defeated by negative feedback?
they didn't have time to adjust to being in a successful band?
they are glad that more talent is expected from bands nowadays?
the most important thing in their band was to work hard?
they appreciate the people who work with the band?
successful performers shouldn't take their success for granted?
they initially had some concerns about discussing their ambition of starting a band?
their band's path to success was through people telling each other?
they aren't bothered if the band gets bad reviews?
there is a mistaken belief that their band quickly became well-known?

II. Read the text and do the tasks.

After over twenty years of confusing both the Irish and tourists by having distances in kilometres and speed limits in miles per hour, Ireland has just become fully metric. However, there is some confusion over the sixty thousand new speed signs – and not only on the part of drivers. For example, one speed sign gave an 80 kmh (50 mph) speed limit down a dead-end street while another had a limit of 100 kph (62 mph) outside a primary school.

There was a nation-wide publicity campaign, including newspaper and television advertisements and brochures posted to every house, before the new signs were introduced. The government believes this will be enough to prevent drivers misunderstanding the new ‘120’ speed limits and trying to imitate Michael Schumacher on the motorways. Northern Ireland’s transport department has also launched a campaign encouraging drivers to be extremely careful when they cross the border.

The Irish police expect a certain amount of confusion, mistakes and high speeds. In spite of this, they have no intention of being lenient and giving drivers a period of time in which to get used to the new signs. Ignorance is not an excuse and any driver who exceeds the speed limits will suffer the consequences. Unfortunately for the police, half their instruments for measuring speed still register them in miles per hour and they have to convert from miles to kilometres, which makes it a little complicated for them.

When Ireland first converted distances to kilometres in 1983, motorists never quite knew where they were because any new signs were in kilometres while the old ones still reported the distance in miles. However, schools have been teaching the metric system for thirty years and the Irish government is ready to change to be in line with the rest of Europe.

The UK remains the only European country using the imperial system on its roads. A spokesman for the department of Transport stated that it was improbable that Britain would change in the near future. Although the Irish have replaced one system for the purpose of greater European harmony, they are still left with another British legacy – they drive on the left.

1. The passage is about the new speed limits they have introduced in Ireland.

a) true

b) false

c) doesn’t say

2. Some drivers went down a dead-end street at 80 kph.

a) true

b) false

c) doesn’t say

3. The Irish government thinks they have adequately publicized the change and the new signs.

a) true

b) false

c) doesn’t say

4. For more than twenty years ……

a) Ireland has converted to the metric system

b) the distances on road sign were in kilometres, while speed signs were in miles

c) people had to convert the speed limits into kilometres before they knew the distance they travelled

d) the Irish and tourists were confused by the speed limits

5. Which is correct?

a) People were informed by various means before the speed signs were changed.

b) People should drive at 100kph outside primary schools.

c) They are going to publicize the new road signs.

d) Schumacher has misunderstood the new speed signs.

6. They ……

a) break the law because they imitate Schumacher

b) don’t want Schumacher to race on the motorway

c) have warned drivers coming from Northern Ireland to be careful

d) will punish drivers who don’t convert to kilometres

7. Some of the police ……

a) are still using instruments which measure speed in miles

b) are tolerant of people making mistakes because of the new signs

c) have no intention of exceeding the speed limit

d) have to convert distances into kilometres before they know the speed of a car

8. Which is correct?

a) Ireland first went metric in 1983.

b) Some children have been studying the metric system for thirty years.

c) When Ireland first converted distances into kilometres, they did not change all the road signs immediately.

d) They have been changing road signs into kilometres for thirty years.

9. The British government ……

a) has stated that British drivers will not have to drive on the right in the near future

b) has no intention of changing the system used on the roads for the moment

c) will probably change the system used on the roads soon

d) thinks the imperial system is better than the metric one

10. Which is correct?

a) The Irish think the rest of Europe should change to be in harmony.

b) If you are using the metric system, you should drive on the left.

c) Irish drivers drive on the same side of the road as the British.

d) The British say the Irish can’t drive on the right.

C. USE OF ENGLISH

I. Complete each gap with the correct word formed from the word in brackets.

1. He has the habit of interrupting other people when they're talking.

(ANNOY)

2. So much isn't good for that old woman. (EXCITE)

3. When she came in late, she closed the door in order not to wake her parents.

(QUIET)

4. I'm afraid he's It would be a mistake to trust him with money. (HONEST)

5. He was with the results of his exam. (DISAPPOINT)

6. I know the length of the table is 1.20 meters, but what's the ? (WIDE)

7. people suffer when the weather is freezing and they have nowhere to sleep. (HOME)

8. Many young people have difficulty finding after leaving university. (EMPLOY)

9. The actors in that film are completely I've never heard of any of them. (KNOW)

10. Are you sitting or would you prefer to sit on the sofa? (COMFORT)

II. For questions 1 - 12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.

The internet bus

In the desert areas that surround Tucson city, USA, students spend hundreds of hours on yellow buses each year getting to and from their schools. But when mobile internet equipment was (1)______on a yellow school bus, the bored, often noisy, teens were (2)______into quiet, studious individuals.

District officials got the idea during (3)______drives on school business to Phoenix, two hours each way, when they (4)______that, when they went in pairs, one person could drive and the other could work using a laptop and a wireless card. They (5)________ if internet access on a school bus could (6)______ students' academic productivity, too.

But the idea for what students call 'the internet bus' really (7)_______shape when the district's chief information officer (8)______across an article about having internet access in cars. He thought, 'What if you could put that in a bus?'

The officials have been delighted to see the (9)_______ of homework getting done, morning and evening, as the internet bus (10)________up and drops off students along the 70-minute drive.

(11)_______some students spend their time playing games or visiting social networking sites, most students do make (12)______of their travel time to study.

1. A installed

2. A replaced

3. A extraordinary

4. A believed

5. A thought

6. A increase

7. A formed

8. A got

9. A total

10. A brings

11. A Since

12. A progress

B set

B exchanged

B occasional

B acknowledged

B imagined

B enlarge

B took

B looked

B amount

B picks

B Despite

B work

C included
C switched
C exceptional
C estimated
C suspected
C rise
C held
C came
C number
C rides
C Although
C use

D structured
D transformed
D few
D realised
D wondered
D heighten
D did
D put
D measure
D catches
D However
D part

D. CULTURAL AWARENESS

I. Match the English and Russian proverbs.

1. Diamond cut diamond.

2. Discretion is the better part of valour.

3. Don't bite off more than you can chew.

4. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.

5. Fine words butter no parsnips.

6. First come, first served.

7. Forbidden fruit is sweetest.

8. The game is not worth the candle.

9. Homer sometimes nods.

10. Honey catches more flies than vinegar.

a) И на солнце есть пятна.

b) Нашла коса на камень.

c) Не делай из мухи слона.

d) Береженого бог бережет.

e) Соловья баснями не кормят.

f) Игра не стоит свеч.

g) Доброе слово и кошке приятно.

h) Руби дерево по себе.

i) Первому гостю - первое место и красная ложка.
j) Запретный плод сладок

II. Match the following words and combinations with their definitions,

1. health food shop 2. corner shop 3. chain store 4. supermarket 5. grocer

a) A small shop usually but not always on a corner, usually open longer hours than other shops.

b) A group of usually large stores of the same kind owned by one organization

c) A shop where one can buy food that is believed to be good for health, food that is in the natural state, without added chemicals.

d) A large shop where customers serve themselves with food and other goods; goods usually cost less than in smaller shops.

e) A person who owns or works in a shop which sells dry and preserved foods.

III. Choose the correct answer for each question.

1. Who is a symbol of the British nation?
a) Uncle Sam b) John Bull c) Winston Churchill

2. The colour that represents Ireland is _____ .

a) green b) red c) yellow

3. Where is Glasgow situated?

a) in Scotland b) in Wales c) in England

4. What's the name of the British flag?
a) Star-Spangled Banner b) Stripes and Stars c) Union Jack

5. Where is Ben Nevis situated?

a) in Scotland b) in Wales

c) in England d) in Northern Ireland

6. What is Eisteddfod?

a) a county b) a dish

c) a festival d) a dance

7. The Romans first invaded Britain in

a) the 5th century AD b) the 5th century BC

c) the 1st century BC

8. The famous British newspaper which is printed on pink paper is .

a) The Times b) The Guardian
c) The Financial Times

9. Stonehenge is about years old.

a) 40 b) 400 c) 4000

10. The Irish Sea is ______.

a) to the east of England b) to the west of England
c) to the north of England

E. WRITING

Comment on the following statement.

Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks.

What can you say for and against taking risks in life?

Write 200-250 words.

Use the following plan:

- give a general statement of the problem

- outline the points FOR

- outline the points AGAINST

- draw a conclusion weighting up the points outlined.