II. Choose the correct answer.

1. How many people spoke English a thousand years ago?

a) five thousand;

b) five million;

c) two million.

2. What is the most influential lan­guage in the world now?

a) Chinese;

b) English

c) Spanish.

3. How many people speak English as their first, second or third lan­guage?

1. 500 million;

2. 1 billion;

3. 56 million.

4. How many languages are there in the world?

1. 200;

2. 5600;

3. 6500.

5. What percentage of the world's e-mails are in English?

1. 80%;

2. 50%;

3. 100%.

6.What English will survive for inter­national communication?

1. Australian English;

2. Standard English;

3. American English.

III. Choose the correct word.

1. Now English is the most___ lan­guage in the world.

1. influential;

2. popular;

3. difficult.

2. At present English____ in science, business and popular culture.

1. exists;

2. spreads;

3. is used.

3.Over half of the world's 6.500 languages are in danger of

1. survival;

2. development;

3. extinction.

4. Another view is that English is al­ready breaking into several __ lan­guages.

1. international;

2. separate;

3. important.

5. Standard English will survive for international _____ .

1. purpose;

2. communication;

3. use.

6. Governments around the world are starting ____ smaller languages.

a) to protect;

2. to save;

3. to develop.

THE SHOEMAKER'S SHOP

One afternoon many years ago, George Cox robbed Barcley's Bank. He stole over 50,000 pounds. But unfortunate­ly, when he came out of the bank, the police were waiting for him. George was arrested and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison.

Years passed and finally the day arrived when George was a free man again. At the door of the prison he was given back his old clothes, a small suitcase and his wallet.

He walked to the railway station and caught a train back to the small town he was born and brought up. He chose it for his permanent residence.

After George had got off the train, he came out of the station and looked around him. How everything had changed! There was too much traffic now. What used to be a quiet little street was now an enormous supermarket, whore there used to be a park, there was an ugly car park. George couldn't believe his eyes. All these changes made him feel a bit depressed so he decided to have a cup of tea,

He looked for an old corner cafe where he used to meet his friends when he was a teenager. But of course it was gone, In its place now stood McDonald's, which George had never seen before in his life. He sat down on the hard plastic seat and waited for the waitress to come and Lake his order. Nobody came, Ten minutes later he realized that he had to go and ask for what he wanted. «A cup of tea, please», he said. «We don't make tea, only coffee», answered the black girl behind the counter. Everything had changed, it seemed. There was nothing here for him any more,

But as he opened his wallet to pay for the cup of coffee he didn't really want, he discovered an old yellow ticket. He

looked at it closely. It was a ticket for a pair of shoes which he had taken to the shoe repairer on the day before the robbery - twenty-five years ago. And of course he hadn't been able to go back for them.

George left the McDonald's and walked up High Street, past what used to be the cinema but which was now a Leisure Center (whatever that meant). Then he turned right down a narrow street, and there on the corner was a small shoemak­er's shop. The same little dirty shop was still there, after all these years. George looked in the window and couldn't believe his eyes, it was the same shoemaker — much older now, of course, with a long white beard. George went into the shop. He suddenly felt very embarrassed when he showed the shoemaker the old yellow ticket.

«Excuse me», he said. «You won't remember me. I've been away from this town for twenty-five years, but. on the day before I left, I gave you a pair of shoes to repair and you gave me this ticket. 1 know it's ridiculous, after all these years, but I wonder if...»

The shoemaker took the old yellow ticket, looked at it closely and then disappeared to the back of the shop. A few minutes later he came back.

«Was it a pair of black shoes?» he asked.

«Yes», said George excitedly.

«A pair of black shoes, size eight and a half?»

«Yes», said George.

«Needed any heels?» asked the shoemaker.

«Yes, that's right! You mean you've still got them?»

«Oh, yes. I've still got them», said the shoemaker. «They'll be ready on Friday».

I. Here are ten statements about the story. Do you think they are true or false? Write «T» or «F» in the boxes

1. The police were waiting for George Cox when he tried to break into the shop.

2.But for the police George could have stolen over 50,000 pounds.

3There used to be much traffic in the town where George grew up.

4.George was shocked and upset by the sight of his street.

5. A few changes took place in his native town during his absence.

6. George sat down on a hard plastic seat in the old cor­ner cafe.

7. On the day of his arrival in his native town George took his shoes to the shoe repairer.

8. After all those years the little shoemaker's shop was still there.

9. A receipt for a pair of shoes was preserved in George's wallet in prison.

10. The shoemaker said that George's shoes were ready.

II. Here are ten questions. Beneath each question are ten answers. Circle the letter А, В, С, D, which marks the best answer.

1. When did the police arrest George Cox?

A. When he entered the bank.

B. When he was stealing money.

C. When he left the bank.

D. When he tried to break into the bank.

2. How much did George Cox steal in the long run?

A. He stole 50,000 pounds.

B. He stole nearly 50,000 pounds.

C. He stole more than 50,000 pounds.

D. He stole nothing.

3.What did George decide to do when he was free from prison?

A. To visit his parents.

B. To meet his friends.

C. To have a look at the house where he used to live.

D. To stay in his native town.

4. What did George do first when he arrived at the street?

A. He went to the corner cafe to have a cup of tea.

B. He went to McDonald's to have a cup of tea.

C. He went to the supermarket to buy a pair of shoes.

D. He went to the shoemaker's shop.

5. What was George's reaction to the changes in his native town?

A. He was sad.

B. He was surprised.

C. He was happy.

D. He was indifferent.

6. Where did George go to have a cup of tea?

A. To McDonald's.

B. To a cafe.

C. To a restaurant

D. To a bar.

7. What did he find in his wallet?

A. A huge sum of money.

B. His wife's photograph.

C. A receipt for a pair of shoes.

D. A ticket for the train to his native town.

8. Where was the little shoemaker's shop?

A. Near a leisure centre.

B. Near McDonald's.

C. On the corner of High Street.

D. In a narrow street.

9. The shoemaker was the same man but much older, was­n't he?

A. Yes, he was.

B. No, he wasn't.

C. No, he was,

D. Yes, he wasn't.

10. The shoemaker had a poor memory, didn't he?

A. Yes, he did.

B. Yes, he had.

C. No, he didn't

D. No, he did.