Тесты по чтению на английском языке. Готовимся к централизованному тестированию

C.Section C

D.Sections A, C

d II. Прочитайте текст. Подберите соответствующий заголовок к каждому абзацу (1-5).

(1)The recent discovery of the wreck of an old ship on the ocean floor near the coast of North Carolina has revived interest in the colorful character who was the ship's last captain. The ship is believed to be the Queen Anne's Revenge, which sank in 1718. Her captain, who was the most notorious pirate of his day, was called Blackbeard, whose real name was Edward Teach. He had been a sailor on British ships in the Caribbean during Queen Anne's War (1702-1713). These ships were often involved in attacks on French and Spanish ships in the region and were allowed to keep a percentage of whatever they captured from these enemies of the queen.

(2)All this changed in 1713 when the European powers declared peace and the war ended. Teach and hundreds of other sailors had to choose between returning to unemployment in Britain or continuing to do what they knew best, only as pirates. They started as small bands in small boats, attacking and robbing merchant ships, and eventually took control of larger ships which had the speed and power to dominate the trade routes in and near the Caribbean.

(3)When they captured a large French ship, which they renamed Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard and his crew finally had a true pirate ship, 80 feet long, with three masts and more than three dozen cannons. Blackbeard soon learned that a fearsome reputation, a pirate flag and some warning shots from his cannons were all that he needed to stop most ships without a fight.

(4)In contemporary accounts, Blackbeard is described as a 'demon from hell', whose huge black beard was twisted into long tails and who carried several guns and swords in belts slung across both shoulders. Sticking out from the sides of his cap were long smoldering fuses that he could use to ignite cannons during an attack.

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(5) Blackbeard's reign of terror lasted until 1718 when he was killed in a sea battle with two British ships which had been sent to put an end to piracy in the region. After his death, Blackbeard became a romantic figure and stories about his daring adventures and tales of secret buried treasure helped to create the popular image of pirates we still have today.

A.First Truly Pirate Ship.

B.Legendary Figure of His Time

C.Fearsome Reputation

D.Love and Glory

E.Remarkable Finds

F.Pirates of the Caribbean

G.Daring Pirate Plans

d III. Прочитайте текст и выполните послетекстовые задания.

(1)Tools and hand bones excavated from the Swartkrans cave complex in South Africa suggest that a close relative of early humans known as Australopithecus robustus may have made and used primitive tools long before the species became extinct one million years ago. It may even have made and used primitive tools long before humanity’s direct ancestor, Homo habilis, or "handy man," began doing so. Homo habilis and its successor, Homo erectus, coexisted with Australopithecus robustus on the plains of South Africa for more than a million years.

(2)The cave in South Africa has been under excavation since the 1940's. The earliest fossil-containing layers of sedimentary rock in the cave date from about 1.9 million years ago and contain extensive remains of animals, primitive tools, and two or more species of apelike hominids. The key recent discovery involved bones from the hand of Australopithecus robustus, the first time such bones have been found.

(3)The most important feature of the Australopithecus robustus hand was the pollical distal thumb tip, the last bone in the thumb. The bone had an attachment point for a "uniquely human" muscle that had previously been found only in more recent ancestors. That muscle gave Australopithecus robustus an opposable thumb, a feature that would

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allow them to grip objects, including tools. The researchers also found primitive bone and stone implements, especially digging tools, in the same layers of sediments.

(4) Australopithecus robustus were more heavily built – more "robust" in anthropological terms – than their successors. They had broad faces, heavy jaws, and massive crushing and grinding teeth that were used for eating hard fruits, seeds, and fibrous underground plant parts. They walked upright, which would have allowed them to carry and use tools. Most experts had previously believed that Homo habilis were able to supplant Australopithecus robustus because the former's ability to use tools gave them an innate superiority. The discovery that Australopithecus robustus also used tools means that researchers will have to seek other explanations for their extinction. Perhaps their reliance on naturally occurring plants led to their downfall as the climate became drier and cooler, or perhaps Homo habilis, with their bigger brains, were able to make more sophisticated tools.

d Выберите вариант ответа, соответствующий содержанию прочитанного текста (задания 1-5).

1. Which of the following does the author mention as the most important recent discovery made in the Swartcrans cave?

A.Tools

B.Teeth

C.Hand bones

2. What does the third paragraph mainly discuss?

A.Features of the prehistoric man`s hand

B.Methods used to determine the age of fossils

C.Purposes for which tools were used

3. It can be inferred that Australopithecus robustus was so named because of its

A.diet

B.thumb

C.build

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4. Before the Swartkrans cave discovery scientists believed that Australopithecus robustus never

A.used tools

B.ate plant food

C.lived in caves

5. What the author suggests is unclear about Australopithecus robustus is

A.whether they are closely related to humans

B.what they drank

C.why they became extinct

d Определите значение указанного слова в тексте (задания

6-8).

d Выберите правильный вариант перевода в соответствии с содержанием текста (задания 9-12).

9. It may even have made and used primitive tools long before humanity’s direct ancestor, Homo habilis… (1)

A.Вполне возможно, что этот предок современного человека изготавливал и использовал орудия значительно раньше, чем наш предок Homo habilis ….

B.Он даже мог изготавливать и использовать орудия много раньше, чем прямой предок человечества Homo habilis…

C.Он мог бы изготовить и использовать орудия значительно раньше, чем прямой предок человечества Homo habilis…

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10.The key recent discovery involved bones from the hand of Australopithecus robustus, the first time such bones have been found

(2).

A.Одна из важнейших находок последнего времени – кости руки предка человека Australopithecus robustus, которые найдены впервые.

B.В одно из ключевых открытий недавнего времени включены кости руки Australopithecus robustus, которые найдены впервые.

C.Одно из решающих открытий последнего времени состоит в нахождении костей руки Australopithecus robustus, которые найдены впервые.

11.They walked upright, which would have allowed them to carry and use tools (4).

A.Они ходили прямо, что, по-видимому, позволяло им носить и использовать орудия.

B.Они были прямоходящими, что позволяло им носить и использовать орудия.

C.Они передвигались прямо, что позволяло им носить и использовать орудия.

12.Perhaps their reliance on naturally occurring plants led to their downfall as the climate became drier and cooler … (4)

A.По-видимому, исчезновение этого вида обусловлено зависимостью от естественной растительной пищи, которой стало мало вследствие того, что климат стал холоднее и суше.

B.Возможно, то, что они полагались на естественную растительную пищу, привело к их исчезновению, когда климат стал холоднее и суше.

C.Вероятно, их зависимость от естественной растительной пищи привело к падению этого вида, когда климат стал холоднее и суше.

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TEST 17

ON BELARUSIAN HISTORY

d I. Прочитайте текст и выберите вариант ответа, соответствующий содержанию прочитанных фрагментов (А-С).

A.Symon Budny is a Belarusian and Polish humanist, educator, Church reformator, philosopher, sociologist and historian. He also published the Old Testament and New Testament with commentaries and notes in the Polish language, which was the first approach of the world literature to the radical rationalist critique of the Gospels. Politically he supported the "educated monarchy" concept of the state, which would enable the development of the commons. Budny is also known as one of the first ideologists of the Belarusian culture development in the native language, who notably influenced the evolution of the Belarusian national identity.

B.Lev Sapega is considered a great political figure of the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth. A rich and powerful magnate, he was known for his wisdom as a statesman, lawyer and military commander. He was one of the greatest leaders of the Grand Principality of Lithuania at the times of the Duchy's highest cultural flourishing. He supported a political union with Moscow in 1584-1600 and led the diplomatic mission there in 1600 that proposed the union to tzar Boris Godunov, who, however, declined the proposal. He also participated in wars under Stefan Batory`s rule. As Chancellor he was the main editor and publisher of the last version of the Statute of the Grand Principality of Lithuania, considered to be the first constitution in Europe.

C.Kastus Kalinovsky is a writer, journalist, lawyer and revolutionary. He was one of the leaders of Belarusian and Lithuanian national

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revival and the leader of the January uprising in the lands of the former Grand Principality of Lithuania. He also started publishing Peasant's truth, one of the first periodicals in Belarusian and two other clandestine Polish-language newspapers. In his literary work, the author underlined the need to liberate all peoples of the former PolishLithuanian Commonwealth from occupation and to conserve and promote the Greek-Catholic faith and the Belarusian language. He also promoted the idea of activisation of peasants for the cause of national liberation. He also referred to the good traditions of democracy, tolerance and freedom. Because of his involvement in liberation of the nations of Central and Eastern Europe, he is considered by many to be a national hero of Belarus, Lithuania and Poland.

1. The historical characters known as champions of their native language are depicted in

A.Sections A and B

B.Sections B and C

C.Sections A and C

D.Sections A, B, C

2. The man whose political wisdom and vision were universally acknowledged is depicted in

A.Section A

B.Section B

C.Section C

D.Sections A, B, C

3. The man who adhered to democratic ideas is referred to in

A.Section A

B.Section B

C.Section C

D.Sections A, B, C

4. The man who contributed to ecclesiastic research is described in

A.Section A

B.Section B

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C.Section C

D.Sections A, B, C

5. The historical characters known for their personal participation in battles are depicted in

A.Sections A and B

B.Sections B and C

C.Sections A and C

D.Sections A, B, C

d II. Прочитайте текст. Подберите соответствующий заголовок к каждому абзацу (1-5).

(1)Particularly rich are Belarusian mythology and legends combining protoSlavic and Baltic traditions, in which the figures of the sky-god Bielboh-Bialun, and his three sons Piarun – the god of war, Ziuzia – the god of winter and Charnaboh – the god of evil, fulfil the central role. Piarun's wife Zhyva-Hramavitsa, the summer goddess of fertility, conceived a child the sun-god Dazhboh, to check the power of the winter god. To escape the evil forces of Ziuzia, Zhyva changed herself into a white she-goat and hid in an bed of willows, where she gave birth to Dazhboh. This legend survives in the Christmas procession of carol-singers in Belarus, where a maquette of a white goat is still carried to represent the hidden birth of the mythological sun-god.

(2)In turn Dazhboh married the goddess of spring – Lada, by whom he had a son Jaryla, the god of growth and of love. His descent on earth at the command of his mother Lada heralded the beginning of spring.

(3)Other divinities include the moon-god and guardian of live-stock Volas, the midsummer god Kupala, Svaroh the god of fire, Pahoda the goddess of fair weather, Pasvist the god of clouds and bad weather, Palandra the god of fever, Marana the goddess of death, and Rada the goddess of intelligence and good counsel. Added to these was a nearHibernian plethora of elves, pixies and goblins: Khatnik the household sprite, Khleunik the cattle carrier, Lyasun the forest elf; Pierapa-

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loh the spirit of fright, and Zmora the nightmare goblin. Other malicious sprites included nachniki, pakutniki, vaukalaki and vupyry.

(4)A number of poets have touched upon the subject, but the Belarusian mythological tradition has yet to be forged into a unified cycle, in pattern of the Teutonic Nibelungenlied, the Scandinavian Edda, and the Finnish Kalevala. In time, no doubt, the national epic will emerge as a challenge for a new generation of poets.

(5)Ancient rituals and customs have always played an important part in Belarusian rural life. The processions of carol singers at Christmas and New Year (Kalyada) with the image or guise of a goat, and the lighting of bonfires, the weaving of floral coronets by young girls to float downstream, illuminated with small candles on Midsummer night (Kupala), were eagerly revived by young people in recent decades. Dazhynki is another popular summer festival marking the harvest home, when the last sheaf of grain, decorated with flowers and ribbons, is brought back from the fields in solemn procession to the sound of singing and lancing.

A.Sources of Inspiration.

B.Belarusian Pantheon

C.Zhyva`s Runaway

D.Paraphernalia of Spirits and Fairies.

E.Heralding Spring

F.Modern Reincarnation of Belarusian Legends

G.Gods` Wedding Ceremony

d III. Прочитайте текст и выполните послетекстовые задания.

(1) Nesvizh Castle is a residential castle of the Radziwill family in Belarus.The estate was owned by the Radziwill magnate family from 1533. Since the Radziwilis were one of the most important and wealthy clans of the Grand Principality of Lithuania, it was there that the Lithuanian Archive was moved in the middle of the sixteenth century. In 1582 they started the construction of an imposing square three-storey chateau. Although the works were based on a pre-existing

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structure of a medieval castle, the former fortifications were entirely turned into a renaissance-baroque house. Construction was completed by 1604, and they added several galleries half a century later. The chateau's corners were fortified with four octagonal towers.

(2)In 1706, during the Great Northern War, Charles XII's army sacked the castle and destroyed its fortifications. Several decades later, the Radziwilis invited some German and Italian architects to substantially renovate and enlarge the chateau and decorate its yellow facades with baroque stucco work. The castle gates were also reconstructed, and the two-storey gatehouse tower was crowned with a helm. It was at this time that the three separate buildings surrounding the central courtyard were joined into a single structure.

(3)The Corpus Christ Church is the most important structure connected with the castle by a dam over a ditch and containing coffins of 72 members of the Radziwill family, each interred in a simple coffin made of birch and marked with the Coat of Arms. Designed by the Italian architect Bernardoni, the church is considered the first domed basilica with Baroque facade in the world and the first baroque piece of architecture in Eastern Europe. Apart from elaborate princely sepulchres, its interior features some late baroque frescoes and the Holy Cross altar, executed by Venetian sculptors.

(4)In 1770 the castle was seized by Russian forces and the Radziwill family was expelled. Soon afterwards the Lithuanian Archive was transferred to Saint Petersburg (where it remains), while the majority of works of art gathered in the palace were distributed among various Russian nobles. Abandoned both by the original owners and by the Russian army, the palace gradually fell into disrepair. However, it was returned to the Radziwills and between 1881 and 1886 the castle's interiors were renovated. The owners designed a landscape park in English style. With an area of more than one square kilometre, the park is one of the biggest such facilities in Europe. In Soviet times, the chateau was used a sanatorium, while the park gradually fell in neglect. In 1994, the castle was designated the national historical and cultural reserve. Twelve years later, the castle was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

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