brother

brothers

woman

match

camera

baby

photo

person

church

secretary

radio

thief

sandwich

foot

door

wolf

lady

tomato

gentleman

tooth

watch

child

teacher

deer

monkey

leaf

piano

city

potato

1. I need some ____ to light the fire.

2.The bay has got two new _____.

3.Alex saw some _____ running across the floor.

4.If a houseplant is given too much water, its lower____turn yellow.

5.New scientific ____ are made every day

In ______.

6.In the mountains we saw some_____, _______ ______ and wild ______.

7. I can see trees and _____ outside the window.

MATCH

TOOTH

MOUSE

LEAF

DISCOVERY

LABORATORY

WOLF FOX

DEER SHEEP

BUSH

1. The ___ hat is red.

1. The ____hats are red.
2. The _______toys are all over the floor.
3. I fixed the ______bike.
4. This is a _____purse.
5. That store sells _____clothes.
6. Do you know my ____husband?

BOYS

CHILDREN

CHILD

WOMAN

WOMEN

SISTER

1. smile
2. sleep
3. stop
4. write
5. plan

1. study
2. come

1.The people I work with are _____ with their work.

SATISFY

2.John was ______ by the news report.

DISGUST

3.We thought that the instructions were _____

CONFUSE

4.It’s an ______little story. You should read it.

AMUSE

5.Working late every day is_____.

TIRE

6.I’m not really _____ in sport.

INTEREST

7.Do you feel ____about them?

WORRY

8.All this information is making me ____.

CONFUSE

9.I had a ____weekend because of the rain.

BORE

10.Young children are often ____of the dark.

SCARE

brother

brothers

woman

women

match

matches

boxes

camera

cameras

baby

babies

photo

photos

person

people

church

churches

secretary

secretaries

radio

radios

thief

thieves

sandwich

sandwiches

foot

feet

door

doors

wolf

wolves

lady

ladies

tomato

tomatoes

gentleman

gentlemen

tooth

teeth

watch

watches

keys

child

children

teacher

teachers

boys

deer

deer

monkey

monkeys

leaf

leaves

piano

pianos

city

cities

potato

potatoes

1. Smile – smile – smiled - smiling
2. Run – ran – run - running
3. Sleep – slept – slept - sleeping
4. stop – stopped – stopped - stopping
5. write – wrote - -written - writing
6. cut – cut – cut - cutting
7. plan – planned – planned - planning
8. say – said – said - saying
9. cry – cried – cried - crying
10. study – studied – studied - studying
11. lie – lay – lain - lying
12. get – got – got - getting
13. hit – hit – hit - hitting

    2. Put the following sentences into the correct tense: Present Perfect, Past Simple, Present Perfect Continuous.

    1. has been / was, 2. met /have met, 3. have done / did, 4. bought / hasn’t bought, 5. has already spent / spent, 6. broke / have never broken, 7. has been working hard / was / worked, 8. came / hasn’t come, 9. hasn’t been, 10. felt / has felt

    3.Put the verb into the correct form, present simple or past simple, active or passive .

    2.covers

    3.is covered

    4.are locked

    5.was posted/ arrived

    6.sank/ was rescued

    7.died/were brought up

    8.grew

    9.was stolen

    10. disappeared

    11.is owned

    12.called/was injured/wasn’t needed

    1. Use passive or active voice.

    1.saw

    2.will be received

    3.will give

    4.be found

    5. showed

    6.find

    7.is divided

    8.founded

    9.was founded

    10.call

    PARTICIPLES

    1. Choose the right participle
    2. This exercise is interesting .
    3. On Christmas Eve, many children are so excited that they stay up all night.
    4. My friend has a very annoying habit.
    5. I had such a tiring day I went straight to bed.
    6. We were relaxed after our holidays.
    7. Their hamburgers are disgusting .
    8. I"m not satisfied with my job.
    9. George always talks about the same things, he is so boring .
    10. I like this actor but the film was disappointing .
    11. English grammar can be confusing .

    2.Write the right form of the participles.

    1. satisfied
    2. disgusted
    3. confusing
    4. amusing
    5. tiring
    6. interested
    7. worried
    8. confused
    9. boring
    10. scared
    
    

    Данные тесты в формате ЕГЭ для раздела «Грамматика» разработаны на основе коротких рассказов из сборника L.A.Hill“AdvancedStoriesforReproduction” (seriesI) publishedOxfordUniversityPress, 1965, 68 pages$ ISBN: 0194325431.

    Основным преимуществом является то, что данные материалы представляют собой короткие (не более 300 – 500 слов) сюжетные тексты различной тематики.

    Скачать:

    
    

    Предварительный просмотр:

    ПОЯСНИТЕЛЬНАЯ ЗАПИСКА

    Данные тесты в формате ЕГЭ для раздела «Грамматика» разработаны на основе коротких рассказов из сборника L.A.Hill “Advanced Stories for Reproduction” (series I) published Oxford University Press, 1965, 68 pages$ ISBN: 0194325431.

    Основным преимуществом является то, что данные материалы представляют собой короткие (не более 300 – 500 слов) сюжетные тексты различной тематики.

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    As one approaches some crossroads, one comes to a sign which __________ that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other __________, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop (unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road); and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they __________ themselves on the main road. Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, __________ home from work one evening when he came to a crossroads. It had a "Slow" sign, so he __________ down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely. At once he __________ a police whistle, so he pulled in to the side of the road and __________. A policeman walked over to him with a notebook and pencil in his hand and said, "You didn"t stop at that crossing." "But the sign there __________ "Stop"," answered Mr. Williams. "It just says "Slow", and I did go slow." The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise __________ over his face. Then he put his notebook and pencil away, scratched his head and said, "Well, I"ll be blowed! I __________ in the wrong street!"

    CROSSROAD DRIVE SLOW HEAR STOP NOT SAY COME

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text I

    As one approaches some crossroads, one comes to a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other cross roads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop (unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road); and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road.

    Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroads. It had a "Slow" sign, so he slowed down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely.

    At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled in to the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a notebook and pencil in his hand and said, "You didn"t stop at that crossing."

    "But the sign there doesn"t say "Stop"," answered Mr. Williams. "It just says "Slow", and I did go slow."

    The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pencil away, scratched his head and said, "Well, I"ll be blowed! I am in the wrong street!"

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    Before the __________ war, officers in the navy had a lot more freedom when their ship was in port than they have nowadays. They __________ to lead a busy social life, and to take an active part in sport ashore. It was therefore rather difficult for __________ to find time to do all their other duties. Usually, all the officers in a ship used to have a regular meeting together once a week to receive orders from their captain, make reports and discuss any business that had to __________, such as who should represent the ship in the next football match. One such meeting __________ on board a ship one day, and after the regular business had been completed, the time __________ to discuss the date of the next meeting. Friday of the next week was suggested, and so was Monday of the week after, but both of them interfered with __________ arrangements for the weekend, and in the end it was generally agreed that the meeting should be held on Wednesday, as this would be the __________ likely day to inter fere with anybody"s convenience, since it was right in the middle of the week. As the officers __________, however, one of them was heard to say, "Wednesday is the __________ day, because it interferes with two weekends!"

    LATE EXPECT THEY DISCUSS HOLD COME SOMEBODY LITTLE LEAVE

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text II

    Before the last war, officers in the navy had a lot more freedom when their ship was in port than they have nowadays. They were expected to lead a busy social life, and to take an active part in sport ashore. It was therefore rather difficult for them to find time to do all their other duties.

    Usually, all the officers in a ship used to have a regular meeting together once a week to receive orders from their captain, make reports and discuss any business that had to be discussed, such as who should represent the ship in the next football match.

    One such meeting was being held on board a ship one day, and after the regular business had been completed, the time came to discuss the date of the next meeting. Friday of the next week was suggested, and so was Monday of the week after, but both of them interfered with somebody"s arrangements for the weekend, and in the end it was generally agreed that the meeting should be held on Wednesday, as this would be the least likely day to inter fere with anybody"s convenience, since it was right in the middle of the week.

    As the officers were leaving, however, one of them was heard to say, "Wednesday is the worst day, because it interferes with two weekends!"

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    Mr. and Mrs. Williams had always spent their summer holidays in England in the past, in a small boarding-house at the seaside. One year, however, Mr. Williams __________ a lot of money in his business, so they decided to go to Rome and stay at a really good hotel while they went around and __________ the sights of that famous city. They __________ to Rome, and arrived at their hotel late one evening. They expected that they would have to go to bed hungry, because in the boarding-houses they __________ in the past, no meals were served after seven o"clock in the evening. They were therefore surprised when the clerk who __________ them in the hall of the hotel asked them whether they __________ dinner there that night. "________you still ________ dinner then?" asked Mrs. Williams. "What __________ the times of meals then?" asked Mr. Williams. "Well, sir," __________ the clerk, "we serve breakfast from seven to half past eleven in the morning, lunch from twelve to three in the afternoon, tea from four to five, and dinner from six to half past nine." "But that hardly leaves any time for __________ to see the sights of Rome!" said Mrs. Williams in a disappointed voice.

    MAKE USE TO RECEIVE TAKE SERVE ANSWER

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text III

    Mr. and Mrs. Williams had always spent their summer holidays in England in the past, in a small boarding-house at the seaside. One year, however, Mr. Williams made a lot of money in his business, so they decided to go to Rome and stay at a really good hotel while they went around and saw the sights of that famous city.

    They flew to Rome, and arrived at their hotel late one evening. They expected that they would have to go to bed hungry, because in the boarding-houses they had been used to in the past, no meals were served after seven o"clock in the evening. They were therefore surprised when the clerk who received them in the hall of the hotel asked them whether they would be taking dinner there that night.

    "Are you still serving dinner then?" asked Mrs. Williams.

    "Yes, certainly, madam," answered the clerk. "We serve it until half past nine."

    "What are the times of meals then?" asked Mr. Williams.

    "Well, sir," answered the clerk, "we serve breakfast from seven to half past eleven in the morning, lunch from twelve to three in the afternoon, tea from four to five, and dinner from six to half past nine."

    "But that hardly leaves any time for us to see the sights of Rome!" said Mrs Williams in a disappointed voice.

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    Mrs. Black was having a lot of trouble with her skin, so she __________ to her doctor about it. He could not find anything wrong with her, however, so he __________ her to the local hospital for some tests. The hospital, of course, sent the results of the tests direct to Mrs. Black"s doctor, and the next morn ing he telephoned her to give her a list of the things that he __________ she should not eat, as any of them might be the cause of her skin trouble. Mrs. Black carefully wrote all the things down on a piece of paper, which she then __________ beside the telephone while she went out to a ladies" meeting. When she got back home two hours later, she found her husband __________ for her. He had a big basket full of packages beside him, and when he saw her, he said, "Hullo, dear. I __________ all your shopping for you." "Well, when I got home, I __________ your shopping list beside the telephone," answered her husband, "so I went down to the shops and bought every thing you __________ down." Of course, Mrs. Black had to tell him that he __________all the things the doctor __________ her to eat!

    SEND THINK LEAVE WAIT FIND WRITE NOT ALLOW

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text IV

    Mrs. Black was having a lot of trouble with her skin, so she went to her doctor about it. He could not find anything wrong with her, however, so he sent her to the local hospital for some tests. The hospital, of course, sent the results of the tests direct to Mrs. Black"s doctor, and the next morn ing he telephoned her to give her a list of the things that he thought she should not eat, as any of them might be the cause of her skin trouble.

    Mrs. Black carefully wrote all the things down on a piece of paper, which she then left beside the telephone while she went out to a ladies" meeting.

    When she got back home two hours later, she found her husband waiting for her. He had a big basket full of packages beside him, and when he saw her, he said, "Hullo, dear. I have done all your shopping for you."

    "Done all my shopping?" she asked in surprise. "But how did you know what I wanted?"

    "Well, when I got home, I found your shopping list beside the telephone," answered her husband, "so I went down to the shops and bought every thing you had written down."

    Of course, Mrs. Black had to tell him that he had bought all the things the doctor did not allow her to eat!

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    Some young soldiers who had recently joined the army __________ in modern ways of fighting, and one of the things they __________ was how an unarmed man could trick an armed enemy and take his weapon away from him. First one of __________ two instructors took a knife away from the other, __________ only his bare hands; and then he took a rifle away from him in the same way. After the lesson, and before they __________ on to train the young soldiers to do these things themselves, the two instructors asked them a number of questions to see how well they __________ what they had been shown. One of the questions __________ this: "Well, you now know what an unarmed man can do against a man with a rifle. Imagine that you __________ a bridge at night, and that you have a rifle. Suddenly you see an unarmed enemy soldier coming towards you. What will you do?" The young soldier who __________ answer this question thought carefully for a few seconds before he answered, and then said, "Well, after what I have just seen, I think that the first thing I __________ would be to get rid of my rifle as quickly as I could so that the unarmed enemy soldier couldn"t take it from me and kill me with it!"

    TRAIN SHOW THEY UNDERSTAND GUARD HAVE TO

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text V

    Some young soldiers who had recently joined the army were being trained in modern ways of fighting, and one of the things they were shown was how an unarmed man could trick an armed enemy and take his weapon away from him. First one of their two instructors took a knife away from the other, using only his bare hands; and then he took a rifle away from him in the same way.

    After the lesson, and before they went on to train the young soldiers to do these things themselves, the two instructors asked them a number of questions to see how well they had understood what they had been shown. One of the questions was this: "Well, you now know what an unarmed man can do against a man with a rifle. Imagine that you are guarding a bridge at night, and that you have a rifle. Suddenly you see an unarmed enemy soldier coming towards you. What will you do?"

    The young soldier who had to answer this question thought carefully for a few seconds before he answered, and then said, "Well, after what I have just seen, I think that the first thing I would do would be to get rid of my rifle as quickly as I could so that the unarmed enemy soldier couldn"t take it from me and kill me with it!"

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    A certain poet __________ a play, and arrangements were being made to perform it. Of course, the poet __________ to give his advice on the scenery, the lighting, and all the other things that help to make a play successful, and he __________ to be a very difficult man to please, as he had his own very definite ideas of how each scene should look. In one of the scenes in the play, it __________ necessary to produce the effect of a wonderful sunset, which the young lovers watched together before __________ one of their great love songs. The theatre electricians worked very hard to produce this sunset effect. They tried out all kinds of arrangements and combinations of __________-red lights, orange lights, yellow lights, blue lights, lights from above, lights from behind, lights from the front, lights from the sides-but nothing __________ the poet, until suddenly he __________ exactly the effect that he _________ of producing ever since he had written his play. That"s what __________the effect you can see now!"

    WRITE PROVE SING LIGHT SATISFY DREAM PRODUCE

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text VI

    A certain poet had written a play, and arrangements were being made to perform it. Of course, the poet was asked to give his advice on the scenery, the lighting, and all the other things that help to make a play successful, and he proved to be a very difficult man to please, as he had his own very definite ideas of how each scene should look.

    In one of the scenes in the play, it was necessary to produce the effect of a wonderful sunset, which the young lovers watched together before sing ing one of their great love songs.

    The theatre electricians worked very hard to produce this sunset effect. They tried out all kinds of arrangements and combinations of lights-red lights, orange lights, yellow lights, blue lights, lights from above, lights from behind, lights from the front, lights from the sides-but nothing satisfied the poet, until suddenly he saw exactly the effect that he had been dreaming of producing ever since he had written his play.

    "That"s it!" he shouted excitedly to the electricians behind the stage. "That"s just right! Keep it exactly like that!"

    "I"m sorry, sir," answered the chief electrician, "but we can"t keep it like this."

    "Why ever not?" asked the poet angrily.

    "Because the theatre is on fire, sir," answered the chief electrician." That"s what"s producing the effect you can see now!"

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    Mrs.Baker"s sister __________ ill. She had someone to look after her from Monday to Friday, but not at the weekend, so every Friday evening Mrs. Baker used to go off to spend the weekend with __________ at her home in a neighbour ing town. But as Mr.Baker could not cook, she had arranged for his sister to come over and spend the weekend __________ after him at their home. This meant that Mr. Baker had quite a busy time when he came home from work on Friday evenings. __________ he had to drive home from the railway station. Then he had to drive his wife to the station to catch her train. And then he __________wait until his sister"s train arrived, so as to take her to his house. Of course, on Sunday evening he had to drive his sister to the station to catch her train back home, and then wait for his __________ train, so as to bring her home. One Sunday evening he had seen his sister off on her train and __________ for his wife"s arrival when a porter, who had often seen him at the station, came over and __________ to him. "You __________ a lot of fun," he said. "But one day one of those __________ is going to catch you with the other, and then you will be in real trouble!"

    LOOK HAVE TO WIFE WAIT SPEAK HAVE WOMAN

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text VII

    Mrs. Baker"s sister was ill. She had someone to look after her from Monday to Friday, but not at the weekend, so every Friday evening Mrs. Baker used to go off to spend the weekend with her at her home in a neighbour ing town. But as Mr. Baker could not cook, she had arranged for his sister to come over and spend the weekend looking after him at their home.

    This meant that Mr. Baker had quite a busy time when he came home from work on Friday evenings. First he had to drive home from the railway station. Then he had to drive his wife to the station to catch her train. And then he had to wait until his sister"s train arrived, so as to take her to his house.

    Of course, on Sunday evening he had to drive his sister to the station to catch her train back home, and then wait for his wife"s train, so as to bring her home.

    One Sunday evening he had seen his sister off on her train and was wait ing for his wife"s arrival when a porter, who had often seen him at the station, came over and spoke to him.

    "You are having a lot of fun," he said. "But one day one of those women is going to catch you with the other, and then you will be in real trouble!"

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    A young man, who earned his living as a drummer in a band, __________ just __________, and he and his wife __________ for somewhere to live. They saw a lot of places, but there was always something that one of __________ did not like about them. At last, however, they found a block of new __________ which both of them really liked. However, there was still the problem of whether they should take one of the ground-floor flats, which had a small garden, or one of the upstairs ones. At last they decided on a first-floor flat-not too low down and not too high up-and moved in. After they __________furniture, carpets, curtains, and all the rest, they gave a big party to celebrate the setting up of their __________ home together. It was a gay and noisy party, as all the __________ friends from the band came and played their instruments. The guests danced, sang and practised on their host"s drums. Soon after one a.m. the telephone __________. The hostess went to answer it in the hall, and after she had finished, came back with a happy smile on her face and said to her husband, "That was the man who has just moved into the flat downstairs __________, dear. I am so glad we decided not to choose it. He says it __________ terribly noisy down there."

    MARRY LOOK THEY FLAT HOST RING TELEPHONE

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text VIII

    A young man, who earned his living as a drummer in a band, had just married, and he and his wife were looking for somewhere to live. They saw a lot of places, but there was always something that one of them did not like about them. At last, however, they found a block of new flats which both of them really liked. However, there was still the problem of whether they should take one of the ground-floor flats, which had a small garden, or one of the upstairs ones.

    At last they decided on a first-floor flat-not too low down and not too high up-and moved in. After they had bought furniture, carpets, curtains, and all the rest, they gave a big party to celebrate the setting up of their first home together.

    It was a gay and noisy party, as all the host"s friends from the band came and played their instruments. The guests danced, sang and practised on their host"s drums.

    Soon after one a.m. the telephone rang. The hostess went to answer it in the hall, and after she had finished, came back with a happy smile on her face and said to her husband, "That was the man who has just moved into the flat downstairs telephoning, dear. I am so glad we decided not to choose it. He says it is terribly noisy down there."

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    Just after the __________ war, people were very willing to give money to help those who __________ from it. But not everyone who collected money was honest. The newspapers were full of stories of people who __________ by men who went from house to house saying that they __________ for soldiers who had been seriously wounded in the war, or for people who had lost their homes, or for some other noble cause, while all the time they __________ the money they collected into their own pockets instead of __________ it for the purposes they claimed to be collecting it for. One day Mr. Smith __________ back with another story of this kind. He told his wife that a group of people had collected thousands of dollars for the widow of the Unknown Soldier. Then someone __________ to the papers about it, and they had written articles to warn other people. Mr. Smith said that he and his friends at the office had had a good laugh about the story when they had read it in the newspaper. "Can you imagine anyone __________ so stupid as to believe that story and give money for the widow of the Unknown Soldier?" he asked his wife. Government __________ the widow of the Unknown Soldier!"

    LATE SUFFER CHEAT COLLECT COME WRITE

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text IX

    Just after the last war, people were very willing to give money to help those who had suffered from it. But not everyone who collected money was honest. The newspapers were full of stories of people who had been cheated by men who went from house to house saying that they were collecting for soldiers who had been seriously wounded in the war, or for people who had lost their homes, or for some other noble cause, while all the time they were putting the money they collected into their own pockets instead of using it for the purposes they claimed to be collecting it for.

    One day Mr. Smith came back with another story of this kind. He told his wife that a group of people had collected thousands of dollars for the widow of the Unknown Soldier. Then someone had written to the papers about it, and they had written articles to warn other people. Mr. Smith said that he and his friends at the office had had a good laugh about the story when they had read it in the newspaper.

    "Can you imagine anyone being so stupid as to believe that story and give money for the widow of the Unknown Soldier?" he asked his wife.

    She looked puzzled at first, but then her face brightened. "Oh, yes! I see now!" she answered. "Of course, the government pays the widow of the Unknown Soldier!"

    Раздел «Грамматика»

    Mr. and Mrs. Davies had left _________ Christmas shopping very late. There were only a few days more before Christmas, and of course the shops and streets __________ terribly __________, but they had to get presents for their family and friends, so they started out early one morning for the big city, and spent several tiring hours __________ the things they wanted in the big shops. By lunch-time, Mr. Davies _________ down with parcels of all shapes and sizes. He could hardly see where he _________as he and his wife left the last shop on their way to the railway station and home. Outside the shop they had to cross a busy street, made even _________ than usual by the thousands of people who had come by car to do their last-minute Christmas shopping. Mr. and Mrs. Davies had to wait for the traffic lights to change, but as Mr. Davies could not see in front of __________ properly, he gradually moved forward into the road without __________ it. Mrs. Davies saw this and became worried. Several times she urged her husband to come back off the road, but without success. He could not hear her because of the noise of the traffic. Finally she shouted in a voice that could __________clearly above all the noise, "Henry! If you intend to stand in that dangerous position a moment __________, give me the parcels!"

    THEY CROWD LOAD BUSY REALIZE HEAR LONG

    B1 

    B2 

    B3 

    B4 

    B5 

    B6 

    B7 

    B8 

    B9 

    B10 

    Text X

    Mr. and Mrs. Davies had left their Christmas shopping very late. There were only a few days more before Christmas, and of course the shops and streets were terribly crowded, but they had to get presents for their family and friends, so they started out early one morning for the big city, and spent several tiring hours buying the things they wanted in the big shops.

    By lunch-time, Mr. Davies was loaded down with parcels of all shapes and sizes. He could hardly see where he was going as he and his wife left the last shop on their way to the railway station and home. Outside the shop they had to cross a busy street, made even busier than usual by the thousands of people who had come by car to do their last-minute Christmas shopping.

    Mr. and Mrs. Davies had to wait for the traffic lights to change, but as Mr. Davies could not see in front of him properly, he gradually moved forward into the road without realizing it. Mrs. Davies saw this and became worried. Several times she urged her husband to come back off the road, but without success. He could not hear her because of the noise of the traffic.

    Finally she shouted in a voice that could be heard clearly above all the noise, "Henry! If you intend to stand in that dangerous position a moment longer, give me the parcels!"

    
    

    A. EASILY LEARNED
    B. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
    C. SADLY DISAPPEARING
    D. RARELY BEATEN
    E. SURPRISINGLY SUCCESSFUL
    F. QUICKLY GROWING

    	A B C D E F	Draughts (or ‘checkers’ as the Americans call it) is one of the most popular games around the world. The rules are simple. Even young children have no problem working out how to play. The top players study moves in the same way chess players do but anyone can pick it up and have a go. Getting to a high standard takes a lot of hard work and practice but the basics are not particularly difficult.
    	A B C D E F	Since 1997, when the game of Ultima Online became popular, many thousands of people have played all kinds of games online – and the numbers are still increasing rapidly. Every year, more and more people discover the pleasures of playing over the internet and the next generation of games consoles are being designed with that in mind. There seems to be no sign that this explosion in online games will stop any time soon.
    	A B C D E F	It has been called the greatest phenomenon in the history of games, but when Trivial Pursuit was created by two friends in 1981, few people had any idea what a hit it would be. It was a quiz game and none of the games companies expected it to do well, until an American company became interested in it. Many millions of Trivial Pursuit games have been sold since then in 19 languages and 33 different countries.
    	A B C D E F	Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian was chess world champion from 1963 to 1969. He dominated the game during those years and almost never lost. He was known as a player who was strong in defence and very few players got the better of him. In fact, his defensive play was so good that he was known as ‘Iron Tigran’. When he did lose, it was big news in Moscow chess circles.
    	A B C D E F	It seems that there have been some big changes in the British playground. Twenty years ago, traditional games were played in every school across the country during the break. These days, they are quickly being replaced by hand-held games consoles and other electronic games. Before long, there is a danger that traditional games could die out. Once they are forgotten, it may be impossible to bring these enjoyable pastimes back to the playground.

    Although I left university with a good degree, I suddenly found that it was actually quite hard to find a job. After being unemployed for a few months, I realised I had to take the first thing that came along or I’d be in serious financial difficulties. And so, for six very long months, I became a market research telephone interviewer.

    I knew it wasn’t the best company in the world when they told me that I’d have to undergo three days of training before starting work, and that I wouldn’t get paid for any of it. Still, I knew that the hourly rate when I actually did start full time would be good. So, I thought of the money I’d earn and put up with three days of unpaid training. Whatever those three days taught me, I wasn’t prepared for the way I would be treated by the supervisors.

    It was worse than being at school. There were about twenty interviewers like myself, each sitting in a small, dark booth with an ancient computer and a dirty telephone. The booths were around the walls of the fifth floor of a concrete office block, and the supervisors sat in the middle of the room, listening to all of our telephone interviews. We weren’t allowed to talk to each other, and if we took more than about two seconds from ending one phone call and starting another, they would shout at us to hurry up and get on with our jobs. We even had to ask permission to go to the toilet. I was amazed how slowly the day went.

    It wouldn’t have been so bad if what we were doing had been useful. But it wasn’t. Most of our interviews were for a major telecommunications company. We’d have to ring up businesses and ask them things like, ‘Is your telecoms budget more than three million pounds a year?’ The chances are we’d get the reply, ‘Oh, I don’t think so. I’ll ask my husband. This is a corner shop. We’ve only got one phone.’ And so the day went on.

    The most frightening aspect of the job was that I was actually quite good at it. ‘Oh no!’ I thought. ‘Maybe I’m destined to be a market researcher for the rest of my life.’ My boss certainly seemed to think so. One day – during a break, of course – she ordered me into her office. ‘Simon,’ she said, ‘I’m promoting you. From tomorrow, you’re off telecoms and onto credit card complaints. I’m sure you can handle it. There’s no extra pay, but it is a very responsible position.’

    Three weeks later I quit. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

    	Why did the writer become a market research telephone interviewer?
    	A	He had completely run out of money.
    	B	He had the right university degree for the job.
    	C	It was the first job he was offered.
    	D	He knew it was only for six months.

    	The writer had doubts about the company when
    	A	they only offered him three days of training.
    	B	they told him he wouldn’t receive payment for his training.
    	C	they told him he had to be trained first.
    	D	he was told what the hourly rate would be.

    	His workplace could best be described as
    	A	large and noisy.
    	B	silent and dirty.
    	C	untidy and crowded.
    	D	old-fashioned and uncomfortable.

    	What would have made the job more bearable?
    	A	knowing that he was carrying out a valuable service
    	B	being able to phone much larger companies
    	C	not having to talk to shopkeepers
    	D	not having to ring up businesses

    	What was unusual about Simon’s promotion?
    	A	It showed how good he was at his job.
    	B	It meant he would be phoning different people.
    	C	It involved greater responsibility.
    	D	There was no increase in salary.

    11	The Russian writer Anton Chekhov, who was born in 1860 and died in 1904, made an enormous to modern literature. His	CONTRIBUTE
    	success was a remarkable , and came despite the fact
    13	that Chekhov’s family lived in severe poverty for much of his .
    	Chekhov’s works have had a great influence on 20th century literature in many ways, particularly in terms of plot and narrative structure, and character .
    	Even today, more than a hundred years after his , Chekhov’s stories are extremely popular all over the world.

    Ruth knocked on the door. Dr Johansson opened it and led her excitedly inside. She had called him the day before to (16) ______ a b c d _______ a few facts for an article she was writing for the newspaper – Dr Johansson was a leading expert in physics – and he had invited her to go and see his latest experiment. At first, she had tried to (17) _____ a b c d _______ out of it, remembering the hours of physics lessons she had sat through at school. However, he had insisted (18) ______ a b c d ______ seeing her, saying that she wouldn’t regret it. As they walked into the laboratory, Ruth wondered exactly what she was letting herself in for. A cat sat on a workbench. It opened one eye lazily and looked at her. There was a black box connected to a computer and another black box on the other side of the room.
    ‘Now, Miss Evans,’ said Dr Johansson, with a slight foreign (19) ______ a b c d ______. ‘What you are about to see may change the world forever!’
    He pushed a couple of buttons and a low hum filled the room. ‘I have been conducting experiments on this for three years, and finally I have succeeded.’
    Dr Johansson picked up the cat and placed it in the black box, closing the lid gently. He stood Ruth next to the other black box.
    ‘The transportation of a living creature!’ Dr Johansson said triumphantly, and he pressed a final button. There was a spark of electricity in the air. He opened the box and the cat had disappeared.
    ‘You…you’ve killed it!’ Ruth shouted. Dr Johansson smiled and pointed to the black box next to her. He (20) ______ a b c d ______ her to look inside. She slowly lifted the lid. The cat looked up at her, then closed its eyes and settled down for a nap.