C. A place to socialise

C. the Gulf of Mexico

D. the Gulf of St. Lawrence

1.2. Where was the first university in England founded?

A. In Cambridge

B. In Leicester

C. In London

D. In Oxford

1.3. Who is called by the British people “Our National Bard”, “The Bard of Avon”?

A. Charles Dickens

B. Jane Austen

C. Robert Burns

D. William Shakespeare

1.4. The Flag of the United States is called “Stars and Stripes”. What do the stripes represent?

A. the diversity of life

B. the national rivers

C. the original states

D. the oceans’ waves

1.5. The first president of the USA was …

A. Abraham Lincoln

B. George Washington

C. Ronald Reagan

D. Theodore Roosevelt

1.6. What is the National Gallery famous for?

A. It has the greatest collection of European paintings in the world.

B. It exhibits the works of man from prehistoric to modern times from around the world.

C. It is home to a permanent dinosaur exhibition.

D. It has one of the largest collections of arts and crafts including furniture, jewelry, ceramics and textiles.

1.7. What is the traditional Christmas desert in Britain?

A. Christmas pudding

B. Apple pie

C. Carrot cake

D. Cherries jubilee

1.8. What is the name of the red cross on the flag of England?

A. St Andrew’s Cross

B. St George’s Cross

C. St Patrick’s Cross

D. The Union Jack

1.9. What is a special day in England set aside to remember all those men and women who were killed during the two World Wars and other conflicts?

A. Victory Day

B. The Day of Peace

C. Eternal Light Day

D. Remembrance Day

1.10. What historical event gave rise to the Bonfire Night?

A. Bishops’ Wars

B. The Gunpowder Plot

C. The Battle of Hastings

D. The Battle of Trafalgar

➢ Конкурс на знание фонетики и орфографии

Напишите слово по транскрипции в соответствии с британским вариантом правописания.

 

1.11. [ˌentə'teɪnmənt]- entertainment

1.12. ['fiːʧə]- feature

1.13. ['leɪblɪŋ]- labeling

1.14. ['mɔdənaɪz] -modernise

1.15. ['sentə]- centre

1.16. [wɪð'drɔː]- withdraw

Прочитайте предложение (микроконтекст), заполните пропуски, выбрав один из предложенных вариантов ответа.

 

1.17. It’s a tsar’s …

A. throne

B. trone

C. thron

D. throun

1.18. She ​blushed with …

A. embarrasment

B. embarrassment

C. embarassment

D. embarrassement

1.19. How rude! He didn’t even …

A. knok

B. nock

C. knock

D. nok

1.20. I … ​dropped the vase.

A. accidentally

B. accidentelly

C. accidentaly

D. acidentally

 

 

 

Read the texts and do the tasks after each of them.

 

Текст № 1

 

Many students report that they often feel bored by studying. (№1) This is not surprising when you consider how some students study. (№2) Many teachers find worrying that a majority of students listen to music at the same time as studying. (№3)

 

However, what experts say about this issue is rather confusing. (№4) Some people study more effectively when they are relaxed, and listening to music may help. (№5) Students who are worried by the pressure of school may find that they are in a better mood if their music is playing. (№6) When they become more interested in what they are studying, they do not in fact “listen” to the music at all. (№7) It just becomes background noise. (№8)

 

On the other hand, there are certainly students who find the music more entertaining than their school work, and never really concentrate on their work at all. (№9) So perhaps we should not be surprised to discover that listening to music helps some but not all. (№10)

 

Music psychology researchers point out that music affects studies, and its influence depends on the type of music and sound volume. (№11) It was noticed that rap and hip-hop negatively affected GPA (Grade Point Average) while classical and easy listening positively affected GPA. (№12) This is consistent with the idea that vocal content in music is a distractor due to its natural attention-grabbing nature. (№13) We are more reactive to vocal sounds than non-vocal sounds. (№14) What is more, high loudness of music may be detrimental. (№15)

 

In addition, it depends on what students are supposed to be studying. (№16) Anyone who listens to music while trying to read and remember details will almost certainly be distracted by the music. (№17)

 

In the end, perhaps it is a matter of “what works for you”. (№18)

 

2.1. Choose an appropriate headline for this article:

A. MUSIC WHILE STUDYING – GOOD OR BAD?

B. MUSIC AS A SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT

C. MUSIC AGAINST BOREDOM

2.2. Choose the section of a newspaper/magazine where you could find this article.

A. Society

B. Entertainment

C. Education

2.3. Choose FIVE key words or expressions which could be used as hashtags while searching for the article online. Arrange your answers in alphabetical order.

A. Rap and hip-hop

C. Feel bored by studying

E. Attention-grabbing nature

G. Listening to music

B. Study more effectively

D. Type of music

F. Vocal content in music

H. Remember details

2.4. True or false? Choose the correct variant and enter the sentence(s) which confirm(s) your choice.

Songs attract more attention than music without words.

A. True  

B. False

C. Justification: sentence(s) №14

2.5. True or false? Choose the correct variant and enter the sentence(s) which confirm(s) your choice.

Some types of music are harmful for studying.

A. True  

B. False

C. Justification: sentence(s) №13

2.6. Give proof of the following using a sentence/sentences from the text: Many teachers find worrying that a majority of students listen to music at the same time as studying.

Someone study more effectively when they are relaxed, and listening to music may help, but there are certainly students who find the music more entertaining than their school work, and never really concentrate on their work at all.

………………………………………………………………………

 

Find equivalents from the text you have read to the words below:

2.7. To find out, to learn- discover

2.8. Most of the people or things in a group- a majority

2.9. Harmful- detrimental

2.10. Complicated, not easy to understand or explain- confusing

Find examples of some grammatical forms from the text you have read:

2.11. Adjective in Comparative Degree- better

2.12. Modal Verb- may

2.13. Compound Adjective formed with Participle I- grabbing

2.14. Indefinite Pronoun- anyone

 

 

 

 

Текст № 2

 

Today, parents are increasingly worried about the safety of their children, and because of this, they are not letting their children out to play. (№1) As a result, children are no longer playing outside but shutting themselves away in their rooms and losing themselves in individualistic activities such as television viewing and computer games. (№2)

 

British teenagers have always retreated to their bedrooms, leaving the younger children to play in communal spaces such as the sitting room, garden or kitchen. (№3) However, children from the age of nine are now turning to their bedrooms as a place to socialise. (№4)

 

As a result of the bedroom culture, it is becoming rarer for children over the age of ten to watch television with their parents. (№5) Once in their rooms, children tend to stay up watching television for as long as they wish. (№6) Consequently, it is getting harder to control children’s viewing. (№7)

 

On average children devote five hours a day to screen media. (№8) Even so, only one child in one hundred can be classed as a real screen addict, a child who spends a worrying seven hours or more watching TV or playing computer games. (№9)

 

As the use of PCs proliferates, reading skills are expected to suffer. (№10) Nevertheless, 57% of children say they still enjoy reading, and one in five teenagers can be classed as a book-lover. (№11)

 

Although children generally have a few favourite programmes, they mostly use television to kill time when they are bored and have nothing special to do. (№12) Moreover, the distinction between individualistic media use and social activities such as chatting with friends is less extreme than is commonly assumed. (№13) Children gossip about television soap characters, make contact with other children on the Internet, and visit friends to admire their new computer games. (№14)

 

 

2.15. Choose an appropriate headline for this article:

A. REAL SCREEN ADDICTS

B. HAS TECHNOLOGY RUINED CHILDREN?

C. GETTING HARDER TO CONTROL CHILDREN’S VIEWING

2.16. Choose the section of a newspaper/magazine where you could find this article.

A. Education / Economy

B. Culture / Business

C. Parenting / Society

2.17. Choose FIVE key words or expressions which could be used as hashtags while searching for the article online. Arrange your answers in alphabetical order.

A. Television viewing

C. A place to socialise

E. Bedroom culture

G. Playing outside

B. Garden or kitchen

D. The use of PCs

F. Soap characters

H. Enjoy reading

 

2.18. True or false? Choose the correct variant and enter the sentence(s) which confirm(s) your choice.

Children spend much more time on individualistic media than on social activities.

A. True

B. False

C. Justification: sentence(s) №2

2.19. True or false? Choose the correct variant and enter the sentence(s) which confirm(s) your choice.

Children have stopped reading books.

A. True 

B. False

C. Justification: sentence(s) №11

2.20. What does the author of the text mean when he says "bedroom culture"? Explain this term.

 

Bedroom culture is when children staying in their bedroom as a place to socialise rather than playing outside.

…………………………………………………………………………

 

Find equivalents from the text you have read to the words below:

2.21. Out of doors, in the street- outside

2.22. Difference- distinction

2.23. However- nevertheless

2.24. Not go to bed- stay up

Find examples of some grammatical forms from the text you have read:

 

2.25. Modal Verb- can

2.26. Relative Pronoun- who

2.27. Numeral- seven, five, nine, ten, one, 57

2.28. Infinitive as an Attribute- make/to do/say

 

 

Конкурс на знание лексики и страноведения

➢ Прочитайте текст. Заполните пропуски ОДНИМ словом, подходящим по смыслу.

Текст

 

Baking has become increasingly (4.1) common/popular in the UK in recent years. This is in part thanks to television shows such as The Great British Bake Off which have inspired people to get in the kitchen. Baking is a relaxing (4.2) activity which allows you to be creative and, of course, at the end you have a delicious treat. Here are four quintessentially British baked goods.

 

Victoria sandwich

This classic cake was named (4.3) after Queen Victoria, who was famed for her love of cake, and it is sure to be found at the centre of afternoon tea tables across the country. It is a very simple cake typically made up of two layers of plain sponge cake with a generous layer of (4.4) butter cream and jam sandwiched in the middle.

 

Scones

Scones are not as sweet as cakes; in fact, a scone is a cross between a bread roll and a small cake. It should be (4.5) cut in half and spread with cream and jam. There is a lot of debate as to whether you should spread the jam or the cream on the scone first.

 

Flapjacks

Flapjacks are a tasty teatime treat made by (4.6) mixed together oats, butter, sugar and syrup. After they have been baked, they are cut into squares. They are very easy to make so even young children can have a go. (4.7) However,this might lead to a lot of mess and sticky fingers.

 

Shortbread

Shortbread is actually a traditional Scottish biscuit. It is made with a large amount of butter which gives it its characteristic crumbly texture. As soon as you (4.8) take a bite of a shortbread biscuit, it (4.9) melts in your mouth.

 

All of the above are quick and easy to make and it goes without saying that they all taste best when (4.10) eaten with a nice, hot cup of tea.