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ЕГЭ по английскому языку Задание №17 Полное понимание информации в тексте 17

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Will online education replace classroom education anytime soon?

Over the last decade, the number of people taking online courses and using technology as a tool to enhance their education has increased dramatically. You can now master a foreign language or complete a whole degree without leaving the comfort of your sofa. You can decide not only when you want to learn but also how you want to learn. Meanwhile, the range of technology used inside the classroom has also boomed, with the rise of smartboards, digital textbooks and, most notably, the tools offered on the Internet. But what does this mean for teachers? While many teachers are excited by technology, others are concerned by its rapid development. They wonder whether they themselves could be replaced.

Technology gives us abundant opportunities. In a geography lesson, we can now transport students to explore another country. In an English class, we can take them back in time to experience Shakespeare’s plays as they were performed during his lifetime. Students are able to watch videos at home that explain how to use algebra, or allow them to see first-hand the life cycle of a plant. Technology doesn’t discriminate based on a student’s ability or skill. It provides an opportunity to engage students using a medium that they recognise. Technology is growing not just within our classrooms but also in our everyday lives, so it is natural that we should increasingly incorporate it into classrooms.

Crucially, the use of technology in the classroom doesn’t lessen the need for great teachers. In fact, it is great teachers who make using technology so significant in students’ education. Whilst technology is able to take on a whole host of tasks, it does have its shortcomings. The most prominent drawback is its inability to interact with humans. Technology can facilitate the learning process. However, it cannot replace the role of the teacher. Computers do not teach children to question, to discriminate among sources of information, to weigh perspectives. They do not explain how to think about consequences, to bring contextual meaning to a situation, to be creative, or to make careful judgments. Without a great teacher, technology merely becomes an automated tool and stops inspiring and engaging students. Ultimately, it isn’t about teachers being replaced by technology but how teachers can adapt to incorporate technology in their lessons.

As much innovation as the iPad may bring to the classroom, it is not going to replace a teacher anytime soon. In fact, the influx of technology like iPads means there is a greater need for teachers. We need teachers who are part early adopter, part integrator, and part mad scientist. The modern teacher must be willing to take chances and able to figure out not just how technology works, but how it works for each student, and where its use is most appropriate.

The question of whether technology will replace teachers is an age-old debate and one that is likely to continue as technology evolves further. In the same way that the calculator didn’t displace maths teachers, technology will continue aiding teachers to educate well-rounded and engaged students. As our Hugo Wernhoff notes, “We’re not only in it to offer flexibility in time and place for students, or lower costs for providers. Our main ambition is instead to deliver better learning.” Technology can only assist in delivering better learning when it is used by a great teacher. Students will always benefit from the guidance and instruction of a teacher at the front of a classroom.

17. Before using technology, a teacher has to find out if it is …

1) modern.

2) safe.

3) suitable.

4) enjoyable.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Why you need to pick up a book again

According to Pew Research Center findings from 2018, 24 percent of the population had not read a book in the past year. And for those that do read, the American Times Use Survey –– conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics –– found that Americans over the age of 15 spend only about sixteen minutes a day reading for personal development. However, one silver lining of the pandemic may be that we are reading more. In fact, in the past year, 35 percent of the population have been reading more than they had in previous years.

You may say, books are not the only sources of written text or, more broadly, information in our lives. We tend to spend two hours and twenty four minutes per day on social media. Interestingly, reading versus using social media have very different outcomes when it comes to our mental health. While many believe their mood will improve after checking their social media, many report that it actually worsens following a social media scroll. Yet, when people engage in reading –– whether it is for self-help or for fun –– reading has been shown to reduce stress. In fact, just six minutes of reading a day can reduce stress levels.

Here are just a few ways that reading can benefit you.

Reading is a form of mindfulness. Because we are often multitasking (which puts a heavy cognitive load on our brains), we often experience greater brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. When you settle down into a book, you are brought into the here and now, where you can focus presently on the story. The key is to stick with it. Especially if you are not used to reading, it can feel really uncomfortable to lean in. However, tell yourself that you are going to read at least ten pages to start. Chances are, you will want to keep going by the time you hit page 10.

Reading can improve your emotional intelligence. Citing Christensen’s article from CNN Health, she includes a quote from Keith Oatley, a cognitive psychology professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, and an award-winning novelist. He stated, “Those who read fiction may understand people better than others. A work of fiction is a piece of consciousness that can pass from one mind to another, and that reader can make it their own.”

Thus, when we take the time to really listen to another perspective, we can build our empathy in a profound way. In fact, fiction may be even more potent at some point, as it really goes into deep character development, and we gain a better understanding of the “why” behind a character’s motives.

Reading has all kinds of cognitive benefits. Not only has reading been shown to improve sleep, but readers are also shown to have improved concentration and demonstrate greater memory retention. So, if you have been feeling cloudy, reading may be the perfect thing to sharpen your ability to recall.

Even better is if you take a highlighter or pen to the lines that stand out to you. Write in the margins and include follow-up questions for yourself to build off of the text. Add your ideas that arise when you are reading. This will help you deepen your critical thinking skills.

And one of the best parts about reading a good book? You can always pass it along to someone who will enjoy it next. Surprise them with a package in the mail or drop it off on their doorstep. I frequently do this on my social media account, where I offer to ship the books I have read to my community. I find that people love it! This is a great way to ensure that your books are bringing joy to others, rather than just gathering dust.

17. This in Paragraph 8 (“This will help you deepen your critical thinking skills ...”) refers to …

1) developing memory while reading.

2) actively working with the text.

3) using margins for doodling.

4) reading to find necessary information.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

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The culture shock of being an international student

For any student, moving away from home can be a bit scary. But I did not expect student life in Scotland to be all that different from my home of the Netherlands. After all, we get the same news and TV shows online. Many students find the northwest climate can affect them a lot. You may find the grayness and dampness, especially during the winter months, difficult to get used to. However, when I moved from Amsterdam to study at the University of Stirling, I began to realise that a few minor issues were catching me off balance. I was suffering a minor cultural shock.

In my first year, I quickly found out my English was not as good as I had assumed. Most of my roommates were born and raised in Scotland, and I constantly found myself having to ask people to repeat themselves. Their Scottish accents did not help and I was mispronouncing names and places all the time. I also got confused about minor cultural things. Much to my flatmates’ amusement, it took me two Christmases to figure out that mince pies are not actually filled with minced beef.

The linguistic barrier meant that public transport was tricky at first. I found the lack of information about bus prices and how and where to get tickets really surprising. It turned a simple 15-minute journey into a daunting task.

Then I had to adjust to a new social life. I was surprised by the campus culture in the UK –– in the Netherlands, most universities don’t have one main campus where you can attend university, as well as live and exercise all in the same place. But here, you never have to leave campus if you don’t want to. I had to adapt to everyone being so close to each other all the time.

Parties are different here too. In the Netherlands, the less effort you put into getting ready, the better. I’d normally slip on my trusty Converse shoes, along with some clothes I could get away with wearing to class tomorrow, and wear minimal make-up. But, in my experience, partying is more formal in the UK. Your make-up needs to be flawless and your hair needs to be immaculate. You’ll preferably be wearing a dress and heels, too. I was constantly having to borrow clothes off my friends just to fit in. Parties finish early and everyone just wanders off, whereas in my country that would be the time I’d leave the house.

But it is not all early closing times and strange pastries. Social behaviours may also confuse, surprise or offend you. For example, you may find people appear cold, distant or always in a hurry. Cultures are built on deeply-embedded sets of values, norms, assumptions and beliefs. It can be surprising and sometimes distressing to find that people do not share some of your most deeply held ideas, as most of us take our core values and beliefs for granted and assume they are universally held.

However, I have found lots of pleasant surprises in the UK too –– and so have many other international students I know. My friend Agnes was taken aback by how sociable people are. She says she was shocked when complete strangers started talking to her at the bus stop. I, personally, was surprised by how smartly male students in Sterling dress compared to my home country.

Culture shock can knock your confidence in the beginning.  But you are not alone in taking time to adapt, and soon you start to come to grips with all experiences. Studies suggest that taking a gap year or studying abroad can positively influence your brain to make you more outgoing and open to new ideas. Looking back, most of the ones I experienced made good stories to tell my friends.

17. Which of the following statements, according to the author, is TRUE about international students in Stirling?

1) They don't dress up as well as locals.

2) They may experience many positive cultural surprises.

3) They don't talk to strangers.

4) Their eating habits are different.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

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What it is really like to travel alone

My wanderlust started with a Billy Joel song. Yes, some might say it is unwise to visit a city just because of a catchy tune. But that was how I made my way to Austria with only good old Billy as my travel buddy.

In college, I took part in a spring work/study program in London. And while I loved the U.K. and my job working for a health website, what excited me most was the opportunity to travel. I spent my weekends visiting cafés in Barcelona with my roommates, and admiring Edinburgh accompanied by friends. But no one wanted to stay and explore Europe more extensively after our sixteen weeks were up. So, I decided to do it alone.

I did not set out wanting to travel by myself. It is something that young women are discouraged from doing. My own mother was desperate to talk me out of the idea. “It’s dangerous for girls to travel by themselves,” she would warn me every time we spoke. I insisted that I knew women my age who had done it, and that I would be fine. My friends back home were skeptical, too. “Wait, no one’s going with you?” they would ask. No doubt they wondered who would be taking photos of me for my posts on the Internet.

But after convincing them that just because I am a Millennial woman does not mean I have to be constantly surrounded by a team, I had to convince myself to believe it. The night before my departure I was terrified. While everyone else was flying back to the States, I would be on the Chunnel to Paris to start my two-week trip alone. The thought was disabling. I have always been a person who recharges with alone time, but this suddenly seemed like too much to take on, especially in unfamiliar places.

The journey was liberating. While I was nervous that my first meal alone would be awkward, I was not tempted by the idea of eating takeout in my hostel room, either. So, I faced the fear. I slipped on my formal (albeit a bit wrinkled) jacket, channeled my inner Cool French Girl, and stepped out into the cool spring air of the Montmartre quarter. I was going to dinner.

It ended up being one of the most memorable dining experiences of my life. I savored the otherworldly steak frites for which the restaurant is famous, observed the elegant Parisian women adorned in their Saturday evening pearls, and even ordered in the language of love. I enjoyed my glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and devoured a plate of the most delicious eclairs in the entire City of Light. I had no fear of judgment by others, since no one knew me, nor did I know anyone.

This freedom ended up being one of the most enjoyable aspects of my trip, and for once, that did not mean feeling guilty. I spent hours riding on a water bus in Venice. I decided not to climb the Duomo in Florence because it just seemed like too many stairs. I read for hours in the lush gardens of the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Though the trip was not without its uncomfortable moments, of course, my solo trip was not a mistake – for sure.

I spent the final hours of my trip wandering around the gorgeous, pastel façade-lined streets of Vienna. About fifteen minutes prior to leaving, I pulled out my iPod and listened to “Vienna.” After the familiar piano trills, Billy’s familiar voice flooded in: “Slow down you crazy child,” he sang. “You’re so ambitious for a juvenile.” I began to cry – partially from exhaustion, perhaps, but mostly because the moment felt intensely profound. Here I was, in a city I had always escaped to in my mind through Billy’s song, closing out the most incredible experience of my life. A little crazy, a little ambitious. All me.

17. Which statement about the author’s restaurant experience is FALSE?

1) The thought of dining alone was uncomfortable.

2) The author had a substantial meal.

3) Everyone in the restaurant was dressed casually.

4) The dining experience was unforgettable.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

British food

Foreigners often laugh at the British. They say, “In Britain you get hot chips with everything!” But even the British don’t eat chips with their meals. To prove that, we decided to let you read an extract from a letter written by Pete Phrase, the chief cook at Daphne’s in London, to his foreign friends.

“…I am always both amused and annoyed when I hear foreign people criticise British food. “It’s unimaginative,” they say. “It’s boring, it’s tasteless with totally overcooked vegetables.” I have a theory about British cooking, and I was interested to read that several famous cookery writers agree with me. My theory is this. Our basic ingredients, when fresh, are so full of flavour that we haven’t had to invent sauces and complex recipes to disguise their natural taste. What can compare with fresh peas or new potatoes just boiled (not overboiled) and served with butter? Why drown spring lamb in wine or cream or yoghurt and spices, when with just one or two herbs it is absolutely delicious?

If you ask foreigners to name some typically English dishes, they will probably say “fish and chips” and then stop. It is disappointing, but true, that there is no tradition in Britain of eating in restaurants, because our food doesn’t lend itself to such preparation. British cooking is found in the home, where it is possible to time the dishes to perfection. So it is difficult to find a good English restaurant with reasonable prices.

It is for these reasons that we haven’t exported our dishes, but we have imported a surprising variety of cuisines from all over the world. In most cities in Britain you’ll also find Indian, Chinese, French and Italian restaurants. In London you’ll also find Indonesian, Lebanese, German, Spanish, Mexican, Greek… Cynics will say that this is because we have no “cuisine” ourselves, but, well, you know what I think!”

Traditional British food is usually described as plain, conservative and unvaried. There are many popular jokes about it. “The British Empire was created as a by-product of generations of desperate Englishmen roaming the world in search of a decent meal,” remarks American journalist Bill Marsano.

Indeed, classic British dishes are not too dainty, but they are nourishing, natural and tasty, a lot of attention here is paid to the food quality. Residents of Great Britain prefer local food to imported products, so nearly all fish, milk and meat products are produced within the country and vegetables are grown by local farmers.

Meals during a day in Britain traditionally include breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper. Dinner is always the most substantial meal during the day. For dinner the British often have soup and then the main course, such as meat, poultry or fish with vegetables or mashed potatoes. It is followed by a dessert, for example, the most ubiquitous apple pie. Meat dishes are presented in British cuisine in a large variety. Probably, the most delicious of them is succulent roast beef, which is grilled and served with vegetables, roast potatoes or Yorkshire pudding. Apart from beef, the British cook steaks of pork, lamb and sometimes turkey or chicken.

Supper in Britain is the last meal of the day, and usually it consists of something light, for example, a bowl of cream soup, naturally, often skipped.

As for drinks, it’s impossible to imagine British cuisine without tea. Contrary to popular belief, tea is not always served with milk. The British drink tea with and without sugar, with lemon, cinnamon, honey and so on. But tea and milk is a classic combination, not a favourite of mine, though.”

17. The word substantial (“Dinner is always the most substantial meal ...”) in Paragraph 7 is synonymous to …

1) fattening.

2) nourishing.

3) delicious.

4) balanced.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

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Cycling

Winter is over, and snow is but a memory. Because of the warmer climate, getting around the town by bicycle has become a more viable option. With parking problems and rising gas prices, people should bike more, as it is a less costly alternative to using automobiles, and it is better for the environment and personal health.

It would not be revolutionary to claim that parking in our city can be a bit of a hassle. Recently, the University students were asked about their experiences with parking. Their main complaint — and the bottom line of the problem — is that parking is expensive. However, those expenses can be avoided by using bicycles, as bike parking on campus is free.

Another expense issue with cars is gas, as prices have been on the rise. Though price averages in our state remain below the national average, it is still
a lot more compared to the pricing from a year ago. This would obviously not be an issue if one were to cycle instead.

The great weather we have had and the cost-efficiency of cycling should be enough to convince people to bike more, but there are other benefits aside from general convenience.

Firstly, cycling is better for the environment. Bikes do not release pollutants into the air, and consistent cycling is estimated to prevent 6 to 14 million tons
of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere every year. Infrastructure requirements for bikes are minimal, as they do not require
the establishment of highways. This means fewer resources need to be used and less land needs to be urbanized.

Secondly, cycling is better for you. Cycling as a means of transportation will get you where you need to go while providing you with an accessible workout that increases your strength, stamina, and overall fitness. Additionally, cycling has mental health benefits. Regular cyclists are likely to experience improved moods. To build on this, a study shows that cyclists experience 21.6 percent fewer bad mental health days, suggesting that cycling is beneficial to one’s well-being in more ways than one.

Essentially, there are plenty of reasons why everyone should bike more. Our city is a particularly encouraging place to bike. There are signs and lanes everywhere dedicated to making cycling more convenient, and the university encourages this alternative as well.

Well, there are some problems, of course. One of these is bike theft.
To avoid it, just follow some rules if you rely on bicycle transportation to get to and from campus. Many of these actions can also help police locate and identify your bicycle, should it go missing. First of all, use a high-quality lock. When you lock your bike, be sure to lock your bike frame and wheel to fixed, approved bike racks. Second, keep a record of the make, model, and serial number of your bike, including a photograph. This will make it easier to report your bike if it is stolen, and to return it to you if it is located. Next, balance protection and visibility. Lock up your bike in a moderately busy area with high visibility rather than an isolated location. Avoid leaving your bike unattended in the same area for multiple days. Finally, consider investing in a tracking device for your bicycle and report bike theft and suspicious activity near bike racks. Following these simple tips, you won’t lose your bike and you’ll help save others.

Considering that the weather is warmer and automobiles are still a hassle to use in the city, now is as good a time as any to start biking. If you have an old bike lying around, maybe it is time to start using it. If not, it might be time to invest in one.

17. What does the author say about bike theft?

1) It is police officers’ job to protect bikes from being stolen.

2) Complex measures should be taken to protect bikes.

3) Protection of a bike is totally its owner’s responsibility.

4) Using official parking areas is enough to avoid theft.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Turning As an Obstacle

When I first read about a sport called parkour, I thought it was about fluid, elegant, and graceful motions. But in practice, parkour is considered an “extreme” sport; as its participants dash around a city, they may vault over fences, run up walls, and even jump from rooftop to rooftop. So you won’t see senior citizens doing it in the park on Sunday mornings, but if you do witness it, you may think you’re watching a stunt person on a movie set.

Le parkour is a French term, related to the verb parcourir, “to run over or through”. It was created by David Belle, Sebastien Foucan, and a group of their friends when they were teenagers living in the Paris suburb in the late 1980s. Belle’s father had been a soldier in Vietnam, and his preparatory programme included navigating obstacle courses. Belle picked up many of the moves from his father and, along with his friends, developed them into an art form.

Parkour combines elements of running, gymnastics, dance, and martial arts into a breathtaking way of moving from place to place. The general idea is to move quickly and gracefully, treating buildings, walls, handrails, rocks, and whatever objects you come across as elements in an obstacle course. The only real rule is that you should not move backwards and that you should do it with as much efficiency and style as possible.

The only equipment required for parkour is a good pair of shoes. Participants, who call themselves traceurs, wear no protective gear but typically invest a great deal of time in training and preparation in order to execute the necessary moves safely. The first thing any participant learns is how to cushion the impact of a jump by rolling. Although parkour is ultimately about clever improvisation rather than choreographed moves, there are a couple dozen or so standard maneuvers that almost all traceurs learn, including several methods for getting over tall walls.

Some traceurs participate merely for the fun or the challenge, but others treat parkour as a more serious art, similar to some martial arts. As a philosophy, the movements metaphorically represent becoming one with your environment, learning how to overcome obstacles without effort, and finding creative paths – all things with practical value outside the sport.

Even though parkour has reached international popularity, there is already an offshoot sport that has led to a great deal of bitterness and division among parkour proponents. Co-founder Sebastien Foucan, in a 2003 BBC documentary called “Jump London,” referred to the sport as “free-running” and that term caught on in the media. However, parkour purists feel that the direction in which Foucan has taken the activity is entirely different from what he and Belle had originally developed.

The biggest difference has to do with theatrics. Free-running involves a lot of trick moves, particularly mid-air flips and spins. Because these moves are merely showy, not economical, they’re considered contrary to the nature of parkour. A free-runner may also move backwards in order to make a move as flashy as possible.

But it’s not simply a matter of differing styles. Manufacturers are capitalizing on the growing interest in parkour and free-running by introducing special shoes, designer clothing, and so on; free-running competitions are also beginning to appear.

17. According to the text, the introduction of free-running …

1) is widely supported by enthusiasts.

2) will ultimately replace parkour.

3) has had little impact on traditional parkour.

4) is not accepted by some parkour fans.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

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Graduation is coming…What’s next?

Graduation is less than a month away. While I cannot wait to throw my hat up into the air and officially check off Went to College on my to-do list, there is one thing that has been staring me down that I absolutely dread. Entering the workforce.

I believed that with my shiny new degree and my references on my CV, I would be able to start working at the lower end of companies I spent four years preparing myself for. Instead, in all job postings that I find I see this requirement: “3+ years of experience in related field.”

Speaking from personal experience, I believed that my extracurricular activities at the university prepared me for the jobs I was applying for, but that rejection letter keeps showing up in my inbox. From the comments I have received about my application, they all ask for more experience in the field, although an entry-level job is a job that “requires minimal professional work experience”.

Well, I did not have an internship or a job history in the field. I spent my time on campus – at least until COVID-19 forced me to be home for a year-and-a-half – participating in clubs and magazines. I completely forgot about internships. Now, while I would like to believe I could dismantle the idea of needing three years of experience for an entry-level job, I am just one person. So, instead, I am out here telling you to find internships as soon as possible in your field of interest.

Internships are not just for the school year. There are many internships that happen during the summer. There are also remote internships so you do not have to keep yourself geographically limited. Unpaid internships are one of the most helpful things to set you apart from others. There are some that do pay – I’ve seen some that pay $15 an hour, which is crazy in my eyes – which is considered a blessing, but at some point, the only thing available is an unpaid internship.

Our university has an entire webpage devoted to internships and how to get them. A free account for an internship network is created for each student upon admission to the university. You can research employers, apply for jobs and internships, begin the internship registration process and participate in on-campus mock interviews. There are multiple people to support you. Schedule an appointment with a career coach - for help in finding or developing an internship opportunity that is right for you. During the school year, you can also meet with a peer advisor for a CV or cover letter review. Visit with your academic advisor or departmental internship coordinator to find out about academic internship courses or opportunities offered through your major department.

Don’t forget about networking with family, friends, and campus contacts. Let others know the types of opportunities you are looking for and share your CV with them. Finally, attend a career fair or a networking event. These are great networking opportunities!

I am not here to be gentle with you. Sometimes the internship work is gruelling for no pay, but in the end, it is worth the payoff when trying to get a higher paying job in the workforce. There is no such thing as an entry-level job because many of them are still asking for years of experience, despite being on the low-end of the corporate food chain. While they will still teach you the basics of their working environment, most companies want to have someone who already knows their way around and can throw themselves into the work without much of a fuss.

In the end, that internship is going to save you in the long run. Take it from someone who did not do an internship and is now paying the price.

17. Why do companies want people with work experience, according to the text?

1) They mistrust college degrees.

2) They lack personnel for teaching.

3) They can save efforts teaching a newcomer.

4) The job market environment is too competitive.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

How to choose the right career

The old saying ‘find a job you love and never work a day in your life’ puts a great deal of pressure on people who are trying to choose the right career. Can you really find one that is so enjoyable it won’t even feel like work?

Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. No matter how much effort you put into picking an occupation, there are days when it will feel like work. However, there will be others when you will think, ‘I would do this even if I weren’t getting paid.’ The trick is to choose a career that has many more great days than ones that aren’t so great.

With thousands of occupations to pick from, to increase the odds of career satisfaction, find one that is a good fit for your interests, aptitudes, work-related values, and personality type. It is also essential that you enjoy the majority of the job’s duties, the earnings are acceptable, and the job outlook (that is the potential future of the profession) is good. Here’s how to go about making a good match.

Your first order of business is to learn as much as possible about yourself. If you think you know all there is to know, the results of a self-assessment will be eye-opening. A career development professional, for example, a career counselor or career development facilitator, can help you with this step, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t afford to hire one.

Many public libraries offer free career planning services. If your local library doesn’t, the librarian can recommend local agencies that offer career counseling. Instead of meeting with a counselor, there are also free or low-cost career assessments available online. If you attended college, consider contacting that institution’s career services office. As an alumnus, you may be able to access them. In addition, academic programs that train career counselors often have students work with clients at little-to-no cost to gain experience.

The results from your self-assessment will include a list of occupations that are a good fit for you based on all the factors it examined, but the quest to find the right career doesn’t end here. While some of the occupations may be nearly perfect for you, others may be all wrong. Even though they are a good match for your personality type, interests, values, and aptitude, they may be unsuitable in other ways. For example, the job duties may not appeal to you, the outlook may be poor, or the required education or training could be more than you are willing to complete.

Make an informed decision by exploring each of the careers on your list. Read descriptions of the occupations and ignore your prejudices. Unless you have personal experience or have done prior research, there’s still a lot to learn before you can decide whether a career would be right for you.

After finding out what it would be like to work in an occupation, see what the educational requirements are. If they don’t match your educational goals, cross them off your list. If you’ve always dreamed of going to college, don’t pick an occupation for which you only need a high school diploma.

Finally, you will do yourself a disservice if you don’t consider the job outlook. Investing time in training for a career only to find out there are limited opportunities will waste your time, effort, and money.

After narrowing down your list to just a few careers, it is time to dig a little deeper. Continue your research by conducting informational interviews with people who work in the occupations you are seriously considering. Getting their perspectives can help you make a more informed decision and study for the career that is ideal for you.

17. Which statement about the choice of occupation is FALSE, according to the text?

1) It is necessary to choose university according to job requirements.

2) You may need to talk to professionals to understand what their job is like.

3) You should assess the occupations on your list against important criteria.

4) You can use internet services to understand what you are inclined to.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Edible Gold

I like to think of myself as an open-minded person, someone who is tolerant to those with different beliefs, however wacky they may seem to me. Every rule has its exceptions, though.

A few years ago while traveling in England, I met a woman who asked me if I’d heard of edible gold. I replied that I had, as I’d seen a TV show about chefs using gold leaves as a decorative but edible garnish on dishes. I assumed that’s what she was talking about. But she seemed very surprised and in a hushed, conspiratorial tone, began excitedly talking about how the ancient Egyptians had discovered that by eating powdered gold, one could become immortal. Very clearly, she believed this too. OK. I felt that all my good intentions of open-mindedness went out the window –– that was just way too strange for me.

Later, when I consulted Google to see if I could learn more about this outrageous claim, I was shocked and dismayed to find thousands of Web pages describing, with great seriousness, a miraculous substance usually referred to as white powder gold. Even though I can’t claim the slightest expertise in this esoteric field, I thought I’d make an attempt to distil the essence of these claims for your consideration.

Let’s begin with culinary gold. If you walk into your nearest gourmet supply store, you can probably find, for about US$20, a box of gold leaf manufactured expressly to enable you to impress your friends at your next dinner party. These unbelievably thin pieces of nearly pure gold add an impressive touch to chocolates, soups, sushi, or just about anything else you can think of. Because the quantity of gold is so small, the price is reasonable; yet these gold highlights make a meal appear to be extravagant and give restaurants an excuse to charge exorbitant prices.

Some purveyors of mineral supplements sell a gold colloid: a suspension of extremely tiny particles of metallic gold in water. In a gold colloid, each particle contains nine atoms of gold. Its daily dose is enough to provide a wide range of health benefits. Here, at least, there is some research behind it. A few studies found the product to be effective in managing rheumatoid arthritis and also, intriguingly, increasing I.Q. scores. These claims are at least plausible.

Our next step is one decidedly outside the realm of scientific certainty. David Hudson, a farmer living in Arizona, was trying to extract gold and silver from the tailings of an abandoned mine in the mid-1970s. In the process, he found a mysterious substance that defied analysis, despite years of experimentation by reputable laboratories, undertaken at great personal expense. Hudson eventually concluded the white powder was gold in a monatomic state and it has some amazing properties: when heated it can levitate and has a long list of incredible health benefits.

Hudson even received patents in Britain and Australia, though not in the USA. I should interject that the awarding of a patent does not mean that a government agency has successfully reproduced the invention in question, or even that they have validated it as being scientifically sound. Interested in alchemy Hudson became convinced that his white powder gold was the stuff of many legends. He equated it with “the philosopher’s stone”, and “the food of the gods”, among other things. Hudson believed he had rediscovered an ancient alchemical formula. And, naturally, numerous companies sell solid or liquid forms of “white powder gold” supposedly created using variants of Hudson’s recipe.

17. David Hudson thinks that the substance he discovered …

1) is not gold.

2) is the thing mentioned in legends.

3) doesn’t need a patent.

4) is not for distribution in the USA.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

How I learnt Chinese

I believe that random chance plays a more significant role in our lives than many people realise. The reason I started learning Chinese was a long string of fairly unlikely coincidences. Looking back, they all combine neatly to form who I am today and what I do, but that certainly wasn’t a strategic goal at the time. To find out about why I started learning Chinese in the first place, we need to wind the clock back almost 20 years.

For me, the journey probably started in junior high school, when I started practising martial arts. I found Japanese martial arts to be too rigid with set uniforms, a strict grading system and a training environment with numerous rituals, and switched to a different system. Who knows, if I had stuck to Japanese martial arts, I might have ended up with hacking Japanese instead. That would have been cool, too, but that’s not what happened.

My interest for the language came from a deeper interest in the system of thought behind the Eastern philosophy. I started thinking about and reading up on it. I studied translations of Tao Te Ching, listened and read everything I could find by Alan Watts, who has had a great impact on the way I think. In 2006, two good friends of mine told me that there was a new course at the university where you could study the Chinese language and culture intensively for one year. At this point, I had already studied at university for three years, but I felt that this was a good opportunity to take a break from that and learn some Chinese.

So I did. I took a study break from the teacher’s program and enrolled in a one-year intensive program. Some lessons focused on general proficiency, including textbook reading, translation and drilling. Most vocabulary learning was done at home and then used and/or tested during lessons. We also had lessons focusing more on translation into Chinese, which were meant to cover the productive aspects of learning, but fell short mostly because of the lack of class time, not because the actual lessons were bad. Since we were around 20 students, there was little one-on-one time with anyone who could actually speak Chinese.

My decision to continue studying Chinese in Taiwan was mostly a coincidence. My teacher in Sweden forwarded a note about a scholarship, and I applied for it without really expecting either to get it or to continue studying Chinese. When I actually received the scholarship, I had to go. You don’t turn down an offer of studying a language for one year with most costs covered.

Learning in a classroom is not enough, even if the classroom is located in a Chinese-speaking environment. Most language schools are fairly traditional and stay close to the textbook, focusing a lot on reading and vocabulary. Even though I spoke a lot in class, too (small class size is a blessing), that was far from enough. I limited my use of English to about once per week when I played games with a group of other foreigners. The rest of the time I spent with native friends, language exchange partners and foreign classmates whose Chinese was a lot better than mine. I also practised some sports, such as diving, which meant I got to know native speakers who were far from campus, both literally and metaphorically speaking.

After that year, I had reached some kind of conversational fluency, but I didn’t think my Chinese was good enough to make a living from. The decision, then, was to stay for another year, which would firmly put me in the advanced category, then go home and continue my teaching education.

17. What did the author NOT do in the course of his Chinese studies, as mentioned in the text?

1) Take a university course.

2) Study the language abroad.

3) Have a lot of language input.

4) Communicate with native speakers.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Stress at college

Stress among college students can negatively affect academic performance, personal relationships, and overall well-being. However, stress can have positive effects if managed properly.

We all encounter the stresses of daily life, and college students in particular struggle with the adjustment to busy schedules and deadlines related to overwhelming courses and exams. The continuous pressure to achieve quick results during our early years of adulthood leads to college student stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges.

Many college students ignore signs of stress and as a result experience a range of physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. Increased heart rate or blood pressure, headaches, or fatigue, for example, commonly strain our physical states. The psychological perception of pressure, on the other hand, influences our emotional reactions to unexpected situations.

Significant life events often lead to increased stress levels. However, among college students the causes are often much more subtle. A heavy workload, public speaking, or long work or study hours can lead to hostile behavior and tense reactions to unexpected situations.

By understanding the individual causes of stress, students can better prepare themselves for the academic challenges that lay ahead. College students should consider these tips in effort to reduce stress.

Improve your time management. Instead of focusing on your to-do list each day, focus on the free hour you have before your next class, or the time you can gain from completing a task ahead of schedule. We often push things off until the last minute under the perception that our busy schedules don’t leave us enough time. However, what you can do to counter this procrastination is to make things bite size, break up tasks into more manageable sections. Make a designated space for work that isn’t your bed. Use a planner to block sections of time throughout your day, but make sure to leave time for yourself to socialize and relax.

Try to think positively. What if you actually scored an A on the exam you thought you failed? Just as easily as your mind imagines the worst-case scenario, it can be trained to imagine the positive. When we experience stress, we tend to interpret situations negatively. Pay attention to these reactions and avoid the unexpected by getting an early start to your day. If you still notice yourself thinking negatively, pause for a second, and try not to engage in those thoughts.

Daily or weekly exercise routines will help balance your mental and physical reactions to life’s stresses. According to one study, 85% of college students reported feeling overwhelmed at some point in the previous year by everything they had to do; and 41.6% stated anxiety as the most pressing concern among college students. Regular exercise can mitigate those concerns by promoting better sleep, improving your mood, and boosting your energy. Try 60 minutes of light walking, or 30 minutes of high intensity exercise. Sign up for yoga, join a gym, go climbing. Keep the routines interesting by combining different variations of cardio with muscle-building throughout the week. Take good care of your body each day. Eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep help your body handle stress much better.

By understanding the symptoms of stress we can learn to detect when the stress is a positive boost and when it is weighing us down. Managing your stress and your health will prepare you for the unknown situations and reward you with an exciting and engaging college experience!

17. According to the study mentioned in the article, the majority of students …

1) get better sleep after regular exercise.

2) think that feeling worried is a problem.

3) sign up for sports classes to deal with stress.

4) are tired because of having too much work to do.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Change your food choice

While recycling and refillable water bottles were once the most popular fad among the environmentally conscious, there is now a more pressing matter for humans to turn their attention to in order to slow global climate change: the animal industry.

When you navigate to the university website on campus sustainability, you find a list of all of the ways the University is making an effort to “go green”.
A plan to increase levels of recycling on campus? Great! Printers that reduce paper waste? Fantastic! A garden to collect excess rainwater? Amazing! Let’s go one step farther.

If we’re not actively educating students about the immense ways our food choices influence the environment, then we’re not doing enough to really serve the causes we claim to support. It’s not only about giving students the option to eat less meat but telling them how these choices can influence the future of the environment and create sustainable change. The question of whether eating meat is bad for the environment is not a question anymore. And the issue isn’t that people are unwilling to try more plant-based foods or unaware of the perils the environment is currently in, but rather, it’s that people aren’t aware of the effects their demand for meat has on the earth.

Lean and Green, a student initiative that strives to promote sustainability on campus through environmentally friendly and healthy diet choices, conducted a study that showed students don’t fully understand the impact their eating habits have on the environment.

The livestock industry of chickens, cows and pigs produces more greenhouse gas emissions that all cars and trucks combined, according to Greenpeace. So as we eat more meat, the demand for meat likewise goes up and increases those gases. But when we eat more meat alternatives instead, like nuts or tofu, we can make a big difference. According to Walter, if a person went vegetarian for a year, they would produce three times less carbon than if they were to purchase a hybrid car.

And interestingly, more than 92 percent of responders said they would like to see more plant-based foods in the university dining halls. So it’s clear that students are willing to eat less meat and explore more veggie-friendly options. But what’s not clear for students is why these options are imperative for making choices that help our planet.

With the student population of about 34,000, the University has the capability to make significant changes for the future of the environment. Give the students want they want –– which is more diverse plant-based options –– but also tell them why they should want it. Informing students about why these options are environmentally favorable can only inspire students to choose them more often. Posters throughout the dining halls, informational email campaigns, programs in residence halls and even financial incentives can help inform students and shape their knowledge and decision-making.

In conjunction with offering more vegetarian options, letting non-vegetarian students know about the sustainable benefits that come from choosing these foods can encourage them to eat them more often.

The animal industry is only going to grow if people keep eating meat. If our university wants to have an impact and keep up its reputation as environmentally conscious, it should ensure its students know how they can do their part to help the earth.

17. “It” in “… why they should want it” (paragraph 7) refers to …

1) ecological action.

2) vegetarian food.

3) informed choice.

4) dietary change.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

What are soft skills?

 Every career has a job description. Employers like to make clear the experience, education and skills they are looking for in an employee, so they can ensure a good fit. But in addition to “hard skills” that come from your education and work experience, employers want to know if you have the personality and character it takes to do well in the workplace and in your specific role. These less-technical skills are called “soft skills”.

Unlike other parts of your job duties, soft skills are traits that aren’t trained. They are interpersonal skills like communication, empathy, collaboration, problem solving and conflict resolution. These skills are all essential for employees in any organization. We all work with people in a variety of ways, and teams are the norm in almost every company. Hiring professionals and supervisors need to know you will get along with, support and effectively connect and collaborate with co-workers to complete tasks.

Simply put, hard skills may get you an interview, but soft skills can help you get the job and keep it. The soft skills that set you apart from others may also lead to future incentives or promotions.

Soft skills are an excellent way for you to differentiate yourself in a job search. If your technical skill is on a par with other candidates, your ability to communicate and build a connection with hiring managers can be the decisive factor.

You’re probably wondering which soft skills will set you apart from other applicants. Most hiring managers agree that communication skills are at the top of their list. While you don’t have to be an amazing speech-deliverer, employers want to know that you can handle disagreements, portray ideas in presentations or conversations and write coherently.

Conflict resolution and collaboration are other key areas hiring managers value. But don’t be fooled –– working well with others isn’t just about keeping a calm office. The ability to develop relationships that benefit both parties is a big part of becoming an influential and effective employee. While it is true that many of these traits are ingrained, don’t worry too much if these don’t come naturally to you. There are plenty of ways to learn and grow as you prepare for a job.

Showing your soft skills isn’t impossible, it just takes a little work. Not only do you have to emphasize your soft skills in interviews but share specific examples to illustrate how you apply them in your life and on the job. You can recall times when you worked on a team project where members had conflicting views and share how you handled it.

Were you the leader who made sure all voices were heard, and then helped mediate and resolve the conflict? Maybe you were one of the team and you took the role of helping evaluate each view and coming to consensus. Maybe you were the one to support the person whose idea was not used but was successful afterwards. These are all examples that can be highly relevant to employers making hiring decisions.

When it comes to your résumé, leveraging your soft skills may sound tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, how you communicate on your resume and cover letter are great examples of your soft skills. Start by making sure your résumé and cover letter are typo-free and grammatically sound. Remember to show, and not just tell. Saying you’re an excellent communicator has much less impact than giving concrete examples of times where your communication ability was excellent. Anyone can say they are amazing. It’s up to you to prove it.

17. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an example of how soft skills could be demonstrated?

1) Taking everyone’s opinion into account.

2) Encouraging people to come to an agreement.

3) Setting a goal and reaching it.

4) Backing an undervalued suggestion.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

How teaching English on my year abroad improved my French

I began my year abroad in Paris as an intern at a publishing house, earning €2.70 an hour for menial work. I’d hoped to be able to soak up French in a real-life setting, but was constantly writing emails and making calls in English, with little free time for learning my second language. I soon realised the only thing I’d really learned was how to use a document-binding machine. Luckily, I’d taken an intensive English-teaching course in London the previous summer, which helped me find a new job with a language school.

Students planning their years abroad might worry about teaching English. It seems counterintuitive – you go to another country to learn the language and end up speaking your mother tongue. But in my experience, it can be a rewarding job and is perhaps even the best way to immerse yourself in another culture and learn the language. Ellen Rothnie, a student at the University of Glasgow, who has recently returned from two years in Spain, agrees. She says: “The feeling of integrating is so special. I wanted to improve my Spanish and was astounded by how much I did. I noticed a difference within a month.”

So, what struck me most about teaching English, was the potential for improving my French. Teaching your own language gives you a broader insight into language-learning – you see what works and what doesn’t. Among my students, I encountered a full range of abilities – speakers of near-native fluency and those who could barely string together a simple English phrase. I noticed what held my weakest students back – too much focus on writing down notes, crippling shyness and fear of making mistakes, and the other extreme – overconfidence, speaking at length and carelessly repeating the same errors. I saw how my best students learned – by being chatty and enthusiastic, and by watching hours of Anglo-American TV and films in their spare time. Trying to follow their example, I studied French thrillers and reality shows, picking up slang and colloquialisms, which helped me get by in everyday conversations.

Rothnie also found that teaching English helped with her Spanish. “My students often didn’t know what I considered to be basic expressions involving prepositions, such as ‘run out’, or ‘left over’,” she says. “Then I realised that in Spanish there is usually a separate, single equivalent verb which, before my year abroad, I probably didn’t know either.” At university, language teachers often tell students to avoid directly translating English phrases word-for-word, but it’s only when you’re interacting with native speakers in another country that you grasp the common expressions and idioms. This knowledge allows you to become more fluent in a language.

Teaching English can also give you the chance to socialise with native speakers, as Amy Stewart, a student at the University of Strathclyde, found on her year abroad in Tenerife. As a British Council assistant, she became friendly with her fellow teachers and even went to stay at the family home of a Spanish colleague. Despite her concerns about living in a hotspot for Anglophone tourists, Stewart improved her Spanish by taking part in language exchanges with locals. You need to be proactive too, she says: “If you go looking for areas that aren’t quite as touristy, then you’ll find them.”

Ultimately, the success of your year abroad is down to your own efforts – but maybe there’s something about teaching that gives you a certain motivation. After all, when you’ve been telling your students to knuckle down and practise vocabulary in their spare time, you feel like a hypocrite if you don’t do the same.

17. Which proverb summarises the main idea of Paragraph 5?

1) Where there is a will, there is a way.

2) Actions speak louder than words.

3) Better late than never.

4) Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Surviving an avalanche

Surviving an avalanche was not on Thomas’s list of things to do in life. A thrill-seeker of epic proportions, he had jumped from a helicopter to ski remote mountain slopes and traversed half of Antarctica on a cross-country skiing adventure. If only his wisdom of doing things in packs hadn’t failed him on the day of his accident.

He had ventured out alone before, and in any case, most of the ski ranges around his mountain home were littered with forest rangers whose job was to help stranded hikers. So a solo trip by an experienced skier wasn’t the most dangerous of adventures.

Every seasoned skier is aware of both the risks and the joys involved with skiing off-piste. It’s a different experience from the snow that’s been packed down into hard ice by the hundreds of other skiers who have already crossed over it. Movements occur almost in slow-motion as the skier glides in and out of the piles of powder. It’s an exhausting challenge that requires effort from the skier’s whole body, but a unique one that hooks a skier after just one run.

Thomas even had special equipment for this particular type of skiing. His well-worn pair of traditional skis wouldn’t be sufficient, so he’d expended an extra two hundred pounds on a wider set of blades especially made for skiing in powder.

And it wasn’t as if safety was the last thing on his mind. He’d brought his avalanche kit in case of emergencies. He wore an airbag that would help to keep him near the surface if he pulled the cord in time, and another device which would assist him with breathing under snow. The rescue service’s number was programmed into his mobile phone, and his avalanche transceiver – which emits an emergency signal – was equipped with fully-charged batteries.

Thomas’s run that day was in familiar territory. He had always skied with a trusted ski buddy, with never an incident to report. Perhaps he had been lulled into a false sense of security. In fact, he had intended to ski with a friend that morning. When his friend couldn’t make it, Thomas considered not going himself, but the snow on the mountain had fallen just the night before, and the lure was too intense.

His run was a wide, bare track of slope nestled between two pine forests – a real skier’s delight, and quite popular with the locals as well.

They say an avalanche is like a sleeping giant, waiting to be woken up by even the slightest of nudges. Thomas gave this giant more than a nudge – he skied right over it and before he knew it, he was skiing on top of it as it slid down the mountain along with him. And if you ski on top of the giant’s mouth, it’s likely to swallow you whole.

As Thomas sank beneath powder, through his acute panic he managed to pull the cord on his airbag. The roar of the giant fell silent seconds later, and from beneath the snow it was as if morning had turned to night. Thomas tried to reach his phone, but his arm might as well have been cast in concrete. Lying still, his panic slowly shifting to an eerie peacefulness, he did his best to keep his chin up. He even began to enjoy the dark solitude, even though he knew he might never be found. Luckily for him, the giant had caught the attention of others, and the transceiver was doing the job it was designed to do.

17. An avalanche is compared to a sleeping giant because …

1) it’s not usually dangerous.

2) it can quickly spring into life.

3) it’s a huge spectacle.

4) it can easily kill people.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Attendance requirements

Studying at university can be very different from school, sixth form or college. Your term time will be different, as will your classes. Whether attendance is mandatory or not will also vary. Your classes will be divided into lectures and seminars. You will also have study sessions and inductions each year. Failure to attend mandatory sessions could have implications on your progression towards your degree, so it is important to understand what is mandatory and what is not.

Most universities do care about attendance. Universities generally associate good attendance with good academic performance, and therefore strongly encourage students to attend all of their seminars and lectures. Many universities will have an attendance threshold which students must reach. Likewise, module tutors may use a register to log and monitor the attendance of students for each seminar and lecture.

The real world has attendance requirements, too. If you don’t meet those expectations, you will get penalized. Jobs, for example, have required attendance. If you skip a day of work because you’re not up to it, you will probably face consequences. You have to be actively present to achieve your career goals, you can’t coast through your career like you may in college. College prepares you for the real world, so class attendance benefits your education and your future. That’s why many people think class attendance should be mandatory – to ensure students are engaged in their academic studies.

But, even without required attendance, it is your job to show up. Tests often reflect lectures, so being in class can help you more easily answer test questions. Most classes use participation to discuss topics in class, which goes beyond just needing to know it for tests. Attendance also makes it easier to work with fellow students and professors, so as to better understand the topics.

Active participation is not just for jobs and school. It can help you in life as well. Attending class would help emphasize that people need to be active in their role in society. This includes participating in things like elections, community service, and volunteering.

Most notably, we must pay for the classes we take, so missing a class means we hurt ourselves by wasting money, time, and educational opportunities. Not everyone gets to attend a uni, so why not take advantage of this opportunity?

On the other hand, if attendance is not required, you can choose whether or not to get out of bed in the morning and make your way to class. I must admit that there are days I may really want to choose not to go to class. But it is required, so I feel as though I have no choice at all. Maybe I feel a cold coming on but can’t make it to a doctor for a sick note, or I had to work extra late at my part-time job the night before. Most frequently I need some extra time to catch up on the overwhelming amount of homework I have been assigned in all of my classes.

Regardless of the reason, the choice should be mine. I understand that going to class is beneficial in many ways. But burnout is real. Many full-time students work just to make ends meet, and you can’t always predict illnesses well enough to get a university approved absence.

The requirement to attend classes can negatively affect grades and cause a great deal of stress for students that are under enough stress already. Many students who are not able to attend every single class still deserve a decent grade, and they work very hard to maintain one. We are adults. We are choosing to further our education. Therefore, we should also be given the choice to attend class or not – without it being detrimental to our grades.

17. The author needs to skip classes most often because he …

1) dislikes studying in the mornings.

2) has some health problems.

3) combines work and studies.

4) has to finish his other academic tasks.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

My experience with ChatGPT

A few weeks ago, I asked ChatGPT to write an article and I have to say, it exceeded my expectations. Not only did ChatGPT write a comprehensive article, but it also included helpful headlines for each section. Since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it could mean for the future world.

I’ve been keeping up with news about AI developments, but ChatGPT really stood out to me. While there are other models out there doing similar things, there must be a reason why ChatGPT made such big headlines. I think it’s because people like me started using AI models for the first time and got very tangible results. However, as useful and unique it can be, I do have some concerns.

After receiving the article from ChatGPT, I requested another one using similar keywords. ChatGPT delivered, but the resulting article was 62% similar to the first one. I doubt this would happen if I asked two people to write an article using the same keywords. As humans, we all have unique minds and experiences that shape our thoughts and words. Each person’s creativity is unique because it requires unique brain networks to fire simultaneously.

It’s no surprise that ChatGPT lacks originality, since it’s trained on millions of pieces of information from various sources. AI relies on pre-existing information to produce content. In contrast, humans learn in various ways and may draw different conclusions from similar experiences.

Another challenge with AI is intolerance. AI algorithms are only as good as the data they’re trained on, which can lead to intolerant results. Microsoft experienced this firsthand in 2016 when their AI chatbot on social networks became racist and misogynistic within 24 hours.

Even OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, acknowledges the limitations of AI. They warn that it “may occasionally generate incorrect information,” “may occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased content,” and has “limited knowledge of the world and events after 2021.”

The last limitation is telling. Is it possible for an AI chatbot to “live in the present?” Today’s reality is so fragmented and dependent on individual perspectives that even humans struggle to identify the truth. How can scientists train an AI model to differentiate truth from falsehood? If this were possible (let alone easy), why haven’t humans mastered this ability yet?

I wonder to what extent technological innovation occurs for the sake of innovation itself, rather than to address and solve a specific problem. Are we using AI to solve significant global issues, or are we merely using it to fix inconveniences?

Recently, I read news about a robo-dog for people with visual impairment. Equipped with AI, it talks and aids them in navigating cities. Why were living service dogs not good enough?

Apparently, they are expensive to train and maintain, so the answer technology offered was – what else? – robots. That would be quite reasonable, but 90% of vision loss is preventable or treatable with spectacles or eye surgery. Millions of people have visual impairment because they don’t have access to such treatments, making it a significant and global problem. Shouldn’t we use our resources to prevent and treat vision loss in the first place?

We have built a world so dependent on technology and so obsessed with growth that we are now willing to put a price on the only thing that makes us unique in this world: our brain. While we have not fully comprehended its capabilities, we are trying to make a digital copy of it. Are we sure we know what this means?

17. Which statement is TRUE?

1) Robo-dogs are better than living service dogs.

2) Living dogs are cheaper than robo-dogs.

3) The resources used to develop robo-dogs should be used differently.

4) It is a global problem that many people have issues with eyesight.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Stop buying stuff

Did you know that spending 1,000 rubles a day adds up to spending more than 365,000 a year? And I don’t know about you, but hardly anything costs under 1,000 where we live. So thoughtless spending can add up very quickly. As I try to live more simply, I have been trying to mend what we have and make what we need. I recently made linen napkins with some fabric we had. This way of living has required me to slow down and question whether what I want to buy is truly essential. If you also want to live more simply and stop buying stuff you don’t need, here are some tips that I’ve found useful.

First, you need to identify your motivation. Take a few minutes to think about why you want to buy less stuff. Your goal is to buy less, but why are you chasing that goal. Some reasons might be to save money, to reduce clutter, to live more sustainably, to get out of debt, or to live a more handmade and simple life. Once you have your motivation identified, you can refer back to it when you are tempted to buy something frivolous.

Next, it’s very useful to record your expenses. Don’t worry about setting up a fancy budget right now. Just write down everything you buy and how much you spend for one week. This is to make you more conscious of your spending habits and help you to stop buying stuff you don’t need. Also for one week, write down what prompted you to buy something. For example, imagine you bought a new
T-shirt. Write it down and think about what made you want to buy it. Did you see someone you follow on social media wearing it? Did you buy it late at night after a date went badly? The goal is to make your invisible purchasing habits more visible. As you write down what prompted you to buy something, think about whether the spending was emotional or not. Did you get a rush when you pushed ‘buy now’? That’s probably an emotional purchase. Try to identify which emotion you’re avoiding. Do you feel self-conscious? Or depressed? Once we can name what we’re trying to avoid, then we can take steps to meaningfully address it.

Have you heard about the One-Year Test? Look around your space. Do you see anything you haven’t used in a year? Strongly consider selling or donating it. Once you have an understanding of how much you spend and what your spending triggers are, it’s time to clean the slate. Unsubscribe from brands on social media and from email newsletters from companies or influencers. You want to set yourself up for success and protect yourself from being bombarded with emails promising ‘irresistible’ sales. Once you know when you are triggered to buy things, you can pre-empt the urge by filling the time with something else. For example, if you browse and buy late at night on your phone, you can do yoga or meditate or read a good book before bed. You don’t need to do this forever – just try to do it once to begin with, and see how you feel.

Another very good tip can be summed up as ‘cost versus work.’ Before you buy something, calculate how much you will need to work to cover the cost. If you get paid 300 rubles/hour and something costs 2,500, that’s more than 8 hours of work. Is it worth it to you?

Before buying something, wait 24 hours. This is a good way to weed out impulse buying. Instead of buying things every day, choose one day a week. Bookmark everything you want to buy and on the buying day, review all of your bookmarks. This is a good way to remove emotional or impulse buying, too.

So, buying stuff you don’t need is a major problem for a lot of people. The material possessions that you’ve desired and eventually purchased will lose their sparkle, and you’ll return to your happiness set point. Things can’t make you happy, but people can.

17. What advice does the author give to prevent impulse buying?

1) Never buy expensive items.

2) Introduce a purchase day once a week.

3) Delete your bookmarks in online shops.

4) Discuss what you want to buy at work.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Shoppers

Can you spend hours and hours at the mall just looking, while hardly making a purchase? Or when you go to the mall, do you try to park, get in, and get out as quickly as possible? Whether we like it or not, we all have to shop at some point. It’s good to be aware of your money mindset so you can rein in your natural budget busters. Which kind of shopper do you most identify with?

The bargain shopper loves coupons, discount books and online codes, as well as store sales. The bargain shopper hunts down deals with the intensity of a rabid raccoon ransacking an unguarded trash can. And that’s a good thing. If there’s one thing you can count on with this kind of a shopper, it’s the fact that they’ll absolutely find the lowest price in town – or, if they can find it on the internet, in the entire world.

The next type is the researcher. Imagine you want to buy a new 42-inch LCD TV. So what do you do? You buy a few consumer magazines. You visit
14 different websites that offer television reviews. You spend five months researching every brand and every model of 42-inch LCD televisions. Based on that information, you might make a decision. Or you might wait until next year’s models come out because, after all, once you make the purchase, you can’t research TVs anymore. And what kind of life is that?

Probably, the worst type for your budget is the impulse buyer. Ooh, that sure is a pretty lamp over there. You know where that lamp would look nice? On the end table next to your bed. Such a pretty lamp. So cute. Sure, it’s $200, but you never spend that much money on lamps, and when will you ever see another lamp that cute again? So you know what to do – buy it! Right now! Buy it! This will be the best, most sensible purchase you’ve ever made – until tomorrow, when you wake up and realize you have $15,000 in debt and just spent $200 on a lamp. These are the kind of people who might actually have several credit cards and need professional help to stop them going on a shopping spree.

For another type, the negotiator, no price is set in stone. Everything is up for negotiation. “That’s not good enough!” is the negotiator’s mantra. Their sole purpose in life is to win the battle with every single salesperson they encounter. Or at least it seems that way, because they approach every negotiation like fighting. That’s a type of a person you really need to take with you to an Asian market where prices are cut twice or even more after bargaining.

The loyalist buys everything, and we mean everything, from the same store. They’ve got 14 different discount and membership cards of varying sizes for that one store. There’s the one for their wallet, their key chain, their smartphone, their purse, their back pocket – and don’t forget the one they customized into an earring for emergencies. When they enter that store, they’re greeted like a king or queen. Everyone there knows their name.

Last, but not least, is ‘the man on a mission.’ They have one objective: to go to the store and buy a new computer monitor. Their record for driving to the mall, buying one item, and returning home is 27 minutes and 42 seconds. Each time they go to the mall, their goal is to break that record. When the man on a mission shops, he or she’s like a laser-guided missile seeking out a target to destroy.

Many of us are addicted to shopping. And some of us can’t seem to get off the hedonic treadmill. Being conscious of your shopping habits is the first step to stop buying things you don’t actually need. Well, the next time you’re tempted to buy something, get out your smartphone to determine whether the purchase fits in your budget. If it doesn’t, all bets are off; don’t make the purchase!

17. Which shopper type is focused on buying one particular thing?

1) The negotiator.

2) The loyalist.

3) The man on a mission.

4) The impulse buyer.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

AI and student experience

No matter what your occupation is, you have probably faced some uncertainty over the last few years as a result of innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and its growing popularity. Teachers and students alike feel strongly about the upcoming changes. There are certain ways in which AI technology is altering education, both for teachers and students. Here is what lies ahead for education and the student experience in today’s AI-driven world.

If you have tried using AI tools yourself, you know how powerful they can be. With just a few clicks, these programmes can write stories, organise ideas, and even complete homework assignments. Unfortunately for educators, this potent tool is also available to students who may use it to cheat and plagiarise work. Over the last several months, teachers from elementary schools to universities have been trying to address this growing problem.

Sadly, there is, as yet, no silver-bullet solution for teachers. While some software has claimed to be able to detect the presence of AI-generated content, none of these have fully cracked the code. Teachers are now left to guess whether students are using this software to complete assignments. As a result of this change, there will likely be a shift in education that puts emphasis on in-person assessments, rather than take-home assignments. In this way, educators can be sure that students are not using AI software to generate their work.

But AI is not just causing problems – it is also creating new opportunities. Teachers are also starting to introduce AI into their processes. Instead of banning the use of AI, many educators and institutions are currently trying to figure out the best ways for students to use this technology as a helpful tool. Some teachers believe that soon, all students will learn how to use AI properly to support their learning in honest and useful ways.

Over the decades, a critique of the school system has been its one-size-fits-all approach to education. This is a model that treats every student the same way, ignoring individual needs and learning styles. Though there were some attempts to fix this issue, none have been very effective. Today, however, AI is presenting itself as an antidote to this problem. The data about students’ abilities makes it possible for teachers to use AI to personalise learning. For example, the technology can show which students need extra help, and which ones are ready for more challenging work. This means teachers can tweak their lessons to fit each student’s needs, helping everyone do their best.

Getting extra help outside of school has always been important for many students, but not everyone could afford private tutors. Now, AI is changing that. Free AI tutors are becoming available to help students with their schoolwork anytime they need it. These digital tutors can explain difficult concepts, help with homework, and give students the extra practice they need to understand tough subjects.

Thus, AI can have a wide variety of impacts on the student experience. While it is creating new problems, like cheating, it is also offering new ways to make learning more personal and accessible for every student. Now, all students have more opportunities to excel in subjects they once found challenging. This incredible innovation makes me hopeful that more students will achieve academic success. The key will be learning how to use this technology wisely – as a tool to support learning, not replace it. As teachers and students continue to adapt, one thing is clear: education will never again be the same.

17. Which fact about AI in education is NOT mentioned in the text?

1) AI impacts how students are assessed.

2) AI makes education more accessible.

3) AI makes students dependent on it.

4) AI helps make learning individualised.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Internet safety issues

The fact is that 93 percent of kids are online. Even if parents limit or ban internet access, kids have access at school, through a friend’s smart phone, libraries, and schools. The internet is a tool that our children need to use and master with wisdom dispensed by parents. We need tech-savvy youth who will grow up to be leaders of the community.

Many schools use websites such as EdModo to connect students and teachers. My friend Reem is the vice principal of an Islamic School. She says that many teachers assign work from school that children need to research online. Some of the best homeschooling resources are online. Far too many parents do not allow their children monitored access to the internet, leading to two scenarios. Their children end up lying and using it behind their back; or are so sheltered that they do not know how to conduct themselves online when they finally do get access.

On the other hand, more often than not, there are parents who freely give unmonitored access. But caretakers raising children in today’s world need to think about several issues:

• How does a parent know if his/her child is engaging in inappropriate Internet activities?

• How would a parent know if his/her child is cyber-bullied if he or she does not tell them?

According to Common Sense Media, “Young teens don’t yet have an “off” switch in their brains. That means that they often act impulsively. This lack of impulse control, combined with online anonymity, could lead toward dangerous behaviors: cyber-bullying, inappropriate photo or video uploads, illegal downloads, meeting strangers – even cheating. Because socializing is so important to young people, online interactions can become pretty intense – whether they’re playing games, chatting with friends, or sharing work.”

Using open communication and thoughtful intervention, parents can help their wired offspring learn how to maneuver electronic gadgets and the World Wide Web. Here are some tips on how to give children monitored access to the Internet:

• spend time with your children online.

• ask to see their social media pages. It may seem like a foreign territory, but it is imperative that parents talk to their children about social media. At this stage, it is not our job to try to protect them by isolating them. It is our job to teach them how to deal with information and with people.

• younger children often play on websites such as Movie Star Planet, Moshi Monsters, and new ones pop up every day. Most of these sites teach extreme consumerism as children ‘play’ to accumulate points or currency and use it to ‘buy’ stuff: furniture, VIP passes, etc.; urging your child to become ‘Rich and Famous.’ As responsible parents, we need to prevent children from becoming mindless consumers. If you do allow your child to visit these sites, then watch them while they play.

• teach them not to talk to or chat with random strangers. That person with a name Girlie45 could, possibly, be a middle-aged predator. Teach them that everything that they put online is there forever. Anyone can cut, copy and paste pictures and text. Teach them how to be safe online because today it is as important as safety basics about locking the door or not playing with matches.

17. The danger of online games is, according to the author, in …

1) the possibility of losing one’s money.

2) availability of VIP passes.

3) getting used to spending money easily.

4) their accessibility.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Sleep problems

I had been known to sleepwalk as a child, often getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but not knowing I had done so. I had a habit of leaving the bathroom light on, which is what should have given it away, after weeks of my parents scolding my sister and me for failing to turn it off. The thing is, we always did turn it off, or so we thought.

It was my sister, actually, who discovered the problem, to her astonishment, when she got up to use the bathroom herself, and found me in front of the bathroom basin washing my hands. She said she’d waited for me to finish, and when I did, I walked right past her with a blank stare on my face. She’d asked me if I was OK; I’d said nothing and gone back to bed. When she mentioned it that morning, I had no recollection of the event, and I flatly denied that it had happened.

Days later, my sister encountered exactly the same situation, which I again refused to believe, although with a bit less determination. I was beginning to sense there was a problem. I began to question my own memory as well.

It was of great concern to my parents, who assumed that something awful would happen to me during one of the episodes. What if I went for a walk round the block, in my pyjamas? They told my sister to lock our bedroom door at night, and then to hide the key, after I actually found it and used it on one occasion. We considered consulting a sleep therapist; however, the locked door seemed to do the trick, and the episodes stopped.

Flash forward to my life as a young adult. I was living alone and I began to notice some peculiar things around my flat, worse than just a left-on bathroom light, although not dangerously so. I would go to get something which I was sure was in the fridge, only to find it missing. I would see dirty saucepans on the cooker, something which as a self-professed cleaning freak I would never leave for the next day. I realised that I’d re-started my childhood habit. I had heard stories of people driving while asleep, so I started hiding my car keys from myself in different places every night, in the hope that I wouldn’t remember where I had put them. I sometimes didn’t when I was awake!

I decided that before things got out of hand, I would visit a sleep clinic. I set up an appointment and met a professional who suggested I stayed in their clinic overnight. The facilities were very comfortable and the staff helpful and pleasant. Most of the patients were there for minor sleeping problems, which was the category I felt I fell into, as opposed to the few with more disturbing sleep issues, such as not sleeping for days, or falling asleep randomly and without control. I was asked whether or not I wanted to take medication, which I was advised wouldn’t – and couldn’t – be a permanent routine. I decided against it, preferring to try other methods.

You see, there are no defining triggers to sleepwalking. In other words, it’s hard to hit the nail on the head when it comes to finding the cause and prescribing remedies. Instead, the therapist helped me to try and work out what might be disrupting my sleep; if it was stress, not sleeping to a schedule, doing too many things before bedtime, and so on. I had to see which of those things might be my trigger, and change it so that I’d stop my sleepwalking for good.

17. 'It' in 'I decided against it' in the sixth paragraph refers to...

1) accepting any form of treatment.

2) taking medication.

3) adopting a permanent routine.

4) staying on at the clinic.

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Пример ответа: 1

Space could solve water problems

Have you ever tasted saltwater? I guess you have and if so, you will agree with me that it’s not very refreshing. In fact, drinking more than a few cups worth can kill you.
According to the United States Geological Survey, whose mission is to collect and disseminate reliable, impartial, and timely information that is needed to understand the nation’s water resources, about ninety-seven percent of the water on our planet is saltwater; the rest is stored in lakes, rivers, glaciers and aquifers underground. Moreover, only about one-third of the world’s potential fresh water can be used for human needs. As pollution increases, the amount of usable water decreases.
Water is the most precious and taken-for-granted resource we have on Earth. It is also one of the most threatened resources. Increased population and possible climate change will put more and more strain on supplies of this vital resource as time goes on. What could we do in this situation? Though it may seem like science fiction, the solution could lie in outer space.
I’m not saying we’re going to be teleporting to a spring on the other side of the galaxy or colonizing another planet just to have longer showers – it’s much more mundane than that. What we could achieve realistically in this century is the successful use of the solar system’s rare metals and water, barring the invention of the matrix.
You may be surprised to learn that the metal in your keys, coins, cell phone, computer, car and everywhere else, originally came to this planet from space. When Earth formed, the heavy metals sank to the center and formed a solid core. The lighter elements formed the mantle and the crust we live on. Asteroids and comets that struck the Earth brought water and metals to the surface.
There are thousands of asteroids orbiting near Earth. Most asteroids are made of rock, but some are composed of metal, mostly nickel and iron. Probes could be sent out to these to identify useful ones. Then larger probes could push them towards the Earth where they can be handled in orbit.
In order to fuel ships and probes, we simply need to find a source of water, such as a comet or the surface of the moon. We collect the water and pass an electric current through it from a solar panel. The water separates into oxygen and hydrogen, which in liquid form is a powerful rocket fuel.
Is this really possible? We may soon find out. Private company SpaceX has already started delivering equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is proof that countries once at each other’s throats, like America and Russia, can work together and pull off multi-billion dollar projects.
Recently, a company called Planetary Resources Inc. made the news forgetting big names like Google and Microsoft to invest in exploring asteroids for material gain. Although it will take many decades, it is wise to put the gears in motion now.
We’ve already landed probes on the surface of asteroids and taken samples from them. We can put something as large as the ISS, which weighs just short of 500 tons, according to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in orbit.
We can make a half-million-mile round-trip to get rocks from the moon. We can do all of these things already. They just need to be applied and developed in a smart way.

17. The expression “put the gears in motion” in “…it is wise to put the gears in motion now” (paragraph 9) means …

1) to move.

2) to explore.

3) to begin.

4) to invest.