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ЕГЭ по английскому языку

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.

14. One in Paragraph 4 (“… if you can’t afford to hire one …”) most probably refers to …

1) a business counselor.

2) a career advisor.

3) a tutor.

4) a librarian.

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.

15. Alumnus in Paragraph 5 (“As an alumnus, you may be able to access them.”) most probably means …

1) a job applicant.

2) a library user.

3) a member of society.

4) a college graduate.

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.

16. According to the text, to choose a career it is necessary to ...

1) ignore all the advice you get.

2) take into account your parents’ advice.

3) try working in different places.

4) study all the relevant 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.

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

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.

18. The purpose of this text is to …

1) persuade.

2) criticise.

3) advise.

4) entertain.

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.

12. The author describes the meeting with the woman as …

1) the funniest event in his life.

2) a challenge to his open-mindedness.

3) a source of his knowledge of edible gold.

4) a very mysterious event.

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.

13. The phrase “… make an attempt to distil” in “… make an attempt to distil the essence of some of these claims” (paragraph 3) means to …

1) try to explain.

2) stress.

3) find the origin.

4) try to analyze.

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.

14. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a reason why restaurants use culinary gold?

1) It can be used on various dishes.

2) It appears to be an exotic decoration.

3) It adds a particular flavour to meals.

4) It allows them to raise prices.

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.

15. The author tends to trust the information about gold colloid because …

1) the number of atoms in particles is known.

2) it helped with his rheumatoid arthritis.

3) he’s a specialist in colloids.

4) it’s backed by some research.

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.

16. The author refers to the substance found by David Hudson as “mysterious” because …

1) it has unusual properties.

2) its health benefits are magnificent.

3) it was discovered by chance.

4) it can be used for any human need.

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

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.

18. From the last paragraph it can be implied that …

1) it’s very difficult to get a patent in the USA.

2) Hudson made alchemy popular again.

3) Hudson’s discovery wasn’t scientifically validated.

4) Britain and Australia have similar scientific traditions.

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.

12. The author is sure that his learning experience …

1) played a critical role in his life.

2) consisted of random events.

3) went according to his plan.

4) taught him how to set goals.

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.

13. Rigid in Paragraph 2 (“I found Japanese martial arts to be too rigid …”) most probably means …

1) complicated.

2) agreed.

3) fixed.

4) planned.

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.

14. That in Paragraph 3 (“... this was a good opportunity to take a break from that …”) most probably refers to …

1) his main university course.

2) the new language course.

3) the study of culture.

4) practising Eastern philosophy.

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.

15. Which statement about the author’s Chinese classes on the intensive programme is TRUE?

1) These classes lacked speaking practice.

2) The author did not like those classes.

3) The course mainly focused on grammar.

4) The students learned vocabulary in class.

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.

16. The author decided to accept the scholarship mainly because …

1) it had always been his dream to visit Taiwan.

2) his teacher insisted on it.

3) he wanted to continue studying Chinese.

4) he did not have to pay for anything.

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

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.

18. The author of the article aims to …

1) describe his experience.

2) entertain the reader.

3) persuade us to study Chinese.

4) advise us how to learn best.

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!

12. According to the text, college students get particularly stressed because of …

1) personal relationships.

2) health problems.

3) pressure to succeed.

4) paying for courses.

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!

13. The author thinks that students suffer from stress physically because they …

1) fail to pay attention to stress signs.

2) are often too emotional.

3) have heart problems.

4) come across unexpected situations.

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!

14. It is implied that college students …

1) have heavier workloads than working adults.

2) can experience stress for various reasons.

3) speak in public more often while studying.

4) are more inclined to depression than graduates.

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!

15. The phrasal verb push off in “We often push things off until the last minute” (paragraph 6) is closest in meaning to …

1) postpone.

2) cancel.

3) accumulate.

4) repeat.

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!

16. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as the author’s advice to cope with stress?

1) Planning time for socializing and rest.

2) Dividing work into smaller parts.

3) Getting rid of pessimistic thoughts.

4) Giving somebody tasks you can’t 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

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.