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Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A–F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1–7. Одна из частей в списке 1–7 лишняя. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

Magical transformation of bread

You may eat your sandwich without even thinking about what’s holding it together. But without bread, you won’t have a sandwich. To people from all around the world, bread is an important, familiar food, but it is also an amazing transformer. To turn A __________, your loaf had to go through an extraordinary series of changes.

You only need four ingredients to make bread: water, flour, salt, and yeast. Yeast is a type of microbe, B __________. Flour, C __________, is dry and powdery. When you add water, the flour absorbs the liquid. If you continue mixing, you’ll get a big lumpy blob. As you knead it – D __________ – the blob soon becomes smooth and turns into dough.

After kneading your dough, you must let it rest. It’s time for the yeast to do its job. These tiny creatures eat the sugar in the flour. As they eat, they produce carbon dioxide which forms air bubbles E __________. Bread also needs salt to strengthen dough and make your bread taste good. Now, it’s time to bake.

Even after it comes out of the oven, a loaf of bread keeps changing. As soon as it starts to cool, it starts getting stale. To make hard bread more appealing, it’s best to put it in the oven. The bread becomes softer again. Over time, though, the bread loses flavour and aromas. So, F __________ not be as tasty as it once was. Still, it’s probably good enough for another sandwich.

1. even if you can soften it again, it may

2. press it, stretch it, roll it, and flatten it

3. into those soft, delicious slices of bread

4. inside bread and makes it light and fluffy

5. a living organism which is too small to see

6. you put in an oven and a loaf of bread comes

7. which comes from ground-up grains of wheat

Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A–F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1–7. Одна из частей в списке 1–7 лишняя. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

Beauty of the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are some of the most naturally beautiful locations in the Caribbean. The Cayman Islands are three islands made up of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac.

The ocean at sunrise and sunset is the most popular scene with photographers on the Cayman Islands. But these islands are committed to conservation A __________, both above and below the water’s surface. There are many protected coral reefs around these tropical islands to explore and enjoy. Some reefs have small holes and cave-like structures B __________, like silverside fish that hide in the shadows. In addition to the coral reefs around the islands, the shipwrecks in the nearby waters deserve special attention. The Kittiwake shipwreck is the most unusual one C __________, about 76 m long and attracts many tropical fish.

The colourful and colonial architecture of George Town on Grand Cayman is interesting as well. The small duty-free shops and waterfront restaurants along the harbour showcase the life in the village, D __________ on the other side of the island.

The Cayman Crystal Caves provide a glimpse into the amazing life on the islands millions of years ago. Water erosion E __________ of the islands resulted in spectacular crystal formations. There are three wonderful caves to visit, each with delicate stalactite and stalagmite formations, F __________.

1. because it covers a very large area

2. because there is rare beauty to keep

3. which were created one drop at a time

4. that serve as protection for sea life

5. and other attractions of the Cayman Islands

6. which is a contrast to the natural scenery

7. and environmental changes to the landscape

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. Always in a hurry

2. The city of skyscrapers

3. Winning and losing

4. Unknown side of the city

5. Saving the variety

6. Getting around the city

7. For the holiday and more

8. Nickname for a building

A. New York is really the melting pot of the world. Over 30 percent of its residents have come from abroad. It is believed that the city has the greatest linguistic diversity on the planet. There are over 800 different languages divided among its people. As some of these languages are nearly extinct, the City University of New York has begun a project called the Endangered Language Alliance. Its aim is to preserve rare languages like Bukhari, Vhlaski, and Ormuri.

B. New Yorkers love to think they know everything about their city: where to find the best fruit, how to avoid paying full price at museums, what route to take to avoid traffic. But New York City can reveal new treasures even to its veterans. Beyond the city where New-Yorkers work, eat, play and commute every day lies a hidden New York: mysterious, forgotten, abandoned or just overlooked. There are places about which you’re not likely to read in any guidebook.

C. The Chrysler Building was in a race with the Bank of Manhattan for getting the title of the tallest skyscraper in the world. The Bank was likely to triumph, with its height of 282 meters. But the spire of the Chrysler Building was constructed in secret inside the tower. Just one week after the Bank of Manhattan was finished, it was put in place, making it 318 meters tall and beating the Bank. It wouldn’t keep this title for long: one year later the Empire State Building was erected.

D. The Flatiron Building was constructed between 1901 and 1903 at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue. It was designed by Chicago’s Daniel Burnham as a steel-frame skyscraper covered with white terra-cotta. Built as the headquarters of the Fuller Construction company, the skyscraper was meant to be named Fuller Building. But locals soon started calling it “Flatiron” because of its unusual shape. The name stuck and soon became official.

E. How does Rockefeller Center manage to find the perfect fur-tree each Christmas season? They do aerial searches by helicopter, of course, and bring it to the city during the night when there isn’t much traffic on the streets. After the tree is taken down for the year, it continues to be useful. For example, in 2005 Habitat for Humanity used the wood to make doorframes for houses for the poor and in 2012 the paper was used to publish a book.

F. In New York life never stands still. People have to call cabs, ride subway cars, do business of all kinds, eat pizzas and sandwiches for lunch. When you multiply that by more than eight million people in less than 500 square miles, you get the idea: everyone goes everywhere as fast as it is humanly possible. Whatever you do, don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk or you’ll make everyone around you incredibly angry.

G. New York is extremely easy to navigate. Manhattan is divided into numbered streets from north to south and avenues from east to west. It’s almost impossible to get lost there. Buses are useful to travel around Manhattan, and the subway is the best means of transport to the other parts of the city. At some stage you’ll definitely use a yellow taxi. Try to get one on an avenue that’s going in the same direction you are – you’ll save time and money. And don’t forget to leave a tip for the driver.

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. Show it matters to you

2. Institutions take action

3. Share the cost

4. An effect of what you put on your plate

5. Eco-friendly travel

6. Give them a new life

7. Part of daily routine

8. Proper food management

A.What you eat matters: nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gases come from agriculture, and most of those are from meat and dairy. Cutting out meat is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint, and you’ll save money too. A meat-free diet has been recommended as the “single-biggest way” an individual can reduce their impact on the planet. Meat and dairy consumption result in excessive land use, industrial emissions, water use and deforestation. However, make sure you get all the necessary nutrients with other food.

B.Whatever you choose to eat, try to shop locally and seasonally. You will most likely avoid the plastic packaging you find in supermarkets, and these products will have a lower carbon footprint. If you have the space – even just a windowsill will do – try growing some of your own herbs or vegetables; it’s amazing what you can get from just a window box planter. You can also reduce food waste by planning meals in advance, eating leftovers and sharing meals with friends. Reusing food waste as compost is also an eco-friendly action.

C.This year scientists devised a planetary health diet, presenting a way to address the environmental impact of our food choices. It recommends that the global average consumption of red meat should be cut by half, while vegetables, fruit, pulses and nuts should double. The growing global call for organisations to take seriously their responsibilities for halting climate change is impossible to ignore. Universities are now reacting to this: Goldsmiths has scrapped the sale of all beef products from its campus as it seeks to become carbon neutral by 2025.

D.Forget fast fashion: keeping your clothes for as long as possible has much more than just monetary value. In the UK, clothing has the fourth-largest environmental impact after housing, transport and food. We throw away more than half of our fast-fashion items within less than a year. So recycle your clothes or mend them. If you don’t have those skills, see if there’s a sewing society you could join, or head to a repair shop. Try clothes swaps with friends, and instead of buying new items, head to a charity or second-hand shop.

E.When you start living alone, you do your own decorating, washing, cooking and cleaning. There are simple ways you can change your habits to live more sustainably. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature, and opt for a bamboo toothbrush or more eco-friendly sanitary products. When shopping, see if there’s a zero-waste shop nearby – Sheffield students’ union has opened a store selling dried food, household products, toiletries and kitchenware all free from plastic packaging.

F.Of course, the easiest way to make a difference is to cut out flying. A return trip from Manchester to Berlin produces about 214 kg of CO2; there are countries where the average person produces less carbon dioxide in a year. If you are planning a weekend away with new friends, try and travel by train or bus instead, and it’s even funnier when you have a company! Cut out just one five-hour flight and your carbon footprint will be a ton lighter.

G.Individual actions matter, as they demonstrate commitment and provide an alternative way to live. But campaigning and activism are important too. University campuses can be the perfect place for this: 91% of students are now concerned about climate change, according to a survey from the NUS. If you don’t know where or how to start, see if there are any societies at your university. Students of the fossil free campaign, for example, have brought on huge changes by calling on their institutions to use less fossil fuel.

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. Full of life

2. Safari lovers

3. A protected region

4. Glimpses of history

5. The tourist season

6. Beneficial tourism

7. A comfortable climate

8. Scenery to remember

A.The Serengeti is a vast ecosystem in central Africa. It spans 30,000 square kilometres. And in the local language, it means “endless plains.” This region of Africa is situated in north Tanzania and extends to southwestern Kenya. The Serengeti includes Serengeti National Park and a number of game reserves and conservation areas. They are all maintained by the governments of Tanzania and Kenya. The region hosts the largest mammal migration in the world. It is a popular destination for African safaris.

B.The Serengeti has various flora and fauna. A diverse group of animals call the Serengeti home, including Africa’s “big five” group. It consists of the African elephant, the Cape buffalo, the African leopard, the African lion, and the African black rhino. Cheetahs, giraffes, crocodiles, hippos, more than 500 bird species, and many more animals can also be found across the area. Blue wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras inhabit the region too, along with lions and hyenas. They are familiar to fans of the Disney film, The Lion King.

C.The most popular time to visit the region is between July and October. The peak of the blue wildebeest migration, usually in October, is an especially popular time in the park – when visitors come to see more than 2 million animals travel up to 800 km from Serengeti National Park to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. This is a huge attraction for tourists. And while many think it is an intense and short-lived phenomenon, it is actually a fairly slow trek. Visitors want to peer into the secret lives of the animals that call this region home.

D.The Serengeti landscape is divided into two regions defined by their dominant vegetation – woodland and grassland. Woodlands are grassy areas dotted with trees, mainly acacia. Grasslands include riverine, plains and derived grasslands. The large area of the Serengeti is interrupted by the only active volcano there that still ejects lava, which turns white when exposed to air. The landscape is dotted with a number of kopjes. They are large rocky formations that are the result of volcanic activity. The Simba Kopje is a popular tourist stop.

E.The great migration occurs during the main dry season, which lasts from June through October. The two wet seasons, a short one and a long one, occur from November to December, and from March to May, respectively. Temperatures in the region remain fairly constant throughout the year, with the wet seasons being the warmest. Although a popular image dictates that Africa is mostly a very hot place, it is actually pleasant in the Serengeti. It seldom gets uncomfortably hot, and temperatures drop during the night and early mornings.

F.The Maasai people had been grazing their cattle in the open plains for around 200 years when the first European explorers visited the area at the end of the 19th century. Because the hunting of lions made them so scarce, people decided to make a game reserve in the area in the 1920s. These actions became the basis for Serengeti National Park, which was established in 1951. As part of the creation of the park, and in order to preserve its wildlife, the Maasai were relocated to the Kenya highlands – a move that is still controversial.

G.By choosing to visit the Serengeti, tourists are supporting the country’s huge investment in the future. Tourism provides valuable income used to support the conservation work of the national parks in Tanzania. It is also used to help wildlife research and for education in local communities. The animal diversity of the Serengeti is very high. There are at least four globally-threatened or endangered animal species. Thus, it is not surprising that Serengeti National Park is listed as a World Heritage Site.

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. Preparing for danger

2. Technology and medicine

3. Interesting sightseeing

4. Unusual and extremely difficult

5. Nice to look at and good for you

6. Central structure

7. Indoors and outdoors

8. Cold variety

A.All Souls College is one of the most mysterious institutions at Oxford University. It was founded in the 1400s and stopped accepting undergraduates in the 19th century. Instead, the college accepts applications only from those who have already achieved the best undergraduate degrees in the country, and asks its applicants to take an entrance exam, which is thought to be the hardest in the world. For example, before 2010 one of the tasks was to write an essay on a single word. Previous words have included “water”, “style”, “innocence”, and “conversion”.

B.In the 1900s, scientists began using electronic devices to treat living things. They developed special instruments to help people with disabilities. Some devices, such as hearing aids and kidney dialysis machines, operate outside the body. Doctors place other electrical devices inside the body. For example, pacemakers help keep hearts beating steadily. In addition, scientists learned how to cut and rejoin genes which is called genetic engineering. This may help cure human diseases.

C.Water from hot springs very often contains minerals dissolved from the rocks. Such springs are called mineral springs. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water. The minerals and organisms that grow in the water give beautiful colors to the pools and wet rocks around hot springs. Since ancient times people have thought that such springs were good for their health. They have traveled there to drink and bathe in the waters. Many spas and resorts grew up around these picturesque springs.

D.As it is well known, snow consists of tiny crystals of ice. Snowfall is made up of both single ice crystals and clumps of ice crystals, which are called snowflakes. The way that ice crystals join together gives every snowflake a unique design. Even so, most snowflakes have six points or six sides. They form seven basic shapes: stars, needles, dendrites (having branches), plates, columns, columns capped with plates, and irregular (damaged). What shape a snowflake takes depends on the temperature and the amount of moisture in the cloud.

E.Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, may cause deadly ocean waves called tsunamis. By the time a tsunami reaches shore, it has gained tremendous size and power which is enough to destroy entire coastal villages or towns. Tsunamis cannot be stopped, but there are ways to defend against them. Scientists around the world watch for early signs of earthquakes. They also note unusual changes in ocean levels. With this information, scientists can warn people to leave areas that a tsunami might hit.

F.In order to study things under controlled conditions, some ecologists work in laboratories. For example, they can experiment to see how plants react to different amounts of light or water. Such studies are harder in a natural setting because weather and other natural conditions cannot be controlled. However, many ecologists do work in natural settings. They look at all the different factors that affect ecosystems, or communities of living things. Studies in the outdoors are useful because they show what is actually happening in the environment.

G.Several cities in Russia were built around fortresses called kremlins. A kremlin was often located along a river. A wall, a moat, and towers usually separated it from the surrounding parts of the city. Kremlins contained cathedrals and palaces for princes and bishops as well as government offices and weapons of war. The most famous kremlin is in central Moscow, which is often called just the Kremlin. It has long been a symbol of Russia’s power. UNESCO declared the Kremlin and Red Square a World Heritage site in 1990.

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. Tastes from abroad

2. Out of style

3. Musical tastes

4. Lifting weights

5. Trendy styles

6. Dining out

7. Exercise routine

8. Musical exercise

A. Forming a band, even if only as a hobby, can be good fun. Of course, it can go beyond that if you get really good. You can play at festivals, and if the crowd loves you, it’s an amazing experience. It’s even a great way to get a workout, especially if you’re playing the drums. It takes a lot of energy, and it can actually help you get fit.

B. Rugby players need strength to push the other guys round the field. That’s why it’s essential for them to build muscle mass, and there’s only one way to do that. They’ve got to hit the gym and start pumping iron. It’s incredibly hard work and it’s not for everyone. They’ve also got to take it slowly, because it’s not a good idea to lift too much too soon.

C. It’s important to try new things. In fact, it’s almost necessary, because we get bored with doing the same thing day in, day out. Luckily we live in a multicultural world. Take food, for example. No matter where you are, it seems that someone from far away has opened a restaurant featuring cuisine from their homeland. That’s something different for a change.

D. In order to get in shape, you have to do more than just go to the gym once a month. You need to go at least three times a week. You must set up a schedule and stick to it. Even when you work forty hours a week, you have to arrange to head off after work for gym time. And you should exercise for a set amount of time with every visit.

E. Eating at home has its benefits. It’s certainly nutritious – that is, if you’re cooking healthily. But eating in restaurants is such a great, social experience. It’s something we should do at least once a week. You can do a lot of people-watching in restaurants, too, so it’s great fun. Not to mention that you don’t have to cook, and if you want something, someone will fetch it!

F. Some people don’t dress like other kids from their school because they simply don’t feel like keeping up with all the latest trends. Trends change every year, if not more often. For some, second-hand shops are their favourite shopping experience. You can find all sorts of funky clothing there, and who cares if it’s something most people wouldn’t wear?

G. The style of music we listen to says a lot about who we are. People who prefer classical music have refined tastes and an appreciation for the arts. Those who like heavy metal enjoy being energetic when they listen to music. Fans of pop music enjoy staying up-to-date with trends. And those who like old music like to imagine what life was like in a different era.

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. A job for anybody

2. Start your business

3. A job with a high salary

4. Choosing a job

5. Zoopsychologist

6. Night work

7. Working with your hands

8. Working for royals

A.Some people can’t get out of the house easily to shop, don’t have the time to do it or just don’t enjoy shopping. If shopping is something you enjoy, turn it into a self-employed career. Personal shoppers give advice to customers and suggest products that may suit their needs. This can be anything from gifts to household goods to clothing. Advertise your services at locations such as senior citizens’ centres, community centres, shopping malls and grocery stores. Meet with the clients and find out what items (groceries, clothing, etc.) they need and how often.

B.The market is changing very fast. In fact, there may be careers that exist when a student gets out of college that simply didn’t exist when they started. So rather than asking, “What do I want to be?”, pose these questions: “What skills do I have? What kinds of people do I like to work with? In what kind of environment?” This is a way to think about a career without necessarily naming it. You describe yourself in a functional way and then figure out what that’s called and if people get paid to do it.

C.The regulations define this as the period between 11 pm and 6 am although this agreement can be slightly varied between employers and workers. Generally, people who work for at least three hours within the period must be offered a free health assessment before they begin their work duties and on a regular basis. Workers, however, do not have to accept this check. In general, workers must be over 18, although there are some exceptions to this rule. Teenagers aged 16 and 17, for example, can work according to this schedule, but only for 40 hours per week.

D.When your dog won’t roll over or your cat is making a mess, you might have to call someone who specialises in pet behaviour to solve your problems. This person analyses the pet’s confidence and security inside and outside the home to find the source of the problem. By studying their instincts and social rituals in their natural habitat as well as around humans, they modify the unwanted behaviour. It is all about helping dogs, cats and horses feel safe and confident and secure inside and outside our homes.

E.Being a queen’s piper involves playing the bagpipes for 15 minutes at 9 am under the Queen’s window when she is in residence at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse or Balmoral Castle. The piper is also responsible for the co-ordination of the 12 Army pipers who play around the table after State Banquets. It’s important to be presentable and patient enough when escorting the Queen to the various audiences that she has throughout the day.

F.A surgeon starts with a Bachelor’s degree, specializes in medicine and finally, surgery and then spends up to seven years as an intern or a resident. If you want to cut people open, they want to be really sure you know what you are doing. The field will be growing, as people now live longer. This is one of the highest demand and best paid jobs in the US because it takes so much skill and precision. Wages vary depending on the type of surgery, but on average this was the highest paid medical job in 2015.

G.Imagine you’re an electrician, you’re installing a pipe and have to bend around the corners to make everything line up. This kind of work requires improvisation and creativity. Besides, the wages of manual workers are greater than in many office jobs. For instance, a skilled mechanic usually earns more than a sociology graduate working in publishing. Besides, the job offers small moments of joy, like when the bike you’re mending starts up and runs. But not everything about manual work is rosy. Furniture making, for example, is not a good career move.

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. Penguins’ diet

2. No longer a secret

3. Sound identification

4. Are penguins birds?

5. Different homes

6. Enemies everywhere

7. Living in Antarctica

8. How big are penguins?

A.Penguin sizes range from the largest penguin species, which can be as tall as 45 inches and weigh as much as 60 to 90 pounds, to the smallest penguin, which only reaches 12 inches in height and weighs 2 to 3 pounds. The largest species of penguin, the Emperor penguin, averages 66 pounds and a height of 3.8 feet and lives in Antarctica. The second-largest penguin, the King penguin, looks similar to the Emperor penguin but is found in the sub-Antarctic belt, rather than in Antarctica.

B.Penguins are flightless birds. The main types of predators that eat penguins are marine animals, such as leopard seals, whales and sharks. Many land animals are also a threat to penguins in Antarctica and include birds like petrels, skuas and seagulls. These birds either steal penguin eggs or kill their chicks. Penguins, which live in other areas of the world like the Galapagos Islands, Australia and South Africa, can have different land predators that include snakes, ferrets, lizards and foxes.

C.All known species of penguins live naturally in the southern hemisphere of the world. They actually occupy habitats that are located on each of the five continents within the southern hemisphere. Antarctica, which is known for its low temperatures, is a habitat for only five breeds of penguins. The majority of penguins prefer colder climates, but there are some species that prefer a slightly warmer climate. The Galapagos penguin, for example, resides far north near the Galapagos Islands.

D.Penguins primarily communicate vocally, but they also communicate through body language and posturing. Penguins all look virtually identical, which makes individual recognition very difficult. To overcome this, penguins have evolved different sounding voices and the ability to recognize the individual voices of their mates or chicks. This allows the birds to recognize and find their mates or chicks among the masses, which all look the same. Besides, penguins produce different types of calls.

E.While penguins do not fly, they are incredible swimmers. In 2012, scientists managed to discover at last that the reason why Emperor penguins are able to swim so quickly through the ocean is not only because of the feathers on their flippers but also because of bubbles. It is surprising to learn about the bubbles penguins use to coat their bodies as they swim through the water. This coating of bubbles makes them more slippery and they are able to slide through the water at top speeds of 12 to 77 feet per second.

F.Penguins catch their food while swimming in the ocean. Penguins primarily eat fish, squid and krill that they catch with their sharp beaks. Over their evolutionary history, the ancestors of modern penguins lost their ability to fly in exchange for becoming extraordinary swimmers. Penguins are among the most skilled fish-eating animals in the world, which is necessary to fuel their high caloric needs. In contrast to cold-blooded fish, penguins must eat a lot to heat their bodies internally in cold weather.

G.Penguins are not mammals, even though they are warm-blooded animals. Penguins are one of only a few species of flightless birds left in the world. Many people mistakenly believe penguins have fur instead of feathers because of the tight packing of feathers on their bodies. Most birds could not survive the frigid temperatures, but penguins store ample fat reserves that protect them in the water. They have the tightly-woven feathers that protect them on land, and they stand in huddles to share body warmth.

Установите соответствие между текстами A–G и заголовками 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний. 

Пример ответа: 1234567

1. Female bobsleighing

2. What you need for bobsleighing

3. Safety rules

4. Bobsleighing techniques

5. Participating countries

6. The dangers of bobsleighing

7. The newest rules

8. From the history of bobsleighing

A.Bobsleighing was originated in Switzerland. In the late 19th century, the Swiss first started doing it by attaching two skeleton sleighs together with a steering mechanism added to the front sleigh in order to control the direction. The first bobsleigh races took place in normal snow covered roads whereas the first bobsleighing club was founded in St. Moritz, Switzerland in 1897 and the first specially designed race track was developed outside of St. Moritz in 1902.

B.Bobsleighing is mostly played in Europe along with North America and Russia because of the proper climate for the icy track. The United States of America, Germany and Switzerland have long been the most successful bobsleighing nations based on their incredibly successful track record in all formats of competitive sports including World Cups and Olympic Championship. Presently, more than fifty countries take part in various international bobsleighing events all over the world.

C.Bobsleighing is considered the most expensive winter sport as the equipment used in it, including the safety equipment as well as bobsleigh parts, are quite costly. The most important equipment in bobsleighing is the sleigh. Besides this other protective guards are also used. The length of the sleigh must be a maximum of 3.80 metres (12.5 feet) for four-man sports and 2.70 metres (8.9 feet) in case of two-man sports. Bobsleigh crews are supposed to weigh heavy to ensure high speed.

D.In fact, two-man and four-man types of bobsleigh are very much similar. As weight plays a vital role for the speed of the sleigh, four-man sleighs are much faster than two-man types. However, even a simple mistake at the initial push-off or, say, during the steering, on decisions of the driver during the turns may largely affect the final race. The thing is, air passing through the sleigh slows the sleigh down. In order to avoid these drags, wind tunnels are usually added to the sleigh.

E.One may think bobsleighing is a risky sport but actually not only men are fond of it. Women do it too. In case of women bobsleighing, the sleighs for women were originally very much similar to those of men. But with time so many problems came out as women are shorter than men and many players injured their hips as well as back. These traumas prompted the organizers to change the interior sleigh designs for women bobsleighing. Now women can do it safely and successfully enough.

F.Bobsleighing competitions gather crowds of people who want to watch their favourite sportsmen compete with one another. However, even though bobsleighing is quite an interesting sport, the risks attached to it certainly cannot be avoided. Till now more than ninety three players have died in crashes or accidents during the game. In order to reduce the chances of accidents and to prevent the risks, officials have made certain rules and regulations about the uses of sleighs and the structure of the track.

G.There are a lot of risks connected with bobsleighing. Bobsleighers need to wear high tech plastic made helmets in order to prevent head injuries as well as goggles for eyes. Racers wear tight uniforms to increase aero-dynamicity and spiked shoes to gain traction on the ice. The brakeman wears a Kevlar vest in order to avoid third degree burns during the sleigh’s friction with ice. The next bobsleigh doesn’t start until the previous team has left the track because of security reasons.

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1. Better clever than lucky

2. Partnership needed

3. Play and learn!

4. A happy chance

5. Glimpses of history

6. Making the game unpredictable

7. A big business

8. Games on your mobile

A.If a student is shy and it is hard to make him or her speak English during a lesson, communication games can be a good solution to the problem. There are literally thousands of board and card games developed by hundreds of enthusiastic teachers worldwide. The Internet will also offer you many shops selling games you can use during your lesson. This way your students will concentrate on the game itself without realizing that, in fact, they are being taught something, and they will feel comfortable.

B.Most people don’t realize board games are actually prehistoric, meaning we had board games before we had written language. Dice was the basis of humanity’s oldest board games. Some years ago, a series of 49 small carved painted stones were found in southeast Turkey. They are thought to be more than 5000 years old and they are the earliest gaming pieces ever found. Similar pieces have recently been found in Syria and Iraq and some other places and seem to point to board games originating there.

C.Many games require some level of both skill and luck. A player may be hampered by bad luck in backgammon, Monopoly or Risk but over many games a skilled player will win more often, and the elements of luck can make for more excitement, and more diverse and multifaceted strategies, as concepts such as expected value and risk management must be considered. European board games are notable for having less luck element than North American ones but there are exceptions, of course.

D.While the board gaming market is still estimated to be smaller than that for video games, it has also experienced significant growth from the late 1990s. The rise in board game popularity has been attributed to quality improvement as well as increased availability. A 1991 estimate for the global board game market was over $1.2 billion. A 2001 estimate for the US ‘board games and puzzle’ market gave a value of under $400 million, and for the UK, of about £50 million – that’s quite a lot, actually.

E.A lot of people enjoy playing board games but they don’t have time to play them at leisure. However, they have time to kill on public transport, when stuck in traffic jams or queuing. There’s good news for board game lovers – there are literally thousands of applications for both iPhone and Android platforms where they can find familiar board games in a convenient format. You can play against artificial intelligence or find a person to play with online. You can now play your favourite games anytime and anywhere.

F.Luck may be introduced into a game by many different methods. The use of a dice of various sorts goes back to the earliest board games. These can decide everything from how many steps a player moves their token, as in Monopoly, to how their forces fare in battle, as in Risk, or which resources a player gains, as in The Settlers of Catan. Other games use special cards that, when shuffled, create randomness. Other games use spinners, timers of random length and so on. This creates unexpected twists.

G.An important aspect of some board games is diplomacy – that is, players making deals with one another. Negotiation generally features only in games with three or more players, cooperative games being the exception. An important facet of The Settlers of Catan, for example, is convincing players to trade with you rather than with opponents. In Risk, two or more players may team up against others. Diplomacy may involve making elaborate plans together thus having more chance to win the game.

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1. An important symbol

2. Preserving cherries

3. Eat more cherries!

4. Growing cherries

5. Figuratively speaking

6. What do cherries look like?

7. A cheap fruit

8. Glimpses of history

A.Cherries look beautiful. They are small fruits, generally averaging 2 to 4 centimeters in diameter. Cherries have a round or an oval shape and are attached to brown stems. The fruit’s surface is smooth and glossy, ranging in colour from solid shades of bright red or dark red, almost black, to red-yellow, orange, ruby, and crimson tones. Underneath the surface, the flesh can be firm or soft, depending on the variety, and is typically pink or red. Cherries have small stones which you need to take out before cooking or eating the fruit.

B.Cherries are a rich source of anthocyanins – coloured pigments found within their skin and flesh that have antioxidant-like properties to reduce inflammation and protect the cells against free radical damage. The fruits also contain vitamins A and C to boost the immune system and promote healthy organ functioning, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, some iron to build hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and calcium to strengthen bones and teeth.

C.In Japan, there are several varieties of cherry trees that are highly favoured for their flowers, even though they don’t bear fruit. These cherry blossoms, known as Sakura in Japanese, are the country’s national flower which is celebrated during the annual Hanami Festival. The event was first established during the Nara Period to celebrate renewal, life, and natural beauty. Nowadays, the festival is traditionally held in the spring, and visitors flock to the blooming trees to take photos or capture the blossom’s beauty in artwork.

D.Cherries were first cultivated around 4000 BC in China. Cherries were also wildly grown and consumed in Ancient Greece and Rome, with the first written account recorded by the Greek author Theophrastus in his book, The History of Plants, published in 300 BC. In Ancient Rome, cherries were consumed by Roman soldiers, and the pits were discarded along roads and camps, leading to Cherry trees being scattered across Europe. Commercial cherries were developed in Europe only in the 15th century.

E.Irrigation, spraying, labour and their tendency to damage from rain and hail make cherries expensive, but the fruit is still high in demand. The peak season for cherries is the summer months. In many parts of North America, they’re among the first tree fruits to ripen, while in Australia and New Zealand cherries are widely associated with Christmas because they peak in late December. In the USA, most sweet cherries are grown in Washington and California, whereas sour cherries are grown in Michigan, New York, Utah and Washington.

F.Get your hands on some fresh cherries during the summer and make jams and jellies that you can enjoy all year long. Still, the healthiest way to keep cherries fresh is in plain water. Cherries are sweet enough, so you don’t need extra sugar. Start by washing the cherries and pitting them. You don’t have to pit them before jarring, but it makes them easier to eat later. Keep tapping the jar on the counter to remove air bubbles. Then, add the rest of your water. Before putting the lid on, make sure the cherries are completely covered, and tap the jar a few more times.

G.There are a lot of interesting idioms and expressions with the word ‘cherry’ in the English language. For instance, a person who is a novice or a newcomer is often referred to as a cherry in modern English. If somebody is really embarrassed about something, they may get as red as a cherry. If you are given a chance or an opportunity to do something, you get a bite at the cherry. If you are happy with your life at the moment, you can say your life is like a bowl of cherries. It’s certainly fun to know such things.

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1. Losing habitat

2. Helping cheetahs

3. Natural surroundings

4. What does a cheetah look like?

5. Sign language

6. Setting speed records

7. Unique hunting habits

8. How can cheetahs speak?

A.Adult cheetahs are, on average, 2.5 feet tall at the shoulder, and up to nearly 5 feet long from head to rump, with their tails adding another 26 to 33 inches. Typically, these large cats weigh between 75 and 140 pounds. Cheetahs have black spots scattered across their tan coats. Their spots are evenly distributed across the body. Cheetahs’ spotted coats help them blend into the environment when resting, stalking prey and hiding from predators. Like a human fingerprint, these markings are unique from cat to cat.

B.Cheetahs’ long, slender bodies, powerful legs and flexible spine enable them to fully stretch their bodies when they sprint and cover significant ground – around 20 to 22 feet per stride. Cheetahs have been known to accelerate from 0 to 45 mph (72 km/h) in just 2.5 seconds. For comparison, the fastest cars in the world can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. The fastest a human can run is about 28 mph (45 km/h), which means it’s impossible for a person to outrun a cheetah on foot.

C.Cheetahs are native to Africa and Asia, although the Asiatic cheetah has become all but extinct. According to the African Wildlife Foundation, the large cats currently only inhabit about 10 % of their historic range, and are primarily found in North Africa, the Sahel (the region between the Sahara Desert and the Sudanian savanna), eastern Africa (Kenya and Tanzania), and southern Africa (Namibia and Botswana). A small population also lives in Iran, where they are critically endangered.

D.Cheetahs do not have one home location where they seek shelter day in and day out. Instead, these nomadic cats have home territories or ranges – expanses of grasslands, savannas, forest land and mountainous terrain, ranging from 5 to over 300 square miles (13 to over 780 square kilometres) in size, which they regularly roam, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo. When cheetahs are not actively hunting, they prefer to sleep and rest in tall grasses, under trees, or on rocky outposts.

E.Cheetahs are carnivores, or meat-eaters, whose typical prey are small to medium-size animals, such as birds, hares, warthogs, gazelles and young wildebeest. During daybreak and dusk, cheetahs spend their time stalking and catching prey. Because their teeth are short compared to other big cats, cheetahs do not go for the throat right away in an attack. Instead, they suffocate their prey by clamping down on the animal’s throat with their strong jaws. Despite being carnivores, cheetahs are the shyest of the big cats.

F.Unlike other large cats, cheetahs can’t roar. But they can purr just like cats. Compared with other big cats, such as lions, tigers and leopards, cheetahs have a wide vocabulary. In addition to purring, they are able to produce a large range of vocal cues, such as chirping, hissing, yelping and an “eeaow” sound, which is similar to a cat’s meow. Each vocalization has a specific meaning. Various types of chirping, for example, could be a mother giving instructions to her cubs, or a female trying to attract a male.

G.The cheetahs’ steep population decline is tied to habitat loss, human conflict, illegal trade and poaching. Conservation efforts are underway to try and support the population rebound. Groups, such as the African Wildlife Foundation and the Cheetah Conservation Fund, work locally with communities near cheetah populations to create sustainable solutions for agriculture and population growth, so that both the cats and humans have sufficient space. Protected areas and wildlife parks save cheetahs too.

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1. Preparing for danger
2. Technology and medicine
3. Interesting sightseeing
4. Unusual and extremely difficult
5. Nice to look at and good for you
6. Central structure
7. Indoors and outdoors
8. Cold variety

A.All Souls College is one of the most mysterious institutions at Oxford University. It was founded in the 1400s and stopped accepting undergraduates in the 19th century. Instead, the college accepts applications only from those who have already achieved the best undergraduate degrees in the country, and asks its applicants to take an entrance exam, which is thought to be the hardest in the world. For example, before 2010 one of the tasks was to write an essay on a single word. Previous words have included “water”, “style”, “innocence”, and “conversion”.

B.In the 1900s, scientists began using electronic devices to treat living things. They developed special instruments to help people with disabilities. Some devices, such as hearing aids and kidney dialysis machines, operate outside the body. Doctors place other electrical devices inside the body. For example, pacemakers help keep hearts beating steadily. In addition, scientists learned how to cut and rejoin genes which is called genetic engineering. This may help cure human diseases.

C.Water from hot springs very often contains minerals dissolved from the rocks. Such springs are called mineral springs. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water. The minerals and organisms that grow in the water give beautiful colors to the pools and wet rocks around hot springs. Since ancient times people have thought that such springs were good for their health. They have traveled there to drink and bathe in the waters. Many spas and resorts grew up around these picturesque springs.

D.As it is well known, snow consists of tiny crystals of ice. Snowfall is made up of both single ice crystals and clumps of ice crystals, which are called snowflakes. The way that ice crystals join together gives every snowflake a unique design. Even so, most snowflakes have six points or six sides. They form seven basic shapes: stars, needles, dendrites (having branches), plates, columns, columns capped with plates, and irregular (damaged). What shape a snowflake takes depends on the temperature and the amount of moisture in the cloud.

E.Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, may cause deadly ocean waves called tsunamis. By the time a tsunami reaches shore, it has gained tremendous size and power which is enough to destroy entire coastal villages or towns. Tsunamis cannot be stopped, but there are ways to defend against them. Scientists around the world watch for early signs of earthquakes. They also note unusual changes in ocean levels. With this information, scientists can warn people to leave areas that a tsunami might hit.

F.In order to study things under controlled conditions, some ecologists work in laboratories. For example, they can experiment to see how plants react to different amounts of light or water. Such studies are harder in a natural setting because weather and other natural conditions cannot be controlled. However, many ecologists do work in natural settings. They look at all the different factors that affectecosystems, or communities of living things. Studies in the outdoors are useful because they show what is actually happening in the environment.

G.Several cities in Russia were built around fortresses called kremlins. A kremlin was often located along a river. A wall, a moat, and towers usually separated it from the surrounding parts of the city. Kremlins contained cathedrals and palaces for princes and bishops as well as government offices and weapons of war. The most famous kremlin is in central Moscow, which is often called just the Kremlin. It has long been a symbol of Russia’s power. UNESCO declared the Kremlin and Red Square a World Heritage site in 1990.

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1. How did they do it?
2. Comfortable living
3. Designing a building
4. The longest on Earth
5. Building materials
6. Invented by accident
7. Safe travel
8. Why seasons change

A.Most of Africa’s rural peoples use natural resources that are locally available for their homes. In grasslands, people typically use grass to cover the walls and roofs. In forested areas, they use hardwoods as well as bamboo and raffia palm. Earth and clay are also major resources used in construction. In areas with few natural resources, people often live as nomads, moving from place to place. Instead of making permanent homes, they usually use simple shelters or tents made of animal skins and woven hair.

B.An architect must consider how a structure will be used and by whom. An apartment building, a palace, a hospital, a museum, an airport, and a sports arena all have different construction requirements. Another factor is the ideas the structure should communicate. For example, some buildings are made to impress people with a display of power and wealth; others – to make everyone feel welcome. Other things to consider are the location and surrounding environment, including weather, and the cost of materials.

C.Did you know that an eleven-year-old child first created the Popsicle? The boy’s name was Frank Epperson. In 1905, Frank left a mixture of water and powdered soda out on his porch by mistake. It also contained a stir stick. That night, fortunately for Frank, the temperatures fell to a record low. As a result, he discovered the substance had frozen to the stick, and a frozen fruit flavoured ice treat was created. He decided to call it the epsicle, which was later patented by him and named as Popsicle.

D.As Earth goes around the sun, the North Pole points to the same direction in space. For about six months every year, the North Pole is tilted towards the sun. During this time, the Northern Hemisphere gets more direct sunlight than the Southern Hemisphere and more hours of daylight. During the other six months, the North Pole is tilted away from the sun. When the Northern Hemisphere gets the most sunlight, it experiences spring and summer. At the same time, the Southern Hemisphere gets autumn and winter.

E.In southern Peru, there is an isolated plateau where the wind almost never blows. Here, around the year 400 to 650 AD, the people of the Nazca culture created the famous Nazca lines, by removing the red stones covering the ground so that the white earth beneath was visible. These Nazca lines are actually portraits of animals such as monkeys, birds or fish. It is a mystery how such a primitive civilization could create such artwork with precision when they had no means of viewing their work from the air.

F.Antarctica, which is the southernmost and fifth largest continent, does not have twenty-four-hour periods divided into days and nights. In the South Pole, the sun rises on about September 21 and moves in a circular path until it sets on about March 22. This “day”, or summer, is six months long. During this period, if the weather conditions are good, the sun can be seen twenty-four hours a day. From March 22 until September 21, the South Pole is dark, and Antarctica has its “night”, or winter.

G.Any ship that hits an iceberg can be damaged. The most famous iceberg in history sank the “Titanic”, a ship travelling in the northern Atlantic Ocean, on April 15, 1912. The ship’s side scraped the iceberg, which tore holes in the hull. Within three hours, the ship was at the bottom of the ocean. After the loss of the “Titanic”, several nations worked together to establish the International Ice Patrol. Today the U.S. Coast Guard runs the patrol, which warns ships about icebergs floating in Atlantic shipping routes.

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1. Going up and coming down
2. A new epoch in construction
3. From protection into fun
4. The choice of the material matters
5. A royal fortress
6. Various activities to do
7. Similar but different
8. Higher and stronger

A.Castles and palaces may seem alike. However, there are some distinctions between them. A castle is a strong and fortified building made of stone. It has tall walls and sometimes even a surrounding water-filled ditch, called a moat. Castles were built to protect people from enemies and attacks. On the other hand, a palace is a luxurious residence designed primarily for comfort and elegance. Palaces were not built for defense like castles, so they usually didn’t have thick walls, towers, or other fortification features.

B.During the early days, castles were constructed using wood. Recognizing this weakness, lords and castle builders began using stone as the main material for constructing castles. Stone castles provided greater protection and durability against attacks. In terms of attacking these stone castles, the primary weapons used were battering rams and catapults. Battering rams were large, heavy objects used to forcefully strike castle gates, while catapults were siege engines designed to launch projectiles, such as rocks or flaming objects.

C.During the medieval period, specifically between the 11th and 13th centuries, castles were commonly constructed on elevated, man-made hills known as mottes. The primary purpose of building castles on mottes was to enhance their defensive capabilities. Mottes were typically large, artificial hills that provided strategic advantages. By elevating the castle above the surrounding area, defenders had a better point to observe and protect the surrounding lands. The height of the mottes allowed soldiers to have a broader range to defend against potential attackers.

D.In the past, castles used moats as a defense. Moats were ditches dug around the castle to guard it from enemies. They were often filled with water to make it difficult for attackers to tunnel into the castle. However, in some castles, people came up with more unique ideas. For example, at Český Krumlov Castle in the Czech Republic, the moat has been filled with bears since 1707. Nowadays, the bears have someone to take care of them, and they even have birthday parties and festivals organized for them.

E.One interesting detail about castles is their spiral stairwells. These staircases are designed to spiral in a specific direction, usually clockwise. The reason for this clever design was to put invaders at a disadvantage during a battle. Most people, including swordsmen, were right-handed and held their swords in their right hand. When invaders climbed the spiral stairs, they were not be able to use their dominant sword arm effectively, because the narrow space of the staircase restricted their movement during battles.

F.The Norman Conquest of 1066 was a significant event in British history. It marked the invasion and successful takeover of England by William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy. After the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror and his successors built numerous castles throughout England. These castles served as strategic fortifications and symbols of their power and control over the newly-conquered lands. They were used as defensive structures, residences for the nobility, and centres of administration.

G.Today Great Britain has a rich tradition of castle sites, which show the best examples of the legacy of medieval times. Windsor Castle, the home of the Kings and Queens’ families of the English Commonwealth, is both the oldest and largest continuously-inhabited castle in the world. It was built in the 11th century, after the Norman Invasion, and has been used by reigning monarchs since the reign of Henry I. The castle also houses the famous St. George’s Chapel, which is designed in Gothic style, and houses the Order of the Garter.

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1. Glimpses of history
2. Potentially dangerous
3. What does salt look like?
4. A popular myth
5. An unusual place to stay
6. A necessary substance
7. Expensive and unhealthy
8. Figuratively speaking

A.Salts can appear to be clear and transparent, opaque, and even metallic and lustrous. In many cases these differences are only related to the difference in the size of a crystal. Since light reflects from the phase boundaries, larger crystals tend to be transparent, while poly-crystalline aggregates look like white powders. Of course, some salts are inherently opaque. Salts may be colourless but they also exist in the full range of different colours – yellow, orange, red, blue, green, white and black. That’s why many synthetic or organic dyes are basically salts.

B.Food industry would not have appeared without salt. Meat-packing, sausage-making, fish-processing and food-processing industries use salt as a preservative or seasoning or both. In the chemical industry salt is required in manufacturing sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), chlorine and many other chemicals. Salt is also employed in soap, glaze, and porcelain enamel manufacturing and participates in metallurgical processes as a flux – a substance promoting fusing of metals.

C.Salt was so valuable in ancient Rome that soldiers were sometimes paid with it. In fact, the word ‘salary’ even comes from the Latin word for salt. Historically, salt’s value came from its ability to preserve food. Venice may be famous for its canals now, but it was the salt imports that fueled its rise as an influential trade power by the end of the 13th century. Salt also took on a great deal of symbolic value. This is the reason it is mentioned so many times in the Bible. Its preservative properties made it an apt metaphor for permanence and conviction.

D.There are many interesting idioms and expressions with the word ‘salt’ in the English language. For instance, if somebody is worth their salt, it means they are good at their job. If you take something with a grain of salt, it means that you understand that something is likely to be untrue or incorrect. Good and honest people are often called the salt of the earth. If you are trying to save some money, it means you’re salting the money away. If a person is in trouble but you make the situation worse for them, you rub salt in their wounds.

E.Most people think that salt has no other role in food rather than enhancing the taste and we can give up eating salt completely. However, nothing can be further from the truth. Salt plays a vital role in human health, and we all need to consume at least some salt every day. It facilitates the transport of nutrients and oxygen in our body, allows our nerves to transmit messages and helps our muscles work. The average adult’s body contains about 250 g of sodium – the equivalent of about three or four shakers of salt.

F.Most people know about the health risks associated with sodium, but reducing your intake of salt is easier said than done. According to health experts, an average person consumes around 10 g of salt per day, which is double the recommended amount. Since the taste for salt is acquired, reduced consumption should be practiced from an early age. Even if you don’t have hypertension, it’s still a good idea to cut down on your salt intake to reduce your blood pressure, according to numerous recent health reviews and studies.

G.Modern tourists often choose to go off the beaten track. Palacio de Sal is a resort hotel, which is located on the edge of the salt flats. It was built entirely of compressed salt blocks. Chairs, tables, beds and even a swimming pool are also made of local salt sources. It is located at the edge of the world’s largest salt flat in southwest Bolivia. The hotel has a dry sauna and a steam room, a saltwater pool and whirlpool baths. There is a rule in the hotel prohibiting licking the walls in order to prevent their degradation.

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1. Pet-friendly booking
2. Funny names
3. Different tactics
4. Seeing wild animals
5. Almost at the shore
6. Seaside observation point
7. Quiet places to explore
8. Various activities to do

A.The English have a very ironic sense of humour, and it may become clear when you discover what some of the towns and villages across England and the United Kingdom are called. Some are hilarious, while others are just plain rude. It is important to keep an eye out when you pass through the English countryside to see if you can spot a few on your travels. There’s Sheepy Parva and Sheepy Magna in Lancashire, Greedy Gut in Somerset, No Place in Derbyshire. There is always something to keep people entertained during their trip!

B.England is part of the British Isles and a large archipelago off the coast of Europe. It is not a very big country. In fact, you could fit all the United Kingdom, that is, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, inside Texas, the USA, over 2.8 times. So, it shouldn’t come as too much surprise to know that you are never far from the sea when you are in England. In fact, even if you are standing in the very center of the country, you are still no more than 70 miles away from the coast. What a shame that the English weather doesn’t often encourage a beach day!

C.Badgers are not always a farmer’s best friends, but Badger Watch farm in deepest rural Dorset has decided to exploit rather than fight Britain’s cutest large mammals. Extremely difficult to spot, a badger seen in the wild is an unforgettable experience. Two specially designed hides at Badger Watch Dorset offer one of the best chances of finding one. Each hide can be booked privately for up to eight people, from 6.30 pm until the lights are shut off at midnight. Alongside badgers, the hides offer a good chance of seeing foxes, deer, and rabbits.

D.Holidays are the best opportunity to explore the UK and overseas territories, spending quality time with family or friends including a four-legged one. In fact, holidays are the best excuse to go on some nice dog adventure and give your dog the best time. To plan your perfect holiday, it’s a matter of finding a place suitable for dogs. The good news is that there is more choice than you may think. We found that almost all holiday accommodation and hotels have a filter which you can use to navigate your options, although some are better presented than others.

E.The Hebrides are a beautiful archipelago, where Scottish Gaelic is still spoken. Each day will be a combination of relaxation and adventure. On a full day’s excursion, we may spend four or five hours in the kayaks and cover between seven and ten miles, with plenty of opportunities to land and explore islands on foot. One of the best ways to explore its coastline and spot some of the many bird species, otters and seals is by kayak. We can offer full-day guided trips, taking in hidden coves, long sandy beaches, and hidden ancient sites.

F.You never forget your first whale. Such sightings are, of course, down to good fortune and timing, but once you’ve seen your first whale, you will want to see another and another. Famous for its whaling fleet, the Yorkshire coast is one of the best places in England to spot Minke whales, which appear in late summer, following the mackerel. From the coastline of the Outer Hebrides, you can spot up to 23 species of whales, more than a quarter of the world’s 89 known species, which pass through the waters off the west coast of Scotland.

G.In summer the possibility of finding a calm area away from the crowds of holiday-goers can be a difficult task. Known as the Heritage Coast, the Northumberland coast area of outstanding natural beauty is surprisingly crowd-free, even in high summer. If you’re willing to relax, you’ll find a number of excellent bathing beaches here. Heritage hunters and nature watchers are spoiled with fantastically arresting castles. Most striking is the mighty fortress at Bamburgh. Many architectural historians have declared this the most wondrous of all England’s coastal castles.

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1. Named after a politician
2. Too lengthy to stay
3. In hope for a good future
4. Named after a tsar
5. Modern pronunciation
6. Named after the river
7. Named after a wrong person
8. Bringing back the first name

A. One local legend claims that the city of Orlando is named after the character in Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”, but the more commonly accepted version is that a man named Orlando Reeves owned a plantation and a sugar mill a bit north of what later became the city. Early settlers found where Reeves had carved his name in a tree and thought that it was a grave marker to a soldier, a hero who died in the Seminole War and mistakenly named their settlement after him.

B. When Arizona city began expanding in the late 1860s, settlers realized that their little town needed a name. The founder of the city Jack Swilling, a Confederate veteran, wanted to name the town Stonewall in honour of Stonewall Jackson, but Darrell Duppa found out that their site had been a Native American settlement centuries earlier. He offered the name Phoenix. He believed that their new city would rise from the ruins of the former civilization like the legendary bird.

C. In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip discovered a supply of fresh water for his thirsty armada in a cave near Port Jackson, today’s Sydney Harbor. Later he started a settlement there. The place needed a name. Though originally he had planned to name his new freshwater-filled settlement Albion – a poetic name for England – instead he decided to call the bay Sydney Cove after the Secretary of State, Lord Sydney. The fact that the guy had never even set foot in Australia didn’t stop him.

D. The Russian capital sits on the Moscva River, which is obviously where the city’s name comes from. However, there are a couple of theories as to where the name Moscva comes from. The first states that it is a derivative of a Finno-Ugric name meaning river of either cows, or bears, or darkness. Nobody is really sure which of the three exactly, but all of them seem quite possible. The other, more popular theory, says that the name comes from a Slavic word meaning dank, swampy river.

E. It’s widely known that the City of Angels got its name from Spanish settlers. The beauty of the place impressed them so much that they considered it heaven on Earth. The original name, however, was a lot longer: El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porcincula, or “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of Angels of the Little Portion”. They realized there would be a lot of letters to fit on a hat they wore, so they just shortened it to Los Angeles.

F. Have you ever wondered why in a restaurant we never order Beijing duck, but instead call it Peking like our grandmas did? Well, since Chinese characters don’t much lend themselves to transliteration, English interpretations of how the name is pronounced have changed over the years. The name was given to the city during the Ming Dynasty by Zhu Di, who moved his capital there. “Beijing” is about as close as we can get now to saying it like the Chinese.

G. St. Petersburg was founded on May 16, 1703, when the foundation of the Peter and Paul Fortress was laid. Since its foundation, the city’s name has changed several times. Originally, it was named after the Apostle Peter as tsar Peter, the Apostle’s namesake, relied on this saint’s patronage. For a decade in the 1900’s it was called Petrograd. This was from 1914–1924. After Lenin died, Petrograd was renamed Leningrad. St. Petersburg resumed its original name in 1992.

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1. The power of music
2. Sound producers
3. Special knowledge needed
4. Musical sound characteristics
5. Differences in perception
6. The history of music
7. The choice of music matters
8. Different types of music

A.Music is a group of sounds that people have arranged in a meaningful way. Some musicians make up music as they perform. Others sing songs or play pieces that someone else created. Musicians have developed a system for writing down music so that others can play it again. They use certain symbols, called notes, to indicate the tones to be played or sung. The arrangement of the notes shows the order in which the tones should be played. Other numbers and symbols show how fast to play each note. They are known as musical notation.

B.Some music goes along with religious ceremonies. Other music is a part of everyday life. Traditional music made by everyday people is called folk music. Classical music is formal and artistic music that developed in Europe over hundreds of years. Orchestras, choirs, and chamber ensembles (small groups of musicians) often perform classical music. Opera is a type of classical music that features dramatic singing. When large numbers of people enjoy a type of music, it is called popular music.

C.People use their voices to sing. To make other kinds of music, they use musical instruments. Stringed instruments, like violins and harps, have tight strings that make sounds when people pluck or rub them. Wind instruments, like trumpets and saxophones, make sounds when people blow into them. Percussion instruments, like drums and rattles, make sounds when people hit or shake them. Keyboard instruments, like pianos and accordions, make sounds when people press their keys, buttons, or levers.

D.Rhythm describes the length of musical sounds. The most important part of rhythm is the pulse, or beat. Melody is a series of different tones, or sounds, in a piece of music. Harmony takes place when people play or sing more than one tone at the same time. Groups of tones played together are called chords. Harmony also describes the way chords go along with a melody. Form is the way that people put rhythm, melody, and harmony together. There are many different types of musical forms. Repeating a short melody is one of the simplest forms.

E.If you want to firm up your body, head to the gym. If you want to exercise your brain, listen to music. Many of us instinctively know the effects of music on our mood and energy. There are few things that stimulate the brain the way music does. If you want to keep your brain engaged throughout the aging process, listening to or playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout. Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain, as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory.

F.Listening to classical music has a wide range of benefits for your brain and body. For example, it can help you with relaxation, concentration, memory, and cognition. Listening to relaxing music, such as smooth jazz, can induce an alpha-wave state in your brain. These waves occur when you’re awake but relaxed, making smooth jazz one of the best ways to wind down at the end of a long day. Rap music often tells stories of people overcoming obstacles or achieving success in the face of unlikely odds.

G.If you ask some people about the benefits of listening to music while trying to concentrate, you could hear mixed reviews. Listening to music to help us concentrate works differently for everyone. Some people might think it’s a remarkable study habit, while others may find it useless because it only distracts them. But branching out and trying new ways of boosting your concentration might help you find a practice that works well. It isn’t easy to find strategies that work specifically for you.

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1. What is a desert?
2. Smart desert plants
3. The land of treasure
4. How do deserts form?
5. The desert statistics
6. The symbol of deserts
7. A unique white habitat
8. Deserts are dangerous

A.Although the typical idea of a desert is a vast sandy place with little water, a desert is more than that. It is actually classified as any area of land that has not received any rain for a minimum of 12 straight months or a very dry area that receives less than 10 inches of rain every year. The reason for dryness in a desert is also connected with high evaporation and transpiration rates. The ground loses much water through a high evaporation rate. Plants lose their water through a high transpiration rate.

B.The plants that grow in the desert include various forms of cacti, low-lying plants like yucca and agave, and trees like palms and Joshua trees. While classified differently, these plants share characteristics that help them survive in the rough desert climate. They have a reduction of leaves and alternate water storage options. Many of the plants use extremely long “tap” roots as a mode of adaptation, while others stay close to the surface so they have a better chance to absorb the water before it evaporates.

C.Cactus is one of the plants most associated with deserts. Recognizable by their protective spikes, some species grow flowers and edible fruits. The cactus has adapted exceptionally well to desert conditions. To conserve water, most cacti have a fine root structure in which the roots grow near the surface. Over time they have changed their shape so that their external surface is reduced in relation to their volume. In many types of cacti, the stems have become round or flat and are used instead of green leaves.

D.Deserts are the primary source of table salt, borates, potassium and sodium nitrates and gypsum. Soda, nitrates and boron are the most common minerals that appear only in deserts. Approximately half of the world’s stores of fossil fuels come from desert lands, including oil and natural gas, and about half of the world’s diamonds, copper, gold, iron ore and uranium ore come from the desert as well. Besides, deserts are important because they provide corridors for migration for a number of bird species.

E.Several causes can be attributed to deserts, including the Earth’s air circulation, the rain shadow effect, the distance from the ocean and the proximity of cold ocean currents. The air circulation pattern is one cause that can be explained by the fact that warm air holds more moisture than cold air. This results in the evaporation of water and the formation of deserts. The rain shadow effect occurs to land between two mountain ranges. The rain falls on the other side of the mountains, leaving the land in-between dry.

F.There are 33 major deserts in the world, or 71 when subdivided into smaller deserts. Of those 71, 12 are in Africa, one is Antarctica, three are in the Arctic basin, 26 are in Asia, including the Middle East, 10 are in Australia and New Zealand, 10 are in Europe, four are in North America, and five are in South America. Having less than 10 inches of rain annually, Antarctica is not only classified as a desert, but it is the largest desert. The Sahara in Africa is the largest hot desert.

G.Cold deserts are deserts that experience low temperatures and long winters. They occur in the Arctic, the Antarctic and Greenland, as well as above the tree lines of mountain ranges. Cold deserts tend to have higher precipitation levels than hot deserts, and snowfall is common during winter. Average annual rainfall ranges from 6 to 10 inches. Vegetation is scattered due to poor soil quality, and plants tend to have needle-like leaves that reduce water loss. Native animals include rabbits, pocket mice and foxes.

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1. Why extreme sports are popular
2. Combination of two sports
3. Competition with food
4. Sport or performance?
5. Known to everybody
6. Taken from literature
7. Danger in the snow
8. A skill not used

A.Poohsticks is a sport first mentioned in “The House at Pooh Corner”, a Winnie-the-Pooh book by A. A. Milne. It is a simple sport which may be played on any bridge over running water. Each player drops a stick on the upstream side of a bridge and the one whose stick first appears on the downstream side is the winner. The annual World Poohsticks Championships have been held at Day’s Lock on the River Thames in the UK since 1984.

B.Chess boxing is a hybrid sport that consists of chess and boxing in alternating rounds. The sport was invented by French artist and filmmaker Enki Bilal in his comic book “Froid Equateur” in 1992. The first real event of chess-boxing was organized by Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh in 2003. Chess boxing is a fast growing sport. The sport alternates between games of boxing and chess after each round – waiting for a checkmate or knockout to decide the match.

C.In heliskiing people pay a large sum of money to get helicoptered to a remote snow-covered area only to ski down the white slope. These skiers spend hundreds of dollars to ski down a natural landscape unlike the artificial slopes of a ski-resort. Most obviously, the natural environment involves greater risks and discomfort. Even the journey into the interior part of a mountainous area has often been life-threatening in the past.

D.Cheese rolling is something that has been around for over 200 years and is still practiced today. During the Spring Bank Holiday in England, people gather at the top of Coopers Hill and prepare for something very exciting. At the top of the hill, a judge rolls a round of cheese down the slope and the participants follow. People try to run down the slope but often end up rolling down like the cheese. The winner of the race wins the round of cheese as well as a few bruises and scars.
E.It’s possible that extreme sports became trendy in the late 20th century as a reaction to the greater safety of modern life. Lacking a feeling of danger in their everyday activities, people wanted more excitement or risk. Another reason is improved sports technology. For example, the invention of sticky rubber-soled climbing shoes and artificial climbing walls increased the appeal of rock climbing. And advances in ski design allowed more skiers to try extreme feats.

F.Extreme Ironing is an extreme sport and a performance art. People who play this unusual sport go to a remote location and iron clothes! They call themselves “ironists”, and get a thrill from taking their ironing board, unplugged iron and some of their clothes to some extreme places and photograph themselves doing it. Such places that they have reached include extreme altitude, underwater, hanging from cliffs, and on top of vehicles.

G.Approximately 65 thousand people in the United States alone do not know how to swim. Many of them learned as young children but never go to a pool, lake, river, or ocean anymore and have forgotten how to swim over the years. Others were never taught and continue to avoid the activity altogether. It was once thought that knowing how to swim was important for safety reasons, but now it is pretty much left up to the individual.

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1. Still a mystery
2. Size doesn’t matter
3. Food for the brain
4. Losing to a computer
5. Brain myths
6. Glimpses of history
7. A computer in your head
8. Basic facts

A.The human brain is a very mysterious organ which has interested various scientists all over the world throughout the history of mankind. It is grayish-white in colour and is shaped like a mushroom. The brain is encased in a hard bony structure, called the skull, and weighs about 1.4–1.5 kilograms on average. The brain is comprised of about one hundred billion neurons. These neurons carry and transmit signals through electrochemical processes for our body to function though we don’t feel these processes.

B.This is a stunning human brain fact that it is faster than any computer processor and is quite capable of solving problems more efficiently than gadgets. According to some reports, the master organ can execute up to 10,000,000,000,000,000 tasks per second. In 2015 it took the world’s fourth most powerful supercomputer 40 minutes to perform the functions which the human brain can perform within just one second. This proves that no computer can ever substitute human scientists – at least in the near future.

C.According to some studies, the most beneficial diet for the brain is seafood. It contains fatty acids which can considerably increase brain performance up to 15 percent. Oily fish, for instance, is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help build membranes around each cell in the body, including the brain cells, and increase blood flow in the brain. They can, therefore, improve the structure of brain cells called neurons and boost brain function. So, mind what you eat to be clever!

D.The brain is still not fully understood, and its research is ongoing. Neuroscientists, along with researchers from allied disciplines, have been studying how the human brain works for a long time. The boundaries between the specialties of neuroscience, neurology and other disciplines such as psychiatry have faded as they are all influenced by basic research in neuroscience. Still, there are more questions than answers despite all the advances in modern science and scientists’ collective efforts.

E.You may be surprised to find it out, but in fact, the size of the brain and a person’s intelligence are not strongly related. Studies tend to indicate small to moderate correlations (averaging around 0.3 to 0.4) between brain volume and IQ. The most consistent associations have been observed within the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes, but these only account for a relatively small amount of variance in IQ, which itself has only a partial relationship to general intelligence and real-world performance.

F.Research has disproved some common misconceptions about the brain. These include both ancient and modern ones. For instance, it is not true that neurons are not replaced after the age of two; nor that only 10% of the brain is used. Popular culture has also oversimplified the lateralization of the brain, suggesting that functions are completely specific to one side of the brain or the other. Science fiction books offer even more false stories about the brain.

G.The earliest recorded reference to the brain refers to Egyptian manuscripts of the 17th century BC. The hieroglyph for the brain, occurring eight times in this papyrus, describes the symptoms, diagnosis, and prognosis of two traumatic injuries to the head. In the 5th century BC, the brain was first considered to be the seat of the mind and intelligence. In the Roman Empire scientists studied the brain of monkeys, sheep and other animals and made some important conclusions for that time.

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1. Fun in theory, boring in reality
2. Deficit of activity problems
3. Saving rare animals
4. Contrary to popular belief
5. Benefits of being outdoors
6. Ready to help
7. Original style
8. Similar sounds – different emotions

A.In addition to being highly intelligent, elephants are capable of a remarkable amount of empathy. During a natural disaster, elephants are able to understand that something dangerous is happening. They can understand that a person is in trouble and that the situation is unsafe. Elephants have good sense of smell and there have been cases when they alerted rescuers to people trapped in a building. Elephants have been observed saving their young from drowning and also been filmed trying to save people they see at risk of drowning.

B.A lot of studies suggest that green spaces enhance mental health and learning capacity, both immediately and over time, by lowering stress levels and restoring attention. Greenery restores attention by drawing the eye and at the same time calms the nervous system, creating an ideal state for learning. Similarly, studies show that spending time in the sunlight can reduce attention deficit symptoms, while bright light first thing in the morning can improve mood and the quality of sleep.

C.Why are hyenas known for laughing? There is even a phrase we use: “to laugh like a hyena”. Zoologists will tell you that the unique sounds they make are actually no laughing matter. Hyenas indeed make loud barking noises that sound like laughter, but it’s not because they’re amused by anything. Instead, a hyena’s “laughter” is actually a form of communication used to convey frustration, excitement, or fear. Most often, you’ll hear this unique vocalization during a hunt or when the animals are feeding on prey as a group.

D.Zoologists believe that boredom isn’t a uniquely human emotion – animals can be bored, too. Animals which live in captivity (in zoos, for example) and don’t have to take care of their survival may experience boredom and try to find ways to overcome it. They may come up with some “creative” activities which they wouldn’t normally do in their natural environment. As for the pets at home, they may also suffer from the lack of stimulation. That’s why we need to make sure we give them enough time, attention and toys regularly.

E.While most dogs jump eagerly into the water to swim, cats don’t usually do that, and many believe that cats have a phobia of water. But some pet groomers insist that it’s not true and getting a cat to trust you enough to bathe is quite possible, with some patience and skill. Most cats are not afraid of water like so many people may think. They are actually afraid of loud noises and of drowning, rather than water itself. Cats drink water every day, lots of cats even play with water or follow people into the shower.

F.Videogame testers spend most of their time testing the game long before it’s finished and long before it starts to become a fun experience. Even after the game is developed enough to start being fun, the testing tasks often aren’t entertaining at all. Testers may have to walk their character around a forest, for example, to look for trees that aren’t drawn well. They then record the coordinates so an artist can fix them later. It’s monotonous work and can take days to finish. So if testing video games seems like a fun, easy job to you, think again.

G.Claude Monet’s impressionist paintings were all about nature. In his works he tried to capture nature as it appeared to him at the moment. He also experimented with light and shadow and how they changed during different times of the day. Some artists of the time criticized Monet because his works lacked detail and didn’t resemble finished paintings. Monet used strong colours, which he did not mix. He painted them onto the canvas in short brush strokes. He was also criticized for not using classical painting techniques.

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1. Life cycle
2. Fascinating facts
3. Distribution and habitat
4. Masters of camouflage
5. Chatty animals
6. Physical features
7. The main threats
8. An economic importance

A.An octopus is a sea animal with eight arms. Octopi live in seas throughout the world. An octopus can change colour quickly depending on its surroundings or its mood. It can be grey, brown, pink, blue, green, or even red if it is suddenly frightened. It can change the colour of its entire body in just three-tenths of a second. But the creature doesn’t simply take on the general pattern of its surroundings. Instead, it often mimics specific undersea objects, like plants or rocks, to disappear into the underwater scenery.

B.Although dolphins look like fish and live in water, they are actually mammals. There are more than 35 species, or types, of dolphins. They are divided into two groups: true dolphins and river dolphins. True dolphins live all over the world in either salt or fresh water. The most widespread species are the common dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin. River dolphins live only in South America and Asia. They prefer freshwater. The Amazon river dolphin is found in the Orinoco and Amazon rivers.

C.Dolphins are known for being intelligent and playful. They use sounds for communication among themselves as members of a school (also called a herd or a pod). Schools may consist of five to several thousand individuals. Often an entire school will function as a unit to accomplish some objective, such as trapping fish. Dolphins have some of the most elaborate acoustic abilities in the animal kingdom. They make a variety of sounds including whistles, clicks, squawks, squeaks, moans, barks, groans and yelps.

D.Unlike most other fish, sharks have skeletons composed of cartilage rather than bone. With a few exceptions, sharks have torpedo-shaped bodies — an efficient, streamlined design for fast-swimming predators. Bottom dwellers tend to be stout and heavy bodied. Sharks normally have tough, grey skin with toothlike scales. Sharks vary in colour from grey to cream, brown, yellow, slate, or blue and are often patterned with spots, bands, or marbling. The whale shark is the largest living fish. It can weigh up to 20 tons.

E.Corals live in all oceans of the world. Reefs are composed of numerous different species of coral. Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the earth’s surface. Certain species of fish spend their life among the corals. Because of the income coming directly from fishing in their waters, reefs provide resources and services worth billions of dollars every year. Millions of people around the world depend on coral reefs for food, protection and employment. These figures are impressive.

F.Corals have barely changed over the last hundred million years. They are the same as they were during dinosaur times. Corals actually comprise an ancient and unique partnership, called symbiosis. Several different types of corals together can form enormous colonies that are called coral reefs. Coral reefs are intriguing things. Coral reefs can grow so large that they can be seen from outer space. Although they only take up a tiny proportion of the world’s ocean, coral reefs contain more than a quarter of all ocean-dwelling creatures.

G.A coral reef is a hard natural structure under the sea that is formed from coral. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Coral reefs only occupy 0.1% of the area of the ocean but they support 25% of all marine species on the planet. People have long used coral skeletons to make jewelry. But this and other human activities have put many corals at risk. Rising ocean temperatures, oil spills, and chemical pollution harm corals. Boats that sail over reefs may also damage corals.