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ОГЭ по английскому языку Задание №36 Чтение текста вслух

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A robot is a machine that does work for people. The word "robot" appeared in the 1920s and was first used in a science fiction story. In real life, the robot was invented later, in 1954. There are different kinds of robots, and they are used in different industries. Most of them are operated with the help of a computer program. Instead of humans, robots do hard and boring work in unpleasant or dangerous environments. They usually work faster and more accurately than people. They never get tired and do not make mistakes. Nowadays robots are often used for domestic needs, such as cleaning houses or looking after sick and elderly people. Scientists say that soon robots will become a normal part of our life, like mobiles and computers today. This technology is developing very quickly and will change many things in the future.

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Venus is one of the hottest planets in the Solar system. The temperature on its surface is 482 degrees. This unfriendly place looks much the same as the Earth 4 billion years ago. Both planets were formed from the same gas cloud, but Venus lost most of its water and atmosphere. This happened because the planet turns very slowly. As a result, now it has no magnetic field to protect it from the Sun's winds. The planet has turned into a lifeless desert. Most space modules that were sent to Venus could not work on the planet more than two hours. The acidic clouds and high pressure quickly made them absolutely useless.

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We are always told that we should clean our teeth regularly to keep them healthy and to have fresh breath. It is believed that people started using a kind of paste to clean their teeth around 5000 years ago. However, the ingredients of these tooth powders were very different from ours. For example, the people of ancient Egypt used salt, mint, dried flowers, and pepper to create tooth powder. Later, in the 18th century, in some countries in Europe, people brushed their teeth with burnt bread. The first toothpaste appeared in 1890 in Great Britain. At first, it was sold in jars. Then special tubes were designed to make the toothpaste more comfortable to use. Today, there are many kinds of toothpaste with different flavours and purposes. Some of them help with sensitive teeth, while others make teeth whiter. People can choose the best option for their needs.

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The Channel Tunnel is a rail tunnel beneath the English Channel which links Great Britain and France. It is considered to be one of the most amazing engineering constructions in Europe. The second longest undersea tunnel in the world was opened in 1994. It is said that 13,000 workers and engineers participated in the construction project. The Channel Tunnel contains three tunnels. The south tunnel is for people who are travelling from France to the UK, and the north tunnel takes passengers from the UK to France. Nowadays it takes 35 minutes to go from Paris to London in the Channel Tunnel. The third tunnel is a service tunnel. It is not used by passengers. This tunnel is used for maintenance and safety purposes. The Channel Tunnel has made travel between the two countries much faster and easier. It has also become an important symbol of cooperation between Great Britain and France.

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The word “tsunami” can be translated from Japanese as “big wave”. It describes a natural process that can be dangerous for people and their homes. Most of the huge waves appear after earthquakes. Most waves are born in the Indian and the Pacific Oceans where volcanoes are active. The mass of water rises from the bottom of the ocean and moves to the shore. It moves at a speed of a plane and can be up to 40 meters high. The wave is very powerful and dangerous. In 2004, a tsunami happened in the Indian Ocean. It was one of most terrible natural disasters in history. Thousands of people were killed or went missing.

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Wombats are exotic animals that only live in Australia. They have become an unofficial symbol of the country. In 1974 a wombat appeared on an Australian stamp for the first time. Since then it has been regularly used on different Australian stamps and coins. Wombats look like little bears and prefer grass to meat. They also love eating berries, plant roots and mushrooms. Like camels, wombats drink little water because there is enough water in fresh grass. Wombats spend most of their life in holes under the ground. With their strong arms and long nails they are able to dig very long and complex tunnels. Fortunately, wombats have few enemies in the animal world. Most wombats live around 15 years.

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The Caspian Sea is one of the world’s natural wonders. It shares the characteristics of both a sea and a lake. In the past it was called a sea because of its great size and salty water. However, the Caspian Sea is listed as the largest lake in the world. There are about 130 rivers which bring their water to the Caspian Sea. But it is not a freshwater lake – its water is very salty. The Caspian Sea is famous for its wildlife. More than 850 kinds of animals can be found in this unique sea. The Caspian Sea region is also one of the oldest oil-producing areas in the world. It is also rich in other natural resources.

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Nowadays solar energy is widely used as an alternative form of power. Solar panels transform the energy from the sun into electricity. The first plane that does not need fuel was constructed in France in 2015. It uses only the sun's energy. The panels are placed on the huge wings of the plane. It does not fly very fast. Solar energy can make the plane move at only 140 miles an hour. However, the plane is able to travel round the world. It is safe and can successfully cross areas of bad weather. In the future, engineers hope to construct a model that people can fly in. Our dream of environmentally friendly transport may come true very soon. This technology could change the way we travel and help protect the environment at the same time.

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One day a young man who lived near a lake in a small American town asked himself why people could not ski on water if they could ski on snow. With his brother's help, he constructed several models of skis to test his ideas. He experimented on the local lake for a few days and created skis suitable for the water. This happened in 1922. The young man, who was only 18 at that time, did not patent his invention. However, he performed a lot of shows across the country that made him and the sport of water skiing popular. Later, he was recognized as the creator of a new sport called water skiing. Water skiing equipment has been greatly improved since that time, and the number of people who enjoy this sport is growing in many countries. Today, water skiing is a popular activity in many resorts around the world.

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The carrot is a root vegetable which consists mostly of water and sugar. The carrots that we eat today originated from the wild ones which grew in Europe and Asia. The vegetable tasted sweet and the people began to use it as food. There are two main types of carrots. There are eastern carrots that have dark purple roots and western carrots with orange roots. In fact, orange carrots first appeared in Europe in 1721. Dutch farmers selected orange carrots because orange is the colour of the Dutch Royal Family. Now orange carrots are widely grown all over the world. In modern households carrots are cooked and eaten in different ways. The vegetable is boiled, fried, baked and eaten raw. People also make juice from it.

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Recycling is a technology that helps protect the environment and cut down on usage of raw materials. The steel, paper and glass industries recycle a lot. The largest recycler is the steel industry. It recovers more than 70 percent of its original materials. For example, since 1988 they have produced the majority of new metal cans from old ones. Metal parts for cars and planes are other examples of recycling steel. Fragments of waste glass are widely used in construction. For producing writing paper and pens, used packing boxes are an ideal material. They are cheap and easy to recycle. Nowadays more and more recycling centres are appearing in our towns and cities.

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Oxford University is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is also the second oldest university in the world. The University of Oxford is believed to have started in 1133. It is located in Oxford City on the Thames River, not far from London. Oxford University is one of the world’s most impressive centres of education. There are students from different countries there. In fact, there is no building in Oxford called Oxford University. The University includes 38 colleges and related buildings. Over 22,000 students study English language and literature, geography, history, law, modern languages and other subjects there.

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Our planet is the only planet in the Solar System where rainbows are possible. They are not visible in big cities, due to pollution and smog. But if you are travelling after rain has fallen in the countryside or walking on the beach, you have a good chance to see a rainbow. The rainbow is a multi-coloured arc which appears in the sky. When you see a rainbow, the sun is always behind you and it is raining in front of you. It is impossible to get to the end of the rainbow and to touch it. When you move, the rainbow moves too. We have always learned that rainbows have 7 colours. However, until the 17th century, people used to think there were only 5 colours in the rainbow.

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The human brain is the most complex and remarkable organ of the body. It controls everything we do – thinking, learning, and even heart rate. Though the brain makes up only 2 percent of the body's weight, it uses around 20 percent of its energy. It works 24 hours a day. Even when a person is sleeping, the brain is working hard to keep other organs functioning. Most people think that our brain is more active during the daytime because it needs to deal with a great amount of information. In fact, that’s not true. The brain is far more active when a person is sleeping! However, scientists don’t yet have any explanation for this fact.

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Nowadays people can’t imagine their kitchen without a refrigerator. The first refrigerators appeared at the end of the 18th century. They looked different: they were just iceboxes. The refrigerators of the past were just wooden boxes, sometimes lined inside with metal. People put ice into the box and then placed the food inside to keep it cool. The refrigerator, similar to the one that we have now, was produced by General Electric in 1911, in France. It was very expensive. In those days, with the same money you could buy two cars. Today, in developed countries almost every family has enough money to buy a refrigerator for their kitchen. It’s hard to imagine how difficult and uncomfortable our lives would be without a refrigerator.

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The Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth. It is about 384,000 kilometres away from our planet. The Moon is much smaller than the Earth, and there is almost no atmosphere there. During the day, the temperature on its surface can rise to about 127 degrees Celsius, or 261 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, it can fall to minus 173 degrees Celsius, or minus 279 degrees Fahrenheit. The first people landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969. They were American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Since then, scientists have learned a lot about the Moon. Today, several countries are planning new missions there.

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Polar bears are large animals that live in the Arctic. Adult males usually weigh between 300 and 800 kilograms. Polar bears have thick fur and a layer of fat which protect them from the cold. They are also excellent swimmers and can travel long distances through icy water. Their main food is seals. Polar bears usually hunt them from sea ice. This is why changes in Arctic ice are a serious problem for these animals. The Arctic is warming, and the amount of summer sea ice has decreased over the last few decades. As a result, polar bears may have less time and space for hunting. Today, scientists carefully study their populations and the changes in their natural environment.

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The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body. Its main job is to pump blood around the body. An adult heart is approximately the size of a person's fist. A normal resting heart rate for an adult is usually between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, the heart can beat much faster when a person exercises. If a heart beats 70 times per minute, it beats more than 100,000 times in 24 hours. Physical activity can help keep the heart healthy. Doctors also recommend eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and avoiding smoking. Although the heart is quite small, it works continuously throughout a person's life.

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The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. It covers about 9 million square kilometres and stretches across much of North Africa. The Sahara is famous for its high temperatures, but its climate is more complicated than many people think. Summer daytime temperatures can rise above 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, however, the desert can become much colder. The Sahara receives very little rain, and some areas may have no rain for long periods. However, the desert is not completely empty. Many plants and animals have adapted to its difficult conditions. Camels, for example, can survive for long periods in hot and dry environments and are important to people living in desert regions.

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Volcanoes are places where hot material from inside the Earth can reach the surface. During an eruption, a volcano may produce lava, ash and gases. One of the most famous volcanic disasters happened in the year 79 AD. Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under volcanic material. Today, scientists use special equipment to watch active volcanoes. They study small earthquakes, gases and changes in the ground. These signs can sometimes show that a volcano is becoming more active. However, scientists cannot always say exactly when an eruption will happen. Volcanoes can be dangerous, but volcanic areas can also have rich soil, which is useful for agriculture.

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Emperor penguins are the largest penguins in the world. They live in Antarctica and are famous for surviving extremely cold conditions. During the Antarctic winter, temperatures in their environment can fall to minus 60 degrees Celsius, or minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Emperor penguins cannot fly, but they are excellent swimmers. They spend much of their lives in or near the ocean, where they find food. Their diet includes fish, squid, and other sea animals. Emperor penguins are also unusual because they breed during the Antarctic winter. The female lays one egg and gives it to the male. The male keeps the egg warm on his feet for about 9 weeks and does not eat during this period. This is a very difficult time for him. After the egg hatches, the parents take turns caring for the chick. This teamwork helps the young penguin survive in the harsh environment.

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The World Wide Web has changed the way people find and share information. It was invented by British scientist Tim Berners-Lee while he was working at CERN in Switzerland. He wrote his first proposal for the Web in March 1989. By the end of 1990, he had created the first Web server and browser. At first, the system was designed to help scientists share information more easily. On April 30, 1993, CERN made the World Wide Web software freely available to everyone. This helped the Web grow rapidly around the world. Today, people use websites every day for education, work, communication, shopping and entertainment. It is difficult to imagine modern life without this invention.

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The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth. It can grow to about 33 metres long and weigh around 150,000 kilograms. Despite its enormous size, the blue whale eats very small animals called krill. It takes large amounts of water into its mouth and filters the krill from it. Blue whales live in oceans around the world and often travel long distances between feeding and breeding areas. Scientists estimate that they can live for about 80 to 90 years. In the past, people hunted large numbers of blue whales, and their population fell dramatically. Today, blue whales are protected, but they still face dangers such as collisions with ships, fishing equipment and ocean noise.

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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is often called the Red Planet because iron minerals in its soil give the surface a reddish colour. A day on Mars lasts about 24 hours and 39 minutes, which is quite similar to a day on Earth. However, a year on Mars lasts 687 Earth days. The planet is also much colder than Earth. In 1965, the American spacecraft Mariner 4 became the first successful mission to take close-up pictures of Mars. Its instruments measured a daytime surface temperature of about minus 100 degrees Celsius, or minus 148 degrees Fahrenheit, during the flyby. Today, robotic spacecraft continue to explore Mars and search for evidence of its ancient environment.

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Honeybees are small insects that play an important role in nature. They carry pollen between flowers and help many plants reproduce. Honeybees live together in large groups called colonies. A colony contains one queen, many female worker bees and, at certain times of the year, male bees. Worker bees collect nectar and pollen from flowers. They can also communicate with other bees through special movements often called dances. These movements help show where food can be found. People have collected honey for thousands of years. Today, bees are also important for agriculture because many crops depend on insect pollination. Scientists study bee populations carefully because diseases, pesticides and changes to their habitats can cause serious problems for them.