ДКР 1 семестр ( формат НМТ)

Read the texts below. Match choices (A-H) to (1-5). There are three choices you do not

need to use.

1

2

3

4

5

Read the text below. For questions (1-5) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

Sara, who just turned 21 and finished reading three of the most popular books released this year, says that she loves reading. Of course, she does feel a bit guilty about downloading the books illegally – but it’s quite hard for her to find books in English where she lives, and when she does, they are almost always more expensive than she can afford to pay.

“I’m not a thief though,” she says, “I would never take something like clothes or food, or steal from a shop. The internet is just different somehow.”

This attitude is quite widespread with people worldwide – the US government estimates that almost 20% of books released online are downloaded illegally. And, although Sara claims that books are too expensive to buy, most of these “pirates” are coming from better off families who could actually afford to purchase these books – if they really wanted to. Pirates are very skilled at using social media, as well; it only takes a short viewing of social media to see people asking where to download their next read after their usual website has been shut down.

Moreover, people don’t feel particularly guilty about this – much like Sara. Many people claim that if the author is quite successful, then it’s only going to make a small difference. “I mean, if the author is super successful, then one book doesn’t matter,” claimed one person we interviewed.

Surprisingly, though, most of the people we interviewed admitted to pirating books for reasons not at all related to money – but to convenience. Many people, including professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and educators, said that they would pirate books in order to preview the book, as they often felt unhappy with books after a purchase. Even further, most people reported no negative effects on their lives – no legal notices, and very little guilt. So what could possibly go wrong?

Is it possible to solve the issue of piracy in literature? For now, it’s uncertain. Legal and tech experts describe the process as a game of whack-a-mole – every time they stop one website, two more pop up to replace it. Just this year over 200,000

take-down notices have been distributed in the US and the EU – but every time, the websites just seem to come back. So what can be done? Education seems to be the only thing that works. “I’ve just started selling some art online, and just the

other day I saw someone who had stolen one of my designs for a tattoo without asking me – I was super angry!” said Sara, when asked if she know about other situations. “I guess I do get why it could be a problem.”

1. According to the author, how does Sara feel about downloading books?

A She doesn’t see the problem.

B She only does it because she’s lazy.

C She admits that it might be harmful.

D She does it because it’s hard to find books in English.

2. According to the text, who usually downloads books illegally?

A People who can’t afford to buy them.

B University students.

C People who use social media.

D People who come from middle-class families.

3. The author talks about all of the following EXCEPT:

A piracy websites

B social media

C the crisis facing authors

D university course books

4. What does the author mean by “most of the people we interviewed admitted to pirating books for reasons not at all related to money – but to convenience”?

A Most people think buying things in person is inconvenient

B Most people think about money when downloading books

C Most people download books because they think buying books is a waste of money

D Most people download books because it makes their lives easier

5. How does the author describe the problem of illegal downloading?

A It is a problem easy to solve.

B It can be solved by giving people more information about the issue.

C It’s only a problem in the US and the EU.

D It’s a problem which also affects art.

Read the texts below. Match choices (A-H) to (1-6). There are two choices you won’t use.

1. The Wax Museum

Have you ever wanted to spot a celebrity while walking around New York? Here, you have the opportunity to meet not only one, but hundreds of celebrities under one roof! Located near Times Square, this museum displays an unparalleled collection of life-like wax statues of celebrities. Some people might find it a bit strange – but how else can you meet Will Smith, Tom Cruise, and Elvis in one day?

2. The Modern Art Museum

For those people who find art museums to be stuffy and boring, this is the place for you! You won’t find endless halls of paintings and sculptures here – instead, what you will find are several displays and exhibitions on the cutting edge of the art world. All of the installations also have descriptions from the artists – so you know exactly what the artists wanted to say with each piece. What’s more, many of the current exhibitions are interactive, so you get the chance to take part in making the art yourself!

3. Bay Cruises

Some people believe the best way to see New York is by bus – these people have obviously never been on a cruise around the bay! Stop by pier number four and take the Express Line cruise around the bay – it takes about one hour, but you get to see the city from a completely different perspective. If you plan carefully, you can even aim to get off in the center of the city to do some more sightseeing, so this is a really convenient way to be introduced to the city!

4. Walking tours

Travelling on a budget? Can’t afford to spend the $3 per ticket for public transport to get around the city? If so, then a walking tour might be the option for you. There are several walking tours which leave from different parts of the city, and have different themes from crime, to food, even to places featured in famous movies! The guides are also usually very qualified, and you can ask all the questions you have – as well as a person to take pictures for you!

5. Hop-On Hop-Off

For travellers who prefer a more flexible itinerary, the hop-on hop-off busses which run around the city can be a great option. You pay one flat fee at the beginning of the day, and you can take any of the routes you would like at any time. The advantage of these busses over normal public transport is that they focus on the main tourist routes, so they’re often much faster than going from place to place normally. Don’t worry too much about which company you go with; they’re all more or less the same, but be sure to get on the right bus!

6. Skyline Views

The one thing that you absolutely must do in New York is get a picture of the famous skyline! You’ve got several options here – from the Empire State Building to Top of the Rock – but the key thing is to go on a day when it’s clear and sunny. You don’t want clouds to ruin your perfect New York selfie! Some people also recommend doing this on the last day of your visit, because it can be really fun to pick out all of the places that you’ve visited from 100 stories up!

Which of the attractions________________________________?

A is for tourists interested in famous people

B is good for people who don’t have much money

C includes a personal photographer

D is for people who don’t like normal museums

E is good for people with no fixed plans

F is for people who want a luxury holiday

G is best visited in good weather

H gives tourists a unique view of the city

Read the texts below. Choose from (A-H) the one which best fits each space (1-6). There are two choices you won’t use.

The Science of Sleep

When you think about it, sleep is quite strange. The average adult person lays down in bed, closes their eyes, and just doesn’t move – for about 6-8 hours! This means that, effectively, one third of the time (1) ____________________!

But what is sleep, exactly, and how does it work?

Sleep serves several purposes which are essential to our brains and bodies. One of the most important is restoring our metabolic waste – every day, our brains produce some waste (2) _______________________. Too much of this can actually cause problems with mental health. So, if it’s bad, how do we get rid of it? Well, sleep actually plays a very important role in cleaning out our brains at night by making the brain cells shrink down (3)_________________!

This effectively pushes out the waste! As a result, you wake up refreshed.

Sleep also helps us with our memory – particularly for long-term memories. Actually, not getting enough sleep can make it more difficult to form both concrete memories (think information) and emotional memories,

(4) ______________________! If you want to remember something, maybe a good night’s sleep is what you need!

Sleep is also important for our weight! Several studies have found a clear link between getting less sleep and weight gain.

However, some people also lost muscle! This makes it a big problem for athletes – it’s hard to perform well (5) __________________________. As well, lack of sleep can also contribute to certain other problems like diabetes and heart disease later in life.

What does this mean for us? Well, that sleep is absolutely critical for both our physical and mental health. We really need

to be making an effort to get the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep every night, and (6)_________________________, it’s now easier than ever to make sure that we’re getting enough high quality sleep.

A if you’re physically weaker

B that we spend on Earth is spent sleeping

C to help the brain produce more memories

D which you form in things like romantic relationships

E while sleep is also important for athletes

F as it does its normal, daily activities

G with the amount of new smart technologies for tracking our health

H to a smaller size

Read the texts below. For questions space (1-5) choose the correct answer (A, B , C or D).

A Van Gogh painting showing a midday scene of the French (1) ____________ under a dreary sky has been discovered to be something much more interesting then some researchers have thought before.

Apparently, the original colours of the painting have (2) ____________ over time, but while the colour of the sky now is a coffee-like brown, it was originally a bright pink shade which was much more vivid. The (3) ____________ that the paint had faded to this degree was made while the painting was being prepared for an art show (4) ____________ on the artist’s relationship with Britain.

When researchers removed the frame from the painting, they actually found evidence of the original colour (5) __________ in the areas which had been covered by the frame – and most noticeably, the dazzling pink shade of the sky.

Read the texts below. For questions space (1-5) choose the correct answer (A, B , C or D).

The dark side of the moon is a myth.

In reality both sides of the Moon see (1) ____________ of sunlight; however, only one face of the Moon (2) _________ from Earth. This is because the Moon (3) _________ around on its own axis in exactly the same time it takes to orbit the Earth, meaning the same side is always facing the Earth. The side (4) ____________ away has

only been seen by the (5) ___________ eye from spacecraft.