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Read the texts below. Match choices (A – H) to (1 – 6). There are two choices you do not need to use. Confirm your choices.

1 Biblioburro   [A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H]

It would be fun to check a mobile library in rural Colombia. Biblioburro is being operated by Luis Soriano, a primary school teacher, during his spare time. Witnessing kids, wearing a genuine smile each time he visits their villages in rural Colombia, would surely warm anybody’s heart. Using two donkeys, Alfa and Beto, to carry loads of books, Soriano spends four hours on each trip just to reach those remote places.

2 Epos   [A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H]

In Norway, many small communities that live on islands in the fjords are virtually isolated from the world in winter. These communities are too small to each have their own library, so, when the inhabitants of the Hordaland County were offered a book boat in 1959, Epos was born. Nowadays, the boat travels to 250 small hamlets across Norway, bringing books, culture and entertainment to the people.

3 Albena Beach Library   [A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H]

Nothing says “summer vacation” like the sun, sea, sand, and a good storybook, which is exactly why Herman Kompernas decided to build a library right on the beach. The library is quite extensive: it offers holiday goers who visit the Bulgarian Black Sea resort of Albena over 2,500 books in ten different languages. Guests can borrow the books at no cost, as long as they also leave their own (finished) holiday reads behind for others.

4 The Boston Athenaeum   [A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H]

Built in 1807, the Boston Athenaeum is among the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries and cultural institutions in the United States. It has one of the unique library names. It added an art gallery in 1827, began running yearly exhibitions of American and European art, and by the mid-1800s found itself not only at the centre of Boston’s culture scene but also one of the largest libraries in the US. It hosts exhibition programmes and even concerts.

5 Reading Club 2000   [A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H]

Reading Club 2000 started when Hernando “Nanie” Guanlao thought of a way to honour and preserve the memory of his parents who inculcated in him the love for reading. He gathered his old textbooks and set them outside his Manila residence to test if the community would be interested to borrow and read them. They were. 12 years later Nanie’s library grew to contain 2,500 books. As an additional service, he also runs a “book bike” service, where he delivers books to poor areas in Manila.

6 Sandro   [A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H]

Penna Library That is not an alien ship you are staring at. It is not a pink bubble gum candy designed by hello kitty, either! That is a house of books providing library services for the people of Perugia, Italy. The public library is named after the poet Sandro Penna. It features rose-coloured glass walls designed to let sunlight in during daytime, and at night, it creates a rare glow. The architect who designed it, Italo Rota, made the three-story disc to exude an appearance of an alien flying saucer.

Which library__________?

A contains the founder’s book collection

B is named after its designer

C bears some similarity to a UFO

D is transported by a vessel

E encourages sharing books

F is delivered by animals

G holds annual exhibitions in winter

H offers live performances

Read the text below. For questions (7 – 11) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D). Confirm your choice.

A Brief History of Pearls

Many thousands of years ago, long before written history, human beings probably discovered the first pearl while searching the seashore for food. Throughout history, the pearl, with its warm inner glow and shimmering, has been one of the most highly prized and desired gems. Countless references to the pearl can be found in the religions and mythology of cultures from the earliest times. Legend has it that the ancient Egyptian Queen Cleopatra dissolved a single pearl in a glass of wine and drank it, simply to prove to Mark Antony, the Roman General visiting her palace, that she could swallow the wealth of an entire nation in just one meal.

In ancient Rome, pearls were considered a symbol of wealth and social standing. The Greeks valued the pearl for both its extraordinary beauty and association with love and marriage. During the Dark Ages, while ladies from wealthy families adored delicate pearl necklaces, gallant knights often wore pearls into battle. They believed the magic of these glossy gems would keep them unharmed. The Renaissance saw the royal courts of Europe full of pearls. Because pearls were so highly regarded, a number of European countries actually passed laws forbidding anyone but the nobility to decorate themselves with pearls.

During the European expansion into the New World, the discovery of pearls in Central American waters added to the wealth of Europe. Unfortunately, wish for the sea-grown gems resulted in the reduction of virtually all the American pearl oyster populations by the 17th century. Until the early 1900s, natural pearls were accessible only to the rich and famous. In 1916, famed French jeweller Jacques Cartier bought his landmark store on New York’s famous Fifth Avenue by trading two pearl necklaces for the valuable property. But today, with the development of pearl cultivating industry, pearls are available and affordable to all.

7 What is mentioned about pearls in PARAGRAGH 1?

Read the text below. For questions (7 – 11) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D). Confirm your choice.

A Brief History of Pearls

Many thousands of years ago, long before written history, human beings probably discovered the first pearl while searching the seashore for food. Throughout history, the pearl, with its warm inner glow and shimmering, has been one of the most highly prized and desired gems. Countless references to the pearl can be found in the religions and mythology of cultures from the earliest times. Legend has it that the ancient Egyptian Queen Cleopatra dissolved a single pearl in a glass of wine and drank it, simply to prove to Mark Antony, the Roman General visiting her palace, that she could swallow the wealth of an entire nation in just one meal.

In ancient Rome, pearls were considered a symbol of wealth and social standing. The Greeks valued the pearl for both its extraordinary beauty and association with love and marriage. During the Dark Ages, while ladies from wealthy families adored delicate pearl necklaces, gallant knights often wore pearls into battle. They believed the magic of these glossy gems would keep them unharmed. The Renaissance saw the royal courts of Europe full of pearls. Because pearls were so highly regarded, a number of European countries actually passed laws forbidding anyone but the nobility to decorate themselves with pearls.

During the European expansion into the New World, the discovery of pearls in Central American waters added to the wealth of Europe. Unfortunately, wish for the sea-grown gems resulted in the reduction of virtually all the American pearl oyster populations by the 17th century. Until the early 1900s, natural pearls were accessible only to the rich and famous. In 1916, famed French jeweller Jacques Cartier bought his landmark store on New York’s famous Fifth Avenue by trading two pearl necklaces for the valuable property. But today, with the development of pearl cultivating industry, pearls are available and affordable to all.

8 Why did Cleopatra drink a glass of wine with a pearl dissolved in it?