Тест НМТ 29

Task 1

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

Which of the advertisements is about ___________________?

Which of the advertisements is about ___________________?

2)

Which of the advertisements is about ___________________?

3)

Which of the advertisements is about ___________________?

4)

Which of the advertisements is about ___________________?

5)

Task 2

Read the text below. For questions (6-10) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

6) What does the book reviewer say about Henry Miller?

Beach Reads

by resident book reviewer Laura Shenk

Holidays are just around the corner, and I get excited thinking of all the time I'll have on the beach or elsewhere, catching up on reading fiction. This year I’m going to reread one of my all-time favourites, Henry Miller’s Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch. For anyone not familiar with Miller's writing, this is probably the best of his to start with. It describes the years he spent in an isolated and very unconventional rural community, bringing up his two children at times single-handedly. Miller writes about his interesting encounters with some of the inhabitants, who snared his non-conformist approach to life. His carefree spirit and his love for his children emerge in this part-autobiographical, part-philosophical book.

Of course, this type of reading is not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, so I asked a couple of my colleagues to tell me about their summer reading references. Ben Blair, one of our sports correspondents, had this to say, ‘This year I’m not really sure what I’m in the mood for, but more than likely it will be Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. I've already managed to read a couple of excerpts. It’s principally about Hornby's own deep passion for football, and especially for the Gunners, the Arsenal team. Being from North London myself, I am an avid fan of the Gunners too. In every chapter, he describes a specific match and how that related to what was going on in his life at that time. Apparently, his description of Arsenal's last-minute league win is so vivid that it is like experiencing the moment all over again. So, even though I have already got an idea of what I’m going to read. I can't wait to get my nose into it!’ Well, Ben sounds quite enthusiastic, so, although I'm not really into football, I might try reading it.

The choice of our fashion editor, Julie Scowan, was something completely different. ‘My favourite book, without a doubt, is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It’s a book that really needs to be read a number of times in order to be fully absorbed. It’s not that it’s a difficult read, but there are so many characters involved, in lots of different relationships, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track. However, Marquez has a way of involving you. The images he presents are so colourful, and his portrayal of Latin American culture with all its superstitions is so vivid, that you become immersed in it. I could really identify with the main character of the story, which really helps.’

I have to say I wholly agree with Julie and can endorse her choice, having already read the book. So, whatever your choice, literature lovers, I wish you all a good solid read this summer!

7) What do we learn about Fever Pitch?

8) What is Julie's opinion of One Hundred Years of Solitude?

9) What is TRUE of the book reviewer?

10) Which of the following has the book reviewer NOT read?

Task 3

Read the texts below. Match choices (A–H) to (11–16). There are two choices you do not need to use.

Which of the festivals _____?

11. ___

Indian Holi Festival

The Indian Holi Festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and also marks the arrival of spring. It’s an extremely lively two-day event and is called the Festival of Colour. The evening before Holi, there are bonfires around which people sing and dance. The next day, people gather outdoors in the streets and throw coloured powder and water over each other. At home, families decorate their houses, exchange gifts and eat special food.

12. ___

Ivan Kupala Festival

Like other European nations, Ukraine celebrates the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. Since the 4th century CE, this day has been connected with the Christian religion and the birth of John the Baptist. Today, the Ivan Kupala festival is a popular event for people of all ages. Fire, water and greenery play an important role in the day’s various customs, one of which is jumping over a bonfire for good fortune.

13. ___

Day of the Dead Festival

This festival, which originated in Mexico but is popular throughout Latin America, celebrates death as well as life. It is held on 1 and 2 November, when the dead are believed to travel back to earth and the living should welcome them by offering food and drinks. Photos and candles feature significantly to show respect for family members who are no longer alive. People wear impressive costumes and make-up, and have colourful parades in the streets.

14. ___

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

Accounts differ as to how Taiwan’s breathtaking Sky Lantern Festival began. Some say villagers who worked in the mountains used the lanterns to inform their families they were safe and others say that they were used to transmit military information. Whatever the case, today thousands of people buy a lantern, write their wishes on the paper, light the candle and watch as the lantern flows into the night sky, carrying their expectations for a bright future.

15. ___

Viking Fire Festival

On the last Tuesday of January, the Viking Fire Festival takes place in Lerwick, Shetland – this is the island in the northernmost corner of Scotland. Scots and visitors celebrate the winter’s end and the sun’s return with blazing fire. Shetlanders also commemorate the Vikings who ruled there for 500 years, more than a thousand years ago. Having spent months building a dragon ship, the Shetlanders then set it on fire, while crowds sing and dance.

16. ___

Palio di Siena Festival

Siena’s famous horse event is of medieval origin. It has been held twice a year since 1701, except during times of war. The festival lasts for four days, and its main event is the historical horse race. Crowds of tourists and locals gather in the city’s main square. Piazza del Campo, to see ten jockeys ride their horses without a saddle in a one-minute race. There are parades, open-air dinners and other events that local people prepare all year round.

Task 4

Read the text below. Choose from (A–H) the one which best fits each space (17–22). There are two choices you do not need to use.

It’s no secret that laughing is good for us. It gives our immune system a boost, reducing stress hormones and (17)___                                          [where you can learn to be a comedian, playing with pets, where he performed his jokes for the fir, what if humour doesn’t come naturally to, to turn trying to buy a single baked pot, increasing disease-fighting antibodies, what if you can’t stop laughing when you, to make every day more amusing]. It relaxes our muscles and strengthens our heart. Then, of course, laughter releases feel-good hormones that make us feel happier. Humour helps us ride the waves of life’s ups and downs: it turns us into more easy-going people and breaks the ice with others.

However, (18)___                                          [where you can learn to be a comedian, playing with pets, where he performed his jokes for the fir, what if humour doesn’t come naturally to, to turn trying to buy a single baked pot, increasing disease-fighting antibodies, what if you can’t stop laughing when you, to make every day more amusing] or you just don’t get other people’s jokes? What if you are an intensely serious person who finds life more tragic than comic or who is more likely to be hot-tempered and moody when things go wrong than to slap your forehead and laugh? Can you learn to take life less seriously and lighten up?

According to some comedians, people can actually learn to be funny – perhaps not fall-off-your-chair funny, but at least able to admit that things are ridiculous rather than absolutely terrible. For those with a natural talent for being funny there are even stand-up comedy clinics (19)___                                          [where you can learn to be a comedian, playing with pets, where he performed his jokes for the fir, what if humour doesn’t come naturally to, to turn trying to buy a single baked pot, increasing disease-fighting antibodies, what if you can’t stop laughing when you, to make every day more amusing]. Stand-up teachers turn the art of comedy into a science and design games, such as ones in which students have to improvise, to get students to be more creative. Students are given the tools to write great jokes even when they are struggling to come up with ideas of their own.

However, if you don’t have your sights set on entertaining an audience but would simply like to laugh more, there are some easy ways (20)__                                          [where you can learn to be a comedian, playing with pets, where he performed his jokes for the fir, what if humour doesn’t come naturally to, to turn trying to buy a single baked pot, increasing disease-fighting antibodies, what if you can’t stop laughing when you, to make every day more amusing]. If you are feeling dull or irritated, getting together with friends to watch a comedy could be just the thing to liven you up. Additionally, make sure that if you have a tendency to see the depressing side of life, you include funny people in your circle of friends. Funny people can influence you to find humour in the simplest of things. Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert, for example, manages (21)__                                          [where you can learn to be a comedian, playing with pets, where he performed his jokes for the fir, what if humour doesn’t come naturally to, to turn trying to buy a single baked pot, increasing disease-fighting antibodies, what if you can’t stop laughing when you, to make every day more amusing] in the supermarket into a hilarious sketch.

Watching comedies and telling jokes is not the only way to cheer us up and make us laugh. There are countless ways to lighten up a day, like playing games with friends or doing fun activities like going swimming, playing board games or music with friends or (22)___                                          [where you can learn to be a comedian, playing with pets, where he performed his jokes for the fir, what if humour doesn’t come naturally to, to turn trying to buy a single baked pot, increasing disease-fighting antibodies, what if you can’t stop laughing when you, to make every day more amusing]. For those that are serious about wanting to laugh, there are even laughing yoga classes, which are based on the idea that laughter is catching.

Task 5

Read the text below. For questions (23–27) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

Stretch like a cat

Watch a cat – domestic or wild – for any length of time, and you’ll notice how often it stretches. Watch humans for a similar amount of time and you’ll realise we don’t stretch anywhere near as much. Why? The reason is that cats sleep roughly twice as much as we do, and during this time, their muscles are (23)__             [inactive, lazy, unenergetic, stopped]. This prevents 'sleepwalking’ while dreaming and (24) ___           [remains, keeps, stays, maintains] both animals and humans out of danger. As soon as a cat wakes up, it stretches, and this (25)___          [entitles, provides, lets, enables] a variety of functions to occur within its body. Blood pressure, which drops during sleep, rises again on stretching, allowing blood to flow around the body and (26) ___         [supply, offer, give, deliver] the brain and muscles with much-needed oxygen. Toxins are removed and the cat becomes more aware of its surroundings. As a predator, being ready to spring into (27) __           [response, action, operation, activity] is especially important – without the ability to move suddenly and quickly, a vital meal might get away!

Task 6

Read the texts below. For questions (28–32) choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

Most people are familiar with the game of golf, but (28) __        [lots, few, little, anyone] people know that there is a golf-related career for which you need excellent diving abilities. It involves retrieving golf balls that disappear into a lake! Divers (29) __              [had better, need, have to, would rather] collect about 3,000 balls on an average day and work eight to ten hours. Although it sounds like an easy job, it’s not without its difficulties. The water is usually cold and dirty, but the (30) ___       [most, least, worse, worst] thing is that in some cases it can become dangerous. According to one golf ball diver in the US, an alligator (31)___               [was attacking, attacked, had to attack, would attack]him once. However, if you are looking for a job and like diving, then you (32) __          [might, should, have to, ought to] want to consider this profession. Golf ball divers are rewarded with a very generous salary!