Прочитайте вопрос. Выберите один из предложенных вариантов ответа.

A37. Parliamentary elections in England must be held every …

1) 3 years 2) 4 years 3) 5 years 4) 6 years

Прочитайте текст и выберите вариант ответа (1, 2 или 3), соответствующий содержанию прочитанного текста.

§1. Many superstitions have deep roots in the past according to Moira Tatem, who helped edit the 1,500 entries in the Oxford Dictionary of Superstitions. People today observe superstitions without knowing why and they'd probably be surprised to discover their origins. The idea than mail vans are lucky is a good example. Children often say they are and Sir Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War II, was said to have touched a mail van for luck whenever he saw one in the street. The reason for this superstition resides in the ancient belief that Kings and Queens had the ability to cure by touch. Monarchs, naturally enough, grew fed up with being constantly touched and at some point started trailing ribbons with gold medals or coins out of the door of their coaches when traveling and people touched them instead. Mail vans carry the Crown symbol on the side and touching the van is a direct throwback to that earlier belief.

§2. While some ancient superstitious beliefs and practices have been maintained, others have died out. This is because those practices with a connection to farming and a life spent in close proximity to nature no longer make much sense now that so many of us live in cities. Nevertheless, we continue to develop our own sometimes very private and personal superstitions.

§3. Many people carry or wear lucky objects although they may not in fact think of them as such. It only becomes obvious that the object forms a part of a superstitious belief when the person is unable to wear or carry it and feels uncomfortable as a result.

§4. Experts agree that these individual superstitious practices can be an effective means of managing stress and reducing anxiety. The self-fulfilling nature of superstitions is what can help. The belief that something brings you good luck can make you feel calmer, and as a result, able to perform more effectively. International cello soloist Ralph Kirshbaum says musicians are a good example of the effectiveness of these very particular rituals. I know string players who won't wash their hands on the day of a recital and others who avoid eating for eight hours prior to a performance. They can then play with confidence.

§5. But this self-fulfilling aspect of superstitions can also work against you. This is why Kirshbaum prefers to confront the superstitious practices of other musicians. If you're in a situation where you can't avoid eating or forget and wash your hands, you then feel that you'll play badly. And you often do, simply because you feel so anxious. I wash my hands and have broken the taboo about eating. My only vice is to insist that people leave and give me two minutes complete silence in the dressing room before I go on.

§6. Superstitions can become even more harmful when they develop into phobias or obsessions, often characterized by elaborate collections of rituals. It's not a problem if I carry a lucky object of some kind, says psychologist Robert Kohlenberg of the University of Washington. But if I don't have it with me and I get terribly upset and turn the house upside down looking for it, that's a bad thing.

A38. According to Moira Tatem, what would most British people say if you asked them why touching a mail van is considered lucky?

1. 'A famous politician used to do it too.'

2. 'The vans are lucky but I don't know why.'

3. 'The royal coat of arms (герб) is on the side of the vans.'

A39. Which older superstitions have been preserved?

1. Those that still seem meaningful.

2. Those connected with life in the countryside.

3. Those that are created and held by individuals.

A40. How does going without food affect some string players?

1. It helps them play with more assurance.

2. It makes no difference to the way they perform.

3. It ensures that they perform brilliantly.

A41. Why doesn't Ralph Kirshbaum keep the superstitious practices of other musicians?

1. He has his own taboos and complicated rituals.

2. He doesn't think they always help.

3. He is not superstitious.

Определите значение указанного слова в тексте.

А42. constantly (§1)

1) sometimes 2) permanently 3) slightly

A43. obvious (§3)

1) clear 2) important 3) necessary

Выберите правильный вариант перевода (1, 2 или 3) в соответствии с содержанием текста.

А44. ...although they may not in fact think of them as such. (§3)

1. ...хотя они фактически не имеют возможности думать о них таким образом.

2. ...хотя в действительности они могут не считать их таковыми.

3. ...хотя они, возможно, на самом деле вообще не думают.

Прочитайте текст. В бланке ответов поставьте крестик (x) в клеточке, номер которой соответствует номеру выбранного варианта ответа.

In Britain today, one in four people buy chewing gum regularly, spending some £120 million on the product every year. It’s fashionable, appealing to all levels of society – a modern icon, in fact. Yet the origins of chewing gum reach far back into history. (A45)___ Grecian women especially liked to use mastic gum to clean their teeth and sweeten their breath. On another continent, American colonists found the Indians of New England chewing a similar resin, and took up the habit themselves. (A46) ___Yet despite repeated attempts, it has proved impossible to cultivate the sapodilla commercially. The supply of chicle therefore depended on collectors travelling for miles to tap the sapodilla tree. (A47) ___ Conditions are terrible: highly poisonous snakes and insects lie hidden in the trees and the atmosphere is hot and humid. Carrying only a rope and an axe, the chiclero must climb high into the tree and make a cut to allow the chicle to drip down into a bag below. The chiclero must then carry the sap on his back to a forest camp where it is boiled until sticky. It is then made into brick-shaped blocks for easier transport. Although the work is unprofitable, chicleros now fear that their form of income is in danger.

The natural substance is being used less and less. As the sale of chewing gum rises, manufacturers have turned to synthetic substances so that they are guaranteed a regular supply and reduced costs. (A48) ___ The goal of the chewing gum industry is to make the flavour last even longer, according to Chris Peville, Wrigley spokesman. “It is the chemical properties of the gum base which hold the flavour.” Exactly how this works remains a Wrigley secret, the result of a century of continuous chewing and testing, and the improving of production processes.

(A49) ___ They claim it helps you relax and eases tension. Indeed, soldiers during both world wars were regularly supplied with gum, because it was said to reduce their stress. However, chewing gum’s greatest benefit is – so the manufacturers say – that it reduces tooth decay. (A50) ___ Our saliva, which neutralizes acid and supplies minerals such as calcium and fluoride, is the body’s natural defence. Gum manufacturers say that 20 minutes of chewing can increase the quantity of saliva. Sugar-free gum, in particular, may be a useful dental aid.

Заполните пропуски А45 – А47 одним из предложенных текстовых фрагментов (1 – 4). Один фрагмент является лишним.

1. In America alone, 137 square kilometers of land is used solely to grow mint for flavouring Wrigley’s Spearmint and Doublemint, the most popular gums in the world.

2. Today, a few chicle collectors (or chicleros, as they are known) still remain. But the job is dangerous and poorly paid.

3. Modern chewing gum has its origin in the late 1860’s with the discovery of chicle, a resin, produced by the sapodilla tree of the Central American rainforests. Making gum from chicle resulted in a smoother, more satisfying and more elastic chew. Soon a huge industry grew up, based on this rainforest product.

4. For centuries, the ancient Greeks chewed a gum-like substance called resin, obtained from the mastic tree found mainly in Greece and Turkey.

Заполните пропуски А48 – А50 одним из предложенных текстовых фрагментов (1 – 4). Один фрагмент является лишним.

1. The acid which forms when we eat can damage our teeth. This is especially true when the acid is allowed to stay on the teeth for a long time. But there is a solution.

2. Meanwhile, the world’s gum producers are finding clever ways to market their product.

3. According to Wrigley, the world’s biggest chewing gum manufacturers, the flavour today is better than ever. Chewing gum keeps its flavour for 20 minutes or more. But even this achievement isn’t enough for them.

4. Manufacturers still receive complaints from people who find used gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe and claim it is a form of pollution.

ТЕСТ B

Прочитайте текст. Выберите подходящее по смыслу слово из предложенных. В бланке ответов запишите его в той форме, в которой оно должно стоять в предложении. Помните, что каждое слово может быть использовано только один раз.

deaf, patient, sharp, bear

His love of loud music is (B1) … ! It can (B2) … everybody in the house but not him! My (B3) … is exhausted. I’m going to talk very (B4) … to him.

Прочитайте текст. Заполните каждый из пропусков только одним словом, подходящим по смыслу. Слово должно содержать не более 15 символов.

Legends are stories about real people who were (B5) … for doing something brave or extraordinary. Every time the story (B6) … told, it became more exaggerated so (B7) … is now difficult to tell now (B8) … of the story is really true.

Переведите на английский язык фрагмент предложения, данный в скобках.

B9. Somebody has forgotten their coat, ( не так ли )?

B10. (Почему бы не посмотреть на) the problem from a different point of view?