«Черкаський обласний інститут післядипломної освіти» Завдання іі етапу Всеукраїнської учнівської олімпіади з англійської мови

2011-2012 н.р.

Reading Comprehension

9^th Form

II. Annie Finnigan, “Sustainable Development: No City’s an Island,” (Special Advertising Section), Newsweek (Special Edition).

The world’s urban populations are exploding. According to a report from the United Nations, some 3 billion people live in cities today, and their ranks are increasing at almost double the rate of growth overall. Two years from now, for the first time in history, city dwellers will outnumber country inhabitants. And 25 years from now the number of those living in cities will have grown by another two thirds, to 5 billion.

Experts say we must change the way our metropolises function if we’re to leave our children – who in 25 years will be raising children of their own – cities that are functional and healthy. We must create cities that are both economically and environmentally sustainable, where clean industry and green options for energy and transportation are the rule rather than the exception.

Valenciennes, in France’s industrial north, is trying to do just that. The former steel and coal town was economically depressed when it began, in the 1990s, to invest in sustainability. It has worked hard to attract “green” businesses, like the Toyota plant on its outskirts – a model in terms of energy use. In addition, it has completely rethought transportation: next year, it’s launching a new light rail system that will connect it with nearby towns and cut down on traffic. “The tram is a real step forward for Valenciennes,” says Jean-Louis Borloo, the city’s former mayor and now France’s minister of employment, social cohesion and housing. “It’s a clean means of transportation that helps us control our energy consumption and reduce congestion, pollution and noise.” Along its path, hundreds of trees will further offset emissions.

Other cities are approaching the sustainability question in a different way. Former textiles capital Lille – once called the “Manchester of France” – has turned to cleaner industries, like computers and bioresearch. In addition, Lille was an early adopter when it came to renewable energy: in 1992, it became the first city in Europe to use biogas buses. Biogas is captured from sewage sludge, which would otherwise release harmful methane into the atmosphere, and its use has been shown to sharply cut ozone, particulate and hydrocarbon levels. Today, a significant portion of the city’s bus fleet runs on biogas.

Valenciennes, Lille and cities like them are finding ways to boost their economies and move their people – but not at the expense of the environment that future generations must live in. “Today, if there’s one thing we must always keep in mind,” Jean-Louis Borloo says, “it is the heritage we will leave our children.”

Multiple Choice:

1. According to the text, the world’s urban populations are

   1. shrinking;

   2. remaining stable;

   3. growing;

   4. going unnoticed.

2. Twenty-five years from now, the number of people living in cities will have grown by

   1. three fourths;

   2. three fifths;

   3. two thirds;

   4. one half.

3. Experts say we must change the way our cities function if they are to remain

   1. exciting;

   2. healthy;

   3. democratic;

   4. free of crime.

4. The main industries in Valenciennes were

   1. steel and iron;

   2. gold and silver;

   3. steel and coal;

   4. silver and platinum.

5. The light rail system in Valenciennes is intended to

   1. control the city’s use of energy;

   2. reduce pollution;

   3. reduce noise and congestion;

   4. all of the above.

6. Jean-Lous Borloo, former mayor of Valenciennes, is now France’s

   1. president;

   2. prime minister;

   3. minister of transportation;

   4. minister of employment, social cohesion and housing.

7. Lille was once called

   1. the Manchester of France;

   2. the Cleanest City in France;

   3. the Poorest City in France;

   4. the Pollution Capital of France.

8. Lille became the first city in Europe to use biogas buses in

   1. 1982;

   2. 1990;

   3. 1992;

   4. 1994.

9. Biogas is captured from

   1. methane;

   2. ozone;

   3. sewage sludge;

   4. hydrocarbon.

10. The main subject of this text is

    1. the decline of European cities;

    2. the impact of population on the environment;

    3. the impact of population on political systems;

    4. the population explosion in suburban areas.

Questions 1 through 5 refer to Text III.

Text III :

Glossary: dye – фарбувати.

Levi Strauss, a young immigrant from Germany, arrived in San Francisco in 1850. California was in the middle of the Gold Rush. Thousands of people were coming to California to dig for gold. And Levi Strauss came to sell canvas to these gold miners. Canvas is a heavy material. So Levi Strauss thought the miners could use the canvas for tents.

One day Strauss heard a miner complain that he couldn’t find clothes strong enough for the work he was doing. Strauss got an idea. He quickly took some of the canvas and made it into pants. These pants were what the miners needed. In one day Strauss sold all the pants he had made.

Later Strauss bought a fabric that was softer than canvas but just as strong. This fabric came from Nimes, a city in France. The miners liked this fabric. They called it “denim”.

However, denim had no colour. Because of this the denim pants did not look very interesting and they got dirty easily. To solve these problems, Strauss dyed the denim blue.

Strauss continued to improve his jeans. Today, the company he started is known all over the world.

Questions (on your answer sheet circle the correct letter A, B, C, or D)

1. Why did thousands of men come to California at that time?

A. To look for jobs.

B. To work at farms.

C. To dig for gold.

D. To see the sights.

2. And why did Levi Strauss come to California?

A. To find a job.

B. To sell canvas to gold miners.

C. To dig for gold.

D. To buy jeans.

3. What idea did Strauss get?

A. To make some pants of his canvas.

B. To sell food to miners.

C. To try to dig for gold.

D. To return home.

4. What was “denim” fabric like compared with canvas?

A. Thicker.

B. Thinner.

C. Softer.

D. Warmer.

5. Why did Strauss dye “denim” blue?

A. Because it was his favourite colour.

B. Because miners liked it.

C. Because “denim” had no colour and got dirty easily.

D. Because it was the only colour Strauss had.

Questions 6 through 10 refer to Text IV.

Text IV:

George Washington, who was the first President of the United States, was a wise man. Once a certain neighbour of his stole one of Washington’s horses. Washington together with a police officer went to the neighbour’s farm to get the horse. But the neighbour refused to give the horse up; he claimed that it was his own. Covering both of the horse’s eyes with his hands, Washington said to the neighbour, “If the horse is really yours, you must tell us in which eye he is blind”. “In the right eye”, the neighbour said.

Washington took his hand from the right eye of the horse and showed the police officer that the horse was not blind in the right eye. “Oh, I must have made a mistake”, the neighbour said, “He is blind in the left eye”. Washington then showed that the horse was not blind in the left eye either.

“I guess I have made another mistake”, said the neighbour. “Yes”, said the police officer, “and you have also proved that the horse does not belong to you. You must return it to Mr Washington”.

Questions (on your answer sheet circle the correct letter A, B, C, or D)

6. Who stole one of Washington’s horses?

A. His cousin.

B. His neighbour.

C. A thief.

D. A police officer.

7. What did the neighbour claim?

A. That he didn’t see the horse.

B. That he found it on the fields.

C. That it was his own.

D. That his brother gave it to him.

8. How did Washington act to prove that the horse was his?

A. He called the horse by name.

B. He examined his ears.

C. He examined his back.

D. He closed his eyes with his hands.

9. What did the officer think of the case?

A. That the horse belonged to the neighbour.

B. That the horse didn’t belong to anybody of them.

C. That the horse belonged to Washington.

D. That it was difficult to say.

10. What kind of a man did G. Washington prove to be?

A. Jolly.

B.. Wise.

C. Silly.

D. Ill-tempered.

«Черкаський обласний інститут післядипломної освіти»

Завдання ІІ етапу Всеукраїнської учнівської олімпіади з англійської мови

2011-2012 н.р.

Reading Comprehension

9^th Form

БЛАНК ДЛЯ ВІДПОВІДЕЙ

КОД РОБОТИ

I.

1

2

3

4

5

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

6

7

8

9

10

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

II.

1

2

3

4

5

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

6

7

8

9

10

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

III.

1

2

3

4

5

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

IV.

1

2

3

4

5

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D