19. Translate into Russian:

1. – Sorry, could I just say something?

- If everybody is ready perhaps we could have things started?

2. The effects of Iraq, like Vietnam, could last a generation.

3. It is doubtful he could have remained in office as long as he has were it not for his international prestige, which constitutes an important asset for the country.

4. The new Chinese leader said that private businesses could be allowed to issue bonds to raise capital.

5. The tragic error could have been avoided had US commanders bothered to consult with Afghan Authorities.

6. Several tens of thousands old Soviet and American nuclear weapons are real. Some could fall into hostile hands.

7. NATO expansion in no way poses anything that could be faintly called a threat to Russia.

11. As the US Secretary of State prepares for the first visit to the Middle East this week, the circumstances could hardly be less suspicious.

12. We couldn’t help wondering if Al Qaeda’s expression of solidarity with Iraqi might have been a way of luring the United States into an attack on Baghdad.

13. Russia needs a new type of economy, responsive to the demands of ordinary people for the “thousand and one tiny things” which central planning could never deliver.

14. Doctors could have discovered anyone of a myriad conditions which needed to be put right before surgery, expected to be done in Moscow.

15. With $7 billion in a bank and ownership of the operating system, Microsoft could probably conquer practically any market if it wanted to badly enough.

16. Had the Russian president been the first to go to North Korea, opening a window into a country ruled by despots, he could have been viewed as a maverick. But North Koreans have been playing a strange new game for the past few months, beginning with a warm welcome they gave to the South Korean president.

17. Global investors could take fright if there is a setback in the US stock markets or a rise in inflation, which would force the Fed to raise interest rates.

20. Translate into Russian:

1. The war may tip the European Union into recession.

2. I may have a change of heart by tomorrow.

3. It may be six months before North Korea starts mass-producing nuclear weapons.

4. No hard evidence of the alleged abuses has yet appeared, and it may well be that none exists.

5. Studies in people and animals suggest that lack of sleep may also interfere with the working of the immune system.

6. The US president may be having trouble formulating a clear view of his country’s international role.

7. Up to thirty people may have been affected by a disease contracted from sheep, after hugging lambs at a farm open day in Berkshire.

8. The chemical link between chocolate and marijuana: I may chew, but I never swallow.

9. The New York Times may or may not be the world’s finest newspaper, but the International Herald Tribune has always held a special place for those living outside of the United States.

10. The commissioners who prepared the report may have reason to be happy, but for the rest of us, it is time for sorrow.

11. The bank may well be declared an insolvent debtor in the near future.

12. Instead of strongly recommended market decisions, the report simply notes that ministers may wish to comment on the subject.

13. Japanese experts fear that at the end of the road there may well be a Chinese-American war, probably triggered by a clash over Taiwan.

14. This week the UN Secretary Council may impose economic sanctions on North Korea, which, in protest, may withdraw from Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

15. Though the candidate might have thought he had the votes to win, many feared he did not.

16. The outcome might have been different had the US administration paid more attention to handling properly the Senate.

17. Creditors hope that some day there might be a viable institution credited out of the merger of two banks that might choose to return some of their money.

18. The United States must take care not to set a dangerous example that might, say, tempt India to launch its own preemptive strike against Pakistan.

19. It is hard to see how Lloyd’s insurance company might find substantial additional sums of money.

20. Bridging language differences might help overcome reservations from Russia and China.

Test . Var. I