Include: ≪Chi-town≫, ≪Windy City≫, ≪Second City≫, and the ≪City of Big

Shoulders≫. Chicago has also been called ≪the most (10) of

big cities≫.

(From the official City Guide of Chicago)

3 Comment on the following issues.

Prepare an article for a Writing Competition about your pet, telling

the readers:

• how it came to be in your family;

• how you care about it.

Орієнтовні зразки екзаменаційних завдань для державної підсумкової атестації 41

Variant 19

1 Read the text and mark () the following statements «True» or «False».

Once upon a time there was a farmer who owned an old mule. The

mule fell into the farmer’s well.

After carefully analysing the situation, the farmer decided that neither

the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he

called his neighbours together, told them what had happened, and asked

them to help bring dirt to bury the old mule in the well.

When the old mule heard that, he was hysterical! But as the farmer

and his neighbours started throwing dirt into the well, a thought struck

the mule. He realized that he was able to shake the dirt off and step up!

This was what he did. ≪Shake it off and step up… shake it off and

step up… shake it off and step up!≫ He repeated to encourage himself.

No matter how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought

panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up.

It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped

triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury

him actually helped him… all because of the manner in which he handled

his adversity.

That’s life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively,

and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness or self-pity, the problems

that come alone to loury us usually have within them the potential to

benefit us.

True False

1 The mule in the story was young and strong.

2 The farmer wanted to help the mule, but didn’t

know how to do it.

3 The farmer had made a decision to leave the

mule in the well.

4 The neighbours came to help the farmer to pull

out the mule.

5 First the mule was in despair.

6 The mule quickly realized how it could step up.

7 The old mule couldn’t get rid of panic.

8 It was a hard and often painful job of shaking

the dirt off and stepping up.

9 The mule managed to change the situation in

his favour.

10 The moral of the story is: life is impossible

without problems.

42 Variant 19

2 Complete the text with the words from the table.

Shyness

Recent research in America has shown that shyness is determined by

our genes. The scientists believe that we are all born more or less shy.

It’s just that some (1) are able to deal with it better than others.

Shyness may not seem to be a serious complaint, but for some it can

become unbearable. You start to feel hot and shaky, your (2) beats

faster, your knees feel weak, and it seems to last forever.

Shyness is something we often recognize in others: turning red is

one of the more visible signs, for example. Yet we don’t judge someone

harshly because of this. But shyness does mean you’re harder to

approach, so you become more isolated and (3) .

Experts have come up with various possible solutions, and one is the

key to success — it is finding an interest in common with other people.

You can start by listening to what the others’re talking about and before

you know it, you’ll be having a (4) . You could also join a class of

tap-dancing or flamenco, where people are likely to laugh a lot. You’ll

feel relaxed and also much too busy to feel shy. (5) , remember

that most people make a fool of themselves so often — and it’s not the

end of the world if you do!

A B C D

1 scientists scholars genes people

2 heart head body mind

3 happy reserved easy-going sociable

4 interest conversation friends problem

5 First Firstly To start with Lastly

3 Comment on the following issues.

Compose an article giving your tips for beating stress in studies.

• Mention how you prevent yourself from getting stressed.

• Say how you relax and unwind if you’re feeling stressed.

Орієнтовні зразки екзаменаційних завдань для державної підсумкової атестації 43

VARIANT 20

1 Read the text and mark () the following statements «True» or «False».

The date was the 28th of April. It was the early morning. Callao harbour

was very busy. The Minister of Marine had ordered a boat to row

us out of the harbour.

When I arrived, only Herman was there. Fruit baskets and boxes lay

in a heap on the deck. In the middle of the heap sat Herman. He was

holding a cage; and in the cage there was a green parrot. The bird was

a present from a friend in Peru.

≪Take care of the parrot for a minute,≫ said Herman. ≪I want to go

ashore and the boat won’t be here for a long time.≫

Herman left, and a few minutes later the boat arrived. It was a large

motor boat full of officers and sailors. The officers called out some

orders; and the sailors then fixed a strong rope to the raft.

≪One moment!≫ I shouted. ≪It’s too early! We must wait for the other

men.≫ I pointed towards the city.

But nobody understood. The officers only smiled politely. I untied

the rope and threw it into the water. I waved my arms and made signs

to the officers. This excited the parrot. The bird opened its cage and

escaped. It walked about on the bamboo deck. I tried to catch the parrot.

But it called out rude words in Spanish and flew into the cabin. At

last, I caught the bird and put it back into its cage.

(Excerpt from «Kon-Tiki Expedition» by Thor Heyerdahl)

True False

1 From the text we can say when the story takes

place.

2 Callao harbour was deserted.

3 There was a large pile of fruit baskets and

boxes on the deck of the raft.

4 Herman was sitting on the heap.

5 There was a red parrot in the cage.

6 Herman wanted to go ashore, but was afraid

the boat would arrive soon.

7 The motorboat that arrived was full of officers

and sailors.

8 The officers didn’t speak English.

9 The parrot opened its cage and got out.

10 The parrot said some words in Spanish.

44 Variant 20

2 Complete the text with the words from the box.

despite yours arrive by earlier

too visiting it where same

New York is an invisible city, a chameleon hiding in plain sight, a place

that two people will never experience in quite the (1) way.

(2) this, it is — like all great cities — constantly being

explored, examined, and explained.

But New York moves (3) fast to be easily understood.

Just when you think you understand (4) , the city dances

away, changed. New immigrants (5) transforming entire

neighbourhoods of the city. Rents go up, buildings come down, and stable

businesses disappear only to be replaced by new industries that were

unimaginable just a few months (6) .

But even more powerful than the changes caused (7) time

are the changes caused by place, by ethnicity, by character. New York