Examination Card № 4 (27)

І. Reading

Read the text and choose the best answer (A–C) to complete the sentences (1–4).

Today, millions of people want to learn or improve their English but it is difficult to find the best method. Is it better to study in Britain or America or to study in your own country?

The advantages of going to Britain seem obvious. Firstly, you will be able to listen to the language all the time you are in the country. You will be surrounded completely by the language wherever you go. Another advantage is that you have to speak the language if you are with other people. In Italy, it is always possible, in the class, to speak Italian if you want to and the learning is slower.

On the other hand, there are also advantages of staying at home to study. You don’t have to make big changes to your life. As well as this, it is also much cheaper than going to Britain but it is never possible to achieve the results of living in the UK. If you have a good teacher in Italy, I think you can learn in a more concentrated way than being in Britain without going to a school.

So, in conclusion, I think that if you have enough time and enough money, the best choice is to spend some time in the UK. This is simply not possible for most people, so being here in Italy is the only viable option. The most important thing to do in this situation is to maximise your opportunities: to speak only English in class and to try to use English whenever possible outside the class.

http://www.esllounge.com

1. What is the article about?

A How many people learn English.

B The best way to learn English.

C English schools in England and America.

2. What is one of the advantages of going to the uk to learn English?

A There are no Italians in Britain.

B You will have to speak English and not your language.

C The language schools there are better.

3. What is one of the advantages of staying in your country to learn English?

A The teachers aren’t very good in Britain.

B You have to work too hard in Britain.

C Your life can continue more or less as it was before.

4. People who don’t have a lot of time and money should...

A Learn English in Britain.

B Try and speak English in class more often.

C Go to Italy to learn English.

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

If you 1____ to Birmingham, you 2____ also visit Stratford-upon-Avon. This is the town where William Shakespeare 3____and it`s only thirty-five 4_____ from Birmingham. Shakespeare, 5____was one of the greatest writers of all time, grew 6___ in this little town. You can still visit his birthplace, a small house that 7____ hundreds of years ago. The town 8____ by thousands of tourists every year and there are lots of things to see and do there. You 9____ to worry about where to stay- there are lots of hotels and guesthouses in Stratford-upon-Avon.

1 A go B will go C went

2 A need B should C mustn`t

3 A born B is born C was born

4 A litres B kilograms C kilometres

5 A who B which C that

6 A on B up C out

7 A built B was built C is built

8 A visits B is visiting C is visited

9 A mustn`t B don`t have C needn`t

3. You are in London and have just bought a postcard to send to your friend. Write 35–45 words in your postcard. You should:

• explain how long you have been there;

• tell your friend where you are staying;

• share your impressions of places of interest you have visited;

• what you are enjoying most about your trip.

Examination Card № 5 (29)

І. Reading

Read the text and decide if the statements are T (True) or F (False).

Presidents’ Day

The United States has at least one holiday in every month except August. On the third Monday of February, Americans celebrate the birthday of two former presidents. They are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They were both famous U.S. presidents and they both had birthdays in February. Even though they are different days, Americans celebrate both of them on the same day.

George Washington was born February 22, 1732. He was the first president of the United­ States, elected by unanimous vote in 1789. He is sometimes referred to as The Father of Our Country [the USA]. He was one of the people who fought in the Revolutionary War and later helped write the United States Constitution. There is a famous story about George Washington when he was a young boy. It says that he chopped down his father’s cherry tree with an ax. When his father asked, “Who did this?” young George replied, “I cannot tell a lie. I did it.” Many children have heard this story and are encouraged to always tell the truth.

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809. He became the president in 1860. His presidency was difficult. The states in the north and the south were divided because of slavery. White people in the south owned black people. The north did not like it. A civil war began between the two sides. In the end, the northern states won and President Lincoln helped to free the slaves. He gave a very famous speech about how everybody had the right to be free and how all people were equal. After the civil war, Abraham Lincoln went to see a play. While he was there, he was assassinated.

Both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were very famous presidents in the United States. Today you can see their faces on the American money. George Washington is depicted on the one dollar bill and Abraham Lincoln is on the five dollar bill. Many schools and some cities in the USA are named after each president. And the State of Washington and Washington D.C. were both named after President Washington.

www.5minuteenglish.com

1. President’s Day is on the third Tuesday of every February.

2. Everybody wanted George Washington to be the president.

3. George Washington fought in the civil war.

4. George Washington chopped down an apple tree when he was a young boy.

5. Abraham Lincoln became the president in 1809.

6. Abraham Lincoln believed black people and white people should be equal.

7. Someone killed Abraham Lincoln.

8. You can see Abraham Lincoln’s face on a U.S. one dollar bill.

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