Getting Ready for Exams
I.
Reading
FRIENDSHIP
In this
overstressed, hyperlinked age, some people seem wired to everything but each
other. The struggle to balance career and family has had an unintended
casualty: friends. Sociologists say that the time of life when people have the
most friends is young adulthood and old age; the time of life when people have
the least friends is middle age. But I can't say that my parents' ability to
maintain friendship ebbs and flows.
Despite
the shortcomings of e-mails as a means of personal connection, it may help
keep some relationships afloat, at least for the short term. My parents use
e-mail to stay in better touch with a circle of high-school friends by sending
along anecdotes, congratulations and digital photos of our family.
Maintaining those connections has bolstered them during tough times,
particularly when my father was out of job and when my grandfather (my mum's
father) died of cancer a few months ago. They knew my grandfather and
understood how close my mum was to him. She says, "When I need to have an 'I'm
loosing my mind' talk, I go back to these friends".
For my
parents, the key is realising that maintaining friendships takes extra effort,
just the way balancing work and family does. Yet every year my mum manages to
arrange a long weekend for our family and a dozen of friends. She plans the
weekend with workplace efficiency, sending out invitation letters and
fax-reply forms, reserving lodging space for the group and booking advance
guided tours. "I've handled complex litigation," she says. "Organising a
weekend isn't that hard".
While
some folks treat their lives as a house of cards that could topple if they add
just one more obligation, my parents think of friendship as an integral
component of their life. "You can't wait to live your life", they say. "If you
like being around friends and want to continue to have a relationship, you
can't put them off".
From the
Wall Street Journal
1.
Decide whether these statements are true or false according to
the text.
1. It is hard
for contemporary adults to maintain friendships.
2. People lose
friends trying to balance career and family.
3. Sociologists
say that the ability to maintain friendships ebbs and flows with age.
4. E-mails help
keep some relationships afloat for the long term.
5. It takes
extra effort to continue to have relationships with a circle of high-school
friends.
2. Match
words and expressions from the text with their equivalents.
|
1.
wired
2.
casualty
3.
maintain
4. ebbs
5. afloat
6. bolstered
7. dozen
8. litigation
9. folks
10. house
of cards
11. put
off |
a) supported
b)
connected electronically
c) carried
as if on water
d)
twelve
e) lawsuits
f) fragile
construction
g) people
h) postpone
i) a
man lost through any cause
j) preserve
or keep in any particular state or condition
k)
recede decline |
II.
Listening
You
will hear five teenagers talking about their friends and relationships. Choose
from the list A-F a sentence that describes each speaker. Use letters only
once. There is an extra letter which you do not need to use
Speaker 1:
We don't make friends with the boys in our class. We don't have similar
interests. Our boys spend so much time playing stupid computer games that they
live in a virtual world.
Speaker 2:
Getting
on with people can be very simple: be tolerant. Tolerance means to respect
other people's likes and dislikes, opinions and beliefs. It also means not to
start an argument over something you disagree with.
Speaker 3:
I prefer
friends that stick around. It doesn't matter if they are different from me or
similar to me. I value loyalty and responsibility in my friends.
Speaker 4:
Kelly
always looks on the gloomy side or whatever's negative. It's irritating.
Nobody likes to hear every day that things are bad and even bound to get
worse. She is rather pessimistic.
Speaker 5:
My
friends' attitude to Sasha is not very positive, but it doesn't matter to me.
I won't change my opinion of him. Our relations are as good as before. I'm the
only person who understands him.
A. I'm
not going to change my opinion of my friend Sasha.
B. Keep
things to yourself that could hurt other people's feelings.
С
I prefer friends that never betray others.
D. Our
boys live in a virtual world.
E. I
reluctantly use the word "friend".
F.
Pessimistic people irritate me.
III.
Vocabulary
1. A.
Match these verbs with their Russian equivalents.
|
1.
to betray |
а)
отказывать |
|
2.
to forgive |
b)
вернуть, заменять |
|
3.
to last |
с)
предавать |
|
4.
to obey |
d)
оценивать |
|
5.
to replace |
e)
продолжаться, длиться |
|
6.
to refuse |
f)
слушаться |
|
7.
to value |
g)
прощать |
B.
Complete the sentences using the verbs from A.
1. A friend
is a person who understands and __________.
2. A false
friend is a person who __________ others.
3.
Friendship is a thing that __________ forever.
4. The
girls invited Kate to join them but she __________.
5. Nothing
can __________ a best friend.
6. Pete's
younger sister doesn't __________ his orders.
7. If you
_________ my friendship, please, do what I say.
2.
Match the characteristics with their opposites.
|
1.
Polite |
a)
untidy |
|
2.
Careful |
b)
merciless |
|
3.
Tidy |
c)
unkind |
|
4.
Kind |
d)
careless |
|
5.
Merciful |
e)
untrusting |
|
6.
Trusting |
f)
impolite |
|
7.
Reliable |
g)
thoughtless |
|
8.
Thoughtful |
h)
unreliable |
3.
Match these characteristics with the correct definitions.
|
1.
does stupid things |
a)
tidy |
|
2.
keeps her/his things in the right place |
b)
silly |
|
3.
likes to chat |
c)
sociable |
|
4.
has got a lot of friends |
d)
careless |
|
5.
leave his/her clothes everywhere |
e)
talkative |
|
6.
never looks upset |
f)
cheerful |
4. A.
Match English and Russian words and expressions.
|
1. to bully |
а)
чувствовать себя виновным |
|
2. to chatter |
b)
драться |
|
3. to chat |
с)
извиняться |
|
4. to fight |
d)
порицать |
|
5. to blame |
e)
обращать внимание |
|
6. to apologize |
f)
держать слово |
|
7. to call names |
g)
сплетничать |
|
8. to pay attention |
h)
обзывать |
|
9. to keep one's word |
i)
ладить |
|
10. to get on with |
j)
потеряться |
|
11. to be lost |
k)
задирать |
|
12. to feel guilty |
l)
болтать
(дружески) |
В.
Complete the sentences using one of the above words and expressions (don't
forget to use the proper tense of the verb).
1.
Tom (1) __________ in Disney World. He couldn't find his friends. He was very
worried. But Nick and Paul found him.
2.
If you (2) __________ it's never too late (3) __________.
3.
Nobody (4) __________ to Ginger at the carnival. Marcy (5) __________ herself
that Ginger ran away.
4.
If my mark is better than Joel's mark, he always (6) _________ me
5.
Kate's best point is that she never (7) __________ about her classmates.
6.
Mandy doesn't (8) __________ her classmates. She sometimes (9) __________
them.
7.
Kelly's star sign is Gemini. She likes (10) __________ with her friends.
8.
Clint (11) __________ if he promises something.
9.
Ted had a black eye. He (12) __________ with a bully.
5.
Read
the text
below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word
that fits in the space in the same line.
|
Friends (1) __________. The attitude of people to a person
depends on many factors: his mind, manners, character, (2) __________,
abilities and appearance. If a person is good-looking, he or she feels
more (3) __________. (4) __________, to be pretty or handsome doesn't mean
one is automatically happy. Very often (5) __________ people can be
stupid, stubborn and arrogant, but also physically (6) __________ people
can be (7) __________, generous and kind. That is why people often say,
"Don't judge people by their (8) ___________.
Everyone dreams of (9) __________ a true friend, but not
all of us are (10) __________ enough to find one, since real (11)
__________ and warmth of heart and ability to sacrifice - is something
that requires real (12) __________ and love. |
DIFFERENCE
BEHAVE
CONFIDENCE
FORTUNATELY
BEAUTY
ATTRACTIVE
INTELLIGENCE
APPEAR
HAVE
LUCK
AFFECT
TOLERATE |
By A.
Savintsev, 10th grade
IV.
Grammar
Present Simple and Present Continuous
1.
Complete these sentences using the correct form (Present Simple or Present
Continuous) of the verbs in brackets. Don't forget that some verbs are not
usually used in continuous tenses because they do not express a process and
are stative verbs.
1. Some
people say that they (not to need) friends, but I (not to believe) them.
2. He
always (to consider) the opinions of others, but (to defend) his own points of
view.
3. If
you (to feel) depressed, one strategy is to try and listen to what other
people (to say).
4. Classmates
(to like) to gossip about each other, (to do) they?
5. He
always says 'hello' when he (to see) me.
6. I
(to avoid) people who are always gloomy.
7. My
friend (to help) me with my English until I get a good mark.
8. The
sun (to set) in the west.
9. Listen!
Somebody (to cry) for help.
10.
A person who always (to shout) is bad-tempered.
11.
If you (to want) to be on good terms with people, talk less and listen more.
12.
He always (to predict) that things are bound to get worse.
13.
You (to remember) that man?
14.
I (to admit) Jane's moody, but she's my friend and I (to count on) her.
15.
She (to prefer) not to communicate with Ted - he is so miserable.
16.
You (to need) a dictionary at the moment?
17.
I (to belong) here.
18.
I (to see) Mike tomorrow-afternoon.
19.
You (to look) well today.
20.
How (to feel) now?
2.
Complete these questions.
1.
_____ you like English?
2.
_____ have you been studying English?
3.
_____ are you studying English?
4.
_____ do you spend your free time?
5.
_____ do you feel about sport?
6.
_____ are your friends like?
7.
_____ you often ask your friend for advice?
8.
_____ you ever lost friends?
9.
_____ are your qualities as a person?
10.
_____ your friends influence your life?
11.
_____ friendship important to you?
12.
_____ you balance your life between friends, school, family and hobbies?
13.
_____ is the line between acquaintance and friend?
14.
_____ it hard for you to maintain a friendship?
15.
_____ communication with others at times difficult?
V.
Phrasal verbs with on
1.
Match the phrasal verbs in list A with their meanings in list B.
|
А |
В |
|
1. look on |
a) to make progress |
|
2. get on |
b) rely on |
|
3. go on |
c) switch on |
|
4.counton |
d) to employ |
|
5. turn on |
e) to organise and perform a play, concert or other
entertainment |
|
6. take on |
f) continue |
|
7. put on |
g) watch something without taking part yourself |