11 клас

GRADE 10

Listening Comprehension

Istanbul: Memories of a City

Here we come to the heart of the matter: I've never left Istanbul—never left the houses, streets and neighbourhoods of my childhood. Although I've lived in other districts from time to time, fifty years on I find myself back in the Pamuk Apartments, where my first photographs were taken and where my mother first held me in her arms to show me the world. I know this persistence owes something to my imaginary friend, and to the solace I took from the bond between us. But we live in an age defined by mass migration and creative immigrants, and so I am sometimes hard-pressed to explain why I've stayed not only in the same place, but the same building. My mother's sorrowful voice comes back to me, “Why don't you go outside for a while, why don't you try a change of scene, do some travelling ...?”

Conrad, Nabokov, Naipaul—these are writers known for having managed to migrate between languages, cultures, countries, continents, even civilisations. Their imaginations were fed by exile, nourishment drawn not through roots but through rootlessness; mine, however, requires that I stay in the same city, on the same street, in the same house, gazing at the same view. Istanbul's fate is my fate:  I am attached to this city because it has made me who I am.

Flaubert, who visited Istanbul a hundred and two years before my birth, was struck by the variety of life in its teeming streets; in one of his letters he predicted that in a century's time it would be the capital of the world. The reverse came true: after the Ottoman Empire collapsed, the world almost forgot that Istanbul existed. The city into which I was born was poorer, shabbier, and more isolated than it had ever been in its two-thousand-year history. For me it has always been a city of ruins and of end-of-empire melancholy. I've spent my life either battling with this melancholy, or (like all Istanbullus) making it my own.

At least once in a lifetime, self-reflection leads us to examine the circumstances of our birth. Why were we born in this particular corner of the world, on this particular date? These families into which we were born, these countries and cities to which the lottery of life has assigned us—they expect love from us, and in the end, we do love them, from the bottom of our hearts—but did we perhaps deserve better? I sometimes think myself unlucky to have been born in an aging and impoverished city buried under the ashes of a ruined empire. But a voice inside me always insists this was really a piece of luck. If it were a matter of wealth, then I could certainly count myself fortunate to have been born into an affluent family at a time when the city was at its lowest ebb (though some have ably argued the contrary). Mostly I am disinclined to complain:  I've accepted the city into which I was born in the same way I've accepted my body (much as I would have preferred to be more handsome and better built). This is my fate, and there's no sense arguing with it. This book is about fate...

GRADE 10

Listening comprehension test

1.      Put down + if the statement is true, - if it is false (2 points each).

1.      Pamuk first visited Pamuk Apartments late in life when he was old.

2.      Part of the reason he stayed was a make-believe friend.

3.      He now lives in the same city, but not the same district.

4.      Pamuk describes the basis of Conrad and Nabokov’s stories as being rootless.

5.      He says that his own stories are much like these other famous authors’.

6.      Flaubert correctly predicted that Istanbul would flourish.

7.      The Istanbul in which Pamuk was born was the worst that it had ever been.

8.      Pamuk says that he has spent his whole life only working against the city.

9.      Pamuk knows that he was very unlucky to be born in Istanbul.

10.  He realizes that he cannot change who he is.

2. Choose the correct letter (a, b or c) – (2 points each)

11.  Pamuk’s imaginary friend…

A. was one reason he wanted to leave Istanbul.

B. made him happier.

C. has comforted him.

12.  After fifty years Orhan Pamuk…

A. moved back into his first apartment.

B. has learned about all of the other districts.

C. finally saw photographs of his first apartment.

13.  In the text “hard-pressed” means that…

A. he is reluctant.

B. he is having a difficult time.

C. he is sad.

14.  Pamuk is creatively connected to Istanbul because…

A. it has made him who he is.

B. it has changed him.

C. he has watched the city change.

15.  Unlike Conrad and other authors, Pamuk’s work was not inspired by…

A. culture.

B. his city.

C. rootlessness.

16.  Flaubert visited Istanbul and…

A. hated the number of people there.

B. thought it was shabby and dirty.

C. thought it would become an even more important place.

17.  The fall of the Ottoman Empire has made Istanbul seem…

A. like a world capital.

B. sad.

C. wealthier.

18.  Pamuk says that we all question, at least once…

A. whether we should love our family.

B. whether we should love our city.

C. why we were born in a particular place.

19.  Pamuk is fortunate because…

A. he is a writer.

B. he is wealthier than most people in Istanbul.

C. he was born in a beautiful city.

20.  Pamuk has accepted…

A. his city.

B. his family.

C. his career.

GRADE 10

Reading Comprehension, test 1

Going Green

      These days it seems like almost everyone wants to be greener. A new generation of shoppers wants to do its regular shopping but be less wasteful. If possible, these people also want to shop in a way that might help the environment¼or at least not harm it.

      Companies are getting in on the green revolution, too. They can usually charge more for green products—sometimes double the price or more. It benefits them if they can say what they’re selling is “green” But should you always believe it? Just because a company says something is environmentally friendly, is it really true?

      Experts say possibly not. They say that customers need to be careful when they try to shop in an environmentally friendly way. Some companies say they offer green products, but they really don’t. It’s important to consider that what a company says about its products may not always be true.

      So, what can you do? Here are some suggestions to make sure the products you buy are really green:

      • Read carefully. Read labels and information about the product carefully. What is a product made up of? Are any of the ingredients dangerous for you or the environment? Don’t forget to check where the materials come from. If the wood in your new table comes from forests where there are a lot of trees and the trees grow quickly, that’s one thing. If the trees come from forests that are in danger, that isn’t good. And consider how far the product traveled to get to you. How much fuel did it take for delivery to you or a store?

      • Watch unclear language. Companies sometimes use words that are unclear. For example, many products say they are “natural” or “eco-friendly” But what does that mean? There are actually some materials that are natural but unhealthy for us. Also, be careful about pictures. Some companies put pretty pictures of nature on their products to make customers believe that the product is green, but that might not be true.

      • Look for proof. You can be surer that green labels are real if a company has another organization check it. This is called outside certification. Outside certification lets you know that someone other than the company is checking to make sure that what the company says is true.

      If you want to be a green shopper, you need to do your homework. Yes, it requires more work and that takes extra time. But, if you care about the environment, it’s worth it. You can feel more satisfied that you are trying to do something to help the environment.

Put down + if the statement is true, - if it is false (1 point each).

1. Companies usually charge the same amount for green products.

2. Experts say you should never believe it when a company says its products are green.

3. Some ingredients in a product might be bad for people or the environment.

4. It doesn’t matter where wood in a product comes from.

5. You should consider distance for delivery.

6. “Natural” is an example of a word that is clear to describe a product.

7. You can trust what a company says more if it uses outside certification.

Reading Comprehension, test 2

            The fire stood between us and linked us together. A boy added wood and the flames rose higher, illuminating our faces. ‘What is the name of our country?’ ‘Poland.’ Poland was far away, beyond the Sahara, beyond the sea, to the north and the east. The Nana repeated the name aloud.

            ‘They have snow there,’ Kwesi said. Kwesi worked in town. Once, at the cinema, there was a movie with snow. The children applauded and cried merrily ‘Anko! Anko!’ asking to see the snow again. The white puffs fell and fell. ‘Those are lucky countries,’ Kwesi said. ‘They do not need to grow cotton; the cotton falls from the sky. They call it snow and walk on it and even throw it into the river.’

            We were stuck here by this fire by chance – three of us, my friend Kofi from Accra, a driver and I. Night had already fallen when the tyre burst – the third tyre, rotten luck. It happened on a side road, in the bush, near the village of Mpago in Ghana. Too dark to fix it. You have no idea how dark the night can be. You can stick out your hand and not see it. They have nights like that. We walked into the village.

            The Nana received us. There is a Nana in every village, because Nana means boss, head man, a sort of mayor but with more authority… The Nana from Mpago was skinny and bald, with thin Sudanese lips. My friend Kofi introduced us. He explained where I was from and that they were to treat me as a friend.

            ‘I know him,’ my friend said. ‘He’s an African.’

            That is the highest compliment that can be paid to a European. It opens every door for him.

The Nana smiled and we shook hands. You always greet a Nana by pressing his right hand between both of your palms. This shows respect. He sat us down by the fire, where the elders had just been holding a meeting. The bonfire was in the middle of a village, and to the left and right, along the road, there were other fires. As many fires as huts. Perhaps twenty. We could see the  fires and the figures of the women and the men and the silhouettes of clay huts – they were all visible against a night so dark and deep that it felt heavy like a weight.

            Poland. They didn’t know of any such country. The elders looked at me with uncertainty, possibly suspicion. I wanted to break their mistrust somehow. I didn’t know how and I was tired.

            ‘Where are your colonies?’ the Nana asked.

            My eyes were drooping, but I became alert. People often asked that question. Kofi had asked it first, long ago, and my answer was a revelation to him. From then on he was always ready for the question with a little speech prepared, illustrating its absurdity. Kofi answered: ‘They don’t have colonies, Nana. Not all white countries have colonies. Not all whites are colonialists. You have to understand that whites often colonise whites.’

            The elders shuddered and smacked their lips. They were surprised. Once I would have been surprised that they were surprised. But not any more. I can’t bear that language, that language of white, black and yellow. The language of race is disgusting.

            Kofi explained: ‘For hundred years they taught us that the white is somebody greater, super, extra…only the English travelled around the globe. We knew exactly as much as they wanted us to know. Now it’s hard to change.’

            One of the elders asked, ‘Are all the women in your country white?’

            ‘All of them.’

            ‘Are they beautiful?’

            ‘They’re very beautiful,’ I answered.

            ‘Do you know what he told me, Nana?’ Kofi interjected. ‘That during their summer, the women take off their clothes and lie in the sun to get black skin. The ones that become dark are proud of it, and others admire them for being as tanned as blacks.’

Choose the correct letter (a, b or c) – (1 point each)

1. Why did the children applaud the snow?

a) It was a funny film.

b) It was like cotton.

c) They had never seen it before.

2. Why did the travellers have to stop in the village?

a) There was no spare tyre.

b) It was too dark to put on a new tyre.

c) They had had bad luck with their tyres.

3. How did the writer react to their question about colonies?

a) He was tired but it made him nervous.

b) He let his friend answer the question.

c) He was surprised by their question.

4. What attitudes did the Africans have towards the British?

a) They resented being colonized.

b) They still thought the British were great.

c) They did not know about other Europeans.

5. Why did Kofi mention the fact that the women in the writer’s country sunbathed?

a) The sun in Africa would be too hot.

b) The women were white.

c) To have dark skin was admired.

Reading Comprehension, test 3

Mario the Magician

      For me, the sight of a magician always brings back memories. My father often brought us to see the magic shows at the old Regal Theater. So when I bought tickets last week for Magic Mario’s latest show at the City Auditorium, I wondered if his performance would be as good as the ones from my childhood.

      I wasn’t disappointed. Mario, now in his seventies, is still the master of the visual illusion. His act creates a world of make believe, where anything is possible.

      Standing alone on the stage under the bright lights, he waves his wand, and six beautiful white birds appear. Then just as suddenly, they are gone, out of sight.

      The audience claps, amazed. Mario asks for his first victim, an ordinary looking lady from the front row. She steps forward. He motions to her to step into a large box. His purpose isn’t clear. Is he going to cut her in half? Mario closes the door tight. When he           opens the door again, out pops a black dog, wagging his tail and running around the stage. Where did he hide the lady? The answer must remain a secret. A few seconds later Mario reopens the box. The lady reappears and is allowed to go free.

      The show is as mesmerizing now as it was all those years ago. Mario looks a little greyer now, but the magic is the same.

      Some people accuse Mario of becoming too commercial. This may be true; he has certainly made a lot of money. The current show is his most ambitious yet. But the master is in top form, better than ever, even after all these years. See his show now before it’s too late.

Choose the correct letter (a, b or c) – (1 point each)

1. This text is ___. a. a review in a newspaper b. part of a novel c. part of a personal letter 2. When the writer was young, ___. a. he enjoyed magic shows b. his father was a magician c. he watched Magic Mario on TV 3. Magic Mario is ___. a. a friend of the writer b. experienced c. young and talented

4. The birds in Magic Mario’s show ___. a. hide in a box b. fly away c. disappear 5. Mario invites a lady to the stage and ___. a. cuts her in half b. puts her in a box c. gives her a wand 6. We can infer that the writer ___. a. does not enjoy magic shows b. has never seen a magic show c. is a fan of magic shows

Reading Comprehension, test 4

Read the text below and choose the correct word (A, B, C or D) for each gap. - (1 point each)

The Art of Being a Parent

In order to (1)_______ children, many qualities are required. As well as the (2)_______ requirements such as love, patience and understanding, a sense of humour is an important feature of any parent's personality. (3)_________, it's quite an art to transform a child's bad mood into (4)_______ everyone in the family can live with. Another aspect of child rearing is teaching children limits and rules. This means the child needs to be (5)________ of what his or her rights are and what other people's are, too. Setting limits on children must occur on a daily basis. Temporary measures don't achieve anything but just waste time. A (6) _______mistake, however, is being (7)_________ stricter than necessary. Parents must be (8 )________ to allow their children the opportunity to explore and learn (9 )_________ experience.

What's more, most parents must know the importance of (10)________ as it gets children used to certain everyday activities. For instance, eating at the same time (11)__________ their parents gets them into the habit of sitting at a table and 12) _________ them how to conduct themselves properly.

Overall, child rearing is no easy task but it is certainly a challenge and a learning experience.

1)	A grow	B grow up	C born	D bring up
2)	A routine	B popular	C ordinary	D usual
3)	A In fact	B But	C All in all	D As well as
4)	A temper	B character	C behaviour	D manner
5)	A known	B accustomed	C familiar	D aware
6)	A willing	B famous	С common	D continuous
7)	A very	B far	C quite	D fairly
8)	A keen	B eager	C interested	D willing
9)	A by	B on	C from	D with
10)	A custom	B routine	С fashion	D trend
11)	A like	A as	C than	D of
12)	A learns	B educates	C teaches	D instructs

                             

GRADE 10

Writing Comprehension

(In this test you will select from three writing tasks.  Choose the one that you feel you are most capable to write about.)

1. Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.

2. Read and think about the following statement: Only people who earn a lot of money are successful. Do you agree or disagree with this definition of success? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

3.      How do you think technology will change in the next 100 years? What technologies would you like to see that do not yet exist? What are some ways technology can negatively impact our lives?