Reading Text 1 Three BC Festivals

Text 1

In British Columbia, people have festivals that celebrate the things that make their hometown special. Every year, about 20,000 grey whales swim past the west coast of Vancouver Island. The whales travel from Mexico to the Arctic and back again. The whole trip is about 16,000 kilometres. Every March, the people who live around the Pacific Rim National Park have a festival to celebrate the whales’ journey. The festival is the Pacific Rim Whale Festival. The whales travel very close to the shore as they swim north. This allows people to gather together to watch the whales from land and from boats.

On the east coast of Vancouver Island, you can see people moving through the water in a strange type of boat. During the Nanaimo Bathtub Race, people have a big race in boats made from bathtubs! The city of Nanaimo is home to the oldest and most famous bathtub boat race in the world. The race started as a silly event in 1967. Today, Nanaimo’s World Championship Bathtub Race is a serious sport that brings racers and visitors from around the world.

Vancouver is home to another famous festival on the water. This is the Dragon Boat Festival. Dragon boat racing started in China more than 2,000 years ago. It was brought to Vancouver during the World’s Fair called Expo 86. The Dragon Boat Festival came back to Vancouver in 1989 to celebrate the many cultures living together in the city. The festival begins with a ceremony The ceremony wakes up the dragon and gives the people and boats the dragon’s strength. Each boat has a dragon’s head on the front and a tail on the back. The boat holds a team of about 20 people. The people in the boats paddle to the beat of a drummer. The drummer sits at the front of the dragon boat.

1. 
   There are ... grey whales swim near Vancouver Island every year.
   

1. 
   15,000
   
2. 
   30,000
   
3. 
   20,000
   
4. 
   No one knows.
   

2. 
   The grey whales start their annual trip ...
   

1. 
   on Vancouver Island.
   
2. 
   in the Arctic.
   
3. 
   somewhere in the open ocean.
   
4. 
   in Mexico.
   

3. 
   According to the reading, it is easy for people to see the whales because
   

1. 
   they use binoculars.
   
2. 
   the whales swim close to land.
   
3. 
   they are also swimming in the water.
   
4. 
   they fly over the whales in helicopters.
   

4. 
   The Nanaimo Bathtub Race happened ...
   

1. 
   far off the north coast of Vancouver Island.
   
2. 
   on the south shore of Vancouver Island.
   
3. 
   on the west side of Vancouver Island.
   
4. 
   on the east side of Vancouver Island.
   

5. 
   Every boat in the race ...
   

1. 
   can carry three people.
   
2. 
   is made from a bathtub.
   
3. 
   gets a safety inspection.
   
4. 
   has sails.
   

6. 
   The Nanaimo Bathtub race ... over the last 50 years.
   

1. 
   became less popular
   
2. 
   added bathtub boats in the beginning
   
3. 
   became serious
   
4. 
   had sailboats
   

7. 
   Dragon boat racing began in ...
   

1. 
   China.
   
2. 
   British Columbia.
   
3. 
   the east coast of Canada.
   
4. 
   Japan.
   

8. 
   The dragon boat festival...
   

1. 
   starts with races with only the fastest boats.
   
2. 
   begins with a ceremony so that the rowers can be strong.
   
3. 
   begins with music.
   
4. 
   begins with a movie about Expo 86.
   

Family value

Most young people eventually get married, buy or rent a house or flat of their own and start a family. However, a great many changes are taking place in this pattern of behaviour. As in many other Western European countries, more and more men and women are living together without being married. In the mid-1980s more than a quarter of new brides had lived with their husbands before marriage, compared with 8 per cent in 1970. People are also getting married later than they used to.

However, marriage is still popular even among those whose first marriage has failed. In fact, in 36 per cent of all marriages one or both partners have already been married and divorced. Britain now has the highest divorce rate in Europe and about 10 per cent of children live with only one parent.

Another trend is towards smaller households. Very few children now grow up in large families and more and more adults are living alone (25 per cent in 1987). Many of the people who live alone are elderly; it is unusual to find three generations living in one house as they used to do in the past. It is quite common for close relatives to live in different parts of the country and. many people hardly ever meet their uncles, aunts and cousins. One reason for this is that British people move house every five years on average. They do this in order to change jobs or to buy a bigger or better house.

1. 
   Do children live with ... after divorce?
   

1. 
   Alone
   
2. 
   One parent
   
3. 
   Grandparent
   
4. 
   Two parents
   

2. 
   Relatives nowadays:
   

1. 
   Try to see each other as often as possible
   
2. 
   Don’t see each other very often
   
3. 
   Are closely connected
   
4. 
   Don’t know each other
   

3. 
   How often do people meet their uncles and aunt?
   

1. 
   Hardly ever
   
2. 
   Sometimes
   
3. 
   Often
   
4. 
   Hard ever
   

1. 
   In different parts of the city
   
2. 
   In different parts of the country
   
3. 
   Near to your house
   
4. 
   In one part of the country
   

5. 
   Who lives together without being married?
   

1. 
   More and more women
   
2. 
   Less and less people
   
3. 
   More and more men and women
   
4. 
   Less and less men and women
   

5. 
   What are the reasons to move house?
   

1. 
   It is a custom
   
2. 
   To get closer to their family
   
3. 
   To change job or to buy bigger or better house
   
4. 
   Because they feel bored
   

5. 
   What do British people want to buy every five years?
   

1. 
   Bigger and better house
   
2. 
   Small house
   
3. 
   Smaller house
   
4. 
   Less md better house
   

5. 
   Those who failed in their first marriage ...
   

1. 
   Sometimes marry again
   
2. 
   Always marry again
   
3. 
   Never marry again
   
4. 
   Marry again rarely
   

Anna Miller is a bus driver. She drives a bus in the city of Philadelphia. She works the night shift. That means she starts work at 10:00 at night and gets off at 6:00 in the morning. Anna has been driving a bus for 15 years. She started when she was 23-years- old. She loves her job most of the time. She gets to see the beautiful city from her seat. She gets to meet all kinds of people.

There is the guitar player. People call him Get Low. That is because he likes to play the guitar on his knees. If the bus is not too crowded, Get Low plays in the back of the bus. The bus is seldom crowded at night. He likes to warm up on the bus before shows.

There is the woman who works at the roll factory. Every day the “Roll Lady" brings Anna a bag of fresh, soft rolls. They fill the bus with a wonderful smell! Sometimes Anna’s job is hard.

One time, a young woman left her sleeping baby on the bus. There was a note on the baby's blanket asking for help. Anna had to call the police.

Another time, a teenage boy stole money from Anna on the bus. He had a fake gun. Anna thought it was real. She was very scared. Occasionally, driving the bus can be scary. But most of the time, driving the bus is great. Anna does not want to work anywhere else.

1. 
   She started working as a bus driver... years ago.
   

1. 
   fifteen
   
2. 
   eighteen
   
3. 
   ten
   
4. 
   fourteen
   

2. 
   Anna Miller works ...
   

1. 
   afternoon shift
   
2. 
   evening shift
   
3. 
   the second shift
   
4. 
   night shift
   

3. 
   ... sells fresh and soft rolls.
   

1. 
   Roll Lady
   
2. 
   A teenaged boy
   
3. 
   The guitar player
   
4. 
   The young woman
   

4. 
   ... stole money on the bus.
   

1. 
   The teenager
   
2. 
   Young women
   
3. 
   The guitar player
   
4. 
   Anna
   

5. 
   Anna was 23 years old when she started driving ...
   

1. 
   a truck
   
2. 
   a car
   
3. 
   a train
   
4. 
   a bus
   

6. 
   Get Low is the ...
   

1. 
   baby’s father
   
2. 
   bus driver
   
3. 
   guitar player
   
4. 
   teenager
   

1. 
   Young women
   
2. 
   Roll Lady
   
3. 
   The guitar player
   
4. 
   The teenager
   

1. 
   thirty-two
   
2. 
   twenty-five
   
3. 
   twenty-eight
   
4. 
   twenty-three
   

Australia is a large country lying between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Australia is an island, like Britain, but unlike Britain it is vast. It is, in fact, nearly twenty-five times as large as the British Isles.

Most of Australia is a semi-desert. People cannot live where there is no water, and so most of the people in Australia live in the richer south-east.

The first Australian people were the dark-skinned Aborigines, and though the coming of the white settlers destroyed their tribal lives, some sixty thousand still survive in Australia today. They account for about 1% (percent) of the population. They may be found in the inland areas of the country. Some live-in reservations, others work as stockmen, shepherds and cattle drivers. Some live-in modern cities but it is not really easy for them. They have to fight for their rights.

The first Europeans to land in this country were Dutch sailors who were blown off their course across the Indian Ocean in the seventeenth century. They were not impressed by what they found. It remained for Captain Cook, an Englishman, who arrived in 1770 to notice the possibilities of the new country. He hoisted the British Flag, and Australia was British.

Though Cook was warmly congratulated on his discovery, nothing was done about it until after the American Revolution when royalists', who had to leave the United States, appealed to the British Colonial Office for new colonies, in which to settle, The British Government needed a place to send British prisoners, too. And Captain Cook's discovery was remembered. Thus, it was that over 1,000 people, 850 of them convicts, set sail in 1787 to start the first European colony in Australia.

The national holiday, Australia Day, is now celebrated on or near January 26th in memory of the landing of the British in 1788. Explorers followed, and though they met with great hardships, they discovered good, rich places to live in, they found minerals, they began to build new settlements. The young country grew very fast.

Today Australia is an independent federative state consisting of 6 states and 2 territories. It is a member of the Commonwealth headed by the British Queen. The national language is English. The capital of Australia is Canberra; the largest cities are Sidney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

1. 
   It is difficult for Aborigines to live in modem cities, because they have to ...
   

1. 
   wear costumes
   
2. 
   study at school
   
3. 
   fight for their rights
   
4. 
   speak English
   

2. 
   Today Australia is an independent federative stale consisting of 6 states and ... territories.
   

1. 
   26
   
2. 
   6
   
3. 
   2
   
4. 
   18
   

3. 
   Australia is an island and nearly ... times as large as the British Isles.
   

1. 
   6
   
2. 
   25
   
3. 
   26
   
4. 
   18
   

4. 
   Coming of white settlers destroyed ... life of Aborigines
   

1. 
   Tribal
   
2. 
   mode
   
3. 
   industrial
   
4. 
   rural
   

5. 
   The majority of the Aborigines ... in cities.
   

1. 
   are happy
   
2. 
   live
   
3. 
   survive
   
4. 
   do not live
   

6. 
   The national language of Australia is ...
   

1. 
   English and Australian
   
2. 
   Australian
   
3. 
   French
   
4. 
   English
   

7. 
   The national holiday is celebrated in memory of... of the British.
   

1. 
   landing
   
2. 
   living
   
3. 
   fighting
   
4. 
   destroying
   

8. 
   Some dark-skinned Aborigines live in ... cities but it is not really easy for them.
   

1. 
   modern
   
2. 
   small
   
3. 
   old
   
4. 
   large
   

The end of life on Earth

It weighed about 10,000 tons, entered the atmosphere at a speed of 64,000km/h and exploded over a city with a blast of 500 kilotons. But on 15 February 2013, we were lucky. The meteorite that showered pieces of rock over Chelyabinsk, Russia, was relatively small, at only about 17 metres wide. Although many people were injured by falling glass, the damage was nothing compared to what had happened in Siberia nearly one hundred years ago. Another relatively small object (approximately 50 metres in diameter) exploded in mid-air over a forest region, flattening about 80 million trees. If it had exploded over a city such as Moscow or London, millions of people would have been killed.

By a strange coincidence, the same day that the meteorite terrified the people of Chelyabinsk, another 50m-wide asteroid passed relatively close to Earth. Scientists were expecting that visit and know that the asteroid will return to fly close by us in 2046, but the Russian meteorite earlier in the day had been too small for anyone to spot.

Most scientists agree that comets and asteroids pose the biggest natural threat to human existence. It was probably a large asteroid or comet colliding with Earth which wiped out the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago. An enormous object, 10 to 16km in diameter, struck the Yucatan region of Mexico with the force of 100 megatons. That is the equivalent of one Hiroshima bomb for every person alive on Earth today.

Many scientists, including the late Stephen Hawking, say that any comet or asteroid greater than 20km in diameter that hits Earth will result in the complete destruction of complex life, including all animals and most plants. As we have seen, even a much smaller asteroid can cause great damage.

1. 
   The damage caused by the Russian meteorite ...
   

1. 
   could have been much worse
   
2. 
   was huge
   
3. 
   was greatly reduced by the early warning system
   
4. 
   was much worse than the one in Siberia one hundred years ago
   

2. 
   The Siberian meteorite ...
   

1. 
   hit a forest
   
2. 
   hit a big city
   
3. 
   caused glass to shower over people
   
4. 
   damaged trees when it exploded
   

3. 
   On the same day as the meteorite exploded over Chelyabinsk, ...
   

1. 
   there was another, related, asteroid event
   
2. 
   there was another, unrelated, asteroid event
   
3. 
   scientists realised that an even bigger asteroid could hit Earth
   
4. 
   scientists issued a warning for 2046
   

4. 
   The Russian meteorite ...
   

1. 
   had been predicted by scientists
   
2. 
   came as a surprise
   
3. 
   was too small to worry about
   
4. 
   will come close to Earth again in the future
   

5. 
   Experts say that comets and asteroids could ...
   

1. 
   wipe out all animal life, leaving only plants
   
2. 
   kill a significant proportion of the Earth's human population
   
3. 
   put an end to all plant and animal life on Earth
   
4. 
   cause as much damage as the Hiroshima bomb
   

6. 
   A small asteroid ...
   

1. 
   can still cause a lot of damage
   
2. 
   is not a problem if it is spotted early
   
3. 
   cannot cause any significant harm
   
4. 
   is actually more dangerous than a larger one
   

7. 
   Earth has been relatively safe thanks to
   

1. 
   pure luck
   
2. 
   luck and the protective force of another planet from our solar system
   
3. 
   early warning systems set up by NASA
   
4. 
   luck and our position in relation to the sun
   

8. 
   Scientists say ...
   

1. 
   it is impossible to monitor all the potential hazards
   
2. 
   we are not in any danger for the moment
   
3. 
   a meteorite is likely to hit Earth sooner or later
   
4. 
   their early warning systems will protect us
   

The Facebook party that became a riot

It began as a plan for a very normal 16th birthday party. Merthe Weusthuis wanted a quiet celebration with a small group of friends in her family home in the small Dutch town of Haren. Like many teenagers, she decided to send out invitations via a social network site. But Merthe made one big mistake: she used open-access settings on Facebook, so it wasn’t just her friends who could see details of the event, lots of strangers could too.

The number of invitation acceptances quickly snowballed into an avalanche. Not marking the event as ‘private’ meant the electronic invitation was eventually seen by 240,000 people, of whom 30,000 confirmed online that they planned to attend. To make matters worse, an unauthorised campaign was launched to promote the party by means of a dedicated website and Twitter account, which received hundreds of thousands of hits. The party become known as 'Project X Haren’ after the 2012 American film Project X in which three high school students throw a birthday party that spins out of control. Video trailers for Merthe’s party were produced, with scenes from Project X edited in, and they were posted on YouTube. T-shirts featuring Merthe’s face were also made, all without her knowledge or consent.

Even after Merthe’s parents had cancelled the party, the publicity didn’t stop. Local media reported on the forthcoming event and teenagers turned up to have their pictures taken outside the Weusthuis family home. On the evening the party was to have taken place, about 5,000 teenagers began gathering in Haren, many outside the Weusthuis house. When it became clear that there was nothing to gatecrash, violence broke out and 500 riot police equipped with helmets, shields and batons were brought in to control the crowd. Shops in the centre of Haren were vandalised and looted, journalists were attacked, cars were set on fire or overturned and street signs and lamp posts were damaged

However, Facebook was also involved in the clean-up effort in the days after the riot. A group called ‘Project Clean-X Haren’ was set up to gather and organise volunteers. Another group named ‘Suspect-X Haren’ was created to help police identify and arrest the rioters by sharing photos and videos of the event.

1. 
   Merthe Weusthuis made the mistake of...
   

1. 
   using Facebook to organise her birthday celebration
   
2. 
   letting her friends invite their friends to her party
   
3. 
   inviting people she did not really like to her party
   
4. 
   not checking who could see her online invitation
   

2. 
   The number of confirmed guests ...
   

1. 
   did not reflect the reality
   
2. 
   got out of control almost immediately
   
3. 
   was manageable until the Twitter campaign
   
4. 
   suddenly shot up when people started watching the YouTube video trailers
   

3. 
   'Project X Haren' was named after...
   

1. 
   another party in the same area
   
2. 
   the group who promoted the party online
   
3. 
   a party video on YouTube
   
4. 
   a film
   

4. 
   Local journalists ...
   

1. 
   gave the event publicity
   
2. 
   tried to discourage people from attending
   
3. 
   gathered outside the house
   
4. 
   started the violence
   

5. 
   Violence broke out when ...
   

1. 
   teenagers arrived in large numbers
   
2. 
   people realised there was no party
   
3. 
   rival gangs turned up
   
4. 
   gatecrashers saw the riot police
   

6. 
   After the riot, Facebook was used to ...
   

1. 
   plan another party in Haren
   
2. 
   send messages of support to Merthe and her family
   
3. 
   help rioters get in contact with each other
   
4. 
   help the town recover from the violence
   

7. 
   Bradley McAnulty ...
   

1. 
   made the same mistake as Merthe Weusthuis
   
2. 
   sent invites via Blackberry Messenger
   
3. 
   had taken steps to prevent problems
   
4. 
   posted details of the event online
   

8. 
   In Bradley McAnulty's case, ...
   

1. 
   only a small number of people arrived
   
2. 
   the gatecrashers were well behaved
   
3. 
   the gatecrashers caused a lot of damage to his home
   
4. 
   the gatecrashers caused a lot of damage to his town
   

Money Can’t Buy Everything

Nick was a 10-year-old boy. He was the only son to his parents. Nick’s father was a very busy businessman who could not spend time with his son.He came home after Nick slept, and was off to office before Nick woke up in the morning. Nick yearned for his father’s attention. He wanted to go outdoors and play with his father just like his friends did.

One day, Nick was surprised to see his father at home in the evening.

“Dad, it is a big surprise to see you at home," Nick said.

“Yes son, my meeting was cancelled. So, I’m at home. But after two hours I have to catch a flight,” his father replied.

“When will you be back?”

“Tomorrow noon.”

Nick was in deep thought for a while. Then he asked, “Dad, how much do you earn in a year?”

Nick’s father was taken aback. He said, “My dear son, it’s a very big amount and you won’t be able to understand it."

“Ok dad, are you happy with the amount you earn?”

“Yes my dear. I’m very happy, and in fact I’m planning to launch our new branch and a new business in a few months. Isn't that great?”

“Yes, dad. I’m happy to hear that. Can I ask you one more question?"

“Yes, dear.”

“Dad, can you tell me how much you earn in a day or even half a day?" “Nick, why are you asking this question?” Nick’s father was perplexed. But Nick was persistent. “Please answer me. Can you please tell me how

much you earn in an hour?”

Nick’s father gave in and replied, “It will be around $ 25/- per hour."

Nick ran to his room upstairs, and came down with his piggy bank that contained his savings.

“Dad, I have $50 in my piggy bank. Can you spare two hours for me? I want to go to the beach and have dinner with you tomorrow evening. Can you please mark this in your schedule?”

1. 
   Nick’s father had to go away after... hours.
   

1. 
   second
   
2. 
   five
   
3. 
   two
   
4. 
   three
   

2. 
   ... brought a lot of money to their family.
   

1. 
   Mother
   
2. 
   Father
   
3. 
   Both
   
4. 
   Nick
   

3. 
   His father went to work ... his son woke up.
   

1. 
   before
   
2. 
   until
   
3. 
   after
   
4. 
   because
   

4. 
   His father went to work before his son ...
   

1. 
   woke up
   
2. 
   got off
   
3. 
   dress on
   
4. 
   sleep
   

5. 
   ... was surprised when he saw his father at home.
   

1. 
   The boy
   
2. 
   Father
   
3. 
   Mother
   
4. 
   Nancy
   

6. 
   Nick wanted to play ...
   

1. 
   outside
   
2. 
   inside
   
3. 
   indoor
   
4. 
   alone
   

7. 
   The boy was very happy when he saw his father at...
   

1. 
   home
   
2. 
   street
   
3. 
   cafe
   
4. 
   school
   

8. 
   Nick’s father earned a ... of money.
   

1. 
   very little
   
2. 
   big amount
   
3. 
   very many
   
4. 
   very a little
   

English speaking countries

Great Britain, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are English speaking countries. They are situated in different parts of the world and differ in many ways. The nature of these countries, their weather and climate and way of life of their people differ. Each country has its own history customs, traditions, its own national holidays. But they all have a common language. English, the language of the people who left England to make their names in new countries.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland consist of 4 parts: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland. The British Isles are group of islands lying off the north-west coast of the continent of Europe. There are no high mountains, no very long river, no great forest in U.K. The population of the U.K. is almost fifty-six million. Great Britain is a capitalists' country. The USA is situated in the central part of the North American continent. The population of the USA is more than 236 million people. The USA is a highly developed industrial country. In the USA there are two main political parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Canada has area of nearly 10 million square kilometers. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast by the Atlantic Ocean. The population of Canada is over 26 million people. Canada is a capitalist federal state and a member of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth of Australia territories are the continent of Australia, the island of Tasmania and number of smaller islands. Australia has an area of nearly eight million square kilometers. The population of Australia is over sixteen million people. The Commonwealth of Australia is a capitalist self- governing federal state. New Zealand is situated south-east of Australia. The country consists of the large islands called North Island, South Island and Stewart Island and also many small islands. The population of New Zealand is over three million people. New Zealand is a capitalist self-governing state and a member of the Commonwealth.

1. 
   The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of 4 ...
   

1. 
   parts
   
2. 
   islands
   
3. 
   territories
   
4. 
   states
   

2. 
   The USA is situated in the ... part of the North American continent.
   

1. 
   eastern
   
2. 
   western
   
3. 
   southern
   
4. 
   central
   

3. 
   According to the text, the population of New Zealand is ... 3 million people.
   

1. 
   less than
   
2. 
   over
   
3. 
   about
   
4. 
   more or less
   

4. 
   According to the text the nature of these countries, their weather and way of life of their people are ...
   

1. 
   the same
   
2. 
   not different
   
3. 
   similar
   
4. 
   not similar
   

5. 
   History, customs, traditions and holidays of English-speaking countries are
   

1. 
   different
   
2. 
   the same
   
3. 
   not different
   
4. 
   similar
   

6. 
   Canada has an area of... million square kilometers.
   

1. 
   236
   
2. 
   16
   
3. 
   10
   
4. 
   26
   

7. 
   The population in Canada is over...
   

1. 
   16 million people
   
2. 
   26 million people
   
3. 
   10 million people
   
4. 
   56 million people
   

8. 
   UK is ...
   

1. 
   a capitalist country
   
2. 
   situated in the central part of North American continent
   
3. 
   an area of nearly 8 million square kilometers
   
4. 
   in the USA
   

Superstitions

Superstitions can be defined as, "irrational beliefs, especially with regard to the unknown. They cause us to act in strange ways, believe in odd things and leave us unable to explain the reasons why.

In most cases the reasons behind common superstitions can be traced back to medieval or even ancient times. They are quite often even more peculiar than the beliefs they attempt to explain.

Black cats are the source of literally hundreds of unlucky superstitions. It’s a sign of bad luck if they walk in front of you. This unfortunate connection with misfortune dates back to the Middle Ages when they became associated with witches and were thought to harbour evil spirits.

There are very practical reasons for thinking twice before walking under a ladder, but a more mysterious explanation can be traced back to ancient Egypt. The early Egyptians believed that the shape of the Pyramids had a special power. It was considered very bad luck to break the ‘power’ of this shape and that’s exactly what walking under a ladder would do!

In Roman times people had the habit of looking at their reflections in pools of water. Some believed that these reflections were in fact ‘glimpses of the soul'. Any disruption to the water, such as a stone being thrown into the pool, would bring bad luck to the person looking in. This superstition lives on with the fear of bad luck from breaking a mirror.

Certain groups of people involved with dangerous or unpredictable activities tend to be very superstitious indeed. Also, actors never wish each other, ‘good luck’ before a performance as it might have the opposite effect. It’s safer to tell an actor heading for the stage to, ‘break a leg’!

Long, dangerous journeys on wild and unpredictable oceans have made sailors very aware of lucky and unlucky signs. Bad luck is caused by stepping on board a ship with your left foot, starting a cruise on Friday and throwing stones into the sea.

Finally, here are a few curious beliefs from around the world.

If you don’t cover your bald head it will start raining - Afghanistan

If you shave your head on a Saturday, you will be in perpetual debt-Africa You’ll ‘cut off fortune if you use scissors on new years day – China

You shouldn’t wash your hair the day before an exam - Russia

1. 
   Africans believe if you shave your head on a Saturday, you will ...
   

1. 
   never be lucky
   
2. 
   be unhappy
   
3. 
   be unhealthy
   
4. 
   never be able to payback
   

2. 
   It is said that... cause certain groups of people to be superstitious.
   

1. 
   low intellect
   
2. 
   inexplicable events
   
3. 
   high-risk occupations
   
4. 
   unexciting life
   

3. 
   Choose one of the superstitious which was originated in China.
   

1. 
   Removing hair on a particular day.
   
2. 
   Not wishing “good luck" before a particular event
   
3. 
   Not using a sharp tool on a particular day.
   
4. 
   Setting off on a journey on a particular day.
   

4. 
   The word “irrational" in the phrase “irrational beliefs" could be replaced by
   

1. 
   unreasonable
   
2. 
   irresponsible
   
3. 
   irresistible
   
4. 
   undesirable
   

5. 
   Choose one of the following which is NOT mentioned in the text regarding superstitions:
   

1. 
   A weekday
   
2. 
   An animal
   
3. 
   A body part
   
4. 
   An item of clothes
   

6. 
   “Reflection” in the phrase “looking at their reflections" is ...
   

1. 
   the ability of form pictures in the mind
   
2. 
   serious and careful thought
   
3. 
   the image of something on a smooth surface
   
4. 
   process of thinking deeply and seriously
   

7. 
   "they" in the phrase “they became associated with witches" in paragraph 3 refers to ...
   

1. 
   unlucky superstitions
   
2. 
   Middle Ages
   
3. 
   black cats
   
4. 
   misfortune dates
   

8. 
   It can be presumed from the text that a “witch” is ...
   

1. 
   an unlucky person
   
2. 
   an evil creature
   
3. 
   a dangerous animal
   
4. 
   a kind magician
   

New York is one of the largest cities in the world. Its population is over 11 million people. New York is an industrial and cultural centre of the country. Most business is centred in Manhattan Island. The whole area is very small, that's why the sky-scrapers were invented in New York and, especially, in Wall Street. Wall Street is a narrow street with big houses, but it is well known all over the world as the busiest street in the USA. People do business there. There are two more world-famous streets — Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Broadway is the centre of the theatres and night life. It is known as “The Great White Way” because of the electric signs which turn night into day.

It is the city that never goes to sleep. Buses and sub-way run all night. There are many drugstores and restaurants which never close their doors. There are cinemas with films that start at midnight. Fifth Avenue is the great shopping, hotel, and club avenue.

There are many places of interest in New York. They are: the Statue of Liberty, the United Nations Building, Empire State Building, Columbia University, City Hall, New York Public Library and others. When you come to New York you see lots of cars, big and small, black and yellow, old and modem; you do not see any trees or flowers in the streets, but only cars. You'll see and hear advertisements everywhere. There is no getting away from them.

1.... is the center of the theatres and night life.

1. 
   Broadway
   
2. 
   City Hall
   
3. 
   Empire State Building
   
4. 
   Columbia University
   

2. 
   There are ... places of interest in New York.
   

1. 
   many
   
2. 
   less
   
3. 
   not enough
   
4. 
   few
   

2. 
   The population of one of the largest cities in the world. New York ... goes to sleep.
   

1. 
   rarely
   
2. 
   sometimes
   
3. 
   often
   
4. 
   never
   

2. 
   New York is a cultural and industrial ... of the country.
   

1. 
   periphery
   
2. 
   shopping centre
   
3. 
   social centre
   
4. 
   centre
   

2. 
   This text is devoted to one of the largest cities in the world ...
   

1. 
   Empire State Building
   
2. 
   New York
   
3. 
   City Hall
   
4. 
   Columbia University
   

2. 
   According to the text. Manhattan Island is a very ... area.
   

1. 
   old
   
2. 
   small
   
3. 
   big
   
4. 
   modern
   

2. 
   Broadway is the center of...
   

1. 
   the cinemas and entertainment
   
2. 
   education and culture
   
3. 
   great shopping and theatres
   
4. 
   the theatres and night life
   

2. 
   ... known as "The Great White Way".
   

1. 
   Empire Stale Building
   
2. 
   The United Nations Building
   
3. 
   Wall Street
   
4. 
   Broadway
   

Walt Disney

Walt Disney was born in Chicago on December 5, 1901. Disney attended McKinley High School in Chicago, and left at the age of 17 to become an ambulance driver in the First World War. In 1919 he moved to Kansas City and became a commercial artist.

Then he went to Hollywood in 1923 to become an animator, working on cartoon films. He produced his first (black and white) Mickey Mouse cartoon in 1928. It was an instant hit with both children and adults. More cartoons followed, including ‘Flowers and Trees’ (1933), the first animated film In Technicolor. Then, three years later, Disney created his second cartoon superstar — Donald Duck.

Later, Disney founded Walt Disney Productions, now known as The Walt Disney Company. Today, this company has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion. This success is largely due to a number of the world's most famous fictional characters he and his staff created including Mickey Mouse, a character for which Disney himself was the original voice.

He is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. Disney is famous for his contributions in the field of entertainment during the 20th century.

Disney won 26 Academy Awards out of 59 nominations, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He is also the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, as well as the international resorts in Japan, France, and China.

1. 
   The word revenue means ...
   

1. 
   the income that a company receives regularly
   
2. 
   a liability or obligation to pay something
   
3. 
   to acquire something that you have been working
   
4. 
   use of money, time
   

2. 
   Walt Disney was born in ...
   

1. 
   Orland
   
2. 
   Chicago
   
3. 
   Missouri
   
4. 
   Los Angeles
   

3. 
   His first cartoon was made in ...
   

1. 
   1959
   
2. 
   1923
   
3. 
   
   
   
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