«Замежныя мовы ў РБ»  № 4 2011г.

 

Образцы заданий (для проведения обязательного экзамена по иностранному языку)

 

ЗАДАНИЕ 1. СОБЕСЕДОВАНИЕ С ЭКЗАМЕНАТОРОМ НА ОСНОВЕ ПРОЧИТАННОГО ТЕКСТА.

1

1. Read the article and say what it is about in 2-3 sentences.

 

Special Request to Education Minister

    When the senior class of Gardane School heard that it might not get a new teacher for their elementary school, the pupils wrote to the Minister of Education. They live in or near a village in a mountainous district of Martonia where it is difficult to recruit doctors and teachers. Their request was published in a national paper and has become a common topic of conversation in a country where there is great concern about people leaving rural areas for the cities. This is the letter: Dear Minister, We are writing to ask for your help. We need a new teacher for the senior class in our school, and we are worried because our parents have been told that the Ministry cannot find one. Our school is very important to us and we like coming here to learn. Gardane is a small village. Every visitor from the city says our valley is very beautiful and that we are lucky to live here. So why isn’t there a new teacher who wants to come here? We don’t mind how old the new teacher is, nor whether it’s a man or a woman. They should like the country and outdoor life, and be healthy. We would like someone who is patient, happy and does not shout. The teacher should be clever and know how to help us understand things. We’d like our teacher to be properly dressed and to come on time. They should be kind, make us feel happy in the school, and help us make our classroom nice. We would like someone who thinks of exciting things to do, inside and outside school. For example, our last teacher got us to: write down the history of the village which our grandparents knew — we didn’t realise how much the village had changed; make a nature calendar so we learned more about farming and about the animals and plants in our valley; read all sorts of books and write a newspaper about our village. If the Ministry does not send us a teacher we will have to leave our families and our valley to go to school. Please help us! Yours sincerely The pupils of Gardane school. The pupils have not had a reply yet, and so far the Ministry has refused to comment on the situation.   

2. The children mention some qualities that their future teacher needs to possess. Find this extract and read it aloud. 

3. Why did children like their last teacher? 

4. What will happen if the school doesn’t get a new teacher?

 

 

 

 

2

1.     Read the article and say what it is about in 2-3 sentences.

 

The Problem with Happiness

    Most people want to be happy. Some people even spend lots of money to learn to be more positive. But perhaps the search for happiness isn’t always a good thing. Some scientific research shows that you cannot force yourself to be happy. Research has also shown that being in a negative mood can sometimes be an advantage. Joseph Forgas is a scientist at the University of New South Wales in Australia. He has studied how happy and negative moods affect people’s lives. Professor Forgas has found that people in a negative mood know more about the world and they are more careful when making important decisions. «A posi­tive mood is good for creativity and quick thinking,» says Forgas. «But negative moods connect people with reality.» In some experiments, Professor Forgas found that people in a negative mood didn’t easily believe rumours*, but happy people are more likely to believe them. Other tests showed that people in a negative mood were better at remembering events that they had seen. People in a bad mood were also better at expressing their opinions on serious subjects. Forgas told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: «Positive mood is not always a good thing. People in a negative mood make fewer errors. Even they remember events more clearly and they are often better at communicating.)) Forgas has also found a connection between the weather and people’s moods. When the weather is bad, people tend to have a negative mood. When the weather is good, people are happier. Forgas also found that on rainy days, when people were negative, their memory was improved. Other experiments by Forgas show that happy people are more selfish than unhappy people. Forgas says: «Нарру people think more about their own needs than the needs of other people.» Some people are pleased about the results of Forgas’s research. «Today, if you aren’t happy people think there is something wrong,» says Michael Collins, a journalist. «This is why Forgas’s research is so important. Certainly, happiness is a good thing. But we do not have to try to be happy all the time.»

(The English Magazine)

*Rumours ['ru:mə(r)z] – сплетни. 

 

2. What does Joseph Forgas do? Read aloud the extract which says about it 

3. What are the results of Forgas’s studies? 

4. Do people find the results of the research important? Why?

 

3

1. Read the interview, taken by the English magazine and say what it is about in 2-3 sentences.

Hand Made Chocolates

    Jane Turner began her chocolate making business in a village near the seaside resort of Torquay about three years ago, before that she had worked for a large food processing company in south-west England. We talked to her about her experiences.     Why did you decide to make such a big change of lifestyle?«First of all, I was not happy in my job. Though it was a well-paid job, the work was very stressful and I had to work long hours. I just wanted to improve the quality of my life. I also wanted to live by the sea again. I knew that it would be difficult to find a good job in this area, so I decided to set up my own business.))     How did the chocolate making begin? «It had always been my dream. I found a suitable building in a village and installed all the equipment. My sister and a couple of her friends came to work with me and about six months later we were ready to start making cakes. After the cake business had begun to do well and we were supplying hotels and restaurants on a regular basis, I began trying to make my own chocolates. It is not easy to make good chocolate as there are so many factors involved: creativity, the quality of ingredients, even the temperature of the room. When I had developed a good enough range of chocolates. I sent some to the hotels and restaurants. They liked them and ordered more. That is how the chocolate making grew.»     Have you made any mistakes? «Oh, yes, a lot. Perhaps the biggest mistake was trying to sell our cakes and chocolates over the internet. It was a disaster. First of all, it was expensive to get a professionally designed website set up. Then it was difficult and expensive to deliver cakes and chocolates to places that were far away. We had to use special packaging to protect the cakes and chocolates, which was also expensive. Sometimes, the chocolates arrived late, or despite everything they were damaged. Then we had to deal with some very angry customers!»     What are your plans for the future?«We are thinking of setting up our own shop in Torquay with cake and chocolate making facilities inside.»

(The English Magazine)

 

2. Why did she start her business? Read aloud the extract which says about it. 

3. How did her chocolate business develop?

 4. What mistakes did she make?      

 

 

ЗАДАНИЕ 2. СОБЕСЕДОВАНИЕ С ЭКЗАМЕНАТОРОМ НА ОСНОВЕ ПРОСЛУШАННОГО ТЕКСТА.

1

Listen to the TV announcement about a film-making competition and answer the questions below. 

1. Who can take part in the competition?

2. What are the requirements for the film?

3. What will the winners receive?   

 

Script     TV announcer:If you want to make films then you’ll be interested in our new competition. If you’re between 11 and 18 you can enter this year’s Film-making competition. The film should last no more than 12 minutes and you should have at least three main characters. Last year’s winner had eight people in it but we don’t usually expect so many! This is the third year of the competition. In previous years, we accepted any type of film, from horror to comedy, but this year we are looking for a drama. There’ll be another competition later in the year for people interested in making documentaries. We have seen some great films over the years from very exciting young film-makers. Last year’s films were about the family. This year, however, we want films about the weather — it can either be about how it makes you feel or how it can change a day. A challenging topic! There are some fantastic prizes. Our first prize-winner will visit London International Academy, one of the top film schools. We have other prizes to give away — there are 100 books and also some of the latest cameras to win. More information about the competition can be found at…

(PET Practice test)

2

Listen to two friends speaking at the bus stop and answer the questions below. 

1. Why is the girl angry?

2. Has the girl eaten?

3. Why did the boy go to Roger?  

 

Script Boy: Hello, sorry I am late. Girl: Do you know what time it is? Boy: Yes, I know. I’ve said I am sorry. Girl: But I’ve been waiting almost 2 hours. I rang your parents and they said you left ages ago. Where’ve you been? Boy: Nowhere, the bus was late. Girl: Look, I’ve been standing here at the bus stop all the time and there’ve been plenty of buses go past. Boy: Look, I’ve said I am sorry, anyway we’d better hurry…. Girl: We’ve missed the beginning of the film. I don’t want to go to the film any more. And we were going for a meal before the film… Boy: Well, let’s go and have a meal now. Girl: No, thanks. You’ve spoilt the evening. And what’s that you are carrying? Boy: Cassettes, music cassettes, they are Robert’s. He let me borrow them for the weekend. Girl: So that’s why you were late. You went to Robert’s home, didn’t you? Boy: Um, Um, well I knew you wanted to listen to them so I went to get them as a surprise, it just took much longer than I thought it would. Girl: Honestly, you could have collected them after the cinema. Boy: Well, it seemed a good idea at that time r— but the way it’s turned out bias meant no meal, no film, no surprise!

(PET Practice test) 

3

Listen to a job interview and answer the questions below. 

1. What days can Tom work?

2. How experienced is Tom?

 3. What does Kevin promise at the end of their conversation?   

 

Script Kevin: Come in! … Hello, yes … take a seat. Now, you are…? Tom: Tom … Tom Baker. Kevin: OK. My name is Kevin Bird, Tom, and I’m going to interview you today. Now then, how old are you, Tom? Tom: NineteenKevin: OK. And what job are you applying for? Tom: Waiter. Just a normal waiter.Kevin: OK. Now we have two shifts, that’s seven to three or three to eleven in the evening. Do you have any preference? Tom: No, I don’t mind. But I can only work Saturday and Sunday. Kevin: That’s fine, Tom. Saturday and Sunday are our busiest days! Can you tell me if you have any experience? Our standards are pretty high here at the Happy Chicken. Tom: Well, last summer I worked for MacDonald’s… for three months. Kevin: Right. How about as a waiter, though? Tom: Oh, I worked over New Year in a local restaurant near my parents’ home. I speak Spanish and there were lots of Spanish tourists, so I got good tips! Kevin: Great! So you speak Spanish. Excellent. Well, there are still some other candidates so can you just give me your phone number and I’ll be in touch? Tom: Yes. It’s 559304. Kevin: Oh! When is the best time to contact you? Tom: Evenings, between five and eight, I think. Kevin: Fine. Well, thanks very much for coming, Tom. See you again! Tom: Bye!

(Listening Extra)

 

ЗАДАНИЕ 3. БЕСЕДА С ЭКЗАМЕНАТОРОМ (БЕСЕДА ПРОВОДИТСЯ В РАМКАХ ИЗУЧАЕМОЙ ТЕМАТИКИ).

1

Healthy Way of Life, Sport

1. Let’s talk about sport and a healthy way of life. What do you do to keep fit? 2. Do you agree that bad habits, like smoking, can be dangerous for us? Why? 3. What questions will you ask a professional sportsman? (Ask 3 questions.) 4. What can you advise a person who wants to lose weight? 5. What is the best way to promote a healthy way of life among young people?

2

Food, National Cuisine

1. Now let’s talk about food. What do Belarusian people eat? 2. Do you like cooking? Why? 3. Which questions can you ask a waiter if you are ordering a meal in a cafe? (Ask 3 questions.) 4. My friend wants to know more about national cuisines. Which national dishes can you recommend him to taste? 5. A lot of pupils refuse to have meals at school. What do you think of it?

3

Choosing a Career

1. Let’s talk about your future career. What is your idea of an ideal job? 2. Is there any profession you wouldn’t like to go into? Why? 3. Imagine that you are applying for a job. What questions will you ask your future employer? (Ask 3 questions.) 4. Give some advice how to behave at a job interview to create a positive impression on the em­ployer. 5. Some people think that having computer skills is necessary to get a good job. Do you agree with this?