Школьный этап всероссийской олимпиады по английскому языку | Олимпиадные задания по английскому языку (9, 10, 11 класс) по теме: | Образовательная социальная сеть

ОЛИМПИАДНЫЕ ЗАДАНИЯ 11 КЛАСС

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

1. LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Now we are ready to start.

Speaker 1

My friend likes people who aren’t afraid to be different from the majority of their race, age group etc. She hates seeing people who always share the same thoughts as others, no matter how intelligent they are because intelligence to her has always been about logical thinking no matter what you know. I agree with her and I like those who are able to draw their own conclusions and go against the norm. We’re not afraid to be labelled a deviant.

Speaker 2

My best friend and I have been friends for a long time and recently I’ve been noticing that we’re drifting apart. I think our friendship is very competitive even though we don’t show it on the outside or ever talk about it. We always try to one upon one another. We’ve had numerous fights throughout our history both verbal and physical but they weren’t anything that couldn’t be repaired. We both recently graduated from college and for a little while, we were both looking at a very uncertain future.

 Speaker 3

My best friend is one of my classmates. I know I can rely on her. Even when our lives get busy we still make time to see each other. I can’t imagine going to school and not having her there. Since I am better in math and science and she is better in English and languages, we can always help each other if we get confused about a difficult homework assignment. We are lucky that we complement each other so well. I hope that our friendship will continue and be just as strong after we graduate from high school. We would like to study at the same university.

 Speaker 4

My best friend’s name is Marcela. We have known each other since we were 8 years old. We both enjoy music, playing the guitar and singing. We like going to the cinema but sometimes can’t agree on which movie to see. We both like travelling, reading and swimming. Sometimes during the summer I go with her and her family to their summer house which is located next to a large lake. Whatever we’re doing, it’s always fun to be with her.

Speaker 5

I found my best friend at boarding school. She became the most important person in my life. She was always ready to encourage me, to comfort me. She was my biggest supporter in both the good and the bad. Unfortunately now we don’t live close by each other so I haven’t seen her for a long time. I cherish my memories of her so much. I will never give up hope that our paths are destined to cross again.

Speaker 6

My friend doesn’t have to work because his parents pay for his college and all his expenses. All he has to worry about is studying and doing his homework. Nevertheless, instead of using the time wisely, he always puts off doing his college work by saying that there is enough time to do it later. Moreover, almost every afternoon he watches television and talks on the phone with his friends. He prefers to study after eight o’clock at night, but this was the time his friends wanted to go out.

You have 15 seconds to complete the task. (Pause 15 seconds.) Now you will hear the texts again. (Repeat.) This is the end of the task. You now have 15 seconds to check your answers. (Pause 15 seconds.)

Which speaker says that…

A.        she is missing her friend.

B.        everyone should have her/his own opinion.

C.        his friendship is fading.

D.        her friend and she are interested in many of the same hobbies.

E.        her friend doesn’t appreciate time and his parents’ help.

F.        his/her friend looks beautiful.

G.        her friend and she help each other.

          2. READING

You are going to read a magazine article about the effects of fame. For statements 1-7 choose the answer A, B, C.  Circle the right answer.

What Price Fame?

How do film stars cope with being famous? Does fame bring happiness? Rory Taylor takes a closer look at stardom and its effects on those lucky enough to have it.

After more than 20 years in the film industry Mel Gibson says that the biggest lesson he’s learned as an actor has been how important it is to have a loving family at his side. ‘When I started out in my career I was often referred to as “the sexiest man in the world” or some such nonsense. At the time, though, it went to my head and I really took to being a celebrity. However, after the initial euphoria I found that not only was I spending long periods away from home but I never had any time to myself, none of which made me particularly happy.’ His wife Robyn saw what was happening and came to the rescue; she simply told him to ‘stop, come home and take some time off.’

But Mel Gibson thinks it’s ten times worse for today’s young stars. He believes that the new breed of heart-throbs such as Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have it much harder than he ever did. ‘The youngsters today receive constant attention from the media, which means they can’t do anything without seeing their picture all over the front page the next day.’

The experience of Cameron Diaz bears witness to that. All the time she was dating Matt Dillon she never felt her personal life was her own. ‘After a while we both got used to being chased by photographers, and having every aspect of our relationship analyzed by the media. But it meant we could never really lead a normal life together.’ The pressures of working together with Dillon on There’s Something About Mary were probably as much to blame for their painful and much publicized break-up as the sensation-seeking journalists, but all the same, Cameron has resolved to be more guarded about her private life and she now gives as little away as possible about her relationships.

Wild man of comedy, Jim Carrey, also complains about the lack of privacy. He remembers with anger the time he took some family photographs to be developed in a shop close to his $4 million Los Angeles home. ‘Two weeks later they were in the local newspaper. Someone in the shop obviously made a lot of money out of them.’ For Carrey, being a famous actor also means being a diplomat. ‘People may come up to you in the street when you’re in a really bad mood, and you have to talk to them as if you were delighted to see them. If not, word gets round that you’re a miserable human being and that’s how you’re remembered.’

Bruce Willis feels that too much importance is attached to what’s written in magazine articles, since most of it’s untrue anyway. He firmly believes he has a right to protect himself and his family from over-inquisitive reporters. ‘If the paparazzi start taking photos of my children and asking them questions, I just get in the way and teach them a few manners. Of course, they don’t take too kindly to this, and the public is given the impression from what they read that I’m arrogant and rude. It’s all very frustrating.’

Frustrating it may be, but how sorry should we feel for people like Willis? Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones certainly can’t complain about journalists: it is said they were paid £1 million by OK! magazine for allowing its photographers to take exclusive pictures of their wedding. Of course, being in the public eye does have its drawbacks, but these are nothing compared with the positive aspects of fame. After all, if the publicity and pressure of fame get too much for the

Douglas family, they can always escape to Michael’s large house on the beautiful Mediterranean island of Mallorca. Fame is a wonderful thing – as long as you can afford to get away from it!

7 Mel Gibson enjoyed his fame at first?

A True    B False   C Not stated

8The experience of Cameron Diaz bears witness to the constant attention from the media.

A True    B False   C Not stated

9 Their appearance together in a film caused Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon to end their relationship.

A True    B False   C Not stated

10 Jim Carrey was angry about the photographs because the shop was closed for a long time.

A True    B False   C Not stated

11 Jim Carrey said about being recognized in the street that he sometimes has to hide his true feelings.

A True    B False   C Not stated

12 Bruce Willis was attacked by the paparazzi several times.

A True    B False   C Not stated

13 The author thinks we should feel sorry for the famous and rich.

A True    B False   C Not stated

  3. USE OF ENGLISH

Part 1

You are going to read the text about a strange girl Samantha. For questions 14- 21, change the form of the words given in brackets which you think fits best according to the text.  

Silent Samantha

She walked into the room, 14___ (drag) her feet behind her, her hands dug deep into the pockets of her jeans, her shoulders and head slouched forward. She stared at the classroom floor for a few seconds as though mesmerized by it. Her long black hair hung down around her face preventing it from being 15___ (see)   by the rest of the curious English students.

She moved her head slightly, revealing her pale white face 16___ (hide) beneath her hair, and 17___ (care) began to make her way towards the empty desk next to mine. She sat down slowly, as though she was in pain. “I hope you don’t mind me 18___ (sit)   here”, she said in a gentle voice. Then, she turned her head and stared out of the classroom window. What she was staring at I don’t know, but she only moved twice during the hour-long class. As soon as the bell rang, she picked up her bag, 19___ (throw)   it over her left shoulder, and was gone.

The same thing happened week after week, she would enter the room, walk over to the window seat, sit down and then stare out of the window aimlessly. I often wondered what she was staring at but I never dared to ask 20__ (she). Sometimes, I would catch her eye after class, but she never said 21___ (any). The only thing I ever knew about her was her name – Samantha.

Part 2

You are going to read the text about child prodigies.  For questions 22-32, choose the answer A-D which you think fits best according to the text. Circle the right answer.

Child prodigies

Occasionally a young child with very advanced (22)…..abilities is admitted to university. These children are of course (23)…., or child prodigies. Typically, they begin their undergraduate studies at university before they are fifteen years old. After finishing their first (24)….. – they usually sail through it in a year or two-they continue to do (25)….. studies in a specialized field of medicine or science. Many of these talented youngsters receive (26)…..from very prestigious educational institutions to help pay for their studies.

Some of the older students dislike being (27)….. in seminars with a child prodigy. They (28)….. it rather annoying when someone so young excels at the subject so easily while they (29)…..over their courses. Others, however, benefit from the experience of (30)…..their subject with a child prodigy. The (31)…..who run the seminars, however, generally enjoy having such gifted (32)…..!

4. WRITING

Comment on the following statement.

Modern domestic appliances and devices do not make us happier.

Write 200 – 250 words

Use the following plan

1. Introduction (State problem)

2. Arguments «for»

3. Arguments «against»

4. Conclusion