TEST 3

PART ONE
Listening Comprehension
Directions: You will hear the text The Offering twice. Before you listen to it, you
have 2 minutes to read the questions. While listening for the first time, you can look at
the questions and the suggested choices, but you are not allowed to take notes. When
you hear the whole text, you have 4 minutes to answer the questions, choosing among
A, B, C or D. Then you will hear the text again and will have 1 minute to check your
answers.

1. In the story,
A. lots of people passed the two beggars. 
B. the pedestrians were always very busy.
C. it was a rather windy evening.
D. the passers-by gave money to the beggars very often.

2. On that particular night,

A. the beggars had money enough just for a quick drink.
B. there were only coins in the hats of both beggars.
C. the beggars almost missed receiving a very strange gift.
D. All of the above.
3. The well-off status of the stranger was obvious from
A. the way he walked in this particular upright manner.
B. his gold watch which was visible from a long distance.
C. the way he tossed the candy-like objects in the beggars’ hats.
D. the way he was dressed and from some of his accessories.

4. After the rich stranger walked away, one of the beggars

A. went to clean the nearby gutter to hide the present.
B. took offence with the attitude of the stranger.
C. chased down the stranger to demand proper treatment.
D. asked the other beggar to take his candy for safekeeping.
5. The second beggar’s appetite for sweets
A. proved that the rich man was rather generous.
B. demonstrated the first beggar had thrown away a fortune.
C. could earn him more than 1,000 dollars.
D. All of the above.

Directions: You will hear the text The Great Fire of London twice. Before you
listen to it, you have 2 minutes to read the questions. While listening for the first time,
you can look at the questions and the suggested choices, but you are not allowed to
take notes. When you hear the whole text, you have 4 minutes to answer the questions,
choosing among A, B, C or D. Then you will hear the text again and will have 1 minute
to check your answers.

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 6. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a risk factor for a fire?
A. Buildings made of wood.
B. Courtyards without direct access.
C. Overpopulated houses.
D. Streets not wide enough.

 7. What exactly caused the fire?

A. The domestic fireplaces of a baker.
B. A burning candle or an oil lamp.
C. Overheated ovens for baking.
D. Not exactly known.

 8. Why did the fire spread so rapidly?

A. Because the fire brigades didn’t arrive on time.
B. Because the people didn’t do anything to stop it.
C. Because the weather was windy.
D. Because there weren’t enough fire hoses.

 9. According to the text, the Great Fire of London

A. burned without a flame for five days.
B. was the first fire in London.
C. was ablaze for less than a week.
D. was pushed eastward from the west.

10. Which of the following helped stop the fire?

A. The destruction of buildings.
B. There was nothing left to burn.
C. The wind changed direction.
D. All of the above.

Directions: You will hear the text Eating Fish twice. Before you listen to it, you
have 1 minute to read the questions. While listening for the first time, you can look at
the questions and the suggested choices, but you are not allowed to take notes. When
you hear the whole text, you have 3 minutes to answer the questions, choosing among
A, B or C. Then you will hear the text again and will have 1 minute to check your
answers.

11. Omega 3 fatty acids are believed to provide protection against ageing.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

12. Dr Hooper’s research shows that eating oily fish is vital for your organism.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

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 13. High levels of Omega 3 fatty acids can be reached if you consume more than a
serving of oily fish every week.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

14. Many people ignore the recommendations of research because they think fish is
tasty.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

15. People are deeply concerned about scientists doing a lot of research each year.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

PART TWO
Reading Comprehension

Directions: Read the text below. Then read the questions that follow it and choose
the best answer to each question correspondingly among A, B or C.

The New House

“You ought to buy it,” said my host; “it’s just the place for a solitary-minded devil
like you. And it would be rather worthwhile to own the most romantic house in Brittany.
The present people are dead broke, and it’s going for a song – you ought to buy it.”
It was not with the least idea of living up to the character my friend Lanrivain
ascribed to me (as a matter of fact, under my unsociable exterior I have always had
secret yearnings for domesticity) that I took his hint one autumn afternoon and went to
Kerfol. My friend was motoring over to Quimper on business: he dropped me on the
way, at a cross-road on a heath, and said: “First turn to the right and second to the left.
Then straight ahead till you see an avenue. If you meet any peasants, don’t ask your
way. They don’t understand French, and they would pretend they did and mix you up.
I’ll be back for you here by sunset.”
I followed Lanrivain’s directions with the hesitation occasioned by the usual
difficulty of remembering whether he had said the first turn to the right and second
to the left, or the contrary. If I had met a peasant I should certainly have asked, and
probably been sent astray; but I had the desert landscape to myself, and so stumbled on
the right turn and walked on across the heath till I came to an avenue. It was so unlike
any other avenue I have ever seen that I instantly knew it must be THE avenue. The
grey-trunked trees sprang up straight to a great height and then interwove their pale-
grey branches in a long tunnel through which the autumn light fell faintly.

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16. The host insisted on the narrator’s buying the estate because, among other things, it
was extremely cheap.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

17. The narrator travelled to the cross-road by motorbike.

A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

18. The peasants had no knowledge of a language other than their native one.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

19. The narrator met some local people on his way to the house.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

20. The avenue leading to the house was lined up with dead trees on both sides.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

Directions: Read the text below. Then read the questions that follow it and choose
the best answer to each question correspondingly among A, B or C.

Snow-bound
One January day in 1856, John Thompson set off to deliver the mail. But this was
no ordinary delivery route. With a face blackened by charcoal to protect against snow
blindness, Thompson hoisted a mailbag weighing more than 22 kilos onto his back.
Then, with his feet resting on some homemade oak skis, Thompson pushed off into
the deep winter snow of the Sierra Nevada mountains. He would attempt to traverse
145 kilometers of rugged terrain from Placerville, California, to Genoa, Nevada. As he
headed out, someone in a small crowd of onlookers shouted, “Good luck, ‘Snowshoe’
Thompson,” and a legend was born.
Jon Torsteinson-Rue was born in Norway in 1827. He changed his name to “John
Thompson” when he immigrated to the United States with his family in 1837. He was
inspired to undertake his first mail delivery after responding to an ad in the Sacramento
Union newspaper that read: “People Lost To The World – Uncle Sam Needs Carrier.”
During the next 20 years, Thompson made the grueling journey over the jagged
mountains twice a month during the region’s fierce winters.
For his multi-day crossings he brought only Norwegian crackers and to drink, he
just scooped up a handful of snow and melted it in his mouth. To keep his blood
running, if he got into blizzard conditions, and it was late at night and he was tired and

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 didn’t want to go any further, he would dance on a rock.
Even though Thompson traveled through miles and miles of wilderness, he
somehow never lost his bearings. “I can go anywhere in the mountains, day or night,
storm or shine, but I can’t be lost,” he once told a journalist, tapping his forehead. “I’ve
got something in here that keeps me right.”

21. John Thompson used a special sunblock cream to protect his face.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

22. Thompson was mockingly nicknamed Snowshoe.

A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

23. According to the advert he read in a newspaper, America needed people who could
deliver mail and supplies to remote and largely inaccessible areas.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

24. In order to avoid freezing, Thompson would dance on a rock.

A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

25. Thompson never got lost during his crossings because he always relied on his good
luck.
A. True.
B. False.
C. No information in the text.

Directions: Read the text below. Then read the questions that follow it and choose
the best answer to each question correspondingly among A, B, C or D.

The Benefits of Failure

People love success stories, but freak out at the prospect of failure. If you want
success in any aspect of your life, then you have to embrace failure and build on the
benefits it generates.
There are four keys to unlocking the benefits of failure. Mastering these will yield
four major benefits.
1. Face your fear
“The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but, it is fear.”
Mahatma Gandhi

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 Fear squeezes the willpower out of us to pursue our better future. It locks us up in
the jailhouse of status quo and false security. If you want to break free, then you have to
face your fears one by one. Everything can go wrong and you can hit rock bottom but
you will survive.
2. Face the facts
“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”
Elon Musk
Ouch! You failed. Everything did go wrong. Face the facts. This particular experiment
did not work out the way you envisioned. They key is to leverage it and advance.
3. Feast on your failure
“All sorrows are less with bread.”
Miguel de Cervantes
Once you have failed, host an actual feast. Make the best meal ever, invite your
best and brightest friends to join you and then feast on your failure. While you savor
great food, drink and friendship, feast on every possible lesson learned from the failure.
Invite candid feedback and reflections. Insights are the perfect dessert. At a minimum,
you will have commiserated, cleared the air of any fear and put yourself in a place to
start anew.
4. Forge ahead
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
Winston Churchill
Failure is final if you refuse to get up, dust yourself off and get back in the game. The
key is to build on the lessons learned and forge ahead.

26. According to the author,

A. one can only succeed if one seeks failure first.
B. failure can be beneficial if handled properly.
C. there are no ways in which failure can yield positive results.
D. the benefits of failure have to be carefully built.

27. Fear appears to

A. give enormous willpower.
B. give strength to fight false security.
C. be capable of multiplying.
D. be a key factor in preventing improvement.

28. It is suggested in the text that

A. accepting failure is a first step towards success.
B. innovation depends on facing fear.
C. enthusiasm is sufficient for success.
D. we shouldn’t consider failure as an option.

29. The “feast” over failure includes

A. structured teaching and dedicated lessons.
B. gourmet cooking, vintage wine and exotic desserts.
C. brainy friends, good ideas, sympathy, drinks and food.
D. air freshening procedures, allocation of places and fun.
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 30. One of the keys to benefiting from failure
A. involves drinking and having fun with friends.
B. is to never give up and show resilience.
C. requires making successful experiments.
D. is sailing and avoiding hitting rocks.

PART THREE
Use of English
    Section One: Cloze Test

Directions: Read the text and the sentences below and for each numbered gap
choose the letter (A, B, C or D) of the word or phrase that best suits each space.

The Lady and the Water Closet

Almost a hundred years ago, an English woman was planning the trip of a
31. ________ to India. She had 32. ________ to stay in a small guest house owned by the
local schoolmaster. She was concerned as to whether the guest house contained a water
closet. In Britain, at the time, a bathroom was occasionally called a WC which stands
for “Water Closet”. So, this rather genteel lady wrote to the schoolmaster inquiring
about the availability of WCs. The school master who was not very 33. ________ in
English, asked the local priest if he knew the meaning of WC. Together they pondered
possible meanings of the letters and concluded that the lady wanted to know if there
was a “Wayside Chapel” near the house. They 34. ________ the following polite reply
to the Lady’s enquiry.

“Dear Madam,
I 35. ________ great pleasure in informing you that the WC is located 9 miles
from the house.  It is located in the middle of a grove of pine trees, surrounded by
lovely grounds. It is 36. ________ of holding 229 people and is open on Sundays
and Thursdays. As there are many people expected in the summer months, I suggest
you arrive early. There is, however, plenty of standing room. This is an unfortunate
situation especially if you 37. ________ in the habit of going regularly.
It may be of some interest to you that my daughter was married in the WC as it
was there that she met her husband. It was a wonderful event. There were 10 people in
every seat. It was wonderful to see the expressions on their faces. We managed to make
photos at different angles.
My wife, sadly, has been ill and unable to go recently. It has been almost a year
since she went last, which pains her greatly. You will be pleased to know that many
people bring their lunch and 38. ________ a day of it. Others prefer to wait till the last
minute and arrive just in time.
I would recommend your ladyship to plan to go on a Thursday as there is an organ
39. ________ to all ongoing activities. The acoustics are excellent and even the most

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delicate sounds can be heard everywhere.  The newest addition is a bell which rings
every time a person enters. We are holding a bazaar to provide plush seats for all since
many feel it is long needed. I look forward to 40. ________ you there myself and
seating you in a place where you can be seen by all.
With deepest regards,
The Schoolmaster”
On 41. ________ of the letter the Lady fainted and cancelled her holiday to India
immediately. Till her last day she never ventured further than the confines of her back
garden (where she had an outdoor WC installed).

31. A. living B. longevity C. lifetime D. lifespan

32. A. saved B. booked in C. enrolled D. checked in
33. A. fluent B. bespoken C. elaborate D. masterful
34. A. compiled B. drafted C. constituted D. composed
35. A. exude B. take C. have D. indulge
36. A. roomy B. spacious C. capable D. able
37. A. are B. stay C. rest D. come
38. A. create B. get C. do D. make
39. A. background B. accompaniment C. performance D. addition
40. A. escorting B. fetching C. leading D. heading
41. A. obtaining B. disclosure C. receipt D. reception

42. The degree of devotion of a fan to celebrities can range from a simple ________ to
the deluded belief that they have a special relationship with the star.
A. affair B. falling C. crash D. crush

43. Most feminists actively disagree with the belief that women are better than men
and think that feminists who are anti-men are ________ against the fundamental
principles of feminism, which says we are all deserving and worthy human beings.
A. moving B. walking C. going D. coming

44. When Joanne was at university, where she did a ________ in design, she never used
to keep up with the latest fashion.
A. career B. course C. study D. progress

45. The new movie has sparked off ________ debate among academics and film-
makers about whether it should be allowed.
A. heated B. sweltering C. warm D. seared

    Section Two: Sentence Completion

Directions: For each of the sentences below, choose the letter A, B, C or D of the
word or phrase that best completes its meaning.

46. I ________ to the cinema ever since I was twelve, but I rarely go to see horror
movies.
A. am going B. have gone C. go D. have been going

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 47. What a beautiful bunch of flowers! You ________ spent so much money on this
insignificant occasion.
A. mustn’t have B. couldn’t have C. needn’t have D. might not

48. Olivia and her daughter are the same size and they are always wearing ________
clothes.
A. each other B. each others’ C. each other’s D. each others

49. Mom wants an entirely new look of our garden and will ________ by a professional
gardener.
A. have it B. have it C. have D. have been
  designed   designing   designed it   designing it

50. His mobile phone hasn’t got a digital camera and ________.
A. neither B. neither C. mine hasn’t D. my has
  has mine   my has   got too   neither

    Section Three: Sentence Transformations

Directions: Complete the second sentence so that it is as close as possible in
meaning to the first one.

51. How long haven’t you called your grandma?

When was _________________________________________________________

52. I must tell William I’m sorry I was so late.

I have to apologise ___________________________________________________

53. As he got to know her better, he began to like her even more.
The ______________________________________________________________

54. I started learning English when I was 8.

I ____________________________ since ________________________________

55. Although we tried really hard, we couldn’t think of a suitable present.

In spite ____________________________________________________________

56. I am sure it was not Peter you saw at the cinema last night because we were at a
party together.
You ______________________________________________________________

57. I did not study hard enough so I failed the entrance exam.
If only ____________________________________________________________

58. This programme must be reviewed by the director.

It is essential _______________________________________________________

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59. They thought the painting they had found was worth thousands of dollars, but it
wasn’t.
The painting _______________________________________________________

60. I wouldn’t mention moving house if I were you.

You had ___________________________________________________________

PART FOUR
Writing
Directions: Write a composition of about 160–170 words on ONE of the following
topics:

1. You recently watched a sports event live or on TV. Write a description of the event,
including information on organisation, sports facilities, equipment, spectators’
reaction, etc.

2. Finish the story that begins with “Sarah smiled enigmatically and opened the small
wooden box in her left hand. John knew everything would change and then …”

3. 100% успех! Матура по английски език 33

TEST 3
The Offering (track 7)
Two beggars were sitting on a busy street corner in the city center. It was a biting
evening. Every so often, a generous passer-by would drop a few coins or even a bill or
two in the hats which lay on the sidewalk.
The men had already collected enough for a decent meal. Just as they were getting
ready to leave, they noticed a man walking toward them. His finely tailored business
suit and the gold watch chain were a clear indication that he was wealthy. The man
dropped into each of the hats something that looked like a piece of hard candy, wrapped
in white tissue paper. Then he continued on his way.
“How insulting!” said the first beggar with disgust. “He could have easily left us a
few coins, but he mocks us with a piece of candy.” The beggar picked up the object,
flicked it into the gutter and walked away.
The second beggar was about to do the same but on second thoughts, he decided to
keep the donation. “I haven’t had anything like this for ages”, he thought. “I can suck
on it for awhile, and the sugary juices will stay in my mouth for a long time. How nice
of that man to offer me something so sweet.” With that, he unfolded the white tissue
paper, but to his surprise, there was no hard rock candy inside. Instead, into his fingers
fell a shiny white pearl worth thousands of dollars.

The Great Fire of London (track 8)

The Great Fire of London began almost 350 years ago, in September 1666. At that
time London was a very large medieval city, one of the major cities in Europe and it was
full of timber buildings which were a great fire hazard. The streets were very narrow,
there were courtyards which were very cramped, the houses were sub-divided and multi-
occupied by people. The fire started in the premises of a baker early in the morning. It
could have been an accident from his domestic fireplaces, or a candle, or an oil lamp, or
it could have been his ovens for baking which may have been overheated. Once the fire
caught hold, it was very rapid in spreading to adjacent premises.
There were fires in London once in a while, but none were as great as this. Compared
to earlier ones, this took hold and it was fanned by a very strong air current from the
east which pushed it across the city towards the west. There was very little, if anything,
that people could do to fight the fire at that time, although efforts were made to.
The fire lasted between four and five days although it continued to smoulder for
many days after that. Finally, it had burnt so much of the city that there was relatively
little left to burn. However the fire-breaks did help, as did the demolition of buildings,
indeed blowing some buildings up. But the most significant factor was that the wind
dropped and this allowed the people trying to fight the fire to finally overcome it.

Eating Fish (track 9)

It has been believed for some time now that the fats present in oily fish, known as
Omega 3 fatty acids, may benefit your health. Some scientists believe that they may offer
some slight protection against illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. However, a
recent scientific report led by Dr Lee Hooper has suggested that Omega 3 may not in fact
55
 offer any protection against these diseases. In spite of the findings of this new research,
Dr Hooper says you should continue to eat the recommended one portion of oily fish
a week. If you don’t like eating oily fish then you can go to your local supermarket or
chemist and buy low level Omega 3 tablets instead. The tablets will give you the same
level of Omega 3 as if you have eaten one portion of oily fish. She says they are not
worried about people consuming the equivalent of one portion of Omega 3 but they are
slightly more worried or not sure about people who consume more than this – more than
three portions of oily fish a week, which she describes as “the higher levels”.
Many people eat lots of fish because they like fish and chips, tuna sandwiches etc.,
which is apparently very good for the brain. They are not worried about the latest
research findings because, after all, there is probably a new study every year. You
should have a mixed diet, that’s the most important thing. Perhaps you shouldn’t eat
fish every day but many people think that won’t do you any harm.

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 TEST 3
PART ONE
Listening Comprehension
1. A 2. C 3. D 4. B 5. D 6. B 7. D 8. C 9. C 10. A 11. C 12. B 13. B 14. A 15. C

PART TWO
Reading Comprehension
16. A 17. B 18. C 19. B 20. C 21. C 22. B 23. A 24. A 25. B 26. B 27. D 28. A
29. C 30. B

PART THREE
Section One: Cloze Test

44. B 45. A

Section Two: Sentence Completion

46. D 47. C 48. C 49. A 50. A

Section Three: Sentence Transformations (suggestions)

51. When was the last time you called your grandma?
52. I have to apologise to William for being so late.
53. The better he got to know her, the more he liked her.
54. I have been learning English since I was 8.
55. In spite of trying really hard, / of (all) our efforts, we couldn’t think of a suitable
present.
56. You can’t have seen Peter at the cinema last night because we were at a party
together.
57. If only I had studied hard enough, I wouldn’t have failed the entrance exam.
58. It is essential that the director reviews / for the director to review this programme.
59. The painting was thought to be worth thousands of dollars, but it wasn’t.
60. You had better not mention moving house.

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