​ READING

​ The mysterious spy

What famous fictional spy is intelligent, well-dressed and highly attractive to women?
James Bond, of course. This character was created by the English novelist Ian Fleming
in the 1950s. Some people say that probably James Bond is partly based on the real spy
known as Sidney Reilly, whose real name was Sigmund Rosenblum.

Reilly was a British spy who used various disguises and names. He had many love
affairs and marriages, was charming and persuasive and often acted recklessly.
Following the Communist revolution in 1918, he spied mainly in Russia, collecting
information on the new regime and working to bring it down. It seems that the British
gave Reilly a military award for his work as a British spy in Germany, where he
impersonated a German officer in order to obtain battle plans. He worked in a German
factory and learnt about the weapons the country was producing.

In 1925, after a short absence, he returned to Russia to work with a new

anti-Communist group. However, this group was not real. The Russian military
intelligence service organised this group and as soon as Reilly entered the country, he
was arrested, imprisoned and executed.

● Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text to
support your answer (4 points)

1. It is absolutely sure that Sigmund Rosenblum was the basis for James Bond’s character
(FALSE LINES 3,4)
2. Reilly supported the Communist regime in Russia. (FALSE LINE 7 OR 13-14)

● Answer the following questions (4 points)

1. What is said about Reilly’s personality?

He was romatic, charming, attractive to women and could convince people of his
ideas
2. Why did he return to Russia in 1925?
He returned to Russian to work with a new Anti.Communist group, but it was fake
and he was arrested

● Find words in the text that mean the same as: (2 points)

1. clever, bright (paragraph 1): INTELLIGENT

2. carelessly (paragraph 2): RECKLESSLY
3. prize (paragraph 2): AWARD
4. jailed (paragraph 3): IMPRISONED
 WRITING: Choose ONE of the following topics and write about 100 words on it.
(10 points)
1. Describe a person you know or you admire. Tell about his/her physical and character
traits.
2. Write a narration about something frightening/interesting that happened to you.

● LISTENING: Listen to the radio interview and answer the questions (10 points)
1. What kind of books does the writer usually write?
2. What is his last book about?
3. Why is he interested in the subject?
4. Do strangers usually help people in danger?
5. The writer gives an example in the New York City subway. What happened there?