Tom: Hi Henry, it’s been a long time since we saw each other last.

What have you been up to?

Henry: Hi Tom! It’s great to see you again. I’ve been away on business.

Tom: Really, where did you go?

Henry: Well, first I flew to New' York for two meetings. After that, I flew' to Atlanta, where I
had to make a presentation at a company conference.

Tom: It sounds like you’ve been busy.

Henry: Yes, I’ve been very busy. It’s good to be home again. What have you been doing lately?

Tom: Oh, nothing much. I’ve been working in the garden these past few days. Alice has been
away for the past two weeks visiting her relatives in Chicago.

Henry: I didn’t know she has family in Chicago.

Tom: Yes, that’s right. We met at university in California. She was born in Chicago and lived
there until she went to college.

Henry: How long have you lived here in Colorado?

Tom: We’ve lived here for over 10 years. We moved here in 1998 because I had a new' job as a
sales representative.

Henry: Have you lived in the same house since you arrived?

Tom: No, first we lived in a condo in downtown Denver. We moved here four years ago. We’ve
lived on the street for four years and they’ve been the happiest years of our lives.

Henry: Yes, my wife Jane and I love this neighborhood.

Tom: And how long have you lived in your house?

Henry: We've only lived here for two years.

Tom: That’s strange, it seems like you have lived here longer than that.

Henry: No, we moved here in 2006.

Tom: How time flies!

Henry: I have to agree with you on that It seems like yesterday that I graduated from college. I
can’t believe I’ve been working for more than 10 years!

Tom: I’ve been working for more than 30 years! I’m going to retire soon.

Henry: Really? You don’t look a day over 40!

Tom: Thank you. You’re a great neighbor!

Henry: No, really. Well, I have to get going. Work is waiting for me. Have a good day.
Tom: You, too. Glad to have you back in the neighbor!

B. Choose the correct item.

1 Where has Henry been?

A He’s been away on vacation

В He’s been away on holiday

C He’s been away on business.

2 Which city was not a destination on his business trip?

A Chicago.

В New York.

C Atlanta.

3 What has Tom been doing?

A Traveling to visit relatives

В Working in the garden

C Teaching school

4 What has Alice been doing?

A traveling for work

В visiting friends in Chicago

C visiting relatives in Chicago

5 When did Tom and his wife moved to Colorado?

A 10 years ago

В more than 10 years ago

C 2 years ago

6 How long has Tom and his wife lived in the neighborhood?

A more than 10 years

В 4 years

C 2 years

7 How long has Henry lived in the neighborhood?

A more than 10 years

В 2 years

C 6 years

8 How long has Tom long been working?

A more than 10 years

В more than 40 years

C more than 30 years

9 How long has Henry been working?

A more than 10 years

В more titan 20 years

C more titan 40 years

10 What surprises Henry?

A Tom’s wife

В Tom’s age

C Tom’s house
The idea of Mother’s Day is a very old idea. This idea dates back to the ancient Egyptians, who
celebrated a day to honor Isis, the mother of the pharaohs. The Egyptians were not the only ones
who felt the need to honor their mothers. The ancient Greeks celebrated a day to honor Rhea, the
mother of the gods. The Romans built a temple to the mother of the gods, named Magna Mater.
They also held a celebration every March in her honor. The early Christians celebrated a day to
honor Mary, the mother of Jesus. Later, English Christians expanded the celebration to honor all
mothers. This English holiday was called «Mothering Sunday." When the English colonists came
to America, they did not have time for Mothering Sunday, so the holiday was not celebrated in
America During the U.S. Civil War, mothers on both sides of the war lost sons. The country was
very sad. Grieving mothers from both sides had meetings. Sometimes families had been torn
apart by the war. In 1868, Ann Reeves Jarvis started a committee to help families get back
together after the war. This committee tried to establish a «Mothers’ Friendship Day" for
mothers who had lost sons in the war. Unfortunately, Ann Reeves Jarvis died in 1905, so she did
not see that the day eventually became popular. Another woman, Julia Ward Howe was also
against the war. She was also against slavery. She declared the first official Mother’s Day in
1870, and held an anti-war Mother’s Day observance. She funded this observance with her own
money every year for several years, but an annual Mother’s Day celebration still did not catch on
in the U.S. However, the idea stayed alive. Meanwhile, Anna M. Jarvis, The daughter of Ann
Reeves Jarvis, wanted to honor her mother. She requested that her mother’s West Virginia
church be allowed to celebrate a Mother’s Day in 1908 in honor of her mother. Every mother at
church that day received two carnations — Ann Reeves Jarvis’ favorite flower. Now, carnations
and other flowers are associated with Mother’s Day because they were handed out at the first
celebration of Mother’s Day. In 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law which designated the
second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. In the same year, President Woodrow Wilson
proclaimed the first Mother’s Day. He called for the flying of the flag to honor the mothers who
had lost sons in war. Mother’s Day is celebrated in many other countries. In Mexico, Dia de las
Madres is celebrated on May 10. It is a popular holiday celebrated by schools, churches, and
civic groups. Children give their mothers flowers and handmade cards. Schools present
performances in honor of mothers as part of the national observance of Dia de las Madres. In
China, ten distinguished mothers are chosen to receive government recognition. National drives
for mothers living in poverty are also held. The holiday is a demonstration of the respect the
Chinese have for the elderly, and the love they have for their parents. In India, children send
their mothers cards and flowers and cook a meal for their mothers. Companies launch women’s
products on Mother’s Day, and restaurants advertise heavily for Mother’s Day; the day has
become commercialized. In Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Ireland,
Mother’s Day is celebrated on the same day as in the United States — the second Sunday in
May. People mark the day in the same way that they do in the United States. Children give their
mothers cards, gifts, and flowers. Churches and schools give special Mother’s Day presentations,
and civic groups observe the day. The first President of the U.S., George Washington, said of his
own mother, «My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my
mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I
received from her.»

1 Who built a temple to Magna Matter?

A The Greeks
В The Romans

C The early Christians

D The American colonists

E None of the above

2 Why did Ann Reeves Jarvis want a special day?

A To help Civil War mothers

В To honor her own mother

C To honor mothers of soldiers

D Both A and C are correct.

E All of the above

3 What did mothers receive at the first Mother’s Day in West Virginia?

A flowers

В presents

C handmade cards

D Both A and В are correct.

E Both В and C are correct.

4 Which US President first proclaimed Mother’s Day?

A Harry Truman

В John Kennedy

C Woodrow Wilson

D Abraham Lincoln

E George Washington

5 In what year did the US Congress designate the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day?

A 1862

В 1868

C 1908

D 1914
 E 1962

Read the text below. Choose the correct answer (A, В, C or D).

Alice is 18. She studies at the London School of Music and Dance. Alice is talking to her best
friend about her groupmates. "I don’t like Chris. Though he is very popular with our girls, I think
he is conceited and (1) ________. His suits are very expensive, and he loves looking at himself
in the mirror. He is also (2) ________. One minute life is wonderful and the next minute he gets
angry. When he starts (3) ________ somebody, all students in the school know about this.
Moreover, he is (4) ________: he is always trying to grab more than he needs. My favourite
character is Debbie. She is very (5) ________. She often stays at school after classes. She likes
helping people, she is very kind and (6) ________. Kate is a daughter of my mother’s sister. She
is my (7) ________. Kate is in her early twenties. She is 1.50 m. tall and weigts 47 kg. She is (8)
________ and (9) ________. Kate is married. Her daughter, Deborah, is 18 months. Deborah is a
(10) ________.Kate doesn’t like when her husband speaks to other girls. She is (11) ________. I
was really (12) ________ when Kate said they would split up if her husband didn’t stop getting
on her nerves. I think she is not right.»

1 A shy В vain C crazy

2 A amuzing В kind C cruel

3 A meeting В flirting C dating

4 A greedy В ambitious C jealous

5 A lazy В quiet C hard working

6 A gentle В careless C cruel

7 A sister-in-law В niece C cousin

8 A low В short C tall

9 A stocky В slim C plump

10 A baby В child C teenager

11 A jealous В bored C confused

12 A amazed В tired C happy