Reading

(9 form)

1. Restore the structure of the following text using the phrases bellow.

Traffic pollution damages kids’ lungs

Road pollution is a serious danger to children’s health. That’s the worrying conclusion of the longest and largest study ever undertaken into 1) ……………………... Researchers from the University of Southern California spent 13 years studying children who lived within 500 meters of busy highways. They found that most of the 3,600 children in the study had significantly weakened lungs. Researchers said this meant the children could have 2) …………………………... . The main author of the study W. James Gauderman said: "Someone suffering a pollution-related deficit in lung function as a child will probably have less than healthy lungs all of his or her life.” He added: "If you live in a high-pollution area and live near a busy road, 3) ………………………….”

Gauderman and his team conducted their research on youngsters who lived near busy roads. Once a year, the team measured the children's lung power. It checked how much air the children could release in one breath and 4) ………………………. The team found that by their 18th birthday, children who lived within 500 meters of a highway exhaled three per cent less air compared with children who lived one-and-a-half kilometers away. Further, the highway children’s lung power was seven per cent weaker in the rate at which they could exhale. Gauderman said that: "Even if you are in a relatively low regional pollution area, living near a road produces lung problems." About a third of the children moved away 5) ……………………………….. but stayed near the same community. Their lungs developed more healthily.

2. Read the text and choose the correct answer for the following questions.

School leaving age set to rise to 18

The British government is soon to pass legislation that would raise the school leaving age to 18. The new plans will come into effect by 2013. Pupils will have the choice of staying in formal classroom education that covers academic lessons, or of receiving vocational training. It is the first major revision of the compulsory education age limit since 1972, when it went up to the present 16 years old. The government hopes the additional two years of schooling or training will bolster the quality of young Britons and ensure more British youth have qualifications or workplace skills. If successful, Britain may be able to boast the best educated and most highly trained school leavers in the world, which is bound to have positive knock-on effects for industry and the economy. It should also bring down levels of crime.

Britain’s Minister for Education Alan Johnson told The Times newspaper that it was "repellent that a youngster of 16 is not getting any training". He lamented on his mistakes of the past, saying: "I regret not staying on in education... when I left school there were loads of jobs you could walk into without qualifications. That's not going to be the case in the future." The leader of Britain’s teaching union Steve Sinnott concurred. He described the upcoming legislation as "inevitable". He warned: "We cannot afford to neglect those young people who currently leave school at 16 unprepared for the rigors and demands of life in the 21st Century." Toby Ashford, a 16-year-old student from London wasn’t as enthusiastic. He complained that: “It is another example of politicians trying to be Big Brother with young people.”

6. What is not true about school leaving age legislation?

a. It’s the first law of this kind since 1972.

b. It needs several years to be realized.

c. It claims that pupils will stay in formal classroom education till they are 18.

7. What are the government’s reasons of having additional two years of schooling?

a. It will raise the competitive spirit of young Britons.

b. It will influence positively the development of industry.

c. It will stop youth crime in the country.

8. What’s Alan Johnson attitude to the situation when a youngster of 16 is not getting any training?

a.  He thinks it’s shameful.

b. He thinks it’s very unpleasant.

c. He thinks it’s wrong.

9. What does Britain’s Minister for Education regret?

a. not having an opportunity to continue his school education.

b. not having an opportunity to walk into jobs without qualifications.

c. not having an opportunity to find a good job.

10. Who of the following people are not in favour of the project?

a. Alan Johnson.

b. Toby Ashford.

c. Steve Sinnott

3. Restore the logical structure of the story.

Nasreddin and the  Beggar

1. When he looked down, Nasreddin saw an old man in dirty clothes standing below.
2. "Could you spare a little money for an old beggar?" asked the old man. Nasreddin thought for a minute.
3. When they were both sitting on the roof, Nasreddin turned to the beggar.

"No," he said.

4. He had nearly finished, and he was pleased with his work.
5. Nasreddin was annoyed, but he was a polite man, so he put down his tools.
6.  Suddenly, he heard a voice below call "Hello!"
7. One day, Nasreddin was up on the roof of his house, mending a hole in the tiles.
8. Carefully, he climbed all the way down to the ground.
9. Then he said, "Come with me." He began climbing the ladder again.
10. The old man followed him all the way to the top.
11. "What do you want?" he asked, when he reached the ground.
12. "What do you want?" asked Nasreddin.
13. "Come down and I'll tell you," called the man.