Олимпиадные задания. Английский язык. 8 класс.
олимпиадные задания по английскому языку (8 класс) по теме

GRADE 8

Part 1.  Reading

Read the texts about famous women.

For questions 1- 5, put the correct letter (A-H) on your answer sheet.

1. Florence Nightingale was impatient with a life without meaningful purpose. By age 24, Florence rejected a marriage proposal and decided to be a nurse. For several years Florence pleaded with her parents, with God and suffered a near nervous breakdown, but never considered disobeying her parents’ wish. At last, in 1851 her parents permitted her to study nursing at an institution in Germany.  Two years later, she was appointed superintendent of the institution. Her administration was very successful and so were the changes made to the institution.
2. Louisa May Alcott lived most of her life in Boston and Concord. She worked as a teacher for a short time. Next, she worked as a housekeeper and finally began writing. Her first books were written quickly. Then, Alcott volunteered to be a Civil War nurse, where she caught typhoid and was sent home. But, from this experience her book Hospital Sketches became famous. Soon, her stories were chosen for the Atlantic Monthly. Her most popular book was Little Women. It described her own childhood, as many of her other books: Aunt Joe’s Scrap Bag, Little Men, Eight Cousins and others.
3. Marie Curie was born Maria Sklodowska as the fifth and youngest child of Bronislava Boguska, a pianist, singer and teacher and Wladislaw Sklodowski, a professor of mathematics and physics. From young she was remarkable for her prodigious memory and at the age of 16 she won a gold medal on a competition of her secondary education at Russian lycee. In 1891, she went to Paris. She worked late hours and virtually lived bread and butter and tea. In 1904 she was placed the second in the license of mathematical sciences. It was then that she married Pierre Curie, a famous scientist.
4. Valentina Tereshkova was born in Yaroslavl region of the former USSR. Soon after starting work in a textile mill at the age of 18, Valentina joined an amateur parachuting club. She was a hard worker. Later, at the age of 24, she applied to become a cosmonaut. On June 16, 1963 Tereshkova was launched into space aboard Vostok 6. She became the first woman to travel in space. Her flight lasted 48 orbits totaling 70 hours 50 minutes in space. She spent more time in orbit than all the US Mercury astronauts combined. Valentina received the Order of Lenin and Hero of the Soviet Union awards for her historic flight.   
5. Margaret Thatcher was born in England in the family of grocer and dressmaker. Her father was involved in local politics. Early in her life she decided to be a member of the Parliament. In 1950 Margaret married Denis Thatcher, got her degree from Oxford and worked there as a research chemist. In 1959 she won a seat in Parliament. In 1970 to 1974 she served as the Minister of Education and Science. In 1979 general elections Mrs. Thatcher became the first woman to be elected Prime Minister of Great Britain. She resigned in 1990. She was awarded an Order of Merit award by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Who

1. was a bright pupil? _C_
2. was honored with the title of Hero for her historic deed? _____
3. waited for her parental permission to realise her dream to become a nurse? ____
4. succeeded as a leader and was awarded the order for her remarkable work for the country? ____
5. worked as a nurse at war? ____
6. was an outstanding scientist? ____

Part 2.  Reading

Look at the statements 1-10 about advice for new students at a university. Read the text below to decide if each statement is correct or incorrect. If it is correct, mark A. If it is incorrect, mark B.

1. Some centres are open all winter.

2. The activities available depend on the weather.

3. Action Sports Camps courses are unsuitable for people who are excellent at sport.

4. You need to have your own sports equipment.

5. Children and adults spend some time together each day.

6. Some of the staff are unqualified.

7. Action Sports Camps only recommend accommodation of a high quality.

8. You have to pay the total fee one month after you book.

9. Action Sports Camps charge you more if you pay with your credit card.

10. If you cancel three weeks before your camp, you will get half your money back.

 SPORTS CAMPS

Action Sports Camps provide activity holidays for children aged over five and adults. We offer training in over twenty sports at ten different centres throughout the UK. All the centres are open from April until October and some open during the winter for weekend courses. The sports offered differ from one centre to another so if you want to do something in particular you should check our colour brochure.

The camps are not just limited to outdoor sports - we cover a wide range of indoor activities as well. So if the rain comes, the camps continue although you may have to take off your football boots and pick up a squash racket instead. With the experience we've gained over the years, we put together the right mix of sport and activities providing sport for all, not just for those who are brilliant at athletics. It is unnecessary to bring any equipment because it is all provided.

We work in small groups, children working with others of their own age, but we do all come together for social activities and meals. So, different members of a family can make their own individual choices but they get a chance to exchange their experiences later on.

Our centres offer first-class accommodation, food and facilities - and the staff are first-class too. Qualified teachers or professionals receive training from us and many work with us year after year. We always employ qualified staff for activities such as swimming, trampolining and gymnastics but some of the assistants organising the children's games are students, many of whom came to the camp themselves when they were younger.

At most of our centres, accommodation is in a hostel or tents. It is not possible for us to arrange other accommodation but we can send you a list of what is available in the area. Most of the places are recommended to us, but not all, so we are not responsible for the quality of the accommodation on this list. Luxury accommodation is not available near our camps.

To book a place at a sports camp, complete the form and send it with a cheque for the deposit to the address below. The rest of the fee can be paid at any time but we must receive it at least one month before your camp. Please note, to keep costs down, you are charged 2.5% extra by us if you pay with your credit card. You will receive a letter of confirmation within ten days of sending your form. Cancellations made up to a month before the camp are refunded in full apart from a 5% administration fee. Fifty per cent of the fee is refunded if a cancellation is made up to two weeks before the date of the camp. After that no refunds can be given.

Part 3. Use of English

1.I... glasses since I was a child,

a) wear, b) wore, c) am wearing, d) have been wearing.

2. When the phone rang, I... dinner.

a) cook, b) was cooking, c) had been cooking, d) have been cooking.

3. He usually had dinner at 4 p.m., ... ?

a) had he, b) hadn't he, c) did he, d) didn't he.

4. He works ... and makes good progress.

a) hard, b) hardly, c) good, d) badly.

5. He reminds me ... someone I knew in the army.

a) of, b) to, c) from, d) about.

6. Mary is here. Where are ... ?

a) other, b) others, c) the others, d) another.

7. What ... bad weather we are having today!

a) the, b) a, c) an, d) — .

8. Did you read ... English books at school?

a) some, b) many, c) much, d) none.

9. I want to know what ...,

a) are you doing, b) were you doing, c) will you do, d) you are doing.                          *•

10. I've made ... mistakes now than I made last time.

a) few, b) a few, c) fewer, d) less.

11. Can ... of you help me?

a) some, b) any, c) somebody, d) anybody.

12. This translation is twice as ....

a) easy, b) easier, c) the easiest, d) much easier.

13. We ... two compositions this month.

a) write, b) wrote, c) were writing, d) have written.

14. I had a feeling that somebody ... there before.

a) is, b) was, c) has been, d) had been.

15. She won't see him ... he phones her.

a) except, b) after, c) unless, d) because.

16. ... only one theatre and two cinemas in this city ten years ago.

a) there is, b) there was, c) there are, d) there were.

17. My watch....

a) stops, b) has stopped, c) have stopped, d) stop.

18. Do you know when he ... ?

a) comes, b) will come, c) shall come, d) come.

19. I don't have any pets. Neither ....

a) she does, b) does she, c) is she, d) does she have.

20. His parents didn't let him ... TV late.

a) to watch, b) watch, c) watching, d) watched.

Part 4. Use of English

For questions 1-15, read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there.

If a line is correct put a tick (∨) by the number. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word next to the number. There are two examples at the beginning (0 and 00).

Big Ben

0  Big Ben is in fact the bell which it tolls on the hour in the

00  clock tower of the Houses of Parliament and not, as is

1  commonly supposed, the tower and clock by itself. It is

2  thought about to have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall.

3  The bell was been competed on April 10th, 1858.

4  With a weight of more than over 13 tons, it was the heaviest

5  bell in Britain at that time. It began to striking the time

6  in July, 1859, but cracked later that year and was

7  consequently silent for the next three years. The crack is

8  plainly being visible even today. An electric motor is

9  now used to wind the clock mechanism, and checks with

10  Greenwich Observatory they have rarely shown an error

11  of more than one second. On some occasions the clock has

12  stopped accidentally, but almost seldom due to mechanical

13  problems. Radio made Big Ben as a symbol, and on New

14  Year's Eve in 1923 Big Ben has made its first broadcast.

15  It has been heard of nightly ever since.

Part 5. Use of English

Read the text below. Complete the spaces (1-6) with the correct form of the words in capitals. There is an example (0) at the beginning.

Tourism in Britain

Part 6. Writing

Describe your ideal planet you would like to live on.

You should write about 100 - 120 words

Participant’s ID number

ANSWER SHEET

Part 1.  Reading                                                            

Part 2.  Reading           

Part 3. Use of English

Part 4. Use of English

Part 5. Use of English

Part 6. Writing

KEY SHEET

Part 1.  Reading                                                            

Part 2.  Reading

Part 3. Use of English

Part 4. Use of English

Part 5. Use of English

Part 6. Writing (15 points)

TOTAL – 71 points