Олимпиада по страноведению
олимпиадные задания по английскому языку (8 класс)

Викторина по страноведению «По странам изучаемого языка»

(Англоязычные страны)

7-8 классы

2018-19 уч. г.

Task 1

Read the book reviews. Match the reviews to the names of the books. For each question (1 – 5), mark the correct letter A, B, C, D, E, F or G on your answer sheet. There are two extra letters that you don’t need.

1.  His investigations always start with some form of peculiar detail. That is the charm of this detective and it keeps us wondering what his next step is and how each case will end.

2. He robbed rich people and gave the money to the poor people. He loved adventure, and he was the best fighter in England. The greedy Sheriff of Nottingham hated him, and the beautiful Lady Marian loved him. His most famous adventures are in this book.

3. The most popular pirate story ever written in English, featuring one of literature’s most beloved “bad guys”. Its unforgettable characters include: young Jim Hawkins, honest Captain Smollett, heroic Dr. Livesey, and, of course, garrulous, affable, ambiguous Long John Silver, who is one moment a friendly, laughing, one-legged sea-cook . . .and the next a dangerous pirate leader.

4. The most widely read and influential fantasy epic of all time, it is also one of the most memorable and beloved tales ever told. …Through the urgings of the enigmatic wizard Gandalf, young hobbit Frodo Baggins embarks on an urgent, incredibly treacherous journey to destroy the One Ring. This ring – created and then lost by the Dark Lord, Sauron, centuries earlier – is a weapon of evil, one that Sauron desperately wants returned to him.

5. … A brave explorer faces a future burdened with our greatest hopes...and our darkest fears. He is propelled to the age of a slowly dying Earth. There he discovers two bizarre races — the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks — who not only symbolize the duality of human nature, but offer a terrifying portrait of the men of tomorrow as well…

A The Lord of the Rings (by J.R.R. Tolkien)

B The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (by Howard Pyle)

C The Time Machine (by H.G. Wells)

D Oliver Twist (by Charles Dickens)

E Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J. K. Rowling)

F Treasure Island (by Robert Louis Stevenson)

G The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Task 2

Complete the text with the words from the box. There are 5 extra words, which you do not need to use.

In 1605, thirteen young men planned to blow up 6) _______________. Among them was Guy Fawkes, Britain’s most notorious traitor.

After 7) ___________________ died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under her rule had hoped that her successor, 8) _______, would be more tolerant of their religion. He had a Catholic mother and did not turn out to be tolerant. So, a number of young men, 13 to be exact, decided that violent action was the answer.

A small group took shape, under the leadership of 9) _____________ who felt that violent action was warranted. The plotters were going to kill the King, maybe even the Prince of Wales who were making life difficult for the Catholics.

To carry out their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels of 10) __________________ – and stored them in a 11) _____________.

But as the group worked on the plot, it became clear that innocent people would be hurt or killed in the attack, including some people who even fought for more rights for Catholics. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts. One of the group members even sent an anonymous letter warning his friend, 12) ____________, to stay away from the Parliament on November 5th. Was the letter real?

The warning letter reached the King, and the King’s forces made plans to stop the conspirators.

13) _______________ was caught by the authorities near the barrels, tortured and executed. The Plot was foiled in the night between the 4th and 5th of November 1605. Already on the 5th, agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the ritual became more elaborate.

Soon, people began placing 14) _______________ onto bonfires, and fireworks were added to the celebrations. Preparations for Bonfire Night celebrations include making a dummy of Guy Fawkes, which is called “the Guy”. Some children even keep up an old tradition of walking in the streets, carrying “the Guy” they have just made, and beg passersby for “a 15) ________ for the Guy.” The kids use the money to buy fireworks for the evening festivities.

On the night itself, Guy is placed on top of the bonfire, which is then set alight; and fireworks displays fill the sky.

Task 3

For questions 16 – 24 use one word to fill in a gap in the following proverbs and complete

the crossword. Then decide what word should be under number 24. One word is done for you as

an example.

0) All is not gold that glitters.

16. A cat in gloves ________ no mice.

17. Actions speak ______ than words.

18. A drowning man will catch at a _________.

19. Business ________ pleasure.

20. A bird in a hand is worth two in the _______.

21. Don’t count your __________ before they are hatched.

       22. _________ is the best policy.

23. It is no use ______ over spilt milk.

24. ___________________________

                                      24

Task 4

Match each of the names 25–34 from column A with the correct event in column B and the correct date in column C.

Task 5

For items 35-41, identify the names of an English or an American city/town, hidden in the sentences below. Write down the correct names in your answer sheet. The first example (0) is done for you.

Example: 0. A person who wants to purchase a car usually either buys it brand new or leans towards getting a used one. (a major United States port on the Mississippi river, known also as the birthplace of jazz)

0. New Orleans

35. After competing in a triathlon, Donna was very tired. (the capital of the UK)

36. The pilot had to decide whether to initiate a go-around or land on the ground in inclement weather. (a city in the U.S. state of Florida, Walt Disney World Resort, also the name of a famous Hollywood star, whose surname is Bloom)

37. Housekeepers usually prefer washing to not doing anything. (the name of a city that is associated with the first name of a famous American writer and the surname of the first American president)

38. The bank won't be able to issue a new credit card if for some reason you forget your PIN, so be extra careful. (the capital of Wales)

39. Please, use the suggestion box for direct comments about the quality of the food in our restaurant. (a city where Lewis Carroll lived and worked)

40. The sacrament of marriage is one of the key rituals of the Catholic Church. (the capital of California)

41. Mabel fastened her seat belt before the plane took off. (the capital of Northern Ireland)

Task 6

For questions 42 – 51 read the history note and the poem which describes an episode from this period of American history. Fill in the missing words in the poem. The number of letters and words, and some hints are given for you. There is an example at the beginning (0).

History note. British sea captains were required to have a certain number of seamen. However, conditions were often terrible on British ships. Well-armed British ships, always in a need of seamen, stopped unarmed American vessels to search for deserters. More often than not, press crews, British officers who came aboard American merchant ships looking for British deserters, "accidentally" took American seamen like Skippy McGee.

tar: a British sailor

                                                                                      Skippy McGee: aboard the Sea Lion, 1812

A sailor's life! A sailor's life!

 Now that's the life for me.

 I signed aboard a merchant (0) S H I P

to (42) _ _ _ _ across the (43) _ _ _.

We left from Savannah –

(44) (American flag) _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ _- strung high.

Climbing up the rigging,

 A happy man was I.

A British ship! A battle ship

with (45) (a large heavy gun) _ _ _ _ _ _ and the (46) (British flag-2 words) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _!

Our (47) (the person in charge of the ship) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ let the press crew board,

when facing an attack.

They claimed I was an (48) (a man from England) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

and took four mates and me,

although we're all (49) (men from the USA) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

as anyone can see.

A sailor's life? A sailor's life?

This is no life for me.

A tar upon a (50) (nationality) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ship,

I am no longer (51) (independent) _ _ _ _ .

And I can only curse the day,

 I chose to go to sea.

And I can only curse the day,

 I chose to go to sea.

Key (61 points)

(7-8 классы)