Главная страница «Первого сентября»Главная страница журнала «Английский язык»Содержание №17/2003
 
TESTS

My Frends and I

Getting Ready for Exams

1. Reading

FRIENDSHIP

In this overstressed, hyperlinked age, some people seem wired to everything but each other. The struggle to balance career and family has had an unintended casualty: friends. Sociologists say that the time of life when people have the most friends is young adulthood and old age; the time of life when people have the least friends is middle age. But I can’t say that my parents’ ability to maintain friendship ebbs and flows.
Despite the shortcomings of e-mails as a means of personal connection, it may help keep some relationships afloat, at least for the short term. My parents use e-mail to stay in better touch with a circle of high-school friends by sending along anecdotes, congratulations and digital photos of our family.
Maintaining those connections has bolstered them during tough times, particularly when my father was out of job and when my grandfather (my mum’s father) died of cancer a few months ago. They knew my grandfather and understood how close my mum was to him. She says, “When I need to have an ‘I’m loosing my mind’ talk, I go back to these friends”.
For my parents, the key is realising that maintaining friendships takes extra effort, just the way balancing work and family does. Yet every year my mum manages to arrange a long weekend for our family and a dozen of friends. She plans the weekend with workplace efficiency, sending out invitation letters and fax-reply forms, reserving lodging space for the group and booking advance guided tours. “I’ve handled complex litigation,” she says. “Organising a weekend isn’t that hard”.
While some folks treat their lives as a house of cards that could topple if they add just one more obligation, my parents think of friendship as an integral component of their life. “You can’t wait to live your life”, they say. “If you like being around friends and want to continue to have a relationship, you can’t put them off”.

From the Wall Street Journal

1. Decide whether these statements are true or false according to the text.

1. It is hard for contemporary adults to maintain friendships.
2. People lose friends trying to balance career and family.
3. Sociologists say that the ability to maintain friendships ebbs and flows with age.
4. E-mails help keep some relationships afloat for the long term.
5. It takes extra effort to continue to have relationships with a circle of high-school friends.

2. Match words and expressions from the text with their equivalents.

1. wired
2. casualty
3. maintain
4. ebbs
5. afloat
6. bolstered
7. dozen
8. litigation
9. folks
10. house of cards
11. put off

a) supported
b) connected electronically
c) carried as if on water
d) twelve
e) awsuits
f) fragile construction
g) people
h) postpone
i) a man lost through any cause
j) preserve or keep in any particular state or condition
k) recede decline

II. Listening

You will hear five teenagers talking about their friends and relationships. Choose from the list A–F a sentence that describes each speaker. Use letters only once. There is an extra letter which you do not need to use.

Speaker 1: We don’t make friends with the boys in our class. We don’t have similar interests. Our boys spend so much time playing stupid computer games that they live in a virtual world.

Speaker 2: Getting on with people can be very simple: be tolerant. Tolerance means to respect other people’s likes and dislikes, opinions and beliefs. It also means not to start an argument over something you disagree with.

Speaker 3: I prefer friends that stick around. It doesn’t matter if they are different from me or similar to me. I value loyalty and responsibility in my friends.

Speaker 4: Kelly always looks on the gloomy side or whatever’s negative. It’s irritating. Nobody likes to hear every day that things are bad and even bound to get worse. She is rather pessimistic.

Speaker 5: My friends’ attitude to Sasha is not very positive, but it doesn’t matter to me. I won’t change my opinion of him. Our relations are as good as before. I’m the only person who understands him.

A. I’m not going to change my opinion of my friend Sasha.
B. Keep things to yourself that could hurt other people’s feelings.
C. I prefer friends that never betray others.
D. Our boys live in a virtual world.
E. I reluctantly use the word “friend”.
F. Pessimistic people irritate me.

III. Vocabulary

1. A. Match these verbs with their Russian equivalents.

1. to betray
2. to forgive
3. to last
4. to obey
5. to replace
6. to refuse
7. to value

a) отказывать
b) вернуть, заменять
c) предавать
d) оценивать
e) продолжаться, длиться
f) слушаться
g) прощать

B. Complete the sentences using the verbs from A.

1. A friend is a person who understands and ________.
2. A false friend is a person who _________ others.
3. Friendship is a thing that _______ forever.
4. The girls invited Kate to join them but she ________.
5. Nothing can ________ a best friend.
6. Pete’s younger sister doesn’t ________ his orders.
7. If you _______ my friendship, please, do what I say.

2. Match the characteristics with their opposites.

1. Polite
2. Careful
3. Tidy
4. Kind
5. Merciful
6. Trusting
7. Reliable
8. Thoughtful

a) untidy
b) merciless
c) unkind
d) careless
e) untrusting
f) impolite
g) thoughtless
h) unreliable

3. Match these characteristics with the correct definitions.

1. does stupid things
2. keeps her/his things in the right place
3. likes to chat
4. has got a lot of friends
5. leave his/her clothes everywhere
6. never looks upset

a) tidy
b) silly
c) sociable
d) careless
e) talkative
f) cheerful

4. A. Match English and Russian words and expressions.

1. to bully
2. to chatter
3. to chat
4. to fight
5. to blame
6. to apologize
7. to call names
8. to pay attention
9. to keep one’s word
10. to get on with
11. to be lost
12. to feel guilty

a) чувствовать себя виновным
b) драться
c) извиняться
d) порицать
e) обращать внимание
f) держать слово
g) сплетничать
h) обзывать
i) ладить
j) потеряться
k) задирать
l) болтать (дружески)

B. Complete the sentences using one of the above words and expressions (don’t forget to use the proper tense of the verb).

1. Tom (1)____ in Disney World. He couldn’t find his friends. He was very worried. But Nick and Paul found him.
2. If you (2)_____ it’s never too late (3)______.
3. Nobody (4)_____ to Ginger at the carnival. Marcy (5)_____ herself that Ginger ran away.
4. If my mark is better than Joel’s mark, he always (6)______ me ________.
5. Kate’s best point is that she never (7)______ about her classmates.
6. Mandy doesn’t (8)______ her classmates. She sometimes (9)______ them.
7. Kelly’s star sign is Gemini. She likes (10)______ with her friends.
8. Clint (11)_____ if he promises something.
9. Ted had a black eye. He (12)______ with a bully.

5. Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.

By A. Savintsev, 10th grade

IV. Grammar

Present Simple and Present Continuous

1. Complete these sentences using the correct form (Present Simple or Present Continuous) of the verbs in brackets. Don’t forget that some verbs are not usually used in continuous tenses because they do not express a process and are stative verbs.

1. Some people say that they (not to need) friends, but I (not to believe) them.
2. He always (to consider) the opinions of others, but (to defend) his own points of view.
3. If you (to feel) depressed, one strategy is to try and listen to what other people (to say).
4. Classmates (to like) to gossip about each other, (to do) they?
5. He always says ‘hello’ when he (to see) me.
6. I (to avoid) people who are always gloomy.
7. My friend (to help) me with my English until I get a good mark.
8. The sun (to set) in the west.
9. Listen! Somebody (to cry) for help.
10. A person who always (to shout) is bad-tempered.
11. If you (to want) to be on good terms with people, talk less and listen more.
12. He always (to predict) that things are bound to get worse.
13. You (to remember) that man?
14. I (to admit) Jane’s moody, but she’s my friend and I (to count on) her.
15. She (to prefer) not to communicate with Ted – he is so miserable.
16. You (to need) a dictionary at the moment?
17. I (to belong) here.
18. I (to see) Mike tomorrow afternoon.
19. You (to look) well today.
20. How (to feel) now?

2. Complete these questions.

1. _____ you like English?
2. _____ have you been studying English?
3. _____ are you studying English?
4. _____ do you spend your free time?
5. _____ do you feel about sport?
6. _____ are your friends like?
7. _____ you often ask your friend for advice?
8. _____ you ever lost friends?
9. _____ are your qualities as a person?
10. _____ your friends influence your life?
11. _____ friendship important to you?
12. _____ you balance your life between friends, school, family and hobbies?
13. _____ is the line between acquaintance and friend?
14. _____ it hard for you to maintain a friendship?
15. _____ communication with others at times difficult?

V. Phrasal verbs with on

1. Match the phrasal verbs in list A with their meanings in list B.

A

B

1. look on
2. get on
3. go on
4. count on
5. turn on
6. take on
7. put on

a) to make progress
b) rely on
c) switch on
d) to employ
e) to organise and perform a play, concert or other entertainment
f) continue
g) watch something without taking part yourself

2. Complete these sentences using the correct form one of the verbs from list A above.

1. If you want to ______ in the future, you should know English.
2. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, and they ______ him _____ as an application programmer.
3. I can’t _____ Eric to help me. He has let me down recently.
4. Don’t ______ the washing machine ______. It is broken.
5. If you ______doing nothing, you will fail your exam.
6. They ______My Fair Lady ______ at school this year.
7. The situation was dangerous, but Nick merely ______ and did nothing.

VI.

A. Complete the table.

B. Complete these sentences using one of the words from the table above. Don’t forget to use the correct form of the verbs.

1. He is totally self-centred – he never ______ about others.
2. His business methods _______ me.
3. There are some things true friends should agree upon, such as their outlook on life and their ______ of duty and honour.
4. He isn’t a _____ person. He can let you down.
5. People have to ______ with each other to reach agreement.
6. If he is a true friend, he will understand and ______ you.
7. Jane always ______ me up when I am feeling down.
8. As a rule, people need friends and expect help and ______ from each other.
9. My friends are always there when I’m in need: they are ______ and supportive.

VII. Speaking

Explain why you think it is important to have friends.

Sample.
Some people say that they don’t need friends, but I think they are insincere. As a rule people need friends and expect help and comfort from each other.
Some people say that they don’t have time for friends right now and move friendship down on their priority list, but psychologists say that people with good friends usually have less stress and maybe even longer lives. Having contact with a larger number of friends gives you a sense of meaning and purpose in life.
If you are feeling depressed one strategy is to share your problems with your friends. And your friends support and encourage you during tough times. Friends and friendships brighten our lives. When people are well-liked by their friends it builds their self-esteem, their self-respect and this helps them make the most of their abilities.

KEY:

I. 1. 1. T; 2. T; 3. T; 4. F; 5. T; 2. 1. b; 2. i; 3. j; 4. k; 5. c; 6. a; 7. d; 8. e; 9. g; 10. f; 11. h

II. 1. D; 2. B; 3. C; 4. F; 5. A

III. 1. A. 1. c; 2. g; 3. e; 4. f; 5. b; 6. a; 7. d

B. 1. forgives; 2. betrays; 3. lasts; 4. refused; 5. replace; 6. obey; 7. value

2. 1. f; 2. d; 3. a; 4. c; 5. b; 6. e; 7. h; 8. g

3. 1. b; 2. a; 3. e; 4. c; 5. d; 6. f

4. A. 1. k; 2. g; 3. l; 4. b; 5. d; 6. c; 7. h; 8. e; 9. f; 10. i; 11. j; 12. a

B. 1. was lost; 2. feel guilty; 3. to apologise; 4. paid attention; 5. blamed; 6. calls names; 7. chatters; 8. get on with; 9. bullies; 10. chatting; 11. keeps his word; 12. fought

5. 1. differ; 2. behaviour; 3. confident; 4. Unfortunately; 5. beautiful; 6. unattractive; 7. intelligent; 8. appearances; 9. having; 10. lucky; 11. affection; 12. tolerance

IV. 1. 1. don’t need, don’t believe; 2. considers, defends; 3. are feeling; are saying; 4. like, don’t; 5. sees; 6. avoid; 7. is helping; 8. sets; 9. is crying; 10. is always shouting; 11. want; 12. is always predicting; 13. Do you remember; 14. admit, count on; 15. prefers; 16. Do you need; 17. belong; 18. am seeing; 19. look/are looking; 20. do you feel/are you feeling

2. 1. Do; 2. How long; 3. Why; 4. How; 5. How; 6. What; 7. Do; 8. Have; 9. What; 10. Do; 11. Is; 12. Do; 13. What; 14. Is; 15. Is

V. 1. 1. g; 2. a; 3. f; 4. b; 5. c; 6. d; 7. e

2. 1. get on; 2. took on; 3. count on; 4. turn on; 5. go on; 6. have put on; 7. looked on

VI. A.

B. 1. cares; 2. disgust; 3. understanding; 4. reliable; 5. communicate; 6. forgive; 7. cheers; 8. support; 9. considerate

By Youdif Boyarskaya,
Moscow, School No. 814