The Third English Language Contest

For School Children

Ulyanovsk, 2014 - 2015

Form: 9
Stage: 1
Part I. Reading

Task 1. Read the following text. Five sentences have been removed from the text. Match the
sentences A-F to the gaps 1-5 and write the correct letter on the answer sheet. There’s one extra
sentences that you do not need to use.

A. The good news is that there is going to be a big park all around it.
B. It’s parked at the entrance to your apartment on the 77th floor.
C. Only the enormous central cylinder will be built at the site.
D. Each of these luxury apartments will be massive.
E. This will make it the first skyscraper in history to produce its own electricity.
F. This won’t be the world’s tallest skyscraper, but it will be the most amazing.

The World’s Coolest Skyscraper

Humans have built incredible structures, including the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt.
But there’s one thing that even the world’s most amazing structures can’t do: alter their shapes. Well,
that is soon going to change.

Someday, it is possible that you will be living in a shape-shifting skyscraper that never stays still. The
first of these buildings, which are called Dynamic Towers, will be in Dubai, a city in the United Arab
Emirates in the Middle East. (1) ______ Each floor will be constantly moving, rotating on its own and at
different speeds – like an 80-storey Rubik’s Cube that invisible hands are always twisting. ‘These
buildings will never look the same’, according to David Fisher, the architect behind the idea.

This may sound like fantasy, but within a few years the Dynamic Tower will have become a reality,
and it will be built in a unique way. Skyscrapers are usually built one floor at a time – from the bottom
up. But not the Dynamic Tower: it will be the world’s first skyscraper to be built in a factory. (2) ___
This will weigh about half a million kilos, and it will contain water pipes and lifts. While they are
building the cylinder, each floor will be made in segments at a factory. These will arrive at the
construction site ready to be added to the central cylinder, and even the furniture will be inside. A
machine will lift the segments up the sides of the building and attach them to the cylinder from the top
down, making construction safer, faster and less expensive.

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The first 35 floors will consist of offices and a luxury hotel. Floors 36 to 70 will have numerous
apartments, but each of the top ten floors in the 80-storey tower will be a single apartment. While the
architect will control the movement of most of the floors, anyone who pays around $36 million for one
of the top ten apartments will be able to move it however they like. (3)____ They will have more space
inside than five average houses put together.

The Dynamic Tower will get all its power from environmentally-friendly sources. Wind will provide
the energy for the towers motion. (4) ____ To generate electricity, the Dubai skyscraper will have
windmill blades placed horizontally between each floor of the building. There will be 79 of these wind
turbines. In addition, the roofs of each of the floors will have solar panels to capture the sun’s energy.
Combined, these two sources will generate enough electricity to power the whole tower – and several
nearby skyscrapers as well.

So what will life as a resident of a Dynamic Tower be like? Well, imagine you’re in your kitchen eating
breakfast more than 400 metres above the ground and you decide you want a different view. ‘Ocean
view’, you call out. A voice-activated control system begins to rotate your luxury apartment. After
breakfast, you go for a quick swim before school. You dive into the indoor pool right next to your
bedroom. Then you and your mum get into the family car. (5) ____ She drives it into a huge lift, which
takes you down to the ground floor. Off you go!

Task 2. Read the text. For questions 6 – 11, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which fits best
according to the text. Mark your answer on the answer sheet.

Your Amazing Brain

Your brain controls every single thing you do. From enabling you to think, learn, create and
feel emotions to controlling every blink, breath and heartbeat – this fantastic control center is
your brain. It is so amazing that a famous scientist once called it ‘the most complex thing we
have yet discovered in our universe’.

Trying to make sense of the brain’s incredible complexity isn’t easy. What we do know is that
it’s the organ that makes us human by giving us the ability to create art and language, make
decisions and produce rational thought. It’s also responsible for each individual’s personality,
memories, movements and how we make sense of the world.

But how can this be true of a small grey organ which weighs less than one and a half kilos?
Amazingly, your brain contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons – so many it
would take you over 3000 years to count them all. Whenever you dream, laugh, think, see or
move, it’s because signals are racing between these neurons. Believe it or not, the activity in
your brain never stops. Countless messages zip around inside it every second as if it’s a
superfast pinball machine. Your neurons create and send more messages than all the phones
in the entire world. And while a single neuron generates only a tiny amount of electricity, all
your neurons together can generate enough electricity to power a light bulb.

So exactly how fast does your brain work? Well, imagine this: a bee lands on your bare foot.
Sensory neurons in your skin send this information to your brain at a speed of more than 240
kilometers per hour. Your brain then uses other neurons to send the message back to your

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foot to shake the bee off quickly. These neurons can send this information at more than 320
kilometers per hour. Or consider this example: your kitten is on the kitchen counter and she’s
about to step onto a hot stove. You have only seconds to act. Using the signals coming from
your eyes, your brain rapidly calculates when, where and at what speed you will need to dive
to stop her from hurting herself, then it orders your muscles to take action. You move at just
the right time and she’s safe. No computer can come close to your brain’s incredible ability to
download, process and react to the flood of information coming from your eyes, ears and
other sensory organs.

But how does your brain allow you to learn things for use in the future? Just as when you have
a new thought or memory, what actually happens is that the structure of your brain changes
every time you learn. For instance, riding a bike seems impossible at first, but soon you get the
hang of it. How? As you practice, your brain sends ‘bike riding’ messages again and again,
forming new connections. Soon, the actions are learnt and you are able to ride a bike easily
from then on.

How quickly we learn things varies from person to person, but there are some things which
can help us to learn faster and, surprisingly, exercise is one of them. While it is well known
that any exercise that makes your heart beat faster is great for your body and can even help
improve your mood, less is known about the effects of exercise on learning. However,
scientists have recently discovered that for a period of time after you’ve exercised, your body
produces a chemical that makes it easier for your brain to learn. So, if you’re stuck on a
homework problem that is too difficult to solve, go out and play a game of football, then try the
problem again. You just might discover that you’re able to solve it.

6. What does your brain NOT control? 9. When you have a new thought,
A. the decisions you make A. your heart beats faster.
B. your ability to speak B. the structure of your brain changes.
C. the world around you C. you learn something new.
D. your movements D. you remember something.

7. Why does the writer mention
computers?
A. to show how fast they have become
B. to compare them to the human
brain
C. to say that computers have no
abilities
D. to say that computers need eyes and
ears
8. What is NOT true about neurons?
A. They send messages very slowly.
B. They send messages to your brain.
C. There are some in your skin.
D. They generate electricity.
10. What does the writer tell us
about exercise?
A. It can make you less intelligent.
B. It needs a special chemical.
C. Its effects are not well known.
D. It can make you feel better.
11. What is the article generally
about?
A. how your brain learns things
B. how incredible the brain is
C. how people are better than
computers
D. what you can do to speed up your
brain

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Task 3. Match the headlines A-F to the news stories 12-17. For questions 12 – 17 write the correct
letter (A –G) on the answer sheet.

News in brief
12. ________________
A television set was stolen from a Liverpool police station, while police officers were out
fighting crime.
13. ________________
Fugitive James Sanders, who escaped from jail in 1975, was arrested in Texas after ringing the
FBI to ask if he was still on its ‘wanted’ list.
14. __________________
An 85-year-old man was stopped and escorted off the M4 motorway by the traffic police
because he was riding in a wheelchair. The wheelchair was being pushed along the slow lane
by his 65-year-old son.
15. _________________
Burglar Frank Gort broke down in court and cried when he was sentenced to seven years in
jail, claiming it was his unlucky number. An understanding judge in San Antonio Texas took
pity and gave him eight years instead.
16. _________________
Police cars were involved in a dramatic chase after a notice was spotted in the back window of
a car saying, ‘Help us, we have been kidnapped’. It had been put there by four unhappy
children who didn’t want to go on holiday with their parents.
17. _________________
Prison authorities in New Zealand have been embarrassed by the escape of convicted thief
Cass Mei, who managed to run faster than guards at the prison hospital. He was being treated
for asthma and a dislocated knee.

A. DON’T ASK
B. POLICE THEFT
C. KIDNAPPED
D. SLOW LANE
E. UNFIT TO GUARD
F. KIND JUDGE
G. MEAN PARENTS

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Part II. Use of English

Task 1. Read the text. For gaps 1 - 10 choose the correct option A- D. For questions 1 - 10, mark A,
B, C or D on the answer sheet.

Public Schools versus Homeschooling

What do tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, US President Abraham Lincoln and writer
Agatha Christie have in common? They were homeschooled. Homeschooling meant Venus and Serena
were (1) ____________ to combine classes with training. Lincoln didn’t live near a school and was 2)
___________ with help from his stepmother. And Agatha Christie was (3) _________ shy that her parents
decided not to send her to school.

There are other reasons for homeschooling too. Some parents say public schools aren’t a (4)__________
place for their children to learn. At home (5) ___________ can have individual attention. Family members
can also spend more time with (6) ___________ other.

Others disagree. They say homeschooling for children is bad for (7) ___________ their education and
their personal development. Most parents are poor teachers (8) __________ they haven’t been trained,
and children learn (9) ___________ social skills at school.

What do you think? Go to our forum and leave your opinion (10) __________.

1. A can B able C could D wanted

2. A self-centered B self-conscious C self-sufficient D self-taught
3. A so B very C such D as
4. A breakable B manageable C suitable D recyclable
5. A there B it C them D they
6. A the B each C one D some
7. A either B neither C both D or
8. A because B so C therefore D result
9. A reasonable B valuable C respectable D reliable
10. A yet B in C here D there

Task 2. Read the text. Complete the gaps 11 - 22 with one word and write the correct word on the
answer sheet.

Moving to Another Planet

One day, millions of years (11) ____________ the future, the Sun (12) ______________ going to explode.
Unfortunately, we can’t prevent this (13) _________________ happening and it means that humans won’t
(14) ____________ able to live on Earth any more. Luckily, we (15) ________________ lots of time to prepare
(16) _______________ it. It’s likely (17) ______________ this preparation will involve working out how to
travel very long distances through space, and (18) ______________ another suitable planet to live on.
We (19)_______________ need a planet that doesn’t go round the Sun, but orbits another star instead. The
nearest one is a very (20) _____________ way away. With the technology we have today, the journey will
(21) ____________ 50000 years! If we can discover a way to travel much faster – at just below the speed
of light – then the journey will (22) _____________ very quick: only six years!

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Task 3. Use the right forms of the words to fill in the gaps in the texts. For questions 23 – 32, write the
correct word on the answer sheet.

The Hummingbird Bakery

Do you dig doughnuts? Crave cheesecake? Pine for pies? Well the new kids on the block are cupcakes!
And they are taking London by storm thanks to a place called ‘The Hummingbird Bakery’. These (23)
______________ (COLOUR) and incredibly (24) __________________ (TASTE) treats are so popular that there
are now three branches of the bakery in London with a fourth planned for next year.
The first bakery was opened in 2004 by a group of Americans who couldn’t find (25)_____________
(TRADITION) American-style cupcakes, pies or cakes anywhere in London, so they decided to make
their own and sell them. It certainly proved to be a brilliant (26) ________________ (DECIDE)!
Those who visit the bakery will definitely be spoilt for (27) _________________ (CHOOSE)! But the
favourite with the (28) ____________________ (CUSTOM) is the ‘Red Velvet Cupcake’. This is a delicious
(29) _________________ (MIX) of vibrant red vanilla cake with a hint of chocolate, topped with cream
cheese icing.
The most recent branch to open is in London’s Soho. This (30) _____________ (TREND) new shop is
decorated with (31) _________________ (BRIGHT)-coloured cupcake pop art and has a large TV screen
showing the bakery’s fifty different (32) _____________________ (VARY) of cakes.
So if you have a sweet tooth and are in London, why not drop by and taste the sugary delights at the
Hummingbird Bakery!

Part III. Functional Language

Task 1. Use the words in brackets to make polite requests and appropriate responses. For questions 1 – 9,
write the correct sentences on the answer sheet.

A: I can’t concentrate. (0) (Would/ mind/ turn/ music/ down)? 0) Would you mind turning
B: Sure. Sorry about that. the music down?

A: I need to speak to the manager. (1) (Do/ know/ if/ anyone 1) _____________________________
in the office)? _____________________________________
B: Let me have a look.

A: I’m afraid Mr Soul isn’t here at the moment.

B: (2) (Do/ know/ when/ coming back)? 2) _____________________________
A: (3) (not/ sure). Do you want me to check? 3) _____________________________
B: Thank you.

A: (4) (Could/ tell/ how/ machine/ works)? I don’t know how 4) _____________________________
to turn it on.
B: (5) (Yes/ course). 5) _____________________________

A: I need to take this machine to the repair service.

(6) (Would/ mind/ help/ me)? 6) _____________________________
B: (7) (course/ not). Leave it here. 7) _____________________________

A: My computer has frozen (8) (could/ tell/ who/ I/speak/ to)? 8) ____________________________
B: OK. (9) (Let/ have/ look). 9) ____________________________

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