ОЛИМПИАДА ШКОЛЬНИКОВ ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ
2023–2024 уч. г.
МУНИЦИПАЛЬНЫЙ ЭТАП.
9 КЛАСС
READING (10 points)
Time: 20 minutes
Task 1. Read the article about the Greek Alphabet and the choose the best option for each statement (1-5). T – for true statements, F – for false statements.
THE GREEK ALPHABET
Alphabet is a number of letters used for writing. The name means exactly what the term ABC’s means as a name for the 26 letters of the alphabet. The word comes from alpha and beta, the first two letters of the Greek alphabet. Most books, magazines, and newspapers are printed in the 26-letter alphabet called Roman. But the Romans did not invent it. They put finishing touches on a system that had been growing for thousands of years.
The Greeks came in contact with Phoenician traders, and learned from them the idea of writing individual sounds of the language. Sometime during the period before 800 B.C., they borrowed Phoenician symbols and modified them to form the Greek alphabet. The Phoenician alphabet included more consonants than the Greeks needed for their language, so they used the extra signs for vowel sounds. In this way Greeks improved on both Phoenician and Cypriot ideas because they could combine individual letters for both consonants and vowels to spell any word they wanted.
The Greeks took over the Phoenician names for their signs, and in most cases the signs themselves. The first letter of the Phoenician alphabet, and its name, aleph, meaning ox, became A, or alpha in Greek. The second letter, or beth, meaning house became B, or beta in Greek. The Greeks later modified the shapes of these letters, adding and dropping some letters, to form the 24-letter Greek alphabet of today.
Alphabet is a series of characters used in a written language.
True False
The word alphabet goes back to the Roman language
True False
The Romans could not accomplish a sign system that had been developing for centuries before and created their own.
True False
The Romans adapted Greek symbols for their signs in the alphabet.
True False
The Greeks modified the shapes of the Roman characters to form the 24-letter alphabet of today.
True False
Task 2. You are going to read an article about a Norwegian polar explorer. For questions 6-10, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
ROALD AMUNDSEN REACHES THE SOUTH POLE
The achievement of Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen, who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole, has been somewhat overshadowed by the tragic tale of Captain Robert Scott. The Englishman’s own party, believing themselves to be the first to the Pole, arrived there in January 1912, only to be welcomed by the sight of a Norwegian flag. Amundsen and his men had beaten them by little more than a month. On their retreat, Scott and his four dejected compatriots perished, their bodies not found until the following November.
Following their successful mission, Amundsen’s party began their 11-week return journey, arriving in Hobart, Tasmania, in early March. He immediately dispatched telegrams to inform the world of their achievement.
And the world was impressed. King George V sent a congratulatory telegram, even though Amundsen reached the Pole ahead of his own subjects, as did former US
President Teodore Roosevelt. Having broken the news, Amundsen then set about supplying the Daily Chronicle newspaper in London, which had bought exclusive rights, with the full story of the expedition – even if his had been notably less eventful than Scott’s devastating journey.
Some quarters were less than generous with their praise. Sir Clements Markham, the famous geographer, cast doubt on Amundsen’s news, huffily declaring: “We must wait for the truth until the return of the Terra Nova [which was Scott’s ship].” Ernest Shackleton, no stranger to Antarctica as a member of previous Scott expeditions, didn’t share Markham’s disdain, announcing that Amundsen’s achievement made him “perhaps the greatest polar explorer of today”.
6. What does the phrase ‘The achievement has been overshadowed by the tragic tale’ in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. The success was outweighed by Captain Robert Scott’s team loss.
B. The success was outweighed by the Englishmen, who came first.
C. The success was darkened by the Englishmen, who set a camp in the South Pole
D. The achievement has been darkened as the Norwegians lost to Englishmen.
7. The bodies of the Englishmen were…
A. never found.
B found in November 1912.
C found the next year after their retreat.
D were found by Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen.
8. King George V sent a congratulatory telegram …
A to the English explorers as he was their king.
B to Norwegians because the event was so overwhelming that he could not help
praising them.
C to Norwegians because Amundsen was not able to win the race.
D to US President Teodore Roosevelt as they were friends.
9. The Daily Chronicle newspaper in London…
A had no right to print Amundsen’s full story of the expedition.
B printed only the story of Scott’s devastating journey.
C printed a false story of the South Pole expedition.
D was contributed with the full story of the expedition by the Norwegian polar explorer.
10. All geographers and explorers…
A. praised Amundsen with his achievement.
B believed Amundsen was the greatest explorer.
C divided in the opinions on Amundsen’s expedition.
D made no comments on the Norwegian South Pole expedition.
| Task 1 |
| 1 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 4 |
|
| 5 |
|
| Task 2 |
| 6 | A | B | C | D |
| 7 | A | B | C | D |
| 8 | A | B | C | D |
| 9 | A | B | C | D |
| 10 | A | B | C | D |
Оценочные баллы: максимальный – 10 баллов.
WRITING (10 points)
Time: 25 minutes
You recently saw this notice in an English-language magazine called Film of the Year. Reviews needed!
Have you seen any new film recently? If so, could you write us a review of the film you have watched? Include information on the actors, special effects and the plot and say whether you would recommend the film to other people.
The best reviews will be published next month.
Write your review. Use 150-200 words.
Оценочные баллы: максимальный – 10 баллов.
ОЛИМПИАДА ШКОЛЬНИКОВ ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ
2023–2024 уч. г.
МУНИЦИПАЛЬНЫЙ ЭТАП.
10-11 КЛАССЫ
READING (10 points)
Time: 20 minutes
Task 1. Read the article about the Greek Alphabet and the choose the best option for each statement (1-5). T – for true statements, F – for false statements.
THE GREEK ALPHABET
Alphabet is a number of letters used for writing. The name means exactly what the term ABC’s means as a name for the 26 letters of the alphabet. The word comes from alpha and beta, the first two letters of the Greek alphabet. Most books, magazines, and newspapers are printed in the 26-letter alphabet called Roman. But the Romans did not invent it. They put finishing touches on a system that had been growing for thousands of years.
The Greeks came in contact with Phoenician traders, and learned from them the idea of writing individual sounds of the language. Sometime during the period before 800 B.C., they borrowed Phoenician symbols and modified them to form the Greek alphabet. The Phoenician alphabet included more consonants than the Greeks needed for their language, so they used the extra signs for vowel sounds. In this way Greeks improved on both Phoenician and Cypriot ideas because they could combine individual letters for both consonants and vowels to spell any word they wanted.
The Greeks took over the Phoenician names for their signs, and in most cases the signs themselves. The first letter of the Phoenician alphabet, and its name, aleph, meaning ox, became A, or alpha in Greek. The second letter, or beth, meaning house became B, or beta in Greek. The Greeks later modified the shapes of these letters, adding and dropping some letters, to form the 24-letter Greek alphabet of today.
Alphabet is a series of characters used in a written language.
True False
The word alphabet goes back to the Roman language
True False
The Romans could not accomplish a sign system that had been developing for centuries before and created their own.
True False
The Romans adapted Greek symbols for their signs in the alphabet.
True False
The Greeks modified the shapes of the Roman characters to form the 24-letter alphabet of today.
True False
Task 2. You are going to read an article about a Norwegian polar explorer. For questions 6-10, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
ROALD AMUNDSEN REACHES THE SOUTH POLE
The achievement of Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen, who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole, has been somewhat overshadowed by the tragic tale of Captain Robert Scott. The Englishman’s own party, believing themselves to be the first to the Pole, arrived there in January 1912, only to be welcomed by the sight of a Norwegian flag. Amundsen and his men had beaten them by little more than a month. On their retreat, Scott and his four dejected compatriots perished, their bodies not found until the following November.
Following their successful mission, Amundsen’s party began their 11-week return journey, arriving in Hobart, Tasmania, in early March. He immediately dispatched telegrams to inform the world of their achievement.
And the world was impressed. King George V sent a congratulatory telegram, even though Amundsen reached the Pole ahead of his own subjects, as did former US
President Teodore Roosevelt. Having broken the news, Amundsen then set about supplying the Daily Chronicle newspaper in London, which had bought exclusive rights, with the full story of the expedition – even if his had been notably less eventful than Scott’s devastating journey.
Some quarters were less than generous with their praise. Sir Clements Markham, the famous geographer, cast doubt on Amundsen’s news, huffily declaring: “We must wait for the truth until the return of the Terra Nova [which was Scott’s ship].” Ernest Shackleton, no stranger to Antarctica as a member of previous Scott expeditions, didn’t share Markham’s disdain, announcing that Amundsen’s achievement made him “perhaps the greatest polar explorer of today”.
6. What does the phrase ‘The achievement has been overshadowed by the tragic tale’ in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. The success was outweighed by Captain Robert Scott’s team loss.
B. The success was outweighed by the Englishmen, who came first.
C. The success was darkened by the Englishmen, who set a camp in the South Pole
D. The achievement has been darkened as the Norwegians lost to Englishmen.
7. The bodies of the Englishmen were…
A. never found.
B found in November 1912.
C found the next year after their retreat.
D were found by Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen.
8. King George V sent a congratulatory telegram …
A to the English explorers as he was their king.
B to Norwegians because the event was so overwhelming that he could not help
praising them.
C to Norwegians because Amundsen was not able to win the race.
D to US President Teodore Roosevelt as they were friends.
9. The Daily Chronicle newspaper in London…
A had no right to print Amundsen’s full story of the expedition.
B printed only the story of Scott’s devastating journey.
C printed a false story of the South Pole expedition.
D was contributed with the full story of the expedition by the Norwegian polar explorer.
10. All geographers and explorers…
A. praised Amundsen with his achievement.
B believed Amundsen was the greatest explorer.
C divided in the opinions on Amundsen’s expedition.
D made no comments on the Norwegian South Pole expedition.
| Task 1 |
| 1 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 4 |
|
| 5 |
|
| Task 2 |
| 6 | A | B | C | D |
| 7 | A | B | C | D |
| 8 | A | B | C | D |
| 9 | A | B | C | D |
| 10 | A | B | C | D |
Оценочные баллы: максимальный – 10 баллов.
WRITING
Time: 30 minutes (20 points)
Comment on the following quotation.
We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.
Carl Sagan
Write 200–250 words.
Use the following plan:
- make an introduction, explaining how you understand the author’s point of view;
- express your personal opinion and give reasons to support it;
- give examples from literature or history to illustrate your reasons;
- make a conclusion restating your position.
Оценочные баллы: максимальный – 20 баллов.
2 274
22 413 
