Spotlight 8 Module 1 Test. Variant 1

Вариант 1

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The Caspian Sea is one of the world’s natural wonders. It shares the characteristics of both a sea and a lake. In the past it was called a sea because of its great size and salty water. However, the Caspian Sea is listed as the largest lake in the world. There are about 130 rivers which bring their water to the Caspian Sea. But it is not a freshwater lake – its water is very salty. The Caspian Sea is famous for its wildlife. More than 850 kinds of animals and 500 different plants can be found in this unique sea. The Caspian Sea region is also one of the oldest oil-producing areas in the world. It is also rich in other natural resources.

Task 2.

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3. You are going to give a talk about public holidays in Russia. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and speak for not more than 2 minutes.

Remember to say:

• what public holidays are celebrated in Russia

• what your favourite public holiday is, and why you like it

• how your favourite public holiday is celebrated in your city, town or village

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 2

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The rainforest can be described as a thick and very tall jungle. The term rain comes from the great quantity of water that these forests get throughout the year. The rainforests are the world's greatest natural resources. They are called the lungs of our planet. Half of all the kinds of plants and animals that exist on the planet live in the rainforests. Unfortunately, the area with rainforests is being reduced due to global warming. 100 years ago, the rainforests covered 14 per cent of the earth’s surface. Now, it is only 6 per cent. Scientists say that if the process continues at this rate, the rainforests will have disappeared in 40 years.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3. You are going to give a talk about holidays. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and speak for not more than 2 minutes.

Remember to say:

• what holidays are most popular in your country

• what your favourite holiday is and how you celebrate it

• if you prefer to give presents or to get presents, and why

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 3

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Oxford University is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is also the second oldest university in the world. The University of Oxford is believed to have started in 1133. It is located in Oxford City on the Thames River, not far from London. Oxford University is one of the world’s most impressive centres of education. There are students from different countries there. In fact, there is no building in Oxford called Oxford University. The University includes 38 colleges and related buildings. Over 22,000 students study English language and literature, geography, history, law, modern languages and other subjects there.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about your home. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• What do you especially like about your house/flat?

• How do you feel when you have to be far from home for some time?

• Do you think it is better to celebrate family holidays at home? Why? Why not?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 4

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Table tennis is the third most played sport in the world after football and cricket. It is considered to be an indoor version of Lawn Tennis. However, they have a lot of differences. Table tennis has a different scoring system, a smaller ball, smaller rackets, and a smaller playing area. Modern table tennis was invented at the end of the 19^th century in England. Very soon the new sport became popular all over the world. In 1901, competitions with over 300 participants were already being held. According to numerous studies, table tennis has great effects on human health. It keeps the brain sharp and improves the player’s coordination. Since 1988, table tennis has been an Olympic sport.

Task 2.

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3. You are going to give a talk about special occasions. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and speak for not more than 2 minutes.

Remember to say:

• when and where it took place

• what you did

• why this event is special for you

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 5

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The Channel Tunnel is a rail tunnel beneath the English Channel which links Great Britain and France. It is considered to be one of the most amazing engineering constructions in Europe. The second longest undersea tunnel in the world was opened in 1994. It is said that 13,000 workers and engineers participated in the construction project. The Channel Tunnel contains three tunnels. The south tunnel is for people who are travelling from France to the UK, the north tunnel takes passengers from the UK to France. Nowadays it takes 35 minutes to go from Paris to London in the Channel Tunnel. The third tunnel is a service tunnel. It is not used by passengers.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about your house/flat. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• Do you have your room?

• What do you like doing in your room?

• What would you like to change in your house/flat/room?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 6

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Our planet is the only planet in the Solar System where rainbows are possible. They are not visible in big cities, due to pollution and smog. But if you are travelling after rain has fallen in the countryside or walking on the beach, you have a good chance to see a rainbow. The rainbow is a multi-coloured arc which appears in the sky. When you see a rainbow, the sun is always behind you and it is raining in front of you. It is impossible to get to the end of the rainbow and to touch it. When you move, the rainbow moves too. We have always learned that rainbows have 7 colours. However, until the 17th century, people used to think there were only 5 colours in the rainbow.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about household chores. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• Do you help at home?

• Do you get pocket money for doing household chores?

• Do you think it is right to give money to children for doing their household chores? Why? Why not?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 7

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

English is the third most-spoken language in the world after Chinese and Spanish. Over 840 million people speak English as a first or second language. It is an official language of 67 countries. 80 percent of information stored on all computers in the world is in English. The vocabulary of the English language is the biggest in the world. A new word is added into English almost every two hours. The English language is said to be one of the happiest languages in the world. The word happy is used more often than the word sad! That's a good reason to learn this language, isn’t it?

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about your neighdours. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• How can you describe your neighbours?

• Do you get on well with your neighbours?

• What makes a good neighbour from your point of view?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 8

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The human brain is the most complex and remarkable organ of the body. It controls everything we do – thinking, learning, and even heart rate. Though the brain makes up only 2 percent of the body's weight, it uses around 20 percent of its energy. It works 24 hours a day. Even when a person is sleeping, the brain is working hard to keep other organs functioning. Most people think that our brain is more active during the daytime because it needs to deal with a great amount of information. In fact, that’s not true. The brain is far more active when a person is sleeping! However, scientists don’t yet have any explanation for this fact.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about household chores. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• Do you help at home?

• What are the household chores of the members of your family?

• Do you think it is important to have household chores? Why? Why not?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 9

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Most people enjoy watching the night sky. And the brightest object in the sky is the Moon. Every night the Moon rises in the East and sets in the West. It takes about 27 days to go around the Earth, and it’s an interesting fact that we always see the same side of the Moon. The Moon is the closest object to the Earth. It would take us only 13 hours to get to the Moon by rocket. If we were able to travel at the speed of light, it would take a bit less than two seconds.

There is a very thin atmosphere on the Moon. Life is not possible there. In spite of this, the Moon can be used as a base for space exploration and even for space tourism. Some space companies say that they will be able to take tourists to the Moon as soon as in 2020.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about your dreams. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• What do you usually dream about?

• Do you often have nightmares?

• What is your favourite dream? Why?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 10

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

People have always wanted to discover new things and new worlds. We have built spaceships to go to other planets and are planning to visit other galaxies one day. Meanwhile, we know very little about our own planet. The oceans, which cover 70 percent of the planet, are an unknown world to us. The Pacific Ocean is the largest one. The lowest point on the Earth is also there. It is called Challenger Deep and it was discovered in 1875. The Pacific Ocean stretches from the Arctic Ocean to the coast of Antarctica, but most of its water is in the warm tropics, which makes it warm. A lot of fish and animals live in the Pacific Ocean. The place is still waiting for researchers to discover its secrets for us.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about your dreams. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• Do you always remember your dreams?

• Do your believe dreams have meanings?

• Have you ever had a dream over and over again?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 11

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean of the world. It covers the northern polar region of the Earth. The Arctic region is a very cold place. The lowest recorded temperature there is minus 68 degrees. In spite of the cold, a lot of animals live on the Arctic ice. The polar bear is one of them. Now, due to global warming, the polar bear is in a serious trouble. The thing is that polar bears hunt seals and they need ice to do this. The bears wait for seals on the ice, hunt them in the water and go back to the shore. If the ice is too thin, it breaks under the bears’ heavy bodies and they may drown. The situation is getting worse and some researchers say the ocean may become ice-free as soon as 2050.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about mythical creatures. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• What mythical creatures do you know?

• Have you seen any films/read any books about mythical creatures?

• Would you like to meet a mythical creature? Why? Why not?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 12

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The ninth planet of the solar system was discovered not long ago. It happened in 1930. Scientists had been hunting for the planet for a long time. They had calculated its probable position, but there was no proof that the planet really existed. It was too far away for the telescopes of that time to find it. It’s worth mentioning that the first photos of the planet were taken by a very young researcher. He was only twenty-four and had no formal education in astronomy. However he was deeply involved in the search for the ninth planet. The planet at the edge of the solar system was called Pluto, after the Roman god. The name for the planet was suggested by an 11-year-old British girl.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about mythical creatures. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• Do you know any mythical creatures?

• Do you believe mythical creatures exist in reality?

• Have you ever seen any mythical creatures with your own eyes?

You have to talk continuously.

Вариант 13

Task 1.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Without the energy from the Sun, the Earth would have no life at all. Nowadays everyone knows that the Sun is a star. Like all stars, the Sun is a great burning ball of gases. To us, it seems large and red. The other stars look white or light blue because they are much farther from us than the Sun. In the past, many people believed that the Earth was the centre of the universe. They thought that the Sun and the stars went round it. Only in 1543, a great Polish scientist published a book in which he tried to prove a different point of view. According to him, the Earth and the other planets moved round the Sun. Those people who supported the scientist were often imprisoned and even killed.

Task 2

Take part in a telephone survey. You have to answer six questions. Give full answers to the questions. Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.

Task 3.

You are going to give a talk about your dreams. You will have to start in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes.

• Do you know the meaning of some common dreams?

• Have you ever had a dream that realized in real life?

• What do you usually see in your dreams?

You have to talk continuously.