Тест по чтению в 9 классе (с полным пониманием),английский язык, УМК М.З. Биболетова

Тест по чтению в 9 классе   (с полным пониманием),английский язык,   УМК  М.З. Биболетова

Read the text and do the tasks that follow

                          From the History of Postal Service

In the first half of the 18-th century in England letters were delivered by the post-boys and stage coaches (the latter belonged to rich people). A post-boy could ride five miles an hour. At that time the roads were so bad that stage coaches rode only four miles an hour. When the roads became better the stage coaches began to run faster, but post-boys still rode only five miles an hour.

In 1764 an official letter appeared in England. It read: «Post-boys must ride six miles an hour». But it could not make slow horses fast. And the post-boys still rode slowly. That is why people did not want to use post-boys. They sent their letters by stage coaches which ran seven miles an hour. So people stopped paying money to the state for this. They paid money to the owners of these stage coaches. The state began to lose a lot of money.

The first state stage coaches were introduced by John Palmer. In 1784 he organized fast coaches which ran along the main roads. These coaches were guarded by soldiers. The first coach ran between London and Bristol. Along the road there were five places where the coaches could change horses. Horses ran from six to eight miles and then they were changed. So they could run very fast.

The first state stage coach was a success. And already in 1800 there was a good state stage coach system in England. 71

A. Choose the right answers.

1. Why did the stage coaches begin to run faster in the 18-th century ?

a) the letters were delivered by post-boys

b) the stage coaches became better

c) the roads became better

2. Why did the post-boys still ride slowly in 1764 ?

a) the official letter did not allow them to ride fast

b) the roads were bad

c) they had slow horses

3. Why did the state begin to lose money ?

a) people did not send letters

b) people did not use post-boys

c) people did not use stage coaches

4. What did John Palmer organize ?

a) fast post-boys

b) fast coaches

c) good roads

5. Why were the new stage coaches better than the old ones ?

a) the coaches were new

b) the coaches could change horses along the road

c) new roads were built

B. Choose the right variant of translation.

1. These coaches were guarded by soldiers.

a) Эти почтовые кареты охранялись солдатами.

b) Солдаты ехали на этих почтовых каретах.

c) Эти почтовые кареты использовали солдаты

2. Along the road there were five places where the coaches could change horses.

a) Около дороги было пять станций, где почтовые кареты могли поменять лошадей.

b) Вдоль дороги было пять мест, где почтовые кареты могли сменить лошадей.

c) Вдоль дороги было пять мест, где мальчики-почтальоны могли сменить почтовые кареты.

3. It read: «Post-boys must ride six miles an hour».

a) Он гласил: «Почтовые кареты должны проезжать шесть миль в час».

b) Он гласил: «Мальчики-почтальоны должны проезжать шесть километров в час».

c) Он гласил: «Мальчики-почтальоны должны проезжать шесть миль в час».

C. Find the sentences which explain the following :

1.Почему в 1-ой половине 18-го века почтовые кареты ездили так медленно?

2.Почему государство стало терять деньги?

3.Почему в конце 18-го века почтовые кареты смогли ездить очень быстро? 72

Ключ:

A. 1. – c, 2. – c, 3. – b, 4. – b, 5. – b

B. 1. – a, 2. – b, 3. – c

C.

1. At that time the roads were so bad that stage coaches rode only four miles an hour.

2. People did not want to use post-boys. They stopped paying money to the state for this. They paid money to the owners of stage coaches.

3. Along the road there were five places where the coaches could change horses. Horses ran from six to eight miles and then they were changed. So they could run very fast.