The Tower of Pisa
An unknown architect began to construct the Tower of Pisa in August, 1173. It began to lean during construction in 1174 AD. When the first floor of the building was finished, the tower started to lean. The ground under the tower was too soft. The builders tried to make the building straight again as they added more floors, but the leaning tower only got worse as it grew.
Construction of the Tower finished in 1350. It took almost 180 years. Twice for several years, construction stopped while the builders tried to find a way to make the building straight. Today the Leaning Tower has eight floors. The floors are called orders. There is only one doorway on the first order. The bells are in the belfry, the top order. There are seven bells.
The Tower is 54.5 meters (179 feet) tall and it leans almost 4 meters (14 feet) to one side. The Tower was made of stone. It is too heavy so it is sinking into the ground. Every year, the Tower leans another 1.5 centimeters (1/16 of an inch).
The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been very good for Pisa. Most people only know Pisa because of the beautiful Leaning Tower. Newspapers around the world print stories about efforts to save the Tower. Every year, thousands of people visit Pisa to see the famous leaning Tower. In 1989, more than 700,000 people climbed to the top of the Tower. In 1990 the Tower was closed. Today, tourists are not allowed to climb the Tower. Without the Tower very few people would visit the city. When people visit Pisa, they are surprised to find that there are many beautiful buildings in this old city.
Like all old buildings, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is falling apart. If someone cannot figure out a way to save the Tower, it will all fall apart after 175 more years.
1.The Leaning Tower is in
A Rome
B Milan
C Pisa
D Barcelona
2.The Leaning Tower was built for
A a library
B a church
C a school
D a hospital
3.The Leaning Tower is sinking because of
A soft ground
B earthquakes
C ground waters
D hard soil
4.Construction of the Tower stopped two times
A because the city did not have money to pay the builders
B because of wars and earthquakes
C because the architects of the Tower died
D because the builders tried to find the way to stop the leaning
5.The Tower of Pisa has been good for its city as
A Pisa became a well-known sight
B Pisa became a centre of religious ceremonies
C Pisa developed industry and economy
D Pisa was protected from vandals during the wars
2. Прочитайте текст, в котором пропущены слова. Выберите правильный вариант ответа.
WASHIGTON
If you hear the name “Washington”, you might 1___ at first of America. In actual fact there 2___ at least fifty places in the world called Washington, but the original Washington is in North-East England, just South of Newcastle.
The ancestors of George Washington, America’s first president, 3___ from this village. William de Hertburn, his first ancestors to live there, 4___ to the village of Washington in 1183. Taking on the name of his new home, he 5___ William de Washington. Imagine – if William 6___ to Washington, America’s first president and the city of Washington in America might have been called Hertburn instead!
But Washington (near Newcastle) 7___ famous for another reason – it is a “new town”, that is a town planned and built in the countryside around the old village of Washington. There 8___ nine industrial estates. Designed as villages each with a different character, the housing estates 9___ from each other by trees and fields and each has its own shops, primary school and community hall. There is a special road system linking the industrial estates to each other and to the motorway, thus keeping the residential areas free of industrial traffic. On the one hand the 10___ car plant in the world (built by Japanese firm) and on the other hand the beautifully restored buildings of the old village of Washington are both typical of Washington – the best of what is old and the best of what is new.
1 6
2 7
3 8
4 9
5 10
A think
A are
A is coming
A is moving
A will become
A doesn’t move
A be
A be
A are separated
A advancement
B to think
B is
B came
B moves
B is becoming
B hadn’t moved
B are
B is
B is separated
B most advancement
C thinks
C to be
C comes
C has moved
C became
C isn’t moving
C is
C will be
C has separated
C most advanced
D thinking
D has been
D will come
D moved
D are becoming
D aren’t moving
D will be
D are
D separates
D most advanced
3. Прочитайте текст, поставьте слова в скобках в правильную форму.
In 1718 Defoe was 1___ (NEAR) sixty years old. He had a full and 2___ (INTEREST) life. He 3___ (TRAVEL), tried many professions and wrote many books and pamphlets.
In 1712 Defoe met a 4___ (SAIL) who had been on a desert island. Alexander Selkirk was his name. for more than four years he had lived alone on that island, managing not only to stay alive, but also to make himself fairly 5___ (COMFORT). At last he was rescued through the happy chance of a ship putting in at this island for water.
When he ___ (FINAL) returned to London, his adventures became the talk of the town. Several accounts of his experiences were printed and soon 7___ (FORGET).
But Defoe didn’t forget. Selkirk’s unique experience captured his 8___ (IMAGINE). What would a man do, all alone? How would he live? Thus Defoe turned to writing the story of a shipwrecked man. He chose an island in a 9___ (DIFFER) part of the world for his story and created an imaginary character for his hero, Robinson Crusoe. With his skill as a 10___ (JOURNAL) he was able to make his story seem absolutely true. The book was a great success.
4. Выберите правильный вариант
1. Jack ___ play football since childhood.
a) must b) should c) need d) can
2. ___ I ask you? a) Must b) Should c) Have d) May
3. Steven ___ read and write until he was seven years old.
a) must b) can c) could not d) could
4. You’ve been reading all day. You ___ be tired.
a) can b) could c) must d) should
5. Jack ___ go to hospital yesterday.
a) can b) had to c) need d) will
6. I recommend you to apologize. You ___ apologize.
a) would b) should c) must d) shall
7. ___ I have one of these cakes?
a) Could b) Must c) Have to d) May
8. ___ you speak any foreign languages?
a) May b) Can c) Have d) Might
9. His suggestion may be of little value, but you ___ discuss it all the same.
a) may b) need c) might d) should
10. I went to the doctor yesterday and I ___ wait for an hour.
a) had to b) must c) should d) can
