Score: 11 points
Task 8.3
You are going to read an article about the significance of a gene. Some parts are missing from the text. Choose the appropriate part from the list (A-K) for each gap (1-9) in the text. There is one extra part which you do not need to use. Write your answ.ers in the boxes after the text. There is an example at the beginning (0).
The Significance of the Cystic Fibrosis Gene
In July 1989, Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui and a team of scientists working at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto achieved a major scientific breakthrough. Tsui and his colleagues discovered the gene (0) (CF). Many geneticists consider this event one of the most significant discoveries in human genetics. They may be right (1) that identify carriers of the CF gene. Eventually, they hope his research will lead (2) .
Scientists have designed a test (3) who carry the cystic fibrosis gene. The test is based on knowing where the gene is located. The CF gene is a recessive gene. This means a person (4) and still not be affected by the disease. However, if this person has children with another person who carries the CF gene, there is a 25 per cent chance (5) and suffer from the disease. The test identifies (6) . If they do, couples then decide whether to have children or not.
Researchers are also using Tsui's discovery to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. They are working to produce a drug that will change the activity of the CF gene. They are also attempting to replace the defective gene (7) ._. Such work, however, is not easy. It is difficult to produce a drug (8) , but does not affect the 100,000 other genes in a pair of human chromosomes. Equally challenging is the job (9) i in the right location.
It may be several more years before scientists find a cure for CF. However, Lap-Chee Tsui's discovery has at least given victims of the disease hope for the future.
A to a possible cure for the disease
B of placing a hew gene into the right cell
C couples have to decide whether to have children or not
D can carry one copy of the gene
E whether prospective parents carry the defective CF gene
F that changes the CF gene
G that causes cystic fibrosis
H that their children will inherit two copies of the gene
I to identify people
J because the results of Tsui's work have helped scientists develop tests
K with one that functions properly
Score: 9 points
Task 8.4
You are going to read a text about Las Vegas. Parts of some sentences have been removed from the text. Choose the most suitable part from the list (A-L) for each gap (1-10) in the text. There is one extra part that you do not need to use. Write your answers in the boxes after the text. There is an example at the beginning (0).
Las Vegas
There's nowhere else in the world where you can look out of (0) and see the New York
skyline, a life-size Egyptian pyramid and, in the distance, the Eiffel Tower.
Welcome to wonderful Las Vegas.
Depending on your point of view, it can be the cheapest, (1) . Yet there's no denying
it, you can't come here and not have a good time.
Gone are the days when Sin City was all about slot machines, card games and tacky shot gut weddings. In the last few years Las Vegas has become (2) .
In Las Vegas, size matters. It's the home of the world's biggest hotel, the MGM Grand; highest rollercoaster, at the Stratosphere; and highest atrium at the Luxor Hotel.
Incredibly, it also boasts not just one, but two Guggenheim museums, at the Venetian; and restaurant filled with (3) by Picasso at the Bellagio.
Don't say this isn't a city of contrasts.
But the best thing about Las Vegas is (4) are free. Huge crowds gather every nigh
for (5) in front of the Bellagio. Remember it from the movie Ocean's Eleven? And a walk through the shopping mall at Caesars Palace is almost like a theme park ride (6) changing from sunshine to starlight and sculptures coming to life, singing and dancing for shoppers. The real crowd-pleasers are the Pirates of the Caribbean-style sea battle which takes place in front oil Treasure Island, complete with fireworks and a cast of (7) , and the erupting volcano in the lagoon at the Mirage.
Some things are worth shelling out for and if you want to splash out, head to the beach at the Mandalay Bay. The hotel, where TV series Las Vegas is filmed, has a massive (8) .
The best way to get around Vegas is on foot, there can be quite a distance between hotels on the Strip but walkways link them, and some even have (9) .
You can still get a taste of old Las Vegas if you head downtown. The casinos haven't changed much over the years and the streets have been cleaned up. What was once a seedy eyesore has been transformed into an open-air pedestrian (10) .
Treat yourself to a day trip to remember and take a helicopter flight over the Strip and head to the Grand Canyon. It's the only way to fly over the New York skyline and Eiffel Tower without blinking.
A with swirling clouds on the ceilings
B the dancing fountain show
C connecting trams and buses
D within the visible distance
E pool with a wave machine
F most tasteless city
G that so many of the attractions
H one of America's top tourist attractions and it's not hard to see why
I stunt performers
J original works
K your hotel room window
L area with spectacular light shows every night
Score: 10 point
Task 8.5
You are going to read a magazine article about words and feelings. A summary of the article is provided after the text. Sentences of the summary are mixed up. Put sentences (A—I) of the summary into the correct order (1—8). There is an example at the beginning (0).
Words and Feelings
Are you always sure you know what people mean when they try to describe their feelings to you? We use both words and gestures to, express our feelings, but the problem is that these words and gestures can be interpreted in different ways.
It is true that a smile means the same thing in any language. So does laughter or crying. There are also a number of striking similarities in the way different animals show the same feeling. Dogs, tigers and humans, for example, often show their teeth when they are angry. This is probably because such behavior patterns are inherited rather than learned.
Fear is another emotion that is shown in much the same way all over the world. In Chinese and in English fiction a phrase like "he went pale and began to tremble" suggests that the man is either very afraid or has just had a very nasty shock. However, "he opened his eyes wide" is used to suggest anger in Chinese whereas in English it conveys surprise. In Chinese surprise can be described in a phrase like "they stretched out their tongues". Sticking out your tongue in English is an insulting gesture or expresses disgust.
Even in the same culture, people differ in their ability to interpret and express feelings. Experiments in America have shown that women are usually better than men at recognizing fear, anger, love and happiness in people's faces. Disgust, contempt and suffering seem to be the most difficult emotions for people everywhere either to recognize or to express. Other studies have shown that older people usually find it easier to interpret body language (the way people stand or move, etc.) than younger people do. And psychologists such as E. G. Beier have also shown that some people frequently give completely wrong impression of how they feel. For instance, they try to show affection but in fact actually communicate dislike. Or when they want to show interest, they give the impression that they don't care. This can happen even among close friends and members of the same family. In other words, what we think we are communicating through language, voice, face and body movements may be the exact opposite of what other people understand.
A Some animals and humans rather inherit some patterns than learn.
B Surprise can be described in different ways in Chinese and English.
C It is easier for older people to interpret body language.
D To express our feelings we use both words and gestures.
E Fear is shown in almost the same way all over the world.
F Women recognize emotions better than men.
G Laughter and crying mean the same thing in any language.
H Other people can misunderstand our words and gestures.
I Some people show emotions in a wrong way.
Score: 8 points
Task 8.6
You are going to read an interview with a young actress Natalie Portman about the V For Vendetta movie. The interviewer's questions have been mixed up. Match the questions (A—H) below to the answers (1—6). There is one extra question that you do not need to use. Write your answers in the boxes below. There is one example at the beginning (0).
A What was it like working with Hugo Weaving when he was wearing the mask all the time? Did it affect your performance?
B What was it that appealed to you about the role and why did you decide to take it?
C You share many scenes in the film with Stephen Fry. How was he and did he behave? D What can you tell about the creative atmosphere on the site of the movie?
E How liberating was it having to cut your hair off for the role?
F Did you get a chance to sample the London nightlife and culture while you were filming?
G How did you go about getting your English accent? And was it daunting being surrounded by British actors?
H How surprised were you by the political-content in the script when you first got it?
Natalie Portman Speaks about the V For Vendetta Movie
Natalie Portman made an astonishing big-screen debut at the age of 12 in Luc Besson's thriller, I Leon (1994). She has since been dubbed "the new Audrey Hepburn" by Harpers & Queen magazine | and mixes roles in blockbuster films and smart indie flicks with considerable ease. Star Wars I fans will forever remember her as Padme in George Lucas's prequels but her strong body of work I includes Heat (1995), Mars Attacks! (1996), Garden State (2004) and Closer (2005), for which she was Oscar nominated. Here she reveal's why her latest blockbuster, V For Vendetta, has more brains than strength and what it was like going bald...
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It was very interesting for me to consider the mindset of someone who goes from being nonviolent to being drawn towards using violence to express her political beliefs. I enjoyed the fact that it was a complicated journey that can be interpreted on many different levels — maybe she's being manipulated, maybe she's finding her true self and just developing pragmatism over idealism. I appreciated the complicated view of what would make someone want to do this sort of thing.
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When I received the script I was just so shocked by the fact that a big Hollywood action movie could actually have substance and something that's provocative. That it could actually make people feel very strong things and think strong things, whatever those various reactions would be. I thought: "This is crazy, I want to do this!" It's exactly the kind of entertainment I'm interested in making.
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Obviously for the character it's a very traumatic experience because it's a violence committed upon her. But for me, I got to choose to do it so it didn't feel like a violent thing committed against me. It was actually kind of wonderful to throw vanity away for a little bit. We're always expected to be spending a lot of time taking care of ourselves, so it was a pretty nice opportunity not to have to think about that stuff for a while.
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I think it's kind of amazing because you're always wondering what's going on behind it. You're always thinking, are they laughing behind that? Are they smiling? Are they crying? Are they angry? Hugo's performance was so vocal and physically specific that it was a great help. It's not like working with blue screen, for instance, where you have to imagine the performance opposite you. He was giving a very full-bodied performance.
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I worked for a month before at my accent with a teacher and we ran through the material over and over again. Every morning during the filming we'd also warm up an hour before we started. But doing a different accent was exciting because it immediately puts you into a different character. Everyone was very supportive and didn't try to intervene too much.
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He was really, really wonderful. He would always keep me laughing and happy between photographic sessions and interested too. He is clearly one of our sharpest minds and a great actor. I think his scenes are some of the most moving in the film. So it was a very lucky experience.
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I don't really go out when I'm filming because I really can't keep it together if I do. I enjoy working here a lot, actually, because there's a lot of non-clubby stuff to do on weekends that can keep you interested and occupied when you're away from friends, family and home. This is the greatest city to see movies.
Score: 6 points
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