Zadania 1–10 — 60 punktów / 90 minut
Read the text below. Five sentences have been removed. Choose from options A–H the one which best fits each gap. Three options are distractors and do not fit any gap.
English is a lovely language, but it is not always economical with words. We can certainly make ourselves understood through lengthy explanations, but we do not have many singular words that capture a very specific feeling or experience. Take the Danish word hygge, which exploded internationally a few years ago - it recognizes a moment, experienced alone or with friends, that results in a cozy, charming or special feeling. With a true need for less speed, the world got on the hygge train, embracing cups of hot chocolate, comforting warm blankets and simple acts that lead to a feeling of contentedness. Now, we would like to add one more word to your ever-expanding vocabulary: woonerf. The street is seen as a social space rather than simply a means for vehicles to get from point A to point B. While some childhoods may have involved playing in the streets, residential areas have become more open to motor accessibility and parking than to the community. The woonerf concept was developed in the 1960s in Delft, the Netherlands. To solve this problem, straight streets were replaced with winding paths, with vehicles being the secondary concern and people coming first.
Woonerf is about quality of life rather than speed of life. A woonerf-designed street has no division between cars and people, forcing cars to drive at a slower pace. Street furniture might be placed in the street, and areas for community play are encouraged. It is as if a neighbourhood suddenly gets a gigantic front yard, increasing social opportunities while creating an efficient use of space. It is meant to reflect a culture’s own needs and designs. However, there are some fundamental rules that should be followed. A woonerf must have a clear entrance, so that cars entering are aware that they must slow down. Parking should also be provided – just not everywhere. The street itself should not have more than 100 cars going through at peak times. Cars then become the exception, rather than the rule.
Canadian cities are increasingly adopting this concept. As a result, more and more street signs can be seen with a child playing soccer next to a house, to alert passers-by. However, it is interesting to see the experimentation behind new street designs. Vancouver is making its street network more liveable every year, by adapting areas that were previously for car and garbage storage into more human-friendly spaces. Winnipeg recently revamped its downtown John Hirsch Place, putting pedestrians first, while also inviting bikes and cars to peacefully coexist.
Perhaps we also needed to experience overloaded roadways before we wanted an environment that welcomes a child playing with a ball. Hygge and woonerfs are signals that it is time to get back to what we were – and who we were – as people and as a community.
Read the text below. For questions 2.1–2.6, decide if each statement is True, False, or if there is No Information given in the text (3 pts). For questions 2.7–2.11, find the word in the text that matches the definition (5 pts).
When I was growing up, I listened to people talk to me on the radio. My mother would take me places in her little red Chevrolet. We’d get in the car, buckle up, and turn on the radio. There’s something about that magic, this voice telling you to get up, giving you the time, the weather, and the music. It was a theater of the mind.
In high school, I thought I wanted to go into computers, but when I started college, I gravitated toward broadcast journalism. I guess it’s because, in my family, we learned about the latest songs and what was happening in our community from TV and radio. I had also a tendency to gab and always had a natural curiosity. So broadcast journalism aligned with my interests and talents perfectly.
As soon as I was enrolled in the college, I auditioned to be on their radio station, which was also the local radio station. It was well-connected and had a big listening audience. It was a hurdle for a freshman to be on the air, but it was possible at the time. I started out by doing shifts on Fridays between classes and at the weekend.
The thing is, I actually really wanted to be in TV when I was in college. I did an internship at a local TV station in Baltimore. In my 20s, I was going from station to station. I was working full-time and freelancing for different networks. I went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for 10 months. I worked as a radio announcer during the week, and at the weekends I worked for free on the assignment desk at a TV station, hoping that I would eventually get on the air. I didn’t mention that to my boss. So, I never got there. However, being on that assignment desk helped me do some good reporting and understand the minutiae of putting stories together. It helped build who I would become.
But I wasn’t fulfilled. My father had just become ill and I realized I needed to be back home. I applied for a job there as a radio announcer at V-103. Being with family boosted me up and I got to save some money. Plus, the mid-Atlantic region is a newsy area. I thought this was a good springboard for my career. I wanted to be able to get my bearings again, figure out what I wanted to do and who I was. I was also working at a local cable channel at the time, still hoping to get on TV. I was up for a radio job in New York, but I turned it down. They weren’t going to pay me that much. I would have had to supplement my income. So I told myself, If the Lord opened this window for me, there will be a double door that opens later.
When I was working for AURN (American Urban Radio Networks ) in my late 20s, I got some big scoops about issues pertaining to black America. They liked the fact that I gave them breaking news no one else gave them. They had an opening for the Washington bureau chief and White House correspondent job, and they offered it to me. I was 29 then. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-30s that I told myself the TV thing wasn’t going to work out for me. I’m glad that it happened the way it did, because I’ve had longevity. Thirty years in the business. Not a lot of people have that.
When I got the White House job, my boss told me, “April, you should not be intimidated by this. It’s just like covering city hall, just a little bigger.” I didn’t know the ropes at first. I would miss things because I didn’t know what was going on. I remember telling my mother, “I’m leaving.” She said, “If you leave there now, people will think you got fired. You’ve got to stay for two years and after that, you can go.” I stayed two years, plus another 18.
Working in the White House, sitting at the seat of power, intimidates me to this day. Every time I walk down the path in front of the White House, I can’t believe I work in this beautiful, historic place. Sometimes, I’m in shock. It’s a blessing, but I always look at the bigger picture. I’m there to do a job.
In April’s family, TV and radio were more a source of entertainment than information.
April started to perform on the radio in her first year of college.
The boss at a TV station in Tennessee was not satisfied with her job.
Soon after she rejected the job offer in New York, she realised that it had been a mistake.
The moment she got the job in Washington, she gave up the idea of working for TV.
Her mother discouraged her from quitting the White House job.
Find the word in the text that matches each definition.
to be aware how a particular job or activity should be done
to find out your exact position relative to everything that is around or near you
directly connected with a particular subject, event, or situation
a job that is available
very small details
Uzupełnij poniższe wypowiedzi (3.1.–3.6.), wybierając spośród podanych możliwości. Zakreśl literę A, B albo C.
They live in a village, but it is only an hour from Chicago, so they have ______.
After closing the local factory in my hometown, the majority of people moved away. It became just a ______ town.
Once you get used to the countryside, it’s hard to go back to being a city ______.
The masked robbers ______ the bank in the main street.
X: I hate this place. It is full of big, crowded buildings and has no green spaces.
Y: That’s true. It’ s a real ______ jungle.
X: I got an offer to work as a reporter for the New York Times!
Y: So, when are you heading to the ______?
Read the text below. Complete each gap (4.1.–4.10.) with one word to create a coherent and grammatically correct text.
If you are looking 4.1. _______ to getting tickets to the top of the Washington Monument, read below for some helpful tips.
➢ Tickets can be reserved online up to 30 days 4.2. _______ advance.
➢ During peak season (March-August, late December-early January), demand 4.3. _______ tickets is very high. Advance tickets may sell out within seconds.
➢ The Washington Monument is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily 4.4. _______ for Dec. 25, July 4 and part of July 3 – on these days it is closed.
➢ Visitors can access purchased tickets via confirmation email. Please have them ready to present prior 4.5. _______ your arrival at the Washington Monument.
➢ Recent Washington Monument repairs 4.6. _______ led to adjustments in security procedures. Individuals need to pass through a security area 4.7. _______ to an airport one. It is best not to take a lot with you, in fact bring as 4.8. _______ to the Washington Monument as possible. Check online for a full list of restricted items.
➢ 4.9. _______ the end of the visit, a park ranger will help you board the elevator for the descent, during 4.10. _______ some of the commemorative stones on the monument’s interior walls will be visible.
Complete each sentence with one word. The number of dashes corresponds to the number of missing letters. Some letters are already given.
That is a vast city – it takes a lot of time to reach the centre from any of the outer _ _ b _ _ _ _.
The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro is a festival _ _ _ r _ _ _ _ _ _ millions to the streets for its iconic parades.
I come from London, so I am used to the hustle and _ _ _ t _ _ of the city.
There are many old buildings and shops here, so the city authority decided to _ _ _ v _ _ _ this area into a pedestrian zone.
The oldest _ _ h _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the village is a 104-year-old man.
This lovely villa is located among other private houses in a quiet _ _ s _ _ _ _ _ i _ _ area.
Read the text. Complete each gap (6.1.–6.8.) with one word by transforming the words given in the box. Two words are extra.
The National Theater is a historic performing arts venue located in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. It has been presenting shows since it was founded in 1835, which makes it one of the oldest, continuously 6.1. _______ theaters in the United States.
In spite of its name, the National Theater is run by a private, non-profit organization. In the 6.2. _______, however, it was supported by some of Washington DC’s wealthiest patrons, who wanted their city to have a world-class theatre.
The theater building has undergone numerous 6.3. _______ over the years. Its current structure was built in 1922 and still retains much of its original character and charm.
The theatrical institution has hosted a wide 6.4. _______ of performances, concerts, dance recitals, and more. Attending a show here is a truly unique experience. Check the theater’s schedule and purchase tickets much earlier to 6.5. _______ that you get the best seats available.
The place is one of the premier venues in the country for Broadway shows. Many popular 6.6. _______ make their way to the National Theater before heading to other cities across the United States.
Before or after the show, explore the neighborhood by taking a stroll around the area to see some of the city’s most 6.7. _______ landmarks, such as the White House and the Washington Monument. Another theater worth seeing in the nearby area is Ford’s Theater, which is the site where President Abraham Lincoln was 6.8. _______ in 1865. It now serves as a museum and performance venue.
So, take a walk and enjoy the show!
6.1. OPERATE → operating (present participle as adjective: 'continuously operating theaters’)
6.2. BEGIN → beginning (noun: 'in the beginning’)
6.3. RENOVATE → renovations (plural noun after 'numerous’)
6.4. VARY → variety (noun: 'a wide variety of’)
6.5. SURE → ensure (verb: 'to ensure that’)
6.6. PRODUCE → productions (plural noun: theatre productions)
6.7. ICON → iconic (adjective: 'most iconic landmarks’)
6.8. ASSASSIN → assassinated (past participle, passive: 'was assassinated’)
Distractors (not used): AGREE, STAGE
Using the word given in CAPITALS, complete each sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the original. Do not change the form of the given word. You may write a maximum of five words, including the word given.
Jeff thinks it was a good idea to choose a university in the capital city.
Key word: REGRET
Jeff ________ a university in the capital city.
If I were in your shoes, I would not attend concerts at the city stadium.
Key word: WORTH
To my mind, ________ concerts at the city stadium.
I am glad I live here, even if I have to spend a lot of time getting to the city centre.
Key word: DESPITE
________ a lot of time getting to the city centre, I am glad I live here.
Sigismund’s Column in Castle Square measures about 22 metres.
Key word: IN
Sigismund’s Column is about ________ .
Have they given her a city guidebook?
Key word: PROVIDED
________ a city guidebook by them?
The only person who will not attend the ceremony is the mayor.
Key word: EXCEPTION
Everyone ________ the mayor will attend the ceremony.
Complete the sentences with the words given in brackets, in the correct form. Both gaps must be right to score the point. Full grammatical and spelling accuracy is required.
She (usually / not / go) downtown by car . So, she would prefer (we / take) the underground tomorrow.
During the last storm the lightning (strike) the tip of the Eiffel Tower. It was the first time I (see) such power in nature.
You’d better (hurry), otherwise you (miss) the train.
After we (drive) through open countryside for a few hours, we (run) out of petrol just before getting to the place.
Match each name (9.1.–9.4.) to one option (A–H). Four options are extra and match none of the names.
| Name | Answer |
|---|---|
| Pierre Charles L’Enfant | |
| John Adams | |
| James Hoban | |
| Theodore Roosevelt |
| Name | Answer |
|---|---|
| Pierre Charles L’Enfant | C |
| John Adams | G |
| James Hoban | F |
| Theodore Roosevelt | D |
Rozwiąż zadania (10.1.–10.6.), udzielając odpowiedzi w języku angielskim. Wymagana jest pełna poprawność merytoryczna i językowa odpowiedzi.
What is the Washington, D.C. motto?
Which city was the capital in 1774 when the First Continental Congress met?
Which building is the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government?
What is the name of the room in the White House where the presidents of the US work?
Which states surround Washington D.C.?
Who (name the person) delivered a famous speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington in 1963? What is the title of the speech?