2. Reading comprehension. Read about one of the most famous people of Britain, William Shakespeare. For questions 1–4 choose the best answer: a, b, or c. Text: 1) Shakespeare’s works are often published in one book, and it’s not a very large one. Perhaps some may wonder why Shakespeare is valued as one of the world’s greatest poets. It would be very difficult to give a brief explanation. But open any of his plays and read and you’ll immediately see why people regard him as the greatest playwright who has ever lived. For one thing, when Shakespeare has something to say about people as a thing, he has said it as the greatest possible thing that could be said. Shakespeare’s language is indeed the language of life. His experience as an actor could be said to have made his plays the most wonderful ones ever written. 2) Shakespeare knew human nature very well. The characters in his plays seem like real people. There are many heroes among them, fine soldiers, men of kind heart, beautiful women and tigers in women’s clothing. Shakespeare shows us almost every kind of man and woman, good and bad, and to know Shakespeare’s plays is to know many heroes among them. His characters don’t help feeling sorry when we see poor old King Lear walking around in the storm, and we laugh at the adventures of the fat and funny Falstaff. 1. Why is Shakespeare so famous according to paragraph 1? a) Shakespeare could explain the best way to speak about things. b) Shakespeare’s works were not very large. c) Shakespeare appeared in his own plays. 2. What does the author say about the characters of Shakespeare’s plays in paragraph 2? a) Shakespeare described real people, who lived in the 16th century. b) Shakespeare described the real people and beautiful ladies in his plays. c) Shakespeare described real people’s life impression of characters.

Перевод задания: Понимание прочитанного. Прочитайте текст об Уильяме Шекспире. Для вопросов 1–4 выберите лучший ответ: a, b или c.

1. Why is Shakespeare so famous according to paragraph 1? — a) Shakespeare could explain the best way to speak about things (Шекспир умел лучше всех говорить о разных вещах).

В первом абзаце говорится, что, читая пьесы Шекспира, сразу понимаешь, почему его считают величайшим драматургом; его язык назван «языком жизни». Вариант b лишь повторяет замечание о небольшом размере книги, а c не подтверждается текстом.

2. What does the author say about the characters of Shakespeare’s plays in paragraph 2? — Вариант b — предположительно, по смыслу: Shakespeare described real people and beautiful ladies in his plays (Шекспир изображал настоящих людей и прекрасных женщин в своих пьесах).

В абзаце сказано, что персонажи кажутся настоящими людьми, а среди них есть прекрасные женщины. Однако варианты ответа на изображении, по-видимому, распознаны с ошибками и не соответствуют тексту грамматически; вариант b — наиболее близкий к содержанию. Для вопросов 3–4 и точного выбора по вопросу 2 нужны отсутствующие на снимке продолжение теста и корректные варианты ответа.

Ответ: 1 — a; 2 — b (наиболее близкий по смыслу; варианты напечатаны или распознаны неясно). Вопросы 3–4 на изображении отсутствуют.