C. The marked words may be new to you. Did you understand what they mean? What helped you to understand them: a) the way they look and sound, b) the context in which you found them, c) both?

Both a) and b). The form and sound of the words helped me recognize some of them, while the context helped me understand their exact meanings.

• tendency — a preference or a usual direction of behaviour (тенденция, склонность);
• excursion — a short organized trip or visit to an interesting place (экскурсия);
• laze about — to relax and do very little (бездельничать, лениво проводить время);
• campfire — an outdoor fire made at a campsite (костёр);
• backpacking — travelling or hiking while carrying your belongings in a backpack (путешествие или поход с рюкзаком).