READING. Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T), false (F) or not stated (NS): The invention of the Internet has completely changed the way we communicate with each other. Ten years ago, a long-distance phone call from one country to another was really expensive. Today, however, there are lots of technologies people can use to stay in touch with their family and friends when they are away on holiday. They’re really cheap and in some cases they’re free! One invention that has helped people talk to each other over long distances is Skype. It’s software that allows users to make telephone calls over the Internet. Once you have downloaded the Skype software onto your computer, you can speak to other users of the service for free. Not only that but you can make calls to mobile phones for a small fee. Skype was created by a team of software developers in Tallinn, the capital of the small north European country of Estonia. The two creators of Skype, Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, and their team of software developers have become popular heroes in Estonia because they have put their small country on the map. In fact, as well as starting Skype in 2003, the development team has invented a lot of other well-known software. Estonia is now an important centre for communication technology. Skype has become more and more popular since its launch. There are now more than 200 million Skype users, making it the fastest-growing Internet community ever. 1) Making an international call is more expensive now than it was ten years ago. 2) You can use Skype to call people on mobile phones for free. 3) Skype was invented in Estonia in the 21st century. 4) Estonia isn’t an important centre for communication technology. 5) The number of Skype users may fall soon.

Перевод задания: Прочитайте текст и определите, являются ли утверждения верными (T), неверными (F) или в тексте не упоминаются (NS).

1. F — Making an international call is more expensive now than it was ten years ago. (Сейчас международный звонок обходится дороже, чем десять лет назад.) В тексте сказано, что десять лет назад такие звонки были очень дорогими, а современные способы связи дешёвые или бесплатные.
2. F — You can use Skype to call people on mobile phones for free. (Можно бесплатно звонить через Skype на мобильные телефоны.) Такие звонки стоят небольшую сумму.
3. T — Skype was invented in Estonia in the 21st century. (Skype был создан в Эстонии в XXI веке.) Программа была создана в Таллине, а запущена в 2003 году.
4. F — Estonia isn’t an important centre for communication technology. (Эстония не является важным центром коммуникационных технологий.) В тексте прямо сказано, что Эстония является таким центром.
5. NS — The number of Skype users may fall soon. (Число пользователей Skype вскоре может сократиться.) В тексте нет сведений о возможном снижении числа пользователей.

Ответ: 1) F; 2) F; 3) T; 4) F; 5) NS.