Task 1. Read the article about ships. Choose the best word (A, B or C) for each space 1–9. Ships – faster and bigger. The first people to build ships (1) ___ the Egyptians 5000 years ago. They used (2) ___ to travel on the River Nile, the longest river in Africa. In the sixteenth century, people from Europe travelled thousands of kilometers in large ships. (3) ___ was important that they found new ways around the world. Life was hard for these sailors and on the journey (4) ___ died because they often didn’t have (5) ___ food. In the nineteenth century, ships called ‘clippers’ (6) ___ tea from China to Britain and wool from Australia to the USA. In very strong winds, clippers could sail 650 kilometres (7) ___ day. In modern times, the largest ships are oil tankers. (8) ___ of these are 400 metres long (9) ___ the sailors have to use bicycles to travel around the ship!

Перевод задания: Прочитайте статью о кораблях. Выберите лучшее слово (A, B или C) для каждого пропуска 1–9.

Вставляем слова по смыслу и грамматике: were — прошедшая форма глагола to be во множественном числе; them — местоимение, заменяющее ships; it в конструкции It was important; many — «многие»; enough — «достаточно»; carried — «перевозили»; a day — устойчивое выражение «в день»; Some — «некоторые»; so — «поэтому».

1. were (были)
2. them (их)
3. it (это)
4. many (многие)
5. enough (достаточно)
6. carried (перевозили)
7. a day (в день)
8. Some (некоторые)
9. so (поэтому)

The first people to build ships were the Egyptians 5000 years ago. They used them to travel on the River Nile, the longest river in Africa. In the sixteenth century, people from Europe travelled thousands of kilometers in large ships. It was important that they found new ways around the world. Life was hard for these sailors and on the journey many died because they often didn’t have enough food. In the nineteenth century, ships called ‘clippers’ carried tea from China to Britain and wool from Australia to the USA. In very strong winds, clippers could sail 650 kilometres a day. In modern times, the largest ships are oil tankers. Some of these are 400 metres long, so the sailors have to use bicycles to travel around the ship!

Ответ: 1 — were; 2 — them; 3 — it; 4 — many; 5 — enough; 6 — carried; 7 — a day; 8 — Some; 9 — so.