Task 1. Read the text and answer the following questions, choosing the correct variant. The Christmas Tree. No one knows for sure who decorated the first Christmas tree. The custom of bringing an evergreen tree indoors and decorating it at Christmas started in Germany. One legend says that Martin Luther started the practice. Luther was an important Christian leader. According to the story, he noticed the starlit sky as he walked home one Christmas Eve about the year 1513. He thought the stars looked as if they were shining on the branches. When he arrived home, Martin Luther placed a small fir tree inside his house. He decorated it with lighted candles. Decorating Christmas trees became popular in Germany. Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the German husband of Queen Victoria, took the tradition to England. Both German and English people brought it to America. And now nearly every family in Great Britain and the USA has a Christmas tree. The biggest Christmas tree in Britain is put up in Trafalgar Square in London. The people of Norway still give this tree every year to the British people to thank them for helping Norway against Hitler in the Second World War. 1. … started the practice of decorating the Christmas tree. a) The Germans b) Queen Victoria c) Martin Luther King d) Prince Albert. 2. The first Christmas trees in Britain were introduced and popularized by … a) Prince Albert and Queen Victoria b) Martin Luther King c) The Norwegians d) The Germans. 3. What follows from the text? a) Martin Luther decorated the Christmas tree with toys. b) American people do not decorate Christmas trees. c) Every year the people of Norway give the city of London a present — a big Christmas tree. d) Queen Elizabeth I took the tradition to decorate Christmas tree to England.

Перевод задания: Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы, выбрав правильный вариант.

1. Martin Luther (Мартин Лютер) — вариант c). В легенде говорится, что именно он начал эту традицию.

2. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria (принц Альберт и королева Виктория) — вариант a). В тексте сказано, что Альберт привёз традицию в Англию; он был мужем королевы Виктории.

3. Every year the people of Norway give the city of London a present — a big Christmas tree.
Каждый год жители Норвегии дарят городу Лондону подарок — большую рождественскую ёлку. Правильный ответ — c): текст сообщает, что Норвегия ежегодно дарит ёлку британцам, и её устанавливают на Трафальгарской площади в Лондоне.

Остальные варианты неверны: Лютер украсил ёлку свечами, а не игрушками; в Америке рождественские ёлки есть почти в каждой семье; традицию в Англию привёз принц Альберт, а не королева Елизавета I.