1.A customs union is an organization of autonomous countries.

The word autonomous in the sentence is closest in meaning to …

a) massive

b) acclaimed

c) prosperous

d) independent

2. Until the late nineteenth century all rubber was extracted haphazardly from trees found in the jungles of South America.

The word haphazardly in the sentence is closest in meaning to

a) carelessly

b) secretly

c) constantly

d) dangerously

3.Some animals’ coloration uses bold, disruptive markings to scare predators.

The word disruptive in this sentence is closest in meaning to

a) disturbing

b) distinctive

c) brilliant

d) unfavorable

4. Fans are used to circulate air in rooms and buildings. Even though air circulated by a fan is comforting, no fan actually cools the air.

The word actually in this sentence is closest in meaning to

a) legitimately

b) factually

c) truly

d) essentially

5. For women in the 1920s, freedom in dress reflected their new freedom to take up careers. A revolutionary changes closest in meaning e affected the types of clothes worn by most women. For example, trousers became acceptable attire for almost all activities.

The word acceptable in the passage is closest in meaning to

a) usable

b) endurable

c) believable

d) permissible

II.Reading comprehension

By Heart (անգիր)

Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter. Yet this is not always the case.

A famous actor in a highly successful play was once cast in the role of an aristocrat who had been imprisoned in the Bastille for twenty years. In the last act, a jailer (բանտապահ) would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance, he always insisted that it should be written out in full.

One night, the jailer decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if, after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell. Just then the jailer appeared with the precious letter in his hands. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual. It was simply a blank sheet of paper. The jailer looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had learnt his lines by heart. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: “The light is dim. Read the letter to me.” And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the jailer. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either, the jailer replied: “The light is indeed dim, sir. I must get my glasses.” With this, he hurried off the stage. Much to the aristocrat’s amusement, the jailer returned a few moments later with a pair of glasses and the usual copy of the letter which he proceeded to read to the prisoner.

Choose the right answer

1.Why are actors in some ways unfortunate?

a) They have to remember very long texts by heart.

b) They get bored by repeating the same lines night after night.

c) They are paid less than engineers.

2. The prisoner always insisted that the letter be written on the sheet of paper because

a) he didn’t want to learn the contents of the letter by heart.

b) he wanted everything to be real on the stage.

c) the spectators could see that it was only a blank sheet of paper.

3. Why did the jailer bring a blank sheet of paper instead of the letter?

a) He didn’t do it on purpose. He had simply been mistaken.

b) He did it on purpose because he didn’t like the famous actor.

c) He simply wanted to make sure that the famous actor knew his part by heart.

Complete the sentences

1. If you were in my position, what would you have done?
2. If I need help, I will let you know.
3. I would follow that advice if I were you.
4. I would have passed the exam if I had studied harder.
5. I am not looking forward to school tomorrow.
6. Instead of self-diagnosing, you should see a doctor.
7. Don’t you think this room needs cleaning?
8. You should avoid eating too much.
9. You should give up smoking.
10. Before leaving the house, I always wash my teeth.
11. Not only was I late for the bus, the next bus was delayed!
12. Never have I ever been late to class.
13. You had better apologise to her.
14. I would rather stay home than go to the mall.
15. No sooner had I left the house, I saw that it started raining.
16. Hardly had he come home, when the phone rang.
17. Only then did he realize that his phone was out of battery.
18. Whatever you do you can’t pretend you don’t need to do your homework.
19. I would rather you be honest next time.
20. He wondered why his alarm hadn’t gone off.

Creative writing task

I. Let’s learn some new ways of expressing ideas

You agree with your interlocutor and add something.

Model: It is important that you travel.

I agree. But where you travel is also essential.

1.It is important that you listen to music.

I agree. But what music you listen to also matters.

2. It is important that you work.

I agree. But what work you do is also important.

3. It is important that you eat.

I agree. But what you eat is also important.

4.It is important that you read.

I agree. But what you read is also important.

Model: We haven’t earned much money implementing this project.

What does money matter, anyway? (Փողն ի՞նչ նշանակություն ունի: )

We shouldn’t be afraid of rain if we go on an excursion. (Անձրևն ի՞նչ նշանակություն ունի:

What does rain matter, anyway?

We are not sorry that we spent so much time on roaming in Paris. (Ժամանակն ի՞նչ նշանակություն ունի)

What does time matter, anyway?

It’s so noisy in here/ (Աղմուկն ի՞նչ նշանակություն ունի)

What does noise matter, anyway?

Model: Is it probable that the weather will change for the worse?

Yes, it is likely to change for the worse.

Is it probable that transport fares will go up? (Այո, հավանական է, որ բարձրանան:)

Yes, they are likely to go up.

Is it probable that my parcel will get there before Christmas? (Այո, հավանական է կհասնի մինչև Ս.Ծնունդ)

Yes, it is likely to get there before Christmas.

Is it probable that Adriano Celentano will act in this movie? (Այո, հավանական է, որ նա կխաղա այս ֆիլմում)

Yes, it is likely that he will act in this movie.

Model: This problem is very difficult. I can’t solve it.

This math problem is too difficult to be solved.

The tea is very hot. I can’t drink it.

The tea is too hot to be drank.

Chinese is very difficult to learn.

Chinese is too difficult to be learned.

It is hard to understand this dialect.

This dialect is too hard to be understood.

Challenging ideas to be contradicted

1. Teenagers should listen to their parents when making a final decision about their future profession.

I agree that to some extent, teenagers should consider their parents’ opinions regarding future professions. Parents have much more experience with careers and life in general, so they are likely to be more knowledgable on professions.

However, teenagers cannot fully listen to their parents when making that decision. This is because parents often do not fully understand what their teenagers are passionate about, or they may understand and not accept it. In these cases, if teenagers listen to their parents, they may end up at an unfulfilling job or a job they have no passion for. This can lead to them feeling discontent and dissatisfied with their profession.

2. Humanity can’t get rid of the Internet and continue developing.

Currently, the internet is so integrated in the world that is hard not to use it. Communication, navigation, research, job applications, and so many other crucial things work on the internet. Furthermore, billions, if not trillions have been spent on servers, routers and infrastructure that primarily use the internet.

However, getting rid of the internet could be positive for the world in many ways. First of all, getting rid of the internet would greatly reduce the impact we have on the environment. The electricity and water we use to power and cool the servers which run the internet can increase global warming and greatly affect local communities by using their water supplies. Furthermore, much of the internet and social media aims to divide and anger people to make a profit from their engagement and data, which has led to a general rise in violence and division in much of the world. If the internet stopped being used, people would have to engage with people in person, and this would lead to a much more realistic and grounded worldview.

3. The main task of public schools is to enlarge the amount of information being taught.

A large amount of information being taught will give students more general knowledge of everything, and because people typically only retain a portion of the information that they don’t use from school, people will remember more basic facts about every subject.

However, having information be taught meticulously and with more personal attention from teachers will have a much more positive effect on students. Firstly, if schools teach less information from each subject, this allows the school and teachers to pick out specific, more important information from each subject, which is more likely to be relevant and, as a result, remembered by students. Furthermore, if less information is being taught, teachers can spend more time assisting students who are slower to learn or struggle with certain subjects.