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ДЪРЖАВЕН ЗРЕЛОСТЕН ИЗПИТ ПО АНГЛИЙСКИ ЕЗИК

26 май 2017 г. – Вариант 1

12^и клас - Английски език - Външно оценяване

Read the following text and mark the correct answer for questions 1. to 5.

A CAFFEINE-FUELLED WORLD

Over the centuries, people have created many rituals to accompany the consumption of their favourite drinks, tea and coffee. Just think of the Japanese tea ceremony, the British afternoon tea or the morning coffee ritual in many societies. Why are these drinks so popular? The answer is their secret ingredient – caffeine. In the modern world, the new caffeine ‘delivery systems’ are canned ‘energy’ drinks. And the more modern our world gets, the more we seem to need caffeine. People have known for years that caffeinated drinks make you less tired and more alert. This dual power of caffeine to counteract physical fatigue and increase alertness is part of the reason why it is the world’s most popular legal drug. It is the only habit-forming psychoactive drug we routinely serve to our children (in all those soft drinks and chocolate bars). In fact, most babies in the developed world are born with traces of caffeine in their bodies.
Most people don’t think twice about their caffeine intake. However, it raises blood pressure and thus increases the risk of heart disease. So the widespread use of caffeine is now a cause for concern among scientists and public health authorities. One result of this concern is that it is not allowed to sell energy drinks in France or Denmark. And in other European countries, manufacturers have to label cans with warnings. The United States has no such rule, but many canned energy drinks sold in the USA carry warnings anyway. On the other hand, much of the recent research suggests that caffeine may have some benefits for human health. Studies have shown it helps relieve pain, reduces asthma symptoms and increases reaction speed. Despite this, a study in Ireland recommended that children and pregnant women, among other groups, should not drink energy drinks.

1. The popularity of tea and coffee is the result of the rituals accompanying their drinking.
True.
False.
No information in the text.

2. Energy drinks are less popular than tea and coffee.
True.
No information in the text.
False.

3. In the modern developed world, we start taking in caffeine as children.
True.
No information in the text.
False.

4. You can’t buy energy drinks in France or Denmark.
False.
True.
No information in the text.

5. A study in Ireland encourages children and pregnant women to have energy drinks.
No information in the text.
True.
False.

Read the following text and mark the correct answer for questions 6. to 10.

When I was three and Bailey four, we had arrived in the dusty little town, wearing notes on our wrists which stated – “To Whom It May Concern” – that we were Marguerite and Bailey Johnson Jr., from Long Beach, California, on our way to Stamps, Arkansas, to Mrs. Annie Henderson.
Our parents had decided to put an end to their disastrous marriage, and Father shipped us home to his mother. The conductor on the train had been asked to take care of us, and our tickets were pinned to my brother’s inside coat pocket.
I don’t remember much of the trip, but after we reached the segregated southern part of the journey, things must have improved. Passengers, who always traveled with full lunch boxes, felt sorry for “the poor little motherless darlings” and gave us lots of cold fried chicken and potato salad.
The town reacted to us as its residents had reacted to all new things before our arrival. It regarded us for a while without curiosity but cautiously, and after we were seen to be harmless (and children) it closed in around us, as a real mother welcomes a stranger’s child. Warmly, but not affectionately.
We lived with our grandmother and uncle in the back of the Store, which she had owned for around twenty-five years.
Early in the century, Momma (we soon stopped calling her Grandmother) sold lunches to laborers in the two factories in Stamps. Her delicious meat pies and cool lemonade made her business a success. At first she went to the factories to sell her lunches. Later she set up a stand near them and supplied the workers’ needs for a few years. Then she had the Store built in the heart of the Negro area. There customers could find not only basic foods, but also a good variety of other things like colored thread, pig food, corn for chickens, coal oil for lamps, light bulbs for the wealthy, shoestrings, balloons, and flower seeds. Anything not visible could be ordered.

6. The two children’s parents were divorced.
No information in the text.
True.
False.

7. Nobody offered the children any food on the train.
True.
False.
No information in the text.

8. In Stamps, local residents accepted the two children with great love and motherly affection.
False.
True.
No information in the text.

9. The two children lived with their numerous relatives above the Store.
True.
False.
No information in the text.

10. The Store sold a variety of goods – from food to anything customers needed.
True.
False.
No information in the text.

Read the following text and mark the correct answer for questions 11. to 15.

THE STORY OF JEANS

Jeans were the classic clothes of the American West. In 1853, a young tailor from Germany, called Levi Strauss, began working in San Francisco; Levi sold thick canvas to miners; the miners used the canvas to make tents. One day, a miner told Levi that he could not find trousers that were strong enough for work in the gold mines. Levi decided to make some trousers out of canvas. Very soon, he had sold all the canvas trousers he had made! They were just what miners wanted. However, the canvas was rather heavy and stiff. Levi therefore began to look for a different textile; soon he found a strong textile from France; it was called serge de Nimes. Americans just called this de Nimes, and this name soon got reduced to one word denim. Denim was a bit lighter than canvas, but it was very strong; it was ideal for miners. However, original denim was almost white, and miners did not like the colour! Their denim trousers got dirty as soon as they began working! Levi Strauss therefore decided to use colored denim, and he chose dark blue. In 1873, he began to make denim trousers with metal rivets to make them stronger. This was a radical new idea: “Blue jeans” had arrived!
Levi’s jeans were so popular, that his company got bigger and bigger; soon, other firms were making blue jeans too. Miners liked them, but so did cowboys and other working men. Blue jeans became classic American working trousers. After the Second World War, jeans became popular all over the world. Today, blue jeans are made almost anywhere – most of them in Asia. Very few jeans are now made in the USA, because of the cost: but it is still possible to buy blue jeans that are made in San Francisco... if you have a lot of money to spend. Today there are hundreds of different brands of jeans. Many top fashion brands, like Armani or Benetton, make their own blue jeans. But for real authentic jeans, “Levi’s” are still the most popular brand.

11. Initially Levi Strauss made a living in the USA by
selling canvas.
buying and selling gold.
sewing trousers.
making tents.

12. The first canvas trousers Strauss made
were a complete failure.
quickly became popular with the miners.
didn’t appeal to the miners.
had partial success.

13. The new textile called “denim” was ________ in origin.
American.
Italian.
German.
French.

14. Strauss had to change the original colour of the denim because
it was too dark.
denim trousers got dirty very fast.
it was too plain.
he preferred another colour.

15. Not many people today buy jeans made in the USA because they are
made by Asians.
too expensive.
of poor quality.
not fashionable.

Read the following text and mark the correct answer for questions 16. to 20.

HOW SUPER ARE SUPERMARKETS?

Buying the week’s groceries is not what they call shopping therapy. You want to get it over and done with quickly, so you head for the nearest supermarket, you find everything you need under one roof, and you feel glad that those days of going in and out of different shops in the high street are over, and that terrible music they play in supermarkets doesn’t even bother you any longer. Supermarkets seem to be a big plus. There is a downside, though.
In the UK 90% of all the food people consume is bought at 5 different supermarket chains. This makes these companies extremely powerful, especially when it comes to determining the terms of contracts with the smaller companies that supply them. Supermarkets use their huge
buying power to squeeze suppliers to get the best deal. Milk is a good example. Supermarkets like to use things like milk and bread, which are at the top of almost everyone’s shopping list, to attract customers. To offer the lowest price possible to the consumer, the supermarkets force dairy farmers to sell milk at less than the cost of production. (On average, most UK dairy farms operate at a loss and can only survive with the help of subsidies.) Supermarkets keep their profit margin while farmers are left struggling to make ends meet, and the customer pays to prop the system up without even realizing it.
It would be nice if local grocers supported local agriculture. But for the big supermarkets this just doesn’t make sense. You don’t want little farmers thinking they can dictate prices. So supermarkets have started a global search for the cheapest possible agricultural produce. In many supermarkets it is difficult to find anything which is produced locally.

16. According to the author of the text, people find shopping for food a pleasurable activity.
No information in the text.
False.
True.

17. Shoppers don’t mind the music in supermarkets anymore.
No information in the text.
False.
True.

18. Supermarkets use their buying power to the benefit and prosperity of small suppliers.
False.
No information in the text.
True.

19. Supermarkets can also offer lower prices because they reduce the cost of transportation
to the minimum.
No information in the text.
False.
True.

20. Supermarkets offer mainly home produced groceries.
False.
No information in the text.
True.

Read the text below. Then read the questions that follow it and choose the best answer to each question 21. to 25.

Astrology

There’s something about the New Year that always makes me read my horoscope to see what lies ahead. I don’t believe in any of it really but there’s comfort in being told that the next 12 months will bring health, wealth and happiness (well, it’s usually over optimistic, isn’t it?).
There are many other people who are also skeptical about astrology and its belief that knowledge of the position of the stars and planets can help us understand our personality or predict human affairs. However, despite the lack of scientific evidence in its favour, astrology has been around for thousands of years, and is believed by millions of people in both the West and the East.
The Occident has its star signs every month and the Orient has its animals every year. I have to confess that this year I’m now more intrigued by the predictions for the future because it is the year of the Pig and, yes, I’m a Pig! When I first found out I was a Pig person, I was a little disappointed, and my friends (mighty Dragons, friendly Dogs and ferocious Tigers) laughed at me. Pigs have a bad reputation – people think they’re dirty animals that smell horrible and many cultures don’t even eat them.
In the Chinese zodiac there are 12 animals and according to one legend, when Buddha left the earth only 12 animals came to say goodbye to him. As a reward Buddha named a year after each of the animals in the order that they came to him, and the pig came last – no doubt snuffling in the undergrowth for food rather than bounding forward like the sneaky rat that came first. So I thought I was unlucky being a Pig but this isn’t so. It appears that Pigs are kindly people who are helpful and giving. They tend to make good friends as they are loyal, thoughtful and trusting. Pigs are happy, optimistic people and have lots of fun – that sounds OK to me! However, Pigs are often naive and apparently it’s easy to deceive a Pig. They can also be very impulsive and react without thinking, and they’re not that great with money either. Pigs, it seems, get along with Sheep and Rabbits but, interestingly, not with other Pigs, who they should stay clear of.

21. The author thinks knowing what lies ahead of you in the next 12 months

makes you feel depressed.
is boring.
makes you feel relaxed.
is exciting.

22. There is a lot of
scientific evidence in favour of astrology.
resistance against astrology.
skepticism about astrology.
indifference toward astrology.

23. Initially the author thought that his friends’ signs were
less attractive than a Pig.
much superior to a Pig.
as important as a Pig.
inferior to a Pig.

24. According to the narrator, the pig came last to say goodbye to Buddha because it
was a lazy animal by nature.
never arrived anywhere on time.
was looking for something to eat in the bushes.
was the last to hear about Buddha’s departure.

25. One of the signs Pigs have problems with and should avoid is
Pigs.
None of the above.
Rabbits.
Sheep.

Read the text below. Then read the questions that follow it and choose the best answer to each question 26. to 30.

Arriving in Bali

I’ve never had less of a plan in my life than I do upon arrival in Bali. In all my history of careless travels, this is the most carelessly I’ve ever landed anyplace. I don’t know where I’m going to live, I don’t know what I’m going to do, I don’t know what the exchange rate is, I don’t know how to get a taxi at the airport – or even where to ask that taxi to take me. Nobody is expecting my arrival. I have no friends in Indonesia, or even friends-of-friends. And here’s the problem about traveling with an out-of-date guidebook, and then not reading it anyway: I didn’t realize that I’m actually not allowed to stay in Indonesia for four months, even if I want to. I find this out only upon entry into the country. It turns out I’m allowed only a one-month tourist visa. It hadn’t occurred to me that the Indonesian government would be anything less than delighted to host me in their country for just as long as I pleased to stay.
As the nice immigration official is stamping my passport with permission to stay in Bali for only and exactly thirty days, I ask him in my most friendly manner if I can please remain longer.
“No,” he says, in his most friendly manner. The Balinese are famously friendly.
“See, I’m supposed to stay here for three or four months,” I tell him.
I don’t mention that it’s a prophecy – that my staying here for three or four months was predicted two years ago by an elderly and quite possibly demented Balinese medicine man, during a ten-minute palm-reading. I’m not sure how to explain this.

26. The narrator’s trip to Bali is not particularly well-organised.
False.
No information in the text.
True.

27. The guidebook the narrator has offers a lot of information about Bali.
False.
No information in the text.
True.

28. The narrator realizes she can’t stay in Bali for more than a month right before she gets
on the plane.
False.
True.
No information in the text.

29. Bali is famous all over the world for its medicine men.
True.
No information in the text.
False.

30. The narrator explains to the immigration officer that she has to stay in Bali for four months because of a prophecy.
No information in the text.
True.
False.

USE OF ENGLISH

Read the text below and for each numbered gap choose the word or phrase that best suits the gap, marking your answers for questions 31. to 45.

CULTURE SHOCK

Psychologists (31) …………. us that there are four basic stages that human beings pass (32) …………. when they enter and live in a new culture. This process, which helps us to (33) ………….. with culture shock, is the way our brain and our personality reacts to the strange
new things we (34) …………. when we move from one culture to another.
Culture begins with the “honeymoon stage”. This is the period of time when we first arrive in which everything about the new culture is strange and exciting. We may be (35) …………. from “jet lag” but we are thrilled to be in the new environment, seeing new (36) …………. , hearing new sounds and language, eating new kinds of food. This honeymoon stage can last for quite a long time because we feel we are (37) …………. in some kind of great adventure.
Unfortunately, the second stage of culture shock can be more difficult. After we have (38) …………. down into our new life, we can become very tired and begin to miss our homeland and our family. This period of cultural adjustment can be very hard and lead to the new arrival rejecting the new culture. This “rejection stage” can be quite dangerous because the visitor may develop unhealthy (39) …………. such as smoking, drinking, etc. This stage is considered a crisis in the process of cultural adjustment and many people choose to go back to their homeland or spend all their time with people from their own culture.
The third stage of culture shock is called the “adjustment stage”. This is when you begin to realize that things are not so bad in the host culture. Your (40) …………. of humour usually becomes stronger and you realize that you are becoming stronger by learning to (41) ………… care of yourself in the new place. Things are still difficult, but you are now a survivor!
The fourth stage can be called “at ease at last”. Now you feel quite comfortable in your new (42) ………… . You can cope with most problems that (43) …………. . You may still have problems with the language, but you know you are strong enough to tackle them.
There is a fifth stage of culture shock which many people don’t know about. This is called “reverse culture shock”. (44) …………. , this happens when you go back to your native culture and find that you have changed and that things there have changed while you have been (45) ………… . Now you feel a little uncomfortable back home. Life is a struggle!

31. (31)
say
tell
explain
suggest

32. (32)
under
through
over
by

33. (33)
deal
survive
succeed
overcome

34. (34)
challenge
stumble
run
encounter

35. (35)
undergoing
suffering
experiencing
bothering

36. (36)
sights
prospects
visions
views

37. (37)
enclosed
enrolled
joined
involved

38. (38)
moved
settled
come
calmed

39. (39)
habits
hobbies
methods
states

40. (40)
taste
manner
sense
feeling

41. (41)
acquire
have
get
take

42. (42)
surroundings
areas
backgrounds
spots

43. (43)
face
fall
occur
pass

44. (44)
Finally
Lastly
Surprisingly
Visually

45. (45)
away
far
out
beyond

For each of the sentences below, choose the word or phrase that best completes its meaning, marking your answers 46. to 50.

46. I wonder …………… the time of the next train to Barcelona.
could you tell me
if you could tell me
you could tell me
if could you tell me

47. Do you think Laura has changed her mind about …………… to Paris?
moves
move
moving
to move

48. He is …………… stubborn …………… nobody wants to work on the same team with him.
much … for
so … that
too … but
quite … that

49. Do you know …………… this fancy car is, by any chance?
which
who
whose
who’s

50. Eating raw vegetables is …………… eating processed ones.
more healthy from
much healthier than
more healthier than

much healthy from

Sentence Transformations

Complete the second sentence below so that it is as close as possible in meaning to the first one

Could you ride a bike when you were younger?

Were you ……………………………………………………… when you were younger?

I’m really sorry you didn’t come with us to the cinema last night.

I wish …………………………………………………… with us to the cinema last night.

The service was so good that we willingly left a tip.

It was ………………………………………………………… that we willingly left a tip.

I can’t wait to see the sights of New York.

I am …………………………………………………………… the sights of New York.

The residents of the building should look after the front garden.

The front garden ought ……………………………………………………………… .

What time does your volleyball match start tomorrow?

Can you tell me …………………………………………………………………………?

I’m sure she didn’t eat the strawberries because she is allergic to them. (Use a modal verb.)

She ………………………………………………………… because she is allergic to them.

She is not tall enough to reach the top shelf of the bookcase.

If she ………………………………………………………… the top shelf of the bookcase.

‘Did anyone hear the sound of broken glass?’ asked the police officer.

The police officer asked ……………………………………………………………… .

They were refuelling the plane, so we were delayed.

We were delayed because the plane …………………………………………………… .

WRITING

On your sheet write a text in standard English of about 160-170 words on ONE of the following topics.

1. Nowadays some teenagers have jobs while they are still at school. Do you think this is a good
idea?
Support your opinion by using specific arguments and examples.

2. You have received a sum of money as a gift. The money is enough to buy either a gadget you
like or a ticket to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy?
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.