Всероссийская олимпиада школьников по английскому языку.

Муниципальный этап.
(9-11 класс)

Время на выполнение заданий – 180 минут

Проверке подлежат только те ответы, которые перенесены в соответствующий лист ответов.

TASK 1
Look at the sentences below about the Short Story Society. For questions 1 – 10, read the text to
decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. If it is correct, mark T (true) on your answer sheet. If it is
not correct, mark F (False) on your answer sheet. If there is no information in the text, mark NG (Not
Given).

1. The Short Story Society has existed for less than a century.
2. Short Story Review publishes work by inexperienced writers.
3. Articles from one of the Society’s magazines are available on the Internet.
4. Writers entering the National Short Story Competition must choose a subject suggested by the
Society.
5. It costs ₤5 for members of the Society to enter the National Short Story Competition.
6. Each year, ten winning writers will be offered contracts to publish their own books.
7. The Short Story Society visits schools to give pupils help with writing.
8. Only society members can attend regular events at the Writers' Cafe.
9. The Writer’s Café is situated just outside London.
10. Children from anywhere in the world are able to become members of the Society.

THE SHORT STORY SOCIETY

The Short Story Society exists to help writers in Britain today. Started in 1899, the Short Story Society
is now one of Britain's most active arts organisations.

Society Magazines
We produce a range of excellent magazines, including the popular Short Story Review. This magazine
includes short stories by some of Britain’s top writers, as well as providing plenty of opportunities for
new writers to have their work printed. Another magazine Short Story News, has interview with writers
and is packed with information about events, competitions, festivals and the writing scene in general. To
see a selection of articles from recent issues, follow the links on this website.
National Short Story Competition
We run the National Short Story Competition, the biggest competition of its kind. It is open to anyone
aged 18 and over and short stories on any topic are accepted. Short stories should be between 1,000
and 1,500 words long. There is no entry fee for anyone belonging to the Society (non-members pay an
entry fee of ₤5). The competition runs from April until the end of October each year. The ten best entries
will appear in the Society's annual book of short stories. The actual winner will receive a publishing
contract to produce his or her own collection of short stories.
Education
For nearly thirty years the society has taken writers into classrooms, providing children and teachers
with new ideas and building confidence in their own writing. Current projects include the Young Writer
on the Year, which was started in 1998 and is open to writers aged 11-18. All winners receive book prizes
and are invited to study on a five-day course taught by professional writers.
The Writers’ Café
The Writers’ Café is the social centre of the Society. Relaxed and stylish, with freshly cooked vegetarian
food, excellent coffees and cold drinks, it is the ideal place to look through the Society’s magazines. The
Café also provides monthly exhibitions, short courses and readings. Its location is in the heart of London,
and it is open from 11.00 am to 10.00 pm Monday to Friday and 11.00 am to 8.00 pm on Saturday.
Society members receive discounts on selected products and events.
Becoming a Member
We have members worldwide, and anyone aged eighteen or over is welcome o join. If you are interested
The Short Story Society, click here and fill out a registration form.

TASK 2
Read an introduction to a book about action sports. For questions 11 - 17, choose the answer (A, B, C
or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Mark your answers on your answer sheet.

ACTION SPORTS AND RISK-TAKING

Risk-takers have been taking part in action sports since the beginnings of time: the new
challenge has always appealed to adventurous minds. The trick with risks is to understand the possible
dangers and then remove them by treating each as a problem with only one solution: the safe one. From
the outside the game still looks ‘risky’, but to the risk-taker who understands the difficulties, the game is
a personal test of skill, rather than nerve. None of these sports ought to be dangerous; if they are, you’re
doing something wrong.
Risk-taking has other benefits. The best cure for a stressful working life may not be a week flat-
out on a beach; emptying the mind merely leaves it open for occupation by the home stresses which you
brought with you. Pick up a new challenge, something that is exciting, stretching, new, and you not only
escape entirely from that other life, but return to it on a wave of confidence and strength that carries
you over the problems which once seemed part of everyday life.
Action sports offer an escape, one where you learn very quickly: in one week – or even in one
weekend – you can learn more about yourself than you did all year. All inner fears disappear in the burn
of concentration demanded by learning to fly, dive, ride or climb. The pride earned through jumping
from and aeroplane at 12,000 feet, or learning to roll a canoe, will stay with you for life. Then there are
the other spin-offs: the mental calm which comes with rock-climbing; the wonderful colours of caves;
the moment of freedom felt during that first flight beneath the wing of a glider. All these sports cause a
wonderful thrill – be it dashing waves or free-falling through the air at 120 miles per hour – but thrills are
just a part of the story. Many of these sports double as types of travel. Horses, bicycles, skis, hot-air
balloons can be used as vehicles for truly exotic journeys; journeys on which you can look at landscapes
(and yourself) from a new angle. And all of these are ‘soft’ vehicles; ones which allow you to move
through, and feel for, the countryside, the mountains and deserts.
The sports in this book cover the complete range of physical and mental skills: they can be done
from our own doorstep or from any one of hundreds of places abroad. The sports demand from as little
as the cost of a pair of boots to as much as it costs to buy a flying machine. Some of them are very easily
reached (I have a friend who goes gliding in his lunch-break), while others require travelling-time and
complex equipment.
Finally, remember that each action sport is a wonderful experience, and the more experiences
we have, the richer we become, and the more we have to share.
Nick Crane

11. According to the writer, action sports

A. Show a person’s ability to overcome difficulties
B. Are dangerous because of the risks they involve.
C. Test the daring of the person who does them.
D. Are far more interesting than playing games.
12. The word ‘it’ in paragraph 2 refers to
A. Any holiday activity.
B. Life at tome and at work.
C. Any action sport.
D. A challenging new activity.
13. What is the best type of holiday according to the writer?
A. Lying on the beach and doing nothing.
B. Engaging in something you are confident about.
C. Doing something you have never done before.
D. Escaping to a place which is totally new.
14. According to the writer, learning action sports
A. Can be extremely frightening.
B. Helps you learn to concentrate.
C. Makes you understand yourself better.
D. Is not really a difficult task at all.
15. Which of these advantages is not mentioned by the writer?
A. Maintaining fitness.
B. Experiencing thrills.
C. Building confidence.
D. Seeing new places.
16. ‘Spin-offs’ (paragraph 3) are
A. Action sports
B. Benefits
C. Achievements
D. Skills
17. In general, the writer says that action sports
A. Are inexpensive
 B. Require a lot of time
C. Are extremely varied
D. Should not be done alone

TASK 3
For questions 18 - 24, write in the missing prepositions.
Write your answers on your answer sheet.

0. My sister is always angry ……with……..me when I am late.

18. Translate these words from English ……. Russian.
19. According …………. the forecast, the weather will remain cold and rainy.
20. …………first they didn’t believe me.
21. He has fallen in love ……… Mary.
22. I haven’t seen her …………..Monday.
23. He arrived …………….Great Britain half a month ago.
24. I’m not interested in football at all, but I’m keen ………..tennis.

TASK 4
For questions 25 – 40, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first using the
word given. Do not change the word given. Use between 2 and 5 words, including the word given. For
a correct answer with no grammar or spelling mistakes you will get 2 points. For a correct answer with
grammar or spelling mistakes you will get 1 point.
Write only the missing words on your answer sheet.

Example
Maria will be ready any minute, and then we must leave.
soon
We must leave ……………………….. ready.
Answer: as soon as Maria is

25-26. I was never allowed to go out alone when I was a child.

Let
My parents …………………………………………… out alone when I was a child.
27-28. Mary moved here in 1987.
Living
Mary ……………………………………..1987.
29-30. I will continue speaking only if you don’t interrupt me any more.
Stop
I will continue speaking only ……………………………….me.
31-32. The play was so boring that we left in the interval.
So
We were ………………………………… that we left in the interval.
33-34. ‘Mark, could you write up the report immediately?’ Peter said.
Wanted
Peter told Mark …………………………………….write up the report immediately.
35-36. This office is too small for two people.
Enough
This office ……………………………………………….for two people.
37-38. Working outdoors is much nicer than working in an office.
Nice
Working in an office is not ……………………………………….outdoors.
39-40. Why don’t you telephone me later to discuss this?
Give
Why don’t you …………………………………….later to discuss this?

TASK 5
For questions 41-50, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the
space in the same line.

HEALTHY EATING

In the past, any mother would be …(PRIDE) …0…proud……….. if her children were round and
lightly fat. Those days are gone. …RESEARCH………41………….have now reached the …CONCLUDE……
42…………….. that too much fat and sugar in children’s diets are a major factor in the … DEVELOP………
43……of heart diseases and other …ILL………44……..when they are older.

However, ……GROW………45……….children need to eat a wide range of foods, and their general
health could be …DANGER………46……. by cutting out particular ones. Psychologists say that the …
SOLVE……47………. is not to change eating habits too fast, but to do it …CARE……48…………., so that
children do not lose muscle in addition to fat. Parents should present food a little … DIFFERENT……49……,
spread butter thinly and avoid putting sugar on the table. Children should also be …… COURAGE……
50………. to take part in sports: this way they will be using the calories that they have eaten.

TASK 6
For questions 51 - 60, read the text below and choose the correct word for each space.
Mark the correct letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.

HONEY

Honey is a sweet liquid …0…A……..by bees. It ………51…….of water and sugars. Bees may travel as
………52…….. seventy-five thousand kilometers and visit over two million flowers to produce just half a
kilo of honey. The colour and flavour of honey depend ……53……… the type of flower visited. In ……
54……., there are more than three hundred ……55………. of honey. The lighter-coloured ones are generally
milder in flavor than darker honey.

In ancient ………56………., honey was the main sweet food, as sugar was very ……57……… . Honey
was of great ……58………… to the ancient Egyptians who used it as payment.
 Today, honey is produced and eaten in ……59……. part of the world. Research suggests that it
prevents tiredness and improves athletic performance. However, honey is not just food – it ……60……. be
taken for sore throats and is used in many skin and hair-care products.

0 A Made B Turned C Done D Put

51 A Involves B Contains C Includes D Consists
52 A Well B Long C Soon D Far
53 A To B On C For D Of
54 A Case B Order C Fact D Place
55 A Varieties B Collections C Sets D Differences
56 A Seasons B Times C Years D Dates
57 A Distant B Rare C Small D Slim
58 A Cost B Price C Value D Charge
59 A All B Some C Most D Every
60 A Shall B Need C Can D Ought

TASK 7
For questions 61 - 70, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only
one word in each space.

GANG THOUGHT BRUEGEL WAS RUBBISH

Many stolen painting have a strange history. But …0…one….of the strangest was that of a
painting by the famous sixteenth-century painter Bruegel, stolen from the Courtauld Institute in London
in the Eighties. It had fallen into the hands of four thieves in London, …61………were trying to make a
quick profit. Until they showed the painting to an art expert, …62……, they had no idea how much it was
worth. One of …63…… said, ‘We got this old chap to come in and take a look at the painting. He was
taking about something, then turned, saw the painting and fainted. So I thought it was probably
valuable.’
Two months later, the gang telephoned ……64…….. art expert. This expert told them that the
painting was worth ₤2-3 million. They immediately hung up. They then tried to sell the painting back to
the gallery from ……65….. it had been stolen. The gallery contacted ……66…….. police and a meeting ……
67.. arranged. The gang asked ……68…. the money to be brought in two suitcases in unmarked
banknotes. …69…….. the meeting did in fact take place, the deal fell through and no money changed
hands.
A short time later the four were arrested. The police found the painting on top of a wardrobe.
When the gang were told they were being arrested in connection with the Bruegel, one of them said:
‘What’s a Bruegel? I thought it ……70……….. rubbish.’

TASK 8
For questions, choose the correct answer. Writer the correct letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.

71. He will translate the text if he ……………… a dictionary at hand.

a. will have B. has C. would have D. have
72. I don’t know ……………… .
A. where is your umbrella B. where your umbrella is C. your umbrella where is D. your umbrella
is where
73. When I entered the room, she ……………on the sofa.
A. lay B. is lying C. laid D. was lying
74. She never drinks strong coffee, ……………..?
A. doesn’t she? B. is she? C. does she? D. isn’t she?
75. I want you ……………………Tom.
A. that you get in touch with B. you to get in touch with c. you get in touch with D. you getting
in touch with
76. John asked ……………….
A. whether I was there before B. had I been there before C. if I had been there before D. if had I
been there before
77. We …………….from him since he left for Kenya.
A. didn’t hear B. don’t hear c. hadn’t heard D. haven’t heard
78. ‘I have lost my passport’. ‘Where ……………..?’
A. have you lost it B. had you lost it C. you lost it D. did you lose it
79. I wish I ………………….nearer to my office because it takes me too much time to get there.
A. live B. will live C. had lived D. lived
80. Mary has no spare time and …………………. .
A. neither do I B. either have I C. so I D. I don’t have it too

TASK 9. WRITING
Write a letter to a pen-friend in an English-speaking country, discussing one of the books you read
recently and explaining why you recommend (or do not recommend) this book to her/ him. Do not
write any addresses.
Write your answer in about 200-230 words in an appropriate style.