1) Установите соответствие между заголовками 1 — 8 и текстами A — G. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.

1. What is a desert?
2. Smart desert plants
3. The land of treasure
4. How do deserts form?
5. The desert statistics
6. The symbol of deserts
7. A unique white habitat
8. Deserts are dangerous

A. Although the typical idea of a desert is a vast sandy place with little water, a desert is more than that. It is actually classified as any area of land that has not received any rain for a minimum of 12 straight months or a very dry area that receives less than 10 inches of rain every year. The reason for dryness in a desert is also connected with high evaporation and transpiration rates. The ground loses much water through a high evaporation rate. Plants lose their water through a high transpiration rate.

B. The plants that grow in the desert include various forms of cacti, low-lying plants like yucca and agave, and trees like palms and Joshua trees. While classified differently, these plants share characteristics that help them survive in the rough desert climate. They have a reduction of leaves and alternate water storage options. Many of the plants use extremely long “tap” roots as a mode of adaptation, while others stay close to the surface so they have a better chance to absorb the water before it evaporates.

C. Cactus is one of the plants most associated with deserts. Recognizable by their protective spikes, some species grow flowers and edible fruits. The cactus has adapted exceptionally well to desert conditions. To conserve water, most cacti have a fine root structure in which the roots grow near the surface. Over time they have changed their shape so that their external surface is reduced in relation to their volume. In many types of cacti, the stems have become round or flat and are used instead of green leaves.

D. Deserts are the primary source of table salt, borates, potassium and sodium nitrates and gypsum. Soda, nitrates and boron are the most common minerals that appear only in deserts. Approximately half of the world’s stores of fossil fuels come from desert lands, including oil and natural gas, and about half of the world’s diamonds, copper, gold, iron ore and uranium ore come from the desert as well. Besides, deserts are important because they provide corridors for migration for a number of bird species.

E. Several causes can be attributed to deserts, including the Earth’s air circulation, the rain shadow effect, the distance from the ocean and the proximity of cold ocean currents. The air circulation pattern is one cause that can be explained by the fact that warm air holds more moisture than cold air. This results in the evaporation of water and the formation of deserts. The rain shadow effect occurs to land between two mountain ranges. The rain falls on the other side of the mountains, leaving the land in-between dry.

F. There are 33 major deserts in the world, or 71 when subdivided into smaller deserts. Of those 71, 12 are in Africa, one is Antarctica, three are in the Arctic basin, 26 are in Asia, including the Middle East, 10 are in Australia and New Zealand, 10 are in Europe, four are in North America, and five are in South America. Having less than 10 inches of rain annually, Antarctica is not only classified as a desert, but it is the largest desert. The Sahara in Africa is the largest hot desert.

G. Cold deserts are deserts that experience low temperatures and long winters. They occur in the Arctic, the Antarctic and Greenland, as well as above the tree lines of mountain ranges. Cold deserts tend to have higher precipitation levels than hot deserts, and snowfall is common during winter. Average annual rainfall ranges from 6 to 10 inches. Vegetation is scattered due to poor soil quality, and plants tend to have needle-like leaves that reduce water loss. Native animals include rabbits, pocket mice and foxes.

A	B	C	D	E	F	G

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2) Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A — F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1 — 7. Одна из частей в списке 1—7 лишняя.

Red Pandas Have you ever seen a red panda? With their cute fluffy faces and funny games, they’ve become internet superstars. Red pandas look nothing like giant pandas; yet just like them, red pandas live in the mountainous forests of Asia. But while giant pandas belong to the bear family, red pandas ___ (A), raccoons and weasels.

Red pandas were carnivores, ___ (B). They had teeth designed for ripping and shredding. However, more than 2 million years ago, they decided bamboo was a better choice and switched to a bamboo-based diet. Bamboo doesn’t run away, ___ (C). They might also occasionally eat fruits, insects and bird eggs, too.

Red pandas are skilled tree-top navigators. They have sharp claws like a cat, ___ (D). They also use their bushy tails to help keep their balance. The funny fact about red pandas is that they can climb down a tree headfirst. They are ___ (E).

Though it might not seem like it, a red panda’s rusty coat helps them to hide in the forest. The trees ___ (F) and Myanmar are covered with reddish-brown moss. Red pandas blend right in.

Red pandas also have black fur on their belly and legs. This helps them camouflage with the forest's dark leaves. This also helps them hide from their predators.

1. which are animals that eat meat
2. one of the few animals that can do this
3. are probably more closely related to skunks
4. it’s always green, and you can always find it
5. which they use to hold on to slippery tree branches
6. in the mountainous forests of China, India, Nepal
7. who have everything for eating and digesting plants

A	B	C	D	E	F

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3) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Показать текст. ⇓

The purpose of the article as stated in the beginning is to …
1) give advice to budget travellers.
2) describe advantages of travelling.
3) introduce foreigners to Russia.
4) warn against the dangers of travel.

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4) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Показать текст. ⇓

Which is NOT true about volunteering in Russia, according to the article?
1) Travel expenses can be covered by the host.
2) You have to go through a selection process.
3) There is a range of host institutions to choose from.
4) You have to share eating and living costs.

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5) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Показать текст. ⇓

It in Paragraph 3 (“It may seem a bit costly …”) most probably refers to …
1) international calls.
2) a tourist’s discount card.
3) eating in restaurants.
4) visiting museums in cities.

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6) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Показать текст. ⇓

The author’s advice about going to museums is to …
1) buy a museum audio guide tour.
2) visit only one museum a week.
3) buy tickets from local people.
4) visit museums on certain days.

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7) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Показать текст. ⇓

The author says canteens are “a win-win option” because they …
1) often have special offers.
2) serve delicious meals.
3) offer inexpensive dishes.
4) are open at any time of the day.

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8) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Показать текст. ⇓

While staying in Russia, the author …
1) chose mainly Japanese food.
2) checked which place to eat in beforehand.
3) ordered his food online.
4) bought ready-made food in supermarkets.

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9) Прочитайте текст и запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Показать текст. ⇓

What is the main idea of the text expressed in the last paragraph?
1) It is difficult to enjoy travelling with little money.
2) Travelling on a budget requires too much planning.
3) Planning your trip can help you to travel cheaper.
4) Experienced travellers avoid spending a lot of money.