Test 13
Read the text and choose the one best answer to each question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the text. Mark the answer on your answer sheet.
Задания: (1—15)
Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы, следующие за текстом, выбрав один из предложенных вариантов ответа.
Отметьте свой выбор в бланке ответов.Deep Waters
(after P G. Wodehouse)
It is said that there was a young man in Rome who won the admiration of the whole city by his ability as a swimmer. People used to say "he swims like a fish" or "the strongest fish swim like him!"
George Callender was such a swimmer too. In his clothes he did not look unusual. But when he took off his clothes and entered the water a great change immediately took place. Other men made a great noise and created tremendous waves around them: George moved through the sea as silently and as powerfully as a torpedo. When he swam people opened their mouths and forgot to close them.
George came to Marvis Bay on the sea-coast one evening in July. Marvis Bay is a pleasant place, visited by many tourists and people on vacation. The sand is clean and yellow, and there is a long pier, where visitors can enjoy walks in the sea air.
But now, at dinner-time, George was alone on the pier. The late sun shone on the blue water, but he did not look at the beauty around him. He could not: his mind was full of dark thoughts about the difficulties and disappointments of his young life. Because George was a writer, an author, a dramatist. How happy he had been when his play was accepted for production!
And how terrible the days when he had to sit in the theatre at rehearsals and watch the director and the theatrical company at work. They had shortened and changed his best lines; they had cut and thrown out some of the most heroic, the most dramatic scenes.
George had explained; George had struggled; at last he had quarrelled and shouted; nobody had listened. His words could not rich their ears, or touch their stony hearts. George could stay in London no longer, and he had come to Marvis Bay to put eveiything out of his mind.But this was not easy to do. George thought of the months of hard labour he had spent writing the scenes that were now lost for ever. As he stood looking down, he pitied himself, he was ready to cry — until, suddenly, he noticed the most beautiful girl swimming in the water near the pier.
She swam well. As a specialist, George could see it immediately. He watched with admiration, as she moved easily and quickly over the waves towards the pier where George was standing. As she came nearer, he leaned over the rail to see her better. At that moment, the girl turned to swim on her back; and her eyes met his. Then she turned over again and disappeared under the pier. By this time, George had leaned over the rail as far as possible, holding the rail with both hands. Now he leaned over still farther, so far that his hat fell off his head. George forgot that he had to hold the rail with both hands: he tried to catch his hat with one hand — and lost his balance and fell into the water.
Ordinarily, falling into the sea, or jumping into the sea with all his clothes on could not make George feel very uncomfortable. He could swim to a boat, if a boat happened to be near, or to the shore, and walk up out of the water, laughing a little over the incident. So now, he shook the water out of his eyes and was about to begin swimming to the shore, which was less than a hundred yards away. But at this moment, he felt two strong hands under his back and a voice in his ear said: " Don't be afraid; don't struggle; there is no danger".
George did not struggle. His mind was working like a first- class motor, and it already had a plan of action. For a young man, one of the most difficult things in the world is to be introduced to the girl of his dreams under the right conditions.
What a wonderful opportunity this was for George! "How simple", he thought, as she pulled him towards the beach. They were not yet friends, but they had met. A girl who has saved a man from death in the sea cannot pass by him the next day without speaking to him.George lay quiet in the water, hoping they would not reach the beach for a long time. But everything must end sooner or later. George felt sand under his feet, the girl helped him to stand up. George began to express his thanks, but she interrupted him: "It was nothing. Nothing at all. It was just lucky that 1 happened to be there."
"It was wonderful!" the dramatist said with deep feeling. "You are the bravest, the finest, the best..."
He saw that she was smiling.
"You are very wet," she said.
George looked down at his clothes. It had been a nice suit once.
"Now, you must hurry home and put on something dry."
Looking around, George saw a crowd of people coming down on the sand towards them. It was time to leave.
"Do you live far?" she asked.
"Not far. I'm staying at the Beach Hotel."
"Oh! So am 1. 1 hope we shall meet again."
"Гт sure we shall," said George, with no doubt in his voice.
"How did you happen to fall off the pier?"
"1 was ... er ... 1 was looking at something in the water."
"Yes, I noticed that", said the girl, quietly.
George's face was red. "I know," he said. "It's not very decent to stand watching ..."
"You must learn to swim," the girl interrupted. "1 can't understand why every boy in this country isn't taught to swim before he is ten years old. It isn't difficult at all, really. 1 can teach you in a week."
Like all decent people, George didn't like liars, and ordinarily he didn't tell lies. But this time, the struggle between George and George's conscience was short. His conscience had no chance to win from the beginning.
"I'll be glad and thankful if you will," said George. And even before he finished saying the words, he knew that he would have to continue telling lies for many days.
The true explanation was impossible. But his heart was not heavy; it even sang a little."Wfe'll start tomorrow," the girl said. "We'll talk about it at the hotel. I don't want to talk to all these people coming down here. I'm going to swim out again."
She hurried into the deeper water. George turned and went up the beach, pushing his way through the crowd that had collected there.
George was
A a legendary swimmer of Rome В an artist С a writer
George
A could swim a little В was a very good swimmer С couldn't swim at all
He came to the pier
A to finish his new play
В to rest after hard work
С to get rid of his gloomy thoughts
He felt
A light-hearted and happy В sad and gloomy С sure of himself
Choose the correct statement:
A A sudden noise interrupted George's thoughts.
В George became interested in the fish playing in the water. С George noticed a girl swimming towards the place where he was standing.
George
A enjoyed watching the girl. В was irritated, because the girl disturbed him. С was afraid of the girl.
The girl
A shouted to George: "Be careful!" В didn't see George. С noticed George watching her.
George
A jumped into the water to save the girl. В fell into the water by chance. С fell into the water on purpose.
When George found himself in the water A he became frightened.
В he began to shout for help.
С he was about to start swimming in the direction of the shore.
The girl
A paid no attention to George. В swam to George. С began to shout for help.
George
A pretended to be a poor swimmer. В refused the girl's help.
С didn't want the girl to think he coudn't swim.
George
A reached the shore alone. В was pulled out of the water by the girl. С began to swim himself.
The girl
A was angry with George for his carelessness. В didn't want to listen to George. С offered to teach George to swim.
When George heard the girl's words he felt A ashamed of himself.
В happy.
С rather disappointed.
The girl
A knew why George had fallen into the water. В guessed the truth about George's ability to swim. С didn't want anybody to listen to their conversation. ¦
I