Линия заданий 1, ЕГЭ по английскому языку

Задание 1

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Speaker A

The Internet enforces literacy and worldwide communication. I’ve talked to people online from all around the world. World knowledge is always a positive thing. With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can be learning about evolution or symptoms of physical ailments, how to make a chocolate cake, or anything else you can dream of. You can basically self teach yourself in any subject using the Internet. Now that we can place some security in our computers, most schools have computer labs. Students do vital research and homework using the Internet. It saves time and gives them the option to find the necessary information online.

Speaker B

For me, the Internet is like fire. It depends on how people use it. If you use it the right way, it cooks food for you and warms your room, but if you use it in a bad way, it will harm you. With the Internet, we can communicate ideas faster and to a larger audience. At the same time, it has spread the rot of mankind as well. The racism and ignorance that you witness on the Internet can expose the problems that exist in today’s society. So I would not say that the Internet is always making the world better!

Speaker C

The Internet gives people the opportunity for immediate communication, whether through email or instant messaging. This is especially helpful for people in different countries, for example, America and Italy. If you have a family in other parts of the world, it is far cheaper to communicate via the Internet than it is to talk on the phone or send letters. I can chat with my friends half way across the globe for next to nothing and voice chat is almost phone quality. Because of this, the Internet is a great substitute for the telephone and the postal service.

Speaker D

Lots of people don’t know what they would do if they didn’t access the Internet at least once a day. It’s really sad that we depend so much on something so trivial. I cannot see how the Internet has made our lives any richer. If we weren’t on the Internet, we would be talking to real people about real issues and we would not be so obsessed with other people’s lives. The Internet has made the world a smaller place, and somehow cheapened the diversity which makes up our world. I suppose we will be the last generation who goes out into the world to discover things by ourselves.

Speaker E

The Internet is obviously useful if it’s used as a tool for learning. However, it is also a very dangerous tool considering that it could turn the whole world into chaos. There will always be hackers who break through the newest anti-virus programs and gain control over your computer using secret backdoors. And if you are not secure, they can access your personal data, like credit card numbers, social security or home address. It’s not very hard to find someone on the Internet, trust me. People regularly have their identities stolen. Fortunately, if you know what you’re doing, this almost never happens.

Speaker F

The Internet has completely changed my life. I run my own web design and development company. I live and play on the web. I also have my telephone service run over my internet connection. If I had to estimate, I would say that over ninety-eight percent of my total communication with the world is done over the web in some form or another. I have an entire bookshelf full of books on Networking. I run a gigabit network in my house and own two network laser jet printers. Without the web I would not have any dreams, aspirations or source of income. It is vital to my existence.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

Holidays are becoming more and more commercialised. People buy and give loads of gifts and quite a lot of them are useless. That’s because people feel the need to please their friends and relatives by giving them something but they don’t have time to think of a useful gift. As a result, people get loads of unnecessary stuff, which later they want to get rid of. As for me, I never buy my men anything. Instead, I cook them something sweet such as chocolate truffles, cookies, brownies or cupcakes. I prefer to show my love and affection with something from ‘me’ rather than a store-bought gift.

Speaker B

I don’t usually give gifts, but if I do, I make sure I know the person very well. So, I just buy them something they really need, not just something that would remind them of me. It doesn’t matter whether the gift is sentimental or not, I just buy them something practical. Say, my father loves eating so I am spotting a running watch for I believe he needs it. And my parents gave me a portable typewriter when I was about 8, which I used for about 20 years, I think. That was a really good present.

Speaker C

I believe people need to give and receive presents as gifts are a physical representation of relationships between people. Moreover, gift-giving offers people a chance to create lasting social networks as most people will probably feel the need to return the ‘gift’ with a socially appropriate response. In short, gift-giving is a social way to bring members of a community closer together. It is also a way to correct missteps, recognize special relationships between people, and mark important cultural events such as holidays or birthdays. So, gift-giving is an important form of mutual communication.

Speaker D

A gift is something you give to a person without any obligation. Gift-giving should make us feel good as well as making the receiver of the gifts feel good. I remember my brother gave me a year’s subscription to the National Film Theatre when I was 16, and that was a really valuable present. There were no videos or DVDs in those days, so the National Film Theatre was the only place to go to see the old films that I liked. I felt great and so did he. Giving gifts shows your affection and appreciation, and I believe this is what the world needs.

Speaker E

I really don’t get the ‘how much are they worth’ questions in regards to what gift, if any, to bring. The suggestion that some people have to make sure your gift will cover the cost of your dinner if you go to the reception makes no sense to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should buy cheap gifts, but I’m just a fan of getting people presents that I think they’ll like, without breaking the bank, regardless of whether they have a sit-down dinner reception or a cake-and-punch reception.

Speaker F

I really can’t say what kind of presents I prefer. I enjoy books and DVDs, and stuff like that. However, the most pleasant present for me is always the presence of my friends at my birthday party. Since my birthday is in the middle of the summer vacation, I’m alone most of the time on that day. Some of my friends are still abroad, and others are just about to be leaving on a holiday trip. So, whenever there is someone to celebrate it, I’m very grateful. I like to have just one day when people focus on me and I have real fun.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

Foreign languages are very popular nowadays, and it’s not surprising that people want to master them. Today there are lots of ways that make it possible to learn a foreign language and every person chooses what suits them best. There is no shortcut for faster learning, though; it takes the time it takes. The way I learnt Romanian was watching TV in English with Romanian subtitles. Subtitles helped me pick up Romanian words from sentences. It took about a hundred hours or so, but I can now read Romanian and understand the spoken language without having to put any work in it.

Speaker B

In my opinion, the only way you’ll ever truly learn a language is going to the country that speaks that language. I had studied German for four years, but after I spent two months in France, I spoke French much better than German despite all the time and effort I had spent learning it. Travel alone and refuse to be helped in your language. Stay for at least three months at the same place. At first you will feel frustrated but this is normal and you’ll soon get used to the language. I personally speak five languages, and I have never been to a language class.

Speaker C

In my opinion, the fastest and the best way to learn a language is to live in the country where it is spoken. However, not everyone can afford studying abroad. If you can’t do that, I believe that taking classes is an effective way as well. I don’t think it’s a good idea to try and learn a foreign language by yourself, I mean, sure, you can do that as a well as taking classes, but I do think it’s very hard to do it without any help. It is much easier if you have a teacher or a tutor, whom you can ask questions and ask for advice.

Speaker D

My preferred method is using a good textbook with both grammar lessons and vocabulary. Read the lessons and learn new words. Then practise using them with the exercises provided in the textbook. This is an accelerated way of learning, and it’s entirely possible. When starting a new language, memorizing a hundred words per day will come quite naturally. I recommend never falling below 50 words per day and keep them in your working memory. And make sure that the words you learn are the ones that people use commonly, learning odd and rare words is not effective if you are trying to learn quickly.

Speaker E

You can’t learn a language from books, you should hear it sound. While studying French at the University, I religiously listened to the cassette tapes that accompanied our textbook, and it really helped me to better learn the language. Listening doesn’t take up your time. Load the language into your ipod, walkman or whatever is convenient, and just listen to it at home while cooking dinner or in the car on the way to uni. You can also listen to foreign pop music. You know, French sounds are rather difficult and singing French songs really helped me to improve my pronunciation.

Speaker F

Memorising words is not an effective way to learn languages. You can’t learn a language without speaking it. The only thing you should do is to find some kind of actual verbal interaction, so as to see how the language really works in everyday conversation. I used to know a couple of students who helped each other learn languages. One knew Spanish and wanted to learn English, the other knew English, and wanted to improve his Spanish. They divided the week in half. For half a week they only spoke Spanish, and the rest of the time they spoke English. They both improved rapidly.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

I’ve learnt from first-hand experience what winter is like, I’ve seen places I’ve heard of or learnt about at school, places I’ve read about in books or seen in the movies. Now I know what it’s like to travel by air, sea, rail and, of course, by road. I can say I’ve interacted with people in Europe, Asia, North America, South America and in the Middle East. I have tried their cuisine and I have seen all the wonders of the world. And I would say that travelling helped me gain new experience and lots of knowledge about the world we live in.

Speaker B

Lots of people believe that travel broadens the mind. In fact, it can sometimes confirm people in their own prejudices. A friend of mine went to Cyprus and when he came back, he complained bitterly that he could not find English food and everything was so foreign! If one travels with that kind of attitude, small wonder one never learns anything about other places and people. Today many people travel not in order to learn or broaden their mind, but to ‘have a good time’ and usually on their terms. I think travel can broaden the mind; but only when there’s room in it to expand.

Speaker C

I’ve just got back from a trip to Japan and what I learned by just being there is more than I’ve ever learned on the Internet. There are so many opinions and I found that whatever people had to say about Japan was radically different from my own experience there. Talking to some locals, I learned more than school, or Internet could teach me. Travel lets you see other people’s lives, cultures, customs and traditions from different parts of the world. Travel educates you and makes you knowledgeable. I think that people who never leave their countries are narrow-minded and ignorant.

Speaker D

I don’t feel the need to travel anywhere as much as I did when I lived in Europe. Canada has a lot of the things I’m looking for: beautiful scenery, quiet places, no beaches full of people with horrible accents demanding fish and chips, nice weather in the summer. I don’t like hot places, so there isn’t really anything I’m missing. I love my house and I don’t like leaving. Seriously, I love lying on the sofa. My life’s pretty full these days, so when I have the chance to do nothing but lie around with the hounds, I’m as happy as a clam.

Speaker E

I feel sad for those people who have never travelled outside of their own hometown. There’s a whole world of different cultures to meet out there, ninety-nine per cent of which you can’t have by just sitting in the living room in front of the TV. When you travel to other countries you can see, feel and touch other ways of living. Some places will shock you, others will please you, but you will never be untouched by experiencing other cultures. You will then appreciate your own life and see things in a different way. You learn and start thinking and perhaps it will change you forever.

Speaker F

I’ve been lucky enough to work all around the world and I have to say it has enlightened me in so many ways. The thing for me is that you have to meet people. Why travel if you’re just going to hang out with the same people? For me, learning how other people think, what they do, what’s important for them and how they live is the ‘mind-expanding’ side of travel that I enjoy. It’s useful because it puts into question all of the habits and beliefs that you take for granted, and shows us that all lifestyles and points of view are equally valid.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

My absolute favourite film of all time is ‘Local Hero’. Peter Riegert plays a Texas oil man who’s sent to a stunningly picturesque Scottish fishing town to negotiate with the locals to buy the whole town, so that his company can raze it to build an enormous oil refinery. This film, while being warm and hilarious, is also one of the most subtle films I’ve ever seen. The humour of some of the scenes can slip by if you’re not paying attention; in fact, I picked up more and of its subtleties with each subsequent viewing.

Speaker B

‘Manhattan’ is a film that could make a boy like me, who’s never been to New York, fall in love with the place. Funny, bitter-sweet, sad, pulsing to the great tunes of George Gershwin and shot in stunningly gorgeous widescreen black-and-white by Gordon Willis. And I almost always cry at the ending. I think this is Woody Allen’s greatest film, despite the fact that ‘Annie Hall’ won more accolades from Hollywood. It’s far more sophisticated, more bitter-sweet, still bitingly funny, but more of a ride for your emotions. A masterpiece.

Speaker C

Mere words fail to describe this film. You’ve heard of it. It’s ‘A Space Odyssey’. See it if you haven’t, and prepare to have your mind blown. It is a film that sort of encompasses art as a whole rather than just utilizing the cinema. It is a movie, it is a painting, it is a philosophy book, and finally a musical symphony. Do not watch it on video, or you’ll miss 2/3 of the images. Douglas Trumbull and the people who brought Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick’s vision to the screen set a standard of visual effects that’s still hard to beat, in my opinion.

Speaker D

My favourite film, The Jetty, is in black and white. It’s in French, it’s only 30 minutes long, and except for one briefly moving image, is told entirely in still images. After the destruction of Paris in World War III, a man obsessed by an image from his childhood is sent by the rulers of the survivors as an emissary to the past, in search of food and medicine, precisely because this image seems to be the only thing keeping the journey through time from failing. There, he falls in love ... It’s one of the most amazing, brilliant, poetic and emotionally powerful films ever made.

Speaker E

I never used to like cartoons but ‘Ratatouille’ is, in a word, perfect. It’s the essence of ‘cinematic’. It is beautifully ‘photographed’, amazing fluid, sailing, flying camera movement, wonderful storytelling, endearing characters and acting, and it’s all about the love of food and finding the artist within yourself, being true to yourself and your abilities and passions. I absolutely adore this film and hope to see it again and again.

Speaker F

This is one of a handful of movies to earn a five-star rating from me. WALL-E should be recognized as the first film to truly reconcile digital technology with a human soul. Every single frame reflected back into itself as the artists and engineers created a mechanical character who gleaned the essence of humanity by sifting through all the things we tossed away. In the end, the machine captured the human condition and presented it back to us, using sophisticated and frequently brilliant film references. The movie successfully showed us how our rush toward digitization could destroy the fragile physical world we call home.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

My idea of a perfect friend is that it’s a person who stays with you in ups and downs. A true friend is someone who’s always with you whether you need money or a shoulder to cry on. He or she is always there to support and help you without being asked. You’d really know your true friends when you are having a bad time in life. I think a perfect friend is also patient and doesn’t get angry too quickly... in short an ideal friend should be perfect with his or her friend. I have only two friends that I can really call ‘close friends’. Others are just acquaintances.

Speaker B

I would like to have a friend of the same height as myself because usually all my friends are shorter than me. Of course my best friend has to be fun to talk to and she must be a good listener as well. But most importantly, a perfect friend is someone who tells me I have something on my face if I do and doesn’t just let me walk around with it there. A perfect friend is someone that I can trust, someone who is always with me. Unfortunately, I’ve never had a perfect friend. All my previous ‘friends’ used to lie to me. But I think my family are my best friends.

Speaker C

An ideal friend is a person who knows everything about you and shares all the happy and depressing moments of your life. When I cry, they simply cry with me. They are the ones who are totally caring and really understanding and they could help us in solving our problems. They cheer us up when we feel sad. They joke when we need to laugh. That’s what I call ‘perfect friends’. Nowadays, I don’t know whether I have a perfect friend or not because people are changing. But that’s OK as long as I am the one who is a perfect friend for my friends.

Speaker D

A true friend is someone who is loyal, and brings out the best in you. They never hesitate and tell the truth no matter whether you’ve done a good or a bad thing and try to improve you because they love you and care for you and would never ever let you down as they are your true friends. A true friend would never go behind your back and do something shady. In short, a perfect friend is someone who never talks behind your back no matter what ... that hurts me most!!

Speaker E

Well, my best friend doesn’t really comfort me when I’m upset over bad grades at school ... she takes an easier way out and tickles me instead. She’s rather short-tempered and often fights over little things, storms away ... but returns an hour later with a chocolate cake and an apology. She appears visibly bored with my constant chatter but surprisingly, recalls even the most insignificant detail of what I’ve said. She has a weird way of showing that she cares for me, but the bottom line is, she does care a lot! I think that my best friend is my perfect friend for that simple reason that she’s ‘not-so-perfect’!!

Speaker F

It’s great to have true friends! They love and care for you, they will always listen to you and stand by you. True friends are honest and loyal; they will never betray you or hurt you. What really matters is that a close friend is there for you no matter what. Friends come and go, but a true one will never leave you in any situation. A perfect friend is someone who is always there to catch you when you fall, someone who you can have fun with. Well, as for my experience, all my friends leave me because they migrate to different places where it is hard to stay in touch.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

I feel that in the future speed limits will go up. I saw a special programme on TV about cars of the future. They will have automatic scratch repair, and that if people trust them enough to let the car drive itself, we will be able to speed through intersections at like 200 mph with cars coming an inch away from us. Moreover, I’m sure that soon cars will be able to fly, making it possible to avoid traffic jams. Nowadays technology is booming and soon it will be everywhere. We’ll live in houses full of electronic gadgets and robots doing housework.

Speaker B

Of course technology will continue to develop to make our lives still more comfortable. Some people even dream about implanting microchips in their bodies to have full control over electronic gadgets. But honestly, I don’t think much is going to change, especially traditions. People will celebrate holidays with their families and friends, just like they do it now. For Halloween they will dress their kids up in cute costumes and take them trick-or-treating. On Christmas Eve, children will still decorate Christmas trees and wait for Santa to bring them presents. And I hope beautiful weddings won’t disappear.

Speaker C

Microchips in human bodies? Colonies on other planets? There is a great deal of speculation about what will happen in the future. Personally I believe there’s no way we can know what kind of technology we may develop in the next 100 years. People in 1900 could not even imagine the technology we have today. They were still travelling by horse and using kerosene lamps and candles. They would never have believed that we would have computers and cell phones. I am pretty sure we will have made a lot of advancements in robotics by then, but no one knows what else we might have developed.

Speaker D

There are quite a lot of sci-fi books today. Well, I don’t believe when people say that the future is going to be bright and we will live happily on our planet. Already now, the Earth is in a sorry state and the future is really frightening. The environmental degradation will continue till the point of no return when the Earth’s ecosystem will be utterly destroyed and mankind won’t be able to cope with this situation. Our planet will be a vast wasteland with no plants or animals, maybe a few ruined cities. Pollution will totally mask the cityscapes and water will be absolutely undrinkable.

Speaker E

Space exploration opens new horizons for mankind, and the discovery of new things in space is undeniable. There is no way we have seen every element that exists. What about the fourth state of matter? Our eyes were created so that we could see what there is on our planet, not in space. Perhaps we will evolve, several thousand years from now, into a species that has eyes which are capable of seeing all eight states of matter! The future is incredible to think about and imagine. We just have to fuel our hopes that there is something amazing out there!

Speaker F

We are frightened by environmental activists that the Earth is on the edge of ecological disaster. Well, it’s true that man has destroyed nature but more and more people nowadays are concerned about our environment especially after the nuclear accidents in Chernobyl and Fukushima. I hope we wake up soon and realise how much we’re spoiling the future of our children. Our world is not a rosy place but no one is lazy or crazy enough to let it go to hell. In the future I think there will be a kind of ‘awakening’ towards nature and environment that will save our world.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

Located at the foot of Dragon Mountain, Pinocchio restaurant can accommodate up to 60 people. Our family owned restaurant serves both Asian and European cuisines and have been in business for over ten years! We offer flexible breakfast and a special menu for lunch. Our guests will be surprised by a pleasant dinner with the gentle light of candles in a quite romantic atmosphere. You are also welcome to enjoy your desert or drink on the terrace, facing the valley and providing a fantastic view of majestic mountains.

Speaker B

From seafood to pasta, Millennium restaurant has all of your favorite dishes and some that are sure to become your new favorites once you try them. The restaurant is home to our spectacular Crystal Ball Room, where we feature special buffets for holiday events. We offer top-quality catering service to help make your next party a success. No matter whether you have a small group or a big get-together, you will be able to enjoy all of our delicious food items through our buffet style catering services.

Speaker C

Whether you want a delicious home-styled breakfast, a specialty sandwich for lunch or a warm, hearty dinner, Tropicana restaurant is the place to be. Friday and Saturday nights are extra special as we have a pianist in our lounge for your listening enjoyment. Children are given special attention at our restaurant. We have puzzles and coloring books to keep them busy while they wait for their meal to be prepared. Please join us for what will be a fun and memorable dining experience. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Speaker D

Our restaurant features several colorful details that are visible from the restaurant terrace, such as an aquarium with live fish and an open grill in which we prepare meat dishes. These details are proof of the rich offer that the restaurant has and an invitation to enjoy offered delicacies. A visit to this luxurious restaurant becomes a memorable gastronomic experience for every guest. Just a single look at our meals makes it evident how much love and passion our top professional chefs invested in their cooking to bring you all of the food dishes that you love.

Speaker E

Harvest’s inviting interior was designed by acclaimed award-winning designer Lori Carroll. Harvest features fresh salads and soups, seasonal seafood, as well as several dishes using local grass-fed beef and handmade pasta. All ingredients are served fresh and only featured at their peak times throughout the year. Our menu changes seasonally to take advantage of our local farmers’-crops, some of whom exclusively grow for Harvest’s menu. We also take one step further by offering seasonal cocktails using only fresh squeezed juices and freshly muddled ingredients.

Speaker F

We are happy to welcome everyone at our restaurant that offers all of the traditional comfort foods made with that homemade touch. If you liked grandma’s meatloaf and mashed potatoes, you’ll love the food down here. When you visit our restaurant, you will be treated like a member of the family. From the time you walk through the front door until the time you are ready to leave, our waiters and waitresses will give you the friendliest and most attentive service. We love people and want everyone to have as enjoyable an eating experience as possible.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

I have always dreamt of having a stunning cream-coloured two-storey house located somewhere in Miami. I imagine a spacious beach house, with the beach being its backyard and the sea being its pool. Its front yard is also large, with a little creek and a big flat green space for a game of soccer. Lots of tall trees tower over the house. One of them will have a big tree house, with a ladder which can be pulled up. Every bedroom will have a large terrace overlooking the sea. The floors will be made of marble and all the furniture will be pure shiny smooth wood.

Speaker B

I wouldn’t like a huge house because there would be too much cleaning, but I would like to have spacious closets and bathrooms. I’m not much interested in a pool, but a hot tub would be nice. I’ve always wanted a house with a simple natural look and lots of indoor plants. I would definitely want a decent size yard, with lots of flowering plants and dogs running around. My family is quite large but they all can’t be in the same place for long before all hell breaks loose, so I would only want my hubby and kids to live in my dream house.

Speaker C

My future home will probably be mostly solar powered with a lot of modern insulation throughout the house. There will be plenty of energy efficient appliances and power conserving devices already preinstalled in the house. Well, I really want a house with four bedrooms and I want everything to be made of very modern materials like stainless steel. The house will have lots of windows, wood and marble flooring, and will definitely be very modern and sleek, with lots of electronic controls. The master bedroom will certainly have a Jacuzzi bathtub and a waterfall shower.

Speaker D

I could never understand people who spend lots of time and money on decorating their homes. They become slaves of their houses and see nothing but their plasma TV. My dream house would definitely be on wheels and have a steering wheel. Ultimately, it would be like one of those buses that bands live in while on the road. That way I could have a comfortable place to sleep; and yet I could change my backyard at will. And I can drive down to the corner bakery without leaving the house. Isn’t it convenient?

Speaker E

I’d like to have a teeny house that looks like a gingerbread house. I want it on a smallish lot with flowers and butterfly bushes and a fence around the little backyard, painted bright yellow with white on the front porch. It would also have a little cement patio out back. Inside, it would be as open as such a small house would be, with a half-wall between the kitchen and the living room, and a tiny hallway to the bedroom and the bathroom. The walls inside would be bright, with fun furniture and rugs everywhere.

Speaker F

I have never wanted to live in a crowded area so my dream house is kind of weird. I would live in a cave house inside a mountain. You could walk through, and the house would open up onto a balcony hanging there on the cliff of the mountain and you could see for miles. I would also like to have plenty of fruit trees and enough land for a vegetable garden and a separate flower garden, preferably roses. What will I have inside the house? All modern conveniences, a satellite TV and the Internet connection.

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Задание 1

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Speaker A

Monarchy sounds pretty cool... a King, Queen, Prince or Princess, royal ceremonies and weddings. But when it comes to making important decisions, the fate of the country is left to chance. Monarchy is having one person with absolute power and that person can overrule any decision! Is it fair if your family has worked hard for three generations and then someone comes in and takes away everything you have? If you have a bad king or queen, you are in big trouble for a long time because you can’t vote out a monarch.

Speaker B

Who needs democracy nowadays? The politicians misuse the rights given to them. On the contrary, monarchy, if used right, could be very effective. It works very well because the monarch can really get things done as he has no congress or parliament to convince to do things his way. The monarch acts like a president, but he has years of experience to add to the role of government adviser, having worked with many political parties over the years. My country is ruled by the monarchy. The Prince and Princess are nice people and they’ve done a lot for our country.

Speaker C

In reality, there are a lot of people who feel that monarchy is an expensive anachronism. In the UK, the monarchy is not nearly as costly to the taxpayers as some people think it is. They make far more money for Great Britain than they receive. The tourist trade became huge in the last century; much of it made from the Royalty. The Royals also raise enormous amounts of money for charities by being patrons of them. Besides, we do not have to elect a president, and this alone saves a lot of money. I’m sure Britain would be far less well-off as a republic.

Speaker D

The monarchy is thousands of years old and it is steeped in tradition. One can say that monarchy is a bit outdated but it does have lots of advantages. Firstly, it attracts plenty of tourists, who love visiting Britain because of its rich cultural and historic heritage, which is mostly due to the Royals. Everyone loves the Royals and they want to see Buckingham palace. Did you see how many people were present at the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate? Abolishing the monarchy would be the same as knocking down the Tower of London.

Speaker E

The most well organized nations in Europe are all monarchies. I don’t think this is a coincidence. I think having a neutral monarch provides strength and unity in the country. The monarch provides a sense of continuity in times of political and social change. While political parties change constantly, the sovereign continues as Head of State, providing a stable framework within which a government can introduce wide-ranging reforms. And at least one part of the government is always there. Elected parties come and go, but the monarch is always there to ensure that the elected government is put in place.

Speaker F

I would say most of us are a bit indifferent in our opinions on monarchy. Having never lived under a monarchy, we mostly don’t have sufficient experience to really know what it’s like to be under a monarch. However, I can’t see any significant difference between a monarchy and a republic. Most of the western European republics are almost no different in constitution from monarchy, except that they have a president instead of a king or queen to do formal stuff like summoning and dissolving Parliament, calling elections, and appointing the Prime Minister. So from a governmental point of view, there’s absolutely no benefit.

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