11 клас говоріння

Speaking Comprehension Test for 11^th Form Students

1. Imagine that you have been chosen to serve as king or queen for a year. What would you do during the year of your rule?

* What rules or laws would you create, repeal or change?

* Some people believe that power corrupts or changes those who wield it. How do you think being king or queen would change you?

* What qualities make a king or queen good? Do you think you have such qualities?

2. James Baldwin said, “The most dangerous creation of society is the man who has nothing to lose.” Do you agree or disagree with this quote?

* How might a person with nothing to lose be dangerous?

* What things that are important to a person affect their behavior? How?

* How do things that are important to you affect your behavior?

3. Antiheroes, or main characters in literature, film, or television that lack the traditional traits of archetypal heroes, have proven to be popular leading characters recently. Some examples of antiheroes include Dr. House, Dexter Morgan, Jay Gatsby. What traits do you think make a traditional hero? What traits make an antihero?

* Do you prefer a traditional hero or an antihero? Why?

* What is so appealing about antiheroes to audiences in general?

* What does a preference for antiheroes over traditional heroes say about a society?

4. The Internet and television have made that world a much smaller place, and virtually everybody is aware of pop culture icons like Paris Hilton and Lady Gaga.                                                                                               * Is it important to keep up with pop culture? Why or why not?                                                                                * If you stopped paying attention to pop culture how would your life be different?                                                                           * How does pop culture create similar interests in people throughout the world, regardless of nationality?         

            5. In today’s world, taking care of your body has become very important as more and more people choose not to smoke, exercise regularly, and are very careful about the types of food they put in their body. Becoming a vegetarian is an increasingly popular lifestyle decision all over the world.                                   

 * What is the effect of consuming meat on our bodies?                                                                                               * What is the effect of consuming meat on the environment?                                                                                        * What are challenges of being a vegetarian in Ukraine? How do Ukrainians typically view vegetarians?      

6. How would you explain diversity to a person who has lived in a homogenous society where everyone looks the same?                                                                                                                                                               * What examples can you give to explain this?                                                                                                             * Is it important to live in a place where there is diversity?                                                                                             * How does living in a society influence a person’s worldview?                                                                           

7. Standardized tests, such as the IQ test, have been used to measure individual’s intelligence. Do you think such tests can ever accurately measure all of the aspects of an individual’s intelligence? Why or why not?

* If you had a chance to take a test that would assign you a numerical representation of your intellect, would you take it? Why or why not?

* In your opinion, what qualities constitute intelligence?

* Do you think that intelligence is the most important quality in an individual? Why or why not? Which other qualities may or may not be equal to or more important than intelligence?

8. Multimedia has become extremely advanced within the last decade. What is your view on media in the 21^st century?                                                                                                                                                                       * Is it good that people can have access to almost anything through the Internet? Why or why not?                              

* In your opinion, what are the benefits of the advances in media?                                                                                   * What do you imagine media will be like by the year 2025?                                                                                    

 9. In today’s world, taking care of your body has become very important as more and more people choose not to smoke, exercise regularly, and are very careful about the types of food they put in their body. Becoming a vegetarian is an increasingly popular lifestyle decision all over the world.                                                              

 * What is the effect of consuming meat on our bodies?                                                                                                    * What is the effect of consuming meat on the environment?                                                                                                           * What are challenges of being a vegetarian in Ukraine? How do Ukrainians typically view vegetarians? 

10. The writer Oscar Wilde once said, “When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is.” However the artist Marc Chagall said, “Work isn’t to make money; you work to justify life.”

* Do you think it is more important to have a job that makes you happy or a job in which you earn much money?

* What might be the advantages of a well-paid but unsatisfying job? What might be the advantages of satisfying but poorly-paid job?

* Do you believe that work should be a primary focus of a person’s life? Why or why not?           

11. Parents often have certain expectations of their children regarding their education, career and life choices.                                                                                                                                                                         * Do you think it is more important to listen to your parents or follow your heart?                                                     * How do parental expectations affect the lives of children?                                                                                                 * What societal factors shape parental expectations?                                                                                                

12. Journalism is a vital and challenging profession.                                                                                                      

* Why is journalism important?                                                                                                                                      * If you were a journalist, what kind of news stories would you enjoy reporting about?                                                                   * Who would be the first person you would interview and why?                                                                                    

13. Globalization describes the process by which regional economies, societies and cultures connect through communication, transportation, and trade. This process has sped up greatly over the last two decades.                                                                                                                                                                                        * What advances in communication caused globalization to speed up?                                                                                          * What roles have travelling played in the globalization of world economies?                                                                                             * How can globalization positively affect different countries? How can it negatively affect them?                           

14. Websites, magazines and television shows are free to say almost anything about celebrities and public figures – even if it’s not true.                                                                                                                                          * Is this practice fair?                                                                                                                                                        * Why is the public so fascinated with the private details of famous people’s lives?                                                                  * Would you agree to trade privacy for fame? Explain your reasons.

                                                                         

15. Social networking websites like Vkontakte and Facebook are incredibly popular, but some are concerned that young people are being too free with their personal information.                                                                      * What information about yourself are you comfortable with sharing on the Internet?                                                                    * Do you think people are being careless about their private lives?                                                                                  * What are the possible effects, good or bad, of so much online sharing?                                                                           

16. Stereotypes are generalized descriptions that are said to be true about all members of a certain group.               

 * Are stereotypes good or bad? Give examples.                                                                                                                * How do they arise and where do they come from?                                                                                                      * How can they influence people?                                                                                                                         

17. Gael Attal once said that, “A ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not what ships are built for”. What do you think this quote means?

* Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

* Describe a time in your life when you took a risk? Do you regret taking that risk, why or why not?

* What do you think is more dangerous: a life lived without taking any risks or a life comprised mainly of risk-taking? Why?

18.  Most scientists argue that we live in a dangerous time of climate change.                                                                   * Why should all people be concerned about the environment?                                                                                    * How can humans undo the damage they've done to the Earth?                                                                                  * What are people doing in your town or village to help the environment?                                                           

 19. William Shakespeare wrote plays in England about 400 years ago, but his writing is still read all around the world today. Which contemporary writer do you think will still be famous 400 years from now? Why?

* What form do you think literature will take in future?

* Do you think people will still read Shakespeare’s plays 400 years from now? Why or why not?

* What do you think makes a writer’s work timeless?                                                                         

 20. The invention of the Internet is one of the most revolutionary inventions of the past century.                                  

* How has the Internet affected your life?                                                                                                                     * What impact does it have on the lives of the people around you?                                                                              * What do you think life would be like without the Internet?

  

11 клас письмо

Writing Comprehension Test for 11^th Form Students

Is Google Autocomplete Evil?

“Women shouldn’t have rights.” “Women shouldn’t vote.” “Women shouldn’t work.” How prevalent are these beliefs? According to a resent United Nations campaign, such sexism is dispiritingly common, and it is why they published these sentiments on a series of posters. The source? These statements were the top suggestions offered by Google’s “instant search tool when words “women should not…” were typed into its search box. Google Instant is an “autocomplete” service – which, as the name suggests, automatically suggests letters and words to complete a query, based on the company’s knowledge of the billions of searchers performed across the world each day.

The argument behind the UN campaign is that this algorithm offers a glimpse into our collective psyche – and a disturbing one at that. Is this really true? Not in the sense that the campaign implies. Autocomplete is biased and deficient in many ways, and there are dangers ahead if we forget that. In fact, there is a good case that you should switch it off entirely.

            The greatest danger is the degree to which an instantaneous answer – generator has the power not only to reflect but also to remould what the world believes - and   to do so beneath the level of conscious debate. Autocomplete is coming to be seen as a form of prophecy, complete with a self-fulfilling invitation to click and agree. Yet by letting an algorithm finishing our thoughts we contribute to a feedback loop that portentously reinforces untruths and misconceptions for future searchers.

            Consider the case of a Japanese man who earlier this year, typed his name into Google and discovered autocomplete associating him with criminal acts. He won a court case compelling the company to modify the results. The Japanese case echoed a previous instance in Australia where, effectively, the autocomplete algorithm was judged to be guilty of libel after it suggested the word “bankrupt” be appended to a doctor’s name. And there are plenty of other examples to pick from.

            Do you know you can turn autocomplete off just by changing one setting?  I’d recommend you give it a try, if only to perform a simple test: does having a computer whispering in your ear change the way you think about the world? Or, of course, you can ask Google itself. For me, typing “is Google autocomplete… “  offered the completed phrase “is Google autocomplete a joke?” Unfortunately, the answer is anything but.

Google autocomplete system can subconsciously impact our thought patterns. And so could the mass media. You are to write an essay of that mass media effect on people. The following questions can help guide your thought.

Mass Media consists of radio, television, newspapers, magazines, movies, books and internet.

-         Is there any information that you have seen in the last year that you think should not be in the mass media?

-         What do you think should be done about this and why?

-         Should there be laws against certain types of information being spread? If so, which types? If not, why?

11 клас аудіювання

Listening Comprehension Test for 11^th Form Students

From “Escape from Katmandu” by Kim Stanley Robinson

            Then a movement across the pool caught my eye, there in the shadow of two gnarled oak trees. I froze, but I was right out in the open for anyone to see. There under one of the oaks, in shadow darker for the sunlight, a pair of eyes watched me. They were about my height off the ground, I thought it might be a bear, and was mentally reviewing the trees behind me for climbability, when it moved again, it blinked. And then I saw that the eyes had whites visible around the iris. A villager, out hunting? I didn’t think so. My heart began to hammer away inside me, and I could not help swallowing. Surely, there was some sort of face there in the shadows? A bearded face?

            Of course I had an idea what I might be trading glances with. The yeti, the mountain man, the elusive creature of the snows. The Abominable Snowman, for God’s sakes! My heart never pounded faster. What to do? The whites of its eyes… baboons have white eyelids that they use to make threats, and if you look at them directly they see the white of your eyes, and believe you are threatening them; on the off-chance that this creature had a similar code, I tilted my head down and looked at him indirectly. I swear it appeared to nod back at me.

            Then another blink, only the eyes did not return. The bearded face and the shape below it was gone. I started breathing again, listened as hard as I could, but never heard anything except for the chuckle of the stream…

            I rounded a big boulder that stood on the bank and almost ran straight into a yeti coming the other way, as if we were on a busy sidewalk and had veered the same direction to avoid each other. He was a little shorter than me; dark fur covered his body and head, but left his face clear – a patch of pinkish skin that in the dim light looked quite human. His nose was as much human as primate –broad, but protruding from his face, like an extension of the occipital crest that ridged his skull fore –to- aft. His mouth was broad and his jaw, under its ruff of fur, very broad, but nothing that took him outside the parameters of human possibility. He had thick eyebrow crests bent high over his eyes, so that he had a look of permanent surprise, like a cat I once owned.

            At this moment I/m sure he really was surprised. We both were as still as trees, swaying gently in the wind of our confrontation, but no other movement. I was not even breathing. What to do? I noticed he was carrying a small smoothed stick, and there in the fur on his neck were some objects on a cord. His face –tools- ornamentation: a part of me, the part outside the shock of it all, was thinking (I suppose I am still a zoologist at heart), “They aren’t just primates, they’re hominid”.

            As if to confirm this idea, he spoke to me. He hummed briefly; squeaked; sniffed the air hard a few times; lifted his lip (quite a canine was revealed) and whistled very softly. In his  eyes there was a question, so calmly, and intelligently put forth that I could hardly believe I couldn’t understand and answer it.

            I raised my hand, very slowly, and tried to say “Hello.” I know, stupid, but what do you say when you meet a yeti? Anyway, nothing came out but a strangled “Huhn.” He tilted his head to the side inquisitively, and repeated the sound. “Huhn. Huhn. Huhn.”

            Suddenly he jacked his head forward and stared past me, upstream. He opened his mouth wide and stood there listening. He stared at me, trying to judge me. I swear I could tell these things.

            Upstream there was a crash of branches, and he took me by the arm, and suddenly, we were atop the stream bank, and in the forest. Hoppety-hop through the trees and we were down on our bellies behind a big fallen log, lying side-by-side in squishy wet moss. My arm hurt.

            Phil Adrakian appeared down in the streambed, looking considerably the worth for wear. He had scraped through some brush and torn the nylon of his jacket in several places, so that fluffy white down wafted away from him as he walked. And he had fallen in mud somewhere. The yeti squinted hard as he looked at him, clearly mystified by the escaping down.

            “Nathan!” Phil cried. He was still filled with energy, it seemed. “I saw one. Nathan, where are you, dammit1” He continued downstream, yelling, and the yeti and I lay there and watched him pass by.

            I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced a more satisfying moment. When he had disappeared around a bend in the stream, the yeti sat up and sprawled back against the log like a tired backpacker. The sun rose, and he only squeaked, whistled, breathed slowly, watched me. What was he thinking? At this point I did not have a clue. It was even frightening me; I could not imagine what might happen next.

            His hands, longer and skinner than human hands, plucked at my clothes. He plucked at his own necklace, pulled it over his head. What looked like fat seashells were strung on a cord of braided  hemp. They were fossils, of shells very like scallop shells – evidence of the Himalayas’ days underwater. What did the yeti make of them? No way of knowing. But clearly they were valued, they were part  of  a culture.

            For a long time he just looked at this necklace of his. Then, very carefully, he placed this necklace over my head, around my neck. My skin burned in an instant flush, everything blurred through tears, my throat hurt, and I felt just like God had stepped from behind a tree and blessed me, and for no reason, you know? I did not deserve it.

            Without further ado he hopped up and walked off bowleggedly, without a glance back. I was left alone in the morning light with nothing except for the necklace, which hung solidly on my chest. And a sore arm. So it had happened, I hadn’t dreamed it. I had been blessed.

Listening Comprehension Test for 11^th Form Students   Assignments

Glossary: gnarled – сучкуватий, викривлений,  boulder – валун, брила,      

fore-to-aft – спереду назад

Task 1.  Put “+”  if the statement is true, put “–“ if it is false.

1. In the beginning of the text the narrator was well hidden while looking for the yeti.

2. The narrator is taller than the yeti.

3. The yeti didn’t react to the narrator’s indirect gaze like baboons do when threatened by staring.

4. The yeti’s first sound was whistling.

5. The narrator always predicted the yeti’s next move.

6. The yeti was curious about this stranger in its woods.

7. Phil Adrakian was visibly dirty.

8. The yeti responded to the narrator’s greeting in good English.

9. The Himalayas were once covered by water.

10. Nathan sat up and sprawled back against the log like a tired backpacker.

Task 2. Circle the correct letter A, B, C or D

11. The story is told from the perspective of:

A. Phil Adrakian     B. the yeti    C. Nathan     D. another character

12. The yeti was also called all of the following EXCEPT…

A. the boogeyman.                                                      B. the mountain man.  

 C. the Abominable Snowman.                                   D. the elusive creature of the snows.

13. What was the first human characteristic the narrator noticed about the yeti?

A. its bearded face                               B. the whites of his eyes  

C. its working hands                            D. its pinkish skin

14. The yeti had similarities with all of the following animals EXCEPT…

A. a bear    B. a cat    C. a rabbit    D. a baboon

15. Where did Nathan and the yeti hide together?

A. in a tree    B. in moss    C. on a fallen log   D. between two gnarled oak trees

16. The yeti had all of the following with him EXCEPT…

A. a necklace   B. smooth stick     C.  fossils    D. a boulder

17. In what way was the yeti different from human?

A. He was carrying tools                                  B. He had long skinny hands

C. He used spoken language                             D. He was wearing ornamentation

18. What convinced the narrator that the yeti was part human?

A. the necklace     B. its face     C. the small smooth stick   D. all of the above

19. According to the text the yeti could best be described as:

A. animated and active                                B. scary and frightening

C. secretive and cautious                             D. wild and crazy

20. In the text the narrator was never specifically mentioned feeling:

A. frightened     B.  satisfied    C. blessed      D. happy

10 клас говоріння

Speaking Comprehension Test for 10^th Form Students

1. Academic cheating is a major issue in all levels of education. What is your opinion of cheating? Why?

* How do you think it is possible to solve or, at least, minimize the problem?

* When cheating occurs, it is difficult to give fair grades. How can teachers evaluate their students’ abilities accurately in an environment rife with cheating?

* If cheating is condoned or, at least, quietly tolerated, what is the long term effect on society?

2. Imagine that tomorrow is the last day before the end of the world. What would you see or do on this last day? Why?

* Do you think it would be better to try and correct your past mistakes, or just to enjoy your last day instead? Why?

* How do you think people would react to the news of the impending apocalypse?

* Some people argue that laws are only obeyed due to the fear of punishment. If there were no tomorrow and, therefore, no consequences, do you think laws would still be obeyed? Why or why not?

3. Studies show that too much choice, having too many options, can prevent people from making a decision. If they do decide, they may be less happy with the result, because they second-guess themselves. Have you ever felt you had too many choices?

* Describe a choice that you have made which you wish you could take back and change. If you were able to take back this choice, what would you do differently?

* Does knowing that you can change a decision later on make it easier? Why or why not?

* Think about important life decisions, like choosing a career. Today, students have many choices of fields of study. What can help you make such a big decision?

 4. William Shakespeare wrote plays in England about 400 years ago, but his writing is still read all around the world today. Which contemporary writer do you think will still be famous 400 years from now? Why?

* What form do you think literature will take in future?

* Do you think people will still read Shakespeare’s plays 400 years from now? Why or why not?

* What do you think makes a writer’s work timeless?

5.  Standardized tests, such as the IQ test, have been used to measure individual’s intelligence. Do you think such tests can ever accurately measure all of the aspects of an individual’s intelligence? Why or why not?

* If you had a chance to take a test that would assign you a numerical representation of your intellect, would you take it? Why or why not?

* In your opinion, what qualities constitute intelligence?

* Do you think that intelligence is the most important quality in an individual? Why or why not?

* Which other qualities may or may not be equal to or more important than intelligence?

6. Some people believe it is important to share wisdom with future generations so that they avoid making the same mistakes. Imagine that you are speaking to your future granddaughter or grandson about lessons you have learned so far in your life.                                                                                                                               * What life lessons would you like to share?                                                                                                                * What traditions do you hope he or she will carry on in the future?                                                                                         * What wisdom would you pass to him or her from your grandparents?   

                             

7. The Internet and television have made the world a much smaller place, as virtually everyone is aware of pop culture icons like David Beckham and Lady Gaga.                                                                                           * Is it important to keep up with pop culture? Why or why not?                                                                                     * If you stopped paying attention to pop culture, would you be able to participate in the same kinds of conversations with your friends?                                                                                                                                  * Does pop culture create similar interests in people throughout the world, regardless of culture?                                 

8. Many people are distrustful of modern medicine. They believe that natural medicines from herbs and plants work much better.                                                                                                                                                * If you were sick, would you go to a regular doctor or a doctor who uses herbs and plants as medicine?                 

 * Some argue that laughter makes a person feel better than any medicine can. Do you agree?                                                                                                                                                                              * Have your parents ever treated you with medical remedies? Were they effective?

9. There is a popular quote by George Orwell that says “at 50, everyone has the face he deserves”. What do you think this quote means?

* Do you agree with this quote? Why or why not?

* What kind of face do you hope to have at 50? Why?

* People generally associate facial characteristics with personality characteristics. Do you think it is fair and accurate to draw conclusions about a person’s character based on their face? Why or why not?

10 .Both men and women spend a lot of time and money on fashion in an attempt to keep up with the latest trends.                                                                                                                                                                  * Does beauty affect one’s success in life?                                                                                                                   * Do you think the standard of beauty is the same in Ukraine as in America?                                                                    * Is there more pressure on women than on men to be beautiful?                                                                               

11. Leo Tolstoy wrote. “Art is a human activity which has as its purpose the transmission to others the highest and best feelings to which men have risen.”                                                                                                      * How can art reflect our personal ideals?                                                                                                                    * Tell about a painting, play, book or song that reflects your beliefs.                                                                         * Do you think we can learn from different forms of art?                                                                                       

12. There are many different ways to be a leader.                                                                                                 * How have you been a leader at school, among your friends or in other ways?                                                                  * What are some necessary characteristics of a good leader? Can anyone be a leader?                                               * Why is being or having a leader important?                                                                                                           

13. You will soon graduate from school and become an adult. What are your thoughts about childhood?               

 *  What do you think are the best parts of being a child?                                                                                            * What do you think the main differences are between childhood and adulthood?                                                       * What about your own children? Do you want their childhood to be different from or similar to your own? How do you see the lives of children in the future?                                                                                           

14. Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter and have the opportunity to interview any living person in the world.                                                                                                                                                                         * Who would you choose to interview, and why?                                                                                                            * How has this person influenced your life and the lives of others?                                                                                  * What is the goal of your article, and how will you make it newsworthy? 

15. Imagine you have become stranded on a desert island.                                                                                                            * Without a computer, phone or television, how would you spend your time?                                                                          * What do you know about survival skills, like planting food, building houses, or making clothes?                                

 * If you could choose two people to be stranded with you, who would they be and why?

16 .Imagine, you have a magic mirror that allows you to see anything in the world.                                                            * What would you choose to see?                                                                                                                                                  * What would you do with this information?                                                                                                                           * What could be dangerous about someone having access to such a powerful tool?                                                                                                             

17.Social networking sites like vKontakte and Facebook are seemingly all over the place. Do you see this as a good thing or bad thing? Why?                                                                                                                               * If all social networking sites were shut down forever, how would your life be affected?                                                 * Apart from socializing with friends, what other uses do social networking sites have?                                                * How can social networking sites be used as an agent of social change in Ukraine?                                                    

18. You are going on a trip to another country for two weeks. How would you plan your trip?                                                

 * Where would you go? With whom would you go? Why?                                                                                                  * Would you travel more for adventure, to learn, or to see historical sites?                                                                             * What kind of preparations would you make?  Describe one day in your itinerary?                                      

19. Do you think the “traditional” roles of men and women are changing in Ukraine?                                                     

* How have men’s roles changed? What new roles do they have?                                                                              * How about women? What’s changed with them?                                                                                                       * Do you think these roles should change to meet the needs of present times? Why?                                     

20. Home phones, mobile phones, Internet chatting and e-mail have revolutionized the world and changed a lot about how people communicate. Describe what form of modern communication you use.                            

 * In what ways have these modern forms of communication helped us?                                                              * What negative impacts has the loss of face-to-face communication had on everyone?                                         * What will the communication of the future be like?