МГУ имени М. В. Ломоносова
Вступительные испытания по иностранному языку
Английский язык
Блок 1 Вариант 2
Лексико-грамматическая часть
You are going to read an essay. Choose a word from the list to complete each gap (1-20). Change its form where necessary to make a word / a group of words that fits in the gap.
Different aspects of form change are possible: active or passive voice; indicative, imperative or subjunctive mood; finite or non-finite forms (infinitive, gerund, participle); tense for finite forms or aspect for non-finite forms; full or bare infinitive, etc.
Each verb can be used only once.
Write out the number of the gap and the form of the verb (example: 0. was delivered).
| accept | confront | fail | mend |
| achieve | contemplate | find | prefer |
| await | convince | gain | remain |
| call | embark | keep | return |
| choose | face | lose | solve |
In 1561 Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots since her early childhood and a newly widowed Queen of France, who during the period of the previous 12 years had never set her foot on the Scottish soil, (1)_____ to her native country. It is very likely that she (2)_____ to remain in her beloved France and not (3)_____ the perils any ruler of Scotland had to encounter when dealing with the notoriously factious and rebellious local aristocracy. But in 1561 the eighteen-years old Mary (4)_____ a very real perspective of (5)_____ her Scottish crown which in the course of Mary’s long absence (6)_____ for the young lady by her devoted mother Mary of Guise till the very end of the latter’s life in 1560. As the newly orphaned and the newly widowed Mary Stuart could not put up with the idea of relinquishing her royal status, she courageously (7)_____ upon the project which would finally result in her premature death at the age of 44 and (8)_____ her the reputation of one of the most tragic figures in the 16th century European history.
Due to the political ambitions of her late father-in-law, the French king Henry I, by the year 1561 Mary had seriously spoiled her relations with her cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England, and (9)_____ the relationship was an important issue on Mary’s agenda. Letter writing and portrait sending began in earnest, and, conveniently oblivious to the fact that before Mary got to Scotland Elizabeth had refused her safe passage through English territorial waters, the English queen (10)_____ to pretend that she (11)_____ proclaiming Mary an heir apparent. There were some serious concessions to be made on Mary’s part, but this was an important step forward in her career as queen regnant.
Pacifying Elizabeth was not the only problem Mary had (12)_____. She also had (13)_____ common language with her half-brother James Stuart, the Earl of Moray, who by the time of her arriving in Scotland was the actual ruler of the country and a king in al but name. Mary at the age of 18 had sufficient political acumen (14)_____ Moray that in their case cooperation was better than confrontation, and for the time being the half-brother grudgingly (15)_____ this arrangement. Religious matters also (16)_____ for urgent solution, and in this sphere Mary (17)_____ moderate success as well. There (18)_____ only one significant and delicate matter (19)_____ Mary’s undivided attention, and it was here that she (20)_____ utterly and fatally.
Блок 2 Вариант 3
ЧТЕНИЕ И ПИСЬМО
- You are going to read an excerpt from a radio programme. Summarise the text in your own words. Do not quote the text: a copied sequence of 4 words and more is considered a quotation. Write at least 150 words.
- Give your own opinion on the issue raised in the text. Write at least 70 words.
Presenter: For thousands of years philosophers and ordinary people have pondered the question of luck and good fortune. Just why is it that some people seem to have ‘all the luck’, as the saying goes? What is it about these people that makes them different from others? In the studio with us tonight is a psychologist who has made luck and intuition the subject of serious scientific research. I’d like to welcome to our programme Dr Sandra Beckett from the University of Manchester.
Sandra Beckett: Good evening.
Presenter: Dr Beckett, perhaps you would like to tell us a bit about what exactly it means to be lucky or unlucky, and what you have discovered in the course of your research at Manchester…
Sandra Beckett: Yes, of course. Before I talk about my own research, however, I’d like briefly to mention a study, which was carried out in America recently, at the Iowa College of Medicine, which seems to suggest that good or bad luck might be something biological. Scientists of the University of lowa had isolated a type of mildly brain-damaged person, who despite good intelligence and memory had a tendency to ‘foul up’. In the study they set up an experiment whereby two groups of patients were given cards, some of which awarded money and others penalties. Now, what they found was that the group with brain defects took longer to access the difference between the cards – and, in fact, even after finding out the difference, still chose the penalty card.
Presenter: I see. And what conclusions did they draw from that?
Sandra Beckett: Well, they concluded that the mildly brain-damaged probably decisions, whatever part of the brain which allows other people access to ‘intuition’ or ‘gut feeling’ was not working properly.
Presenter: That’s interesting. Now, you mentioned your own research, Dr Beckett. What kinds of conclusions have you reached about what makes lucky people different from others?
Sandra Beckett: Well, first of all, let me say that it is true that some people do seem to be exceptionally lucky… and their luck is not just manifested in health and wealth, but, even more… random events seem to go in their favour. Just why this is so is still a bit of a mystery, but there do seem to be a number of factors involved. One important factor is that lucky people are optimistic whereas unlucky people tend to be more pessimistic. There’s a great difference in the way lucky and unlucky people remember events, for example. People who are lucky remember good times, while unlucky people tend to focus on personal failures.
Presenter: And what about the impression people give to others? That’s important as well, isn’t it?
Sandra Beckett: Yes, that’s true. Some people do seem to acquire a reputation for bad or good luck. Because behaviour is mediated by those around you, I suppose. If people expect you to knock a wine glass over, you will. Body language is also important. We’ve been studying the body language of children recently in Manchester: even in small children this reciprocal process seems to start as early as six months old. Whether we like it or not, some people do create an underlying attraction that brings good things to them.
Presenter: Yes, that’s very true. What then is luck, would you say?
Sandra Beckett: Well, that’s the big question, isn’t it? The lucky often put their good fortune down to intuition – which is not something mysterious or magical, but based on learning and expertise.
Блок 3 Вариант 8
ПИСЬМО
Herman Melville once said, “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation”.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Give at least two reasons for your answer and include at least one relevant example from your own knowledge and experience.
Write at least 200 words.
Remember! Your essay should consist of the introduction, the body of paragraphs and the conclusion.