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Christopher Columbus   From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the explorer. For other uses, see Christopher Columbus (disambiguation).

Christopher Columbus
Posthumous portrait of Christopher Columbus by Sebastiano del Piombo. There are no known authentic portraits of Columbus.[1]
Born	Between 22 August and 31 October 1451 Genoa, Republic of Genoa, in present-day Italy
Died	20 May 1506(1506-05-20) (aged 54) Valladolid, Crown of Castile, in present-day Spain
Nationality	Genoese
Other names	Italian: Cristoforo Colombo Catalan: Cristòfor Colom Spanish: Cristóbal Colón Portuguese: Cristóvão Colombo Latin: Christophorus Columbus Genoese: Christoffa Corombo
Occupation	Maritime explorer for the Crown of Castile
Title	Admiral of the Ocean Sea; Viceroy and Governor of the Indies
Religion	Roman Catholic
Spouse	Filipa Moniz Perestrelo (c. 1455–85)
Partner	Beatriz Enríquez de Arana (c. 1485–1506)
Children	Diego Fernando
Relatives	Giovanni Pellegrino, Giacomo and Bartholomew Columbus (brothers)
Signature

Christopher Columbus
300-400 years ago a great deal of the world was undiscoveried. But now there seems little more to explore, the wild north was conquered, the jungle was conquered too. And it seems that all the pages of the great book called "The Earth" has been filled in, but exploration still goes on.

In the 15th century people knew only 3 continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. They knew nothing about America. The man who was thought to be the discoverier of America was born in 1451 in Italy. His name was Cristopher Columbus.

Knowing that the earth was round he desided to reach India by sailing to the west. It was very difficult for him to organize an expedition as nobody wanted to help him. At last the Spanish government gave him some money. In the 1492 he sailed with 3 small ships in to the Atlantic ocean. They had been sailing for more than 2 months and at last they saw land. Columbus was certain that the lands he discoveried were part of India and he called these islands "The West Indias". He made 3 voyagers to America. His last voyage was made in 1502-1504. After that, seriously ill, he remained in Spain until his death. He died believing that Cuba was part of Asia. Colum-buse’s voyagers gave Europe first important knowledge of the new world. Many places have been named in his honour. America however was named after another explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

Americus Vespucius (or Amerigo Vespucci, as the name is spelled in Italian) was born in Florence, Italy, in 1454. He was in Spain at the time of Columbus' first and second voyages. In a letter, written in 1504 and printed in 1505, he claimed to have made four voyages, on the first of which, in 1497, he explored the South American coast. This would make him the first European to land on the American continent, for at that time Columbus had only reached the outlying islands. Most scholars reject Vespucius' version of this voyage. Vespucius perhaps did accompany a Spanish expedition that of Alonzo de Ojeda to South America in 1499, and in 1501 and 1503 he probably went with Portuguese expeditions. Probably he never commanded an expedition himself and, of course, was not the first person to set foot on the continents to which his name is given. Vespucius died in Seville, Spain, in 1512.
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Yuri Gagarin

For English Learners: video, interviews, etc. Do the Tasks and Enjoy yourselves!!!

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winter term TEST (2011)

Блок 1. Лексико-грамматический тест (70 баллов)

Task 1.

For questions 1-24 complete the text with the missing words and word-combinations choosing them

from the box (a-z). For each case find the word that best fits in the gap. There are two extra variants,

 which should not be used.

Ireland was England’s first …1... , and this must never be forgotten when … 2…. Irish history .

Ever since the first English soldiers …3... on Irish soil nine centuries ago, there has been much

…4... and bloodshed. Most people see the problem of Ireland as …5... Everyone agrees that the Irish people can be …6... into two clearly cut ...7... , Catholics and Protestants. Everyone agrees that religious …8... has helped to keep these two groups apart. But historians …9... the problem of Ireland to be essentially …10... . The …11... of modern Ireland …12... to the sixteenth and seventeenth

centuries when, under the …13... and later under …14... , English and Scottish Protestants were sent to Ulster as …15... . Their main …16... was to …17... over the rebellious Catholic …18... .

At the end of the eighteenth century Protestants formed a …19... which they called, in …20... of

William of Orange, the ‘Orange Society’. The object of this society was to make sure that Protestant Loyalists, i.e. Protestants loyal to the British Crown, never lost control in Ulster. Orangemen throughout their history have always been …21… ; they have caused ...22… , and they have fought Catholics at the slightest …23... They armed themselves and threatened to fight …24… become part of the Catholic south.

a- society, b - colony, c - frequent riots, d - settlers, e - natives, f - rather than, g - troubles, h –

consider, i – considering, j - Cromwell, k – colonial, l – educational, m – Tudor monarchs, n -
set foot, o - religious groups, p - go back, q - honour, r – misery, s – intolerance, t - keep a watch,
u – duty, v – militant, w – provocation, x – religious, y – reservation, z - divided

Task 2

 For questions 25 - 44 complete the following fictional newspaper article by filling in the gaps with

suitable phrasal verbs or corresponding forms, taking into account both their lexical semantic and

grammatical characteristics. For each case choose one correct variant from the list given below

 and type the letter of the correct variant (a, b, c).

LADY DIVINA CUT UP

Lady Divina was in a state of shock yesterday after witnessing the ghastly death of her favourite goldfish, Jaws. Apparently, Jaws had been eaten alive by the Duke of Monmouth, one of the royal corgis. The tragedy occurred as the Princess was entering the royal nursery, where the goldfish was kept. It was a habit of hers to serve breakfast to Jaws personally. A scream altered one of the servants, who came running into the room to find that Lady Divina had fainted.“The first thing I did was to (25) …. her ….” , said the servant. “Naturally, I wondered what had (26) …. this …. . I thought at first that a fire had (27) …. …. when I heard her cry out. There wasn’t much light in the room because the curtains were still drawn but I could (28) …. …. the glass, the damp patch, and the Duke of Monmouth with a look of well-fed satisfaction on his face”.
It (29) …. …. that Prince Herbert, Lady Divina’s son, had (30) …. …. the Duke during the night to

play with him. When the Prince had (31)…. …., the Duke waited until the time was right to (32) …. …. his bloodthirsty deed. Royal physicians fear that the Princess may never (33) …. …. the trauma.

“She is on the verge of (34) …. ….“, said a leading psychiatrist.Contrary to what medical experts say, Lady Divina seems to be in a strong and vengeful mood. She has (35) …. …. immediate action to be taken against the Duke. “He’s got to be (36) …. …. or (37) …. …. !”, she insisted. The Duke of Monmouth, who has no intention of (38) …. …. , didn’t look at all (39) …. ….hearing this. In fact, he is confident that he will be (40) … … with a royal pardon. Prince Herbert, who (41) …. …. well with the Duke believes he can (42) …. …. his mother so that  she will forgive him. Lady Divina replied that she would not (43) …. …. to emotional blackmail.

As for the Queen, Her Majesty will no doubt (44) …. …. … a solution to satisfy everybody.

25. a) bring about b) bring up c) bring round

26. a ) brought back b) brought about c) bring over

27. a) broken out b) broken away c) broken forth

28. a) make out b) make for c) make of

29. a) turned up b) turned out c) turned down

30. a) let through b) let alone c) let in

31. a) dropped in b) dropped dead c) dropped off

32. a) carry back b) carry out c) carry forward

33. a) get over b) get back c) get together

34. a) breaking down b) breaking forth c) breaking away

35. a) called over b) called for c) called forth

36. a) put on b) put over c) put down

37. a) put through b) put up for c) put out
38. a) getting about b) getting away c) getting under

39. a) put out b) put about c) put by

40. a) let off b) let on c) let up

41. a) gets across b) gets on c) gets home to

42. a) get away b) get into c) get round

43. a) give off b) give away c) give in

44. a) come round by b) come up with c) come through

Task 3.

For questions 45-54, read the text below and decide which word from the lists best fits each gap. Type the letter of the correct variant on the answer sheet (a, b, c, d).
The clinical thermometer is used (45) …. measuring (46) …. temperature. It (47) …. a tube made (48) …. glass, which (49) …. a certain (50)…. of mercury. When the mercury is (51) …. , it (52) …. and (53) …. up the tube, which is graduated in degrees Fahrenheit or Centigrade (54) …. the country of manufacture.

45. a) without b) to c) with d) for

46. a) body’s b) body c) nobody d) anybody

47. a) consists of b) contains c) includes d)facilitates

48. a) from b) with c) of d) out of

49. a) comprises b) contains c) manufactures d) consists of
50. a) amount b) number c) degree d)sum

51. a) cooled off b) fried c) boiled d) heated

52. a) expands b) extends c) increases d) spreads

53. a) raises b) rises c) disappears d) calms down

54. a) according b) due c) depending on d) in accordance

Task 4

For questions 55-70 complete the sentences with the phrases below (A-R). Each of them can be used only once and should be located in its proper place. There are two extra variants, which should not be included in the text.

A Typical Day in the US Army

A typical day of a soldier ...55… …56... , the bugler sounds reveille at 5:30 or 6 a.m. to waken the troops.
After roll call, …57… .

Next they form ranks for drill.
They practise various marching routines and the use and care of weapons.
Other men take care of housekeeping details.

The cooks begin their work long before reveille.

The first sergeant and company clerk …58... .

The mess sergeant …59... .

…60... cares for and issues clothing and equipment.

Each Saturday the unit commander …61... .

Drill is usually completed by 11 a.m.

…62... , the men return to their jobs or training.

…63... , some officers and men are on guard duty.

…64... at warehouses, motor pools, storage depots, and around the perimeter.

Parades and reviews sometimes take place …65... .

After supper, soldiers …66... may do as they please.

Most army posts have recreation buildings …67... .

Each company-sized unit has a clubroom…68... .

Men …69... must be in their barracks by 11 p.m. and …70... .

A - the men wash and shave, go to the mess hall for breakfast

B - the supply sergeant

C - not assigned special duties

D - all day and night

E - called service clubs

F - who do not have permission to stay out

G - after dinner at noon

H - depends on his age

I - in the afternoon until about 5 p.m.

J - called a dayroom

K - inspects the entire company

L - supervises the cooks

M - they are posted

N - during peacetime at a permanent army post

O - handle the administrative duties and “paperwork” of the unit

P - lights must be turned off

Q - depends on his assignment

R - called a playground

Блок 2. Мир языка (30 баллов)

Task 5.

Answer the following questions dealt with the subject of the poster. Choose the correct variant and type your answer on the answer sheet. Each correct answer gives you 2 points.

 A poster:  " So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.

                    A new musical ''WICKED"

                    the untold story of the witches of Oz."

1. The word ‘wicked’ has several meanings and is used in different contexts. Which one is usually

meant while describing the main character of the musical?

a) a wicked dog b) a wicked stepmother c) the Wicked Witch of the West d) wicked cruelty

2. What is the real name of the main character of the musical (‘Wicked’)?

a) Dorothy b) Elphaba c)the Wizard of Oz d) Glinda

3. According to his/her activities the Wizard of Oz belongs to the same category of literary

characters as

a) Merlin b) Ellie c)Red Riding-Hood d) Winnie-the-Pooh

4. Who is the author of the Russian interpretation of the original story?

a) Baum b) Bulgakov c)Volkov d) Holzman

5. The same composer wrote music to another famous Broadway show:

a) Cats b) The Magic Show c) Jesus Christ Superstar d) The Lion King

Task 6.

Try to guess what kind of procedure is described in the following story and how it is called. Answer the questions below. Type your answers on the answer sheet. Each correct answer gives you 2 points.

There are two teams on a grassy field, at the centre of which there is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch.

One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible, while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and limit the runs scored by the batting team. A run is scored by the batsman hitting the ball with his bat, running to the opposite end of the pitch and touching the crease there. The teams switch between batting and fielding at the end of an innings.

Behind a batsman there is a target (a wicket). One member of the fielding team, the bowler, takes a ball, and attempts to throw (bowl) the ball from one end of the pitch to the wicket behind the batsman on the other side of the pitch. The batsman’s aim is to prevent the ball from hitting the wicket by striking the ball with a bat. If the bowler succeeds in hitting the wicket, or if the ball, after being struck by the batsman, is caught by the fielding team before it touches the ground, the batsman is dismissed.

If the batsman is successful in striking the ball and the ball isn't caught before it hits the ground, the two batsmen can try to score points (runs) for their team by running across the pitch, switching positions. After a bowler has bowled six times (an over), another member of the fielding team is designated as the new bowler. The new bowler bowls to the opposite wicket and the play continues.

By the end of the 18th century, it had developed into the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to the game being played overseas. By the middle of the19th century the first international matches were being held. The game is especially popular in Australia, India, South Africa and England.

6. The appearance of the game can be traced back to …..

a. the end of the 18th century

b. the beginning of the 16th centuryc. the end of the 16th centuryd. 1859

7. The ball is usually covered with

a) green leather

b) golden plates

c) red leather

d) blue paper

8. There are two teams on the field, each consists of …… players.

a) 12     b) 11    c) 22     d) 10

9. Many people consider Sir Donald Bradman to be the greatest player of all time. He was born in …..

a) the USA

b) Great Britain

c) Australia

d) New Zealand

10. What insect has the same name as the procedure described?

Try it

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