Writing
Task 1. Read the text below. Complete the story with the correct forms of the words in brackets (33 – 44). Write your answers on the separate answer sheet. An example (0) has been done for you.
The Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle, or Devil’s Triangle, is the name (0) given ( give) to an area that has been at the centre of many unexplained disappearances. It lies between Bermuda, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Within this area of water, numerous planes and ships have mysteriously vanished.
The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle (33) __________ (begin) in 1950. A small article appeared outlining the strange disappearances of ships and planes. The area was given the name The Devil’s Sea. In a feature in 1964, Vincent Gaddis christened the area the Bermuda Triangle.
One of the most famous disappearances occurred in 1945. Flight 19 was a squadron of five naval bombers that supposedly disappeared while they (34) __________ (fly) over the Bermuda Triangle. The two planes that set out to rescue Flight 19 also disappeared and were never found. Naval ships such as the USS Cyclops also disappeared without a trace. A large ship (35) __________ (carry) ore also mysteriously vanished after only three days at sea. An official statement by the US Coastguard stated that repeated search attempts were made, but no traces (36) __________ (сan) ever be found of the missing planes or ships.
Popularity of the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon reached a peak in 1974 with the publication of Charles Berlitz’s book. The (37) __________ (author) book was called The Bermuda Triangle. At around the same time, a film with the same name (38) __________ (release) as well. Numerous articles and books (39) __________ (publish) since then to try to give scientific explanations to the mystery. Some of the explanations have been (40)__________ (much) than credible.
There (41) __________ (be) a number of discrepancies in the reports of the Flight 19 disappearance. Flight 19 was reported to have been manned by (42) __________ (experience) pilots flying in calm weather. In fact, the flight was a training exercise for students and the weather had turned stormy. The last contact with the flight stated that they were running low on fuel. The flight would no doubt have crash-landed, and no one could have survived the stormy seas of the triangle.
For all credible explanations of the disappearances, one mystery (43) __________ (remain). None of the crashed planes were ever recovered. As a mystery, the Bermuda Triangle is one that may never (44) __________ (solve).
33-began
34-were flying
35-carrying
36-could
37-author’s
38-was released
39-have been published
40-more
41-are/were
42-experienced
43-remains (ed)
44-be solved
Task 2. You’ve received a letter from your English pen-friend. He/she wrote that he/she had problems with the study of French at school and thought that French lessons were tiresome and not interesting. He/she likes Maths and History better than French. Write a letter to your pen-friend in which you write
- why studying foreign languages is important
- about the foreign language lessons in your school
- about your foreign language teacher/teachers and
- advise him/her how to make the study of foreign languages easier and more interesting.
Write an informal letter of at least 100 words. Do not write any dates and addresses.
no