Английский язык. Вступительный тест (с ответами) в магистратуру (2016 год)

ENTRANCE EXAM TEST

PART I. READING

1. You are going to read an extract from a book on networking and public

speaking skills. Six paragraphs have been removed from the extract. Choose

from the paragraphs A-G the one which fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra

paragraph which you do not need to use.

TALKING TO PLANTS AND APPROACHING GROUPS

In this book extract from “…and death came third!” Andy Lopata and Peter

Roper show nervous business people how to network with panache.

At networking events, I will often look to start a conversation with people who

are on their own. It is much easier than breaking into a group conversation and the

chances are they won’t tell you to leave them alone and go away. Very few people

go to networking events for solitude.

When approaching these people you are already at an advantage because they

will both respect your courage (which they have probably lacked) and be grateful

that you’ve taken the time and effort to relieve them from their anxiety. They are

probably just as nervous as everyone else, and they’ll be delighted to get into a

conversation with you. You’ve rescued them from walking around, avoiding

interrupting other people for fear of rejection.

Having spoken to them, try not to leave them on their own again because you’ll

just return them to the same state as you found them. Move on with them and

introduce them to someone else.

If someone is talking and you interrupt, or ask if you can join them, people will

stop listening to the person who’s talking, and invite you into their group. That’s

great for you but not so nice for the person who is talking. Stand just on the edge of

the group and wait for the appropriate time.

Alternatively, it may be that they’re talking about something in which you have

an interest, in which case, when there’s an appropriate pause, you can just say,

“Excuse me, I heard you mention so-and-so. Can I ask you a question? Are you

involved in that? And you’re in the conversation. Or it may just be that you have a

pause, and you ask “May I join you?” But it’s always best to wait for the right pause

in the conversation.

While the guide lines above are important, you need to be aware of the body

language of people talking to each other and networking events. Whether in couples

or groups, people will always send very clear signals about approachability by the

way they are standing.

Reading this body language may mean that you are better advised approaching

two people rather than a group.

Paragraphs

A. The one thing I try to avoid is approaching two people who are in discussion.

If you see two people talking together, they may be building a rapport and

interruption may break that. Alternatively, they may be discussing business.

B. The easiest way to approach a group is to catch the eye of one of the

participants and smile. Usually they should invite you to join them at the appropriate

juncture.

C. The other advantage of this is that your companion, in introducing you, may

well talk about how you’ve helped them, how great you are at what you do or praise

you in another way that you would not have been able to do. This will awaken a

greater interest in you from the new contact than may otherwise have been possible.

D. You can often find these people around a bar or buffet table (they’ve

probably read the advice above!) or by the walls. Nervous people on their own

seldom stand in the middle of a room unless they are milling around trying to pluck

up the courage to approach someone. Often they will be admiring the art on the walls

or the flora in the room, which gives you a nice topic with which to start a

conversation.

E. When you do approach them, take care not to dive in aggressively but be

empathetic to their nervous state. Ask them if they mind if you join them before

introducing yourself, rather than running up asking “So, what do you do then?”

F. If you see a group of people talking, approach the group, but don’t butt in.

Remember, as Susan Roane says in How to Work a Room, “There is a difference

between including yourself in other people’s conversations and intruding on them.”

G. If their body language is ‘closed’, and they are facing each other, you

should avoid interrupting them. If they are more ‘open’ and they are standing at an

angle that leaves room for another party in the conversation, you are likely to be

more welcome.

KEY

1. D

2. E

3. F

4. B

5. A

6. G

2. You are going to read an article containing reviews of recently-published books.

For questions 7-16, choose from reviews (A-F). The reviews may be chosen more

than once.

Book Corner

A round-up of the latest fiction and non-fiction from Beth Young.

A Reading a new novelist is a bit like asking a stranger out on a date. You never

quite know if this is the start of a beautiful relationship. You check the blurbs, the

publicity photograph, and flick through the book to look for the two essentials:

entertainment and substance. Beginner’s Greek by James Collins is certainly big on

the latter, weighing in at 400-plus pages. And the quotes on the back cover have the

effect of a bunch of friends saying to you, ‘Go on, you’ll get on brilliantly’. Early

indications are that this blind date could lead to a deeper relationship. Beginner’s

Greek is described by The New York Times as a “great big sunny lemon chiffon pie

of a novel” about romantic love amongst the American middle classes. It is indeed

delicious.

B In Manil Suri’s second outing The Age of Shiva we have a broad-sweeping,

epic novel with an unforgettable heroine so wilful yet flawed that it calls to mind

that other famous leading lady, Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. The story

begins at a firework party in Delhi where Meera falls disastrously in love. We follow

her journey to Bombay, marriage and obsessive motherhood, with occasional

flashbacks to a childhood that was marred by political turmoil. Mathematics

professor, Suri, captures the fluidity of the role of women with a beautiful kind of

precision.

C Devotees of playwright David Mamet, whose screen work includes Wag the

Dog and the award-winning Glengarry Glen Ross may be less than enamoured of

Ira Nadel’s new biography, David Mamet: A Life in the Theatre. It may seem

churlish to question the minutia of incidents that abound in this comprehensive tome,

but whilst Nadel is clearly striving for accuracy one feels there ought to have been

more sifting, more mining for the gold amongst the biographical trivia. In addition,

Nadel’s tone is somewhat dry and academic and seems at odds with the brilliance of

David Mamet’s own writing. That said, the book offers a sound introduction to the

life and career of the man hailed as one of America’s most outstanding writers.

D Can Any Mother Help Me? is the true story of a desperately lonely mother

who, in 1935, appealed to other women through the letters page of a women’s

magazine. Writing under a pseudonym, the woman known as Ubique (meaning

‘everywhere’) little realised that she would be the trigger for the launch of a new and

private magazine that would last for the next fifty years. The Cooperative

Correspondence Club was formed to offer comfort and support to wives, often well-

educated women, who craved stimulation beyond the drudgery of family life. Jenna

Bailey has done a superb job of organising and editing this compendium, adding her

own insightful commentary.

E Subtitled, The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, Jessie

Child’s debut historical biography, Henry VIII’s Last Victim, was the worthy winner

of last year’s Elizabeth Longford Prize. Henry Howard’s victim status is owing to

the fact that he was the final person to be executed by King Henry VIII, a mere nine

days before the king himself expired. Although killed ostensibly for treason, the Earl

of Surrey’s only real crime it seems was leading an unsuccessful army campaign in

France. Only 29, he was also a distinguished poet with a fine literary voice, a persona

which refutes his reputation as the spoilt son of the Duke of Norfolk.

F This is the 25^th outing for T. Keneally but he’s lost none of his writing powers.

The Widow and Her Hero takes real life events during the Second World War as its

inspiration and builds a tale of love and intrigue. Grace looks back on her life to

recall her courtship with the hero of the title, the handsome Captain Leo Waterhouse.

Leo is tragically killed whilst on a secret mission but it is many years before Grace

discovers the facts about his death. Keneally made fans galore when Schindler’s Ark

was published and later made into the award-winning Steven Spielberg film,

Schindler’s List. The Widow and Her Hero will bring him even more fans.

In which review are the following mentioned?

7. A story in which someone is unaware of the impact of their action.

8. A description of the opening scene.

9. An author who exemplifies source material with their own analysis.

10. A humorous comparison with a real-life situation.

11. A character who finds out the truth about a situation.

12. A hint that the author’s future writing career will be positive.

13. A book that would be appreciated by people without much

knowledge of the subject.

14. A book which has already won critical acclaim.

15. A book which includes too much factual detail.

16. A mention of the profession of the author.

KEY

7. D

8. B

9. D

10. A

11. F

12. A

13. C

14. E

15. C

16. B

3. Read the text below and mark the statements given after the text (17-24) as

TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN.

London to Brighton Bike Ride

The start

The bike ride starts at Clapham Common tube station.

• Your Start Time is indicated by the colour of your body number in this pack.

It is also printed on the address label of the envelope. Please arrive no earlier than

30 minutes before that time.

• We allocate an equal number of cyclists for each Start Time to ensure a steady

flow. Please keep to the time you’ve been given so we can keep to our schedule and

avoid delaying other riders and prevent ‘bunching’ further down the route.

• An Information Point, toilets and refreshment stands will be open from very

early in the day.

Ride carefully

We put together as many facilities as possible to help ensure you have a trouble

free day. But we also rely on you to ride safely and with due consideration for other

cyclists and road users. Although many roads are closed to oncoming traffic, this is

not always the case and you should be aware of the possibility that there could be

vehicles coming in the opposite direction. Please do not attempt reckless overtaking

whilst riding - remember it is NOT a race.

Follow all instructions

Every effort is made to ensure that the route is well signed and marshalled.

Please obey all directions from police and marshals on the route. If you hear a

motorcycle marshal blow his/her whistle three times, move left.

Wear a helmet

Every year we are delighted to see more riders wearing protective helmets, but

we would like to see every cyclist on the ride wearing one. More than half of reported

injuries in cycling accidents are to the head, and a helmet gives the best protection

when the head hits the ground.

Attracting assistance

If you have an accident, ask a marshal for help; they are in contact with the

support/emergency services. To call for help from our motorcycle marshals, give a

‘thumbs down’ signal. The marshal will do all he/she can to help, providing he/she

is not already going to a more serious accident. If a motorcycle marshal slows down

to help you, but you have just stopped for a rest and don’t need help, please give a

‘thumbs up’ signal and he/she will carry on. Remember - thumbs down means ‘I

need help’.

In case of breakdown

Refer to your route map and make your way to a Mechanics Point. Mechanical

assistance is free when you show your Rider Identity Card; you just pay for the parts.

Refreshment stops

Look out for these along the route. Most are organised by voluntary clubs and

their prices give you real value for money. They are also raising money for their

local communities and the British Heart Foundation, so please give them your

support.

Rain or shine - be prepared

In the event of very bad weather, watch out for signs to wet weather stations en

route. Good waterproofs, like a cycle cape, are essential. Our first aid staff can only

supply bin liners and by the time you get one you may be very wet. However, the

English summer is unpredictable - it may also be hot, so don't forget the sun

protection cream as well!

If you have to drop out

We will try to pick up your bike for you on the day. Call Bike Events (01225

310859) no more than two weeks after the ride to arrange collection. Sorry, we

cannot guarantee this service nor can we accept liability for any loss or damage to

your bike. Bike Events will hold your bike for three months, after which it may be

disposed of. You will be charged for all costs incurred in returning your cycle.

17. You should not arrive more than half an hour before your allocated starting time.

18. Your Rider Identity Card will be sent to you before the event.

19. Some roads may have normal traffic flow on them.

20. Helmets are compulsory for all participants.

21. Refreshments are free to all participants during the ride.

22. If you need a rest you must get off the road.

23. First aid staff can provide cycle capes.

24. Bike Events will charge you for the return of your bike.

KEY

17 TRUE

18 NOT GIVEN

19 TRUE

20 FALSE

21 FALSE

22 NOT GIVEN

23 FALSE

24 TRUE

PART II. USE OF ENGLISH

1. For Questions 1-10, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D

best fits each space. There is an example below (0):

(0)

A series

B issue

C programme

D release

Sound Advice for Language Learners

A recent (0) issue of a language learning magazine has consulted a number

of experts in the (1) ___ of second language acquisition. Their advice may prove

invaluable for those (2) ___ a language course. One suggestion is that you assess

whether you are likely to be successful (3) ___ learning a language. Did you enjoy

studying languages at school, for example? Do you have enough time to learn a

language? The major cost will be your own time and effort. Therefore you must

make sure that the course on offer leads to a (4) ___ qualification. Also, be realistic

in your goals. If you don’t set achievable aims you are more likely to give up. Do

not be deceived (5) ___ thinking that the most expensive courses are the best. (6) ___

around to get the best possible value for money. You should also bear in mind that

the quicker you learn a language the more quickly you forget it. Sandra Miller, a

French teacher, tried to teach herself German by enrolling on a (7) ___ course.

Already (8) ___ in four languages and with a sound knowledge of teaching

methodology her chances of making progress were high. Three years (9) ___ she

remembers very little. She feels her biggest mistake was not to follow (10) ___ her

first experience. “I should have consolidated what I'd learn by continuing to study,

even if it were by myself.”

A domain

B branch

C field

D area

A wondering

B thinking

C looking

D considering

A in

B at

C when

D about

A recognised

B understood

C valued

D regarded

A by

B about

C into

D in

A Nose

B Push

C Run

D Shop

A rapid

B crash

C quick

D fast

speaker

B progressing

C connoisseur

D fluent

A on

B forward

C from

D onward

10.

A up

B on

C through

D out

KEY

1. C

2. D

3. B

4. A

5. C

6. D

7. B

8. D

9. A

10. A

2. For questions 11-22, read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D

best fits each space.

United Kingdom Travel Guide

Despite its

(11) ___ small size, the United Kingdom is one of the most

culturally (12) ___ countries on Earth, populated by four main native nationalities,

plus later arrivals from all over the world. The United Kingdom consists of Great

Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), plus Northern Ireland. The Isle of Man and

the Channel Islands (principally Jersey and Guernsey) are also parts of the British

Isles, but somewhat confusingly not officially part of the UK.

The UK is also a geologically diverse country, with such landscapes as the

rolling moors of Yorkshire, the lakes and mountains of the Lake District and

Scotland, and the (13) ___ forests of Nottinghamshire or the (14) ___ beaches of

Wales. All this, (15) ___ genteel villages with chocolate-box cottages or vibrant

cities at the forefront of modernity, means the UK has something to (16) ___

everyone.

London is the natural (17) ___ point for visitors and is a great introduction to

this varied country, with famous sights such as the Houses of Parliament and the

London Eye and (18) ___ exhibitions in the National Gallery, Natural History

Museum and Tower of London. (19) ___ away from the capital are the university

cities of Oxford and Cambridge, with their elegant architecture, and Windsor, home

to the Queen’s famous castle residence.

The British (20) ___ is at its best in the south coast resorts of Brighton and

Bournemouth or the harbour villages in Cornwall, Dorset and Devon. For more (21)

___, wilder, windswept beaches, head to the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales or the

Scottish islands of Skye, Shetland and Orkney. Walkers have no end of (22) ___

with hundreds of miles of hiking trails in the hilly Peak District, the mountainous

Lake District, Wales and Scotland or along the coastal paths of southern England.

For more gentle pursuits, pretty villages of the Cotswolds and Suffolk offer endless

photo opportunities of thatched cottages or leaning timber-framed houses.

11. A relatively

B clearly

C slightly

D actually

12. A friendly

B widespread

C various

D diverse

13. A middle-aged

B elderly

C ancient

D ageing

14. A shocking

B stunning

C frightening

D shining

15. A as well as

B in addition

C including

D also

16. A for

B propose

C volunteer

D offer

17. A origin

B beginning

C starting

D commencing

18. renowned

B known

C obvious

D infamous

19. Near by

B Shortly

C Not far

D Closely

20. A tourism

B coast

C beaches

D seaside

21. A scenery

B beautiful

C prettier

D graceful

22. A option

B possibility

C choice

D selection

11. A

12. D

13. C

14. B

15. A

16. D

17. C

18. A

19. C

20. D

21. B

22. C

3. Read the text and then write the correct form of the word given on the right (23-

30). There is an example at the beginning: (0) unusual.

Turn A Hobby into a Business

It is not (0) unusual to make a hobby pay for itself even if

USUAL

initially you had no (23) ___ of turning it into a business. For those

INTEND

looking to make a profit on their (24) ___, these days an audience

CREATE

for products can range from the local to the truly global. Some

(25) ___ begin by donating a piece of work to a charitable sale just

HOBBY

to see how quickly and (26) ___ it sells. Local shops can be the next

PROFIT

outlet for items, often the step taken by those making things like

hand-made greetings cards for instance. And for the truly ambitious,

websites like eBay enable the hobbiest to reach a (27) ___ audience.

WORLD

As with any business idea, an honest (28) ___ should be undertaken

APPRAISE

regarding the demand for the work and the price the customer is

prepared to pay in (29) ___. However, do not forget the

REAL

degree of personal (30) ___ as well.

SATISFY

23. intention

24. creativity, creations

25. hobbyists

26. profitably

27. worldwide

28. appraisal

29. reality

30. satisfaction

4. For questions 31-36, read the text below and think of the word which best fits

each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning

(0).

The origin of language

The truth (0) is nobody really knows how language first began. Did we all

start talking at around the same time (31) ___ of the manner in which our brains had

begun to develop?

Although there is a lack of clear evidence, people have come up with various

theories about the origins of language. One recent theory is that human beings have

evolved in (32) ___ a way that we are programmed for language from the moment

of birth. In (33) ___ words, language came about as a result of an evolutionary

change in our brains at some stage.

Language could well be programmed into the brain but, (34) ___ this, people

still need stimulus from others around them. From studies, we know that (35) ___

children are isolated from human contact and have not learnt to construct sentences

before they are ten, it is doubtful they will ever do so. This research shows, if

(36) ___ else, that language is a social activity, not something invented in isolation.

33 BECAUSE

34 SUCH

35 OTHER

36 DESPITE

37 IF/WHEN/WHENEVER

38 NOTHING/LITTLE

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