EXAMINATION CARD 22

І. Reading

Read the text and choose the best answer (A-D) to complete the sentences (1-5).

For some time, though, finding food was a task left to each of us; we fended for

yourselves. Like many boys, I went to the river to fish, though I had no experience fish-

ing at all. 1 came to the water and everywhere there were boys, some with sticks and

string, some with crude spears. My first day fishing, I brought a twisted stick and a

piece of wire I had found under a truck.

“That won’t work,” a boy said to me. “You have no chance that way."

He was a thin boy, as thin as the stick I was holding; he seemed weightless, bending

leftward with the gentle wind. I said nothing to him, and threw my wire into the water.

I knew he was probably right about my chances, but I couldn’t admit it to him. His

voice was strangely high, melodic, too pleasing to be trusted. Who was he, anyway, and

why did he think he could speak to me that way?

He was named Achor Achor, and he helped me that afternoon to find an appropriate

stick and piece of string. Together that day and in the days that followed, we waded

into the water with our fishing poles and a spear Achor Achor had carved himself. If

one of us saw a fish, we would try to catch it, while Achor Achor thrust the stick into

the water, attempting to spear it. We were not successful. Occasionally a dead fish —

would be found in a shallow swamp, and that fish we cooked or sometimes ate raw.

___________________

* to fend for yourself - to look after yourself without help from anyone else

1. For what purpose was the speaker fishing?

A. He wanted to be like the other boys.

B. He needed to catch fish for food.

C. He thought it would be fun.

D. He was experienced in fishing.

2. What was the other boy’s attitude toward the speaker when he first tried to fish?

A. encouraging C. aggressive

B. discouraging D. negative

3. Achor Achor is:

A. the name of the boy the speaker met C. the name of a country

B. the name of the river D. the speaker’s name

4. How did the relationship between the two boys develop?

A. The boys were angry and did not talk to each other.

B. They only spoke to each other when they needed.

C. They competed for fish at the river.

D. They became friends and helped one another.

5. Was their fishing successful?

A. They didn’t fish together.

B. Not at all; they had to eat dead fish they found.

C. Somewhat; they caught some fish to eat.

D. Very; they speared a lot of fish.

II. Writing.

Write a message (35-45 words) to your parents that you are going to be late. Include the following information:

• apologise;

• explain the reason of your delay;

• state the time of your return.