Variant 1 You could have come first and won the race if you … faster

25. What is the text about?
A) The danger of hunting for the Brazilian population. B) Hydro-electric dam projects on the Yangtze river.
C) The breeding of small river dolphins. D) The danger of two breeds of dolphins disappearing.
26. What does the number 10 in the text refer to?
A) Governmental organizations which fight the pollution of rivers.
B) Groups of biologist who are trying to repopulate dolphins.
C) The percentage of Amazonian dolphins which die out every year.
D) The percentage of living Yangtze river dolphins.
27. Both water pollution and hydro-electric dam projects …
A) may separate dolphin population from one another. B) can be harmful for only fish species.
C) are causing the extinction of dolphins. D) are necessary for Chinese and Amazonian dolphins.


Born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, on Nov. 2, 1815, George Boole was the son of a tradesman and was largely self-taught. He began teaching at the age of 16 to support his family. In his spare time, he read mathematical journals and soon began to write articles for them. By the age of 29, Boole had received a gold medal for his work from the British Royal Society. His “Mathematical Analysis of Logic”, published in 1847, contained his first statement of the principles of symbolic logic. Two years later he was appointed professor of mathematics at Queen`s College in Ireland, even though he had never studied at a university. He died in Ballin temple, Ireland, on Dec. 8, 1864.
28. Why did George Boole start to teach at the age of 16?
A) To have access to mathematical journals. B) To receive a gold medal for his work.
C) To help his family financially. D) To have practice in teaching.
29. The text tell us that George Boole …
A) was never a university student. B) never wrote articles for journals.
C) became a professor by the age of 29. D) began his career as a tradesman.