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

11. Could you pass me … salt, please?
A) the B) an C) – D) a
12. Countries with rising population and limited natural resources risk … into demographic trap.
A) falling B) fell C) to fall D) fallen
13. In April 1775, when ships full of British soldiers landed Boston, the United States did not exist … an independent country.
A) such B) as C) though D) despite
14. – We need a TV-set.
– Why don`t you buy … ?
A) one B) ones C) them D) him
15. Jim is away on holiday. He … to Spain.
A) has been B) has gone C) is gone D) had been
16. I wonder where you get your dresses … , they are so fashionable.
A) made B) to make C) make D) being made
17. Stanley Kubrick`s going to be nominated to receive the Academy Award for best director, … he?
A) doesn`t B) won`t C) didn`t D) isn`t
18. I travel to Portland every … month. I go there to visit my grandmother.
A) others B) other C) the other D) another
19. Are you really ready to pay five … for a camera?
A) hundreds pound B) hundred pounds C) hundred pound D) hundreds pounds
20. The Romans perfected the art of building arch bridges and … them throughout the Roman Empire.
A) build B) building C) built D) have built


Railways are not a modern invention as most of us think. The idea of transporting things and people on rails has been around for a long time. Rails were made of wood, stone or metal, and railway wagons were pulled by horses, some were even wind powered and had sails. At the start of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, people needed to transport raw materials such as coal, so created a network of canals and rail links between towns. But canals and horsepower were a very slow way to move things around the country, so the speed of railway wagons needed to be increased.


21. What is TRUE according to the text?
A) Using horses increased the speed of railway wagons.
B) The rise of industry required faster railway transportation.
C) Transporting things has always been very fast.
D) Rails have always been made of metal.