reading comprehension
What is more useful?
Many years ago a tram, a trolley-bus, a car and a bicycle met at the crossroads1. While they were waiting for the green light they began to argue2. The сaг was the first. He said to the bicycle, 
"Listen! Why do people use you? You are so slow. Your master has to work hard to move. When you don't move you can't even stand - you fall on your side. I have 4 wheels. I can go very fast. I can carry five men. I am more useful than you."
The little bicycle answered, "It depends upon when and where."
Then the tram spoke, "I am better. I am more useful than you. You can carry only 5 people; I can carry more than a hundred. It's quite clear that I am more useful than you."
The little bicycle answered, "It depends upon when and where."
"I think you are not even to be compared with me," said the trolley-bus. "Look at me. I am big and comfortable. I am better than you."
The little bicycle answered, "It depends upon when and where."
At that time they saw a green light. They moved forward3 to see which of them was the fastest. Of course, the little bicycle fell behind at once. The car, the trolley-bus, the bus moved on but the tram and the trolley-bus had to stop to take new passengers. They fell behind the car too. Then the tram stopped. He went off the rails4. The trolley-bus said, "I think you will stay here for a long time. I 
don't need any rails. Goodbye."
Soon he came to his final stop and had to go back. He could not go away from the wire5.
The car left the city and was moving at a high speed. But suddenly on his way he saw a bridge across a river. Some men were repairing the bridge.
So the car took another road and when at last he came to a village on the other side of the river he saw the bicycle.
"Why? How did you cross the river?", said the car.
"Listen", said the little bicycle - "the men who were repairing the bridge left a little passage enough for me to cross the river. And so here I am. Do you remember what I said? - It depends upon when and where. You see that I was right. All of us have our own uses6."
1crossroads - перекресток
2argue - спорить
3forward - вперед
4rails - рельсы
5wire– провод
6uses – предназначение
Reading comprehension test
1. Name the main characters of the story
2. Complete the sentences.
- “I can move very fast. I can carry five men. I am more useful than you”, said … .
- “Look at me. I am big and comfortable. I am better than you”, said … .
- “Listen! Why do people use you? You are so slow”, said … .
- “I am better. I can carry more than a hundred people. I am more useful than you”, said … .
3. Give answers to the following questions.
- Where did the main characters meet?
- What did the bicycle answer to everybody?
- Why did they move forward when they saw a green light?
- Who left the city the first?
- Why did the car take another road to the village?
4. Translate into Russian.
- When you don't move you can't even stand - you fall on your side.
- I think you will stay here for a long time. I don't need any rails.
- Soon he came to his final stop and had to go back.
- So the car took another road.
- All of us have our own uses.
5. Write what character from the story did you like best? Why? What do you think about the other characters? (5 sentences)
LEXICAL AND GRAMMAR TEST
Task I. Choose the most suitable tense
1) Why ... a new motor bike?
a)are you going to buy
b)will you buy
c)you are buying
2)Look out! The tree ... down.
a)is falling
b)is going to fall
c)will fall
3)Great news! Jean ... with us.
a)is going to stay
b)will stay
c) is staying
4)I have a strange feeling that something bad ... in this minute.
a)is going to happen
b)is happening
c)will happen
5)The doctor says she ... a baby.
a)is having
b)is going to have
c)will have
Task II. Fill in the pronouns: some, any, no+ body, thing
1) Have you ... to drink? - No, I have ...
2) He is reading … very interesting in the newspaper.
3) All are present. ... is absent.
4) There are ... sheep in the yard.
Task III. Ask questions to the sentences
1)Love is beautiful.( Special: What)
2) We must water flowers every day in summer.(General)
3) After classes Fred plays football.(Tag)
4) There is a beautiful carpet in the middle of my room.(Alternative)
5) He had to wash the car at once. (Special: What)
Task IV. Choose the correct variant of the sentence
1) a) We already made a campfire.
b) We made a campfire yesterday.
2) a) It has disappeared. I don't see it any more,
b) It disappeared. I don't see it anymore
3) a) She hasn't decided what to become yet.
b) She didn't decide what to become.
4) a) I lave you seen her recently?
b) Did you see her recently?
5) a) I have been to a concert this week.
b) I was at a concert this week.
6) a) The children did their homework. They can play.
b) The children have done their homework. They can play.
7) a) Robert came back today.
b) Robert has come back today.
8)a) The director left for Minsk yesterday.
b) The director has gone to Minsk yesterday.
Task V. I always want to keep my room tidy. I hope you can give me good advice. What must/ should I do and mustn't/ shouldn't do. Write at least five sentences