Английский ЕГЭ - банк заданий - страница 232
Вопросы
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12-18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Cycling
Winter is over, and snow is but a memory. Because of the warmer climate, getting around the town by bicycle has become a more viable option. With parking problems and rising gas prices, people should bike more, as it is a less costly alternative to using automobiles, and it is better for the environment and personal health.
It would not be revolutionary to claim that parking in our city can be a bit of a hassle. Recently, the University students were asked about their experiences with parking. Their main complaint — and the bottom line of the problem — is that parking is expensive. However, those expenses can be avoided by using bicycles, as bike parking on campus is free.
Another expense issue with cars is gas, as prices have been on the rise. Though price averages in our state remain below the national average, it is still a lot more compared to the pricing from a year ago. This would obviously not be an issue if one were to cycle instead.
The great weather we have had and the cost-efficiency of cycling should be enough to convince people to bike more, but there are other benefits aside from general convenience.
Firstly, cycling is better for the environment. Bikes do not release pollutants into the air, and consistent cycling is estimated to prevent 6 to 14 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere every year. Infrastructure requirements for bikes are minimal, as they do not require the establishment of highways. This means fewer resources need to be used and less land needs to be urbanized.
Secondly, cycling is better for you. Cycling as a means of transportation will get you where you need to go while providing you with an accessible workout that increases your strength, stamina, and overall fitness. Additionally, cycling has mental health benefits. Regular cyclists are likely to experience improved moods. To build on this, a study shows that cyclists experience 21.6 percent fewer bad mental health days, suggesting that cycling is beneficial to one’s well-being in more ways than one.
Essentially, there are plenty of reasons why everyone should bike more. Our city is a particularly encouraging place to bike. There are signs and lanes everywhere dedicated to making cycling more convenient, and the university encourages this alternative as well.
Well, there are some problems, of course. One of these is bike theft. To avoid it, just follow some rules if you rely on bicycle transportation to get to and from campus. Many of these actions can also help police locate and identify your bicycle, should it go missing. First of all, use a high-quality lock. When you lock your bike, be sure to lock your bike frame and wheel to fixed, approved bike racks. Second, keep a record of the make, model, and serial number of your bike, including a photograph. This will make it easier to report your bike if it is stolen, and to return it to you if it is located. Next, balance protection and visibility. Lock up your bike in a moderately busy area with high visibility rather than an isolated location. Avoid leaving your bike unattended in the same area for multiple days. Finally, consider investing in a tracking device for your bicycle and report bike theft and suspicious activity near bike racks. Following these simple tips, you won’t lose your bike and you’ll help save others.
Considering that the weather is warmer and automobiles are still a hassle to use in the city, now is as good a time as any to start biking. If you have an old bike lying around, maybe it is time to start using it. If not, it might be time to invest in one.
The author thinks using a bike now is easier because of…
What does the author most probably refer to calling parking a bit of a hassle in “…parking in our city can be a bit of a hassle” (paragraph 2)?
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the article as a benefit of cycling for health?
Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12-18. В каждом задании запишите в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.
Turning As an Obstacle
When I first read about a sport called parkour, I thought it was about fluid, elegant, and graceful motions. But in practice, parkour is considered an “extreme” sport; as its participants dash around a city, they may vault over fences, run up walls, and even jump from rooftop to rooftop. So you won’t see senior citizens doing it in the park on Sunday mornings, but if you do witness it, you may think you’re watching a stunt person on a movie set.
Le parkour is a French term, related to the verb parcourir, “to run over or through”. It was created by David Belle, Sebastien Foucan, and a group of their friends when they were teenagers living in the Paris suburb in the late 1980s. Belle’s father had been a soldier in Vietnam, and his preparatory programme included navigating obstacle courses. Belle picked up many of the moves from his father and, along with his friends, developed them into an art form.
Parkour combines elements of running, gymnastics, dance, and martial arts into a breathtaking way of moving from place to place. The general idea is to move quickly and gracefully, treating buildings, walls, handrails, rocks, and whatever objects you come across as elements in an obstacle course. The only real rule is that you should not move backwards and that you should do it with as much efficiency and style as possible.
The only equipment required for parkour is a good pair of shoes. Participants, who call themselves traceurs, wear no protective gear but typically invest a great deal of time in training and preparation in order to execute the necessary moves safely. The first thing any participant learns is how to cushion the impact of a jump by rolling. Although parkour is ultimately about clever improvisation rather than choreographed moves, there are a couple dozen or so standard maneuvers that almost all traceurs learn, including several methods for getting over tall walls.
Some traceurs participate merely for the fun or the challenge, but others treat parkour as a more serious art, similar to some martial arts. As a philosophy, the movements metaphorically represent becoming one with your environment, learning how to overcome obstacles without effort, and finding creative paths – all things with practical value outside the sport.
Even though parkour has reached international popularity, there is already an offshoot sport that has led to a great deal of bitterness and division among parkour proponents. Co-founder Sebastien Foucan, in a 2003 BBC documentary called “Jump London,” referred to the sport as “free-running” and that term caught on in the media. However, parkour purists feel that the direction in which Foucan has taken the activity is entirely different from what he and Belle had originally developed.
The biggest difference has to do with theatrics. Free-running involves a lot of trick moves, particularly mid-air flips and spins. Because these moves are merely showy, not economical, they’re considered contrary to the nature of parkour. A free-runner may also move backwards in order to make a move as flashy as possible.
But it’s not simply a matter of differing styles. Manufacturers are capitalizing on the growing interest in parkour and free-running by introducing special shoes, designer clothing, and so on; free-running competitions are also beginning to appear.
The author claims that parkour…