I. Read the text and answer the questions:
The New Year. So the old year has gone. There is still much talk about winter holidays, but let's speak a little about the year which has just begun. As you know, New Year's Day has been one of the main holidays of the year for a very long time. New Year holiday celebrations are different in different places, but giving presents and sending greetings with good wishes are very popular in all countries. In the past people often tried to learn something about the future by magic during New Year celebrations. Well, we don't know what those people learned about their future and we don't know if their magic made it any better. But we certainly know one thing — the first school half-year wasn't easy for you and the second half-year is going to be still more difficult. And no magic will help an eighth-former if he doesn't prepare well for the examinations. The New Year promises much work for you and there are only a few months in which you can do it. That's why it's very important to plan your time well now. And there is another problem. Do you think you'll have enough time to decide what to do after finishing the eighth form? It's better, of course, to decide that difficult question before school is over for the year. So you see, the New Year will be both difficult and interesting, and it may bring a great change in your lives.

I. Read the text and answer the questions. — The New Year

В задании приведён текст «The New Year», но сами вопросы к нему отсутствуют. Ниже представлены основные вопросы по содержанию текста и ответы на них на английском языке.

1. What is one of the main holidays of the year? New Year's Day is one of the main holidays of the year. People have celebrated it for a very long time.

2. Are New Year celebrations the same in all countries? No, New Year celebrations are different in different countries. However, giving presents and sending greetings with good wishes are popular everywhere.

3. What do people usually do during New Year celebrations? People usually give presents to their relatives and friends and send greetings with good wishes.

4. What did people try to learn in the past during New Year celebrations? In the past, people often tried to learn something about their future by magic during New Year celebrations.

5. Do we know if magic made people's future better? No, we don't know what people learned about their future or whether magic made it any better.

6. Was the first school half-year easy for eighth-formers? No, the first school half-year wasn't easy for eighth-formers, and the second half-year is going to be even more difficult.

7. Can magic help eighth-formers pass their examinations? No, magic cannot help eighth-formers if they don't prepare well for their examinations. They must study hard.

8. Why is it important for eighth-formers to plan their time well? It is important because the New Year promises a lot of work, and students have only a few months to prepare for their examinations.

9. What difficult question must eighth-formers decide? They must decide what to do after finishing the eighth form. It is better to make this decision before the school year is over.

10. Why will the New Year be both difficult and interesting for eighth-formers? The New Year will be difficult because students will have to work hard and prepare for their examinations. It will also be interesting because they will have to make important decisions about their future.

11. What great change may the New Year bring into students' lives? The New Year may bring a great change into their lives because they will finish the eighth form and decide what to do next.

12. What is the main idea of the text? The main idea of the text is that the New Year is not only a time for celebrations but also a time for hard work, planning and making important decisions about the future.