You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The ninth planet of the solar system was discovered not long ago. It happened in 1930. Scientists had been hunting for the planet for a long time. They had calculated its probable position but there was no proof that the planet really existed. It was too far away for the telescopes of that time to find it. It’s worth mentioning that the first photos of the planet were taken by a very young researcher. He was only twenty-four and had no formal education in astronomy. However, he was deeply involved in the search for the ninth planet. The planet at the edge of the solar system was called Pluto, after the Roman god. The name for the planet was suggested by an 11-year-old British girl.

You are going to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

One day a young man who lived near the lake in a small American town asked himself, “Why can’t people ski on water if they can ski on snow?” With his brother’s help he constructed several models of skis to test his ideas. He experimented on the local lake for a few days and created skis suitable for the water. This happened in 1922. The young man, who was only 18 at that time, didn’t patent his invention. However, he performed a lot of shows across the country that made him and the sport of water skiing popular. Later, he was recognized as the creator of a new sport – water skiing.

Water skiing equipment has been greatly improved since that time, and the number of people who enjoy this sport is growing in many countries.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The telescope is the oldest and probably the most effective tool to explore space. It has been used by astronomers since the 16th century and it has tremendously changed our knowledge of the universe. Certainly, the telescope itself has changed a lot since that time too.

The most famous telescope nowadays, the Hubble Telescope, works in space, in low Earth orbit. It works from above the atmosphere of the Earth and that is why it produces fantastically clear photos. The Hubble was launched into space on 24th April, 1990 from the Space Shuttle Discovery and is still in operation. Scientists say its information could help them to solve the mystery of the black holes and to understand how they form.

You need to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Most tourists who come to London want to see the Globe Theatre. It is one of the main landmarks in the British capital. The theatre has always been linked with William Shakespeare. His plays have been staged there for several centuries.

Historians say that the theatre was built in 1599. It was a large, round, open air theatre. In those days special coloured flags were used to advertise the type of play to be performed. A red flag was put up for a history play, a white flag for a comedy, and a black flag for a tragedy.

The theatre worked for 14 years before it was destroyed by fire. Then it was rebuilt, destroyed, and reconstructed again. The theatre has changed several names and now it is called Shakespeare’s Globe.

You are going to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

If you look at the night sky, you will see an endless number of stars. When there are no clouds, you can also see a band of light that goes across the sky. It is called the Milky Way. In 1610, after the invention of the telescope, scientists found out that the Milky Way consists of individual stars. Our Solar System is a tiny part of the Milky Way and it is located close to its centre. The Milky Way contains over 200 billion stars and enough dust and gas to make billions more. More than half of the stars are older than our Sun. Until the last century, scientists believed that all the stars of the Universe were inside the Milky Way. Now, it is well-known that there are a lot of other galaxies like ours.

Task 1. You are going to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Lots of people keep pets and it looks like the number of pet owners is growing. In 2018, dogs were the leading type of pet. The number of pet dogs worldwide was about 471 million. The second most popular pet is, of course, the cat  — the

population of cats is only a little lower.

Pet owners usually treat their animals like members of the family and give them lots of time and attention. The animals reflect that behaviour  — they make the most devoted friends to people. When there are several pets in the household, they usually get along well. Even animals that are enemies in the natural environment live peacefully in people’s houses. There are lots of photos and videos on social networks proving that cats and dogs enjoy each other’s company and often play together.

You are going to read the text aloud. You have 1,5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The ninth planet of the solar system was discovered not long ago. It happened in 1930. Scientists had been hunting for the planet for a long time. They had calculated its probable position but there was no proof that the planet really existed. It was too far away for the telescopes of that time to find it. It’s worth mentioning that the first photos of the planet were taken by a very young researcher. He was only twenty-four and had no formal education in astronomy. However, he was deeply involved in the search for the ninth planet. The planet at the edge of the solar system was called Pluto, after the Roman god. The name for the planet was suggested by an 11-year-old British girl.

Task 1. You are going to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

Netball is played by over 20 million people in more than 70 countries of the world. It was invented in 1892 as women’s basketball. However, netball is different from basketball in many ways. For example, the ball and the basket are smaller and the court is bigger. The players cannot run with the ball. They are not allowed to touch the players who they are playing with. Netball has seven players in each team (not five as in basketball). During the 20th century, the game became very popular in English-speaking countries. Traditionally, only girls and women played netball. Nowadays, netball is the number one women’s sport in the world but boys and men are starting to play it too.

Task 1. You are going to read the text aloud. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, and then be ready to read it aloud. Remember that you will not have more than 2 minutes for reading aloud.

The first vacuum cleaner was designed in 1869. Since then, vacuum cleaners have changed a lot. Nowadays the robot vacuum cleaner is getting more and more popular. This device cleans a house automatically. Following a programme, the robot drives slowly around the house and makes it cleaner. It operates with brushes and a tube. The robot is so flexible that it can get under a table or sofa or reach dust in corners. Some advanced models can also wash floors of all kinds. These functions are provided by a complicated electronic system and sensors inside. The vacuum cleaner looks like a plate and can be kept in the corner. It is friendly to children and animals and works on electricity.