Question

Look through the text and say what universities the girls sent their letters to. (выписать названия университетов).

1. On the bed between the two girls were some letters, which were laid face-down so that they couldn’t see return addresses. Blair got seven letters and five letters were Serena’s. “Okay. Ready?” Serena asked.

Blair closed her eyes and took the first letter. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

2. Blair looked at Serena. “How’d you do?” she asked.

Serena could tell from the scary look on Blair’s face that the news was not good. She didn’t know what to say. “Urn, I got a place … um … everywhere?”

Blair stared at the acceptance letters in Serena’s hands. On top was a cream-coloured letter with the blue Yale University letterhead. “Wait, you applied to Yale?” asked Blair.

“Yes,” Serena nodded. (to nod – кивнуть головой). “At the last minute I just decided, why not, you know?”

“And you got a place?”

Serena nodded again. “Sorry.”

3. The way Blair was looking at her was making Serena nervous. What did Serena have that she didn’t? She was in the top of her class at school and look every AP (the Advance Placement Program – программа продвинутого обучения по программе высшего учебного заведения) course they offered. She was the best at the SAT. She did charity work. She was the leader of the French club. She was an excellent tennis player. Her entire high-school career – practically her whole life – she’d been working toward entering Yale. Her father had gone there. His father had gone there. Her great-uncle had donated two buildings and a playing field. Serena took no APs at all, and did only a few extracurricular activities. Serena’s dad had gone to Princeton and Brown, two of Yale’s biggest competitors. (a competitor – противник, конкурент). Still, Yale had accepted Serena and put Blair on their wait list!

4. “I probably won’t even go,” Serena made an attempt to make things less important. “I have to … you know … visit all the school before I decide,” she gathered her blond hair on top of her head. “Maybe I won’t even go to college right away. I could stay in the city and try to do some acting or something.”

5. So Serena got into Yale, but she didn’t even really want to go there. Serena collected her lettes and held them behind her back.

“What about the other schools? You must have -”

“I got wait listed at Yale. The only place that accepted me is Georgetown. Stupid Georgetown. But it was my safety.”

Serena stared at her for a moment her eyes wide with surprise. “That’s not so bad,” Serena said. “I’m sure Yale is hard to enter. And if you didn’t enter, at least you have backup (запас, резерв).”
2) In the text find the words and phrases which mean the following. (найти перевод в тексте)


обратный адрес (§1)

письмо о принятии (в университет, на работу) (§2)

шапка на фирменном бланке (§2)

обращаться с просьбой, (письменным) заявлением (о приеме на работу, учебу) (§2)

внепрограммные; необязательные, факультативные мероприятия. (§3)

поставить на очередь (§3, 5)


Ex. 2. For questions 1-7 find the correct answers. Prove your choice using the words and phrases from the text.

1. After reading the letter it was clear that Serena got a place

a) at all universities she had applied to.

b) only at Yale University.

c) at seven different universities.

2. Blait got a place

a) at five universities she had applied to.

b) at one university.

c) at two universities.

3. In her class Blair

a) was a leader.

b) was the best student.

c) won the tennis tournament.

4. Blair’s dream was

a) to enter Yale University.

b) to work at Yale.

c) to got to Yale with her father.

5. Serena got a place at Yale because

a) her school results were good enough.

b) her great-uncle had donated two buildings and a playing field.

c) her father studied at Yale.

6. The letter from Yale told Blair

a) that she had no chance to get into the university.

b) that she had a small chance to get into the university.

c) that she shouldn’t apply to Yale.

7. According to the test the word “safety” in paragraph 5 probably means

a) a place where there is no danger.

b) something that Blair had been saving for a long time.

c) a place Blair was sure to get in.

Answer 1

1) Yale University, Georgetown.
2) In the text find the words and phrases which mean the following. (найти перевод в тексте)
обратный адрес (§1) return address
письмо о принятии (в университет, на работу) (§2) acceptance letter
шапка на фирменном бланке (§2) letterhead
обращаться с просьбой, (письменным) заявлением (о приеме на работу, учебу) (§2) apply
внепрограммные; необязательные, факультативные мероприятия. (§3) extracurricular activities
поставить на очередь (§3, 5) put on wait list 
1. a (Serena could tell from the scary look on Blair’s face that the news was not good. She didn’t know what to say. “Urn, I got a place … um … everywhere?”)
2. b (“I got wait listed at Yale. The only place that accepted me is Georgetown. Stupid Georgetown. But it was my safety.”)
3. b (She was in the top of her class at school)
4. a Her entire high-school career – practically her whole life – she’d been working toward entering Yale. 
5. a 
6. b (I got wait listed at Yale.)
7. c (The only place that accepted me is Georgetown. Stupid Georgetown. But it was my safety.”

Serena stared at her for a moment her eyes wide with surprise. “That’s not so bad,” Serena said. “I’m sure Yale is hard to enter. And if you didn’t enter, at least you have backup)