МИНИСТЕРСТВО НА ОБРАЗОВАНИЕТО И НАУКАТА

ДЪРЖАВЕН ЗРЕЛОСТЕН ИЗПИТ ПО

АНГЛИЙСКИ ЕЗИК
28 август 2015 г., Вариант 2

PART ONE: LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Directions: You will hear a curious story twice. Before you listen to it, you have 1 minute to
read the questions. While listening for the first time, you can look at the questions and the
suggested choices, but you are not allowed to take notes. When you hear the whole text, you
have 3 minutes to answer the questions on your answer sheet, choosing among A, B, or C.
Then you will hear the text again and will have 1 minute to check your answers.
1. The narrator and her husband were going to the beach for a day.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
2. The narrator’s husband did not go into the bank because he hated waiting in queues.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
3. The narrator would have had a word with the rude young man if he hadn’t pulled
out a gun.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
4. The money from the robber’s bag got scattered all over the parking lot of the bank.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
5. The robber was hurt by the explosion of the money bag.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

Directions: You will hear a curious news story twice. Before you listen to it, you have
1 minute to read the questions. While listening for the first time, you can look at the questions
and the suggested choices, but you are not allowed to take notes. When you hear the whole
text, you have 3 minutes to answer the questions on your answer sheet, choosing among A, B
or C. Then you will hear the text again and will have 1 minute to check your answers.

6. There was a sensation on the social networks about a green cat wandering the streets
of Varna.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
7. The stray cat had been painted green by local vandals.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
8. It was the first time anyone had seen such a bright green cat in that city.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
9. The unusual colour of the cat did not seem to endanger his life or affect his health.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
10. The green cat was not the only one to benefit from the unexpected fame.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
Directions: You will hear a short folk tale twice. Before you listen to it, you have 2 minutes
to read the questions. While listening for the first time, you can look at the questions and the
suggested choices, but you are not allowed to take notes. When you hear the whole text, you
have 4 minutes to answer the questions on your answer sheet, choosing among A, B, C or D.
Then you will hear the text again and will have 1 minute to check your answers.
11. The text is about an old woman who was
A) blind and poor.
B) rich but blind.
C) stupid and blind.
D) rich but stupid.
12. The old woman called in the physician
A) because he knew magical spells that could heal her eyes.
B) because he was famous for being very capable and learned.
C) although he was a cheat who was after people’s money.
D) although she knew he could not work miracles.
13. The treatment took quite a long time because
A) the woman was very old and her condition was difficult to cure.
B) the physician could not find the proper ingredients for the cure.
C) the physician needed time to steal the old woman’s valuables.
D) the physician had to experiment with various treatments.
14. When the old woman saw that her house was empty, she
A) realized that the physician had robbed her but had no proof.
B) accused the physician and brought him to court.
C) apologized to the physician for not paying him.
D) had no idea what had happened to her possessions.
15. In front of the judge, the old woman
A) denied that she had promised the physician a lot of money.
B) insisted that the physician had not cured her eyes.
C) admitted that she never had the money to pay the physician.
D) called the physician a liar.

PART TWO: READING COMPREHENSION

Directions: Read the text below. Then read the questions that follow it and choose the best
answer to each question among A, B or C, marking your answers on your answer sheet.

2,500-YEAR-OLD GREEK STATUES SPARKLE AFTER FACELIFT

Five marble maidens from ancient Greece have got a facelift due to an invention of a team
of engineers. Using this specially designed laser, conservators have laboured since 2006 to
strip away the black grime that covered the five statues. Today the final statue to undergo the
treatment is being revealed in all her splendour in the new Acropolis Museum in Athens.
 Sculpted in the late fifth century B.C., the draped figures, known as the Caryatids, served
as columns for one of the temples that stood on the Acropolis, the sacred rocky hill that rises
156 meters above the modern Greek capital.
As Athens rapidly industrialized over the past century, the five figures suffered seriously
from the effects of air pollution. Their golden colour turned dark, and their features began to
dissolve under the constant assault of acid rain. In 1979 they were moved to the old Acropolis
Museum to protect them from further damage, and cement replicas were installed in their
place on the Acropolis.
When the new Acropolis Museum opened in 2009, the figures immediately became a
magnet for visitors. “For the first time in history, everyone could see them up close, and from
all sides,” says Katherine Schwab, an art historian who specializes in ancient classical
sculptures. “The Caryatids are over life-size, so there’s that sense of an exhibit that’s larger
than life.”
The figures’ clothing and hair offer clues to their identity. “These maidens most likely
represent young teenagers from elite families of Athens who would be given the lead
positions in a religious festival procession,” Schwab explains. “The luxuriousness of the hair
indicates how healthy and beautiful they were. They were in their prime as maidens. They
were very marriageable.”
A team of five conservators and one laser technician cleaned the statues millimetre by
millimetre, each statue taking between six and eight months to clean. The maidens’
transformation is nothing less than spectacular. “This is the first time in a hundred years that
you can see the marble without smoke and dirt and really appreciate the quality of the
statues,” says Acropolis Museum director Dimitris Pandermalis. “You can see every small
detail and the impressive play of light and shadow.”
A future project may reveal even more of the maidens’ original beauty. Their clothing was
once brightly painted, but centuries of winter rain have washed away all visible traces of
pigment. Modern imaging techniques, though, can peer into the invisible parts of the light
spectrum and find long-faded colours.
“We may be able to reveal traces of colour in the deep folds of the drapery,” says
Pandermalis, “the places where the paint would have been best protected. The result may be
even more dazzling than the maidens’ current makeover.”

16. In 2006 a team of conservators designed a special laser to clean the marble statues on
the Acropolis.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

17. The original marble maidens, known as the Caryatids, used to stand on the historic
hill above Athens.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

18. Acid rain and air pollution damaged the surface of the sculptures, which brought
about their replacement.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

19. In the new Acropolis Museum you are allowed to take pictures of the Caryatids from
all sides.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.
 20. Judging from the Caryatids’ clothing and hairstyle, art historians have drawn
conclusions about their age and social background.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

21. The cleaning of the five statues ended at the same time.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

22. What remains to be done is to recover the original colours of the clothing of the
figures that have been washed away by the rain.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

23. According to the Acropolis Museum director, restoring the colours on the Caryatids
will make them look even more spectacular.
A) True. B) False. C) No information in the text.

Directions: Read the text below. Then read the questions that follow it and choose the best
answer to each question among A, B, C or D, marking your answers on your answer sheet.

VISITING SYDNEY AQUARIUM

The watchman gave Birgitta a torch.

“You know where to find me, Birgitta. Make sure you don’t get eaten,” he said, limping
back into his office with a smile.
Birgitta and Harry walked along the dark, winding corridors of the large building that is
Sydney Aquarium. It was almost two o’clock in the morning and Ben, the night watchman,
had let them in.
A casual question from Harry – why all the lights were off – had led to a detailed
explanation from the old watchman.
“Of course it saves electricity, but that’s not the most important reason – the most
important reason is that we’re telling the fish it’s night. I think so, anyhow. Before, we used to
turn off the lights with a standard switch, and you could hear the shock when all of a sudden
everything went pitch black. A whoosh went through the whole aquarium as hundreds of fish
dashed to hide or swarm off in blind panic.”
Ben hushed his voice to a stage-like whisper and imitated the fish with zigzag hand
movements.
“There was a lot of splashing and waves, and some fish went crazy and smacked into the
glass and killed themselves. So we started using dimmers, which gradually reduce the light in
line with daylight hours, imitating nature. After that there was a lot less illness among the fish.
The light tells your body when it’s day and night, and the fish need a natural daily rhythm to
avoid stress. They have a biological clock the same way we do, and you shouldn’t mess about
with it.”
“Ben likes to talk a lot when he’s warmed to a topic,” Birgitta explained. “He’s almost as
happy talking to people as he is to his fish.” She had worked for the last two summers as a
spare hand at the aquarium and had become good friends with the watchman, who claimed he
had been working at the aquarium ever since it opened.
“It’s so peaceful here at night,” Birgitta said. “So quiet. Look!” She shone the torch on the
glass wall where a black-and-yellow fish glided out of its cave revealing a row of small, sharp
teeth. Further down the corridor she lit up two speckled fish slipping through the water behind
the green glass with slow-motion winglike movements. “Isn’t that beautiful?” she whispered
with gleaming eyes. “It’s like ballet without the music.”
Harry felt as though he were tiptoeing through a dormitory. The only sounds were their
steps and a faint but regular gurgle from the aquarium.

24. Why had the night watchman let Birgitta and Harry in after closing time?
A) Birgitta was a good friend of his.
B) Birgitta was Ben’s part-time assistant.
C) Harry could not stand crowds of visitors.
D) Ben was tired of working alone.

25. What did Ben do after letting Birgitta and Harry in?
A) He asked Birgitta a casual question.
B) He warned Birgitta to stay away from the sharks.
C) He joked with Birgitta in a friendly way.
D) He told them the time.

26. All the lights in the aquarium had been turned off
A) because Sydney Aquarium is a huge building.
B) to help the fish avoid stress.
C) because the aquarium was closed at night.
D) mainly to save electricity.

27. Before the night watchman went back to his office

A) he explained to Harry why the aquarium was dark.
B) Harry asked him about the history of the aquarium.
C) he described the aquarium in full detail.
D) he turned on the lights in the corridors.

28. According to Ben, the replacement of the standard switch with dimmers
A) interfered with the natural rhythms of the creatures inside.
B) caused panic among the fish.
C) affected the biological clock of both people and fish.
D) improved the living conditions of the marine fauna.

29. What did Birgitta like most about her night visit to the aquarium?
A) That she had a torch to light the way.
B) That the aquarium looked like a dormitory.
C) That there were some fascinating specimens behind the glass wall.
D) That she and Harry were the only visitors.

30. Birgitta compared the movements of the fish to ballet because

A) she liked watching ballet without the music.
B) she found them as graceful as in ballet dancing.
C) she herself was fond of dancing.
D) they were gliding through the water like birds.
PART THREE: USE OF ENGLISH
Section One: Cloze
Directions: Read the text and the sentences below and for each numbered gap choose the
letter (A, B, C or D) of the word or phrase that best suits the gap, marking your answers on
your answer sheet.

At Thanksgiving, turkeys are in the spotlight, but not all of them end up on our tables.
One lucky bird is (31) ______ National Thanksgiving Turkey, appearing at the White
House and getting an official pardon from the president.
It’s the high point of a turkey’s career. But once he is off the stage, what happens?
In recent years, the pardoned turkey has had the good fortune to retire to a dream
vacation – Disney World and Disneyland.
Disney spokesman Duncan Wardle (32) ______ it a bit differently. One Thanksgiving,
chatting about the pardoned turkey (33) ______ coffee, someone on his staff said, “Doesn’t
that (34) ______ the bird the happiest turkey on earth?”
Turkeys get the same attention to their nutritional and health needs as any more exotic
species at Animal Kingdom. Excess weight is unhealthy for animals as well as people.
The turkeys would no doubt argue that they’re not to (35) ______ for their weight
problems. One of only two bird species (36) ______ to the Americas that have been
domesticated, the turkeys on our dinner tables were selectively bred for many generations to
grow (37) ______ and get bigger than their ancestors who are still doing well in the wild.
(38) ______ the numbers of wild turkeys had declined by the early 20th century, they’ve
made a comeback in many places. Regrowth on land that was formerly used for farming has
provided additional habitat for species that (39) ______ on forest, including deer, bears, and
wild turkeys.
While wild turkeys are probably not as intelligent as social birds like crows, they have
excellent senses of hearing and vision to detect predators. It’s very difficult to sneak up on a
turkey.

31. A) selected B) appointed C) chosen D) evaluated

32. A) reminds B) remembers C) reflects D) keeps
33. A) over B) at C) on D) with
34. A) figure B) turn C) do D) make
35. A) blame B) fault C) guilt D) charge
36. A) local B) born C) typical D) native
37. A) fast B) swift C) quick D) rapid
38. A) Instead B) Despite C) Although D) However
39. A) inhabit B) trust C) live D) depend

40. Massachusetts is ……….. to the body of water with the longest name in the U.S.,
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg.
A) residence B) house C) home D) habitat

41. Australians ……….. to English people as POME, which is actually the acronym for
Prisoners of Mother England.
A) apply B) speak C) refer D) address
42. ……….. to popular belief, Cleopatra was actually Greek, not Egyptian or African.
A) Opposite B) Contrary C) Unlike D) Apart

43. Africa is the second largest of the earth’s seven continents and ………..
approximately 22% of the earth’s total land area.
A) makes to B) makes up C) makes off D) makes out

44. Ancient Egyptian women wore wigs topped with a cone of a greasy substance that
gradually melted, giving ……….. a pleasing scent of myrrh.
A) off B) up C) away D) out

45. In 1884, Charles Parsons invented the steam turbine, which ……….. cheap and
plentiful electricity possible.
A) turned B) did C) produced D) made

Section Two: Sentence Completion

Directions: For each of the sentences below, choose the letter A, B, C or D of the word or
phrase that best completes its meaning, marking your answers on your answer sheet.

46. Fewer than 10,000 cheetahs are believed to be still living in Africa, where their
protection is questionable and their habitat ______ .
A) currently vanishes C) is currently vanishing
B) currently vanished D) has currently vanished

47. The statue of Anteros on Piccadilly Circus (1892) was the world’s first statue ______
in aluminium.
A) to be cast B) being cast C) having been cast D) to cast

48. The Woolly Mammoth was still around while the Egyptian Pyramids ______.
A) had been built C) have been built
B) would be built D) were being built

49. Don’t worry, they are quite capable of ______ care of themselves.
A) take B) been taken C) taking D) taken

50. The Renaissance masterpiece “The Pieta” is the only work that Michelangelo
Buonarroti ever signed. He later regretted ______ he considered an outburst of pride
and vowed to never sign another work again.
A) that B) which C) what D) this
Section Three: Sentence Transformations
Directions: On your sheet for open-ended answers complete the second sentence so that it is
as close as possible in meaning to the first one.

51. I can’t do the ironing now. I am dog tired.

I am too _______________________________________ now.

52. I have an awful habit that I need to change – I always interrupt people.
(Use a modal verb.)
I ___________ stop ______________ people.

53. Jack regretted his foolish behaviour at the party last weekend.
Jack wished he_____________________________________________________ .

54. Everybody at school was discussing their success at the competition.

Their success at the competition ________________________________ school.

55. Whoever made that sculpture must have been a very talented person.
Only______________________________________________ that sculpture.

56. Often people’s selfishness grows with their popularity.

Often the more______________________,_____________________ grow.

57. I saw her wearing an engagement ring. I am sure they have finally decided to get
married. (Use a modal verb.)
They _______________________ for I saw her wearing an engagement ring.

58. They made me walk the dog, though it was dark and raining.
I was ________________________, though it was dark and raining.

59. Perhaps they’ll manage to win the competition even though they are the youngest
participants. (Use a modal verb.)
Though they are the youngest participants they ______ succeed ____________ the
competition.

60. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of the new sports centre for the whole
community.
In his speech, he ______emphasis _____the importance of the new sports centre for the
whole community.
PART FOUR: WRITING

Directions: On your sheet for open-ended answers write a text in standard English of about
160-170 words on ONE of the following topics. When you write your text, make sure you
DO NOT include in it any personal names or give any information about your school,
town, etc. Write the topic you have chosen on your answer sheet.

1. Write a letter to your five-year-younger self. Using the experience you have now, tell
yourself what you should do to get through high school. Talk about friends, tests,
homework, etc. Begin with “Hi, my younger self!”

2. Something important has happened to you. The year is 2025. Share a page from your
diary describing the event, the people involved and the place where it happened. Begin
with “Today is June 25th, 2025.”

Mind that if you submit two texts as well as in case of indecent language, plagiarism,
identical texts or if your composition is under 80 words or totally unrelated to the chosen
topic, it will get 0 points.
 МИНИСТЕРСТВО НА ОБРАЗОВАНИЕТО И НАУКАТА

ДЪРЖАВЕН ЗРЕЛОСТЕН ИЗПИТ ПО АНГЛИЙСКИ ЕЗИК

28 август 2015 г. – ВАРИАНТ 2

Ключ с верните отговори

Въпрос Верен отговор Брой Въпрос Брой

Верен отговор
№ точки № точки
1. B 1 26. B 1
2. C 1 27. A 1
3. A 1 28. D 1
4. A 1 29. C 1
5. B 1 30. B 1
6. C 1 31. B 1
7. B 1 32. B 1
8. B 1 33. A 1
9. A 1 34. D 1
10. A 1 35. A 1
11. B 1 36. D 1
12. B 1 37. A 1
13. C 1 38. C 1
14. A 1 39. D 1
15. B 1 40. C 1
16. B 1 41. C 1
17. A 1 42. B 1
18. A 1 43. B 1
19. C 1 44. A 1
20. A 1 45. D 1
21. B 1 46. C 1
22. A 1 47. A 1
23. A 1 48. D 1
24. A 1 49. C 1
25. C 1 50. C 1
Задачите от 51 до 60 включително се оценяват с 0 – 2 точки. Не се санкционират
правописни и пунктуационни грешки, които не водят до нарушаване на
комуникацията.

Възможни отговори:

51. I am too tired to do the ironing now.

52. I should / must / have to stop interrupting people.
53. Jack wished he hadn’t behaved that/so foolishly at the party last weekend.
54. Their success at the competition was being discussed at school/by the whole school/by
everybody at school.
55. Only a very talented person could have made that sculpture.
56. Often the more popular people become, the more selfish they grow.
57. They must have finally decided to get married for I saw her wearing an engagement ring.
58. I was made to walk the dog, though it was dark and raining.
59. Though they are the youngest participants they may/might/could succeed in winning the
competition.
60. In his speech, he laid/put/placed emphasis on the importance of the new sports centre for the
whole community.

Критерии за оценяване на писмения текст:

1. Съдържание – съответствие със зададената тема и логическа последователност на
изложението – 0 ÷ 8 т.
2. Спазване на зададения обем и формат – 0 ÷ 2 т.
3. Спазване на граматичните норми и правила. Богатство на изразните средства – 0 ÷ 9 т.
4. Правилна и точна употреба на лексиката. Богатство на изразните средства – 0 ÷ 9 т.
5. Правопис – 0 ÷ 2 т. (Не се санкционират пунктуационни грешки, които не пречат на
разбирането.)

При предадени два текста, както и в случай на непристоен език, плагиатство,

идентични текстове, текст под 80 думи или пълно несъответствие на текста с
избраната тема, се присъждат 0 точки.