Задание 10 из ЕГЭ по английскому языку: задача 1

2. New type of stress

3. Transformations to come

4. Unusual option

5. Saying the final goodbye

6. Talents needed

7. Clever enough to play

8. Screaming when in stress

A. Pigs may be more intelligent than we thought. They may be able to play video games. Scientists conducted research on pig-gaming skills. The researchers were surprised that their test pigs were able to play some games. Researchers got the four pigs, named Ebony, Hamlet, Ivory and Omelet, to play a simple game at different levels. They had to move a joystick with their snout to make a cursor move to a coloured wall. If they were successful, they got a tasty treat.

B. Plant lovers believe that talking to plants helps them grow. Scientists have discovered there could be a grain of truth in this belief. Researchers have discovered that plants emit sounds when they are stressed. The noises are akin to a human cry or scream. The scientists believe the sounds are specific enough for us to be able to interpret them and to attend to their needs. Unfortunately, plant sounds are at too high frequency for the human ear to pick up.

C. A new study has investigated the effects on our health of long spells of videoconferencing. Communications experts dubbed the phenomenon “Zoom fatigue,” but acknowledged it is not restricted to just that platform. There are many factors why videoconferencing induces fatigue. It is not just tiredness and strained eyes from staring at computer screens for hours. It also comes from “cognitive overload” and feeling pressure to be perpetually online. This can lead to burnout and can heighten the chance of getting moderate to severe depression.

D. Even though house prices are skyrocketing around the world, one price tag of real estate in London is raising eyebrows. A house billed as “the skinniest” in London is on the market for $1.3 million. In other areas of the UK, one could purchase a spacious seven-bedroom mansion with sprawling grounds for that sum. However, the skinny house has five floors. The two-bedroom house is in west London and is just 1.6 metres at its narrowest point and is 8 metres long.

E. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced it will grant citizenship to foreign residents who “add value” to the nation. It is very rare for a Gulf state to bestow citizenship on foreign nationals and represents a bold revision of the UAE’s immigration policy. UAE Vice- President and ruler of Dubai said artists, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, intellectuals, inventors, investors and scientists could be eligible to be given a UAE passport. All successful people and their families would be permitted to hold dual nationality.

F. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has said there are ambitious plans to transform Paris’ famous street, the Champs-Élysées. She said she wants to turn the 1.9 km avenue into an “extraordinary garden”. The Champs-Élysées is in the heart of the French capital. It joins the Place de la Concorde with the Arc de Triomphe. It is often called “the most beautiful avenue in the world”. However, many Parisians believe it looks old. They want it to look more modern.

G. A taxi driver in Taiwan is offering free rides in exchange for singing a karaoke song. Mr Tu Ching Liang, 57, is a big fan of driving and karaoke. Mr Tu has become famous for the disco lights in his taxi and his offer of free rides. It is easy to spot his yellow taxi. It has a pink neon star on the dashboard and colourful flashing lights inside. People can select a “karaoke” option if they use a taxi-locating app in the capital city of Taiwan.