Задание 10 из ЕГЭ по английскому языку: задача 1

1. Volcano tourism develops
2. No caution sign around
3. Both dangerous and attractive
4. On the verge of eruption
5. Give a way to springs
6. Float me a loan
7. A good investment
8. Forgotten but not gone

A.Volcanoes are generally considered rather scary, unsafe places. There was that whole Pompeii incident, of course, and Mt. St. Helens, as well as numerous more-recent examples. Any sensible person knows that you don’t want to be anywhere near a volcano when it erupts, and that volcanoes have the nasty habit of erupting at unpredictable and very inconvenient times. Nevertheless, dozens of active volcanoes around the world have become major tourist destinations. Many thousands of tourists take the risk because volcanoes are so strange and interesting.

B. In central Costa Rica, the Arenal Volcano offers the quintessential volcano tourism experience. Practically the entire economy of the nearby town of La Fortuna is based on tourism. There are hotels, lodges, restaurants, tours, hikes, and activities of every description that cater to people who make the long drive to the area in the hope of hearing the rumble and catching a glimpse of spewing smoke, ash, and steam from Arenal. But by far the most famous attraction besides the volcano itself is Tabacón Hot Springs, part of the Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort.

C. Tabacón was once a tiny, quaint village nestled at the base of Arenal Peak. The mountain had been a volcano once, but it hadn’t erupted since 1525 so its history was effectively forgotten. In 1968, a class of schoolchildren in Tabacón was given the assignment of drawing a picture of their town. When one child labeled the mountain “Arenal Volcano,” the teacher marked it wrong: “Arenal Peak is not a volcano, it’s just a mountain.” A few days later, the mountain erupted. The entire village of Tabacón was wiped out, destroyed by ash and hot gases.

D. But after the shock of the tragedy wore off and volcanic activity mostly settled down, the volcano turned into a tourist attraction, eventually becoming one of the top destinations in Costa Rica. Such was the popularity of the volcano that enterprising developers decided to erect an elaborate resort on the site of the former town of Tabacón, and that is now the epicenter of tourism for the area. Seeing an active volcano in person seems a little bit like seeing a unicorn — something that doesn’t seem like it could really exist.

E. Over the next four decades, there were several other significant eruptions and a few fatalities. Arenal remained quite active, with minor eruptions many times a day. By day there were puff s of smoke accompanying the menacing rumbles, and on a clear night you could see orange streaks running down from the peak. All this merely enhanced the site’s appeal as a tourist destination. Since 2010, Arenal has been mostly quiet, with only occasional activity, though of course that could change at any moment.

F. Tabacón now consists of two sites: a hotel with famously expensive views of the volcano, and the expansive hot springs and spa complex across the road and around the corner. The term “hot springs” is not strictly accurate, as the source of the water is an underground river, but the water is heated naturally by the volcano, so the net effect is the same. The water is channeled into a series of interconnected pools where the temperature ranges from briskly cold to 41 °C.

G. The pools themselves, some of which include waterfalls you can sit under for a natural massage, were for the most part constructed from local stone in such a way as to look quite natural. The bottom is littered with large, slippery, irregularly shaped stones. It is sometimes quite difficult to move around without slipping, tripping, or stubbing a toe. That makes everyone enjoy the experience all the more — a place where adults are given credit for some common sense. The hot springs themselves are still worth the trip, but all the same, watch your step on those wet rocks.