Variant 1 You could have come first and won the race if you … faster

27. According to the text the angle at which the sun’s rays strike the surface of the Earth is determined by ... .
A) the parallel nature of the sun-rays B) the density of the Earth’s atmosphere
C) the curvature of the Earth D) the variations in temperature on the Earth


An orchestra is a fairly large ensemble of musical instrumentalists. The orchestra, and the history of orchestral music, is considered to have started with the operas of Claude Monteverdi. Its familiar composition, divided into four basic groups of instruments - strings, woodwind, brass and percussion - dates from the second half of the 18th century and is especially connected with the work of Joseph Haydn. The orchestra grew dramatically in size during the 19th century, from an ensemble of 35 players to a company of well over 100. During the same period, the composition of orchestral music and the particular use made of individual instruments or groups of them, increasingly became the hallmark of a composer’s individual style.
28. It’s said in the passage that ...
A) the larger the orchestra, the better the music it will produce.
B) Monteverdi’s operas are regarded as the first examples of orchestral music.
C) opera is an art form that is highly superior to orchestral music.
D) the size of orchestras has grown to include too many instruments.
29. It’s clear from the passage that individual instruments in orchestras ...
A) are all made of either wood or some type of metal.
B) were primarily designed by the composer Haydn.
C) can be mainly classified into four different types.
D) were much larger in the 19th century than in the 18th.
30. It may be concluded from the information given in the passage that ...
A) it is difficult to determine the composer of a piece of music without being told.
B) there was little variation in the style of music produced in the 19th century.
C) composers in the 19th century were known for their characteristic styles.
D) large groups of composers worked together on most 19th century projects.