PART I: WRITTEN RECEPTION (70 points)

(ACCESS TO INFORMATION FROM WRITTEN TEXTS)

Read the article below and then answer questions 1–7.
A glossary of the <u>underlined</u> words (numbers 1–9) is provided on the next page.

STORIES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

I If you look up on a dark night, you might see a bright light that looks like a star but is
moving quickly across the sky. This is the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS has several
<u>labs</u>¹ in which astronauts do various experiments. Fifteen countries spent ten years building it.
They had to deal with a great number of technical problems, including the difficulties of putting
5 it together in space. Now a new film called Wonderful has been made about the ISS. But it is not
about the technical <u>achievements</u>² or about the experiments. Rather, it presents the stories of the
astronauts who lived and worked on the space station, often for a year or longer.
II The film contains amazing photos and videos from both inside and outside of the space
station. The astronauts are shown working in the labs and walking in space. But it is their words
10 that bring <u>viewers</u>³ closer to understanding the positive and negative <u>aspects</u>⁴ of their lives in space.
Several astronauts describe the exciting experience of going outside the ISS and moving through
silent, black space. Others give details of everyday life on the ISS: what the food is like, and how
difficult it can be for six people living together in such <u>cramped</u>⁵ conditions.
III Most of those interviewed said they had dreamed of going into space since they were young
15 children. It wasn't always easy for them to <u>fulfill</u>⁶ their dreams. For example, Peggy Whitson, who
was the first woman to <u>command</u>⁷ the ISS, had applied for ten years to become an astronaut. Sergey
Volkov, on the other hand, did not have the same <u>childhood</u>⁸ dream because his father, an astronaut
himself, made him think the job was too dangerous and difficult. However, after becoming an
airplane pilot he realized how exciting it could be to go into space as well. Eventually, he too
20 commanded the ISS.
IV While everyone's experience of space was different, they all seemed to share the feeling
of how <u>vulnerable</u>⁹ our beautiful blue planet is. And although Wonderful does not mention the
serious global problems we are facing here on Earth, it makes viewers think of them. Its message,
however, is optimistic: Without international cooperation, we might not be able to solve our most
25 difficult problems – but with it, we can achieve amazing results.

GLOSSARY

<small>בטופס המקורי המילון מופיע גם בספרדית, ברוסית, בצרפתית, באמהרית ובערבית.</small>

<u>QUESTIONS</u> (70 points)
Answer questions 1–7 in English according to the article. In questions 6 and 7, circle the number of the correct answer. In the other questions, follow the instructions.