Задание

Прочитайте текст и выполните задания 12–18. В каждом задании выберите для ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному Вами варианту ответа.

Corruption

Sharon had marched up to my desk, obviously furious, and demanded ‘a word outside’. At that moment I was just curious to find out what had bothered her so much. I followed her outside. “I’ve just paid a little visit to our old friend Fat Micky,” she said, “to put some pressure on him about last year’s Renfrew robbery, and he says you took some cash to ‘lose’ some evidence. Well?”

If I’d known what was coming, I could have reacted better. But I’d been caught completely off guard and I knew it showed. “It’s a lie,” I said, as coolly as I could. “He’s a criminal and will say anything.” I hoped I sounded convincing but she was looking straight at me with her sharp blue eyes and I felt like a schoolboy in trouble with the headmaster. I leaned back against the wall trying to look like I didn’t have a care in the world, despite the fact that I was having difficulty breathing and I could feel the beads of sweat gathering on my forehead.

Sharon was a woman I’d always admired. A tough detective and a very good one, too. It wasn’t easy for a woman to make it as a detective and earn the respect of all her colleagues. But it hadn’t been easy for me either, a boy from the poorest area in Glasgow. I was a good detective, one of the best, in fact, and I’d only ever made one mistake – taking money from Micky. It had been just after I had split up with my wife and I was badly in debt. I had never done anything like it before and I never intended to do it again.

Now, as Sharon confronted me, I felt small, ugly and very guilty. I also felt annoyed with her at that moment. What made her so perfect? Had she never put a foot wrong anywhere? Ever? My mind raced as I tried to decide what to do. Should I tell the truth, explain what had happened and hope she’d take my side? Or should I just brush off the accusation and pray she didn’t tell anyone? I had no idea if this conversation could finish off my promising career as a police officer or not.

At the end of the day it would all come down to my word against Micky’s and he was just a cheap criminal. But I didn’t want people whispering behind my back, wondering if it were true, whether I really was a corrupt officer of the law. If word got out, this would always be on my record. Once tour superiors had lost confidence in you it was almost impossible to get it back and I didn’t want to lose my chance of further promotion. I’d already made it to detective inspector and I saw no reasons why I couldn’t go higher. Except now there was Micky’s betrayal casting a dark shadow over my dreams.

I shrugged my shoulders and attempted a cheeky grin at Sharon. “You’re the last person I expected to believe Micky. I should be offended,” I said. She laughed, but it was an empty laugh and it didn’t reach her cold eyes. “I didn’t believe him. Until now, that is. It’s a shame really, because you were always the one person in the station that I looked up to. I thought you were very honest and I’ve just lost a little more faith in humanity,” she said. “But don’t worry, your dirty little secret is safe with me.”

As I watched her turn around and go back into the station, I finally managed to take a deep breath. Of course, I was very relieved that she wouldn’t talk and I trusted her because I knew that, unlike me, she really was an honest person. But her words affected me deeply. I had lost her respect forever. I would be able to hold my head high with everyone in the station, apart from her. Even if I ever did manage to get the promotion I longed for, there would always be one person who knew I didn’t deserve it.

Adapted from Practice Exam Papers for the Russian National Exam

12. Sharon was angry because

1) Fat Micky was threatening her.

2) she found out the narrator had put her in danger.

3) she thought the narrator may have harmed the case.

4) she had been tricked by Fat Micky.

13. When the narrator says ‘I’d been caught completely off guard’ in paragraph two he means he

1) reacted wrongly.

2) was seen doing wrong.

3) wasn’t feeling confident.

4) was taken by surprise.

14. When Sharon made her accusation the narrator

1) was afraid that he looked guilty.

2) managed to persuade her that that was innocent.

3) didn’t try to defend himself.

4) succeeded in staying calm.

15. In the third paragraph, the narrator implies that his mistake

1) was Sharon’s fault.

2) should be forgiven.

3) hadn’t hurt anyone.

4) ended his marriage.

16. The narrator was worried that

1) he would lose his job.

2) his colleagues would lose their trust in him.

3) Micky would try to hurt him.

4) Sharon’s career would be affected.

17. In paragraph six, Sharon shows that she

1) still admired the narrator.

2) would reveal what she knew.

3) felt disappointed with the narrator.

4) believed the narrator was innocent.

18. After his conversation with Sharon, the narrator

1) knew she would never trust him again.

2) was relieved that she would forgive him.

3) knew that he would never be promoted.

4) felt very annoyed with her.