Read the text and choose the correct answer A ticket to a better life As I departed from my hotel in central Mumbai, the glowing sun lit up the beautiful architecture of India's richest city. I marvelled at the majestic Gateway of India and world-renowned Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Here and there, people bustled around, ready to start their day. But my time in Mumbai would not be spent in this vibrant and affluent city. Instead, I was headed for one of the largest slums on Earth. Entering the slum was like stepping into a war zone. Endless rows of crumbling shacks were crammed together amidst piles of rubbish and debris. Here, the sweltering sun only served to intensify the stench of raw sewage and to add hardship to already difficult lives. I sighed in dismay as I watched children working on the streets. But fortunately, there was a ray of hope. A bright yellow school bus rumbled through the busy streets and parked itself beside a row of grubby, splintered shelters. Immediately, a group of barefoot children rushed and pushed aboard, chatting excitedly. However, the children on this bus were not going anywhere. While other buses were busy transporting people, this one took its passengers on a different kind of journey. It brought education to disadvantaged children. So this is where I come in. I'd signed up for a programme called School on Wheels, which aims to improve literacy in impoverished areas. Although I had volunteered in many disadvantaged schools around India, teaching on a bus was a first for me! My new classroom was no larger than a hallway, but adequately equipped with a blackboard and educational materials. I warmly greeted my new students who had perched themselves on wooden benches on either side of the bus. "My name is Mina Kapoor," I informed the wide-eyed faces before me, "I'm going to teach you how to read and write." I referred to an alphabet poster which another volunteer had tacked to the wall and slowly began to introduce the symbols to the children. As I did so, they each attempted to copy down the letters onto slates on their laps. However, as the lesson progressed, they became increasingly distracted. Without any previous schooling, these children simply didn't know how to sit still. But rather than enforcing discipline, I just took a deep breath and began to sing. The first time I did this, the children listened and watched in awe. But by the end of my six-month stint, the class would join in! To my pride, they had also learnt the basics of Hindu and English, and were now ready to enter a public school. On my last day, I felt incredibly emotional. Although our time together was limited, I felt I had truly got to know my students, and sincerely hoped that I had made a difference in their lives. Would they go on to enrol in school? And more importantly, would they stay there and graduate? A quarter of the children who participate in the School on Wheels programme progress into the public school system. I looked at my class. Of my 24 students, I realised that only eight might receive a life-changing education. I knew I should have been glad, but I couldn't help but feel that I could do so much more. As I pondered this, one of my students approached me with a shiny black pebble. She placed it in my hands with a warm smile. "Thank you teacher," she whispered. What was the writer's first impression of Mumbai? An evidently wealthy area. A place with stunning architecture. An overwhelmingly crowded city. A poor and dirty slum. What is the cause of the writer's distress as she enters the slum? The poor housing conditions. The blazing heat of the sun. The smell of waste. The children watching her. How does the writer describe the attitude of the children? enthusiastic apprehensive impulsive impatient The writer uses the phrase "this is where I come in" (line 20) to describe the moment she entered the bus. the location at which she embarked. her purpose for being in the slum. her relationship with the children. What did the writer find unusual about her new teaching environment? It was an unconventional classroom. It lacked space for the students. It had substandard teaching equipment. It offered no seating for the children. How does the writer reflect upon her experience? She was filled with sadness. She thought it was a life-changing experience. She wished that she could achieve more. She didn't feel appreciated.

Задание

Read the text and choose the correct answer

A ticket to a better life

As I departed from my hotel in central Mumbai, the glowing sun lit upthe beautiful architecture of India's richest city. I marvelled at themajestic Gateway of India and world-renowned Taj Mahal PalaceHotel. Here and there, people bustled around, ready to start their day.But my time in Mumbai would not be spent in this vibrant and affluentcity. Instead, I was headed for one of the largest slums on Earth.

Entering the slum was like stepping into a war zone. Endless rowsof crumbling shacks were crammed together amidst piles ofrubbish and debris. Here, the sweltering sun only served to intensifythe stench of raw sewage and to add hardship to already difficultlives. I sighed in dismay as I watched children working on thestreets. But fortunately, there was a ray of hope.

A bright yellow school bus rumbled through the busy streets andparked itself beside a row of grubby, splintered shelters.Immediately, a group of barefoot children rushed and pushedaboard, chatting excitedly. However, the children on this bus werenot going anywhere. While other buses were busy transportingpeople, this one took its passengers on a different kind of journey. Itbrought education to disadvantaged children.

So this is where I come in. I'd signed up for a programme calledSchool on Wheels, which aims to improve literacy in impoverishedareas. Although I had volunteered in many disadvantaged schoolsaround India, teaching on a bus was a first for me! My newclassroom was no larger than a hallway, but adequately equippedwith a blackboard and educational materials. I warmly greeted mynew students who had perched themselves on wooden benches oneither side of the bus.

"My name is Mina Kapoor," I informed the wide-eyed faces beforeme, "I'm going to teach you how to read and write." I referred to analphabet poster which another volunteer had tacked to the wall andslowly began to introduce the symbols to the children. As I did so,they each attempted to copy down the letters onto slates on theirlaps. However, as the lesson progressed, they became increasinglydistracted. Without any previous schooling, these children simplydidn't know how to sit still. But rather than enforcing discipline, I justtook a deep breath and began to sing.

The first time I did this, the children listened and watched in awe. Butby the end of my six-month stint, the class would join in! To mypride, they had also learnt the basics of Hindu and English, and werenow ready to enter a public school.

On my last day, I felt incredibly emotional. Although our timetogether was limited, I felt I had truly got to know my students, andsincerely hoped that I had made a difference in their lives. Wouldthey go on to enrol in school? And more importantly, would theystay there and graduate? A quarter of the children who participate inthe School on Wheels programme progress into the public schoolsystem. I looked at my class. Of my 24 students, I realised that onlyeight might receive a life-changing education. I knew I should havebeen glad, but I couldn't help but feel that I could do so much more.As I pondered this, one of my students approached me with a shinyblack pebble. She placed it in my hands with a warm smile. "Thankyou teacher," she whispered.

What was the writer's first impression ofMumbai?

An evidently wealthy area.
A place with stunning architecture.
An overwhelmingly crowded city.
A poor and dirty slum.

What is the cause of the writer's distress as sheenters the slum?

The poor housing conditions.
The blazing heat of the sun.
The smell of waste.
The children watching her.

How does the writer describe the attitude of thechildren?

enthusiastic
apprehensive
impulsive
impatient

The writer uses the phrase "this is where I comein" (line 20) to describe

the moment she entered the bus.
the location at which she embarked.
her purpose for being in the slum.
her relationship with the children.

What did the writer find unusual about her newteaching environment?

It was an unconventional classroom.
It lacked space for the students.
It had substandard teaching equipment.
It offered no seating for the children.

How does the writer reflect upon her experience?

She was filled with sadness.
She thought it was a life-changing experience.
She wished that she could achieve more.
She didn't feel appreciated.

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A ticket to a better life

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