Read the text and choose the correct options

Scotland has many different faces. It has busy cities, quiet islands, mountains, lochs (the Scottish word for lake) and large areas of beautiful and empty countryside. It has Highland Games, Highland dancing, bagpipes and traditional music. It has strange and dark stories from history and beyond. And there is present-day Scotland, a small but dynamic country, with its own special character and identity. Traditions and history come together with new ideas from the young Scots of today to make Scotland an exciting and modern country.

Aberdeen is Scotland's third-largest city with a population of just over 200,000. It is situated in the cold northeast corner of Scotland and it is a city that people either love or hate. Those who hate it describe it as grey, cold and unwelcoming. It is true that the city is grey: it is often called as "Granite City" because most of the buildings are made out of grey granite stone. It is also true that the weather can be bad: the city is further north than Moscow and there is often snow, icy rain and strong winds. And the grey and cold make it seem unwelcoming. However, that is not a full story.

Aberdeen is one of the cleanest cities in Britain. Also, almost any open space seems to be a park: there are beautiful flower gardens and green areas in all parts of the city. There is a busy harbour. There are fantastic museums and art galleries. There are theatres, concert halls, cinemas and clubs. It has the best beach of any large city in Britain – though only a brave person goes swimming that far north in the North Sea! And since the 1970s Aberdeen has been the "oil" city of Britain. Oil from the North Sea has brought money and people to Aberdeen, making it a busy, exciting place.

City or country, castle or hut, mountain or loch, there is so much to enjoy about Scotland. Its history is rich and interesting; its traditions alive and colourful. There are dark stories of the past full of bloody fights and murders, but the Scotland of today is an exciting country looking forward to a bright future. Its people are friendly and generous — do not believe those who tell you something different! It is a country that has moved into the 21st century with hope and promise.

"Loch" is a Scottish word for

• river.
• sea.
• lake.

Scotland is considered to be

• a small country with rich history.
• a big country with rich history.
• a small country with short history.

Aberdeen is one of

• the biggest cities in Scotland.
• the smallest cities in Scotland.
• the industrial centres in Scotland.

Aberdeen is often called

• "Marble City".
• "Granite City".
• "Stone City".

The main advantages of Aberdeen are its

• climate and location.
• food and traditions.
• cultural life and natural environment.

Scotland is a small country with

• short history and uncertain future.
• rich dark history and perspective future.
• short history and no future.