Reading test 1 полугодие

A. 

Entering the English language in the late nineteenth century, the word safari meant a trip to Africa for a big-game hunt. Today the term refers to a trip taken not to hunt, but to observe and photograph the animals and other wildlife. This activity had become so popular that it has originated a certain style of fashion. It includes khaki clothing, belted bush jackets, helmets and animal skin prints, like leopard's skin, for example.

B. 

The purpose of ecological tourism is to educate the traveler, provide funds for conservation and promote respect for different cultures and human rights. The participants of ecotourism want the environment to stay relatively untouched by human intervention, so that coming generations can experience it fully. That is why ecotourism appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals, who don’t mind volunteering.

C. 

People who like seeing dangerous places, such as mountains, jungles and deserts, participating in dangerous events, and experiencing extreme sport definitely appreciate extreme tourism or shock tourism. This type of tourism is based on two key factors. The first one is an addiction to adrenaline caused by an element of risk. And another one is the opportunity to show a high degree of engagement and professionalism.

D. 

Culinary tourism is something you can enjoy if you like good food and want each of your dishes to be a unique and memorable experience. But culinary tourism also considers food to be a vital component of traditions and history of any country, region or city. The tourists believe that by experiencing each other’s foods people can learn something new about each other’s lives.

E. 

Space tourism used to mean ordinary members of the public buying tickets to travel to space and back. That is why many people find this idea revolutionary. But over the past few years a growing volume of work has been done on the subject, and it's clear that commercial space tourism is a realistic target for business today. Market research has shown that many people in the developed countries would like to take a trip to space if it were possible.

F. 

The sports tourism industry has earned an international reputation because it is open to everyone: amateurs, fans, and professional athletes with their trainers and coaches who come for a range of activities from training camps through friendship games to international championship competitions. Sport tourism combines the opportunity for athletes and sportspeople to benefit from sports activities with a relaxing and enjoyable vacation.

G. 

To go to Tunisia to explore the place where the film Star Wars was made or to New Zealand after The Lord of the Rings is very easy for those who practice pop-culture tourism and like to travel to locations featured in literature, films, music, or any other form of popular entertainment. But pop-culture tourism is not only about going to popular destinations. In some respects it is very similar to a pilgrimage, only the places are new, for example Elvis Presley's Graceland.

A. 

The residents of the southern United States are particularly warm to visitors, ready to welcome them to their homes and to the South in general. Food places an important role in the traditions of southern hospitality. A cake or other delicacy is often brought to the door of a new neighbor as a means of introduction. When a serious illness occurs, neighbors, friends, and church members generally bring food to that family as a form of support and encouragement.

B. 

Destination spas exist for those who only can take a short term trip, but still want to develop healthy habits. Guests reside and participate in the program at a destination spa instead of just visiting it for a treatment or pure vacation. Typically over a seven-day stay, such facilities provide a program that includes spa services, physical fitness activities, wellness education, healthy cuisine and special interest programming.

C. 

When people travel, stay in a hotel, eat out, or go to the movies, they rarely think that they are experiencing many-sided, vast and very diverse hospitality industry. The tourism industry is very challenging for those who work there, as they should be able to meet a wide variety of needs and to be flexible enough to anticipate them. The right person to help us feel at home likes working with the public, and enjoys solving puzzles.

D. 

Ten years ago, with the help of friends and family, Veit Kühne founded Hospitality Club as a general-purpose Internet-based hospitality exchange organization. Now, it is one of the largest hospitality networks with members in 226 countries. This is a completely free organization, which involves no money. The core activity is the exchange of accommodation, when hosts offer their guests the possibility to stay free at their homes.

E. 

To the ancient Greeks and Romans, hospitality was a divine right. The host was expected to make sure the needs of his guests were seen to. In the contemporary West, hospitality is rarely associated with generously provided care and kindness to whoever is in need or strangers. Now it is only a service that includes hotels, casinos, and resorts, which offer comfort and guidance to strangers, but only as part of a business relationship.

F. 

A bed and breakfast is a type of overnight accommodation with breakfast offered in someone's private home. This type of service was established in Europe many years ago and its roots lie a long way back in history when monasteries provided bed and breakfasts for travelers. But the term appeared in the UK only after World War II, when numerous foreigners needed a place to stay and local people opened their homes and started serving breakfast to those overnight guests.

G. 

Hostels are nothing more than budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. But somehow there are misconceptions that a hostel is a kind of homeless shelter, a dangerous place where young people can face potential threat. This does not reflect the high quality and level of professionalism in many modern hostels.