Matura z angielskiego maj 2024 – poziom rozszerzony: zadania i odpowiedzi

Churchill is a small town in Canada, situated on the shore of Hudson Bay and swept by the Northern winds. 5.1. _____ There they hunt for seals after the bay freezes over and the ice becomes strong enough to support their weight. Over the years, the bears’ seasonal presence has earned Churchill the nickname of the Polar Bear Capital of the World. For more than three decades, Dennis Compayre, a native of Churchill, has been a guide for photographers and filmmakers who want to see the bears. He has become known as “the bear man”, due to his work with the bears and his ability to relate to them. 5.2. _____ “There was always a fierce polar bear in the back of my mind, even when I played ball and ran around the town with my friends,” Compayre explains.

Today, Churchill’s bear population is far bigger than its human population. Only about 900 permanent residents live in the town. 5.3. _____ It eventually closed in 1980. Back then, there was no such thing as an organized tour group to see the bears. The only tourists who visited Churchill were bird watchers and those who came up to see the whales.

Fortunately, polar bear-related businesses expanded year by year. Len Smith, a local mechanic, built the first motorized vehicle that would allow groups to travel out safely to see the bears. Although he was still scared of bears, Dennis agreed to serve as both driver and guide. In the beginning, tourists would be lucky if they saw 10 bears, at the most. 5.4. _____ It was a unique opportunity to observe so many of them in one place.

Today, about 10,000 tourists descend upon Churchill annually during the five-to-six-week “bear season”. But the reasons they come are not the same as when Dennis started. “Years back, people came to Churchill excited to catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures,” he says. “Everyone had such a good time observing polar bears. But things have changed.

5.5. _____ Sadly, now our promotional slogan is: ‘Come and see the bears before it’s too late.’ ”

Tekst 1.

THE DUSTY WORLD OF BOOKS Grace arrived at Primrose Hill Books at ten minutes to eight. Mr Evans was behind the counter and didn’t bother to look up at the ding of the bell. “Good morning, Miss Bennett,” he said in a bored voice.

Grace smiled at him, “Good morning, Mr Evans. I truly appreciate you giving me the opportunity to work in your shop.”

“I don’t need help, but my wife insisted, and I finally agreed. And don’t put your heart into this job, Miss Bennett. It’s only for six months.”

Grace’s shoulders relaxed with relief. At least he wouldn’t expect her to stay for the rest of her life.

She scanned the shop. Shelves were crowded against one another amid piles of books.

At her uncle’s shop there had been some sort of order at least. What was she to do with this chaos? Where was she even to start? Did Mr Evans already have expectations he wanted her to meet?

She stood uncertain with her handbag on her shoulder, still wearing her hat. She cleared her throat. “Where am I to put my belongings?” she asked.

“Back room,” he muttered.

“Then what would you like me to do?”

Mr Evans gave out a frustrated sigh. “I told you, I don’t need help. You can sit in the back room and sew or settle into a corner with a book to read. I don’t care.”

Grace nodded and moved toward the door he’d indicated. The room was narrow and poorly lit, with an old-fashioned table and chair. Boxes lined every wall. She had never been one for sewing and wouldn’t know which book to read. There was nothing else but to find something to do. So she went back into the shop and closed the door behind her. The thick layers of dust on the shelves begged to be wiped clean. Mr Evans hadn’t mentioned dusting, but the shop really needed taking care of at once. Three hours later, her white shirt was all covered in dirt, and Mr Evans glared in her direction every time she coughed. Several customers came and went. She took considerable care not to send dust clouds in their direction, but still remained close enough should they require help.

An older woman approached her. “Excuse me, do you have Black Spectacles?”

Grace smiled. At least this was a question she could answer. “We don’t sell spectacles here, I’m terribly sorry.”

The woman blinked her wide blue eyes. “It’s a book. By John Dickson Carr. I finished The Crooked Hinge last night and want to find the next one in the series.”

If the earth had opened up at that moment and swallowed Grace, she’d have offered no protest. She had two book names and a series to work with and no idea where they might be. While cleaning, she’d tried to find some order to the layout of the books, but with no success.

“Of course.” Grace waved to the woman to follow her. “Did you find The Crooked Hinge exciting?” she asked, trying to make out what type of book it was.

“Oh, the best kind of mystery.”

Ah, yes, a mystery. Maybe there were some located near the back. “I believe it will be somewhere here.” Grace gazed over the spines of books, none of which were in any order, not by title or name or even colour of the book cover.

“If I may…,” a masculine voice spoke from behind Grace.

Tekst 2.

NOTTING HILL Movie enthusiasts from across the world have wandered the streets of West London in search of the beloved travel bookshop that featured in the iconic 1999 film, Notting Hill.

The bookshop, which in the film was owned by Will, Hugh Grant’s character, was actually based on The Travel Bookshop – a family-run business opened on Blenheim Crescent in 1979. The bookshop was occasionally frequented by Notting Hill director, Richard Curtis, and it gave him the inspiration for the film. It’s not commonly known that the owner of the bookshop refused to allow the film crew inside his store, and so its interior only provided the model for the on-set replica of the bookshop, which was built in Shepperton Studios.

Sadly, after 32 long years in business, The Travel Bookshop fell on hard times and faced closure in 2011. Several writers and actors launched a campaign to reverse the fortunes of the specialist bookshop. The poet Olivia Cole led the way, even offering to volunteer at the bookshop. The actor Alec Baldwin, who played Julia Roberts’ boyfriend in the film, also supported the campaign calling for the bookshop to be saved. Yet the iconic bookshop, which helped Notting Hill earn more than £220 million, closed for good in 2011. However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the bookshop reappeared after being purchased by the Book Warehouse. It’s in the same location, but now goes by the name of The Notting Hill Bookshop, and operates as a regular bookshop, with a wide range of subjects and titles in stock. It also sells some magazines, cards and calendars. Many Notting Hill fans still visit The Notting Hill Bookshop, and some lovebirds have even chosen it as the setting in which to ask their partners to marry them. So although The Travel Bookshop doesn’t exist any more, its legacy of romance still lives on in West London.