Устная часть - Чтение текста

Task 1. Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.

The Ural Mountains of Russia form the traditional boundary between Europe and Asia. The Urals are about 2,500 kilometres long. They extend from the Kara Sea in the north to the Ural River in the south. The highest peak is Mount Narodnaya at 1,895 metres.

The northern slopes of the Urals are mostly covered with forests. Common trees include oak, linden, elm, fir, pine, and spruce. Treeless land called tundra is found in the far north, especially at high elevations. Arctic foxes, reindeer, brown bears, lynx, wolverines, and elk are among the animals of the range. A couple of centuries ago, the fauna was richer than it is today. Farming, hunting, and deforestation destroyed the habitats of many animals. Wild horses have disappeared. Herds of deer have migrated deep into the tundra. At the same time, hamsters and field mice have spread in the land now used for farming.