Reading Task 2. Read the text and answer the questions. The Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney, Australia. Visitors travel around all over the world to enjoy performances that range from opera and ballet to theatre and live musical productions. There are even special programmes for children that include dancing, music and theatre. For many people, just visiting The Sydney Opera House is entertaining. It is an impressive piece of architecture and visitors can spend hours just walking around it. Guided tours are available that take you behind-the-scenes in the world-famous Concert Hall or Opera Theatre. Jorn Utzon, a young architect from Denmark, designed the building. He entered a contest in 1956 to design a concert hall in Sydney and was announced the winner in 1957. The unique design caused many difficulties and the Opera House was not completed in 1973. Fortunately, the building became a huge success and is now considered as many to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, The Sydney Opera House has earned a reputation as a world-class performing arts centre and is a proud symbol of Sydney. 1. What countries do visitors in Sydney come from? 2. What kind of programmes do they have for children? 3. Where can guided tours take you? 4. When did Jom Utzon win the contest? 5. Why wasn't the Opera House completed in 1973? 6. What reputation has the Sydney Opera House earned?
Life on the tiny Carribean island of Antigua has been the same for centuries. The few hundred inhabitants of the island (1) have always lived a quiet life, growing their own vegetables and catching fish. This nearly (2) changed, however, when a group of hotel developers (3) visited the island. They (4) offered to buy the houses and land of the locals so as to build a huge resort. The Antiguans (5) refused to sell. When the hotel developers (6) realised that the islanders wouldn't change their minds, they (7) left and the Antiguans (8) have enjoyed their peaceful lifestyle ever since.