🐘A fun tusk for you🐘

Do you know those kind of annoying words that sound the same but are spelled differently? Yeah, let's test that ⤵️

For items 1–8, think of a word pair to fill the gaps in sentences. The words in each pair are spelled differently but sound similar. There is an example (0) done for you.

Example:
0. A polar bear drifted past on a sheet of ice called a _.
The river will _ faster after the rain.
Answer: floe, flow

1️⃣The _ in my jacket is coming apart.
You _ happy today.

2️⃣The ship anchored in a sheltered _ along the coast.
Don’t let the dog _ the mail carrier!

3️⃣The _ of my shoe is worn out.
She put her heart and _ into the performance.

4️⃣The grocer subtracted the _ before weighing the apples.
Be careful not to _ the paper.

5️⃣Farmers _ sheep in the spring.
It was _ luck that we caught the train.

6️⃣The _ moved silently through the forest.
The website has useful _ to other resources.

7️⃣The criticism didn’t _ him at all.
We are entering the final _ of the project.

8️⃣The country agreed to _ the territory.
She planted a sunflower _ in the garden.

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🇬🇧 The British Empire 🇬🇧

Today we have a difficult country studies task for you 😈

For items 1–5, match the name of a former British colony with the current name of the country where it was situated. Two modern countries are extra.

Colonies:
1. Rhodesia
2. Northern Rhodesia
3. Ceylon
4. Swaziland
5. British Honduras

Modern countries:
A. Sri Lanka
B. Belize
C. Zimbabwe
D. Zambia
E. Gambia
F. Eswatini
G. Nigeria

🌍 Share your guesses in the comments! 🌍

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🍽A Short History of the English Breakfast Tradition🍽

Read the text below and do the task afterwards👇

The English breakfast is an iconic element of British culinary culture, shaped by centuries of change and continuity. Its modern form is often described through a technical framework known as the five pillars of identity. The idea of a distinctive English breakfast likely emerged after the Norman Conquest, when food became a way for locals to assert cultural resistance. Before 1066, breakfast foods were simple, but the clash with Norman traditions encouraged people to preserve what they saw as their own. Over time, this sense of a special morning meal became part of national identity.

From the 14th century onward, the landed gentry embraced the breakfast as a symbol of heritage and hospitality. In their country houses, lavish pre-hunt spreads displayed estate produce, culinary skill, and regional pride. Many ingredients familiar today, such as sausages and bacon, began to anchor the meal during this period.

The Victorians adopted and elaborated on the tradition, turning breakfast into a marker of wealth, though it remained beyond most working people. In the Edwardian era, the meal reached a golden age and began to standardise around core components like bacon, sausages, eggs, blood pudding, and fried bread, spreading through hotels and rail travel. Industrialisation later made these foods affordable to the masses, and the greasy spoon café carried the custom nationwide.

Late in the 20th century, declining industry and globalised supply chains eroded quality and regional variation, often replacing heritage ingredients with cheaper imports. In response, the English Breakfast Society formed to document standards and promote British sourcing. By 2026, a revival is underway, with chefs and enthusiasts restoring provenance, celebrating tradition, and presenting the Full English as a respected cultural export rather than a bargain fry-up.

🧐 Now find words from the text that mean the following:
🔘the state of something remaining consistent or connected over time
🔘a structured system or set of rules that supports or shapes something
🔘to state or show something confidently and forcefully, often to defend a right or identity
🔘people of high social class who own land, traditionally just below the nobility
🔘the origin or source of something, especially as evidence of authenticity or quality

❓ Did you know that looking for words in the Reading part is a classic task in «Высшая Проба»? Our students certainly did, but in case you've missed the intensive course last weekend you can now get access to the recordings!

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😐 You know what they say... 😐

What do they say actually? Today we have an interesting task for you just about that!

For items 1–10, guess the English saying or proverbs based on the emojis. Some context is given to help you.

1. You finally start learning English at 40 years old. A friend encourages you:⏰➡️🚫

2. A colleague promised a lot of help with the project but did nothing. The boss dryly reminds everyone: 🎬📣⬆️🗣

3. You don’t want to wake up at 6 a.m. to stand in line for tickets. Your mom says:🌅🐦➡️🪱

4. You’re already planning how to spend a bonus that hasn’t even been approved yet. Your teammate smiles: 🚫🔢🐔🥚➡️🐣

5. Everyone disappeared when you needed help moving, but one person showed up. You think about them: 🧑‍🤝‍🧑❗️➡️🤝

6. You can’t play a difficult part on the guitar and want to quit. The teacher says: 🔁➡️🎯

7. The task seems impossible and the team is losing morale. The leader lifts everyone’s spirits with: 💪➡️🛣

8. It looks like a great investment, but the terms are shady. A more experienced friend warns you: ✨➡️🚫🥇

9. You’re upset that your startup didn’t take off in the first month. A mentor reminds you: 🏙🇮🇹🚫➡️📅1️⃣

10. You’re going on a hike, the weather seems perfect, but the trip leader still makes everyone pack rain gear: 🙏✅ ⚠️🧰

🤔Why would we need proverbs, you ask? Well, first of all, they're often wise, but also they can sometimes be found in Olympiad tasks, for instance, in writings.
🕰Capture the opportunity to prepare for the Regional stage last minute with our express videolecture course!

And as usual, share your guesses in the comments! 💬

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💜Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a crossword💜

We know that you're in love with this format. Just kidding!

Anyway, here's a themed crossword: read about February 14th and guess the words by definitions as you go along!

Bonus question: which classic work of English literature is illustrated by this picture?

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