2021苏州高三下学期期初模拟考试（2月）英语含答案（含听力）

2020～2021学年高三年级模拟考试卷

英　　语

(音频下载地址：jsgkxzx@163.com　密码：20082008)

2021．02

本试卷分四个部分。满分150分，考试用时120分钟。

第一部分　听力(共两节，满分30分)

第一节(共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分)

听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。

(　　)1. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?

A. Student and teacher.  B. Manager and customer.  C. Fellow workers.

(　　)2. What should the woman do on Nanjing Road?

A. Go straight.  B. Go back.  C. Turn left.

(　　)3. What seems to be the woman's problem?

A. She missed the deadline.  B. She found no sources.  C. She wrote too much.

(　　)4. What does the man do?

A. He is a pilot.  B. He is a passenger.  C. He is a salesperson.

(　　)5. Why can't the man meet the woman on Monday?

A. He will attend a conference.  B. He will be in town.  C. He will be elsewhere.

第二节　(共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分)

听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。

听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。

(　　)6. When is glass collected?

A. On Thursdays.  B. On Wednesdays.  C. On Fridays.

(　　)7. Where does the conversation probably take place?

A. In the service center.  B. In front of the man's house.  　　C. Over the telephone.

听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。

(　　)8. Why does the man contact the woman?

A. To inform her of a problem.  B. To reschedule a party.  C. To double－check the order.

(　　)9. What does the woman choose to do?

A. Get the money back.  B. Change the menu.  C. Delay the order.

听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。

(　　)10. What will Kate's mother do in the talent contest?

A. Tell jokes.   B. Clear up.  C. Play some music.

(　　)11. Where will Kate be at 3 p．m. this Saturday?

A. At work.  B. At school.  C. In the contest.

(　　)12. What is Kate's attitude toward the charity show?

A. Unwilling.  B. Supportive.  C. Unclear.

听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。

(　　)13. What does “Fitness Club” have?

A. A football tournament.  B. Jogging classes.  C. The latest equipment.

(　　)14. What does the man think of the schedule?

A. It's tricky.  B. It's diverse.  C. It's tiring.

(　　)15. Which sport is the woman fond of?

A. Basketball.   B. Volleyball.  C. Tennis.

(　　)16. How much does “Fitness Club” charge every month with a two－year membership?

A. $30.  B. $40.  C. $50.

听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。

(　　)17. Which of the following can make our house a ripe target for thieves?

A. The back door.  B. Open windows.  C. High－tech cameras.

(　　)18. What does the speaker advise the holidaymakers to do?

A. Make it obvious that they are away.  　　　　　　B. Stop all the deliveries to the house.

C. Ask a neighbor to stay in the house.

(　　)19. What should homeowners avoid when decorating their houses?

A. Strong front and back gates.  　　　　　　B. Good fences around the house.

C. Supports on the outside wall.

(　　)20. What is the speech mainly about?

A. Crime investigation.  B. Good guard dogs.  C. Home security.

第二部分　阅读(共两节，满分50分)

第一节(共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

A

(　　)21. What do we know about the online market for the 23rd Shanghai International Film Festival?

A. It promoted film business successfully.

B. It appealed to over 700 domestic exhibitors.

C. It lasted more than one week.

D. It aimed to protect films' copyright.

(　　)22. What does the return of Harry Potter movie reflect?

A. The theatres were opened nationwide.

B. The COVID－19 pandemic was partly eased.

C. The film was adapted from a web drama.

D. The film is bound to be an international hit.

(　　)23. Which of the following can best describe The Bad Kids?

A. A comedy.  B. A thriller.  C. A documentary.  D. A war drama.

B

San Francisco chef Cecilia Chiang, who was a pioneer of Chinese cuisine in the United States, died Wednesday. She was 100. Chiang was the owner, chef and mastermind behind the game－changing San Francisco restaurant, the Mandarin. She is widely credited with bringing real Chinese food to America and was a celebrity chef before celebrity chefs were popularized.

Chiang, who was born near Shanghai, came from an upper－class Chinese family. Although she wasn't shy about acknowledging her good fortune, she faced other difficulties. Convincing the dining public that Chinese food didn't have to be Thursday's cheap take－out option, Chiang_had_her_work_cut_out_for_her．

“Most Americans, including American－born Chinese, they didn't know about Chinese food，” Chiang explained in an interview with CNN Travel in 2018. Never having been to China, they needed to be educated on the difference. The year was 1961，and Chiang insisted on showing diners the delicate side of Chinese food. The restaurant's wine list, filled with Chinese cultural elements, was part of her strategy. Chiang said she wanted to upgrade the Chinese dining experience. To do this, she also needed to be fully aware of aesthetics(美学)．

The Mandarin, which would later occupy a much larger space in Ghirardelli Square, wasn't like other Chinese restaurants. “Is this a Chinese restaurant？” Chiang said people asked her all the time. The Mandarin did not serve chop suey or chow mein, two standard dishes on every Chinese restaurant in the US at the time. But this is exactly what Chiang wanted to avoid. In fact, her early brushes with Chinese food in America had left her unimpressed and determined to show San Francisco what Chinese food was really like.

Not only was Chiang a woman trying to run a restaurant in a male－controlled industry, but she was also attempting to educate diners. Changing people's minds was complicated. And, Chiang, who had been retired some 20 years when she died, at one point remarked that not a single existing restaurant could compare to the Mandarin.

(　　)24. What does the underlined part mean in the second paragraph?

A. Chiang had to give up her job.  B. Chiang refused to be involved.

C. Chiang faced a challenging task.  D. Chiang achieved her aim with ease.

(　　)25. What strategy did Chiang take to upgrade the Mandarin?

A. Taking full advantage of her family background.

B. Combining dining experience with Chinese culture.

C. Including two standard Chinese dishes on the menu.

D. Expanding the Mandarin business in different areas.

(　　)26. What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?

A. To remember Cecilia Chiang and her contributions.

B. To introduce the Mandarin started by Cecilia Chiang.

C. To promote Chinese cuisine culture in the USA.

D. To change people's minds toward Chinese restaurants.

(　　)27. Which words can best describe Cecilia Chiang?

A. Daring and generous.  B. Capable and artistic.

C. Ambitious and grateful.  D. Noble and caring.

C

Despite the common appearing of tablet computers and e－readers, we simply cannot break our addiction to paper. An estimated four billion trees are cut down every year to make paper or cardboard, an energy－consuming process with a vast environmental footprint. Now chemist Yadong Yin of the University of California, Riverside, and his colleagues have developed “rewritable” paper that could help control that_impact．

Printed rewritable paper is made using Prussian blue nanoparticles(纳米粒子). The researchers coated conventional paper with nanoparticles of two chemicals: Prussian blue that gives blueprints their characteristic color, and titanium dioxide(二氧化钛), a substance used in sunscreens.

UV light makes the titanium dioxide nanoparticles donate electrons(电子) to their Prussian blue neighbors, shifting its color from midnight blue to milky white.

By shining that UV light through a transparent(透明的) screen marked with black text, the researchers “printed” blue text on a white background. The text lasts about five days and then naturally fades away: “Every morning I could just push a button, and a printer would give me a fresh newspaper to read over breakfast，” Yin says.

The paper can also be reset by heating and reused more than 80 times, a significant improvement over previous types of rewritable paper. “The key advantages are high reusability and stability, easy handling and low cost，” says Sean X. Zhang, a materials scientist at Jilin University in China, who was not involved in the study but has also worked on developing rewritable paper. By comparison, technologies such as electronic ink—used for Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite—involve moving charged black－and－white particles around, which requires electronics.

Since reporting their invention in Nano Letters early this year, the scientists have used a digital projector to replace their transparent screen. They are now working on increasing the number of times the paper can be reused. Zhang says a key difficulty will be persuading companies to develop the unconventional UV control needed for widespread use. Even though commercialization could be a few years away, Yin says, “We've had a lot of discussions with industry investors.”

(　　)28. What does the underlined “that impact” in the first paragraph refer to?

A. Human beings' addiction to paper.  B. Common appearance of e－readers.

C. Green and sustainable environment.  D. A vast environmental footprint.

(　　)29. What are Paragraphs 2－4 mainly about?

A. Working principles of the new invention.  B. Comparison between different papers.

C. Key benefits of the new invention.  D. The function of UV light.

(　　)30. Sean X. Zhang probably agrees that the invention is  ________．

A. expensive  B. unreliable  C. conventional  D. eco－friendly

(　　)31. What might be the best title for the text?

A. Print, wipe, rewrite  B. The nanotech commercialized

C. The history of paper  D. Reduce, reuse, recycle

D

The vaccine(疫苗) news continues to seem very encouraging. Britain started its mass vaccination effort and the U．S. isn't far behind.

But there is still one dark cloud hanging over the vaccines that many people don't yet understand.

The vaccines will be much less effective at preventing death and illness in 2021 if they are introduced into a population where the coronavirus is still severe—as is now the case in the U．S.

A vaccine is like a fire hose(消防龙头). A vaccine that's 95 percent effective, as Moderna's and Pfizer's versions appear to be, is a powerful fire hose. But the size of a fire is still a bigger determinant of how much destruction occurs.

At the current level of infection in the U．S.(about 200，000 confirmed new infections per day), a vaccine that is 95 percent effective—distributed at the expected pace—would still leave a terrible toll(伤亡人数) in the six months after it was introduced. Almost 10 million or so Americans would catch the virus, and more than 160，000 would die.

This is far worse than the toll in a different situation where the vaccine was only 50 percent effective but the U．S. had reduced the infection rate to its level in early September(about 35，000 new daily cases). In that case, the death toll in the next six months would be kept to about 60，000.

It's worth pausing for a moment on this comparison. If the U．S. had maintained its infection rate from September and Moderna and Pfizer had announced this fall that their vaccines were only 50 percent effective, a lot of people would have panicked.

But the reality we have is actually worse.

How could this be? No vaccine can get rid of a pandemic immediately, just as no fire hose can put out a forest fire. While the vaccine is being distributed, the virus continues to do damage.

There is one positive way to look at this: Measures that reduce the virus's spread—like mask－wearing, social distancing and rapid－result testing—can still have great consequences. They can save more than 100，000 lives in coming months.

(　　)32. How does the author mainly present his argument?

A. By giving definitions.  B. By categorizing facts.

C. By drawing comparisons.  D. By appealing to emotions.

(　　)33. Which does the author think is a better way to save lives?

A. Improving the effectiveness of the vaccines.

B. Producing a greater variety of vaccines.

C. Looking at the situation in a positive way.

D. Wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

(　　)34. What does Paragraph 6 tell us?

A. The vaccines are less effective than expected.

B. The US have controlled the spread of the coronavirus.

C. The death toll in the next six months will be about 60，000.

D. Fewer people will die if the infection rate is lower.

(　　)35. What can we infer from the text?

A. The vaccine is the hope of wiping out the pandemic.

B. The public are optimistic about the effects of the vaccine.

C. The public are concerned about the high infection rate.

D. The distribution of vaccine will end the pandemic quickly.

第二节(共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5 分)

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Your success as a manager can be determined by how you interact with people. The role of a manager as a leader is an important part of these interactions. Leadership involves influencing colleagues so that they follow a given direction or goal.  __36__

The first is the “people function”. Here leadership helps to hold a group together and maintain the motivation of the group. __37__  In this role the leader will ensure the group has sufficient funds to carry out its tasks. So a leader should be seen to have influence both outside the group and within the group.

Next comes the “task function”. Here leadership involves deciding what the tasks of the group of employees are and then making sure that they are carried out successfully.

The third is the “strategic function”. __38__ A group of workers that knows what they are trying to achieve will be more efficient and better motivated than a group that doesn't know what it's supposed to be doing.

__39__  For example, how much power the manager has over the group, how well the manager knows the systems present in an organization and how many personal contacts the manager has within the organization.

Good communication is another crucial element to successful leadership. A good leader is aware both of the message to be communicated and of the importance of effective communication to influence members of the group. __40__ It is essential to be a role model for the policies you advocate. And remember, always accept responsibility for your mistakes and don't blame colleagues for things that you do badly. No one is perfect. Just remember this when you interact with colleagues.

A. A leader should act as an ambassador for the group.

B. Leadership here helps with the development of a sense of purpose and direction for the group.

C. It is often stated that leadership has three main functions within groups.

D. A manager's ability to influence people depends on a range of factors.

E. Networking includes the ability to make and maintain useful contacts.

F. This shows that you are aware of the effort colleagues are putting into their work.

G. A manager's behavior is a vital component of the message they communicate to colleagues.

第三部分　语言运用(共两节，满分30分)

第一节(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)

阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

Shortly before Sy Green's second year in high school, a family health crisis ate up the money that would have paid his tuition(学费) at the private school. His father needed a heart transplant, his mother lost __41__ when a softball hit her eye, and both parents lost their jobs. The school could provide some scholarship help, but not enough to __42__ the annual tuition.

That's when a(n) __43__ group of people stepped up with the remainder of the tuition: prisoners at the nearby State Prison. They __44__ the money they earned bit by bit from doing prison jobs. They raised a __45__ of $32，000 over about three years—a remarkable victory __46__ prisoners in California earn a __47__ wage of 8 cents an hour for many of their daily jobs.

“I __48__ and started crying because I knew where it was coming from，” said Sy's father, Frank Green, about the __49__. The prisoners started gathering their money in fall 2016, and they collected __50__ for Sy to graduate.

The idea for the scholarship was __51__ in a prison－school book group. Juniors, seniors, and teachers __52__ take regular trips to the prison to read and discuss books with the prisoners. Frank found the book discussions deeply __53__. But never did he imagine the prisoners would come together to __54__ a student in this way. He said, “I think most people, __55__ those of us who have made the worst decision, want to be a part of something good.”

(　　)41. A. hearing  B. vision  C. voice  D. smell

(　　)42. A. claim  B. increase  C. cover  D. receive

(　　)43. A. unlikely  B. random  C. wealthy  D. unfriendly

(　　)44. A. pooled  B. poured  C. borrowed  D. spent

(　　)45. A. number  B. pack  C. total  D. part

(　　)46. A. considering  B. providing  C. supposing  D. regarding

(　　)47. A. handsome  B. high  C. large  D. minimum

(　　)48. A. broke up  B. broke out  C. broke in  D. broke down

(　　)49. A. investment  B. donation  C. management  D. division

(　　)50. A. much  B. little  C. many  D. enough

(　　)51. A. dismissed  B. understood  C. hatched  D. rejected

(　　)52. A. would  B. should  C. could  D. might

(　　)53. A. traditional  B. meaningful  C. informal  D. personal

(　　)54. A. respect  B. support  C. educate  D. admire

(　　)55. A. perhaps  B. anyhow  C. somehow  D. even

第二节(共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

More and more students spend the day looking at their personal electronic devices. They are thinking mainly about these devices, and not much __56__. But recent research suggests that using technology during class time may __57__(significance) harm college students' ability __58__(process) the subject material they are learning.

In the study __59__(involve) 118 students who were taking the class in psychology, the students __60__(permit) to use any electronic device as much as they wanted during half of their daily class periods. During the other half, researchers closely watched them to make sure no one was using any technology.

The students' academic __61__(perform) was measured in several ways throughout the term. The researchers found that the average daily quiz results showed no evidence of harmful effects. However, the results of the larger tests and final exam told __62__ different story. They showed that all the students performed poorly on questions covering material taught on days __63__ they used technology in the classroom. The students hear what the professor is saying. But they might __64__(buy) things online or reading unrelated emails at the same time. So they are not thinking deeply about the subject, which makes __65__ harder for the information to enter their long－term memory.

第四部分　写作(共两节，满分40分)

第一节　(满分15分)

假如你是李华，你校上周举行了“节约粮食、杜绝浪费”的宣传活动，请你为校英文报写一篇报道，内容包括：

1. 活动目的；

2. 具体内容；

3. 活动反响。

注意：

1. 写作词数应为80左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

The Anti－food Waste Campaign

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

第二节　(满分25分)

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Jonah would never forget how he managed to overcome his shyness and make new friends all because of the timely advice he had followed a month ago. He remembered that day clearly.

The bell for the break resounded through the corridors at Glendale School. Instead of heading to the canteen like the other children did, Jonah fled to the library. He pushed open the door and headed for the nearest bookshelf. Other than the noise of the air－conditioner, the library was quiet and there was barely a soul in sight. Far in a corner, he spotted the librarian, who seemed too busy shelving some books to pay any attention to him. The windows to the library looked out to the canteen. Jonah could hear children laughing and chatting. He wished he was outside playing with some friends but he did not let this bother him.

Suddenly, Jonah heard a sound in the corner. He turned around and saw the librarian walking towards him. “Hi, I'm Mrs Lim，” she greeted him with a smile.

“Um...hi, I'm Jonah，” Jonah said, his face flushed red with embarrassment.

“Why are you reading here when you could be playing with your friends instead？”

“Uh...” Jonah looked around the library, avoiding her gaze. He did not want Mrs Lim to know the real reason he was in the library. She had the same look in her eyes as Jonah's father during the quiet car rides home from school. Jonah was helplessly tight－lipped whenever his father asked whom he had played or eaten with at school. From his silence, Jonah's father knew he was lonely. It was not that Jonah did not have any friends. They all just happened to live really far away. Jonah would stay up late at night chatting on the computer with his old friends from his previous school. Somehow, it made him feel close to them despite the distance. Transferred to this new school, Jonah found it difficult to make new friends. Everyone seemed to have different interests and their own circle of friends.

注意：

1. 续写词数应为150左右；

2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已给出。

“I know how you feel，” Mrs Lim said gently, as if she could read Jonah's mind.________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

In the hallway outside the library, a boy from Jonah's class was picking up something on the floor. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2020～2021学年高三年级模拟考试卷(苏州)

英语参考答案及听力材料

第一部分　听力

1～5　CACCC　6～10　BCABC　11～15　ABCBC　16～20　ABBCC

第二部分　阅读

21～23　ABB　24～27　CBAB　28～31　DADA　32～35　CDDB　36～40　CABDG

第三部分　语言运用

第一节

41～45　BCAAC　46～50　ADDBD　51～55　CABBD

第二节

56. else　57. significantly　58. to process　59. involving　60. were permitted　61. performance　62. a　63. when　64. be buying　65. it

第四部分　写作

第一节

The Anti－food Waste Campaign

Our school launched an anti－food waste campaign last week to help raise students' awareness of food waste and the consequences it brings. Lessons were designed and given to educate students to value food and reduce food loss. A follow－up speech contest was held to further promote the idea. All the students took an active part in the campaign and felt like making their contributions. At lunch time, everyone now takes just the proper amount of food and makes an effort to avoid leftovers.

第二节

“I know how you feel，” Mrs Lim said gently, as if she could read Jonah's mind. Jonah was surprised as he had not expected a total stranger to sense his loneliness. Mrs Lim added, “I can see it in your face. You look lonely.” Jonah sighed, not knowing what to do next. “Just say hello to someone today，” she encouraged, “I promise they'll respond. Once you've made the first move, it just gets easier.” Mrs Lim obviously did not understand how challenging that was going to be for him, Jonah thought. But still he appreciated the advice and thanked her before making his way out of the library.

In the hallway outside the library, a boy from Jonah's class was picking up something on the floor. Pens, pencils, and highlighters had dropped out of his pencil case. Fighting the urge to just walk away, Jonah leaned down and picked up a few pens. Then, he remembered what Mrs Lim had advised him. “Hello, I'm Jonah. Let me help you，” he offered. The boy looked up at him. “Thank you. My name is Ruben.” Victory at last, Jonah thought, feeling proud of himself.

听力材料

Text 1

M: Hi Jane. What are you working on?

W: Oh, hi Peter. I'm trying to finish my presentation for tomorrow's meeting. I'm way behind and the manager is getting impatient.

Text 2

W: Excuse me. I'm a bit lost. I'm looking for the library.

M: Well, go back to Zhujiang Road and turn left to Nanjing Road. Go along the road, and you'll see it on the left.

Text 3

W: Sir, I'd like to talk to you about the assignment that's due on Monday.

M: I can't give you an extension if that's what you want!

W: No, sir. It's about the word limit. But I found so many useful sources that I don't really want to cut anything out.

Text 4

W: Hello, I need a round－trip, first－class ticket to Beijing, leaving on the 13th and returning on the 20th.

M: Yes madam. Let's see... we have two flights on the 13th. The first is non－stop and leaves at 7 a．m. The second leaves at 11 a．m. with a two－hour stop in Tokyo.

Text 5

M: So, Friday won't work for you. How about some time next week?

W: Let's see... I'm available on Monday afternoon and Wednesday morning. Does either of those work for you?

M: Monday doesn't; I'll be out of town. Wednesday is fine.

Text 6

W: Citizen Service Center, Wang Ling speaking. How may I help you?

M: Yes, I'm new to the city and I'm trying to figure out how garbage and recycle collection work. Garbage is collected on Wednesdays, and recyclables such as paper, plastic and glass are collected on Thursdays. Is that correct?

W: No sir, it's the other way around. Recyclables are Wednesday, and garbage is Thursday.

Text 7

M: Hi, this is Kidman's Cooking. Mrs Li speaking?

W: Yes. What's the matter?

M: Sorry, it's about your menu. We can deliver only 10 pounds of beef. We could give back your money, or replace it with something else.

W: Oh dear. We have over 200 guests coming, so it's best to use something instead.

M: Ten pounds of fish then?

W: Five pounds of fish, and double the salad. Hey, while you're on the phone, can we double－check the order?

Text 8

M: Kate, would you help us with the charity show this Saturday?

W: Sure, I can do some cooking if you need.

M: No, the cooking is taken care of.

W: What about the clearing up?

M: John's volunteered.

W: So what do you want my help for?

M: The talent contest?

W: Seriously? I am the last person you want for a talent show. I can't do anything!

M: Sure you can! Look, I've asked Tom to tell a few jokes. And your mother's agreed to play a piece of music.

W: Fine. Maybe I can sing a song. My voice isn't too terrible!

M: That's great. It'll start around 3 in the afternoon.

W: Oh no! I'll be working at Susan's cookery shop until 4!

M: Can you escape for just 5 minutes?

W: Not really, but if you want, I can sing my song at the end of the show instead of the beginning.

Text 9

W: Hey, Todd. I hear you've joined a gym.

M: Yeah, a really nice one downtown. It just opened about a month ago.

W: What's the name?

M: The name is “Fitness Club”．

W: Good name.

M: Yeah, it has all the latest machines. Actually some of the machines are kind of tricky, I really don't know how they work yet.

W: Are there people that can help you?

M: Yeah, actually you can't use any of the equipment unless you get trained for it. You have to have guidance.

W: OK, do they have classes?

M: They do. They have yoga, boxing, dancing, so the schedule looks pretty diverse.

W: That's good.

M: And they have an actual gym floor, so you can play basketball. They also have volleyball tournaments. If you like more traditional sport, like tennis, they also have tennis courts. You can do that as well.

W: Oh, I do like tennis. I love tennis actually. So how much would it cost per month?

M: Well, it's kind of expensive. About fifty dollars a month. But if you buy a membership, it's 720 dollars for two years, 480 dollars for one year.

Text 10

Good evening. I'm Amy Watson from Sunshine Security. I'd like to talk about what we as house owners can do to best protect our property.

These days many people are forgetting the basics, things our parents and grandparents told us, like “lock the back door”， “don't leave any windows open”. High－tech tools such as cameras can be of use, but good old－fashioned ways can help too. Fences, strong gates and of course man's best friend, a dog, can discourage most of the thieves.

As to holidaymakers, the best advice is not to advertise the fact that you are going on vacation. Stop all deliveries so that they don't pile up outside. Tell a neighbour to look out for unusual activity and make sure all windows and doors firmly closed and locked.

Plants outside the house may look pretty, but they can be used to break into the house. The same can also be said for decorative wooden supports.

Remember thieves don't spend ten minutes trying to get into a house—they'll move on, to the next house where somebody fails to follow these simple suggestions.