江苏省南通市海安高级中学2022-2023学年高二下学期第一次月考英语试题

2022-2023学年度第二学期高二年级阶段测试（一）

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。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 does the man want to do?

1.    Reserve a cheap hotel.

2.    What will the woman get?

1.    Carpet cleaner.

3.    Who is the woman?

1.    She's a teacher.

4.    Where are the speakers headed?

1.    To a swimming pool.

5.    Why is the museum of great significance?

1.    It's a museum for old art. B. It will be built on a small island. Indonesia.

第二节（共15小题；每小题L5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。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题， 钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。

听下面一段对话，回答6-7小题。

6.    How much does an entrance ticket cost?

A. Two dollars. B. Five dollars.

7.    How does the woman pay?

A. In cash. B. By cheque.

听第7段材料，回答第8至9题。

8 Where did the tomato sauce come from?

A. A local farm. B. A store only five miles away.

9.    What does the woman think of cooking?

A. She enjoys it. B. It makes her feel creative.

听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。

10.   What is the relationship between the speakers?

A. Interviewer and interviewee. B. Husband and wife.

11.   Where did the man go to college?

A. In Washington. B. In Texas.

12.   What is the woman's job?

A. She is a computer programmer. B. She is a baxiker.

听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。

13.   What did Fitbit say about the recent study?

A. It was false. B. It hurt their business.

14.   When does the man use his Fitbit?

A. Only when he's exercising. B. During the daytime.

15.    What does the man think of his Fitbit?

A It*s sometimes uncomfortable to wear. B. It's of good value.  C. It's of little use.

16.   How does the woman sound?

A. Interested. B. Bored. C. Upset.

听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。

17.   What is the speaker mainly talking about?

A. A search engine. B. A language program. C. A free lesson website for teachers.

18.   How many people use Duolingo currently?

A. Over one hundred million. B. A few hundred thousand. C. Several thousand.

19.   Where is Luis von Ahn from?

A. Switzerland. B. Guatemala. C. Costa Rica.

20.    How was Duolingo originally funded?

A. By big websites. B. By an actor. C. By school.

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。

Are you fond of watching films? Does the colorful, natural, or spectacular scenery in the films attract you to travel to their locations? We have selected three gorgeous film locations in China. If you're a film fan or an outdoor enthusiast, check them out!

Fengguo Temple & The Grandmaster （《一代宗师》）

Located in Y'xian county, Jinzhou, Northeast China's Liaoning province, the Fengguo Temple is a Buddhist temple established in 1020, covering a total area of 60, 000 square meters. It is one of only three Liao Dynasty temples still in existence in China.

The main hall of the Fengguo Temple is the Buddha hall believed to be one of the largest in the world in ancient times. It is home to the world's oldest and largest clay sculptures of painted Buddha statues. The Fengguo Temple was designated （扌旨定）as a national foremost protected cultural heritage site in 1961 and a 4A-level tourist attraction in 2009.

Yunshuiyao Ancient Town & The Knot （《云水谣》）

Situated in Zhangzhou, East China5s Fujian province, Yunshuiyao Ancient Town has a long history and is one of the scenic spots of the world heritage site, the Fujian Tulou. There is a magnificent banyan tree （榕树）group in the town consisting of 13 banyan trees, some of which are thousands of years old. Yunshuiyao Ancient Town is distinguished for its unique tulou clusters at the foot of the mountain. Fifty-three of these earthen buildings, which were first constructed in the mid Yuan Dynasty, are still standing today.

Dajiu Lake Wetland Park& The Assassin （《刺客聂隐娘》）

Located in Shennongjia UNESCO Global Geopark, Central China's Hubei province, the Dajiu Lake Wetland Park boasts fascinating sceneries. It is a rare subalpine peat marsh wetland in the world's middle latitude, at an altitude of over 1, 730 meters and with a total area of 20, 000 hectares.

Known as "Hulun Buir of Hubei province", it is home to nine lakes on the plateau and lush meadows （草地）.In the wetland park, there are extensive alpine meadows, wetland fems （蕨类植物）, and some animals, such as storks, cranes, and sika deer, which are valuable for scientific research.

21.    What is special about Fengguo Temple?

1.    Its main hall is considered the largest in the world.
2.    It was designated as a 4A-level tourist attraction in 1961.
3.    It is one of only three Buddhist temples in existence in China.
4.    It houses the world's oldest and largest clay sculptures of painted Buddha statues.

22.    What can we know from the text?

1.   There are 13 banyan trees inYunshuiyao Ancient Town.
2.   There are unique earthen buildings in Yunshuiyao Ancient Town.
3.   The Dajiu Lake Wetland Park is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
4.   The Dajiu Lake Wetland Park is home to many rare plants and animals.

23.   Where is the text probably taken from?

A. A textbook. B. An academic article. C. A travel magazine. D. A biography. B

There is an old Chinese proverb that states “One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade," and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and a daughter is sometimes confusing. The relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy （等级）of responsibilities and unconditional love, which preclude mothers and daughters from being best friends.

Marina, 27 years old, said, "I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend. Best friends don't pay for your wedding. Best friends don't remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friend: don't tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you." This doesn't mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying.

While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common, which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.

Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but fbr better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if fbr some unfortunate reason they aren't speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother*s emotional well-being. It isn't that they don't care deeply about their mothers. It's just that they shouldn't be burdened with their mother *s well-being.

The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible fbr their happiness. Mothers always "trump （胜过）"friends.

24.     What does the underlined word "preclude" in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A. Differ               B. prevent C. benefit D. change

25.     What do we know from the text?

1.   The mother and daughter relationship can be replaced by a best friend.
2.    A mother's love brings her and her daughter a close friendship.
3.    The mother and daughter relationship goes beyond best friends5 friendship.

D ・ Marina has a troubled relationship with her mother.

26.     How does the author mainly prove his statements?

A. By listing data. B. By giving explanations.

C. By quoting sayings. D. By giving examples.

27.     What is the best title for the text?

A. How to Be a Good Mother and Daughter? C. Mothers or Friends?

Not every architectural landmark is grand in scale, with splendid decorations, or amazing colors. Suzhou Gardens may just be the opposite.

When a group of monks during the Yuan Dynasty （1271-1368） first constructed Lion Grove Garden, they may have just wanted to enjoy a quiet place, hidden away from urban noise, while in the following centuries, this charming garden - most notable fbr its waterside rockeries resembling the shape of lions_has attracted a constant stream of celebrity guests, who have left a long list of poems, paintings and historical anecdotes （轶事）.

In recent years, nine of the best-known classical gardens of Suzhou, including Lion Grove Garden, Humble Administrator^ Garden and Great Wave Pavilion, were registered into the World Heritage List. As UNESCO remarks, "Classical Chinese garden design, which seeks to recreate natural landscapes in miniature （缩略图）,is nowhere better illustrated than in the nine gardens, which reflect the profound natural beauty in Chinese culture and inspire people to pursue harmony with the world."

Nowadays, relevant administrations have been trying to restore the historical landscapes of Suzhou's classical gardens. Consequently, last year, a new project was launched allowing tourists in small groups to reserve places to enter the garden in the early morning before the regular opening time. Their visit ended with them completing the last step in making a traditional folding fan, adding a poem about the garden on its surface. The experience was also regarded as a way to help people understand the wisdom, elegance and philosophical worldview of the ancient Chinese literati （文人）.

The delicate beauty of the gardens still flows via the canals that snake across Suzhou. Hardly felt, their strength in shaping the city's character seems to last forever.

28.   Whafs the purpose of building the Lion Grove Garden?

A. To share historical anecdotes. B. To attract celebrity guests.

C. To enjoy the beautiful scenery.               D. To stay far from the madding crowd.

29 What do Suzhou Gardens show?

A. Splendid decorations.   B. Grand beauty.    C. Human-nature harmony.     D. Amazing colors.

30. What can we know about the project from Paragraph 4?

A. It featured traditional Chinese elements.      B. Small groups without reservation were welcome.

100. Its main aim was to help people approach poems.

4.   It was launched when the gardens were open to the public.

31. What can be the best title fbr the text?

A. Suzhou Gardens, a place of national pride.         B. Suzhou Gardens, a place with natural beauty.

100. Suzhou Gardens, a place that shows the decorations and colors.

4.   Suzhou Gardens, a place that reflects the philosophy and culture.

D

An 18, 000-year-old human genome has been sequenced as a consequence of genetic research of ancient African skeletons, revealing information as to how the continent's former people lived, migrated, and reproduced.

In general, DNA cannot survive in Africa's heat and damp for lengthy periods of time, and researchers have never previously sequenced a sub-Saharan African human genome older than 9,000 years. The authors of this new study, on the other hand, regained genetic material from six people buried between 5, 000 and 18, 000 years ago.

They also looked at the records of 28 previously reported individuals found at burial sites around the continent, and these 34 people were from three unique source populations originating in northeastern, central, and southern Africa after studying their DNA. This means that the continent was originally inhabited by three distinct groups who must have lived in remote areas for long periods of time. The combination of these three branches, on the other hand, suggests that genetic information was exchanged between the three populations before 20, 000 years ago.

According to the authors of the study this process began around 50, 000 years ago, because archaeological records suggest an increase in the movement of products over great distances around this time. People are thought to have started having offspring with partners from far-away places as trading networks grew across the continent.

However, the genomic data shows that this long-range DNA interchange began to decline some 20, 000 years ago, implying that humans began reproducing with their immediate neighbors at that time. According to the study's authors, it may be due to the Last Glacial Maximum, when climate change may have limited people's mobility and pushed them to become more sedentary.

In a statement, study author Jessica Thompson noted, “At first, people found their mates from a wide geographic pool. Further down the line, people valued partners who lived closer to them and were perhaps more culturally similar." Co-author Elizabeth Sawchuk added, “Perhaps it was because previously established social networks allowed for the movement of information and technologies without requiring people to migrate."

32.   What is the challenge of the DNA study in Africa?

A. Hot and wet climate. B. Limited technology.

C. Too many cultural exchanges. D. Complex human genomes.

33.   What caused the genetic information exchange aroxind 50, 000 years ago?

A. Climate change. B. Archaeological records.

C. Trades with distant groups. D. Development in technology.

34.   What is the meaning of the underlined word "sedentary" in Paragraph 5?

A. Stable. B. Diverse. C. Active. D. Reproductive.

35.   What can we learn from the ancient social network according to the passage:

1.   Distant social exchange was booming 50, 000 years ago.
2.   Long-ranged DNA interchange started to occur 20, 000 years ago.
3.   Communication with people from similar cultures was always favored.
4. Migration declined when social networks for information became mature. 第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分）

阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Tips fbr online learning

Online learning has the same basic elements as face-to-face leaning. The major difference is that instruction is delivered online. Many of the strategies fbr effective face-to-fece learning also apply to online learning.

36 Here are some strategies we recommend.

Create space to learn. Invest sometime to understand your needs and preferences as a learner, and what an effective study environment looks like fbr you. For example, you might need a quiet place to study or you might need to listen to classical music. Consider what equipment you might need. Wherever you study, try to minimize distractions. 37

Manage your time effectively. Spend some time getting familiar with your online courses, understanding what is expected of you, mapping out key due dates, and planning study time. 38 Research shows that learners gain more information if they spread their study over multiple days or sessions. Make sure your routine works with your other commitments so you're more likely to stick to it.

39 Just as with face-to-face learning, mental energy counts: take time to reflect on whether you have understood the materials, try to remember and sort the information you have learned to aid memory test your understanding, mix different concepts and skills into the same study session to build connections and fluencies, ask questions, participate in class discussions, and try teaching concepts to others.

Ask fbr assistance! In an online learning environment, you may need to ask lots of questions and take ownership over shaping the leaning experience so that it meets your needs. 40

Finally, if you're facing specific challenges such as illness, mental health, accessibility, balancing childcare responsibilities, etc., ifs important fbr you to reach out to your instructors or the relevant student support services for discussion and creative problem-solving.

1.    Regularly reflect on the course materials.
2.    Actively engage with what you have learnt.
3.    A consistent routine will help you stay on track.
4.    However, online learning may require some additional skills to be successful.
5.     At the end of the week, reflect on how you did, and adjust your routine as required.
6.     This might mean asking your instructors or peers for help, or attending study groups.
7.    Work with your roommates or family to create boundaries so you can stay focused.

第三部分 语言运用（共三节，满分30分）

第一节完型填空 供15小题：每小题1分，满分15分）

请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选择中，选出最佳选项。

My family moved into a newly constructed home in Calgary 10 years ago, looking forward to a new start. And that year was full of 41 . We waved at the 42 of incoming families during their

move-in days. But we saw less of each other as winter approached. Names were 43 .

As the snow 44 , many of the neighborhood began to be nearby, sitting and chatting on the

curb （路边）.Dad wanted a place fbr everyone to leave the house and join the community. He began imagining 45 .

He started 46 doors and reshaking hands. He chatted with Eric, a builder from across the street. The cost of materials would be 47 . He then met with the designer from a few doors down.

48 began with me and my father hauling pieces of lumber （木材）and steel out of his truck. Within minutes there was a flock of young neighbors 49 , each claiming they could help. None of us knew each other well, but all hands were on deck （全员 出动）.

After a few hours, the project was      50____. Three benches      51____a semi-circle on

the boulevard （大道）.That afternoon marked the first of many weekend Neighbor Days when weather   52 . Kids raced each other around while parents brought out food. Later in the evening,

someone put a firepit in the center of the benches so that the     53____would cany on into the night.

We often ended up there the following afternoon, as well as      54 afternoons and evenings in

the years since.

I moved out for university four years ago, having learned to      55    value community. But I've never lived somewhere as social as my family neighborhood since.

第四部分 写作（共两节；满分40分）

第一节（满分15分）

76,                为培养学生的独立生活能力，你校英语俱乐部举办“我是生活小能手”征文活动，请你写一篇文 章，介绍你拿手的生活技能，内容包括：

1.   具体的一项生活技能；
2.    你在生活中获得的体验。

注意：

1.   写作词数应为80左右；
2.    请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

The artists of Dafen can paint like Van Gogh

The village of Dafen was once thought 56 （produce） the most oil paintings in the world every year. 57 （recognize） as the "world's art factory55, Dafen impressed visitors with its many workshops, in which painters created mock masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet and Warhol. But the village was always seen more as a production line 58 a place of culture. Today the future of Dafen may depend on 59 it is able to earn respect of the art world.

Things started to change for Dafen in 2008, 60 the global financial crisis cut down overseas

orders. With more demand 61 （come） from domestic market, artists began painting different subjects. New customers preferred Chinese styles, says 62 painter in Dafen. He learnt the art of Shan Shui which involves representing natural landscapes. In some ways Dafen reflected the broader economy. As exports starts to decline as a share of GDP, domestic 63 （consume） plays a larger role in driving growth.

China is the world's second-largest art market. 64 it is not clear where Dafen fits in. Li Jinghu, an artist from nearby Dongguan, often visits the village hoping to discover new talent. But locals say the demand for their paintings  65              （decline） in the past two pandemic-struck years. "Most people would probably

be surprised that Dafen still exists. It does and it will/^ays Lisa Movius, a writer in Shanghai who covers art. 第三节单词填空（共10小题；每小題0.5分，满分5分）

66.1 came a thousand miles to stand in this doorway tonight because the appointment made 20 years ago was     （值得）of my consideration.

67.     （任命）as sales director by the general manager, she works even harder.
68.   Huang excelled where he was working and made s       （大量）contributions to his country.
69. Hesitating over what to do, I continued listening to him and became convinced that he had made his fortune      （非法）.
70.   Jimmy Wells                （原谅）Bob for stealing the money, he didn't arrest his friend eventually.
71.   The kind-hearted lady gave away her clothes and quilts to the earthquake victims                （同情）.
72.   Only when you give serious consideration to your ideas will you be able to see

what              （解释）fbr their emotions and empathize with them.

73.Some language communities make interventions to keep their native language,              反对）to borrowed words.

74. While some communities think                 （悲观）about the exchange between languages, other communities welcome borrowed words.
75. She is always open to new knowledge because of her adaptable mind,                  （容许）of different opinions.

第二节（满分25分）

77. 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。续写词数 应为150左右。

April Fools9 Day

Nat woke early and jumped out of bed. Today was the best day of the year for him. Nat loved to play tricks, and today was April Fools, Day.

Some of Nafs tricks were big hits. Last year, he short-sheeted his sister's bed. She couldn't understand what was going on and started to think that her legs must have grown much longer during the day. When she realized what had happened, she laughed her head off.

Some of Nat's tricks were not so successful. Mom didn't think finding a furry toy mouse in the fridge was humorous at all. After she calmed down a bit, she said, "That's it! There's a ban on Nat tricks for two weeks."

Nat was also the class clown. He was always making jokes in class. He liked it when he made the other kids laugh. Since it was April Fools' Day, he felt like he had to come up with something really good to provide his classmates with some really good entertainment,

For that, Nat thought long and hard before he came up with his brilliant idea. He bought two toy frogs which were made out of green plastic and looked very realistic. Nat knew just the trick he would play on his classmates.

Nat arrived at school early. To succeed in his plan, he needed to get into the classroom before anyone else. Nat's class had a rainforest terrarium （饲养皿），It had plants, insects, and three frogs in it. Nat's idea was to pretend that the frogs had escaped. He knew that Ms. Lopez, his teacher, wasn't afraid of frogs but several of his classmates, including himself, were.

Nat slipped into the classroom. Good! There was nobody here. He put one of the toy frogs on the floor, near the terrarium and the other on his friend Stacey's desk. Nat knew that Stacey really didn't not like frogs. Also, she played a great trick on him last April Fools5 Day. To make his trick more convincing, Nat pushed the lid of the terrarium open. Then he rushed off to morning gathering.

注意：

1,      续写词数应为150左右：

2.    请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

When the students got back to class, no one noticed the toy frogs at first.

Nat realized that he had opened the lid of the terrarium.

参考答案

1-5 CBABC 6-10 BACCC

21-23 DBC 24-27 BCBD

36-40 DGCBF

41-45 CCBAD

56. to produce

61. corning

66. worthy

71 .sympathetically 72.accounts 73. opposed/objecting 74,pessimistically 75. tolerant

I am competent in cooking. In our daily life, cooking by oneself is an essential life skill. What I'm extremely good at is cooking all kinds of delicious food.

In my life, whenever my parents drag themselves tired from work, I will prepare a sumptuous dinner for them and welcome them back. At the same time, in the process of cooking, not only can I hone the quality of independence, but also exercise my practical ability. More importantly, it can make me clearly understand and experience the toughness of others.

There is no doubt that the ability to cook is extremely important.

one possible version

When the students got back to class, no one noticed the frogs at first. Then Stacey, who finally noticed the frog, screamed and pointed at her desk. The whole class exploded. A couple of other kids leapt out of their seats and shrieked while the rest were laughing and banging their desks. Nat was feeling very pleased with himself. His trick was definitely a success. But he knew he had to hide his glee. He pretended that he was working and reached out for a piece of paper. It was then that something cold and wet slithered past his fingers. It was a frog-a real one!

Nat realized that he had opened the terrarium. Suddenly, there came a loud croak from under his chair. Nat almost jumped out of his skin with fright. Now he became the laughingstock of the class. What scared him even more was the only person who remained serious-Ms. Lopez. She calmly walked down the aisle, scooped up the frog and put it back into the terrarium. Then she came to Nafs side, seemingly waiting fbr his confession. Nat felt his face burning and apologized to Ms Lopez. He also promised to be considerate from then on.

听力材料

(Text 1)M: I need a vacation. I haven't had a day off in eight months. It*s about time I did something fun. W: I agree. You5ve been working hard lately. Why don't we go to Mexico? I can get us a good deal on a hotel. (Text 2)W: I just spilled red wine on the carpet. Do you have any carpet cleaner?

M: No I just ran out. Get a paper towel and try to get the stain out with water and some salt. Hurry!

(Text3)W: Mark, please be quiet. We're in the middle of a test. If you need something, our teaching assistant Brittany is here to help you.

M: Sorry, Mrs. Smith. Susie asked to borrow a pen, and I was just telling her I don't have an extra one.

(Text 4)M: If you grab the towels, Til get the sunglasses.

W: Okay. Do you have everything else you need? A bathing suit? Your surfboard?

M: Yes, everything's in the car already. I also packed some sandwiches in case we're hungry later.

(Text 5)M: Indonesia is opening its first international modem art museum in 2017. It's going to be called the Museum MACAN, which is short for Museum of Modem and Contemporary Art in Nusantara.

W: What does the word "nusantara" mean?

M: Ifs an Indonesian term fbr a group of islands.

(Text 6)W: rd like a ticket to the fair, please.

M: OK. This is an entrance ticket only. If you'd like to go to the petting zoo or the horse ride, there will be an extra fee.

W: How much do those cost?

M: The petting zoo is $2, and the horse ride is $3.

W: Til buy a ticket to the petting zoo as well, please.

M: Your total comes to $7.

W: Do you take credit cards?

M: No, we take cash only.

W: Okay, here you go.

(Text 7)M: I made us a pizza for tonighfs dinner. I baked apple pie, made the tomato sauce from our tomatoes in the backyard, and I bought the cheese from a local farm about five miles away.

W: Yum! I can't wait to eat it. You've been cooking a lot lately. Why the change?

M: Pve gotten really into watching cooking shows. Fve been interested in cooking for a long time, but I just decided to give it a try recently.

W: Tm an okay cook, but I don't enjoy it very much. It takes a lot of patience, which I don't have. (Text8W: Hello. My name is Christina. I'm just stopping by to bring you some cookies and to introduce myself.

M: Hi, Christina. I'm Bryce. It's very nice to meet you. Please come in.

W: Sure.

M: Thank you fbr the cookies. Would you like something to drink?

W: Water is fine. Thank you.

M: Here you go. Take a seat. So, where were you living before?

W: My husband and I were living in Nebraska, but he got a job out here, so thafs why we moved, I've never been to the West Coast before. I love Washington so far.

M: Pve been in Washington for ten years now. I was bom in Texas and came out here fbr college. I've stayed ever since.

W: What do you do for work?

M: I'm a computer programmer. Ifs a good job, but my real passion in life is making furniture.

W: That's interesting. I do a lot of painting in my spare time, although I'm a banker during the day. (Text9)W: What are you wearing?

M: A Fitbit. It's a watch that helps me keep track of my health.

W: How accurate do you think it actually is?

M: I'm not sure. I read a study recently that said the Fitbit*s heart rate monitor doesn't do a great job at measuring your heartbeat during physical activity. It gives a higher reading than it should.

W: Oh, I thought it would have been the other way around.

M: Me too. Of course, Fitbit was very upset by the study and said it wasn't true.

W: Well, a study like that will probably really hurt its business.

M: Well, their products are very popular, so people will still most likely buy them.

W: Do you wear your Fitbit often, or just when you're exercising?

M: I wear it all day, every day. I even wear it when I'm sleeping.

W: Wow, that's impressive. Isn't it uncomfortable?

M: No, not at all.

W: Maybe I should get one.

M: You should. I really like mine. There are many different kinds you can choose from. They're expensive, but I think they're worth the money.

(TextlO)Duolingo is a free language-learning website and app. It offers ad-free courses for those who want to learn a new language. As of 2016, Duolingo has fifty-nine different language courses for twenty-three languages. Over 120 million people are registered with the program. Duolingo was created in 2011 by Professor Luis von Ahn and his graduate student Severin Hacker, who was bom in Switzerland. Prof. Luis von Ahn was bom in Guatemala, and he was upset by how expensive it was for people in his town to learn English. He wanted to create a program that offered free education to anyone in the world. Because most of the services are available free of charge, Duolingo originally used a special business model to make money. Members of the public were able to translate content and vote on correct translations. The content came from large websites such as BuzzFeed and CNN.com, which paid Duolingo to translate their webpages. Many private investors have given money to the company, including actor Ashton Kutcher's firm. Duolingo has also been used in public schools in Costa Rica and Guatemala.