四川省宜宾市2020-2021学年普通高中高三英语第二次诊断测试试题（Word版附答案）

这是一份四川省宜宾市2020-2021学年普通高中高三英语第二次诊断测试试题（Word版附答案），共14页。试卷主要包含了5分，满分7，15等内容，欢迎下载使用。

宜宾市普通高中2020级第二次诊断性测试
英 语
（考试时间：120分钟 满分：150分）
第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）
做题时，先将答案标在试卷上。录音内容结束后，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。
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。
例：How much is the shirt?
A. ￡19.15. B. ￡9.18. C. ￡9.15. 答案是C。
1. What are the two speakers talking about?
A. Weather. B. Travel. C. Study.
2. Where does the conversation most probably take place?
A. In an office. B. In a bank. C. In a hospital.
3. What will the man drink?
A. Coca Cola. B. Beer. C. Soda water.
4. What does the man want to order?
A. TV sets. B. Machines. C. Personal computers.
5. What is the man’s problem?
A. He is thirty. B. He is sick. C. He is tired.
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道小题。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，每小题将给出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至8题。
6. What happened to the man?
A. He locked himself out.
B. He was knocked down by a car.
C. He found his house broken into.
7. What is the woman probably?
A. A driver. B. A doctor. C. A policewoman.
8. What is the woman most probably going to do?
A. Look round the house. B. Talk to the man’s wife. C. Lock all the windows.
听第7段材料, 回答第9至11题。
9. What’s the possible relationship between the two speakers?
A. Interviewer and interviewee. B. Employer and employee. C. Professor and student.
10. Where do the woman’s foreign teachers come from?
A. America. B. England. C. Australia.
11. How many hours will the woman work for every day if she is employed?
A. Four hours. B. Five hours. C. Six hours.
听第8段材料, 回答第12至14题。
12. Why does the woman mention the Sahara Desert?
A. She watched a TV program about it last night.
B. She thinks it is the largest desert in the world.
C. She knows that the man likes foreign things.
13. What kind of film does the woman like actually?
A. Love films. B. Travel films. C. Horror films.
14. What can we learn about the man?
A. He dislikes eating lunch with the woman.
B. He likes to try new food.
C. He gets sick of chips.
听第9段材料, 回答第15至17题。
15. How did Rebecca lose much weight?
A. She was on a diet and exercising.
B. She had too much work.
C. She had too much sport.
16. What sport does Rebecca like best?
A. Baseball. B.Volleyball. C. Soccer.
17. What can we learn from the conversation?
A. The man was on the school football team.
B. Teamwork is of great importance in the match.
C. The football team practiced five hours a day.
听第10段材料, 回答第18至20题。
18. What were dogs mainly used for in the old days?
A. Food. B. Hunting. C. Protection.
19. Why do people in cities keep dogs now?
A. They want them to watch houses.
B. They need friendship.
C. They love animals.
20. What can we learn from the text?
A. Most people in the West still keep dogs for protection.
B. The dog is useful for both children and adults.
C. People feel more and more lonely.
第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
TAYKA HOTEL DE SAL
You’ve stayed at hotels made of brick or wood. But salt? Tayka Hotel de Sal,Tahua, Bolivia
is made mostly of salt, including some beds－though you’ll sleep with regular mattresses and blankets. The hotel, about $130 a night, sits on the border of Salar de Uyuni. It’s a prehistoric dried-up lake and the world’s biggest salt flat. Builders use the salt from the over 4,000-square-mile flat to make the bricks and glue them together with a paste of wet salt. The wet salt will harden when it dries. When rain starts to dissolve the hotel, it’s no problem: the owners just mix up more salt paste to strengthen the bricks.
COOL THINGS ABOUT BOLIVIA
u During rainy summer months, Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni salt flat looks like a giant mirror.
u The bus station in La Paz was designed by Gustav Eiffel. He also designed the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
u Every August in Bolivia, dogs are honored during the Feast of St. Roch.
THINGS TO DO IN BOLIVIA
u Enjoy a salte－a baked pastry filled with spicy meat－from a street vender in Cochabamba.
u Take a boat to Isla del Sol, an island in Lake Titicaca. Motorized vehicles aren’t allowed there.
u Walk up to the Gate of the Sun, a huge stone doorway built by the ancient Tiwanaku culture.
u Dance with thousands of masked and costumed performers at the Carnival de Oruro.
21. What kind of feature does Tayka Hotel de Sal have?
A. It is built largely out of salt.
B. It is at a very high altitude.
C. It is firm in rainy days.
D. It is attractive in price and quality.
22. What can we learn about Bolivia?
A. Bolivia is abundant in natural resources.
B. The people in Bolivia probably respect dogs.
C. Motor vehicles are prohibited everywhere.
D. Bolivian buildings were designed by Gustav Eiffel .
23. What can visitors do in Bolivia?
A. They can study Tiwanaku culture.
B. They can cook local cuisines in person.
C. They can travel to Isla del Sol by boat.
D. They can sing with natives at the Carnival.
B
Sachin oza always seemed to catch whatever cold and flu germs were flying around. Despite being only in his mid-thirties, he felt out of shape and out of sorts. He realized that if he didn’t make some changes, his immune function would continue worsening with age. “I have a family background of diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease,” adds Oza. “I had to take action.”
But Oza’s lifestyle stood in the way. He clocked long days working in finance in London, with little opportunity to be active or focus on his well-being. His commute from his home in Orpington, Kent, to the office was stressful and time-consuming, and he was spending far too many hours stuck behind his desk.
Oza’s increasingly sedentary（久坐不动的）lifestyle had repercussions. In addition to catching bugs easily, he lacked energy, his body ached, and he felt lethargic. “ My immune system was really weak,” recalls Oza. “ I knew that I shouldn’t be feeling this way before even hitting 40.”
So he began a 15-year journey to examine his health fully. He conducted some changes to his diet, introducing more raw fruits and vegetables and cutting down on junk food. He started going for runs and began regular training, resistance training, and stretching. He also became interested in mindfulness, practising deep-breathing and meditation.
Now 49, Oza feels like a new man. “I catch colds far less frequently than before,” he says. His aches and pains have eased, his stress levels are lower, and he sleeps soundly. “I no longer wake up in the early hours, which has made a huge difference in how I feel.”
There are many factors affecting the immune system that we can’t control－ageing weakens our immune function, for example, and we have individual genetic differences that affect how we deal with diseases.
24. What was the barrier for Oza to make changes before?
A. His immune system.
B. His family background.
C. His unfavourable lifestyle.
D. His weak health situation.
25. What does the underlined word “lethargic” mean?
A. Puzzled. B. Sleepy. C. Unconfident. D. Energetic.
26. How has Oza regained health?
A. By taking a 15-year journey.
B. By giving up his job in London.
C. By eating raw fruits and vegetables.
D. By changing diets and keeping training.
27. What do you think of Oza according to his experience?
A. Busy. B. Determined. C. Intelligent. D. Dull.
C
Noise pollution is one of the serious yet least recognized health threats of our time. Noise increase risks of heart disease, cognitive damage and developmental delays. Now, scientists are revealing that non-humans, too, suffer from noise pollution and that they are far more sensitive than humans. Also, marine animals see and sense the world through sound, which travels farther underwater than light. But scientists are now revealing that a vast range of marine creatures are extremely sensitive to sound. The range of negative effects caused by marine noise pollution is astonishing: delayed development, slow growth etc.
Aquatic（水生的）plants are highly sensitive to sound. Take marine seagrass for example, just like forests on land, seagrass is a carbon sink, contributing to stabilizing our global climate. In the past few decades, seagrass meadows the size of the Amazon have vanished. Climate change, pollution, boat anchors and the building of seawalls and harbors are all likely factors. As researchers at the Technical University of Catalonia have recently discovered, we can now add noise pollution to this list of threats. When the scientists exposed a sample of Mediterranean seagrass to powerful blast-level sound, the seagrass was severely damaged.
Their sensitive hearing is an advantage in the dark depths of the ocean, but it makes aquatic organisms very vulnerable. Loud underwater sounds can damage or destroy their hearing ability. These effects occur at much lower intensities（强度）of sound than are known to be damaging to animals on land.
These findings stress the vast threat that marine noise pollution poses to our oceans. As offshore operations - from seabed mining to oil and gas and renewable energy construction - are increasing, little thought has been given to noise pollution. While exposure limitation levels haven’t yet been determined, it is clear that this emerging science will lead to new restrictions on the permitting and operations of marine industrial and shipping activities.
28. What’s the main idea of paragraph 1?
A. Noise pollution is the most serious pollution.
B. Noise pollution hardly influences marine creatures .
C. Noise pollution is regarded as the cause of diseases.
D. Noise pollution harms humans and marine creatures.
29. What is the function of marine seagrass?
A. It has high sensitivity to light.
B. It can keep global climate stable.
C. It can adjust aquatic organisms.
D. It has weak hearing ability.
30. Why is aquatic plants’ hearing ability easily damaged?
A. Because it’s sensitive to the intensities of underwater sounds.
B. Because humans have developed oceans quickly.
C. Because there is lack of light in the deep ocean.
D. Because aquatic plants grow rather slowly.
31. What can be inferred from the text?
A. Marine noise pollution will probably be improved.
B. The restrictions on marine noise has been operated.
C. Ocean transportation and fishery will be forbidden.
D. The ocean will be sharply threatened by noise pollution.
D
Over the years I have been fascinated to read about studies into the power of touch. One famous study examined video footage of how people responded to those near them who had been the victim of a crime. Observing their reaction and comparing their behaviors in non-human primates, researchers found that there are striking similarities between the ways that humans and primates such as chimpanzees comfort one another and demonstrate compassion and care.
But to me, it also speaks about the importance of closeness and intimacy. Another study found that holding hands to comfort a loved one can actually reduce their pain. It found that when people who are close to one another hold hands, their bodies synchronize (同步) their heart rate and breathing rate. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, as we have known for many years about the importance of touch. It symbolizes safety and love which is one of the most important aspects for development as a child. Is it any wonder that, when we are upset, distressed and vulnerable as adults, we seek out the same thing?
The value of touch was demonstrated by a series of disturbing experiments on monkeys back in the 1950s by Harry Harlow, an American psychologist. His work showed the incrediable drive for warmth and intimacy that we have. In his experiments, he took young monkeys and placed them in different enclosures.When given a choice between a surrogate (替代) “ mother ” to cling to made of wire mesh that had a ready supply of milk or a warm, soft mother that didn’t provide any food, they chose, to everyone’s astonishment, the comfort over food. This flew in the face of what was expected. Yet this appeared to show that it was not food, but being comforted and intimate, that was the most important. The experiments showed for the first time how vital the feeling of being loved is to us.
32. What can be learned from paragraph 1?
A. Humans have different behaviors from chimpanzees before violence.
B. Comparing behavior of humans and primates is necessary.
C. Comforting the victims of violence is important.
D. Humans and primates resemble in some way.
33. Which example shows the importance of closeness and intimacy?
A. Giving an upset child candies can comfort him.
B. Observing a victim’s reaction releases his pain.
C. Touching a patient’s hands can make him less distressed.
D. Holding the same heart rate illustrates the close relationship.
34. Why did the people feel surprised at the experiment results ?
A. Because they found the monkeys were not hungry at all.
B. Because the monkeys could comfort the surrogate mother.
C. Because the soft mother didn’t provide any food for the monkeys.
D. Because they always assumed that food was most likely to be chosen.
35. What can be the most suitable title for the passage?
A. The Power of Touch
B. How to Comfort a Loved One
C. Holding Hands Reduces Pain
D. Love and Safety is Essential
第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10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。
Developing friendship with other people is essential in our lives due to our own very nature.
36 Therefore, we need to love and to be loved to become fully human beings, as love
is the highest form we can relate with others and one of the most distinct features of our species.
Here are 4 key points to develop and sustain a true friendship.
Take responsibility of your own emotions.
37 Sometimes we can’t realize that we are presenting the bad power to him /her. Being aware of that, we would be better if we take responsibility and embrace the emotions that come up in our inner world instead of stopping the relationship or blaming the other for what we are feeling.
38
The primary goal of friendship is to love, because this is our most inherent need. But love has no other object than love.Therefore, the value of our friendship with others is not because of the usefulness of the relationship. Our love for a person should not depend on their capacity to improve the conditions of our life. On the contrary, feeling the joy of having a true friendship is what we need.
Seek the good of the other person.
When we love another person, we seek the good of the other because we rejoice in their own
happiness.Therefore, our seeking for the other person’s good is totally disinterested. 39
Acts of love are made for its own sake.
Embrace the differences.
Friendship doesn’t mean having the same interests, opinions and mindset as the other person.
Friendship is therefore a practice of unconditional love, an opportunity to grow together towards
fulfillment, and a journey to unfold the most precious capacities of a human being. 40

A. Human beings are relational beings.
B. Why not cherish it with your own heart?
C. Look at the other as an end not as a means.
D. Recognize the necessity of the close relationship.
E. We usually blame the other person for what we feel.
F. The mode of friendship differs from person to person.
G. We serve the other without expecting anything in return.
第三部分 语言知识运用（共两节，满分45分）
第一节（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
One well-below-freezing morning, I walked through the grounds of Ontario Place. Trees were frosted sculptures, and large chunks of ice 41 in the lake. I stopped to take a photo, and that’s when I saw them: a group of people 42 up and down in the water.
I didn’t quite believe my eyes. The ice warriors emerged from the lake, their skin 43 .They were laughing and hugging each other. Watching them, I felt a surge of 44 . I called out: “You guys are awesome!” One woman smiled back and said, “Come and join us! You can 45 online.” When I got home, I did that and received a(n) 46 email telling me what to bring.
The night before my first dip, I was excited and nervous. I checked the 47 : it was -14 C, or -20 C with Toronto’s well-known wind chill. But there wasn’t a cancellation message. 48 , the dip was on.The next morning, a young man first led us through 49 and breathing exercises. Then, along with the others, I ran in my bathing 50 and water shoes. Together we bounced up and down, and then dashed into the 51 . We dipped down until just our heads and hands were 52 water, and yelled into the sky.
Knowing it was my first time, people 53 me a lot. When we swam back out of the water, my skin was bright red. It felt 54 . After we’d all 55 , we met back on the beach, and danced and sang by a small fire to warm up. I could 56 remember the last time I’d felt so delighted.
There are times when you can try to get out of comfort zone. It won’t 57 everything in our lives, or the world at large – but for 58 reason, it helps. Not only was I stronger and more 59 than I had thought, but also discovered a strong interest and a world I hadn’t known existed. As another winter sets in, I’m more than 60 to embrace the cold again.
41．A．landed
B．floated
C．dropped
D．faded
42．A．jumping
B．walking
C．hiding
D．jogging
43．A．burning
B．steaming
C．rolling
D．aching
44．A．excitement
B．calmness
C．confusion
D．sorrow
45．A．drop out
B．pick up
C．sign up
D．stand out
46．A．application
B．realization
C．occupation
D．confirmation
47．A．risk
B．expense
C．situation
D．forecast
48．A．Apparently
B．Temporarily
C．Suitably
D．Occasionally
49．A．races
B．comments
C．introductions
D．options
50．A．suit
B．type
C．brand
D．number
51．A．river
B．lake
C．ocean
D．stream
52．A．around
B．away
C．above
D．along
53．A．protected
B．observed
C．impressed
D．encouraged
54．A．demanding
B．disappointing
C．amazing
D．amusing
55．A．bounced
B．adjusted
C．predicted
D．changed
56．A．hardly
B．usually
C．particularly
D．merely
57．A．manage
B．fix
C．reply
D．satisfy
58．A．any
B．some
C．other
D．another
59．A．cleverer
B．busier
C．healthier
D．hungrier
60．A．able
B．lucky
C．free
D．ready
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。
European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is back on Earth after spending months in orbit on the International Space Station.The Italian gets 61 (notice) in China after she quoted classic Chinese poetry 62 social media with a view of 63 Chinese capital from space.
Travelling around the Earth at about 28,000 kilometers per hour, 420 kilometers off the ground in the International Space Station (ISS) certainly 64 (give) us a unique perspective on our planet.
That view inspired Cristoforetti 65 (dive) into the Chinese classics as the ISS flew over parts of China. She quoted 4th-century poet Wang Xizhi’s Preface to poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion.The text 66 (accompany) by photos of China taken from the space station.
Cristoforetti speaks six languages including Chinese and has 67 (previous) taken part in joint training between the ESA and the China Manned Space Agency. It is hoped 68 ESA astronauts will cooperate with Chinese counterparts.With Cristoforetti having laid groundwork for that, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher was full of praise for the 69 (talent) astronaut and positive about the cooperation of space 70 (explore).

第四部分 写作（共两节，满分35分）
第一节 短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Among all the instructive proverb, the one I like best is “ Where there is a will, there is a way.”, who tells us that we should stick to our dreams.For me, the saying has specially meaning. When I was in the middle school, I was such poor in my studies that I nearly gave up. Though my headteacher always encouraged me every time I lost my heart. He uses to say, “ A little more effort and you will make it ”.
Thanks to my dearest teacher, all my efforts paid back and finally I became a top student. Nothing is impossible to willing heart. As long as you keep try, you’ll succeed.

第二节 书面表达（满分25分）
假定你是学生李华，你的英国朋友Tom在汉语水平考试（简称HSK）中成绩不理想，写信求助。请根据以下要点回信：
1. 表示安慰；
2. 提出建议；
3. 给予鼓励。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Tom,

















Yours,
Li Hua
2020级秋期高三年级第二次诊断考试
英语参考答案及评分意见
2023.3
第一部分（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
1-5 ABBCC 6-10 CCAAC 11-15 AACBA 16-20 CBCBB
第二部分（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
21-25 ABCCB 26-30 DBDBA 31-35 ADCDA 36-40 AECGB
第三部分（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
41-45. BABAC 46-50. DDACA 51-55. BCDCD 56-60. ABBCD
第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
61. noticed 62.on 63. the 64. gives 65. to dive
66. was accompanied 67. previously 68. that 69. talented 70. exploration
第四部分
第一节 短文改错（共10小题; 每小题1分，满分10分）
Among all the instructive proverb, the one I like best is “Where there is a way, there is a 
proverbs
will.”, who tells us that we should stick to our dreams. For me, the saying has specially meaning. 
which special
When I was in the Middle School, I was such poor in my studies that I nearly gave up. Though
so But
my head-teacher was always there and gave me confidence every time I lost my heart. He uses to
used
say, “ A little more effort and you will make it ”.
Thanks to my dearest teacher, all my efforts paid back and finally I became a top student.
off
Nothing is impossible to ∧willing heart. As long as you keep try, you’ll make it.
a trying
第二节 书面表达（满分25分）
一、评分原则
1. 本题总分为25分，按5档次给分。
2. 评分时，先根据文章的内容和语言初步确定其所属档次，然后以该档次的要求来衡量，确定或调整档次，最后给分。
3. 评分时，应注意的主要内容为：内容要点、应用词汇和语法的准确性、上下文的连贯性及语言的得体性。
4. 拼写与标点符号是语言准确性的一个方面，评分时，应视其对交际的影响程度予以考试。
5. 如书写较差，以至影响交际，将分数降低一个档次。
二、内容要点：
1.表示安慰；
2.提出建议；
3.给予鼓励。
三、要点认定：
1. 考生必须有较完整的句子表达出要点。如只有关键词而无主谓结构，不可视为要点写出。
2. 围绕要点的发挥，如有语言错误，则扣语言分。
四、为了操作方便，按表达要点的多少和使用语言的情况，划分为五个档次，列表说明如下：
档次
得分
要点数
语言情况
五
21—25
5
语言基本无误，行文连贯，表达清楚。
四
16—20
4
语言有少量错误，行文基本连贯，表达基本清楚。
三
11—15
3
语言有一些错误，尚能达意。
二
6—10
2
语言错误很多，影响表达。
一
0—5
1
只能写出与所要求内容有关的一些单词。
注意：
1. 原则上应按照考生所表达的要点数归档。如语言错误多，可降一档，如语言表达较好，可打该档最高分或上升一档。
2. 在同一档次内，根据语言错误的多少确定五个分值。
1—2个错误，取该档次分值的高线（如一档中的24-25分）；3个错误，取该档次分值的中线（如一档中的23分）；4个错误，取该档次分值的低线（如一档中的21-22）；5个错误降一档（如二档中的20分）。以此类推。
录音材料原文：
Text 1
M: Lovely day, isn’t it?
W: Yes, isn’t it? In our city we haven’t such a day.
M: It’s a pity. By the way, what part of the world do you come from?
W: France. What about you?
Text 2
W: Anything I can do for you?
M: Could I change these pounds for dollars, please?
W: Do you want small bills or large ones?
M: It doesn’t matter.
Text 3
W: You must be thirsty. Would you like a bottle of Coca Cola?
M: I would rather have a bottle of beer than Coca Cola.
W: That’s OK. Here you are.
M: Thank you.
Text 4
M: Miss Wang.
W: Yes, sir. Anything I can do for you?
M: Yes. Please make a call to IBM. Tell them that we will place an order for 50 personal computers.
W: All right. I’ll do it at once.
Text 5
W: You look awful. Do you have a cold?
M: No, I’ve been up all night finishing a paper. All I’ve had to drink is coffee.
Text 6
W: Now you say you’re not sure how the thieves got in. Before I look round, can I ask you a few questions about the house?
M: Of course.
W: Do you always lock the front door when you go out?
M: Yes, and I’m sure I locked it yesterday.
W: What about the windows?
M: Well, the downstairs ones are always locked. We even have a lock on the little one in the hall.
W: And upstairs?
M: Well, I think most of the windows probably locked. They were all locked on Friday.
W: And you didn’t open any on Friday night?
M: No. I’m sure I didn’t.
W: Well, I can’t understand it. Let’s go and look round. Perhaps I’ll notice something you have missed.
Text 7
M: Can you tell me something about your education?
W: Yes. I’m a graduate of Zhengzhou University. I studied business.
M: Did you like your courses?
W: Very much, and I’ve done well in all of them. Here are the results of my examinations.
M: Hmm, you were indeed a good student. What about your spoken English?
W: I can talk with foreigners freely. When I was at college, I often went to the English Corner. We had English teachers from Australia.
M: Hmm. We can hire you. We give the employees a salary of 480 dollars a month at the beginning. If you do a good job, you will get a raise in three months’ time.
W: That’s great. How long should I work every day?
M: Four hours every day and two days off in a week.
W: Do you offer housing for employees?
M: Not now. My assistant will answer your questions.
W: OK. When shall I begin my work?
M: Next week.
Text 8 
W: Did you see the late night film on television yesterday?
M: The one on channel 8?
W: No. On channel 5. It was about a couple who hiked across the Sahara Desert.
M: No, I didn’t. Was it good?
W: Well, it was quite good, I suppose, but all those miles of sand did get a bit boring after a while. I think I prefer horror films to travel stories or love stories.
M: I went out for a meal with my friends. They took me to a Greek restaurant.
W: Sounds unusual! What was the food like?
M: Actually, I quite liked it.
W: I’m not keen on foreign food myself. I’d rather stick to roast beef or chips.
M: Yes, I notice you always eat chips! Don’t ever get sick of chips?
W: No, never. In fact, I’d rather eat chips than bread.
M: Well, I prefer trying new food to eating the same old things day after day.
W: I see. So you won’t be coming to the café at lunch time with me, then. You’d rather eat on your own, right?
M: Well...
Text 9
M: Hi, Rebecca, haven’t seen you for ages! You seem to have lost a lot of weight.
W: Yes, I have. I have been on a diet and exercising a lot.
M: There will be a baseball game in the stadium this afternoon. Would you like to watch it?
W: No, I think baseball games are boring.
M: Do you like volleyball?
W: Yes, I do. But I prefer soccer to volleyball.
M: Did you ever play soccer in high school?
W: Yes, I was on the school team. We were required to practice four hours a day.
M: Did you often play other schools and play well?
W: Yes, we often did. We almost won the championship.
M: You must have had very good teamwork.
W: Yes, we did. Teamwork is the most important element in winning.
Text 10
When you take a walk in any of the cities in the West, you often see a lot of people walking with dogs. It is still true that the dog is the most useful and faithful animal in the world. But the reason why people keep a dog has changed. In the old days people used to train dogs to protect themselves against attacks by other beasts. And later they came to realize that a dog was not only useful for protection but willing to obey his master. For example, when people used dogs for hunting, the dogs wouldn’t eat what was caught without permission. But now people in a city need not protect themselves against attacks from animals. Why do they keep dogs then? Some people keep dogs to protect themselves from thieves. But the most important reason is for companionship. For a child, a dog is his best friend when he has no friends to play with. For young couples, a dog is their child when they have no children. For old couples, a dog is also their child when their real children have grown up. So the main reason why people keep dogs has changed from protection to friendship.