江苏省南京市六校联合体2022-2023学年高二英语下学期6月联合调研试题（Word版附答案）

这是一份江苏省南京市六校联合体2022-2023学年高二英语下学期6月联合调研试题（Word版附答案），共13页。试卷主要包含了5分，满分7，5 millin dllars等内容，欢迎下载使用。

2022-2023学年第二学期6月六校联合调研考试
高二英语试卷
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. Where is the hairdryer？
A. In the bedroom. B. In the bathroom. C. In the sitting room.
2. What is the man doing？
A. Expressing thanks. B. Asking for help. C. Making a suggestion.
3. What are the speakers talking about?
A. A bus line. B. A policy. C. A newspaper.
4. What does the man suggest the woman do?
A. Shop online. B. Take a day off. C. Borrow a coffee machine.
5. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Relatives. B. Classmates. C. Colleagues.
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。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. How does the man usually go to work?
A. By car. B. By bike. C. By subway.
7. What will the man start doing next month?
A. Learning to drive.
B. Travelling around the world.
C. Looking for a new apartment.
听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。
8. At what price was The Scream sold?
A. 82.5 million dollars. B. 106.5 million dollars. C. 119.9 million dollars.
9. What does the woman say about the paintings?
A. Their commercial value always changes.
B. They’re becoming more valuable than before.
C. They get much appreciation from personal collectors.
听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。
10. What does the woman think of studying in France?
A. It’s surprising. B. It’s worthwhile. C. It’s disappointing.
11. Where does the woman advise the man to live when studying abroad?
A. In the school dormitory.
B. In a host family.
C. In a rented apartment.
12. What did the man do yesterday morning?
A. He surfed the Internet.
B. He handed in his application form.
C. He went to the Study-Abroad Center.
听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。
13. Who is the woman probably?
A. A reporter. B. A hostess. C. A manager.
14. How did the man find the plastic component business?
A. It was tiring. B. It was boring. C. It was interesting.
15. What inspired the man to set up Cliche?
A. Eye shadow. B. A wedding dress. C. Plastic drinking straws.
16. What did the man do to get Cliche started?
A. He sold the products by himself.
B. He gave the concept to a big firm.
C. He cooperated with a famous company.
听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。
17. When did the speaker’s mother build a shelter for children?
A. In 2005. B. In 2006. C. In 2007.
18. What disease does the speaker’s mother suffer from?
A. Alzheimer’s disease.
B. Parkinson’s disease.
C. Blood pressure disorders.
19. What can the speaker’s mother do now?
A. Sing songs. B. Watch TV shows. C. Do morning exercises.
20. What will the speaker probably talk about next?
A. Her talks with her mother.
B. The care center’s regulations.
C. Her mother’s expectations of her.
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、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
Heritage Open Days 2023
CITYWIDE *Sep 8th-17th, 2023 *free *family friendly
Heritage Open Days is an annual celebration of England’s architecture and culture that gives people access to historical buildings that either are not ordinarily open to the public or require an entrance fee. It also consists of architectural and cultural events and activities.

HISTORY
The history of Heritage Open Days can actually date back to 1994 when England joined European Heritage Days Community along with some other countries, but the first-ever Heritage Open Days was not held until September 2018. Heritage Open Days does not cover the entire UK; it only operates in England except for London.
DATE
Every year, the dates of visit are announced and new activities and events are planned. Although the dates differ annually, the holiday usually lasts for 10 days in September. This year, it is held from September 8th to 17th.
ACTIVITIES
※Visit a Heritage Open Days site: Take advantage of these days and visit some of the many historical landmarks that are part of Heritage Open Days. You can also participate in the different events and activities that are organized for visitors.
※Volunteer: If you are in the visit area, volunteer for Heritage Open Days. You could donate time, money, or efforts to the festivities and become a part of the celebration in a new and more meaningful way.
※Learn more: If you are not in England or unable to participate, take this chance to learn about the history and culture of England and how Heritage Open Days came into existence.
21. What can people do during Heritage Open Days?
A. Organize family activities at will.
B. Visit historical buildings for free.
C. Learn more about European Heritage Days.
D. Attend the celebration throughout September.
22. What do we know about Heritage Open Days?
A. It was first held in 1994.
B. It is celebrated across the UK.
C. Its dates rarely change each year.
D. Its programs vary from year to year.
23. What does the author intend to introduce in the last part?
A. How to celebrate the festival.
B. Where to volunteer for the celebration.
C. Why to participate in the celebration
D. What to enjoy during the festival.
B
A fisherman in northern Cambodia hooked what researchers say is the world’s largest freshwater fish — a giant stingray (黄貂鱼) that scientists know relatively little about.
The fisherman, 42, caught the 300-kilogram fish, which measured about four meters in length, near a remote island on the Mekong River in the Stung Treng area. A team of scientists from the Wonders of Mekong research project helped tag (给…装标签), measure and weigh the fish before it was released back into the river. The research group believes it was healthy when released and expects it to survive.
The tag—which emits an acoustic (声音的) signal — will allow researchers to track the fish’s movements and they hope, learn more about its species’ behavior in the Mekong.
The catch “highlights how little we know about a lot of these giant freshwater fish,” said Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist at the University of Nevada. “You have a fish that’s now the record holder for the world’s largest freshwater fish, and we know little about it.”
The fisherman, Moul Thun, caught the giant stingray with a hook and line on the evening of June 13, and then contacted researchers the next morning.
Researchers with the Wonders of Mekong were already in northern Cambodia to install underwater receivers as part of a project to track migratory fish in the river.
“It’s a particularly healthy stretch of the river with a lot of deep pools — pools up to 90 meters deep,” said Hogan, who is also the host of National Geographic’s “Monster Fish” television series. “We started focusing on this area as a stretch of river that’s particularly important for biodiversity and fisheries, and as a last refuge (避难所) for these big species.”
For several months, the research group has been in contact with local fishermen, asking them to get in touch if they landed a significant catch. The group has helped with two other large giant freshwater stingray releases in recent months. The fisherman who caught the record fish was paid market price for his catch. “It works because the fish is not a highly prized food fish,” Hogan said.
Hogan said little is known about the giant freshwater stingray. The creature has a mouth about “the size of a banana” with no teeth, but with “gripping pads” used to crush (压碎) prey. “They’re on the bottom finding shrimps, mollusks and small fish. They can suck them up with this banana-shaped mouth and crush them,” he said.
24. What did the scientists use the tag to do?
A. To enable the freshwater fish to survive.
B. To record the sound of the freshwater fish.
C. To be informed of the freshwater fish’s health.
D. To help them know more about the freshwater fish.
25. What is Zeb Hogan’s tone in paragraph 4?
A. Optimistic. B. Regretful. C. Indifferent. D. Proud.
26. What does Hogan say about the deep pools?
A. Their depth can hardly be measured.
B. They are too deep to explore in detail.
C. There is a special TV show about them.
D. They are likely home to big species.
27. What do researchers expect fishermen to do?
A. To discover highly prized food fish.
B. To sell their big catch at a lower price.
C. To report their unusual catch in time.
D. To show respect for the significant catch.
C
Anyone who uses the ChatGPT website can ask the chatbot questions on any topic and get a speedy, detailed response in paragraph form. The website lists ChatGPT’s positive features as its ability to “remember what users said earlier in conversation” and allow users to provide follow-up corrections”, and how it’s trained to “decline inappropriate requests”.
The company OpenAI is honest about some of the technology’s flaws. According to its website, the chatbot occasionally “generates incorrect information” and “produces harmful instructions or prejudiced content”. It lists a third question: having “limited knowledge of the world and events after 2021”.
The New York City Department of Education banned the use of ChatGPT this month on devices and networks owned by schools across the state. The department mentioned concerns from local school teachers about student success. Oakland Unified School District in California and Seattle Public Schools have moved against ChatGPT, because it creates human-like responses that can be difficult to detect. Other large school systems including Miami-Dade County and Houston haven’t banned ChatGPT so far. Universities including Princeton are refusing to ban the chatbot; instead, they are advising professors to set their own rules.
Blocking a particular platform may be far less effective than schools think. “If students are not using it in their classes, they can use it at home or on their personal devices,” said Adam Phyall, an education technology expert. “Are we going to have a conversation about how we are going to unblock it? Or is it going to be: If we’re scared, let’s give it up and move onto the next thing? Instead, schools could use ChatGPT to teach kids how to improve their writing, for instance,” he said.
An OpenAI spokesperson said the company wants to help schools with their concerns and that users should reasonably use their AI-generated text. The company is hoping to work on a system for teachers to check whether students have used ChatGPT to cheat.
28. What does the underlined word “flaws” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Functions. B. Faults. C. Principles. D. Applications.
29. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?
A. Wide use of ChatGPT in schools. B. Mixed reactions to ChatGPT.
C. Barriers to ChatGPT’s promotion. D. Concerns arising from ChatGPT.
30. What is Adam Phyall’s attitude to banning ChatGPT in schools?
A. Favourable. B. Unclear. C. Disapproving. D. Cautious.
31. What is OpenAI likely to do next according to the passage?
A. Train more teachers to use ChatGPT.
B. Introduce ChatGPT to more schools.
C. Set limitations on the use of ChatGPT.
D. Help educators identify ChatGPT texts.
D
From train tickets to doctor’s appointments, there’s a growing expectation that consumers should include technology in everyday life. We take it for granted that technology brings us closer and improve our access to essential products and services. But people who can’t or don’t want to engage with the latest technology are being left behind.
Technology should not be allowed to drive people to the side of their own lives, as many facts suggest is increasingly the case. For example, there have been reports that some elderly people no longer drive to their local park, because they cannot download the parking app required. Evidently, age is one big predictor of digital exclusion (排斥). Only 47% of those aged 75 and over use the Internet regularly. Out of the four million who have never used the Internet in the UK, only 300,000 people are under 55. But older people aren’t the only ones feeling shut out.
Concerns about privacy can stop people using technology as well. A survey into consumers’ trust in business showed no industry reached a trust rating of 50% for data protection. Some people view “forced” digitalization as a symbol of consumer culture and limit their contact with it; also, many people take a “less is more” approach to technology simply because they feel it offers a more meaningful existence. They all belong to a population group that often slips people’s mind in related discussions. No one could discount, however, one factor－poverty. Some regions, particularly rural ones, even struggle for phone signals. The UK phone network’s plans for a digital switchover could cut off people who rely on their landlines.
The solution is not simply to give devices to those without smart technology. While there’s a need to provide affordable Internet access and technology, we need to recognize diversity in society. Services should provide non-digital selections that reflect equality. Local councils, healthcare providers and businesses should understand more about the diversity of consumers and develop services that meet the needs of all people. After all, access to and inclusion in society is a human right.
32. Why is the example of the elderly mentioned in Paragraph 2?
A. To provide a proof. B. To introduce a concept.
C. To make a comparison. D. To confirm a prediction.
33. According to the passage, which of the following factors CAN’T account for digital exclusion?
A. Age. B. Privacy. C. Gender. D. Attitude.
34. What does the author suggest in the last paragraph?
A. Inquiring opinions from diverse consumers.
B. Slowing the pace of the technological shift.
C. Offering services with online and offline options.
D. Bettering access to the Internet and technology.
35. Which can be the best title for the text?
A. Life sees two-edged effect from digitalization
B. Technology is excluding a significant minority
C. Social barriers result from technological shifts
D. Digital divide is becoming increasingly serious
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。
Translation is an essential tool for effective communication. A common way of getting any translation done is to turn to human translators. However, machine translators have developed rapidly in recent years. Many people claim that they will replace human translators soon. 36
Machines may fail to understand culture properly. Different cultures have different words that are unique to that specific culture. Machines cannot understand or recognize idioms, slang, and allusions (典故). 37 By contrast, human translators can find the suitable equivalent (对应物) in the target language based on the cultural background.
38 In different languages, there are words with various meanings, which can be a significant problem for machine translators. These words have to be placed in context to determine their true meanings and in many cases only human translators can do this. If you run a document with this kind of words through a machine translator, it may lead to inaccurate translations.
It is difficult to localize machines for different languages. New phrases are being developed in almost all languages. 39 If you feed new words into a machine translator, the machine might go “speechless” , trying to come up with the most appropriate way to translate the strange combination of words. Human translators, on the other hand, can pick up on the development in a language quickly.
It’s difficult for machines to distinguish style and tone. Every written document has a different style and tone. A document can have poetic, funny or persuasive style and tone. Machine translators may lose the intended style and tone existing in the original document. 40 And such a translation can hardly resonate (引起共鸣) with the person who reads it.
A. Machines can’t relate words to the context.
B. Machines can’t remember words of all languages
C. It doesn’t actually hold up for some reasons.
D. Thus the result is a flat and soulless translation.
E. Machine translators are unable to catch these changes in time.
F. This is one challenge they may find very difficult to overcome.
G. Machine translators are becoming more and more popular these days.
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)
阅读下列短文，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。
“I can’t wait to play in the backyard,” said Ariel Hurley. Every day, Ariel watched with 41 as contractors rebuilt her backyard. Throughout December 2021, the Oakdale Elementary kindergartener observed the workers 42 her family’s deck into a double-level extension to the porch (门廊) and build a swing set next to it. “I’ve been 43 for a plane, a slide and a swing for a long time. Now, my mom doesn’t have to take me to the park,” Ariel said 44 .
The 5-year-old likes to swing high, though her mother Terry Hurley tells Ariel not to do it to avoid 45 , because her daughter has an illness that has 46 her for much of her life. Now this backyard makeover could help her 47 her dream of playing at an amusement park just like other kids.
Ariel’s mother applied for Make-A-Wish last month and got 48 right away. After hearing about Ariel’s illness, the Make-A-Wish coordinator Jane Walsh 49 Oakdale to see whether they would be interested in having a fundraiser, and the administrators of the school 50 the opportunity. Then Make-A-Wish and Oakdale set a(n) 51 goal of $3,000 for the fundraiser, but the school 52 that number within the first week, getting a total of $6,278.
Oakdale Elementary Principal Andrea Payne says she’s 53 of the entire student body and their 54 . “I had no idea it would get that much attention, but they really made it,” the principal said. She hopes that by 55 Ariel’s wish, they can help make a big difference to her recovery.
41. A. excitement B. disappointment C. confusion D. courage
42. A. trade B. break C. change D. imagine
43. A. wishing B. reaching C. searching D. heading
44. A. shyly B. calmly C. sadly D. happily
45. A. injuries B. losses C. conflicts D. mistakes
46. A. encouraged B. controlled C. improved D. affected
47. A. realize B. prove C. abandon D. remember
48. A. suspected B. rejected C. adopted D. approved
49. A. contacted B. appointed C. reminded D. criticized
50. A. put forward B. jumped at C. tried out D. turned down
51. A. unrealistic B. accurate C. random D. initial
52. A. calculated B. exceeded C. revealed D. divided
53. A. doubtful B. fond C. proud D. ashamed
54. A. honesty B. wisdom C. wealth D. kindness
55. A. fulfilling B. receiving C. expressing D. submitting
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个适当单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Qiyuan Garden is a classical type private garden 56.__________ (locate) in Wuyuan Township of Haiyan County in Zhejiang Province. It is one of the top ten gardens in China. The old name of it is Feng’s Garden. During the Qing Dynasty, 57.__________ owner of the Garden, Feng Zuanzhai, settled here.
The layout of the whole garden expresses the 58.__________ (harmony) manner between water and mountains. The garden has a large area of water 59.__________ it is dotted with a few constructions. The entrance of the garden is on the west side. In the middle of the garden is the flower hall with bridges in front. The 60.__________ (flow) water goes around the hall to the north, and by the other side of the pool in front of the hall 61.__________ (be) artificial hills. The layout of the garden is similar 62. __________ the structure of the Humble Administrator Garden in Suzhou. The garden has various 63.__________ (attract) with fancy names such as Butterfly Drops into Greens and the Setting Sun on the Lotus Pool. Pathways here consist of waterways, mountain holes, underground tunnels and fly-over beams (飞梁), 64.__________ will bring you to a dreamland. Beautiful gloriettes (亭子) are evenly distributed in the garden 65.___________ (provide) a place for relaxation.
第四部分 写作 (共两节，满分40分)
第一节 (满分15分)
你校正在组织英语演讲比赛，请你以“Emojis make our language richer”为题，写一篇英语演讲稿参赛。
注意： 1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
参考词汇：emoji表情符号
Emojis make our language richer
Ladies and gentlemen，




That’s all. Thanks for your listening!

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。
Max loved action comics and movies. He worked in the car park of a big supermarket. It didn’t seem to be a good job, but Max didn’t have any qualifications. This was the best job he could find. Max collected the shopping carts (购物车) that shoppers left in the car park. He took the shopping carts back to the entrance of the supermarket. It was sometimes hard work but it was not difficult. So Max had a lot of spare time to dream. He dreamed of being a hero, like Superman or Batman. Of course, his dreams were crazy but as Max told himself, dreams were free of charge.
Today it was very wet and windy. Max was wearing a long blue raincoat that had the name of the supermarket on the back. Max was standing next to a row of carts. He would push them together and then he would take them all back to the supermarket door. He looked around to see if there were any more left in the car park. Though there were designated (指定的) places for shoppers to leave the carts after shopping, some people were still so lazy that they just left them where they thought it was convenient for them. Just then Max saw two young boys in jackets wandering around aimlessly.
“They seem like students. They should be in school,” Max thought, “What are they doing here?” He then saw a small lady pushing a cart towards her car. The cart was full of shopping bags. She looked old and the weather was very bad. “I’ll go and take her cart for her,” Max said to himself.
Max started walking across the car park. The lady put her cart behind her car. She walked to her car door to unlock it when the two boys ran towards the cart. They immediately took the cart and quickly pushed it towards the road. The lady was terribly shocked and began to cry out.

注意： 1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
“Hey, you! What are you doing?” shouted Max.





Max grasped the shopping cart and pushed it back to the car park of the supermarket.








2022-2023学年第二学期6月六校联合调研考试
英语试卷答案
2023. 6
第一部分 听力（每小题1.5分，满分30分）
1-5 BABAC 6-10 CACAB 11-15ACBBC 16-20 CCABA
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）
21-23 BDA 24-27 DBDC 28-31 BBCD 32-35 ACCB
第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分）
36-40 CFAED
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）
41-45 ACADA 46-50 DADAB 51-55 DBCDA
第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
56. located 57. the 58. harmonious 59. and 60. flowing
61. are 62. to 63. attractions 64. which 65. to provide
第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（满分15分）
Emojis make our language richer
Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm honored to stand here and present my speech.
When we are writing a message to someone, it can be hard to get across how we are feeling. Emojis can help with this, in the same way that people use body language for emphasis when speaking. They are easily understood, making them the closest thing we have to a universal language. Emojis are very efficient. One symbol can express an emotion that might otherwise take someone a whole sentence to explain. These symbols bring our language to life and are the next step in the development of human communication.
That’s all. Thanks for your listening!

第二节（满分25分）
“Hey, you! What are you doing?” shouted Max. As fast as he could, Max ran towards the boys. Hearing his shouts, the frightened boys ran even faster. “Stop! Stop!” Max shouted as he kept running. The boys ran to the corner. There was a bus coming. They had to stop. They turned around and saw Max, whose long coat was blowing in the wind. He looked more like a Batman, or a Superman. The boys were so scared that they left the cart and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Max grasped the shopping cart and pushed it back to the car park of the supermarket. The little old lady was still waiting anxiously outside her car. The store manager had come. It was quite clear that the lady had been deeply frightened. The manager was trying to comfort her. Max walked up to her and said regrettably, “I couldn’t catch the bad boys, but here is your shopping.” “Oh, thank you!” the lady said. “You are a hero.” Max’s face turned red. Though he didn’t think of himself as a hero, he really felt proud of himself.

听力材料
Text 1.
W：Dad, have you seen my hairdryer? I remember I blow -dried my hair last night and left it in my bedroom. But it’s not there, nor in the sitting room.
M: Oh, your mom used it and put it away in the bathroom.
Text 2.
M: Fiona, thank you so much for the time you spent helping me with my biology project. I couldn’t have completed my paper without your sincere help.
W: My pleasure! I also learned a lot from you.
Text 3.
W: Do you know that the government’s considering investing money in public transportation, to build more long-distance bus lines?
M: Really? When was that policy released? That’s really good news.
Text 4.
W: I’ve been considering buying a coffee machine for weeks, but I’m simply too busy to do it.
M: Why don’t you do it online? You just need to create an account and follow the instructions for making purchases.
Text 5.
M: Tina, you were late for work three times this week! Our manager’s not happy with that.
W: I know. But my brother just had an operation, and I need to bring breakfast to him before I drive to work. Maybe I should get up earlier.
Text 6.
W: So you don’t have a license?
M: No, I’ve lived in city centers all my life. I usually take the subway to work and I also ride my bicycle sometimes.
W: Do you think you’ll learn to drive someday?
M: Yes. I plan to buy a car next year. I’d like to travel more. I’ve been in this place for a few years, but it seems like I haven’t seen anything yet.
W: Okay.
M: I’ve already signed up for a course near my apartment. It starts next month.
Text 7.
M: Do you know the painting by Edward Munch called The Scream?
W: Yes. It was sold at an auction --- guess at what price?
M: I remember a painting by Van Gogh sold at a record-high 82.5 million many years ago.
W: Then Munch’s The Scream achieved another milestone: it was sold at 119.9 million dollars. And here it says the previous record is held by a painting by Picasso at 106.5 million.
M: Does that mean the world is attaching greater significance to fine art?
W: Not necessarily. These paintings have already become an icon, but their commercial value changes, depending on the market, the campaign, personal taste, ect.
Text 8.
M: I’m still not sure whether I should apply to a graduate school in France. You’ve been there for two years. What do you think?
W: I think it’s good value for money. France has been a popular study-abroad destination because of its many excellent universities.
M: Are the tuition fees in France high?
W: They might be higher than in Russia, but lower than in, let’s say, the US.
M: What about accommodation?
W: You’d better live in the university residence halls. It’s much safer, and cheaper than living in a host family or renting an apartment.
M: Okay. I’d also like to ask you about the application procedures. I went to the Study-Abroad Center yesterday morning, and they told me it depends on where I’m going.
W: Right. Application procedures vary from one institute to another, so you’ll need to look them up on their websites or find an agency to guide you.
Text 9.
W: Morning, everyone. Welcome to Business! Today, I’m talking to Richard Butler, Managing Director of Cliche, the straw toy which every youngster wants. Welcome, Richard!
M: Hello Jenny.
W: So, how did it all start?
M: I’d been running my father’s plastic component business, and we were producing make-up cases --- eye shadow, lipstick and so on. I thought I would take it as far as I could, but I was bored from the very beginning.
W: What gave you the idea for Cliche?
M: I was at a wedding party, sitting in a corner toying with plastic drinking straws on my table. I pieced them together and managed to build a toy with them. I realized that with the right structure I could build some impressive new toys.
W: How did you plan to get started then?
M: My initial idea was to sell the concept to a big toy company, so they could make and sell it. After the model was ready, I tried to convince a big manufacturer, but unexpectedly, they agreed to develop it with me collectively. And that saved me a lot of trouble.
Text 10.
My mom’s a wonderful woman. She was born in Texas in 1968 and worked as a Spanish teacher until 2005. Then two years later, with my father’s help, she built a home for children in Honduras. She devoted herself to caring for the poor, both physically and emotionally. However, from 2020, everything was different. My mom was found with Alzheimer’s disease. But luckily, she doesn’t have Parkinson’s disease or any blood pressure disorders, which are common diseases for the elderly. Right now, my mom lives in a special care center that meets the needs of residents who suffer from such medical conditions. Several times a week, a woman comes to bathe her. They often offer activities at the center, and these include singing, exercise, and even short trips to the local area. Although my mom isn’t able to participate in these as she did in the past, she still enjoys the simple things: holding hands, watching TV shows and taking short walks outside. I used to talk about everything with my mom. But now, my conversations with my mom are always short, like last week ...