2023丽水高二下学期期末英语试题含答案

这是一份2023丽水高二下学期期末英语试题含答案，共13页。试卷主要包含了06等内容，欢迎下载使用。

丽水市2022学年第二学期普通高中教学质量监控
高二英语试题卷
2023.06
本试卷分第I卷（选择题）和第II卷（非选择题）。第I卷1至8页,第II卷9至10页。
第Ⅰ卷
注意事项:
1.答第I卷前,考生务必将自己的姓名、准考证号填写在答题卡上。
2.选出每小题答案后,用铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需改动,用橡皮擦干净后,再选涂其他答案。不能答在本试卷上,否则无效。
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 will the woman fetch?
A. A carrot. B. A hat. C. A rabbit.
2. What does Ann think of biking to work?
A. It’s tiring. B. It’s environment-friendly. C. It’s comfortable.
3. How will Eddy spend his holiday?
A. Going on a trip. B. Learning to dance. C. Staying with his grandparents.
4. Where is probably the woman now?
A. In the living room. B. In the bedroom. C. In the kitchen.
5. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A. The reasons why Juno quit. B. The woman’s company. C. The man’s boss.
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 woman feel about the ending of the movie?
A. Bored. B. Puzzled. C. Satisfied.
7. What does the woman want to do next?
A. Dine with the man. B. Play basketball. C. Pick a wedding gift.
听第7段材料, 回答第8至10题。
8. Who will go to the park with the man?
A. The woman. B. Andy. C. George.
9. Why did Jessica go to the airport?
A. To pick up her friend. B. To catch her flight. C. To see someone off.
10. What is the weather like today?
A. Rainy. B. Sunny. C. Snowy.
听第8段材料, 回答第11至13题。
11. Where does the conversation take place?
A. On the phone. B. In a language center. C. At the woman’s home.
12. How many courses does the woman mention?
A. 6. B. 5. C. 4.
13. Which course will Amy take?
A. Magic English. B. Magic Growth. C. Magic Conversation.
听第9段材料, 回答第14至17题。
14. What time is it now?
A. 7:30 a. m. B. 8:00 a. m. C. 8:30 a. m.
15. What did Eric do last night?
A. He worked overtime. B. He looked after his nephew. C. He went to a party.
16. What does the woman ask Eric to buy?
A. Candles. B. Chocolate. C. Balloons.
17. How will Eric go to the supermarket?
A. By bus. B. On foot. C. By car.
听第10段材料, 回答第18至20题。
18. How were the elephants prevented from escaping?
A. By holding them with chains.
B. By tying a rope to one of their legs.
C. By keeping them in cages.
19. Why did the gentleman talk with a trainer?
A. To remove his confusion. B. To learn how to train animals. C. To know about the camp.
20. What does the speaker try to tell people?
A. It’s important to learn from successful people.
B. The most difficult thing in life is to know oneself.
C. People should believe in themselves in pursuing dreams.
第二部分阅读理解（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,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Click to see figure captions of the best UK hotels and hideaways in landscaped gardens.
Allt-y-Bela, Usk, Wales
Home of renowned garden designer Arne Maynard offers the chance to immerse yourself in the beauty and peace of the Welsh countryside. There are just two bedrooms with breakfasts served in the farmhouse kitchen, in the company of Arne’s two dogs, cat and chickens（guests are welcome to bring their own pets）. The real joy is the garden with everything from native meadow planting to clipped classic English blooms.
Doubles from £200, B&B（Bed and Breakfast）; arnemaynard.com
Goldstone Hall Hotel, Shropshire
Goldstone Hall boasts five acres of lovingly designed gardens. Rooms are quiet and comfortable rather than luxurious, but many have wonderful views across the gardens, and the restaurant serves up flavoursome dishes made with the best of garden produce. This is a classic English escape.
Doubles from £170, B&B; goldstonehallhotel.co.uk
Hotel Endsleigh, Devon
A peaceful getaway near the beautiful bay of Findhorn, a stay at the Endsleigh doesn’t come cheap, but the chance to explore the stunning 100-acre gardens is one of England’s greatest horticultural treats. Rooms are the epitome of rustic luxury, with statement wallpapers and vibrant prints, while the restaurant offers everything from hearty breakfasts to luxurious afternoon teas.
Doubles from £240, Room-only; thepolizzicollection.com
Hever Castle, Kent
Originally laid out between 1904 and 1908, Hever’s 125 acres of gardens combine ponds with 5,000 rose bushes, a rhododendron walk and an Italianate garden that boasts a collection of Italian sculptures. The best way to beat the crowds and see the gardens is to stay in one of the 27 bedrooms, housed in two wings of the castle: all individually designed, with a plush, contemporary country house feel.
Doubles from £185, B&B; hevercastle.co.uk
21. Which hotel best suits people who enjoy pets company?
A. Hever Castle, Kent B. Hotel Endsleigh, Devon
C. Allt-y-Bela, Usk, Wales D. Goldstone Hall Hotel, Shropshire
22. What is the disadvantage of Hotel Endsleigh, Devon?
A. It gets noisy at night. B. The facility is outdated.
C. It is inconveniently located. D. It charges for breakfast.
23. What is probably the major concern of travelers who choose to stay in these hotels?
A. Price. B. Peace. C. Location. D. Security.
B
Christmas was approaching, but I lost my job. My paycheck was survival. I did everything I could to give my daughter, Kristil, a good life, but there were some things a single mom’s love couldn’t fix. Monday morning, I dropped Kristil at school and set off on my moneymaking pursuits. Looking for where to pawn stuff, I headed to a pawnshop with a garnet ring set in 14-karat gold that my mother had given me a decade earlier. “Best I can do is $70,” the owner said “The stones are worthless.” I was defeated, feeling as if the world was closing in on me.
Back at home, I glanced out the window. It had been snowing all morning. I noticed a petite woman struggling to open her car door against the wind. As she got out, I realized it was my old professor, Sister Esther Heffernan. I hadn’t seen her since we met for lunch three months ago. I’d first met Sister Esther 10 years earlier when I was her student at Edgewood College. Kristil was 2 at the time, and I sometimes took her to class. Sister Esther was understanding and would bring coloring books to occupy Kristil. After I graduated, Sister Esther kept in touch, meeting me for lunch every few months. I had grown to love her like family.
I rushed to the front of my building. Just being in Sister Esther’s presence gave me hope that things would be all right. She handed me a Christmas card. When I opened her card, I gasped in shock. There was money inside. Tears of gratitude puddled in my eyes. Sister Esther had given me $1,000.
On Christmas morning, Kristil and I gathered around our tree, and I joyfully watched as she opened her Christmas gifts. I silently thanked Sister Esther in my heart.
It has been 14 years since that Christmas, but I’ve never forgotten what Sister Esther did for us. That year Santa’s suit went from signature red to true blue. In 2020, at age 91, Sister Esther died, but the love she gave during her life lives on in the hearts of many. I am lucky to be one of them.
24. Which of the following statements is true?
A. The writer was a single mom when she was unemployed.
B. Sister Esther was 77 years old when the writer first met her.
C. The writer didn’t recognize Sister Esther when she got out of her car.
D. Sister Esther would teach Kristil when Kristil was taken to the school.
25. What does the underlined word “pawn” in paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Fix. B. Sell. C. Deposit. D. Purchase.
26. Why does the writer mention Santa’s suit in the last paragraph?
A. To tell the legend of Santa. B. To illustrate the origin of Christmas.
C. To show the devotion of Sister Esther. D. To demonstrate the change of Santa’s suit.
27. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. An Everlasting Love B. An Unexpected Visit
C. An Unusual Christmas Tree D. An Exciting Christmas Reunion
C
The “script murder” game is not only popular in China, but the genre is loved by many people around the world. A cast of actors plays the suspects, and the participants solve the case. In fact, murder-inspired board games, card games, interactive books and party games have been around at least since the so-called golden age of British crime fiction in the 1920s and 1930s, which saw the rise of legendary authors like Agatha Christie.
Sam Emmerson, creative director of Moonstone Murder Mysteries in London, a company that creates and runs immersive mysteries, says people like the puzzle aspect of it, and the improvised exchanges with the actors: “It’s the reputation that murder mysteries have built up these days, as being a fun thing to go to.” After all, real-life violent crime is every person’s worst nightmare. “If it was a real-life situation, and someone’s been murdered, that’s not a fun subject. You’re in this sort of alternate reality where we’re very casually solving the death of a human being.”
The enduring popularity of these games presents a mystery of its own: What motivates ordinary, law-abiding people to spend an evening investigating fake bloodshed, and hunting pretend murderers? One simple explanation might be curiosity. But that is not the full story. Instead, murder games follow a surprisingly complex set of psychological rules. They allow us to learn and practice important mental and emotional skills, and can even teach us not to overlook important evidence.
“The basic idea is that we are using them as a way to simulate threatening plots, and then play around with how we would respond to that,” Coltan Scrivner, a behavioral scientist says. The response could be behavioral, or even just emotional, in terms of handling the fear. He calls such games “scary play”, and compares them to play-fighting among animals, which prepares them for real-life fighting, but also hunting or tracking down the target.
28. According to the passage, what do we know about Agatha Christie?
A. She is an excellent writer who writes out of passion.
B. She is an outstanding writer who is known for her detective novels.
C. She is a legendary writer who has invented the “script murder” game.
D. She is a famous writer who makes international headlines with her science fiction.
29. Sam Emmerson’s Moonstone Murder Mysteries enables people to_______.
A. experience immersive mysteries in a fictional world
B. change real-life violent crime into a fun thing to go to
C. create and solve immersive mysteries in a virtual reality
D. defend the reputation that murder mysteries have built up these days
30. What else attracts people who participate in the “script murder” games besides curiosity?
A. Following complicated psychological rules.
B. Experiencing dramatically threatening plots.
C. Accumulating major information in real-life fighting and hunting.
D. Gaining important mental and emotional skills as well as wisdom.
31. What’s the author’s attitude towards the “script murder” game?
A. Negative. B. Cautious. C. Positive. D. Objective.
D
People who work with octopuses（章鱼）or who spend a lot of time in their company describe the sense that when you look at an octopus, there is something looking back. Given this feeling as a starting point, how do you begin to explore the consciousness（意识）of an animal so unlike ourselves?
Imagining an octopus’s inner life is a hard thing to do from our human standpoint. When you picture the tips of your suckered limbs moving, what do you imagine it feels like? “The octopus’s arms are, in some ways, more like lips or tongues than hands,” says Godfrey-Smith, a professor of history and philosophy of science. “There’s a great deal of sensory information that’s coming in every time the animal does anything. That’s very different from our situation.”
Take a closer look at the octopus’s nervous system, and things get even stranger. The octopus’s arms have more autonomy than our human arms and legs do. Each has its own minibrain, giving it a degree of independence from the animal’s central brain. Our own nervous system, however, is highly centralized, with the brain the center of sensory integration, emotion, movement, behavior and other actions.
The closer you look at the octopus’s body and nervous system, the harder it becomes to grasp—or believe you are grasping—what it might be like to be an octopus. However hard it might be to do, it’s worth trying to understand whether octopuses have consciousness, and what it’s like if they do, says Godfrey-Smith. This is why the octopus is such an interesting case. Octopuses are different enough from us that a lot of our assumptions about them have to be questioned—and even our assumptions about ourselves. “By asking whether octopuses are conscious like us, we might be asking a question that doesn’t make a lot of sense because we don’t fully know what it’s like to be conscious,” says Godfrey-Smith.
32. What does the author try to do in paragraph 1?
A. Introduce his special feeling about studying octopuses.
B. Share his unique experience of working with octopuses.
C. Inspire the readers’ interest in learning about octopuses.
D. Show the meaning of studying consciousness of animals.
33. In which way are the octopus’s arms special according to Godfrey-Smith?
A. Their structure. B. Their function.
C. Their movement. D. Their number.
34. How is paragraph 3 mainly developed?
A. By listing statistics. B. By analyzing causes.
C. By giving examples. D. By making comparisons.
35. What can we know about octopuses from the last paragraph?
A. Octopuses are really similar to humans in some way.
B. More work is needed to study octopuses’ consciousness.
C. Most assumptions about octopuses are completely wrong.
D. It makes no sense to research if octopuses are conscious.
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。
Genealogy（宗谱学）is a perfect hobby for those who are interested in learning more about themselves and their families. 36 Another factor contributing to the popularity of genealogy is the existence of the Internet which makes it easier to track long-lost relatives. However, there are several rules that a new genealogist needs to know.
New genealogists need to avoid the common mistake of focusing their search on their rich and famous relatives simply because they are easier to locate. 37 They might have interesting tales to tell and could provide significant clues. All have family stories to share.
A budding genealogist needs to check family stories as not all of these stories are accurate. 38 The stories must be checked with other family members. An experienced genealogist would know whether the story is a fact or fiction.
An expert in genealogy knows it is important to organize family facts properly. Information needs to be organized to enable more efficient research to bear fruitful results. 39 There are many genealogy programs available in the market such as Genealogy J, Gramps and Family Historian which could help genealogists organize their information.
Another good practice for new genealogists is to use their living relatives. They should never underestimate the powerful memories of living relatives. These relatives could share information on deceased family members and lead to the discovery of other long-lost living relatives. 40
A. Ordinary relatives should not be underestimated.
B. It is a dangerous practice to accept all stories as truths.
C. It is necessary to organize files on individuals, families and events.
D. But now the genealogists prefer to organize the events by the Internet.
E. It is also good to bring along a camera or a recorder to record interviews.
F. People like to find some famous people in history to work as their ancestors.
G. People learn more about their family history and themselves by tracking down family roots.
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, 从短文后各题所给的 A、B、C 和 D 四个选项中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It was a story about broccoli soup that really brought home to Shirley Zhu the value of the work she was doing. She and her twin sister Annie, who are 18, were 41 boxes of food to people struggling to get 42 , nutritious food in their home city of Houston. One woman, who Shirley was visiting for the second time, was 43 to tell Shirley that she had made broccoli soup for her young daughter with the 44 food package.
Shirley and Annie were 15 years old when they began 45 unsold food from grocery stores and 46 in Houston and distributing it to 47 living in “food deserts” — areas which don’t have good 48 to fresh, affordable food. Together with an initial team of 10 classmates at their high school, they 49 Fresh Hub. With the help of a smartphone app and automated messaging service, they were able to 50 residents when fresh food was available.
After failing to build something from the ground up, they decided to 51 forces with an organization already doing this work. Second Servings, a Houston-based non-profit, already had the vans, the equipment, and the 52 in rescuing food, which it donates to homeless shelters and other places of need. What it didn’t do was hold 53 .
“We were used to seeing other adults being the 54 and didn’t consider ourselves as capable of making change,” Shirley says. She now believes that 55 someone’s age or resources, it’s always possible to do something.
41. A. folding B. delivering C. packing D. locking
42. A. delicious B. traditional C. unique D. affordable
43. A. excited B. embarrassed C. scared D. annoyed
44. A. suitable B. previous C. tasty D. adequate
45. A. offering B. cooking C. collecting D. exchanging
46. A. offices B. hotels C. bakeries D. classrooms
47. A. specialists B. residents C. clients D. salesmen
48. A. access B. barrier C. admission D. right
49. A. set down B. set up C. set aside D. set off
50. A. approach B. dominate C. disturb D. alert
51. A. join B. catch C. send D. support
52. A. passion B. interest C. expertise D. expectation
53. A. events B. patents C. beliefs D. responsibilities
54. A. designers B. operators C. heroes D. assistants
55. A. according to B. apart from C. because of D. regardless of
第Ⅱ卷
注意: 将答案写在答题卡上。写在本试卷上无效。
第三部分 语言运用（共两节, 满分30分）
第二节（共10小题; 每小题1.5分, 满分15分）
阅读下面材料, 在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
The closure of Chinese museums accelerated a digital process that was already underway to better engage Millennials and GenZers. Take, for example, the 56 （count）institutions that uploaded virtual tours, or Lhasa’s Potala Palace live streaming, or Beijing’s UCCA, reimagining its programming to deliver film and workshopping on popular 57 （platform）.
A further example came from the Terracotta Warriors, Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, 58 gave life to the creations of China’s first emperor with WeChat Mini Program. From the cartoon-inspired beauty to the interactive manner in which bite-sized information 59 （present）, it spoke of an initiative designed to engage younger audiences.
Attracting young audiences 60 （be）not only a question for Chinese museums, but moreover a 61 （press）question that concerns a range of industries from traditional companies and brands, to entertainment and technology companies. Young audiences represent change, fashion and the future market, and focusing on young people has the power 62 （attract）other generations.
Museums have to be very clear about their core values. 63 they are storage areas of art and history, they still have to become creative in using their resources to inspire young people. The first objective of museums is never to make money, but rather, to provide 64 understanding of cultural identity by creating content that inspires genuine connections 65 young people.
第四部分 写作（共两节, 满分40分）
第一节 应用文写作（满分15分）
假如你是李华, 你的外国朋友 Peter 不仅学业成绩优秀, 而且担任国际部学生会主席一职。本学期他荣获“校园卓越奖”（School Excellence Award）。请你给他写一封电子邮件, 向他表示祝贺。要点如下:
1. 表示祝贺;
2. 赞扬对方的优秀表现（学业、履职等）。
注意: 1. 写作词数应为80左右; 2. 可以适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
第二节 读后续写（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。
The woods surrounding the Audubon Society were November dark with its sky overcast with gloomy clouds. The branches shut out the day light and the wind howled horribly around the woods.
Ruby sighed and packed up his bag on the shoulders. “Least it has stopped raining. It won’t take long,” Ruby comforted his brother Henry. “Dad said he’d pick us at the gift shop.”
Henry ignored him with a frown and stomped（踩踏）up the path, his shoes slipping on the wet rocks. He was annoyed that their dad had practically forced them to go on a hike in the bird habitat outside town. “It will be good for you both,” Dad had encouraged, handing them his binoculars. “You’ll get some fresh air and maybe see some cool birds.”
As the boys climbed, the trees grew closer together. The only sounds were the dripping of rain from the trees and the rustle（沙沙声）of small birds among the forest. At the top of the slope, they stopped to catch their breath. A single black feather floated down onto the path. Rubylooked up. On a nearby branch, a black crow（乌鸦）stared down at them.
“Shoo!” shouted Ruby, waving his arms, frightened by the bird’s black eyes. It opened its sharp beak（鸟喙）and let out a loud and horrible squawk. “It’s watching us as if we were worms or something.” Ruby pushed his brother along the path. “Just a stupid crow.” But as he walked, Ruby couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.
“Ruby? ” called Henry, panic shaking his voice. To their horror, on the path, a line of more crows blocked their way and the branches on both sides were filled with numerous birds, their evil eyes glancing at them. They fluttered their wings frantically, ready to attack the boys.
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。
The boys froze, frightened by the hundreds of greedy eyes. ___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
At that urgent moment, a familiar car pulled into the path. ___________________________________________
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丽水市2022学年第二学期普通高中教学质量监控
高二英语参考答案
2023.06
一、听力（共20小题;每小题1.5分,满分30分）
1—5 ABACA 6—10 CAACB 11—15 BCBCB 16—20 ABBAC
二、阅读理解（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 CDB 24—27 ABCA 28—31 BADC 32—35 CBDB
第二节（共5小题;每小题2.5分,满分12.5分）
36—40 GABCE
三、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 BDABC 46—50 CBABD 51—55 ACACD
第二节（共10小题;每小题1.5分,满分15分）
56. countless/ uncountable 57. platforms 58. which 59. was presented 60. is
61. pressing 62. to attract 63. Although/Though/While 64. an 65. with
四、写作（共两节,满分40分）
第一节 应用文写作（满分 15 分）
参考范文:
Dear Peter, I am thrilled to hear that you have won the School Excellence Award this semester. Congratulations on this amazing achievement!
You truly deserve this recognition for your excellent academic performance and outstanding leadership skills. Since you were appointed as Chairman of the Students’ Union, you have been devoted to working heart and soul and organizing a variety of inspiring extracurricular activities. It is your dedication and the virtue of serving others that leave us a deep impression and set a good example for us. I am confident that you will continue to achieve in the future.
Once again, congratulations on this well-deserved award. Looking forward to celebrating your success with you soon.
Yours,
Li Hua
第二节 读后续写（满分25分）
参考范文:
The boys froze, frightened by the hundreds of greedy eyes. “Run!” screamed Ruby, grabbing his brother by the arm and charging through the line of crows. Abruptly, the crows flew up in a mass, but soon descended again like a dark cloud covering the gloomy sky. Slipping and scrambling, the brothers ran down the hill, fighting off the rush of the sharp claws and beaks. Ruby knew that the gift shop was just around the corner, but the creepy birds were just everywhere, making it difficult for them to see anything ahead. Suddenly, Henry tripped and felldown. In an instant, the birds were on him, pecking, scratching and tearing his clothes. He let out
a high-pitched scream. On hearing that, Ruby ran back to his brother, and beat off the crows with all his might, yelling for help at the top of his lungs.
At that urgent moment, a familiar car pulled into the path. It was their dad, who had set off earlier than expected out of concern. “Get in the car, boys!” Dad yelled, beeping the horn fiercely and gesturing for them to hasten their approach. The boys wasted no time and bounded towards the car, with the crows in hot pursuit, screeching furiously. Ruby and Henry quickly scrambled into the back seat, breathing heavily from the adrenaline rush. As their dad drove them away from the bird habitat, they looked back to see the crows retreating back into the trees. “Are you okay?” Dad asked, concern etched on his face. “Yeah, we’re fine,” replied Ruby, still shaking from the experience. “But can we never come back here again?” added Henry, his voice still shaky. Dad nodded in agreement, and they drove back home, thankfully, safe and sound.
附件1：听力录音原文
Text 1
M: Look! The carrot that acts as the snowman’s nose is missing. Maybe a rabbit ate it.
W: I don’t know. The red Christmas hat is also gone. I’ll get another nose for the snowman, but I really don’t have any more hats. Text 2
M: Good morning, Ann. You’ve been cycling to work for a month. Don’t you get tired?
W: No. You can have a go. It’s good for the environment. M: But driving to work is more comfortable for me.
Text 3
W: Eddy, what are you going to do this holiday?
M: I’m going to tour around Europe. What’s your plan?
W: I plan to visit my grandparents and learn to dance.
Text 4
M: Mom, could you help me look for my toy gun? I remember I put it on the sofa in the living room.
W: You always put your toys everywhere! Did you check your bedroom? I’m busy frying the fish now.
Text 5
W: Juno said she was preparing for job interviews. Why did she quit her last job?
M: She couldn’t stand the dull atmosphere and heavy workload And her previous boss was too strict. W: I see. I remember she also complained about the long distance from her home to that company. M: Yes.
Text 6
W: Hey, honey, wake up. The movie was over.
M: Oh, sorry. The plot was so boring that I couldn’t help falling asleep.
W: Well, the ending was exciting—that old lady realized her dream.
M: That’s nice. Maybe I’ll watch it again on my phone after a time.
W: Let’s have a big meal in our favorite French restaurant. I’ve booked a table.
M: But I’m going to play basketball with Wilson later.
W: What? Don’t tell me you forgot it’s our wedding anniversary today!
Text 7
M: Do you want to fly a kite with me in the park nearby?
W: Of course. It’s a waste of time staying at home on such a fine day!
M: Why not invite Jessica and Andy to join us? The more the merrier. W: Jessica drove her friend George to the airport just now. George will catch a flight to Shanghai.
M: Alright, how about Andy?
W: Andy was caught in the rain yesterday. He thus is running a fever and has to stay in bed now. M: Poor Andy. It seems that we’re the only ones that are lucky enough to enjoy today’s sunshine.
W: Yes, let’s go. Text 8
W: Welcome to ABC Language Center. What can I do for you, sir?
M: I’m Peter Jones. We spoke on the phone yesterday. I want to sign up for a language course for my daughter Amy. I’d like to know more about your courses.
W: No problem, Mr. Jones. We offer both online and offline courses. Which one do you prefer?
M: Can you tell me the differences?
W: The offline courses include Magic Growth and Magic English, which are taught by teachers in the classroom. The online courses include Free Talk and Magic Conversation. Students can study at home. Native English speakers will teach them online.
M: Well, Amy is six years old and she has never learnt English before. Which course do you recommend?
W: The offline course Magic Growth is suitable for beginners.
M: OK, I’ll choose it. What should I do next?
W: Please fill in this form. These are textbooks for your daughter.
Text 9
W: Eric, you’re half an hour late. You were supposed to arrive at my house at 8:00 a. m.
M: Sorry. My sister had to work overtime last night, so she asked me to take care of her son. I didn’t go to bed until 1:00 a. m. So I got up late.
W: Alright. Let’s prepare for Susan’s birthday party. I’ve already blown up the balloons. I’m going to bake a chocolate cake. M: Then I’ll put up the balloons.
W: Fine. Oh my goodness. I forgot to buy candles. Can you go to the supermarket and buy some?
M: OK, but do you have change for four yuan? I need to take the bus. I’ve run out of change. And I didn’t drive here today.
W: You don’t have to take the bus. It’s only ten minutes’ walk from here to the supermarket. M: Okay. Text 10
M: A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by the use of chains. The only thing that held them back from escaping the camp was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs. As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused about why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all. Wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape. The trainer replied, “When they were very young and much smaller, we used the same size rope to tie them. At that age, it was enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.” The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they adopted the belief that it just wasn’t possible. No matter how much the world tries to hold you back, always continue with the belief that what you want to achieve is possible. Believing you can become successful is the most important step in actually achieving it.