2022襄阳五中高三适应性考试（二）（二模）英语试卷（含答案）

这是一份2022襄阳五中高三适应性考试（二）（二模）英语试卷（含答案），共8页。试卷主要包含了 5分，满分7等内容，欢迎下载使用。

襄阳五中2022届高三年级适应性考试（二）
英 语 试 题
本试卷共67题。全卷满分150分。考试用时120分钟。

第一部分 听力（共两节， 满分30分）
第一节（共5小题；每小题1. 5分，满分7. 5分）
听下面 5 段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Editor and reader. B. Husband and wife. C. Customer and salesperson.
2. What will the speakers probably do?
A. Search for the lake. B. Hike along the easy path. C. Climb up the mountain.
3. How much will the man receive from his father?
A. 400 yuan. B. 600 yuan. C. 800 yuan.
4. What does the man probably mean?
A. He wants to have a rest.
B. He agrees to go to the cinema.
C. He will have a basketball game.
5. Which tourist spot does the woman highly recommend?
A. The Great Wall. B. The Forbidden City. C. The Summer Palace.
第二节（共15小题; 每小题1.5分，满分22.5分）
听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的 A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟; 听完后，各小题将给 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7题。
6. What are the speakers talking about?
A. Features of Chinese food.
B. A recipe for chicken soup.
C. A local Chinese restaurant.
7. What does the man think of the dinner?
A. Oily. B. Light. C. Tasty.
听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8. How does the man often get to the office?
A. By bus. B. By taxi. C. By motorcycle.
9. How much time does Mary usually spend on her way to work?
A. 15 minutes. B. 20 minutes. C. 40 minutes.
10. Where does the conversation probably take place?
A. In an office. B. At a subway station. C. At the meeting room.
听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11. Why did the woman make the mistake?
A. She was ill. B. She was forgetful. C. She was silly.
12. What is the woman worried about?
A. Simon’s impression of her.
B. The possibility of her dismissal.
C. The company’s potential losses.
13. What does the man advise the woman to do?
A. Make an apology. B. Forget about it. C. Find another job.
听第9段材料，回答第14至17题。
14. What does the man plan to do?
A. Take a local trip. B. Visit the Stadium. C. Attend a winter camp.
15. Who once worked as a volunteer at this year’s Winter Olympics?
A. Tom. B. Jack. C. Susan.
16. How does the woman feel about the invitation at first?
A. Curious. B. Hesitant. C. Uninterested.
17. Why does the woman change her mind in the end?
A. Because she can learn how to ski.
B. Because her friend will go there too.
C. Because they will save a lot of money.
听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。
18. What do we learn about Chunfen?
A. It dates back to 400 years ago.
B. It is the third term of the lunar calendar.
C. The day time is equal to the night time.
19. Why is Chunfen believed to be the ideal time for egg-standing?
A. Because spring is the season of luck.
B. Because the earth is in a balanced position.
C. Because people have a better sense of direction.
20. Why did people fly kites on Chunfen in ancient times?
A. To play with strings.
B. To seek medical resources.
C. To make wishes for good health.
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。
A
Make the most of the pleasant weather and enjoy the best walk of the year with friends and family. Use your 2 for 1 Entry in some of our favorite landscape gardens for a memorable day out.
Painswick Rococo Garden
Find beauty and quietness at the UK’s only complete surviving Rococo Garden. Discover fanciful garden flowers, woodland walks, and beautifully framed （镶框）views across the valley. Dogs on short leads are permitted and the shop offers a range of seasonal and local produce.
Book at rococogarden.org.uk.
Open: closed 1-25 March, open 26-31 March, 10 am-4 pm, last entry 2:30 pm.
Nymans Garden
Walk down Spring Walk packed with seasonal flowers and pleasant smells, and enjoy the hedge （树篱） topped with frost. Routes include those with plenty of level paths to follow around the garden. Dogs are welcome every day from 1:30 pm, with a festive treat provided.
Book at nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans.
Open: daily except 24-25 March, 10 am-4 pm.
Ventnor Botanic Garden
Even in early spring, there are typically over 200 varieties of plants to be seen flowering as you explore the 27 acres. Enjoy access to the coastal path and routes accessible for wheelchairs, and then warm up with coffee milk in the café afterwards.
Book at botanic.co.uk.
Open: daily except 25 March, 9 am-4 pm.
Gibside Garden
Enjoy walking paths at this Georgian landscape garden, featuring plenty of wildlife. Follow the winding river and turning valley for fantastic views. Warm up with hot chocolate and delicious biscuits in the second-hand bookshop.
Book at nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside.
Open: daily except 24 and 25 March,10 am-4 pm.
21. What do Painswick Rococo Garden and Nymans Garden have in common?
A. Valley views. B. Frosty flowers.
C. Seasonal produce. D. Pet permission.
22. Which garden favors people with walking disability?
A. Painswick Rococo Garden. B. Nymans Garden.
C. Ventnor Botanic Garden. D. Gibside Garden.
23. Where can the text be found?
A. In a research paper. B. In a travel brochure.
C. In a science magazine. D. In a geography textbook.

B
Children love it when someone reads a book to them. They love funny sounds, rhyming words and silly pictures. They love the sound of their mom or dad’s voice. Sometimes, however, their mom or dad can’t read to them, because that parent is in prison.
Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project, started in 1993, is now a national program that promotes incarcerated（被监禁的）parents reading to their children. Church or service groups donate books and postage. Incarcerated parents pick out books, read them and either volunteers or prison workers mail the books and tapes out to the children. Last May, we distributed 191 books, meaning that 191 children received a book and a tape.
The incarcerated readers record their books, followed by a personal message to the child. Sometimes it is amusing listening to strong, tattooed（纹身）muscle men making animal sounds or funny voices of different characters. Sometimes all I hear is silence, and then sounds that confirm my guess that they are calming themselves after an unexpected wave of feelings.
Seventy percent of children of incarcerated parents eventually end up facing the justice system themselves at some point in their lives. Many of these children end up doing hard time in state institutions.
In reality, though, they are doing hard time now as 12-year-olds, 7-year-olds, and even as babies. They grow up thinking that their parent is “bad” and doesn’t care. They are often teased and feel they have to defend themselves or their parent, sometimes in a violent way.
When they receive in the mail a book and a tape of their parent reading to them, they hear another message, “Daddy/Mommy loves me; he/she has a happy voice; he/she thinks reading is cool.”
Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project is just a small pill for one huge social illness. But when we think we are merely scratching the surface, at least 191 kids are feeling a little bit better!
24. What do incarcerated parents do in Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project?
A. They read to their children on a tape.
B. They record books with their children.
C. They meet their children and read to them.
D. They read books that their children choose.
25. Why is there silence before some incarcerated parents speak?
A. They want to speak with feelings. B. They have to control their feelings.
C. They need to consider what to say. D. They feel guilty about what they did.
26. What can we infer about the children according to paragraph 4?
A. They will study law in the future. B. They have to learn to face reality.
C. They gain a lot from their parents. D. They may become lawbreakers in the future.
27. What does the author think of what they do?
A. It is worth doing. B. It makes little difference.
C. It has great effect on society. D. It can change incarcerated parents.

C
When you consciously keep thinking of something, your unconscious mind will somehow spontaneously（自发地）push that idea or issue back to the surface even when you are doing something else, because your unconscious mind accepts, stores and plays back everything that the conscious mind focuses on. The unconscious mind is like a “yes” person, agreeing, accepting and reminding.
Hence, your unconscious mind can respond positively or negatively, depending on how you have consciously conditioned it — by constantly thinking about something. For instance, if you keep telling yourself that it is very difficult to study English or that your English lecture is boring, then that thought will always crop up uninvited when you are chatting with someone or doing something else. That is how the unconscious mind works. Successful athletes who consciously, continuously and consistently focus on superior performance actually perform well because they are driven by their unconscious mind. It’s important to understand that whatever you consciously focus on, your unconscious mind will accept it. You need to think positively so that your unconscious mind will respond likewise. If you find yourself in a negative mood, discontinue that mood.
You must not hold a negative thought too long, or it will come back again and get more rooted in your system. Once you are in a negative system, it would take much more reprogramming to uproot the bad “trees” in your mind. You could have a full-grown negative “forest” in your mind — and that could take ages to uproot. So replace it with a positive thought. Affirm（强化）consciously, continuously and consistently your new positive image. Focus on the new trait visually and see yourself succeeding in it.
Review your behavior. Do you moan and groan too often? Do you talk like a loser? Are you small-minded, selfish and unforgiving? It’s time you consciously conditioned your unconscious mind to work in a positive manner.
28. What does the underlined phrase “crop up” in paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. Respond. B. Arise. C. Improve. D. Occupy.
29. How does the author support his idea in paragraph 2?
A. By analyzing relevant statistics. B. By describing his personal experiences.
C. By explaining causes. D. By providing examples.
30. What can we infer from paragraph 3?
A. Positive thoughts can replace negative thoughts automatically.
B. Negative thoughts are obstacles to your academic performance.
C. It will take consistent efforts to get out of a negative system.
D. Negative thoughts result from your negative image in life.
31. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Train Your Unconscious Mind
B. Uproot Your Unconscious Mind
C. Your Unconscious Mind Shapes Your Character
D. Conscious Mind Outweighs Unconscious Mind

D
If someone created a flying machine capable of tracking you down by listening for your voice, you might be terrified. But what if you were trapped in ruins after a natural disaster and first responders couldn’t locate you? Maybe then a human-seeking drone wouldn’t be such a terrible idea. That concept is the focus for engineers at Germany’s Fraunhofer FKIE Institute, who’ve built a drone to find people by detecting human screams.
“The human-seeking drone would be ideal for post-disaster situations, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires,” said Macarena Varela, one of the lead engineers. “They could hover over an area that rescue crews have difficulty getting to and locate exactly where people may be trapped.”
Locating people by sound presents its share of challenges. An auditory（听觉的）system would need to distinguish human cries from sounds that often happen in nature, such as animal calls and wind. It might also need to recognize patterns associated with kicking, clapping or other ways people try to get the attention of rescue teams.
Engineers took those situations into account when building out their concept drone. They recorded themselves screaming, tapping and creating other noises that might be a sign of people in trouble. Then, they analyzed each sound frequency to find common signatures and used those to train artificial intelligence software. They also worked to remove the noise created by the drone and other environmental sounds.
Once the software part was complete, the team placed tiny digital microphones under the drone and used signal processing techniques that enabled them to track where human noises are coming from. The microphones also enhanced the volume and clarity of the speech. So far, they have conducted successful open field experiments, finding that the drone can estimate a victim’s location within a few seconds of picking up sound.
Next, they would like to add a higher frequency microphone to a drone to acquire more audio sound signals. “The idea is to pick up noises from hundreds of meters away,” Varela said. In the real world, victim’s location data might one day be sent wirelessly to emergency crews carrying a tablet.
32. What is the advantage of the human-seeking drone over rescuers?
A. Its high speed of flying. B. Its long working hours.
C. Its easy access to disaster scene. D. Its quick estimation of data.
33. What can the auditory system do?
A. Recognize human cries. B. Pick up sounds from far away.
C. Send victim’s location data to a tablet. D. Improve the quality of human screams.
34. Why did engineers analyze each sound frequency?
A. To remove the noise. B. To record the screams.
C. To find shared features. D. To enhance the volume.
35. What is the main idea of the text?
A. Flying machines can track rescuers.
B. Rescuers use drones to locate disaster survivors.
C. Human-seeking drones will replace rescue crews.
D. Engineers ensure drones to give better rescue performance.

第二节 (共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分)
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Failure is an important process you can learn from. 36
Most people view failure as something that should be avoided at all costs. 37 It may have been an “F” we received in primary school or the high expectations our parents placed upon our shoulders that stopped us from trying.
An award-winning psychologist and author, Ron Friedman, tells the story of how Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, revolutionized the women’s clothing industry and became a billionaire owing to her special understanding of failure.
38 She had zero experience in the clothing industry, lacked an education in business and raised only $5,000 to invest. When asked where she found the courage, she gave all credit to her dad. While most parents asked their kids, “How was your day?” when sitting down for dinner, Sara’s parents asked her and her brother, “What did you fail at today?” each and every night.
When interviewed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Sara said, “I learn from my father failure is not the outcome. Instead, it means you tried. It forced me at a young age to want to push myself so much further out of my comfort zone.” 39 It became more about learning and less about a personal weakness.
If we view failure as weakness, we avoid stepping out of our comfort zone. 40 It does not define us, but instead matures us. I’m sure that there are many risks we would all take in our personal, professional and spiritual lives if we could get past a fear of failure.
A. And, most importantly, it means you tried.
B. In reality, Sara’s father had re-defined failure.
C. Early on, Sara overcame a series of difficulties.
D. Let’s take a look at how Sara faced failures in her career.
E. Instead, we must remind ourselves that failure is an action.
F. It is important to reflect on what they can learn from failure.
G. We tend to connect failure with a bad experience we had as a child.
第三部分 语言知识运用 (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，从各题所给的A、B、C 和 D四个选项中，选出可填入空白处的最佳选项。
Hello! It’s me, the woman you robbed on Lepage Avenue. You might not remember me. But I will never forget you or your 41 , which woke me up from a deep sleep.
“ 42 and give me your money and jewelry!” you yelled. You told Walter, my 80-year-old husband, to take the drawers and 43 them on the bed. You told me to 44 the earrings and the necklace I was wearing. We had to obey. Your voice trembled. You had a gun, 45 it was pointed at the floor. I could tell you were new at this. When you were busy examining what you could get, I saw my chance. I immediately grabbed my phone and called 911.
“Help! There’s been a robbery...” You 46 the phone from my hand. My legs shook. In the distance, I heard sirens（警笛）. Thank heavens! Then I blacked out.
I woke up in an all-white room in the hospital. The physician shook his head at the 47 of my heart. “Madame, when was the last time you had your heart examined?”
“My heart?” I said. “Never. Why?”
“I can hardly believe how blocked your arteries（动脉） are,” he said. “I’ve scheduled a (n) 48 operation for you. A few more days like this, Madame, and you might not have been so lucky.”
What he said 49 me a lot. I had never had any chest pain or shortness of breath. There was no 50 that I was a ticking time bomb, 51 feeling tired sometimes.
52 , we didn’t have the nicest lawn or the fanciest car in the driveway. Still, young man, you did 53 us. Thus, thank you. Without you, I’d be a 54 . I wouldn’t have had an operation. I wouldn’t have recovered.
Sir, I would like you to know you are 55 . You saved my life. I pray you’ve started a new life. It’s never too late.
41. A. appearance B. build C. expression D. voice
42. A. Keep up B. Turn up C. Look up D. Get up
43. A. empty B. cover C. lock D. fix
44. A. hand down B. give up C. hand over D. give out
45. A. as B. and C. while D. but
46. A. fetched B. seized C. swapped D. turned
47. A. scar B. symptom C. scan D. shape
48. A. small B. immediate C. important D. long
49. A. impressed B. puzzled C. shocked D. disappointed
50. A. indication B. identity C. prediction D. potential
51. A. rather than B. other than C. more than D. less than
52. A. Normally B. Fortunately C. Certainly D. Usually
53. A. pick B. cheat C. hurt D. fail
54. A. giver B. pioneer C. loser D. goner
55. A. forgotten B. forgiven C. respected D. recognized
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。
Ancient architecture in China stands out 56 its fine wooden structure, the elegant outside and beautiful decoration. To survive the frequent floods and other natural disasters, wood 57 (prefer) for most architectural structures in ancient China. China’s 58 (tradition) wooden structures were quite complicatedly formed, sometimes without any nails!
Apart from this, existing examples of ancient Chinese architecture are also 59 (wide) praised for its elegant outlines and various features, such as overhanging eaves （屋檐）, upturned roof corners, and different 60 (shape) of roofs. The unique outside not only satisfied a practical function, but also made 61 possible for the buildings to have wonderful appearances. Architects in ancient China, 62 paid special attention to decoration, used different colors or paintings according to particular building functions or local customs. Carved beams, painted rafters （椽子） and various patterns were used 63 (add) a colorful and beautiful style to the inside. 64 outside of buildings was decorated with stone lions, screen walls, decorative columns, as well as flowers.
Many ancient buildings 65 (design) by famous architects attract a number of tourists every year.

第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（满分15分）
假定你是李华，暑假你参加了以“运动和健康”为主题的夏令营活动。最近你的笔友Mike写信询问相关情况，请你回复邮件，内容包括：
1. 参加夏令营前你的健康状况；
2. 夏令营的活动情况；
3. 你的收获。
注意：
1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Mike,




Best wishes!
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua




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。
When I lived in Portland, Oregon, I taught English as a Second Language at a local community college. I had adult students in my class from Vietnam, Mexico, Russia and many other countries. Although they came from many lands, fighting for a better life in America, they had one thing in common: a desperate yearning (渴望) to learn English well.
Many of the students worked in a factory for twelve hours throughout the night and hurriedly took a bus in the morning straight to our 8:00 A. M. class. They attended my class on time whatever the weather. Sometimes I would see them struggling to keep their eyes open in the beginning. However, their active participation in class drove away their physical tiredness as well as livened up the atmosphere.
I still remember the day when I taught a simple dialogue called “Shopping for a New Coat”. To teach the course, I asked several students to role-play the dialogue. Alexander from Hungary, one of the most hardworking members of the class, volunteered to stand up and act it out. Hard as he tried, he still made lots of mistakes. However, I praised him. After class, he hurried to me and raised a bunch of questions by gesture. I was not quite sure about his questions, so I explained the key points again. After that, he nodded and stuttered, “Thank you, Mrs. Green! Your encouragement really made my day!”
Actually, it was him who made my day. Sometimes I wondered if I was really teaching my students in the best way possible. But I gave my all to this class, and they gave their all to me. If nothing else, they would always remember what to say if they ever went “shopping for a new coat”. Soon, the language course came to an end.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。

On the last day of class, they threw a wonderful party that was filled with good food and laughter.



I lifted from the box a beautiful, new, full-length coat.











2022.5
2022届高三年级第二次模拟考试
英语参考答案
1-5CCBAA 6-10ACCBA 11-15ABABB 16-20CBCBC
21-23 DCB 24-27ABDA 28-31 BDCA 32-35 CACD 36-40 AGCBE
41-45 DDACD 46-50 BCBCA 51-55 BCADB
56. for 57. was preferred 58. traditional 59. widely 60. shapes
61. it 62. who 63. to add 64. The 65. designed

第一节 （满分15分）
Dear Mike,
I am delighted to tell you something about the summer camp with the theme of Exercise and Health. Before getting involved in it, I hardly ever felt well, either physically or mentally. However, things changed for the better in the camp. All the participants were required to exercise every day, including a variety of sports, such as playing table tennis, badminton and running. Besides, we were required to routinely keep a balanced diet, which enabled me to feel energetic and get refreshed.
To sum up, not only has the activity helped me gain an awareness of living a healthy life, but it also has enhanced the quality of my study as well as life.
Best wishes!
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua

第二节 （满分25分）
On the last day of class, they threw a wonderful party that was filled with good food and laughter. I was amazed that they had learned enough English to even coordinate such an event with each other. The food was delicious, with wonderful dishes from over ten different countries. Then, Alexander from Hungary called everyone’s attention before he proudly handed me a large, neatly wrapped box. After the ribbon was untied and the top was off, I gently pulled back the wrapping paper.
I lifted from the box a beautiful, new, full-length coat. “We went shopping for a new coat!”, they all exclaimed in wonderfully perfect English. These were people who lived in small apartments, sent money back to families in their home countries and barely could make ends meet. I was simply doing my job, teaching English, and their gratitude was beyond the bounds of what I ever could possibly have expected. I wear the coat they gave me with pride and gratitude; it’s my favorite. Every time I wear the coat, I think fondly of them—all of them and their desire and struggle to start a new life in America.
【分析】本文以人物为线索展开，讲述了在一名英语老师的班上有来自越南、墨西哥、俄罗斯和许多其他国家的成人学生。他们有一个共同点：渴望学好英语。许多学生在工厂工作了很长时间。但是，无论天气如何，他们都会准时上我的课。虽然他们很累，但是他们积极参与课堂，学习很认真。
【详解】
1.段落续写：
①由第一段首句内容“在最后一天的课上，他们举办了一个精彩的聚会，充满了美食和笑声。”可知，第一段可描写精彩的聚会以及聚会上发生的事情。
②由第二段首句内容“我从箱子里拿出一件漂亮的新长大衣。”可知，第二段可描写作者对大衣的所想、所感。
2.续写线索：教英语—学生辛苦但认真—临近毕业—举办聚会表达感激—老师感动—感悟

录音原文
Text 1
W: Hello. I’m calling to inquire about the house you advertised in the newspaper.
M: Sorry, but it’s already sold.
Text 2
M: Which path do you prefer, the smooth one or the adventurous one?
W: The latter. It is a shortcut to the mountain top. Besides, we can get a breathtaking view of the lake alongside.
Text 3
W: George, have you saved enough for the tablet?
M: I have 800 yuan now, and the tablet costs 1,400 yuan. My father said he would fill the gap, so I’ll
get the rest from him.
Text 4
W: Would you like to go to the cinema this evening?
M: I wish I could make it. But I have had a rough basketball match. I am really tired.
Text 5
M: We are planning to visit some places of interest in Beijing. Do you have some advice?
W: The Great Wall is a must, since you have toured around the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace before.
M: Thank you.
Text 6
M: It’s very nice of you to invite me. 
W: I’m very glad you could come, Mr. Smith. Would you like to have some chicken?
M: Thank you. This is my first time to a Chinese restaurant. Could you tell me the different features of Chinese food? 
W: Generally speaking, Cantonese food is a bit light. Shanghai food is rather oily. And Hunan dishes have a strong and hot taste.
M: Chinese dishes are well prepared and delicious. They are very good in colour, flavour, and taste. 
W: Would you care for another helping?
M: No more, thank you. I want to give this soup a try.
W: How do you like the food tonight?
M: It’s the most delicious dinner I’ve ever had.
W: I’m so glad you like it.
Text 7
M: Morning, Mary!
W: Morning. It is pouring outside. How did you get here?
M: I took a taxi.
W: How long did it take you?
M: Well, about 40 minutes. It’s about the same time as I usually ride my motorcycle.
W: Why not try public transportation?
M: There is no direct bus from my home to the office, and the nearest subway station is fifteen minutes’ walk.
W: Pity you!
M: How about you? Do you take public transportation?
W: Me, either. I often sleep in. That gives me no other option but to take a taxi for twenty minutes.
M: That saves time but costs a lot. It’s time for the meeting. Hurry up!
Text 8
W: Simon, can you imagine I forgot to remind the boss of the important meeting?
M: What an awkward mistake! As a secretary, you shouldn’t forget to keep the boss informed of all the important schedules.
W: I certainly know it, but this morning I didn’t feel very well, so…
M: That’s really a silly mistake. Any small mistake may cost our company great losses.
W: I understand what you mean. It makes me look incapable. I’m afraid I will be fired. How can I fix it?
M: Apologize to him and give an explanation.
W: I hope our boss will forgive me. I really don’t want to lose my job.
M: Relax. I believe he will take your condition into careful consideration.
W: You are so sweet.
Text 9
M: How amazing Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are! Do you think so, Linda?
W: You can say that again, Tom! I like the opening ceremony most. Did you go there to watch any game?
M: No, but my friend Jack Ma was a volunteer there. As the event is over, visitors are allowed to go into the Stadium. He invited us to visit it and other sporting venues next weekend.
W: That doesn’t appeal to me. It’s freezing cold. Besides, I have just come back from a winter camp.
M: You have been expecting to learn how to ski. Now it is the perfect time.
W: But I have planned to take a local trip, which is money-saving.
M: Come on. Jack told me there is an awesome ice lake, beautiful snow, and various winter sports. He has already reserved a hotel for us nearby.
W: Well, I can’t say no. But I have already agreed to do something with my friend Susan at that time.
M: She’s going, too.
W: Really? Then…I guess I’ll go.
Text 10
The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. Chunfen, the fourth term of the year, starts on March 20 and ends on April 3 this year. It signals the equal length of the day and night time. Here are interesting things you can do on that day.
Standing an egg upright is a popular game across the country. It is an old custom that dates back to 4,000 years ago. People practice this tradition to celebrate the coming of spring. It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand, he will have good luck in the future. Some believe that Chunfen is the best time to practice this game because of the earth’s relatively balanced position, which makes it easier to make an egg stand upright.
Chunfen is also a good time to fly kites. In ancient times, people did not have good medical resources. So to pray for health, they wrote their medical issues on paper kites. When the kite was in the air, people would cut off the string to let the paper kite go with the wind, symbolizing the flying away of diseases. Later flying kites developed into a popular game of spring. On this day, people write a blessing on the kite, hoping that their dreams can come true.