2022-2023学年浙江省湖州市高三上学期12月月考英语试题 听力

这是一份2022-2023学年浙江省湖州市高三上学期12月月考英语试题 听力，共19页。
绝密★启用前
湖州市2022-2023学年高三上学期12月月考
英语 试题
姓名： 准考证号：
本试题卷分选择题和非选择题两部分，共8页，满分150分，考试时间120分钟。
考生注意：
1.答题前，请务必将自己的姓名，准考证号用黑色字迹的签字笔或钢笔分别填写在试题卷和答题纸规定的位置上。
2.答题时，请按照答题纸上“注意事项”的要求，在答题纸相应的位置上规范作答，在本试题卷上的作答一律无效。
3.非选择题的答案必须使用黑色字迹的签字笔或钢笔写在答题纸上相应的区域内，作图时先使用2B铅笔，确定后必须使用黑色字迹的签字笔或钢笔描黑。
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。
例:How much is the shirt?
A.£19.15 B.£9.15 C.£9.18
答案是B。
1. What is Joey doing now?
A. Making a pudding.
B. Playing a video game.
C. Decorating a Christmas tree.
2. How will the speakers go to Hangzhou?
A. By car. B. By plane. C. By train.
3. What is the weather like now?
A. Warm. B. Hot. C. Cold.
4. Why does the woman look unhappy?
A. She has to work overtime. B. She can't go to the movies. C. She doesn't feel well.
5. What are the speakers probably talking about?
A. A scenic spot. B. A painting. C. A photo.
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. What edition of the book should the man read?
A. The second edition. B. The third edition. C. The fourth edition.
英语试题卷 第1页 共8页
7. What's the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Professor and student. B. Classmates. C. Librarian and reader.
听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8. What injury is Mike suffering now?
A. A broken leg. B.A broken arm. C. A head injury.
9. Why did the accident happen to Mike probably?
A. He got distracted. B. He ran a red light. C. He drove too fast.
10. Where does the conversation probably take place?
A. In a hospital. B. In an office. C. In a police station.
听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11. What does the man want to do at the beginning?
A. To know the class schedule.
B. To have a registration form.
C. To get a student discount.
12. What worries the man about the classes?
A. The expensive cost. B. The inconvenient time. C. The crowded classroom.
13. What will the woman talk about next?
A. The coaches. B. The location. C. The exercise equipment.
听第9段材料，回答第14至16题。
14. Where did the woman find the bug at first?
A. On the wall. B. On the floor. C. On her desk.
15. What does the woman think of bugs?
A. Lovely. B. Scary. C. Helpful.
16. What percentage of British crops depend on insect pollination(授粉)?
A.30%. B.40%. C.75%.
听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。
17. Who is Bryan Lynn?
A. An English teacher. B. A radio host. C. A food magazine editor.
18. What do we know about the white potato?
A. It came from Peru.
B. It has a history of 700 years.
C. It's a special type of potato.
19. What does a meat-and-potatoes kind of person prefer?
A. Fancy goods. B. Simple things. C. Complex emotions.
20. What can be described as a “hot potato”?
A. A troublesome thing. B. An important thing. C. An attractive thing.
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、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
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Super-Fast Technology
The LaserBand adopts a new band design, patented hair parting teeth and an unprecedented 82
英语试题卷 第2页 共8页
medical grade lasers. The LaserBand effectively delivers nourishing light energy to your follicles(毛囊)to regrow your hair with a super-fast treatment in as little as 90 seconds.
8Proven Benefits
HairMax laser treatments are proven to Treat Hair Loss, Stimulate New Hair Growth, Reverse Thinning Hair, Active Hair Follicles, Rejuvenate Aging Hair, Repair Damaged Hair, Speed Hair Growth, Strengthen and Thicken Hair.
Money Back Guarantee
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Visit hairmax.com for our full collection of laser devices, shampoo, scalp treatments and supplements.
Devices starting from $195.
Order any laser device and receive free shipping, and $20 HairMax Gift Card which can be used for your next shopping.
Ask about our Buy 1 Get 1 FREE shampoo at HAIRMAX. COM.
Lexington International, LLC-777 Yamato Road, Suite 105, Boca Raton, FL 33431 +1.561.417.0200
21. What progress has HairMax company made in hair growth laser treatment recently?
A. You don't need to hold the device now.
B. You don't have to take any medicine now.
C. No surgical operation is required for hair regrowth now.
D. Many other related products are available now.
22. How much should you pay at least the next time you order a laser device at hairmax.com?
A.$215. B.$ 195. C.$ 175. D.$ 105.
23. What is the purpose of the text?
A. To present a new technology. B. To sell a product.
C. To report a new finding. D. To give suggestions.
B
Earlier this month, British supermarket chain Morrisons announced that it would be removing “use by” dates on most of its milk. The idea behind this is to discourage people from throwing milk away based on a date, rather than sniffing and looking at it to determine whether it's still safe for consumption.
The fact is that significant amounts of food get wasted every year by people blindly following expiration(到期) dates, rather than their senses. What makes matters worse is that most dates don't mean much, anyway. They're assigned somewhat randomly by food manufacturers that are not held to any regulatory standards for what determines a safe date nor what expertise is required to make such a judgment call—so it makes sense that they’d be too cautious.
What I find amusing, however, is that many people seem to be horrified by this approaching absence of “use by” dates.
In fact, I never look at expiration dates when I shop. To me, it's as if they don't exist. To be clear, I am not an absent-minded shopper. I pay close attention to both packaging and price. Despite having a full cart at checkout, I could tell you the exact price of every item in it. Any time I see a clearance rack(清仓
英语试题卷 第3页 共8页
货架) at the store, that's usually where I go first because it's exactly the stuff I want to buy — the cheaper, the better! If there's any heavily discounted product that I'd normally use, I will certainly take it. Often, I'll mentally adjust my weekly menu plan on the spot, based on what I find.
The handful of times I have looked at expiration dates have been for short-lived items like prepackaged salad greens. What I've found, however, is that the dates mean little. Even a package that claims to be fresh can still have rotten yellow leaves at the bottom, which turns me off. Therefore, the expiration date means next to nothing, but my visual assessment, combined with my intention for when I plan to eat it, is far more useful.
Food is your friend. Food is not out to kill you!
24. Why will Morrisons remove “use by” dates on most of its milk?
A. To reduce food waste. B. To improve customers' senses.
C. To meet the regulatory standards. D. To be cautious about food quality.
25. What do we know about the author's shopping habit from the text?
A. She shows little interest in packaging. B. She cares more about the price.
C. She avoids buying discounted products. D. She is careless about choosing goods.
26. Why does the author give the example of “prepackaged salad greens”?
A. To claim her favorite food. B. To introduce her cooking habit.
C. To stress the uselessness of expiration dates. D. To show the poor packaging of some food.
27. What would be a suitable title for the text?
A. What Makes Us Waste More Food B. Why We Need “Use By” Dates
C. How I Choose Food for Cooking D. Why I Ignore Food Expiration Dates
C
Next time a customer comes to your office, offer him a cup of coffee. And when you're doing your holiday shopping online, make sure you're holding a large glass of iced tea. The physical sensation of warmth encourages emotional warmth, while a cold drink in hand prevents you from making unwise decisions—those are the practical lesson being drawn from recent research by psychologist John A. Bargh.
Psychologyists have known that one person's perception(感知) of another's “warmth” is a powerful determiner in social relationships. Much of this is rooted in very early childhood experiences, Bargh argues, when babies' conceptual sense of the world around them is shaped by physical sensations, particularly warmth and coldness. Classic studies by Harry Harlow, published in 1958, showed monkeys preferred to stay close to a cloth “mother” rather than one made of wire, even when the wire “mother” carried a food bottle. Harlow's work and later studies have led psychologists to stress the need for warm physical contact from caregivers to help young children grow into healthy adults with normal social skills.
To test the relationship between physical and psychological warmth, Bargh conducted an experiment which involved 41 college students. A research assistant who was unaware of the study's hypotheses(假设), handed the students either a hot cup of coffee, or a cold drink, to hold while the researcher filled out a short information form: The drink was then handed back. After that, the students were asked to rate the personality of “Person A” based on a particular description. Those who had briefly held the warm drink regarded Person A as warmer than those who had held the iced drink.
“We are grounded in our physical experiences even when we think abstractly,” says Bargh.
28. What may a person's emotion be affected by according to Paragraph 1?
A. The visitors to his office. B. The psychology lessons he has.
C. His physical feeling of coldness. D. The things he has bought online.
29. The author mentions Harlow ’s experiment to show that .
A. adults should develop social skills B. babies need warm physical contact
C. caregivers should be healthy adults D. monkeys have social relationships
30. What were the students asked to do in Bargh's experiment?
A. Evaluate someone's personality. B. Write down their hypotheses.
C. Fill out a personal information form. D. Hold coffee and cold drink alternatively.
31. What can we learn about Bargh's words in the last paragraph?
A. Physical experiences result in better thinking. B. Physical warmth comes from a warm soul.
C. Abstract thinking is essential for action. D. Emotions are based on Physical sensations.
D
Sunday is more like Monday than it used to be. Places of business that used to keep daytime “business hours” are now open late into the night. And on the Internet, the hour of the day and the day of the week have become irrelevant. A half century ago in the United States, most people experienced strong and precise dividing lines between days of rest and days of work, school time and summer time. Today the boundaries still exist, but they seem not clear.
The law in almost all states used to require stores to close on Sunday; in most, it no longer does. It used to keep the schools open in all seasons except summer ;in most, it still does. And whether the work week should strengthen its legal limits, or whether it should become more “flexible,” is often debated. How should we, as a society, organize our time? Should we go even further in relaxing the boundaries of time until we live in a world where every minute is much like every other?
These are not easy questions even to ask. Part of the difficulty is that we rarely recognize the “law of time” even when we meet it face to face. We know as children that we have to attend school a certain number of hours, a certain number of days, a certain number of years—but unless we meet the truant officer(学监), we may well think that we should go to school due to social custom and parents' demand rather than to the law. As we shall see, there is a lot of law that has a great influence on how we organize and use time: compulsory education law, overtime law, and daylight-saving law—as well as law about Sunday closing, holidays, being late to work, time zones, and so on. Once we begin to look for it, we will have no trouble finding a law of time to examine and assess.
32. What does the author mean by saying “Sunday is more like Monday than it used to be”?
A. Work time is equal to rest time.
B. Many people have a day off on Monday.
C. It is hard for people to decide when to rest.
D. The line between work time and rest time is unclear.
33. The author raises the questions in Paragraph 2 to introduce the fact that people .
A. fail to make full use of their time B. enjoy working overtime for extra pay
C. are unaware of the law of time D. welcome flexible working hours
34. According to the passage, most children tend to believe that they go to school because they .
A. need to acquire knowledge B. have to obey their parents
C. need to find companions D. have to observe the law
英语试题卷 第5页 共8页
35. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Our life is governed by the law of time.
B. How to organize time is not worth debating.
C. New ways of using time change our society.
D. Our time schedule is decided by social customs.
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。
Do you get nervous thinking about geometry, equations or a coming math test? If yes, you are far from alone. 36 Students in countries with higher levels of math anxiety tend to achieve lower math grades, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Feb 15.
According to a University of Cambridge study, in ordinary life, many people experience some degree of discomfort when faced with a math problem, ranging from mild tension to strong fear._37They may then try to avoid every situation involving numbers, meaning they are held back from pursuing careers related to this subject.
Comfort comes from the fact that those with math anxiety are not necessarily to be bad at math.38 They may have had a really bad experience with math and there are ways to improve math achievement.
39 If you' re feeling stressed before a math exam, it may help to spend a few minutes exploring those feelings before the exam begins. It's about making sure you're interpreting your feelings correctly. In addition, a little math anxiety could be taken as a positive challenge to overcome._40
A. Also, there are ways to manage your stress related to math.
B. Students with math anxiety are usually cognitively disadvantaged.
C. If a child has math anxiety, don't assume that they're not good at math.
D. Math anxiety has become a common psychological condition among students around the world.
E. Just because you have a fast heartbeat and sweaty palms, that does not necessarily mean you will fail.
F. Just like many people get stage fright before delivering a speech, this nervous energy can help to motivate.
G. Some people also experience physical symptoms such as sweaty palms or a racing heart.
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、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I was waiting in vain for a phone call from my agent.I_41_him several times, but each time his secretary told me he was in a meeting and that he would phone me_42_. So I waited on, but there was still no call. Three_43_passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was_44_that my agent didn't care about my work, and he didn't care about me. Overcome with that_45_,I started to shout at the phone, “Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?”
At that time I didn't realize my wife was_46_. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in,47_the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted,“ Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad_48_!” And she swept it into the wastebasket.
英语试题卷 第6页 共8页
I stood watching her,_49_. What on earth?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house,“ Now hear this! All_50_in this room — if you do anything to_51_my husband, out you go!” Then she turned to me, kissed me, and said_52_,“ Honey, you just have to learn how to take control.” With that, she left the room.
After watching a_53_woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight,I noticed that something in my mood had_54_.I was_55_. How could I have trouble with that phone? Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him patiently.
41.A. scolded B. encouraged C. called D. texted
42.A. often B. again C. first D. later
43.A. seconds B. hours C. days D. weeks
44.A. informed B. positive C. amazed D. anxious
45.A. guilt B. objective C. account D. thought
46.A. looking on B. passing by C. spying on D. showing off
47.A. threw away B. ignored C. cut off D. seized
48.A. telephone B. agent C. husband D. secretary
49.A. ashamed B. exhausted C. senseless D. speechless
50.A. objects B. persons C. family D. furniture
51.A. acknowledge B. upset C. dismiss D. convince
52.A. calmly B. excitedly C. madly D. awkwardly
53.A. familiar B. admirable C. crazy D. aggressive
54.A. arisen B. shrunk C. accumulated D. changed
55.A. complaining B. shouting C. laughing D. bargaining
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。
You can't walk down the street without passing so-called “smart-phone zombies(僵尸).”They are too absorbed in their screen_56_( watch) where they are going. Almost four in ten people admit having suffered a technology- related small accident_57_they pay more attention to their electronic devices than to the pavement.
Recently the city of Honolulu, Hawaii,_58_( declare) it's time to take action and make_59illegal to cross the road while using a smart phone. Those_60 ( catch) using phones or other electronic devices at crossing points could face a fine up to $ 100.
Honolulu is the first major U. S. city to ban what is called “distracted walking”. It comes after a study found there had been more than 11,000_61_( injury) in the United States resulting from phone-related distraction while walking in the past few years. To explain the decision, mayor Kirk Caldwell said,“_62_( unfortunate), we hold the honor of being a major city_63_more pedestrians are hit in crosswalks than almost any other city in the country.”
However, the law does permit 64 exception. Pedestrians can use such devices to call emergency services and rescue workers, such as firefighters. If you still want to text while walking, you could avoid_65_( fine) by using a voice- controlled digital assistant. Or you could just wait until you are again, safely, off the street.
英语试题卷第7页 共8页
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)
假定你是李华，一个月前你从某海外网站买了一本原版小说《小王子》。今天到货后，发现包裹已破，书页污损。请给网站客服Smith先生写一封电子邮件，内容包括：
1.购书情况；
2.陈述问题；
3.提出诉求。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。


第二节读后续写(满分25分)
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
My mother was a supporter of physical punishment, but for all her talking she has never spanked(打屁股) my siblings, and me only once. Instead she found ways of punishment that left a more lasting memory than giving us a spanking. One of the most memorable of these occasions occurred when I was four.
In the early 70's my mother attended college during the day and I was in day care. One day at day care I watched an extremely tired mother attempt to pick up her daughter. The little girl asked, “Momma, are we going to McDonald’s for dinner?” The mother replied, “Honey, not tonight. Momma has to run a few errands(差事) and then we have to go home and cook dinner for Daddy.” “But I wanna go.” “Susie, I said not tonight. Maybe, if you are a good girl, we can go tomorrow.” Susie immediately dropped to the floor, kicking and screaming, “I want to go to McDonald's.”
No amount of pleading(恳求) or scolding her mother tried stopped Susie's tantrum(发脾气).Finally her mother gave in, “Okay, Susie, let's go to McDonald's.” Susie stopped yelling. With a smile on her face she grabbed her mother's hand and they left. To say I was amazed would be inaccurate; I was delighted that anything I wanted could be had by throwing a tantrum.
That day my mother picked me up early from day care because we were going to a store to purchase some Christmas items. I was excited by the lights and decorations, and as we walked through the toy section on the way to the counter, I saw a toy I had to have. It was a white and red telephone whose bells rang as it was pulled along on a string. Looking lovingly up at my mother I asked, “Mama, can I have that telephone?”
She replied, “Baby, not now, but if you are a good girl, maybe Santa will bring it to you.” “But Mama, I want that telephone right now.” Her eyes narrowed and her hand tightened on mine. “Becky, you can't have that telephone today, but if you misbehave, you can have a spanking.”
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；
Paragraph 1:
By now we were standing in the long holiday line to pay the bill, and I figured it was a good chance.
Paragraph 2:
“Mama, stop. Mama, get up,” I tearfully pleaded.
































湖州联考英语参考答案
第一部分 听力（共 20 小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 30 分）
1-5 AABCB 6-10 CBCAB 11-15 ACCAB 16-20 CBABA
第二部分 阅读理解 （共两节，满分50分）
第一节（共 15 个小题；每小题 2.5 分，满分 37.5 分）
21-35 ACB ABCD CBAD DCBA
第二节（共 5 小题：每小题 2.5 分，满分 12.5 分）
36-40 DGCAF
第三部分 语言运用 （共两节，满分30分）
第一节 完形填空（共 15 个小题，每小题 1 分，满分 15 分）
41-55：CDBBD ADADA BACDC
第二节 语法填空（共 10 个小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 15 分）
56. to watch; 57. because/as/since; 58. declared / has declared; 59. it; 60. caught;
61. injuries; 62. Unfortunately; 63. where; 64. an; 65. being fined
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）
Possible version:
Dear Mr. Smith,
My name is Li Hua, one of your customers. I ordered an original novel Little Prince a month ago on your website. Today I received the package with disappointment.
It’s partly broken when delivered to me. What’s worse, some pages of the book are damaged and stained, no longer readable. Attached to the email is a picture of these pages. I hope you either deliver a new book to me or give my money back.
Looking forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
第二节 读后续写（满分25分）
Possible version:
By now we were standing in the long holiday line to pay the bill, and I figured it was a good chance. I lay down on the ground and began screaming, “I want that telephone,” over and over again. Weary Christmas shoppers looked as my mother calmly said, “Becky, you had better get up by the count of three or else... One... Two... Three.” Nothing. I was still in full tantrum. So then she lay down beside me on the floor, and began kicking and screaming, “I want a new car. I want a new house. I want some jewelry. I want...” Shocked, I stood up.
“Mama, stop. Mama, get up,” I tearfully pleaded. She stood, and brushed herself off. At first stunned, the others waiting in line began to clap, and before I knew it they were cheering and laughing and patting my mother on her back. She blushed and took a little bow and the next thirty minutes in line was pure misery for me as various parents leaving the store, shake their heads at me and say with a smile, “Your mom got you good. I bet you’ll never try that again.” And I didn’t, because it left a lasting mental picture more effective than any physical mark.
听力原文：
Text 1:
W: Are you playing the video game, Joey? Come on and help me decorate the Christmas tree.
M: I’ll be right there as soon as I finish making the pudding, Mom.
Text 2:
M: Take a train to Hangzhou would be exhausting. Why don’t we just make a flight booking?
W: But I want to enjoy the scenery along the way. I can borrow my dad’s car. I’ll drive!
M: Hmm, I’m not against that.
Text 3:
M: I think I’m getting a cold.
W: You have stayed in this air-conditioned room for too long. Just go out and catch some fresh air.
M: Are you kidding? The sun is burning everything out there.
Text 4:
M: Oh, why do you still have the long face? I don’t want to work overtime, either. I promise I’ll go to the movies with you next time, okay?
W: No, it’s not like that. My belly… Excuse me, but I have to use the toilet now.
Text 5:
W: Oh, my. Look at the light, the cloud, and the sunflowers. They look so real. I mean, for a moment I thought it was a photo.
M: Yeah. I bought it from a real good artist.
Text 6:
M: Look! I’ve got a used copy of the physics book for half price at the secondhand bookstore.
W: Let me see. The third edition?
M: Yeah. Well, uh… Isn’t it the one Professor Wang said we’re supposed to be reading?
W: Brian, I’m sure what he said is the fourth edition.
M: What? Oh no. My mind must have been drifting when he said that.
W: Hmm… Why not return your book and borrow the one you really need in the library? I mean, I got mine in the City Library.
M: Okay.
Text 7:
W: Mike’s computer hasn’t been turned on. Hasn’t he come yet?
M: I was just about to tell you that. His car crashed into the rear of a truck and he’s in hospital now.
W: What? Is he okay?
M: Well, lucky for him, no broken arms or legs. Only a small injury to his head.
W: I’ve always told him not to drive so fast. He is so impatient. Did he try to run a red light again this time?
M: Not really. He said he was reading a text on his cellphone, and when he saw the truck, it was already too late for him to respond.
W: He’ll have enough time to respond to police questions. Anyway, let’s just go through the sales report without him.
Text 8:
M: Hello, I understand there are fitness classes for students, and I’m a little curious about the schedule.
W: Sure. The school provides fitness classes weekdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Free of charge, of course.
M: Good. Do I have to register?
W: No, but a student ID card is a must.
M: Okay. Will there be enough room for students to move around freely? I mean, I wouldn’t want to work out in a jammed place.
W: Don’t worry. The classes take place at the Elizabeth Hall. It can accommodate up to 500 students. But the average turnout is only around 100. Oh, the Student Union has invited some professional coaches to provide guidance this month. You wouldn’t want to miss it.
M: Alright. And what about the exercise equipment there?
W: Well, you can use…
Text 9:
W: Ah! There’s a bug on the wall! Oh, no! It has jumped on the floor and is now moving toward my desk! Help me crush it!
M: Oh, what a lovely little creature. Chill out. It causes no harm as long as you leave it be. Besides, insects are helpful.
W: What? They are horrible! Bugs always make my hair stand on end! Helpful? How?
M: Well, do you know what pollen is?
W: You mean the fine powder produced by flowers? Yeah. It fertilizes other flowers of the same species so that they produce seeds. But how does that have anything to do with bugs?
M: Because insects play a crucial part in the transfer of pollen among flowers, and three-quarters of our crops in the UK depend on this.
W: Okay, but… Ahhh, it has jumped on my foot! Ahhh!
Text 10:
M: Hello, I’m Bryan Lynn. Now you’re listening to the English learning program, Words and Their Stories. Today we are going to talk about potatoes.
Potatoes have been around for a very long time. In the food magazine Bon Appétit, Sam Dean writes about the beginnings of the potato. He explains that the common white potato came from Peru at least 7,000 years ago.
These days, most countries use a type of potato in their cooking. For people who like meat, you have not lived until you have eaten a baked potato covered with melted cheese and crispy bacon. And speaking of meat on top of potatoes, we do have an expression related to it: meat-and-potatoes. If someone is a meat-and-potatoes kind of person, they prefer simple life. They are not interested in fancy goods, complex emotions or things alike.
Okay, as you know, a cooked potato can stay hot for a long time, and therefore comes the expression “hot potato”. When you describe something as a “hot potato”, you’re saying it’s difficult to deal with and you want to get rid of it as soon as possible, because it’s “too hot to hold”. We also have “small potatoes”, which means unimportant people or things. But, we do not say “big potatoes” for important ones. English is funny that way! That’s today’s Words and Their Stories. Have a nice day!