江西省南昌市青山湖区南昌市第一中学2023-2024学年高二上学期10月月考英语试题（月考）

这是一份江西省南昌市青山湖区南昌市第一中学2023-2024学年高二上学期10月月考英语试题（月考），共13页。试卷主要包含了5分，满分7等内容，欢迎下载使用。

南昌一中2023-2024学年度上学期高二第一次月考
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.How did the man probably get here?
A. By taxi. B. On foot C.By car.
2. What will the woman do next?
A. Go to another airport. B. Call a taxi. C. Get her luggage.
3. How many people on the bus escaped unhurt in the accident?
A. 6. B. 5 C. 4
4. Where does the conversation probably take place?
A. In the man's house. B. On a boat. C. In a restaurant.
5. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A. A book. B. A movie. C. A song.
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. Why did the man refuse the job?
A. His wife didn't want him to take it.
B. It wasn't special enough.
C. He couldn't handle it.
7. What does the woman offer to do at the end?
A. Ask around for a babysitter.
B. Look after the children.
C. Help the man find another job.
听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8. Why did the man stop going to the gym?
A. He was too busy.
B. He disliked the exercise machines.
C. He found it more convenient to exercise at home.
9. How does the man make himself run faster?
A. By reading magazines. B. By timing himself. C. By watching great videos.
10. How often does the man run?
A. Daily B. Twice a week. C. Three times a week.
听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11. Who knocked over the vase?
A. The cat. B. The woman. C. The man.
12. Who did the vase belong to at first?
A. The woman's mother B. The woman's grandma. C. The woman's friend.
13. What did the speakers decide to do?
A. Fix the vase themselves.
B. Buy a new vase at an antique store.
C. Have the vase repaired somewhere.
听第9段材料，回答第 14 至16题。
14. What does the man learn to do in his spare time?
A. Write songs. B. Play the guitar C. Study three languages.
15. Who inspires the woman to have a hobby?
A. Her friend. B. Her cousin. C. Her teacher.
16. How will the woman get green paint?
A. She will buy it. B. She will make it. C. She will borrow it.
听第10 段材料，回答第17至20题。
17. When did Google come out with Google Home?
A. In 2016. B. In 2015. C. In 2017.
18. How many songs does Google's product have?
A. 35 million. B. 2 million. C. 2.5 million.
19. Which product is aimed at young children?
A. Amazon Echo. B. Google Home. C. Mattel's Aristotle.
20. What is typical of the Mattel's Aristotle?
A. The lowest price. B. The earliest product. C. The best interaction.
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）
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
Want to learn Chinese characters, study the Chinese language, meet new friends, and show off your artistic skills? Join the 2022 Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition — Calligraphy and Painting Challenge!
What are submissions about?
The calligraphy and painting challenge has two categories, Mid-Autumn Festival and Spring Festival. Submissions for one or both are welcome. Submitters may choose to participate in the calligraphy group, the painting group or both.
When can I submit?
Phase One, Mid-Autumn Festival: From June 20 to2:00 pm of Aug. 25. Phase Two, Spring Festival: From June 20 to 12:00 pm of Jan. 6, 2023.
Overdue submissions will be rejected. (For mailed original works, the submission time will be determined by the postmark or processing date of the delivery service. )
Who can submit?
All Chinese language enthusiasts from around the world. No age limitation. The submitter must be a non-Chinese speaker, with a non-Chinese nationality.
What we’re looking for?
We accept soft pen calligraphy works. Writing styles are not limited. No limitations on painting forms: Chinese paintings, oil paintings, watercolors, gouaches, sketches, prints, comics, computer paintings or others.
Participants can shoot video to show the intention or meaning of texts, and share stories of his or her painting and calligraphy works. Your submission will only be valid if it’s submitted with your calligraphy or painting works.
Via email Send an email to chinesebridge@chineseplus.net.
21. When can a participant’s work be submitted for Phase One?
A.On Jan. 1 . B. On Aug. 15. C. On Sep. 15. D. On June 19.
22. What can we learn from the text?
A. Participants cannot choose both categories.
B. The competition is intended for all Chinese globally.
C. Neither calligraphy writing styles nor painting forms are limited.
D. The time of mailed submissions depends on delivery service.
23. Which of the following submissions are not qualified?
A. An oil painting by an exchange student from German.
B. A calligraphy work of Chinese character of Fu.
C. A video alone sharing stories of your painting.
D. A watercolor by a three-year-old African.
B
In a small village in northeastern Thailand, 23-year-old Siriporn Sapmak starts her day by live streaming her two Asian elephants on social media. She points her phone at the grey giants as she feeds them bananas. Siriporn, who has been caring for her elephants since she was in school, says she can raise about $27.46 worth of donations from several hours of live streaming. However, that is only enough to feed her two elephants for one day. Some days, she doesn't receive any donations and her elephants are underfed.
Live streaming the two Asian elephants is a new source of income for the family that, before the pandemic, earned money by doing elephant shows in the Thai city of Pattaya. Like the Sapmak family, thousands of other elephant owners around the country had to go back to their home villages as the pandemic severely damaged elephant camps and foreign tourism came to a standstill. According to Edwin Wiek, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, only 400,000 foreign tourists arrived in Thailand last year compared with nearly 40 million in 2019.
The government has sent 500,000 kilograms of grass across the country since 2020 to help feed the elephants. That would be enough to feed a dozen elephants for 4 months. But Thailand has nearly 4,000 elephants living in captivity（圈养）. The Department of Livestock Development says that it plans to launch a program to help elephant owners plant seed to grow their own grasses.
While the government is expecting 10 million foreign tourists this year, some say this may not be enough to tempt Asian elephant owners back to top tourist destinations, given the relevant costs. “Who has the money right now to arrange a truck? And who can guarantee they are really going to have business again when they go back?” said Wiek.
24.What does the author want to show by telling Siriporn’s story?
A. She does well in taking care of elephants. B. She pays her school fees by live streaming.
C. The Thai elephants are facing survival problems. D. The Thai people like live streaming market.
25.What contributed most to elephant owners’ return to their home villages?
A. High consumption in the city. B. Their easy access to grass fields.
C. Their failure to afford elephant camps. D. Inadequate income from foreign tourists.
26. What can be inferred about the measures taken by the government?
A. They are far from satisfactory. B. They have achieved the desired effect.
C. They have created more new jobs. D. They will relieve the stress of all caretakers.
27. What does the underlined word “tempt” mean in the last paragraph?
A. Limit. B. Direct. C. Attract. D. Admit.
C
In summer the extreme heat often makes people sweaty and restless. While people are annoyed by it, experts suggest summer is the best season to release your body’s toxins (毒素) and recover your energy.
One popular option is hot-stone massage (按摩). Therapists use smooth and heated stones, usually river rocks, to massage certain parts of the body, or place them on key points of the body. The warmth of the hot stones will improve blood circulation and also help relax muscles, while sweating is also believed to be good for releasing the body’s toxins.
Another popular option is hot-stone baths. The hot-stone bath will help the body release toxins and humidity that accumulated during the last winter. Summer is the best season to build a good body. Rather than use water or steam to heat and wash the body, people simply wear a coat or something comfortable, and then lie on heated stone tablets, which are warmed to around 45℃. The body will gradually warm up and blood circulation will also be improved. More sweat will come out quickly. The sweat is smooth and fresh, not smelly like that released after sports activities. Such baths bring a number of health benefits, such as anti-aging, improved blood circulation and stress relief. The slimming effect of dieting can even be promoted.
Using hot stones for healing dates back to ancient times, but the modern renewal of hot-stone massage is generally thanks to Mary Nelson, a native of Tucson, Arizona, America, whose trademark is “LaStone Therapy”.
The therapy (疗法) is gaining wide popularity with many people, especially those who have jobs in cool air-conditioned rooms. The hot-stone therapy can help cure many diseases, including back pain.
28. What do people use to release toxins in our body according to the text?
A. Relaxing muscles. B. Releasing lots of sweat.
C. Lying on the warm beds. D. Washing the body with cold water.
29. What can we know from the text?
A. There are no toxins and humidity in the body in summer.
B. Sports have greater effects on the health than hot-stone massage.
C. People should take advantage of summer to improve their health.
D. Using water of about 45℃ to wash the body is good for the health.
30. What can be learned about the hot-stone therapy?
A. It successfully cured many people of cancer.
B. It was invented by Mary Nelson, an American.
C. It can help people avoid sweating too much in summer.
D. It is quite popular with people with its excellent effects.
31. Which of the following could be the best title for the text?
A. How to live comfortably in hot summer B. Massage: A healthy and comfortable lifestyle
C. The amazing functions of the hot-stone therapy D. The origin and development of the hot-stone therapy


D
Emerging economies struggled to grow through the 2010s and pessimism clouds them now. People wonder how they will pay debts piling up and grow rapidly. The solution is the fast-spreading digital revolution. The world’s largest emerging market has already demonstrated the enormous effects of digital technology. As China’s old industries have slowed sharply over the past decade, the booming technology industry has kept the economy growing steadily.
Now China’s emerging market peers are getting a push from the same digital engines. Since 2014, more than 10,000 tech firms have been launched in emerging markets. From Bangladesh to Egypt, it is easy to find entrepreneurs (企业家) who worked for Facebook or other US giants before coming home to start their own companies.
How can the emerging market countries adopt common digital technologies faster than the richer countries? In societies filled with stores and services, customers are accustomed to using the providers they have. However, in countries where people have difficulty even finding public facilities, a bank or a hospital, they will jump at the first digital option. Though only 5% of the Kenyans carry credit cards, more than 70% have access to digital banking.
The digital impact on productivity is visible. Many governments are moving services online to make them more transparent (透明的) and less affected by corruption (腐败), perhaps the most feared obstacle to doing business in the emerging world. Since 2010, the cost of starting a business has been steady in developed countries while falling sharply in emerging market countries, from 66% to just 27% of the average annual income. Entrepreneurs can now launch businesses affordably, organizing much of what they need on a smartphone.
The era of rapid digitization has only just begun. This offers many developing economies a revolutionary new path to catching up with the living standards of the developed world.
32. Which is a result of digital technology for China?
A. Stable economic growth. B. Accumulated debts.
C. Struggling new industries. D. Booming old industries.
33. Why does the author mention Kenyans in paragraph 3?
A. To present emerging markets’ digital technologies.
B. To show rich nations abandon what they own unwillingly.
C. To present emerging markets accept digital options warmly.
D. To show poor nations have difficulty building public facilities.
34. What plays a key role in the boom of digital businesses in emerging markets?
A. The steady annual income.
B. The low cost of launching businesses.
C. The simplified procedure of setting up a business.
D. The thorough removal of the most feared obstacle.
35. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A. Emerging Economies Are Seeking Their Fortune
B. The Digital Impact Is Huge on Global Productivity
C. The Era of Rapid Digitization Is Around the Corner
D. Digital Technology Will Save Slow Emerging Markets


第二节（共5个小题；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。
How to Feel Connected
It's easy to feel disconnected from what is going on around you in today's fast-paced world. ____36____ You can get in touch and feel connected however, by following the tips below:
Consider why you feel disconnected. Knowing what is making you feel disconnected can help you choose the best ways to address it. ____37____ Ask yourself these questions: Are you keeping yourself occupied with work too much? Do you rely on electronic communication instead of face to face communication? Do you lack friendships that are satisfying?
Interact with people in person. Technology is a great way to stay in touch, but sometimes you need to spend time with other people in person. ____38____ You can also take steps to feel more connected by making small-talk with strangers who are sharing parts of your day.
____39____ Your loved ones could feel shy, so you may never know how to improve your relationship unless you ask the right questions. Asking them to open the doors can give you some insight on what you can do. Learning this information can help to strengthen your bond.
Show your commitment to them. Simply showing up and being there for your loved ones says a lot about how much you value your relationships. Putting in the time shows them that you are committed and want to stay connected. ____40____
Show appreciation. A simple “thank you” goes a very long way. Unfortunately, it is something that people who are close often take for granted. Telling someone you appreciate their time, love, and efforts can strengthen your bond and help you to become more connected.
A. Ask others what they need from you.
B. Sometimes you can feel isolated and distant from the ones you love.
C. Be brave to express your love.
D. Reach out to people to schedule a time to get together.
E. Attending family events, or simply visiting someone once a week can help to strengthen your relationship and keep it strong.
F. Targeting your efforts toward those issues allows you to close that distance more effectively.
G. You can have a gift delivered to friends on special occasions.
第三部分 语言知识运用（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）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
There exist colors in music. Mary has been performing music since she was a little girl. At the age of 5, a rare illness worsened her ___41___. Her parents tried to find___42___for her, but in vain. However, Mary used her gift as a way — not to ___43___, but to help her through challenges.
Years passed and Mary turned 15. One day, she sat in the car ___44___instead of having a casual talk with her father as usual. Then she blinked (眨) her ___45___eyes, whispering, “Dad, I see nothing.” At the thought that the illness finally___46___Mary’s eyesight, her father’s heart ___47___. He stopped the car and tried to comfort his poor girl. ___48___, he found he could do nothing but put music on loud. Affected by music, they were both lost in thought.___49___, she began to sing along with the music, from which a (n)____50____world was presented rather than a pessimistic one! From then on, Mary seemed to regain____51____in her life every time music was on.
More surprisingly, music led Mary on to a talent show. At the piano, Mary’s hands____52____on the keyboard, creating a gentle melody (旋律), after which a breathtaking voice____53____in the hall. As the music stopped, everyone ____54____and then burst into thunderous applause. Some were even brought to ____55____, deeply touched by the incredible girl.
Without vision, music acts as Mary’s eyes, showing her a colorful world that is worth valuing.
41. A. hearing B. feeling C. voice D. vision
42. A. alternatives B. treatments C. companions D. inspirations
43. A. perform B. struggle C. escape D. compete
44. A. in silence B. at ease C. at a time D. in a hurry
45. A. dry B. tired C. sharp D. empty
46. A. hurt B. stole C. threatened D. weakened
47. A. beat B. stopped C. sank D. raced
48. A. However B. Therefore C. Moreover D. Likewise
49. A. Fortunately B. Slowly C. Naturally D. Suddenly
50. A. active B. complex C. ideal D. fair
51. A. gift B. memories C. colors D. creativity
52. A. touched B. rested C. circled D. danced
53. A. broke B. floated C. shook D. whispered
54. A. clapped B. nodded C. froze D. wept
55. A. tears B. cheers C. laughter D. life
第二节 语法填空（共10个小题；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。
More than three decades ago, Chu Hungnam young man from East China's Shandong province, traveled to Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, 56. _____(throw) himself into wildlife research and protection work in Altay prefecture. Today, his 27-year-old daughter, Chu Wenwen, sticks to the faith of her father. More than that, she has 57. _____(successful) called on more than 1 million young people in making a joint effort to create a better living environment for the Mengxin beaver, the only beaver species living in China, 58.______ is only found along the Ulungur River in Altay.
The web-savvy（精通网络的）youngster has started a project to livestream, 24 hours a day，how the beavers live in the wild. Infrared cameras 59._____(use)recently so that viewers can monitor the ecological circulation around those small habitats 60.______(build) by the beavers.“We are the young generation that grew 61._____ during the Internet boom. Today, modern online communication tools and advanced 62._______ (equip) used for scientific research enable us to gather more people together in the pursuit of wildlife protection,” she says.
Additionally, Chu Wenwen is also willing to take parents and their children on field trips 63.__ __ (observe) beavers firsthand. She believes that if opportunities are provided for people to learn more about the animal, they will be 64.______(likely) to take actions to protect it.
“We can bridge 65.____ gap between the public and the beavers," she says.



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）
假定你是某学校体育俱乐部的负责人李华，你们俱乐部最近发起了“每天锻炼1小时”活动。请你结合以下要点写封倡议书，号召全校同学动起来。
1.活动目的;2.具体做法;3.发出倡议。
注意：
1.词数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）
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
Undoubtedly, Mother Nature is always attractive to kids. In our childhood, how often did we turn a deaf ear to our parents’ advice? Very often! Thus, we landed ourselves in a situation where we greatly regretted our act of not having listened to the advice of the wise.
Such an unforgettable experience I had at the age of 7 gave me an invaluable lesson, after which I deeply understood why my gentle mother was repeating the boring suggestions and I would try to take her suggestions seriously.
In my childhood, I was so crazy about nature that even playing among the colorful flowers in our garden could make my day. Our house was next to the woods which had always stirred up great curiosity in me in wanting to find out what was within. Every time I saw fascinating butterflies dancing from the woods, my curiosity grew.
But my mother didn’t like me wandering off on my own and always ensured that I was within her sight. Even if she allowed me to explore the surrounding area on my own, it was only to be somewhere near the house. Being as curious as the cat, I always desired to explore the woods. It seemed as if my mother had understood my desire, so she had warmed me on lots of occasions never to enter the woods alone.
“Mom, can I go out and play in the garden?” I asked.
“Sure,” she would reply each time. “Kate, you can play in the garden but you must promise me one thing—only when I’m with you can you go into the woods. There are no cases of animal attacks on humans, but it’s still dangerous for a little kid like you. It’s too easy to get lost in the woods.”
“Sure, you’ve said that many times!” I answered without patience at her repeated reminders.
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。
However, curiosity got the better of me one morning.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Kate?” Behind the trees covered by the rays of the setting sun came my mother’s voice.







南昌一中2023-2024学年度上学期高二第一次月考
英语答案
听力：1-5 CCAAB 6-10 ABCBA 11-15 ABABA 16-20 BAACC
阅读：21-23 BCC 24-27 CDAC 28-31 BCDC 32-35ACBD 36-40 BFEBC
完形：41-45 DBCAD 46-50 BCADA 51-55 CDBCA
语法填空：
56. throwing 57. successfully 58. which 59. have been used 60. built
61. up 62. which 63. to observe 64. more likely 65. the
66. 应用文写作
To encourage us students to get into shape and enrich our school life, our school sports club has launched an activity themed “Exercise 60 minutes every day”.
Regular exercise can be highly beneficial to us. We can go jogging or running in the morning. We recommend taking full advantage of break time at school to play jump rope, hula hoop and so on. In addition, it’s workable to cycle or swim after school.
Only with good health can we enjoy a happy life and good academic performance. So I appeal to all the students in our school to work out for an hour every day.

67. 读后续写
One possible version:
However, curiosity got the better of me one morning. Ignoring my mother’s reminder, I slid into the forbidden world. How fascinating! Among various colorful flowers danced butterflies. With excitement, I chased after the graceful creatures, running deeper into the woods. Suddenly they flew over trees and disappeared. What’s worse, I got lost! I rushed around, crying for help, frightened and helpless, but in vain. I repeated the useless efforts until sunset. “If only I followed Mom’s reminder!” I curled up under a tree, in bitter regret and cried again.
“Kate?” Behind the trees covered by the rays of the setting sun came my mother’s voice. “Mom! I’m here!” Wild with joy, I rushed towards where the voice came from. Behind a tree appeared my mother. She dashed up, hugged me tight and checked whether I got hurt. “I’m so sorry! I should have appreciated your suggestion!” I burst into tears. Wiping tears from my muddy face, she repeated the reminders, which weren’t boring any more, but wise and affectionate, and were implanted in my life forever.
【解析】
【导语】本文以人物为线索展开，讲述我对家附近的小森林充满了好奇心，但是妈妈总是提醒我不能独自进入森林。
【详解】1. 段落续写
①由第一段首句内容“然而，一天早上，好奇心战胜了我。”可知，本段可以写我被森林里的一切所吸引，越走越远，然后就迷路了。
②由第二段首句内容““凯特？”在夕阳的余晖笼罩下的树林后面传来了母亲的声音。”可知，本段可以写妈妈找到我，我明白了父母建议的重要性以及其中的智慧。
2. 续写线索：我进入森林深处——我迷路——我哭泣后悔——妈妈出现——我明白道理
3. 词类激活
行为类
①哭：cry/weep/burst into tears
②拥抱：hug/embrace
③跑：rush/dash/run
情绪类
①迷人的：fascinating/charming/attractive/fascinating
②兴奋：excitement/stimulation
③快乐：joy/delight/happiness
【点睛】【高分句型1】She dashed up, hugged me tight and checked whether I got hurt. (运用了whether引导的宾语从句)
【高分句型2】Wiping tears from my muddy face, she repeated the reminders, which weren’t boring any more, but wise and affectionate, and were implanted in my life forever. (运用了which引导的非限制性定语从句)
















听力原文：
Text 1
W: How did you get here so quickly? You told me your car broke down.
M: Yeah, it did. I wanted to take a taxi, but my neighbor saw me walking and offered me a ride.
Text 2
W: I still haven’t seen my luggage come out yet. It's in a hard guitar case. Do you think it was sent to the wrong airport?
M: Go to the over-sized luggage counter. It won't come out here. After you get it, I will call a taxi.
Text 3
W: Did you hear about the bus accident on TV? Four people died and five others were taken to hospital.
M: It was terrible. There were fifteen people in total on that bus.
Text 4
W: Wow, that was a great meal! I didn’t know you were such a good cook.
M: I'm glad you liked it. I just wanted to say thank you for taking me sailing last weekend.
Text 5
M: That was so good! I'm so glad I read the book first, otherwise I wouldn't have understood most of the story.
W: I agree. The music was also really good, and the acting, too.
Text 6
W: Jason, don't you think the job offer from Morgan Stanley is special? Why didn't you take it?
M: I know it was going to be a great job, but my wife didn’t want me to move to another city for work.
W: Why not?
M: She's worried that trying to handle two small kids by herself would be too much for her in a new city.
W: Is there anyone else who could help her?
M: Not really. We had a bad experience with a lady who helped with the cooking and cleaning.She just quit one day. She said she didn't like being around dogs, but she had never said anything before. Ever since then, my wife says she doesn't want to hire another person.
W: Well, it sounds like it was for the best. You know...if you ever need a babysitter, I’d be happy to do it.
Text 7
W: I don’t see you at the gym anymore.Have you been busy lately?
M: I'm always busy, but that's not the reason. I just found that it was easier to do it at home.
W: I understand. So what do you do instead?
M: I purchased an exercise machine that allows me to do everything I need. It also came with an instructional video and a magazine I can subscribe to.
W: Do you still run?
M: Of course. I have started to record how fast I run around the park. Every day, I try to improve by at least one second. It is a great way to push myself.
W: Do you work out more or less than before?
M: I used to go to the gym twice a week. Now I run every day, and lift weights three times a week.
Text 8
W: Oh, no! You broke my favorite vase! What did you do?
M: When I sat down on your sofa, it must have scared your cat. She jumped onto the table and knocked it over.
W: It's OK. Just help me clean everything up. Is there any way we can fix it? My mom will be very upset. Her mother gave it to me before she died.
M: Well, it looks like there are only two big pieces that broke off. Maybe we can use some really strong glue to put it back together.
W: What if it doesn't look good? Do you think I should just buy one like it?
M: That is an antique. It might be hard to find in a regular store.
W: You're right. We would never find the exact one. Hold on. My friend gave me some super glue a while ago. I think I still have it.. do!
M: We can take it to an antique store. There are skilled workers who can repair it for you.
W: I don't have the time. My mother is coming over tonight.
M: Then let's try that super glue and see if it works.
Text 9
W: I've always wanted to have a special talent.
M: You mean like being really good at sports?
W: Not really. I mean something that I could do in my spare time.
M: I know exactly what you mean. My cousin convinced me to learn the guitar. It's been a month now, and I can already play a few songs.
W: Good for you. I have a friend from Switzerland who can speak three languages. Isn't that amazing? She makes me want to challenge myself more.
M: Learning a new language is always a good idea, but if you' 're not going to use it, then what's the point?
W: I agree. That's why I've asked the art teacher at school about how to start oil painting.
M: It must be expensive. You need to buy all those colors to paint with.
W: That's what I thought, too, but you can mix most of the colors yourself. I only need to buy red, blue, yellow and white.
M: Good. So, when can I see your first work of art?
W: Well, I should have my supplies by Friday. I'll show you a few the following week. You just have to promise me one thing.
M: What's that?
W: Don't laugh.
Text 10
In 2014, Amazon released the world's first voice-controlled "smart assistant, called the Echo. It performed a variety of functions, including setting alarms, creating to-do lists, and providing real-time information such as weather, traffic and other news. Two years later, Google came out with the $180 Google Home. In 2017, the toy company Mattel came out with Aristotle, their idea of a personal assistant, aimed at kids. If you are in the market for one of these smart assistants, there are a number of things to consider. For instance, Google Home can answer a wide variety of questions and has a music library of 35 million songs. It also has many functions that work well with the TV, and is $50 cheaper than Amazon Echo. Echo can all be operated just by voice command. It has a music library of 2 million songs. Mattel's Aristotle can do most of what the other two can, but is meant to be more of a personal companion to children. It can be used as a baby camera in your child's early years, and still be useful until around middle school. It plays interactive games with them, reads to them, and serves as an instructional resource as the children grow up. In summary, all three have their benefits.