黑龙江省哈尔滨第三中学校2023-2024学年高二上学期第二次验收考试英语试题（月考）

这是一份黑龙江省哈尔滨第三中学校2023-2024学年高二上学期第二次验收考试英语试题（月考），共13页。试卷主要包含了5分，满分30分)等内容，欢迎下载使用。

哈三中2023-2024学年度上学期
高二学年第二次验收考试英语试卷
(考试时间：120分钟 试卷满分：150分)
注意事项：
本试卷分第一部分(听力)，第二部分(阅读理解)，第三部分(完形填空)，第四部分(单句填空)，第五部分(篇章语法填空)，第六部分(写作)。
第一部分：听力(共两节，每小题1.5分，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，从题中给出的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 does the man want to buy?
A. A soft drink. B. A movie ticket. C. Some popcorn.
2. What does the woman mean?
A. She wants to try the restaurant.
B. She will treat the man.
C. She likes to eat out.
3. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A. When the T-shirts will arrive.
B. How the quality of T-shirts is.
C. Whether they should order more T-shirts.
4. What is the woman most likely to do today?
A. Visit a lake. B. Stay at home C. Go to Mumbai.
5. Why does the man come to the company?
A. To attend an interview.
B. To make an appointment.
C. To visit the woman.
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. When did the man intend to arrive?
A. By 7：15. B. By 7：30. C. By 8：00.
7. What is the woman worried about?
A. The rush hour. B. Parking. C. Party food.
听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。
8. Where does the conversation most probably take place?
A. At a hotel. B. At an airport. C. At a travel agency.
9. What special request docs the woman make?
A. She wants a cheap flight.
B. She requires are tum ticket.
C. She would like a windows eat.
听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。
10. What are the speakers discussing?
A. A lecture. B. A product. C. A university.
11. What does the woman say about Mr. Cobb?
A. He founded a promising firm.
B. He is well known for his lectures.
C. He has contributed a lot to the field of electronics.
12. What does the man ask the woman to do?
A. Contact a department of the university.
B. Conduct an interview with Mr Cobb.
C. Buy tickets for employees.
听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。
13. What are the speakers short of?
A. Tomatoes. B. Cheese. C. Cabbages.
14. What does the man think of Bert?
A. He is inexperienced.
B. He is under a lot of pressure.
C. He has a good sense of direction.
15. Who will go to the grocery store?
A. Elizabeth. B. Bert. C. Jordan.
16. What is Elizabeth doing now?
A. Reading a menu. B. Cutting vegetables. C. Looking for Bert.
听第10段材料，答第17至20题。
17. How long did it take the class to get to the destination?
A. One hour. B. Two hours. C. Three hours.
18. What did the class do in the morning?
A. They took a class. B. They went hors c-riding. C. They admired the scenery.
19. What happened to the speaker when riding his horse?
A. He fell off it. B. He lost control of it. C. He moved too slowly on it.
20. What was the speaker's opinion on horse-riding?
A. Exciting. B. Relaxing. C. Terrible.
第二部分：阅读理解(共两节，满分60分)
第一节(共19小题：每小题2.5分，满分47.5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
TEC Community Event Series
Date and time
Thursday, July 13, 11 a.m.—11:45 a.m.
Location: Online
Duration: 45 minutes
Join our monthly community event! At TEC we have found that community increases success and consistency.
Have you ever wondered why the needle does not move, even when you get your 10.000 steps in? Do you still feel overly sore after a weekend full of activities? Or you can't seem to break the pattern with ongoing injuries?
If this sounds like you, then TEC has you covered! From movement to mindset, we will help you engage your body and give you easy-to-follow movements that you can do from anywhere. This will help you accomplish your fitness goals, feel great in all your summer activities and avoid the roller coaster of injuries!
TEC monthly community event!
Stay active beyond your training for performance, and prioritize your overall health.
Each movement will help you maximize your recovery and avoid any of the bad effects of your workouts, for example, overuse injuries, tightness, range of motion issues, etc.
Have a body and mind ready to interact in all the activities the healthy way!
Connect with other athletes and individuals.
Ask TEC coaches and other athletes questions and collaborate (合作) on best practices to optimize(优化) your mindset!
This event is for you if：
★You desire a community to grow with.
★You have strong feelings of enthusiasm for workouts.
★You enjoy achieving at a high level.
★You are looking for support for your mindset, sport or fitness.
This event is not for you if：
★You are close-minded and are not looking to be challenged or encouraged.
★You don't value learning from others.
★You are looking for a place to sell your products or services.
21. What can we learn about this event?
A. It takes place every month.
B. It offers 45-minute offline training.
C. It shows people the secret to success.
D. It aims to help measure people's weight.
22. How can participants benefit from the event?
A. They will recover immediately when injured.
B. They will gain permanent free workouts.
C. They will get one-to-one guidance from a coach.
D. They will learn how to avoid some injuries when exercising.
23. Who are most suitable for this event?
A. Those who hope to enjoy a quiet weekend.
B. Those who want to attract potential customers.
C. Those who attach importance to an active lifestyle.
D. Those who desire good academic performance.
B
I've been in an 18-year love-hate relationship with a black walnut tree(胡桃树) .
It's a unique tree. In late September or early October, falling fruits as hard as baseballs threaten the skulls(头骨) of you, your children, your neighbors and those that reside next door to them. Umbrellas in the yard area must while dining in early August, and as for me, I wear my bike helmet while working in the garden.
The black walnut also releases a chemical substance through its roots as a competitive strategy. It's poisonous to several common plants. There have been many new plant species that I brought home with hopes that maybe the black walnut would accept them, but they failed to flourish.
What does work are native plants that naturally grow in the area. Native plants are important to have around since they provide beneficial pollinators(传粉者) like birds, bees and butter l lies with seeds and contribute to a healthy and biodiverse environment. Native plants for this area are generally easy to grow, so they experience less stress.
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my tiny backyard? Yes, however, getting rid of this tree standing at 50 feet with an 87-inch trunk is next to impossible. It’s also protected under the law. Rightfully so. Trees are important to the urban forest and for all of those that inhabit it.
Sometimes I think about my life without the black walnut I can't imagine a spring without the birds who arrive every year and loudly sing their songs before dawn. I'd miss falling asleep on lazy weekend afternoons as I look up into its leaves.
Every spring, I wonder what the season holds: What are the chances of being knocked unconscious while barbecuing? Like any good relationship, I'll never be pleased. I'm stuck with this tree, so I'll listen to its needs and give it the space it requires. In return, my walnut offers a habitat for wildlife and a reminder.
24. Why does the author wear a bike helmet while working in the garden?
A. To protect the injured skull. B. To reduce the chance of a bee sting.
C. To prevent herself from sunburn. D. To avoid being hurt by the nuts.
25. What is the tree's survival strategy?
A. It attracts beneficial pollinators.
B. It lets out poison to drive away pests.
C. It produces a chemical deadly to some plants.
D. It competes for nutrition with similar species.
26. Why does the writer have a love-hate relationship with the tree?
A. It offers a shelter but out competes all native plants.
B. It takes up much space but helps new plants survive.
C. It is home to numerous birds but has hard fruits.
D. It gives off an attractive smell but makes barbecue impossible.
27. What does the writer want to convey through the passage?
A. It's better to give than to take.
B. Building a relationship is troublesome.
C. Trees and plants have their own ways to flourish.
D. Acceptance, instead of resistance, is the better way to be.
C
There is hope for our planet's survival. Innovative products are being designed to reduce our dependence on plastic， single-use plastic in particular.
One such innovation comes from international design firm Carlo Ratti Associati with its “Feel the Peel” machine, an experimental rounded juice bar that not only makes freshly squeezed orange juice, but also 3D prints a recyclable bio plastic cup with the leftover orange peels(果皮) .
Designed with global energy company Eni. the juicer is 10 feet tall and topped with a massive dome(圆顶), feeding the juicer with oranges on demand. The dome is mad cup of round tracks that holdup to 1, 500 oranges. A 3D printer is setup in the base of the machine.
The machine goes like magic. When an order is placed, the oranges slide down the tracks to a squeezer, and the juice is then deposited(使沉积) into an “orange peel” bio-plastic cup, ready to enjoy. Meanwhile, the freshly squeezed peels fall down a tube and gather at the bottom of the machine where they are dried, milled and mixed with Poly lactic Acid, creating a bio plastic material The bio plastic is then heated and melted into a filament (细丝) and the 3D printer then creates recyclable bioplastic cups, ready to be filled with freshly squeezed juice.
How cool that is! It seems that Carlo Ratti Associati and Eni have plans to take “Feel the Peel” beyond just orange juice.
“The principle of recycling is a must for today's objects,” says Carlo Ratti, “Working with Eni, we tried to show recycling in a very tangible way, by developing a machine that helps us to understand how oranges can be us cd well beyond their juice. The next improvement of “Feel the Peel” might include new functions, such as printing fabric for clothing from orange peels.”
28. What can we know about “Feel the Peel” machine?
A. It increases the output of orange juice.
B. It makes something beyond orange juice.
C. It makes orange juice taste better.
D. It bans the use of single-use plastic.
29. What is the main idea of Paragraph 4?
A. The reason for the machine's popularity.
B. The structure of the machine.
C. The way the machine works.
D. The way to use the machine.
30. What is Carol's attitude to the future of the machine?
A. Pessimistic. B. Cautious. C. Positive. D. In different.
31. What can be the best title for the text?
A. A New Form of Orange Peels
B. Orange Juicer 3D Prints Bioplastic Cups
C. Innovative Products Are Being Designed
D. Carlo Invents A Recyclable Machine
D
Something strange is happening to the millennial(千禧年的) workers of America. After a year spent with their computers, they are turning over the carefully arranged chess boards of their lives and deciding to risk it all. Some are giving stable jobs up to start a new business, while others giving up the career altogether.
If this movement has a battle cry, it's “YOLO”—“you only live once”. The term is used when people are making irresponsible bets that sometimes pay off anyway. More broadly, it has come to characterize the attitude that has captured a certain type of bored of tice worker in recent months.
“It feels like we`ve been so locked into careers for the past decade, and this is our opportunity to switch it up.” said Nate Moseley, 29, a buy c rata major clothing retailer. Mr. Moseley recently decided to leave his US $130, 000-a-year job. He created an Excel spreadsheet called “Late 20s Crisis”, which he filled with potential options for his next move: Take a coding class, start mining Ethereum, join a 2022 political campaign and open a tourism business. “The idea of going right back to the pre-Covid set-up sounds so unappealing after this past year,” he noted. “If not now, when will lever do this?”
It's possible that so mc of these YOLOers will end up back in stable jobs if they spend through their savings, or their new jobs fail. But an adventurous spirit seems to be infecting even the kinds of over achievers who dislike taking a risk and typically hold on to the career ladder.
One executive at a major tech company said she and her husband had both been discussing quitting their jobs. The pandemic, she said, had taught them that they'd been playing it too safe with their life choices, and missing out on valuable family time. The executive then sent me a quote from the Buddha about impermanence(短暂), and the value of realizing that nothing lasts forever. Or. to put it in slightly earthier terms:YOLO.
32. What strange things are US millennial workers doing?
A. They prefer doing work online. B. They are taking more risks.
C. They enjoy playing chess more. D. They are making extra money.
33. Why did Nate Moseley leave his previous job?
A. It didn't pay well eough. B. The business was in a crisis.
C. He missed the pre-Covid set-up. D. He was eager for new changes.
34. What can we infer about YOLOers according to the passage?
A. They can influence some cautious people.
B. They're sure to be rewarded for taking risks.
C. They won't return to their original job.
D. They all hunt for another job.
35. Why is the executive mentioned in the last paragraph?
A. To stress the importance of family.
B. To encourage people to take brave moves.
C. To demonstrate the significant influence of YOLO.
D. To show the future development of different careers.
E
We are encountering real-world examples of how AI can harm human relations. As digital assistants such as Alexa or Siri become popular, we become accustomed to talking to them as though they were alive. Writing in these pages several years ago, Judith Shulevitz described how some of us are starting to treat them as friends and therapists. Shulevitz herself says she confesses(忏悔) things to Google Assistant that she wouldn't tell her husband. If we grow more comfortable talking to our devices about our secrets, what happens to our human marriages and friend ships? Designers and programmers typically create devices whose responses make us feel better-but may not help us be self-reflective or think over painful truths. As AI goes deeper into our lives, we must face the possibility that it will prevent our emotions and deep human connections.
Besides, we will fight with so mc other challenges. The age of driverless cars, after all, is upon us. These vehicles promise to considerably reduce the exhaustion and distraction that put human drivers in danger, thus preventing accidents. But what other effects might they have on people? Driving is a very modern kind of social interaction, requiring high levels of cooperation. I worry that driverless cars.by taking away from us an occasion to exercise this ability, could contribute to its decline.
Not only will these vehicles be programmed to takeover driving du tics and hence to remove from humans the power to make moral judgments (for example, about which pedestrian to hit when a crash is unavoidable), they will also affect humans with whom they've had no direct contact. For instance, drivers who have driven awhile alongside an autonomous (有自主能力的) vehicle traveling at a steady, changeless speed might drive less attentively, thus increasing their likelihood of accidents once they've moved to apart of the highway occupied only by human drivers. Alternatively, experience may reveal that driving alongside autonomous vehicles travelling in perfect accordance with(按照) traffic laws actually improves human performance.
Either way, we should be cautious about launching new forms of AI without first taking such unexpected social effects into account. We must apply the same effort that we apply to the hardware and software that make self-driving cars possible to managing AI's potential effects on those outside the car. After all, we install brake lights on the back of your car not just, or even primarily, for your benefit, but for the sake of the people behind you.
36. What can be inferred about human relationships from paragraph l?
A. AI will lead to distant interpersonal relationships.
B. We will feel comfortable speaking to others online.
C. AI will enable people to communicate more with others.
D. We will be more self-reflective in interaction thanks to Al.
37. The underlined phrase “its decline” in paragraph 2 refers to the decline in .
A. drivers' interaction with the cars
B. drivers' exhaustion and distraction
C. our ability to cooperate with others while driving
D. our ability to deal with emergencies while driving
38. What can we infer about driverless cars?
A. They may be better at making more judgments than human drivers.
B. They can only affect those with whom they have direct contact.
C. They might have potential negative effects on human drivers.
D. They should be developed regardless of its unexpected social effects.
39. What's the author's purpose of writing this passage?
A. To present the challenges brought by AI.
B. To provide solutions to the effect of AI.
C. To explain why Almay harm human relations.
D. To discuss the disadvantages of driverless cars.
第一节(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。
Adele's new album, “30”, is finally available. Last month, hundreds of millions of us streamed its first single, “Easy On Me”. This song arouses feelings not easily put into words, but we can probably agree it is a sad song. 40 Yet sad music does pull us in and lift us up.
Let’s start with a biological theory. When we experience real-life loss, or empathize(产生共鸣) with another's pain， certain hormones are released within us. 41 They do so by making us feel calmed and supported. Feeling Adele's pain, or recalling our own, may cause such chemical changes within us.
42 Feeling moved can come from us suddenly feeling closer to other people. Indeed, when we have listened to “30”, we may turn to reaction videos to see how others feel. This lets us share an emotional experience with others. And it boosts our feeling of being moved and triggers(激发) feelings of comfort and belonging.
We can also think at the spiritual level. Adele's songs allow us to view the pleasure in terms of the meaning she helps us make. Adele takes hard life experiences and makes sense of them. This is what sad art does. 43 As philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once put it, someone who has a why to live for can bear almost anyhow.
Ultimately, we listen to Adele's songs when we want to recall, reflect, or belong. They let us feel her sadness, share our suffering, and connect with others. To all of us, Adele's songs say: 44
A. You are not alone in your pain.
B. Life is meaningless without sad music.
C. These help us to deal with loss and pain.
D. Few people are aware sad music makes us feel good.
E. This may make us be tier prepared for when real loss strikes.
F. It takes the pain and suffering of the world and gives it meaning.
G. Psychologically, a key reason we enjoy sad songs is that they profoundly move us.
第三部分：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四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
When other teenagers hang out with friends in the summer vacations. Erica doesn't join. Instead, the 16-year-old senior high student is 45 in filling cake orders and updating her website. She 46 Kayke Bakery, a home-based business.
Erica started baking out of 47 in the year 2021. Her first attempt was a(n) 48 .Yet she made more cakes the next day and 49 her techniques through teaching videos on a daily basis. “I saw other people's decorated cakes and was 50 to be a cake artist instead of just a baker,” Erica said. After due 51 , she asked her parents about setting up her own business. “Seeing how 52 she was,” Erica's mother recalled, “we 53 beginning to help her cope with all the legalities for its opening.” Soon, she had 54 customers always coming to her for custom cakes. “ 55 dealing with both school and a business is tough on occasions, but I managed to get 56 .” she said. “I'm glad to be able to do what I love.”
Always considered a 57 .Erica finished her senior year with almost full marks. She plans to 58 cake decorating after senior high. “I'm thinking about starting non-profit organizations.” In these years, besides learning various techniques, Erica has become more 59 “I realize I possess great potential and power.”
45. A. applied B. occupied C. accommodated D. adapted
46. A. assists B. shelters C. charges D. runs
47. A. sympathy B. gratitude C. passion D. politeness
48. A. failure B. success C. pressure D. astonishment
49. A. employed B. perfected C. shared D. presented
50. A. reminded B. permitted C. instructed D. inspired
51. A. confirmation B. debate C. consideration D. contrast
52. A. annoyed B. elegant C. cautious D. serious
53. A. distinguished B. approved C. neglected D. hesitated
54. A. regular B. potential C. favoured D. demanding
55. A. Unobviously B. Unconsciously C. Unfortunately D. Unavoidably
56. A. down B. off C. through D. up
57. A. model B. sculptor C. psychologist D. captain
58. A. keep to B. go beyond C. jump at D. work on
59. A. mean B. modest C. assured D. sensitive
第四部分：单句语法填空(共15个小题，每小题1分，满分15分)
阅读下面句了，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
60. Did you know that yesterday a robbery (occur) in broad daylight in a crowded street?
61. As (expect), he refused our invitation rudely without explanation.
62. Some clerks may sometimes fall with their work. thus annoying their clients.
63. Would you please keep quiet? The weather report (broadcast).
64. People sang high praises Han Gan's unique skill, saying that his horses “could gallop off the paper”.
65. Though (lack) experience. Mike was convinced that he would get a higher pay by working hard.
66. It's typical John to set an ambitious aim but never take positive action.
67. A newspaper cartoon is an (amuse) drawing, usually about some events in the news.
68. Undoubtedly, our English homework is nothing (compare) to that of other subjects.
69. We are looking for someone who is (rely) and diligent to do the challenging job.
70. Gas and oil (consume), as we all know, always increases in cold weather.
71. On July 8th, 2023, the Olympic Council of Asia announced that Harbin (hold) the 9th Asian Winter Games in 2025.
72. The journalist's questions really put him the spot, making all the other people present feel awkward.
73. He attempted (persuade) his father to allow him to do what he liked but failed.
74. This historic battle was (vivid) recorded in the documentary film.
第五部分：篇章语法填空(共10个小题，每小题1.5分，满分15分)
阅读下面句子，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Jiuzhai Valley. or Jiuzhaigou, is a picturesque fairyland, featuring fascinating scenery of colorful lakes, breathtaking waterfalls and mountains. People say that if there should be a wonderland on earth, Jiuzhaigou National Park must be one.
75 (situate) in Jiuzhaigou County, Jiuzhaigou National Park is about 450 kilometres to the north of Chengdu. Roads 76 (wander) along through the valley make 77 hard for tourists to drive there. The first thing you see there is forest. Full of a sense of a primitive forest, Jiuzhai Valley is isolated from the hustle and bustle and bustle of cities. With the seasons changing, the forest presents a 78 (various) of fantastic looks. It is also 79 kingdom of water. The lakes there. 80 are surrounded by ancient trees and flowers, are crystal clear and green all year round. As the light changes and the seasons go by, the lakes take 81 different colors.
Jiuzhai Valley is 82 (particular) picturesque in autumnal colors. Warm days, cool nights, and great 83 (view) of saturated yellows, reds and greens reflecting off the blue lakes are characteristic of autumn there. Nearly half of the 720-square-kilometre Jiuzhai Valley 84 (cover) by autumn colors.
第六部分：写作(满分15分)
你校将举办英语演讲比赛，请你以“Learn to Manage Your Time"为题写一篇发言稿参赛，内容包括：
1.时间管理的重要性；
2.提出建议。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连货。
Learn to Manage Your Time
Good morning, everyone!


That's all. Thank you for your listening.
哈三中2023-2024学年度上学期
高二学年第二次验收考试英语答案
第一部分：听力
1-5CACBA 6-10BBCCA 11-15CABAA 16-20BBCBC
第二部分：阅读理解
21-23ADC 24-27DCCD 28-31BCCB 32-35BDAC 36-39ACCA 40-44DCGFA
第三部分：完形填空
45-49BDCAB 50-54DCDBA 55-59DCABC
第四部分：单句语法填空
60.occurred 61.expected 62.behind 63.is being broadcast 64.for 65.lacking
66.of 67.amusing 68.compared 69.reliable 70.consumption 71.would hold 72.on
73.to persuade 74.vividly
/was to hold
第五部分：篇章语法填空
75.Situated 76.wandering 77.it 8.variety 79.a
80.which 81.on 82.particularly 83.views 84.is covered
第六部分：写作(满分15分)
Learn to Manage Your Time
Good morning, everyone! It's my honor to stand here sharing with you my opinion on time management.
Time manage mentis an important skill to develop. If our time isn't well managed, our day can be full of demands and distractions. On the contrary, if our day is well planned, we can get twice the result with half the effort.
To manage our time, first of all, we should spend time planning our day every morning, listing our tasks in order of importance. Moreover, we should avoid distractions as much as possible. When we are working on a task, we should try to focus our time and energy on it and complete it before starting something else.
Follow the suggestions above and we will surely get the most out of each day.
That's all. Thank you for your listening!
听力原文：(Text 1)
M：My movie's about to start, but I'm so hungry! Do you have any specials today?
W：Yes, they're on this sign. Depending on what food you buy, you receive a free soft drink.
M：Oh, I see. Well, I'll go with popcorn.
(Text 2)
M：That restaurant really serves good food.
W：Let me know next time you go; I'll join you.
(Text 3)
M：The new T-shirts should arrive today. If I'm pleased with the quality, I think I'll call the maker tomorrow and order fifty more.
W：We're going to receive two hundred shirts; do we really need to order more?
M：With the fall sale starting next month, business should be on the rise.
W：That's true—and sales are up this month, too.
(Text 4)
M：How come you are up so early today?
W：Dad, my friends are going for an outing to Badkhal Lake. Can I also go with them?
M：Have you forgotten that your Aunt is coming from Mumbai?
W：Oh! I completely forgot. I’ll talk my friends into putting off the trip until next Sunday.
(Text 5)
W：Hello, welcome to Sunrise Enterprise. May I help you, please?
M：Yes. I'm here for an appointment with Kevin Monty at 2：30.
W：Okay, sir. One moment please, while I contact Mr Monty on the fifth floor, who should I tell him is here?
M：Oh, I am Robert Carlson. I have an interview for the management position.
(Text 6)
M：What time is it? We're going to be late!
W：It's 7：15. We're on time. Don’t panic.
M：But I thought we had to be at the restaurant by 7：30 for the surprise party. We’ll never make it there with all this evening traffic.
W：Sure we will Rush hour is almost over. Anyway, the party starts at 8：00. But I do need help with directions. Can you call the restaurant and ask them where we park our car?
(Text 7)
M：Okay, Ms Hodge, we've organized your hotel room and car rental. The last thing we need to do is finalize your flight ticket. You just need a one-way ticket, right?
W：That's right. I'd like a seat on Corsair Airways Flight CA 56. I already checked the tickets online, and I'd like the one that costs $ 520.
M：No problem...I'll get that booked for you straight away. Do you have any special requirements?
W：Actually, yes. Please make sure that I get a vegetarian meal. And, I'd prefer a seat next to a window.
(Text 8)
M：I've just heard that Steven Cobb, the founder and CEO of Polyzon Corporation, will be visiting our city. He is scheduled to give a lecture at Lave me University.
W：Oh, this will be of great interest to everyone at our company. Mr Cobb has done so much for the field of electronics, especially the sizable amounts of money he has invested in promising start-up firms.
M：That's why I’d like you to find out more about his lecture by getting in touch with the Public Affairs Department at the university. I've already tried to contact Mr Cobb directly, but I have yet to hear anything back from him or his staff. I'm sure our employees would like to know about the event and find out how to get tickets.
(Text 9)
W：Jordan, have you got any cheese? Bert said you might be running low.
M：Sally, I've got a little but I haven't got much. We need a lot more for this dinner tomorrow. Do you think we should change the menu? If not, I must go to the grocery store and get some.
W：We can't change the menu. That's what the guests have requested. If we get it now, do you think you’ll have enough time?
M：If I leave now. I think we should be okay.
W：Hmm...I was thinking of sending Bert as we need you here preparing the food.
M：Oh no! Don't send Bert! He's not experienced enough. He also gets lost easily.
W：Really?! I've not seen that side of him.
M：He's just young and not good under pressure. He'll get better with time and experience.
W：Okay, how about Elizabeth?
M：Great idea. Bert can takeover cutting the cabbages and tomatoes from her, then, continue with the salads.
W：Excellent, I'll get her on it now.
M：Thanks so much!
(Text 10)
M：Today, I'd like to tell you a story. This happened when I was about eight or nine. I went to a large school in the city center. We didn't know anything about the countryside—all we knew about was London. So, one day my teacher decided to take the class to the countryside. It was a two-hour journey in the school bus. We started out at 8：00, and when we got there, we looked at trees and nature and birds and things like that. Anyway, on the final part of the trip, in the afternoon, we went horse-riding. Now, it was the first time most of us had even seen a horse, and we had to get on it and ride. And everyone was moving really slowly on these horses. And, what did my horse do? It decided to run off, with me on top of it. At first it didn't go too fast. But all of a sudden it started moving very fast. So there I was screaming and shouting, with my arms around this horse, and it just wouldn't stop. I don't know how I didn't fall off. Eventually, I managed to stop it. And afterwards I was so frightened that I was shaking for about an hour. It was the most embarrassing and frightening experience. I'll never forget it. I've never been on a horse since that day.