江苏省扬州中学2023-2024学年高二上学期10月月考英语试题

这是一份江苏省扬州中学2023-2024学年高二上学期10月月考英语试题，共17页。试卷主要包含了10，5分，满分7等内容，欢迎下载使用。
江苏省扬州中学2023~2024学年高二第一学期检测
英语试卷 2023.10
（考试时间：120分钟 满分：150分）
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. Why is the woman flying to New York?
A. To change her plane. B. To do business. C. To have a vacation.
2. What will the speakers do?
A. Relax on the beach. B. Go jet skiing. C. Ride horses.
3. What does the man invite the woman to do?
A. Go jogging. B. Have a drink. C. Have dinner.
4. What does the woman mean?
A. Ivy is incompetent. 　　　　
B. Ivy thinks highly of others.
C. Ivy is brave enough to quit her job.
5. What does the man ask the woman to do?
A. Wake up Mary. 　　　　
B. Ask Mary for some news.
C. Tell Mary to give him a phone call.
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 are the speakers mainly talking about?
A. Watching TV. B. Reading magazines. C. Reading newspapers.
7. Where does the woman usually get the news?
A. On TV. B. In magazines. C. On the Internet.
听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8. What did the woman do last night?
A. She watched a game.
B. She attended a party.
C. She travelled to Madrid.
9. What does the man say about Barcelona?
A. They played well as usual. 　　　
B. They have a poor goalkeeper.
C. They could have played better.
10. What does the man ask the woman to do?
A. Make a plan on the games. 　　　
B. Watch the next game together.
C. Avoid getting injured in the game.
听第8段材料，回答第 11至13 题。
11. When does the conversation take place?
A. In spring. B. In summer. C. In winter.
12. What is the woman pleased about?
A. Collecting stamps.
B. Playing computer games.
C. Doing indoor sports.
13. Why won't the boy play table tennis?
A. He is afraid to lose.
B. He finds nobody to play with.
C. He thinks it boring.
听第9 段材料，回答第14至16题。
14. How does the woman go to work these days?
A. By bus. B. By car. C. By train.
15. What was the woman two years ago?
A. A city planner. B. A company's boss. C. A landscape gardener.
16. Why did the woman change her job last year?
A. To work at home. 　　　　
B. To start her own business.
C. To spend more time with her family.
听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。
17. Whom has the government promised to offer help to?
A. Some farmers. B. Some pilots. C. Some children.
18. Where are the transport workers going on strike?
A. In Sydney. B. In Melbourne. C. In Queensland.
19. How did the school children feel after the rescue?
A. Thankful. B. Angry. C. Sorry.
20. What can we learn about the school children?
A. They attended a musical concert. 　　　　　　
B. They enjoyed themselves in the sea.
C. Their plane was forced to land shortly after take­off.
第二部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30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。
A
Known as “the roof of the world”, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has long been an ideal and mysterious destination for visitors who are passionate about exploring remote lands. Here we recommend some of the best tourist destinations in Tibet which might suit your travel taste.
Banging Lake National Forest Park
Banging Lake National Forest Park is an ideal place for bird watching in Tibet in spring. Due to the good ecological environment, the island boasts a good variety of bird species. Every spring, warm winds from the Bay of Bengal blow into the Ngari Plateau, and birds that fly from the plateau to the South Asian continent the previous winter would return here to lay eggs and breed.
Ranwu Lake
Ranwu Lake is well-known for its quietness and its purity of blueness. Scenery along the lake side varies a good deal with grass, forest, autumn leaves, white water fowl and colorful pebbles clearly reflected in the mirror-like water. When spring comes, a reflection of green trees dances on the lake and people feel like they are walking into a romantic dream land.
Nanyi Valley
Nanyigou scenic spot is an important birthplace of the mysterious Tibetan medicine culture. The ecological conditions here are so good that the place is rich in various animals, herbs and other numerous plant species. Surrounded by mountains and covered in clouds, Nanyi Valley is an ideal spring destination for visitors, where you can find peach and azalea blossoms everywhere.
Peach blossom valley, Nyingchi
The peach blossoms in Nyingchi have been famed as “the most beautiful peach flowers in the world”. The annual Nyingchi peach blossom festival has become a signature tourism event on the plateau. Peach blossoms can be seen everywhere—around houses, across farmlands and along streams.
21. Why is banging Lake National Forest Park an ideal place for birds?
A. It is an untouched place. B. It is warm all year round.
C. It offers good ecological conditions. D. It fries them from rain and wind.
22. Which of the following highlights Ranwu Lake?
A. Its dancing trees. B. Its rare species.
C. Its mysterious medicine. D. Its natural scenery.
23. What can you do in both Nanyi Valley and Nyingchi?
A. Sail along streams. B. Collect herbs.
C. Watch various animals. D. Appreciate peach blossoms.
B
You might think of martial arts movies when you see people performing graceful moves down the river, all standing on a bamboo strip, but actually it is a form of intangible cultural heritage: bamboo drifting.
Over 2,000 years ago, the high-quality wood, nanmu, in Guizhou was in great demand by the royal court more than 2,000 kilometers to the north. With no better transportation, people had to stand on one log to drift down the river. Later, local people began to compete along the way and the game of wood drifting was born. In the Qing Dynasty, wood drifting became bamboo drifting because of bamboo’s lower price. Due to the skills it takes for one to master this act, bamboo drifting was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list this year.
Yang Liu, a 24-year-old inheritor of bamboo drifting, learned it at 7. “Usually, the bamboo under your feet is about 9 meters long, and the bamboo in your hands is about 5 meters. If the length or diameter of the bamboo is not long enough, it will not float. Keeping our feet firmly positioned on the narrow bamboo pole is the key, so we should fight against the current by constantly changing the angle. I lost my balance and fell in the water many times while practicing. Once I fell, I gave it another try until I knew how to handle the most difficult part.” she said.
The love for the ancient skill keeps Yang going. In the past 17 years, she has drifted all year round, in winter cold and summer heat. As hanfu culture has been on the rise, Yang started wearing hanfu while performing, creating a more beautiful feel. In 2020, Yang began to post her videos on social media. “I'm extremely proud to get responses from viewers that bamboo drifting makes the line between what is possible and impossible unclear. It’s my mission to keep it alive and known to more people,” Yang Liu told China Daily.
24. What can be learned from the first two paragraphs?
A.The martial arts movie is a form of cultural heritage.
B. Nanmu was delivered to the north by land.
C. Bamboo was costly in Guizhou 2,000 years ago.
D. Bamboo drifting involves lots of skills.
25. What is the biggest challenge in bamboo drifting?
A. Finding the proper bamboo. B. Holding the bamboo firmly in hands.
C. Maintaining a fixed angle. D. Keeping balance.
26. What do the viewers think of bamboo drifting?
A. Unbelievable. B. Impossible. C. Confusing. D. Complicated.
27. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A. Transporting Bamboo down the River. B. Intangible Cultural Heritage in Guizhou.
C. Balancing with Grace. D. Yang Liu: a Creative Performer.
C
Ai­Da sits behind a desk, a paintbrush in her hand. She looks up at the person posing for her, and then back down as she applies another drop of paint onto the canvas. A lifelike portrait is taking shape. If you didn't know a robot produced it, this portrait could pass as the work of a human artist.
Ai­Da produces portraits of sitting subjects using a robotic hand attached to her lifelike figure. She's also able to talk, giving detailed answers to questions about her artistic process and attitudes towards technology. She even gave a TEDx talk titled “The Intersection of Art and AI”in Oxford several years ago. Ai­Da's creators have also been experimenting with having her write and perform her own poetry. But how are we to interpret Ai­Da's output? Should we consider her paintings and poetry original and creative? Are these works actually art?
What discussions about AI and creativity often overlook is the fact that creativity isn't an absolute quality that can be defined, measured and reproduced objectively. When we describe an object—for instance, a child's drawing—as being creative, we project our own assumptions about culture onto it. Indeed, art never exists in isolation. It always needs someone to give it“art” status. And the criteria for whether you think something is art are formed by both your expectations and broader cultural conceptions.
If we extend this line of thinking to AI, it follows that no AI application or robot can objectively be “creative”. It is always we—humans—that decide whether works created by AI are art.
Some may see robot­produced paintings as something coming from creative computers, while others may be skeptical, given the fact that robots act on clear human instructions. In any case, attribution(归属) of creativity never depends on technical arrangement alone—no computer is objectively creative. Rather, the attribution of computational creativity is largely inspired by contexts of reception. Through particular social information, some people are inspired to think of AI output as art, systems as artists, and computers as creators. Therefore, as with any piece of art, your appreciation of AI output ultimately depends on your own interpretation.
28. What can we learn about Ai­Da?
A. She has a complex many­sided personality.
B. She beat others in the debate on art and AI.
C. She is capable of drawing high­quality portraits.
D. She can write poems without being programmed.
29. What fact do discussions about AI and creativity often ignore?
A. That art is content­based.
B. That art can take many forms.
C. That creativity is closely related to cultures.
D. That creativity is often measured subjectively.
30. What idea does the author want to convey in the last paragraph?
A. Every coin has two sides. B. Great minds think alike.
C. Four eyes see more than two. D. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
31. What would be the best title for the text?
A. Is AI­created Art Really Art?
B. Will People Accept AI Artists?
C. Can We Use AI to Create Portraits?
D. Do We Need to Improve AI's Creativity?
D
In conversations with strangers, people commonly tend to think they should speak less than half the conversation time to be likable. But we’ve discovered this idea is wrong. Our data shows that people tend to think they should speak about 45% of the time to be likable in a one-on-one conversation with someone new. However, it appears speaking up a bit more is actually a better strategy.
In our research, we randomly assigned people to speak for 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% of the time in a conversation with someone new. We found that the more they spoke, the more they were liked by their new partners. This was only one study with 116 participants, but the outcome is supported by other researchers’ findings. For example, a previous study randomly assigned one in a pair to take on the role of “speaker” and the other to take on the role of “listener. ” After engaging in 12-minute interactions, listeners liked speakers more than speakers liked listeners because listeners felt more similar to speakers than speakers did to listeners. This outcome suggests the reason people prefer those who speak up: Learning more about a new partner can make you feel like you have more in common with him or her.
Further, we assigned people to speak for up to 70% and even 90% of the time. The result shows it is not an ideal strategy. Our research does not suggest people hold down a conversational partner but rather that they feel comfortable speaking up more than they usually might.
Research like ours can help people gain a ‘more reasonable understanding of social interactions with new people and become more confident about how to make a good first impression. It has the obvious benefit of allowing us to carefully control speaking time. However, it does not reflect more natural conversations. Future research should figure out whether our findings generalize to more natural interactions.
32. What is the common belief concerning conversations with strangers?
A. Speaking a little less is preferred.
B. Speaking half the time is the best.
C. Listeners are more likable than speakers.
D. Listeners fail to control the conversations.
33. How was the research carried out?
A. By analyzing speaking habits.
B. By making comparisons.
C. By listing examples.
D. By collecting data.
34. What is the disadvantage of the research?
A. The conversation time is limited.
B. Further study is hard to continue.
C. The findings are less widely appliable.
D. Interactions with strangers are missing.
35. In which situation can the research finding be applied?
A. Attending a family gathering.
B. Partying with your friends.
C. Meeting a new teacher.
D. Making a public speech.
第二节(共5小题;每小题2分，满分10分)
阅读下面短文，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。
Some of the best road trips are unplanned. You simply grab a few items, jump in a car and set off. However, this approach involves some risk. ____36____ That’s why the first rule of road trip planning is to bring along whatever you might need to have fun. Some food, a guitar, and a cooler full of drinks can go a long way.
Planning a road trip can be almost as fun as the trip itself. Some well-designed travel guides may be of great help. ____37____ For the logically-minded, the management of speed, fuel, accommodation and timing details can present a rewarding journey.
____38____ Highways make it possible to drive across an entire country without seeing anything or meeting anyone. The more you skip freeways in favor of scenic highways, the more you’re likely to get out of your trip.
Once you’ve figured out your plan roughly, fill in the details, and bear in mind that maps and satellite navigation systems are not always up to date. ____39____ Remember, the more you prepare now, the better equipped you’ll be if you decide to change your trip later or have to deal with an unforeseen problem.
Booking accommodation and having backup plans can make or break a trip, especially if you want to visit some remote byways with limited accommodation opportunities. ____40____ In some areas, especially the American West, gas stations can be a hundred miles away.
A. You can find this information online.
B. You may end up in a boring part of town.
C. It’s good to take an emergency phone with you.
D. A quick look through them can fuel your inspiration.
E. Research as much as possible and cross-reference your sources.
F. When planning your route, consider what kinds of roads to take.
G. Also, be sure to investigate fuel availability where you’re headed.

第三部分 语言运用(共两节，满分40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 四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
In October, I told the eight-year-olds in my class about my plan. “I'd like all of you to do extra jobs around the house to earn some money,” I said. “Then we’ll __41__ food for a Thanksgiving dinner for someone who might not have a nice dinner__42__.”
Early in Thanksgiving week, the boys and girls arrived in class with their hard-earned money. They had set tables, washed dishes and helped with baby-sitting. And now they couldn’t wait to go __43__.
I watched while they dashed up and down the supermarket aisles. At last, we headed toward the __44__, pushing a cart filled with turkey and all the items needed. Much to my __45__, I saw a pot of purple chrysanthemums(菊花)on top of the cart. “You can’t __46__ flowers.” I pronounced. “But Mrs. Sherlock,” __47__ the children, “We want flowers”.
We finally __48__ in front of a small house in the woods. A slightly built woman with a(an) __49__ face came to the door to welcome us.
As my little group carried the boxes in, the old woman smiled and nodded. But when Amy put the chrysanthemums on the counter, the woman __50__. In the following ten minutes, she happily talked with the children. Then, we returned to the car. As we __51__ our seat belts, we could see the kitchen window. The woman inside 52 goodbye, then turned and walked across the room, past the turkey straight to the chrysanthemums. She put her __53__ in their petals. When she raised her head, there was a smile on her lips, and tears in her eyes.
The children were __54__. In that one brief moment, they had seen for themselves the __55__ they possessed to make another’s life better. The children had realized that sometimes a person needs a pot of funny purple flowers on a dark November day.
41. A. make B. prepare C. buy D. send
42. A. otherwise B. besides C. therefore D. afterwards
43. A. camping B. traveling C. climbing D. shopping
44. A. entrance B. checkout C. guide D. manager
45. A. joy B. disappointment C. surprise D. disgust
46. A. enjoy B. appreciate C. taste D. eat
47. A. argued B. announced C. predicted D. complained
48. A. put up B. pulled up C. settled down D. set off
49. A. pale B. annoyed C. scary D. disappointed
50. A. hardened B. darkened C. brightened D. softened
51. A. fastened B. 1oosened C. removed D. wrapped
52. A. signed B. waved C. kissed D. shouted
53. A. head B. mouth C. face D. ears
54. A. confused B. silent C. crazy D. frightened
55. A. strength B. energy C. effort D. power
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。
Torch festival of the Ethnic minority
The Torch Festival, the grandest festival of the Yi people, is held around the 24th day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar. The Yi people think fire possesses a superhuman power_____56_____can drive away evil and frighten off ghosts. They have_____57_____a special relationship with fire that they call themselves the “fire nationality”.
During the festival, torches, 20-30cm _____58_____diameter, are placed upright in front of houses. At the entrance to the villages, a grand “torch tower”, standing more than 20 metres high and_____59_____(make) of pine branches and dry firewood,_____60_____(decorate) with fresh flowers and fruits.
At last, with expectation and wishes_____61_____(come) the long-awaited moment. After dinner, as darkness casts its shadow, young and old,_____62_____(dress) in their most ceremonial and splendid costumes decorated with sparkling ornaments, rush_____63_____(excite) to the “torch tower” square. Cheers and screams of delight burst from the crowd, while the soaring flames brighten the darkness of the night and warm everyone present at the scene.
On such a brilliant and marvelous night, the_____64_____(participate) are overjoyed by the grand spectacle and the atmosphere of celebration. Young men and women sing and dance hand in hand around the bonfire________65________(express) their gratitude for a life of plenty and good wishes for the coming year.
第三节(共10小题：每小题1分，满分10分)
用Book4 Unit3-4所学词汇或词汇的适当形式填空。
66. The impact of climate change is becoming increasingly___________（明显）.
67. The textbook provides a c___________overview of the subject, covering all important aspects.
68. The child ran into the road and was ___________（撞击）by a car.
69. It is important to accurately i___________ the meaning of a poem for a deeper understanding.
70. The team's star player's exceptional performance ___________（占有优势）the game and led them to victory.
71. The architect carefully measured the d___________of the room before designing the furniture.
72. The songwriter carefully ___________ （使押韵）the lyrics to match the melody of the song.
73. Some individuals have the ability to p___________ subtle changes in their environment.
74. The presidential candidate launched an political___________（运动）to raise awareness about his policies and gain support from the voters.
75. The professor was d___________ in the field of neuroscience for her latest breakthrough.

第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)
第一节(满分15分)
假如你是李华，你的朋友David发现同学们都有自己爱好和特长，而他只会学习，他感到有点小嫉妒，有点不知所措，写信向你求助。请根据以下提示给他回信：
1.表示安慰；
2.提出建议。
注意：1.词数80字左右；
2.可适当添加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear David,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
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，使之构成一个完整的短文。
Agatha was in the library, reading the Girl Detective series, when she noticed something strange. Her best friends, Timmy and Florence, were talking to each other in whispers while keeping a good, safe distance from her! When she waved at them, they looked away.
Things only got stranger in art class. Timmy and Florence went to sit at a different table from Agatha, busy painting, and glanced at her when they thought she wasn’t looking.
Now, Agatha considered herself to be something of a detective. After all, she had read many detective stories for children and even had an old broken magnifying glass(放大镜) abandoned by her father. When the rest of the class went out for lunch, she slipped to Timmy and Florence’s table and examined it carefully with the magnifying glass.
There was paint, and red and pink construction paper. What could they be doing? This was definitely a mystery that needed solving!
After lunch Timmy and Florence chatted to her as if nothing was going on, but they kept smiling at her in a slightly strange way. Of course, Agatha could have asked them what they were up to, and they might have told her---but she wouldn’t have a chance to become a detective!
On the way home from school, Florence and her mum happened to walk ahead of Agatha and her mum. Agatha saw them go into the bookshop. Strange, again. Florence didn’t read much---no matter how many detective stories Agatha recommended to her!
The next day at school, Agatha kept an eye on her friends and tried to work out their mystery, but they seemed determined to keep things secret. She asked them if they would like to play with her after school, but they said they couldn’t because they were busy. Things became even more mysterious.
When Agatha’s mum came to pick her up after school, she was so lost in the unsolved mystery that she hardly noticed her busy father was coming along, which was unusual. When they arrived home, her father said she could go into the living room.
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。
Opening the door of the living room, Agatha heard voices shout from darkness, “SURPRISE!”



After eating the cake, Agatha got down to the business of opening her birthday presents.













参考答案：
听力（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）：
1-5 ABBAC　　6-10 ACBCB　 11-15 CBABC　　16-20 CABAC　
阅读（共15小题；每题2分，满分30分）
21-23 CDD 24-27 DDAC 28-31 CDDA 32-35 ABCC
七选五（共5小题;每小题2分，满分10分）
36-40 BDFEG
完型填空 (共15小题;每小题1分，满分15分)：
41---45 CADBC 46---50 DABAC 51---55 ABCBD
语法填空（共 10 小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 15 分）：
56. that/which 57. such 58. in 59. made 60. is decorated
61. comes 62. dressed 63. excitedly 64. participants 65. to express
词汇填空（共 10 小题；每小题 1 分，满分 10 分）
66.apparent 67.comprehensive 68.struck 69.interpret 70.dominated
71.dimensions72.rhymed 73.perceive 74.campaign 75.distinguished
应用文（满分15分）
Dear David,
I am sorry to hear that you feel a bit jealous of seeing your classmates having their own hobbies and specialties while you only learn.
First of all, please remember that nothing is as important as focusing on your studies. However, I believe there are many other things besides academics to explore and discover. Why not take the initiative to talk to people? Your friends may have interesting hobbies which may inspire you. Additionally, you could find something that suits your interests on the internet or by reading books. Use this as an opportunity to explore and uncover the hidden potential that lies within you. I believe that you’ll eventually find what you are looking for.
I hope my suggestions are helpful and I wish you the best of luck.
Your friend,
Li Hua
读后续写（满分25分）
Opening the door of the living room, Agatha heard voices shout from darkness, “SURPRISE!”. When she entered the darkened living room, the lights came on suddenly. Her best friend Timmy and Florence were there, grinning! On the table were a cake with candles and a pile of presents. Mum and Dad followed her into the living-room and lit the candles, saying: “Happy Birthday, dear. You were so distracted by the mystery to be solved as to forget today is your birthday! Now, blow the candles, make a wish and enjoy the cake.”
After eating the cake, Agatha got down to the business of opening her birthday presents. The first gift was the big red and pink birthday card with “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” written on it in Timmy and Florence’s childish handwriting. “We hope you like the card we made for you!” said Timmy, and Florence added, “We also bought the latest Sherlock Holmes Detective series for you!” Agatha hugged her friends in appreciation of their surprise gifts. Mum and Dad handed her a brand-new magnifying glass in place of the old broken one. Agatha might not have solved the mystery, but it was still a wonderful birthday!

听力原文：
Text 1
W: Are you going to New York for business or pleasure?
M: Well, basically I'm going on holiday. How about you?
W: Actually, I'm going to Rio de Janeiro. New York is just a stopover. I'm going to take another plane from there.
Text 2
W: Do you want to go jet skiing today? The weather is perfect for it.
M: I would rather relax on the beach today, Candy. I am still tired from horseback riding yesterday.
W: Jet skiing is even more fun than horse riding! Come on!
M: Oh, all right. Let's go.
Text 3
M: Hey, Susan. Want to go out for a beer?
W: Sorry, I can't. I always go jogging after work. And then I need to prepare dinner for my family.
Text 4
M: I heard that Ivy quit her job again. She was so brave.
W: She just thinks too high of herself, but can do nothing.
Text 5
M: Hello. May I speak to Mary, please?
W: I'm sorry, she's still in bed. May I take a message?
M: Yes. This is David. Please tell her to call me back. I have some good news.
W: OK.
Text 6
W: Hey, listen to this. The average American family watches six hours of TV a day.
M: A day? You're joking.
W: No, it says so right here in this magazine. Hmm, I guess you're an average American, Jack. When I come over to your place, you always have your TV on.
M: Come on. Are you saying I'm a couch potato?
W: Yeah. I really think watching TV is a waste of time.
M: Well, I disagree. Some programmes are bad, like those soap operas. But what about sports or the news? You watch those sometimes, don't you?
W: Well, actually, for the news, I prefer the Internet.
M: Why?
W: Because it gives you a lot more information.
Text 7
M: Did you watch the game between Barcelona and Madrid last night?
W: No, I went to a party. What's the result?
M: The score was 3∶3.
W: Really? I thought Barcelona was going to win. They are a much better team than Madrid.
M: If Barcelona had played as they normally do, they would have won.
W: What happened?
M: Their goalkeeper got injured after the first goal, but he kept on playing anyway.
W: That explains it. It's a pity I missed it. How many more games are left this season?
M: Four. The next game starts in a few weeks. Do you want to come over and watch the next game at my place? I'll planning on having a few people over to watch it together.
W: Sure, that would be great.
Text 8
M: Mum, I haven't got anything to do.
W: Well, Sam, it's snowing heavily, so you can't go outside in such cold weather.
M: No.
W: What I don't understand is why you haven't got more hobbies—your friends seem to have lots of different things they like doing, don't they?
M: That's not... well, anyway, they're just things you do inside, you know, collecting stamps, I mean so boring, or like computer games. I'm just not interested in that kind of thing.
W: Yes, well, I do understand that, but actually I'm quite pleased about the computer games. There's table tennis: now, you can play that indoors. And you are great at that, aren't you?
M: Oh Mum, I used to be, but now I'm completely out of practice. I'd lose to anyone.
W: So maybe you should go and get some practice.
Text 9
M: Hey, is that you Joan? I can't believe it!
W: Johnson! I haven't seen you for ages. It's so good to run into you like this!
M: That's for sure! So, what are you doing these days? Are you still going to the health club?
W: Not any more. We've moved to Eastgate.
M: Eastgate! That's twenty kilometres from here!
W: Yeah, I know. So I've got a long drive to work these days. But we bought a really big house with a nice garden.
M: Great! You're a landscape gardener, aren't you? So you'd be working much more in the summer.
W: Uh huh. But actually I've been working as a city planner for the last year or so.
M: Oh... Why did you change jobs?
W: Well... Two years ago I was working so hard that I never had any time to be with my kids. They were growing up really quickly, but I was always driving around from one project to the next. So I was hardly ever spending time at home.
M: Well, it's better now, I expect. You're working for the city, I suppose.
W: You mean in the planning department? No, actually I'm running my own company.
Text 10
W: This is the 6 o'clock news for Tuesday 25 November. And first the headlines：
The government has promised to help the poor farmers in the northern part of the country who haven't seen rain for nearly two years. And in Sydney a group of school children are successfully rescued from a plane which landed in the sea shortly after take­off. Transport workers are on strike in Melbourne asking for a pay raise. And the strike may spread to other states.
Now let's focus on the school children. They were travelling in a plane from Sydney to Queensland to take part in a musical concert. They found themselves swimming for the shore when their plane had to land in the sea just three minutes after taking off from Sydney Airport. The pilot managed to bring the aircraft and its 50 passengers down safely in the calm waters of Botany Bay where boats were able to come to the rescue of the children. It was a weekend, and there were hundreds of boats in the bay enjoying the good weather. This undoubtedly helped the rescue operation. The children said they owed their lives to the skill of the pilot. But the pilot replied modestly that it was all part of a day's work. However, all their musical instruments were lost and they never got to play at their concert.