北京市东城区2014届下学期初中九年级一模考试英语试卷

北京市东城区2014届下学期初中九年级一模考试英语试卷

北京市东城区2014届下学期初中九年级一模考试英语试卷 本试卷满分120分，考试时间120分钟。‎ 听力理解 (共26分)‎ 一、听对话，从下面各题所给的A、B、C三幅图片中选择与对话内容相符的图片。每段对话你将听两遍。（共4分，每小题1分）‎ ‎1.‎ A. B. C.‎ ‎2.‎ A. B. C.‎ ‎3.‎ A. B. C.‎ ‎4.‎ A. B. C.‎ 二、听对话，根据对话的内容，从下面各题所给的A、B、C三个选项中选择最佳选项。每段对话你将听两遍。（共12分，每小题1分）‎ 请听一段对话，完成第5至第6小题。‎ ‎5. Who is ill in hospital?‎ ‎ A. Henry. B. Jane. C. Susan. ‎ ‎6. Which bus takes the shortest time to the hospital?‎ ‎ A. No. 7. B. No. 13. C. No. 15.‎ 请听一段对话，完成第7至第8小题。‎ ‎7. What is the woman worried about?‎ ‎ A. Missing the flight.‎ ‎ B. Breaking traffic rules.‎ ‎ C. Being late for a meeting.‎ ‎8. What time does the dialogue take place?‎ ‎ A. At about 8:15. B. At about 8:45. C. At about 10:15.‎ 请听一段对话，完成第9至第10小题。‎ ‎9. Where are the speakers?‎ ‎ A. In a library. B. In a cinema. C. In a restaurant.‎ ‎10. What do you know about Mrs. Smith’s mother?‎ ‎ A. She is funny. B. She is poor. C. She is forgetful.‎ 请听一段对话，完成第11至第13小题。‎ ‎11. What are the speakers going to do in the morning?‎ ‎ A. To go to a park. B. To visit a museum. C. To do some shopping.‎ ‎12. Why does the man want to visit the zoo in the afternoon?‎ ‎ A. The zoo is free to visitors.‎ ‎ B. The zoo is near the museum.‎ ‎ C. The zoo has some unusual animals.‎ ‎13. What’s the relationship between the speakers?‎ ‎ A. Husband and wife. B. Doctor and patient. C. Teacher and student.‎ 请听一段对话，完成第14至第16小题。‎ ‎14. Who does the man buy a gift for?‎ ‎ A. A friend. B. A teacher. C. A family.‎ ‎15. What does the man decide to buy at last?‎ ‎ A. A set of a pen and a pencil.‎ ‎ B. A bigger set with four pens.‎ ‎ C. A set of a pen and four pencils.‎ ‎16. What can we learn from the conversation?‎ ‎ A. Japanese history. B. Japanese culture. C. Japanese education. ‎ 三、听独白，根据所听到的独白内容和提示词语，将所缺的关键信息填写在答题卡的相应位置上。独白你将听两遍。（共10分，每小题2分）‎ The Biggest Building in the World Name New Century Global 17 ‎ Where it is Chengdu, Sichuan How big it is ‎500 meters long, 18 meters wide and 100 meters high Why it is built to make Chengdu a 19 city in the world What’s in it a shopping mall, a movie theater, an ice rink, offices, hotels and a 20 ‎ Owners’ hope to bring 21 and tourists from across the world 知识运用（共25分）‎ 四、单项填空（共13分，每小题1分）‎ 从下面各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择可以填入空白处的最佳选项。‎ ‎22. The students are talking about ______ holiday plans happily.‎ ‎ A. his B. her C. its D. their ‎23. I always go skiing with my friends ______ winter.‎ ‎ A. in B. on C. at D. for ‎24. I phoned Sarah last night, ______ there was no answer.‎ ‎ A. and B. but C. or D. so ‎25. Which book is ______ to understand, this one or that one?‎ ‎ A. easy B. easier C. easiest D. the easiest ‎26. I like this room. You ______ see the mountains from the window.‎ ‎ A. can B. should C. must D. need ‎27. — Did you meet ______ interesting at the party?‎ ‎ — Not really.‎ ‎ A. anybody B. somebody C. everybody D. nobody ‎28. When I opened the fridge, there ______ only some eggs and a bottle of milk.‎ ‎ A. is B. are C. was D. were ‎29. — ______ are your parents?‎ ‎ — They’re very well. Thanks.‎ ‎ A. How B. Who C. What D. Where ‎30. I ______ you a copy of the report as soon as I finish it.‎ ‎ A. send B. sent C. will send D. has sent ‎31. My uncle is a writer. He ______ many books since he was young.‎ ‎ A. writes B. wrote C. is writing D. has written ‎32. Mum told Andrew ______ quiet in the museum.‎ ‎ A. keep B. to keep C. keeping D. kept ‎33. The park gates ______ at 10:00 every evening.‎ ‎ A. lock B. locked C. are locked D. were locked ‎34. Nobody knows ______ yesterday.‎ ‎ A. how the accident happens B. how does the accident happen ‎ C. how the accident happened D. how did the accident happen 五、完形填空（共12分，每小题1分）‎ 阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择最佳选项。‎ Christmas Love Each December, I promised to make Christmas a relaxed and peaceful experience. I didn’t spend too much time on card writing, endless cooking and decorating. Yet still, I found myself tired, unable to enjoy the valuable family moments, and of course, to understand the true meaning of 35 .‎ Christmas came again. My son, Nicholas, was in primary school that year. It was a very 36 season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s “Winter Celebration.” All the parents were invited to be present at their show.‎ I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working. Unwilling to 37 his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She told me there’d be a dress rehearsal(彩排) the morning of the presentation. All 38 unable to be present that evening were welcome to come then. ‎ So, on the 39 of the dress rehearsal, I arrived ten minutes early. Around the room, I saw several other parents. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as “Christmas”, I didn’t 40 anything other than fun. So, when my son’s class rose to sing “Christmas Love”, I was a little bit surprised by its title.‎ Nicholas was excited, as were all of his classmates. Those in the front row held up large letters, one by one, to 41 out the title of the song. As the class would sing “C is for Christmas,” a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy,” and on and on 42 all the children presented the complete message “Christmas Love”.‎ The show was going smoothly, until suddenly, a small, quiet, girl in the front row held the letter “M” upside down — totally not knowing her letter “M” appeared as a “W”. The audience(观众) laughed at this little girl’s 43 . But she had no idea why they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, 44 holding her “W”. The laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. The audience suddenly became 45 and eyes began to widen. At that moment, we understood why we were there and why we 46 the holiday. ‎ For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: “CHRIST WAS LOVE”. ‎ ‎35. A. family B. love C. Christmas D. school ‎36. A. new B. exciting C. successful D. golden ‎ ‎37. A. miss B. waste C. forget D. change ‎38. A. officers B. children C. teachers D. parents ‎39. A. morning B. noon C. afternoon D. evening 40. A. enjoy B. expect C. find D. have ‎ ‎41. A. spell B. pick C. check D. carry ‎42. A. since B. before C. until D. when ‎43. A. letter B. mistake C. appearance D. gesture ‎44. A. politely B. honestly C. quietly D. proudly ‎45. A. nervous B. angry C. silent D. sad ‎46. A. celebrated B. remembered C. invented D. recorded 阅读理解（共44分）‎ 六、阅读下列短文，根据短文内容，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择最佳选项。（共26分，每小题2分）‎ A Survey: What’s your favorite restaurant?‎ Lola Lopez Jim Janssen ‎“I’m an actress. There’s a small French restaurant near my apartment. It’s my favorite. The service is great. The food is always cooked well and served beautifully. And the atmosphere is very romantic…”‎ ‎“I’m a high school student. I’m interested in fast food. Chicken, burgers, fish, French fries — I love it all. My mom says I should eat healthier food but it tastes so good! Also, I’m not rich and the price of fast food is just right for me.”‎ Gina Mangino Raul Sanchez ‎“I’m a housewife. With three kids, I look for a place that has good food at a reasonable price. I look for a place that’s comfortable for children and serves the food quickly. That’s why I like Sam’s Chinese restaurant.”‎ ‎“I’m a doctor. I can’t remember the last time I ate out… maybe that’s because my wife and I really like to cook. Instead of eating out, we look through a cookbook and cook at home.”‎ ‎47. Jim Janssen is ______.‎ ‎ A. an actress B. a doctor C. a student D. a housewife ‎ ‎48. ______ likes a French restaurant very much.‎ ‎ A. Lola Lopez B. Jim Janssen C. Gina Mangino D. Raul Sanchez ‎49. Gina Mangino likes the restaurant which ______.‎ ‎ A. offers fast food B. serves the food quickly ‎ ‎ C. offers cookbooks D. serves the food beautifully ‎ B Christian Bucks may be young, but he sure knows how to be a good friend. When the York, Pennsylvania, second-grader noticed that some of his schoolmates didn’t have anyone to play with ‎ during the break time, he came up with a way to help them. He suggested having something called a “buddy bench” put in on his school’s playground.‎ A buddy bench is a special bench where students can sit if they are feeling bored or lonely. It’s usually brightly colored with “BUDDY BENCH” in big letters. Other students can then go to the bench and ask them if they would like to play or talk.‎ ‎“We show we care about others when we ask others to play,” Christian told reporters.‎ Christian first learned about buddy benches when his family was considering moving to Germany. He saw a buddy bench in a handbook for a German school and thought it would be a great way to fight loneliness on the playground at his own school, Roundtown Elementary School.‎ Christian told Roundtown’s headteacher, Matthew Miller, about his idea at the end of last school year. Miller immediately decided to get a buddy bench. He had Christian pick out its style and bright colors.‎ ‎“I was the first person who got to sit on the bench when it arrived at Roundtown,” says Christian. He hopes the bench will help “grow our dream circle of friends”.‎ ‎50. Christian Bucks suggested having a buddy bench to help ______.‎ ‎ A. his teachers B. his students C. his parents D. his schoolmates ‎51. Christian learned about the buddy bench ______.‎ ‎ A. in a textbook B. from his father ‎ C. in a handbook D. from his headteacher ‎52. What can we learn from the passage?‎ ‎ A. The buddy bench can help to develop friendships.‎ ‎ B. The buddy bench is designed and made in Germany.‎ ‎ C. Students can realize their dreams on the buddy bench.‎ ‎ D. Students love the style and the color of the buddy bench.‎ C You change the channels for the fourth time and realize that once again there’s nothing on television that gets your attention. Not a problem! Throw on some running shoes and comfortable clothes and go for a run.‎ One of the coolest things about the sport of running is that you don’t need expensive equipment(装备). All you need is a good pair of running shoes and a safe environment. But just because you don’t need much equipment don’t be fooled into thinking the sport of running is easy. ‎ No one wakes up and decides to run a marathon without training. ‎ Running makes your heart, lungs, and muscles stronger. It makes you know more about your body. Running also gives you energy by increasing your oxygen(氧气) intake, so you don’t get sick easily. It can even help you keep your mind on school work because exercise helps you to think more clearly.‎ How do you take part in the sport if you don’t know much about it? Most schools offer cross-country and track programs, but there are also running clubs open to all ages. A simple Internet search can help you find some in your area. The programs show you how running can offer competition or just be for fun. They also teach runners to set realistic goals and take care of their bodies.‎ Runners have great respect for each other because they know how difficult the sport can be. If you go to a race, you’ll see people cheering for all the runners, from the first place finisher to the last place finisher. Running isn’t always about how fast you are or how far you’re going. It’s about getting out there and doing it. Taking part is more important than competition, and effort is recognized over gift.‎ If you’re looking for more than just a sport, running may be the perfect choice for you.‎ ‎53. Which of the following is true?‎ ‎ A. Running helps you win a marathon.‎ ‎ B. Running helps you improve your study.‎ ‎ C. Running helps you think more about yourself.‎ ‎ D. Running helps you set realistic goals in your life.‎ ‎54. What is the most important for runners in a race?‎ ‎ A. Having fun. B. Receiving respect.‎ ‎ C. Trying their best. D. Winning the competition.‎ ‎55. What is probably the best title for this passage?‎ ‎ A. Running and Runners ‎ ‎ B. Running: Easy or Difficult ‎ C. Running and Watching TV D. Running: a Sport or a Way of Life D Beyond Baby Mozart, Students Who Rock Music education hasn’t changed much since the 1970s. Students are still taught to read ‎ notation(乐谱) so they can recite compositions that they would never listen to on their MP3 players or play with friends. Playing music enriches life. The question is: Why do schools teach music in a way that turns off so many young people rather than catch their imagination? Can we do a better job of using the power of music to get kids excited about school?‎ The experience of an organization called Little Kids Rock suggests the answer is yes — if we change the way music is taught. Little Kids Rock has helped music programs in over a thousand public schools and served 150,000 children. The organization has given 30,000 free instruments out, mainly guitars, and trained 1,500 teachers to run music classes in which students quickly experience the joys of playing their favorite songs, performing in bands(乐队), and writing their own music. ‎ The key to Little Kids Rock is that it teaches children to play music the way many musicians learn to play it — not by notation, but by listening, imitation(模仿) and meaningful experimentation. “The knowledge you need to get started playing rock music is very limited,” explains Dave Wish, the founder of Little Kids Rock. “In high school, my friend Paul taught me a couple of chords(和弦) and my life was changed forever. On the first day of class, Little Kids Rock teachers place guitars in the hands of their students and get them practicing chords that will enable them to play thousands of songs. The kids decide what songs they want to learn and the class is off and running. Their progress is surprising. Within a year, eight and nine-year-olds are playing musical instruments, and giving concerts, even performing their own songs. ‎ One of the biggest advantages that music offers is the ability to encourage students who are otherwise bored by school. “I’ve had students start coming back to school because of this program,” said Adkison Thomas, who heads up music for the Dallas Independent School District. He added, “One of the best things is that the teachers discover a new side of their students. They see kids become successful who weren’t before.”‎ ‎56. The expression “turn off” in Paragraph 1 means “______”.‎ ‎ A. make kids feel cool B. make kids feel bored C. make kids feel confident D. make kids feel nervous ‎ ‎57. How did Little Kids Rock help the school?‎ A. By writing music for kids. B. By playing kids’ favorite songs.‎ C. By making instruments for school. D. By training teachers for music classes.‎ ‎58. Little Kids Rock is successful because ______.‎ ‎ A. it encourages kids to experience music ‎ B. it helps kids learn from great musicians ‎ C. it allows kids to decide how to learn music ‎ ‎ D. it offers musical programs all over the country ‎59. What does the writer want to tell us?‎ ‎ A. Learning music is a good way to become successful.‎ ‎ B. Teaching in a proper way benefits students’ development.‎ ‎ C. It’s necessary for students to practice a lot in learning music.‎ D. It’s important for teachers to discover the new sides of students.‎ 七、阅读短文，根据短文内容，从短文后的五个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有一项为多余选项。（共8分，每小题2分）‎ A Frenchman went to a small Italian town and was staying with his wife at the best hotel there. One night, he went out for a walk alone. It was late. 60 . Suddenly he felt someone behind him. He turned his head and saw an Italian young man who quickly walked past him. The man was nearly out of sight when the Frenchman suddenly found that his watch was gone. He thought that it must be the Italian who had taken his watch. 61 because he wanted to get the watch back.‎ ‎　　Soon the Frenchman caught up with the Italian. Neither of them understood the other’s language. The Frenchman shook his fist(拳头) in the Italian’s face and pointed at the watch. 62 . In the end he gave up his watch to the Frenchman. ‎ When he returned to the hotel, the Frenchman told his wife what had happened. He was greatly surprised when his wife pointed to the watch on the table. Now he realized that by mistake he had robbed(抢劫) the Italian. 63 .‎ A. The Italian was afraid ‎ B. It was the Italian’s watch ‎ C. He decided to follow him ‎ D. The Frenchman got excited E. The street was dark and quiet ‎ 八、阅读短文，根据短文内容回答问题。（共10分，每小题2分）‎ We’ve all heard of mermaids. They are the beautiful half-human, half-fish creatures(生物). They have the head and body of a human and the tail of a fish. We also know that mermaids only exist in fairy tales. But where did all the stories about these creatures come from? If you have ever seen a manatee, then you might have an idea.‎ Manatees, which are also called sea cows, are mammals(哺乳动物) that live in the sea. Since they are mammals, they have to swim up to the surface to breathe air. Many people believe that the story of the mermaid began with the ancient sailors who saw the manatees putting their heads ‎ out of the water to breathe. Because manatees are upright when they do this, it looks like they are standing. If a sailor saw a manatee doing this from far away across the sea, it is possible that the sailor would mistake the manatee for a creature that is half-human, half-fish.‎ Mermaids are described as having very long hair. This is probably because manatees like to swim up to the surface of the water in areas where there is sea grass. Manatees eat all kinds of plants in the sea, including sea grass. The sea grass around the manatees’ heads when they eat could create a picture of long hair.‎ Manatees also have powerful tails that are very similar to the fish-like tail of a mermaid. The sailors probably watched manatees come up for air and then swim back below the surface, using their paddle-shaped tails. This would explain why the sailors thought mermaids had fish-like tails.‎ ‎64. What are mermaids?‎ ‎65. Where do manatees live?‎ ‎66. Do manatees need to breathe air out of water?‎ ‎67. What do manatees eat?‎ ‎68. Why did the ancient sailors mistake manatees for mermaids?‎ 书面表达（共25分）‎ 九、完成句子（共10分，每小题2分）‎ 根据中文意思完成句子。‎ ‎69. 六点了，该回家了。‎ ‎ It’s six o’clock. ______ to go home.‎ ‎70. —你愿意和我一起去野餐吗？‎ ‎ —当然了。‎ ‎—______ go for a picnic with me?‎ ‎—Yes, of course.‎ ‎71. 我姐姐经常帮着妈妈做饭。‎ ‎ My sister often ______.‎ ‎72. 学习语言时不要害怕犯错误。‎ Don’t ______ in learning a language.‎ ‎73. 直到我同意帮助玛丽照顾她的小狗，她才挂断了电话。‎ Mary ______ look after her dog.‎ 十、文段表达（15分）‎ 根据中文和英文提示，写一封意思连贯、符合逻辑、不少于50词的回信。信的开头和结尾已给出，其词数不计入所完成的回信内。所给英文提示词语仅供选用。请不要写出你的校名和姓名。‎ ‎74. 假如你叫李华，最近和美国朋友Jim通过邮件谈论各自的校园生活，他想了解在学校里你最喜欢哪位教师。请你根据他的问题回复邮件。‎ 提示词语：love, hardworking, patient, encourage, tell ‎ To Jim From Li Hua Subject My favourite teacher Hi! Jim,‎ I’m glad to hear from you. _________________________________‎ ‎___________________________________________________________‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua ‎【试题答案】‎ 听力理解 (共26分)‎ 一、听对话，选图。（共4分，每小题1分）‎ ‎1. B 2. A 3. C 4. B 二、听对话，选择答案。（共12分，每小题1分）‎ ‎5. C 6. B 7. A 8. A 9. A 10. C 11. B 12. C ‎13. A 14. C 15. A 16. B 三、听独白，记录关键信息。（共10分，每小题2分）‎ ‎17. Center 18. 400 19. famous ‎20. water park 21. business 知识运用（共25分）‎ 四、单项填空（共13分，每小题1分）‎ ‎22. D 23. A 24. B 25. B 26. A 27. A 28. D 29. A 30. C ‎31. D 32. B 33. C 34. C 五、完形填空（共12分，每小题1分）‎ ‎35. C 36. B 37. A 38. D 39. A 40. B 41. A 42. C 43. B ‎44. D 45. C 46. A 阅读理解（共44分）‎ 六、阅读短文，选择最佳选项。（共26分，每小题2分）‎ ‎47. C 48. A 49. B 50. D 51. C 52. A 53. B 54. C 55. D ‎56. B 57. D 58. A 59. B 七、阅读短文，还原句子。（共8分，每小题2分）‎ ‎60. E 61. C 62. A 63. B ‎ 八、阅读短文，回答问题。（共10分，每小题2分）‎ ‎64. They are the beautiful half-human, half-fish creatures.‎ ‎65. In the sea.‎ ‎66. Yes.‎ ‎67. They eat all kinds of plants in the sea.‎ ‎68. When manatees were seen from distance, their heads looked human-like, the sea grass around their heads looked like long hair, and they swam with their paddle-shaped tails.‎ 书面表达（共25分）‎ 九、 完成句子（共10分，每小题2分）‎ ‎69. It’s time ‎70. Would you like to ‎71. helps mum cook meals / helps mum with cooking ‎72. be afraid of making mistakes 73. didn’t hang up until I agreed to 十、文段表达 （15分）‎ ‎74. One possible version:‎ Hi! Jim,‎ I’m glad to hear from you. I love all the teachers in my school. My favorite teacher is Ms. Wang. ‎ She is a hardworking and experienced music teacher. She loves music, she loves her job, and she is always patient with her students. ‎ She encourages me to follow my dream of music. She often tells me the most important thing in our life is to be an honest and responsible person. She says love can make music more beautiful. She has great influence on me, and I want to be a person like her.‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 文段表达评分标准：‎  第一档：（15~13分）‎  完全符合题目要求，观点正确，要点齐全。句式多样，词汇丰富。语言准确，语意连贯，表达清楚，具有逻辑性。 ‎  第二档：（12~9分）‎  基本符合题目要求，观点正确，要点齐全。语法结构和词汇基本满足文章需要。语言基本通顺，语意基本连贯，表达基本清楚。虽然有少量语言错误，但不影响整体理解。‎  第三档：（8~5分） ‎  部分内容符合题目要求，要点不齐全。语法结构和词汇错误较多，语言不通顺，表达不够清楚，影响整体理解。‎  第四档：（4~0分） ‎  与题目有关内容不多，只是简单拼凑提示词语，所写内容难以理解。‎ 听力录音材料:‎ ‎1. M: What animal shall we go to see first?‎ W: Let’s go to see the monkeys. They are very lovely.‎ ‎2. W: Who’s the man with glasses?‎ M: He’s my dad.‎ ‎3. W: Let’s go to see a movie.‎ M: Look! It’s raining so heavily.‎ ‎4. M: What is Mike doing?‎ W: He is cleaning the room.‎ ‎5. M: Where are you going, Jane? ‎ W: I’m going to the hospital to see Susan.‎ M: I went to see her yesterday. She felt better. ‎ W: I’m happy to hear that. By the way, how can I get there? Can I take a No. 15 bus?‎ M: Yes. And I took a No. 7 bus yesterday. ‎ W: How long did it take you?‎ M: Half an hour. But Susan says No. 13 bus takes the shortest time.‎ W: Thank you, Henry. I’ll take a No. 13 bus.‎ ‎6. W: Taxi!‎ M: Hello! Madam. Can I help you?‎ W: Yes. Can you drive me to the airport?‎ M: OK. Let’s go.‎ W: I’m taking the 10:15 flight. Could you please drive a little faster? ‎ M: I’m sorry, but it’s not allowed. ‎ W: I’m afraid I will be late for the flight.‎ M: Take it easy. You see, it is 8:15.‎ W: How long will it take to get to the airport?‎ M: About half an hour, I think.‎ W: OK. That would be fine.‎ ‎7. M: Good morning. Mrs. Smith. ‎ W: Good morning! I want a book for my mother.‎ M: Well, what kind of books does she like? ‎ W: She’s interested in funny stories.‎ M: I see. Do you know if she’s read this one? ‎ W: I’m not sure, but she probably doesn’t remember if she has! She has a poor memory! You know, she’s already eighty-seven.‎ M: Ah! I suggest you take this book. It’s very interesting. ‎ W: That’s a good idea. Thank you.‎ ‎8. M: Sharon, what’s our tour plan?‎ W: Well, let’s have a look at the city guide. Here’s something interesting. Shall we first visit the Art Museum in the morning?‎ M: OK. I like that idea. And where are we going to have lunch?‎ W: How about going to a Chinese restaurant? There is one not far from the Art Museum.‎ M: Sounds great. What about visiting the zoo after lunch? It says there are some unusual animals in the zoo.‎ W: Well, I’m not really interested in going there. Why don’t we go shopping instead? We need ‎ to buy some presents for our parents and children.‎ M: I think we can go shopping after dinner.‎ W: Well... Let’s go to Beihai Park in the afternoon.‎ M: It sounds a better idea.‎ ‎9. W: Can I help you?‎ M: Yes, I’m looking for a gift for a Japanese family here that I’m going to stay with. Do you have any idea?‎ W: Pen sets are always a good gift.‎ M: Is that too small? You know…I’m here to learn Japanese in a college for a whole year. I think it’s a long time and it’ll be a great trouble to the family, so I’ll…‎ W: Well, I see… but we Japanese consider it important to respect each other, rather than expensive gifts…‎ M: Yes, all right, let’s see pen sets. There’re sets with a pen and a pencil, and bigger sets with four pens.‎ W: Don’t give a set of four pens to your Japanese friend. In fact, don’t give four of anything.‎ M: Why is that?‎ W: The Japanese word for “four” sounds like the word for “death”. It means bad luck.‎ M: Thanks a lot. In that case, I’ll take the single pen and pencil set.‎ W: Good choice. These sets make very good gifts. After all, pens write in any language. ‎ M: Right.‎ ‎10. There are many things in China that are the biggest in the world. Now it has a new one — the world’s largest building. It is called the New Century Global Center. It opened in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It is 500 meters long, 400 meters wide and 100 meters high. The area inside is 1.76 million square meters. The building is so big that 20 Sydney Opera Houses can go inside. Thousands of workers built the huge building in three years. The center is built to make Chengdu a famous city in the world. That is part of an important plan of the government.‎ The inside of the center is almost like a small city. There are around 400,000 square meters of shopping space, a movie theater and an ice rink. There are also offices, hotels and a water park. The building’s owners hope it will bring business and tourists from across the world. Around 14 million people live in Chengdu, but that will increase. Chengdu is one of China’s most important areas for business. It is also home to the world’s largest giant pandas.‎