英语卷·2018届湖南省宁乡一中等五市十校教研教改共同体高三12月联考（2017-12）

英语卷·2018届湖南省宁乡一中等五市十校教研教改共同体高三12月联考（2017-12）

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. What will Mrs. Williams do later?‎ A. Give Mr. Anderson a call.‎ B. Attend a basketball match.‎ C. Pass on a message.‎ ‎2. Where are the speakers probably?‎ A. In a restaurant. B. At home. C. In a hotel.‎ ‎3. How much more will the woman have to pay?‎ A. 3 pounds. B. 5 pounds. C. 8 pounds.‎ ‎4. Why did the man apologize?‎ A. He incorrectly guessed the baby’s age.‎ B. He mistook the woman’s boy for a girl.‎ C. He made a comment about the baby’s hair.‎ ‎5. What is the conversation mainly about?‎ A. The woman’s phone.‎ B. The woman’s favorite music.‎ C. The woman’s new sound system.‎ 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。‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第6和第7两个小题。‎ ‎6. What problem does the man have?‎ A. There is not enough room.‎ B. He can’t find Mr. Harper.‎ C. He can’t decide which product to display.‎ ‎7. What solution is suggested?‎ A. Finding a larger space.‎ B. Showing fewer items.‎ C. Choosing bright colors.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第8和第9两个小题。‎ ‎8. How does the woman comment on Facebook?‎ A. People in the world are more closely connected.‎ B. Many people are unwilling to share their lives.‎ C. Scientists don’t understand social connections.‎ ‎9. How does the man feel about Facebook?‎ A. He likes to share his life with everyone.‎ B. He uses it to communicate with Mends.‎ C. He doesn’t want an account.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第10至第12三个小题。‎ ‎10. When is the story of Heidi set?‎ A. In the late 1800s. B. In the early 1900s. C. In the 1950s.‎ ‎11. How many versions of the movie are mentioned in the conversation?‎ A. Two. B. Three. C. Four.‎ ‎12. Why does the woman think the actress of the latest version talented?‎ A. She is just like Shirley Temple.‎ B. She was chosen from many girls.‎ C. She read the original book.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第13至第16四个小题。‎ ‎13. How did August Getty feel at New York Fashion Week?‎ A. Very nervous. B. A little strange. C. Really happy.‎ ‎14. What did August Getty do as a child?‎ A. He wore his parents’ clothes.‎ B. He made clothes for spoons and forks.‎ C. He sewed clothes for his sister.‎ ‎15. What did August Getty’s family think about his interest in fashion?‎ A. They encouraged him.‎ B. They thought he was different.‎ C. They didn’t like his style at first.‎ ‎16. What did August Getty think of his own design?‎ A. Different and classic.‎ B. Strange and fashionable.‎ C. Stylish and common.‎ 听下面一段独白，回答第17至第20四个小题。‎ ‎17. Where did Nancy’s cancer begin?‎ A. In her heart. B. In her brain. C. On her skin.‎ ‎18. According to the man, why was Nancy able to get better?‎ A. Because of the pills she was taking.‎ B. Because of her positive attitude.‎ C. Because of the food she was eating.‎ ‎19. What will the new foundation focus on?‎ A. Helping families deal with cancer.‎ B. Giving money for cancer research.‎ C. Helping individuals with their medical bills.‎ ‎20. How can people get more information about the foundation now?‎ A. By going online.‎ B. By emailing Dale and Nancy anytime.‎ C. By calling the speaker and his wife.‎ 第二部分 阅读理解（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和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。‎ A Description Lucinda Bassett’s second book Life Without Limits is a toolkit, which helps you clarify what you truly want. By using Bassett，s powerful techniques, you will change; therefore your life will change and you will control your life. Life Without Limits helps you take back your power.‎ Life Without Limits helps you to achieve satisfaction and fulfillment personally, professionally and financially. Once you have defined what success means for you, you will clarify your dreams and start pursuing (追求) them.‎ Details ‎> Published in: 2001-12‎ ‎> Released on: 2001-12-24‎ ‎> Original language: English ‎> Dimensions: 5.3 * 0.7 * 8 inches ‎> Building: Paperback ‎> 304 pages ‎ About the Author Lucinda Bassett is the founder and CEO of one of the most successful self-help companies in the country, the Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety, Inc. Author of the national bestseller From Panic to Power, Lucinda Bassett produces and hosts the awarding-winning infomercial, Attacking Anxiety. She has shared her techniques with such clients as McDonalds, Chrysler, and AT&T. She has appeared on numerous talk shows, including Opera and The View, and been featured in Family Circle, Reader’s Digest, and many more.‎ Review This book has helped me to gain hope and courage to cope with my fears and worries. Lucinda writes with such a great understanding and sympathy. She herself had problems ‎ with panic and worry. Her positive thinking tips are easy to follow. I don’t get lost in a lot of mental problems. It’s as if she were holding your hand, sitting right beside you and cheering you on! I believe I can do anything I set my mind to after reading this book. However, there are some other readers, holding the contrary views.‎ ‎21. What is Life Without Limits about?‎ A. It shows readers what Lucinda Bassett is.‎ B. It encourages readers to realize their dreams.‎ C. It describes how hard the actual life is.‎ D. It implies it is hard to control your life.‎ ‎22. We can conclude from the last paragraph that .‎ A. Lucinda has made a lot of money from the book B. all the readers have some mental problems C. Lucinda talks with the readers face to face D. all readers don’t agree with what Lucinda wrote ‎23. Where is this text most likely taken from?‎ A. A novel. B. A magazine.‎ C. A science book. D. A research report.‎ B Everyone can try his best to achieve. We don’t need to be the best, but to tough out the limits of what we are capable of. I gained this belief from my third grade teacher, the most special, honored, trustworthy, and loved person in my life.‎ Mr. Myrus was always perfectly dressed and spoke with the belief that talking to eight-year-olds didn’t mean he had to sacrifice proper statements or grammars. And he was demanding, but he wasn’t unreasonable or cruel. He simply felt that no matter what your best was, you should achieve it.‎ As luck would have it, I met him again as my eighth grade math teacher. I was not, nor ever will be, gifted in math. I remember my struggles in class. “I don’t know the answer,” I would say, “I can’t do it!” “Perhaps you don’t know the answer,” he would say quietly. “Do you think we might figure it out together? How ‎ do you know what you can do until you try?”‎ Mr. Myrus lived around the comer, and I would often stop by to talk while he worked in his garden. I knew there was someone who let me know that if I had really tried, that was enough. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he’d say. “Stop blaming yourself. Did you try your best? Well, then you’re not a failure,” he often told me these words.‎ Mr. Myrus died in 1978. I had never thought about his death. He was too young. I felt sorry. But when I think about him now, I don’t feel so sorry. He taught me to be kind, not only to others, but to myself. He taught me my own value. He taught me about honor, about truth, and about doing my best — and all feelings and beliefs have dignity and deserve respect. And of all the things I know, this I believe: We can’t all be “the best”, but we can, each of us, be our best, and I know that’s true because Mr. Myrus told me that.‎ ‎24. What does the underlined word “demanding” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?‎ A. Strict. B. Serious. C. Critical. D. Careful.‎ ‎25. Why did the author think he was a lucky dog?‎ A. He got a great belief from his teacher.‎ B. Mr. Myrus was his teacher for eight years.‎ C. He became interested in math because of Mr. Myrus.‎ D. He developed a good relationship with Mr. Myrus.‎ ‎26. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?‎ A. The author may have become a teacher.‎ B. The author liked to recall his childhood.‎ C. The author believed he would be the best of all.‎ D. The author ended up being a man of self-confidence.‎ ‎27. What can we learn about Mr. Myrus according to the text?‎ A. He is usually unconcerned with the students.‎ B. He is responsible for his students and his teaching.‎ C. He is a person who isn’t particular about what he wears.‎ D. He sometimes is cruel and unreasonable to his students.‎ C Scientists in Britain have managed to teach bumblebees (大黄蜂) to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others in their colony (群体) — showing a high level of intelligence despite their tiny brains.‎ Researchers at Queen Mary University of London said the experiments, often used to test the intelligence of apes (猿) and birds, showed for the first time that some insects are up to the task, and can also pass skills on through several generations.‎ The findings add to the evidence suggesting the ability for “culture spread” — the ability to learn and pass on knowledge and skills — may not be unique to humans.‎ In the research, published in the journal PLOS Biology on Tuesday, the scientists were able to train 23 out of a group of 40 bees to pull strings with their legs and feet.‎ The strings were attached to discs — or artificial “flowers” — containing food at their center but placed under a transparent screen. The bees, spotting the food beneath the screen, learned to pull the “flowers” out by pulling the string with their legs and feet to be able to get to it.‎ From another group of bees given the chance to solve the task without any training, only two of 110 were successful.‎ Another group of bees was then allowed to observe the trained bees pulling the strings, and 60 percent of them successfully learned the skill. Finally, trained bees were put in colonies, and the scientists found the technique spread successfully to a majority of the colony’s worker bees.‎ Lars Chittka, a Queen Mary University professor who guided the project, said the team is interested in figuring out the brain processes behind the bees’ learning and teaching skills.‎ ‎28. What did the researchers find about bees?‎ A. Bees are as clever as birds. B. Bees learn best in insects.‎ C. Bees are born good learners. D. Bees can be trained to learn skills.‎ ‎29. What may the research team focus on next?‎ A. What else bees can do. B. How bees’ brains work.‎ C. How bees teach others. D. Where bees learn skills.‎ ‎30. How does the author develop the text?‎ A. By drawing a conclusion through a research.‎ B. By providing typical examples.‎ C. By comparing opinions from different fields.‎ D. By presenting a cause and analyzing its effects.‎ ‎31. Which of the following may be the best title for the text?‎ A. Let Bees Learn B. Bees Are Smarter C. Bees Can Learn and Teach D. A Successful Research D Two-thirds of the world’s major rivers have now been disrupted (中断) with more than 50,000 dams in an attempt to store water and provide power. In the US, there are more than 85,000 dams, disrupting large and small rivers and in most cases transforming natural flow. The most famous of these, the Hoover Dam constructed in the 1930’s, is mainly responsible for the fact that the Colorado River no longer reaches the ocean.‎ Dams, besides all their attractive benefits, also have negative impacts. Creating a reservoir (水库) means a large area must be flooded. Communities may lose their land houses and cultural relics (遗址). Down stream of a dam, the flow may be reduced so that farmers cannot irrigate their fields.‎ Environmentally, the new reservoir can be a paradise for wildlife especially birds. However, it can cause greenhouse gas emissions (排放) and poison the water for fish. Also, the dramatic rise and fall of water levels during dam releases is too extreme for plains and animals to cope with, resulting in dead zones around the shores of reservoirs. Fish that lay their eggs in the shallows, for example, may find a few hours later that those sites are high and dry.‎ Dams don’t just block water flow. The flow may be reduced so that farmers will have great trouble getting water for their fields. They also prevent fish migrations and are a barrier to sediment (沉淀物) flows. Instead of rushing downriver, sediments get backed up against the dam wall, which cause the reservoir level to increase over time. However, sediments which are rich in nutrients have become a problem. The fertility of the entire system can be influenced by soils lost during seasonal rains, not being replaced.‎ Perhaps the biggest problem can be seen in deltas (三角洲), often host to large cities, which are sinking into the oceans. Groundwater is being extracted to feed the city, causing the urban weight to sink and sediments washed away by the ocean are no longer being replaced. The result is that sea levels rise in cities from Shanghai to Alexandria.‎ ‎32. What effects does creating a reservoir have on people’s life?‎ a. People will see fewer birds near the rivers.‎ b. Farmers below the dam may have less water to irrigate their fields.‎ c. Visitors can’t see some cultural relics anymore.‎ d. More conflicts and wars over water will break out.‎ e. All kinds of fish will become extinct in the future.‎ A. b c B. c e C. b e D. a d ‎33. With many dams built across rivers, fish will .‎ A. find more places to lay their eggs B. feed on more sediments rich in nutrients C. face a more dangerous living habitat D. find it easier to deal with the rise of water ‎34. How can dams influence the cities like Shanghai?‎ A. Their entire systems will be influenced.‎ B. They will lie below sea level in the future.‎ C. The rainy season will last longer.‎ D. Rich soils will be washed away.‎ ‎35. What does the text mainly talk about?‎ A. Economical gain of dams. B. Cultural loss of dams.‎ C. Environmental benefits of dams. D. Environmental loss of dams.‎ 第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10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。‎ Nobel Prize Winner Studied How People Spent Their Money The winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences studies how people spend their money. 36 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is presenting the Economics Prize to Professor Angus Deaton of Princeton University in New Jersey. The Nobel committee says his research has mainly dealt with three questions: How do consumers distribute their spending among different goods? How much of society’s wealth is spent and how much is saved? 37 ‎ Mr. Deaton used household surveys to collect detailed information about how families spend their money. For example in one study, the Princeton professor examined the relationship between poverty and the amount of calories in the food people ate.‎ The Nobel committee says Mr. Deaton’s research has shown how the clever use of household data can shed light on (阐明) issues such as the relationship between income and calorie intake, and the extent of gender discrimination with the family. People often asked him the question why he paid so much attention to household information. 38 “Well, it’s individually... it’s about people in the end. You have to understand what makes people tick, and what’s good for them. And for me it’s always been about trying to understand behavior and to try to infer from that behavior, you know, how people are doing.”‎ ‎ 39 Subjects of his research have included happiness, well-being and aging. At a press conference last month, the Nobel Prize winner said he was pleased that his work had been recognized. 40 “I think we have had a remarkable decrease for the past 20 to 30 years. I do expect that to continue,” he said.‎ A. Are you a saver or a spender?‎ B. He told reporters he believed poverty would decrease.‎ C. And, how do we best measure and study well-being and poverty?‎ D. He said that his studies were mainly about people and their behavior.‎ E. He also has explored how spending can affect both living conditions and poverty.‎ F. He examined the close relationship between poverty and the kind of food people ate. ‎ G. The Nobel committee also praises Mr. Deaton’s work because it uses detailed information about real people, not theoretical ideas.‎ 第三部分 语言知识运用（共两节，满分45分）‎ 第一节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30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。‎ I sat nervously and waited for Kathleen to speak. Being called to the human resources department is a little like being called to the principal’s office. “Annie,” she said, “A food bank in our town that serves the elderly is asking for 41 . I’d like you to organize the event and see it through.” “Well, um, errr... sure. I guess so.” As I stuttered (结结巴巴地说) through my 42 , all I could think was, “What? Why me?” I walked back to my office without any idea as to where to 43 . This was a time when the economy was 44 . The rise in unemployment forced the families of many of my coworkers to 45 to survive. How could I ask my coworkers for more?‎ That evening, I drove home 46 . Then I remembered a time long ago when my father was out of work. Mom wrote a note to Jim, the milkman, asking him not to 47 any more milk. Two days later, Jim picked up the 48 and left four liters of milk. He wrote his own message on the back side of Mom’s. It read, “Kids need milk.” The milk delivery continued as usual and Jim left four liters of milk every other day, never collecting a cent 49 us.‎ The memory of Jim’s kindness 50 my enthusiasm. Perhaps I’d be in for a pleasant surprise.‎ The next morning, I 51 signs about our food drive all over the cafeteria and on every notice board I could find. Each sign read, “Food drive to 52 the elderly poor of our town! Donations of non-perishable (不易腐的) foods are 53 needed.” ‎ Within a few days, I had to locate empty office space to 54 the massive number of contributions we had collected. One of my coworkers, Maggie, made the rounds with me every day from one department to another to pick up the canned goods and other 55 . Maggie was over sixty but pushed our food trolley around with the 56 of a woman half her age.‎ As we were 57 one day, I asked her where she got all the energy and enthusiasm. “Annie,” she said, “with the unemployment rate touching 10 percent, I can’t think of a better way to be 58 for keeping our jobs when so many have lost theirs. Sure money is 59 But when isn’t it? People need food.”‎ As I listened to Maggie, the milkman’s words 60 in my ears, “Kids need milk.”‎ ‎41. A. advice B. pity C. help D. medicine ‎42. A. comment B. response C. explanation D. complaint ‎43. A. begin B. stay C. sit D. work ‎44. A. growing B. fading C. recovering D. booming ‎45. A. drive B. attempt C. refuse D. struggle ‎46. A. negatively B. angrily C. excitedly D. happily ‎47. A. spare B. drink C. deliver D. sell ‎48. A. keys B. kids C. cents D.‎ ‎ empties ‎49. A. for B. from C. with D. to ‎50. A. fired B. started C. encouraged D. caught ‎51. A. designed B. noticed C. marked D. posted ‎52. A. respect B. comfort C. support D. admire ‎53. A. seldom B. greatly C. never D. lately ‎54. A. check B. clear C. separate D. store ‎55. A. clothes B. books C. foods D. gifts ‎56. A. satisfaction B. quality C. energy D. motivation ‎57. A. making our rounds B. making sense C. making friends D. making a difference ‎58. A. lucky B. proud C. delighted D. grateful ‎59. A. tight B. available C. enough D. powerful ‎60. A. disappeared B. rang C. hid D. fell 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。 ‎ Today I’d like to introduce a traditional Chinese folk art, the shadow play, 61 is also called “yingzixi” or “dengyingxi”. Mixed with opera, music, fine art and craftsmanship (手工), the shadow play 62 (consider) to be a predecessor ‎ (前身) of the movie and has existed in China for centuries.‎ As for the origin, the shadow play can date back to the Han Dynasty. Once Emperor Liu Che lost his beloved wife Li 63 a deadly disease. Much 64 (depress) about her death, he even ignored the state affairs, worrying his officials. Then they made a puppet with the image of Li’s, and 65 (perform) before the Emperor. He was pleased and asked them to spread the art form.‎ But 66 (fortunate), the ancient art gradually fell due to the impact of modem audio-visual 67 (medium) like television and movies. Both Chinese artists and the government are making great efforts 68 (conserve) the ancient art form. And so far, China 69 (apply) to the UNESCO for a certification as an intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产). So as the constructors of China’s future, we are responsible to preserve 70 precious heritage.‎ 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分35分）‎ 第一节 短文改错(共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）‎ 假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。‎ 增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。‎ 删除：把多余的词用斜线（）划掉。‎ 修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。‎ 注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；‎ ‎2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。‎ Dear Tom,‎ Very happy to have heard you. In your last e-mail, you asked me for the advices on how to travel casually in China. Now I’d like to share my opinion.‎ Nowadays, take China’s high-speed trains is a popular way to travel. Firstly, it’s fast and convenient. By the end of last year, the high-speed railways have ‎ been built in most of the cities in China, which could help people travel to different places fast than ever. Up to now, the high-speed railway network has covered the total of 22,000 kilometers. Secondly, it’s stable. In 2015, which a Swedish man videoed surprised the whole world. She erected (竖立) a coin on the windowsill or it stood for 8 minutes. How amazing! So, buddy, why not to have a try?‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 第二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假定你是李华，想邀请英国笔友David明年寒假来你家体验中国春节的风俗。请你给他写一封邮件，内容包括：‎ ‎1.简述写信意图；‎ ‎2.简要介绍春节；‎ ‎3.描写你在今年春节期间印象深刻的一项传统活动；‎ ‎4.表达欢迎他来做客的愿望。‎ 注意：‎ ‎1.词数100左右；‎ ‎2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；‎ ‎3.开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。‎ 参考词汇：lunar calendar农历 Dear David,‎ I’m really pleased to ‎ I’m looking forward to seeing you soon. ‎ Best wishes!‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 湖南省五市十校教研教改共同体2018届高三12月联考 英语试题答案 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）‎ ‎1—5 CBABC 6—10ABACA 11—15 CBCBA 16—20 BCBAC 第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）‎ 第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）‎ ‎21—23 BDB 24—27AADB 28—31 DBAC 32—35 ACBD 第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）‎ ‎36—40 ECDGB 第三部分 语言知识运用（共两节，满分45分）‎ 第一节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1_5分，满分30分）‎ ‎41—45 CBABD 46—50 ACDBA 51—55 DCBDC 56—60 CADAB ‎ 第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）‎ ‎61. which 62. is considered 63. to 64. depressed 65. performed ‎66. unfortunately 67. media 68. to conserve 69. has applied 70. the /this 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分35分） ‎ 第一节 短文改错(共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）‎ Dear Tom,‎ Very happy to have heard ∧ you. In your last e-mail, you asked me for the advices on how to travel casually ‎ ‎ from advice in China. Now I’d like to share my opinion.‎ Nowadays, take China’s high-speed trains is a popular way to travel. Firstly, it’s fast and convenient. By the ‎ ‎ taking end of last year, the high-speed railways have been built in most of the cities in China, which could help people ‎ ‎ had travel to different places fast than ever. Up to now, the high-speed railway network has covered the total of 22,000 ‎ ‎ faster ‎ ‎ a kilometers. Secondly, it’s stable. In 2015, which a Swedish man videoed surprised the whole world. She erected (竖 ‎ what He 立) a coin on the windowsill or it stood for 8 minutes. How amazing! So, buddy, why not to have a try?‎ ‎ and 删除to Yours,‎ Li Hua 第二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ Dear David,‎ I’m very pleased to invite you to my home to experience the customs and traditions during the Spring Festival next year. Now let me share the festival and some of the holiday activities with you.‎ The Spring Festival, which falls on the first day of the first lunar month, is the most important festival for all of us.‎ I had an unforgettable Spring Festival this year. On New Year’s Eve, all my family members got together to have a family reunion dinner, after which we enjoyed the CCTV Spring Festival Gala until the clock struck twelve. Then, singing and laughing, I set off fireworks with my cousins to welcome the New Year’s coming. Are you eager to share such great happiness with us during your stay in China?‎ I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.‎ Best wishes!‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 附听力录音原文 Text 1‎ M: Hello. Is Mr. Williams there, please?‎ W: I’m sorry. My husband isn’t home right now. Could I take a message?‎ M: My name is Pete Anderson. I’m calling about the company basketball match. Could you ask your husband to give me a call?‎ Text 2‎ W: I want to try out a new recipe for dinner tonight. How does potato soup sound?‎ M: I don’t really like potatoes. Can you try something else?‎ W: How about a pasta dish?‎ M: I’ve been trying to eat less pasta. How about green salad with some cheese on it?‎ Text 3‎ W: Excuse me. The skirt I bought yesterday was too small for my mom. Could I please exchange it for a medium size? M: Well, the small size is 25 pounds, while the medium one is 28 pounds.‎ Text 4‎ M: Your daughter is so cute! She reminds me of my little cousin, who is almost one year old. They both have really pretty hair. So, how old is she?‎ W: Uh... my son is one and a half.‎ M: Oh, uh... sorry about that.‎ W: Don’t worry about it.‎ Text 5‎ M: Where is that music coming from?‎ W: My new speakers. I hung them up on the wall over there. They’re so small. You can barely see them.‎ M: The sound quality is great. Are they connected to your computer?‎ W: No, they’re connected to my iPhone, actually.‎ Text 6‎ M: Diana, can you give me a hand? I’m supposed to place all these new products in the display case, but they’ll never fit.‎ W: Yeah, I see what you mean. But did Ms. Harper mean to put them all on display, or just one of each as a sample for the customers to see?‎ M: Oh, I get it. So maybe I should just select a single example of each model, instead ‎ of one of each color for each model.‎ W: Check with Ms. Harper first, but in my opinion, that’s the only way you’ll be able to do it.‎ Text 7‎ W: Facebook just reported that everyone in the world is only separated by an average number of three and a half people.‎ M: Wow. That doesn’t seem possible. I thought the number was supposed to be six.‎ W: That’s what scientists originally thought. I think we’re all connected even more than Facebook reported, actually. The report only included connections between those with a Facebook account.‎ M: I don’t have an account.‎ W: You don’t? I love Facebook. It keeps me up to date with everyone in my life.‎ M: That’s what I don’t like about it. I only like to know about my close Mends, and I’m a very private person, so I don’t like to share my life with those I don’t know well.‎ Text 8‎ M: Have you seen any good movies lately?‎ W: Yes, actually. I just saw Heidi.‎ M: What is it about?‎ W: A young girl and her grandfather in Switzerland. It takes place in the late 1800s.‎ M: That’s not a new movie. Now I remember I saw that when I was little.‎ W: It’s a remake. It’s much more realistic than the first one filmed in 1937 with Shirley Temple, although that one has become a classic. Another one was made in 1952 and again in 2005. The movie is actually based on a book, and the director of the current movie stayed really true to the story. The little girl who plays Heidi was chosen from over five hundred actresses. Isn’t that amazing? She’s really talented.‎ M: I’d love to see it. I really enjoyed that movie as a child.‎ W: It’s the first film in a three-part series. I’m excited to see the next two when they come out. ‎ Text 9‎ W: Please welcome August Getty to the stage! He’s a young fashion designer living in Los Angeles. He just showed his fashion collection at New York Fashion Week, and he’s only twenty years old. How did it feel to be one of the youngest designers at the event? Were you nervous?‎ M: It was a dream come true. I wasn’t nervous. I was just very excited. When I was a kid, I made outfits from paper and dressed spoons and forks. My biggest wish was to show my creations in New York.‎ W: What was your childhood like?‎ M: My family was very supportive. My mom let me cut up her bags to make clothes, and I loved picking out outfits for my sister to wear. My mom was also into fashion, so she encouraged me to follow my interests.‎ W: How would you describe the outfits you design?‎ M: I would say they are different, strange, and stylish. I want my outfits to be nice enough to wear to a fancy event, but I also want them to get noticed.‎ W: Is your real name August?‎ M: Yes. I was born in August, so my parents named me after the month.‎ W: Have you ever been out on the street and seen someone in one of your outfits?‎ M: I have. It’s always fun when that happens.‎ Text 10‎ Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming tonight. As you all know, my wife Nancy has been getting treatment for cancer. It started out as skin cancer and spread to her brain. The doctors weren’t sure that she would make it through the winter. Well, I’m pleased to announce that she is now 100% cancer-free! We don’t know exactly what happened, but the doctors think it was a combination of the medicine she was taking and the new diet she was on. Personally, I think it had more to do with her heart and her positive attitude. While this is fantastic news, it is not the main reason I invited you all to my home this evening. We have decided, Nancy and I —to donate my entire salary to a special foundation. It is something that the two of us are starting ourselves, to give people like us a chance of beating ‎ this terrible disease. The Dale and Nancy Evans Foundation will aim to help families. We realize that research is very important in the fight against cancer, but that is not going to be our focus. We think that assistance with daily tasks, advice about dealing with stress, and psychological support are just as important as everything else. We invite everyone here to learn more about our foundation. At some point soon, we’ll have a working website, but until then, just give us a call anytime. Thanks again for being here!‎ ‎ ‎