【英语】湖北省武汉市2019-2020学年高二下学期期中联考

【英语】湖北省武汉市2019-2020学年高二下学期期中联考

湖北省武汉市2019-2020学年高二下学期期中联考 英语试卷 ‎（满分150分，考试时间120分钟）‎ 第Ⅰ卷（共100分）‎ 本试卷分第I卷（选择题）和第II卷（非选择题）。考试结束，将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。‎ 注意事项：1. 答第I卷前，考试务必将自己的姓名、考号填写在答题卡上。‎ ‎2. 选出每小题答案后，用铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其他答案标号。不能答在本试卷上，否则无效。‎ 第一部分：听力（共两节，满分30分）‎ 第一节（共5个小题，每小题1.5分，满分7.5分）‎ 听下面的5段对话。每段对话后都有一个小题，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. Where are the flowers now?‎ A. In the hall. B. In the kitchen. C. In the bedroom.‎ ‎2. What is the woman talking about?‎ A. A place to park. B. A place to live. C. A place to rent out.‎ ‎3. What will the woman do this afternoon?‎ A. Have her hair cut. B. Watch a film. C. See a dentist.‎ ‎4. What does the woman want to eat?‎ A. A chicken sandwich. B. Chicken pasta. C. Beef noodles.‎ ‎5. When does the man advise the woman to collect her computer?‎ A. This Friday. B. Next Monday. C. Next Tuesday.‎ 第二节（共15个小题，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. Where does the conversation probably take place?‎ A. In a supermarket. B. In a restaurant. C. At a station.‎ ‎7. What will the woman do next?‎ A. Do some cleaning. B. Do some shopping. C. Meet a customer.‎ 请听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。‎ ‎8. What did the woman think of the food at the party?‎ A. It was not enough. B. It was not delicious. C. It was not varied.‎ ‎9. What was the man unsatisfied with about the party?‎ A. The venue. B. The music. C. The lighting.‎ 请听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。‎ ‎10. How much money does the man need to borrow from the bank?‎ A.￡10,000. B.￡15,000. C.￡20,000.‎ ‎11. What did rob want the man to do?‎ A. Find a good location.‎ B. Decorate the coffee shop.‎ C. Do the promotions.‎ ‎12. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?‎ A. Colleagues. B. Business partners. C. Husband and wife.‎ 请听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎13. Why does Frank come to the center?‎ A. To visit a show. B. To hold an exhibition. C. To advertise his design.‎ ‎14. Where did Frank grow up?‎ A. In Liverpool. B. In Edinburgh. C. In Glasgow.‎ ‎15. Why did Frank go to America?‎ A. To go sightseeing. B. To get a degree. C. To find his interest.‎ ‎16. Who inspired frank to make pots?‎ A. His wife. B. His mother. C. His father-in-law.‎ 请听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. What is the date probably today?‎ A. July 2nd. B. July 10th. C. July 16th.‎ ‎18. What will some of the money be used for?‎ A. Improving the library. ‎ B. Building a swimming pool. ‎ C. Supporting medical research.‎ ‎19. When does the speaker suggest listeners arrive?‎ A. Between 9: 00 and 9: 30. ‎ B. Between 9: 30 and 10: 00. ‎ C. Between 10: 00 and 10: 15.‎ ‎20. Which sport is the least popular? ‎ A. Volleyball. B. Long jump. C. High jump.‎ 第二部分 阅读理解 （共两节，满分35分）‎ 第一节 （共10小题；每小题2.5分，满分25分）‎ 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ A Dear Sir,‎ It is not often that a woman can thank personally the inventor of devices that make life livable for her. I feel that it is my duty to tell you how much we women of this small town owe a lot of thanks to you. I am an officer in the District Women’s Club and my husband is a doctor.‎ We have a large house so as I do practically all my own housework, my duties are many. Still, I enjoy my housework and do not feel that I entirely lose out on life’s pleasures. Right now, I hear my washing machine chugging (洗衣机运转声音). The house is lighted by electricity. I cook on an electric stove and wash dishes in an electric dishwasher. I clean the house with electric cleaners. When I rest, I take an electric massage（按摩）. I forget I’m living in a tiny town. But I’m reminded when the automatic alarm in my stove rings and know my dinner is now cooking.‎ The doctor comes home. He finds a wife not tired and dissatisfied. Instead, he sees a woman waiting, who has worked faithfully. She is now rested and ready to serve the tired man and discuss things of the day. Possibly he brings home a guest without warning, but electricity saves the day for the hostess.‎ Please accept my appreciation, Mr. Edison, from the most truly grateful of women. I know ‎ you must have received the thanks of other women before but I believe men are like women after all and like to know that their work is appreciated. I do think the world is often not thankful enough for such work and the value of it.‎ Sincerely.‎ Mrs. W. C. Lathrop ‎21. What can we learn about the author?‎ A. She is an officer. B. She lives downtown.‎ C. She is badly in debt. D. She works in a hospital.‎ ‎22. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?‎ A. The woman has a bad memory. ‎ B. The woman likes doing housework.‎ C. The house is affected by power cuts. ‎ D. The washing machine is broken.‎ ‎23. What’s the author’s purpose of writing this letter?‎ A. To give a reply. B. To make an apology.‎ C. To ask for help. D. To express her thanks.‎ B I use maps. Not the tiny, annoyingly limited ones on smartphones. I use real paper maps that you open from a rectangle and rarely refold properly. Maps you can take out to rapidly scan on the road in unfamiliar places. Paper maps are there for you every time you need them and need no recharging. They simply and dependably orient(指方向) and inform. ‎ I’ve traveled in and out of the state with my grandson Connor often enough to have long since introduced him to this way of getting from place to place. His first response as an 8-year-old was “Grandma, just use the GPS.” But that was no help since the one in my old Honda Fit was hopelessly out of date. As for a smartphone, I didn’t own one. And so Connor is learning to use paper maps too. Opening one myself is akin to texting while driving, perhaps even more distracting(分散注意力的)for me. I’ve done it, but I’ve reformed.‎ Our next trip will be to visit friends in Connecticut, and I’ve just picked up new copies of the state’s road maps. I’ve yellow-highlighted our route from Providence, Rhode Island, to Old Saybrook and Durham in Connecticut, then back to Providence. It is a pretty familiar route for me,‎ ‎ as I’ve spent multiple summers doing geologic fieldwork in the forests and the Connecticut River Valley. Still, I wouldn’t think of driving without paper maps. It would be too out of character. It would be like traveling without a good book or a moral compass.‎ Going over the route with now 13-year-old Connor so that he can follow along and occasionally answer a routing question while I’m driving may take some perseverance(毅力) on my part. He looks at road maps the same way he looks at my old college typewriter or my mom’s Nokia phone. However, his next tutorial on navigating(导航)with paper is around the corner, and I’m determined that he should learn the ropes. By the time he’s driving himself, I’ll put new maps of India surrounding states in his car. Who knows when a cellphone might quit or a GPS system might stop working?‎ I could really annoy Connor by informing him of directional signs from the sun, moon, and stars. But enough is enough for a teenager. For this next trip at least, we’ll stay grounded in maps.‎ ‎24. What does the author like about paper maps?‎ A. They can be neatly refolded. B. They can be easily carried.‎ C. They are quite reliable. D. They are very cheap.‎ ‎25. What does the underlined word “akin” in Paragraph 2 mean?‎ A. Difficult. B. Similar.‎ C. Suitable. D. Dangerous.‎ ‎26. Why does the author need road maps during her next trip to Connecticut?‎ A. She is unfamiliar with this place.‎ B. She is used to driving with maps.‎ C. Her grandson insists on bringing maps.‎ D. Her geologic fieldwork requires maps.‎ ‎27. What will the author teach Connor during their next trip?‎ A. How to drive a car. B. How to draw a map.‎ C. How to use paper maps. D. How to navigate by the sun.‎ C When you feel a sneeze or a cough coming on, covering your mouth prevents the spread of infectious germs(细菌). You probably knew that. But the way you cover up also matters, and there are plenty of people who haven’t yet heard the advice from health officials: If no tissue is ‎ available, you should aim into your elbow(肘部), not your hand. Even if that means breaking a long-held habit.‎ If somebody sneezes into their hands, that creates an opportunity for those germs to be passed on to other people, or pollute other objects that people touch, said Dr. Vincent Hill, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Germs are most commonly spread by the respiratory droplets(呼吸道飞沫) produced from sneezing and coughing. These troublemakers are a real headache. When they land on your hands, they’re passed on to things like door knobs(把手), lift buttons and other surfaces the people around you are likely to also touch.‎ ‎“You or your co-workers might be forgiven for not knowing that. The CDC guidance has become official only in the last 10 to 15 years,” Dr. Hill said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said he began hearing the suggestion more often about 10 years ago. That means that adults may have missed the advice. Children, however, are frequently taught in school the proper way to cough or sneeze. Mary Anne, a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, traced the suggestion to sneeze into your arm to 2003, when SARS fears were widespread.‎ To be clear, the method doesn’t get rid of all risk. Studies have shown that even masks can’t prevent all droplets from floating in the air. A drum that can never be beaten enough: Make sure you pay more visits to your bathroom sink and make your hands clean, Dr. Jackson suggested.‎ ‎28. According to Paragraph 1, what is the advice from health officials?‎ A. Keep tissue at hand.‎ B. Sneeze into your arm.‎ C. Avoid coughing in front of other people.‎ D. Cover your mouth with a hand when coughing.‎ ‎29. What does the underlined part “These troublemaker” in Paragraph 2 refer to?‎ A. Bad habits. B. Polluted objects.‎ C. Sneezing and coughing. D. The respiratory droplets.‎ ‎30. What do we know about the CDC guidance?‎ A. It was made official in 2003. B. It was an idea of a SARS patient.‎ C. It is relatively new to the public. D. It is hard to practice in schools.‎ 第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，共10分）‎ 根据短文内容，从短文后的七个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。‎ Tips on buying outdoor solar lights(太阳能灯)‎ As solar lighting is becoming useful for homes, many different such outdoor lights can now be found in supermarkets. Here are some helpful tips for customers.‎ Does your area receive enough direct lighting?‎ ‎___31__ So you shouldn’t even give it a thought if you live in an area that doesn’t get much sunlight. These lights need direct sunlight, or they just won’t work very well.‎ ‎___32___‎ The expensive one usually means good quality. Choosing the cheapest ones will result in many problems. For once, it’s best to buy more expensive lights of high quality. ___33___ At least you should know the difference between a $10 light and a $45 light.‎ Buy lights that require less installation（安装）.‎ Most solar lights are simply driven into the ground. Therefore, you shouldn’t deal with the difficulty in installing a system that involves anything more than that. ___34___ You don’t need to buy lights that require half an hour each to plant into the ground because that’s just a waste of time.‎ Make sure the lights can store enough energy.‎ Different solar lights can store different amounts of energy. ___35___ Therefore, you should choose lights that are able to store enough energy to last for quite a few hours or more, at least those that will last from nightfall throughout most of the night and part of the morning A. Buy many solar lights instead of just one or two.‎ B. They should take a few minutes each to get into the ground.‎ C. That doesn’t mean you have to spend all your money.‎ D. It means some will stay lit longer than the others E. Solar lights are becoming more and more popular.‎ F. Without sunlight, solar lighting is useless.‎ G. Choose something a bit more expensive for once.‎ 第三部分: 英语知识运用（共两节，满分45分）‎ 第一节（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四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ As the new year dawned, I was at one of the lowest points of my life. In the morning, I sat in a park and 36.______ the sorrows of the past year. After so much loss, I felt a(n) 37.______ to give myself to the turning of 38.______— the snow-covered winter, 39.______ by the unfolding of new life in spring. As I walked home, my New Year’s resolution(决心)took 40.______in my mind. My resolution became “Less grief(忧愁), more green” and I looked for 41._____ to put it into action. Therefore, I gladly 42._____ the Arnold Arboretum training program for volunteer school field guides.‎ Nancy, the program director, provided us with several days of 43._____. I buried myself into the spring curriculum on pollination(授粉). The thick notebook was 44._____ with information and diagrams about how trees and flowers produce the seeds that make sure the species will 45.____. While in training, I felt like being a student 46.______.‎ After weeks of training, it was time to be a 47._____. When sixty third-graders 48._____ the yellow school bus for the Flowers Change class, I began to provide outdoor 49.______ experiences for them and gave them a day full of information, excitement, and surprises.‎ Throughout my first spring of 50._____ “Less grief, more green”, my senses came alive and 51._____. I moved beyond wonder and astonishment about nature to a better 52._____ of it. I learned about the workings of a child’s mind along with the 53._____ of trees and flowers.‎ I went on to be a proud and enthusiastic Arnold Arboretum field guide for four seasons. I 54.____ carry all that understanding and curiosity about what I don’t know each time I’m out in 55._____. And I still look at a flower through the eyes of a third-grader.‎ ‎36. A. looked back on B. put up with C. made up for D. stepped away from ‎37. A. pain B. effort C. need D. drop ‎38. A. seasons B. purposes C. directions D. instructions ‎39. A. proved B. followed C. required D. decided ‎40. A. courage B. part C. action D. shape ‎41. A. ways B. reasons C. rules D. contents ‎42. A. changed B. designed C. joined D. operated ‎43. A. vacation B. meeting C. training D. competition ‎44. A. filled B. connected C. burdened D. decorated ‎45. A. move B. return C. appear D. continue ‎46. A. alone B. again C. away D. aside ‎47. A. teacher B. guide C. reporter D. student ‎48. A. kept off B. pointed at C. pushed against D. piled off ‎49. A. learning B. social C. emotional D. farming ‎50. A. analyzing B. practicing C. reading D. writing ‎51. A. existed B. failed C. expanded D. remained ‎52. A. selection B. understanding C. description D. preparation ‎53. A. sizes B. colours C. styles D. workings ‎54. A seldom B. never C. ever D. still ‎55. A. class B. school C. nature D. business 第Ⅱ卷（共55分）‎ 第二节（共10小题，每小题1.5分，共15分）‎ 阅读下面材料，在空格处填入适当的内容或使用括号中单词的正确形式。‎ You would not have wanted to experience 56._______ Peggy Whitson experienced on April, 19, 2008. During her return from the International Space Station, the spaceship she was lying aboard 57.______(fail) to separate fully from a propulsion module(推进舱). The dead 58._______ (weigh) hanging from the ship caused it to fall into the atmosphere at a too-fast angle, which was likely to burn the crew before they reached the ground. Finally, the module separated, and the crew 59._______(safe) landed. However, the next chance she got, she went back to space, without 60.______ (frighten) by the danger.‎ Whiston served in 61.______ number of scientific roles before becoming an astronaut. Over the course of 15 years, Whitson, who retired from NASA in 2018, completed three missions to the station. She stayed more time in space than any other American astronaut; walked in space 10 times, for a total 62.______60 hours and 21mintes; became the first woman 63.________(command) the station, in 2008, then did it again in 2017. She leaves NASA a 64.______(good) and more storied place than she found it. Other women and men may break some of her 65.________(record); her firsts will always be hers.‎ 第四部分：写作（共两节满分40分）‎ 第一节：应用文（满分15分）‎ 假定你是李华，想邀请外教Henry一起参观中国剪纸( paper-cutting)艺术展。请给他写封邮件，内容包括：‎ 展览时间、地点。‎ 展览内容。‎ 注意：‎ ‎1.词数80左右；2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。‎ Dear Henry,‎ ‎_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ Yours sincerely,‎ Li Hua 第二节：读后续写（满分25分）‎ 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。‎ Sally had trouble speaking in social situations. I’m a registered nurse and I love kids and dogs. I wanted to use Bella to bring her joy, comfort and confidence the way only a dog can.‎ That morning in January, her teacher led us to a room by the school office. "Sally hasn’t spoken outside her home in two years," she told me. "Her parents have taken her to doctors, but nothing has worked." A little girl stood shyly just inside the doorway. Her eyes brightened when noticing my dog.‎ ‎"This is Isabella Rose. I call her Bella," I said. "Would you like to pet her? She doesn’t know anyone here and she’d like to meet you. She does tricks. Would you like to see?"‎ Sally nodded. I motioned with my hand. Bella lay down and then rolled over. Sally’s eyes cheered up. "She’ll do it for you too," I said. "I can teach you."‎ I showed Sally the hand signals for various commands. She was a natural with Bella. Soon Sally was able to take Bella at her pace all on her own. I could see her standing taller, more sure of herself each time we met.‎ One morning, when she was working with Bella, I heard a tiny voice, barely a whisper： "Good dog." Sally didn’t take her eyes off Bella, but I wanted to jump for joy. Sally spoke a little more each week, only to Bella at first, but then to me. Later, she started giving voice commands with her hand signals and her confidence rose. Still, she hadn’t spoken in her classroom.‎ ‎"Could you bring Bella to my class and show the other kids her tricks?" Sally asked me one day. An idea struck me. "Why don’t you do it?" I said. "I know you can. You’re as good with Bella as I am." Now, Sally stood nervously in front of her kindergarten class, with Bella sitting calmly by her side. Her classmates focused on Sally, waiting for her to speak.‎ 注意：‎ ‎1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；‎ ‎2.应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；‎ ‎3.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；‎ ‎4.续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。‎ Paragraph 1：‎ But not a word came out.‎ ‎________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ‎ Paragraph 2：‎ The next week, she told me she wanted to try again, looking up at me with determination.‎ ‎________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎【参考答案】‎ 听力 ‎1-5 CBCAC 6-10 BACAB 11-15 CCBAC 16-20 CACBC 阅读理解 ‎(A)21-23 ABD（B）24-27 CBBC（C）28-30 BDC ‎ 七选五：31-35 FGCBD ‎ 完形填空 ‎36-40 ACABD 41-45 ACCAD 46-50 BBDAB 51-55 CBDDC 语法填空 ‎56.what; 57. failed; 58.weight; 59.safely; 60.being frightened; 61.a; 62.of; 63.to command; 64. better; 65.records 书面表达 第一节 Dear Henry,‎ I am writing to invite you to attend the Chinese paper-cutting art exhibition to be held in the art gallery from 8: 00 am to 5: 00 pm next Sunday in our city center. ‎ Paper-cutting is a traditional art form in China, which has a history of more than 1, 500 years. People often beautify their home with paper-cutting during festivals as well as weddings. In this exhibition, you can see paper-cutting with a wide variety of patterns. In addition, there are well-known artists who will perform how to cut paper on the spot. I wish that you could grasp this opportunity to learn traditional Chinese culture further.‎ Looking forward to your reply.‎ Yours sincerely,‎ Li Hua 第二节 Paragraph 1：‎ But not a word came out. Sally had been so excited about putting on a dog show for her class. She had been quite familiar with the hand signals and had practiced for weeks. Now her eyes found mine. I nodded encouragingly. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth. Her mouth — ‎ then her whole body—seemed to close in on itself in defeat. Sally stood off to the side, head down. I felt awful. Sally returned to her seat, not looking at anyone, not even Bella.‎ Paragraph 2：‎ The next week, she told me she wanted to try again, looking up at me with determination. "Are you sure?" I asked. "You don’t want to wait till next year?" "No," she said. "Today, I can do it." Then we headed to Sally’s classroom. The kids were sitting in a circle on the floor listening to the teacher. We walked to the front of the room. I shook Sally’s hands and stepped back. For a few seconds, she stood silently, staring at her classmates. Finally she whispered, "This is Isabella Rose." Then, a little louder with more confidence, "Isabella Rose."‎ 听力文本 ‎(Text 1)‎ W: Where have you put the flowers? I left them on the table in the hall with some letters.‎ M: Well, they were in the way there, so I’ve put them in a vase in the bedroom.‎ W: Okay thanks, but I think I’ll put them in the kitchen.‎ ‎(Text 2)‎ M: What type of place are you looking for, Madam?‎ W: Something small, and I don’t want to share with others. I don’t have a car so I don’t need a garage.‎ ‎(Text 3)‎ W: Sorry, Ryan. I can’t go to the cinema with you today. I have got an appointment for a dental check-up at 3. Could we make it tomorrow?‎ M: OK, but I can’t come until 5 because I have to go to the hairdresser’s immediately after school.‎ ‎(Text 4)‎ M: I personally like the chicken pasta with cream mushroom sauce, but the beef noodles are also very nice. What will you order?‎ W: Hmm. I’d like to have the grilled chicken, but can I have a sandwich instead of pasta?‎ ‎(Text 5)‎ W: When can I collect my computer?‎ M: Well, we’re a bit busy at the moment but we can get round to it by Friday. So if you come ‎ around next Monday…Oh, Monday is holiday, so pop round the following day then.‎ ‎(Text 6)‎ M: I’m glad we’ve nearly finished now! What a day!‎ W: Mine hasn’t been too bad--the kitchen here’s not that stressful to work in. You’ve been dealing with the customers.‎ M: Yeah, but it’ll be your turn next Saturday, won’t it?‎ W: Yeah, then I’ll be exhausted! I’ll walk with you to the station if you’re ready.‎ M: OK, but I need to stop at the supermarket to get something for my mum.‎ W: Oh, well, I’ll meet you there- I’ve still got a bit of clearing up to do. I’ll see you outside the supermarket entrance in ten minutes.‎ ‎(Text 7)‎ M: So what did you think of the party then? There was certainly no shortage of stuff to eat.‎ W: True enough, though there were just cheeseburgers and chips you could get in one evening—there could’ve been a bit more variety if you ask me. But I thought the live band was great. Where did they find them?‎ M: I don’t know. I guess somebody at college must know them somehow—anyway they certainly livened things up. But the college gym was not the ideal place to hold a party.‎ W: You’re right there, but at least the lighting was incredible.‎ M: Sure.‎ ‎(Text 8)‎ M: Hello, Daisy. It’s me. I’m still in Brighton. Rob’s just left. I saw his business plan—to open a coffee shop.‎ W: So why does he need you?‎ M: Rob asked me if I wanted to go into business with him. He told me that the plan had already been approved by the bank -he’s borrowed f25. 000. And he wanted to know whether I could come up with the other half.‎ W: Where are we going to get that amount of money?‎ M: Well, we’ve got f10, 000 saved up, and we could take out a bank loan for the rest.‎ W: Let's just do it.‎ M: Yeah, it looks like an excellent investment. He’d been looking for a good location since ‎ August. Now he’s found the perfect place. And he said that he’d been talking to a designer, you know, to redo the inside of the shop. He wanted to know if I’d help with the advertising, which, of course I'd be happy to.‎ ‎(Text 9)‎ W: I’m with Frank Irvine whose current exhibition here at the Studio Design Center is attracting quite a bit of attention. Frank, you’re not that young to be having a first major show.‎ M: Yes, I was born in 1948, after all.‎ W: In Glasgow, was that?‎ M: Actually no. My father was from Edinburgh and I was born there. But we moved to Liverpool three years later because my mother wanted to live near her family.‎ W: When did you start getting interested in making pots?‎ M: Well, as a child. I was into engines. A bit late in the day, I ever started a degree in physics. But by the time I was twenty, I was aware that there might be something else I wanted to do.‎ W: So what did you do?‎ M: Well, I started traveling. I went to America first where I met my wife, Carole.‎ W: And her father the potter Arthur Saunders?‎ M: Yes. And after that we came back to England, I was visiting them quite a lot and seeing her father working. And finally I asked if I could have a go. Once I’d started, I couldn’t stop!‎ ‎(Text 10)‎ OK, so the Mini Olympic Games. Parents make sure your kids don’t miss the opportunity to shine! The Games are on July the sixteenth, which is now only fourteen days away, and the latest your children can enter is the tenth. You just need to pay f10, and you ll make a valuable contribution to our three aims. Firstly, we want to raise as much money as we can for medical research at the Children’s Health Centre. Secondly, we hope to raise money to build a new library, next to the swimming pool. Last but not least, we want to encourage children to take part in sport.‎ On the day itself, please get here with your children any time after 9: 30, when the gates open, and no later than 10: 00, as events begin at 10: 15 and they go straight through until 3: 30. There’s a wide range of events. Interest is likely to be the greatest in the football match, with volleyball coming a close second. If I could make a final request- we’ve had plenty entries for the ‎ long jump, but not enough for the high jump, and we don’t want to cancel that, so please see if you can persuade your kids to go for that. Thank you.‎