浙江省嘉兴市第一中学湖州中学2019-2020学年高二上学期期中联考英语试题

浙江省嘉兴市第一中学湖州中学2019-2020学年高二上学期期中联考英语试题

浙北G2期中联考 ‎2019学年第一学期高二英语试题 命题：嘉兴一中 审题：湖州中学 考生须知： ‎ ‎1．本卷满分150分，考试时间120分钟；‎ ‎2．答题前，在答题卷指定区域填写班级、姓名、试场号、座位号；‎ ‎3．所有答案必须写在答题卷上，写在试卷上无效；‎ ‎4．考试结束后，只需上交答题卷。‎ 第I卷 （选择题部分，共95分）‎ 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）‎ 第一节 短对话（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 are the speakers talking about? ‎ ‎ A. Holiday plans. ‎ ‎ B. Moving to New York.‎ ‎ C. A party with old friends.‎ ‎ 2. What is the woman going to do on Sunday? ‎ ‎ A. Go to the beach with the man.‎ ‎ B. Have dinner with her family.‎ ‎ C. Receive some guests at home.‎ ‎ 3. What is the probable relationship between the speakers? ‎ ‎ A. Colleagues.‎ ‎ B. Neighbors.‎ ‎ C. Strangers.‎ ‎ 4. What do we know about John’s new job? ‎ ‎ A. It is well paid.‎ ‎ B. It is near his home. ‎ ‎ C. It has long working hours.‎ ‎ 5. What does Kate promise to do? ‎ ‎ A. Answer phone calls for Jim.‎ ‎ B. Go to a meeting with Jim.‎ ‎ C. Send a message to Jim.‎ 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2至4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5秒钟的时间阅读各个小题；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题。‎ ‎ 6. When does the museum close? ‎ A. At 3:30.‎ B. At 3:40.‎ C. At 4:00. ‎ ‎ 7. What is the man probably going to do? ‎ A. Tour the museum quickly.‎ B. Pay full price for the ticket.‎ C. Visit the museum tomorrow.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第8至第10题。‎ ‎8. What problem does Tom have? ‎ A. He has no license to drive a car.‎ B. He is too busy to go swimming.‎ C. He can’t find the sports center.‎ ‎9. What does Tom offer to do for Jane? ‎ A. Pay for her sports center ticket.‎ B. Take her out for a nice dinner.‎ C. Help her with the homework.‎ ‎10. What is Jane worried about? ‎ A. Her book report.‎ B. The mid-term exam.‎ C. Tom’s weekend plan.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第11和第12题。‎ ‎11. Where does the conversation probably take place? ‎ A. In a ticket office.‎ B. In a department store.‎ C. In an information centre.‎ ‎12. What will the man probably do? ‎ A. Tour the city.‎ B. Visit an island.‎ C. Buy a booklet.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第13至第16题。‎ ‎13. How many languages has Dr. Green’s new book been translated into? ‎ A. 5.‎ B. 13.‎ C. 30.‎ ‎14. Where did the Slow Food Movement begin? ‎ A. In Italy.‎ B. In France.‎ C. In Germany.‎ ‎15. What did the study in Britain find out? ‎ A. More children make friends on the Internet.‎ B. More children think friendship is important.‎ C. More children say they have no best friend.‎ ‎16. What is the main idea Dr. Green tries to express in the talk? ‎ A. To be slow means to focus on quality.‎ B. Friendship should be developed slowly.‎ C. The British support the Slow Movement.‎ 听下面一段独白，回答第17至第20题。‎ ‎17. Where does the speaker come from? ‎ A. Canada. ‎ B. England.‎ C. Thailand.‎ ‎18. How does the speaker view the English lessons here in schools? ‎ A. They are not special.‎ B. They are not enough.‎ C. They are not interesting.‎ ‎19. In what way are the speaker’s English programs different? ‎ A. They are designed in various styles.‎ B. They are broadcast live every day.‎ C. They are based on the computer.‎ ‎20. What does the speaker expect people to do? ‎ A. Attend their English classes.‎ B. Practice their English every day. ‎ C. Watch English movies and TV shows.‎ 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A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ A On September 10, 2018. Jack Ma, founder and chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, announced his successor(继任者) at the company he founded 19 years ago. Surprisingly, in a country where 70 to 80 percent of private companies are still family run, Mr. Ma did not name a family member. Rather, one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies will be led by Daniel Zhang, an 11-year Alibaba old hand chosen only for his “professional talent”.‎ The history of many countries can be marked by a trend away from dependence on family succession in business, or the belief that qualities of leadership flow through bloodlines. Ma is a true innovator(创新者) in many ways. But the influence ‎ of his decision may lie in showing how China as well as much of Asia can produce founders of successful organizations unwilling to pass the torch to relatives.‎ The company’s future will depend on developing a wealth of talent that drives innovation, he said. And in a society with a long tradition of cautious distrust toward those outside the family circle, Ma has built an “architecture of trust” with customers, who number over half a billion. Chinese now readily rely on Alibaba’s online payment system, its ratings of products and services, and other trust-building systems or methods pioneered by the company.‎ China’s rapid growth now produces a new billionaire almost every day. Many of them, like Ma, have favored systems of management based on talent and honesty. As many countries have discovered as they progress, it is better to swim in a talent pool, not a gene pool．‎ ‎21. What’s the influence of Ma’s decision of succession?‎ A．To make himself a successful innovative successor.‎ B．To question the traditional succession plan.‎ C．To provide creative answers to succession problems.‎ D．To represent a trend towards non-family-run companies.‎ ‎22. What seems to be the secret of the company’ future success?‎ A．Trust-building methods.‎ B．The “architecture of trust”.‎ C．A culture of talent development.‎ D．The latest successful innovations.‎ ‎23. What can be a suitable title for the text?‎ A．Favor Talents over Genes.‎ B．Train a Potential Successor.‎ C. Prefer Blood to Qualities.‎ D．Provide New Management.‎ B The common cold is the world’s most widespread illness, which is probably why ‎ there are more myths(神话) about it than any of the other illnesses.‎ ‎ The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected(感染的) people from the outside world by way of packages and mails dropped from airplanes. ‎ At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be doused(浸入) with cold water, and then stood about dripping（滴干 ）wet in drafty（通风的） rooms. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion．Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose. ‎ If cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? In spite of the most painstaking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on. ‎ No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms. ‎24．The fact that the Eskimos don’t suffer colds shows that .‎ ‎ A．colds are really full of myths ‎ B．viruses are the factors causing colds ‎ C．colds are more severe than other illnesses ‎ D．the idea that cold leads to colds doesn’t stand up ‎25．The experiments mentioned in Paragraph 3 made it clear that .‎ ‎ A．being doused with cold water did harm to one’s body ‎ B．taking hot baths made the volunteers easy to be tired ‎ C．it was viruses not wet and cold that made people have colds ‎ D．people who would like to exercise in the rain got colds more easily ‎26．According to the passage, colds are commonly seen in winter because .‎ ‎ A．there is great difference between indoor and outdoor temperature ‎ B．viruses can go into people’s warm bodies more easily in winter ‎ C．staying together indoors makes it easier for viruses to pass on ‎ D．people are usually weak because of the extreme cold in winter C Many kids help out around the house with chores(家庭杂务) such as emptying the dishwasher, putting laundry(洗好的衣物) away, and taking out the trash. In exchange, some kids get allowances(补贴) or other rewards such as extra computer time.‎ But some people do not think that kids should get rewards for doing chores．Susie Walton, a parenting educator and family coach, believes that by rewarding kids, parents are sending a message that work isn't worth doing unless you get something in return. “Running any kind of household is a team effort,” Susie said, “A home is a living space for everyone in the family. It’s important for kids to see that we all have responsibilities in the house, and that families decide together how they want their home to look, and how they are going to keep it looking like everyone wants it to look.”‎ Other people believe that getting a cash allowance or other rewards motivates(激励) kids to do chores, and it also teaches them real world lessons about how we need to work to earn money. There are also new applications that give kids points and digital gifts that can be redeemed(兑取) either online or in the real world. With the ChoreMonster app, kids earn digital points by completing chores that they can turn in for real-life rewards such as extra Xbox time or a trip to the mall. “Our goal is to encourage kids to earn rewards,” says Chris Bergman, founder of ChoreMonster, “Kids need positive reinforcement (强化) to help motivate them.”‎ What do you think? Should kids be rewarded for doing chores? Or should kids ‎ help out around their homes without getting anything in return? Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids.com. Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade and contact information of your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is February 18.‎ ‎27. How does the author start the passage?‎ A．By presenting some facts.‎ B．By listing some evidence.‎ C．By comparing different views.‎ D．By stating his own experiences.‎ ‎28. Which statement is true according to Susie Walton?‎ A．Kids should be rewarded for doing chores.‎ B．Parents decide what kids can do for the family.‎ C．Kids have the responsibility to share housework.‎ D．Kids can get extra computer time for doing chores.‎ ‎29. Paragraph 3 is mainly about______.‎ A．Chris Bergman’ opinion on raising kids B．main reasons why kids need encouragement C．how to motivate kids to try new applications D．the advantages of rewarding kids for doing chores ‎30. The purpose of writing the text is to_______.‎ A．invite readers to express their opinions B．inform readers of two different opinions C．call on readers to reflect on their behavior D．present the author’ viewpoint about parenting．‎ ‎ ‎ 第二节（共5个小题；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。‎ It is natural that young people are often uncomfortable when they are with their ‎ parents. ______31______ They often think that their parents are out of touch with modern ways, that they are too serious and too strict with their children, and that they seldom give their children a free hand.‎ ‎ It is time that parents often find it difficult to win their children's trust and they always forget how they themselves felt when young. ______32______ It is one of their ways to show that they have grown up and they can face any difficult situation. Adults worry more easily. Most of them plan things ahead.‎ Young people make their parents angry with their choices in clothes, in entertainment and in music. But they do not mean to cause any trouble. It just shows that they feel cut off from the adult's world, and they have not yet been accepted into their world. ______33______ And if their parents do not like their music or entertainment or clothes or their way of speech, this will make the young people very happy.‎ ‎ Sometimes you are so proud of yourself that you do not want your parents to say “yes” to what you do. ______34______ It is natural enough, after being a child under your parents’ control for so many years. However, ______35______ If your parents see that you have a high sense of responsibility, they will give you the right to do what you want to do.‎ A． Parents should understand young people.‎ B． Young people like to live with their parents.‎ C． Young people like to act without much thinking.‎ D． They say that their parents don’t understand them.‎ E． All you want is to be left alone and do what you like.‎ F． If you plan to control your life, you’ better win your parents.‎ G． That’ why young people want to make a new culture of their own.‎ 第三部分 语言运用（共两小节，满分45分）‎ 第一节 完形填空（共20题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）‎ 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36--55各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ At the age of eighteen I couldn’t wait to get my first job, which meant I made the first step toward adulthood.‎ ‎ But it was difficult to get a work permit. One day I was dropped off by my parents at the__36__, where applicants took their physical tests for work permits. Although I had night blindness, my sight was clearer during the day, which helped me walk__37__by myself. Then the doctor began the__38__. He looked into my eyes with a bright light. “I __39__ your parents take you to an eye specialist,” he said, “I suspect you have a retinal（视网膜） disease. If you do, you'll never__40__ a day in your life.”‎ My parents did take me to specialists. After much time and money spent seeking an__41__ result, it was determined that I had an eye disease that slowly __42__a person of sight. But still during daylight, I could walk without __43__. I could read, but not for hours. My eyes began to __44__ and words slipped off the page when I read more than a few pages. However, no matter how tired my eyes became, I never gave up reading. I knew the __45__ of great writers as well as I knew the most popular music stars. Their words were powerful, which __46__ me to try writing. Soon writing brought me a lot of __47__ each time I completed a paper.‎ Then an important phone call from an editor changed my life. An article I __48__　 appeared in a local newspaper. The newspaper, to my __49__ , continued to print my work. Next a book series published several of my essays. I got interested in writing and __50__ up with each acceptance. On the pages, readers never knew of my blindness __51__ I chose to present it. For me, finding my voice through writing gave me the pride and satisfaction I __52__ so many years ago. Now I have numerous essays and articles in __53__.‎ ‎ Should I be thanking that misguided doctor? By falsely predicting that I could never work a day, he fueled my __54__ into success. He set the bar too __55__ and focused on what I wouldn’t be able to do. Yet I proved what I could do.‎ ‎36. A．station B．clinic C．company D．lab ‎37. A．silently B．suddenly C．proudly D．easily ‎38. A．operation B．examination C．argument D．treatment ‎39. A．desire B．order C．suggest D．command ‎40. A．work B．live C．rest D．sleep ‎41. A．special B．obvious C．ordinary D．accurate ‎42. A．robs B．warns C．reminds D．informs ‎43. A．medicine B．allowance C．balance D．assistance ‎44. A．dance B．shine C．tear D．widen ‎45. A．houses B．names C．addresses D．habits ‎46. A．asked B．forced C．encouraged D．permitted ‎47. A．trouble B．pleasure C．stress D．worry ‎48. A．admitted B．wanted C．described D．penned ‎49. A．delight B．admiration C．shame D．disappointment ‎50. A．gave B．came C．lit D．put ‎51. A．unless B．although C．since D．after ‎52. A．feared B．brought C．sought D．remained ‎53. A．print B．time C．use D．mind ‎54. A．imagination B．motivation C．responsibility D．personality ‎55. A．far B．long C．close D．low 第II卷 （非选择题部分，共55分）‎ 第二节 语法填空（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）‎ 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。‎ Every country shares things ____56____ common: we value family, cherish health, and celebrate large _____57____ (festival). Yet within the similar things we share, there are parts unique to each country. One British characteristic that is famous_____58____(be) their sense of humor, particularly self-mockery(自嘲). This ‎ is a type of humor that criticizes and undervalues oneself. For example, a fat person may joke: “I’m on a new sea food diet. If I see food, I eat it.” This is_____59____well-known self-mockery joke. It's difficult to say why self-mockery _____60____(tie) to the British people. But every nation’s sense of humor comes from its culture and history. It could come from another British characteristic, modesty, ____61____ (mean) not talking openly about your skills. This seems to be something similar to people in Chinese, ____62____ modesty plays a big part in daily life. It also acts as a defense of our self-respect by playing down our skills. This can ____63____(less) the chances of people criticizing us. Another possible reason is_____64_____on average, the British people don't take themselves too_____65_____(serious). So mocking themselves is simply a healthy result of this.‎ 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分）‎ 第一节 应用文写作（满分15分）‎ 假定你是李华。你收到了美国朋友彼得寄来的最新英文小说。请给他回信，要点如下：‎ ‎1. 收到小说,表达谢意；‎ ‎2. 回赠礼物及其意义；‎ ‎3. 邀请来华。‎ 注意：1. 词数80左右;‎ ‎ 2. 可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。‎ ‎___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ 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。‎ Ariana caught another whiff（难闻的味道）and tried to hold her breath. She moved away slightly, but Ashley only moved closer and continued talking. Ariana felt trapped. She wanted badly to tell Ashley that she didn’t smell very good. But how could she do that without hurting Ashley’s feelings? Instead, she gathered the remains of her lunch to throw in the trash, thankful for the excuse to get some fresh air. She looked back to see Ashley eating quietly. Ashley’s hair was tangled（乱糟糟的）, and her clothes were dirty. Ariana forced herself to go back to the table and take her seat, vowing（发誓）that she would not sit with Ashley tomorrow.‎ When Ariana got home from school, she complained to her mother, “There’s a girl named Ashley who likes to sit next to me in school, but she smells bad.”‎ ‎“She’s probably having a tough day,” said her mother.‎ ‎“No, it’s not just one day. She smells bad a lot,” Ariana explained. “Nobody else likes to sit next to her, either.”‎ ‎“I don’t think you understand Ashley’s situation, so let me ask you this…’ Her mother’s tone was serious. “Who makes sure that your hair is combed every morning so you’ll look nice when you go to school?”‎ ‎“You do,” answered Ariana.‎ ‎“Who makes sure you’re bathed and cleaned every day? And your clothes are washed and neatly ironed?”‎ ‎“You and Daddy,” Ariana said again.‎ ‎“Do you live in a nice home? Do you have enough to eat?”‎ Ariana nodded, beginning to feel guilty. She was starting to understand now. Ashley couldn’t help her situation because she was only seven years old—the same age as Ariana. Grown-ups are supposed to take care of kids.‎ ‎“Why doesn’t her family take better care of her?” Ariana asked.‎ ‎“Not all children live in the best situation,” her mother said. “The best thing you can do for Ashley is to treat her with kindness and sympathy.”‎ 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:‎ Ariana bit her bottom lip. Sadness for Ashley filled her heart.__________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ‎ Paragraph 2:‎ At the end of the school year, the second grade prepared to go on a field trip to the zoo._____________________‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ 浙北G2期中联考 ‎2019学年第一学期高二英语试题 参考答案 听力（每小题1.5分，满分30分）‎ ‎1-5 ACBBA 6-10 CCAAB 11-15 CBCAC 16-20 AABCB 阅读（每小题2分，满分35分）‎ ‎21-23 DCA 24-26 DCC 27-30 ACDA ‎31-35 DCGEF ‎ 完形填空（每小题1.5分，满分30分）‎ ‎36-55 BDBCA DADCB CBDAC ACABD 语法填空（每小题1.5分，满分30分）‎ ‎56．in； 57．festivals； 58．is； 59．a； 60．is tied； 61．meaning； 62．where； 63．lessen； 64．that； 65．seriously 应用文写作（满分15分）‎ Dear Peter,‎ I’m glad to receive the novel. Thank you for such a lovely gift as I have been expecting for a long time. This novel gives me some insights into American society and daily life.‎ I know you’re interested in Chinese culture, and therefore I choose some paper cuts for you. Paper cuts are a unique form of Chinese culture, which are often used as decorations for a joyous atmosphere. I hope they will bring happiness and luck to your family as they always do in China.‎ Best wishes. Hope you will come to China one day and experience the rich culture in person.‎ Yours,‎ ‎ Li Hua ‎ ‎ 读后续写（满分25）‎ Para1:‎ Ariana bit her bottom lip. Sadness for Ashley filled her heart. She vowed that from now on she would be the best friend that she could be to Ashley. At school, Ariana voluntarily sat next to Ashley. She partnered with Ashley to help with her schoolwork. On the days that Ashley smelled bad, she moved away a little or politely asked Ashley for a little room. She was always careful not to hurt Ashley’s feelings.‎ Para2:‎ At the end of the school year, the second grade prepared to go on a field trip to the zoo. The day before the trip, the teacher announced that the class needed to bring lunch from home. Ashley was absent, and Ariana worried that her friend would not have lunch because Ashley always ate the school lunch. Therefore, the next day, Ariana asked her mom to make an extra lunch for Ashley—just in case. When Ariana got to school, she discovered that she had been right. Ashley had not brought any lunch for the field trip. When Ariana gave the lunch to Ashley, she saw tears well up Ashley’s eyes.‎ 录音原文：‎ Text 1‎ M: Are you going anywhere for Christmas?‎ W: I thought about going to my sister’s in New York. How about you?‎ M: I’ll probably just stay at home.‎ Text 2‎ M: I’m going to the beach this Sunday. Would you like to come?‎ W: Oh, Sunday’s a bit of a problem. Some of my friends are coming for a dinner at my place. What about Saturday?‎ Text 3‎ W: Mr. Baker, could I possibly use your phone? Ours doesn’t work. Judy is ill, and I want to call a doctor.‎ M: Sure. Come on in. Hope everything’s well with Judy.‎ Text 4‎ W: Congratulations, John! I heard about your new job.‎ M: Thanks. It’s nearly perfect for me. The working hours are convenient, and it’s an easy walk from home. If only the pay were half as good as everything else!‎ Text 5‎ M: Kate, I’m going to a meeting tomorrow. Would you please help take my phone calls?‎ W: No problem, Jim. I’ll take a message if anyone calls.‎ Text 6‎ M: Excuse me. One ticket, please. Do you give students a discount?‎ W: We do, but the museum will close in twenty minutes. We stop selling tickets at 3:30. It’s 3:40 now.‎ M: Could you possibly let me go in for a quick look? I can pay the full price.‎ W: I’m sorry, I can’t. And it’s not really worth it because you won’t be able to see everything within twenty minutes. You can come back tomorrow morning. The museum opens at nine o’clock.‎ M: Well, in that case, I’ll do what you say.‎ Text 7‎ W: Hi, Tom. How are you?‎ M: Hi, Jane. I’m fine. Listen, I plan to go swimming in the sports center this weekend. But it’s a long way, and I haven’t got my driver’s license yet. How about us going together in your car? I’ll buy the tickets.‎ W: Well, it’s great, but I’ve got homework to do.‎ M: Come on! It doesn’t matter that you go out for one afternoon.‎ W: Oh, I really can’t. Although I finished my book report, the upcoming mid-term exam really makes me nervous. I don’t think I’d enjoy an outing now. Sorry I can’t drive you.‎ M: Oh, don’t worry. I can find someone else. Good luck with your exam!‎ W: Thanks. See you!‎ M: Bye! ‎ Text 8‎ M: Hello. I’d like this guidebook, please. How much is it?‎ W: All things are free here.‎ M: Oh, thanks. I’ll stay in the city for one week. Could you tell me what places I should visit?‎ W: Well, there are a lot. Are you interested in islands, such as Lantau?‎ M: Islands?‎ W: Yes. There are a lot of interesting things you can see — old villages and churches. And the scenery is beautiful. Take this booklet. It tells you more. ‎ M: Thank you very much. That’s a great suggestion.‎ W: You are welcome.‎ Text 9‎ W: Dr. Green, congratulations on the success of your new book! We learned that it has been translated into 30 languages — English, of course, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, and so on. ‎ M: Thanks, Helen.‎ W: Well, could you tell us what this popular book is about?‎ M: It’s called In Praise of Slow. It’s about how the world got stuck in fast-forward, and how more and more people everywhere are slowing down. In other words, it’s about the rise of the Slow Movement.‎ W: What is the Slow Movement?‎ M: It is a revolution against the idea that faster is always better. When I say “slow”, I don’t mean doing everything slowly. It’s about doing everything as well as possible, instead of as fast as possible. It’s about quality in everything we do.‎ W: When and where was this “slow” idea born?‎ M: It was born in the early 1990s in Italy. It began as the Slow Food Movement, which centered on food. More recently, “slow” has become popular worldwide.‎ W: Have we reached the point of trying to speed up something that cannot really be sped up? ‎ M: Of course. The Internet connects us in wonderful ways, but it also leads us into trying to hurry up relationships. So you find people online saying they have more than 4,000 friends. The very idea of friendship is not considered important. And ‎ we may be losing the ability to make friends. In Britain, a study found that in the past ten years, the number of children who say they have no best friend rose from under one in eight to nearly one in five!‎ Text 10‎ Good morning, everyone. I’m pleased to be here to give a talk. We’re two brothers from Canada, and we’ve been living in Thailand for eight years. We noticed that most English lessons here in schools focus only on reading and writing, so a lot of people can’t understand and speak well in English. And we’d like to do something about it. Our idea is simple: we want to teach people how to understand and speak English like a native speaker. Different from broadcast English programs, we design special fun English programs based on the computer and use them to teach words and expressions we use in real life. We talk in a casual style on a number of interesting topics, and we share personal stories from our real lives. Now, we have over 200 units on our website. We make a new unit every week that you can listen to on your computer anytime you want. Our materials are from English movies, TV shows, and real-life conversations. We hope people will use the materials to practice every day. We are sure that your English will improve a lot.‎