【英语】山东省烟台市2019-2020学年高二下学期期末考试试题

【英语】山东省烟台市2019-2020学年高二下学期期末考试试题

山东省烟台市2019-2020学年高二下学期期末考试 英语试题 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 is the man looking for?‎ ‎ A. A museum. B. A supermarket. C. A bank. ‎ ‎2. How did Terry travel through South America?‎ ‎ A. By train. B. By bus. C. By car. ‎ ‎3. Where does the man usually go on weekend nights?‎ ‎ A. To a bar. B. To the movies. C. To a restaurant. ‎ ‎4. How long did it take the man to write the paper?‎ ‎ A. About 1 hour. B. About 1.5 hours. C. About 3 hours. ‎ ‎5. What are the speakers mainly talking about?‎ ‎ A. Losing weight. B. Going to a gym. C. Repairing machines. ‎ 第二节（共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分）‎ 听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。‎ ‎ 听第6段材料，回答第6至7题。‎ ‎6. Who is answering the phone?‎ A. Judy’s cousin. B. Susan’s cousin. C. Judy’s brother. ‎ ‎7. What does Susan ask Judy to do tomorrow?‎ A. To call her back. B. To bring an extra bat. C. To buy her a bat. ‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8至9题。‎ ‎8. What is the man going to do?‎ A. To live with the woman. ‎ B. To buy the woman’s house. ‎ C. To repair the house for the woman. ‎ ‎9. How long has the woman lived here?‎ A. Over fifteen years. B. Over twenty years. C. Over thirty years. ‎ 听第 8段材料，回答第 10至 12题。‎ ‎10. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?‎ A. Classmates. B. Teacher and student. C. Husband and wife. ‎ ‎11. Why does the man decide to jog to work?‎ A. He finds it too slow to drive to work. ‎ B. He lives close to his working place.‎ ‎ C. He wants to lose weight.‎ ‎12. What’s the man’s excuse for not riding his bike?‎ A. The weather is not proper. ‎ B. He has to go to work early. ‎ C. He hurt himself in the leg.‎ 听第 9段材料，回答第 13至 16题。‎ ‎13. Where are the two speakers now?‎ A. On a train. B. On a plane. C. At the airport. ‎ ‎14. How long will the man stay in Hunan?‎ A. For eight weeks. B. For a whole year. C. For eight months. ‎ ‎15. What will the man do in China?‎ A. Teach French in a college. ‎ B. Travel around for pleasure. ‎ C. Teach French in a training center. ‎ ‎16. What does the man’s wife do?‎ A. An English teacher. B. A full-time housewife. C. An advertiser. ‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. What is the speaker mainly talking about?‎ A. News of the President. B. News of New York Times. C. News on the Hour.‎ ‎18. Where will a group of Chinese scientists go?‎ A. African countries. B. Ten nations. C. Western Europe. ‎ ‎19. What happened in Miami?‎ A. There was a strike. B. There was no teacher. C. There was no coffee. ‎ ‎20. What’s the danger of women’s drinking of more coffee?‎ A. They’ll have difficulty in listening to music. ‎ B. They’re more likely to have heart disease. ‎ C. They’ll have bad relationship with those who drink less. ‎ 第二部分　阅读（共两节，满分50分）‎ 第一节 （共15小题;每小题2.5分，满分37.5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 Long Island’s hiking trails (路线) offer an escape for family time. It’s a relaxing thing to do in the stressful time, so open your senses. ‎ Southampton Trails Many guided trails are run in Hamptons, some suitable for kids. Behind the South Fork Natural History Museum is a small field with butterflies and birds flying about. Upon arrival, check out the posted map that shows the trails through the fields with a connection that goes all the way to Sag Harbor.‎ Arboretum State Historic Park, Oyster Bay Half the park is woodland that includes nature walks and a greenhouse. You’ll see lots of wildlife from foxes to birds, a delight for kids. Pick up a map on the website and enjoy the historic Gold Coast property. Walkers can select from different paths, covering about six miles in total, as well as all different lengths to accommodate different ages and abilities.‎ Richard D. Fowler Preserve, Southampton A pleasant short hike right in Southampton Village. The trail begins near the intersection of Wickapogue Road and Narrow Lane and heads through a wooded area with a river. Dress properly, for it could be a little muddy. The trail features hedges (树篱) along one side and plantings along the other. It reaches the site where the first settlers spent their first winter about 1640. This trail takes about one hour.‎ Downs Farm Preserve, Cutchogue This family-friendly place is an easy walk with the trail a mile long. It’s a very peaceful location to see wildlife and birds. The trail is flat and pushchair-friendly. You’ll also find Downs River, with chairs along the way to rest. Home to the defence works of the Corchaug Indians, the preserve is on the National Park Register of Historic Places and is considered ancient land.‎ ‎21. What do Southampton Trails and Arboretum State Historic Park have in common?‎ A. They distribute free tourist maps. B. They’re convenient to get to.‎ C. They offer guided trails for all ages. D. They’re ideal places for bird watching.‎ ‎22. What can you do in Downs Farm Preserve?‎ A. Visit a historical site. B. Appreciate the hilly landscape.‎ C. Feed wild animals at random. D. Communicate with local Indians.‎ ‎23. In which hiking trail is appropriate clothing suggested?‎ A. Southampton Trails. B. Arboretum State Historic Park.‎ C. Richard D. Fowler Preserve. D. Downs Farm Preserve.‎ B The amount of rubbish that piles on our shore lines is hugely worrying and a growing problem for the planet. It seems like no matter how remote you hike and how high you climb, there’s always a dropped plastic container there waiting for you.‎ Mariah Reading, an American artist, spends the majority of her time outdoors looking for inspiration for her art, based in nature and our natural surroundings. On noticing the amount of waste filling her natural areas, she decided she had to reflect it in her works.‎ For her latest project, Mariah is looking at both the problem of wasteful littering and the way that art itself can be wasteful in materials, taking the dropped items that fill her natural spaces and painting them to reflect the place in which they were left.‎ Applying paint to create her masterpieces, Mariah has collected trash (垃圾) from different mountains and parks. “I’ve been considering my relationship with art and the large amount of waste it can produce,” says Mariah. “I wanted to find ways I can confirm art and its important purpose by working with recycled materials found in landscape environments.”‎ ‎“Since the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, I’ve especially appreciated and been inspired by the natural beauty the parks offer, and found how easily we can take these precious places for granted. I seek to gather as much trash as possible, sculpt it into a canvas (画布), and paint the scene where the trash originated onto the trash itself,” says Mariah.‎ As well as through this project, Mariah has explored nature in her art in various different ways and through exhibitions. Mariah’s work might not solve the litter problem, but it’s just another way that we can get people talking about the problem and the ways we can prevent it from ‎ growing any larger.‎ ‎24. What gave Mariah the idea of the latest project?‎ A. The beauty of nearby scenery. ‎ B. The rubbish-covered surroundings.‎ C. The potential security risks of beaches.‎ D. The high energy consumption of her artworks.‎ ‎25. What’s the important purpose of Mariah’s art? ‎ A. To keep people from wasting natural resources. ‎ B. To remind people of the litter problem. ‎ C. To encourage people to explore parks. ‎ D. To make full use of rubbish. ‎ ‎26. What is special about Mariah’s new artworks?‎ A. They are made of oceanic rubbish.‎ B. They appear in the form of sculpture.‎ C. They reflect the trash places on trash itself.‎ D. They’re designed to inspire people’s love for painting.‎ ‎27. What can be the best title for the text?‎ A. The Growing Problem of Rubbish ‎ B. Mariah Reading: a Sociable Artist ‎ C. An Artist Turns Waste into Amazing Works D. Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service C Cara Clarkson and her family were overjoyed when spotting two young grizzly bears (灰熊) — one with rarely seen all-white fur, alongside the Trans-Canada Highway.‎ ‎“White grizzly bears are unheard of, so it was a luxury and incredible experience,” said Cara, sharing her images and videos on social media and saying that was a real treat given that the family was out celebrating her husband’s and son’s birthdays. Mike Gibeau, an animal specialist, said the Clarksons who encountered the white bear — now called Nakoda, are truly lucky, for white grizzly bears are incredibly rare.‎ The expert doesn’t believe the grizzly’s white fur is a case of albinism, a disorder in which an animal fails to produce melanin, which is responsible for skin, hair, and eye color. Instead, he thinks the bear’s unusual coloring is the result of a recessive (隐性) gene (基因), the characteristics of which are often covered by those of dominant genes. However, if both parents carry the same recessive gene — in this case, one that results in white fur — it can be passed on to latergenerations.‎ Though this is the first time the world has seen the white grizzly, park officials, who have known of Nakoda’s existence since 2018, never publicized the unique bear due to fear that it would be heartlessly run after by fans eager to see these unusual-looking animals.‎ As it turns out, they were right. Nakoda’s photos and videos, which have gone viral, have led to crowds of people rushing to the bear’s current location, resulting in unsafe parking and traffic jams. The concerned officials enforced a 10-kilometer no-stopping zone, which they hope will inform visitors to travel through the area safely and to prevent these bears from getting hit on the highway.‎ Wildlife experts, who are trying to lead the young grizzlies away from the highway, hope to help them develop a behavior of avoidance of humans and eventually head to the forests, where they can live a long, healthy life.‎ ‎28. For the Clarksons, what does “a real treat” in paragraph 2 refer to?‎ A. Observing two birthdays.‎ B. The reunion of the family.‎ C. Sharing their experience online.‎ D. The sighting of a white grizzly bear.‎ ‎29. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?‎ A. The classification of genes. ‎ B. The effect of a physical disorder.‎ C. The possible cause of the bear’s white fur.‎ D. The characteristics of recessive and dominant genes.‎ ‎30. Why did the park officials hide Nakoda’s existence from the public?‎ A. To save the trouble of further explanation.‎ B. To protect it from crazy disturbance. ‎ C. To stop it being mercilessly shot.‎ D. To avoid enthusiastic reporters.‎ ‎31. What do wildlife experts expect of the young grizzlies?‎ A. They’ll stay where they belong.‎ B. They’ll ignore human activities.‎ C. They’ll safely cross the highway.‎ D. They’ll live in harmony with humans.‎ D We live in a society that labels everything. We like the convenience of neatly packaged words so we can sum up the person, place or thing and know what to expect. However, especially with children, even harmless labels (标签) can play a lasting role in self-respect, behavior and long-term personality.‎ Children develop and define their sense of self by processing what others tell them about who they are, what they are good at, how they behave and so on. The communication principle of the “Looking-Glass Self” from Charles Cooley can be applied. Cooley believes that by reflecting back to us who we are, other people function as mirrors for us. Every time a teacher says he or she is a “good student” or a coach says “average player”, that helps define the way the child views himself or herself. Typically, that label will follow them for years to come. ‎ However, parents often refer to children with less severe labels that are just as significant. If you notice one child follows musical interests, he becomes “the musician”. Another loves sports, and she becomes “the athlete”. Another excels in school and is the “brainiac”. None of those labels has negative ideas, but can classify children into pre-defined boxes. What if the “brainiac” really wants to try soccer? Unfortunately, there is already an “athlete” in the family, which creates a fight or flight response. The child can either fight to redefine his or her place as a smart child who also plays soccer, or go back to where he or she has already been.‎ Labels have much more of an impact that we realize, and we need to be mindful of how we talk about our children. If you must define certain things about them to yourself or others, try to choose positive versions of the same quality, i.e. “cautious” rather than “timid” (胆小的). Keeping the focus on the child’s positive qualities, while avoiding labels, can encourage children to become healthy and happy.‎ ‎32. What can we learn from the principle of “Looking-Glass Self”?‎ A. One tends to satisfy others’ curiosity.‎ B. One gains the sense of identity by mirror.‎ C. Children will live up to the expectations of their parents.‎ D. People shape self-concepts by understanding how others view them. ‎ ‎33. If the “brainiac” girl decides to play soccer, what will happen?‎ A. Her family will be in favor of her.‎ B. She must struggle or she must quit. ‎ C. Her family will deny her athletic talent. ‎ D. She can’t but give in to parental authority.‎ ‎34. Which word can best describe a child who performs well in class interaction?‎ A. Active. B. Influential. C. Intelligent. D. Competitive. ‎ ‎35. What’s the author’s attitude towards labeling children?‎ A. Uncertain. B. Indifferent. C. Negative. D. Positive. ‎ 第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5 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。‎ The WHO says that 80% of the world’s teens don’t get enough exercise to live healthy lives. The report was based on research done with students aged 11 to 17 in 146 different countries. 36 It’s a pity that not much has changed since then, as the WHO reports. ‎ Doctors say 60 minutes of exercise daily is needed for teens to build up their bone and muscle strength. It’s also hugely important for the health of the heart and lungs. 37 Besides, more and more research is showing that exercise doesn’t just help the body, but also the brain, improving thinking, test scores, and school grades.‎ ‎ 38 They were also very different between boys and girls. In the US, for example, 64% of boys were not active enough, compared to 80% of girls. South Korea was the country with the lowest activity levels — 91% of the boys and 97% of the girls didn’t get enough exercise. ‎ One big reason for the lack of activity in today’s teens is technology, such as smartphones, computers and TVs. Many teens find it hard to pull themselves away from them. 39 ‎ So the WHO warns that teens need to do less playing in the digital world, and more playing in the real world. Teens should take part in sports, whether on official teams or just playing around on the playground. 40 For many people, walking or biking to school is one way to make that happen. It’s very important for young people to build these habits now, because the positive effects of those habits can carry through into adult life. ‎ A. Exercise benefits you academically.‎ B. Activity levels vary from country to country.‎ C. The WHO has spared no effort in the research.‎ D. Such inactivity can severely affect their growth.‎ E. Exercise can also be built into a normal day’s activities.‎ F. Regular activity can help them control their weight, too.‎ G. The WHO has been studying teen activity levels since 2001.‎ 第三部分　语言运用（共两节，满分30分）‎ 第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）‎ 阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。‎ Klaila had hiked five miles up La Luz Trail (小路) and was heading back down when she heard a dog’s cries. She finally found it down at a valley. The 41 dog, weighing about 100 pounds, was breathing heavily, shaking and lying on its side.‎ With no one else 42 , Klaila knew it was up to her to go down to help the dog, which she couldn’t 43 leaving to die alone. Klaila called 911, but couldn’t 44 . She tried to 45 the large dog, but was not strong enough. She had no choice but to make her way back up to the trail to flag someone down for 46 . ‎ Jason, a marathon runner, 45, was halfway into his weekly run up La Luz when he saw Klaila 47 her arms. Knowing what happened, Jason rushed down to the dog, picked it up and took it back up to the trail. 48 to carry this huge dog down the trail, Jason was so 49 that he rested often.‎ Then a couple on vacation 50 the rescue. But trying to carry the dog with two people on a 51 trail turned out to be too 52 . So Jason lifted the dog onto his shoulders,‎ ‎ carrying it until they made it to the trailhead, where the dog’s owner was anxiously searching for it.‎ It is really 53 that a group of 54 came together to save the dog of someone they didn’t know. Having 55 contact information, the four rescuers went their separate ways. ‎ ‎41. A. abandoned B. massive C. small D. dangerous ‎42. A. in sight B. in charge C. in need D. in trouble ‎43. A. forbid B. admit C. stand D. resist ‎44. A. give in B. hold on C. drop in D. get through ‎ ‎45. A. lift B. comfort C. cure D. identify ‎46. A. advice B. attention C. help D. faith ‎47. A. raising B. waving C. folding D. exposing ‎48. A. Failing B. Offering C. Struggling D. Planning ‎49. A. concerned B. embarrassed C. discouraged D. tired ‎ ‎50. A. joined in B. benefited from C. disapproved of D. kept records of ‎51. A. broad B. narrow C. distant D. flat ‎52. A. relaxing B. dramatic C. silly D. challenging ‎53. A. common B. impossible C. touching D. amusing ‎54. A. passengers B. strangers C. pioneers D. guides ‎55. A. discussed B. withdrawn C. transformed D. exchanged ‎ 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。‎ On March 28, 2020, millions of people around the world turned their lights off for “Earth Hour”, 56 event meant to remind people of the importance of climate action. Because of the coronavirus(冠状病毒), this year’s event 57 (mark) online.‎ Initially launched as a way of making people aware of climate change in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour 58 (grow) to engage more than 7000 cities and towns worldwide ever since. It is held once a year. People switch their non-essential lights off for an hour 59 8:30 and 9:30 at night. There have been many public activities in 60 (celebrate) of Earth Hour around the world. This year, public gatherings aren’t allowed in most places. So instead, organizers encouraged people to take part digitally.‎ ‎ In Singapore that meant special on-line performances. Australia held a similar live-stream of performances by bands, comics, and others. In other places, people were encouraged to upload videos or photos 61 can highlight how important it is to protect the environment.‎ ‎ With the climate 62 (get) worse, focusing attention on climate action is seen by many as more important than ever. Scientists 63 (strong) suggest taking effective action before 2030 64 (avoid) the worst effects of the climate emergency. Though most countries usually use a bit 65 (little) energy during Earth Hour, the main idea is to remind people to take action on climate change outside of Earth Hour.‎ 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分）‎ 第一节（满分15分）‎ 假定你是李华，你的美国朋友David发来邮件想了解你们学校近期在网上直播的诗词比赛。请给他回复邮件，内容包括：‎ ‎1. 比赛目的和时间；‎ ‎2. 参赛人员和比赛规则；‎ ‎3. 比赛反响。‎ 注意：‎ ‎1. 写作词数应为80左右； ‎ ‎2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。‎ Dear David,‎ Best wishes!‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 第二节（满分25分）‎ 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。‎ Adam, Nick, and Tom were best friends. Five years after their graduation from college, Nick called Adam and Tom, inviting them to celebrate his birthday on his personal yacht (游艇). They got very excited.‎ It was a bright and sunny summer day. As Nick was studying the safety measures of the sea journey, he saw Adam and Tom coming towards his yacht. With huge hugs and smiles on every face, the three greeted each other in their usual way. “Thank you boys for coming and making my birthday even more special,” said Nick.‎ ‎“But before getting started, hope you both know there is a danger zone at a particular point on this sea, ” warned Adam.‎ ‎“Don’t worry. I will stay away from it. Now let the party begin!” Nick responded, starting to turn the steering wheel (方向盘) of the yacht.‎ Treating the friends on the beautiful white yacht sailing on the blue water was a perfect idea. They were having a wonderful time, talking, eating and joking. How time flew! It started getting dark.‎ ‎“Hey guys! It’s time to go back,” Tom shouted.‎ ‎“Mr. Sailor, turn your ship’s wheel and take us back home,” said Adam.‎ Little did they know they were going to encounter life-threatening challenges ahead. Unknowingly, Nick crossed the danger zone Adam had mentioned earlier. When realizing this, Nick decided to make a turn immediately. Unfortunately, a strange noise came from the engine and then the yacht stopped. Expert at mending machines, Adam offered to examine the engine and asked Nick to fetch the tool box. Nick was hurrying to get it when he slipped, falling into the sea water.‎ ‎“Nick!” Tom and Adam screamed.‎ Panicked, Nick started shouting for help. Tom rushed inside the yacht to get a life jacket to rescue Nick, but didn’t find one. Instead, he found a long rope and out he rushed with it.‎ 注意：‎ ‎1. 续写词数应为150左右；‎ ‎2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。‎ Just then Adam shouted on top of his voice, “Nick! Look, there’s a shark behind you!”‎ What they had to do was restart the yacht.‎ ‎【参考答案】‎ 第一部分 听力 ‎1－5 CCABB 6－10 CBBCC 11－15 CAACC 16－20 BCBAB 第二部分 阅读 ‎21－23 DAC 24－27 BBCC 28－31DCBA 32－35 DBAC ‎ ‎36－40 GFBDE 第三部分 语言运用 ‎41－45 BACDA 46－50 CBCDA 51－55 BDCBD ‎56. an 57. was marked 58. has grown 59. between 60. celebration ‎61. that/which 62. getting 63. strongly 64. to avoid 65. less 第四部分 写作 第一节 应用文写作 (One possible version)‎ Dear David,‎ I’m glad that you’re interested in the fantastic live webcast of our Chinese Poetry Contest held from 7 to 9 p.m. on July 10th.‎ The contest is aimed to arouse students’ passion for traditional Chinese poetry and help them better appreciate its beauty. Contestants, all of whom were winners of class poetry contests, were required to recite as many ancient Chinese poems related to a given subject as possible. Whoever recited the most was school champion. The contest, from which students benefited a lot, was well received by the whole school. ‎ Best wishes!‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 第二节 读后续写 (One possible version)‎ Just then Adam shouted on top of his voice, “Nick! Look, there’s a shark behind you!” Turning his head, Nick was shocked to find a black figure approaching him. Helpless and frightened, Nick swam towards the yacht like crazy. Tom quickly threw the rope down at Nick, who succeeded in grasping it. With all their strength, Tom and Adam pulled Nick up from the water before the shark could swallow him. But the hungry animal didn’t give up, swimming ‎ around the yacht for its dinner. Terrified as the three guys were, they knew they must do something to escape from the danger.‎ What they had to do was restart the yacht. Though wet through, Nick fetched the tool box in no time. With the tools Adam carefully examined the engine, found out the exact cause of its failure and managed to get the engine working. Its wonderful sound had everyone on board burst into cheers. With Nick turning the steering wheel, the yacht left the danger zone at full speed, leaving the lonely shark far behind. The young guys waved happily at it, heading straight back. ‎ 附：听力录音材料 ‎(Text 1)‎ W: Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me the way to the bank? Is it around the corner of the street?‎ M: No, it’s between the museum and the supermarket. ‎ ‎(Text 2)‎ M: Terry enjoyed his three-week drive through South America. ‎ W: Yes, he said he saw much more than he would have travelling by bus or train. ‎ ‎(Text 3)‎ W: Movies and restaurants are fun places to go on Friday and Saturday nights. ‎ M: That’s pretty expensive. I usually like to go to a bar with my friends to have a drink or listen to some good music, and sometimes we dance. ‎ ‎(Text 4)‎ W: How much time do you have for writing the paper?‎ M: We were given 3 hours, but I finished it in around half the time. ‎ W: You people are certainly good. ‎ ‎(Text 5)‎ W: Do you go there every day?‎ M: No, just two or three days a week.‎ W: What machines do you use?‎ M: I usually start on the bicycle machine. Then I use the running machine for about half an hour. Then I lift weights. ‎ ‎ (Text 6)‎ M: Hello!‎ W: Susan’s speaking. May I speak to Judy, please?‎ M: I’m afraid she is not here at the moment. I’m her brother. Shall I take a message?‎ W: Yes, you see, Judy and I plan to play table tennis tomorrow, but my cousin has broken my bat. I think Judy has an extra one, so please ask her to bring it for me.‎ M: So, Susan called, her table tennis bat broke, hopes Judy brings an extra one.‎ W: Thank you very much. Bye. ‎ M: Bye. ‎ ‎ (Text 7)‎ M: Good afternoon. I believe that this house is for sale. ‎ W: That’s right.‎ M: How long have you lived here?‎ W: I’ve lived here since my son was born, and he’s over thirty now.‎ M: Oh, that’s quite a long time. ‎ W: Yes. ‎ M: How much does it cost? ‎ W: $150,000. ‎ M: That’s a lot of money. Can you bring it down?‎ W: I’m sorry. It’s worth every penny of it. ‎ M: Well. I like the house, but I can’t decide yet. My wife must see it first. ‎ W: Women always have the last word. ‎ ‎(Text 8)‎ M: Darling, I’ve decided to become a vegetarian. From tomorrow on, I will stop eating meat.‎ W: Why?‎ M: Because people nowadays eat too much meat and it’s healthier to eat less.‎ W: Is this another one of your crazy ideas? It won’t last a week. Last month, in order to lose weight, you decided to jog to work every morning. That only lasted a week because you were late for work every day. ‎ M: That’s not the reason why I stopped! I stopped jogging because I pulled a muscle in the leg.‎ M: Well, what about the bicycle?‎ M: What bicycle?‎ W: Exactly. You can hardly remember you own a bike as it’s been locked away in the garage ever since you bought it.‎ M: That’s not completely true. As soon as the weather improves, I’m going to start using it again.‎ ‎(Text 9)‎ W: Is this the first time you’ve been to China?‎ M: Yes. We arrived at the airport in the morning. Then we got on the train.‎ W: So it’s really a long journey.‎ M: It’s OK. I like traveling.‎ W: But you have such a heavy box. ‎ M: Yes. And thank you so much for your help.‎ W: You are welcome.‎ M: We will stay in Hunan for eight months.‎ W: Are you here for business or pleasure?‎ M: I’ve found a part-time job here.‎ W: Doing what?‎ M: Teaching French.‎ W: That’s wonderful. In a college?‎ M: No. It’s a language training center. I got this job from an advertisement.‎ W: Will your wife work here, too?‎ M: No. She’s a full-time housewife.‎ ‎(Text 10)‎ This is news on the Hour, Ed Wilson reporting. The President and first lady will visit Africa in May. They plan to visit eight African countries. ‎ Reports from China say the Chinese want closer ties between China and USA and Western Europe. A group of Chinese scientists start their ten-nation tour next month. ‎ Here in Miami, the mayor is still meeting with the leaders of the teachers’ union to try to find a way to end the strike. City school has been closed for two weeks.‎ In news about health, scientists in California report findings of a relationship between the drinking of coffee and the increase of heart disease among women. According to the report in the ‎ New York Times, the five-year study shows this: Women who drink more than two cups of coffee a day have a greater chance of having heart disease than women who do not.‎ That’s the news of the Hour, and now back to more easy listening with Jan Singer.‎