- 2021-05-21 发布 |
- 37.5 KB |
- 18页
申明敬告: 本站不保证该用户上传的文档完整性,不预览、不比对内容而直接下载产生的反悔问题本站不予受理。
文档介绍
河北省保定市2020届高三下学期模拟考试 英语
2020年高三第二次模拟考试 英语试题 本试卷由四部分组成。其中,第一、二部分和第三部分的第一节为选择题。第三部分的第二节和第四部分为非选择题。考试时间120分钟,满分150分。 第一部分 听力(共两节,满分30分) 做题时,先将答案标在试卷上,录音内容结束后,你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。 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 was Jessie doing at about 9:00 this morning? A. Having an online class. B. Waiting for the man. C. Making a call. 2. Where does the conversation take place? A. In a shop. B. In a restaurant. C. On a sports ground. 3. What do we know about the man? A. He always wanted to be a doctor. B. He did business when he was at school. C. He studied traditional Chinese medicine after his father. 4. What does the woman think of professor Wong's lecture? A. Boring. B. Interesting. C. Easy to understand. 5. What can we learn from the conversation? A. The woman is enjoying a free play. B. They have experienced a tough time because of the virus. C. The man has to stay indoors two months because of illness. 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。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. Why does Jack look so well? A. He does regular exercise. B. He keeps a balanced diet. C. He likes travelling very much. 7. How often does Jack go mountaineering? A. Every week. B. Twice a week. C. Every other week. 听第7段材料,回答第8,9题。 8. What did John see when he first came to Beijing? A. A few tall buildings around. B. A few cyclists and cars on the road. C. Many cyclists on the road and hutongs around. 9. When does John think the rapid changes began to take place in Beijing? A. In 1989. B. Around 2009. C. After 2015. 听第8段材料,回答第10至12题。 10. What is the probable relationship between the speakers? A. Husband and wife. B. Salesman and consumer. C. Producer and customer. 11. How does the woman feel about the color of the sofa? A. OK. B. Perfect. C. Awful. 12. Why don't they take the sofa right away? A. They aren't satisfied with the color. B. They are not sure about the style. C. They've decided to wait for the mid-year sale. 听第9段材料,回答第13至16题。 13. Who is David? A. The man's boss. B. The woman's boss. C. The woman's cook. 14. What dishes will be served to David? A. Dongpo Pork and steak. B. Dongpo Pork and West Lake Fish. C. Dongpo Pork, West Lake Fish and steak. 15. What happened in the woman's department last year? A. It faced a risk of being shut down. B. It introduced a new system. C. It fired a sales manager. 16. What is the speakers' impression of David? A. He has much food preference. B. He is a good and experienced director. C. He is expert at managing social relations. 听第10段材料,回答第17至20题。 17. What is the speaker mainly talking about? A. Outdoor courses. B. Campus activities. C. Travelling plans. 18. Where will the students go this time? A. A lake. B. A forest. C. A beach. 19. What will the students learn to do? A. Make a birdhouse. B. Design a backpack. C. Design a birdcage. 20. How many hours will the students spend in "Nature"? A. 3. B. 12. C. 36. 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) 阅读下面短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。 A It doesn't take decades of life experience to have a great idea, as many of these young inventors have proved. The Electronic Television The electronic television was first designed by a 14-year-old kid in 1920. Philo Taylor Farnsworth shared his concept of an image transmitting(影像传送)device, an early design of the electronic television, with his science teacher, drawing diagrams on several blackboards in class. By the age of 21 Farnsworth had a working model which served as a basis to all later development and versions of electronic televisions. After discovering a collection of technology magazines in the attic(阁楼)of his family's new home, he developed a passion and interest in electronics, which led him to explore inventions in the field of, specifically, the image transmission. In 1927, a few years out of high school, Farnsworth was the first inventor to transmit a television image of a dollar sign, composed of 60 horizontal lines. Braille Language Louis Braille suffered a serious eye injury when he was just 3 years old. Not only did the accident cause him blindness on that side, but the infection spread and blinded the other eye as well. After more than a decade of struggling with the slow system of tracing his finger over raised letters, Braille was 12 when he learned of a method of silent communication originally created for the French military. He simplified it, and in 1824 the Braille language was born. Popsicles(冰棍) A lot of kids are easily distracted(分散注意力)-and thanks to the short attention span of 11-year-old Frank Epperson, we now have popsicles. In 1905, Epperson, a San Francisco native, was stirring powdered drink mix into a cup of water when something else caught his attention. The mixture was forgotten outside the door, and when Epperson rediscovered the drink in the morning, it was a deliciously portable frozen popsicles. After years of making the frozen treats for friends, and eventually his own children. Epperson filed for a patent in 1924. 21. Who contributed his intelligence to the invention of TV? A. Philo Taylor Farnsworth B. Farnsworth's science teacher. C. Louis Braille. D. Epperson. 22. Which invention was accidentally made because of poor concentration? A. The Electronic Television. B. The Braille Language. C. Dollar Sign. D. Popsicles. 23. What do the three inventions have in common? A. They were all designed for the sake of kids. B. They were all made by young boys. C. They were all made in the 20th century. D. They were all created within a few years. B It was unusually quiet in the emergency room on December 25. I didn't think there would be any patients, sighing about having to work on Christmas. Just then five bodies showed up at my desk, a pale woman and four small children. "Are you all sick?" I asked doubtfully. "Yes," she said weakly and lowered her head. But when it came to descriptions of their presenting problems, things got a little vague. Two of the children had headaches, but the headaches weren't accompanied by the normal body language of holding the head or trying to keep it still. Two children had earaches, but only one could tell me which ear was affected. The mother complained of a cough but seemed to work to produce it. Something was wrong, but I didn't say anything but explained that it might be a little while before a doctor saw her. She responded, "Take your time; it's warm in here." On a hunch(直觉), I checked the chart after the admitting clerk had finished registering the family. No address-they were homeless. The waiting room was warm. I looked out at the family huddled by the Christmas tree. The littlest one was pointing at the television and saying something loudly and excitedly to her mother. The oldest one was looking at an ornament on the Christmas tree. I went back to the nurses' station and mentioned we had a homeless family in the waiting room. The nurses, complaining about working Christmas, turned to compassion for a family just trying to get warm on Christmas. The team went into action, much as we do when there's a medical emergency. But this one was a Christmas emergency. We were all offered a free meal in the hospital cafeteria on Christmas Day, so we claimed that meal and prepared a banquet for our Christmas guests. As seriously as we met the physical needs of the patients that came to us that day, our team worked to meet the needs, and exceed the expectations, of a family who just wanted to be warm on Christmas Day. Later, as the family walked to the door to leave, the four-year-old came running back, gave me a hug and whispered. "Thanks for being our angels today." 24. What did the author learn from the family's descriptions of presenting problems? A. Two of the children had headaches. B. One of the children had earaches. C. The mother pretended to be coughing. D. The whole family were seriously ill. 25. The author made sure that the family were homeless by . A. asking them some questions B. listening to their introduction C. observing their facial expressions D. checking their registration information 26. After knowing about the homeless family, the nurses . A. gave them a medical treatment B. provided them with a big dinner C. prepared a Christmas tree for them D. held a big Christmas party for them 27. What can be the best title for the text? A. An Unusual Christmas Emergency B. Warm-hearted and Beautiful Nurse Angels C. Having Christmas Together With a Poor Family D. Receiving Special Christmas Guests in the Waiting Room C If you're one of the millions of Americans now trapped in home because of the COVID-19,it might feel like you're cooking more than you've ever cooked in your entire life. And maybe you're planning to reduce your home food wastes. A good way of dealing with them is to learn to make compost(堆肥). Select your food wastes. Start with fruits and vegetables-the skin of a sweet potato, the top of your strawberry. Also tea bags, coffee grounds, old flowers and even eggshells are good raw materials. Store these food wastes in a container so you can add them bit by bit. The container doesn't have to be bought online. It can just be an old milk carton(纸箱)or an old wooden chest-just work with what you have available. Also, you can store the food wastes in a bag in your freezer or fridge. That's an easy way to avoid odors and insects in your kitchen. The crucial step is to make the compost mix. In the world of composting you're inevitably going to hear about "the greens and browns"-the two main elements for your mix. "Greens" are typically wet food wastes, like fruit and vegetable peelings. They are a crucial part for the growth of organisms(微生物). "Browns" are typically dry and they are more carbon rich like newspapers, dried leaves, and pine needles. A good thing to remember is when you're layering, put the dry browns on the bottom with the wet greens on the top because they allow water and air to flow. That will make sure organisms can do their job. How long do you have to wait for the compost breakdown? If it's hot, you could get there in two months pretty easy. If it's cold, you could be there in six months. And for every component to break down, it might be a year. In the end "your nose knows" when the compost is ready. It just smells so woody, earthy, sweet or sometimes sour. The smell can tell how well you work at your compost. Of course composting takes patience. Remember: Every effort will pay off. 28. What is a good solution to your home food wastes? A. Make a plan and reduce the wastes. B. Collect the picked wastes to make compost. C. Select the wastes and bury them into the earth. D. Pick the wastes and put them in a bag in your fridge. 29. What plays a crucial role in making the compost mix? A. Wet "greens". B. Dry "browns". C. Carbon rich materials. D. Wet "greens" and dry "browns". 30. Why should the "browns" be put on the bottom with the "greens" on the top? A. To help the organism work on the compost efficiently. B. To save more space for the water and air to flow. C. To allow the water and air to flow into the container. D. To make sure the organism can live longer and better. 31. What does the author feel about making compost? A. Pretty easy and fun. B. Complex and time-killing. C. Demanding patience but worthwhile. D. Calling for hard work but enjoyable. D The electricity bill for an average family with 2 children is worth about 1 full salary per year, but the revolutionary EcoVolt could put 50% of that money back into your pocket. In 2017, a revolutionary new product called EcoVolt hit the market. Initially it was separated from the general public, all because it offered the opportunity for average families to save up to 50% of their monthly energy costs. EcoVolt is a small, simple, affordable, and easy to use plug-in unit that stops unnecessary power from entering the electrical cables and overloading the network. EcoVolt is the utility(公用事业)provider's best-kept secret. They've been trying to hide it from the everyday power consumer and even have banned the sale of it in retail shops-just to maximize their profit. However, thanks to the internet, the secret is now out, and everyday customers are now attaining the rewards of less power consumption overall, as well as less power used by household appliances. Your household appliances(家用电器)may last longer than previously. Basically, EcoVolt provides the opportunity for you to save between 30 and 50 percent on your energy bill. That's a phenomenal saving and leaves few questions as to why this has been hidden from consumers. The benefits of EcoVolt are huge, and researchers are convinced this device could spell the end of unaffordable power bills that can cripple the average wage-earner at the end of the month. Scientists initially spent many months trying to expose its efficiency, but those studies now prove that EcoVolt should be common in every household. It's easy to connect, simply by plugging it into your wall, and it's suitable for both standard homes and apartments connected to a power grid(电网). It also has a counter which shows how you're making more efficient use of your energy, all the while allowing you to gain the rewards of a more everlasting household appliance lifecycle. In just 1-2 months, you've made your money back on your initial purchase. 32. What do we know about EcoVolt? A. It is a new affordable website service. B. It is a revolutionary new network product. C. It is a new simple electricity-saving device. D. It is a revolutionary electrical money-saving app. 33. What does the underlined word "cripple" in paragraph 4 mean? A. Bring many benefits. B. Bring too much burden. C. Get rid of difficulty. D. Get into debts. 34. How does EcoVolt benefit consumers? A. It helps consumers save much on their electricity bill. B. It makes it easier for consumers to use appliances. C. It connects more families to the Internet. D. It makes electricity use much securer. 35. We can infer from the last paragraph that EcoVolt . A. is very convenient and favourable B. is suitable for both home and public use C. will be an everlasting household appliance D. can help gain rewards of purchase discount 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。 Most of us don't have millions of dollars to go door-to-door to persuade people to care about climate change. But most of us do have parents. 36 Because if we can't convince the people who love us more than anything in the world to take action on climate, who can we convince? It might be a hard conversation. If you do accept this challenge, here are a few suggestions: 37 If you've ever used any poisonous terms, please get rid of them from your vocabulary. Otherwise, you're making everything worse. Share a couple of informative articles on the topic. Bill McKibben's article in Rolling Stone is great and very readable. 38 The most important thing for them to understand is that on our current path we may no longer have a climate that allows for stable, secure societies within the lifetimes of today's children. Once these unpleasant facts are laid out, making it clear that you aren't blaming them for this. Your parents likely made their decisions with a strong sense of morality and social responsibility and could only make those decisions based on the information they had at the time. 39 But now that you have provided the new information, talk about how it warns them, and all of us, to behave in new ways. Encourage them to buy environmentally-friendly goods and services as much as possible. Talk to them about trying to avoid using non-renewable resources and make it clear that this will not be enough. 40 A. Warn them to care about the change. B. Talk to them with love and respect. C. There is no need to flood them with data. D. So let's talk to them about climate change. E. There are a lot of interesting articles about climate change in it. F. Therefore, if they have done something improperly, it is not their fault. G. This is a challenge that requires us all to act as citizens, not just as consumers. 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,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。 "What is one thing that you would want to do now?" Tracy, my best friend, 41 such question to me one day when we had a video chat. "Lie in bed, eat, drink and do some reading. It would be the 42 not getting out of the house ever again!" I replied, 43 . Looking back at this memory, I wish I was more 44 and happier with all those fun times I had with friends. I never thought things would go the way I 45 . Due to the fast-spreading COVID-19, the entire school district has been 46 for the past 3 weeks. Recently, we have received 47 of it being closed until next semester. It's 48 how I've always wanted to be at home and have the 49 of never going out again. As soon as I had this opportunity, I was 50 . Thinking that I will be 51 at home for the next two months, 52 I become very unwell. Whenever I was at 53 , I wished to go home. Now I have to be at home and I 54 school. Am I ridiculous? I guess I really am. In the following days, I have experienced and 55 the panic caused by the COVID-19. I've 56 realized what is the significance of life and how 57 the health is. Also I've learned that good living and studying 58 are vital to all of us. Most importantly, I figure out that the world is whole and 59 and we are required to live in 60 with each other. 41. A. gave B. threw C. showed D. took 42. A. easiest B. simplest C. toughest D. best 43. A. smiling B. crying C. laughing D. sighing 44. A. content B. confident C. energetic D. accurate 45. A. know B. want C. find D. imagine 46. A. cut off B. moved away C. blocked up D. shutdown 47. A. news B. letters C. warning D. punishment 48. A. amazing B. difficult C. strange D. crazy 49. A. right B. option C. permit D. opinion 50. A. upset B. happy C. calm D. awkward 51. A. stuck B. left C. locked D. monitored 52. A. again B. still C. suddenly D. quickly 53. A. outside B. class C. home D. school 54. A. ignore B. miss C. choose D. quit 55. A. got B. shared C. witnessed D. understood 56. A. just B. truly C. never D. quickly 57. A. weak B. safe C. poor D. precious 58. A. habits B. skills C. plans D. problems 59. A. full B. crowded C. connected D. beautiful 60. A. nature B. harmony C. space D. hope 第二节(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。 Beijing Daxing International Airport,which catches the world's attention, has already been put into operation. It 61 (shape) like a phoenix(凤凰)and it has four main runways at the new airport-three vertical and one horizontal, 62 helps shorten flight times and reduce delays. It is the first time that our architects 63 (adopt) such particular pattern in airport construction history. 64 expressways, intercity rails and high-speed rails, passengers can reach Tianjin. Baoding and Tangshan in one hour. This has brought much 65 (convenient) to passengers. China Eastern Airline Flight MU535 marked 66 beginning of the China's new transport hub(枢纽). China Eastern Airline is one of the 15 companies currently 67 (operate) at the new airport. The airport will operate 116 routes 68 (global) around the end of this year. The airport is working with customs to make security checks 69 (easy) and more efficient. Passengers on international flights don't need to have their carry-on luggage 70 (check) again after they go through the security gate. 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:在错的词下画一横线,并在该词下而写出修改后的词。 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。 A few months after return to the US from Spain, I took a French course. I could speak well Spanish, so I decided to study other language. In the first lesson, Mr. White guided us to do a lot of pronunciation exercise. He would say a word and two in French, and each of us were asked to follow him in turn. When it was my turn, he kept having me to repeat what he said. After class, I ask Mr. White why. "I find it great fun. I've never heard American speak French in a Spanish accent”, he said happily. 第二节 书面表达(满分25分) 假定你是李华,由于新冠状病毒疫情,你不能如期去英国诺丁汉大学报到。请你给学校写一封邮件申请延迟报到。主要内容包括: 1、表达歉意 2、阐述理由 3、希望获准 注意:1、100词左右;2、可适当增加细节以使行文连贯。 参考词汇:诺丁汉大学Nottingham University 2020年保定市高三英语二模试题参考答案及评分细则 听力 (1---20每小题1.5分;满分30分) 1. A 2. A 3.C 4.B 5.B 6.A 7.C 8.C 9.B 10.A 11.A 12.C 13.B 14.C 15.A 16.B 17.A 18.B 19.A 20.C 阅读理解(21---40每小题2分;满分40分) 21. A 22.D 23.B 24.C 25.D 26.B 27.A 28.B 29.D 30.A 31.C 32.C 33.B 34.A 35.A 36.D 37.B 38.C 39.F 40.G 语言知识运用 第一节(41---60每小题1.5分;满分30分) 41. B 42.D 43.C44.A 45.B 46.D 47.A 48.C 49.B 50.A 51.A 52.C 53.D 54.B 55.C 56.B 57.D 58.A 59.C 60.B 语言知识运用 第二节(61---70每小题1.5分;满分15分) 61. is shaped 62. which 63. have adopted 64.Through 65. convenience 66. the 67. operating 68. globally 69. easier 70. Checked 短文改错(共10处错,改对1处得1分;从第11处起不给分) A few months after return to the US from Spain, I took a French course. returning I could speak well Spanish, so I decided to study other language. In the first good another lesson, Mr. White guided us to do a lot of pronunciation exercise. He would exercises say a word and two in French, and each of us were asked to follow him in turn. or was When it was my turn, he kept having me to repeat what he said. After class, I ask Mr. White why. "I find it great fun. I’ve never heard ^American speak asked an French in a Spanish accent", he said happily. with (短文改错答案图片版) 书面表达(25满分) Dear Sir/Madam, I’m Li Hua, a student from China. I’d like to express my sincere thanks to you for accepting me as a freshman in Nottingham University. However, I can’t register for school as scheduled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, so I have to say sorry and convey my deepest apologies. As is required, we should stay home to keep safe. Therefore, I have no option but to write and ask for your permission to postpone the registration time or I wonder whether I can register online. If you could take my request into consideration. I will be more than happy and grateful. Looking forward to your reply. Yours Truly Li Hua 书面表达评分原则及要求(双评阈值为4分) 一、评分原则 1.本题满分为25分,按5个档次给分。 2.评分时,先根据文章的内容和语言初步确定其所属档次,然后以该档次的要求来衡量,确定或调整档次,最后给分。 3.词数少于80和多于120的,从总分中减去2分。 4.评分时应注意的主要内容为:内容要点、应用词汇和语法结构的丰富性和准确性及上下文的连贯性。 5. 拼写与标点符号是语言准确性的一个方面。评分时,应视其对交际的影响程度予以考虑。英、美拼写及词汇用法均可接受。 6. 如书写较差以致影响交际,可将其分数降低一个档次。 二、内容要点 1.新冠疫情爆发; 2.不能如期报到; 3.表达歉意; 4.申请延迟报到; 5.希望获准。 三、各档次的给分范围和要求 第五档(21~25分)完全完成了试题规定的任务 -----覆盖所有主要内容; -----应用了较多的语法结构和词汇; -----语法结构或词汇方面有些许错误,但因为尽力使用较复杂结构或较高级词汇所致。; -----有效地使用了语句间的连接成分,使全文结构紧凑;完全达到了预期的写作目的。 第四档(16~20分) 完成了试题规定的任务 -----虽漏掉一两个次重点,但覆盖所有主要内容; -----应用的语法结构和词汇能满足任务的要求; -----语法结构或词汇方面应用基本准确,些许错误主要是因尝试较复杂语法结构或词汇所致; -----应用简单的语句连接成分,使全文结构紧凑; 达到了预期的写作目的。 第三档(11~15分)基本完成了试题规定的任务 -----虽漏掉一些内容,但覆盖所有主要内容; -----应用的语法结构和词汇能满足任务的要求。 -----有一些语法结构和词汇方面的错误,但不影响理解。 -----应用简单的语句间连接成分,使全文内容连贯; 整体而言,基本达到了预期的写作目的。 第二档(6~10分) 未恰当完成试题规定的任务 -----漏掉或未描述清楚一些主要内容,写了一些无关内容; -----语法结构单调,词汇知识有限; -----有一些语法结构或词汇方面的错误,影响了对写作内容的理解; -----较少使用语句间的连接成分,内容缺少连贯性;信息未能清楚地传达给读者。 第一档(1~5分) 未完成试题规定的任务 -----明显遗漏主要内容,写了一些无关内容,原因可能是未理解试题要求; -----语法结构单调。词汇知识有限; -----较多语法结构和词汇方面的错误,影响对写作内容的理解; -----缺乏语句间的连接成分,内容不连贯; 信息未传达给读者。 0分 未能传达给读者任何信息:内容太少,无法评判;所写内容均与所要求内容无关或所写内容无法看清。 说明: 1、内容要点可用不同方式表达。所谓不同方式主要是指不同的表达方式,即不同的语法结构、不同的句型句式、不同的词汇套语等。 2、应紧扣主题,可适当发发挥。 听力录音材料 Text 1. M: Jessie, what were you doing at about 9:00 this morning? I made a voice call to you, but you didn’t answer. W: Sorry. I was having an online class then and not available. Text 2. W: Can I help you, sir? M: I’m looking for the new Nike Jordan sports shoes. Have you got them? W: Pity, they have been all sold out. Text 3. W: Did you always want to be a doctor? M: No. I studied economics at school, hoping to be a businessman. But my father persuaded me to study traditional Chinese medicine after him. Text 4 M: What do you think of professor Wong’s lecture about the history of civilization? W: Well, I have to say I’m impressed by his lively talk. Text 5 W: Gosh! It’s great to be free and go play in such beautiful spring! M: Yes. The scary virus has been controlled at last! It is more than two months since we were required to stay indoors. I’ll never forget such tough time. Text 6 W: Hi Jack, you look so fit and energetic! Do you exercise a lot? M: Yes, whenever I can find time. What about you, Alice? W: I’m too busy to exercise, I’m afraid. What do you do to keep in shape? M: I like jogging, swimming and mountaineering. Every early morning I go jogging for half an hour, go swimming at least twice a week and go climbing every other week. W: No wonder you look so well. Text 7 W: What changes have you seen in Beijing over the last few decades, John? M: Well, when I first came here in1989, I could see few very tall buildings and few cars but many cyclists on the road and hutongs all around. Now, high-rise buildings everywhere, long lines of private cars are running on the road. W: Yes. Exactly. So when did you begin to notice the big changes? M: The rapid change has happened in the last decade. Economics as well as science and technology is developing fast and people’s life has been improved greatly. W: I think so.Are you pleased with your life in Beijing? M: Sure. And I’ve got an idea that I hope to live here happily for the rest of my life. Text 8 M: Honey, look at this sofa. What do you think? W: Oh, I’m not sure about the style. And is it comfortable? M: Come on, try it. W: Hmm. It’s really comfortable! And I’d like to have something this size. Our old sofa is a bit small. This size is perfect. M: What do you think of the color? W: Well, brown isn’t my favorite color, but it’s better than that terrible gray one we have now. It’s okay, I guess. M: The price on the label is $1699. W: $1699! That’s really too expensive! We can’t afford it right now. M: I know. Why don’t we wait till next month for their mid-year sale? It might be cheaper then. W: That’s a good idea! Text 9 M: Oh, I hope David likes this. It’s a bit of risk serving Dongpo pork and West Lake fish to a guest who comes to visit us for the first time. Maybe I should also prepare a steak. W: Yeah. It’s not a bad idea. David is the new director of my department, and I don’t know much about his preference. He came from another department of the company early this year. M: I’ve never met him before, but I’ve heard a lot about him from you in the past few days. It seems that he’s a very good boss, with rich business experience. W: Absolutely. He’s the one who comes to save the department. M: Really? Why do you say so? W: Well, you know, last year, when the economy was not good, our profit was far from satisfying. The company even thought about closing down this department. M: So, what about the situation this year? W: David introduced a brand new system for sales and management, and it’s quite effective and efficient. The profit has even doubled in the last month. M: Wow, that’s fantastic! I cannot wait to meet him for dinner. Text 10 M: Hello, everyone. My name’s Ben. I’m from a group called “Nature”. We run courses for young people like you to do during weekends. Now I’d like to tell you about the courses you can do on Saturday mornings. These courses are really about giving you students the chance to come and find out wildlife. It’s an area that tends to get forgotten. We usually take students to a wild place that’s near their home. Sometimes we go to a beach or a lake, but we’ve planned for you to go to a forest this time. That’s the closest place for you, and the easiest to get to. Taking part in our activities means you get to do all sorts of things including building a fire, which you wouldn’t normally be allowed to do at home. While you’re with us, we'll also show you how to make things out of different materials. On the last course, everyone designed backpacks which they were very pleased with. This time we’d get you to design and make a birdhouse. When it is finished, you can take it home and show it to your family. We think you’ll really enjoy this. Now, we’d like you to come and do some activities with us. You spend three hours each week with us and the courses last for 12 weeks. That might sound a long time, but we think you'll not be sorry when it's over. Now, any questions? 查看更多