四川省射洪县射洪中学（应届）2019届高三上学期第一次月考英语试题

四川省射洪县射洪中学（应届）2019届高三上学期第一次月考英语试题

射洪中学高2016级高三上期第一学月考试 英语试题 命题人：鞠杰 魏大鹏 胥承杰 校对人：李锐 审题人:杨霞 本试卷共150分，共14页。考试结束后，将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。‎ 注意事项：‎ ‎1.答题前，考生先将自己的姓名、准考证号码填写清楚，将条形码准确粘贴在条形码区域内。‎ ‎2.选择题必须使用2B铅笔填涂；非选择题必须使用0.5毫米黑字迹的签字笔书写，字体工整，笔迹清楚。‎ ‎3.请按照题号顺序在各题目的答题区域内作答，超出答题区域书写的答案无效；在草稿纸、试题卷上答题无效。‎ ‎4.作图可先用铅笔画出，确定后必须用黑色字迹的签字笔描黑。‎ ‎5.保持卡面清洁，不要折叠、不要弄破、弄皱，不准使用涂改液、修正带、刮纸刀。‎ 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答案。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。‎ 例：How much is the shirt?‎ ‎ A．£ 19.15　　　 B．£9.18　　　 C．£9.15‎ 答案是C。‎ ‎1. What will Lucy do at 11:30 tomorrow?‎ A. Go out for lunch. B. See her dentist. C. Visit a friend.‎ ‎2. What is the weather like now?‎ A. It’s sunny. B. It’s rainy. C. It’s cloudy.‎ ‎3. Why does the man talk to Dr. Simpson?‎ A. To make an apology. B. To ask for help. ‎ C. To discuss his studies. ‎ ‎4. How will the woman get back from the railway station?‎ A. By train. B. By car. C. By bus.‎ ‎5. What does Jenny decide to do first?‎ A. Look for a job. B. Go on a trip. C. Get an assistant.‎ 第二节 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. What time is it now?‎ A. 1:45. B. 2:10. C. 2:15.‎ ‎7. What will the man do?‎ A. Work on a project. B. See Linda in the library.‎ C. Meet with Professor Smith.‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。‎ ‎8. What are the speakers talking about?‎ A. Having guests this weekend. B. Going out for sightseeing.‎ C. Moving into a new house.‎ ‎9. What is the relationship between the speakers?‎ A. Neighbors. B. Husband and wife. ‎ C. Host and visitor.‎ ‎10. What will the man do tomorrow?‎ A. Work in his garden. B. Have a barbecue. ‎ C. Do some shopping.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。‎ ‎11. Where was the man born?‎ A. In Philadelphia. B. In Springfield. C. In Kansas.‎ ‎12. What did the man like doing when he was a child?‎ A. Drawing. B. Traveling. C. Reading.‎ ‎13. What inspires the man most in his work?‎ A. Education. B. Family love. C. Nature.‎ 听第9段材料，回答第14至17题。‎ ‎14. Why is Dorothy going to Europe?‎ A. To attend a training program.  B. To carry out some research. ‎ C. To take a vacation. ‎ ‎15. How long will Dorothy stay in Europe?‎ A. A few days. B. Two weeks. C. Three months. ‎ ‎16. What does Dorothy think of her apartment?‎ A. It’s expensive. B. It’s satisfactory. C. It’s inconvenient. ‎ ‎17. What does Bill offer to do for Dorothy?‎ A. Recommend her apartment to Jim.  ‎ B. Find a new apartment for her. ‎ C. Take care of her apartment. ‎ 听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。‎ ‎18. What are the tourists advised to do when touring London?‎ A. Take their tour schedule.B. Watch out for the traffic.C. Wear comfortable shoes. ‎ ‎19. What will the tourists do in fifteen minutes?‎ A. Meet the speaker.  B. Go to their rooms.  C. Change some money. ‎ ‎20. Where probably is the speaker?‎ A. In a park. B. In a hotel. C. In a shopping centre. ‎ 第二部分 阅读理解(共两节，满分40分)‎ 第一节 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)‎ 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。‎ A The Costa Book Awards consistently pick winners that are both of the moment and subsequently endure. It’s our pleasure to confirm this year’s Category Winners. 　　First Novel Award Winner 　　Book: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine  　　Author: Gail Honeyman 　　Eleanor is 31 years old; work finishes on a Friday and begins again on a Monday. Between, her only company will be two bottles of vodka and her own solitary, unique wit (机智). It is contentment, of a kind, but an unexpected shared experience suddenly opens the door to possibility. Challenging reader expectations with a living, breathing character, Gail Honeyman’s debut is a funny and moving diamond. 　　Biography Award Winner 　　Book: In the Days of Rain  　　Author: Rebecca Stott  　　The Exclusive Brethren were a closed community who believed the world is ruled by Satan. Into this is born Rebecca. Her father had been an influential Brethren Minister. As her father lay dying, he begged her to help him write the memoir. He wanted to tell the story of their family who for generations had all been members of a fundamentalist Christian sect (宗派). 　　Poetry Award Winner 　　Book: Inside the Wave  　　Author: Helen Dunmore  　　To be alive is to be inside the wave, always travelling until it breaks and is gone. These poems are concerned with the borderline between the living and the dead — the underworld and the human living world — and the acutely intense being of both.  　　Children’s Award Winner 　　Book: The Explorer ‎ ‎ 　　Author: Katherine Rundell, Hannah Horn  　　Four children survive their aircraft plunging into the Amazon jungle, but for Fred and his friends it’s only the beginning of a cruel battle for survival. Brimming with adventure and a real command of character and incident, Rundell has few peers in superb children’s fiction. 21. What kind of life does Eleanor lead? 　　A. Boring and lonely. B. Funny and touching. ‎ C.Exciting and complex. D. Ordinary and happy.‎ ‎22. Why did Rebecca Stott write In the Days of Rain? A. To introduce beliefs of the Exclusive Brethren.  B. To help her father fulfill his last wish. C. To share the life of fundamentalist Christians.  D. To pass on her family traditions.‎ ‎23. For a young adventurous soul, which book seems more appealing? A. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. B. In the Days of Rain. C. Inside the Wave. D. The Explorer.‎ B Regardless of how far we’d like to believe gender（性别）equality in the workplace has come, there’s still a yawning gap between male and female leaders in the professional world. A 2018 statistic shows that women nowadays hold just 5.8 percent of CEOs positions at S&P 500 companies, according to Catalyst.‎ While it’s not a huge shock that women are somewhat underrepresented in leadership positions, what is surprising though, is the fact that females may actually be better suited to lead in almost every area, at least according to new findings from the BI Norwegian Business School.‎ ‎ In their research, Professor Oyvind L. Martinsen and Professor Lars Glas surveyed (调查) 2,900 managers with a special focus on personality types. The results were clear: Women scored higher than men in four of the five major leadership-centric categories.‎ While some people believe that men inherently make better leaders — probably because they picture a leader with a commanding voice, which is more typical of men than women — this piece of research suggests that women are better at methodical management and goal-setting, openness, sociability and supportiveness, as well as ability to communicate clearly.‎ There was one area in which men scored higher than women, though, and that was on emotional stability and ability to face job-related pressure and stress. The results suggest that women are more sensitive to the effects of high-pressure or highly emotional situations.‎ Obviously, it’s important to consider individual (个人的) differences. Anyone, regardless of gender, may be an inspiring leader and a competent boss. But next time you’re hiring for a management position, you just might want to give the resumes (简历) from female candidates a harder look.‎ 24. What makes us shocked much at leadership positions?‎ A. Women are worse than men. ‎ B. Men take almost all high positions. ‎ C. There is a huge gap between genders. ‎ D. Women might behave better in nearly every field.‎ ‎25. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “inherently” in Paragraph 4?‎ A. properly  B. potentially  C. naturally  D. normally ‎26. Which of the following may be the best title of this text?‎ A. How We Can Figure Out The Boss B. Why Women Are Better Than Men C. Why Women Make The Best Bosses D. How We Can Tell Gender Difference ‎27. Who might have special interest in this article?‎ A. Job hunters. B. Employers. ‎ C. Employees.  D. Male bosses.‎ ‎ C Why do you go to the library? For books, yes — but you like books because they tell stories. You hope to get lost in a story or be transported into someone else’s life. At one type of library, you can do just that — even though there’s not a single book.‎ At a Human Library, instead of books, you can “borrow” people. Individuals volunteer as human “books” and participants in the event can “read” the book — meaning they would have a one-on-one conversation with the volunteer and share in a dialogue about that individual’s experience. “Books” are volunteers from all walks of life who have experienced discrimination (歧视) based on race, religion, class, gender identity, age, lifestyle choices, disability and other aspects of their life.‎ For a certain amount of time, you can ask them questions and listen to their stories, which are as fascinating and as attractive as any you can find in a book. Many of the stories have to do with some kind of stereotype. You can speak with a refugee (难民), a soldier suffering from PTSD, a homeless person or a woman living with HIV. The Human Library encourages people to challenge their own long-held beliefs — to truly get to know, and learn from someone they might otherwise make a quick judgment about. ‎ According to its website, the Human Library is “a place where difficult questions are expected, appreciated and answered”. It provides the opportunity for the community to share and understand the experiences of others in their community.‎ The Human Library Organization came to be in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2000. Ronni Abergel, his brother Dany, and some colleagues hosted a four-day event during a major Northern European festival, hoping to raise awareness about violence among youth. After the success of this event, Abergel founded the Human Library Organization, which has been growing ever since.‎ Though there are a few permanent human libraries, most aren’t places at all, but events. Though many do take place at physical libraries, you don’t need a library card — anyone can come and be part of the experience. There have been human library events all over the globe, in universities and in pubs, from Chicago to Tunis to Edinburgh to San Antonio. ‎ The stories these “books” tell range from fascinating to heartbreaking and everything in between. And that’s the very point of the organization — to prove that no person can be summed up in just one word. It seeks to show people that you truly can’t judge a book by its cover — or by its title or label.‎ ‎28. The “books” in human libraries are ______.‎ A. long-held beliefs attracting individuals B. inspiring stones motivating people in trouble C. events in which people can talk to volunteers D. unfairly-treated people sharing their experiences ‎29. The event in Copenhagen is significant because it ______.‎ A. aimed to help the young suffering from violence B. attempted to replace traditional physical libraries C. laid a foundation for the Human Library Organization D. led to a pleasing development for the community with racism ‎30. In human libraries, the readers are likely to ______.‎ A. deepen their understanding of people B. enrich their own personal experiences C. hear the stories from all over the world D. make quick judgments about the “books”‎ ‎31. The main purpose of the passage is to ______.‎ A. compare and evaluate B. inform and explain C. discuss and persuade D. analyze and suggest ‎ D They say the average person makes 35，000 decisions a day．Yet in her new book，How Woman Decide，Therese Huston explores a widespread phenomenon that many women fail to notice．“There’s a huge double standard when it comes to how men and women are viewed as decision makers，”explains Therese，a psychologist from Seattle University．Therese decided to write the book after looking at her bookshelf：At one end，there were bestselling books about how to be a brilliant decision maker—all written by men and featuring interviews with men like athletes．At the other end were books aimed at women on gaining leadership skills and confidence．‎ ‎ “Once those women are at the table，will their decisions be taken as seriously as men’s?”Therese wondered．“Men are respected as decision makers more than women，especially in the workplace，largely because there’s this cultural belief that women are unable to make smart choices at work．”‎ ‎ So，Therese set out to pick apart the stereotypes(固有印象)to see what scientific research had found．“Scientific research shows that men and women struggle with decision-making equally．The only disadvantage I found was that during the teenage years-teenage girls are more indecisive than teenage boys．Otherwise，there’s little difference between the genders(性别)．”‎ However，there are some differences．“Women are more collaborative(协作的)，”says Therese．“A female boss is more likely to ask the opinions of those around her when making a choice．Women ask for input，which helps make better decisions．However，this is often seen as a weakness rather than a strength．”‎ Therese also found that during times of stress，men and women make different choices，and the outcomes are often better when women are involved．‎ Study after study backs this view up．Neuroscientists Mara Mather and Nicole Light hall from the University of Southern California studied the way men and women make decisions and found that in times of stress，they react very differently．‎ During their study，which involved playing a virtual gambling(赌博)game，they found that when the females became stressed，they made smart decisions—quitting while they were ahead or taking safe bets．But when the men became stressed，they did the opposite，risking everything for a slim chance of a big win．‎ ‎32．Why did Therese Huston write her book How Women Decide?‎ A．Women are less respected as decision makers．‎ B．Women are not equally treated in workplaces．‎ C．Women are unable to make smart choices．‎ D．Women are poor at making big decisions．‎ ‎33．What is women’s weakness in decision—making according to Therese Huston?‎ A．Men can make quicker decisions than women．‎ B．Women easily get stressed when making decisions．‎ C．Women are likely to ask for input when making decisions．‎ D．Teenage girls are 1ess able to make decisions than teenage boys．‎ ‎34．What can we infer from the last paragraph?‎ A．Women show less confidence in times of stress．‎ B．Men tend to make risky in times of stress．‎ C．Men demonstrate great bravery in times of stress．‎ D．Women quit making decisions when ahead in games．‎ ‎35．What’s Therese’s final conclusion according to the text?‎ A．Women are brilliant as decision makers．‎ B．Men are weaker in making smart decisions．‎ C．We should give up all cultural beliefs about gender．‎ D．Great difference exists between the two genders in decision—making．‎ 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。‎ Not all students know how to prepare for exams. 36 with teachers’ help, students can prepare for exams much better, thus doing better in exams. Here are some ways that teachers can use to help students prepare for exams.‎ ‎ 37 with lower-grade students, create a list of topics that they need to study. Higher-grade students can still benefit from a list, even if it’s a list of all the topics they’ve studied that year. That’s because a list gives them something to check off. Throughout your review time, encourage students to mark their topic list, crossing off things that they already know and highlighting or putting a star beside things they need to study.‎ ‎ 38 Don’t just stand in front of the class and try to review everything. Instead, students should be the ones looking up things in their notes and trying to remember how to solve problems. The more actively involved the students are, the more focused they will be, and the more they will remember.‎ Have students write quizzes for each other. When students write their own quiz questions, they involve more deeply in the material. 39 After that, have them exchange with another student and take each other’s quiz. Finally they are to grade the quiz they wrote and discuss any wrong answers with the student who took their quiz.‎ Give students a practice exam. 40 Usually on the last review day, I will give a practice exam—a short, ungraded test that has similar questions as what will be tested in the exam. We then go over it during the second half of the class. It’s really helpful.‎ A. Have the students work, not yourself.‎ B. Remember to try to review everything.‎ C. So have them write a 5-10-question quiz.‎ D. Give students similar questions before the exam.‎ E. It means teachers should help students prepare for exams.‎ F. Give students a list of topics that could be tested in the exam.‎ G. This is a great way to help students know how prepared they are.‎ 第三部分 语言知识运用（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A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。‎ As everyone grows，they realize there will always be someone who is better．I learned this 41 in the second year in high schoo1．The shock this experience brought was so great that I felt my 42 was left on the side of the road for dead．That was all it took；one year and one person 43 everything．‎ Her name is Jenny．She was the girl who 44 raised her hand and had useful comments about everything．When teachers needed challenging problems answered，they 45 her．And if students needed 46 ，they went looking for her．I didn’t 47 her，but I admit her presence annoyed me．In the first year，as a model student，I was the person everyone 48 and all the teachers trusted．Then she came out of 49 ! We also had two classes 50 ．There I got to see what everybody thought of her．When an exam finished，it became a 51 that she got the top grade and it didn’t 52 to my classmates whether I was right there， 53 I also got excellent grades．They would cross a desert and 54 her! I was left being denied my presence． 55 ，I felt like not trying anymore．‎ I stopped trying to put on a show because no one was 56 anymore．Later，I volunteered at the graduation ceremony．She was called to make a(n) 57 and discussed their difficulties．I realized all her hard work got her there，not her desire to 58 ．It finally hit me that Jenny 59 the attention she got．She showed me how big the world is and how 60 a world I used to 1ive in．I’11 do my best because I know it will pay off．‎ ‎41．A．1esson B．course C．plan D．excuse ‎42．A．sympathy B．trust C．respect D．pride ‎43．A．proved B．remembered C．changed D．checked ‎44．A．only B．still C．never D．always ‎45．A．called on B．interrupted C．supported D．cared about ‎46．A．friends B．answers C．news D．money ‎47．A．hate B．hurt C．stop D．follow ‎48．A．protected B．noticed C．missed D．served ‎49．A．somewhere B．everywhere C．nowhere D．anywhere ‎50．A．first B．again C．alone D．together ‎51．A．standard B．challenge C．fact D．chance ‎52．A．return B．matter C．happen D．occur ‎53．A．even if B．as if C．once D．since ‎54．A．ask B．help C．remind D．control ‎55．A．Frightened B．Confused C．Bored D．Heartbroken ‎56．A．laughing B．chatting C．watching D．hosting ‎57．A．decision B．attempt C．speech D．appointment ‎58．A．break up B．give up C．take off D．show off ‎59．A．1oved B．deserved C．needed D．escaped ‎60．A．1onely B．small C．peaceful D．dark 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。‎ I’ve been taking Chinese language lessons for the past three years of high school in America. Yet nothing truly prepared me for the 61 (real) of breathing the Chinese culture that I had the opportunity 62 (discover) this summer. Lots of things have shocked me over the course of this trip as an exchange student to China.‎ The biggest problem I have experienced in China is 63 very fact that I am a foreigner. I have never before had the experience of 64 (be) a complete outsider. On the way to my host family, my blonde hair and fair skin attracted quite a few curious 65 (look). When we went out as a group, we American students 66 (treat) as the subject of many Chinese tourist photos. This has been a culture shock to me 67 (main) because I’m from a country 68 seeing people of different races is quite common. No one told me the city I was to study in was much 69 (little) diverse than I’d been accustomed to.‎ While 70 took me some time to get used to the attention, I’ve learned from it. It has put me on my best behavior, as I am an ambitious girl who dreams big.‎ 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l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，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。‎ 注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；‎ ‎2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。‎ My first stay at home alone was very memorable. One day when I was twelve, both my mother and father were away on the business and I had to be all with myself for two days. My parents left early the first day, I got up soon after they left. The first ‎ ‎ evening I was a little scary, so I turned on all the light. I actually keep the light on in my bedroom the whole night, that finally put me at ease. For fear of get up late the next morning, I put three alarm clocks near my bed and set the alarms respectively at 6:00, 6:10, and 6:15. In order to prove that I could take good care of me, I washed my own clothes the next day, though I could wait for Mum to do it. I really felt proudly of myself and thought I had grown up.‎ 第二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假定你是李华，目前在美国你校的友好学校Wilson High School学习交流，将于下周一回国。请通过电子邮件给该校校长Mr. Smith写一封感谢信。‎ 要点包括：1.对友好学校有了更多的了解；‎ ‎2.课程丰富，学到很多东西；‎ ‎3.建立了友情，开拓了视野。‎ 注意：1.词数100左右；2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。‎ Dear Mr. Smith,‎ ‎__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ Yours, ‎ Li Hua 射洪中学高2016级高三上期第一学月考试 英语参考答案 听力 ‎ ‎1-5 BCACB 6-10 ACABC 11-15BACAC 16-20 BACAB 阅读理解 ‎ ‎21-23 DBD 24-27 DCCB 28-31 DCAB 32-35ADBD 36—40 EFACG 完形填空 ‎ ‎41-45 ADCDA 46-50 BABCD 51-55CBAAD 56-60 CDB 语法填空 ‎ ‎61.reality 62. to discover 63.the 64. being 65.looks ‎ ‎66.were treated 67. mainly 68.where 69.less 70.it 第一节 短文改错 My first stay at home alone was very memorable. One day when I was twelve, both my mother and father were away on the business and I had to be all with myself ‎ ‎ 去掉the by for two days. My parents left early the first day, /I got up soon after they left. The first ‎ ‎ and evening I was a little scary, so I turned on all the light. I actually keep the light on in ‎ scared lights kept ‎ my bedroom the whole night, that finally put me at ease. For fear of get up late the ‎ which getting ‎ next morning, I put three alarm clocks near my bed and set the alarms respectively at ‎ ‎ ‎6: 00, 6:10, and 6: 15. In order to prove that I could take good care of me, I washed ‎ ‎ myself ‎ my own clothes the next day, though I could wait for Mum to do it. I really felt proudly ‎ proud of myself and thought I had grown up.‎ ‎ ‎ 第二节 书面表达 Dear Mr. Smith,‎ How time flies! I’m Li Hua, an exchange student from China visiting your school now. I’ve been here for several weeks and will be back home next Monday. I’m writing to extend my sincere thanks to you.‎ During my stay, I’ve learnt so much about your school. To my amazement, your school possesses great learning resources and excellent teachers. Thanks to your proper arrangements, I attended many classes of different subjects, learning much knowledge. Meanwhile, I established good relationship with some students in your school and got to know your culture at the same time. I sincerely hope they can visit my school someday.‎ Thank you for your help and support again. Welcome to China. ‎ Yours, ‎ Li Hua 录音原文 Text 1‎ M: Lucy, would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow?‎ W: Oh, I’d really love to, but I have an appointment with my dentist at 11:30. Thanks for inviting me.‎ Text 2‎ W: Peter, how is the weather now? Is it still raining?‎ M: No, but there’s still lots of clouds. The weatherman said the sun wouldn’t come out until next week. ‎ Text 3‎ M: I’m sorry I was late for class today, Dr. Simpson. ‎ W: Well, I’ll let it go this time. But you saw it disturbed the rest of the class. ‎ M: Yes, I realized that. I won’t let it happen again.‎ Text 4‎ W: Hi, Mike. Listen, I’m coming back this afternoon, and I’ll take a bus from the railway station. So, you don’t need to come and pick me up.‎ M: OK, take care, and see you soon. ‎ Text 5‎ M: Jenny, there’s an opening for an assistant manager in our company. You should give it a try. ‎ W: Thank you George, but I’ve decided to travel a bit before finding another job. ‎ Text 6‎ M: By the way, do you know what time it is?‎ W: Well, it’s a quarter to two.‎ M: Oh, I’ve got to go. ‎ W: See Linda in the library? ‎ M: No. Actually I’m going to meet with Professor Smith at ten past two. You may continue our project discussion with Michael. ‎ W: All right. ‎ Text 7‎ W: Harry, guess what? I’ve just received an email from Pamela. She and Peter are coming down to see us this weekend.‎ M: Oh, that’s good news! We haven’t seen them for ages. ‎ W: Yeah. The last time we met them was at our wedding three years ago. ‎ M: Did Pamela mention how long they’ll stay?‎ W: About one week.‎ M: Great! I can’t wait to show them around our new house. ‎ W: Me too. We haven’t had any guests since we moved in here. If the weather is fine, we can have a barbecue in the garden. ‎ M: Good idea. I’ll go to the market tomorrow to buy all the things we’ll need. ‎ Text 8‎ W: Hello, everyone. Welcome to our program. Today, we are fortunate to have a special guest with us. Some of you may have heard of him before. He’s an artist. His works have received many prizes and have been shown in over one hundred exhibitions across the country — Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, to name just a few. His name is Chris Cucksy. So Chris, tell us a bit about yourself. ‎ M: Well, I was born in Springfield, Missouri, and grew up in Kansas. I didn’t come from a family with wealth or position, but I did manage to get a master’s degree in fine arts.‎ W: When did you first start to make art? And what was the turning point in your life that made you an artist?‎ M: I always liked drawing as early as I can remember, so right from then, I knew what I was going to be: an artist. ‎ W: What is it that always inspires you to create?‎ M: Nature is the biggest inspiration. I’m always inspired by things of beauty and harmony. ‎ Text 9‎ M: You must be pretty excited about your trip to Europe, Dorothy. When are you leaving?‎ W: In just two weeks, and I am excited. I’ve been looking forward to this training program for a long time. But there are still a few things I need to do before I go. ‎ M: Like what? ‎ W: Like renewing my passport and figuring out what to do with my apartment while I’m gone. ‎ M: You are not going to give it up, are you?‎ W: No way! I’ll never find another apartment like it around here. But I don’t like the idea of paying three months for an empty apartment, either. So, I’m looking for someone to take it while I’m away. ‎ M: Um, let me think. Oh, I know just a person. An old colleague of mine, Jim Thomas. He is coming here to do some research this summer, from June to August. ‎ W: Well, that’s exactly when I’ll be away! ‎ M: Tell you what: I’ll be calling Jim late this week anyway, so I’ll mention it to him. ‎ W: Well, thanks, Bill. ‎ Text 10‎ W: I hope I’ve given you a clear idea of the schedule for your London weekend. And, before I finish, let me just give you some advice which should make your stay more enjoyable. Firstly, please do remember to put on some comfortable shoes. London is a big place, and whatever you do, you’ll find yourself doing quite a lot of walking. So, comfortable shoes are really necessary. And secondly, let me ask you to please look after your money. Keep it safe at all times, and then you will not have any unpleasant accident, which could ruin your whole weekend. You’ll find a copy of your weekend’s schedule in your room. Take a look at it, and make sure you’re clear about everything. Well, that’s all from me for now. Go and leave your luggage in your rooms. I’ll be seeing you here again in fifteen minutes. Goodbye for now!‎