2018-2019学年湖北省钢城四中高二上学期期中考试英语试题 Word版

2018-2019学年湖北省钢城四中高二上学期期中考试英语试题 Word版

钢城四中2018—2019（上）期中考试卷 学科 英语 年级 高二 ‎ 命题 蔡丹丹 审核 刘晶晶 ‎ 时间 ‎120‎ 分值 ‎150’‎ 本试卷分第I卷（选择题）和第II卷（非选择题）两部分，共150分，考试时间120分钟 第I卷（选择题 共90分）‎ 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）‎ 第一节 ‎ 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 does John find difficult in learning German？‎ A． Pronunciation. B． Vocabulary. C． Grammar.‎ ‎2. What is the probable relationship between the speakers？‎ A．Teacher and student. B． Brother and sister. C．Colleagues. ‎ ‎3. Where does the conversation probably take place？‎ A． In a bank. B． At a ticket office. C． On a train.‎ ‎4. What are the speakers talking about？‎ A． A restaurant. B． A street. C． A dish.‎ ‎5. What does the woman think of her interview？‎ A． It was tough. B． It was successful. C．It was interesting. ‎ 听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。‎ ‎6. When will Judy go to a party？‎ A． On Monday. B． On Tuesday. C． On Wednesday.‎ ‎7. What will Max do next？‎ A． Fly a kite. B．Do his homework. C．Read a magazine.‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。‎ ‎8.What does the man suggest doing at first？‎ A． Going to a concert. B． Watching a movie. C． Playing a computer game.‎ ‎9.What do the speakers decide to do？‎ A． Visit Mike. B． Go boating. C． Take a walk.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。‎ ‎10.Which color do cats see better than humans？‎ A． Red. B． Green. C． Blue.‎ ‎11.Why do cats bring dead birds home？‎ A． To eat them in a safe place. B． To show off their hunting skills. C． To make their owners happy.‎ ‎12.How does the man sound at the end of the conversation？‎ A．Humorous. B．Grateful. C． Curious.‎ 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎13.Who is Macy？‎ A． Ed’s mother. B． Ed’s teacher. C． Ed’s friend.‎ ‎14.How does Ed usually go to kindergarten？‎ A． By car. B．By bus. C．On foot. ‎ ‎15.What does Ed enjoy doing at the kindergarten？‎ A． Telling stories. B． Singing songs . C． Playing with others.‎ ‎16.What do the teachers say about Ed？‎ A． He’s clever. B． He’s quiet. C． He’s brave.‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17.At what age did Emily start learning ballet？‎ A． Five. B． Six. C． Nine.‎ ‎18.Why did Emily move to Toronto？‎ A． To work for a dance school. B． To perform at a dance theater. C． To learn contemporary dance.‎ ‎19.Why did Emily quit dancing？‎ A．She lost interest in it. B．She failed to get a scholarship. C．She was too old to dance.‎ ‎20.How does Emily feel about stopping training？‎ A． She’s pleased. B． She’s regretful. C． She’s upset.‎ 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，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ A Want to improve your writing skills? New Writing South is directing the way!‎ ‎·Towner Writer Squad (班组）for kids aged 13-17‎ Led by comedy and TV writer, Marian Kilpatrick, Towner Writer Squad will meet once a month at the contemporary art museum for 11 months, starting 12 October, 2014.‎ The FREE squad sessions will include introductions to a wide range of writing styles, from poetry to play writing and lyrics (抒情诗）to flash fiction, to support the development of young writers.‎ Application & Selection If you would like to apply to be part of the Towner Writer Squad, please send a sample piece of your writing (about 500 words), responding to the title ‘LUNCH’ ，with your name, age, address and e-mail address to: debo@newwritingsouth.com.‎ Once all applications are in, you will be invited to an open selection event on 17‎ ‎ September，4-5pm, at the gallery of Towner. This will be an informal opportunity to meet the Squad Leader, Squad Associate and other young people.‎ You will also have a chance to get to know the fantastic gallery space and get a taste of what’s to come.‎ Deadline for applications: 8 September, 2014‎ For further information go to: facebook.com/towner or towner.org.uk or newwritingsouth.com Any questions 一 feel free to send your e-mail to Towner Writer Squad Associate: whame@towner.gov.uk ‎﹡ ﹡ ﹡ ﹡ ﹡ ﹡ ﹡ ﹡ ﹡‎ ‎·Beginner Writing Project for kids aged 10-13‎ Due to popular demand, a writing project will be started for eager beginners.‎ Start time: 6 September, 2014‎ Meet every other Saturday，2-4pm, at the Towner Study Centre.‎ Study and write at your own pace 一 you do not have to rush 一 as you have a year to go through the project. Practise under the guidance of some experienced writers and teachers who can help you with basic writing skills. Most importantly, build confidence and have fun while writing!‎ No previous experience or special background is required. Many others have been successful this way. If they can do it, why can’t you?‎ Fee: £179‎ For more information go to: newtowner.org.uk or generate.org.uk ‎21．To join the Writer Squad，each applicant should first _______.‎ A． provide a piece of their writing B． meet the Writer Squad Leader C． offer their family information D． complete an application form ‎22．Applications for the Writer Squad should be e-mailed no later than _______.‎ A．6 September, 2014 B．12 October, 2014‎ C．17 September, 2014 D．8 September, 2014‎ ‎23．What is most important for the beginners?‎ A．Practising as much as possible. ‎ B．Gaining confidence and having fun.‎ C．Studying and writing at their own pace.‎ D．Learning skills from writers and teachers.‎ ‎ ‎ B We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.‎ What’s the problem? It’s possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward and challenging, or we ‎ think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.‎ Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease(润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. ＂Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk,＂ he explains. ＂The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.＂‎ In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction(互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. ＂It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband,＂ says Dunn. ＂But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also.＂‎ Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. ＂Small talk is the basis of good manners,＂ he says.‎ ‎24．What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?‎ A． Addiction to smartphones.‎ B．Absence of communication between strangers.‎ C．Inappropriate behaviours in public places. ‎ D． Impatience with slow service.‎ ‎25．What is important for successful small talk according to Carducci?‎ A． Showing good manners. B． Relating to other people.‎ C． Focusing on a topic. D． Making business deals.‎ ‎26．What does the coffee-shop study suggest about small talk?‎ A．It makes people feel good. B． It raises people’s confidence.‎ C． It matters as much as a formal talk. D．It improves family relationships. ‎ ‎27．What is the best title for the text?‎ A． Conversation Counts B． Ways of Making Small Talk C． Benefits of Small Talk D． Uncomfortable Silence ‎ ‎ C A warm drink of milk before bed has long been the best choice for those wanting a good night’s sleep. But now a study has found it really does help people nod off—if it is milked from a cow at night.‎ Researchers have discovered that “night milk” contains more melatonin(褪黑激素), which has been proven to help people feel sleepy and reduce anxiety.‎ The study, by researchers from Seoul, South Korea, involved mice being fed with dried milk powder made from cows milked both during the day and at night.‎ Those given night milk, which contained 10 times the amount of melatonin, were less active and less anxious than those fed with the milk collected during daytime, according to the study published in The Journal of Medicinal Food.‎ Night milk quickened the start of sleep and caused the mice to sleep longer.‎ While the effect of cows milk harvested at different time has not been tested on humans up to now, taking melatonin drugs has been suggested to those who are struggling to fall asleep at night.‎ Previous studies have also indicated that milk can be excellent for helping sleep because of the calcium content, which helps people to relax.‎ Milk is also sugar-free and additive-free with nutritionists recommending skimmed milk as the best choice before bed as it is the least fattening. The more fat you take in before bedtime, the greater burden you will put on your body at night.‎ ‎28．According to the text, the mice fed with daytime milk_______.‎ A．were more anxious B．started sleep more easily C． were less active D． woke up later ‎29．Which of the following is true of melatonin according to the text?‎ A． It’s been tested on mice for ten years B． It can make people more energetic C． It exists in milk in great amount D． It’s used in sleeping drugs ‎30．What can be a suitable title for the text?‎ A． Night Milk and Sleep B． Fat Sugar and Health C． An Experiment on Mice D． Milk Drinking and Health ‎31．How does the author support the theme of the text?‎ A． By giving examples. B． By stating arguments.‎ C．By providing research results. D．By explaining statistical data.‎ ‎ ‎ D If you want to disturb the car industry, you'd better have a few billion dollars: Mom-and-pop carmakers are unlikely to beat the biggest car companies. But in agriculture, small farmers can get the best of the major players. By connecting directly with customers, and by responding quickly to changes in the markets as well as in the ecosystems(生态系统）, small farmers can keep one step ahead of the big guys. As the co-founder of the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC, 美国青年农会）and a family farmer myself. I have a front-row seat to the innovations among small farmers that are transforming the industry.‎ For example, take the Quick Cut Greens Harvester, a tool developed just a couple of years ago ‎ by a young farmer, Jonathan Dysinger, in Tennessee, with a small loan from a local Slow Money group. It enables small-scale farmers to harvest 175 pounds of green vegetables per hour—a huge improvement over harvesting just a few dozen pounds by hand—suddenly making it possible for the little guys to compete with large farms of California. Before the tool came out, small farmers couldn't touch the price per pound offered by California farms. But now, with the combination of a better price point and a generally fresher product, they can stay in business.‎ The sustainable success of small farmers, though, won't happen without fundamental changes to the industry. One crucial factor is secure access to land. Competition from investors, developers, and established large farmers makes owning one's own land unattainable for many new farmers. From 2004 to 2013, agricultural land values doubled, and they continue to rise in many regions.‎ Another challenge for more than a million of the most qualified farm workers and managers is a non-existent path to citizenship — the greatest barrier to building a farm of their own. With farmers over the age of 65 outnumbering(多于）farmers younger than 35 by six to one, and with two-thirds of the nation's farmland in need of a new farmer, we must clear the path for talented people willing to grow the nation's food.‎ There are solutions that could light a path toward a more sustainable and fair farm economy, but farmers can't clumsily put them together before us. We at the NYFC need broad support as we urge Congress to increase farmland conservation, as we push for immigration reform, and as we seek policies that will ensure the success of a diverse and ambitious next generation of farms from all backgrounds. With a new farm bill to be debated in Congress, consumers must take a stand with young farmers.‎ ‎32．The author mentions car industry at the beginning of the passage to introduce .‎ A．a special feature of agriculture B．the importance of investing in car industry C． a trend of development in agriculture D．the progress made in car industry ‎33．What does the author want to illustrate with the example in paragraph 2?‎ A． Loans to small local farmers are necessary.‎ B． Technology is vital for agricultural development.‎ C． Competition between small and big farms is fierce D． Small farmers may gain some advantages over big ones.‎ ‎34．What is the difficulty for those new famers?‎ A． To gain more financial aid. B． To hire good farm managers.‎ C． To have farms of their own. D． To win old farmers’ support.‎ ‎35．What should farmers do for a more sustainable and fair farm economy?‎ A．Expand farmland conservation. B．Seek support beyond NYFC．‎ C． Become members of NYFC． D． Invest more to improve technology.‎ 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。‎ Moving into a new home in a new neighborhood is an exciting experience. Of course, you want to make sure that you become an acceptable and valuable part of your neighborhood. The easiest way to accomplish this is to make sure you conduct yourself as a good neighbor should.36．‎ Perhaps one of the most important things you can do as a good neighbor is to keep your property(房产) neat, clean, and in good repair. 37． By choosing to keep the outside of the home in great shape, you will help to improve the look and feel of the area.‎ Second, take the overall appearance of the neighborhood seriously,. When going for a walk, take along a small garbage bag. 38． This small act will let your neighbors know that you care about the area.‎ ‎39． If a neighbor is going to be out of town, offer to collect mail and newspapers. If a neighbor suffers an illness, offer to do the grocery shopping . Let them know you are there to help in any way that is acceptable, while still respecting the privacy of your neighbor.‎ ‎40． By following the basic rules of respecting others, taking care of what belongs to you, and taking pride in the appearance of the neighborhood in general, you will quickly become a good neighbor that everyone appreciates.‎ A. Here are a few tips to help you win over everyone in the neighborhood quickly B．A good neighbor is also one who likes to help out in small ways.‎ C． Being a good neighbor is more or less about considerate behavior.‎ D. People tend to lake pride in keeping everything in their street fresh and inviting.‎ E. Should you come across waste paper thrown out of a passing car, pick it up.‎ F. Sometimes neighbors may go to the supermarket together to do shopping.‎ G. In general, keep an eye on their property while they are gone.‎ 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四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ Raynor Winn and her husband Moth became homeless due to their wrong investment. Their savings had been 41 to pay lawyers’ fees. To make matters worse, Moth was diagnosed（诊断）with a 42 disease. There was no 43 , only pain relief.‎ Failing to find any other way out, they decided to make a 44 journey, as they caught sight of an old hikers’(徒步旅行者）guide.‎ This was a long journey of unaccustomed hardship and 45 recovery. When leaving home, Raynor and Moth had just ￡320 in the bank. They planned to keep the 46 low by living on boiled noodles, with the 47 hamburger shop treat.‎ Wild camping is 48 in England. To avoid being caught, the Winns had to get their tent up 49 and packed it away early in the morning. The Winns soon discovered that daily hiking in their 50s is a lot 50 than they remember it was in their 20s. Raynor 51 all over and desired a bath. Moth, meanwhile, after an initial 52 , found his symptoms were strangely 53 by their daily tiring journey.‎ ‎54 , the couple found that their bodies turned for the better, with re-found strong muscles that they thought had 55 forever. "Our hair was fried and falling out, nails broken, clothes 56 to a thread, but we were alive."‎ During the journey, Raynor began a career as a nature writer. She writes, " 57 had taken every material thing from me and left me torn bare, an empty page at the end of a(n) 58 written book . It had also given me a 59 , either to leave that page 60 or to keep writing the story with hope. I chose hope.”‎ ‎41．A． drawn up B．backed up C．used up D． kept up ‎42．A． mild B． common C． preventable D． serious ‎43．A． cure B． luck C． care D． promise ‎44．A． business B． walking C． bus D． rail ‎45．A． expected B． frightening C．surprising D．disappointing ‎46．A． budget B． revenue C． compensation D． allowance ‎47．A． frequent B． occasional C． abundant D． constant ‎48．A． unpopular B． lawful C． attractive D． illegal ‎49．A． soon B． early C． late D． slowly ‎50．A．easier B．harder C． cheaper D． funnier ‎51．A． rolled B． bled C． ached D． trembled ‎52．A． struggle B． progress C． excitement D． research ‎53．A． developed B． controlled C．increased D．reduced ‎54．A． Initially B． Eventually C． Temporarily D． Consequently ‎55．A． gained B． kept C． wounded D． lost ‎56．A． sewn B． washed C． worn D． ironed ‎57．A． Doctors B． Hiking C．Homelessness D．Lawyers ‎ ‎58．A． well B． partly C． neatly D． originally ‎59．A． choice B． reward C． promise D． break ‎60．A． loose B． full C．missing D．blank 第II卷（非选择题）‎ 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1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。 ‎ Few people I know seem to have much desire or time to cook. Making Chinese 61(dish) is seen as especially troublesome. Many westerners 62 come to China cook much less than in their own countries once they realize how cheap 63 can be to eat out. I still remember 64 (visit) a friend who’d lived here for five years and I 65 (shock) when I learnt she hadn’t cooked once in all that time.‎ While regularly eating out seems to 66 (become) common for many young people in recent years, it’s not without a cost. The obvious one is money; eating out once or twice a week may be 67 (afford) but doing this most days adds up. There could be an even 68 (high) cost on your health. Researchers have found that there is a direct link between the increase in food eaten outside the home and the rise in 69 (weigh) problems.‎ If you are not going to suffer this problem, then I suggest that the next time you go to your mum’s home 70 dinner, get a few cooking tips from her. Cooking food can be fun. You might also begin to notice the effects not only on your health but in your pocket.‎ 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、删改或修改。‎ 增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（Λ），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：在错的词下划一横线，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。‎ It was Monday morning, and the writing class had just begin. Everyone was silent, wait to see who would be called upon to read his and her paragraph aloud. Some of us were confident and eager take part in the class activity, others were nervous and anxious. I had done myself homework but I was shy. I was afraid that to speak in front of a larger group of people. At that moment, I remembered that my father once said, "The classroom is a place for learning and that include learning from textbooks, and mistake as well." Immediate, I raised my hand.‎ 笫二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假定你是李华，刚刚获得全校英语演讲比赛的一等奖，请你给你的外教写一封英语感谢信，要点如下：‎ 1. 表示感谢；‎ 2. 回顾Jack 对你的帮助和指导；‎ 3. 你的宝贵经验。‎ 注意：‎ 1. 词数120左右。‎ 2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。‎ ‎ ‎ ‎2018-2019高二上学期期中考试英语答案 听力 ‎1-5 CCBAB 6-10 BCACC 11-15 AAACC 16-20 ABCAA 阅读理解 ‎21-23 ADB 24-27 BBAC 28-31 ADAC 32-35 ADCB 七选五 ‎36-40 ADEBC 完型填空 ‎41-45 CDABC 46-50 ABDCB 51-55 CADBD 56-60 CCBAD 语法填空 ‎61. dishes 62.who/that 63.it 64.visiting 65. was shocked ‎66.have become 67.affordable 68.higher 69.weight 70.for 改错 书面表达 Dear Jack,‎ I’m writing to tell you good news that I have won the first prize in our school’s English Speech Contest. I really appreciate your guidance and great help.‎ Looking back on the process of preparing for the contest, I will never forget the great progress I made with your help. Not only did you correct the mistakes in my pronunciation, but you also recommended wonderful English speech videos for me to imitate. What’s more, it was your constant encouragement that inspired me to be confident, which played a vital role in winning the contest.‎ Through the contest, I’ve realized that only when we set a goal and work hard towards it can we gain success in the end.‎ Many thanks again for your great help.‎ Yours sincerely,‎ Li Hua 听力录音稿 Text 1‎ W: So, how is your German class going, John? ‎ M: Well, not bad. The pronunciation is fine with me. And its vocabulary is similar to English, but I’m finding the grammar awful. ‎ W: Well, it takes a while to get it right. ‎ Text 2‎ W: I hope you can come to the party on Saturday. ‎ M: I didn’t know I was invited. ‎ W: Sure you are. Everyone in our office is invited. ‎ Text 3‎ W: May I help you? ‎ M: Yes. When is the next train to London? ‎ W: Oh, let me check. It leaves in twenty minutes. ‎ M: One ticket, please.‎ Text 4‎ W: Charlie, do you know a restaurant called Bravo? ‎ M: Bravo…I know the name, but I’m not sure where it is. ‎ W: It’s on George Street. The food there is excellent. ‎ Text 5‎ W: Brian, I just had an interview. They said they would make a decision soon. ‎ M: What are your chances of getting the job? ‎ W: Quite good. I think the interview went very well. ‎ Text 6‎ M: Let’s go kite flying, Judy. It’s such a lovely day. ‎ W: Okay, but let me finish my chemistry homework first. Would you mind waiting for half an hour, Max? There are a few sports magazines on the table. ‎ M: Isn’t the chemistry homework due next Wednesday? ‎ W: Yeah, but I have a full day of classes on Monday and a birthday party to attend on Tuesday. ‎ M: All right, then. You go ahead, and I’ll catch up on some sports news while waiting. ‎ Text 7‎ W: We’ve been on the computer all the time lately. Why don’t we do something different Sunday afternoon? ‎ M: Well, we could go to a concert. ‎ W: But I don’t think we can get the tickets this late. ‎ M: Then what about playing a computer game? There’s a really cool new one we could download. ‎ W: Hmm. I don’t know. I feel like I need to do some exercise. We could probably just walk by the lake. And I’ll ask Mike to join us. ‎ M: That sounds like fun. Let’s do it!‎ Text 8‎ W: Welcome to our program, Doctor Peterson. Let’s see what questions we’ve got for you today. Here is one: Can cats see color? ‎ M: Sort of. In the wild, Many cats hunt at night because their eyes are designed for low light. Your cat can’t see bright colors such as red and green, but it picks up more shades of blue, yellow, and gray than humans do. ‎ W: And why do cats give dead birds to their owners? ‎ M: When your cat drops a dead bird at your feet, she isn’t bringing you a present. Most cats just drag food home because it’s a safe place to eat. A cat’s mom also brings home things to her children to help them practice hunting. So a female cat without children may bring these “treats” to her owner instead. You may not like them, but at least you don’t have to write her a thank-you note. ‎ Text 9‎ W: How is little Ed doing at the kindergarten, Jack? ‎ M: Oh, he’s doing fairly well. It’s been three weeks since he first started going. So Macy and I are pretty used to it now. You should have seen Macy cry when Ed was about to set off on the first day, though. ‎ W:I think that’s a normal reaction for mothers. You live quite close to the kindergarten, don’t you? How does he get there? ‎ M: Macy walks there with him every morning unless the weather is bad. When it rains, they’ll drive. ‎ W: And is Ed enjoying kindergarten? ‎ M: Yeah, he loves to have other kids to play with. He keeps telling us things they do together. ‎ W: What do the teachers at the kindergarten say about him? ‎ M: They said he is bright and that he’s starting to learn how to tell time. ‎ W: Isn’t that fantastic? ‎ M: That is fantastic. It sounds like everything goes well. ‎ Text 10‎ W: My name is Emily. I had been a dancer for quite a long time. I started studying ballet when I was six years old. By the time I was nine, I was dancing five days a week. When I was eighteen, I decided that I really preferred contemporary dance and that I wanted to do it professionally. So I applied successfully for the training program at the school of Toronto Dance Theatre, and moved to Toronto to attend the program. That was the period of time I enjoyed most in Toronto. I graduated on scholarship and danced professionally for ten years. But after all those years, I found that dance was gradually becoming something that felt like more of a burden than a joy. I found myself increasingly unwilling to drag myself to dance performances, so I quit. I do miss dance often, but it makes me happy to think that I’ll never have to go to another training session again.‎