英语卷·2017届江西省南昌市八一中学高三下学期期中考试（2017-04）

英语卷·2017届江西省南昌市八一中学高三下学期期中考试（2017-04）

‎2016~2017学年度第二学期南昌市八一中学期中考试试卷 高三英语 考试用时：120分 全卷满分：150分 ‎ 第Ⅰ卷 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 happened to the man? ‎ A. He got a parking ticket.‎ B. He lost his ticket.‎ C. He got a permit to park in the red zone. ‎ ‎2. What is the man doing now? ‎ A. Drinking a cup of tea. B. Washing clothes. C. Going to the bank. ‎ ‎3. Where was the computer used last week? ‎ A. In a lab. B. In a theater. C. In a classroom. ‎ ‎4. What day is it today? ‎ A. Friday. B. Wednesday. C. Tuesday. ‎ ‎5. Why does Mary call the man? ‎ A. To cancel an appointment. B. To confirm an appointment. C. To reschedule an appointment.‎ 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，各个小题将给出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 are the speakers probably doing? ‎ A. Looking at a painting.‎ B. Watching a live show.‎ C. Talking about a famous model. ‎ ‎7. What does the man think the lady is doing there? ‎ A. Finding out what is happening in the market.‎ B. Buying a new dress.‎ C. Waiting for someone. ‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。‎ ‎8. What does the woman think of earthquakes? ‎ A. She is used to them.‎ B. She is scared of them.‎ C. She hasn’t experienced any.‎ ‎9. How strong was the earthquake that just happened? ‎ A. It was stronger than the one in 1989. ‎ B. At least 4.0 on the Richter scale.‎ C. About 7.1 on the Richter scale.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。‎ ‎10. Where does the man’s grandma live? ‎ A. She lives in the old people’s home. ‎ B. She lives with her grandson.‎ C. She lives alone in her own house. ‎ ‎11. What does the man’s grandma do on Wednesdays? ‎ A. She gets her hair done.‎ B. She plays cards.‎ C. She goes to the doctor.‎ ‎12. Why does the woman probably want to visit the man’s grandma? ‎ A. She is fascinated by the old lady’s life.‎ B. She thinks the old lady is very lonely.‎ C. She wants to read stories to the old lady.‎ 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎13. What is the main difference between an iPod and an iTouch? ‎ A. An iTouch has more functions than an iPod.‎ B. An iPod can connect to the Internet.‎ C. An iPod is more expensive than an iTouch.‎ ‎14. What do we know about apps? ‎ A. There aren’t very many of them.‎ B. Many of them are free.‎ C. You can use them on any kind of phone.‎ ‎15. What kind of app did the man just read about? ‎ A. An app that shows the cleanest restaurant.‎ B. An app that shows the nearest bathroom.‎ C. An app that shows the cheapest hotel.‎ ‎16. Why does the woman call the man “Mr. Apple”?‎ A. He works for Apple.‎ B. His family name is Apple.‎ C. He seems to know a lot about Apple products.‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。 ‎ ‎17. Where did Whitney Houston first start singing? ‎ A. In nightclubs. B. In church. C. In a school.‎ ‎18. Who is Clive Davis? ‎ A. Whitney Houston’s agent.‎ B. The movie producer who made The Bodyguard.‎ C. The man who signed Whitney Houston to a long-term recording deal.‎ ‎19. Which of the following is a Whitney Houston song? ‎ A. Saving All My Love for You.‎ B. Greatest Emotion of All.‎ C. I Will Always Be with You.‎ ‎20. What do we know about Whitney Houston’s death? ‎ A. The reason why she died was not clear then.‎ B. She died soon after winning a Grammy Award.‎ C. She died at the age of 45.‎ 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。‎ A ‎ Before traveling around the world, take some time and find out what sightseeing destinations are. Some of those spots that most guides mention are the following thrilling attractions.‎ ‎ Victoria Falls ‎ Victoria Falls has always been considered to be an incredible place worth taking pictures of. There are a lot of spots that tourists love. Some of them are very dangerous for people. Yet the brave are ready to overcome their fear for a shot of lifetime.‎ ‎ Arctic Cliff Face ‎ Cliff does not make the most comfortable place for camping. Being camped on the ground is far safer anyway. Despite all the inconvenience, the new trend is rapidly gaining popularity among climbing enthusiasts and outdoor addicts.‎ ‎ Auckland’s Sky Tower ‎ Auckland’s Sky Tower is popular with bungee jumpers. Some celebrities, such as Beyonce, have already tried it, which proves that the place is not only safe but popular as well. The tower is 630 feet tall. At the top of the structure there is an observation deck. Trust us, most of those reading this article would prefer to stay on the ground rather than climb up this scary structure.‎ ‎ North Yung as Road ‎ The Road of Death is the right name given to a road in Bolivia. Hundreds of people die here every year. The major cause of all those accidents is the road. The problem is that it is too narrow and badly maintained while here the traffic is heavier than anywhere else. Nevertheless, it seems like tourists will continue visiting this strange road despite its scary nickname.‎ ‎21. What is Victoria Falls famous for?‎ ‎ A. Its narrow and badly maintained road ‎ B. Its dangerous but attractive spots for taking pictures ‎ C. Its scary structure ‎ D. Its thrilling camping ‎22. North Yung as Road is called “the Road of Death” because_______.‎ ‎ A. each year many people lose their lives there ‎ B. there is no necessary protection equipment ‎ C. it is built on the edge of the rock ‎ D. the traffic is the heaviest ‎23. If you like bungee, you can go to_______.‎ ‎ A. Victoria Falls B. Arctic Cliff Face ‎ C. Auckland’s Sky Tower D. North Yung as Road 24. What do the four places have in common?‎ ‎ A. They are popular with climbers.‎ ‎ B. They all have beautiful scenery.‎ ‎ C. They are a bit life-threatening.‎ ‎ D. They have been visited by celebrities. ‎ B Twenty years ago, Sitesh Ranjan Deb was on a routine hunt for wild pigs in northeastern Bangladesh. He never thought it would change his life forever.‎ Walking through the forest with his gun, Mr. Deb was tracking crop-destroying wild pigs after complains from local farmers .But as he advanced towards his target, Mr. Deb stepped on a bear. The bear awoke and attacked him, and its claws tore through his face .Instinctively, he shot the bear and it fell down dead.‎ ‎“As a result of the bear attack, I lost my right eye, most of my nose and several teeth .My tongue was also torn apart,” he said.‎ But the near-death experience also changed the hunter forever. “For me it was a new start of life. I wanted to do something meaningful. So I decided to use the opportunity to protect wild animals rather than hunt them.” said Mr. Deb.‎ Villagers today will inform him when any animal or rare bird strays(误入)into their area from the nearby forest. Sometimes they bring injured animals for him to nurse at his rescue center and then, if possible, release back into the wild. In the past 20 years, he has set free thousands of wild animals and birds back into the forest.‎ Those animals and birds which cannot be released end up staying in his rescue center close to his home. “I can’t set all the animals free –some are too old and others are seriously injured. Besides, the forests around this area are no longer large enough to support them.” he says. “ The black bear came to me as a cub(幼崽) and it was raised here. Now, it doesn’t know how to hunt. So it will not get enough food in the forest and it can be easily hunted by poachers(偷猎者).”‎ ‎ The rescue center is home to a bear, a rare albino fishing cat, rock pythons, gibbons, monkeys, spotted deer, vultures and various types of wild birds. The animals are inside cages but are kept in clean conditions and are regularly fed.‎ ‎ Mr. Deb runs the center with his own money and occasional financial help from well-wishers. The mini-zoo also attracts hundreds of local tourists who pay a small entry fee.‎ 25. Mr. Deb hunted for wild pigs because .‎ ‎ A .wild pigs sold well on the market ‎ ‎ B. wild pigs could be kept as pets ‎ C. wild pigs ruined farmers’ crops ‎ D. Mr. Deb needed animals for his min-zoo ‎26. What was the bear doing when Mr. Deb stepped on it?‎ ‎ A. It was sleeping. B. It was eating pigs ‎ ‎ C. It was drinking. D. It was fighting.‎ ‎27. Which of the following is the result of the bear attack? ‎ ‎ A. Mr. Deb is lame in his right leg.‎ ‎ B. Mr. Deb lost his right eye.‎ ‎ C. Mr. Deb can’t make a sound.‎ ‎ D. Mr. Deb is deaf in both ears.‎ 28. Wild animals are kept in his rescue center for the following reasons ‎ ‎ EXCEPT .‎ ‎ A. Serious injury B. Old age ‎ ‎ C. Lack of hunting ability D. Good appearance C ‎ Children with wealthy parents are more likely to be “extroverts”, which could affect their earnings later in life, according to a new study.‎ ‎ The research suggests that our personality is strongly linked to our social background. People from more advanced homes, whose parents worked in professional jobs, were more likely to be talkative and enthusiastic. They were also more likely to show high levels of openness, including imagination and intellectual curiosity.‎ ‎ However, children from lower income backgrounds are more likely to experience stress and instability at home.‎ The findings were based on an analysis of data on 150,000 UK residents gathered through the BBC’s Big Personality Test. Results also show that adults who are more extroverted are more likely to earn higher salaries.‎ The study proposes that schools should work to improve poorer youngsters’ knowledge of professional careers, that schools should use good feedback to improve pupils’ social skills and that schools and colleges should give youngsters training in employability skills and interview techniques.‎ It also suggests that programmes aimed at improving results for poorer children should focus on wider skills as well as academic achievement.‎ Education secretary Nicky Morgan has previously suggested that learning traits(特质) such as perseverance and confidence are equally important to teenagers as gaining good exam results.‎ In a speech earlier this week, Prime Minister David Cameron said that children “thrive on high expectations” and praised new schools that will teach “character virtues like curiosity, honesty, perseverance and service”.‎ 29. Which of the following can best explain the underlined word in the first paragraph?‎ A. An outgoing person. B. A shy person.‎ C. A greedy person. D. A negative person. ‎ ‎30. Who were more likely to be talkative and enthusiastic?‎ A. Children from lower income backgrounds.‎ B. Children from more advantaged homes.‎ C. Children from the big cities.‎ D. Children from the small villages.‎ ‎31. Which one dose not belong to the proposals of this article?‎ A. School should work to improve poorer youngsters’ knowledge of professional ‎ ‎ careers.‎ B. Schools should give youngsters training in employability skills and interview ‎ ‎ techniques.‎ C. Programmes aimed at improving results for poorer children should only focus ‎ ‎ on wider skills.‎ D. Learning traits are “equally important” to teenagers as gaining good exam ‎ ‎ results.‎ 32. Which of the following is not included in the character virtues according to the ‎ ‎ text?‎ A. Curiosity, honesty. B. Curiosity, service.‎ C. Honesty, anxiety. D. Honesty, perseverance.‎ D ‎ Shoppers could soon use their mobile phones to check how ripe fruit and vegetables are with an “X－ray vision” camera.‎ ‎ The HyperCam, based on hyperspectral (高光谱的)imaging, can assess ripeness with 94‎ ‎ percent accuracy and could also be used to check for rotting produce in the fridge at home. Scientists at the University of Washington in Seattle managed to create a portable hyperspectral imaging camera that would cost $ 800 (£520).‎ ‎ Hyperspectral imaging uses a broader range of the electromagnetic spectrum(电磁波)than an ordinary camera. The researchers are now working on a version of the technology that shoppers could download on to a mobile phone for about $ 50. The technology is already used in satellite imaging, building safety inspection, but is a highly costly process.‎ ‎ Professor Shwetak Patel, of the University of Washington, said: “It’s not there yet but you can probably imagine putting it in a mobile phone. With this kind of camera you could go to the grocery store and know what produce to pick by looking underneath the skin and seeing if there’s anything wrong inside. It’s like having a food safety app in your pocket.”‎ ‎ Neel Joshi, a Microsoft researcher, said: “Existing systems are costly and hard to use so we decided to create an inexpensive hyperspectral camera and explore these uses ourselves. After building the camera we just started pointing it at everyday objects, really anything we could find in our homes and offices, and we were amazed at all the hidden information it revealed.”‎ ‎ Other potential uses for the technology include analyzing blood vessels and identifying individual people by the unique texture (纹理) of their skin.‎ 33. HyperScam can be very popular among shoppers because .‎ ‎ A. the app is not expensive at all B. the app is very useful in daily life ‎ C. people can take it around easily D. the product is funded by Microsoft ‎34. What was the technology first invented for?‎ ‎ A. Satellite imaging. B. Examining ripeness of fruits.‎ ‎ C. Checking texture of the skin. D. Dividing lights into color groups.‎ ‎35. What can we infer from the passage?‎ ‎ A. People will save a lot of money using the app.‎ ‎ B. People will develop their artistic taste with the app.‎ ‎ C. People will enjoy a happier life with the app.‎ ‎ D. With the app people will live a healthier life. ‎ 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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。选项中有两项为多余选项。‎ How to be a good listener to your family?‎ ‎ So let me guess, you are most likely to be here because you want to know how to support your loved one in a time of need? Well for starters, your family is one of the most important connections that you will ever have in your life. Remember, your family is the people that you know, and only you, best! To maintain a good relationship between you and your fellow relatives, 36 , even if it is painful sometimes!‎ ‎ Be in a good position where it is both appropriate and polite to listen to your family or a particular individual in your family. For example, if one was talking to another person where they wanted to be in privacy, 37 ‎ ‎ 38 Look at the person who is speaking with full eye contact, but make sure that you do not stare at them too much, to avoid embarrassment for the both of you. Whenever the person stresses on a different point, make sure to nod your head, as a sign of acknowledgement and understanding.‎ ‎ Ask questions about the subject after a point has been spoken and expressed. 39 ‎ ‎ 40 Your family knows the way you act and that is what they love about you!‎ A. Find the right timing.‎ B. you should always listen well to your family ‎ C. Express yourself, and always be yourself!‎ ‎ D. It is improper to listen to what they were talking.‎ ‎ E. you should listen to them closely whatever they were talking.‎ ‎ F. This will show that you are interested in the subject and that you want to ‎ ‎ know more!‎ ‎ G. Silence is gold. ‎ 第三部分 英语知识运用 （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，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。‎ ‎ During the winter of 1990 I was working at a construction site. It is not unusual for construction workers’ hands to become very 41 in winter from working with concrete and mud. Cracking open and bleeding at the finger joints, my hands were 42 exception that year. Stopping work 43 because of hurting hands is not a(n) 44 in the construction industry. You just grit your teeth, keep working and cause further 45 to your hands in the process. ‎ ‎ One morning I left for work at 5:00 a.m. and 46 a gas station to fuel up. 47 I got out of my truck, I noticed a newspaper delivery van and the driver 48 with bales(捆) of newspapers. Taking a second look, I was 49 to find that the man had no forearms. 50 he was doing a job that would otherwise 51 a very physically gifted person.‎ ‎ On my way to pay for the 52 , I asked him if I could help in any way. He politely 53 my offer. ‎ Minutes later while I was refueling, he called, “Hey buddy, would you mind helping me tie my shoes?” I 54 agreed to help and he went on to explain that tying his shoes was the 55 thing he couldn’t do for himself. ‎ ‎ He expressed his 56 as I got back into my truck and started to drive away.‎ ‎ I came to a full stop and looked back at him as he was getting into his van. I looked down at my hands. Suddenly it 57 me: I’d been 58 about the pain in my hands for weeks 59 that man back there would do anything, anything at all, to have my hurting hands. Just like magic, my hands 60 hurting.‎ ‎ 41. A. uncomfortable B. painful C. freezing D. numb ‎ 42. A. no B. an C. the D. such ‎ 43. A. especially B. rarely C. generally D. simply ‎ 44. A. habit B. option C. means D. advice ‎ 45. A. danger B. trouble C. damage D. loss ‎ 46. A. pulled into B. pulled out C. pulled down D. pulled over ‎ 47. A. Until B. As C. Unless D. Although ‎ 48. A. playing B. providing C. struggling D. operating ‎ 49. A. delighted B. annoyed C. frightened D. surprised ‎ 50. A. Yet B. Thus C. Even D. Instead ‎ 51. A. acquire B. reflect C. require D. employ ‎ 52. A. food B. newspaper C. gasoline D. drink ‎ 53. A. ignored B. turned down C. held up D. accepted ‎ 54. A. shyly B. casually C. readily D. unwillingly ‎ 55. A. first B. other C. last D. only ‎ 56. A. regret B. gratitude C. concern D. disappointment ‎ 57. A. reminded B. got through C. knocked into D. struck ‎ 58. A. complaining B. sensitive C. talking D. cautious ‎ 59. A. even if B. in case C. while D. because ‎ 60. A. started B. kept C. prevented D. stopped ‎ 第Ⅱ卷 第三部分 英语知识运用 ‎ 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（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。‎ My dad is 61.______ enthusiastic runner who greatly influenced me when I was young. So I was very sporty before the age of 14. 62.______, when my family moved, my new school didn’t pay much attention to sports and had no after-school 63. ________(active) like football or running. Over the next few years, I stopped exercising apart from during Physical Education lessons at school. I looked like I was healthy; however, I was not. ‎ One day, I was late for a bus, 64.______(try) to run after it and in under a minute was out of breath! This made me realize how unfit I was. 65._______ (help) myself get in shape again, I made a decision that I would take 66.______ a kind of sport. ‎ ‎ A friend of 67.______(I) suggested a swimming pool close to my house 68._______ she goes to a few times a week. Now, I’m a swimming lover! I find swimming in the pool very 69.______ (relax) . I swim for an hour three times a week. I hope I will soon start to feel the benefits of regular exercise, and will become 70.________ (fit) than before.‎ 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。‎ Last night I was at a coffee shop. There was a wonderfully music show. As I got up to get a cup of coffee and a cookie, I notice a middle-aged woman near me. Clearly, she had caught in a fire of some kind. His face was so badly burned that she looked very tight. I thought about how brave she was to come out but appeared in public. When I returned back to my seat, I turned towards the woman and said, “Isn’t he a wonderful performers?” And I gave her the largest smile I was able to give. To my pleased, she looked right at me and gave me a huge smile for return. It was her smile which made her whole face light up last night. She was beautiful. ‎ 第二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假设你是新华中学的高三毕业生李华，刚刚参加完高考。最近听说美籍华人李响出资帮助贫困大学生。请你根据以下要点写一封资助申请信。‎ ‎1．个人情况介绍；‎ ‎2．申请资助原因(家庭困难情况)；‎ ‎3．资助款的使用及今后打算。‎ 注意：1．词数：100字左右(开头已给出，不计入总词数)；‎ ‎2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。‎ Dear Mr. Li,‎ I’m glad to hear that you will help those who are lacking_in money in going to college．I'm writing to apply for it. ‎ ‎ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ‎ Looking forward to your reply. ‎ ‎ ‎ Yours sincerely,‎ ‎                                                                Li Hua 高三英语卷参考答案 听力部分 1-5A CCBB 6-10 ACABC 11-15 CAABB 16-20 CBCAA 阅读理解 A篇21-24 B ACC B篇25-28 CABD ‎ C篇29-32 ABCC D篇33-35 BAD ‎ 七选五36-40 BDAFC ‎ 完形填空 41-45 BADBC 46-50 ABCDA 51-55 CCBCD 56-60 BDACD 语法填空 61. an 62. However 63. activities 64.tried 65.To help ‎ ‎ 66.up 67. mine 68. which/that 69. relaxing 70.fitter 改错 ‎ Last night I was at a coffee shop. There was a wonderfully music show. As I got ‎ wonderful ‎ up to get a cup of coffee and a cookie, I notice a middle-aged woman near me. ‎ noticed ‎ Clearly, she had︿ caught in a fire of some kind. His face was so badly burned that ‎ been Her ‎ she looked very tight. I thought about how brave she was to come out but appeared ‎ ‎ and ‎ in public. When I returned back to my seat, I turned towards the woman and said, ‎ ‎ 去掉 ‎“Isn’t he a wonderful performers?” And I gave her the largest smile I was able to ‎ ‎ performer ‎ give. To my pleased, she looked right at me and gave me a huge smile for return. It ‎ ‎ pleasure in was her smile which made her whole face light up last night. She was beautiful.‎ ‎ that 书面表达One possible version：‎ Dear Mr.Li,‎ I’m glad to hear that you will help those who are lacking in money in going to college. I’m writing to apply for it. My name is Li Hua, a senior three student of Xin Hua middle school. I have much financial difficulty in continuing my education to college, but I’m eager to go on with my further study. In my family my father is the only breadwinner while my mother was laid off two years ago. My grandmother has been suffering a lung illness for more than five years. My younger brother is now studying in a junior school. I took part-time jobs during the summer vacation, but what I have earned is far from enough for me to pay the required tuition fees. In order to continue my study, I have to apply for your help. If my request is accepted, I will make good use of the money and put my heart into study and make myself a good man to society. I hope that you will consider my application.‎ Looking forward to your early reply.‎ ‎    Yours sincerely ‎  Li Hua 附：听力材料 Text 1 ‎ M: Oh, man, another parking ticket? How is this possible?‎ W: Uh, it’s pretty simple. You park in the red zone, you get a ticket.‎ Text 2 ‎ M: Hi. I am on the way to the bank near your house. Are you at home?‎ W: Yeah, I’m just doing laundry. Why don’t you come by for a cup of tea?‎ M: Okay, see you soon.‎ Text 3‎ M: Is it true that this computer can be used to design the background scenery for plays?‎ W: Oh, yes. We used it once last week in Class Five.‎ Text 4‎ M: I’m sorry, but I can’t make it tomorrow. Can I pick it up another time?‎ W: Sure. What about the day after tomorrow? ‎ M: Yeah, Friday is fine. I just need to read it by 5 o’clock next Tuesday.‎ Text 5‎ W: Hi, this is Mary from Dr. Lewis’s office. We just wanted to remind you of your appointment on Friday.‎ M: Thank you. I almost forgot.‎ W: So, we’ll see you on Friday.‎ Text 6 ‎ M: Wow, there are a lot of people here.‎ W: Yeah, it is crowded here, but it is worth it. Look at this one. Isn’t it amazing?‎ M: Yes. That lady is so beautiful. Look how she is standing in the middle of the street. There’s a bicycle near her and she’s holding a piece of material with flowers on it. What is that she is wearing? ‎ W: Maybe it’s a long robe. Her hat is covering most of her face. I can only see her eyes. Um, she’s definitely looking to one side. What do you think she is doing there? ‎ M: Perhaps she is waiting for someone. She’s expecting somebody to arrive soon. Look! Behind her there are some shops, and there are many people looking in the shops. It could be a market perhaps, or maybe a busy street. What do you think? ‎ W: Yeah, it’s probably somewhere in the Middle East or maybe North Africa.‎ Text 7 ‎ M: Whoa! Did you just feel that earthquake?‎ W: Yeah! It felt like a pretty big one!‎ M: I’ve never experienced an earthquake before. I have to admit that I was pretty scared just now.‎ W: Ah! It was no big deal. That one was tiny compared to some of the ones when I was a kid.‎ M: What was the biggest one that you remember?‎ W: Well, in 1989, there was a huge one. I think it measured 7.1 on the Richter scale. I remember the whole house shaking. Luckily, there wasn’t much damage to our house, but some of my friends were left homeless.‎ M: So how big do you think this one was?‎ W: It’s hard to say. Usually if it feels strong, it’s at least a 4.0.‎ Text 8 ‎ W: How old is your grandma now?‎ M: She’s 97! Can you believe it?‎ W: Whoa, that’s amazing! She still lives in her own house, doesn’t she?‎ M: Yeah, she still lives in the house she and my grandpa bought almost 60 years ago. He died about five years ago.‎ W: So she lives alone?! She must be in great health.‎ M: Well, she uses a cane to walk, and she pretty much stays on the middle floor. Her caregivers come twice a day to cook meals, clean, give her medicine, things like that.‎ W: Still, it must be kind of lonely to be all alone in that big house.‎ M: She goes to the Island Beach Club twice a week to play cards. On Mondays, she goes shopping in the nearest grocery store. She has doctor’s appointments on Wednesdays. Every Friday, she goes to the beauty salon to get her hair done, and friends and family ‎ drop by on Saturdays and Sundays. ‎ W: I’ll bet she has great stories to tell after having lived so long.‎ M: Say, why don’t you come with me this Saturday? I know she’d love to see you again.‎ W: Thanks, I’d love to.‎ Text 9 ‎ W: What is the difference between an Apple iPod and an iTouch?‎ M: Well, an iPod only plays music, but with an iTouch, you can play music, surf the Internet, use apps... all kinds of stuff.‎ W: OK, you lost me with that last one. What is an app?‎ M: An app is a special program that lets you do something specific. ‎ W: Like what?‎ M: For example, let’s say you wanted to find a restaurant in an unfamiliar neighborhood. There are apps that can tell you what kinds of restaurants are nearby and how to find them using Google Maps. ‎ W: Wow! Are there apps for other things?‎ M: You name it, there is probably an app for it. I just read about an app that tells people where the nearest clean bathroom is!‎ W: So I have to buy an iTouch if I want to use apps, right?‎ M: No, you could also buy a special smart phone like an Apple iPhone, which is basically an iTouch that can text and make calls. You can download as many apps as you want, and many of them are free.‎ W: OK, Mr. Apple. How much does an iTouch cost?‎ M: Well, they are usually several hundred dollars.‎ W: Whoa! Looks like I will have to ask my “iParents” for some “iMoney” before I can join this technology revolution!‎ Text 10 ‎ On a sad day for American music, Whitney Houston has been found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room at the age of 48. Whitney Houston was an American recording artist, actress, producer, and model. She won a total of 415 career awards in her career, making her the most awarded female artist of all time. Houston was one of the world’s best-selling musical artists, having sold over 170 million albums, singles, and videos worldwide. She first began singing in church when she was a kid, and she later performed alongside her mother in nightclubs in the New York City area. It was around this time that she was discovered by legendary producer Clive Davis, the owner of Arista Records. He signed Houston to a long-term recording deal, and the singer would go on to release seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which sold at least half a million copies. Some of her most famous songs include Saving All My Love for You, Greatest Love of All, and So Emotional. She also starred in several movies, including The Bodyguard. Her hit song from that soundtrack, I Will Always Love You, became the best-selling song by a female artist in music history, and her popularity as an actor and a singer influenced many other African-American women, singers, and performers. Houston died the night before the Grammy Awards, but the cause of her death was not immediately known. ‎