2019-2020学年福建省南安第一中学高二上学期第一次阶段考试英语试题 Word版

2019-2020学年福建省南安第一中学高二上学期第一次阶段考试英语试题 Word版

南安一中2019～2020学年度高二年上学期第一次阶段考 英语科试卷 ‎ 本试卷考试分第Ⅰ卷(选择题)和第Ⅱ卷(非选择题)两部分。总分150分，考试时间120分钟。 ‎ ‎ ‎ 注意事项：‎ ‎1．答题前，考生务必先将自己的姓名、准考证号填写在答题纸上。‎ ‎2．考生作答时，请将答案答在答题纸上，在本试卷上答题无效。按照题号在各题的答题区域内作答，超出答题区域书写的答案无效。‎ ‎3．答案使用0．5毫米的黑色中性（签字）笔或碳素笔书写，字体工整、笔迹清楚（英语科选择题答案使用2B铅笔填涂，如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其它答案标号）。‎ ‎4．保持答题纸纸面清洁，不破损。考试结束后，将本试卷自行保存，答题纸交回。‎ 第I卷 第一部分： 听力（共两小节，满分30分）‎ 第一节（共5小题；每题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. Where does this conversation probably take place?‎ ‎ A. In a bookstore. B. In a classroom. C. In a library. ‎ ‎2. At what time will the film begin?‎ ‎ A. 7:20. B. 7:15. C. 7:00.‎ ‎3. What are the two speakers mainly talking about?‎ ‎ A. Their friend Jane. B. A weekend trip. C. A radio programme. ‎ ‎4. What will the woman probably do?‎ ‎ A. Catch a train. B. See the man off. C. Go shopping. ‎ ‎5. Why did the woman apologize?‎ ‎ A. She made a late delivery. ‎ ‎ B. She went to the wrong place. ‎ ‎ C. She couldn't take the cake back.‎ 第二节（共15小题；每题1.5分，满分22.5分）‎ 听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。‎ 听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。‎ ‎6. Whose CD is broken?‎ ‎ A. Kathy's. B. Mum's. C. Jack's. ‎ ‎7. What does the boy promise to do for the girl?‎ ‎ A. Buy her a new CD. B. Do some cleaning. C. Give her 10 dollars. ‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。‎ ‎8. What did the man think of the meal?‎ ‎ A. Just so-so. B. Quite satisfactory. C. A bit disappointing. ‎ ‎9. What was the 15% on the bill paid for?‎ ‎ A. The food. B. The drinks. C. The service. ‎ 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。‎ ‎10. Why is the man at the shop?‎ ‎ A. To order a camera for his wife. ‎ B. To have a camera repaired. ‎ ‎ C. To get a camera changed. ‎ ‎11. What colour does the man want?‎ ‎ A. Pink. B. Black. C. Orange. ‎ ‎12. What will the man do afterwards?‎ ‎ A. Make a phone call. B. Wait until further notice. C. Come again the next day. ‎ 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎13. What would Joe probably do during the Thanksgiving holiday?‎ ‎ A. Go to a play. B. Stay at home. C. Visit Kingston. ‎ ‎14. What is Ariel going to do in Toronto?‎ ‎ A. Attend a party. B. Meet her aunt. C. See a car show. ‎ I5. Why is Ariel in a hurry to leave?‎ ‎ A. To call up Betty. B. To buy some DVDs. C. To pick up Daniel. ‎ ‎16. What might be the relationship between the speakers?‎ ‎ A. Classmates. B. Fellow workers. C. Guide and tourist. ‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. Where does Thomas Manning work?‎ ‎ A. In the Guinness Company. B. At a radio station. C. In a museum. ‎ ‎18. Where did the idea of a book of records come from?‎ ‎ A. A bird-shooting trip. B. A visit to Europe. C. A television talk show. ‎ ‎19. When did Sir Hugh's first book of records come out?‎ ‎ A. In 1875. B. In 1950. C. In 1955. ‎ ‎20. What are the two speakers going to talk about next?‎ ‎ A. More records of unusual facts. ‎ B. The founder of the company. ‎ ‎ C. The oldest person in the world.‎ 第二部分  阅读理解（共两节，满分35分）‎ 第一节（共10小题；每小题2.5分，满分25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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ A Stay-at-home or working mom?‎ Nowadays, there is a heated discussion: Which is worthwhile, being a full time working or a stay-at-home mum? Readers share their opinions and you're welcome to add yours.‎ Catherine (China)‎ I love being a stay-at-home mom. In the beginning it was truly rough for me from being a workaholic to staying at home. Yet, I did not want my child to face growing up with both parents at work. So after discussing it with my husband, we decided that I would be the one to stay at home. Now, our daughter is soon to be 3 years old, and has an amazing personality. It's not for everyone but it is very rewarding in the long term.‎ Sassy(Canada)‎ Taking care of children is a temporary job, and children will grow up and leave. The longer women are out of the workplace, the harder it is to enter it. Women need to realize and accept that ‎ you do not want to be dependent on anyone for basic food, clothes and shelter. It has been hard to work and take care of my kids but I make it work.‎ Cynthia (US)‎ Some days I think we shouldn't give up on our careers. And some days I'm jealous of the moms who get to stay home or at least work part time. I'm the only one that supports the family, so there will never be an alternative for me. I have the career and title I've always wanted but now I can't help but think it's at the expense of precious time with my family.‎ Celina (US)‎ Being a stay-at-home mom isn't always easy, but it is worth it! Being there with my children means they are getting the exact love and care I want them to have. We do not have a lot of money, but we've sacrificed to make it possible. ‎ ‎21. What can we learn about Catherine?‎ A. She stayed at home because she was tired about her job.‎ B. Her husband agreed with her staying at home.‎ C. Her daughter was very naughty.‎ D. She accustomed herself to staying at home easily.‎ ‎22. How many working moms in this passage?‎ A. 1 B. ‎2 ‎ C. 3 D. 4‎ ‎23. Which one is NOT true?‎ A. Celina feels dissatisfied with the life now.‎ B. Cynthia has no other choice but to get a job.‎ C. Sassy is determined to be an independent woman.‎ D. Catherine thinks that being a stay-at-home mom is worthwhile.‎ B When receiving a pair of adult homing pigeons, the new owner cannot set them free as they will return to their original home loft(鸽房). If birds are received as babies, they must be kept in the loft for a period of time until they are oriented(以……为方向) with their new home.‎ After about two to three months the loft doors can be opened. Never force the young birds out of the loft as they frighten easily. They will connect this bad experience with their home loft and this is something that the owner does not want the birds to experience.‎ Unless the birds are simply being raised for enjoyment and the owner likes seeing them fly around the immediate area and return, the next step is unnecessary. If the birds are being raised for racing purposes or the owner is interested in testing their homing ability, then he or she will do the following. Gently place the young birds in a cage and then drive down the road a few miles from home. The best time of day is before 9AM and not when there is rain, fog or high wind as these conditions will affect the bird’s ability to return home. Set the birds free somewhere not close to a heavily wooded area, then drive home. Do this daily for about fifty days, and then take one day off with no training. Increase the distance each week gradually by a few miles until the birds reach a distance of about fifty miles. Most of the birds will return home but expect some unexpected deaths if there are game hunters in the area. You can time the birds by keeping track of how long it takes them to return home.‎ In some European countries such as England, it is a regular pastime and clubs have developed around the spot with specially designed cages on wheels that are attached to vehicles to transport groups of birds.‎ ‎24. Why shouldn’t a new owner set adult homing pigeons free?‎ A. They will fly away. B. They are frightened.‎ C. They cannot live alone. D. They cannot find their home.‎ ‎25. What does “this bad experience” refer to in Paragraph 2?‎ A. The owner leaving home B. The owner frightening the birds ‎ C. The birds being kept in the loft. D. The birds being hurt by the owner.‎ ‎26. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?‎ A. What pigeons can be used for. B. Where pigeons should be trained.‎ C. How pigeons get their homing ability. D. How to train pigeons to find their home.‎ C ‎ Scientists have discovered chains of genetic code linked to short sight, the most common eye disorder in the world. The findings throw light on what goes wrong to make distant objects look unclear, and raises the possibility of developing drugs to prevent the condition. Understanding the biological malfunctions (运作失常) behind short-sightedness could help researchers develop eye drops or tablets that could be given to children to stop their vision from ‎ failing as they get older.‎ Short-sightedness usually starts to appear early on in life.‎ The extent to which genes are to blame varies, but for those with the worst vision, around 80% of the condition is caused by genetic factors.‎ Two separate studies, published in Nature Genetics journal, found variations (变异) in DNA that were more common in people with short sight. Chris Hammond, at King’s College, London, found one section of DNA on chromosome (染色体) 15 was more common in people with myopia. Caroline Klaver at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam found another chain, also on chromosome 15, linked to short sight.‎ The variations in DNA mean misspellings in the genetic code. These change the activity of three genes that control the growth of the eyeball and ensure light entering the eye is transformed into electrical pulses in the retina (视网膜).‎ The discovery helps scientists piece together how a healthy eye becomes short-sighted and points the way to medicines to prevent it in children.‎ ‎“My hope is that we can identify a pathway that we can block with eyedrops or tablets that will stop the eye growing too much and without interfering with normal brain development or other processes in the body,” Hammond told the Guardian.‎ Treating short sight in adults is a much tougher job, as their eyeballs have already grown too long.‎ Children who have genes for short sight won’t have poor eyesight. In 2008, Kathryn Rose at the University of Sydney looked at rates of short sightedness in Chinese schoolchildren living in Singapore and Sydney. Some 29% living in Singapore had short sight, compared with only 3% in Sydney. One possible explanation is that those living in Sydney spent more time outdoors, and so got more natural sunlight and were used to focusing on more distant objects.‎ ‎27. The underlined “myopia” in Paragraph 6 most probably means ______________.‎ ‎ A. disorder genetic factors B. poor eyesight ‎ C. variation in DNA D. healthy eyes ‎28. Who will most probably profit from the discovery by Hammond?‎ ‎ A. Children with poor eyesight.‎ ‎ B. Children with little outdoor activities.‎ ‎ C. Adults with poor eyesight.‎ ‎ D. Adults with little outdoor activities.‎ ‎29. Kathryn Rose’s research was mentioned in the last paragraph to show ______________.‎ ‎ A. people in Singapore don’t enjoy outdoor sports ‎ B. genes for short sight will certainly cause poor eyesight ‎ C. more time outdoors means less chance of poor eyesight ‎ D. living in Singapore means more chance of poor eyesight ‎30. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?‎ ‎ A. The causes of short sight found.‎ ‎ B. Eyedrops or tablets to cure short sight.‎ ‎ C. Genetic code linked to short sight found.‎ ‎ D. The most effective way to treat short sight.‎ 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（A、B、C、D、E、F、G）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。‎ How to deal with your homework?‎ Write it down. __31___. Make a note on your notebook. Always be sure to write down any homework for school so you won’t forget anything.‎ Create a homework station. Find somewhere comfortable and quiet to work. ___32___. It will take twice as long to get the homework done. Shut off your cell phone, log off (退出) your computer (unless you will need it for your homework) and close the door.‎ Do it as early as possible. Don’t leave homework to the last minute. ___33___. The earlier you start your homework, the sooner you will finish! Do all your homework as early as you can, so you don’t have a pile of (一堆) homework the next day.‎ ‎___34___. Think about how long it will take you to complete each homework subject. For example: English-ten minutes, science-ten minutes, math-forty minutes, history-twenty minutes.‎ Treat yourself. You can easily get tired by sitting through an hour or two of homework without stopping. Once you finish homework for a subject, take a small break. Just make sure it’s quick (no more than 15 minutes). Do not turn on the TV, or you’ll never go back and finish your homework. __35___.‎ A. Use your time wisely.‎ B. Start as soon as you get home.‎ C. Start your hardest homework.‎ D. Never do your homework in front of the TV.‎ E. You can take a walk or find something to eat.‎ F. After short breaks, return to finish up the last of your work.‎ G. Keep a homework notebook where you record all your homework.‎ 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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。‎ The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the quality of the strong.‎ ‎ ----- Mahatma Gandhi ‎ Perhaps you have said something or made a serious error in 36 that hurt others. Regardless of the exact 37 of the incident, you are required to seek forgiveness. 38 , you go to that person, and apologize. 39 , the person has no 40 to forgive you. Then what do you do?‎ ‎ People require time to think, and to 41 the reality of the situation. When someone is hurt, they need the proper amount of time to 42 to the extent they can even 43 forgiveness.‎ ‎ Sometimes, he or she 44 have scars that simply run too deep, or feel pain that is 45 his or her desire to forgive you. If you have truly done what you can to 46 , then the only remaining choice is to forgive yourself. We are often too 47 on ourselves. When you are able to forgive yourself, a great deal of the burden of 48 can be lifted from your shoulders. You may not have 49 the forgiveness you had hoped for, but you will raise your own level of self-worth.‎ ‎ The mistakes that we make in life always offer us lessons which we can take with us into our future relationships. Learning from your mistakes 50 to not only better you, but it also shows others that you are able to change 51 .‎ ‎ Finally, it is important to remember that there are people in the world who aren’t 52 able to forgive. Then your responsibility is to admit 53 you were wrong and do all you can do. Whatever the 54 is, you will be left with the 55 of mind which comes from doing your part.‎ ‎36. A. talk B. article C. judgment D. fight ‎37. A. nature ‎ B. account C. data ‎ D. consequence ‎38. A. Otherwise ‎ B. Furthermore C. Besides D. Therefore ‎39. A. Desperately B. Unfortunately C. Occasionally D. Frequently ‎40. A. chance B. desire C. hope D. reason ‎41. A. investigate B. erase C. recognize D. digest ‎42. A. recover B. reach C. understand D. suggest ‎43. A. abandon B. adopt C. consider D. request ‎44. A. may B. will ‎ C. need D. shall ‎45. A. inspiring B. forcing C. blocking ‎ D. satisfying ‎46. A. argue B. regret C. choose D. repair ‎47. A. dependent B. slow C. hard D. hesitant ‎48. A. guilt B. forgiveness C. despair D. thinking ‎49. A. offered B. accepted C. resisted D. received ‎50. A. turns B. serves C. leads D. means ‎51. A. positively B. greatly C. intentionally D. rapidly ‎52. A. usually B. easily C. pitifully D. simply ‎53. A. how ‎ B. what C. where ‎ D. when ‎54. A. cause B. outcome C. attitude D. opinion ‎55. A. peace B. quality ‎ C. burden D. absence ‎（友情提示：请将选择题1–55题的答案转涂到客观题答题卡上!）‎ 第II卷 第二节（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10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。‎ Here I'd like to share one of my survival experiences with you. Last winter, we went skiing at Rocky Mountains. We had fun and enjoyed 56__________ (we) during the daytime. However, when evening came, I got lost in a 57__________ (violence) snowstorm. Before I knew it, I wandered off the path and lost touch with my family 58__________ (total). Thinking about all the survival tips I had learnt on TV shows, I tried not 59__________ (panic). I decided to stop moving around aimlessly and find shelter from freezing wind and snow first. Otherwise，my body temperature would get very low, 60____________ could quickly kill me. I built a snow cave, 61 __________ (use) my skis. I gathered 62 __________ huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then I piled 63 __________ (branch) on myself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as I could. I ate snow and slept in my cave. The next morning, I went out to look for help, but 64__________vain. I had to return to my snow cave by following my tracks. After 65_____________ (stick) in the snow for three days, I finally was rescued by a group of volunteer searchers. ‎ 第三节 单词填空和翻译（满分5分）‎ 阅读下面句子，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(1至3个单词)。 ( 每小题1分，满分3分）‎ ‎66. Supported by his academic research, Professor Salovey suggests that when ____________(predict) someone’s future success, their character, as measured by EQ tests, might actually matter more than their IQ.‎ ‎67. There is little doubt that people with low EQs often have problems getting on with other people and dealing with difficult situations; thus they have a harder time ___________________(survive) in life.‎ ‎68. It was only when I got home two hours later that I realized I _________________(forget) it and there was nothing I could do as the library was closed 请根据课文所学翻译句子。(每小题2分, 满分2分)‎ ‎69. 毫无疑问，这些新技术正在改变我们的工作方式，并且提供许多其他的工作方式。‎ ‎_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ 第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)‎ 第一节 应用文写作(满分15分)‎ 假设你是李华，上周末你们班新来的英国留学生Jack 邀请你去了他家做客，请你给他写一封邮件。内容包括：‎ ‎1. 感谢他和家人对你的热情款待;‎ ‎2. 你们在一起玩得很开心;‎ ‎3. 邀请他下周日到你家做客。‎ 注意: 1. 词数80左右;‎ ‎2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。‎ ‎3. 开头和结尾已为你写好（不计入你所写词数），不得抄入答题卡。‎ ‎(以下所给内容不得抄入答题卡)‎ Dear Jack,‎ ‎ ____ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ‎ ‎ _____________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __ _____________________________________________________________________ ‎ Yours sincerely,‎ Li Hua 第二节：概要写作(满分25分)‎ 阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。‎ With the Internet having become accessible to nearly everyone, it's now possible to study and get knowledge on any subject without having to attend a college, or going for a university course. However, as convenient as it may seem, can learning on your own really match or be even better than traditional education？‎ Perhaps the biggest advantage of being self-taught is that you're able to save a lot of money. Today, to get a degree, one has to spend thousands of dollars on college fees, books, transportation, etc. However, being self-taught means that you don’t have to pay most of these expenses. You're only required to spend on important books. Besides, it's also possible to learn faster on your own, by concentrating on only those areas you're interested in. By being self-taught, you’ll be able to avoid unimportant subjects and instead concentrate only on those which are necessary for the field you want to get into. What's more, unlike a formal education system, there are no set rules when you choose to self-educate. This lets you manage your study time based on your own convenience.‎ However, there are also advantages of formal education. For example, you can get a college degree which means you’ve achieved a level of knowledge in that particular field. Many companies tend to prefer those who have a college degree. So, if you possess a degree, you naturally gain an advantage over other people while looking for a job. College and university curriculums are designed to offer as complete a level of knowledge on the subject as possible. These curriculums are based on tried and tested methods, which make sure you get to learn a subject in the best and the most complete manner. Being formally educated also means that you'll get into a college or university, where you will be guided by learned teachers and other subject experts.‎ Thus, both formal education and self-education have their own advantages. Neither of them is better than the other. In the end, the choice between the two comes down to individual preferences and personal situation.‎ ‎________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ 南安一中2019～2020学年度高二年上学期第一次阶段考 英语科参考答案 听力：1-5 CABCA 6-10 CBBCC 11-15 ABBAC 16-20 BAACA 阅读：21—23 BBA 24—26 ABD 27—30 BACC 31—35GDBAF 完形：36-40 CADBB 41—45 DACAC 46—50 DCADB 51—55 ADCBA ‎ 语法填空：56. ourselves 57. violent  58. totally 59. to panic 60. which ‎ ‎61. using 62. a 63. branches 64. in 65. being stuck 单词填空和翻译: 66. predicting 67. surviving 68. had forgotten ‎69. There is no doubt that all this new technology is changing the way we work and offering many other ways of working.‎ 应用文写作：‎ Dear Jack,‎ I am writing to thank you for your kindness. It is nice of you to invite me to have dinner with your family.‎ I had a great time in your house, having western food, learning about American culture and chatting about what had happened in our class. Your mother has good cooking skills and your father knows a lot about China, which impressed me a lot. They are really friendly and generous.‎ By the way, would you like to come to my house at ‎6 a.m. next Sunday if it is convenient to you? We will have dinner together and you can make some new friends.‎ I am looking forward to your reply. ‎ Yours sincerely,‎ Li Hua 概要写作：‎ With the development of the Internet, it's possible to be self-taught.（要点1）Self-education is less expensive and convenient.（要点2） It lets you learn fast without set rules. However, you can also learn more in formal education and have ‎ more chances of being employed.（要点3）It's hard to compare between formal education and self-education. You should make a decision according to your own preferences and situation.（要点4）‎ Tapescript:‎ ‎(Text 1) Man: Excuse me, Madam? Woman: Yes? Man: How long can I keep the book? Woman: For one month. Please make sure you return the book before it’s due.‎ ‎(Text 2) Man: Hurry up, Jenny. It’s already seven. We’ll be late for the film. Woman: Don’t worry dear, we still have twenty minutes. And it takes us only fifteen minutes to get there. We’ll be there just in time.‎ ‎(Text 3) Man: I heard on the radio that it’ll be sunny during the holiday weekend. Maybe we can take a trip to Boston. Woman: That sounds great. I’ll call Jean to see if she likes to join us.‎ ‎(Text 4) Woman: It’s nearly eight. If you want to catch the nine o’clock train, you’d better go now. Man: Don’t worry. I’ll drive to the station. Woman: In that case, let me go with you. And you drop me off at the city center. I’ll go to the open market.‎ ‎(Text 5) Woman: I’m sorry, the cake is late. We’ll do better next time, I promise. Man: Well, I’m sorry too. You have to take it back. The birthday party is over and we don’t need the cake any more.‎ ‎(Text 6)‎ Woman: Oh, it’s broken! Jacky is not going to be happy when he sees this. It’s his favorite CD! He’ll tell mum. Man: Please Kathy, can I borrow ten dollars? I’ll buy him a new one and I will clean up your room.‎ ‎(Text 7)‎ Woman: How did you like the dishes, Sir? Man: Delicious. Everything was excellent here. Thank you! Woman: Do you want some coffee, tea, sir? Man: No. thanks, I’m fine. Ah, just have the bill, please. How much is your service charge? Woman: Fifteen percent and it’s included in your bill. Thank you very much, sir. We look forward to seeing you again. Man: Sure, good night.‎ ‎(Text 8) Woman: Can I help you? Man: Yes. My daughter bought this camera here for my wife’s birthday. But it doesn’t work. So I’d like to change it for another one. Woman: I see. Let me have a look. Well, we’ll be happy to change it for you. But I am afraid we don’t have another pink one. Man: Oh? What will I do then? Woman: Would you like to choose a different color? We do have this camera in black and orange. Man: My wife doesn’t like either of those colors. Woman: If you want, we can order another camera just like this one. There wouldn’t be any extra charge for it. Man: That sounds fine. Would you please go ahead and do that? Woman: We’d be very happy to but it’ll take at least a week. Maybe ten days. We’ll call you when it comes in. Man: Thank you very ‎ much. Woman: You are welcome.‎ ‎(Text9)‎ Woman: Hi, Joe! Many people in our department are leaving for Thanksgiving. What are you going to do? Man: I think I’ll just stay at home. I may see some friends and watch a few DVDs. And I probably would go to the Ottawa Car Show. What about you, Ariel? What’s your plan? Woman: I am going to do some traveling with my family. Man: Oh, where to? Woman: Toronto. And on our way, we’re going to visit my aunt, Valley, in Kingston. Man: That’s exciting. How long do you plan to stay? Woman: Two days. I have a get-together party with my college friends on the tenth in Toronto. Oh, I’m afraid I’ve got to go now. My husband is waiting for me. And we’ll have to pick up Daniel from school. Have a nice holiday, Joe! Man: Thank you. You too!‎ ‎(Text 10)‎ Where can you look if you want to know how tall the tallest person in the world is, or who the oldest person in the world is? There is only one place where you’ll find all these information, and that’s in the Guinness Book of World Records. This morning we have someone from the Guinness Company that produced that famous book, Thomas Manning. “Welcome to the program, Thomas!” “Thanks, Sue. It’s a pleasure to be here.” “Perhaps you could start by telling us where the idea for the book came from.” “Well, it was first suggested in the early 1950s. Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of Guinness, was out shooting birds with some friends. A bird flew away so quickly that no one was able to shoot it. Sir Hugh wondered whether this bird was the fastest bird in Europe, and if it wasn’t the fastest, he wondered what was.” “So I suppose he went to the nearest library to look for the information and he couldn’t find it?” “Yes, that’s exactly what happened. And this made Sir Hugh think there must be other people in the same situation who wanted this kind of information. He thought that, like himself, people would be interested in finding facts of all records to satisfy their curiosity.” “So the idea for a book of records was born. And when did the first book come out?”“A ‎ few years later, in 1955. So, to ask your first question: the tallest person in the world is ‎231.7cm tall. And the oldest person is Jeanne. L. Calment, who was born in February, 1875.” “There are also some rather strange records, aren’t there, Thomas?” “Yes, that’s right. Did you know, Sue, that the shortest time it is taken …”‎