2021—2022学年度上学期高一期中考试
英语试题
分值:150分 时间:120分钟
注意事项:
1.答题前,考生务必用0.5毫米黑色墨水签字笔将自己的姓名及考号在答题卡上填写清楚,并贴好条形码。
2.每小题选出后用2B铅笔涂在答题卡对应位置上,如有改动用橡皮擦干净再选涂其他答案,在试卷上作答无效。
第一部分 听力(共两节,满分30分)
※做题时,先将答案标在试卷上,录音内容结束后,你将有两分钟时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。
第一节(共5小题;每小题1.5分,满分7.5分)
听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题,从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项,并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后,你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1. Where is the woman going with her children
A. To Japan. B. To Canada. C. To Australia
2. How much should the man pay
A.$16. B.$60. C.$32.
3. What does the woman expect the man to do on Saturday
A. Celebrate their mum’s birthday.
B. Take Brian out for the day.
C. Help Brian move house.
4. What does the woman mean
A. She don’t like the job.
B. She will take the job right away.
C. She isn’t sure whether to take the job.
5. What are the speakers mainly talking about
A. A film. B. A novel. C. A writer.
B. Their neighbor will help them paint the house.
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至7题。
6. What will the woman do this evening?
A. Attend a party. B. Visit her grandma. C. Do some shopping.
7. What does the man advise the woman to do?
A. Wear a necklace. B. Buy a handbag. C. Make a skirt.
听第7段材料,回答第8、9题。
8. Where does the conversation take place?
A. At a hotel. B. At an airport. C. At a police station.
9. What does the man suggest the woman do?
A. Wait where she is.
B. Make a request for the loss.
C. Give him her telephone number.
听第8段材料,回答第10至12题。
10. What’s the relation between the speakers?
A. Husband and wife. B. Classmates. C. Boss and worker.
11. Why does the woman look worried?
A. She has been late for work recently.
B. She is not getting on well with her boss.
C. She has trouble taking her children to school.
12. What might the woman think of Alice’s way to deal with her problem?
A. Practical. B. Strange. C. Wrong.
听第9段材料,回答第13至16题。
13. How long will the course run this year
A. Eight weeks. B. Seven weeks. C. Six weeks.
14. What was the woman surprised at
A. The lack of assistants.
B. The condition of weather.
C. The number of children.
15. What new activities can the children have this year
A. Adventure sports. B. Fun programmes. C. Creative classes.
16. What is expected about the course this year
A. It will run better. B. It will last longer. C. It will start earlier.
听第10段材料,回答第17至20题。
17. What difficulty did the speaker have when starting to learn French?
A. Grammar. B. Vocabulary. C. Pronunciation.
18. Why did the speaker go to France?
A. To settle there. B. To look for a job. C. To continue her studies.
19. What did the speaker think of her French after she arrived in France?
A. Poor. B. Acceptable. C. Excellent.
20. What is the most important in learning a language according to the speaker
A. Mastering the grammar rules.
B. Knowing a large number of words.
C. Using the language in real life.
第二部分 阅读理解(共两节,满分50分)
第一节单项选择(共15小题;每小题2.5分,满分37.5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
Student Accommodation(住处) to Let in London
One-bedroom flat
Riverside Gardens, W6 £1,250 pcm
This one-bedroom top floor flat is located at Riverside Gardens in Hammersmith. It is perfectly located for shopping and entertainment. Walking distance to Hammersmith Broadway, Ravens Court Park & the River Thames.
Key features (特点): Spacious living area; Fully equipped kitchen
Two-bedroom flat
New Orient House Chelsea, SW6 £1,148 pcm
This flat has easy access to West Brompton station where a quick change to the District Line will allow you to make good use of the London Underground. This means that you are within easy access of 21 higher education institutions including Imperial College London and Kings College London.
Key features: Excellent social spaces: movie room, games area and dining area
Private halls
Nido West Hampstead, NW6 £1,664 pcm
Our modern student accommodation is near West Hampstead Tube Station, allowing you to easily explore London. It is close to all major universities in the city. Our house team will look after you during your stay, all you need to worry about is living your best student life.
Key features: In-house gym(健身房)
Rooms for the 2019/20 academic year start from just£229 pp/pw.
(pcm: per calendar month pp/pw: per person per week)
21. What will Tom who works part-time in a restaurant by Ravens Court Park probably choose
A. The flat next to West Brompton station.
B. An apartment at Nido West Hampstead.
C. The flat at Riverside Gardens.
D. The flat at New Orient House Chelsea.
22. How much will Jane spend at least each month, if she is going to live at Nido West Hampstead from Sep 1st, 2019
A.£1,250. B.£1,148. C.£916. D.£229.
23. Who are most likely to choose the flat at New Orient House Chelsea
A. Nature lovers. B. Party lovers. C. Shopping fans. D. Gym fans.
B
It was hot and yet, such a beautiful day. My parents and I picked up my grandmother from the nursing home. We used to go there regularly but the last time I visited my grandmother, she seemed to forget where she was and how to breathe on the massage(按摩)table—it scared me so I thought perhaps it was better to transfer her to a clinic that day.
She had been getting weaker and having aches from sitting in a wheel chair all day, so I called Wang Tao who runs a Chinese massage clinic with his wife and daughter out of their home and told him my concerns wasn't even sure whether my grandmother would be strong enough to get up the stairs or get onto the table.
'We can help her make it', Wang Tao said. And, we did. Sure there were struggles and funny moments. For example, my grandmother wondered who was the man working on her back, Wang Tao had massaged her over the years at least 20 times. They used to laugh and talk together in Chinese but my grandmother didn't remember. Wang Tao was shocked that my grandmother seemed to have forgotten he is a Chinese man, but he still patiently tried to refresh her memory.
My grandmother was born in California, but her parents who were born in China only spoke Chinese, so Chinese was her first language but English is spoken all around her. Still, our family all felt grateful and happy to hear my grandmother start talking to Wang Tao in Chinese again. It was like the dust just needed clearing. We all laughed a happy laugh. When the session was over, my grandmother took Wang Tao's hand and thanked him for helping her. We ended our day with a Chinese dinner of course-one that ended with my grandmother saying to the massager: please come here and I have to shake your hand. 'Thank you for what you have done.' she said joyfully as she held this stranger's hand. And then she turned to me, 'Thank you, my grandson.'
24.What did the author do shortly after visiting his grandmother last time
A. He had a French dinner with his grandmother.
B. He massaged his grandmother at home by himself.
C. He took his grandmother out of the nursing home.
D. He helped his grandmother transfer to another nursing home.
25.What made Wang Tao surprised at the author's grandmother
A. Her fluent Chinese.
B. Her failure to recognize him.
C. Her losing the ability of language.
D. Her aches from sitting in a wheel chair.
26.Why did the author feel thankful
A. His grandmother finally recognized the massager.
B. Wang Tao agreed to have dinner with his family.
C. His grandmother her remembered saying thanks to the massager.
D. Wang Tao made his grandmother begin speaking Chinese again.
27.What does the text mainly show
A. Grandma's love for children and friend.
B. Friendship and sympathy from strangers.
C. The forgetfulness and helplessness of the old.
D. Family ties and the kindness between people.
C
One of the most popular street food found in China is no doubt the barbecue. A new program, called Chinese Barbecue, tells the story of this popular food cooked over hot coals on just about every street corner in cities and towns across the country. Barbecued meat is an important part of people’s nightlife.
Shown on June 20, the program has had more than 25 million clicks on the video site . To find the most popular barbecue stalls (摊位), the production team travelled to more than 500 locations in 30 cities across the country. Some viewers compare Chinese Barbecue to Midnight Diner, a Japanese TV program telling stories from late night informal Japanese bars.
“I’m happy to hear this comparison because Midnight Diner is a good program, and we share the same topic― night food,” Chinese Barbecue’s director Chen Yingjie said. “However, they are quite different.” He said that Midnight Diner focused more on food itself, though there was some conversation while people were eating. However, the night food scene of Chinese people means joy and a more lively atmosphere. People eating these barbecue snacks develop a feeling of connection, which can be a cure for loneliness.
The barbecue, regarded as the most ordinary and common night street snack, is different from home-made food by mothers as that is a symbol of family and kinship. The barbecue is where you go to become connected to people in society. And unlike official business lunches, during which people are rather polite, the barbecue lets people relax with old friends and new friends, leaving a lasting impression of friendship.
The world, as a whole, holds deep-rooted good feelings toward the barbecue, either for the taste or the warmth produced by fire. “What we should do is to present the Chinese barbecue just the way it is because with its special ingredients(食材),ways of cooking and more importantly, the special environment and people, the world will recognize it and might fall in love with it just as we do.” said Chen.
28.What do we know about Chinese Barbecue
A.It has been becoming very popular on the Internet.
B.It is thought highly of by most of the foreign tourists.
C.It mainly talks about the most famous Chinese food.
D.It shows the colorful nightlife in large cities of China.
29.In which way was Chinese Barbecue different from Midnight Diner
A.It showed more kinds of food. B.It focused more on the diners.
C.It showed the eating habits. D.It was less popular than Midnight Diner.
30.What is Paragraph 4 mainly about
A.The importance of the barbecue to family.
B.The influence of the barbecue on people’s manners.
C.The influence of the barbecue on people’s lifestyle.
D. The role of the barbecue in people’s relationship.
31.Why did Chen Yingjie choose the barbecue as the topic of the series
A.To show the feature of Chinese food. B.To research a special way of cooking.
C.To help the world understand China. D.To introduce the history of the barbecue.
D
Say “Sit” to your dog, and he’ll likely sit on the floor. But would he respond correctly if the word were spoken by a stranger, or someone with a thick accent A new study shows he will, suggesting dogs understand spoken words in a clever and complicated way long thought unique to humans.
Holly Root-Gutteridge, a biologist, and her colleagues ran a test. The researchers filmed 42 dogs of different breeds as they sat with their owners near an audio speaker that played noncommand words with similar sounds, such as “had”, “hid”, and “who’d”. The words were spoken-not by the dog’s owner-but by several strangers, men and women of different ages and with different accents.
In the video above, the dog Max turns quickly and listens seriously when he hears a woman say “had” for the first time. But as other women with different accents repeat the word, he loses interest, indicating he knows they are all saying the same word. When a speaker says a new word, like “who’d”, Max cheers up again, but his attention flags when a new voice returns to saying “had”. Together, these reactions suggest dogs recognize words regardless of the speaker-and that they don’t need any training to do it, the team reports today in Biology Letters .
“It’s wonderful—and novel—to see research looking at dogs’ reactions to words that are not commands or requests,” says Alexandra Horowitz, a researcher at Barnard College in New York City. Because of the nature of the test, however, the scientists cannot show that the dogs “understood” what the words meant, Horowitz points out. “But the work clearly demonstrates that dogs are listening to us,” she says, even when our speech is not about them.
32.What can we learn from this study
A.Dogs can hear some simple words. B.Dogs can hear words like humans.
C.Dogs cannot understand a stranger. D.Dogs know their owners’meaning.
33.What do the researchers do for the dogs in the study
A.Record their sounds. B.Record their reactions.
C.Train their hearing ability. D.Train their learning ability.
34.What is the third paragraph mainly about
A.The result of the study. B.A dog filmed in the study.
C.An example of the research. D.Different reactions of the dogs.
35.What is Horowitz’s attitude towards the study
A.Objective. B.Favorable.
C.Opposed. D.Unclear.
第二节 七选五阅读(共5小题;每小题2.5分,满分12.5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。
How to plan out your week in advance
Having a weekly routine is important. It allows you to know exactly the direction in which you’ re heading and what you need to do in a week. So, how do you plan out your week
Figure out the big things.
Take some time each Sunday to think about what has to happen the following week. Most weeks will have the same basic building blocks — the “big things” that never change. 36. But for me they include putting in a full workday, ensuring each child practices their instrument, getting at least 8 hours of sleep, cooking a good meal each night, and working out 4-5 times.
Think about the small things.
37. Medical appointments, coffee dates with friends, children’s birthday parties or play dates. I have rules for these sorts of events: they must be scheduled for evenings or weekends. 38. Otherwise, they may affect the quality of my work.
Set your goals.
If there are specific things you need or would like to accomplish in a given week, list them and plan for them. 39. Executive coach Rafael Sarandeses recommends setting five weekly goals and three daily ones. That’s a generous number that’s sure to keep your momentum (动力) going.
40.
I’m a firm believer in morning hours setting the tone for the rest of the day. I think it’s important to get up at the same time every day. It doesn’t have to be early, but it should be consistent.
A. Next come the small things that change week by week.
B. These could be personal goals or professional goals.
C. Planning is a habit that must be developed.
D. Give it a try and see what a difference it makes.
E. Everyone’s big things will look different.
F. I try not to let them occupy my work hours.
G. Have a morning routine.
第三部分 语言运用(共两节,满分30分)
第一节 完形填空(共15小题;每小题1分,满分15分)
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,从短文后所给的四个选项(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。
When the 28-year-old farmer Ureta met 17-year-old Graciela in his hometown Pampa, they fell in love. Two years later, they 41 and settled down on the farm where Ureta had been brought up.
Graciela had many big 42 for the farm in her mind. One day when she was on a 43 over Pampa, Graciela suddenly 44 that another farm looked like a milking pail (桶). Graciela thought her family could create something even more 45 on their own farm—a huge forest 46 like her favorite musical instrument—the guitar.
But Ureta didn’t take his wife’s 47 seriously, saying, “We’ll talk about it later.” Later 48 came. In 1977, Graciela died suddenly of brain cancer at the 49 age of 25 while carrying their fifth child. After his wife’s death, Mr. Ureta 50 not satisfying her wish. A few years later, Ureta decided that the best way to honor his wife would be to 51 the big work of art.
After the local government 52 to help with the project, Ureta and his children took it on their own. One by one, they 53 about 7,000 trees into the “shape of a guitar”. It took a few seasons for the trees to take roots(生根), but Ureta’s hard work 54 .
Watching the forest grow over the years gave Graciela’s children 55 . “It was the closest thing possible to having my mother alive,” Maria Julia, Ureta’s second daughter, said.
41. A. got prepared B. got married C. became well-known D. became stressed
42. A. tests B. tasks C. reasons D. plans
A. train B. flight C. cloud D. bridge
A. noticed B. remembered C. recognized D. expected
A. expensive B. funny C. attractive D. important
A. treated B. described C. considered D. shaped
A. style B. personality C. idea D. adventure
A. hardly B. never C. still D. always
A. young B. old C. common D. special
A. kept B. suggested C. enjoyed D. regretted
A. copy B. paint C. create D. change
A. promised B. decided C. volunteered D. refused
A. planted B. carried C. put D. collected
A. faded away B. paid off C. went through D. tried out
A. pleasure B. comfort C. support D. care
第二节 语法填空(共10小题;每小题1.5分,满分15分)
阅读下面材料,在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
The freshman challenge
Going from junior high to senior high is really a big challenge for a freshman and the first week was a little confusing.
First I had to think 56. _________ (careful) about which courses I wanted to take. My head teacher helped me choose the suitable 57._________ (one). I know English is a very difficult course, but I will try 58._________ (I) best to be fluent when I 59._________ (graduate). Mum advised that I should sign up for Chinese literature 60. _________ I am good at.
Teachers say one way to know your school well and make more new friends is to join 61.______ club or play a sport. Our school offers chances to join different clubs. I joined a volunteer club. Every Wednesday, we work at a soup kitchen and hand out food to 62._________ (home) people in the community.
I know I will have to study harder 63. _________ a senior high school student and get used to 64._________ (be) responsible for a lot more. I am a bit worried about keeping up with the other students in my advanced course. Still, I am happy to be here. 65._________ (study) hard isn’t always fun, but I’ll be well prepared for university or whatever else comes in the future.
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)
假如你是李华,你在新学校结交了一位新朋友,他(她)恰巧和你兴趣相投。请你用英语写一封电子邮件将他(她)介绍给你的英国笔友Peter。
内容包括:
1.新朋友的年龄和外貌等;
2.新朋友的兴趣爱好;
3.新朋友的联系方式;
注意:
1.词数80左右;开头和结尾已给出,不计入总词数;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3.文中不要出现真实姓名和学校。
Dear Peter,
I'm very glad to tell you I have made a new friend in my new school.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
第二节 读后续写(满分25分)
阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段, 使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
A light rain was falling as my sister Jill and I ran out of the shop, eager to get home and play with the presents that our parents had prepared for us and our baby sister, Sharon. Across the street from the shop was a gas station where the bus stopped., which was closed for New Year, but I saw a family standing outside the locked door, gathering closely together under the narrow overhang in an attempt to keep dry. I wondered briefly why they were there but then forgot about them as I raced to keep up with Jill.
Once we got home, there was barely time to enjoy our presents. We had to go off to our grandparents’ house for our annual family dinner. As we drove down the highway through town, I noticed that the family was still there, standing outside the closed gas station.
My father was driving very slowly down the highway. The closer we got to the turn-off for my grandparents’ house, the slower the car went. Suddenly, my father made a U-turn in the middle of the road and said that he couldn't stand it. "What ” asked my mother. " It's those people back there at the station, standing in the rain. They've got children. It's New Year. I can't stand it.”
When my father pulled in to the service station, I saw that there were five of them: the parents and three children-----two girls and a small boy, who were getting wet standing there. My father rolled down his window, “Happy New Year, " he said.
“Thanks. You, too,” the man replied. He was very tall and had to bend slightly to look into the car. Jill, Sharon, and I looked at the children, and they looked back at us.
“Are you waiting for the bus ” my father asked. The man said that they were. They were going to Birmingham, where he had a brother and chances of a job. Knowing the bus wouldn't come along for several hours, my father invited them to our home to shelter from the rain.
Paragraph 1:
The man thought about it for a moment, but then refused.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
When we got out of the car at our house, the three children ran through the front door happily. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
高一英语试题答案
听力:
1-5ACACA 6-10 AABCA 11-15 CACCB 16-20 ABCAC
阅读理解:
A:CCB
B: CBDD
C: ABDC
D: BBCA
七选五:
36-40 EAFBG
完形填空:
41—45 BDBAC 46—50 DCBAD 51—55 CDABB
语法填空
56 carefully 57 ones 58 my 59 graduate 60 that/which
61 a 62 homeless 63 as 64 being 65 Studying
应用文写作
Dear Peter,
I'm very glad to tell you I have made a new friend in my new school. And I'm writing to introduce her to you since we two happen to share the same interests.
WangFang, aged 16, with light skin and black hair, is a slim and outgoing girl who is very easy to get along with. She is fond of English culture and has a passion for English dialects, which is also my favorite. And we are decided to join the English language club at senior high. You can get in touch with her and her Wechat ID is kdyz12345.
Best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
读后学写
Paragraph 1:
The man thought about it for a moment, but then refused. He said he didn't want to put us to any bother. My father explained that the rain would last long and our house was near the station. After my parents' strong persuasion, he finally agreed and thanked us all the time. They climbed into the car. They had no luggage, only the clothes they were wearing. Once they settled in, my father looked back over his shoulder handing them some tissues to wipe the rainwater from their faces.
Paragraph 2:
When we got out of the car at our house, the three children ran through the front door happily. My mother noticed all their clothes were wet, so she found some of ours for them to change. Jill and I decided to share our New Year presents with the children. One of the girls chose Jill’s doll and immediately hugged it to her breast. When the rain stopped, my father drove them to the station. As we drove away, I watched out the window as long as I could, looking back at their happy faces. That was the day when Jill and I learned the joy of making others happy.
听力原文:
(Text 1)
M: Are you going to spend the summer in Australia
W: No, I planned to go to Canada, but my children begged me to take them to Japan. I agreed.
(Text 2)
M: Excuse me. Do you have any tickets left for the concert tomorrow
W: Yes. They are $16 each. Um … how many would you like
M: Two, please.
(Text 3)
W: What’s the matter with you, Jack
M: Brian phoned me today. He was wondering whether I could help him move house on Saturday.
W: I’d rather you didn’t. It’s mum’s birthday and I thought we could take her out for the day.
(Text 4)
M: Have you decided to take that summer job you were offered
W: Well, I want more information before I accept it.
(Text 5)
M: God, I’m glad that’s over.
W: So you don’t like it It’s based on a novel written by a famous writer.
M: No, I think the story, the dialogue and the whole thing about the war are hard to understand.
W: But the leading actor is my favorite.
(Text 6)
W: Hi, I’m looking for a dress for Jane’s party this evening. Can you give me some advice
M: How do you like this skirt It goes well with your skin.
W: Really OK, I would try it.
M: And I believe this necklace would make you more attractive.
W: OK. Should I take a bag with me
M: Of course.
W: How about the brown bag you and I bought last week
M: I can’t agree more. And hurry up, grandma is waiting for us.
W: OK.
(Text 7)
W: Hi, I just arrived on Flight 245 from London. I waited until all the luggage came out, but my suitcase wasn’t there.
M: Well, I guess it might have been put on the wrong flight. There’s a chance it won’t arrive until tomorrow.
W: Tomorrow!
M: I’m very sorry about this. Leave us a phone number so that we can reach you, and the airline will call you as soon as we get your suitcase.
(Text 8)
M: Hi, Jean. You look worried. Is everything OK
W: Well, my new boss is expecting us to start work at 8 o’clock in the morning. But I have to take our children to school. That means I’ll be late for work. And you can’t spare any time to do it.
M: Oh, dear … er … but not a surprise. My friend Alice had a similar problem last year.
W: How did she settle it
M: She didn’t do anything at first. But in the end she told it to her boss. He said he hadn’t realized the early start would present a problem and he agreed to let them start half an hour late.
W: That’s great. Perhaps I should deal with it the same way.
(Text 9)
M: Hello, everyone. We are lucky to have Molly Taylor here today. Molly is organizing an activity course for the summer holidays. Molly, this is the second year of the course, isn’t it
W: Yes. The summer course operated for the first time last year for a six-week period. We did think about making it longer this year and have a seven-week course, as there’re some schools which finish term a week earlier. In fact, two schools have eight-week holidays. But in the end we decided to keep to the same plan as last year.
M: But, as I understand, last year’s course wasn’t a complete success, was it
W: Well, we were actually very surprised by the number of people interested in the course. We didn’t actually have enough assistants to look after all the children. Besides, there was such a lot of rain that we couldn’t go outside as often as we wanted to.
M: So, what activities can the children look forward to this year
W: Well, once again there’ll be artists and musicians who will lead creative classes. We also considered providing some more exciting adventure sports. But we decided not to, in the end. Instead we’re introducing some fun programmes. I think it’ll be good fun for the children.
(Text 10)
W: Pleased to be here today. My name’s Joan, and I’d like to share with you something about my French learning. I still remember when I first started to learn the language I didn’t really have a problem with the pronunciation. I just had a hard time memorizing words. But I made a great effort and soon I was scoring ten out of ten in all of the tests. By the time I got to university, I could do some writing and translations without much difficulty, and I actually enjoyed learning the grammar rules. Then as part of my university course I had to go and live in France for a year. As soon as I arrived,I realized I didn’t know how to order the type of coffee I liked, and trying to find somewhere to live or stay was something difficult to deal with. I called people about information in the paper, but I had to keep putting the phone down because I couldn’t understand a word they were saying — they all spoke so quickly! I could see then that there’s no point in just knowing words if you can’t hold a conversation with a native speaker. The ability to speak freely is what helps you get a job, hold a conversation or just buy the things you need.