福建省连城县重点中学2022届高三上学期第二次月考英语试卷（Word版含答案，无听力音频含文字材料）

连城一中2021-2022学年上期高三年级月考二
英 语 试 卷
满分：150分 考试时间：120分钟
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，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。
第一节(共5小题：每小题1.5分，满分7.5分)
听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。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．How many students are there in the woman’s class
A．40． B．48． C．50．
2．What does the man want to do now
A．See a film． B．Go shopping． C．Get something to eat．
3．Where does the conversation probably take place
A．Outside a gallery． B．Inside a stadium． C. Beside a bookstore．
4．Why does the man go to the bank
A．To apply for a credit card．
B．To start a savings account．
C．To open a checking account.
5．What does the woman imply
A．She likes drinking tea．
B．She doesn’t like chemistry．
C．Applied math is very difficult．
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。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。
听下面一段对话，回答第6、7题。
6．What did the woman do last night
A．She joined a club． B．She attended a meeting． C．She bought some furniture．
7．What does the man think of the woman’s proposal
A．Practical． B．Creative． C．Unreasonable．
听下面一段对话，回答第8、9题。
8．Why does the woman want to get up early
A．To go jogging． B．To have an early breakfast．
C．To see her parents around 7：00 a．m．
9．What will the speakers do on Sunday morning
A．Make plans． B．See a play． C．Sleep late．
听下面一段对话，回答第10至12题。
10．What is Mary looking for
A．A student apartment． B．The student dormitory． C．The Student Union building．
11．What does Sam major in
A．Psychology． B．Business． C．Medicine．
12．What can be inferred from the conversation
A．Mary lives outside the schoo1．
B．Sam has just arrived in the States．
C．The speakers know each other well．
听下面一段对话，回答第13至16题。
13．What kind of party will the girl have
A．A pool party． B．An ice-skating party． C．A roller-skating party．
14．Who will the girl invite to her party
A．Melinda． B．Kelly． C．Mike’s friend．
15．What is the boy’s advice about
A．How much to spend． B．How to decorate a place．
C．Where to rent winter animals．
16．What is the relationship between the speakers
A．Friends． B．Neighbors． C．Brother and sister．
听下面一段独白，回答第17至20题。
17．When did the speaker buy his tickets
A．Three weeks in advance． B．Three months in advance．
C．Five to ten days in advance．
18．How much does a guide generally pay for a plane ticket
A．Half of the regular fare． B．Two-thirds of the regular fare．
C．One quarter of the regular fare．
19．Where can senior and youth passes be used
A．In India． B．In Europe． C．In Japan．
20．What does the passage mainly talk about
A．How to travel for less． B．How to buy train tickets． C．How to travel on a plane．
第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分50分）
第一节（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A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Here’s how Father’s Day is celebrated in some countries around the world.
Australia
Its Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September. It’s said that it chose September because the time when much of the world observes Father’s Day was already too full of holidays. The day is typically spent in showering Dad with cards and gifts in much the same way as we do in America.
Sweden
It celebrates Father’s Day on the second Sunday in November. Norway, its neighbor, does the same. This year their Father’s Day falls on Sunday, November 14. The tradition originally came from the American Father’s Day observance and was celebrated in June, but businesses advocated that the holiday be moved to November, a typically slow month for the economy. Because of this, Father’s Day gifts are so attractive and popular.
Germany
Its Father’s Day always falls on a Thursday in May. This year, it was celebrated on Thursday, May 13. It’s a national holiday, and in most areas of the country the following Friday is as well, so many celebrate with a 4-day weekend filled with outdoor Father’s Day activities.
Russia
Russia’s Father’s Day began as a celebration for soldiers, which then became a holiday specially for men. Over time, the celebration of men has evolved into the country’s modern Father’s Day. Because it has much to do with soldiers, the holiday is known as Defender of the Fatherland Day, and is celebrated annually on February 23rd with activities that many men participate in.
21. Which country celebrates Father’s Day in a similar way to America
A. Sweden. B. Germany. C. Australia. D. Russia.
22. Why did Sweden move Father’s Day from June to November
A. It wants people to spend more. B. It can have more time to celebrate.
C. Norway observes it in November. D. There’re too many holidays in June.
23. What do we know about Russia’s Father’s Day
A. It falls on the same day as another holiday.
B. It affected Germany’s Father’s Day.
C. It has a 4-day celebration each year.
D. It was rooted in honoring soldiers.
B
In 1969，watching the landing of Apollo 11 on the Moon on TV from his parents’ farm in Canada，Chris Hadfield was amazed and excited．On that day，at only nine years old，Chris made the most important decision of his life：He was going to be an astronaut．
There wasn’t even a training program in Canada to become an astronaut，but Chris was determined．He spent a great deal of time studying and fixing engines．Alter school he joined the Canadian army where he learned to fly many different types of planes．Chris did a lot of research for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)in the United States and had special training．Finally，in 1995，he rode his first rocket into space．
Chris became the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space，and went on a number of space missions throughout his career．The most memorable was his five-month stay on the International Space Station(ISS)as commander，between December 2012 and May 2013．He posted on social media thousands of photos of Earth and videos of himself explaining how things work in zero gravity．His followers could watch him sleeping，brushing his teeth，washing his hands，or preparing“space”snacks in zero gravity，which turned him into a social media phenomenon．
Today，Chris travels the world giving talks about his work．He once said，“Decide in your heart of hearts what really excites and challenges you，and start moving your life in that direction．Every decision you make，from what you eat to what you do with your time tonight，turns you into who you are tomorrow．Look at who you want to be，and start sculpting yourself into that person．You may not get exactly where you thought you’d be，but you will be doing things that suit you in a profession you believe in．Don’t let life randomly kick you into the adult you don’t want to become．”
24．What led Chris to make up his mind to be an astronaut
A．The life on his parents’farm． B．His ability to fly various planes．
C．Apollo 11’s landing on the Moon． D．His passion for studying engines．
25．Which of the following was best worth remembering about Chris’career
A．Serving in the Canadian army．
B．Working as commander on the ISS．
C．Receiving a lot of training from the NASA．
D．Being the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space．
26．What made Chris popular in the media
A．The space tasks he conducted in his life．
B．The pictures and videos he posted online．
C．His strong determination to pursue his dream．
D．His great contributions to Canada’s space industry．
27．What can we learn from Chris’words in the last paragraph
A．Courage is what it takes to overcome difficulties．
B．Opportunities go hand in hand with challenges．
C．From small beginnings come great endings．
D．The secret of success lies in the firm aim．
C
The COVID-19 pandemic(新冠疫情) has had one positive result: millions more Europeans have discovered the joy of cycling. ‘‘Cycling is easy,” says Tanja Jamnik. “Sitting on a bike, I feel very free.” The 57-year-old accountant from Slovenia is convinced of the health benefits. “Cycling is great for the whole body.” And there are advantages for mental health. “If I cycle alone, I switch my mind off and all the bad things go out of it. If I cycle with a friend, we talk so much that it’s like therapy(治疗)!” While Tanja and her husband, Andrej, have long enjoyed cycling, there are many newcomers to the activity.
She ascribes the recent rise in biking in her country to two factors. One is Slovenia’s extremely attractive performance in the 2020 Tour de France. The other, of course, is the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year when public transport was cancelled, and schools, sports facilities, restaurants and shops were shut, many more Slovenians discovered — or rediscovered — cycling.
“By the beginning of July, cycle shops in Slovenia were almost out of mountain bikes and expedition bikes.” Tanja and Andrej often tour their home country by bike, plus most years they have had cycling holidays in other places, too.
In fact, the whole of Europe has seen a surprising growth in cycling. Bike use was already high in some European countries, but numbers are increasing all across the continent as people get on their bikes for fitness, commuting(通勤) and leisure. In Finland, bicycle sales were up by 34 percent in 2020, and in January 2021 alone, the growth was a surprising 49 percent, according to the Finnish Cyclists Federation.
28. Why does Tanja like cycling
A. Because she can go anywhere she wants.
B. Because cycling with a friend is like therapy.
C. Because she benefits from cycling physically and mentally.
D. Because her husband loves cycling with her at their leisure time.
29. What does the underlined word “ascribes” in paragraph 2 probably mean
A. Distributes. B. Owes. C. Reveals. D. Reduces.
30. What can we know from the last paragraph
A. Finland’s bicycle sales increased sharply.
B. Bike use was high in all European countries.
C. Europeans ride bikes mainly for entertainment.
D. The cycling is more and more popular in the world.
31. What might be the best title of the text
A. The usage of bike B. The enjoyment of cycling
C. The cycling explosion in Europe D. The great advantages of cycling
D
The first ever 3D-printed steel bridge has opened in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It was created by robotic arms using welding torches(焊枪) to place the structure of the bridge layer by layer, and was made of 4,500 kilograms of stainless steel.
The 12-metre-long MX3D Bridge was built by four commercially available industrial robots and took six months to print. The structure was transported to its location over the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal in central Amsterdam last week. Now it is open to walkers and cyclists.
More than a dozen sensors attached to the bridge after the printing was completed will monitor pressure, movement, shakiness and temperature across the structure as people pass over it and the weather changes. This data will be fed into a digital model of the bridge.
Engineers will use this model to study the properties of the unique material and will employ machine learning to spot any trends in the data that could indicate maintenance is necessary. They also hope it will help designers understand how 3D-printed steel might be used for larger and more complex building projects.
Mark Girolami at the University of Cambridge, who is working on the digital model with a team at the Alan Turing Institute in London, says that investigations into bridge failures often display deterioration(退化) that was missed. Constant data feedback may have been able to prevent these failures by providing an early warning, he says.
Girolami says that early indications for the strength of 3D-printed steel are positive. “One of the things that we found is that the strength characteristics are dependent on the directions of the printing. But what was in some sense surprising was that the baseline strength was what you would expect of just rolled steel, and it actually increased in some directions.”
32. What is the second paragraph mainly about
A. The construction of the bridge. B. The size of the model.
C. The transportation of the structure. D. The completion of the bridge.
33. What will be used to collect related data about the bridge
A. Robotic arms. B. Sensors. C. Digital models. D. Video monitors.
34. What’s Mark Girolami’s attitude towards the bridge
A. Skeptical. B. Indifferent. C. Critical. D. Supportive.
35. What is the main idea of the text
A. The 3D-printing technology is developing rapidly.
B. We have entered the times of 3D-printing technology.
C. The first ever 3D-printed steel bridge has come out.
D. The Netherlands is famous for the first ever 3D-printed steel bridge.
第二节（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。
Travelling with some of your favourite people is an exciting experience. If done well, group travelling can be the most thrilling experience ever, filled with games, laughter, and unforgettable memories. 36 Read on for some of the things you need to note and do for an enjoyable experience.
37
Ideas are usually exciting when they are fresh. The longer you delay, the more you’ll find excuses not to go. Let all interested parties meet as soon as possible to decide on dates, locations and budget. It’s best to plan the trip three or four months in advance.
Assign roles
For the trip to be successful, it has to be well organized. You’re going on a trip far from home, not the shopping mall. This is why the group should assign a leader who would be responsible for planning and organizing the trip. 38 Break them down further. For example, choose someone to handle booking a hotel and another person to take care of the meal.
Budget pool
39 You can do a weekly or monthly payment plan before your trip. Once you decide how much would fund the trip, members can start contributing the money weekly or monthly. The leader would then use the money to pay for accommodations, meals, transportation and more while you’re on vacation. If there’s money left in the end, split it up or go wild one last night.
Create a flexible itinerary（行程）
An easy way to create and share an itinerary is through Google Docs. Add the group members to the document and give them permission to edit it. Suggest one or two optional activities per day which do not require advance bookings, such as a local hike or museum. 40
A. Start early.
B. Get fresh ideas.
C. So how do you plan for your group trip
D. Collect a set amount from everyone before your trip.
E. Don’t forget to create room for something unexpected.
F. Also, divide the other responsibilities as they arise so that everyone participates.
G. The group leader generally keeps in contact with everyone, handling most of the detailed work.
第三部分 语言运用(共两节，满分30分)
第一节(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Nobody can inspire us as great teachers can．They seem to come when we 41 them most．They see 42 in us that others，including ourselves，can’t see．They show us that what we perceive as 43 is anything but that．Les Brown，one of the world’s greatest motivational speakers on self-improvement，is a living example．
Born in an abandoned building in Miami，Les has known 44 his entire life．He was a struggling student from the beginning，who was 45 as “mentally handicapped(弱智)”and was ever placed back from 6th grade to 5th grade．Moreover，he had a twin brother who was exceptionally 46 ，making Les the obvious “stupid twin”．
One day a teacher asked Les to solve a problem on the chalkboard，but Les 47 ，saying that he couldn’t．“Of course you can，”the teacher responded 48 ．“Young man，just come up and try it．”…“But I really can’t，” 49 Les．“I'm mentally handicapped．”
The rest of the class erupted in 50 ．The teacher stepped out from behind the desk and looked Les 51 ．“Don’t ever say that again，”he told Les firmly．“Someone else’s opinion of you does not have to become your 52 ．”And much to his classmates’ and even his own surprise，Les did 53 the problem that day．
Les will never forget his teacher’s words，which have always encouraged him to overcome incredible 54 in life and pursue his goals with exhaustless passion．And thanks to that great teacher’s powerful revelation(启迪)，Les has lived the phrase he is famous for all over the world：You have 55 within you．
41．A．impress B．need C．miss D．value
42．A．weakness B．beauty C．confidence D．potential
43．A．simple B．abnormal C．impossible D．meaningful
44．A．danger B．dignity C．hardship D．uneasiness
45．A．1abelled B．chosen C．respected D．introduced
46．A．reliable B．handsome C．gifted D．ambitious
47．A．denied B．quitted C．refused D．complained
48．A．jokingly B．coldly C．critically D．encouragingly
49．A．insisted B．argued C．explained D．demanded
50．A．1aughter B．surprise C．shame D．applause
51．A. up and down B．on the spot C．in the eye D．now and then
52．A．challenge B．reputation C．support D．reality
53．A．think over B．work out C．reflect on D．set aside
54．A．opinions B．odds C．disabilities D．faults
55．A．greatness B．personality C．knowledge D．preference
第二节(共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
What is it like to live in a cave once inhabited(居住)by ancient civilizations Zhang Youbin and his wife have the answer．
Zhang is from 56 village in Guizhou Province．The local government entrusts him and his wife with the care of ancient Hongyan cliff paintings(岩画)， 57 decorate the cave located deep in mountains．
The cliff paintings，first 58 (find) in 1991，have a history of over 6，000 years. Most patterns have become unclear over the years．Those still recognizable show cows，palm prints，pigs and people．Experts say the paintings are very specific 59 have high artistic value.
In 2015，the couple settled there 60 (protect) the paintings．Back then，the road leading to the site was extremely narrow and dangerous in some sections．So Zhang was determined to widen the road．It 61 (take) him two months to dig and build the roadbed with stones．“The road is now much 62 (easy)for people to walk on,”he said．
The couple’s major 63 (responsible)is preventing those without authorization from entering the protected area in case the paintings are damaged．To save their commuting(往返)time，the couple established a temporary home in a cave near the paintings．
Having spent six years guarding the paintings, Zhang is very familiar 64 them．“I know the exact location and every detail of each painting．They are our cultural treasures and I feel greatly honored to protect them,”he said 65 (proud)．
第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)
第一节(满分15分)
假定你叫李华，是你校英语俱乐部的主席。你们邀请了一家外企人事部经理Thomas来你校做职业规划讲座，请你用英语写一则通知，内容包括：
1. 时间和地点； 2. 讲座内容； 3. 邀请参加。
注意：
1. 词数80左右； 2. 题目已为你写好。
参考词汇：人事部门the HR department；职业规划career planning
Notice
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The English Club
第二节(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。
In the fall of 2013，I was in fourth grade and my brother Mitch was in second．When many students had puppies，of course we wanted one too!
“Mom，can we get a puppy ”I begged her．
“Well，”she said，“They’re a lot of work，so maybe when you are older．”
“But I'm already ten．I'm old enough to look after a puppy，”I said confidently．
“Yes，we should get a dog!”Echoed Mitch．“Everyone else at school has a puppy，”he exaggerate(夸张)．Then mom had to repeat what she had just said：we could get a dog when we were a little bit older．Both Mitch and I were disappointed．
The next day，before getting ready for school，we ran into the kitchen，where mom was preparing breakfast，and packing our lunches for schoo1．In one voice，Mitch and I said，“We are a little bit older．Can we get a dog now ”Mom smiled and said，“We will talk about it tonight with your dad，now go get dressed!”We ran quickly into our room and got ready for school，anxious to get the day over so we could talk about the puppy we were going to get．
That afternoon，as soon as Mitch and I got home from school，we asked mom once more when we could talk about getting a puppy．Mom reminded us，“We’11 talk about it when your dad gets home from work，okay ”“Okay，”we both said and Mitch followed by asking，“When wi11 dad be home ”Mom told us that dad would be home at about 7 o’clock and that we could to him after we got our homework done and all ready for supper．
7 o’clock came super slow．And it Was not until 7：05 that I heard the key turn and the door open．I jumped up from the chair，and raced to greet dad at the door．
“Dad!”I exclaimed，“Come on，come to the table so we can decide if we can get a puppy!”
“Okay，”dad said as he came into the kitchen and sat down at the table．Then Mitch and I brought out all the reasons we could think of to persuade dad to be on our side．
注意：
1．续写词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Finally our parents agreed that if we could go thirty days on best behavior，we could get a puppy．________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One afternoon, we returned from school to find a little dog running in the yard．_____
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
参考答案
第一部分 听力（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
1—5 CBABC 6—10 BAACC 11—15 CABAB 16—20 CACBA
第二部分 阅读（共20小题；每小题2.5分，满分50分）
21—25 CADCB 26—30 BDCBA 31—35 CABDC 36—40 CAFDE
第三部分 语言运用（共两节，满分30分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）
41—45 BDCCA 46—50 CCDAA 51—55 CDBBA
第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
56. a 57. which 58. found 59. and 60. to protect
61. took 62. easier 63. responsibility 64. with 65. proudly
第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)
第一节(满分15分)
【参考范文】
Notice
Good news for you all. In order to make us get well-prepared for our future career earlier, we have invited Thomas, who is in charge of the HR department of a foreign company, to give us a lecture about career planning.
The lecture will be held in the hall of our school from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm this Friday afternoon, during which time, Thomas will talk about various jobs we’ll meet in our life, and what important qualities and abilities we should possess to satisfy the requirements of the job market. After the lecture, you’re welcome to raise questions you’re interested in.
Don’t miss the golden chance. We’ll see you this Friday afternoon.
The English Club
第二节（满分25分） (One possible version)
Finally our parents agreed that if we could go thirty days on best behavior, we could get a puppy. “Yeah!” Mitch and I gave each other a high five and we jumped with joy. From that day on, we got up early to help mom make breakfast, did some housework, and got along very nicely with each other so we could make it one day closer to meeting a sweet little puppy. We even decided on a good name, Luckie, for our future dog. Time dragged by and we were eagerly expecting the big day to come.
One afternoon, we returned from school to find a little dog running in the yard. “It’s a reward for your good behavior for the last month,” Mom said. “Hi, Luckie!” Mitch and I were overjoyed and we greeted the puppy excitedly. The little dog, wagging its tail happily, looked at us with the cutest look of innocence. We felt our hearts melt instantly. We bought Luckie some puppy food and several lovely toys. Ever since then, feeding, walking and cleaning Luckie have been our daily routine. We really enjoy watching it grow and become our good companion. Meanwhile, we get to know that if we really want something, we should strive hard for it.
听力录音材料：
Text 1
M: How many students passed the physics exam in your class
W: 40, but 8 students in the class failed. Two students didn’t attend the exam because of illness.
Text 2
W: The movie doesn’t start until later. I was thinking we could get some food first.
M: I’m not that hungry. I still need to get my mom a Christmas present. Maybe we could check out a few stores
W: Sure. Let me just grab a snack before we go.
Text 3
W: The admission fee of the gallery is ten dollars per person. I think that’s pretty expensive for a single exhibit.
M: But if we have student cards, we can get in for two.
W: Really Let’s have a try.
Text 4
W: Welcome to Chase Bank. How may I help you today
M: I’d like to open a savings account, please. I already have a checking account and a credit card here.
W: Wonderful! If you can just show me your ID and your bank card, we’ll get started right away!
Text 5
M: This class is so hard! I should have stayed with chemistry. Geometry is just not my cup of tea.
W: I’m in applied math, and it’s definitely the hardest course I’ve ever taken.
Text 6
M: Did you go to the meeting last night
W: Yes, but I wish I hadn’t.
M: Did you ask how much the new furniture for the club was going to cost
W: Yes, and I really put my foot in it.
M: How
W: Well, I said I thought it was a stupid idea to buy new furniture when the club was so short of money.
M: Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a reasonable opinion.
W: Maybe, but I had forgot that I was the one who first suggested new furniture at last year’s
meeting.
Text 7
M: What time do you want to wake up in the morning
W: 7:00 a.m. I want to go jogging before breakfast, and then we have that play to go to with my parents at 11:00.
M: What ever happened to sleeping in on the weekend
W: You can sleep in if you want to. I always feel better when I get up early.
M: Whenever you get up early, your alarm wakes me up. I can’t go back to sleep, and then I’m tired for the rest of the day.
W: How about you get up early with me tomorrow and we sleep in on Sunday
M: OK. But in the future, let’s not make any plans that involve seeing your parents before noon!
Text 8
M: Hello, you look lost. Can I be of assistance
W: Oh, thanks. You’re right. I am lost. I’m looking for the Student Union building.
M: You’re close; it’s just across the playground. It’s the three-story brick building over there.
W: I see, thanks a lot. You’ve been a big help.
M: Excuse me for saying so, but you’re not from around here, are you Are you British or what
W: Actually I’m Australian. I’m an exchange student. You’re an American, I assume
M: Yes. By the way, I’m Sam Jones.
W: I’m Mary Donald. Pleased to meet you.
M: So how long have you been in the States, Mary
W: I’ve been here about three weeks now. So, what’s your major, Sam
M: I’m studying medicine now. What’s yours
W: I’m not sure yet. I’m kind of interested in business but my parents believe psychology will be hot in the future.
M: So, do you live in the dorm
W: Actually no, I have a small apartment about five blocks from here. Well, I have to run. Thanks for your help. Maybe we’ll run into each other again sometime.
M: Could be, it’s a pretty small college. Nice to meet you, Mary. See you later.
W: See you.
Text 9
W: What do you think I should do for my birthday this year
M: You should have a really big party! Maybe a pool party!
W: That would be fun. I don’t really like swimming, though. Maybe I’ll have a roller-skating
party.
M: What about an ice-skating party
W: Yeah, that’s even better! I’ll definitely invite Katie and Sammy.
M: What about Melinda
W: Yes, Melinda, too. Do you think I should invite Kelly
M: No, because she didn’t invite you to her party last month. Am I allowed to invite anyone
W: You can invite one friend, but that’s it.
M: Fine. I’ll invite Mike. You should have a winter-themed party. If Mom and Dad say it’s okay to rent out the entire place, we can decorate it with balloons. I know your favorite cake is cheese-
cake, but you should get an ice-cream cake instead.
W: Those are all great ideas. Maybe I can even get a snow machine!
M: You can call the party “Patty’s Wonderland”. Maybe Mom will let us rent some winter animals, like deer and penguins!
W: Okay, don’t get ahead of yourself. I don’t think that would be possible.
M: Yeah, I guess you’re right.
Text 10
M: Do you know how to get inexpensive airline and train tickets On a recent flight, Laura was chatting happily with me in the seat until the conversation turned to fares. I bought my ticket 3 weeks in advance and paid $148. Laura paid the full fare of $480. She decided that next time she would find out how to travel for less.
Here are some useful ways to travel for less.
Cheap airline tickets. To fly for less money, you can buy non-refundable plane tickets 2 or 3 months before your trip. The cheapest way to fly is as a guide. In return for delivering a package for a guide company, you get a plane ticket that costs as little as one quarter of the regular fare or even less if the company needs someone at the last minute. Recently, a guide flew a round trip from New York to Hong Kong for $100; a regular ticket costs around $1,800.
Train passes. If you are going to do a lot of travelling by train, a train pass will save your money. Train passes can be especially useful in India, which has the world’s largest rail system; in Japan, where trains are fast and convenient; and in Europe, where trains go to over 30,000 cities. The Rail Europe Group even offers senior passes for those of 60 years of age and over, youth passes for those under 26 years of age, and provides a great bargain.