荆州市重点中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末考试
英 语 试 题
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。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。
例：How much is the shirt
19.15 B. 9.18. C. 9.15.
答案是C。
1. How does the woman want her meat cooked
A. Rare. B. Medium-rare. C. Well done.
2. Which place might the man go to this weekend
A. A concert hall. B. A stadium. C. A gallery.
3. What are the speakers talking about
A. Polite greetings. B. Table manners. C. Body language.
4. What are the speakers doing
A. Taking a picture. B. Having a haircut. C. Looking at a photo.
5. What will the man do after he gets home
A. Drive to a furniture store.
B. Buy the woman a new table.
C. Borrow a truck from the woman.
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。
听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。
6. What does the woman think of electronic music
A. It is clever. B. It is loud. C. It is modern.
7. How old was the woman when attending a classical concert
A. 16. B. 17. C. 18.
听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8. Why does the man turn to the woman
A. He has to work late.
B. He has to get groceries.
C. He has a package to come.
9.What is the man getting
A. A box of fruit. B. Some alcohol. C. Some sports equipment.
10. What do we know about the speakers’ kids
A. They are under the age of 21.
B. They’ll return home by 3:00 p.m.
C. They’ll practice soccer at 5:00 p.m.
听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11. What is the probable relationship between the speakers
A. Father and daughter. B. Teacher and student. C. Classmates.
12. What does the woman want to become
A. A security guard.
B. A computer security expert.
C. A computer science teacher.
13. What does the man suggest the woman do
A. Do well in math. B. Major in math. C. See math as a career.
听第9段材料，回答第14至17题。
14. Where does the conversation take place
A. At school. B. At the zoo. C. At an amusement park.
15. Why is Lisa surprised
A. John was busy. B. John arrived late. C. John changed his mind.
16. Why did John lie to Lisa
A. He wanted to come alone.
B. He was afraid of roller coasters.
C. He wanted to give her a surprise.
17. What does John say about Lisa
A. Considerate. B. Brave. C. Reliable.
听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。
18. Why did the speaker buy a new umbrella
A. His old one was damaged.
B. He really loved that one.
C. He failed to bring one.
19. What is the main advantage of the hotel’s location
A. It is very close to a bakery.
B. It is beside the Eiffel Tower.
C. It is within walking distance to Louvre.
20. Why did the speaker go to Paris
A. To see some artworks.
B. To eat some French food.
C. To meet some good friends.
第二部分阅读（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、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
Everyone has got a plan, a goal, a target that well want to achieve. However, for many reasons we pause to take a sigh, and most times we don’t do anything about them anymore. So how can you set goals properly
Reading some good books about setting goals is a great place to start. These books should push you ahead of the rest, and importantly, to make you attain your set goals.
Creating Your Best Life
Written by Caroline Miller. MAPP, she takes the standard SMART formula for goal setting and goes beyond that approach. She makes a point of giving you specific exercises while also sharing related stories. It's a great book to consider as we connect better with stories and can find more motivation to set goals in the manner that Miller outlines in her book.
The Magic of Thinking Big
“You are what you think you are.” writes David J. Schwartz, PhD in The Magic of Thinking Big. Exceeding your goals is possible when you believe in yourself. Get over the fear of failure and use the power of a positive attitude to achieve big things.
The Book of Mistakes
Skip Prichard is a wonderful storyteller and weaves that skill into this book. This book takes figurative person who discovers nine mistakes that highly successful people never make.
Goals!
Author of dozens of books on personal development, Brian Tracy explains the 12 steps necessary to accomplish goals both large and small. The author emphasizes self-discipline and persistence and two keys to achieving your goals.
21. What’s an advantage of the books in the text
A. They stop you complaining of facts.
B. They identify the reasons for a pause.
C. They help you achieve your set targets.
D. They push you to design a grand project.
22. Which book stresses the importance of self-confidence
A. Goals! B. The Magic of Thinking Big.
C. The Book of Mistakes. D. Creating Your Best Life.
23. Who introduces the detailed process of achieving goals
A. Brian Tracy. B. Caroline Miller.
C. Skip Prichard. D. David J. Schwartz, PhD.
B
When most kids go to the beach, they’re too focused on making sandcastles and splashing around to notice litter, but several years ago, for 7-year-old Cash Daniels, noticing a plastic straw sparked a lifelong passion for saving the planet.
Cash, who is now known as the “conservation kid” has always loved nature. He grew up fishing along the Chattanooga River, after all! But once he learned that 80 percent of all trash from land and rivers ends up in the ocean, he couldn’t sit back.
He started with cleanups along the river, something that quickly went from a family affair to a community effort with volunteers and neighbors. In 2019, Cash, together with a Canadian conservationist, Ella Galaski-Rossen, started a nonprofit called the Cleanup Kids. Despite living in different countries, they managed to create educational videos on their YouTube channel.“We hope to be a really big nonprofit that eliminates plastic in the U.S. and Canada,” Cash said. “We want to inform kids and adults in the landlocked states on how their actions are connected to the water and the ocean,” Cash said.
Cash was selected as one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers of 2021 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. He also earned the title of National Honoree, where he received a $5,000 grant to go to a nonprofit of his choice, and he became the first person to win the Youth Conservationist Award two years in a row from the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. “I want to travel the world, teach others, and help them feel connected to the ocean. Because if you are connected to the ocean—if you love it and what lives in it—you’ll want to protect it,”he said. “This is my fun and it becomes more fun with every new discovery.”
24.Which can replace the underlined words“sit back” in paragraph 2
A. Fall asleep. B. Lose heart. C. Lend a hand. D. Turn a blind eye.
25.What is the purpose of starting the Cleanup Kids
A. To recycle waste plastics. B. To appeal for ocean protection.
C. To spread marine knowledge. D. To make instructive videos.
26.Which of the following best describes Cash Daniels
A. Ambitious and humorous. B. Initiative and talented.
C. Sympathetic and devoted. D. Determined and modest.
27.What does Cash Daniels’ story imply
A. Helping others is of great fun. B. Great minds think alike.
C. Passion fuels dreams. D. Actions speak louder than words.
C
Many people live with chronic pain, and there’re complex reasons for it. Now a new study researcher Laura Case of the University of California, San Diego, co-authoring with Jennifer Baumgartner, suggests a new potential influence on pain: feeling socially connected.
This new study reanalyzed measures collected in an earlier study, in which a group of chronic pain sufferers had been randomly arranged an intervention shown to reduce pain (sleeping with a heavily-weighted blanket) or to a control condition (sleeping with a slightly-weighted blanket). After sleeping with their blankets for a week, changes in people’s pain levels were assessed.
In the earlier study, the pain sufferers had also reported on their anxiety, levels of loneliness, and sense of social connectedness—not how many social connections they had, but how generally close they were to other people and how strongly they experienced a sense of belonging. But these hadn’t all been analyzed to see how they related to pain and pain relief from the blankets. That’s where the new study came in.
The new findings showed that people who were more socially connected experienced less pain than those who were less socially connected. After taking into account differences in how much pain relief the sufferers expected and how painful they felt in the beginning, those who were socially disconnected felt more pain relief from the weighted blanket than from the lighter blanket, while more socially connected people received equal pain relief from both blankets.
These findings show that having a sense of belonging provides some level of protection against pain. Why Socially connected people probably feel safer and less anxious, says Baumgartner, because they know they can depend on others for support when they’re hurting, Besides, positive social touch—like receiving a friendly hug or massage—has been shown to reduce pain feel, and people who’re more socially connected likely experience more of those types of touch, Case adds.
Their study adds to a growing body of research showing how important social connectedness and social touch are for our health and happiness—something that’s been getting more attention in recent years.
What did the new study mainly focus on
A. The participants’ pain levels. B. The effects of social connections on pain.
C. The different interventions. D. The participants’ similar sense of belonging.
29. What can be learnt from the new study
A. The weighted blanket benefited those socially disconnected a lot.
B. People’s initial pain levels had few effects on the participants.
C. People having more social connections experienced no pain.
D. Being socially disconnected worsened people’s pain.
30. What does Case probably suggest people do
A. Compete with each other. B. Hug their friends more.
C. Avoid too much touch. D. Control their feelings.
31. From which section of the newspaper is the text probably taken
A. Technology. B. People. C. Environment. D. Health.
D
Is future you... you It might seem like a strange philosophical question. But the answer to how you think about your future self could make the difference between decisions you ultimately find satisfying and ones you might eventually regret.
The brain patterns that emerge on an MRI(核磁共振成像) when people think about their future selves are most like the brain patterns that arise when they think about strangers. This finding suggests that, in the mind’s eye, our future selves look like other people. If you see future you as a different person, why should you save money, eat healthier or exercise more regularly to benefit that stranger
Despite these questions, if you see your distant self as more like those of your present self, you are considerably more likely to do things today that benefit you tomorrow. A paper in the journal PLoS One revealed that college students who experienced a greater sense of connection and similarity to their future selves were more likely to achieve academic success. Relationships with our future selves also matter for general psychological well-being. In a project led by Joseph Reiff, which includes 5,000 adults aged 20 to 75, he found that those who perceived a great overlap(重叠)in qualities between their current and future selves ended up being more satisfied with their lives 10 years after filling out the initial survey.
So how can we better befriend our future selves and feel more connected to their fates The psychological mindset with what we call “vividness interventions” works. We have found, for instance, that showing people images of their older, grayer selves increases intentions to save for the long term. Besides, you might try writing a letter to—and then from—your future self. As demonstrated in in the 2020 journal Self and Identity, when high-school students engaged in this type of “send-and-reply” exercise, they experienced increased levels of feelings of similarity with their future selves.
If we can treat our distant selves as if they are people we love, care about and want to support, we can start making choices for them that improve our lives—both today and tomorrow.
32. What’s the function of paragraph 2
A. Generating further discussion. B. Analyzing a research result.
C. Showing the prospect of the finding. D. Concluding various viewpoints.
33. How does the author prove his statements
A. By offering relevant statistics. B. By using quotations.
C. By referring to previous findings. D. By making comparisons.
34. What is paragraph 4 mainly about
A. Benefits of befriending our future selves.
B. Ways of connecting with our future selves.
C. Methods of changing psychological mindsets.
D. Possibilities of us becoming our future selves.
35. What would be the best title of the text
A. Making future plans makes a difference.
B. Our future selves look like other people.
C. Getting to know your future self benefits.
D. Your choice affects the fates of strangers.
第二节 (共5小题：每小题2.5分，满分12.5分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
How to communicate complex information
Did you ever have to read a presentation where you felt like you’re lost in confusing terms, data and concepts Are you giving others this same experience ___36___ But there are ways you can simplify your presentation and reengage your audience. Here’s how you can get complex information across.
Use interactive content. It gets the readers more involved in your presentation by letting them play an active part. ___37___ Beyond that, questionnaires and chatbots provide personalized and specific answers to readers as part of your presentation. Making your presentation interactive used to be hard, but now you can just use Storydoc. Go make your first interactive presentation. It’s easy as pie.
___38___ No one will read a presentation with a thousand words. Do everyone a favor and use images. Images can be super effective at communicating complex information and save you a lot of needless text. In fact, visual representation of data and concepts can often convey what words cannot. Use diagrams and images to illustrate your points and simplify the complex.
Narrate your content. ___39___ Whether it’s through texts or videos, centering your presentation around a story can help guide your audience through the complexity, making it more digestible, engaging, and memorable.
Use examples and fables. They can help explain clearly the complexity of ideas for they are what we’ve already known and understood. ___40___ More importantly, the real secret lies in selecting examples that are not just familiar but also deeply relevant-those are the ones that will truly ring with your listeners.
A. Show, don’t tell.
B. Make every word count.
C. Storytelling is another powerful tool for communicating complex concepts.
D. Communicating complex information is a common challenge in presentations.
E. They can also make the complex concepts less new and more familiar.
F. If you don’t sound excited, the listeners won’t feel excited either.
G. For example, allow them to choose the content route they wish to take and control the pace.
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。
I found a wonderful picture of Maolan karst cones online and presented it to the innkeeper. “You can’t go there,” the innkeeper 41 me with a smile. “The viewing platform has been closed due to 42 that too many visitors could cause geological damage.”
Though disappointed, we 43 an alternative: a seven-hour hike through the“funnel forest”. Initially, we were 44 to run the risk. However, I had 45 the tourism motto in the nature reserve: “If you don’t do it now, you won’t do it in your lifetime.” Three of our group 46 decided to venture into the forest. The innkeeper responded with a knowing 47 :“Great. Bear Grylls went there.”
The next morning, we set off with a local 48 . Rain came and went three times, and before I actually 49 to climb over the first mountain, I had already got wet to the skin. I was a walking 50 of mud and water.
Our guide, in his 50s, behaved like a botanist, introducing the locally specific plants to us, but I was hardly in the 51 . Every step sank into the muddy, sucking ground. Every log or rock in front of us was a physical 52 . “One can never reach those places without strong willpower,” I murmured, reciting that millennium-old 53 , over and over again.
Sinkholes and entrances to underground rivers kept popping up along our 54 . Thinking of them leading to an unknown world, I began to 55 the road that I can control even more.
Wandering in a green chaos without any obvious landmarks is also breathtaking.
41. A. motivated B. told C. followed D. favored
42. A. surroundings B. matters C. concerns D. conclusions
43. A. worked out B. took in C. poured out D. broke down
44. A. unwilling B. ambitious C. bound D. modest
45. A. anticipated B. promoted C. interpreted D. noticed
46. A. shortly B. lately C. eventually D. severely
47. A. taste B. trick C. smile D. temper
48. A. botanist B. keeper C. farmer D. guide
49. A. managed B. exposed C. subscribed D. yielded
50. A. adaptation B. mixture C. antique D. presentation
51. A. zone B. mood C. angle D. peak
52. A. association B. adaptation C. participation D. challenge
53. A. prediction B. line C. trace D. comfort
54. A. route B. landmark C. platform D. intervention
55. A. guarantee B. occupy C. reveal D. appreciate
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。
There are certain things on the Earth that we must not lose. The great animal migration across the Serengeti Plains or the towering pyramids of Egypt are such examples. Every country is proud of 56 (it) cultural or natural heritage sites, all of 57 must be protected. We are lucky to have UNESCO to oversee such 58 unique task. It sees heritage as our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass down 59 future generations as well as irreplaceable sources of inspiration.
The incredible splendour of heritage sites is a 60 (remind) of the power of nature and the genius of man. As a nature reserve, Jiuzhaigou Valley is home to snow-capped mountains, thick forests, impressive waterfalls and lakes. This dream-like scenery makes us realize that nature has 61 (literal) created a masterpiece. Similarly, standing in the shadow of the Borobudur Temple, as the sun rises over this grand historic building, we 62 (impress) with the effort and determination of the people 63 (establish) it with only primitive tools.
It is in heritage sites like this 64 we cannot help but be humbled, come to understand our limitations as human beings, and know that our duty is to protect them for generations 65 (come).
第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)
第一节 （满分15分）
假定你是李华，上周末参加了学校举办的书法讲座，请你写一篇演讲稿，分享活动心得。内容包括：
1.讲座时间和地点；
2.讲座内容；
3你的感想
注意：1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.请按如下格式作答。
Dear friends,
第二节（满分25分)
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
When starting my sixth-grade year, I was nervous about many things. But nothing compared to the problem that I got to the age where my voice started changing. At first, the voice getting deep excited me. But then I learned before getting deeper, it can crack (变嘶哑).
The first time it happened I was so embarrassed. Surprisingly, my friends didn’t make fun of me. In fact, they didn’t even mention it. But in my self-conscious sixth-grade mind I was certain they made fun of me behind my back. They weren’t having the same problem.
After my first voice crack experience, I was determined to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. At least not in public. So, except for strategic times I said, “cool” and “yeah”, I didn’t talk. My logic was, “If l don’t use my voice, it cannot crack.” However, I couldn’t go without talking forever. I needed a new solution.
l began clearing my throat before speaking, which actually seemed to help. Limiting how much I spoke and clearing my voice made me much less stressful. This was great but there was a larger problem. I was much more scared about having a voice crack during class. My class had many new kids I’d never spoken with. I didn’t want their first impressions of me to be based on a voice crack.
Unfortunately, one day my concern came true. It was about two months after the beginning of the term. On the day it happened everything was the same as always until I got into the classroom. I noticed that we had a substitute teacher and immediately started thinking about how he would take attendance. My permanent teacher never had to, since he already knew each student, I panicked. So many thoughts rushed through my mind that I couldn’t think straight. I calmed myself down by telling myself that I only had to say one word “Here”. “Easy enough, right ” I thought so until my name was called. I did my routine—cleared my throat, took a breath, and said, “Here.” The only problem was that while saying this, I had the worst voice crack in the history of voice cracks.
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。
(
The whole class turned to look at me.
“You know, the voice problem you met in class is normal,” a classmate came to me and said.
)英 语 试 题 答 案
第一部分 听力
1~5：BCBCA 6~10: BACBA 11~15: ABACC 16~20: BACAA
阅读21~23: CBA 24~27: DBCC 28~31: BABD 32~35: ACBC
36~40: DGACE 41~45: BCAAD 46~50: CCDAB 51~55: BDBAD
its; 57. which; 58. a; 59. to; 60. reminder
61. literally; 62. are impressed; 63. establishing; 64. that; 65. to come
应用文
Dear friends，
In a bid to deepen our understanding of Chinese traditional culture, a lecture on traditional Chinese calligraphy was held in the school hall by our school calligraphy club.
The lecture fell on last Saturday, lasting from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., during which time a renowned calligrapher narrated the development history of traditional Chinese calligraphy and shared some significant masterpieces with us. In addition, an on-the-spot teaching of the use of brush was given, from which participants can get the hang of brush calligraphy. So meaningful was this lecture that it gave us fascinating insights into traditional Chinese calligraphy as well as provided a platform for us to experience the exceptional charm of calligraphy first-hand.
Having benefited from this lecture a lot, I’m looking forward to more golden opportunities to expose myself to more traditional culture. Thanks for listening.
读后续写
Version 1:
The whole class turned to look at me. My face burned with embarrassment as I felt each pair of eyes fixed on me. The substitute teacher’s puzzled expression only added to the awkward moment. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole, but all I could do was shift uncomfortably in my seat. The whispers that followed were like knives to my self-esteem. When the bell finally rang for the break, I rushed out of the classroom, feeling utterly humiliated. It seemed like the whole school now knew about my voice crack.(87 words)
“You know, the voice problem you met in class is normal,” a classmate came to me and said. His reassuring words caught me off guard. As he shared his own similar experiences, I realized I wasn’t alone in this struggle. Knowing that others were going through the same thing made me feel seen and understood. His empathy sparked a sense of team spirit and support that I hadn’t anticipated. Gradually, I let go of the fear of judgment and started to embrace my voice cracks as a natural part of growing up. This newfound sense of confidence and self-acceptance transformed my interactions at school, making me feel more at ease and connected with my peers.(97 words)
Version 2:
The whole class turned to look at me. I felt my face turning red and wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole. The embarrassment was unbearable, and I couldn’t even bring myself to meet anyone’s gaze. After what felt like an eternity, the substitute teacher finally spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. He chuckled and said, “Well, that’s quite a lovely young voice!” The class laughed friendly along with him, and I managed a weak smile, wondering whether they were just trying to make me feel better. Finally, the bell rang and I walked out to have some fresh air. (94 words)
“You know, the voice problem you met in class is normal.” a classmate came to me and said. “Everyone goes through it. It happens to most of us during this stage of life.” He explained how he had also experienced voice cracks and how he had learned to embrace them as a natural part of growing up. I looked at him in surprise, grateful for his reassurance. My initial embarrassment and concern gave way to gratitude and confidence. My classmates were understanding and supportive, just as my friends had been from the beginning. With their encouragement, I gradually became more confident in using my voice, accepting the changes that came with puberty without fear or shame. (98 words)
听力录音文稿
Text 1
M: How would you like your meat cooked, ma’am We can do anything from rare to well done.
W: I'd like it medium-rare with spicy sauce on the side, please.
Text 2
W: I thought you were going to that concert this weekend. Shouldn't you be on your way to the stadium by now
M: That's next weekend. This weekend I will enjoy an art exhibition with my mom in town.
Text 3
M: Bobby, can you stop talking when your mouth is full And can you sit up in your chair, please
W: And how many times have your father and I told you Don't eat with your hands!
Text 4
W: Grandpa, how come your hair looks so different in this picture
M: Well, because I was a lot younger then. You see, when you get older, you start losing your hair. Don't worry, though. It's different with girls.
Text 5
W: I need your help moving my new table into the apartment this weekend.
M: I'll be back at my place on Sunday. Will we need to pick it up with my truck
W: Yes. They're holding it at the furniture store where I bought it from.
Text 6
W: Why do you listen to that music Why not listen to classical music
M: Classical music is the music of the past and this is the music of the present.
W: But can't you turn it down It hurts my ears.
M: It's electronic music. We live in an electronic age. I do like some classical music. Some of it is very clever.
W: I don't understand your music.
M: When you were 18, you probably liked the music of your time. Things change.
W: When I was 16, a year younger than you, I attended a classical concert. I've loved that music ever since.
Text 7
M: Are you going to be home at 3:00 p.m. today, or are you staying late at work
W: I'm not staying late, but I'm going to stop by the grocery store on my way home. Why
M: I have something being delivered around 5:00 p.m., and I want to make sure someone is there to receive it.
W: Oh, okay. I can be home by 5:00 p.m., but the kids will both be home from soccer practice by then. One of them could sign for it.
M: No, they can't, because it is a box of wine. The delivery person will need to see identification to make sure the person signing is over 21 years old. Our kids are not old enough yet.
W: Fine. I will hurry home before the wine arrives.
Text 8
W: I think I want to become an expert on computer safety, but the schools that I want to apply to don't have that major. I know that there are some private colleges that offer it. Should I send applications to those places, too
M: I don't think that's a good idea, honey. You can consider that as a career，but I think you should study a broader subject in school.
W: Like what
M: Well, what would be a learning requirement for a computer security job
W: Computer science!
M: Definitely. But let's go even further. Do you know what you should learn well in order to be good at computer science
W: Math
M: Yes!
W: But...I don't know if I want to major in math. It seems like it would be so hard!
M: It's okay, honey. You don't have to only study math. But you do need to have a solid background in it. Choosing computer science as your major is good, but you should also take plenty of math classes. No matter what you plan to do, I'm behind you, my little girl.
Text9
M: Hey, Lisa. I am glad I catch you before you go in. Now we can go in together.
W: Hey, John. I'm surprised to see you here. What made you come tonight I thought you said you were busy when I asked yesterday. Did your plan to go to your grandparents' house change
M: Well, I did say that originally. However, I want to be honest now and tell you that I lied to you. I really wanted to come tonight but I was scared. I have never been on a roller coaster before.
W: Don't apologize for that. I'm sorry that I put you into that position. I wouldn't have invited you if I had known you were scared. I never meant to make tonight stressful.
M: No, it's my fault. I really never had the opportunity to fix my problem before, so I didn't know what to do. But I came tonight to face my fears directly!
W: That is very brave of you. I'm glad to be here with you while you do that. Besides, the town's holiday celebrations have much smaller rides. It is a good place to start. Let's buy some tickets and enjoy the celebrations.
M: Thank you for being so understanding. You are a really great friend. Let me buy the tickets for us to thank you.
Text 10
M: Today is the third day of my week's holiday in Paris. The journey here was very long and I felt tired because I didn't get much sleep on the plane. But I was excited when I got in the taxi and I could see the Eiffel Tower from the window. It really is quite an impressive sight. The weather here is a little bit cold, and sometimes rainy. So, I had to buy a new umbrella because I forgot to bring one. The traffic is very bad, so usually I like to walk if I can. But it's a big city, so it can get very tiring after a few hours. The food here is delicious, but I don't like the breakfast served at the hotel. However, I am so lucky because there is a nice bakery close to where I am staying. They have fresh bread every morning and the shopkeeper always greets me with a big smile. I have visited most of the famous places but I couldn't get into the Louvre, because I went too late last night and the tickets were all sold out. I really hope I can go today，because I'm a big fan of art galleries and I must see the painting of Mona Lisa. It's the real reason I came here.
