重庆市第八中学校2025-2026学年高三上学期10月月考英语试题（含答案，含听力原文无音频）

重庆八中高三2026届10月月考
英语试卷
注意事项：
1.答题前，考生务必用黑色碳素笔将自己的姓名、准考证号、考场号、座位号在答题卡上填写清楚。
2.每小题选出答案后，用2B铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其他答案标号。在试题卷上作答无效。
3.考试结束后，请将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。满分150分，考试用时120分钟。
第一部分 听力(共两节，满分30分)
注意，听力部分答题时，请先将答案标在试卷上。听力部分结束前，你将有两分钟的时间将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. What will the man most probably do
A. Look for a roommate.
B. Find a cheaper apartment.
C. Live in this apartment alone.
2. Who might have made the reservation
A. Mary. B. Burton. C. David.
3. What are the speakers mainly talking about
A. A tourist attraction. B. Plans for vacation. C. Animals in Alaska.
4. What does the woman complain about
A. She failed to get a reward.
B. Her design wasn't approved.
C. The work makes her very tired.
5. Why doesn't the man want to go to the beach
A. He can't bear the hot weather.
B. He has no interest in the beach.
C. He is waiting for the football match.
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和第7两个小题。
6. What does the man say about his uncle
A. He is famous. B. He is clever. C. He is popular.
7. When did the man's uncle begin to do medical research
A. At the age of 10. B. At the age of 15. C. At the age of 25.
听下面一段对话，回答第8至第10 三个小题。
8. Where does the conversation probably take place
A. In a gym. B. In an office. C. At a cafe.
9. Why does Billy look stronger than before
A. He lost some weight.
B. He took a weight training course.
C. He created a training program for himself.
10. What will the woman do next
A. Prepare some equipment. B. Go to a health club. C. Tell Zack about the class.
听下面一段对话，回答第11 至第13 三个小题。
11. How long h s Linda stayed in the Czech Republic
A. 2 years. B. 3 years. C.5 years.
12. What is Lansperk
A. A castle ruin. B. A town. C. A train.
13. What does the man ask Linda to do
A. Be his tour guide. B. Help him rent a house. C. Introduce him to her friend.
听下面一段对话，回答第14 至第16三个小题。
14. What season is it
A. Summer. B. Autumn. C. Winter.
15. Why does the man disagree about a walk in the countryside
A. It is boring.
B. The weather is bad.
C. It doesn't appeal to their nieces.
16. What outdoor activity do the speakers decide on
A. Ice-skating. B. Climbing. C. Fishing.
听下面一段独白，回答第17 至第20 四个小题。
17. What did the study in the U. K. find out
A. Five people got hurt while doing DIY.
B. Half of the people planned to do DIY in the future.
C. Most people failed to complete some DIY tasks.
18. How did the speaker's friend feel about the accident
A. She was worried. B. She was annoyed. C. She was shocked.
19. Why did the speaker think he was lucky
A. He repaired his shelves. B. He wasn't badly hurt. C. He finished his DIY work.
20. What is the talk mainly about
A. Unexpected mistakes. B. House repairs. C. DIY troubles.
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和D 四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Sleep tourism is a growing trend where travelers visit specialized hotels or retreats (静居处) to improve sleep quality. Here are four top sleep tourism hotels.
Chiva-Som Hua Hin, Thailand
Immersing guests in tropical greenery and Thailand's elegant Royal Coast, Chiva-Som is the resort made of dreams. It begins with an overnight monitoring device in your room to detect abnormal breathing, followed by blood testing to see if your body clock needs resetting. This can identify whether low melatonin (褪黑激素)levels at night are contributing to sleeplessness. Your results will determine a tailor-made comprehensive plan by a wellness specialist.
Six Senses Residences Courchevel, French Alps
Set in the heart of the largest ski resort area in the world, this hotel offers a wide range of services,including its popular Sleep Programs. Each program varies in length and content. You can expect advice from the Sleep Doctor. Additionally, the program includes many benefits of yoga, relaxing treatments, nutrition advice and low intensity training.
COMO Metropolitan, Singapore
Slip into a Hyperbaric (高气压的)“Airpod” which delivers a combination of oxygen and molecular hydrogen to give guests 50 percent more oxygen compared to breathing air, helping deepen the sleep cycle. The hotel's SleepDreams initiative also includes“SleepHub” technology, which uses sound to help you fall and stay asleep.
Ockenden Manor, West Sussex, UK
Ockenden Manor, located in the pretty village of Cuckfield, has launched the Good Sleep Retreat. You’ ll have a one-to-one assessment, review and consultation with a psychologist. You' ll also be offered a floatation(漂浮疗法) session, a yoga session, a group gym class, and a guided walk in the beautiful Sussex countryside.
21. Which hotel offers a personalized sleep plan
A. Six Senses Residences Courchevel. B. COMO Metropolitan.
C. Chiva-Som Hua Hin. D. Ockenden Manor.
22. What do the sleep programs of Six Senses Residences Courhevel and Ockenden Manor have in common
A. They both use advanced technology.
B. They are both in a famous tourist spot.
C. They both differ in length and content.
D. They both offer professional advice on sleep.
23. Where can you probably find the text
A. In a medical journal. B. In a travel brochure.
C. In a health magazine. D. In a science report.
B
Due to the subsequent flooding in Rochester, unsuspecting students now face a new danger on their walks to class. On dry mornings, when the ground breathes a sigh of relief to finally escape the endless battering from the clouds, chilling corpse s line the paths to the library. It's a graveyard of fallen earthworm soldiers.
Perhaps the scarier moments, however, come in the depths of night. Huddled into your rain jacket as you prepare to run back to your only slightly warmer dormitory, you may suddenly find yourself blinded by a ring of flashlights.“FREEZE”A voice will yell.“DON'T MOVE YOUR FEET”
It's probably one of the most secretive clubs on campus. Their origins Suspicious. Their leader Unknown. Their task “SAVE THE WORMS” With their battle cry ringing through the stormy air, the members of the club will set out for their night journey. Eyes peeled, flashlights swinging, they will inch along each path until encountering a struggling earthworm.
“I' ve found another one”I’ ll hear them yell.“Quick, bring the chopsticks” You may not be able to believe your eyes as you watch each fellow student carefully use a pair of chopsticks to gently lift a drowning wom from the concrete. They spin with their chopsticks and send their recently rescued worm flying into the grass and back to dirty safety. The Wormers are very efficient. They' ll have your path cleared within half an hour, at which point the Worm Leader will gesture you forward with a humble bow. A small tip: don't take his offered hand—— it's likely to be covered in worm juice. Honestly, at this point it's in your best interest to close your gaping mouth and just nod amicably.
24. What is the new danger faced by students on their way to class
A. Drowning insects. B. Dead bodies of worms.
C. fallen leaves and branches. D. Unexpected storms.
25. How do the club members rescue the earthworms
A. By shouting to warn people not to step on them.
B. By using flashlights to scare them to the grass.
C. By cleaning their moving path with water and tools.
D. By using chopsticks to transfer them to safe areas.
26. What can be inferred about the author's attitude toward the club's actions
A. Amused and respectful. B. Critical and disgusted.
C. Fearful and suspicious. D. Indifferent and neutral.
27. Which is the best title for the text
A. The Flooding Crisis in Rochester B. The Secret Night Rescue of Earthworms
C. University Students’ Strange Hobbies D. How to Protect Worms During Storms
C
Each year cars kill roughly 40,000 people in America and not just because it is a big place where people love to drive. The country's roads are nearly twice as dangerous per mile driven as those in the rest of the world.
Besides, using data for 7.5 million crashes in 14 American states in 2013-2023, we found that for every10,000 crashes, the heaviest vehicles kill 37 people in the other car, compared with 5.7 for cars of a median weight and just 2.6 for the lightest. The situation is getting worse. In 2023, 31% of new cars in America weighed over 2.27 tonnes, compared with 22% in 2018.
Individually, it is reasonable for people to buy bigger cars. As Tony Soprano once said to his son A. J.when discussing SUVs, “So you want to be the man in a regular car who dies in an accident ” Yet the sum of those decisions results in much more deadly roads, as well as more expensive car insurance.
What, then, could make roads safer As people become aware of the risk their choices pose to others,attivudes to owning oversized cars may change. The government that rates cars for safety has taken the safety of pedestrians and other vehicles into consideration through reforms since last year.
As well as making cars lighter, we can also make accidents rarer and less deadly. In America, the first step should be to redesign the road system. The lack of roundabouts (环岛) in suburban and rural America is a big cause of deaths. Replacing intersections (交叉口) with roundabouts would save thousands of lives a year. The spread of stroads (设计不合理的道路), four-lane highways that sit next to shopping malls, mixing pedestrians and speeding cars, is dangerous too. American highway engineers tend to associate wide lanes with safety. However, space encourages people to drive faster. That points to a second step relevant everywhere:getting people to slow down.
28. What can we know from paragraph 2
A. Most new cars are over 2.27 tonnes. B. Heavier cars are more fatal to others.
C. Traffic accidents have been increasing. D. Heavier cars sell better than lighter cars.
29. What can be inferred from Tony Soprano's words to his son
A. He prefers his son to drive a light car.
B. He wants his son to avoid driving SUVs.
C. He believes bigger cars are safer for drivers.
D. He thinks regular cars are more fashionable.
30. Which of the following can NOT help reduce traffic deaths
A. Widening the main roads. B. Building more roundabouts.
C. Evaluating cars for safety thoroughly. D. Separating pedestrians from high-speed traffic.
31. What is the main idea of the text
A. The heavy price of bigger cars. B. Pathways to safer American roads.
C. Weight matters more than we think. D. Safety begins with smarter infrastructure.
D
Microplastics are minute bits of plastic polymers—— chemical compounds known for flexibility—— that don't break down and can accumulate in our bloodstream and organs when ingested. They have been detected in everyday items from tea bags to produce. Now, new research finds tiny plastic particles are hidden in yet another product: chewing gum.
The researchers tested 10 popular chewing gums: five natural and five synthetic (合成的). Participants were instructed to rinse (冲洗) their mouths three to five times to determine the number of microplastics in their mouths at the start of the experiment. They then chewed each type of gum for four minutes—— and some for an extra 20 minutes—— while researchers collected saliva samples (唾液样本) at various points. While you might think synthetic gums would contain more microplastics than natural varieties, the researchers found both types released similar numbers—— an average of 104 and 96 per piece, respectively.
The team also found 94% of microplastics were released during the first eight minutes of chewing. After that point, the number of microplastics lessened and then plateaued over the course of 20 minutes. As such,chewing gum for a longer period of time doesn't necessarily mean a person will consume more microplastics.
The technology researchers used could merely identify microplastics 20 micrometers wide or larger—— they could hardly assess the smaller, nano-sized plastics, which means their microplastic counts are likely underestimates.
While research into microplastics is still limited, microplastics essentially set off inflammation(炎症) in healthy cells in our bodies. Thus, limiting how much gum you chew is not a bad idea, but we' re all regularly exposed to microplastics daily—— and other products are likely far riskier than a stick of gum. Since gums release the most particles within the first few minutes, it may be safer to keep chewing one piece rather than reaching for a new stick. Meanwhile, research suggests that synthetic gum degrades in about three years. Natural gum,on the other hand, breaks down much faster and could, in theory, release more microplastics more quickly if swallowed, according to the researchers.
32. What do we know about chewing gum based on the study
A. Natural gum is free of plastic-based materials.
B. Synthetic gum is more dangerous because it is artificial.
C. Synthetic gum takes shorter chewing time to release microplastics.
D. Natural gum releases almost as many microplastics as synthetic gum.
33. What can we infer from the third paragraph
A. Microplastics disappear completely after 20 minutes.
B. Microplastic release varies greatly with chewing time.
C. Microplastic count gradually stabilizes after eight minutes.
D. Microplastic release rate dives sharply after eight minutes.
34. What is the major limitation of the research
A. Insufficient gum varieties. B. An overly small sample size.
C. Limited duration of chewing experiments. D. Inability to detect nano-scale plastic particles.
35. What is the practical suggestion regarding chewing gum based on the last paragraph
A. Switch to multiple sticks of gum. B. Moderate your gum consumption.
C. Prioritize synthetic gum for safety. D. Swallow natural gum with caution.
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能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
The move from school to work can be less difficult if parents do something to ensure a safe landing in early adulthood for their kids. Here are some measures which parents can take to prevent what we call“work-life unreadiness.”
Help your kids figure out who they are. You can start this process when they are 11 or 12. Regularly review their strengths and weaknesses with them and work together on any shortcomings. 36 These interests offer clues to the careers that will fit them best.
Talk about the future on a regular basis. Have regular dinner-table discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of your own career and encourage your kids to form some ideas about their own future. 37 They can change their minds 200 times, but having only a foggy view of the future is of little good.
38 Teachers are responsible for teaching kids how to learn. Parents should be responsible for teaching them how to work. Assign responsibilities around the house and encourage teenagers to take a part-time job.Kids need plenty of practice developing effective skills.
Place time limits on leisure activities. Playing video games encourages immediate content. Watching TVshows or listening through earphones to songs for a long time only keeps kids from participating in outdoor activities. 39 They make it difficult for kids to develop lasting concentration.
Help kids develop coping strategies. 40 They should also learn how to solve problems, resolve conflicts and think critically. Discussions at home can help kids practice doing these things and help them apply these skills to everyday life situations.
A. Build your kids' work skills.
B. Offer any career advice respectfully.
C. A sense of responsibility is very important.
D. You can also identify the kinds of interests they keep coming back to.
E. They should know how to deal with setbacks, stresses and feelings of inadequacy.
F. All these activities can prevent the growth of children's communication and thinking skills.
G. When asked what they want to do, they should be discouraged from saying“I have no idea.”
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和D 四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Once there was a little boy who wanted his dad to 41 him how to play catch. One sunny day the little boy's father was sitting on the couch, drinking a beer, while watching a baseball game.
The boy rushed into the house exclaiming,“ Daddy, show me how to play catch!” The father, 42 staring at the television 43 , replied,“ Come back in five minutes.”
The boy returned five minutes later, but his father, now 44 by his son's constant interruption, saw a magazine under the table with a world map on the 45 . He 46 it into pieces and told his son,“ Once you 47 this picture of the world, we' ll play catch. Don't 48 me until you' re done.”
The boy took the magazine and sulked into his room as he sobbed,“ Okay, I won't.”A few moments later the boy 49 and said,“I'm done, daddy can we play catch now ” 50 , the father glanced towards his child and there in his small hands 51 the magazine with the world pieced 52 together. Amazed, the dad asked his child how he had done it so quickly.“ It was 53 ,” stated the boy,“ on the 54 of the world was a picture of a person, and 55 I put the person together, that's when their world came together.”
41. A. coach B. introduce C. conduct D. practice
42. A. secretly B. blankly C. regularly D. strangely
43. A. subtitle B. screen C. match D. news
44. A. concerned B. ignored C. annoyed D. troubled
45. A. cover B. passage C. surface D. content
46. A. deleted B. divided C. caught D. tore
47. A. put aside B. put together C. put away D. put down
48. A. interrupt B. approach C. consult D. influence
49. A. came back B. came across C. came around D. came about
50. A. Relieved B. Upset C. Stunned D. Satisfied
51. A. placed B. appeared C. lay D. stood
52. A. perfectly B. slightly C. wholly D. finally
53. A. obvious B. simple C. challenging D. tough
54. A. back B. top C. front D. bottom
55. A. until B. unless C. since D. once
第二节(共10 小题；每小题1.5 分，满分15 分)
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Standing in the heart of Yu Garden, Huxinting Teahouse has witnessed Shanghai's transformation from a small trading port into a global metropolis. It is one of only three teahouses in China that have operated in their
original location for over 170 years. What makes it even 56 (unique) is that it is the only one situated in a city center that's also a 57 (national) protected cultural heritage site.
After nearly two years of restorations 58 (blend) traditional craftsmanship with modern technology,Huxinting 59 (reopen) its doors to the public last month, breathing new life into the 240-year-old landmark.
“We' ve preserved two special tables—— one that Chinese literary master Ba Jin (1904-2005) used to sit at, and another 60 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II once enjoyed tea during her visit to China. These tangible historic connections allow visitors 61 (touch) the past,” says Rong Xinyu, the teahouse's director.
While preserving 62 (it) historical significance, Huxinting adapt s to modern 63 (preference):offering single- serve teas for young people and catering to international visitors——40% of daily guests—— 64 multilingual menus. 65 weekly 10- yuan nostalgic set (tea + vegetarian bun) serves elderly regulars. Future plans include expanding evening events, ensuring it remains a guardian of Shanghai's urban memories.
第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)
第一节(满分15分)
假如你是李华， 8月15日从伦敦希斯罗机场( Heathrow Airport)乘QR110航班回渝，但抵达后发现少了一个行李箱。请用英文给希斯罗机场写一封邮件，请求帮助。邮件内容包括：
1.行李箱外观及内装物品；
2.你的联系方式。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
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。
For years, I struggled with self- doubt. It was my constant companion, even in moments of success, after a kind word from a friend or a fleeting sense of accomplishment. No achievement seemed enough to silence that inner voice saying,“ You don't belong.”
It started after my diagnosis. Autism(自闭症) wasn't widely understood back then. My teachers didn't get me. My classmates didn't know what to make of me. The bullying was constant. And through those years, Inever wanted to acknowledge that I was autistic. I tried to hide it. But hiding only made the self-doubt stronger.
Middle school was especially tough. I had back surgery, didn't pass many exams and kept failing theSATs. It felt like setback after setback. I remember thinking, “What's the point ” But something deep inside me whispered, “Keep going.” So I did. After three tries, I finally passed.
Still, the self-doubt lingered like a shadow in the night, always nearby, always whispering that I wasn't enough. The silence I carried was heavy.
To cope, I started writing.
At first, it was just a way to get the thoughts out of my head. I poured everything onto the page: anger,sadness, confusion, hope. Somehow, writing words down gave shape to feelings I couldn't express. My voice had been quiet for so long, but now, on paper, it was starting to come through.
As I wrote, something shifted. I started sharing my story about autism, about the bullying, about the fight to believe in myself.
With every word, the burden of self-doubt lightened just a bit.
The more I shared, the more I realized something profound: the very qualities I once tried to hide, like my sensitivity, my unique perspective, my deep empathy, were actually strengths. I knew my story could help someone else.
That was a turning point. I put my writings into a book and had it published.
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。
People of different identities responded in ways I never expected.
Their words, like a beam of light, broke through my self-doubt's darkness.
英语参考答案
第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）
1~5 BABCB 6~10 ABCBC 11~15 CAACB 16~20 ACABC
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）
21~25 CDBBD 26~30 ABBCA 31~35 BDCDB
第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分）
36~40 DGAFE
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 ABBCA 46~50 DBAAC 51~55 CABAD
第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
56．more unique 57．nationally 58．blending 59．reopened 60．where
61．to touch 62．its 63．preferences 64．with 65．A
第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（满分15分）
【参考范文】
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to request assistance in locating my checked suitcase，which I haven’t received after arriving in Chongqing on Flight QR110，departing from Heathrow Airport on August 15th.
The lost suitcase is brown in color，approximately 68 cm by 45 cm by 28 cm，with a white name tag bearing my contact details. Its vintage leather softened by years of travel and a slight scratch make it easy to recognize. Inside the suitcase are some clothing and personal belongings，including a graduation certificate，which is so important that I cannot afford to lose it.
Please call me at 13327395793 if you can track down the suitcase. Your prompt attention is very much appreciated.
Yours sincerely，
Li Hua
第二节（满分25分）
【参考范文】
People of different identities responded in ways I never expected. A teenage boy with autism emailed，saying he’d long felt like an outsider afraid to share his thoughts until my story gave him the courage to join his school’s writing club—a space he’d avoided for years.“It was your words that made me realize I’m not alone，and my voice matters，”he wrote. A working woman，hiding her self-doubt for decades，shared that my story had pushed her to pursue her long-held business dream， which she’s now actively planning. A parent also reached out，tearfully saying my book helped her bridge the gap with her autistic child she’d struggled with for years.
Their words，like a beam of light，broke through my self-doubt’s darkness. For so long，I’d felt like I didn’t belong in this world，like my struggles were mine alone. I used to think my voice was too small，too irrelevant. But writing let those words travel across mountains and seas，landing in the hearts of people who needed them most，guiding them out of their hardships. Watching these readers change，I suddenly realized—I was no longer the one who“didn’t belong.”My words had become a bridge connecting us all，and I was truly making a difference in the world. The fog of self-doubt lifted little by little. It turns out，when you help others，you’re also reshaping yourself. In lifting others up，I finally grew into a more valuable，confident version of myself.
听力原文
Text 1
W：So what do you think of the apartment？
M：I really like it，but I don’t think I can afford the rent.
W：Well，if you really want to live here，you can find a roommate to share the rent with you.
M：I prefer to live alone. Sorry.
Text 2
M：Hello. This is David Maynard. I’m calling to confirm my reservation for tonight.
W：I’m sorry Mr. Maynard，but I don’t have a room reserved here in your name.
M：Oh，my secretary Mary might have used the company name. Is there anything for Burton Electronics？
W：Oh，yes.
Text 3
W：Come and look！These places in the brochure are awesome！Which place shall we go to for this vacation？
M：Oh，sorry，I’ve promised Mark that I am going hunting with him in Alaska.
W：John，you can’t be serious！
Text 4
W：I’m worn out. I’ve been staying up late working on this design for days.
M：Thanks for your hard work. I’ll give you three days off as a reward after you finish it.
Text 5
W：The weather forecast says it will be sunny and hot this Saturday. How about going to the beach？
M：Sorry. The beach never appeals to me. I prefer staying at home and watching football all day.
Text 6
W：Does your father have any sisters or brothers？
M：Oh，yes，I have an uncle，and my uncle Charles is pretty famous，actually.
W：What does he do？
M：Medical research. A lot of his research has been published in medical journals. And he’s also famous for his young age when he started. He’s been doing medical research for ten years and he’s only 25.
W：Wow，sounds amazing！Clever man！
Text 7
W：Hi，Billy. Nice to see you here！Is that a latte in your hand？
M：Yes. It tastes great.
W：I’d like to order one，too. Wow，you look stronger than before. How do you make it？
M：Well，this change occurred after I joined a health club and took a weight training course. The coach created a special training program for me.
W：It seems effective as your muscles are trained well. I’d suggest Zack join the class too，as he always feels weak.
M：Great！We can get our training together this evening.
W：He needs to work overtime tonight，but I’ll call Zack right now and tell him about that. Uh，is there any equipment we need to prepare？
M：No.
Text 8
M：Linda，you’ve been away for a long time.
W：Yeah. After two years of studying in the Czech Republic，I decided to make my home there. And now three years have passed since that decision.
M：You must love its culture very much.
W：You bet. Last month，I just traveled to an unusual tourist spot there.
M：I’m interested. Tell me more about it.
W：Well，it’s an old castle ruin called Lansperk，about two hours’ journey from Prague by train. The ruin is located in a town，where only 1, 200 people live. When I stepped out of the train， I was already surrounded by the mountains. There were houses in the mountains，some of which were decorated with lovely roses. It was really peaceful there.
M：Cool. I want to see those houses myself someday. You must show me around then.
W：Sure，and I’ll introduce a local friend I made there to you.
Text 9
W：Our nieces Melinda and Lucy will arrive next week. What could they do？
M：They could stay inside by the fire. But I think that’s very boring.
W：Yes. Maybe we can bring them to the countryside for a walk. What do you think？
M：That sounds fun，but it might be wet and dirty there since there has been so much rain and even snow recently. What about doing something indoors，like visiting a museum？It’s nice and warm in there.
W：You’re right. But I think we can still have a few outdoor activities. Of course fishing isn’t very good. It’s much too cold.
M：Yeah. Nor is climbing. That will be too tiring. Then what about going ice-skating？
W：That’s a good idea. Maybe they can borrow some skating shoes.
M：Yes. It’ll be really fun.
Text 10
M：Spring is nearly here and many people will turn their attention to DIY. But a recent study has found that over 50% of people in the U.K. admit they have at least one unfinished job to do in their home，while one in five say they have damaged their home while trying to“Do It Yourself”. Here， I will share my embarrassing experiences with you.
Once，a friend of mine asked me to paint some rooms in her house. I was painting one wall， standing at the top of a ladder. For some reason，at one point，I forgot I was on a ladder and stepped back. I lost balance and fell off. Unfortunately， her carpet was damaged by the paint. My friend was more worried about me than annoyed. But in the end she had to buy a new carpet…
What impressed me most was quite a simple task — putting up some shelves in my basement. I was standing on a wooden table，putting a nail into the wall and suddenly all the lights went out. I realized that there were wires in the wall where I was putting the nail in. I thought I was lucky — I could have got an electric shock and been badly hurt. But it wasn’t all good luck — I had to have some repairs done and it wasn’t cheap.
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