厦门双十中学
2007届高三年级上学期半期考
英 语 试 题
本试卷分为第Ⅰ卷(选择题)和第Ⅱ卷(非选择题)两部分。共150分,考试时间120分钟。
第一卷(选择题,共115分)
1.答第一卷前,考生务必将自己的姓名、准考证号、考试科目、试卷类型用铅笔涂写在答题卡上。
2.每小题选了答案后,用铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需要改动,用橡皮擦干净后,再选涂其他答案标号。不能答在试卷上。
第一部分:听力(共20小题,每小题1.5分,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,并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后,你都有10秒钟的时间来回关小题和阅读下一小题,每段对话仅读一遍。
1.Where are the two speakers now?
A.On the bus. B.On the street. C.On the beach.
2.What does the woman suggest the man do?
A.Go to bed earlier. B.Turn the alarm off. C.Move his alarm clock.
3.What would be the woman’s advice?
A.Don’t drink water with ice.
B.Don’t eat any cold dishes.
C.Don’t drink water at lunch.
4.When will the man most probably meet Dr. Jones?
A.At 9:00. B.At 9:30. C.At 10:00.
5.Why does the woman want to return the dress?
A.It is too dear. B.It is out of date. C.It is of poor quality.
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。
请听第6段材料,回答第6至7题。
6.What can we learn about the lecture?
A.It was put off. B.It lasted too long. C.It bored some students.
7.What do we know about the woman?
A.She forgot to attend the lecture.
B.She mixed up the dates of lectures.
C.She should answer for the bad manners.
请听第7段材料,回答第8至10题。
8.What is the main topic of the conversation?
A.Watching football games.
B.Meeting football players.
C.Cheering in the stadium.
9.What do we know about the woman?
A.She doesn’t like football at all.
B.She is too busy to go to the stadium.
C.She likes watching football game son TV.
10.What does the man like to do?
A.Watch football games in person.
B.Photo football games with his camera.
C.Cheer for his favorite football players.
请听第8段材料,回答第11至13题。
11.Why does the man decide not to go downtown at first?
A.He can’t spare the time.
B.He thinks it is too far away.
C.He has nothing to do downtown.
12.What is Gilson’s?
A.A big supermarket. B.A watch repair shop. C.A large parking lot.
13.What do we know about the woman?
A.She is busy with her work.
B.She is leaving in several hours.
C.She is going shopping downtown.
请听第9段材料,回答第14至16题。
14.What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A.A research plan made in space.
B.A certain product made in space.
C.A problem in making things in space.
15.What might the balls most probably be used for?
A.Children’s games. B.Earth protection. C.Medical science.
16.Why have astronauts made the ball in space?
A.To keep them smaller size.
B.To make them perfectly round.
C.To produce them more cheaply.
请听第10段材料,回答第17至20题。
17.Where does this conversation most probably take place?
A.In a meeting room. B.In a public house. C.In a TV studio.
18.What is the most popular free – time activity in Japan?
A.Eating out. B.Traveling. C.Driving.
19.What activity is the least popular of the top ten?
A.Going to bars. B.Playing the lottery. C.Visiting museums and zoos.
20.What can we learn from the conversation?
A.All the people in Japan work overtime.
B.Most of the Japanese people travel abroad.
C.Watching DVDs is more popular than gardening in Japan.
第二部分:英语知识运用(共两节,满分45分)
第一节 单项填空(共15小题;每小题1分,满分15分)
从A、B、C和D四个选项中,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。
例:It’s so nice to hear from her again. , we last met more than thirty years ago.
A.What’s more B.That’s to say C.In other words D.Believe it or not
答案是D。
21.—I think you have too much luggage, don’t you?
—Yes. But it’s not easy to decide what to behind.
A.take B.turn C.keep D.leave
22.A 24 – year – old woman was found guilty murder at the Central Court last Thursday?
A.about B.of C.for D.in
23.— What do you think of the charity campaign two weeks ago?
— It was a great success as a whole. Actually we with two – thirds of the money collected.
A.will be satisfied B.were satisfied
C.would have been satisfied D.would be satisfied
24. I admit that there are problem, I don’t agree that they can’t be solved.
A.While B.Since C.As D.If
25.Science and technology should be developed to benefit people in the world harm them.
A.more than B.better than C.rather than D.less than
26. she has had, she never loses her good humor.
A.However tired a day B.However tiring a day
C.Whatever tiring a day D.Whatever a tired day
27.— Why don’t you stay at the Grand Regency Hotel?
— You ! Do you know how expensive that place is.
A.must be joking B.must joke C.can’t be joking D.can’t joke
28.The most common thing to do on earth, such as walking and eating, can be big threat if not handled properly in space.
A.a;不填 B.不填;不填 C.a;the D.不填;the
29.The two empty – headed wealthy women carried on a (n) conversation about parties and clothes all the afternoon.
A.tough B.trying C.shallow D.illegal
30. the catastrophe happened that the local government realized the importance of substantial development.
A.Until B.It was until C.Not until D.It was not until
31.— Do you have any idea how to spend the coming weekend?
— if we go bushwalking in the outback?
A.How B.So C.What D.When
32.He must have waked 20 times, a match each time to look at his old watch – midnight, and one o’clock, and then two o’clock.
A.to strike B.to have struck C.striking D.having struck
33.Don’t you know that Australia was as a matter of fact used to be a nation of prisoners?
A.where B.what C.which D.that
34.Try to at least half an hour each day for learning new vocabulary, and you’ll know more words.
A.set aside B.take up C.put away D.go about
35.— Jenny, how was your trip to Beijing?
— Oh, I missed it. I wish I my vacation there.
A.am spending B.will spend C.have spent D.had spent
第二节 完形填空(共20小题,每小题1.5分,满分30分)
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从36~55各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I always felt sorry for the people in a wheelchair. Some people, old and weak, cannot 36 by themselves. Others seem perfectly healthy, dressed in business suits. But whenever I saw someone in a wheelchair, I only saw a (n) 37 , not a person.
Then I fainted at Euro Disney due to low 38 pressure. This was the first time I had ever lost consciousness, and my parents said that I must 39 for a while after First Aid. I agreed to 40 but, as I stepped toward the door, I saw my dad pushing a wheelchair in my direction! 41 the color burn my cheeks, I asked him to 42 that thing right back to where he found it.
I could not believe this was happening to me. Wheelchairs were 43 for other people but not for me, as my father wheeled me 44 into the main street, people immediately began to treat me 45 .
Little rids ran in front of me, 46 my father to stop the wheelchair suddenly. 47 set in as I was thrown back and forth. “Stupid kids – they have perfectly good 48 . Why can’t they watch where they are going?” I thought. People stared down at me, 49 in their eyes. Then they would look away, maybe because they thought the 50 they forgot me, the better.
“I’m just like you!” I wanted to scream. “The only difference is you’ve got legs, 51 I have wheels.”
People in wheelchairs are not 52 . They see every look and hear each word. Looking out at the faces, I finally understood: I was once just like them. I treated people in wheelchairs 53 the way they did not want to be 54 . I realized it is some of us with two healthy legs who are truly 55 .
36.A.get around B.run away C.jump about D.pick up
37.A.accident B.wheelchair C.disability D.barrier
38.A.air B.blood C.conscience D.spirit
39.A.stay B.stand C.rest D.lie
40.A.leave it alone B.have a walk C.make an attempt D.take it easy
41.A.Thinking B.Feeling C.Realizing D.Recognizing
42.A.return B.drive C.wheel D.bring
43.A.fine B.noble C.bad D.comfortable
44.A.down B.out C.away D.on
45.A.curiously B.coldly C.rudely D.differently
46.A.appointing B.forcing C.advising D.persuading
47.A.Bitterness B.Sweetness C.Nervousness D.Fearfulness
48.A.arms B.brains C.bodies D.legs
49.A.amazement B.pity C.anxiety D.curiosity
50.A.later B.earlier C.harder D.sooner
51.A.thus B.so C.and D.but
52.A.unhealthy B.horrible C.wrong D.stupid
53.A.simply B.exactly C.similarly D.oppositely
54.A.regarded B.considered C.treated D.imagined
55.A.disabled B.specific C.weak D.tough
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题,每小题2分,满分40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,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
It was not yet eleven o’clock when a boat crossed the river with a single passenger who obtained his transportation at that unusual hour by promising an extra fare. While the youth stood on the landing place searching in his pocket for money, the boatman lifted a lantern, by the aid of which, together with the newly risen moon, he took a very accurate survey of the stranger’s figure. He, was a young man of only 18 years, evidently country bred (乡下长大的), and now, as it seemed, on his first visit to town. He was wearing a rough gray coat, which was in poor shape, but which had seen many winters before this one. The garments under his coat were well constructed of leather, and fitted tightly to a pair of muscular legs; his stocking of blue yarn (纱) must have been the work of a mother or sister, and on his head was a three – cornered hat, which in its better days had perhaps sheltered the grayer head of the youth’s father. In his left hand was a walking stick, and his equipment was completed by a leather bag not so plentifully stocked as to inconvenience the strong shoulders on which it hung. Brown, curly hair, well – shaped features, bright, cheerful eyes were nature’s gift, and worth all that art could have done for his adornment (装饰物). The youth, whose name was Robin, paid the boatman, YC and then walked forward into the town with a light step, as if he had not already traveled more than 30 miles that day. As he walked, he surveyed his surroundings as eagerly as if he were entering London or Madrid, instead of metropolis (大都市) of a New England colony.
56.What time of year was in this story?
A.Spring. B.Summer. C.Fall. D.Winter.
57.The boatman was willing to take Robin across the river because .
A.he wanted to make extra money
B.he saw Robin young and rich
C.he was going to row across the river anyway
D.he felt sorry for Robin because he looked poor
58.The stockings that Robin wore were obviously .
A.well worn B.handmade C.very expensive D.much too big
59.How did Robin appear when he walked into town?
A.He was tired.
B.He seemed very sad.
C.He was cheerful and excited.
D.He seemed frightened by his strange surroundings.
B
Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people. Shy people are anxious and self – conscious; that is, they are over concerned with their own appearance and actions. Worrisome thoughts are constantly occurring in their minds; what kind of impression am I making? Do they like me? Do I sound stupid? Am I wearing unattractive clothes?
It is obvious that such comfortable feelings must affect people unfavorably. A person’s self – concept is reflected in the way he or she behaves and the way a person themselves has a deep effect on all areas of their lives. Shy people, who have low self – esteem (自尊), are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others. They need faith that they are doing “the right thing”. Shy people are very sensitive to criticism. It makes them feel inferior (自卑). They also find it difficult to be pleased by praises because they believe they are unworthy of praise. A shy person may respond to a praise with a statement like this one: “You’re just saying that to make me feel good, I know it’s not true.” It is clear that, while self – awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it harmful. Can shyness be completely got rid of, or at least reduced? Fortunately, people can overcome shyness with determination. It is important for people to accept their weaknesses as well as their strengths, for example, not fair for them to label themselves inferior because they have to be realistic. Living on the impossible leads to absence of inferiority. Each one of us has his or her own characteristics. We are interested in our own personal ways. The better we understand ourselves, the easier it becomes to live up to our chances for a rich and fulfilling life.
60.The first paragraph is mainly about .
A.the thoughts of shy people B.the cause of shyness
C.the effect of shyness on people D.the questions in the minds of shy people
61.According to the writer, self – awareness is .
A.harmful to people B.a weak point of shy people
C.the cause of unhappiness D.a good characteristics
62.What is the shy people’s reaction to praise?
A.They are pleased by it B.They feel it is not true
C.They are very sensitive to it D.They feel they are worthy of it
63.We can learn from the passage that shyness can .
A.block our chances for a successful life
B.help us to live up to our full development
C.enable us to understand ourselves better
D.have nothing to do with lack of self – esteem
C
Once I mentioned the story of a friend getting something made for me to give my daughter as a present, and then not letting me pay her back. Writing about that made me think about the problem of communicating feelings, particularly in cross – cultural situations. Let me explain.
If I say to a fellow English – speaker, “I know how you feel,” what I am actually saying is that I can imagine myself in the same position, and therefore can imagine how I would feel. But my friend could perfectly correctly reply, “No, you don’t! You can’t.” In truth we can communicate how strongly we feel, but we cannot communicate exactly what we feel.
But if we come from the same linguistic and cultural background, the match can be close enough.
Culture and language cannot be separated, and I think that we have the feelings that are recognized in our culture and therefore represented in our language. One might say that we feel the things that our language allows us to express. So when it comes to trying to explain feelings to someone of a different mother tongue, the difficulties are huge.
I could not explain to my friend how I felt about her not letting me repay her, because Chinese culture, it seems, does not recognize the same feelings on such occasions.
She could understand the words that I was using, but could not understand what I was trying to say.
Some time ago, I was going up in the lift, and a colleague with whom I merely have a nodding acquaintance was offering round some sweetmeat. I knew that I really could not eat it, so I refused politely, only to be told that I was making her lost face.
I have no idea how serious the colleague was being. I sincerely hope that her comment was more of the nature of a standard response in that kind of situation.
Causing someone to lose face is a serious social mistake. We have to do all we can to learn the types of situation in which it happens, and to try to avoid them. But we can only know about losing face, we can’t feel losing face, as the term is merely a literal translation of Chinese, not one that is native to English.
64.What does the author intend to express in the second paragraph?
A.The author’s friend does not understand English.
B.The author and her friend can communicate feelings with each other.
C.The author’s friend can’t understand the real meaning of the author.
D.The author’s friend feels insulted if other people know how she feels.
65.What does the author mean by saying “… the match can be close enough.”
A.There can be some competition between them.
B.They can make a perfect couple.
C.They cam share similar opinions and thoughts.
D.They are even in a match.
66.According to the author, it is to explain feelings to someone of a different language.
A.very difficult B.a little bit difficult
C.not difficult at all D.impossible
67.This passage is focused on .
A.how to avoid making people lose face
B.cultural differences between the east and the west
C.the importance of one’s cultural background
D.how to be acquainted with Chinese culture
D
The way people hold to the belief that a fun – filled, pain free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever gaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness, then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true – more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very source of true happiness. They fear the pain unavoidably brought by such things – marriage, raising children, professional achievements and self – improvement.
Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a promise. For a promise is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with babies are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or three – day vacation. I don’t know parents who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that truly increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that expensive mobile phone or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
68.What the author is mainly trying to tell us is .
A.a happy life means life full of fun and without pain
B.happiness often goes hand in hand with pain
C.it is important to avoid pain in order to be happy
D.one must know how to gain happiness
69.According to the author, the bachelor resists marriage mainly because .
A.he is unwilling to take on family responsibilities
B.he fears it will put an end to all his fun and adventure
C.he believes that dating will be more cheerful
D.he finds more fun in dating than in marriage
70.Raising children, in the author’s opinion, is .
A.a desperate attempt B.a thankless job
C.a rewarding task D.a pain free life
71.To understand what true happiness is, one must .
A.have as much fun as possible during one’s lifetime
B.make every effort to liberate oneself from time and money
C.put up with pain under all circumstances
D.be able to distinguish happiness from fun
E
Now let’s look ourselves as a species in relation to ecosystem balance.
Modern scientists believe that humankind, like other animals, evolved (进化) through millions of years of changes and adaptations to the environment and that our most direct evolutionary ancestor was probably an earlier species of the primate (monkey, ape) group. Despite this similarity with other creatures, however, the evolution of humankind differs from that of other species in one important and unique way.
In other species evolution has led to specialization, both in the species abilities and in its place within the environmental structure. For example, the giraffe is much adapted to feeding on treetops, but it is also specialized and thus limited to feeding on trees and shrubs (灌木). Only with great difficulty can it bend down to graze on the ground. Similarly, the anteater is extremely well adapted to eating ants but is unable to catch or eat other animals. The same is true for countless other species.
For humankind it is opposite. Our evolution had led to a very generalized ability. Our highly developed intelligence and ability to make and handle tools mean that we can do almost anything. Humans evolved in such a way that we are able to move into every environment on Earth and even into space. No natural competitor offers great resistance, and other natural enemies such as disease have been controlled.
Said another way, we see in humankind a great imbalance between biological potential and environmental resistance. The result is the rapidly increasing world population, frequently referred to as the population explosion. Further, to support our growing population, natural ecosystems are being increasingly displaced by human habitations, agriculture, and other human supporting activities.
72.From the passage we can infer that in the course of evolution .
A.humankind is very important to earlier species, such as the primate group
B.human beings are limited by the environment while animals are not
C.human beings become more and more different from each other
D.humankind has experienced a generalization rather than specialization in ability
73.According to the passage, primate includes such animals as .
A.monkeys and anteaters B.tigers and apes
C.apes and monkeys D.monkeys and giraffes
74.According to the passage, evolution has made it possible for humans to .
A.increase the population B.resist natural offers
C.go to the moon D.cure all diseases
75.According to the author, imbalance between biological potential and environmental resistance has resulted in .
A.the population explosion B.the destruction of human habitations
C.the growth of natural ecosystem D.the specialization of humans
第二卷(共35分)
第四部分:写作(共两节,满分35分)
第一节 短文改错(共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
此题要求改正所给短文中的错误。对标有题号的每一行做出判断:如无错误,在该行右边的横线上画一个勾(√),如有错误(每行只有一个错误),则按下列情况改正:
此行多一个词:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉,在该行右边横线上写出该词,并也用斜线划掉。
此行缺一个词:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(^),在该行右边横线上写出该加的词。
此行错一个词:在错的词下面划一横线,在该行右边的横线上写出改正后的词。
注意:原行没有错误的不要改。
Jack stopped at his favorite bar after
a hard day’s work to relax. He noticed a man next him 76.
ordered a shot (白酒) or a beer. The man drank the 77.
shot, followed it with the beer and then looking into his 78.
shirt pocket. This continued several times after 79.
Jack’s curiosities got the best of him. He leaned over 80.
to the man and said, “Excuse me, you couldn’t help but 81.
notice your little ceremony. How in the world do you 82.
look into your shirt pocket every time when you drink your 83.
shot and beer?” The man replied, “There’s a picture of my wife 84.
in it, and when she starts looking good, I’m heading to home” 85.
第二节 书面表达(满分25分)
假如你是高中三年级的学生张明,在学校组织了一项“有烦恼向谁说”的调查活动。请用英语给校报编辑写一封信,反映相关情况。内容包括:调查结果(如图所示)、持相应想法的理由及你对调查结果的看法。
向同学、朋友说(理由:同龄人,容易交流和理解)
向老师、家长说(理由:阅历丰富,有生活和教育经验)
不向别人说(理由:不愿和别人说自己的事或难以与别人相处)
注意:1.信的开头和结尾已经给出。2.词数100词左右。
Dear Editor,
I am a Senior Three student. Recently we have carried out a survey – “To whom do you go when in trouble?” The results are as follows.
Yours sincerely,
Zhang Ming
参考答案
听力理解
1—5 BCABA 6—10 CBACA 11—15 ABABC 16—20 BCABC
单项填空
21—25 DBCAC 26—30 BAACD 31—35 CCBAD
完形填空
36—40 ACBCD 41—45 BCABD 46—50 BADBD 51—55 CDBCA
阅读理解
A)56—59 DABC B)60—63 CDBA C)64—67 CCAB
D)68—71 BACD E)72—75 DCCA
短文改错
76.next后加to 77.or → and 78.looking →looked 79.after → before
80.curiosities → curiosity 81.you → I 82.How → Why
83.去掉when 84.√ 85.去掉 to
书面表达
One Possible Version:
Dear Editor,
I am a Senior Three student. Recently we have carried out a survey – “To whom do you go when in trouble?” The main findings are as follows.
61% of the students surveyed friends or schoolmates as their ideal listeners when they have trouble and want to confide, the reason of which is that they are in the same age group and have a better understanding of each other. Another 22% choose teachers and parents to talk to. They suggest that teachers and parents are rich in life and educational experiences. Nevertheless, there are also 17% who don’t share their troubles at all. They say that their troubles are none of other’s business. Others find it hard to converse with others.
(It is not easy to reach definite conclusions based on such a small example. However, some general comments can be made.) It seems clear from the response that some students lack communication with others and teachers and parents need to play a more important role in their lives.
Yours sincerely,
Zhang Ming
一、评分原则
1.本题总分为25分,按5个档次给分。
2.评分时,先根据文章的内容和语言初步确定其所属档次,然后以该档次的要求来衡量。确定或调整档次,最后给分。
3.词数少于80或多于120的,从总分中减去2分。
4.评分时,应注意的主要内容为:内容要点、应用词汇和语法结构的数量和准确性及上下文的连贯性。
5.拼写标点符号是语言准确性的一个方面,评分时,应视其对交际的影响程度予以考虑。英、美,拼写及词汇用法均可接受。
6.如果书写较差,以至影响交际,将分数降低一个档次。
第五档
完全完成了试题规定的任务。
● 覆盖所有内容要点。
● 应用了较多的语法结构和词汇。
● 语法结构或词汇方面有些错误,但为尽量使用较复杂结构或较高级词汇所致;具备较强的语言运用能力。
● 有效地使用语句间的连接成分,使全文结构紧凑。
完全达到预期的写作目的
(21—25分)
第四档
完全完成了试题规定的任务。
● 虽漏掉一两个重点,但覆盖所有主要内容。
● 应用的语法结构和词汇能满足任务的要求。
● 语法结构式或词汇方面应用基本准确,些许错误主要是因尝试较复杂语法结构或词汇所致。
● 应用简单的语句间连接成分,使全文结构紧凑。
达到了预期的写作目的。
(16—20分)
第三档
基本完成了试题规定的任务。
● 虽漏掉一些内容,但覆盖所有主要内容。
● 应用的语法结构和词汇能满足任务的要求。
● 有一些语法结构或词汇方面的错误,但不影响理解。
● 应用简单的语句间连接成分,使全文内容连贯。
● 整体而言,基本达到了预期的写作目的。
(11—15分)
第二档
未恰当完成试题规定的任务。
● 漏掉或未描述清楚一些主要内容,写了一些无关内容。
● 语法结构单调,词汇项目有限。
● 有一些语法结构或词汇方面的错误,影响了对写作内容的理解。
● 较光使用语句间的连接成分,内容缺少连贯性。
信息未能清楚地传达给读者。
(6—10分)
第一档
未恰当完成试题规定的任务。
● 明显遗漏主要内容,写了一些无关内容,原因可能是未理解试题要求。
● 语法结构单调,词汇项目有限。
● 较多语法结构或词汇方面的错误,影响对写作内容的理解。
● 缺乏语句间的连接成分,内容不连贯。
信息未能传达给读者。
(1—5分)
0分
未能传达给读者任何信息;内容太少,无法评判;写的内容均与所要求内容无关或者军民一致的内容无法看清。
附:英语听力录音材料
(Text 1)
M : Excuse me, how far is it to the beach?
W : It’s quite a long way. If you take a bus, it is two stops from here. But if you walk, you can get there in about 40 minutes.
(Text 2)
M : I missed the bus again today because I turned the alarm clock off in my sleep.
W : Try putting it far enough away from your bed and you’ll have to get up on time.
(Text 3)
M : I never drink water without ice.
W : Don’t you think that’s bad for your stomach?
M : But I’ve been doing it for the whole summer, especially at lunchtime. There seems to be no problem.
(Text 4)
M : Hello, this is Tom Davis. I have an appointment with Dr. Jones for nine o’clock this morning, but I’m afraid I’ll have to arrive half an hour late.
W : That’s all right. Dr. Jones doesn’t have another appointment until ten o’clock.
(Text 5)
M : What’s wrong with the dress?
W : Nothing. I just want to return it.
M : Generally we don’t just give money back, but we can exchange it for you.
W : Well, the thing is, I just saw a dress in another shop for only $ 80. But I paid $ 160 for this one.
(Text 6)
W : Did many people attend the lecture ?
M : Well, yes and no. You see, the classroom was quite full at the beginning. Almost all the seats were taken. But after the break, about one – third of the students left.
W : How terrible! That was a very rude thing. I should have been there. I had told them to show good manners. I do hope Professor Black was not angry.
M : What do you mean? He wasn’t even there.
W : What? Professor Black did not come?
M : No. His lecture is next Thursday.
W : Oh, how silly of me!
(Text 7)
M : Hi, Shirley, going to the football game today?
W : No. I find it easier to follow football on television than in the stadium. When I see the game in person, I feel as if I’m too far away from the action. And I always lose track of the ball.
M : I know just what you mean. Besides, on television the new cameras they use give you super view of all the play. But there’s always so much excitement. People are cheering and shouting when you’re there in person.
W : You’re right. But I’d like to know exactly what I’m shouting for. And if I can’t even see who has the ball, I can’t get very excited.
M : I see your point.
(Text 8)
W : Julia and I are driving downtown this afternoon. Want to come, Tom?
M : Thanks, Cathy. But I’ve got to study. I’m way behind in chemistry.
W : Well, in that case, is there anything we can get for you?
M : Gee, I left my watch to be fixed at Gilson’s the other day. It should be ready by now.
W : If you’ve got the claim check, I’d be glad to pick it up.
M : Well, Cathy, now that I think about it, I’ve got something else to do downtown. I have to buy something at the supermarket. Maybe I’d better go with you.
W : We’ll be leaving from the parking lot. I’m behind with my work so we’ll only be there a couple of hours.
M : Oh. If it’s only a couple of hours, I can certainly go.
W : Great! See you in a few minutes.
(Text 9)
M : Do you know that astronauts have made something in space?
W : No. What kind of things?
M : Tiny plastic balls.
W : Balls? Do you mean to tell me that astronauts have nothing better to do than make such things in space ? It seems to me they could make more useful things out there.
M : Oh, but they can be used for many scientific purposes, such as carrying on cancer research.
W : That sounds better. But why make such objects in space rather than on earth?
M : Because earth pull affects them. The balls produced on earth are often out of shape, not exactly round.
(Text 10)
W : Welcome once again to People Today. Now it’s time for our “Eye on the World”, with Mark Perkins. Mark?
M : Thanks, Anna, in tonight’s “Eye on the World” we go to Japan. Now, everyone knows people in Japan work long, hard hours, but just what do people do in their free time? Well, here is the top ten. In first place it is eating out. As you can see, eating out is by far the most popular. In second place comes… wait for it … driving. Yes, it appears Japanese people like nothing more than driving around cities and into the countryside. It may seem strange to you and me, but there you are! Next, in third place, is travel within Japan … to all those lovely temples and gardens, I guess. Fourth is, guess what, Anna!
W : I have no idea!
M : Karaoke, of course. Lots of people enjoy singing along with their favorite songs. Then in fifth place we have watching DVDs, followed by listening to music. But just look what we have here in seventh place – trips to museums and zoos. Then way down in eighth place comes going to bars, and after that, gardening. I guess not so many people in Japan have gardens. And finally in tenth place we have playing the lottery. And who wouldn’t want to win lots of money? Back to you, Anna.
W : Thanks, Mark.